Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 1110 - 1110 0650 Assume Others by Oneself_2

Chapter 1110: Chapter 0650: Assume Others by Oneself_2 Chapter 1110: Chapter 0650: Assume Others by Oneself_2 Both individuals, preoccupied with their concerns, subconsciously quickened their pace. Before long, they arrived where the front team was positioned. From a distance, Qi Tian could see Emperor Bahuang and Huoyang Emperor both sitting cross-legged on the ground in meditation. Without exception, both men’s faces were as pale as gold paper with cold sweat beading on their foreheads, clearly indicating they were in a bad state.

A sense of dread clutched at Emperor Jianwu’s heart. His worst fear was that Manager Chen’s people had made a move. It now seemed extremely likely that Shen Ziyu had targeted Emperor Bahuang and Huoyang Emperor, and the attack had been severe. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have ended up in such a condition.

Qi Tian transmitted a message to Emperor Jianwu, “We must remain composed; we absolutely cannot panic and lose our bearings. If Shen Ziyu detects any fear in us, it could lead to disastrous weakness, and who knows what Shen Ziyu might do.”

Emperor Jianwu, fully aware of the stakes, quickly suppressed the turmoil in his heart. Then, maintaining their former pace, he approached Shen Ziyu.

“Are you Mr. Shen?”

In front of Shen Ziyu, Emperor Jianwu didn’t dare to display his royal arrogance. He completely refrained from using the word “I” to refer to himself in the imperial sense, instead greeting Shen Ziyu with a bow and a smile, taking the initiative to pay his respects.

Shen Ziyu, appearing to be in his forties with a beard that granted a semblance of trustworthiness, seemed honest and reliable at a glance. However, a careful observation of his eyes revealed occasional flashes of sharpness. He casually returned the gesture to Emperor Jianwu, showing only the slightest hint of courtesy.

Shen Ziyu said, “I am Shen Ziyu. You must be Lord Jianwu, right? Manager Chen asked me to pass on a message. He suggests that in consideration of your ownership of the Imperial Family Secret Territory, you should stay out of the Saint’s Tomb. He says that the Tomb is not peaceful at the moment and anyone who enters is simply courting death.”

Emperor Jianwu was unsure whether Shen Ziyu’s words were true or false, let alone understanding the true meaning behind Manager Chen’s warning. What did the three simple words “not peaceful” truly imply?

Emperor Jianwu was eager to inquire further, and thus he spoke up, “Mr. Shen, thank you for relaying Manager Chen’s message. However, my understanding is limited, and I’m unsure of the meaning behind his words. Could you please explain it to me?”

As he spoke, Emperor Jianwu took out a Storage Bag filled with a considerable number of middle-grade spirit stones, intending to slip it into Shen Ziyu’s hands.

Shen Ziyu extended a hand and slapped it on Emperor Jianwu’s, sending the Storage Bag flying. Annoyed, he said, “Lord Jianwu, what kind of man do you take me for? Trying to bribe me? You’ve got the wrong person. I am not someone who covets petty gains.”

Emperor Jianwu’s expression could only be described as utterly awkward. There he was, a Prince offering a gift in person, only to have it not only rejected but also slapped away and berated as a “small favor” in front of so many people — it was a huge loss of face for a royal figure. But what could he do but endure it?

Shen Ziyu no longer paid any attention to Emperor Jianwu. He had absolutely no intention of offering any explanation to the Emperor. Instead, he turned his head, his gaze landing on Qi Tian, and scrutinized him from head to toe before saying, “You are Qi Tian?”

Qi Tian bowed slightly to Shen Ziyu and said, “Indeed, I am Qi Tian. May I ask why you specifically requested my presence? What is the matter at hand?”

Shen Ziyu spoke, “I have spent many years in the Imperial Family Secret Territory, and I have never heard of someone like you. Your rise to power was too sudden, which makes me doubt your identity. Previously, I wasn’t entirely sure where you came from, but now I am almost certain that you are not a native of the Imperial Family Secret Territory — you must have come from the outside, and not too long ago at that, most likely quite recently. Am I correct in my conjecture?”

Qi Tian did not deny this. When he noticed Wang Fengna standing beside Manager Chen, he realized keeping his secrets was likely impossible. Back when he dealt with Wang Fengna at the entrance to the Imperial Family Secret Territory, he had not shown his true face. At that time, Wang Fengna might not have been concerned with his identity, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t deduce it. Once Wang Fengna was aware, it was very likely she would inform Manager Chen, who would then share his identity with his subordinates — it was all quite logical.

Shen Ziyu said, “You are quite capable. Despite your youthful appearance, you are very skilled. I am curious as to how, in such a short period, you managed to unite the power of the five imperial palaces. How did you get five proud and lofty Princes to heed your commands, combining their strengths and accompanying you to the Saint’s Tomb? This is highly unusual. It’s not something an ordinary person could achieve. Could you, Qi Tian, enlighten me and satisfy my curiosity by explaining how you accomplished what others could not?”

Qi Tian replied, “The world moves for profit, and people hustle for it too. The reason I could become friends with the five Princes is partly that I treated them with sincerity and reciprocated their true hearts. On the other hand, I have a small talent that allows me to help the Princes sort out their meridians, lessening their pain in their cultivation journey to some extent. I am useful to your Princes; hence, whatever they do, they are willing to include me in their plans and games. As for the merging of the five imperial palaces you mentioned, that was not my doing but a unanimous decision made by the Princes. And I don’t have the influence you speak of — they joined forces for a common goal, putting aside their differences to progress together. There really isn’t much to do with me. If you don’t believe me, you might as well ask the Princes themselves — see what they say.”

Shen Ziyu kept his eyes fixed on Qi Tian while he spoke, using his Divine Sense to lock onto him, observing every little action to determine whether Qi Tian’s words were true or false.

Shen Ziyu was very knowledgeable; he was familiar with many of the control methods used within the Cultivation World, including the existence of Servant Pacts. He didn’t rule out the possibility that Qi Tian could have used a Servant Pact to control people like Emperor Jianwu. However, from his observations, whether it was Emperor Bahuang, Huoyang Emperor, or even Emperor Jianwu, each maintained their normal thought processes, and their actions and words didn’t seem like those of a person controlled by a Servant Pact.

What Shen Ziyu didn’t realize was that he was making a mistake in assuming others would act as he would. He had used Servant Pacts before, and when he used them, it was to control someone as if they were really a slave. Forget granting significant freedom; it would be more like piercing a bull’s nose with a ring to tether it. Not just Shen Ziyu, but also those around him — including Manager Chen — believed that anyone controlled by a Servant Pact became puppet-like after it was sown in the Sea of Consciousness, stripped of their own thoughts and freedom, their every word and action exuding a controlled demeanor, which would be easily recognized by observant individuals.

No matter how Shen Ziyu observed Qi Tian, he could not find any flaws. He shook his head and chose not to delve further into this matter. Though curious as to why the likes of Emperor Jianwu held Qi Tian in such high esteem, he wasn’t inclined to uncover what lay behind this anomaly. What truly mattered to him was discerning the extent of Qi Tian’s abilities and whether he posed a threat to them.

Manager Chen had a good assessment of the weight of people like Emperor Jianwu, Emperor Bahuang, and Emperor Yonghe — the five Princes weren’t significant enough for Manager Chen to pay serious attention. However, Qi Tian was different; he was a complete enigma. Before Shen Ziyu could formulate a defense or a strategy, it was crucial to ascertain Qi Tian’s true strength, which was the reason behind Shen Ziyu’s confrontation.