Chapter 82: You have sharpened your sword for twelve years, finally completing this map!

Upon hearing this, Guo Guo Po Yun respectfully replied, "Many thanks for His Majesty's concern; this humble minister is in good health. I can still eat eight bowls of rice in one sitting, draw a hundred-dan bow, and leading troops in battle is even less of a problem."

Every word and phrase reflected Guo Guo Po Yun's longing for this Northern Expedition.

Li Chen heard it, but he didn't pay him any mind.

At today's court session, the atmosphere was unusually solemn; it seemed many people had received the news and didn't stand out to show off.

Just at this moment, a middle-aged man wearing official robes with a determined expression strode into the great hall; he was none other than the May Tian Ce Dynasty's envoy abroad, Peng Zhao.

In his youth, Peng Zhao already possessed extraordinary strength, and he had a profound mastery of geography.

The court officials in the hall cast respectful gazes one after another; they all knew that this young envoy must have brought extraordinary news upon his return this time.

Behind Peng Zhao followed several people, who were carrying a huge scroll.

He first knelt to pay respects to Li Chen, then spoke in a resonant voice, "This humble minister Peng Zhao, having been an envoy abroad for twelve years, has traveled through all the countries surrounding the May Tian Ce Dynasty and conducted in-depth exploration of various terrains. Now, this humble minister has completed a brand-new map and wishes to offer it to His Majesty."

As soon as these words were spoken, all the officials in the hall were shocked.

Twelve years! That was a full twelve years of time!

To produce this map, Peng Zhao had endured hardships unimaginable to ordinary people; just by virtue of this perseverance, who in the great hall did not admire him?

This was also the reason why Guo Guo Po Yun kept probing Zhao Wenyuan during the morning court session.

In fact, both of them knew this news, but neither of them said anything.

Even though Guo Guo Po Yun was attending court after a long absence, he was clear that among the subjects, he was not the protagonist today.

Under Li Chen's signal, Peng Zhao had his attendants slowly unfold that precious map.

On that map, mountains, rivers, cities, and fortresses were all depicted vividly, as if a lively scroll were unfolding before everyone's eyes.

Li Chen walked down personally to look, his gaze scrutinizing the map, and a look of appreciation gradually appeared on his face.

During this time, Peng Zhao also provided explanations based on where Li Chen's gaze fell, as if he had been present at every part of the map, and every inch was something he had walked over with his own feet.

He could even tell Li Chen some stories about what happened in those local areas.

"Good! What a fine map!" Li Chen said with great joy, "Minister Peng, you have sharpened your sword for twelve years, finally completing this map; this is truly the fortune of my May Tian Ce Dynasty! I decree that you be enfeoffed as Marquis Zhaoyuan and bestowed with a thousand taels of gold to commend your outstanding contribution!"

Normally, Li Chen wouldn't know what to enfeoff him as, and would likely ask Zhao Wenyuan, that tool man.

But Eunuch Cui had already told Li Chen about this matter yesterday.

There were also a few ministers in the court who knew the news in advance.

Li Chen had checked how to bestow rewards and stated it directly today.

In fact, to put it plainly, it was just going through the motions for Peng Zhao.

He was an envoy sent out by the late emperor; he had been gone for twelve years, and even the emperor had changed.

Seeing this new map, which was several times larger than the original, Li Chen was also very moved internally.

North of the Northern Wang Ting, there actually existed other kingdoms.

South of the Southern kingdoms, there stood another similar great power.

It turned out that this world was actually so vast.

As an emperor, he naturally had a thought in his heart: if I were to conquer all these places, how much time and energy would it take?

Upon hearing this, Peng Zhao was incomparably excited; he knelt on the ground and respectfully bowed, "This humble minister thanks His Majesty for the great grace! I will definitely continue to exhaust my efforts for His Majesty and the May Tian Ce Dynasty until my dying day!"

Sharpening a sword for twelve years, becoming a marquis in one day—all of this seemed worth it.

The court officials expressed their congratulations to Peng Zhao one after another.

The two heads of the civil and military officials also did not stint on their words of praise.

Especially Guo Guo Po Yun, who knew deeply that at the time of war with the Northern Wang Ting, this detailed map would become an important strategic resource.

Li Chen, as the emperor, also knew that only with sufficient rewards could he make his subjects exhaust their efforts.

The following court session was just some normal work reporting.

The Minister of Revenue, Liu Minghan, presented a list of official transfers.

With the ability of this child prodigy, Li Chen trusted him very much; he just took a casual look and indicated that as long as he had carefully verified it, it was fine.

