NOVPUB"Hmm? Eleven Jing Tian Department Guardians have entered Tiandu?" Inside the royal palace within the inner city of Tiandu, upon hearing this news, King Huai's brow immediately furrowed.
"Why hasn't there been any news about this before?" King Huai asked gravely.
The spy knelt on the ground, responding in a low voice, "Reporting to Your Highness, during this period, our informants have been dispersed across the land spreading news, and the eleven guardians are all martial arts grandmasters at the complete stage of the innate realm. They are experienced and extremely cautious, intentionally concealing their tracks and arriving in Tiandu with the utmost speed."
"So, this is why you are only informing me now?" King Huai's expression darkened immediately, clearly dissatisfied with the answer.
"Please forgive me, Your Highness!" The spy was frightened and shocked, kneeling on the ground with beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.
"Get out!" King Huai commanded.
"Yes!" The spy, not daring to rise, continued to kneel and retreated until he had left the place.
"Eleven Jing Tian Department Guardians arriving in the capital at this critical juncture?" King Huai's frown deepened, not believing for a second that there wasn't something fishy going on.
"Tower Supervisor, was it you who made a move?" At this moment, King Huai turned and looked in the direction of the Qintian Monitor within the inner city of Tiandu.
"It was you who gathered the eleven guardians to enter the capital, what exactly are you planning?" King Huai furrowed his brows, pondering the Tower Supervisor's intentions.
In his mind, if he could conceal his presence from the Tower Supervisor and disrupt the Heavenly Human Gazing Skill, then the Tower Supervisor could also take action to obscure his perception and influence his spies, allowing the eleven Jing Tian Department Guardians to stealthily enter Tiandu.
Otherwise, if King Huai had received this news earlier, he certainly would not have allowed these individuals to enter the capital.
At this time, for some reason, a hint of a smile emerged on King Huai's face, "Well then, let me see, Tower Supervisor, what you plan to do to stop me?"
The news of the eleven guardians entering the capital indeed caught King Huai by surprise, but he felt that these people were not enough to reverse the situation.
After all, they were only eleven martial arts grandmasters of the innate realm, whom King Huai considered easily crushable.
"Turning the tables will not be that easy," King Huai sneered.
This night was destined to be a restless one. After greeting his Uncle Gu Chengfeng and his family, Gu Chen stayed the night at the Jing Tian Department.
Because tonight, the eleven guardians were all set to break through and achieve transcendence. Gu Chen stayed to prevent the leakage of this vital energy.
With his current strength, stopping this energy was as easy as blowing off dust, effortless.
Hum!
At that moment, the first secret chamber began to tremble, and an intangible divine consciousness spread out. The first to break through among the eleven guardians was the guardian of Yan State, Yan Qing.
Following Yan Qing's breakthrough, the remaining ten guardians also succeeded one after another, using the Spirit-Refining Fruit to cultivate their divine consciousness and officially stepping into the transcendent realm of martial arts.
"Success!" Qin Wu was overjoyed at this moment.
"Next, we shall see what happens at tomorrow's early court," Gu Chen murmured softly, his eyes deep as he looked towards the dawn sky.
"King Huai, it's my turn to make a move. I wonder if you can withstand it," a chill flashed in his eyes.
...
The next morning, early court.
After several days, the early court was reconvened. Today, the ministers were waiting here bright and early.
Among them, Chen Yuanli, Wu Fei, and others stood together without any pretense of hiding their allegiance. They were all part of King Huai's faction, particularly Wu Fei who looked supremely arrogant.
"Today, I shall decree a final judgment on this matter. I won't allow that little emperor to delay any further," Wu Fei said confidently.
Minister of the War Department Chen Yuanli glanced at him and remained silent. For some reason, he had a nagging bad feeling these past few days, a sense of foreboding.
As a great Confucian scholar, he nurtured a powerful sense of integrity within his chest. Although not as confrontational as warriors, with Chen Yuanli's realm, he still occasionally had premonitions about certain matters.
Therefore, he was not as optimistic as the others.
Soon, the early court began, and the esteemed officials entered the Golden Throne Hall in an orderly fashion.
When all the ministers had assembled, Emperor Ji Yuan, dressed in dragon robes and a crown, came forward with a serene expression and an emperor's dignified air.
Then, according to ceremonial protocol, the ministers first paid their respects, and after Ji Yuan declared them to stand, Wu Fei eagerly stood out and said loudly, "Your Majesty, it has been several days. May I ask how Your Majesty has considered the matter?"
Emperor Ji Yuan glanced at Wu Fei indifferently, a strong look of disgust flashing in his eyes, "Not at all. Your proposal is terrible."
Wu Fei paused for a moment, then snorted coldly in his heart, "Your Majesty, my suggestion may not be great, but it is offered with utmost loyalty and consideration for Da Xia. If Your Majesty is not willing to hand over Gu Chen, are you planning to go to war with the Six Holy Lands?"
"Please reconsider, Your Majesty!" Another minister stepped forward, playing off of Wu Fei's remarks.
"Your Majesty, you are the sovereign of Da Xia, the ruler of a nation, and you hold the lives of millions of Da Xia's subjects in your hands. When considering matters, you must not be emotional and act frivolously—Would you really use the lives of countless subjects to save the life of one Gu Chen? Is it truly worth it?!"
