The Chu Emperor's Response (8000)

"What do you mean by 'I'm in danger'?" Xu Bai looked Liu Qingfeng Liu Qingfeng up and down after hearing his question.

He didn't understand the meaning of that sentence, which said that he would be in danger if he didn't step into sainthood.

What dangers are there? Right now, the two biggest threats to him are the two Entering Sainthood Expert from the Barbarian Tribe who have escaped.

However, the underhanded tricks used by these two Entering Sainthood Expert have already been countered.

Since they couldn't openly step into the Barbarian Tribe territory, the danger was much smaller.

But seeing that Liu Qingfeng was speaking very seriously, as if it were really true, Xu Bai asked the question and then patiently waited for Liu Qingfeng's answer.

Liu Qingfeng solemnly said, "King Xu, the danger I just mentioned is not the danger in the human world. Right now, there is nothing in this human world that can threaten you."

That's true. With Xu Bai's current strength and status, he can really do whatever he wants in the world, and no one can threaten him.

As for those two Barbarian Tribe warriors, they will no longer be a threat once Xu Bai's strength increases. He might even find an opportunity to find them, kill them, and avenge today's humiliation.

Xu Bai pondered for a moment and quickly came to an answer. He stared at Liu Qingfeng and slowly uttered two words: "Ghost Market".

Liu Qingfeng nodded and said, "That's right, it's the Ghost Market. Now, the biggest threat to King Xu is actually the Ghost Market. The reason is simple: they already know of your existence."

"You know I exist?" Xu Bai stroked his chin. "What does that have to do with my danger?"

Liu Qingfeng explained, "When King Xu first stepped into the Ghost Market, it caused quite a stir."

"They already know of a human who can freely enter and leave the Ghost Market without being threatened by Ghost Market, and whose soul can be perfectly preserved."

"This alone is enough to make them a threat to King Xu. King Xu, do you know that the Ghost Market is very interested in someone like you? They would love to capture you and study you thoroughly."

After saying this, Liu Qingfeng had fully expressed his meaning, and Xu Bai understood it.

"So that's how it is. They're only interested in me because I can freely enter the Ghost Market, and it even poses a threat to me," Xu Bai thought to himself.

If that's really the case, then it's not just a simple threat, but an absolutely terrifying danger.

When a person attracts the attention of a powerful force, the danger increases exponentially.

Xu Bai was in this state at that moment. He seemed to have become a thorn in the side of the Ghost Market. The Ghost Market wanted to remove him and then take possession of Xu Bai's ability to circumvent the rules.

"In other words, once the human world and the Ghost Market go to war, I will be the first target of the Ghost Market's attack, or rather, their primary target," Xu Bai said.

Liu Qingfeng nodded. "It's not just a simple matter of being a key target. They will stop at nothing to catch you, and once they bring you back, they will definitely use some terrifying methods."

"I understand," Xu Bai said, indicating that he was clear about the situation.

Liu Qingfeng was somewhat puzzled, wondering why Xu Bai was so calm. This puzzlement was evident on his face, and Xu Bai saw it all.

Xu Bai smiled and said, "The reason I am so calm is not because I don't care about them, but because since it has become a fait accompli, what I need to do now is to work hard to improve my strength and make myself safer."

When faced with a crisis, many people panic, become confused, or even lose their composure, but Xu Bai is different.

He felt that since things had already been decided, he should just follow his plan and strive to reach the level of sainthood before the Ghost Market and the human world opened.

Even if the quota for becoming a saint is full, Xu Bai still wants to try whether he can break the rule that there are only nine.

"Since King Xu is aware, then I shall take my leave," Liu Qingfeng said, bowing slightly.

He had said what he needed to say, and he felt it was time for him to leave.

Xu Bai asked with interest, "Do you have a place to stay now? Do you know where you're going?"

Liu Qingfeng thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I don't have any plans for now. We'll see when the time comes. Let's think about it as we go."

He knew his situation, and the most important thing now was to repair the remnant soul, which would take some time.

After all, what he left behind in this world was only a remnant soul, and he still needs to spend time repairing it.

As for where to settle down and what path to take next, he hadn't figured it out yet, since everything had become unfamiliar to him.

