The Conferment Ceremony, Primordial Indestructible Golden Body

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Early this morning, the entire Capital City stirred from its slumber, waking a full hour earlier than usual.

The reason was simple.

Today was the investiture ceremony for the newly appointed Protectorate Venerable, Prince Wu'an, Lin Changqing!

Before dawn had even broken, the sides of Vermilion Bird Street were already packed with commoners.

The Capital Magistrate had posted notices three days in advance, announcing the news of Evergreen Saint Venerable's investiture as Prince Wu'an to the entire city.

The people had arrived before daybreak to secure their spots, all eager to catch a glimpse of the Evergreen Saint Venerable who had slaughtered countless demons in Green Province and slain an Eighth-tier Demon Emperor with a single sword strike.

The Imperial Guards maintaining order stretched from the main gate of the palace to the end of Vermilion Bird Street, their armor polished to a shine and their blades gleaming coldly in the morning light.

Before the auspicious hour arrived, all major streets were placed under martial law.

Only the carriages of invited guests were permitted to pass.

"Dharma Image Saint Venerable of the Myriad Laws Sect arrives! Gifts: thirty stalks of thousand-year-old medicinal herbs, three Ninth-tier divine weapons, and two hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Crystals!"

"Sword Dust Saint Venerable of the Heavenly Sword Sect arrives! Gifts: one Ninth-tier sword embryo, five hundred catties of extraterrestrial meteorite iron, and two hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Crystals!"

"Hundred Herbs Saint Venerable of the Medicine God Valley arrives! Gifts: ten Ninth-grade medicinal pills, one ten-thousand-year-old ganoderma, and two hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Crystals!"

"..."

Following the high-pitched announcements of the ceremonial officer, the Saint Venerables of the three great sects and the Grandmaster envoys sent by the second-rate sects of the Great Yu Dynasty entered the hall one after another.

As for those third-rate factions that possessed at most a Grandmaster, or none at all, they were not even qualified to be invited.

Dharma Image Saint Venerable walked at the front, his expression quite complex.

Three days ago, he had been at the border of Green Province attempting to recruit Lin Changqing, only to be sent away in disgrace by the sheer pressure of the man's peak Martial Saint cultivation.

Today, he had to attend the man's investiture ceremony as a guest.

The feeling was... indescribably subtle.

But he could not afford not to come.

None of the three great sects dared to be absent from the investiture of a peak Martial Saint.

Sword Dust Saint Venerable and Hundred Herbs Saint Venerable wore similar expressions; as the three exchanged glances, they each saw a hint of bitterness in the others' eyes.

However, once they were seated and heard the hushed discussions of the surrounding officials, that bitterness was instantly replaced by an even greater shock.

"Have you heard? Evergreen Saint Venerable is only twenty years old!"

"I heard it long ago; the whole Capital has been buzzing about it these past few days. A twenty-year-old peak Martial Saint—can you imagine what that means?"

The faces of the three Saint Venerables changed simultaneously.

They had previously only known that Evergreen Saint Venerable was a peak Martial Saint, but they had been unaware of his age.

If what these officials said was true—a twenty-year-old peak Martial Saint—then it was truly terrifying.

No wonder he refused to join any sect.

A monster of this caliber was indeed too much for a small sect to support.

At the hour of the Snake, the auspicious time arrived.

Ceremonial music began to play, the sound solemn and majestic.

The main gate of the Hall of Supreme Harmony slowly opened, and the civil and military officials of the court lined up on both sides, standing in order of their rank.

The Saint Venerables of the three great sects and the representatives of the second-rate factions all stood up.

In the square outside the hall, three thousand Imperial Guards formed a square formation, standing at attention with their spears held high.

Inside the hall, the Minister of Rites personally served as the master of ceremonies.

"The auspicious hour has arrived; the investiture ceremony officially begins!"

"Presenting Evergreen Saint Venerable to the hall!"

As the words fell, everyone's gaze turned in unison toward the entrance.

Lin Changqing walked in from outside the hall.

He was not wearing his usual black robes today, but a python robe specially tailored for him by the Great Yu Dynasty.

On the deep black fabric, a five-clawed golden python was embroidered in gold thread, its body coiling around the entire garment with its head held proudly upon his chest.

A white jade belt was fastened at his waist, and he wore black cloud-patterned boots.

