"Yes, but my sworn brother is just an ordinary man, not a Cultivator. Perhaps he just couldn't bear to see me fall into chaos and happened to guess correctly."
Zhang Gui replied cautiously. He didn't want to drag Su Chen into the storm he was about to create.
Zhang Gui was still puzzled by what had happened back then. It was a deathmatch between two Peak First Grade experts, something even he hadn't fully comprehended. How on earth had Su Chen predicted the correct outcome?
For someone who wasn't even a Cultivator to guess the winner... it could only have been a case of a blind cat catching a dead mouse—pure luck.
"Back then, I also heard that the soap and Perfume, which brought in vast sums of money, were also his creations?"
"And what about the Eastern Depot? The concept that Imperial Eunuchs, childless for life, would be loyal only to the Emperor, becoming his most vicious hounds and the sharpest blade against the officials. Was the idea to oversee the court and hunt martial artists across the land also inspired by him?"
Emperor Jianwu continued, his words flowing without pause.
It was only then that Zhang Gui realized the new Emperor was actually considering placing Su Chen in a position of great importance.
With such achievements, he was truly a dragon among men.
Soon after.
In the Library Pavilion, Su Chen received a personal summons from a Vice Chief Steward of the Imperial Palace. The Emperor wanted to see him in Jinluan Hall.
'Emperor Jianwu wants to see me?'
Su Chen was stunned.
The Vice Chief Steward delivering the decree heard Su Chen refer to the Emperor by his imperial title so directly and instinctively wanted to scold him. But then he remembered that while this man might be a cripple unable to cultivate, he was the sworn brother of the Chief Eunuch of the Eastern Depot, whose power was at its zenith. The Vice Chief Steward suppressed his anger and forced a smile, offering his congratulations.
"Eunuch Su, it seems you're about to soar to great heights! Even a quiet place like the Library Pavilion can't hide your immense talent. His Majesty thirsts for wise men like you. You're sure to skyrocket to success..."
"A Green-robed Eunuch who can't cultivate yet is personally summoned by His Majesty... across three dynasties, you must be the only one."
"Congratulations, Master Su! Your hard times are finally over!" Xu Xiaohan, along with his adopted sons behind him, all offered their heartfelt congratulations, genuinely happy for Su Chen.
Any other eunuch would have likely been prostrating ecstatically in the direction of Jinluan Hall, endlessly kowtowing in gratitude for the imperial favor.
But Su Chen's expression was exceptionally grim.
'I'm an immortal monster,' he thought. 'What use do I have for glory, wealth, and immense power? The higher one stands, the more eyes are upon them. If my identity as a Longevity Cultivator were ever exposed in a world where even a Grandmaster only lives for a hundred years and Demon Fiends can't survive long without devouring people... my fate would be too miserable to contemplate.'
He would be nothing but Tang Monk's Flesh!
But this was the Great Liang Imperial Palace. And Emperor Jianwu, though he had just ascended the throne and established his reign title, was a genuine Emperor—the true master of Great Liang.
Su Chen had no right to refuse.
The night was deep.
A bright, full moon hung high in the sky, completely unaffected by the overwhelming aura of blood and qi that permeated the Great Liang Imperial Palace.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
Below the dais in Jinluan Hall, Su Chen hesitated for a moment. Just as he was preparing to kneel and bow, Emperor Jianwu spoke.
"Great Liang is vast, and its Cultivators are many. Heroes among them are innumerable. First-Grade Experts, also known as Junior Grandmasters... in just one short year, two such experts have dared to trespass in the Imperial Palace. How should this be addressed?"
Su Chen glanced at Zhang Gui, who stood beside Emperor Jianwu, tall and handsome in his red robe. Zhang Gui gave him a slight shake of the head, signaling for Su Chen to stay away from the enormous goal Emperor Jianwu was brewing.
This Emperor Jianwu was young, no more than twenty years old, yet he was already planning to make a move against the First Grade experts of the world who defied imperial authority.
The number of First Grade experts in the world, accumulated over three dynasties and a hundred years, was bound to be immense. Even the full might of Tianwu Tower's First Grade experts might not be enough to take on all the hidden masters in the untamed Jianghu.
"And if there is no solution?"
From the Dragon Throne, Emperor Jianwu coldly spat out a single word.
"Kill!"
In that instant.
Outside Jinluan Hall, the scraping of Iron Armor could be heard in waves, with the faint glint of blades and axes hidden in the shadows.
It seemed that with the signal of a smashed cup, these soldiers would storm the hall and cut Su Chen down.
"In that case, there is a solution."
"The Jianghu Sects are rife with conflict. As Cultivators, it is only natural for them to be aggressive and eager to fight."
"Therefore, we can establish a world-wide Martial Arts List for the First Grade experts of the Jianghu. It would be disseminated throughout the land, recognized by imperial authority, and would record the battle achievements of the First-Grade Experts on it, ranking them by fame. The position of a defeated expert would naturally be taken by the victor. This would give those idle First-Grade Experts something to do and keep them endlessly fighting amongst themselves."