What to do next in an unfamiliar environment is something we'll have to consider later.

"What I mean is, why don't you just stay here? Why go out and wander around? With your current strength, you can live just as well here," Xu Bai said.

The words actually implied a recruitment strategy.

What the current fiefdom lacks most is not a large number of people, but rather these top-notch experts.

The person in front of me is an unparalleled genius. Even after being insane for so long, he still possesses the strength of a seventh-grade extraordinary being.

Given some time, he will surely recover to the Extraordinary Rank 9. At that time, this fiefdom will have another Extraordinary Rank 9 expert.

Liu Qingfeng was slightly taken aback, then shook his head. "I have little interest in being an official, and staying here would be futile, and I also lack the ability to be one."

He knew his own situation very well; if it came to fighting, he was good at it and very capable.

But if he were to actually become an official, he would be somewhat incapable of it.

Being strong and capable in combat does not necessarily mean one has the talent and ability to be an official. Liu Qingfeng is well aware that he is more like a lone wolf.

"I'm not asking you to become an official," Xu Bai said with a smile.

Liu Qingfeng asked, puzzled, "Then what am I supposed to do here?"

He had figured out Xu Bai's meaning from the first few sentences, thinking that Xu Bai wanted him to become an official. But after these few sentences were said, he suddenly felt that he didn't understand anymore.

Xu Bai explained it simply, "I won't make you an official, I'll just let you be an expert here. If there are any serious problems that you can't handle, you can go and help."

Liu Qingfeng opened his mouth, wanting to refuse again, but Xu Bai raised his hand to interrupt him.

Xu Bai said, "Why be so stubborn? Think about it, here I can show you so many precious secret manuals, which will be of great help to you in repairing your soul or improving your cultivation level."

"Now that you've advanced your cultivation level, what you have here is more than enough."

Before Liu Qingfeng could even respond, the Female Daoist Abbot beside him looked at Xu Bai with a surprised expression.

"Why do I have to use my Entering Sainthood Failure Insights in the Daoist Sect to get the chance to read books here? He doesn't have to give anything at all to be able to read books."

This was truly baffling to her, as she had given Xu Bai a very generous gift when they first met.

After all, Entering Sainthood Failure Insights are treasures of various factions, so that's what she couldn't understand.

Xu Bai turned his head and said meaningfully, "This matter needs to be looked at separately. My relationship with you is a business deal. You can't stay here forever, can you?"

Upon hearing this, the Female Daoist Abbot felt that what she said made sense, nodded, and admitted that it was indeed the case.

This was a fact she couldn't refute, after all, she might leave once she found what she needed, and couldn't stay like Liu Qingfeng.

More importantly, she was merely seeking an opportunity to attain sainthood, and according to the principle of equivalent exchange, she was indeed not in a reasonable position.

"Alright, that's enough. I need to tell His Majesty the Emperor about this as soon as possible, otherwise it will easily delay military intelligence," Xu Bai said.

Ever since Xu Bai spoke, Liu Qingfeng had been pondering the implications of his words.

Indeed, as Xu Bai said, he needed a good place.

He had no goal, no clues, and most importantly, he needed to find a stable environment to stay in, not only to improve his strength, but more importantly to stabilize his remnant soul.

"Alas..." Liu Qingfeng sighed, "Then I will disturb King Xu. I hope King Xu can forgive me."

Xu Bai waved his hand, indicating that this was just a minor issue and there was no need for such politeness.

After that, the group had nothing more to say.

Liu Qingfeng also found a spot and started reading a book.

Xu Bai did not linger there. He needed to find the Ninth Princess Ninth Princess as soon as possible and have her transmit the contents of this place through the fastest route.

This would allow the Chu Emperor to receive the news as quickly as possible, and also give Chu Emperor an extra day to deal with the danger.

"Let's go take a look first."

Thinking of this, Xu Bai lifted his foot and disappeared through the doorway.

His figure gradually disappeared, but Liu Qingfeng and the female scholar ignored him and continued reading their books.

At this time, at the site of the Ruins.

The people have already been sent in; each faction has already arranged for its own people to be sent in.