He was already tall and straight with a clear, refined countenance; now, dressed in this python robe, he appeared even more heroic and extraordinary.

His long hair was bound by a purple-gold crown, inlaid with a night-luminescent pearl the size of a thumb.

He walked with measured, unhurried steps, his expression composed.

That aura belonging to a peak Martial Saint flowed from him naturally, without any need for deliberate display.

Su Wanqing stood in the seating area for the noblewomen, watching as Lin Changqing walked in from outside the hall, her eyes fixed on him in a daze.

Three days ago, when she had seen Lin Changqing, he had been wearing a simple black robe.

Today, having changed into this python-patterned robe, he looked like an entirely different person.

Handsome, imposing, and possessing an extraordinary aura.

She could not help but mutter softly to herself, "He looks so good..."

Consort De, standing nearby, heard her and glanced at her daughter, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly as she remained silent.

Lin Changqing walked to the center of the grand hall and came to a stop.

According to protocol, the recipient of a title should perform the full kowtow ritual before the Emperor.

However, Lin Changqing merely bowed slightly and offered a salute with cupped hands.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Not a single official in the court felt this was inappropriate.

Because he was at the peak of the Martial Saint realm, the Evergreen Saint Venerable.

His status and strength made everyone feel this was only natural.

Su Gan rose from the dragon throne, holding a scroll of the imperial edict in his hands.

He did not have a eunuch do it for him, choosing instead to read it aloud himself in a resonant voice.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Heaven blesses the Great Yu, and our martial fortune flourishes. There exists a reclusive prodigy named Lin Changqing, honored as the Evergreen Saint Venerable, whose cultivation reaches the heavens and who possesses both virtue and talent."

"He slew demons in Green Province, saving the masses from fire and water; with a single sword, he purged evil and protected the common people from disaster."

"His merits are illustrious, his virtues are clear; he is truly the fortune of the nation and the blessing of the people."

"I, acting under Heaven's mandate and in accordance with the will of the people, hereby confer upon Lin Changqing the title of Prince Wu'an of the Great Yu Dynasty. This title shall be hereditary, and he shall concurrently hold the position of Great Yu Imperial Preceptor. His rank shall exceed the first grade, and he is exempt from kneeling before the monarch!"

"Furthermore, the entirety of Yu Province is granted as the fief of Prince Wu'an. Within this territory, all military, political, and taxation matters shall be managed by Prince Wu'an at his discretion, and the imperial court shall never interfere."

"He is granted a Prince Wu'an estate, an annual stipend of 1.5 million top-grade spirit crystals, and full access to all cultivation techniques and martial arts within the Imperial Scripture Pavilion!"

"The word 'Wu' (Martial) is to pacify the nation and stabilize the state. The title of 'Prince' is to bestow blessings upon the common people. I hope Prince Wu'an will uphold his original intent, protect our Great Yu, safeguard our people, and spread the majesty of our empire!"

"Respect this!"

Su Gan's voice echoed throughout the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Every word on the imperial edict was like a heavy bomb, leaving everyone present in a state of surging excitement.

A prince of a different surname, an Imperial Preceptor, a fief covering all of Yu Province, an annual stipend of 1.5 million top-grade spirit crystals... these were honors never before seen since the founding of the Great Yu Dynasty!

Yet, everyone present felt it was only right.

Because the one being honored was a twenty-year-old at the peak of the Martial Saint realm.

"Prince Wu'an, accept the edict!"

Lin Changqing stepped forward and received the scroll with both hands.

"I thank Your Majesty."

The three words were spoken with resounding clarity.

At this moment, he officially became the Prince Wu'an of the Great Yu Dynasty and the Imperial Preceptor of the Great Yu Dynasty.

The hundred officials in the hall bowed in unison.

"Greetings, Prince Wu'an! Greetings, Lord Imperial Preceptor!"

The voices were uniform and rang throughout the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Outside the hall, three thousand Imperial Guards raised their spears in salute simultaneously, their shouts shaking the heavens.

"Long live Prince Wu'an! May you live for a thousand years!"

"Long live Lord Imperial Preceptor! May you live for a thousand years!"

Su Wanqing stood in the noblewomen's seating area, watching the scene of Lin Changqing accepting the edict, her palms sweating with excitement.

