Secular Immortal of the Nine Realms - Chapter 227
Chapter 227: Old Daoist
“Imperial Duke Fang!” Xia Yuan stood up with an excited look.
If not for the person before him, he might still be living a life where he was bullied by little eunuchs. He would have never gotten a chance to sit on the throne and become the ruler of the country.
“Imperial Duke Fang.” The other officials clasped their fists and bowed.
Fang Chen had an unshakable position in Great Xia now, such that he couldn’t be treated by normal terms. If he ordered to change the prime minister or even the emperor, it was unlikely that anyone in the imperial court would dare oppose him.
“Hm? What’s so smelly?”
The officials nearer to the door suddenly frowned, then they saw the peculiar-looking Liu Mu and gasped.
Liu Mu closely followed Fang Chen. His head was lowered, not daring to look at his surroundings. He was too unconfident. Each time he saw those eyes of disgust, he felt like a dagger had cut his heart.
“Your Majesty, have you been well?” Fang Chen asked with a smile.
“Yes, I have been well,” Xia Yuan hurriedly replied.
“That’s good to hear.” Fang Chen nodded.
He ordered Ji Lengxing and the Nightmare Knights to carry the boxes in.
The officials eyed the Nightmare Knights. They had received news about it from the moment they entered the capital, and they wondered about what Fang Chen did in Chillwater that the Nightmare Knights actually accompanied him back.
“In these boxes are the martial arts foundation Chillwater has built up over the centuries,” Fang Chen said.
“Ah!”
The crowd gasped in shock.
“Imperial Duke Fang, is that for real?” the Fifth King blurted out.
Minister of Justice Jiang Yushu walked out of the formation and slowly approached the boxes. He first glanced at Fang Chen, and it was only when the latter nodded that he opened one of the boxes.
The box was filled with martial arts manuals.
“It’s indeed Chillwater’s martial arts manual.” Jiang Yushu slowly nodded.
The crowd was excited. There were more than ten boxes in total; Fang Chen had practically plundered all of Chillwater’s martial arts legacies!
“This is wonderful! With this, our Great Xia’s national might will shoot right up!” Tao Mingsheng and the others were overjoyed.
The officials could already imagine what kind of changes these martial arts manuals could bring to Great Xia. Some of their faces flushed red, and some even started to cry.
“Imperial Duke Fang, is the Ji Clan fine with this?” Jiang Yushu eyed Ji Lengxing.
“Please be assured. My grandfather has made a trade with Imperial Duke Fang, so these martial arts manuals belong to you… Ah, my grandfather is now Chillwater’s emperor. The Han Clan has stepped down,” Ji Lengxing politely reported with a clasped fist.
The Han Clan has stepped down?!
The Ji Clan has taken over the throne?!
The crowd exchanged shocked looks before turning to Fang Chen. They knew that he must have played a part in this change!
He single-handedly changed Chillwater’s emperor! What domineering means!
“I plan to have Zhao Yan and the others copy the martial arts manuals, then the imperial palace will establish an Imperial Library to store them,” Fang Chen said. “Those who are loyal to Great Xia and possess outstanding talent, with the permission of the emperor, will be allowed to enter the Imperial Library and select martial arts manuals. Years later, we’ll select a couple of them to disseminate in the pugilistic world.”
“Imperial Duke Fang, the martial arts of the pugilistic world exploit their martial prowess for their own greed. If these martial arts manuals flow into the pugilistic world…” Tao Mingsheng bucked up his courage to speak up. “I fear it might endanger our Great Xia.”
A few officials nodded in agreement, including the military commanders.
These military commanders might have been from the pugilistic world, but having risen to their current height, what they saw now was different from the other martial artists. There was more to just their own interests in the world.
“Heroes emerge from the common folk. If we permit only officials and soldiers to access these martial arts manuals, we won’t be able to catch up with Chillwater even within a hundred years’ time,” Fang Chen said. “I have already given you years of headstart over the pugilistic world, and that should be enough. I’ll distribute the martial arts manuals to the sects once I think the time is ripe.”
