lcionline Chapter 248 Young Man on a White Horse Drunk in the Spring Breeze 22
Chapter 248 Young Man on a White Horse Drunk in the Spring Breeze 22
News of the opening of the Number One Pavilion in the World quickly reached the imperial palace and the ears of Emperor Tai'an.
Emperor Tai'an had reigned for decades, but he was a man of deep thoughts and had long since mastered the skill of not showing his emotions. However, upon hearing this news, he couldn't help but change his expression, and a shadow unconsciously gathered between his brows.
If there is anyone in this world who would not want to see the opening of the Number One Pavilion Under Heaven, then that person must be Emperor Tai'an.
It is said throughout the land that as long as one ascends to the fourth floor of the Number One Pavilion in the World, one can ascend to the heavens in one step and enter the legendary Divine Realm, becoming an extraordinary being.
However, Emperor Tai'an, as the emperor of Beili, knew a little more than others.
The Heaven-Slaying Sword is kept on the fourth floor of the Number One Pavilion Under Heaven.
That's the Heaven-Slaying Sword!
It is a longsword that only a monarch destined by Heaven is qualified to wear.
This sword must never fall into the hands of those reckless and arrogant martial artists who know no respect!
In particular, this person may also become a powerful expert in the Divine Realm who could threaten his position.
A ruthless glint flashed in Emperor Tai'an's eyes: "Immediately summon the Imperial Preceptor and the Five Grand Eunuchs, and also..."
His voice was deep, each word sounding as if squeezed out from between his teeth, causing the palace servants around him to shiver.
……
Leaving aside how Emperor Tai'an made arrangements and how undercurrents were swirling in the court, the martial arts world was in an uproar.
The area around the Number One Pavilion in the World may appear sparsely populated, but in reality, it is a place where various forces have a dense network of informants.
The moment the gates of the World's Number One Pavilion opened, countless spies hidden in the shadows immediately relayed this crucial intelligence to their respective masters.
Within moments, all the major powers in Tianqi City received the news, causing a huge uproar, like boiling oil being poured into water.
The news spread like wildfire through the streets and alleys, and everyone, from teahouses and taverns to ordinary households, was talking about this important event.
The Number One Pavilion Under Heaven is a sacred place that most martial artists dream of. They yearn to enter the Number One Pavilion Under Heaven one day, so that they can ascend to the heavens and enter the legendary Divine Realm.
Did they fail to ascend to the cabinet in the past because they didn't want to?
of course not!
That's because they can't get in.
But now the door of the Number One Pavilion in the World has suddenly opened by itself. For them, isn't this like a pie falling from the sky?
What if they get incredibly lucky and manage to reach the fourth floor?
Even if they ultimately fail to reach the summit, it would still be good to see the excitement!
Moreover, if someone does manage to reach the summit, it would be an extremely honorable thing for the onlookers to witness the birth of a powerful expert in the Divine Realm.
With this in mind, countless martial arts practitioners began to rush towards the number one pavilion in the world. Their agile figures shuttled through the streets, and the sound of horses' hooves and hurried footsteps intertwined, creating an unprecedented wave of excitement.
However, just as they arrived at the Number One Pavilion in the World, they found that the gates of the Number One Pavilion in the World had been tightly closed again.
Everyone was extremely disappointed.
"Didn't they say the gates of the Number One Pavilion in the World were open? Why are they closed again?" someone asked in confusion.
"Could it be a rumor that someone deliberately spread?" another person guessed.
"Alas! Who would dare to falsify something like this? We're probably just a step too late."
"That's possible. Unfortunately, even though we rushed as fast as we could, we were still a step too late and missed this great opportunity."
Everyone sighed with regret, and finally someone said:
"Now that the Number One Pavilion in the World has opened today, someone must have entered the pavilion. Does anyone know which hero has gone in?"
"I don't know! I just arrived too. Why don't we ask someone else?"
Just then, a vendor selling roasted chestnuts nearby heard this, his eyes flashed, and he approached with a big smile, saying, "Heroes, I'm selling roasted chestnuts right here today. I saw everything that happened at the Number One Pavilion in the World very clearly."
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately became interested: "Then tell us quickly, what exactly happened?"
The vendor didn't answer immediately, but silently pushed the steaming hot roasted chestnuts next to them.
