At this time, Wang Chong was ghastly pale and his aura was weak. His back was drenched in sweat, but he was satisfied and pleased.
Regardless of anything else, this crisis had been resolved.
“Only the last step left,” Wang Chong muttered. Rather than letting his guard down, he became even more serious than before.
In the depths of the Celestial Palace was a special region where some people were imprisoned. These people were extremely precious to Wang Chong, and they were why Wang Chong had persisted until now and did not dare to be careless.
Bang!
Wang Chong took in a deep breath and activated his Great Yinyang Heaven Creation Art. There was a great rumble as four Yin Yang symbols appeared around the Celestial Palace, and Wang Chong and his three Divine Embryos began to exert a powerful pull.
With a howl, the surrounding worldly energy and the universal energy from the surrounding dimensions flowed into Wang Chong and his three Divine Embryos.
This energy rapidly replenished Wang Chong’s reserves, and his power swelled.
Without the slightest hesitation, Wang Chong gathered up this energy and sent it into the Celestial Palace with his own remaining energy.
After a moment of silence, the massive and crumbling Celestial Palace shuddered once more.
Crack! A sharp sound came from the depths of the Celestial Palace, as if something had shattered.
“Success!”
Wang Chong and the three Divine Embryos immediately fell back.
As Wang Chong and countless people on the ground looked up, a massive fissure appeared at the bottom of the Celestial Palace.
As the fissure opened, several figures that had been imprisoned within dropped out.
“Master!
“Village Chief!
“Senior Su!
“Lord Zhangchou!”
Those figures dropping out of the Celestial Palace were none other than the hostages Heaven had taken during the battle in the capital that had taken place right before the third lunar eclipse.
Whoosh!
Wang Chong waved his hand, causing a large Halo of Spacetime to appear beneath the dropping figures and teleport them to Wang Chong’s side.
“Chong-er!”
“King of Foreign Lands!”
Surrounded by Stellar Energy, the hostages quickly awoke. Though they had been imprisoned for so long and were weak, they had not suffered any serious wounds, and they were able to quickly come around.
After a moment of surprise, they quickly understood what had happened.
“You saved us!”
“Master, Village Chief, Senior Su… it’s fine as long as you’re awake!”
Wang Chong was delighted to see his seniors.
After that battle where Wang Chong’s Divine Embryos had been defeated, the Demonic Emperor Old Man and the others had disappeared. Wang Chong had attempted to find where they were imprisoned, but he had not expected it to be in the Celestial Emperor Palace.
Now that he had successfully saved them, the operation was truly complete.
Master Guangcheng watched all this from the side and subtly nodded.
He could sense that these people were important friends to Wang Chong.
Rumble!
A metallic clatter drew everyone’s attention. In the sky, the Celestial Palace, having lost all its power, completely collapsed. It was now nothing more than a pile of debris that plummeted to the ground.
“Ah!”
Cries of alarm came from the ground. It was clear that the populace of the capital had seen what was happening.
“Master, the rest of you, please rest.”
Wang Chong glanced up at the Celestial Palace.
Heaven had wasted eons of effort on the Celestial Palace, and even though it had completely crumbled, its empty shell was still enormously heavy and needed to be taken care of.
“Mm, Chong-er, I leave this place to you. Village Chief, General Su, let’s go!”
The Demonic Emperor Old Man was very straightforward. He knew that they were in no state to help out, so he quickly led the group back down to the ground.
As they left, the Celestial Palace fell apart into two halves, plummeting to the ground with countless pieces of debris.
Wang Chong and the three Divine Embryos shot forward. Arriving beneath the Celestial Palace, they joined together to create a massive spacetime tunnel through which the Celestial Palace and all of the debris fell.
Though the Celestial Palace had been destroyed, this edifice would always present a problem. Wang Chong didn’t have the thought of wasting tens of thousands of years building another Celestial Palace, but there was no telling who else might be harboring such ambitions and think about trying to do something with the remnants of the Celestial Palace.
