CHAPTER 220: CHAPTER 217: IMPERIAL RULE LAW _1

The Ancient Court of the Azure Sea, as the strongest power in the lands east of the Eastern Border, naturally possessed formidable strength. Its history spanned tens of millions of years, and it was rumored to have produced three Semi-Emperors.

The Anger Sea Imperial City, capital of the Ancient Court, was built with unmatched prosperity. It floated on the vast Lan River Lake. The city walls stood over six thousand five hundred feet tall, stretched for three hundred miles in length, and spanned over one hundred and fifty miles in width—so vast that an ordinary person could not traverse it in their lifetime. Clearly, this was a city built for powerful cultivators!

Their weakest cultivators are at the Cave Heaven Stage!

As Qin Wudao walked the streets, he observed the passersby. Apart from minors, everyone was at the Cave Heaven Stage or higher. Transcendent Realm martial artists were abundant, and many even exuded the aura of a Saint.

Young talents like Wu Ming were dumbstruck, nearly overcome by an inferiority complex. However, Xiang Yu, Li Yuanba, Li Ru, and others remained calm, confident that the Qin Dynasty’s future development would undoubtedly surpass that of the Ancient Court of the Azure Sea.

We must continue to strive in the future! Qin Wudao murmured, clenching his fists.

He subconsciously compared the Ancient Court of the Azure Sea with the Divine Court of the Qin Dynasty. The cultivators in the Imperial Capital were mostly at the Real Human Realm; the disparity was immense.

This realization dissipated the joy Qin Wudao had felt from the Qin Dynasty’s growing strength.

What replaced it was heavy pressure.

The Qin Dynasty still needs to grow stronger! As the sovereign of the Qin Dynasty, I must strive harder!

"Let’s go, straight to the spatial wormhole!"

Qin Wudao took a deep breath. Uninterested in exploring the Anger Sea Imperial City, he wanted to see the true strength of the Kylin Holy Land. Just how powerful could it be?

Naturally, the others had no objections. They asked a local for directions and quickly arrived before a blue building.

"By imperial decree, due to the ’East Border Grand Ceremony,’ the spatial wormhole is currently open only to Royal-class factions!" a middle-aged man in a blue robe announced loudly from the steps.

"The ’East Border Grand Ceremony’ is being held again. I wonder what results we’ll achieve this time?"

"Last time, the Crown Prince led the team and achieved a commendable thirteenth place, enjoying the blessings of Fortune. Now, he has already broken through to become a fifth-rank Saint King. In a few more years, he will be another great power safeguarding the nation!"

"I heard from a friend in the court that this time the Crown Grandson is leading the team. This Crown Grandson is no ordinary person; when he was born, wind and clouds churned, and purple light surged into the sky..."

Upon hearing the command, those who had wanted to use the spatial wormhole left in pairs or groups, their endless discussions echoing in the air.

Breaking through to fifth-rank Saint King in ten thousand years... it seems this East Border Grand Ceremony is somewhat interesting! Qin Wudao thought.

The higher one’s cultivation, the longer breakthroughs took. Even peerless geniuses needed time to consolidate their foundations for a flawless breakthrough.

Gifted individuals might need ten thousand years to advance from a first-rank Saint King to a second-rank Saint King.

For example, the Wizard Ancestor from the Li Witch Realm, whose talent was average, had meditated for hundreds of thousands of years but was still treading water. Without a fortuitous opportunity, he might remain stuck at that level for life.

Breaking through to fifth-rank Saint King in ten thousand years was an incredibly heaven-defying cultivation speed!

"May I ask which faction you guests are from?" The blue-robed, middle-aged man who had just read out the command approached Qin Wudao. He glanced at Xiang Yu and Li Yuanba, his pupils constricting slightly, then cupped his fists and asked.

"The Divine Court of the Qin Dynasty!" Qin Wudao returned the salutation.

