As the Grand Chancellor's cold voice echoed, sounds rang out from outside the hall.
Shortly after, five guards in golden armor with majestic auras and murderous auras walked over from outside the main hall.
These five people looked young but the smell of blood on their bodies was extremely strong. This was especially so when their auras fused as they entered the hall. Clearly, they were a team.
Each of them was carrying a prisoner. There were men and women among the prisoners, and their expressions were dispirited. Their bodies were covered in injuries, and they looked like they had experienced harsh interrogation and their cultivation bases had been crippled.
These five golden-armored guards quickly arrived in front of the Grand Chancellor. They bowed in unison and pressed the criminal in their hands to the ground.
No matter how those criminals struggled, it was useless. They were each pressed down on their heads by one of the five personal guards, forcing them to kneel heavily.
Xu Qing, who was sitting on the first platform, swept his gaze across the five prisoners and finally looked at the first person on the left.
That person was a middle-aged man. The skin and flesh on his face had been forcefully scraped off. One could see that there was a layer of black paper inside that was somewhat torn. Someone had removed a piece of it, as if to verify it.
When Xu Qing looked over, the middle-aged man barely lifted his head and looked at Xu Qing.
The moment their gazes met, a chill rose in Xu Qing's heart. He recognized that the person who attacked him back then was this person.
That faint feeling and aura couldn't be wrong.
As for the other four, Xu Qing had never seen them before.
"Your Majesty, the matter of the assassination attempt in the Imperial City has been investigated."
The Grand Chancellor cupped his hands at the Human Emperor and pointed at the middle-aged man on his left.
"This person's name is Pyrrhu. He has a half-human, half-demon bloodline and joined the Ghost Fiend Dark Sect when he was young. His talent is not bad but due to his bloodline, he couldn't come into contact with the core teachings. His master intended to observe him, but sixty years ago, this person stole the black paper forbidden scroll and fled, disappearing thereafter."
"In the assassination attempt, it was this person who controlled the black paper forbidden art to attack. After the attempt, he fled the Imperial Capital and was captured by the Sword Holding Palace in the Nine Desolate Plains half a month ago."
"The details of the case have also been clarified."
With that, the Grand Chancellor lowered his head and waited for the Human Emperor to give the judgment.
The main hall was silent. Everyone's gazes landed on the five criminals and also swept past Xu Qing. Everyone had their own thoughts. As for Pyrrhu, he looked at Xu Qing with a regretful expression, as if not being able to eliminate Xu Qing was a stain on his record.
"Slash."
The Human Emperor's voice rang out calmly.
At the next instant, the golden-armored guard behind Pyrrhu raised his blade and slashed across Pyrrhu's neck. His blade wasn't an ordinary treasure and possessed the might of extermination. The moment it slashed past, Pyrrhu's body directly turned into blood and even his soul was slashed.
The head was lifted by the guard to show everyone that this criminal's body and soul had been destroyed. Soon after, the head turned into ashes.
"The second person is called Lin He, codenamed Dark 379. He is currently serving as a Deputy Chief of the Special Command Palace's inspection department. This person has covered up for the assassination attempt and even provided the whereabouts of County Governor Xu."
The Grand Chancellor pointed to the second person on his left. It was an old man. His head was lowered and his expression couldn't be seen clearly. His injuries were extremely serious and many nails were pierced into his body.
"Slash."
The Human Emperor calmly spoke.
In that instant, the guard beside the old man brandished his blade and Lin He's body was destroyed. His head burned and turned into ashes.
"The third person is called Daoist Fire. He is a deacon of the Profound Fire Nine Departures Sect. He was in charge of setting up array formation on the street in the assassination attempt. He used the Extreme Fire Technique to form a Water Fiend Array."
"The fourth person is called Ming Xuanzi. He comes from the Supreme Azure Moon Sect and his status is even higher than the other three. He's an elder of the Supreme Azure Moon Sect. In the case of the assassination attempt, this person used an item to hide the energy fluctuations of the battlefield on the long street. That item is a Heavenly King Token!"
As soon as the Grand Chancellor spoke, the hearts of everyone in the hall fluctuated to varying degrees. Some of them deliberately showed it on their faces, while others buried it in their hearts.
This case involved three super sects, as well as the Upper Mystic Special Command Palace. Moreover, even the Supreme Azure Moon Sect, which was the sect of State Preceptor.
What was even more astonishing was the Heavenly King Token that the Grand Chancellor had mentioned!
This meant that this case involved a Heavenly King.
"Whose token?" The Human Emperor's voice was calm and deep.
"The late King Tian Lan." The Grand Chancellor lowered his head.
The main hall was silent.
Xu Qing was expressionless. From the start to the end, he didn't say a word. Listening to the Grand Chancellor's words and watching the executions, he was like an outsider.
At that moment, when the hall was silent, his gaze landed on the fifth prisoner.
According to what the Grand Chancellor had said earlier, these people included an assassin, an array formation user, someone who revealed his whereabouts, and a person who hid the energy waves of the battle. However, this was the Imperial City. Although Xu Qing didn't understand the specific function of the Heavenly King Token, it shouldn't be that simple to suppress the energy fluctuations in the Imperial City.
Hence, he wanted to know what this fifth prisoner was in charge of.
Xu Qing observed very carefully. This person was an old woman with gray hair. Although she was covered in injuries, her expression was calm and her eyes seemed to contain endless wisdom. She gave off the feeling that she could see through everything.
When Xu Qing's gaze landed on her, the old woman also looked at him and even smiled.
"This fifth person isn't directly involved but the other four had a secret contact with her before the incident... This person's name is Dao Soul. She came from..."
