Nineteen years ago, His Majesty personally stamped the edict ordering his legitimate eldest son to commit suicide. As for legitimate nephews who died by his hand, there were as many as six.

Even if it was to deal with the imminent threat of Chu Xisheng, Emperor Jianyuan would still first ensure his control over Chu Ming.

Just as Chu Rulai was secretly filled with doubt, Emperor Jianyuan had already slapped the armrest. "Excellent!"

He shot Chu Rulai a sideways glance, then the corner of his lips lifted slightly. "In a while, Ming’er stays. Chu Xisheng’s cultivation is advancing by leaps and bounds, making Me feel a thorn in My back and unable to sit still. As for improving your cultivation and Martial Arts, the sooner the better."

At this moment, State Preceptor Yu Kunlun and the ’Lighting World Demon Lamp’ Zong Shenhua stepped into Yanying Hall one after the other.

Yu Kunlun cupped his hands toward Emperor Jianyuan with a hint of shame. "This minister is incompetent. I nearly let Your Majesty fall into peril, and still failed to capture Chu Xisheng’s trail. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness!"

Zong Shenhua, however, frowned tightly. With a grave expression, he nodded and saluted. "Your Majesty, that boy Chu Xisheng’s Escape Skill is astonishing beyond belief and cannot be underestimated. There are already few Forbidden Techniques in this world that can restrain him. Your Majesty must further strengthen the defenses within and without the Capital City and be extremely cautious."

Emperor Jianyuan’s mood sank once more. Then he stood up and solemnly bowed to Zong Shenhua. "Sect Leader Zong, We are endlessly grateful for your assistance this time and will certainly repay it in the future. However, the demonic power of that thief Chu Xisheng is overwhelming, no longer something ordinary means can handle. We boldly ask Sect Leader, for the sake of all living beings under heaven, to take up long-term residence in Wang’an City!"

Originally, he scrupled over Dutian Divine Palace and the attitudes of the various Divine Sects and Demon Sects, and did not wish to get too close to Blood Bat Mountain and provoke the other sects.

But with the situation having reached this point, it was no longer up to him.

At this time, only this ’Lighting World Demon Lamp’ could help him hold off Chu Xisheng.

Zong Shenhua hesitated slightly, then gave a small nod. "Very well!"

According to Zong Shenhua’s own preference, he actually wanted to stay at Blood Bat Mountain.

He had secrets there that were of vital importance.

Yet Zong Shenhua knew even better that after this battle, people’s hearts within and outside Daning were bound to be in turmoil.

The court’s true and false strengths, the tilt of people’s loyalty, had already been seen through completely.

A single Yu Kunlun could no longer hold everything up alone.

Only with him sitting in town at the Capital City could he help Emperor Jianyuan stabilize the situation and steady the Daning Army Generals and the officials.

If they could not be steadied, then it would be an avalanche; everything would collapse and crumble.

※※※※

Meanwhile, Chu Xisheng had already returned to the Bathing Sun Divine Ship more than ten thousand li from Wang’an City.

Beneath this Flying Boat lay the Cloud Sea Nine-Grade Secret Realm located in Luo Province.

Contrary to what Zong Shenhua imagined, Chu Xisheng’s reliance was not on his own extraordinary Escape Skill, but on this Ninth Grade Secret Realm.

Once he encountered a critical situation, he could directly use the Secret Realm to teleport back to Cloud Sea Immortal Palace together with Lu Luanti, and use this Immortal Palace left behind by the Divine Turtle Wanderer to face the enemy.

But just as Chu Xisheng had anticipated, the pursuit of Zong Shenhua and Yu Kunlun was only tentative, a mere probing.

They took one look at Chu Xisheng’s Escape Skill and lost confidence in continuing the chase.

When Chu Xisheng slipped through the sky and landed on the deck of the Bathing Sun Divine Ship, he saw that behind Lu Luanti stood an entire row of ’Cloud Sea Sword Puppets’.

From left to right, there were actually as many as twenty-four of them. They were utterly silent and looked wooden and dull, yet gathered a powerful Sword Intent that made even a Heavenly List Expert like Chu Xisheng feel solemn.

It had to be mentioned that more than half of these newly added Sword Puppets were not Lu Luanti’s own, but temporarily lent to her by Chu Xisheng.

After Lu Luanti’s cultivation was promoted to Third Grade Lower Tier, she obtained higher authority within Cloud Sea Immortal Palace and could mobilize more financial resources.

However, the Sword Puppets she could carry by her side currently numbered only eight.

The remaining sixteen belonged to Ween Suyi.

Starting three years ago, Ween Suyi had been constantly supplying materials and hiring the ’Divine Turtle Wanderer’ to refine Cloud Sea Sword Puppets for her, intending to forge, in Extreme East Ice City, a powerful Sword Array of thirty-six Sword Puppets that could contend against a Super First Grade Martial Cultivator.

After three years of accumulation, the Divine Turtle Wanderer had already refined sixteen Cloud Sea Sword Puppets for Ween Suyi, completing the preliminary structure of the Sword Array.

Yet just before the first batch of Sword Puppets was to be delivered, Extreme East Ice City suddenly changed and collapsed.

However, the party to receive the goods still existed; Ween Suyi was only sealed in ice, not dead.

Chu Xisheng inherited all of her wealth from Ween Suyi, so this Sword Array naturally fell into his hands as well.

He then handed these Sword Puppets over to Lu Luanti.

Chu Xisheng’s Divine Sense Touch Death Blade Group was invincible in battle, and his Domineering golden body could contend against First Grade; he had no need for these Sword Puppets.

Lu Luanti, on the other hand, needed powerful guards when she cast certain large-scale Spells.

"Well?"

After Chu Xisheng steadied himself on the deck, he looked at Lu Luanti with a hint of concern. "How does it feel? If you can’t bear it, it’s better to reduce it to twelve. There’s no need to push yourself."

Controlling these Sword Puppets required extremely powerful Divine Sense Power.

The reason the Divine Turtle Wanderer did not give Lu Luanti more Cloud Sea Sword Puppets as protection was absolutely not stinginess.

Aside from worrying that Lu Luanti would act recklessly outside and stir up trouble, he was also afraid that Lu Luanti’s Primordial Spirit could not endure it.

If one’s Divine Thought was not strong enough, then having too many would actually backfire and damage the Primordial Spirit.

Lu Luanti was not like Chu Xisheng, who cultivated the Nine Wheel Divine Chart and split his Primordial Spirit into nine parts.

And even Chu Xisheng had progressed step by step, gradually increasing the strength of each Divided Soul.

Previously, the Wood Sword Immortal had sealed the vast majority of his power left in the Nine Luminaries Divine Wheel Sword, and only as Chu Xisheng’s Primordial Spirit grew stronger did he gradually unseal it.