Thus, Wang Chong threw the remains through a spacetime passage and into the depths of space.
Given its inertia, Wang Chong was confident that the Celestial Palace’s remnants would travel far away from this world, and no one would ever be able to find it.
……
Whoosh!
Four hours later, Wang Chong sighed in relief and finally walked out of the spacetime passage.
Everything was done, and he was sure that the Celestial Palace would never again appear in the Central Plains.
Boom!
As Wang Chong appeared, heaven-shaking cheers erupted from the ground.
“King of Foreign Lands!”
“King of Foreign Lands!”
“King of Foreign Lands!”
Countless people had been quietly looking up at the air for more than two hours now. Many people had already recollected that forgotten battle, along with everything else.
Upon hearing the cheers, Wang Chong smiled, a stream of warmth in his heart.
Buzz!
Suddenly, there was a strange ripple from the center of his forehead, and he felt familiar voices calling out to him.
Wang Chong’s expression focused, and a moment later, he disappeared. When he next appeared, he was inside the halo divine tool.
Wang Chong immediately saw that familiar estate. It was no longer cold and still, but lit up by lanterns, the chattering of people coming from inside.
Wang Chong rushed into the estate.
“Young Master!”
“Young Master!”
In the rear courtyard of the Wang Family Residence, the servants were whispering to each other. Upon seeing Wang Chong, all of them bowed.
Wang Chong rushed past them without a glance and into the study.
At this moment, Wang Chong was exceptionally excited and impatient.
Creeeak!
Opening the door, Wang Chong flew inside. The room was packed with familiar figures: his big brother, second brother, little sister, and also the trusted maids of the estate. In the very center was a figure that Wang Chong had missed the most.
Everyone was surprised when Wang Chong came in, and then they shouted out in unison.
“Chong-er!”
“Third Brother!”
“Little Brother!”
As he heard these familiar voices and felt these warm and familiar gazes, Wang Chong smiled.
“Mother, Big Brother!”
Wang Chong quickly walked over.
……
The curtain was finally drawn on the Celestial Palace incident, and everything returned to the proper course.
That period of time when they had been under Heaven’s sway had been a nightmare to the populace of the capital. Meanwhile, Wang Chong had finally been restored to his original position.
Without the influence of the Celestial Palace, everyone once more recalled their memories of Wang Chong.
With his family awakened, Wang Chong returned the Wang Family Residence to its original location. As for his subordinates, Old Eagle, Zhang Que, Xue Qianjun… they also returned to his side.
Several months later, it seemed like the Celestial Palace incident had been an illusion, a
nd everyone cast it to the back of their minds.
The capital became bustling once more, pedestrians and trade caravans going in and out of the gates in hundreds of thousands.
“Everyone will rush to any place in the world for the sake of profit…”
On the balcony of Taibai Pavilion, close to the King of Foreign Lands Residence, Wang Chong, wearing a black robe with a golden dragon embroidered upon it, sat in front of the railing and looked over the capital.
His face was indifferent and handsome, his every movement exuding a unique charm that enchanted others.
From Wang Chong’s seat, he could see the thronging crowds of the capital flowing back and forth through the streets.
A hundred years ago, Emperor Taizong had beheld the same scene and uttered the same words, but their moods had been entirely different.
This bustling scene was an ordinary day in the capital. Wang Chong had seen it countless times in the past, but at this moment, Wang Chong felt incomparable satisfaction and peace.
The country was at peace!
Was this ordinary scene not exactly what he had sought?
“You’re very bold to dare to utter His Majesty Taizong’s poem out in public. Are you not afraid of criticism from the imperial censors?” a teasing voice said from the side.
“Let them be. When the time comes, I’ll say that the one who said it was the former Crown Prince, now the Virtuous King,” Wang Chong immediately retorted.
At these words, the two exchanged a glance and laughed.
