Chapter 496: Emperor Chu's Grant of Marriage
Chapter 496: Emperor Chu's Grant of Marriage
In the dark tower, after Li Hao briefly adapted, it suddenly seemed to light up. The tower was not a sealed, narrow space but rather resembled an expansive Chaos World.
Li Hao could sense numerous Primordial Dao auras floating and wandering around him, as if he could easily capture them with a casual gesture.
As Li Hao was sensing these auras, a glowing figure suddenly appeared before him.
"Meeting again, haven't seen you in three years. You've made quite a bit of progress, kid."
A gentle laugh echoed, and standing before Li Hao was Yuan Xinggang, his figure like a Projection, ethereal and elusive.
Li Hao was taken aback, looking at him with surprise, and hurriedly bowed, saying, "Greetings, National Master."
"Don't be so formal. Follow me, His Majesty wants to see you."
A complex look flashed in Yuan Xinggang's eyes as he smiled and beckoned Li Hao with a light gesture.
Li Hao was stunned. At this moment, His Majesty wanted to see him?
Yuan Xinggang turned and raised his hand, a phantom ripple appearing beside him, gesturing for Li Hao to follow.
Li Hao immediately flew over. As he crossed the ripple, the surroundings suddenly brightened, revealing a majestic and luxurious palace. Dragon and Phoenix essences circled around, emitting a terrifying aura, clearly at the King Realm level, coiling around the pillars and dragons.
In the palace, brilliant pearls were embedded everywhere, and the glass-like treasures exuded Chaos Great Dao auras. Even the decorative items seemed to be extremely rare materials for forging artifacts.
Though the palace was grand, it did not match the Imperial Palace Li Hao had seen earlier. At this moment, three figures sat in a triangular formation on the eaves inside the hall, with a chessboard placed in the middle.
Two of them were playing chess: one was the golden-armored Shangguan Hong, and the other was a tall, imposing middle-aged man with extraordinary features. His eyes seemed to hold the sun, moon, and stars, deep and restrained, with a Power like the Abyss where countless mountains sink.
Li Hao immediately recognized him as Emperor Chu.
At this moment, however, he was seated casually, wearing a comfortable black imperial robe, his hair left loose and flowing over his shoulders, looking relaxed and composed.
"Flying Star!"
With a crisp sound, the Go stone fell, and Emperor Chu looked up, a light smile on his face as he gazed at the Grand Marshal across from him:
"Without practice for a hundred years, your chess skills have declined."
Shangguan Hong frowned, staring at the chessboard. After a while, he sighed bitterly and dropped the Go stone. Although the game seemed to have many possible moves, in their eyes, the outcome was already clear.
"It's because His Majesty's chess skills have deepened."
Shangguan Hong shook his head.
Emperor Chu laughed and scolded, "In this aspect, you still can't match Old Yuan."
Shangguan Hong was willing to lose to Emperor Chu, but when it came to comparing himself to his old rival Yuan Xinggang, he immediately became disgruntled.
"He can't possibly beat me unless he uses underhanded tactics."
Yuan Xinggang, who had been listening, secretly shook his head but on the surface, he stroked his beard and smiled, "Little Hong, Little Hong, His Majesty isn't talking about Chess Dao. You lost too obviously!"
Emperor Chu laughed, as if just noticing Li Hao nearby, and turned to look at him.
Yuan Xinggang, who had been observing the chess game, quickly reacted. He was more interested in the people than the game and naturally called out to Li Hao, saying to Emperor Chu:
"His Majesty, I've brought the child."
Emperor Chu nodded slightly, sizing up Li Hao, and said, "With a soul age of merely a hundred years, to reach such a level is remarkable. I heard that the Heavenly Palace recently discovered the Tian Yang Pseudo World and brought out several highly talented disciples. It seems that place is indeed a treasure land."
Li Hao's gaze flickered, understanding that he was referring to the Primordial Sage and God King who had emerged from the pseudo-realm.
However, the latter part of the statement was hard to fathom.
Emperor Chu continued, "Li Hao, right? With so many people outside, I couldn't speak freely. You said you're not a Personal Disciple. I wonder if the Personal Disciple of the Heavenly Calamity Immortal Emperor is still alive?"
Li Hao knew that his methods had been seen through. In the presence of these ancient monsters who had lived for countless ages, it was too difficult to hide his secrets. He said,
"The status of a Personal Disciple is noble, and I am not yet worthy to know their whereabouts. However, after that great battle, they most likely perished."
He did not mention the undried soul heart or the fact that Elder Wang was searching for it. After all, his interactions with Emperor Chu were still shallow, and he could not gauge how much the Immortal Emperor’s legacy would entice the other party.
Emperor Chu nodded slightly and sighed, "That great battle of the past swallowed the territories of my Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty, and the ancient demons even invaded beyond the Imperial Palace. Your soul age is only a hundred years, so you must have just stepped out of the Pseudo-Realm. Do you know of the Demon Abyss Mountain outside the Imperial Palace?"