Life and death are determined by fate, and wealth is determined by heaven. They are waiting here to fulfill their responsibility. If someone comes out alive, they will naturally take that person away as soon as possible.

Just as everyone was waiting patiently, suddenly, a powerful figure in the industry raised his head, looked at the horizon, and his expression changed from confusion to shock.

"He's here!" Everyone was shocked and excited.

In the distant sky, an ordinary-looking young man is coming on auspicious clouds.

Although no special Heavenly Change occurred around the young man, his appearance shocked everyone present. They were also at a loss for what to do. These people in the industry had already recognized the man's identity.

"Xu Bai!" Several leaders of various factions began to whisper among themselves, and Xu Bai, who was walking through the air, heard them clearly.

"So he is the Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder. I have seen his portrait, but I have never seen him in person. Seeing him today, I can see that he is indeed extraordinary."

"He's more than just extraordinary; this person truly deserves to be called the number one among the younger generation. Just one glance is enough to reveal the immense strength he possesses. He truly lives up to his title of Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder!"

"The Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder truly lives up to his name; we are no match for him."

Xu Bai's brows twitched violently; the group of guys in front of him were constantly testing his limits.

What he disliked most was being called the Blood Slaughtering Saber Wielder, but these people in front of him had completely violated all of his taboos.

If the circumstances weren't different now, given his past behavior, he would probably have beaten all of them up to vent his anger.

For some reason, Xu Bai's expression suddenly turned very gloomy.

They don't even know what mistakes they made, and they all point the finger at others, implying that it was your mistake and that they are now bearing joint responsibility.

Of course, no matter how hard they racked their brains, they couldn't have imagined that it was because of the title.

Xu Bai descended from the sky and landed slowly beside Chu Ling and Ye Zi. Then, he came to Chu Ling's ear, but instead of speaking directly, he used a different method.

There are too many people around here now, so some secrets can't be revealed at will.

However, Xu Bai's current method of using his divine soul has reached the level of the Extraordinary Rank 9, so he has learned a more refined approach.

With a slight movement of his soul, Xu Bai recounted everything he had heard through his spiritual senses.

Chu Ling was wondering why Xu Bai's expression had turned so bad, as if someone had offended him.

When they sensed the message from Xu Bai's soul transmission, they already understood the reason.

Chu Ling's expression changed slightly, becoming as serious as Xu Bai's.

"I'll go inform my father right away," Chu Ling thought to himself, referring to the method Xu Bai had just taught him.

Xu Bai nodded, meaning he would go now.

Without saying a word, Chu Ling left, and this scene was witnessed by those forces.

Several factions were slightly thrown into disarray. They had sensed from Chu Ling's departure that something big was about to happen, and they were somewhat panicked.

At this point, Xu Bai could no longer leave, and the reason was quite simple.

Chu Ling leaves, and then he leaves too, it's not reasonable to leave Ye Zi alone to manage the Ruins.

Seeing that the group was slightly agitated, Xu Bai's gloomy expression gradually improved, and he revealed a smile.

His voice wasn't loud, but it reached the ears of the group and they could hear it clearly.

"With me here, nothing will go wrong. Just do your jobs properly. What? Do you think I can't keep things under control here?"

Upon hearing this, the previously chaotic scene instantly quieted down, and everyone looked at each other and said in unison.

"I wouldn't dare!"

The words he uttered came from the bottom of his heart, without any falsehood.

It wasn't just because of Xu Bai Xu Bai's identity, but also because of his strength.

Now, among those below the Saint level, Xu Bai is undoubtedly the strongest, so they certainly wouldn't dare to offend him.

"That's good. You can all do what you need to do. Don't be restrained just because I'm here." Xu Bai waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the group of people before finally settling on one spot.

At this moment, Wu Hua and Liu Xu were also looking at Xu Bai. When their eyes met, they both revealed knowing smiles.

"Someone come here!" Xu Bai said softly.

A maidservant ran over from the side.

"Your Prince."

Xu Bai pointed at Wu Hua and Liu Xu and said, "Bring two chairs for them to sit on."

"Yes!" The maidservant scurried away.

Soon after, two chairs were brought over.