Today's morning court session ended relatively early; after going to the Imperial Study to finish reviewing the memorials submitted by officials from various places, Li Chen could get off work.

Inside the Imperial Study, Li Chen was seriously looking at the map presented by Peng Zhao, as well as the detailed annotations on the map. At this time, Li Sining walked in, stating that she had already cultivated 12 meridians, her cultivation base had reached the Mid-Stage of the Opening Meridian Realm, and she was asking Li Chen what to do next.

Regarding cultivation, Li Chen was the one teaching her, and she only trusted Li Chen.

If Li Sining hadn't mentioned it, Li Chen would have forgotten; he had completed the task yesterday, and he hadn't even looked at the system reward yet.

【Congratulations to the host for completing the task 'Fierce Mystical Realm', reward: Dragon Pattern Jade Pendant x1.】

【Time-limited task: Exterminate the Demon Spirit (Danger).】

【Task requirements: This task is very dangerous; the host needs to strive to reach the Late-Stage of the Opening Meridian Realm before heading to Mount Luoxing to find the traces of the Demon Spirit, time limit: 90 days.】

Dragon Pattern Jade Pendant: Condensed from the purest dragon blood essence, nourished by countless years and the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Those who wear the Dragon Pattern Jade Pendant can not only feel the powerful protection from the Dragon Clan but also utilize the dragon blood essence contained within to improve their own cultivation speed.

Li Chen knew that these things were mostly matching sets.

Since the Dragon Pattern Jade Pendant was dragon blood essence, it would be of huge help to Li Sining's cultivation of the "Nine Heavens Dragon Meridian Art".

!

It seemed that when Li Sining cultivated to the Great Perfection of the Sage Realm in the future, it wouldn't be an ordinary Great Perfection.

It was just that Li Sining's current dazed and cute appearance seemed completely unaware of this.

She still thought she was just an ordinary cultivator, practicing for fun.

After handing the item to Li Sining, Li Chen said, "You should settle down for a few more days, and then you can start the awakening ceremony. You must take this ceremony seriously; it concerns your future cultivation."

Seeing Li Chen say this, Li Sining rarely expressed seriously that there was no problem.

Whether the Dragon Pattern Jade Pendant was precious or not wasn't important; as long as it was given by Li Chen, she liked it.

After confirming that this was something even Chu Ruoyan didn't have, Li Sining became even happier.

Didn't that mean that in Li Chen's heart, she was still more important?

Content and satisfied, she actually wanted to stay by Li Chen's side longer.

However, she still had to visit her mother today, so she bid farewell and left the Imperial Study.

After Li Sining left, Li Chen studied the system task.

The task location was Mount Luoxing, which was some distance from the Imperial Capital, much farther than the wild Mystical Realm.

And this task, in a sense, was indeed very dangerous.

Demon Spirits were actually the same kind of creature as the Heavenly Demons from outside the realm, just of a different level.

The power of a Demon Spirit was not as great as that of a Heavenly Demon, but if one didn't handle it carefully and was possessed by a Demon Spirit, one's mind would be corroded by it, and one would become its puppet.

Of course, the danger was only for cultivators at the Late-Stage of the Opening Meridian Realm.

If Li Chen went over, let alone a Demon Spirit, even if a Heavenly Demon came, he would beat it all the same.

According to Li Chen's judgment, since the system arranged it this way, there shouldn't be any Demon Spirits appearing in Mount Luoxing for a short time; he would go take a look when he had time later.

Returning to the sleeping quarters, because the battle last night lasted too long, Chu Ruoyan was still resting.

Hearing Li Chen return, she lazily got up.

There was only Li Chen here, and Chu Ruoyan didn't have much guard up, walking over while disheveled.

Feeling Li Chen's gaze, she immediately begged for mercy, saying there was still a banquet tonight.

In order for the Chu family to invite Li Chen to this banquet, she had used all her skills last night.

"Your Majesty, haven't the other concubines chosen by the Empress Dowager arrived yet?"

If there was still no one to share the burden, Chu Ruoyan really couldn't hold on.

Last time she went to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager had already explained these things clearly to her.

Her words reminded Li Chen of someone—the woman he met in the Mystical Realm yesterday who could turn into a Black Gold Holy Tiger.

If her conditions were good, she could be brought into the harem.

It just so happened that Mount Luoxing was quite far, and having a mount would be convenient.

One could ride during the day, and ride at night; it was killing multiple birds with one stone.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 83 =====