The blue-robed man was momentarily startled. He sized up Qin Wudao with some surprise. He had heard of the renowned Divine Court of the Qin Dynasty; in just two years, it had occupied more than twenty Dao Domains. In terms of territory, it was even larger than the Ancient Court of the Azure Sea.

One is a fourth-rank Saint King, and the other a fifth-rank Saint King. No wonder they could sweep through the surrounding Dao Domains! the blue-robed man thought, not paying it much mind. Whether they are fourth-rank, fifth-rank, or even ninth-rank Saint Kings, before the Ancient Court of the Azure Sea, they are all mere ants.

Thinking this, his attitude turned cold. He turned and yelled, "Deacon Wang, open the spatial wormhole quickly!"

Then, he said flatly, "This way, please!"

Qin Wudao wasn’t too surprised by the blue-robed man’s change in attitude. He nodded indifferently and stepped into the blue building.

"Pfft! People from a minor faction, and still putting on such airs!" The blue-robed man didn’t follow, standing in place with a sullen face. At first, when I saw Xiang Yu and Li Yuanba, I thought they came from some powerful faction. I didn’t expect it to be the Divine Court of the Qin Dynasty from our own territory!

Upon entering the blue building, they saw a massive spatial wormhole, dozens of zhang across, from which powerful spatial energy emanated.

"I’ve already set the spatial node," said Deacon Wang, an old man with a white beard, dressed in a light blue robe and leaning on a staff, chuckling. "You can go straight in to be transported. However, remember one thing: once inside the spatial wormhole, do not use any Spiritual Energy. Otherwise, you’ll cause spatial turbulence and could be teleported to an unknown location!"

"Thank you for informing us!" Qin Wudao nodded and led his retinue into the super spatial channel. With a flash of white light, they vanished.

What followed was a journey that lasted two days.

Since cultivation wasn’t possible, Qin Wudao sat cross-legged and began to contemplate the Laws. Witnessing the might of the Anger Sea Imperial City today had ignited his fighting spirit.

As a monarch, he had an obligation to lead his nation to greater strength!

To wear the crown, one must bear its weight! This phrase surfaced in Qin Wudao’s mind once more, and he fell into deep contemplation.

An Emperor! To walk the Emperor’s Path!

So, what is the Emperor’s Path?

In a trance, he recalled the Battle of Hangu Pass, where countless soldiers of the Qin Dynasty fought drenched in blood, generation after generation, resisting the invasion of the Six Kingdoms, dying without regret, willing to face death ten thousand times over.

In a trance, he recalled the first time he led troops into battle, flooding Anyi Pass, causing the three million enemy soldiers to suffer disastrous losses. His hands had long been stained with innumerable blood.

In a trance, he recalled his ascension to the throne, leading the empire to sweep through the nine Dao Domains, slaughtering foreign races, pacifying the Wan Dao Domain in the south, subjugating the Great Brightness Realm in the west, and finally reclaiming the Li Witch Realm.

Under his rule, the Qin Dynasty continually grew stronger.

The grand wish for ’everyone to be like a dragon’ is steadily progressing. The Qin Dynasty has achieved unprecedented prosperity, a flourishing golden age, fulfilling the dreams of countless ancestors. Am I satisfied?

A question surfaced in his mind.

In both civil and military achievements, I have surpassed all previous kings. I am worshipped like a god by hundreds of millions of Old Qin citizens, day and night. Having achieved all this, I should be content! But...

Yet, a defiant voice in his heart roared, telling him that there was still a long road ahead, many more challenges waiting to be conquered.

All land under Heaven is the King’s soil;

Within the borders of the land, all are the King’s subjects!

The Qin Dynasty is merely situated in a corner, having achieved only modest success. As its monarch, I must set my sights further, spreading the might of the Qin Dynasty far and wide. Let the people of the Qin Dynasty hold their heads high anywhere in the world, fearing no enemy! This is the duty of an emperor! This is the true essence of the Emperor’s Path!