Chapter 578: The Origin of the National Teacher!

Upon hearing the Emperor's question, Jiang Feng's expression remained calm as before.

He lightly raised his head, yet faced the Emperor whose face was as still as water.

On that young face, now written all over with solemnity, his eyes held an indescribable anticipation.

Candlelight flickered on his face, casting shifting shadows of light and dark, making his expression appear even more profound.

Jiang Feng fell silent for a moment, then spoke.

"Senior Brother Zi Jian is not exactly a Kunlun Disciple, but back then he did practice cultivation at Kunlun for a period, counting as my master's nominal disciple."

That voice was calm as a dead pool, without a ripple.

The Emperor's brows furrowed slightly, his eyes flickering, as if he were chewing over the meaning of those words.

Jiang Feng's words were not exactly false.

Because the National Teacher's origins are far more terrifying than being a Kunlun Disciple.

Although back then he was merely the old man's nominal disciple in name, in reality he was no different from the orthodox Kunlun lineage.

The old man valued the National Teacher greatly, almost imparting everything he knew.

Whatever top-tier Kunlun techniques the old man knew, the National Teacher could learn.

The old man once said, Zang Zijian's talent is a once-in-a-century occurrence; if he wholeheartedly cultivates, his future is limitless.

Until the time of descending the mountain, Jiang Feng remembered that the National Teacher was already a Half-step Martial Ancestor Level powerhouse then.

At that time Jiang Feng was just a newly initiated youth, his impression of that silent senior brother was vague.

He also always addressed him as fellow senior brother.

The National Teacher is over ten years older than him; during his time at Kunlun he rarely spoke, spending most of his time in closed-door cultivation. Occasionally meeting in the Scripture Repository, they would merely nod and pass each other by.

As for the National Teacher's true origins, Jiang Feng felt there was no need to explain them to the Emperor.

That is the National Teacher's private matter, also a Kunlun secret, not to be spoken from his mouth.

When the old man took him as a nominal disciple back then, he had instructed Jiang Feng not to ask too many questions.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor fell silent for a long time.

His hand rested on the tabletop, fingers lightly tapping, producing a rhythmic sound that was especially clear in the silent hall.

His gaze fell upon the night outside the window, as if looking at a far-off place, yet also as if seeing nothing at all.

Outside the window, moonlight like water spilled onto the glazed tiles of the palace walls, casting a cold glow.

After a long while, he let out a bitter laugh and spoke.

"No wonder it's Xuan Yuan Zhenren. When the former emperor was alive, I constantly heard praise, the former emperor lauded Xuan Yuan Zhenren as the foremost of the present age. At that time I was young and ignorant, still unaware of the meaning of those words."

He paused, his voice growing even lower, as if talking to himself.

"Yet merely being a nominal disciple could stir the imperial court of my Great Xia; Xuan Yuan Zhenren truly is unrivaled under heaven."

The Emperor's tone was full of emotion.

He had seen the National Teacher's strength, knew his depth.

Such a figure, placed in the entire empire, is as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns—one beneath, myriad above.

And such a person is actually merely a nominal disciple of Xuan Yuan Zhenren.

How strong then must the true lineage disciple be?

The Emperor's gaze fell upon Jiang Feng, his eyes filled with complex feelings.

There was curiosity, and also a hint of indescribable anticipation.

Jiang Feng's expression remained flat, showing no disturbance.

He lifted his tea cup, took a light sip; the tea had grown somewhat cool, yet remained fragrant.

"To serve the Emperor is also an opportunity for Senior Brother Zi Jian."

His voice was very calm, as if stating an ordinary matter.

"Such affinities cannot be forced."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor seemed somewhat torn between laughter and tears.

He shook his head and sighed.

"Opportunity? When the National Teacher entered the palace, I personally invited him after three visits to his thatched cottage. Over these years, the National Teacher has indeed rendered meritorious service to the empire; without him, the empire would not have today's situation."

He paused, then abruptly shifted his tone.

His eyes turned eager, his body leaned slightly forward, his voice carrying a hint of excitement.

"If so, as the true lineage disciple of Xuan Yuan Zhenren, Divine Doctor Jiang's cultivation should far surpass that of the National Teacher?"

Jiang Feng did not answer, merely gazed steadily at the Emperor, his face calm, eyes without any fluctuation.

His silence was a kind of wordless reply.

The Emperor rose, walked two steps back and forth before the desk, his boots thudding heavily on the gold‑brick floor.

Then he stopped, placed both hands on the desk, leaned forward slightly, and looked down at Jiang Feng's eyes from above.

His eyes brimmed with expectation, his voice grew excited, as if making a momentous decision.

"I do not know whether Divine Doctor Jiang would be willing to enter official service? I am willing to grant him the position of Premier."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

Premier, that is the highest office in the empire.

One beneath, myriad above.

Since the founding of the state, those who have sat in this position have all been men of outstanding merit and high virtue, each name etched in the empire's annals.

And now the Emperor actually wishes to bestow this position upon a young man in his twenties.

If this news were to spread, the whole court would be shaken; those old officials who have struggled in the bureaucracy for decades would likely jointly submit memorials opposing it.

Jiang Feng, however, was startled, his brows slightly furrowed.

He never expected the Emperor to offer such terms.

The premiership is a position countless people dream of, unattainable and endlessly fought over.

But to Jiang Feng, it's merely an empty title, and he remains unmoved.

He opened his mouth, about to speak.

At that moment, a panicked voice came from outside, that of a little yellow gate attendant.

The National Teacher has arrived!

That voice was sharp and urgent, tinged with panic, echoing between the silent palace walls and shattering the hall's tranquility.

Before the Emperor could speak, the doors of Chonghua Dian were flung open from outside.

The hall doors stood wide open; night wind poured in, making the pages on the shelves rustle.

Next, a figure in black robes surged straight into the hall!

That figure moved astonishingly fast, like a black bolt of lightning, reaching the center of the hall in the blink of an eye.

His steps were swift and steady, each one precisely measured, without a hair's deviation or any extraneous motion.

The newcomer walked straight to Jiang Feng's side and came to a stop.

He wore a black robe embroidered with dark gold patterns that flickered faintly in the lamplight.

His hair was jet black, hanging over his shoulders; his visage was stern, his eyes sharp, his whole bearing exuding an imposing aura without anger.

It was the National Teacher, Zang Zijian.

The National Teacher stood beside Jiang Feng, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Feng's face, holding a hint of scrutiny and a hint of surprise.

His nose bridge was high and straight, his thin lips slightly pursed, his jawline firm—his whole person like a sword drawn from its sheath.

Then he turned to the Emperor, bowed slightly, offering a greeting.

"I heard the Emperor invited a guest into the palace late at night; I wonder who the distinguished visitor is?"

His voice wasn't loud, yet each word carried an invisible pressure.

His tone was courteous, but his eyes held no respect, rather a hint of questioning.

Only now did the National Teacher affect a glance toward Jiang Feng, a faint surprise flickering on his face.

That surprise seemed genuine, as if he had just discovered Jiang Feng.

His eyebrows rose slightly, the corners of his mouth curving into an arc.

Then he laughed.

"Junior Brother Jiang, long time no see."

Before Jiang Feng could answer, the Emperor seated in the highest place spoke up.

"National Teacher, when did you even abandon basic etiquette?"

In an instant, the atmosphere became extremely tense!