Welcoming the Crown Prince

Seeing this, Su Yao no longer felt the tension he had felt ten years ago when he first heard about Proclaiming Earth. He put away the wooden box and looked at Yang Xiu:

"Sanlang, it's time for us to settle this matter soon, so we can fulfill the immortal's decree."

Yang Xiu was taken aback upon hearing this. Seeing that Su Yao's expression did not seem to be feigning, he was about to speak when the next moment...

"Boom!"

A loud bang erupted from the foot of the mountain. The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw that flames were shooting into the sky from the alchemy room behind the reception hall. The flames were like dragons, turning half of the mountain wall red.

"Not good!" Su Yao exclaimed in a low voice, his figure transforming into a streak of light as he sped towards the alchemy room.

Yang Xiu quickly stuffed the wooden box into his sleeve and followed closely behind.

In a short while, the two arrived at the alchemy room.

The Blazing Fire surged, and the heat was oppressive.

Above the sea of fire, Purple Qi rose, and countless scriptures crisscrossed like chains, firmly imprisoning the rampaging flames within.

Zilin stood beneath that Purple Qi. Her hair was disheveled, and her fair face was covered in soot and flush.

Beside her, Xu Qingluo and Yang Zhao were filled with terror, their bodies covered in ashes, clearly having been caught off guard by the explosion.

Su Yao glanced at it, said nothing, and made a hand Hand Seals with his right hand. A dazzling ray of light shot up from his fingertip, like an inverted Heavenly River, and poured straight into the Purple Qi scripture.

The rosy glow and Purple Qi complemented each other, and the scriptures suddenly brightened. The raging flames that were still surging outwards were suppressed layer by layer, and the fire subsided at a visible speed.

Yang Xiu landed beside Su Yao without making a move. The combined power of the rosy light and the Purple Qi was enough to suppress the disaster in the Alchemy Chamber.

He stood just two steps behind Zilin, a faint wisp of gray energy flashing between his brows, silently extinguishing the few Blazing Fire that had approached him.

A moment later, the last flame was shredded by the scripture, turning into wisps of smoke and dissipating.

Zilin then stopped her Method Formula, wiped the ash from her face, and looked at Su Yao, her voice slightly hoarse:

"I hope the commotion wasn't too loud and scared you?"

Seeing her disheveled appearance, and recalling the scene ten years ago when he returned from his sword-hunting adventure and she was pounding tea in the pavilion, Su Yao shook his head and smiled, saying:

"Fellow Daoist, even thieves probably wouldn't dare to come to your Alchemy Chamber."

Zilin was taken aback upon hearing this, then gave a wry smile and said:

"I was refining a Foundation Establishment Elixir, using the Yang-Transforming Method, which imbued the Blazing Fire with a few traces of the Flint Fire of ignition. Just as I reached the crucial moment, I suddenly sensed movement in the immortal box. It hadn't stirred in ten years, so I immediately took it out to examine it. Looking at what was inside, I was immediately astonished. The Method Formula for maintaining the Yang-Transforming Method had gone wrong, causing it to acquire a few Radiant Fire, which was why..."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao and Yang Xiu merely gave each other a teasing look, and then Su Yao looked at Xu Qingluo and Yang Zhao:

"You two should go back first; we still have matters to discuss with Zilin."

"Yes," the two replied and hurriedly left.

Zilin looked at the two of them:

"I'm fine. Now I'm just waiting for fellow Daoists Ying Qi, Xuan Yan, Mo Li to arrive."

Upon hearing this, Su Yao nodded:

"Fellow Daoist, why don't you take a rest?"

Upon hearing this, Zilin lowered her head, glanced at herself, and then retreated.

Outside Jiankang and Palace of Heavenly Purity, the princes from various places who had come to the palace knelt outside the hall, their expressions varied.

The officials, including those from the Grand Secretariat, the Six Ministries, the Court of Judicial Review Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review, were filled with worry.

The members of the Five Armies Governor's Office and the founding nobles were just like ordinary people. Some of the Jingnan nobles looked dejected, while a very small number, though hiding their sorrow, were full of excitement.

At this moment, Grand Secretariat Secretary Yang Dongli rose and addressed the eunuchs outside the Palace of Heavenly Purity:

"Eunuch Dai, I wonder how His Majesty is doing these days?"

