Chapter 396: with translation of the chapter title

398. Chapter 390: Curtain falls! Father and daughter double champions, unmatched under heaven, the emperor bestows a position on Xixi to oversee the Peach Banquet Victory Assembly 【seeking monthly tickets】

The deathly light of the Kunlun Mirror, Li Che began capturing it from the time of the thousand-year Peach Garden.

Even now, in the ten-thousand-year Peach Garden, he has not been able to fully capture a complete lunar disc, only forming a half-lunar-disc-like Kunlun deathly light.

Li Che also isn't quite sure whether these Kunlun deathly lights can actually ripen this ten-thousand-year peach.

But first, let's try to ripen it; if it's not enough…

Li Che can simply continue trying to capture; after all, the right to choose whether to withdraw from the Peach Forest lies in his hand, meaning that as long as he wishes, he can stay in the Peach Forest indefinitely.

Of course, Li Che won't stay too long, although this is an excellent place for cultivation.

Not only is the divine aura rich, but there is also an immeasurably vast heaven-and-earth spiritual qi; for cultivation, aside from being somewhat inferior to the cultivation chamber in the Treasure Pavilion of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau, it is even better than any place in Shendu.

Shendu, because it gathers numerous Guiyi Miao, is a true blessed cave-land, with extremely abundant divine aura, but compared to the ten-thousand-year Peach Garden, this abundance still falls far short.

"If we cannot ripen it… then we'll come again next time…"

Li Che's glabella trembled, the heaven-and-earth chessboard unfurled its net, the radiance like flowers in a mirror and moon on water trembled, then poured down, scattering onto that azure peach.

For Li Che, who possesses the Flying Thunder chess piece, if this attempt fails to ripen it, then trying again next time is the same.

Since he has been here before, wanting to come again is no longer difficult.

Even though this place lies within the Guiyi Miao of the Queen Mother of the West, it is a forbidden area of a Three Purities Guiyi Miao.

But the Flying Thunder chess piece is a derived ability of the Dao fruit, even qualifiable as a conceptual-type power; where the Flying Thunder chess piece lies, that is where people's aspirations go!

This time, upon entering the Peach Garden and initially setting foot in the thousand-year Peach Garden, Li Che was actually quite low-key, making no big moves.

After all, the Peach Garden lies within the forbidden area of the Three Purities-level Guiyi Miao; Li Che ought to stay low-key, and he does.

However, as the Heroes' Victory Assembly proceeded, Li Che, while concealing his martial cultivation, completed his conquest.

But upon reaching the nine-thousand-year and ten-thousand-year Peach Gardens, Li Che gradually became a bit reckless.

Of course, the greatest confidence still comes from the Chess Saint Dao Fruit after the four transformations.

The heaven-and-earth chessboard's aura-shielding grew even stronger; combined with the illusory dreamscape of the Dream Heavenly Master, the concealment of aura is nearly unrivaled, perfectly masking the scene probed by the Jade Hairpin of the Heavenly River.

It is precisely this confidence that emboldens Li Che to pluck all the nine-thousand-year peaches clean, and even covet the ten-thousand-year peach.

In fact, his plucking of the nine-thousand-year peaches … also complies with the regulations; he did it to ascend to the ten-thousand-year Peach Garden, and within the illusory dreamscape constructed by the Dream Heavenly Master, outsiders such as the empress and emperor could only see Li Che plucking three nine-thousand-year peaches.

As for where the remaining two nine-thousand-year peaches went, Li Che has already ascended to the ten-thousand-year Peach Garden—how could he know?

Gurgle gurgle—

Li Che's eyes opened and closed, he could clearly sense the radiance within the heaven-and-earth chessboard being slowly absorbed by the azure peach; the azure peach seemed to swell at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Li Che's eyes suddenly brightened: 'Indeed feasible!'

Now, Li Che no longer pained over the Kunlun deathly light; he began to draw all of it into this peach, ripening it, continuing to ripen!

