Undying Life

Chapter 1018: The Most Honored Guest

In Great Qin, the Sacred King Ying stands supreme. Beneath the Sacred King, the Left and Right Grand Chancellors hold unmatched power, commanding respect throughout the empire.

These two officials are so highly revered that even many of Great Qin's other officials have never had the privilege of seeing them in person. Most have only seen their images in official documents and reports. For months, neither chancellor had appeared in public or personally greeted any guest, no matter how esteemed, because no guest had been significant enough to warrant their presence.

Due to the complexities of imperial power, while the two chancellors wielded great authority, their relationship was not one of close friendship. The Sacred King's strategic governance ensured that these powerful figures remained in check, and both chancellors understood that while they might present a united front in court, they were also meant to counterbalance each other.

Thus, it was exceedingly rare for both chancellors to appear together. But here they were now.

Upon learning about the black-gold invitation, the Noble Guest House master, Master Wang, was struck with a sense of impending doom. After weeks of receiving no significant guests, he had grown complacent and had even slipped away to visit another guest house, taking advantage of the lull. But in doing so, he had missed what could have been a monumental success—or perhaps, a disaster.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Master Wang, accompanied by the Left and Right Pushe, rushed toward the plaza where Zhong Shan and his group were located.

As they reached the outskirts of the Gift Hall, they were greeted by the sight of everyone bowing deeply.

The sight of the two Grand Chancellors at the center of the plaza left the three of them utterly shocked.

The Left Pushe trembled, too terrified to speak. A black-gold invitation? A personal inscription by the Sacred King? Both Grand Chancellors here to greet them? And I drove them out of the Noble Guest House?

Master Wang initially hoped to salvage the situation, but upon seeing the Grand Chancellors, he knew it was too late.

As the crowd bowed, their hearts were filled with curiosity.

A single word worth a city? A priceless treasure?

Had anyone else spoken those words, they would have been dismissed as nonsense. How could a word be worth as much as a city? But these words came from Chancellor Lü Buwei himself. If he said it was valuable, it certainly was.

Could this piece of calligraphy be worth the value of forty-two cities? Who exactly were these people?

The Four Seas Dragon Princes, upon seeing Li Si and Lü Buwei, were similarly shaken. What could have brought these two pillars of Great Qin here? Could this piece of calligraphy really be worth so much?

The ceremonial officers, too, were left in stunned silence, not knowing why both chancellors had suddenly appeared.

The two Grand Chancellors approached with slight smiles on their faces.

Lü Buwei stepped forward, picked up the piece of calligraphy, and examined it. "Saint King Zhong Shan's calligraphy is rare and precious. The poem 'Man Jiang Hong' from days past shook the heavens and earth, causing divine retribution to descend upon it. Now, this new poem, 'Wang Qin,' brings forth auspicious omens from the heavens. This piece alone is worth more than all worldly treasures combined. The Sacred King will surely be delighted when he sees it!"

Lü Buwei spoke with a casual tone, exuding an innate warmth that made it seem as though he and Zhong Shan were old friends. Yet, to those listening, his words struck like thunder. A poem that shook the heavens? Divine retribution? Could a single poem truly provoke the heavens?

Initially, they couldn't believe it, but with Lü Buwei's words, they had no choice but to reconsider. After all, would the Grand Chancellor of Great Qin, Lü Buwei, lie to flatter an outsider? Absolutely not.

This piece of calligraphy was undoubtedly worth more than cities. It was a priceless treasure!

Some among the crowd even picked up on Lü Buwei's tone, noting the familiarity in his voice. This made those who had mocked Zhong Shan earlier feel a wave of panic, especially the representative of the Penglai Qian Clan, who hadn't dared to rise from his knees since he first bowed.

In the background, Master Wang and the Left and Right Pushe could only feel bitterness gnawing at their hearts.

"Saint King Zhong Shan, I apologize for the inadequate hospitality you've received in Great Qin. I beg your pardon," Li Si said, bowing slightly toward Zhong Shan.