She was happier than if she had been the one receiving a title.

Just then, the long-awaited system notification sounded in Lin Changqing's mind.

["Ding! Random task completed: Join a local faction of the Heavenly Martial Continent (1/1)."]

["Task reward: Ninth-tier Supreme Grade defensive technique Primordial Indestructible Golden Body fully mastered."]

["Does the host wish to claim it immediately?"]

Lin Changqing had waited three days for this very moment.

He whispered in his heart, "Claim."

A massive influx of knowledge regarding the technique surged into his mind.

Every layer of the Primordial Indestructible Golden Body's mental cultivation method, every circulation path, and every method for tempering his acupuncture points was mastered in an instant.

At the same time, his physical body began to undergo a transformation.

A layer of pale golden light shimmered across the surface of his skin; the glow was not blinding, yet it gave off an impression of being indestructible.

His bones emitted a faint humming sound as each one was tempered anew, their density and strength soaring at a terrifying speed.

Deep within his soul, an invisible Golden Bell Shield slowly coalesced, wrapping his entire soul within it.

It granted immunity to soul attacks of the same rank and significantly weakened those from one rank higher.

"BOOM!!!"

A surge of Saintly Might, even more majestic than before, erupted uncontrollably from Lin Changqing!

The purple-gold light and the pale golden radiance intertwined, forming a dazzling pillar of light around him.

The pillar shot straight up, piercing the clouds.

The entire Hall of Supreme Harmony was shrouded in this pressure, causing everyone to feel their breath hitch.

The expressions of the Saint Venerables from the three major sects changed simultaneously.

Dharma Image Saint Venerable looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with shock.

It had only been three days... how had Evergreen Saint Venerable's aura grown even stronger?

And the magnitude of the increase was not small!

Sword Dust Saint Venerable and Hundred Herbs Saint Venerable wore identical expressions.

As powerhouses at the mid-stage of the Martial Saint realm, their perception of aura was far keener than others.

Precisely because of this, the shock they felt was even more intense than the rest.

Su Wanqing found herself struggling to breathe under this pressure, yet her eyes were brighter than ever.

Watching that figure enveloped in golden light, she felt her heart pounding.

The Sixth Ancestor felt it most deeply.

He was closest to Lin Changqing and perceived it most clearly.

He could distinctly feel that Lin Changqing's strength had improved by several notches compared to when they first met in Green Province!

The problem was that they had only parted ways three days ago.

When they first met in Green Province three days prior, the aura emanating from this Evergreen Saint Venerable had definitely not been this strong.

Could one really progress this quickly even at the peak of the Martial Saint realm?

The Sixth Ancestor took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

The way he looked at Lin Changqing was no longer that of looking at a monster, but of looking at a miracle.

A few breaths later, Lin Changqing completely digested the memories of the Primordial Indestructible Golden Body technique.

Feeling his now-stronger physical body and soul defense, a satisfied smile curled the corners of his lips.

With a thought, the majestic Saintly Might around him instantly retracted, and the golden pillar of light dissipated into the air.

Everyone in the Hall of Supreme Harmony breathed a sigh of relief at once; many officials had their backs soaked in cold sweat.

"Congratulations to Prince Wu'an for his further advancement in cultivation!"

It was unclear who shouted first, but then the civil and military officials throughout the hall echoed in unison.

"Congratulations to Prince Wu'an for his great progress in cultivation!"

Lin Changqing waved his hand, his expression remaining as usual.

His gaze swept across the hall, and he suddenly noticed the complex expressions on the faces of the Saint Venerables from the three major sects.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

Today was merely a small interlude.

In a few more days, once his reputation had thoroughly spread across the Fourteen Provinces and the Heavenly Gang Saint Armor was in his hands, his defensive capabilities would reach yet another level!

By then, the expressions on these people's faces would surely be even more spectacular.

The investiture ceremony concluded amidst shock and awe.

Lin Changqing officially became the Prince Wu'an and State Preceptor of the Great Yu Dynasty, his status second only to Emperor Su Gan and on par with the various ancestors of the Su Clan.

After the ceremony ended, Emperor Su Gan dismissed his attendants, leaving only the Sixth Ancestor and Lin Changqing in the Imperial Study.

The doors of the Imperial Study closed slowly, leaving only the three of them inside.