These江湖人 (jianghu people) always act as they please. If this happened elsewhere, any vendor who dared to act like this in front of them would most likely suffer a lot.
Unfortunately, this is Tianqi City, a place teeming with experts of the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm, and right under the emperor's nose, where the Imperial Guard stands tall. No one dares to cause trouble here unless they are the best in the world, or simply have a death wish.
Sure enough, after a moment of silence, the group bought the vendor's roasted chestnuts. Seeing this, the vendor cleared his throat and said, "The Number One Pavilion under Heaven is indeed open, but it was only open for a quarter of an hour before closing again."
Upon hearing this, the group immediately sighed in disappointment, but quickly rallied and pressed on, "Did you see who went in?"
The vendor scratched his head and recalled, "When the door opened, someone did go in, but I didn't see what he looked like. I only remember that he was wearing a blue robe and went in with a 'whoosh,' and he hasn't come out since."
Upon hearing this answer, everyone's expressions turned sour, feeling as if their money had been wasted, only to be met with these two meaningless words.
When the vendor saw their expressions change, he immediately realized something was wrong. He quickly turned around and, like a nimble fish, dodged left and right in the crowd, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye, leaving only a faint aroma of roasted chestnuts.
One of them stomped his foot and gritted his teeth, saying, "I want to see who is so lucky as to be able to enter the number one pavilion in the world."
Upon hearing this, everyone agreed. Then, they found a place to sit down and quietly awaited the final result.
They wanted to see who was actually entering the Number One Pavilion in the World today.
There were many people who shared the same idea, so more and more people gathered in the west of the city. The vendors packaged the news and roasted chestnuts together and sold them, making a fortune.
Qianjintai seized the opportunity to open a betting pool, betting on whether those who placed bets could successfully ascend to the fourth floor of the First Pavilion Under Heaven; the Sixty-Four Wine Hall was not to be outdone, and began distributing fine wines to the martial arts figures gathered in the West City; even the Thirty-Two Music Workshops mobilized to add to the festivities of this grand event.
In addition, some shrewd vendors seized this business opportunity and set up stalls, with shouts of various snacks, delicacies and sweet drinks rising and falling.
For a time, Tianqi City seemed even more lively at night than during the day.
The brightly lit streets were bustling with people of all kinds.
Some were curious onlookers, some were eager challengers, and others were merchants looking to profit from it.
Under the cover of night, Tianqi City seemed to be driven by an unseen force, becoming even more vibrant. Every inch of the land was full of energy, and every corner was filled with people's cheers, as if the entire city was waiting for a miracle to happen.
But Xiao Ruofeng frowned.
He looked up at the figures on the street and suddenly felt uneasy.
Shortly after the news of the opening of the Number One Pavilion in the World spread, several princes, though not personally visiting, sent people over.
But my brother hasn't sent anyone yet. Could it be that something has happened to him and he's held up?
But Lei Mengsha, who was beside him, kept talking: "Tianqi City is really lively tonight! It looks even more lively than during the New Year."
"Wow! It's just the number one pavilion in the world, yet so many people have come."
"So many people have come, there's no room to move on the street... Wow! There are so many people on the rooftops too... Oh, and even in the trees!"
"Seventh Brother, let's find a high place to stand. But then again, you are the Prince of Langya, so why don't we find a restaurant, sit down, eat and drink, and wait?"
"Hey, Seventh Brother, look how lively the betting market is over there. Do you think we should place a few bets? But what do you think we should bet on?"
"Seventh Brother, say something!"
"You're such a good gambler, we're sure to win. How much do you think we should bet?"
"I think the more the better, we can make a fortune from this. Hehe, I can also save some money on the side later."
"..."
Lei Mengsha kept talking, and Xiao Ruofeng could only smile helplessly, without showing any impatience, until he heard Lei Mengsha say, "Seventh Brother, I see that the other princes all sent people over. Did your brother send someone over too?"
Xiao Ruofeng's heart sank. Just as he was about to speak, a commotion suddenly arose from ahead.
The two exchanged a glance and quickly looked toward the source of the sound.
It turns out that someone finally couldn't hold back any longer, unwilling to have their hopes dashed and their trip in vain, and wanted to force their way into the Number One Pavilion in the World.
The people around watched coldly, showing no intention of stopping or helping. They even took a few steps back, clearing the space in front of the World's Number One Pavilion.
