Investiture Ceremony, Primordial Indestructible Golden Body

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

That morning, the entire Capital City woke from its slumber, a full hour earlier than usual.

There was only one reason.

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

Dawn had yet to break.

The streets on both sides of Vermilion Bird Street were already packed with people.

Three days earlier, the Capital Magistrate had posted notices throughout the city announcing that Evergreen Saint Venerable would be invested as Prince Wu'an.

People had come before dawn to claim a spot, all hoping to see the Evergreen Saint Venerable who had slain countless demons in Green Province and killed an Eighth-tier Demon Emperor with a single sword strike.

The Imperial Guard maintaining order lined the route from the main gate of the Imperial Palace to the far end of Vermilion Bird Street. Their armor gleamed, and their blades and spears flashed coldly in the morning light.

The auspicious hour had not yet arrived, but every major street was already sealed off.

Only the carriages of invited guests could pass.

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

"The Sword Dust Saint Venerable of the Heavenly Sword Sect has arrived! Gifts: a ninth-tier sword blank, five hundred jin of Extraterrestrial Meteorite Iron, and two hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Crystals!"

"The Hundred Herbs Saint Venerable of Medicine God Valley has arrived! Gifts: ten ninth-grade Pills, a ten-thousand-year-old lingzhi, and two hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Crystals!"

"..."

As the herald's ringing announcements echoed out, the Saint Venerables of the three great sects and the Great Grandmaster envoys sent by second-rate factions within the Great Yu Dynasty entered the hall one after another.

As for third-rate factions whose strongest members were merely Grandmasters—or which had no Grandmaster at all—they had not even qualified for an invitation.

The Dharma Image Saint Venerable walked at the front, his expression complicated.

Three days ago, he had tried to recruit Lin Changqing at the Green Province border, only to slink away after Lin Changqing's Martial Saint Peak cultivation left him shaken.

Now he was here as a guest at Lin Changqing's investiture ceremony.

The feeling was... hard to describe.

But he could hardly stay away.

None of the three great sects dared miss the investiture ceremony of a Martial Saint Peak powerhouse.

The Sword Dust Saint Venerable and the Hundred Herbs Saint Venerable wore much the same expressions. The three exchanged glances and saw a trace of bitterness in one another's eyes.

But after they took their seats and overheard the ministers whispering nearby, that bitterness was instantly swept aside by an even greater shock.

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

"I heard ages ago. It's been all anyone in the Capital City talks about these past few days. A twenty-year-old at the Martial Saint Peak—do you understand what that means?"

The expressions of all three Saint Venerables changed at once.

They had known Evergreen Saint Venerable was at the Martial Saint Peak, but not his age.

If the ministers were telling the truth—a twenty-year-old at the Martial Saint Peak—then it was terrifying.

No wonder he had refused to join a sect.

A monster of his caliber was beyond the means of a little sect to support.

At the appointed hour, the ceremony began.

Ceremonial music rose, solemn and dignified.

The main doors of the Hall of Supreme Harmony slowly opened. Civil and military officials stood in two rows, arranged by rank.

The Saint Venerables of the three great sects and the representatives of the second-rate factions rose as well.

In the square outside, three thousand Imperial Guards stood at attention in formation, spears in hand.

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

"The auspicious hour has arrived. Let the investiture ceremony begin!"

"Evergreen Saint Venerable, please enter the hall!"

As his words fell, every gaze swung toward the doors.

Lin Changqing walked in from outside.

Today, he wore not his usual black robe but a python robe specially made for him by the Great Yu Dynasty.

A five-clawed golden python was embroidered in gold thread across the dark fabric. Its body coiled around the entire robe, its head rising proudly over his chest.

A white jade belt circled his waist, and black boots patterned with clouds covered his feet.

He was already tall and handsome; dressed in the python robe, he looked all the more striking and heroic.

His long hair was bound by a purple-gold crown set with a thumb-sized Night-Shining Pearl.

He walked at an unhurried pace, his expression composed.

The bearing of a Martial Saint Peak powerhouse showed through naturally, without any effort on his part.

Su Wanqing stood among the women, watching Lin Changqing enter the hall. She could not take her eyes off him.

When she had seen him three days earlier, he had worn a plain black robe.

In the python robe, he seemed like a different person altogether.

Handsome, imposing, extraordinary.

She could not help murmuring, "He looks so good..."

Consort De heard her. She glanced at her daughter, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly, but said nothing.

Lin Changqing stopped in the center of the hall.

By custom, the person being invested should kneel and bow deeply to the emperor.

But Lin Changqing merely inclined his body and saluted with clasped hands.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Not a single civil or military official thought it improper.

He was at the Martial Saint Peak. He was Evergreen Saint Venerable.

His standing and strength made it seem only natural.

Su Gan rose from the dragon throne, an Imperial Edict in his hands.

