Chapter 17: The Chu Emperor

"Transmit the Nine Thousand Years Old's imperial decree."

"At the hour of Mao tomorrow, all officials in the capital of the fifth rank or higher are to enter the court for a Grand Morning Assembly."

Above the capital, Xiao Dengzi's hoarse voice rang out, and a golden, radiant decree ascended into the sky. Every high-ranking official and noble in the capital had to bow and listen to the decree.

In the Great Chu, only the decree of the Nine Thousand Years Old was considered a true imperial decree.

Empress Yang Domain, looking at the smug Xiao Dengzi in the sky, ground her teeth until they nearly shattered. Glancing at the sickly Chu Emperor lying on the bed, Yang Domain left without looking back.

Yang Domain had intended to complain to the Emperor and recount the various misdeeds of the Nine Thousand Years Old, but the answer she received was:

"Let him be."

The sickly Chu Emperor seemed not to care at all about everything happening in the dynasty. His eyes were dull, and he looked like a man on the verge of death.

However, the moment the Empress left, the Chu Emperor, who had been hanging by a thread, revealed a chilling, sharp glint in his eyes.

"Let them cause trouble, let them. The more chaotic it is, the better." A mysterious smile appeared on the corner of the Chu Emperor's mouth as he stared straight at the ceiling.

This was no sickly weakling; this was the look of a conspirator who held everything in his grasp.

"Go and investigate who that young man is, the one the Nine Thousand Years Old treats as an honored guest. To make the Demon Lord so frantic, and even have the Nine Thousand Years Old humble himself to serve him—I am truly curious." The Chu Emperor looked toward the shadows of the bedchamber, seemingly speaking to someone.

As soon as the Chu Emperor finished speaking, an old man in a black robe appeared in the previously empty bedchamber as if out of thin air, standing by Li Chu Huang's bedside.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, that person appears to be Li Shentong, who followed the Shenwu Emperor a thousand years ago."

"Oh! The Mountain Lord recognizes him?" The Chu Emperor became interested; he had not expected the Mountain Lord of the Hanging Mountain to know that person. It seemed that person's identity was indeed extraordinary. "Li Shentong, a very familiar name."

The Chu Emperor seemed to fall into memories, but his body was truly too weak, and soon a layer of fine sweat beads appeared on his forehead. His square face, which had held some color, became even paler. "Alas, this body of mine is becoming more and more useless. I wonder what the Demon Lord is waiting for." The Chu Emperor gripped his fist with effort and smashed it against the edge of the bed.

The Chu Emperor hated this frail body to the core. Over the years, he had tried every method and used countless spiritual medicines and treasures, yet his body grew worse by the day. Thinking of his grand ambitions and then looking at this physique, a sense of indescribable ferocity welled up in his heart.

"Your Majesty, please take care of your dragon body; if you cannot think of it, then do not think of it. If you want an answer, there are naturally people in this world who will run about for you." The old man looked at the somewhat ferocious Chu Emperor and offered words of comfort.

"The Mountain Lord is indeed good at comforting people." The Chu Emperor seemed to be in a much better mood after hearing the old man's words.

Think of him, honored as the Lord of the World.

Under the whole heaven, is there any land that is not the king's? To the borders of the land, is there any person who is not the king's minister? Whatever answer he wanted, there would naturally be someone to find it for him.

Even the Mountain Lord before him, a True God-level powerhouse, still had to stand before this sickly man and listen to his orders.

"Speak, what kind of sacred being is this Li Shentong?" The Chu Emperor looked at the old man nonchalantly. 【24】 "Reporting to Your Majesty, this Li Shentong has a deep connection with your royal family. Back then, when the Shenwu Dadi rose up and swept across the world, he had countless capable people and strange men by his side, and this person was among them."

"In reply to Your Majesty, this Li Shentong has a deep connection with your Imperial House. Back when the Shenwu Dadi rose up in an unexpected army and swept across the world, he had countless capable people and strange men by his side, and among them was this person."

"Oh, is that so? An old thing from a thousand years ago?" Reminded by the old man, the Chu Emperor also recalled information about Li Shentong. "Didn't he die? He was even posthumously titled King of Equal Rank. Is it this person?" The Chu Emperor was even more puzzled.

"It is indeed him, and I even participated in the battle to suppress and kill him back then. Seeing his figure in the capital that day, I was also shocked. But I am certain that it is him." The old man was naturally puzzled as well. However, in this world, there were many divine arts and techniques, and it was not strange for a powerhouse of Li Shentong's level to have one or two life-saving means.

What puzzled the old man was why this person chose to appear at this time. More importantly, he had provoked the Demon Lord to take action personally, and even more terrifyingly, that day, that person had pointed a finger and shattered the Demon Lord's cross-heaven strike.

What kind of concept was this?

This meant that Li Shentong's current cultivation was at least above that of a True God.

The old man certainly did not doubt Li Shentong's talent, but breaking through to a True God in a thousand years, and even stepping into the legendary realm, seemed unbelievable no matter how one looked at it.

"Interesting, interesting, truly interesting. Could it be that the Shenwu Dadi left behind some backup plan?" The Chu Emperor could not help but think of the Shenwu Dadi, the man known as the first ruthless person in history.

"Perhaps."

The old man agreed with the Chu Emperor's speculation.

"It seems our plan needs to be changed. Now that such a person has appeared, isn't it more suitable for me to carry out the plan? It seems that at tomorrow's Grand Morning Assembly, I, this descendant, really must go and pay respects to our Great Chu royal family's great hero."

"Your Majesty, I think you should be more cautious. The person we originally selected was the Empress; changing the plan at the last minute is likely inappropriate." The old man looked at the somewhat insane Chu Emperor on the bed, feeling quite anxious.

To be honest, the old man looked down on this guy with the extremely ferocious heart. But since it concerned the Demon Lord's grand plan, he had no choice but to cooperate with the Chu Emperor wholeheartedly.

"Are you teaching me how to do things? Don't forget, I am the core of everything. How I want to do things, even if the Demon Lord comes in person, he has nothing to say." The Chu Emperor looked at the disdainful expression on the old man's face, and his heart felt as if it had been stabbed by a knife, plunging him into madness.

The old man did not speak.

The entire bedchamber fell into silence.

However, the Chu Emperor seemed unsatisfied, looking at the old man ferociously, his expression suggesting he would only be satisfied if he completely trampled the old man under his feet.

"Why aren't you speaking? Oppose me, stop me, if that doesn't work, go and complain to the Demon Lord. If that still doesn't work, how about killing me? Come, come, come, kill me..."

"Hahaha..."

The Chu Emperor looked at the old man insanely, his eyes full of brutality. "No one can look down on me, no one can."

The old man was speechless.

What had he done? Following a pervert every day, life was truly difficult.

Under the black robe, the old man's snow-white beard trembled. However, the old man seemed to have seen this ghostly appearance of the Chu Emperor many times and did not argue with him.

"You are the Emperor, you are supreme. However, regarding the Demon Lord's grand plan, if you act willfully and something goes wrong, you can explain it to the Demon Lord yourself." The old man flicked his large sleeves and turned his back. The Chu Emperor's stubborn, ghostly appearance was truly annoying to look at.

People with twisted hearts are sometimes like children. The Chu Emperor was no exception; having made enough of a scene, he quieted down and stared blankly at the ceiling again.

The old man sighed in his heart, his figure flashed, and he disappeared from the bedchamber. ===== CHAPTER 18 =====