If Lü Buwei's friendly assessment of the calligraphy had left people in a state of shock, Li Si's bow was like freezing time itself. The entire plaza seemed to hold its breath.

Almost everyone was frozen in place. The scene was deathly quiet. The ceremonial officers quickly bowed to Zhong Shan, and those who had mocked him earlier didn't dare to breathe too loudly. The head of the Penglai Qian Clan felt like his heart was about to shatter—how could he have been so reckless with his words?

Master Wang and the Left and Right Pushe watched in disbelief, their ears ringing. This guest... was far more important than they had realized. How could they have been so blind to not recognize someone so significant?

The Four Seas Dragon Princes could only look at Zhong Shan in utter astonishment. Who exactly is this man? they wondered. Zhong Shengwang?

Zhong Shan had journeyed from the underworld, traveling east to the Heavenly Court, then to the East Sea, and finally to Dongzhou. Although he had made stops along the way, he never lingered long enough for his fearsome reputation from the underworld to reach these distant lands.

But now, hearing Li Si refer to him as Zhong Shengwang, everyone could understand—he was a Holy King, a title on par with that of Ying, the Sacred King of Great Qin.

Zhong Shan looked at the two chancellors with a smile, shaking his head as he said, "Chancellor Lü, you overpraise me. It's just a piece of calligraphy."

Then, turning to Li Si, Zhong Shan added, "Chancellor Li, there's no need to feel guilty. Great Qin's system is highly effective, and besides, no one knew I would be coming today."

To Zhong Shan, this entire situation was of little consequence. At his level, such matters were viewed with detachment. He wasn't about to let his emotions flare up over something trivial, as he might have in his younger days when pride meant everything.

Moreover, those who had mocked him earlier seemed more ignorant than anything else in Zhong Shan's eyes. To lower himself to their level would be to diminish his own intelligence and experience, allowing himself to be defeated by their superficial understanding.

So, Zhong Shan merely smiled at their ignorance.

"Saint King Zhong Shan, shall we continue our conversation in Xianyang?" Li Si suggested.

"As you wish," Zhong Shan agreed.

"Please," Lü Buwei added.

Master Wang, who had rushed over, did not have the courage to approach. He could only stand by, feeling a deep bitterness in his heart. The Left and Right Pushe, though still frightened, felt a small sense of relief—at least they hadn't gone too far in their actions.

With Lü Buwei's word, a white cloud appeared beneath Zhong Shan and his group, lifting them into the sky and carrying them toward the imperial palace in the center of Xianyang. This time, with the two chancellors leading the way, no one dared to obstruct them.

In the distance, a man in white robes witnessed the scene. Perhaps thinking highly of himself, he too took to the sky to follow them.

"Stop right there! During the Sacred King's birthday celebrations, flying is prohibited within the boundaries of Xianyang Sacred City!" a squad of Great Qin soldiers shouted.

"But they're flying!" the man in white protested.

"Form ranks! Prepare to engage the enemy!" the squad leader barked.

A wave of killing intent surged toward the man in white, causing him to shudder and immediately descend back to the ground, watching Zhong Shan's group with envy as they flew away.

Indeed, Zhong Shan's group was attracting a great deal of attention as they flew into Xianyang. But why should Zhong Shan care? Initially, without the involvement of Li Si and Lü Buwei, Zhong Shan had intended to treat this trip casually, almost like a leisurely visit. However, with the two chancellors now involved, the situation had elevated to a diplomatic affair. This was an honor Zhong Shan accepted without hesitation.

As Zhong Shan accepted this honor, those entering Xianyang were filled with curiosity, their eyes drawn to the unfamiliar faces of the newcomers. Seeing the two chancellors leading the way, nearly everyone was stunned. Who are these people? they wondered.

In a lavish manor within Xianyang Sacred City, an old dragon man with dragon horns on his head was addressing a group of people.