After the Celestial Palace incident, Li Xuantu had seemingly realized that he truly didn’t have many relatives in this world. No matter how much he hated Li Taiyi, and even if Li Taiyi wasn’t actually a member of the House of Li but a transmigrator from another world, the blood of the House of LI had still flowed through his body.
That sense of isolation and despair he had felt in the Celestial Palace had greatly changed him.
After that day, he had gone into the Imperial Palace, found Li Heng, and had a long chat that lasted late into the night with him.
Li Heng had been extremely moved, accepting his uncle and granting him the title of Virtuous King.
But Wang Chong knew that this ‘Virtuous King’ had nothing to do with the word ‘virtue’. So long as he wanted, he could even pull Li Heng down and make himself Emperor.
In private, Wang Chong had already teased Li Xuantu for this title several times.
Chapter 2373 - Master Guangcheng’s Summons!
Chapter 2373: Master Guangcheng’s Summons!
Translated by: Hypersheep325
Edited by: Michyrr
After that incident, Wang Chong and Li Xuantu had become much closer. There was nothing in court to bother them, and they were both Kings, so they had met to have some tea and snacks.
“Right, are you eating your breakfast or not?”
Li Xuantu suddenly extended two fingers and lightly rapped on the table before pointing at the breakfast on Wang Chong’s table.
There were several plates piled high with food, but he had only taken one bite and not touched it again.
“Take it.”
Wang Chong didn’t care that much. With a wave of his hand, he pushed over the breakfast foods and smiled.
Wang Chong was the owner of Taibai Pavilion, and the chefs were also his. Wang Chong had taught these chefs about all the foods from his first life, including these snacks.
But to his surprise, while he was an infrequent visitor to his own establishment, Li Xuantu was a frequent customer. Rice noodle rolls, preserved egg porridge with pork, soup dumplings, roast pork buns, prawn dumplings, shumai, sponge cake…
(TN: These are all foods that you would usually find on a Dim Sum menu, which didn’t start taking shape until the Song Dynasty.)
This new Virtuous King of the Great Tang had completely let go of his inhibitions. Whenever he came to this place, he would order all these things and then slowly enjoy them.
A voice came from behind them. “Your Highness, it’s getting late. Shouldn’t we head into the palace now? His Majesty is waiting.”
Upon hearing this, Li Xuantu put down a prawn dumpling and frowned.
“Alright, don’t make trouble for them.”
Wang Chong grinned and glanced at Li Jingzhong.
Wang Chong had originally had a poor impression of Li Jingzhong because of his original life course and the things he had done in the history that he had come from, but Li Xuantu seemed to hate Li Jingzhong for no particular reason. Whenever Li Jingzhong appeared, he would never have a very good look on his face.
Li Jingzhong had been here for some time. While the two of them had been eating breakfast, he had been silently waiting in the back, his waist bowed.
“Let’s go!”
Wang Chong didn’t want to make things particularly difficult for him. With a wave of his sleeve, he went downstairs with Li Jingzhong.
Their carriage passed through the streets and quickly entered the Imperial Palace.
In Taiji Palace, Wang Chong met with Li Heng.
Li Heng had grown much thinner, and that dragon robe woven specifically for him now seemed slightly too large.
“You’re here!”
Li Heng had been reviewing memorials on his throne, but upon seeing Wang Chong come in, he put down his brush and paper and walked over to welcome him, a smile on his face.
“This lowly subject pays respects to His Majesty!”
Wang Chong tidied his robe and bowed.
“Haha, there’s no need for you to be so courteous before Us.”
Li Heng smiled and helped Wang Chong up.
In the Celestial Palace incident, Wang Chong had saved the lives of the three million residents of the capital. If not for Wang Chong, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Together with the matter of the cold wave, Wang Chong had already saved the world twice.
Wang Chong’s contributions to the world had already transcended the Imperial Court. Li Heng had already announced to the court that Wang Chong did not need to follow the rules of the palace or display the necessary etiquette, and not even the most conservative officials had objected.