"A person's life is but a hundred years. They seek either wealth and power, or fame and status."
"Of course, if there are no incidents, we can always create them."
Su Chen had only spoken a few sentences, but the eyes of the gloomy-faced Emperor Jianwu on the Dragon Throne instantly lit up.
A world-wide Martial Arts List, using fame and status to incite Jianghu Sects, and even First-Grade Experts, to fight and kill each other...
Brilliant!
This was more than just brilliant!
In an instant, Emperor Jianwu began to sketch out the details in his mind. A grand blueprint appeared before his eyes.
'Once the Major Sects of the Martial World are caught in endless strife and fragmented, the Court will have the opportunity to recruit some of the mutually hostile First-Grade Experts and suppress others, thereby expanding the Dynasty's power and foundation.'
In Jinluan Hall, Emperor Jianwu looked at Su Chen—who was incomparably handsome, with a ramrod-straight back and an extraordinary air about him—and gave a slight wave of his hand.
In that instant.
A figure in a Purple Robe appeared beside Su Chen in a flash.
'When did he get in here?'
Su Chen's face paled in shock.
This was the first time he had personally faced a contemporary First Grade expert, one known as a Junior Grandmaster. A terrifying, almost suffocating pressure enveloped him.
This was a True Essence Minor Grandmaster of the Path of Qi!
The Purple-robed First Supervisor!
With the face of a youth and white hair, his cold eyes watched Su Chen with great interest, as if he too were sizing up Su Chen's handsome features.
The next moment, this white-haired, youthful First Supervisor pressed his palm against Su Chen's body. Surging True Essence poured into Su Chen's limbs and bones, through all his meridians and vessels.
"I hear you are unable to cultivate. You have offered one plan after another, and are thus a man of merit. We naturally reward those with merit."
"Let the First Supervisor cleanse your roots and bones, and allow you to step onto the Path of Cultivation."
BOOM!
Terrifying True Essence boiled within Su Chen's body.
Perhaps due to his unique constitution, even with the Purple-robed First Supervisor right beside him, he didn't detect the slightest hint of the terrifying Fifth Realm Blood Flame Power hidden within Su Chen.
It was as if he truly believed Su Chen was a cripple unable to cultivate, and was earnestly cleansing his muscles and marrow, trying to completely transform his body.
"These roots and bones..."
After a long time.
The Purple-robed First Supervisor fell silent.
Then.
As if unwilling to give up, he continuously poured his Junior Grandmaster's True Essence into Su Chen's body.
However, it was all like a stone ox entering the sea—gone without a trace, with not the slightest response.
"Your Majesty."
"This man has no extraordinary meridians and a complete lack of cultivation roots. He is an absolute cripple. I fear that when he was young, someone used Demon Filth Blood to contaminate his entire foundation..."
"This old one is powerless to help."
The Purple-robed First Supervisor cupped his hands and spoke with resignation.
Silence filled the hall.
On the Dragon Throne.
The young Emperor Jianwu opened his mouth, clearly not expecting that the boon he had just granted could not be fulfilled.
Only Su Chen wore a strange expression. He was desperately suppressing the greedy Blood Flame within him, stopping it from incinerating and refining the True Essence the Purple-robed First Supervisor was sending in.
Otherwise, if he refined it, he would inevitably step into the Fourth Grade of the Eighteen Golden Body Technique, the Bone and Muscle Realm.
At that point, his bones and muscles would resonate in unison, and he would no longer be able to hide his identity as a Cultivator.
"Alas."
"In that case."
"I ask Your Majesty to let this one return to the Library Pavilion."
"Without the roots for cultivation, this one only wishes to spend his life accompanied by books and scriptures, waiting for the day he dies of old age."
Su Chen sighed sorrowfully, looking as if he had suffered a heavy blow.
At this very moment.
'I really have to get back to the Library Pavilion,' he thought desperately. 'I'm about to explode! If I don't refine this True Essence soon, I won't be able to hide it anymore!'
Without the ability to cultivate, even if Emperor Jianwu wanted to place Su Chen in a position of importance, it was fundamentally impossible.
Without the power of a Cultivator, an ordinary mortal couldn't even hold on to the position of a Steward among the Inner Palace Eunuchs.
"You have merit for offering your plan, and We cannot leave it unrewarded. If you truly like the Library Pavilion so much, then We shall bestow upon you the position of Chief Steward of the Library Pavilion. You will wear a red robe and be Our personally appointed Sixth Chief Steward."
Su Chen had been promoted. He had even surpassed Zhang Gui, the Acting Chief Steward, to become the special Chief Steward of the Library Pavilion.
After returning to the Library Pavilion, Su Chen could no longer suppress the power within him. Surging Blood Flame burst from his body, illuminating the entire Library Pavilion as it swallowed the waves of Grandmaster's True Essence in one gulp.
BOOM!
The terrifying sound of bones and muscles resonating in unison exploded forth.
At this moment.
Within Su Chen's flesh and blood, his bones were each stained with a faint golden hue.
He had reached the Fourth Grade Bone Marrow Realm of the Eighteen Golden Body Technique.