Chapter 564: In the Imperial Court

Li Yi took a carriage directly into the imperial palace. Once inside, he clearly felt that the Son of Heaven's energy here was heavy. The Dragon-Tiger energy that soared into the sky hung down, making Daoist practitioners feel very suppressed. If it were before, he estimated that he wouldn't even be able to use spells.

But now, he had obtained the position of National Teacher, was conferred by the imperial court, and had gathered the incense of all people. The influence of this Son of Heaven's energy on him had already been reduced a lot.

"No wonder my dad wanted to confer me first and then let me enter the palace. He also knew that the Son of Heaven's energy would suppress Daoist practitioners. If not for this, with my previous strength, I'm afraid it would have been difficult to deal with some dangers," Li Yi secretly thought. They had discussed this when father and son talked before.

Being suddenly conferred as National Teacher would definitely be attacked by the officials, and might even encounter some dangers.

But now, after realizing the wonderful use of incense power, he had the confidence to deal with any danger.

As the carriage stopped.

"True Person Taiyi, we have arrived. Please get off here," a Golden Pupil Guard said.

Li Yi walked off the carriage at this moment, only to see that he had reached the front of a palace. This palace was magnificent, facing the sun, with immeasurable light. Moreover, in the eyes of practitioners, the entire palace was emitting streaks of energy light. Because of the gathering of incense power, every brick and tile here seemed to have become spiritual, having its own consciousness.

If it continued to gestate like this, in another thousand years, it was estimated that this palace could also become an incense god.

"Such heavy incense power. It's fortunate that the palace is a mortal object. If it were a Daoist treasure, and there was an artifact spirit, after receiving so much incense belief power, I'm afraid it would become an attain-the-Dao expert. Sure enough, the Heavenly Dao is fair. In this world of incense-becoming-gods, there is no path of cultivation or weapon-refining method, wasting I don't know how much incense power."

Suddenly, Xiang Xiangzi on the Primordial Spirit Flower woke up again. She spoke, her tone very regretful.

"Immortal Aunt, so you mean incense power can also help the power of Daoist treasures?" Li Yi asked.

"More than that. If a low-grade Daoist treasure received this level of incense, I'm afraid the artifact spirit would become divine and could fight with Three Flower Realm experts. If the artifact spirit of a top-tier Daoist treasure became an incense god, it could definitely fight an attain-the-Dao expert. Tsk tsk, such a strange thing has never happened in ancient or modern times. I've also opened my eyes. Not only Daoist treasures, but earlier when I used incense power to practice Daoist techniques, Taiyi, guess what? The Size-as-You-Wish technique of the Tianyi Sect was actually quickly understood and learned by me. It's as if the essence and mystery of that Daoist technique had countless people helping you decompose and ponder, pouring the cultivation results into your Primordial Spirit."

Xiang Xiangzi was also gradually understanding the mystery of incense power.

But the more she understood, the more inconceivable it felt.

"Taiyi, your path of borrowing the false to cultivate the true is right, and it coincides with my thoughts. Using incense belief to cultivate, collect energy, understand the Dao, and learn methods... Even if the incense power dries up in the future, what you have learned will always be your own and won't disappear because of the loss of incense power," Xiang Xiangzi said appreciatively.

"Of course, the realm and strength are your own to be at ease. Relying on the incense belief of the masses will always be controlled by others, which is not the right path."

Li Yi said. At this moment, led by the Golden Pupil Guard, he walked toward this Brightness Palace.

Arriving outside the hall, someone went in to report.

Li Yi just stood for a moment before hearing a voice coming from the Brightness Palace.

"Proclaim, True Person Taiyi."

"Proclaim, True Person Taiyi..."

The order-conveying officials followed one after another, their voices loud and gradually echoing, until they reached outside the Brightness Palace.

"True Person Taiyi, you should follow us into the hall to meet the Emperor," a Golden Pupil Guard whispered.