The man known as Eunuch Dai showed no emotion, simply saying:

"Grand Secretary, there is no need to worry."

Upon hearing this, Yang Dongli took a deep breath and continued to ask:

"May Your Majesty issue an edict ordering the Crown Prince to return from the North of the Desert?"

Upon hearing this, Eunuch Dai shook his head.

At this moment, the gates of the Palace of Heavenly Purity opened, and an even more aged eunuch looked at the group:

"Summon the Grand Master of Ceremonies, the Princes of Qin and Jin, the Grand Secretaries of the Grand Secretariat, the Ministers of the Six Ministries, the Left Censor- Court of Judicial Review -Chief, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, the Grand Commander and the Commanders of the Five Armies, the Duke of Ying, the Duke of Wei, the Duke of Cheng, and the Duke of Ding to the palace for an audience."

Those who were summoned all accepted the decree, then rose and followed the eunuchs into the palace in single file. Those who were not summoned were filled with worry, and some even showed signs of panic.

Upon entering the hall, led by eunuchs, everyone bowed and paid their respects before the beaded curtain outside the warm pavilion.

"Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

After a long while, a hoarse voice finally came from inside the hall:

"All of you, rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." After Human Dao, everyone straightened up. However, the beaded curtain in front of them was too domineering. All those present were Human Immortal who had been affiliated with the Immortal Dynasty Method, and there were even a few Divine Core, yet none of them could see what was happening inside the hall.

At this moment, another eunuch emerged from the warm pavilion. He looked at the imperial relatives, court officials, and nobles and said:

"Gentlemen, please receive the imperial decree."

Upon hearing this, everyone bowed in respect.

The head eunuch said:

Imperial Edict:

I have received the Mandate of Heaven to continue the great cause of my ancestors, and I have been diligent and conscientious day and night, never daring to be negligent or idle.

Your Majesty is currently unwell, and the Crown Prince has been working tirelessly in the field for a long time; I am deeply concerned about this.

Crown Prince Ji is naturally benevolent and filial, and possesses outstanding talent. Since receiving the imperial decree to tour the north, he has pacified the northern North of the Desert, spread his power and virtue, and fulfilled my expectations.

Now that Your Majesty is unwell, it is fitting that you return to serve by my side and ease my anxieties.

The imperial edict ordered the Prince of Liao Xiang, to immediately travel north with his imperial credentials to oversee the welcoming and escorting of the emperor; Huang Huai, a Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall, to advise on the matter and participate in the decision-making of all affairs along the way; Zhang Fu, Duke of Yingguo, to command the guards and control the troops of the garrisons along the way; and Shi Zhao, the Southern Army Commander, to lead 3,000 elite cavalry of the Southern Army as the vanguard and rearguard.

You must all be loyal and work together to ensure the Crown Prince's safe passage back to Jiankang as soon as possible, so as to appease the hopes of all the people.

"All prefectures and counties along the route shall be provided with royal rites, and the relevant officials shall not be negligent."

Upon hearing this, the group, having received the imperial decree, all kowtowed, with Prince of Liao Xiang leading the way, and loudly responding:

"Your Majesty, we obey your decree and will certainly live up to your expectations, welcoming the Crown Prince back to Jiankang as soon as possible to secure the stability of the nation!"

Duke Zhang Fu of Yingguo and Commander-in-Chief Shi Zhao of the Southern Army replied in unison, "We will certainly do our utmost to protect the Crown Prince and ensure his safe journey."

Grand Secretary Huang Huai of the Wuying Hall bowed his head and said, "I will carefully plan and advise on all matters along the way, and dare not make any mistakes."

The head eunuch nodded slightly, solemnly rolled up the imperial edict, and handed it to the King of Liao.

Behind the beaded curtain, the hoarse voice came again, this time softer than before:

"You all... go and return quickly. I... am waiting for Ji'er to come back."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a pang of sorrow in their hearts. They kowtowed again before rising and filing out of the hall in single file.

Standing to the side, Duke Xu Xianzong of Wei lowered his eyes, thinking to himself: Even if all these people were combined, they wouldn't be enough for the Crown Prince to kill alone. It seems that His Majesty has truly reached the point of exhaustion. This trip is clearly paving a way for the Crown Prince to return with everyone bowing down, so that he can rightfully sit on the dragon throne with the admiration of the people.