The Blazing Sun in Turmoil
Zhuo Ning's crisis is actually quite simple to explain.
To sum it up in one sentence: they've been kidnapped!
That's right, he, a perfectly healthy person, was kidnapped in the Cultivation Realm.
That does sound rather incongruous!
Moreover, the kidnappers' demands were quite strange; they didn't ask for money or sex.
All I need is time!
Or perhaps they simply hoped that Zhuo Ning wouldn't be able to appear at a specific place at a specific time!
Therefore, Zhuo Ning is actually not in danger.
Once the time is up, his kidnappers will safely return him in a sedan chair carried by eight men!
This was the first time Yi Xuan had ever heard of this method of kidnapping.
Since safety was guaranteed, Yi Xuan no longer felt the urgency she had before, and instead became more and more relaxed.
The urgency on the face of the Integrated Body Realm Cultivator who could deliver the message became increasingly apparent.
Seeing Yi Xuan's calm expression, he quickly continued to explain.
It turns out that although this kidnapping will not harm Zhuo Ning, it is very important for his chance to seize the throne.
According to the tradition of the Blazing Sun Immortal Kingdom, during the competition for the throne, the kingdom's National Fortune is used as the criterion for determining whether a candidate can ultimately succeed to the throne.
What is the destiny of National Fortune?
It is actually a reflection of a country's national strength.
One of the reasons why the Immortal Kingdom differs from ordinary countries is the manifestation of its National Fortune.
The National Fortune of these immortal kingdoms converge at the heart of the immortal kingdoms—the Immortal Dynasty! This is what we call the capital!
Just like the Blazing Sun Immortal Kingdom, after its National Fortune finally converges on the Immortal Dynasty, it will take the form of a great sun and exist eternally in the sky above the Immortal Dynasty.
Although this great sun will not have any impact on the ecological environment, its light is real and shines brightly for thousands of miles around the Immortal Dynasty, as bright as day for thousands of years!
As contenders for the throne, princes like Zhuo Ning must do everything in their power to improve the National Fortune of the Blazing Sun Immortal Kingdom during the competition.
Ultimately, the person who best elevates the National Fortune will be chosen by the National Fortune Great Sun to become the new emperor!
As for methods to improve the National Fortune's fortune, there are countless!
In short, any action that benefits the country will contribute to National Fortune prosperity.
Expanding territory is acceptable, opening granaries for disaster relief is acceptable, constructing water conservancy projects is acceptable, and establishing diplomatic relations is equally acceptable.
There are countless ways to improve National Fortune's fortune; even a merchant's profits from trading with other countries can enhance National Fortune.
Of course, for princes like Zhuo Ning, those minor squabbles about the National Fortune were completely unnecessary!
This time, Zhuo Ning has encountered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to elevate the National Fortune's fortunes!
A small country that was originally subordinate to the Blazing Sun Immortal Kingdom is preparing to officially become part of the Blazing Sun Immortal Kingdom.
The emperor of the small country made only one request: to marry his daughter to a prince of the Blazing Sun Immortal Kingdom, one who could compete for the throne.
If the other party directly desired their daughter to become the future empress, the emperor of the Blazing Sun Immortal Kingdom would certainly not agree.
To put it bluntly, the daughter of an emperor from a small country is simply not qualified!
The emperor of that small country naturally understood this, so he opted for a less desirable option and took a huge gamble!
He hoped his daughter would marry a contender for the throne.
Zhuo Ning's father, the emperor, would naturally not refuse this request!
Therefore, they prepared to send a prince to receive the emperor and his daughter who had come to discuss the matter of joining the empire.
The prince who was sent out was naturally the chosen contender for the throne.
Originally, this matter would not have involved Zhuo Ning, but the old emperor ultimately chose him.
This not only surprised Zhuo Ning, but also left the other competitors speechless.
It's worth noting that this was the second strange move the old emperor had made since the competition for the throne began.
The first thing, naturally, was to designate Zhuo Ning as one of the contenders for the throne.
However, since the old emperor had chosen Zhuo Ning as the candidate, no one else dared to voice any objections.
But it was obvious to anyone with eyes that the old emperor was cheating far too obviously.
Zhuo Ning's actions will undoubtedly bring a massive boost to the nation's National Fortune.
By then, Zhuo Ning, who was at the bottom of the list of contenders for the throne, will also rise to become Seed for the throne.
Therefore, don't be fooled by the fact that the other princes dared not say anything in front of them.
From the moment the old emperor announced this matter, Zhuo Ning became the target of public criticism.
The princes' sarcastic remarks were just an appetizer!
Threats, intimidation, and sabotage were used, even though it was explicitly stipulated that contenders for the throne must not kill each other.
For these princes, harming someone without killing them was an incredibly easy task.
Fortunately, Zhuo Ning had once been the emperor of the Xia Kingdom, so he was quite adept at dealing with those endless tricks.
A month passed just like that.
Just as the emperor and princess of that small country were about to arrive, Zhuo Ning disappeared without a trace!
Also missing were Zhuo Ning's guards and Zhuo Ning's Butler, Lin Li!
This is the person who came to Yi Xuan for help at this time.
There was one thing Yi Xuan really couldn't understand: Lin Li, as a master of the Body Integration Realm, was able to intercept Zhuo Ning from his grasp. Just what level of master was Lin Li?
Mahayana or the Tribulation Transcendence?
Furthermore, as a contender for the throne of a celestial kingdom, even without any powerful background, it seems rather pathetic that Zhuo Ning's highest-ranking combatant is only at the Body Integration.
Lin Li shook his head after hearing Yi Xuan's question and said, "Prince Ning's strength is indeed not formidable, but my strength is not that of a master either! For example, when we went to greet the guests this time, Prince Ning's guards included three cultivators at the Tribulation Transcendence Realm!"
"Oh? Tribulation Transcendence Realm? How could he be kidnapped? Where did you find Tribulation Transcendence? It must be fake!"
In response to Yi Xuan's questioning, Lin Li merely gave a bitter smile and explained, "Those three were all true Tribulation Transcendence Realm cultivators! But who knew the enemy was Loose Immortal? How could the three elders possibly be a match for them? Although they fought with all their might, in the end they only ended up dying! I was fortunate that my strength was too weak, and that Loose Immortal was too lazy to make a move, so I managed to escape!"
"Did Zhuo Ning send you to find me?"
"That's right. Before his departure, Prince Ning seemed to have a premonition and specifically instructed me to come find you if anything happened to him!"
Do you know where Zhuo Ning was taken?
Upon hearing this, Lin Li's eyes lit up, and he quickly exclaimed, "High Antiquity Sect! Clear Wind Pavilion!"
High Antiquity Sect?
This was the first time Yi Xuan had ever heard this title!
In the Southern Frontier, sects are referred to as top-tier sects, first-rate sects, second-rate sects, third-rate sects, and even unranked sects.
However, as far as Yi Xuan knew, even among the top sects in the Southern Frontier, there were no Loose Immortal.
It seems that the strength of this High Antiquity Sect far surpasses that of the top-tier sects!
Although he didn't know the strength of that High Antiquity Sect, Yi Xuan didn't hesitate at all. After making some preparations, he followed Lin Li to the Central Continent!