Li Yi nodded.

Soon, led by two Golden Pupil Guards, he stepped into this Brightness Palace, which gathered the incense of the world and symbolized the imperial power.

Just by walking in, he felt countless gazes gathering on him.

Some were sizing him up, some were frowning, some were astonished, and even many gazes revealed strong goodwill and hostility.

"Although the vast majority of these people are not practitioners, they all hold official positions and are in high positions, tied to the incense of the masses. Now that they are gathered in one hall, the incense power is so huge that it's unimaginable." Li Yi's eyes narrowed slightly. He saw that the incense aura on these people had manifested.

Some were wrapped in giant pythons, some had bears and beasts on their backs, some had white cranes on their heads, and some stepped on wolves and leopards.

Civil and military officials, each different.

And among them, there were a few people whose incense aura was very special. One was ranked at the head of the officials, about fifty years old, with an extraordinary bearing. The belief incense gathered was several times larger than others, turning into a golden eagle, capable of fighting fierce tigers and dragons, divine and extraordinary, as if it had already become spiritual and manifested.

Another young man was also very special. The incense aura on his body was equally huge, turning into a young dragon, wrapping around his body. Although Li Yi didn't know this person, those who could possess dragon energy, besides the Emperor, were only the Crown Prince of the current dynasty.

Even Prince Xin was only dragon-snake energy.

"Is this Daoist Taiyi? Truly young, looking only in his early twenties. I don't know if it's because of his techniques to maintain his youthful appearance and his success in cultivation."

"It is extraordinary. Although he wears a Daoist robe, he is wrapped in Dragon-Tiger energy, and it is a silver tiger and an exotic dragon, which has never happened before." There were quite a few people in the imperial court who could observe people and look at Qi. They also discovered the Dragon-Tiger energy on Li Yi, but they saw at a glance that the dragon was not a true dragon, but the tiger was a divine tiger.

It could be seen that he indeed had the appearance of a prince or noble, but it was more focused on the energy of killing.

"Good bones, good appearance." Some military generals also secretly sighed. A Daoist priest, but with bones more amazing than a martial artist, this person must have thousands of pounds of strength, not ordinary.

Observing his Qi and seeing his form, the doubts in many people's hearts had been dispelled by more than half. With such a foundation, although it couldn't be said that he was a true immortal who had attained the Dao, he was definitely not a swindler from the marketplace, and must be a capable person with real skills.

It's just that, since you, a Daoist, have such a foundation, why bother getting involved in the court? Wouldn't it be better to go to the mountains and forests to be carefree?

And on the dragon throne, Shenwu Emperor Li Jiye couldn't help but show a smile when he saw Li Yi appear.

This son of his was truly excellent.

This bearing and posture were truly an immortal descending to earth, a divine person descending to the world, not comparable to those mortals. If the plan to destroy temples and sweep away the old could succeed this time, this son of his could really attain the Dao and become an immortal in the future, living forever. If so, even if he died in the future, he could close his eyes in peace.

"I, Taiyi, pay my respects to the Shenwu Emperor." Li Yi walked in the middle of the hall at this moment. When his footsteps stopped, he performed a salute. His voice was clear, as if possessing some mysterious power, capable of entering people's hearts directly, making people unable to ignore it.

"True Person Taiyi, no need for courtesy," Shenwu Emperor Li Jiye signaled.

"I have long heard of the name of Immortal Taiyi. Seeing you today, True Person Taiyi truly has the bearing of an immortal and the appearance of a divine person."

Li Yi said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for the praise."

"Ministers, look, can True Person Taiyi be worthy of the position of National Teacher?" Afterward, the Shenwu Emperor scanned the others again and said slowly.

【Author's note: Read the content in one go!】

He knew that some people were not convinced by Xiao Yi, so he wanted to take this opportunity to let Xiao Yi establish his prestige.

