Chapter 0681: Kingdom Protecting Formation

Dong!

The low, rhythmic beating of the drums continued to resound throughout the square. Golden flags on each side began to wave as countless soldiers stomped the ground while knocking the shafts of their weapons against the ground, causing a corresponding rumble throughout the square in tandem with the beat. This display of vast coordination was truly imposing and grand.

An official of the royal palace who was garbed in dignified clothing began to proclaim a long speech that caused the audience to turn dizzy.

After the complicated procedures were completed, the frail Little Emperor within the carriage stood up and got off, beginning to ascend the white jade stairway step by step.

Everyone's gazes were focused upon him.

The Little Emperor's fair and delicate expression held a trace of solemnity. He took each step slowly, gradually ascending the sacrificial altar. This was a requirement as the ceremony would be completed atop this platform as it had to do with the Kingdom Protecting Formation. It was the Xia Kingdom's strongest protective formation, and once the ceremony was completed, the Little Emperor would be the sole wielder of it.

Wielding its might, so long as one remained within Xia City, even a King Stage expert could not harm them.

The Little Emperor would then become the mightiest individual in Xia City, and no faction would dare to be disrespectful before such absolute might. His position would thus be safe.

Thus, the coronation ceremony was really about gaining control of this invaluable power.

The numerous experts within the square were closely focusing upon this sight. Even Dukes had to be fearful of the domineering might of the formation. It was the Xia Kingdom royalty's strongest deterrence.

So long as one possessed it, the Xia Kingdom would never be destroyed.

Under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands, the Little Emperor finally reached the top of the white jade platform.

On top of the platform was a white jade statue of the Xia Kingdom's founding ancestor. The Little Emperor respectfully kneeled before it, and countless runes of light spread out before him, causing countless beams of light to burst into the sky from the jade platform. At the very same time, the entire city shook before this sight, and boundless energy radiated in every direction, causing even the environment's energy to turn turbulent.

It was at this point that everyone's attention focused upon the space above the royal palace.

One could see a massive and mysterious formation gradually take shape as worldly natural energy from every direction was sucked into it endlessly like a black hole.

With its manifestation, a vast pressure descended upon everyone.

Countless Dukes' expressions turned heavy. This was the Kingdom Protecting Formation.

This formation connected the hundreds of provinces throughout the Xia Kingdom. It could be said that the stronger the national power of the kingdom, the mightier the Kingdom Protecting Formation. From a certain point of view, House Luolan's defensive ward was similar to this in concept, but the Kingdom Protecting Formation was superior in terms of both scale and strength. At the same time, this was expected as the formation was something that the founding ancestor of the Xia Kingdom had spent a hundred years fashioning. In terms of both accumulation and resources, it far surpassed what was spent on the defensive ward of House Luolan.

Li Luo similarly glanced at the terrifying formation taking form in the sky before checking out what the Regent was up to a moment later. That fellow was also examining the formation, and he seemed unperturbed and completely unworried.

"You old thing, what are you really trying to do?" Li Luo frowned as he watched the Little Emperor, who had already finished activating the Kingdom Protecting Formation. He would gain complete control once the ceremony was completed, so why was the Regent completely unflustered?

One had to know that once control was transferred, the Regent would no longer be able to stir up any waves.

In fact, Li Luo was not the only one who seemed puzzled—all of the other leaders similarly sneakily glanced at the Regent. They were suspicious in their hearts too.

Could it be that it was simply too difficult and the Regent had given up? This didn't seem coherent with his personality.

The First Princess continued to watch the frail figure of the Little Emperor, her slender, jade-like fingers tightly clenched into a ball. During such a critical moment, her heart inevitably started to beat quickly. Her many years of longing would culminate at this very moment.

However, the Regent remained quiet, and she unsurprisingly felt a pang of nervousness surface within her heart.

She had a deep understanding of the Regent. He had always been ambitious and power hungry, and so if someone had said that he would choose to quietly hand over the reins to his power, the First Princess would dismiss it as an idle fantasy.