“Right, We forgot, you are no longer the King of Foreign Lands, but the Great Tang’s Supreme King. Are those things ready? Bring them in!”
Li Heng heartily laughed.
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
A palace attendant respectfully walked in, bowed at the waist and holding up a golden tray.
The tray had only a few objects: a white dragon robe with golden embroidery depicting a dragon, a document granting a title, and a dragon token that represented Wang Chong’s status as the Supreme King.
Wang Chong couldn’t help but be moved as he looked over the items on the tray.
Not long after the conclusion of the Celestial Palace incident, Li Heng had ignored Wang Chong’s objection and gathered the officials to discuss Wang Chong’s reward.
Li Heng had argued that Wang Chong had accomplished such a great feat that he needed to be rewarded. To reward merit and punish mistakes was a basic principle for a sovereign. If Li Heng did not do this, a sovereign’s word would no longer be trusted. Though Wang Chong had initially objected, these words made him give up on his objections.
In truth, whether it was in terms of government post or noble status, Wang Chong couldn’t be rewarded anything more. But Li Heng felt that though he could not give Wang Chong any substantial rewards, and he was already at the highest rank of nobility, he could still endow Wang Chong with a unique title and special privileges.
At the start, Li Heng had wanted to crown Wang Chong as the ‘Sovereign King’ to express his revered status, but this had caused intense objections from the officials, who believed that this could clash with the status of the sovereign. Later on, after discussing several titles, it was eventually decided to crown him the ‘Supreme King’.
The supreme was the highest, an indication that Wang Chong stood the highest of all the
Kings.
There was originally no distinction of rank between Kings. This was the first time in the history of the Great Tang that a special title was granted superior to all the Kings of the imperial household, and this was even for someone who did not belong to the imperial household.
Besides this, Li Heng had also ordered the Bureau of Rites and Chamberlain of Dependencies to create a special robe and token for Wang Chong. That white and golden-threaded dragon robe was unique in the Great Tang.
Even Li Xuantu’s treatment could not compare in some aspects.
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
“Hahaha, there is no need to be polite before Us!”
Li Heng patted Wang Chong on the shoulder, not holding himself like an Emperor at all.
“This is a joyous day that should be celebrated. At the very least, the Bureau of Rites should hold a ceremony. Alas, you insisted on something simple. If Xu Qiqin were here, she would definitely…”
Li Heng seemed to realize something and immediately shut his mouth.
Alas, he was just a little too slow…
All fell silent. Upon hearing Li Heng’s words, Wang Chong went stiff, pain appearing in his eyes.
Heaven had captured many people: the Demonic Emperor Old Man, the Wushang Village Chief, Su Zhengchen, Zhangchou Jianqiong… but Wang Chong’s fiancée, Xu Qiqin, had seemingly completely disappeared.
When the Celestial Palace collapsed, Wang Chong had originally believed that Xu Qiqin had been imprisoned with the Demonic Emperor Old Man and the others. But even after everyone else had gotten out, there was still no sign of Xu Qiqin. It was like she had completely vanished.
Everyone knew about this, and they knew of Xu Qiqin’s special place in Wang Chong’s mind. If Heaven had not appeared, they would already be married. Thus, they had all tacitly agreed to not mention this matter in front of Wang Chong.
“My apologies. We misspoke,” Li Heng apologetically said.
“I know.”
Wang Chong shook his head, his eyes dim.
Wang Chong absentmindedly left the Imperial Palace, not even caring which direction he went.
After the Celestial Palace was taken care of, Wang Chong had dispatched all his subordinates and tried every method at his disposal to find Xu Qiqin. But all of his efforts had failed. Wang Chong knew that Heaven had definitely taken away Xu Qiqin, perhaps even before he had entered the Celestial Palace. He would not be able to find her unless he found out where Heaven’s original body was sealed.
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 1422