The crowd nodded. They couldn’t refute it anymore since Fang Chen had made up his mind.
“Zhao Yan, Xu Ge, Tie Ma, you will be in charge of copying the books,” Fang Chen ordered.
“Yes, young master,” Tie Ma and Zhao Yan replied.
Xu Ge was startled. “Young master, me too?”
Fang Chen glanced at him.
Xu Ge looked indignant. “I have barely held a brush more than a few times in my life…”
“Then learn,” Fang Chen said.
Ignoring Xu Ge, Fang Chen waved at Xia Yuan and said, “It’ll take some time for them to copy the martial arts manual. Why don’t you take a walk with me in the imperial garden?”
“Yes!” Xia Yuan hurriedly nodded.
In the imperial garden, Fang Chen and Xia Yuan walking together made quite a peculiar sight.
Fang Chen was escorted by the Nightmare Knights, whereas Xia Yuan had the Valiant Defenders. These two vastly different forces were now walking together…
Huang Sihai glanced at Ji Lengxing and grinned. “You’re at Earth Profound realm?”
“Yes, I am.” Ji Lengxing nodded.
“Chillwater’s martial arts foundation is formidable. You’re so young, but you’re already at Earth Profound realm,” Huang Sihai said.
“You’re one of the Dragon Generals serving Immortal Fang. Your future will only be brighter than mine,” Ji Lengxing replied with a tinge of envy.
The Ji Clan had gathered and compiled information about Fang Chen following Ji Lengyue’s capture, so Ji Lengxing naturally knew about Huang Sihai.
Meanwhile, Xia Yuan couldn’t help but glance at Liu Mu every now and then. There was no disgust in his eyes, just curiosity, but he dared not to voice his thoughts aloud.
“Ask what’s on your mind. You don’t have to be so careful as an emperor,” Fang Chen said.
Xia Yuan smiled sheepishly at Fang Chen before turning to Liu Mu. “Imperial Duke Fang, what happened to him?”
Liu Mu shuddered before further lowering his head.
“Liu Mu is one of our people. His age… should be around yours, but he was harmed by a malevolent cultivator,” Fang Chen explained.
“Ah, he’s around the same age as me!” Xia Yuan was taken aback. “Won’t his family be upset to see his current state…”
“His family has been killed,” Fang Chen replied.
“This…” Xia Yuan was at a loss for words. He anxiously offered, “Imperial Duke Fang, the imperial palace has many valuable medicinal herbs. Will those help to treat those tumors on his body?”
“It won’t work. Those are mortal herbs.” Fang Chen shook his head.
Xia Yuan sighed. He looked at Liu Mu and said, “Rest assured, Liu Mu. Imperial Duke Fang possesses extraordinary means. He’ll find a way to treat you.”
Liu Mu slowly raised his head to look at Xia Yuan. It was only when he saw Xia Yuan’s clear eyes did he point to his throat and make a few “Ah” sounds.
The surrounding eunuchs and Valiant Defenders were startled to see that.
He’s only seven to eight years of age, but his family got killed, he was reduced to such a state, and he’s a mute on top of that?
“Young master, it’s that child?!” Huang Sihai was momentarily stunned before rage flickered across his eyes. “How did he end up like that? I thought he went to the South Heaven Sect to cultivate?”
“I’d like to know what happened too, so I’m planning on paying a visit to the South Heaven Sect soon and look for a treatment method while I’m at it.”
All of a sudden, Fang Chen opened his eyes. He channeled his spirit ki outward to protect the crowd.
Four earth dragons of over 300 meters tall rose from the ground and furiously thrashed around. Quite a few palace maids, eunuchs, and Valiant Defenders in the vicinity were crushed to death.
“Five Elements Art.”
Fang Chen looked in a certain direction, where an old daoist stood. The latter was also looking at Fang Chen with deep eyes.