If the Regent didn't want to give up his power, then this facade was the quiet before the storm.

This required her to be on even greater alert.

The First Princess had one hand hidden away within her robes, clutching a jade tablet. So long as there were any unexpected developments, she simply had to crush it and all of the soldiers of Xia City would be summoned to this very location to surround and apprehend the Regent and his men.

She had an indifferent expression, but a slight hint of killing intent appeared within her frigid phoenix eyes. Before her father had passed away, he had informed her to support her younger brother. She was still young at the time, and when faced with the mighty Regent, she could only resist. Now the Little Emperor had matured and it was time for the Regent to pass the baton back to the royal family. If he was unwilling, then a direct confrontation was unavoidable.

As everyone stewed in their own thoughts, the Kingdom Protecting Formation began to emit even more frightening waves of power. The sky had turned dark as the massive formation continued to operate.

The Little Emperor continued to kneel down before the ancestral statue atop the white jade platform. Before everyone's eyes, he retrieved a small, golden knife which he then used to slice open his palm. The blood that oozed out did not fall onto the ground, instead floating into the sky before combining with the Kingdom Protecting Formation.

Weng, weng!

With the integration of the fresh blood, huge ripples of energy appeared on the surface of the Kingdom Protecting Formation. It seemed to be appraising the blood, ensuring that the individual was one of the Gong family line.

Everyone continued to watch this scene with trepidation.

This was the final step, and once the Little Emperor was recognized, the formation would be under his complete control. At that point in time, a single thought would provide him with the strength to resist a King Stage cultivator.

Boom!

The Kingdom Protecting Formation continuously discharged terrifying amounts of energy like a tempestuous storm, emitting huge booms throughout Xia City.

As a result, the entire city was currently focused upon this sight as well.

The Kingdom Protecting Formation continued to operate, and at the next moment, a beam of light descended from the sky, completely enveloping the Little Emperor.

Within the pillar of light was majestic amounts of energy that caused the Little Emperor's hair and robes to billow. Boundless amounts of energy then rushed into him, and he could feel his body reaching untold levels of strength.

This strength even seemed to be able to temper his body, giving him a tyrannical presence.

This caused the Little Emperor to feel endless happiness. He had been afflicted with the black lotus malady for countless years, causing him to become extremely weak. This was the first time he had managed to experience such sheer power.

At this moment, he could clearly feel that the black lotus was being refined by the Kingdom Protecting Formation, and it was purified very quickly.

It turns out that controlling the Kingdom Protecting Formation would provide such a wondrous boon!

The Little Emperor stretched out his palm, and he could see countless mysterious runes gradually take form on it. He had seen these runes in the royal family's secret tomes—they were the key to controlling the formation. The moment they were completely condensed within him was when he would have full control.

Things seemed to be progressing very well.

Everyone present could feel that the Little Emperor was gradually forming a mystical connection with the Kingdom Protecting Formation. As a result, he himself began to exude an overbearing pressure that pressed down upon them.

This was a sign of a successful connection.

Li Luo began to intently focus upon this scene before turning his focus onto the Regent. His heart skipped a beat at this very moment as he saw the previously expressionless Regent begin to smirk.

This caused a feeling of unrest within Li Luo.

Bang!

The pillar of light suddenly surged with intensity, and the Little Emperor's upper robes were partially blasted to pieces by the sudden influx.

Li Luo's eyes shrunk slightly upon this sight.

He suddenly saw the black lotus on the Little Emperor's back begin to recede with astonishing speed.

It then transformed into a green lotus.

The poisonous black lotus which had inflicted countless years of suffering upon the Little Emperor had suddenly been completely wiped out?

Li Luo could feel a trace of astonishment arising within him. At the same time, he didn't know if he was mistaken, but the Little Emperor's hair gradually grew longer and glossier.

His delicate features similarly transformed into ones that were more dainty and elegant.

Li Luo felt a sense of absurdity in his heart.

“What? Is the Little Emperor starting to resemble a female?”