"The position of National Teacher concerns the country and the society. I don't know what skills True Person Taiyi has to be able to occupy this high position?" An official stood out and asked immediately.

Li Yi glanced at him: "I don't know, what kind of skills are needed to become a National Teacher?"

"Observing celestial phenomena, calculating national fortune, distinguishing loyalty and treachery, surveying earth veins, and refining hexagrams—these are just the basics. The most important thing is whether it is beneficial to the country, whether it can benefit the masses, and help the monarch govern the country," the official said again. "If you don't have such skills, Daoist, you should go back to where you came from. It's a small matter to implicate yourself, but it's a big matter to harm the imperial court."

"Not bad. A mountain Daoist who knows a little bit of small spells is fine to tease the people. If you want to enter the court as an official and become a National Teacher, that is simply daydreaming." An official also expressed agreement.

"Daoist, if you are guilty today, you can resign from the position of National Teacher. We will not pursue or make things difficult for you. If you are obsessed, you will definitely be liquidated in the future," someone threatened.

However, the leading Grand Tutor, the Crown Prince, and several other hidden officials of the Yin Son of Heaven remained silent.

They watched coldly, also wanting to know what kind of strength and ability this True Person Taiyi had.

Li Yi laughed at this moment: "Haha."

His voice seemed to carry Dragon-Tiger divine power. Just by the laughter spreading, it was a shake of the earth and mountains. The entire hall was shaking slightly, as if there was a feeling that it was about to collapse.

Moreover, the laughter seemed to be able to pierce gold and crack stone. These officials felt dizzy and had stinging pain in their heads just by hearing it, and blood flowed from their noses. If it continued, they didn't doubt at all that their heads would explode directly, turning into a blood mist.

Seeing this movement, many people's faces changed suddenly.

This was the Brightness Palace, the place where Dragon-Tiger energy was strongest. Could this True Person Taiyi also perform spells?

Someone looked at the current Shenwu Emperor.

That's right, the Son of Heaven's Dragon-Tiger energy was still there, and it was in its prime. How could it not suppress a Daoist?

Li Jiye, sitting on the dragon throne, narrowed his eyes and didn't speak, because he knew this was not a spell, but pure power, which was not affected by the Son of Heaven's energy at all. In words that these people didn't understand, Li Yi's voice carried sound wave attacks, and those with weak physiques would be shaken to death alive.

Just for a moment.

The civil and military officials were all ashen-faced. Many people fainted on the spot, their eyes bloodshot, and their noses and ears bleeding. The elderly ministers were shaken to the point of spitting out a mouthful of blood and falling to the ground.

Suddenly, everyone was in a sorry state.

The incense belief power they had always relied on seemed to be non-existent at this moment, and there was no way to protect them.

At this moment, Li Yi's laughter stopped, and the power that shook the Brightness Palace instantly disappeared: "How can the ability of the poor Daoist be understood by you mortals? The poor Daoist is proficient in countless spells, can summon wind and rain, change the weather in five hundred miles, can overturn rivers and seas, plow flat a hundred miles of mountains, and can also subdue dragons and tigers, destroy evil demons, and can even divide land into rivers. With just a finger, I can split a giant river running north and south. For ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers, I alone am enough to make the weather favorable and have a good harvest for years."

"Reciting the name of True Person Taiyi can save a million people and solve the difficulties of all living things. How can I not be worthy of this position of National Teacher?"

After speaking, he pinched a fist seal and radiated his fist intent.

In a trance, everyone saw that True Person Taiyi, who was standing in the hall at this moment, holding a dragon and stepping on a tiger, was like a Buddha or Vajra, possessing both the compassion of a flower-picking smile and the divine power to destroy all living things, making people unable to help but collapse and kneel, not daring to look at him.

With just one move, these civil and military officials were suppressed in their minds by the fist intent.

In the future, as long as they saw Li Yi, fear would arise, and it would be difficult for them to lift their heads.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 565 =====