Before coming to Jiangnan, His Majesty the Emperor was the only person who had given him hope, and Shen Yuan had never forgotten that!
That was the light he encountered during the lowest point of his life. He was enlightened and abandoned his studies to pursue literature. In order to avoid being reduced to taking on the role of a scholar for his younger brother or even his half-siblings, he passed the imperial examination and was appointed as the second-highest scorer in the first class by the emperor. Although many people in his family still looked down on him, at least he gained some respectability in the outside world.
He clearly remembered that on that day, the emperor specially summoned him to the palace. Even the top scholar of that year did not receive this treatment. He was the one the emperor valued and sent to Jiangnan to help His Majesty monitor Chen Qing.
The reason I was initially hostile to Chen Qing was because I was too eager to make a contribution. I thought that as long as I could do things well for His Majesty, find out Chen Qing's dirty laundry, and bring him down, I would most likely be promoted to Prefect of Liuzhou. If I could work hard for a few more years and obtain a Fourth Rank official position, I could win an imperial title for my mother. For a family like the Shen Family, that would be a great honor, wouldn't it?
Later, he encountered an accident and followed Chen Qing, which gave him a better future. When he returned to the capital, the emperor no longer paid attention to him, a nobody. However, he always felt a sense of unease.
What if one day the emperor brings up old grievances again?
He never expected this day to come so soon.
"Your Majesty." Shen Yuan took a breath. At this moment, his body felt extremely heavy, as if his eyelids weighed a ton, but he still forced himself to endure the discomfort and gave the emperor a scholar's salute.
The emperor looked at the other person, his brows furrowing slightly.
When the other party left the capital, he was already an official and naturally performed official etiquette. But now, he used scholar etiquette. He didn't say anything, but he still expressed his stance. He was a scholar from the Jiangnan Academy, not the county magistrate who was in the initial beta test of the Great Jin.
"Do you know that Chen Qing's chances of survival are slim?" the emperor asked after looking at the man for a moment.
"I know." Shen Yuan nodded, a wry smile on his face.
Although he was under the influence of the inheritance, he could see everything that was happening below with perfect clarity. Moreover, perhaps due to the influence of the inheritance, everything below seemed to be slowed down. He saw Chen Qing's impulsive act very clearly. At that moment, he was so anxious that he only wanted to jump over to save people, but he could not move at all under the control of the inheritance.
He could understand Chen Qing's actions. The West Sea Army had come to rescue him, and if he were to watch the entire West Sea Army be wiped out, it would be detrimental to both the subsequent occupation and the morale of the people.
But the current situation is that the West Sea Army is leaderless, Chen Qing's fate is unknown, and the Jiangnan forces may be completely withdrawn from this struggle.
If everything is revealed here, the Shen Family family and Xu Hu will have preserved the foundation of Jiangnan, but they will have lost their soul. Shen Yuan may not understand the general trend of the world, but he knows that without Chen Qing, Jiangnan can never defeat His Majesty.
"Knowing all this, why did you still choose Chen Qing?" the emperor asked, looking at him with a somber expression.
"His Majesty has shown me great favor, but he has also given me a second chance at life!"
"Are favors of different degrees?" The Emperor nodded, then said, "Then how about this: if Chen Qing is not dead, you may continue to follow him, and I will not stop you. But since Chen Qing's fate is unknown, you must side with me. What do you say?"
"This..." Shen Yuan was taken aback. Wasn't the emperor a bit too magnanimous? Allowing him to waver?
However, he quickly realized that he now possessed the true White Tiger Inheritance. Although he hadn't deciphered the contents of the inheritance yet, the glimpse he had just seen was enough to let him know what he had mastered. This inheritance was of immense value, and it was only natural that he would be courted.
"You can think about it carefully. There's no need to rush back to me. I know you're a filial son, and your family is all in Jiangnan. I can guarantee that if Jiangnan falls, I will prioritize the safety and honor of your family. What do you say?"
Shen Yuan was taken aback, and then he thought of his mother in Jiangnan.
"Was Cloud Capital with the Lord this time?"
"No, Mother, don't worry, it was just a conversation."
"That would be best. If there is any danger, remember, never show your face. Your mother likes it here very much now and doesn't need anything more. Your safety is my greatest security, do you understand?"