They all wanted to see what would happen to this person, and to see if the legendary Number One Pavilion in the World was really that powerful.
As everyone expected, the man failed without any surprise.
Before the weapon in the man's hand could touch the wall, an invisible barrier bounced him away.
The immense force nearly displaced his internal organs, leaving him lying on the ground coughing up blood.
The Imperial Guards stepped forward expressionlessly and dragged the man away like a dead dog.
Those around him shook their heads in dismay; some sighed, some remained indifferent, and some gloated.
"Some people are just ignorant of their own limitations and dare to force their way into the number one pavilion in the world."
"Exactly. Doesn't he realize that if the Number One Pavilion in the World were really that easy to get into, the threshold would be worn down by people, and there would be no chance for him to get in?"
"But the person who went in is really bold, coming to challenge the Number One Pavilion in the World without even leaving a protector outside. I guess their chances of getting through are slim."
Some people started making sarcastic remarks and, after a bit of joking around, began waiting for the next "overconfident" person to appear.
Several sedan chairs landed on the open ground in front of the First Pavilion Under Heaven.
Qi Tianchen flicked his whisk, sighed softly, and a hint of helplessness appeared in his eyes.
Now he really wants to go back and look at the stars, and then continue to study what kind of luck King Jingyu has.
When questioned by Emperor Tai'an, he did not tell the emperor about Xiao Ruojin's abnormality, but instead made up some other excuses to brush it off.
Any slight movement within the palace could cause a huge uproar, not to mention that the current Emperor Tai'an is inherently suspicious. If he finds out about this, who knows what kind of trouble he will cause.
If someone outside the royal family possessed such great fortune, he would have informed Emperor Tai'an immediately to prevent turmoil in the world.
But this person is now Prince Jingyu, the biological son of Emperor Tai'an, and the future emperor he sees.
Although he didn't know why Xiao Ruojin's luck had suddenly become so strong, it was ultimately a good thing.
Therefore, Qi Tianchen chose to keep it a secret and planned to wait and see.
"What is the Imperial Advisor thinking?"
Zhuo Qing, dressed in purple, spoke slowly.
Qi Tianchen sighed softly: "The first time I came here, I was with my master and junior brother. Now that I think about it, that was a long time ago."
Zhuo Qing's lips curled into a sinister smile: "Grand Preceptor, we didn't come here to listen to your reminiscing. It's getting late, let's get started."
A hint of displeasure flashed in Qi Tianchen's eyes, but remembering Emperor Tai'an's order, he silently walked up to Bai Te, raised his hand and pressed it against Bai Te's forehead, then circulated his internal energy.
……
"The Imperial Preceptor? The Five Grand Supervisors? Why are they all here together?" Xiao Ruofeng frowned, pondering to himself.
The sudden appearance of these people here is clearly at His Majesty's behest; otherwise, they would never have come here.
Although Xiao Ruofeng is young, he is, after all, born into the royal family. He is not only familiar with the political intrigues of the court, but also has a keen insight into the emperor's thoughts.
A knight-errant uses his martial arts to break the law.
Previously, with a master in charge of Tianqi City, no one dared to cause trouble there.
However, the master's power also made the suspicious emperor feel threatened.
It seems His Majesty can no longer tolerate another master of the Divine Realm, so he sent Qi Tianchen and the Five Eunuchs to cause trouble.
Xiao Ruofeng looked around and sensed the tense atmosphere in the air.
The once bustling street was now deserted after the arrival of the Five Great Supervisors, with only a dozen or so people remaining. The lively scene of the past was nowhere to be seen.
Clearly, someone had cleared the streets, and those weak-willed and powerless brutes who had previously been on the streets were all "invited" away.
"Your Highness!" The steward of Jingyu Prince's Mansion came running from a distance, panting.
"What are you doing here? Did your brother send you?"
Xiao Ruofeng was puzzled. With so many advisors in the Jingyu Prince's Mansion, his brother wouldn't send out a steward who didn't know martial arts to do the job, would he?
The steward shook his head, his expression tense, and whispered to Xiao Ruofeng, "Your Highness, our Prince suddenly left the manor a moment ago and hasn't returned yet. When he left, he was wearing a blue robe..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but Xiao Ruofeng understood his unspoken meaning.