Immortals of the End Times

Chapter 41: The Battle for the Secret Realm, My Wife Ran Away
"Jackie Chan's ambition? To share it with the world?"

Faced with Yu Linzi's warning, Emperor Zhaoming chuckled, flicked his sleeves and rose, his dragon robe flowing like clouds, "In the way of governing a country, my senior brother may not be as insightful as I am."

He walked to the window with his hands behind his back, looking down at the pavilions and towers outside, his voice growing colder:
"What the common people ask for is nothing more than food and clothing."

Only those who are full and have nothing better to do have the leisure to do other things.

Only those who are extremely hungry harbor resentment.

I made them work all day long, receiving only enough food to get by, enough to keep them from starving but also not enough to fill their stomachs.

"If taxes are occasionally reduced, they are expected to be grateful to me. They're so busy struggling for grain that they have no energy left to discuss matters of immortality or mortality."

"As for those powerful and influential families..."

He smiled slightly, “I bestow upon them gold, silver, beautiful women, power, and status, but I will not grant them the path to immortality.”

Even those with the talent cannot endure the hardships of cultivating immortality, and they are afraid of the power of the emperor.

This group of people are greedy for wealth and honor, yet they fear me like a tiger. How dare they act recklessly?

They can only have what I give them; if I don't give it to them, who would dare to have it?

Now, I'm granting their offspring the qualification to cultivate in the spring. Just you wait and see how many of these old foxes will actually send their children over then.

Yu Linzi clapped his hands and laughed: "What a wonderful idea of ​​'using profit to control people and using intimidation to intimidate them'! No wonder the cave master often says that the Zhang family's rule is unparalleled in the world."

"Senior brother, you flatter me." Emperor Zhaoming turned around, a sharp glint in his eyes. "Please take the trouble to select the cultivators who will participate in the battle."

He suddenly stood up, his figure transforming into a golden dragon shadow, unleashing a wisp of golden flame that burned the memorial to ashes. With a dragon's roar, he vanished and flew out of the cave.

Yu Linzi smiled faintly, outwardly praising the emperor, but inwardly he held Emperor Zhaoming in some contempt.

Given his aptitude, it would be difficult for him to even achieve the Concentration of Spirit in the future, let alone reach the Golden Elixir Path.

It was simply that his ancestors had governed the Xuan Kingdom and maintained the stability of the dragon vein, which earned them the favor of the cave master, allowing them to succeed to the throne.

He was actually more looking forward to the new recruits that would be hired in the spring.

Due to limited resources, Linlang Cave has not recruited any new staff for a long time.

However, with the secret realm about to open, almost all the major grotto-heavens will make some moves.

He also hopes that Dongtian can produce some outstanding new talents so that it can be passed down for generations.

Of course, what he expects are only newcomers with exceptional talent, not parasites who waste resources.

Cultivators with exceptional talent have the potential to achieve results, bringing new resources and opening up new channels for the grotto-heaven, but those with lower talent...
He shook his head, flew out of the cave, and came to the foot of a mountain. He looked at the gray-robed cultivators who were using their spiritual power to maintain the formation and said.

“My fellow disciples can rest now. This time, I need you to leave the cave and go to the northern battlefield of Xuan Kingdom to lend a hand to the Xuan Kingdom’s Grand Preceptor.”

The gray-robed cultivators' expressions changed, but they had no choice but to bow helplessly and accept the situation.

Leaving the grotto and heading to a battlefield, a place of mixed and turbid energy, would risk the loss of their spirituality and cultivation, given their aptitude.

If possible, they would like to stay in the grotto for a long time, cultivate immortality, and wait for the legendary golden age of spiritual energy revival.

However, the grotto-heaven wouldn't just provide resources to support idlers.

On the other side, dozens of miles away from the imperial city, the sound of horses' hooves echoed along the official road, raising a cloud of dust.

Nan Zhixia gently stroked the reins, looking back at the receding outline of the imperial city, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.

Upon her return to the Supreme Sect, she will accompany the Holy Mother to reside in the Supreme Grotto Heaven.

Such blessed lands are filled with spiritual energy and have the inheritance of immortal cultivation, far surpassing ordinary places.

As a newly appointed saintess with exceptional talent, she will also enjoy the resources of the grotto-heaven, preparing herself for future competition for immortal opportunities in secret realms.

"Once I enter the cave," she murmured, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the jade slip in her sleeve, "I might be able to find out some information for him."

Thinking of this, she suddenly smiled, made a hand seal to cast a speed spell to help her horse move faster, and whipped the horse to spur it on.

"drive!"

The horse neighed, its hooves whistling through the air, and like a shooting star streaked across the official road, disappearing into the vast twilight in an instant.

