Day three.
During this period, Mu Fusheng did not go out again.
Instead, they received a message from the Crown Prince.
For military exercises, the emperor of the Divine Dynasty held a banquet in the palace and invited them to the palace.
This is something you can't refuse.
When the group left the courtyard, a carriage was already waiting outside.
A guard bowed to Mu Fusheng and his companions, saying, "Gentlemen, please get in the carriage quickly; the palace banquet cannot be delayed."
The three nodded, boarded the carriage, and sped off towards the palace.
The Nine Dragons Imperial Palace is located in the heart of Nine Dragons City.
Upon reaching a radius of a hundred miles around the palace, the area was placed under complete airspace restrictions, meaning even Ancestor Realm experts had no choice but to walk there obediently.
At the same time, the Nine Dragons Divine Dynasty truly lived up to its name as a divine dynasty.
The palace was surrounded by mist, and the massive gate decorated with golden dragon patterns exuded a strong aura of majesty. As soon as the carriage entered the gate, one could feel the impeccable security.
Upon arrival here, everyone must undergo extremely rigorous screening.
As Fang Qiong walked inside, he lifted the carriage curtain and looked around. Tall stone pillars stood on both sides, engraved with the names and achievements of emperors throughout history. The walls were built of thick, special stone bricks, and statues of rare and exotic beasts were placed around them, exuding the power of bloodline authority!
They proceeded forward, passing through towering walls. A guard knocked on the carriage door and whispered, "You three may disembark now. From here on, simply follow the flow of people. Do not go anywhere else; if discovered, you may be mercilessly killed by the palace guards!"
Mu Fusheng and his two companions disembarked from the carriage and followed some ministers dressed in brocade robes and noble garments as they walked forward.
The ministers were also observing the three of them, showing no surprise, as if they had known about them all along.
Fang Qiong said, "It seems the powerful and influential people here already knew of our existence."
Mu Fusheng calmly replied, "That's natural. The Nine Dragons Divine Dynasty is currently in turmoil, and any disturbance could have far-reaching consequences. Therefore, we must pay close attention to everything."
It took them a full half hour to finally arrive at the main hall.
Long tables had already been set up on both sides.
The civil and military officials were already seated at the long table.
At the end of the long red carpet, atop the steps, stood a magnificent throne. The throne was inlaid with thousands of gems imbued with a rich Immortal Qi, shimmering with dazzling light. Behind the throne, the wall was adorned with numerous precious calligraphy and paintings, and beside it stood Dragon Phoenix Zither. When the musician played it, the ethereal music sounded like celestial music.
This is the emperor's throne.
The moment Mu Fusheng and his two companions entered, they felt countless eyes fixed on them.
Soon, the Crown Prince waved from the front and said, "Come here, sit behind me."
Mu Fusheng originally wanted to refuse to sit in the last row, but seeing that Xiao Hei and Fang Qiong had already sat there without any politeness, he had no choice but to go over as well.
When passing the Crown Prince's seat.
The Third Prince and the Fifth Prince were also seated there.
There was also a burly man, who was clearly the eldest prince.
However, these things are not worth noting. What frustrates Mu Fusheng is that Jiu Bailu is also sitting quietly among them. When he passes by, Jiu Bailu gives him a meaningful look.
The three sat behind the crown prince.
The Crown Prince smiled and looked at the three of them, saying, "How are you feeling? Any pressure?"
Xiao Hei countered, "Is the Crown Prince under pressure?"
The Crown Prince chuckled, "It was my oversight. Let's wait a bit. We'll begin once everyone is here. There might be some challenges later, but you can decline if you don't wish to."
Xiao Hei and the other two nodded.
Another full hour passed before all the civil and military officials had arrived.
Just then, a sharp, high-pitched voice came from outside, accompanying the loud sounds of bells and drums.
"The Emperor arrives, and all the officials greet him!"
To the right of the throne, a man dressed in a golden dragon robe walked out step by step, his face indifferent and his eyes piercing. He sat down in front of the throne.
The civil and military officials below knelt down and addressed the man, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
The same applies to the crown prince.
Mu Fusheng and the other two bowed slightly to the Emperor, but did not kneel.
Soon, this scene also attracted the attention of others.
The civil and military officials frowned slightly.
The eldest prince, who was seated at the head of the table, roared, "Insolence! Why don't you kneel before the Emperor?!"
Xiao Hei, however, remained composed and coldly replied, "We are not people of the Divine Dynasty. Although we respect the Emperor, we are not his parents or teachers. Why should we kneel?"
Even Heaven and Earth do not kneel, so how could the emperor of a divine dynasty allow Xiao Hei and his companions to kneel?
The eldest prince roared, "How dare you! Guards, take these insolent scoundrels away!"
The Crown Prince looked at the First Prince and frowned slightly.
Just then, the Emperor's deep voice rang out. "The chosen ones of the Chaotic Spirit Academy need not kneel. Do not break the rules of etiquette."
The eldest prince then nodded.
The Emperor looked at Xiao Hei and the other two, nodding approvingly. "As expected of the prodigies of the Chaotic Spirit Academy, the Crown Prince often praises you. Now it's clear you've earned your reputation without effort."
"Your Majesty flatters me."
"Alright, my beloved ministers, rise and take your seats." The emperor gestured with his hand. Instantly, everyone felt an irresistible force lift them up and press them down in front of the long table.
"We won't discuss politics today, but since military exercises are about to begin, I'd like to take this opportunity to ask everyone what the situation is like."
Military exercises are a regular event held once every ten years by the Nine Dragons Divine Dynasty.
It also serves as a test of the army's strength.
After a series of questions.
The emperor suddenly looked at the Jiu Bailu, who sat below the crown prince, and said with a smile, " Bailu, I've never seen you attend any of these banquets in all these years. What brings you here today?"
At this point, the civil and military officials couldn't help but look at Jiu Bailu with curiosity.
Yes, Jiu Bailu, as the second prince, has always been an unconventional individual.
He possesses extraordinary talent but never competes or vies for it.
They also rarely appear in the public eye.
Not to mention this kind of banquet.
Mu Fusheng, however, suddenly had a bad feeling.
No way...
Jiu Bailu smiled slightly, the beauty mark at the corner of her eye looking extremely alluring.
"I was just curious about someone, so I wanted to come and see."
Curious about someone?
Everyone was taken aback.
When did Jiu Bailu become curious about someone?
Only the Crown Prince's lips curled slightly upwards; he knew who Jiu Bailu was referring to.
The Emperor asked curiously, "Who has such great abilities that have piqued your curiosity, Bailu?"
Jiu Bailu smiled faintly but did not answer. However, Mu Fusheng could clearly feel that the woman glanced at him.
"Father, please allow me to keep this a secret for now; you will find out in the future."
Mu Fusheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
However, I'm also a little annoyed. Why did this woman set her sights on me?
Looking back on everything that happened, I haven't offended her in any way!