Chapter 1036: The Imperial Court of Dazheng

Two months later, in Yongding's capital, rosy light filled the heavens as the most accomplished performers among the spirits flew through the air in grand celebration.

The best musicians of the world played a symphony of wonders, their qi-infused music soothing and relaxing the gathered guests.

Today was the day that Dazheng would advance into the Imperial Court. News had long since spread across the world, and all of Dazheng's citizens had been eagerly awaiting this moment.

A massive five-colored altar was set up at the entrance of Xuanhuang Hall. A thousand officials and generals of Dazheng stood in the square in front of the hall, along with key ministers from Shenfeng, Dajing, and Danan. They stood solemnly behind the Divine Emperor, Liu Miaoyin, and Madam Rouge.

"The auspicious hour looms," an official from the Ministry of Rites announced.

Instantly, the celebration ceased. The Immortal music stopped abruptly, the spirits withdrew, and all the officials and citizens fell silent.

On the peaks of three mountains outside Yongding stood three figures, the three Qing Grandmasters. Each had a moon floating behind his head. They stood atop the mountains like deities, transcendent and radiant. Strangely, however, few people could see their forms or the light they emitted. Those who could were focused on the five-colored altar and Xuanhuang Hall, paying little attention to their presence.

Footsteps echoed from within the hall.

Xiao Nanfeng, wearing a flat-topped crown and a white robe adorned with golden, nine-colored dragons, slowly walked out. Under everyone's gaze, he stepped onto the five-colored altar.

On the altar, he inclined his head toward the sky. The sea of fortune churned high overhead above, but there was no golden dragon circling within. It was composed of the new fortune that had gathered from across the world over the past two months.

Dazheng's conquest of the world was not only to fight the extraterrestrial Darkborns but also to implement laws and policies to protect the people like never before. Those who encountered Dazheng's laws for the first time were moved to tears, wishing they had become Dazheng's subjects sooner. Within no time at all, Dazheng had gathered an immeasurable amount of fortune.

Taking a deep breath, Xiao Nanfeng took out the Dazheng Code of Laws and the Divine Seal of Dazheng, which he tossed into the air. The two treasures, symbolizing Dazheng's laws and authority, flew into the sea of fortune.

"Xiao Nanfeng of Dazheng, on behalf of all the people of Dazheng, respectfully invokes the primordial altar," Xiao Nanfeng said, bowing to the sky.

With a hum, a nine-colored ribbon of light rippled across the sky. Within it, a massive altar slowly appeared.

The Shangqing Grandmaster raised an eyebrow. "It's not an illusion—it's the real thing. The primordial altar isn't hiding itself anymore..."

The Yuqing Grandmaster frowned. "Even we were unable to find the primordial altar, but it's chosen to show itself to celebrate this occasion."

The Taiqing Grandmaster pursed his lips. "Even the primordial altar holds Xiao Nanfeng in high regard."

The three Qing Grandmasters were shocked, as were the countless spectators who had come to witness the ceremony.

Xiao Nanfeng was taken aback himself. He was aware of the primordial altar's temperament. Why had it suddenly decided to reveal itself?

"Xiao Nanfeng of Dazheng, on behalf of all the people of Dazheng, humbly requests the primordial altar to bestow Dazheng the status of the Imperial Court and to assist Dazheng in its ascension," Xiao Nanfeng said, taking a deep breath and bowing to the sky.

With a loud boom, his voice echoed across the entire world.

As the people of the world heard Xiao Nanfeng's voice, they bowed to the sky in unison. "We humbly request the primordial altar to bestow upon Dazheng the status of the Imperial Court and to assist Dazheng in its ascension."

As the people of Dazheng chanted in unison, another wave of fortune surged into the sea of fortune.

The primordial altar floated in the sky. It suddenly sent Xiao Nanfeng a mental transmission. "Xiao Nanfeng, I must inform you about the Imperial Court.

"My path deviates from that of other world trees on farflung planets. I can reach out into the depths of space. I have observed plenty of mysteries throughout the universe, and learned from civilizations that have bloomed and withered in the river of time.

"After the Darkborn invasion, I felt a deep sense of helplessness. I began to retrieve treasures and techniques from mighty civilizations across the ages, crystallizations of their knowledge and wisdom. One of the most interesting was the ability to gather fortune.

"Fortune is unique. Many planets now involve fortune in the development of their cultivators, but each planet is subtly different. Even so, the end result is the same. Ultimately, the entire world's fortune will be gathered in one spot.

"I learned the intricacies of this technique and divided nexuses of fortune into three tiers: ordinary empires, divine empires, and the Imperial Court.

"The strongest Imperial Courts across the universe have differentiated their golden dragons of fortune to amass greater strength. Today, not only will I assist Dazheng in ascending into an Imperial Court, I shall attempt to make breakthroughs beyond the limits of those in most worlds. The objective is to strengthen yours to the limit and allow it to manipulate ever finer strands of fortune.

"I have used all manner of fortune to develop your golden dragon further. Ordinary Imperial Courts have golden dragons with five-digit claws. Yours will have nine-digit claws, but materializing one such will require immense fortune."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded firmly. "Thank you, primordial altar."