The next morning. At the entrance of the Nan family mansion, Zhao Wuji, feeling refreshed after taking the Golden Jade Pill, ordered his servants to prepare some New Year's goods and personally delivered them to the Nan family mansion early in the morning.

It seemed like he was delivering New Year's gifts, but in reality, he also wanted to see Nan Zhixia.

He suspected that the three Moon Dew Grass plants from last time were a gift from Nan Zhixia.

Even if the other party didn't say it explicitly because of their status as a member of the Supreme Sect, he still had to express his gratitude in a way that pretended not to understand.

However, just as the New Year's goods were delivered to the Nanfu residence, Nantai, who took the initiative to receive them, told him some shocking news.

"Zhixia has already left? It's almost Chinese New Year, where is she going?"

Nantai spread his hands helplessly and said, "My sister's mother is buried in Yunmeng City. She's going to Yunmeng City to sweep the tomb this year and might not come back until after the New Year. Didn't she tell you, brother-in-law?"

Zhao Wuji was taken aback. "She said she would, but she didn't even say goodbye before leaving?"

This time, Nan Tai was stunned. She looked at Zhao Wuji with sympathy and spoke up for her sister, saying, "Actually, maybe my sister was afraid that she would be reluctant to part with you after saying goodbye, so she only mentioned it to you last time, but didn't say anything when she left."

He paused, put his hands in his sleeves, and chuckled as he urged, "Why don't you chase after her, brother-in-law? My sister only left yesterday. With your light-footed skills, catching up with her will be a piece of cake."

My sister will be so touched she'll be moved to tears. She might even skip going to Yunmeng City this year and stay at your place instead.

Zhao Wuji rolled his eyes at Nantai, who seemed to enjoy watching the drama unfold.

This guy was adopted by Master Nan, so he definitely doesn't know Nan Zhixia's identity. It's just unclear whether Master Nan Tao knows.

Given Nan Zhixia's strength and status, she may have already embarked on the path of immortality. Moreover, she has the mature cultivation system of the Supreme Sect. He will definitely not be able to catch up with her even if he chases her.

"In the end, it was all a mistake. This fiancée is quite uncontrollable. She gave me the sacred artifact and ran away. I hope she's not coming back."

Zhao Wuji was speechless.

His fiancée ran away.

He wasn't particularly fond of Nan Zhixia, this lady from a prominent family; he could only say he didn't dislike her.

After getting to know each other for a while, the other party would occasionally give him some favors, and he naturally began to develop feelings for her.

Later, with the addition of the identity of a candidate saintess of the Supreme Cult, he suddenly felt quite excited, and the feeling became much stronger.

Of course, this is not just emotional; it's the sudden discovery of a powerful cultivation partner that gives one a sense of not being alone on the path of cultivation.

At this moment, a pretty maidservant carrying a package in both hands walked into the hall. After gazing at Zhao Wuji with her bright eyes for a moment, she bowed and greeted him.

"Lord Zhao, this is something my young lady instructed me to give you before she left. She said that she would give it to you whenever you came to see her, and that it should not be delivered to your residence on her own initiative."

"Oh dear, it seems my sister hasn't forgotten her future brother-in-law after all. Did she leave anything for me?"

Seeing what the pretty maid had taken out, Nantai immediately became interested and leaned over, "Let me see what you left behind?"

"No, Young Master Nan, please don't make things difficult for me."

The pretty maid bowed her head and said, "The young lady instructed that the item can only be given to Lord Zhao, and no one else is allowed to look at it."

"Tch, so secretive. She's already siding with outsiders before she's even married," Nan Tai muttered under her breath, sounding a bit mischievous.

Zhao Wuji felt much more comforted.

Fortunately, it seems that Nan Zhixia is not gone forever; she's just a little shy and doesn't take the initiative to come to his door to tell him.

He walked over and took the package, but didn't open it or look at it in front of him.

The last time Nan Zhixia gave him was a copy of the "Huangting Neijing Jing," which is a very sensitive book. It wouldn't be good if the hot-tempered and loose-lipped Nan Tai found out about it.

He sat for a while longer and heard that Master Nan had gone to handle matters related to the royal family's year-end celebrations and was very busy lately.

He didn't linger and got up to say goodbye and leave.

His original intention was to observe whether Nan Tao's father-in-law was also a member of the Supreme Sect.

Unfortunately, his father-in-law was not at the residence, so it seemed the time was not yet right.

After returning to the official residence, Zhao Wuji went into his private cultivation room before opening the package left by Nan Zhixia.

Since the Holy Maiden had given the order that the item could only be handed to him, he naturally had to hide away and secretly look at it when he was alone.
(End of this chapter)