Li Hao’s eyes grew even more calm. The other party had deduced that he had just left the Tian Yang Pseudo World, making it seem as though nothing could be hidden from him.
He shook his head. "I do not know."
"During the great battle a hundred thousand years ago, the corpses of ancient demons piled up like mountains. Our Yan Chu Immortal Dynasty almost met the same fate as the other Immortal Dynasties, being swept away by the ancient demons."
Emperor Chu’s eyes were calm as he slowly recounted the earth-shattering events of the past. He continued, "It has taken a hundred thousand years to recover, and now we have the power to resist the ancient demons. As a legacy bearer of the Heavenly Calamity Immortal Emperor and someone so young, you will undoubtedly have a place to make a name for yourself in the True World a hundred thousand years from now."
Li Hao remained silent. All the great figures he had encountered had high hopes for him, believing he would achieve greatness.
But he had already achieved his goals with his sword and had no desire to chase after further achievements.
Becoming famous for all eternity would only leave behind trivial debates among future generations, which was meaningless.
"You say you are not a Personal Disciple. Then, what conditions are required to become one?"
Emperor Chu asked with interest.
Li Hao sensed the sharpness of this emperor. Although the conversation was extremely cordial, there was an aura of control, and his questions were extremely probing, revealing much information.
"A stronger talent is needed. Perhaps reaching the True Immortal Realm and being able to defeat Immortal Lord Realm cultivators of the fourth or fifth level would be sufficient", Li Hao said.
"That is truly monstrous."
Shangguan Hong couldn’t help but comment.
Yuan Xinggang also nodded slightly, his eyes filled with a sense of nostalgia. However, he did not doubt Li Hao’s words, only saying,
"In the past, those few disciples of the imperial lords were indeed this extraordinary. I remember the Heavenly Calamity Immortal Emperor had a Personal Disciple named Shi Miao, who controlled the Great Dao of Time Essence so well that no one at the same realm could match him. It’s said that even at the Immortal Lord Realm, he could escape from the hands of a King Realm cultivator, which is simply incredible."
The gap between the True Immortal Realm and the Immortal Lord Realm was already vast, and the difference between the Immortal Lord Realm and the Immortal King Realm was even more incomparable.
Emperor Chu nodded, believing Li Hao’s words. His eyes flickered as he said, "If I were to let you cultivate in the Origin Secret Realm for a thousand years, do you have the confidence to become a Personal Disciple?"
Li Hao’s thoughts raced as he asked, "Your Majesty wants to help me?"
"Indeed, I have high hopes for you."
Emperor Chu said candidly, "When you rise to prominence, I believe you won't forget this favor."
Li Hao couldn't tell if his words were sincere or not, so he cautiously responded, "If it's a thousand years, it might be possible."
Emperor Chu laughed and said, "Then, after you finish the Southern Domain Battle, come to the Origin Secret Realm. I will open it exclusively for you for a thousand years."
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Hong and Yuan Xinggang exchanged glances, their expressions subtly changing as they both looked at Li Hao.
"This..."
Li Hao hesitated. He had never entered the Origin Secret Realm before, and he wasn't sure if cultivating there for a thousand years would feel like being imprisoned.
Seeing Li Hao's hesitation, Emperor Chu waved his hand and said, "Don't refuse. A thousand years will pass in the blink of an eye. However, after you finish the Southern Domain Battle, if you can secure a spot in the Primordial True Realm, that will also be a significant opportunity. If you can grasp it, combined with a thousand years of intensive cultivation in the Origin Secret Realm, I believe it won't be long before the True World knows your name!"
Li Hao smiled wryly and said, "Thank you for your kind offer, Your Majesty, but I need to think about it."
"Fine."
Emperor Chu agreed without hesitation. Then, as if thinking of something, he turned to Li Hao and said:
"You are still young and unmarried, right? I have a daughter, quite talented. Her mother is a Stars Origin Spirit, and she possesses both Imperial Blood and Stellar Origin Power. You must have seen her—she ranked seventh in the immortal stele this time. Her name is Chu Yueli."
Li Hao was taken aback, and the image of the haughty Imperial Princess immediately came to mind.
"I will betroth her to you as your wife. What do you think?"
Emperor Chu smiled, "She is two thousand soul years old, much older than you, but in the vast span of cultivation that stretches for tens of thousands of years, this age difference is negligible. Besides, you are both Immortal Deities, with eternal youth and virtually endless lifespans, as long as you don't face major calamities or the collapse of Heaven and Earth."
Li Hao felt his scalp tingle and clasped his fists, saying, "Thank you for your kind offer, Your Majesty, but I have no plans for marriage at the moment."
"Given your soul age and potential, I understand your focus is on cultivation. However, there are many paths to cultivation. If you marry my youngest daughter, the Stellar Origin Power in her body can also benefit you. Your offspring will certainly be no less talented, and they might even be born with an immortal bone!" Emperor Chu chuckled.