Light from outside the window filtered through the carved lattices, illuminating the massive map of the Heavenly Martial Continent hanging on the wall.

Su Gan sat on the dragon throne, the smile on his face much more restrained than it had been in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

It carried a hint of gravity.

"Saint Venerable, now that the ceremony is concluded, there are some matters I wish to discuss with you in detail."

Su Gan spoke.

His tone was no longer as impassioned as it had been when reading the imperial decree, but had become low and sincere.

"The Saint Venerable has just emerged from years of seclusion, so you may not be fully aware of the current situation in the world."

"At present, the Demon seals are loosening, and the war on the front lines is becoming increasingly dire. Although the major dynasties and sects have formed an Anti-Demon Alliance, everyone has their own agenda, making it difficult to act as a unified force."

"Although our Great Yu Dynasty possesses the Fourteen Provinces and has no shortage of troops or generals, we are stretched thin when it comes to the peak combat power that can truly decide the outcome of the war."

He pointed to the map behind him, his finger tracing a path all the way from the Northern Border.

"The seal array at the Northern Border is our first line of defense. The Grand Profound Saint Ancestor is stationed there year-round, with the other ancestors taking turns on duty, never daring to slacken for a moment."

"The Demon Realm rift in the Western Regions is the second line of defense, guarded in rotation by the main forces of the Demon Suppressing Division and the Martial Saints of the three great sects."

"While the Demon infestation along the Southeastern Coast is not as large-scale as the first two, it still ties up a massive amount of our military strength."

"And this is merely the situation within our Great Yu."

The Sixth Ancestor sighed from the side and took over the conversation, his tone filled with sincerity.

"Saint Venerable, to be honest, the war has been raging since the ancient times. The situation on the front lines is extremely perilous; even Martial Saints face the risk of death, and many powerhouses have already been buried on the battlefield."

"The remaining Martial Saints are currently firmly tied down by the war and cannot be redeployed."

"Over these years, His Majesty has exhausted nearly all the surplus in the national treasury just to maintain our front-line forces."

"What is even more troublesome is that there are villains among the human race who have secretly defected to the Demons, stirring up trouble and creating chaos from within. This is why we are so eager to recruit the Saint Venerable."

He looked at Lin Changqing, his gaze filled with a complex emotion.

"The deterrent power of a peak Martial Saint far exceeds that of several ordinary Martial Saints. With the Saint Venerable holding the line, even if you do nothing, it will be enough to make those restless forces think twice."

Lin Changqing remained silent for a moment after hearing this.

To be honest, he really did not know much about the current situation on the continent.

He only knew that the Demons were causing chaos and the seals were loosening, but as for the specifics, his original self had been nothing more than an ordinary refugee with no way of knowing the truth.

Now, after hearing the explanations from Su Gan and the Sixth Ancestor, he finally had a rough concept of the world's situation.

To put it simply, it could be summed up in seven words: it is not peaceful, with both internal and external troubles.

The Demon Realm seals could collapse completely at any moment, and the pressure on the front lines would only continue to mount.

Since he had taken on the title of Evergreen Saint Venerable and accepted the enfeoffment and offerings of the Great Yu Dynasty, he could not very well stand by and do nothing in such a situation.

"I understand the intentions of His Majesty and the Sixth Ancestor."

Lin Changqing set down his teacup and spoke slowly.

"The scourge of the Demons concerns all living beings under heaven. If there is a true crisis on the front lines, This Seat will not sit idly by."

"The Capital City is quite pleasant; I will not be staying in my fief in Yu Province on a daily basis."

Su Gan felt a weight lift from his heart upon hearing this, and a smile returned to his face.

"With those words from the Saint Venerable, I can rest easy."

The Sixth Ancestor chuckled and picked up his teacup to take a sip.

"The Saint Venerable is too modest."

"His Majesty and I were merely clarifying the situation. Whatever the Saint Venerable wishes to do, whether you choose to stay in the Capital City or go to your fief, it is entirely your own decision."

"Great Yu will not assign the Saint Venerable any tasks, nor will we deploy you anywhere; everything is entirely at the Saint Venerable's own volition."

He set down his teacup, his tone becoming somewhat more relaxed.

"If the Saint Venerable has any needs, whether for cultivation resources or manpower, just say the word, and Great Yu will certainly do its utmost to satisfy them."