Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 1104 - 1104 0647 The Frightening Manager Chen_2

Chapter 1104: Chapter 0647: The Frightening Manager Chen_2 Chapter 1104: Chapter 0647: The Frightening Manager Chen_2 The North City Gate was manned by a dedicated person. In the past, the six imperial palaces would take turns sending people here, but now, this rotational system was essentially abandoned, and the North City Gate was manned solely by people from Jianwu Palace; Emperor Jianwu had completely taken control of this place. In response, Yonghe Palace, Bahuang Palace, Wenzhi Palace, and Huoyang Palace all adopted a tacit acceptance, and Chaoyang Palace did not send anyone to negotiate.

The North City Gate is the only passageway that leads to the core area of the Imperial Family Secret Territory. If someone tried to enter without crossing the North City Gate, by attempting to leave through the East City Gate, South City Gate, or West City Gate, then circle back to the North City Gate, it would be impossible. A specific array isolated the area, effectively preventing anyone from bypassing the North City Gate and accessing the core zone. To some extent, to control the North City Gate was to control access to the Saint’s Tomb.

Emperor Jianwu placed great importance on the North City Gate, personally reallocating Array Masters to reinforce and sometimes reconfigure the arrays and prohibitions around the gate. He wanted to ensure that he could keep the North City Gate firmly under his control.

The prime goal of such efforts was not to prevent Emperor Chaoyang from reaching the Saint’s Tomb or to stop anyone else from exploring it—it was to prevent them, upon their return from the tomb, from being blocked outside the North City Gate. Should they fail to re-enter the city, they would find themselves trapped in the Saint’s Tomb. Although a valuable place, the tomb was no place for a prolonged stay, and spending too much time there carried the risk of losing one’s life. Nobody wished to linger long in the Saint’s Tomb.

On the way to the North City Gate, Emperor Jianwu briefed Qi Tian on the importance of the gateway. Qi Tian nodded in understanding and affirmed and supported the actions of Emperor Jianwu, which boosted the emperor’s confidence in maintaining control over the gate.

Before long, the group arrived at the North City Gate. The street they marched on was nearly devoid of ordinary people, so despite their impressive number, no one dared to point fingers at them or obstruct their path.

Just as Emperor Jianwu and his party were approaching the North City Gate, they suddenly saw a group of people standing on the inner side of the gate. Leading them was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties, dressed in white silk, wielding a folding fan with handsome features and a graceful demeanor that made him instantly likable. Beside this young man stood a beautiful woman. Upon seeing her, Qi Tian’s heart skipped a beat. This lovely female cultivator was none other than Wang Fengna, a familiar face to Qi Tian and the deputy leader of the Eight Pill Alliance in Wanjie City.

It had been quite some time since Qi Tian had heard any news of Wang Fengna. He had been curious about her whereabouts only to encounter her again under such circumstances.

Yet what astonished Qi Tian was not Wang Fengna but the young man in his twenties. From the first glance, Qi Tian noticed something extraordinary about him. Without needing further judgment but merely by observing the position Wang Fengna stood in, it was clear the young man held an extraordinary identity.

Without a second thought, Qi Tian activated the Heavenly Dao Engine’s function to sense Spirit Qi, scanning the young man and Wang Fengna, as well as those around them. In the blink of an eye, the Heavenly Dao Engine relayed the information back to Qi Tian.

Qi Tian had prepared himself mentally, but he was still greatly taken aback when he examined the three-dimensional hologram feedback from the Heavenly Dao Engine. His surprise lay with the young man—his cultivation level was frighteningly high. The young man was a Half-step Nascent Soul level cultivator; in other words, he had one foot in the threshold of the Nascent Soul Stage, with only one foot still outside. It might just be a matter of the right opportunity for him to fully and completely step into the Nascent Soul Stage and become a revered Nascent Soul Master.

Besides the young man, the people surrounding him and Wang Fengna were no weaklings. Although they were only a dozen or so, without exception, all were at the Gold Core Realm Late Stage, with none below the Seventh Level of the Gold Core Realm.

What did the Seventh Level of the Gold Core Realm mean? Within the Imperial Family Secret Territory, this level of cultivation was basically at the apex of the pyramid. Among those accompanying Qi Tian, all five princes were at the Seventh Level of the Gold Core Realm without exception, none exceeding this level. Even if the one hundred and thirty-five people they brought along were included, those who surpassed the Seventh Level of the Gold Core Realm were few and far between, not even amounting to a handful.

Emperors of Jianwu Palace and the other four imperial palaces were basically the top powers within the Imperial Family Secret Territory, and even they couldn’t muster many cultivators at the late stage of the Gold Core Realm. Yet among the people brought by this young man, without exception, all of them were in that stage, and about half were at the eighth level of Gold Core Realm. There were even two who had reached the ninth level.

Such a formidable force, when combined, could easily push its way through the Imperial Family Secret Territory if they harbored any ill intentions. No one could stand in their way. Whoever would try to block them would be nothing but a mantis trying to stop a chariot, inevitably getting crushed.

The young man, holding a folding fan, fanned himself gracefully. Upon seeing the group from Jianwu Palace approaching, he stowed the fan and waved from afar, greeting Emperor Jianwu and the others with a bow. “My Lords, it’s been a long time. I pay my respects from here.”

The arrival of this young man startled not only Qi Tian but also Emperor Jianwu and his group. In fact, they were startled to an even greater extent than Qi Tian.

Seeing the young man bowing to them, each of them seemed to have their tails stepped on, their faces changed color as they hurriedly returned the gesture.

Speaking on behalf of the five Lords, Emperor Jianwu replied, “Manager Chen, you’re too kind. What brings you here? If there’s anything you need, you only have to send word to Jianwu Palace, and that would be sufficient. Why the need to come in person? You’re giving us too much honor.”

The young man replied with a smile, “But you are the Lords, the masters of the Imperial Family Secret Territory, and I am but a guest. How would I dare do anything to offend you? Moreover, I haven’t had the chance to breathe some fresh air for a very long time. I had some free time these days, so I thought I’d come out for a stroll. There wouldn’t be a problem with me roaming about casually, would there, my Lords?”

Emperor Jianwu hastily said, “Manager Chen, you’re free to wander wherever you wish. Even if you wanted to visit Jianwu Palace, I’d be only too welcoming. A distinguished guest like you—I couldn’t even invite myself.”

The young man chuckled and said, “I see. Then I don’t understand why when I wanted to visit the Saint’s Tomb and came to the North City Gate, your people, Lord Jianwu, stopped me from going. What is the meaning of this? Could it be that Lord Jianwu is only saying these things to amuse me?”

Emperor Jianwu’s face immediately darkened as he said, “Such a thing happened? Manager Chen, please do not be angry. Give me a moment, and I will handle this matter right away to give you a satisfactory response.”

With those words, Emperor Jianwu stepped forward and walked to the North City Gate. The cultivator of the Gold Core Realm he had appointed to defend the gate hurried over and reported the situation. Just as the young man had said, he had indeed been following orders from Emperor Jianwu to stop the young man and his companions from leaving the city at the North City Gate.

Emperor Jianwu had indeed given such orders beforehand, and at this moment, it wasn’t appropriate to reprimand the subordinate for show. He was forced to say, “This is all my fault for not explaining myself clearly. When I ordered that no one be allowed to go through the North City Gate, I did not intend to include Manager Chen in ‘no one.’ Remember this from now on: Manager Chen is free to go wherever he pleases without obstruction. Should Manager Chen require assistance, you must be prepared to provide all possible help without hesitation.”