Li Hao was speechless, looking at Emperor Chu. If it weren't for the fact that the emperor was an ancient being with countless children, he would find it hard to believe such words could come from a father's mouth. Indeed, in the noble families of emperors, there is only benefit, no kinship.
"Your Majesty, this really won't work", Li Hao said with a bitter smile.
Emperor Chu asked, "Is it because you don't find her suitable?"
Li Hao quickly replied, "I wouldn't dare, but I truly have no plans in that regard."
"Worldly love is but a fleeting pleasure in a short hundred-year life. You needn't take it too seriously. Marriage doesn't necessarily mean deep affection; it can simply be a matter of shared goals."
Emperor Chu continued, "My youngest daughter is also dedicated to cultivation, making you two a good match."
"Your Majesty..."
Li Hao's face was filled with difficulty, feeling a significant gap in worldview with the old emperor.
Seeing Li Hao's constipated expression, Emperor Chu couldn't help but laugh and say, "With Yueli's conditions, she isn't beneath you. Besides, once you are married, you will be one of the Yan Chu clan, and I will do my utmost to support you. If you really don't want to, in the Southern Domain Battle, if you can secure the top spot in the True Immortal Realm tournament, I can consider letting her be your concubine, without any constraints."
“......”
Li Hao was momentarily at a loss for words. The emperor’s sudden enthusiasm for this matter caught him off guard.
It was clear that the emperor intended to use this to bind him to Yan Chu. But for an Immortal Deity, would such a thing really have any binding power?
Li Hao hesitated, about to decline, but Emperor Chu seemed to read his intentions and immediately declared, “It’s settled. If you truly don’t want to marry her, then you’d better work hard!”
Is this old emperor trying to use reverse psychology on me? Li Hao couldn’t help but inwardly grumble. Seeing Elder Yuan shake his head slightly, he had no choice but to play along, saying, “If I can secure the top spot among the True Immortals, I hope His Majesty will rescind the imperial decree.”
“You really are...”
A hint of helplessness appeared on Emperor Chu’s face. This kid was truly stubborn, he thought, and said, “Fine, I’ll consider it.”
Li Hao let out a sigh of relief and quickly added, “If there’s nothing else, I’ll go back to cultivation.”
“No need to worry. Time flows a hundred times slower here than in the outside world, so it won’t affect your progress.”
Emperor Chu flipped his palm, and a beam of seven-colored mystical light appeared. He handed it to Li Hao, saying, “This is an Illusion Light Stone. If you encounter danger in the Origin Secret Realm, it will protect you from one calamity!”
Li Hao accepted the life-saving item without hesitation, saying, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Go on.”
Emperor Chu waved his hand.
Before Yuan Xinggang, a ripple of light appeared, opening a Passage to send Li Hao out of the hall.
After Li Hao left, the three men at the chess table fell into a brief silence. Emperor Chu smiled at Yuan Xinggang, “Come, it’s been a long time since we’ve played. How about another game?”
Yuan Xinggang’s eyes were complex as he whispered, “Your Majesty, I have some matters to attend to at the National Supervisory Academy. I must take my leave.”
Emperor Chu laughed, “You worry too much!”
Yuan Xinggang gave a bitter smile, bowed, and took his leave.
Shangguan Hong also stood up and bid farewell.
As their figures faded, the hall was left with only the chessboard and the emperor.
“Only the autumn wind understands my heart...”
Emperor Chu gazed at the Wu Tong Phoenix Tree outside the hall, its golden leaves drifting in the air, and a hint of loneliness and desolation appeared in his eyes.
Outside the hall, the two figures walked through a gray, chaotic void.
“Old Yuan, what’s His Majesty planning?”
Shangguan Hong, clad in golden armor, asked in a low voice, his eyes filled with confusion.
Yuan Xinggang sighed softly, “After ten thousand years, we finally have a disciple who has the potential to break through to the Heavenly Palace this time!”
Shangguan Hong was stunned, his face changing, and he finally said, “That’s going to be difficult, isn’t it?”
“What if that young man becomes a Personal Disciple?”
Yuan Xinggang raised his head and asked, a hint of mockery in his eyes, “A Personal Disciple of the Immortal Emperor—such a title isn’t something just anyone can achieve.”
“But that’s at least a thousand years away. Can that child really make it?”
“Didn’t you see how calm he was? Even with the promise of a thousand years in the Origin Secret Realm, he didn’t show any excitement. His measured response suggests he’s confident. Some might say no, but in the eyes of others, it’s a resounding yes.”
Shangguan Hong fell silent, reflecting on the conversation in the hall.
...
On the other side, Li Hao left the hall and returned to the dark tower.
As he put away the Illusion Light Stone, time seemed to flow backward, and a force pushed him forward. Suddenly, his vision cleared, and he found himself in a strange and wondrous world.
(End of Chapter)
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