This trip to the ten-thousand-year Peach Garden turned out to be truly worthwhile.

First, not mentioning the newly acquired four-yu rank divine weapon 【Gather Immortals Banner】, which is merely the yellow banner among the Gather Immortals Eight Banners of 'Heaven and Earth Xuan Huang, Universe Hong Huang'.

But after all, it is a component of the Three Purities-rank divine weapons.

It gives Li Che the qualification and opportunity to gather these Three Purities divine weapons; of course, the main reason is still the Gather Immortals Banner's attraction to the Immaculate Heart Dao Fruit.

Mainly, it is the confidence brought by the Flying Thunder chess piece that lets Li Che have the confidence to ascend to the ten-thousand-year Peach Garden to see what is attracting the Immaculate Heart Dao Fruit.

If it truly is a trap, and if he cannot break free from it, Li Che can choose to escape using the Flying Thunder chess piece.

This is also why, from the moment he set foot in the ten-thousand-year Peach Garden, Li Che has been clutching the Flying Thunder chess piece in his palm.

Time trickled by.

The Kunlun deathly light within the heaven-and-earth chessboard was slowly being drawn out, like yarn when knitting a sweater, gradually coiling and shrinking into a small ball of yarn.

Boom—

Suddenly, Li Che opened his eyes.

He glanced at the heaven-and-earth chessboard; only a withered strand of Kunlun deathly light remained, and Li Che's eyes still flashed with a pang of pain.

The final strand of Kunlun deathly light was no longer transmitted, because it was enough.

The ripened ten-thousand-year peach may have its effectiveness somewhat discounted, but it's still better than being plucked by Li Che before it ripened, right?

On the ten-thousand-year peach tree, that plump, enlarged peach had its rich fragrance condense into an immensely thick silk sash, intertwining and winding; just a glance made it seem as if it were attracting Li Che's heart and mind.

"Done!"

Li Che couldn't help but feel delighted.

After ripening for so long, it can finally be considered mature!

The heaven-and-earth soul instantly returned to his glabella; Li Che sat cross-legged on the ground, his flesh continually transforming from devouring the nine-thousand-year chi-dragon blood peach, gradually recovering; at the instant he rose to a standing posture, the air seemed to faintly tremble, rippling with wrinkles.

Upon rising to a stand, the soft ground seemed to instantly sink and collapse.

Li Che's black hair flew wildly, his spine in that instant seemed to transform into a great dragon piercing heaven and earth, brimming with terrifying vitality and power!

His arms outstretched, every inch of muscle flawless, each strand of muscle twisted like rope contains immensely terrifying golden pure martial qi-blood!

He had reached 92% pure martial transformation, meaning his flesh now draws ever closer to the innate pure martial body!

The heaven-and-earth chessboard shrank and lay horizontally above Li Che's head.

Although within the ten-thousand-year Peach Garden there is no probing power of the Heavenly River Jade Hairpin, Li Che still, when exerting his martial cultivation, uses the heaven-and-earth chessboard laid across to shield aura and perception.

As his toes touched down, the air seemed to suppress a bursting roar.

His whole body shot forth, his black robe snapping, like a black bolt of lightning, he raced toward the peach he had successfully ripened.

Li Che's use of martial arts to pluck this peach is, of course, because he is wary of the ten-thousand-year peach's guardian demon beast.

The guardian demon beasts of the nine-thousand-year peaches have already reached the pinnacle level; the guardian demon beast of the ten-thousand-year peach…

should be able to reach the top-tier pinnacle level!

Boom——!!

As expected.

As Li Che reached out his hand toward the Flat Peach, a terrifyingly violent aura burst forth, like a volcano suppressed to the extreme, like a demon king just awakened.