"I understand, Mother. Don't worry."
Shen Yuan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "If Your Majesty were to clash with the West Sea Army..."
"I will try my best to avoid conflict, but if absolutely necessary, you can try to help them."
"But what if there is news from Chen Qing?"
"I also grant you permission to go see him immediately."
Shen Yuan gritted his teeth and immediately knelt on one knee. "Thank you for your appreciation, Your Majesty. I will do my utmost."
"Very well, I'm satisfied with your words." The emperor nodded slightly, still as domineering as ever, but the conditions he offered were surprisingly good.
But before the words were even finished, someone came along to cause trouble.
"His Majesty really knows how to win people's hearts."
The aged voice was incredibly heavy, causing Shen Yuan's heart to tremble. He then looked at the newcomer with icy coldness.
That man was the one who had driven Chen Qing to the brink of death and nearly wiped out the entire West Sea Army.
"You're too kind, Celestial Master." The Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, turning back to smile at the other party, " The Ancient Demon Clan truly possesses astonishing strength. Celestial Master, you were injured so badly by Chen Qing, yet you recovered your strength in such a short time?"
To be honest, although he said it calmly, he was extremely solemn inside.
He clearly saw Chen Qing's attack; it was definitely King Level combat power. Under such a powerful impact, not only did the Old Celestial Master not die, but he also recovered so quickly? What recovery method did he use?
The Ancient Demon Clan's foundation is indeed extraordinary. It's just unknown how many more times they can use such methods. If they can keep using them like this, it will be really troublesome. As long as it's not a one-hit kill, they can recover. Moreover, they are a top-notch space master. All the spatial formations around them were set up in advance. To kill such a person in one hit is as difficult as ascending to heaven!
"Your Majesty flatters me." The High Priest looked at the other party coldly. "Would Your Majesty reconsider? If Your Majesty is willing to cooperate, the royal family of my Ancient Demon Clan can sign a contract with you, for permanent Symbiosis, never to be separated, and to share the world!"
Upon hearing this, the powerful figures following the high priest were all stunned. They hadn't expected their priest to offer such a condition, which was tantamount to binding a prince's entire life to this human.
What a high regard this is for humankind!
What seemed like an outrageous condition to the Ancient Demon Clan left the emperor completely unmoved. He merely smiled coldly and said, "I am the supreme ruler of the land. How dare you, a bunch of insects, share the world with me?"
"Court death!!"
The high priest was furious, but he stopped the several experts behind him just as they were about to make a move.
"This human emperor's methods are ruthless; don't fall for his provocation." The high priest looked at the emperor with a chilling gaze. "If I'm not mistaken, Your Majesty's current methods are Overlord's Nine Revolutions, created by King Xiang back then, aren't they?"
"You have quite the insight," the emperor said frankly, without hiding anything. "Indeed."
The Overlord's Nine Revolutions of the King Xiang himself. It is extremely domineering. Very few strong people of the same level can last three moves against him. Since King Xiang's rise, there has been no record of any King Level being able to defeat him. Some people even estimate that Ghost King Xiang is the strongest King Level being!
King Xiang's technique has never been passed down, and none of the Reincarnator in the guild have mastered it. It is said that most of those who tried to master it died from their bodies exploding. In the entire cycle of Samsara, no Reincarnator had mastered it, yet this human in front of us has mastered it. This is truly troublesome.
"What do you say?" The high priest suddenly glanced in a certain direction.
There was nothing in that location originally, but suddenly, space distorted, and a red figure appeared in front of everyone, pulling open the surrounding space like a curtain.
It's Kagura!
"Does the High Priest perhaps intend to cooperate with me?"
"Why not?" the High Priest said quietly. "You are not the true form, but a manifestation of your Heart Demon, Demon Buddha body. How difficult it would be for you to devour my true form! With the assistance of my Ancient Demon Clan, the task would be twice as easy!"
"Oh?" Kagura smiled enigmatically. "I wonder what the High Priest needs me to do?"
"Let's cooperate, kill him first, and then we'll discuss what to do next."
Kagura glanced at the emperor, her smile fading, and surprisingly, she replied seriously, "Alright!"