For the first time, the Grand Chancellor paused. Previously, when he said the Heavenly King Token, his tone was normal. Only now did he hesitate. However, after taking a deep breath, he still spoke.
"Star-Picking Tower!" As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the hall became solemn.
A long time later, the Human Emperor's voice echoed.
"Slash."
"Understood!" After the three golden-armored guard cultivators replied in a low voice, they each raised their hands. As the blade light flickered, three heads were lifted. The three headless corpses turned into blood and their heads turned into ashes.
After that, the Human Emperor slowly stood up from the dragon throne.
The juncture he stood up, every individual in the hall immediately lowered their heads and stood solemnly.
Those Heavenly Marquises in black court dress also stood up.
Xu Qing was the same. He stood up solemnly and controlled the emotions in his heart, not letting any of them spread on his face.
"Xu Qing from Fenghai County."
The Human Emperor spoke calmly.
Xu Qing took a step forward and turned to face the west. He then bowed.
"You governed Fenghai, managed the Holy Wave, quelled the chaos in the Black Spirit, maintained peace and calm, protected the territory of the Human Clan, and upheld the responsibility of defending the borders. Today, I'll appoint you as the esteemed ruler of the Holy Wave Region and grant the attire of the Heavenly Marquis. After the official appointment from the Imperial Academy, you will be formally installed as the Heavenly Marquis."
The Human Emperor's voice echoed and the world exterior rumbled. Dragons roared and breathed out multicolored light.
There were also large amounts of fortune that gathered in an invisible form from all directions and gushed into the main hall of the palace, enveloping Xu Qing's surroundings. Even the Ancient Sovereign Planet behind the palace churned with clouds at this moment, emitting fortune that headed straight for Xu Qing.
Soon, the fortune beside Xu Qing became extremely dense and his entire body emitted a five-colored light. The black dragon on his robe even rushed out of the court dress and circled around. After swallowing the fortune, it rose into the air and let out a dragon roar.
This was the orthodox conferment of the human race!
This meant that from this moment on, Xu Qing would be protected by the orthodox fortune of the human race.
And this was only the title of the region ruler. According to the meaning of the Human Emperor's words, Xu Qing needed to make a trip to the Imperial Academy. After he studied there, he could be officially conferred the title of Heavenly Marquis.
One could imagine that at that time, the arrival of fortune would be even more astonishing.
Outside the palace, beyond the rainbow bridge, the captain and Zi Xuan were sitting in a pavilion, waiting for Xu Qing. Seeing the auspicious signs in the world, Zi Xuan nodded slightly. However, she still felt that the fortune was too little.
"It's just five-colored. It hasn't reached seven yet and there's no fortune canopy, let alone the phantom of a predecessor… The Human Emperor is a little petty."
However, the captain at the side was about to drool. He gazed at the power of fortune and his heart raced.
"So much fortune… If I swallow it, I'll immediately be able to undo more than three seals. I want to enter the imperial court too!!"
Seeing this auspicious scene, the captain and Zi Xuan weren't the only ones. The entire human race in the Imperial City could see the changes in the world when they lifted their heads. In an instant, an uproar spread out from all directions.
At that moment, in the main hall of the palace, everyone cupped their hands in Xu Qing's direction and congratulated him. Xu Qing's heart also fluctuated greatly. He could sense that the cultivation base in his body was actually circulating faster at this moment.
This level of fortune could enhance his combat strength, causing him to be stronger in the human race's territory than in other places. He could even sense that regardless of whether they were mortals, the more humans there were, the greater the upper limit of this enhancement.
Xu Qing took a deep breath and inclined to the Human Emperor according to etiquette.
Regardless of who was behind the assassination, whether the killing of the people today was an act or if it was really like this would have to be investigated in the future.
The case from that day ended with the conferment from the Human Emperor.
Xu Qing also understood that the conferment from the Human Emperor was a true enhancement to him.
As for the truth, it depended on the individual perspective. Sometimes, it was wiser to leave certain matters untouched rather than delving too deeply into them.
Moreover… Xu Qing could sense that the Human Emperor was playing a big game of chess with someone.
According to what had happened today and the reminder from the clay fox, Xu Qing knew very well that that individual was the State Preceptor who he suspected to be Crown Prince Purple Green!
The mastermind behind his assassination might be the Human Emperor or the State Preceptor. Assassination wasn't the goal. The main point was to place a piece.
'Then, if one side makes a move, according to the chessboard, the other side will also make a move…'
While Xu Qing was pondering, the auspicious signs formed by the fortune in the exterior world calmed down. The Human Emperor's voice rang out again and the palace shook, his voice spreading out to the outside world and echoing throughout the entire Imperial City.
"There's something else that I want to tell my people."
"Heavenly King Dong Ding has achieved a great victory, capturing the Black Heaven Imperial Capital. More than half of the Black Heaven Region's territory has been incorporated into our human territory!"
"On the day I ascended the throne, I promised the Sword-
Holding Emperor that I would make the human race prosper in this life. With the Sun of Dawn, I have fulfilled this promise. The oppression by the Black Heaven Race will soon be eradicated!"
"Today, as we celebrate the expansion of our human territory, I will initiate the Ancient Sovereign's inheritance, allowing our outstanding talents and princes to comprehend the antique Dao!"
"If anyone obtains the sovereign's inheritance, I'll reward them with the dragon medallion!"
The Human Emperor's voice was like heavenly lightning that rumbled in the Imperial City, causing waves that surged into the sky. This caused the hearts of countless human heaven's chosen who heard this to stir.
"The last time the Ancient Sovereign Planet's inheritance was opened was 300 years ago!"
"This time, I must obtain the inheritance!"
Numerous auras instantly rose from all directions.