Names: Li Che (Li Che), Flat Peach (Peach? It's a thing, not a name; it's a fruit, but maybe considered a proper noun? It's a type of peach, not a unique name. Likely not included as a name. The instruction: list every character (incl. protagonist & minor ones), place, sect/clan/faction/people, official & sect rank/title, technique, item/artifact, beast, and realm that appears. So we need to list items like Flat Peach? It's an item (peach). It's a specific item: Flat Peach (flat peach). Should we include as item? It says item/artifact. So yes, include Flat Peach as an item. But we need exact English form from glossary? There's no glossary entry for Flat Peach. We need to translate it by meaning: "Flat Peach" or "Peach of Immortality"? Usually Flat Peach is "Flat Peach". We'll translate as "Flat Peach". Since not in glossary, we must provide translation. The glossary list only includes entries we have from the provided glossary (Li Che, Guiyi Miao). For other names we need to output them in the glossary list after

A colossal giant ape, its whole body covered in flying white fur, its eyes bursting with the bewilderment of just waking and fury.

Having just woken, it was stimulated by the peach tree's sudden ripening; the fury……was because someone dared to pluck his peach!

"Die——!!!"

Demonic qi surged to the heavens, flowing light ravaged wildly, like beacon smoke!

The white ape's body suddenly rose, like a giant dragon, clutching an enormous fist, it smashed down toward Li Che; the air beneath the fist, in an instant, was crushed and shattered by the terrifying and pure force.

Li Che glanced, his heart tightened; indeed there was a guardian demon beast!

Moreover, it had indeed reached the level of supreme pinnacle!

Li Che had once stayed for a period inside the Divine Sect's mountain gate together with Elder Fang Hanshu, reading, chatting, and cultivating.

Elder Fang Hanshu had told Li Che about the situation deep within the mysterious fissure.

In the mundane world, supreme pinnacle beings, top great gods……are not so rare in the depths of the mysterious fissure.

As a mysterious place that helps Divine Tribulation cultivators shield against the world's three calamities and nine tribulations, besides the deity of Guiyi Miao, there are various guardian talisman corpses, guardian demon beasts, demons, etc., mutated by the deity's divine essence infecting Guiyi Miao.

And besides these……

There are also the natives of the mysterious fissure!

Mysterious fissure natives!

When he first heard this, Li Che's eyes involuntarily narrowed, his heart shaken.

Elder Fang Hanshu then laughed and told Li Che, 'The mysterious fissure……is actually a real world that exists, even a higher world than the mundane world.'

And now, this white ape guarding the peach tree can actually erupt with supreme pinnacle power, making Li Che believe it even more.

Li Che's face sank, pure martial qi and blood surged wildly; in his spine, seven Qimen divine seeds shuddered violently, instantly like the brilliant, twinkling starlight of the night sky, extremely dazzling.

Dragon-Elephant Conjoined Furnace!

He clenched his fist horizontally and thrust out a punch.

A huge, immensely massive qi and blood furnace, engraved with dragon-elephant patterns, emerged.

It erupted with terrifying force, clashing with the white ape guarding the peach tree!

Fist against fist——

Terrifying gusts surged, the whole peach forest seemed to fall silent at this moment, countless brilliant lights gleamed, like the furnace fire tilting and exploding upward, illuminating the heavens!

That white ape was shocked beyond belief, let out a shriek, leaned back, instantly retreated hundreds of zhang, leapt repeatedly, and landed on the farthest ten-thousand-year peach tree, its body shaking violently, every hair standing on end.

As a top demon king wandering the mysterious fissure world, his sense of danger was extremely keen.

This human before him who wanted to pluck the peach gave him an immense sense of threat!

Very strong!

Since you're this strong, I'll spare your life, you reckless human!

The white ape let out a 'woo-woo' call, then shot upward, turning into a white light that leapt up, as if merging into the hazy mist surrounding the peach orchard, and then vanished.

Li Che rose into suspension, golden hair streaming down his waist like a cape, his eyes flowing with golden smoke, muscles bulging all over his body, erupting terrifying lines and power.

Watching the white ape choose to flee after exchanging a punch, Li Che also fell silent for a moment.

