Clang—
Zhao Zhongliu's iron mace fell straight to the ground.
The old man's mouth hung wide open, his jaw nearly dislocating.
He pointed trembling fingers toward the sky, unable to squeeze out a single word for a long time.
"This, this, this, this, this..."
You Wujiang's face twitched, while Gu Wanlan covered her red lips, her eyes filled with shock.
Although they had harbored a sliver of an absurd suspicion earlier...
When that suspicion actually came true...
And was laid right before their eyes... That was Tower Ascension!
How could there be such logic in cultivation in this world?
The Li Clan High Ancestor stammered, "Gir... Girl? You... You've Ascended the Tower?!"
Jiang Yuechu nodded. "Mm... I had decent luck."
"..."
The Emperor was clearly accustomed to being shocked; he snapped out of it in two heartbeats and stepped forward quickly, staring at his younger sister with burning eyes. "Good! Good! Good!"
Saying 'good' three times, his eyes actually grew somewhat moist.
"Heaven blesses the Great Tang! Heaven blesses the Li Clan!"
"I never expected that my sister would become the first Tower-Ascending Martial Immortals of the Great Tang since the First Ancestor!"
The Emperor was so excited he was dancing and gesticulating, losing every bit of his imperial dignity.
Jiang Yuechu looked at her cheap older brother helplessly.
Yet, she rarely refrained from interrupting.
Why pour cold water on someone's joy? A good while passed.
Once everyone had mostly processed their emotions...
Jiang Yuechu finally spoke: "Those five old beasts aren't completely dead. If they make a comeback or call for stronger reinforcements..."
She paused, her gaze sweeping across the city walls.
"My true body is still in the North and cannot rush back in a short time. If possible, you should take the people and withdraw first."
"Withdraw?"
The Emperor was stunned, as if he hadn't heard clearly. "Withdraw to where?"
"Anywhere is fine. As long as people are alive, once my true body returns, I will naturally pay a visit to Five Immortals Mountain to settle this debt."
The words were blunt, but the logic was sound.
As long as the green mountains remain, one need not worry about firewood.
But the Emperor's lips trembled as his gaze moved past the city walls, looking at the faces below who had just survived the disaster.
Just a moment ago.
They were all cheering.
They were all celebrating their luck.
But now, he had to tell them... that he, their Emperor, was going to take people and run away first... "This..."
If it were an ordinary wealthy man encountering bandits...
Giving up his property and taking his wife and children to flee for their lives—that wouldn't be impossible.
But he was the Son of Heaven.
Behind him were the ancestral temples, the state, and the common people.
Even if Jiang Yuechu killed all Five Immortals and returned to Chang'an in the future... "Running... is indeed a way to survive."
"But I am the Emperor of the Great Tang."
"If even I flee, what face will this Great Tang have to stand between heaven and earth?"
"If I run, what about the people in this city? Should I let them die in my place?"
At this point, the Emperor shook his head. "Lonely Moon, I know you mean well for me."
"But this imperial position... after sitting on it for so long, some things have grown into my flesh and cannot be cut away."
The Li Clan High Ancestor also let out a long sigh. "Girl, don't try to persuade us either."
"The Li family has received the offerings of this world for eight hundred years. If we act like cowards at the end, we won't have the face to see our ancestors in the underworld..."
"You should go."
The High Ancestor waved his hand, his expression calm. "If those beasts really come back, though I am useless, I still have one last resort to buy you some time."
Jiang Yuechu looked at the old man and the young man.
She felt somewhat helpless.
She was not a native of this land and did not place much importance on so-called imperial dignity or ancestral incense.
Her desire to protect the Great Tang was entirely because there were still a few people she knew in this region.
But putting herself in their shoes...
If she were in this position, she probably wouldn't be able to make the decision to abandon the city and flee either.
"Fine."
Jiang Yuechu sighed.
Since they were unwilling to leave, she could only think of another way.
Just then.
Jiang Yuechu's Primordial Spirit stirred slightly, and she suddenly glanced to the side.
The Li Clan High Ancestor's reaction was also extremely fast; sensing Jiang Yuechu's gaze, he instantly looked over as well.
There, by the battlements not far from everyone...
At some unknown point, an old man and a youth had appeared.
The old one wore tattered Taoist robes, his hair bun was messy, and he was smilingly sizing everyone up.
The young one was as pretty as carved jade, blinking his large eyes curiously, looking left and right.
The two of them had appeared too eerily.
Whether it was Jiang Yuechu's Primordial Spirit or the Li Clan High Ancestor, not a single person had sensed when they arrived or how they got there!
"Who are you?!"
Everyone was startled and turned their heads together to look.
After the ordeal with Five Immortals Mountain, any slight movement now made them feel as if they were facing a great enemy.
They feared another wave of demons or monsters had come for them.
Facing everyone's gazes...
The old Taoist was unhurried. He straightened his robes, tucked his hands into his sleeves, and bowed slightly to the crowd.
"I am Wu Shisan. Greetings to you all."
Seeing his Master's posture, the boy curled his lip and somewhat reluctantly followed suit, cupping his hands.
In his heart, however, he was grumbling incessantly.
What kind of figure was his Master?
He was one of the seat-holders of the Xuanzhen Grotto-Heaven.
Now that they had come to this mortal land...
Why be so polite to a group of mortals who hadn't even Ascended the Tower?
He even took the initiative to salute?
Wu Shisan?
Everyone was stunned.
Those present racked their brains and searched through every memory, but they couldn't find a single trace of an impression regarding this name.
But clearly...
This pair standing so boldly on the city wall were definitely not ordinary people.
The Li Clan High Ancestor was, after all, an old fox who had lived for centuries. Though he was uncertain and startled, he didn't let it show on his face.
At this juncture, one more friend was better than one more enemy.
Since the other party hadn't shown any killing intent, it was always right to be polite before resorting to force.
"So it is Taoist Wu Shisan."
"Although I have lived in the deep palace for a long time and am ignorant, I have heard of your great name. To meet you today is truly the honor of three lifetimes. I have long looked forward to this."
These were just polite formalities.
Flattery costs nothing.
Since he couldn't gauge their background, offering a compliment wouldn't hurt.
Who would have thought...
Upon hearing this, the old Taoist gave a strange laugh: "When I left this region, I was only twenty-seven. Back then, let alone your Li family, even the Great Han of the Liu Family had only just passed through a few generations... What 'long looked forward to' my ass."
Great Han?
That was the dynasty before the dynasty before the previous dynasty—something only recorded in history books.
From now, it was at least several thousand years ago.
If this old Taoist was telling the truth, just how long had he lived?
"Uh..."
This flattery had truly landed on a horse's hoof.
Not only did it fail to gain favor, but he was also exposed in public and lost face.
The Li Clan High Ancestor could only give a dry laugh and awkwardly withdraw his hand, swallowing his grievances.
"This... was my presumption."
Saying so, he retreated to the side, not daring to speak further.
The boy, on the other hand, rolled his eyes as if it were a common occurrence.
His Master's bad habit wasn't something new.
He could clearly say things more nicely, yet he insisted on being so abrasive.
He only relied on his great abilities; otherwise, he would have been beaten to death eight hundred times over.