Chapter 792- The Secret to become much Stronger
The tremble, the full-body, bone-deep, soul-shaking tremble, was there. The anger, the burning, furious, impotent anger, was there. But also the greed. The quiet, shameful, hidden greed. The desire for more. The knowledge that she had broken through a decade-old bottleneck because of his seed. That if she... if she let him...
’No. This is wrong. This is taboo. I cannot. I will not. I am a princess. I am Brother Mu’s ally. I will not become this man’s...’
She bit her lip. The blood, the small drop, was there.
"No," she said. Her voice was quiet. "I don’t."
The words, the whispered, painful, conflicted words, were there. She gave a bow. To Tianlong. The bow, the formal, princess-to-emperor bow, was there. The bow of a woman who was submitting not to his authority but to her own need. Her own greed. Her own desire for power.
"Please stay here," she said. Her voice was steady. The words, the forced, painful, steady words, were there.
Tianlong, his gold-crimson eyes, the satisfaction, was there. He nodded. The acknowledgment, the imperial acknowledgment, was there.
"Fine then," he said. His voice was calm. He turned. To the hall. To the court. To the ministers and generals and sect leaders who were all watching, all listening, all processing.
"Start the departure for the hidden realm tomorrow morning," he said. His voice carried the authority. The absolute, imperial, non-negotiable authority of a man who was now dictating policy in another emperor’s palace. "Until then, send the announcement to everyone. The tournament begins at dawn. All cultivators above Nascent Soul are eligible. The top fifty will enter the hidden realm."
The orders, the command, the absolute command of a being who had just demonstrated his power to advance cultivators by full realms, were there. The court, the ministers, the officials — all bowed. The command, the irresistible command of power, was followed.
He stretched his hand. The gesture, the upward, open-palm gesture, was there. The qi, the divine, transcendent, overwhelming qi, surged. The Dharma body, the massive, golden, celestial projection of his divine form, materialized in the sky.
The Dharma body, the astral projection, the manifestation of a Divine Transcendent cultivator’s spiritual power, was enormous. It filled the sky. The face, the golden, stern, imperial face — his face, magnified a thousand times — looked down on the capital. The eyes, the gold-crimson, glowing, radiant eyes, swept the city. The robes, the dark crimson and gold, billowed in the spiritual wind.
Everyone, every person in the capital, looked up. The Dharma body, the massive, golden, overwhelming figure in the sky, was visible from every district, every street, every rooftop.
"I am Emperor Tianlong," the voice boomed. The Dharma body’s mouth moved. The sound, the amplified, divine, resonant sound that carried across the entire city, was there. "Guest of this immortal dynasty. Arrived here to help you all break through to a place where you can become stronger. Far superior than what you are now."
The announcement, the public, divine, city-shaking announcement, was there.
"Everyone prepare to head to the hidden realm. The competition begins in the morning. I hope everyone participates."
The Dharma body, the golden figure, dissolved. The sky, the clear, star-filled sky, was there. The echo, the fading, resonant echo of his voice, was there.
~~ The City — Reactions
The capital erupted.
The streets, the rooftops, the tea houses, the taverns, the cultivation caves — everywhere, people talked. The Dharma body, the announcement, the tournament — all of it, the only topic.
"Did you see that? The Dharma body! It filled the entire sky!"
"Emperor Tianlong! He is the one who returned from the lower realm!"
"He said he can help us break through! To become stronger!"
"A tournament! Tomorrow morning! The hidden realm!"
"I heard he helped the princess break through. From Soul Formation to Divine Integration. In one night."
"How? What method?"
"Use your imagination. They call him the Breeding Immortal."
"I am definitely participating! If there is a chance to break through..."
"Me too! Me too!"
On a rooftop, in the merchant district, a young man, his face sharp, his hair dark, stood. Shen Mu. The sword sovereign. The reincarnated prodigy. His eyes, the gold-flecked brown eyes, were on the sky. On the place where the Dharma body had been.
His jaw clenched. His fists, at his sides, were tight.
"What new games are you playing?" he whispered. His voice, the low, dangerous, frustrated voice, was there. "You bastard."
Beside him, Shen Ling, his younger sister, eighteen, her round face, her bright eyes, was there. Her hands, clasped, her expression, the excited, fan-girl expression, was there.
"Oh my gods!" she said. Her voice was breathless. "Brother! Did you see? The Dharma body! He is so powerful! And his face! He looked so handsome!"
Shen Mu, his jaw, the clenched, tightened jaw, was there. His eyes, on his sister, held the exasperation.
"Stop," he said. His voice was flat.
"But Brother! He said he can help people break through! If I could—"
"I said stop."
Shen Ling, the pout, the deep, teenage pout, was there. But she, too, knew better than to push.
Shen Mu, his eyes, back on the sky, exhaled. The breath, the long, slow, controlled exhale, was there. His internal thoughts, the racing, calculating, reassessing thoughts, were there.
’He helped the princess break through. Yuexin. She was stuck at Soul Formation late stage for a decade. I know. She told me. And now, suddenly, she is at Divine Integration. Because of him. Because of his... method.’
’At least she broke through. She is stronger now. More useful. More capable. If she is at Divine Integration, she can access the hidden realm’s deeper layers. She can find the Sword Domain for me.’
’I hope you become more strong, Yuexin. For both our sakes.’
He sighed. The sigh, the resigned, complicated, painful sigh of a man who was grateful for his ally’s advancement and furious at the man who had caused it, was there.
~~ The Corridor — Princess and Emperor
The banquet had ended. The guests had departed. The hall was emptying.
Tianlong walked. Through the corridor, toward the guest quarters. His dark robe, his imperial stride, his gold-crimson eyes, were there. His expression, the composed, satisfied, slightly bored expression, was there.
His cloth was grabbed.
The hand, the small, pale, trembling hand, on his sleeve, was there. He halted. Turned.
Princess Yuexin. Her dark eyes, the burning, furious, confused eyes, were there. Her face, the flushed, tear-stained, beautiful face, was there. Her hand, on his sleeve, gripped.
"You," she said. Her voice was low. Dangerous. The voice of a woman who wanted to kill but could not. "How do you do it?"
Tianlong, his gold-crimson eyes, the amusement, was there. "What?"
"You made me break through," she said. Her voice was tight. The accusation, the admission, the reluctant, furious admission, was there. "Your... seed. The spiritual energy. It broke my bottleneck."
He smirked. The expression, the small, knowing, satisfied smirk, was there.
"I can even make you as strong as I am," he said. His voice was soft. The words, the impossible, world-shattering, tempting words, were there.
Her dark eyes, the widening, the shock, the temptation, were there. "You can really...?"