He didn't pursue, either; Li Che's goal was merely to pluck the peach, and he couldn't be bothered to contend with this top demon king possessing supreme pinnacle combat power.

Walking on empty air, the air kept piling up beneath his feet.

He spread his five fingers wide, reaching to pluck that ten-thousand-year peach.

With a soft pop.

The peach he successfully ripened fell into his hand, an extremely rich peach fragrance, almost making one's bones turn soft.

Whooo——

Every pore of Li Che seemed to open, frantically drawing in the heaven-and-earth essence emanating from the peach, his qi and blood boiling incessantly, stirred thereby, unable to calm.

"Good stuff!"

"A heaven-and-earth marvel of the Three Pure rank, a ten-thousand-year peach!"

Li Che's breath involuntarily quickened a bit.

Not having swallowed this peach, Li Che, who had just swallowed a nine-thousand-year peach, is not suitable to continue eating peaches.

He pressed his two fingers together, like a sword finger tearing open space; the universe space instantly opened, and Li Che threw the peach directly into it.

Whooo——

The ten-thousand-year peach was picked and stored away.

Heaven and earth seemed to grow quiet, the entire peach forest utterly silent and still.

The wind blew, only the rustling of peach tree leaves rubbing together made a soft sound.

"Everything……is over."

Li Che's golden qi and blood slowly retracted into his body's apertures, refining the nine-thousand-year peach energy, while the continually expanding golden pool of qi and blood was still slowly transforming.

He drifted down to the ground; in an instant, centered on Li Che's body, a ring of golden flames seemed to burn continuously, purifying the area.

His breath fully retracted, the golden hue receded, and his qi and blood returned to calm.

Li Che folded his hands into his sleeves, his eyes opening and closing, he lifted his head, and through the gaps in the peach tree leaves, the mottled light of the Kunlun mirror shone.

If you add a few cicada chirps, this peach orchard really is a rather unique vacation spot.

"Perhaps there are peach orchards of even higher age, but peaches of that age might only be attainable by true ancient gods."

Li Che shook his head.

He did not fuss over whether there were twenty-thousand-year or thirty-thousand-year peach orchards.

That was already beyond the level he could aspire to.

He lifted his head, sensing within his heaven-and-earth chessboard the remaining streak of Kunlun light.

Suddenly, Li Che gave a slight start.

Because on the Heaven and Earth Chessboard, it seemed as if the radiance of the Kunlun Mirror had scorched out an area like a half‑moon disc.

With a thought from Li Che, the Kunlun radiance between heaven and earth would continuously pour in, filling the Kunlun half‑moon disc.

"Because I have opened up the half‑moon disc, this half‑moon disc is the limit of the Kunlun death‑light I have captured…… To expand the limit further, I must continue to seize the first wisp of death‑light from the Kunlun Mirror."

Li Che fell into thought.

The next moment, a smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

The Heaven and Earth Soul sat cross‑legged on the Heaven and Earth Chessboard, shot up into the sky, and approached the Qiankun Vast Sun Kunlun Mirror.

Unlike the Gathering Immortal Banner, this Kunlun Mirror of Qiankun Vast Sun is a genuine Three‑Pure Divine Weapon, and its grade is not even low!

Being unable to take this Three‑Pure Divine Weapon, Li Che indeed felt a hint of regret.

But this trip into the ten‑thousand‑year Peach Blossom Forest, Li Che's gains have already been ample.

One must learn to be content.

This Kunlun Mirror……

We'll come back another time.

After fully filling the radiance of the Kunlun half‑moon disc in the Heaven and Earth Chessboard,

Li Che's black hair flew as he swept his gaze over the ten‑thousand‑year Peach Blossom Forest, leaving behind a Flying Thunder chess piece.

Then, with a stir of his mind, it was as if he grasped the divinity of the deity of the Queen Mother of the West's temple.

His whole body twisted like a spiral and vanished in an instant.

Whooo—

Li Che's departure did not cause even a ripple in this Peach Blossom Forest.

A gentle breeze blew, the clear wind not harsh.

