Chapter 477: Stars Surrounding the Moon
Though he thought so, Lü Yang had no intention of continuing his conversation with [Ang Xiao].
After all, this wasn't his first time speaking with [Ang Xiao]. He knew all too well that when dealing with such a cunning old fox, the more one spoke, the more mistakes one would make.
'Better to keep him hooked for now!'
'Right now, I don't have the leverage to control [Ang Xiao]. The power imbalance is too great, so this isn't the best time for a proper negotiation.'
The optimal moment would come only after dealing with Hong Yun!
By then, he would hold the Golden Nature of Great Fortune in his hands and could temporarily wield the Overturned Lamp Flame. That would be the true opportunity to sit face-to-face with [Ang Xiao] and bargain on equal footing.
With this thought, Lü Yang didn't give [Ang Xiao] any further chance to speak. He immediately activated his divine ability, sealing the fragment of the Dongtian in his grasp before tossing it into the Myriad Spirits Banner, severing its connection with [Ang Xiao]'s original body. With Ancestor Nether Whisper keeping watch, he wasn't worried about mishaps.
This was largely thanks to True Lord Qingcheng Feixue.
Had she not shattered the entire Dongtian into fragments, weakening [Ang Xiao]'s ability to exert his full power, capturing him wouldn't have been so effortless.
"...Hmm?"
Just then, Lü Yang's heart stirred.
Jiangdong, capital of Tian Wu.
Lü Yang's original body opened his eyes and, in the next instant, left his secluded cultivation chamber, appearing high in the sky. There, he saw a eunuch in embroidered robes approaching.
"Lord Du Huan, apologies for disturbing your seclusion."
"Not at all!" Lü Yang's expression turned solemn as he hurried forward and bowed. "Troubling Fellow Daoist An to make this trip—has His Majesty sent another imperial decree?"
"Indeed."
Eunuch An smiled warmly, clearly pleased. After all, Lü Yang had addressed him as "Fellow Daoist An" right off the bat. Though he verbally dismissed the formality, inwardly, he was delighted and wouldn't have minded hearing it a few more times. This exchange fostered goodwill, and he didn't mind sharing a hint:
"Actually, it's good news."
"A few days ago, the Directorate of Astronomy reported that they've pinpointed the location of the realm you offered to His Majesty. The Emperor intends to retrieve it personally."
"This summons is to invite you, Lord Du Huan, to accompany him."
Accompany him?
Lü Yang's mind raced, but his expression betrayed no hesitation as he immediately replied, "It would be my honor!"
Eunuch An smirked faintly. "His Majesty has always noted your loyalty, Lord Du Huan. I trust you won't disappoint him."
What did that mean?
Lü Yang narrowed his eyes. Though this lifetime had gone smoothly so far, the lessons from his previous life kept him vigilant.
Had he been exposed?
Unlikely. His current identity was obtained through [Nest Usurped by the Cuckoo], and the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes' authority ensured it couldn't be easily seen through by Emperor Jia You.
'In that case... it must be my avatar! Did Emperor Jia You discover that I secretly refined an avatar and sent it north of the river?'
Lü Yang pondered silently, uncertain. The existence of the [Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes] gave the Dao Court an almost absurd level of control over Jiangdong. Even if his avatar had been exposed, it wasn't entirely unacceptable. The real question was—how much did Emperor Jia You know?
After all, he had done quite a bit north of the river.
Clashing with Hong Yun, capturing Ang Xiao—none of these were ordinary feats. If Emperor Jia You had witnessed all this, he would undoubtedly suspect Lü Yang's true identity.
'I didn't sense any Golden Core gaze along the way.'
'But given that he's a True Lord, if he truly exerted his magic power and used divine abilities to monitor me, I might not have noticed. I shouldn't overestimate myself.'
After much deliberation, Lü Yang steadied himself.
Ultimately, he leaned toward Emperor Jia You being unaware. Just moments ago, he had checked the status of his [Not Under Others] talent when facing the Emperor.
It still shone brightly!
The credibility of talents settled by the [Book of a Hundred Lifetimes] was beyond doubt—one could trust it completely.
'[Not Under Others] glowing means Emperor Jia You still values me. He might be scrutinizing me, but it shouldn't have reached the point of suspicion.'
