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Chapter 375: Chapter 372 Choices
Stabilize the Sanqing Hall.
Jiang Tianji tightly clenched his fist.
He didn’t mind vindicating Master Wushi.
He was even willing to issue a self-condemning edict because of the matter with Master Wushi in the future.
With the contributions Master Wushi had made for Qiantian, he completely deserved it.
But...
Master Wushi’s demise had a great deal of responsibility attributed to Immortal Wuzhong, Immortal Wunian as well.
They were essentially the indirect killers of Master Wushi.
In such a situation, why could the two indirect murderers of Master Wushi obtain all the fame he left behind after his death?
What was this!
A husband realized his wife was cheating, chased to investigate the matter, but accidentally died in a car accident.
The wife, to get her hands on that hundreds of thousands in compensation money, pulled out her husband’s trachea, and ended up living a carefree life with her lover?
"Your Majesty..."
Zhou Ji looked at Jiang Tianji with concern.
"I’m alright."
Jiang Tianji took a deep breath.
His gaze moved from the intelligence on the Sanqing Hall to that on Lingxiao Palace, and only then did his expression slightly soften.
At that moment, a voice came from outside.
"Your Majesty, Duke Qin Yujing seeks an audience."
"Duke."
Jiang Tianji quickly guessed something, "Announce."
Duke Qin Yujing, a pillar of the nation who had survived the hundred-year battle.
If Wang Yizhi, Qianhua Mountain, Zhao Riyue, Zhang Hanhai, and Long Yuantu were maintaining the normal order and operation of the government.
Then Duke Qin Yujing and Great General Li Xingdou were always firmly controlling Daqian’s logistics and the military forces of the world for him.
The two of them, along with the leaders of the Hidden Guard and other guards like Jiang Yindong, formed his strongest force, spreading his power as Emperor Daqian across various states, cities, and counties, preventing him from being reduced to a high-seated puppet in the Imperial City by ministers representing noble families and local forces such as Wang Yizhi, Qianhua Mountain, and Zhao Riyue.
"Your Majesty."
The moment Qin Yujing entered the great hall, he immediately bowed in salute.
"I’ve said that you, Mr. Qin, needn’t be overly formal."
Jiang Tianji personally stepped forward to help him up, "Someone, provide a seat."
"Your Majesty, I have come here on an urgent matter."
Qin Yujing went straight to the point, "Is the main material for the War Spiritual Artifact crafted by the King of Tian Nan Immortal Essence Gold? Since he was able to craft one set of such War Spiritual Artifacts, could he possibly craft a second set?"
"About that..."
Jiang Tianji pondered for a moment but still gave enough trust to the duke, "I have yet to confirm, but the possibility is significant."
"Good! Then we’ll see if my guess is confirmed."
Qin Yujing said, "General Shang Zhenbei has sent word that King Gu Jinlai of Tian Nan wishes to speak directly with you."
"Speak directly with me?"
Jiang Tianji was startled.
There was actually some understanding between him and Gu Jinlai.
After all, although Gu Jinlai was conferred as the King of Tian Nan, in a certain sense, he was akin to a warlord with divided territories. Even if he was not conferred as the King of Tian Nan, the fifteen states south of Tianhe, with three billion citizens, would still be under his control.
In such a situation, it was not suitable for both parties to meet.
It was just like the logic of ’kings do not see kings’.
Otherwise, if certain exchanges did not reach a consensus, there would be no room to manoeuvre later.
But now...
Gu Jinlai actually took the initiative to ask for a meeting with him!
"Your Excellency means..."
"King Tian Nan must have encountered a serious issue, one that is urgent. Whether Your Majesty wishes to win over the King of Tian Nan’s heart or Tiannan itself, it is advisable to meet him. Otherwise, there will inevitably be a gap between us," Qin Yujing said.
Jiang Tianji pondered for a moment and then made a decisive decision, "Then let’s meet."