Xu Bai waved his hand. "You two, how much longer are you going to stand down there? Come up here."

Wu Hua and Liu Xu exchanged a glance, and then walked up without any hesitation.

People cast envious glances at them, each with their own thoughts.

This is what they mean by "when one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven."

If they had known earlier that Xu Bai would achieve what he has today, they would have come to curry favor with him every day.

It's all about timing and fate! They also know that currying favor now will have little effect, and may even annoy them.

Liu Xu and Wu Hua took their seats.

Wu Hua spoke first, "Alas, I never expected that the former Benefactor Xu would now become King Xu, and even a master of the Extraordinary Rank 9. It truly makes us ashamed!"

Xu Bai really wanted to tap Wu Hua's bald head like before, but seeing Wu Hua's black hair, he felt a little regretful. "You're doing quite well too. The Buddhist disciples of the Buddhists today are the cornerstone of the future development of Buddhists."

Wu Hua subconsciously touched his head and chuckled foolishly twice.

Only among these few people would Wu Hua show this kind of behavior.

Xu Bai turned his gaze to Liu Xu again, but his brows furrowed.

"What's wrong with you?"

Liu Xu is a beautiful woman with a great figure. Although she always wears a veil, she is actually a woman who is cold on the outside but warm on the inside.

He will act as cold as ice when he meets someone he doesn't know well, but once he gets to know them, he will show a different side of himself.

Back then, none of the three of them were very strong. After going through that life-or-death experience, Xu Bai had a very clear understanding of Liu Xu's personality.

Overall, he is a book lover who enjoys writing about unusual plots.

That's strange.

But now, he sees Liu Xu silent, which is not in line with Liu Xu's personality.

Liu Xu shook her head and said softly, "It's nothing, it's just that we haven't seen each other for a long time, and it's a little strange to see each other again so suddenly."

Although that's what she said, Liu Xu's heart was filled with turmoil.

She kept recalling what her teacher had said, her mind replaying and struggling with it.

After a moment, she sighed inwardly.

"Now... it's not the right time. I'm not ready yet."

Thinking of this, Liu Xu returned to her old self, twitching her tongue and teasing, "King Xu, you still have time to care about our affairs?"

Now, in Xu Bai, Liu Xu looked normal again, so he stopped thinking about it.

The three of them started chatting and seemed to be having a good time, while Ye Zi continued writing with her head down.

Gradually, almost an incense stick's time passed, and Chu Ling returned.

As soon as she returned, Chu Ling nodded to Xu Bai, indicating that she had already notified him, but the message would take time to reach the Great Chu Kingdom's palace.

Once the message was sent, Xu Bai didn't really care.

But now I feel embarrassed to leave. Since I'm already here, I have to wait until the Ruins are finished.

"How much longer until it's over?" Xu Bai asked.

Chu Ling shook her head. "This Ruins is not large, as can be seen from its surface. It hasn't been there for very long, but I can't calculate the exact time."

Xu Bai understood.

It won't take too long, and I won't waste too much of my time.

Now that the problem was solved, and since he had nothing else to do, he chatted with Wu Hua and Liu Xu.

Gradually, time began to pass.

It wasn't until nightfall that the distorted space began to stir.

One by one, people walked out, each bearing more or less scars. Everyone looked terrible, some even missing an arm or a leg, but they still stubbornly survived.

Xu Bai remained silent, and the other factions present also kept quiet, silently taking their members back.

This is the cruelty of the Ruins: if you want to gain an opportunity, then death is inevitable; you have to accept your fate.

There's no such thing as a free lunch, and nothing falls from the sky. The ruthlessness of those in the industry is on full display.

By this time, it was already getting late, and the Ruins quickly disappeared. After Chu Ling said a few words, the forces present prepared to disperse.

Upon returning, these factions would ask their members what they had gained from the Ruins, so no one said much.

Xu Bai did not overstep his bounds or say anything, after all, the Enfeoffment as a King of this fiefdom was Chu Ling.

After most people had left, only three factions remained.

To be precise, it's Buddhists, Academy, and a person.

The person who stayed behind wasn't particularly special; on the contrary, he seemed unusually nervous and uneasy.

Xu Bai frowned and asked, "Who are you?"

