Just as Son of Heaven Mingde had foreseen while he lived, the Imperial Family's true strength began to shrink with the passing of that formidable ruler.
While Son of Heaven Mingde lived, the Imperial Family had even been able to manipulate affairs at court from the shadows. But now, under the new Son of Heaven, Fan Liren, it was gradually losing that ability...
Great Chu, however, continued to flourish, retaining its strength as the most powerful nation in the world.
Then, without anyone knowing, Tang Changsheng appeared before Fan Liren at Jingshan Retreat Palace. The two spoke in secret all night, and no one else knew what they discussed...
By daybreak, Tang Changsheng had appeared in the Sages' Society's secret demiplane.
Time seemed to have lost its power in this demiplane long ago. So many years had passed in a flash, yet the place had not changed at all. It looked exactly as it had when Tang Changsheng first came here.
The members of the Sages' Society, however, bitterly hated Tang Changsheng and cursed him without end. "That damned swindler! He deceived every one of us!"
"That's right. He fooled us all. Even now, there's not the slightest sign of this Nine Dragons Locking Heavenheart he spoke of. Meanwhile, the supreme Heavenly Court has already risen... We can't even make trouble for him anymore. That's the saddest part!"
Just as everyone was denouncing Tang Changsheng as a thief, a liar, and a shameless scoundrel, a soft chuckle sounded.
Then came light...
A shaft of golden light suddenly appeared within the little Library.
It was so brilliant and dazzling that everyone thought it was sunlight.
No, it was holy light!
The light was suffused with a sacred presence. The more accomplished the Sages' Society's cultivators were, the more keenly they felt