"Please follow me to the upper level, where I will adjust the Dao Artifact," Qin Yujing said.
Jiang Tianji nodded and quickly proceeded to the upper level of the Emperor Tower.
At the top of this level, thirty-nine crystals were installed, some of which flickered with faint light, and others were extinguished.
With Qin Yujing’s manipulation, one of the crystals began to shine brightly, soon projecting a beam of light.
Once the light beam brightened to a certain extent, a figure formed of light and shadow appeared within it.
It was indeed Gu Jinlai.
And this technology was also one of Daqian’s communication systems similar to the Heaven and Earth Qiankun Map, supported by a Dao Artifact and various sub-spiritual artifacts.
As the figure of Gu Jinlai was projected and formed, Jiang Tianji’s gaze immediately landed on him.
A man who looked to be in his forties, quite steady and composed.
"King of Tian Nan."
Jiang Tianji voiced.
Gu Jinlai also slightly bowed, "Your Majesty."
Although Jiang Tianji was about thirty years older than Gu Jinlai, he appeared...
Somewhat younger than Jiang Tianji.
After all, Jiang Tianji, as a Peak Heavenly Being and Emperor Daqian, had consumed numerous Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.
In this regard, Gu Jinlai could not compare with him.
"The name ’King of Tian Nan’ has been renowned over the years; I have long anticipated meeting with the King of Tian Nan. Although today’s meeting is not a real face-to-face one, the image of the King of Tian Nan completely matches the national hero I envisioned in my mind,"
Jiang Tianji said with a smile.
"National hero..."
This was a very high honor.
Also, it was an image Jiang Tianji wanted to project onto him.
However, Gu Jinlai did not refute but simply said, "Your Majesty flatters me. In carrying out the governance of my position, having been seated as the King of Tian Nan, I naturally have to seek welfare for all the subjects south of Tianhe, ensuring their safety and allowing them to live and work in peace and contentment without any worries."
"Well said, ’In carrying out the governance of his position’."
Jiang Tianji nodded deeply, feeling the impact.
He did not waste too much of Gu Jinlai’s time, and looking at Gu Jinlai, his expression gradually became formal: "I thought it would take some time to have a discussion with the King of Tian Nan. I didn’t expect to receive the King of Tian Nan’s formal request today. So... may I ask what insights does the King of Tian Nan have?"
"I heard that Your Majesty has been collecting gold from all over the world for the past hundred years and that the storage contains the highest amount of Immortal Essence Gold. I came this time for the Immortal Essence Gold in Your Majesty’s possession,"
Gu Jinlai stated.
"Immortal Essence Gold..."
Jiang Tianji couldn’t help but recall the speculation recently mentioned to him by Zhou Ji.
At this moment, Qin Yujing transmitted his divine thoughts from the side: "He has indeed come for the Immortal Essence Gold, it seems my guess is confirmed, Your Majesty, if I am not mistaken, the War Spiritual Artifact possessed by the King of Tian Nan-the Cheng Ying Mecha, is now severely damaged, and its remaining combat power is probably less than one-tenth."
"Damaged?"
Jiang Tianji was shocked, while he responded to Gu Jinlai: "Palace Master Gu wishes to continue trading Immortal Essence Gold with me? No problem, I am very intrigued by the Sharp Sword Heavy Cannons and Mystic Bird Fighting Machines crafted by the Palace Master."
He then transmitted to Qin Yujing: "How can Mr. Qin be sure?"
"I have studied the King of Tian Nan closely; his trump card, or rather his strongest killing move, can only be deployed at close range, featuring immense power but surpassing the limits of his control. After all, that kind of power is too high compared to his current realm. Because of this uncontrollability, every release damages the Spiritual Artifact, even the Dao Artifact."