With this conclusion, Lü Yang felt assured:
'My avatar was likely exposed, but Emperor Jia You probably doesn't know the details. He's aware I sent an avatar beyond Jiangdong but not what I did.'
Once he had his judgment, the remaining decisions were straightforward.
Tianwu Hall.
A Dao platform hovered above the Nine Provinces, its heavy curtains parting to reveal the towering figure of Emperor Jia You seated in meditation.
Lü Yang strode into the grand hall.
The palace doors shut heavily behind him, severing all external qi. An invisible pressure surged like a tide, instantly bearing down on Lü Yang.
Then, a serene sigh echoed in his ears:
"Cultivating a form like the crane's grace,
Amid a thousand pines, two scrolls of lore.
I came seeking the Dao—no words remain,
Clouds in the azure sky, water in the vase."
As the words faded, the curtains drew back. For the first time, Lü Yang beheld Emperor Jia You in person—the sovereign revered by billions in Jiangdong, ruler of both mortals and cultivators.
And now, Emperor Jia You gazed back at him:
"Du Huan... Our beloved minister."
His voice was calm, devoid of discernible emotion, yet it resonated through the hall like a tolling bell:
"Do you think you are the cloud... or the water?"
Without hesitation, Lü Yang bowed and replied, "All depends on Your Majesty's will. If Your Majesty wishes me to be the cloud, I shall be the cloud. If Your Majesty wishes me to be the water, I shall be the water."
"Hahaha!"
Emperor Jia You burst into laughter, though not a trace of mirth reached his eyes. He remarked coolly, "It seems Our beloved minister has gained much from his recent seclusion."
"Your Majesty is wise."
Lü Yang nodded, adopting an earnest and guileless expression as he candidly admitted, "This subject dispatched an avatar overseas to meet with the Dragon Lord. I spoke of Your Majesty's benevolence, and the Dragon Lord was deeply moved. He urged me to serve Your Majesty faithfully and repay Your Majesty's grace."
Emperor Jia You paused, momentarily taken aback.
Just as Lü Yang had anticipated, the Emperor had indeed detected the avatar's departure from Jiangdong and intended to use it as leverage to test Lü Yang's loyalty.
Yet before he could even make his move, Lü Yang had voluntarily confessed.
In the next instant, genuine amusement flickered in Emperor Jia You's eyes, and his regard for Lü Yang grew even warmer. This was what a loyal minister looked like!
Transparency was the ultimate proof of loyalty!
Moreover, Lü Yang's words carried an implicit message: As the Dragon Lord's own grandson, he still needed to send an avatar overseas to establish contact.
What did that signify?
It meant the True Dragon Clan was compliant—they hadn't secretly left behind any means of communication that could bypass the [Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes]. This further pleased Emperor Jia You.
Nevertheless, his tone remained unchanged:
"You are the Dragon Lord's own grandson, yet you address him so formally? Isn't that too distant?"
"Your Majesty misunderstands!" Lü Yang shook his head solemnly. "During official duties, one must address by title. How could personal ties interfere?"
Emperor Jia You's heart stirred once more before he nodded approvingly:
"So long as the True Dragon Clan remains loyal to Jiangdong, they shall share in the nation's fortunes. The Dragon Lord understands this well. Rise."
"Gratitude for Your Majesty's magnanimity."
Lü Yang stood, clenching his right fist with solemn determination: "Loyalty!"
Though Emperor Jia You concealed it well, the increasingly radiant glow of [Not Under Others] told Lü Yang he had passed this trial.
Then, the Emperor abruptly added:
"Speaking of which, We heard you've been liaising with many monstrous cultivators and even founded an organization called the [One Heart Society]. What purpose does this serve?"
Without missing a beat, Lü Yang calmly replied:
"Monstrous cultivators are unruly by nature. Though they enjoy Your Majesty's grace, they seek only their own gain, neglecting their duty to the nation."
"This subject established the [One Heart Society] to teach them single-minded devotion to Your Majesty—to make them encircle Your Majesty like stars surrounding the moon!"
Emperor Jia You: "..."
What a fine servant!
The Emperor's lips twitched imperceptibly before he flicked his sleeves and rose. "Enough. We shall journey beyond the heavens to retrieve the realm of incense offerings you mentioned."
"Accompany Us."
In that instant, Lü Yang saw [Not Under Others] blaze brilliantly. If he were to betray the Emperor now, the talent's bonus would likely reach fifty percent!