Chapter 429: Anyone Can Be the King of Norland

Inside the main hall of the imperial palace.

Civil and military officials were all present.

Even for a civil official, when Jiang Li used his Eye of Investigation, his combat power was astonishing, nearly reaching the number Y.

The military generals were even more bottomless in combat power; no numerical value could be investigated at all.

Jiang Li even suspected that any slightly powerful general here could instantly kill him.

However, this was not unexpected, because Norland had existed for nearly ten thousand years; some people lived for hundreds or even thousands of years and had been court officials when the first Norland King was alive.

And the appearance differences among these people were even greater than in the world within reality.

In the world within reality, East and West were merely fused: there were great swordsmen with Western faces, martial artist transference users with Eastern faces, and black barbarian warriors.

Surnames were mostly old-era Eastern and Western surnames.

But the Kingdom of Norland was even more peculiar in this fusion; it not only fused Eastern and Western races but also included elves, dwarves, and some strange races in the court.

So at a glance, the entire hall accommodated officials from dozens of races.

"Imperial Consort Xiao arrives!!!"

A Eunuch shouted outside the hall.

Everyone became solemn.

During the roughly twenty years the second Norland King disappeared, Imperial Consort Xiao had ruled the entire Kingdom of Norland.

Of course, there were those who refused to submit to her control; they might have already reached another world, or were on the road to the Yellow Springs.

Regarding this woman's skill, people turned pale at the mere mention of her name, while some also felt admiration.

For twenty years Norland had no ruler, yet this woman sat in that position and stabilized the realm.

Imperial Consort Xiao entered the main hall first; she wore a red robe, a golden phoenix crown on her head, and her red gauze robe was over ten meters long, with three or four young boys behind her left and right pulling it.

Under everyone's gaze, she gently tugged the gauze robe; the fabric flew and danced throughout the hall, then slowly contracted, gathering entirely upon her body, finally forming a red phoenix robe upon her. She turned and took her seat on the throne, looking at the officials.

The officials bowed deeply, chanting "Her Majesty of a Thousand Years."

The ceremony concluded.

Imperial Consort Xiao said: "Our Norland dynasty of ten thousand years—due to certain matters, the second monarch has disappeared without a trace—leaving only an heir, Lan Lan Lite!"

"A nation cannot be without a ruler for a single day, yet Norland has been without a ruler for nearly twenty years; clearly, such a situation cannot continue!"

"The late king left a will: any royal heir of Norland must undergo the trial in the Trial Valley to become King! The Crown Prince, Lan Lan Lite, passed the Trial Valley test two years ago; his character is precious. A nation without a ruler cannot continue indefinitely, so I, the Empress Dowager, have decided today to establish a new King and settle Norland!"

"Do you have any better opinions?"

Imperial Consort Xiao looked at all the ministers.

At this moment—

An official with an Eastern face and a somewhat stout figure stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty—I have a matter; please clarify it for Your Majesty and make it clear to the public! Thus, after the new King ascends, there will be no idle gossip in the world!"

Imperial Consort Xiao looked at the official and said: "Lord Zhao, speak!"

"Rumors in the streets have long claimed that Imperial Consort Xiao once swapped the Crown Prince with a civet cat, causing the true Crown Prince to fall into the mortal world, where his life or death is now unknown. Is there any truth to this?"

Upon these words, the atmosphere in the court immediately grew tense.

Yet Imperial Consort Xiao showed no sign of anger; her expression was calm, as if the matter asked had nothing to do with her at all.

"Lord Zhao—you are a veteran of two dynasties. Today is a special day, but I will certainly answer your question and give an account to the people of the world!"

"But before that, I must ask a few old ministers about certain matters!"

Imperial Consort Xiao looked at an elderly man with gray-white beard among the officials and said: "Flan Lite!"

The old man stepped forward from the crowd, slightly bowing: "Your Majesty calls upon this old man; what is your noble purpose?"

A smile appeared on Imperial Consort Xiao's face as she said: "Your ears have become surprisingly sharp today, but that is fine; you shall speak of the rules for the succession of the throne of the first Norland King!"

Flan Lite trembled all over; he turned shakily to the crowd and said: "The rule for the succession of the throne of the first Norland King is: anyone of Norland who passes the trial in the Valley of Blazing Flames may become the King of Norland, or even—if someone has already passed the trial in the Trial Valley and another arrives later—they may duel at the same realm to determine the strongest; only the strongest can become the King of Norland!"

The entire court erupted in uproar.

Although—someone had long heard this news.

But an invisible force had always suppressed it, so it remained unclear whether this matter was true or false.

But now, in the court, personally confirmed by a veteran of three dynasties, this matter is indeed true.

But what if it is true?

The ministers in the court discussed for a while in the Lunleyi Society, then fell silent.

Imperial Consort Xiao said: "Summon the Crown Prince to the hall!"

Not long after, Lan Lan Lite, dressed in a golden-yellow robe with golden threads, ascended the hall and stood beside Imperial Consort Xiao, highlighting the special nature of his status today.

Yet Jiang Li, among the crowd, always felt two gazes gathering upon himself.

He tried to find the person staring at him, but could never see the target.

"I have always been fair and never had selfish motives; today's matter of the Crown Prince ascending the throne is also for the future stability of Norland!"

"The rules spoken by my dear minister Flan Lite just now are the rules of our Norland—anyone who can pass the challenge of the Valley of Blazing Flames is qualified to ascend as the new King!"

"But as I said before, the nation has been without a ruler for many days; if this continues, it will bring a hundred harms and no benefit to Norland, so I have decided to establish a new King today!!"

"Does anyone else have objections?"

Her words gradually became sharp.

"Today is the day of the new King's ascension; you may question, or you may recommend a second person who has passed the Trial Valley. I will absolutely allow the two prospective kings to duel fairly to decide who is the true King of Norland!"

Then she looked again at Lord Zhao, who had just spoken.

"Lord Zhao, as for the matter of swapping the Crown Prince with a civet cat that you mentioned! It is entirely baseless!"

"However—the former Crown Princess indeed had a son lost in the mortal world; as to why he was lost in the mortal world, I see no need to tell you or explain anything!"

"Is my answer satisfactory to you? I have already been as benevolent and righteous as possible; for so many years the throne of Norland has remained vacant, giving the people of the world a chance, giving that so-called lost imperial prince a chance!"

Imperial Consort Xiao's words were already very clear.