……

……

Leaden clouds piled up in the high heavens tens of thousands of feet, faint currents intertwining and rolling, spring thunder brewing, rumbling repeatedly.

Accompanied by a rolling thunderclap, the spring thunder, like branches, spread across the vault of heaven.

The second and third cities of Shendu.

They still maintained an unparalleled bustle,

Even though bean‑sized spring rain poured down, it could not extinguish the enthusiasm of these wandering cultivators.

Li Half‑Saint has entered the ten‑thousand‑year Peach Blossom Garden!

Even the Empress's Tianhe Ruyi hairpin cannot scry the scenes inside the ten‑thousand‑year Peach Blossom Garden, so how could the myriad wandering cultivators not be curious about what benefits Li Half‑Saint gained in that garden that seems to exist only in legend?

It is unknown whether any ten‑thousand‑year peaches will be plucked by Li Half‑Saint.

However, the Empress had said this when Li Half‑Saint entered the ten‑thousand‑year Peach Blossom Garden three days ago.

Inside the ten‑thousand‑year Peach Blossom Garden, the peaches are not yet ripe, so naturally there are none to pick.

Yet three days have passed and Li Che has still not emerged from the ten‑thousand‑year Peach Blossom Garden, which has made many people's expressions turn strange.

Because Li Che has not come out, the Peach Blossom Festival continues.

On the White Jade Plaza, banquet tables were set up in rows; the sect masters, heroes, and young dragons of the great sects sat upright at the tables, savoring the delicacies prepared by the Dàjǐng court for everyone.

Because the festival had not yet ended, the Dàjǐng court had to keep preparing the feast.

Xixi was overjoyed; this was the happiest period of her six‑year‑old life, requiring no thought—just eating, eating, eating.

Because in Xixi's understanding, her father had already become the chief hero; now she only needed to wait for his return.

Each day, a variety of delicious dishes made Xixi's little belly round and bulge again and again.

The flesh on her face grew a bit more.

Clutching a piece of braised giant pig's trotter, which came from a spirit‑beast pig, its meat fatty and delicious, Xixi needed to gnaw three or four each day.

"Eat slowly, no one is going to snatch it from you."

Zhang Ya's eyes softened, she said helplessly, and meanwhile passed her own piece of trotter on its plate to Xixi.

"Husband…… why haven't you returned yet? It's been three days…… you entered that ten‑thousand‑year Peach Blossom Forest three days ago; could something dangerous have happened?"

Zhang Ya said with some worry.

When Xixi and Li Che, father and daughter, both became champions of the Peach Blossom Festival, Zhang Ya was simply overjoyed to the point of blooming with happiness.

However, after three days, that joy and openness gradually faded, leaving only worry for her husband's non‑return.

Lü Taibai's silver hair flew, his white robe's wide sleeves billowing, he drank together with Shi Jian, the sect master of the True Martial Divine Sect who had come over.

"Xiaoya, rest assured, the Empress said that in the ten‑thousand‑year Peach Blossom Garden the peaches are not ripe, which means Ah Che won't go plucking peaches, so he won't encounter the guardian spirit beast; the guardian spirit beast of that garden should be of top‑tier peak level, and if Ah Che truly met it he'd still have some trouble, but since he won't meet it, any other trouble would not be trouble for Ah Che."

Lü Taibai said with a smile, his face full of ruddy color.

The Qianyuan Divine Sect can be said to have become the biggest winner of gains in this Peach Blossom Festival.

As sect master, how could Lü Taibai not be open‑hearted? How could he not sing and drink?

As for Li Che's safety, those who know his background and have witnessed his formidable strength in the divine realm naturally have no worries.

Hummm—

Suddenly.

On the White Jade Plaza, a divine aura like a coiling jiao dragon suddenly appeared.

At the instant this divine aura appeared,

Inside and outside the second and third cities of Shendu, everything fell silent in a moment.

Many of the noisy wandering guests fell mute as crows, turned their heads to look, and then their breathing grew heavy.