Rather than leave it to a eunuch, he read it aloud himself.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the emperor decrees: Heaven blesses Great Yu, and its martial fortunes flourish. Lin Changqing, a hidden master bearing the title Evergreen Saint Venerable, possesses cultivation that reaches the heavens and excels in virtue and talent alike."

"In Green Province, he slew demons and saved countless people from fire and flood. With one sword strike, he destroyed evil and shielded the people from peril."

"His achievements are glorious, his virtue shines bright. He is truly a blessing to the realm and to its people."

"By Heaven's mandate and in accordance with the people's wishes, I hereby invest Lin Changqing as Prince Wu'an of the Great Yu Dynasty. His title shall pass to his heirs without reduction. He shall also serve as Great Yu Imperial Preceptor, rank above the first grade, and need not bow before the sovereign!"

"Furthermore, all of Yu Province shall be granted as Prince Wu'an's fief. He shall govern its military affairs, administration, and taxation independently, without interference from the court."

"He shall be granted the Prince Wu'an Mansion, an annual stipend of 1.5 million Top-grade Spirit Crystals, and full access to every Cultivation Technique and martial skill in the Imperial Scripture Pavilion!"

"Martial might brings peace to the realm; the title of prince brings grace to all its people. May Prince Wu'an remain true to his original purpose, protect Great Yu, safeguard its people, and spread the glory of the throne!"

"By imperial decree!"

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

Every word of the Imperial Edict struck like an explosive charge, sending waves of excitement through everyone present.

A prince outside the imperial clan, the office of Imperial Preceptor, a fief in Yu Province, an annual stipend of 1.5 million Top-grade Spirit Crystals... Such honors had never been bestowed since the founding of the Great Yu Dynasty!

Yet everyone present felt they were only right.

After all, the man receiving them had reached the Martial Saint Peak at twenty.

"Prince Wu'an, receive the edict!"

Lin Changqing stepped forward and accepted the Imperial Edict with both hands.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

His three words rang with conviction.

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

Every official in the hall bowed.

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

Their voices rose as one, resounding through the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Outside, three thousand Imperial Guards raised their spears in salute, their cries shaking the sky.

"Long live Prince Wu'an!"

"Long live the Imperial Preceptor!"

Su Wanqing stood among the women, watching Lin Changqing receive the edict. Her palms were slick with sweat from excitement.

She was happier than if she had been the one invested.

At that moment, the long-awaited system notification sounded in Lin Changqing's mind.

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

[Task reward: complete mastery of the Ninth-tier Supreme Grade defensive Cultivation Technique, Primordial Indestructible Golden Body.]

[Would the host like to claim the reward now?]

Lin Changqing had waited three days for this moment.

He answered silently, Claim it.

A vast flood of knowledge about the Cultivation Technique surged into his mind.

Every level of the Primordial Indestructible Golden Body, every route through which energy flowed, and every method of tempering each acupoint came together in perfect understanding in an instant.

At the same time, his body began to change.

A faint golden glow spread across his skin. It was not dazzling, yet it gave the impression that nothing could break through it.

His bones gave off a faint hum. Every one of them was being tempered anew, its density and strength soaring at a terrifying rate.

Deep in his soul, an invisible Golden Bell Shield slowly formed, enclosing his entire soul.

Soul attacks from those of the same rank would have no effect on him, while attacks from those one rank higher would be greatly weakened.

Boom!!!

An even more immense saintly pressure burst uncontrollably from Lin Changqing!

Purple-gold and pale-gold light shone together, forming a dazzling pillar around him.

It shot upward, straight into the clouds.

The pressure engulfed the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony. Everyone's breath caught.

The expressions of the three sects' Saint Venerables changed at once.

The Dharma Image Saint Venerable jerked his head up, horror filling his eyes.

It's only been three days... How has Evergreen Saint Venerable's aura grown stronger again?

And by no small margin!

The Sword Dust Saint Venerable and the Hundred Herbs Saint Venerable wore the same expression.

Both were Mid Martial Saint Stage powerhouses, far more sensitive to changes in aura than anyone else.

That was precisely why the shock they felt was so much greater.

The pressure left Su Wanqing struggling to breathe, but her eyes shone brighter than ever.

As she watched the figure enveloped in golden light, her heart pounded.

The Sixth Ancestor felt it most keenly.

He stood closest to Lin Changqing and sensed the change most clearly.

He could tell that Lin Changqing had grown noticeably stronger since their first meeting in Green Province!

The problem was, they had parted only three days ago.

When they had first met in Green Province three days earlier, Evergreen Saint Venerable's aura had definitely not been this powerful.

Could someone at the Martial Saint Peak still improve this quickly?

The Sixth Ancestor drew a deep breath and suppressed his shock.

When he looked at Lin Changqing now, he no longer saw a monster. He saw a miracle.

A few breaths later, Lin Changqing had fully absorbed the knowledge of the Primordial Indestructible Golden Body.

Feeling how much stronger his body and defenses against soul attacks had become, he smiled in satisfaction.

With a thought, he drew in his immense saintly pressure, and the golden pillar dissolved into the air.