To his surprise, someone was left behind.

"I am... I am... I am a yamen runner under Prince Yun. I have come here to deliver a message from Prince Yun. Prince Yun said... he said that King Xu should reserve a good position for him."

The person spoke haltingly and seemed very nervous.

Actually, you can't blame him. He's just an ordinary yamen runner. With so many important people here, it would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous. It's already quite an achievement that he could even speak.

Upon hearing this, Xu Bai suddenly realized that Yun Zihai had not come.

"I've already come to the Barbarian Tribe side, why isn't this guy here to support me?"

Speaking of Yun Zihai, the two of them got along quite well during the time they spent together, and logically he should have come to help. This place is also a good place for Yun Zihai to give full play to his talents.

The constable nervously explained, "Prince Yun has already been enfeoffed as a prince of a different surname. According to the rules of the Great Chu Kingdom, it's impossible for him to come, but Prince Yun said..."

"I have taken the liberty of repeating the tone of Prince Yun, please forgive me King Xu."

As he spoke, the constable began to mimic Yun Zihai's tone:

"Since Brother Xu has gone to the Barbarian Tribe, I, Yun Zihai, must lend a hand. After some time, I will go to His Majesty to resign from my position as Prince and come to Brother Xu's place to seek a job."

Upon hearing this, Xu Bai's lips twitched slightly.

This really sounds like something Yun Zihai would do. This guy is reliable most of the time, but sometimes he's particularly unreliable, like when he breaks through to a higher realm.

"My senior brother broke through to the extraordinary realm without the dean's knowledge, and he almost died at the time." Liu Xu said helplessly, "The dean went through a lot of trouble to finally save him."

Yun Zihai was born prematurely, which resulted in a defect, so every time he broke through to a higher realm, it was a terrifying ordeal.

But this guy insisted on breaking through every time, which caused the dean a lot of trouble.

"Speaking of which, this guy has also reached the Transcendent level. That's really fast." Xu Bai said with emotion, "Go back and tell Brother Yun that once he resigns from his position as Prince, he can take whatever official position he wants here."

He was familiar with Yun Zihai, not only because Yun Zihai was extremely powerful, but more importantly, because his management and governance skills were unparalleled.

He knew that Yunlai Prefecture had been managed very well and even developed rapidly after Xu Bai left.

With the help of the Yun Zihai, everything is naturally like adding wings to a tiger.

"Yes!" the constable quickly replied.

Without lingering for long, nor daring to linger, I left in a hurry.

Xu Bai turned around and said, "You two come with me into the palace. Tonight, the three of us will have a long talk by candlelight. Your people will also stay in the palace."

As the saying goes, "Isn't it a pleasure to have friends coming from afar?"

With both of his friends here, Xu Bai decided to indulge himself tonight and stop grinding the progress bar.

Liu Xu and Wu Hua nodded in agreement.

Without lingering any longer, the group headed straight for the palace...

The next day.

The Great Chu Kingdom, the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study.

Eunuch Wei was standing to the side, his hands tucked into his sleeves, silently bowing his head.

The Chu Emperor held a letter in his hand. After reading it, he handed it to Eunuch Wei and said, "Take a look."

Eunuch Wei responded and opened the letter.

After he finished reading it, he tore the letter in his hand into pieces and threw them into the brazier next to him.

"Your Majesty, it seems that our chances of winning this battle are very low."

This letter was delivered to the Imperial Palace by Chu Ling.

The above details the changes in the experts who Entering Sainthood Expert the Ghost Market.

The Chu Emperor nodded. "I understand."

Eunuch Wei was slightly taken aback. "Your Majesty, why... why are you acting so calmly?"

He was somewhat surprised.

Having served the Chu Emperor for so many years, Eunuch Wei knew the Chu Emperor best.

His current indifferent demeanor is nothing like that of the former Chu Emperor.

The Chu Emperor laughed and said, "What is destined to come will come. This battle will come sooner or later. There is no need to worry too much. When the time comes, we will fight back."

Eunuch Wei remained silent, sensing that something was amiss.

The Chu Emperor suddenly said, "I am tired. I will not hold the morning court today. I want to rest for a day."