"He's back!"

Li Half-Saint is coming back! He's returning from the Ten-Thousand-Year Peach Forest!

The King returns, the Champion returns!

……

An uproar filled the heavens, cheers came in waves.

The many martial artists all greatly anticipated.

After all, Li Che's performance in this session's Heroes' Triumph conquered everyone!

He fought one against three, slaying three champions of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, including someone as brutally violent as Zhang Xuanlei.

Then he crushed Jade Avalokiteshvara, shattered the Golden-Haired Beast, won the wager, and made the Golden-Haired Beast submit wholeheartedly!

For the cultivators of Dàjǐng's martial world, Li Che making the Golden-Haired Beast submit and serve as a slave was the most exhilarating thing for them!

Divine essence intertwined without cease, slowly condensing into Li Che's form.

His jet-black hair fluttered vigorously, the black robe embroidered with golden lotus rustled, warm and smooth like jade, his gentle and elegant visage appeared.

Li Che brushed off the frostgrass fragments on his body, then tucked his hands into his sleeves.

Because he had not beforehand observed the outside through the Flying Thunder chess piece on Xixi, he slowly raised his head.

Countless shocked and excited gazes shot forth, colliding with his gaze.

In Shendu's second and third cities, whether seated on the White Jade Plaza or on the walls of the third city, the martial cultivators all gazed at that tall black-robed figure.

In many people's minds, it seemed as if the news of Li Che, this God Eagle Half-Saint, the newly risen champion of the Heroes' Triumph, had echoed over the past three days, sweeping like a storm through every street and alley.

A rustic from a backwater town, a grassroots commoner.

He brought his little family out of the small town, stepping onto the prefecture city and then the Dao city, an honest and dutiful God Eagle master!

The youth who created the myth of the grassroots uprising!

Fervor, excitement, adoration—various emotions burst forth like entwined fireworks.

"Li Half-Saint!!!"

"Li Half-Saint!!!"

"Heroes' Champion!!!"

……

The cheers rose like waves and tides, shaking heaven and earth!

Upon hearing this, Li Che's face instantly broke into a gentle smile; he clasped his fists in salute, returning the gesture to the martial artists shouting from all sides.

"Dad!!!"

A high-pitched shriek and cheer.

Li Che turned his head and saw Xixi, who had just swallowed a pig's trotter, leap up from behind the table, pattering as she sprinted forward, then lunged ahead, her head like an iron hammer, hurtling straight into his arms like a cannonball.

Li Che burst into loud laughter, a flash of tenderness flickering in his eyes.

He raised his hand and made a motion, catching the cannonball-like Xixi and holding her in his arms.

"Dad, you've finally come back!"

"Xixi has missed you so much even the flowers have withered!"

Xixi reached out, wrapped her arms around Li Che's neck, affectionately rubbed against him, and spoke using the words Li Che taught her.

"Dad, Xixi is the champion of the Young Dragon Triumph!"

Xixi's eyes shone bright as she proudly said.

"Dad is the champion of the Heroes' Triumph!"

"We father and daughter are truly amazing!"

Xixi, overjoyed, couldn't restrain herself in Li Che's embrace, placing her hands on her hips and puffing out her little belly.

Li Che chuckled and patted her little belly.

"You've eaten plenty these three days; you've gained quite a bit of meat."

Xixi immediately raised her brows and glared: "A girl's belly must not be patted!"

Upon hearing that, Li Che laughed even louder.

His wife Zhang Ya also stepped out from the main banquet area, taking small steps, her worried expression fading away, leaving only an open and radiant smile.

"Husband!"

Li Che paid no heed to the surrounding gazes; under the eyes of all, he drew his wife and daughter into his embrace.

Wife and daughter in his arms, the family warm and complete!

This is a life so enviable that even immortals would envy it!

Spring thunder rumbled, the rain fell like oil.

The spring rain seemed, at this moment, to turn warm and moist.

Suddenly.