Everyone in the Hall of Supreme Harmony breathed a sigh of relief. Cold sweat had soaked the backs of many ministers.

"Congratulations on your advancement, Prince Wu'an!"

No one knew who called out first, but the assembled officials soon joined in.

"Congratulations on your great advancement, Prince Wu'an!"

Lin Changqing waved a hand, his expression unchanged.

His gaze swept across the hall and caught the complicated expressions on the faces of the three sects' Saint Venerables.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

Today was only a small interlude.

In a few more days, once my name spreads through all Fourteen Provinces and I get my hands on the Heavenly Gang Saint Armor, my defenses will rise another notch!

Their expressions then should be even more interesting.

The investiture ceremony came to an end amid shock and reverence.

Lin Changqing was now officially Prince Wu'an and Imperial Preceptor of the Great Yu Dynasty. He ranked below only Emperor Su Gan and stood as an equal to the Su Clan's ancestors.

After the ceremony, Emperor Su Gan dismissed everyone else, leaving only the Sixth Ancestor and Lin Changqing with him in the Imperial Study.

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

Light streamed through the carved window lattice and fell across the enormous map of the Heavenly Martial Continent hanging on the wall.

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

His expression had turned grave.

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

Su Gan spoke.

His tone was no longer as impassioned as it had been when he read the Imperial Edict. It had grown low and earnest.

"Saint Venerable, you have only just emerged after many years in seclusion, so you may not yet know much about the current state of the world."

"The seals holding back the demons are growing ever looser, and the fighting on the front lines is becoming increasingly desperate. Though the great dynasties and sects have formed the Anti-Demon Alliance, each has its own calculations, making it difficult to twist them into a single rope."

"Though our Great Yu rules over the Fourteen Provinces and boasts vast armies and many generals, we are sorely lacking in the pinnacle fighters who can truly decide the course of the war."

He pointed to the map behind him, tracing his finger across it from the Northern Border.

"The Northern Border Sealing Array Eye is our first line of defense. The Grand Profound Saint Ancestor guards it year-round, while the other ancestors take turns standing watch. None dare relax their vigilance for even a moment."

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

"Though the demonic threat along the Southeastern Coast is smaller in scale than at those two locations, it still ties down a great deal of our military strength."

"And that is only the situation within our own Great Yu."

The Sixth Ancestor sighed beside him and took up the conversation, his words brimming with sincerity.

"Saint Venerable, to tell you the truth, the war has continued from ancient times to this very day. Conditions on the front lines are extraordinarily perilous. Even Martial Saints risk losing their lives, and many powerful warriors have left their bones on the battlefield."

"The remaining Martial Saints are now firmly tied down by the fighting and can hardly be reassigned."

"To maintain our strength on the front lines over the years, His Majesty has nearly exhausted the treasury's reserves."

"More troubling still, there are villains among the human race who have secretly sided with the demons, stirring up wind and waves within our ranks and sowing disaster. That is also why we are so eager to bring you into our fold, Saint Venerable."

He looked at Lin Changqing, a trace of conflicting emotions in his eyes.

"The deterrent power of someone at the Martial Saint Peak far exceeds that of several ordinary Martial Saints. With you here, Saint Venerable, even if you do nothing at all, those restless factions will have to weigh their actions far more carefully."

After hearing them out, Lin Changqing fell silent for a moment.

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

He only knew that demons were wreaking havoc and the seals were weakening. As for the specifics, the original owner of his body had been an ordinary refugee with no means of learning about them.

Now that he had heard Su Gan and the Sixth Ancestor's explanation, he finally had a rough understanding of this world's situation.

In short, it came down to this—unrest, troubles within, and threats without.

There was no telling when the seals on the Demon Realm might collapse completely, and the pressure on the front lines would only continue to mount.

Since he had taken on the name of the Evergreen Saint Venerable and accepted the Great Yu Dynasty's investiture and offerings, he could hardly bring himself to stand by with his hands tucked in his sleeves under these circumstances.

"I understand what Your Majesty and the Sixth Ancestor mean."

Lin Changqing set down his teacup and spoke slowly.

"The demonic threat concerns every living soul under heaven. If something truly goes wrong on the front lines, I will not stand idly by."

"The Capital City suits me quite well. I will not normally be staying in my fief in Yu Province."

At those words, Su Gan felt his heart ease, and a smile returned to his face.

"With that assurance from you, Saint Venerable, I can rest easy."

The Sixth Ancestor chuckled, lifted his teacup, and took a sip.

"Saint Venerable, you need not go so far."

"His Majesty and I merely wished to explain the situation clearly. Whatever you wish to do, whether you remain in the Capital City or go to your fief, the decision is yours alone."

"Great Yu will assign you no duties, nor will we dispatch you anywhere. Everything will depend entirely on your own wishes."

He set down his teacup, his tone becoming a little lighter.

"Should you need anything, Saint Venerable, be it cultivation resources or manpower, you need only ask. Great Yu will do everything in its power to meet your needs."