Qin Yujing replied through divine thought, "The Dao Artifact he recently exchanged with Your Majesty was used here. This fact is already confirmed by our covert agents, and with a Dao Artifact sustaining that kind of energy, his final assault, which was ten to dozens of times more powerful than before, killed three Great Demon Emperors and twelve Demon Demon Kings in one blow. As a consequence of deploying this uncontrollable power, the Cheng Ying Mecha was destroyed, and they lost their strongest killing move."
Telling this, his divine thoughts were filled with gravity: "If I am not wrong, the current King of Tian Nan is extremly weakened and he is eager to obtain a large amount of Immortal Essence Gold to repair the Cheng Ying Mecha..."
"Mr. Qin, you aren’t suggesting that I should take advantage of King of Tian Nan’s weakness to take over the lands south of Tianhe into Daqian’s control, are you?"
Jiang Tianji said, "Do you realize the consequences if this gets out? How would the people view our Daqian Imperial Family?"
Qin Yujing was silent for a moment.
The current Daqian Imperial Family...
Did anyone still regard it highly?
Since everyone is a traitor, why bother speaking of righteousness with them?
However, he did not voice this thought; instead, he merely said, "This is a suggestion from your servant, whether to implement it depends entirely on Your Majesty’s word."
"Have you thought about it? Even if we take over Tian Nan, once the King of Tian Nan, like the Blood Demon Emperor Luo, fully joins the ranks opposing us..."
Jiang Tianji spoke, pausing in his speech, "I know you want to say the King of Tian Nan no longer has the combat power of a Saint without the Cheng Ying Mecha, but don’t forget, he still has the Mystic Bird Fighting Machine. Once he escapes using the Mystic Bird Fighting Machine, unless the Imperial Advisor takes action, no one can stop him. And if the Imperial Advisor suddenly travels to Star State or suddenly disappears, he will surely guess our scheme. One misstep and we might end up messing up a potentially natural ally, pushing them to become our adversaries."
Qin Yujing looked up at His Majesty, and after a while, he transmitted his voice, "The King of Tian Nan may not necessarily be an ally."
"He is a Heavenly Monarch, whom the Devils desperately wish to eliminate."
Jiang Tianji’s divine thoughts were filled with heaviness: "At least, in targeting the Devils, our stances are aligned."
"Then, at the very least, we should not end up without gaining anything."
Qin Yujing said.
Jiang Tianji’s gaze turned towards Gu Jinlai.
At this moment, Gu Jinlai had already spoken: "In the battle against the invasion of the Three Thousand Marshes Devils, I used my trump card to annihilate three Demon Demon Emperors and twelve Demon Demon Kings. I wish to exchange these merits for two hundred portions of Immortal Essence Gold. May I ask if Your Majesty would consent?"
Jiang Tianji, already guessing the truth, withdrew his divine thoughts from Qin Yujing, his expression solemn as he promised, "Of course, trading the merit of slaughtering three Demon Demon Emperors and twelve Demon Demon Kings for two hundred portions of Immortal Essence Gold is certainly feasible. I will have Mr. Qin activate the Heaven and Earth Qiankun Map to retrieve two hundred portions of Immortal Essence Gold from the storage and transfer them over."
Gu Jinlai was startled.
Seemingly astonished that he could so easily obtain two hundred portions of Immortal Essence Gold.
Especially since...
Transporting two hundred portions of Immortal Essence Gold entirely through the Heaven and Earth Qiankun Map, the substantial consumption would likely render this Dao Artifact unable to function normally for the next month or two.
It would be completely rational for Jiang Tianji to propose having someone escort the two hundred portions of Immortal Essence Gold instead...
But he...
"Your Majesty."
Qin Yujing could not help but voice out.
"Mr. Qin, thank you for your efforts."
Jiang Tianji simply turned to Qin Yujing, asserting firmly.
Qin Yujing looked at Jiang Tianji, then glanced at Gu Jinlai in the beam of light. After a while, he bowed and clasped his hands, "Your servant obeys the decree."