The martial artists, who had been cheering without cease, all fell silent.

Because, a purple-hued figure appeared, none other than Lian Gonggong, the presiding master of the Purple Intent Weasel Temple who oversaw the Peach Triumph.

Lian Gonggong appeared before Li Che's family, his aged face bearing a gentle smile as he respectfully bowed.

"Two Champions, please follow this old one; His Majesty and the Empress will bestow the Champions' rewards upon you two."

Lian Gonggong said.

Zhang Ya gently smoothed the wrinkles on Li Che's clothing, then returned to the main banquet area of the Primordial Origin Divine Sect.

Li Che originally intended to bring Zhang Ya along to meet the Emperor and Empress.

But Zhang Ya was unwilling, and Li Che did not press the matter.

After nodding to Lü Taibai, Li Che took Xixi and followed behind Lian Gonggong along the White Jade Plaza.

They walked all the way to the far end of White Jade Plaza; the stall was situated at the edge of the main seat on the high platform beneath the city tower of Shendu's second city.

On the high platform, the emperor wore a bright yellow robe and sat upright.

The empress, dignified and splendid, gazed at Li Che with a complex look in her eyes.

Li Che also saw many familiar gazes coming from the surrounding eldest, second, and third princes, as well as from Ji Moli, State Preceptor Xie Yunshen, and Lü Chi, among others.

Li Che led Xixi forward, neither humble nor arrogant.

"Commoner Li Che, accompanied by my daughter Li Nuanxi, pays respects to Your Majesty and the Empress."

Li Che stood straight, clasped his fists in salute, and said.

"Impudent! Upon seeing His Majesty the Emperor of Dàjǐng, why do you father and daughter not kneel?!"

Li Che had just finished speaking.

At the side of the high platform, the third prince rose to his feet and spoke in a deep voice.

Whooo—

The spring rain seemed, in an instant, to turn grim and killing, and the atmosphere suddenly took on an eerie quality.

The wandering martial artists outside Shendu's third city were startled, and soon many of their faces changed.

Li Che gave the third prince a casual glance.

However, he had not yet spoken.

The emperor waved his hand: "It's fine; the champions of the Heroic Conclave and the Dragonet Conclave are both proud heavenly talents of our Dàjǐng, having defended our honor in this Heroic Conclave and Dragonet Conclave. Heavenly talents inherently possess unyielding spines, so seeing Me, they may naturally refrain from kneeling."

The third prince's expression instantly turned grim and fearful; he hastily clasped his fists in apology, then stepped back to the side.

The second prince, Lü Hengyi, sneered at the third prince: "Third brother, you ought to learn more from Father Emperor's broad-mindedness."

On the high platform.

The emperor's visage was shrouded in divinity and vital energy, his features indistinct, yet his eyes shone brightly, imparting a pressure as if a mountain were collapsing.

His gaze swept over Li Che and Xixi.

Xixi, seeing such a scene for the first time, was indeed a little frightened; she stood close to Li Che's thigh, reaching out to pinch the hem of his robe, like a shy little girl, utterly unlike the Xixi who had slaughtered in all directions as champion of the Dragonet Conclave.

"Not bad."

"The Peach Blossom Conclave, father and daughter both champions, unmatched under heaven!"

The emperor smiled, then picked up a wolf-hair brush and wrote on the table before him.

After finishing, he handed it to the empress beside him.

Since the Peach Blossom Conclave was hosted by the empress, these words of reward and praise naturally came from her.

The empress received the emperor's edict, rose to her feet, her phoenix-feathered crown flashing with light, and the spring rain was twisted apart by an invisible force.

Her dignified, splendid voice, soaring like a phoenix's cry, echoed throughout the area between Shendu's second and third cities.

"The number one hero of the Qianyuan Divine Sect, Li Che, who overwhelmed the heroes of all major divine sects, turned the tide for our Dàjǐng, defeating the Western Regions' Buddhist lands, the Great Li Witch God Mountain, and other external forces, securing the hero's champion title within Dàjǐng—his merit is immeasurable!"