"Ao Shun, I didn't expect you to have a red invitation as well. It seems that the Sacred King holds the Four Seas Dragon Palace in high regard," said a man in red robes, smiling at the old dragon.

"The national beast of Great Qin is the dragon. Naturally, the Four Seas Dragon Palace is worthy of such recognition," Ao Shun replied with a hint of pride.

"Indeed. Otherwise, how could someone of your rank receive a red invitation?" a man in green robes said dismissively.

"What do you mean by that?" Ao Shun responded angrily, his eyes flashing with fury.

"Look, Li Si and Lü Buwei are escorting someone to the Chongtian Hall Plaza!" someone suddenly shouted.

"Chongtian Hall Plaza? There are only a few spots there. Who's the new arrival?" the man in green robes called out.

"That's my son! That's my son!" Ao Shun, the North Sea Dragon King, exclaimed with a slight tremor in his voice.

Ao Shun recognized the Four Dragon Princes immediately, but who would believe him at this moment? The others cast disdainful looks his way. Are you crazy? Seeing a distinguished guest and claiming they're your son?

Not long after, Zhong Shan and his group landed at the imperial palace, on the highest platform—a massive plaza. On the northern side of the plaza stood a grand palace, the heart of Xianyang's governance, the Great Hall of Morning Assembly, known as Chongtian Hall.

The doors of Chongtian Hall were tightly shut, and around the plaza, four smaller palaces had been built, standing out conspicuously.

"I apologize, Saint King Zhong Shan. The Sacred King is currently in seclusion, attempting to break through to a new level. However, he has assured us that he will emerge in time for his birthday celebration. Please bear with us for a few more days," Li Si explained.

"No problem," Zhong Shan nodded.

"Saint King Zhong Shan, this is Chongtian Hall. In five days, the Sacred King's birthday celebration will take place here. The four surrounding palaces are reserved exclusively for the most honored guests. No one else is allowed here. You are the last of the four to arrive," Lü Buwei said with a smile.

"I wasn't late, was I?" Zhong Shan replied with a smile.

"Of course not. There are still five days left, plenty of time for us to converse and get to know each other better," Lü Buwei continued with a warm smile.

"Certainly!"

As they spoke, the doors to the other three palaces began to open. The guests in these palaces knew that anyone allowed into Chongtian Hall Plaza was among the most honored in Great Qin. With only four places available, those four represented powerful forces or individuals.

The first three had already exchanged greetings, so they were naturally curious about the fourth guest. When they saw Li Si and Lü Buwei leading the new arrivals, the occupants of the other three palaces took note.

As the doors opened, an elderly figure, radiating divine light, stepped out from the first palace on the left.

Bodhi Patriarch?

Zhong Shan recognized him instantly. Following closely behind Bodhi Patriarch was Sun Shen, who had initially been filled with curiosity. However, upon seeing Zhong Shan's group, his face twisted in displeasure, as if he had swallowed a bitter pill.

"Saint King Zhong Shan, we meet again!" Bodhi Patriarch greeted him with a smile.

"Greetings, Bodhi Patriarch," Zhong Shan replied with a nod.

The doors of the second palace on the left opened, and a brilliant golden light spilled out as a massive, imposing figure emerged. His appearance was both novel and strangely familiar to Zhong Shan, reminding him of something from his youth—perhaps a visit to a temple.

"Shakyamuni, at your service, Saint King Zhong Shan," the golden monk declared.

"Shakyamuni? The Great Sun Tathagata Buddha of the Great Leiyin Temple?" Zhong Shan asked, his expression turning peculiarly amused.

Tathagata Buddha nodded, his serene expression studying Zhong Shan, his eyes emitting a barely perceptible glint, as if trying to discern why Ying had extended an invitation to this man.

"Greetings, Tathagata Buddha," Zhong Shan said respectfully.

Tathagata Buddha nodded in acknowledgment, returning the gesture with a slight bow.

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