With a mighty roar, a massive golden dragon's head emerged from the primordial altar.

As the golden dragon emerged, it radiated incredible beams of golden light. All the fortune in Dazheng's sea of fortune rushed into its body. The dragon opened its mouth and inhaled, swallowing up the Dazheng Code of Laws, the Divine Seal of Dazheng, and the entire sea of fortune all at once.

In the distance, the three Qing Grandmasters all raised their eyebrows.

The Taiqing Grandmaster frowned. "How unusual."

The Shangqing Grandmaster also seemed puzzled. "Yu Fuli was the greatest Heavenly Emperor of history. His golden dragon of fortune had an overwhelming aura that surpassed all historical records—but this one seems even stronger. Yu Fuli's golden dragon wasn't like this, was it?"

The Yuqing Grandmaster nodded. "It is indeed different. This one is still extremely weak, but it surpasses my avatar's golden dragon in quality alone."

"Oh?"

The Yuqing Grandmaster pondered for a moment. "The primordial altar must have elevated its standing. Can you sense it? This dragon seems to be absorbing some sort of special energy from the universe."

The two grandmasters glanced at the golden dragon of fortune carefully, deep in thought.

The Shangqing Grandmaster's eyes suddenly widened. "Its claws have nine digits."

The Taiqing Grandmaster glanced up at the sky and nodded. "It's absorbing some dark matter from beyond the heavens. It's extraordinary."

The golden dragon climbed out of the primordial altar. As it shook its body, the entire sky seemed to ripple. A roiling sea of fortune surged toward the golden dragon, who absorbed it all without pause.

It roared out loud, as if it would need even more fortune to materialize in earnest.

The three women at the lead of the procession spoke up.

"I, the Divine Emperor, hereby declare to the world that Shenfeng will submit to Dazheng. The people of Shenfeng are now subjects of Dazheng. Shenfeng's fortune shall now be Dazheng's."

"I, Liu Miaoyin, hereby declare to the world that Dajing will submit to Dazheng. The people of Dajing are now subjects of Dazheng. Dajing's fortune shall now be Dazheng's."

"I, Madam Rouge, hereby declare to the world that Danan will submit to Dazheng. The people of Danan are now subjects of Dazheng. Danan's fortune shall now be Dazheng's."

As the three women spoke, a loud boom echoed from the capitals of Shenfeng, Dajing, and Danan.

With a mighty roar, the three golden dragons of their respective divine empires disintegrated, and their vast seas of fortune rushed toward Yongding. With a loud rumble, they merged with Dazheng's before being quickly absorbed by the golden dragon.

The golden dragon grew more solid, its golden light increasingly radiant. Even so, it still seemed to lack sufficient fortune.

At that moment, Ao Zhou, who stood close to the officials, spoke up. "I, Ao Zhou, hereby declare to the world that the Eastern Sea Draconic Palace, which governs the spirits of the four seas, will submit to Dazheng. The spirits of the four seas are now subjects of Dazheng!"

Another wave of fortune rushed toward Dazheng from across the four seas. Over the last few months, Xiao Nanfeng had sent Croak and Warble, along with countless powerful subordinates, to assist Ao Zhou in unifying the seas.

As the whole world's fortune gathered toward Dazheng, the golden dragon finally absorbed enough to materialize in earnest. It let out a loud roar that shook the heavens.

Nine-colored light radiated from the core of the planet, all the way out into the depths of space.

The golden dragon descended from the heavens and shot into Xiao Nanfeng's body, causing it to burst with golden light.

In an instant, Xiao Nanfeng's vision began to expand, as if he could see all the living beings in the world and even perceive some previously invisible dark matter in the vacuum of space.

After a while, the golden dragon slowly emerged from Xiao Nanfeng's body—after transforming into an eidolon of Xiao Nanfeng, thousands of meters tall.

Though the sea of fortune over Dazheng had been consumed just moments before, more fortune was constantly gathering from across the world. A faint sea had already formed again in the sky in just a short period of time.

Xiao Nanfeng's eidolon stepped into the sky, where a dragon throne shaped out of fortune emerged from the sea of fortune to meet it. The eidolon sat down and radiated intense light, illuminating the entirety of Yongding. Spiritual aether surged across heaven and earth, rapidly converging toward Yongding and increasing the spiritual density there beyond even what the Sieve of Heaven had experienced.

Xiao Nanfeng held the Dazheng Code of Laws and Divine Seal of Dazheng up high. He took a deep breath and shouted to the primordial altar, "Thank you, primordial altar, for your assistance in helping Dazheng ascend to the Imperial Court."

His voice, amplified by his eidolon, echoed across the entire world.

"Thank you, primordial altar!"

"Long live Dazheng!"

"Long live the Heavenly Emperor!"

Countless joyous cheers rang out.

The primordial altar slowly disappeared into the sky. Amidst the countless voices of reverence, an endless stream of fortune continued to gather from across the world, surrounding Xiao Nanfeng's eidolon and causing the Imperial Court at Dazheng to grow even more majestic and holy.