Eunuch Wei frowned even more deeply.

Since the Chu Emperor ascended the throne, the morning court session had never been interrupted, so why was it canceled today? However, seeing that the Chu Emperor seemed genuinely unwilling to speak, he assumed that the Chu Emperor was upset because of the letter, so he did not disturb him any further and took his leave.

Before leaving, Eunuch Wei said something.

"Your Majesty, if you need me to die again, just let me know."

The Chu Emperor watched Eunuch Wei leave without saying a word.

After Eunuch Wei closed the door, he stood up, went to the window, and looked at the scenery outside.

Outside the window, everything is still the same.

The Chu Emperor had seen this scenery for many years, but he never grew tired of it. Whenever he was in a bad mood or a good mood, he would come here to take a look.

Over the years, it has become a habit.

After standing there for a while, the Chu Emperor finally looked away.

"Hmm... Since there's no morning court session, I'll indulge myself today."

The Chu Emperor went out the door, and the direction he headed was towards the inner palace.

Upon arriving at the inner palace, they went directly to the Empress's residence and pushed open the door to enter.

The Empress was lighting incense in the incense burner when she heard a sound. Turning around, she exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty, isn't it time for the morning court session? Why have you come here?"

Although the Empress is now middle-aged, you can still see glimpses of her youthful appearance.

The Chu Emperor smiled and said, "I'm skipping the morning court session today to keep you company."

The Empress realized what was happening, and although she didn't know why, she still pulled the Chu Emperor to sit down.

Just as he was about to say something, the Chu Emperor spoke first.

Do you hate me?

Those three words, spoken so suddenly, would be incomprehensible to anyone else, but the Empress understood perfectly.

The Empress shook her head and massaged the Chu Emperor's shoulders. "I don't hate them, that's their fate."

"Born into an imperial family, and even more so into the family of a good emperor, they naturally had to shoulder the responsibility with such honor, and dying on the battlefield was their destiny."

"Just as Your Majesty said, the children of other people are also children, and your children are also children. The common people can send their children to the battlefield, and so can you."

Hearing the Empress's words, the Chu Emperor sighed slightly and patted her hand.

"I have nine children, many of whom died on the battlefield. I also had a concubine who saved me by defeating the enemy with a single sword, but ultimately died from a hidden illness."

"And those soldiers who died on the battlefield, and those who have sacrificed themselves for the Great Chu Kingdom over the years, their deaths are all related to me, and I am ashamed of them."

"For so many years, everyone has known that I am the supreme ruler, but I know in my heart that they are the true emperor."

Listening to the Chu Emperor's rambling, the Empress grew suspicious. "Your Majesty, is something troubling you?"

In the past, the Chu Emperor would not have spoken so much, but today seems very strange.

The Chu Emperor shook his head and said, "No, I just feel that there are still many things left undone, and many loopholes in this Great Chu Kingdom have not been plugged."

"Now, most of the people of the Great Chu Kingdom are well-fed and clothed. Your Majesty just needs time," the Empress comforted him. "It can't be rushed."

"Yes," said the Chu Emperor, "It can't be rushed."

He changed the subject, deciding he didn't want to say more.

"Talk to me about other things, let's reminisce about the past."

The Empress smiled and said, "Your Majesty, I obey your command."

That day, the Chu Emperor stayed in the Empress's palace until the afternoon before coming out. He then went to the palaces of other concubines. Much later, in the evening, he finally left the Imperial Palace alone.

It was already late at night, and there were no people on the streets, unaware that the emperor of the entire Great Chu Kingdom was walking through them.

The Chu Emperor toured all the streets and finally arrived at the Star Plucking Tower.

"Your Majesty, please."

In front of the Star Plucking Tower, Chief Mu stood hunched over, looking like an ordinary old man.

The Chu Emperor waved his hand and said calmly, "All spies, withdraw them all. Not a single one can be left alive, or I will take your heads."

As soon as he finished speaking, the dark figures flew away quickly.

Chief Mu was taken aback; he was somewhat confused as to what had happened.

At this moment, the Chu Emperor looked at Chief Mu with a complicated expression and said, "Let's go inside and talk..."