"Bestow: one lower-grade divine crystal of the Three Purities, two upper-grade divine crystals of the Four Emperors, one upper-grade Dragon-Tiger Heavenly Pill of the Four Emperors, and a divine weapon forged by the Four Emperors on the Armory of the Heavenly Observations Bureau."

"Bestow: a third-rank regular official post in the Dàjǐng court, enabling service as an official, to be a pillar of our Dàjǐng, eligible for appointment as a third-rank imperial envoy of Lingnan Circuit to suppress the calamities of the Guique and guard peace."

The empress's soaring voice resonated and echoed.

In an instant, everyone's expressions changed slightly.

The main banquet area of the Qianyuan Divine Sect.

Lü Taibai's smiling face as he drank alcohol suddenly changed to shock, and he fiercely slammed the cup in his hand onto the table!

Li Che held Xixi's hand, standing still on White Jade Plaza, his brows slightly furrowed.

Xixi looked on, bewildered, seeming not to quite understand the present situation.

The empress also paused for a moment, a flicker of astonishment flashing in her eyes, amazed at the emperor's conferred award……

But she quickly adjusted her expression and continued to recite the emperor's edict of reward.

"The number one dragonet of the Qianyuan Divine Sect, Li Nuanxi, endowed with heavenly talent, purple aura piercing the heavens, exalting our Dàjǐng's dragonet name—her merit is immeasurable, and the future holds great promise!"

"Bestow: ten lower-grade divine crystals of the Four Emperors, one lower-grade Dragon-Tiger Divine God Pill of the Four Emperors, and a divine weapon produced by the Four Emperors on the Armory of the Heavenly Observations Bureau."

However, upon reaching this point, the empress's eyes involuntarily narrowed, filled with astonishment, surprise, and being caught off guard.

She turned her head to glance at the emperor, only to see him seated upright on the high platform, his bright yellow robe fluttering, his visage shrouded in divinity and vital energy, making his expression indiscernible.

Your Majesty…… is this intentional?!

Or……

The empress looked toward the main banquet area of the Lotus Pavilion and saw the plain-clothed State Preceptor Xie Yunling seated on a chair, stroking his beard and smiling lightly.

This old thing's recommendation?

But the emperor shouldn't be so easily swayed……

How did this old thing persuade the emperor to establish such a rule…… or perhaps this is a scheme targeting the Qianyuan Divine Sect?

In the empress's mind, myriad thoughts arose, but at this moment they all converged here.

She then restored her cool and dignified countenance and continued reciting.

She glanced down at Xixi, who clung timidly to Li Che's thigh.

Her red lips lightly pursed.

"Bestow: the position of Junior Steward of the Queen Mother of the West's Guiyi Miao, with a marriage alliance to be arranged."

"Intended to become the crown princess of the present Dàjǐng; should the crown prince be established, upon the Junior Steward reaching adulthood they may marry, and in the future she will oversee the Peach Blossom Conclave and serve as mother to the realm."

The words having been spoken.

Click-clack—

The vast heavens!

Spring thunder surged in an instant!

The entire White Jade Plaza was dead silent.

Inside and outside of Shendu's Second City and Third City, everyone was dazed and shocked.

Whether it was the sect leaders of the major Divine Sects occupying high positions, or the martial world heroes inside and outside of Shendu's Third City, all were shocked and bewildered.

Pre-appointed crown princess?!

Pre-determined future empress who will oversee the Peach Blossom Victory Assembly?!

The crown prince hasn't even been chosen yet…… and they've already gone ahead and selected the crown princess?!

What a great grace!

But the problem is…… do they accept it!

Upon thinking of this,

Everyone's thoughts diverged involuntarily, and gazes one after another unconsciously fell upon the front of the White Jade Plaza.

That tall figure clad in black, bathed in the spring rain,

Li Che led Xixi by the hand.

The expression on his face instantly darkened.