Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 991 - 991 0591 Time to Deal with Emperor Jianwu_2

Chapter 991: Chapter 0591: Time to Deal with Emperor Jianwu_2 Chapter 991: Chapter 0591: Time to Deal with Emperor Jianwu_2 Qi Tian unleashed the sensing function of the Heavenly Dao Engine for Spirit Qi, probing into the small space, and began a meticulous inspection. He hoped to scan every hidden restriction, array, and other existence within the small space.

Emperor Jianwu had been hiding in the small space, which was why the Heavenly Dao Engine was unable to detect such a concealed presence. Now that the small space and the Imperial Family Secret Territory were connected and had become one entity, the concealment function of the small space was lost. The Heavenly Dao Engine could easily explore everything within the small space without any obstacles.

Soon, Qi Tian received the three-dimensional holographic images sent back by the Heavenly Dao Engine. In the images, Qi Tian clearly saw everything within the small space, leaving no stone unturned and nothing overlooked.

Looking at the three-dimensional holographic images, Qi Tian almost cursed aloud. How afraid of death could Emperor Jianwu possibly be?

The small space was only about fifty or sixty square meters, yet within such a small area, there were nearly ten Half-step Nascent Soul-level restrictions and arrays. In addition, Emperor Jianwu had placed numerous Half-step Nascent Soul-level artifacts in many other places. Together, they totaled over twenty, and that wasn’t even all of it. Qi Tian also discovered at least ten traces of spirit force fluctuations from Half-step Nascent Soul-level artifacts on Emperor Jianwu’s body. It could be said that the fear-driven Emperor Jianwu had armored himself from head to toe without missing a spot, as if he were hiding within a solid turtle shell.

Qi Tian shook his head. Emperor Jianwu truly cherished his life; the fact that he hid himself in the small space and used more than thirty Half-step Nascent Soul-level restrictions and artifacts for protection was telling. However, no matter how tightly he protected himself, in the end, he was taken down by two bowls of medicinal soup given by Su Jinghan. This might well be the so-called weakness right under one’s nose. Of course, this also showed, from another perspective, how much effort Su Jinghan had put in for this day to come, how much humiliation and sacrifice she had endured to gain Emperor Jianwu’s trust, and seize the opportunity today. Just for that, Qi Tian had to admit that he quite admired Su Jinghan.

After clarifying the arrangement of the small space, Qi Tian could now safely step into it. He took a deep breath to steady his emotions and cool his mind as much as possible. He dared not be the slightest bit careless nor afford any superfluous motions. With so many Half-step Nascent Soul entities in the small space, he had little room for safety and had to be extremely cautious about every action. A slight misstep could trigger one of those Half-step Nascent Soul-level restrictions or arrays, and then Qi Tian—a threat to Emperor Jianwu—would find even saving his own life incredibly difficult.

For the sake of caution, Qi Tian did not equip the two Half-step Nascent Soul-level artifacts he had just acquired. These artifacts were likely bestowed by Emperor Jianwu to Su Jinghan. Qi Tian could not be sure whether Emperor Jianwu had left any tricks on these artifacts. If there weren’t any, all was well, but if there were, equipping these artifacts wouldn’t be for protection anymore. Instead, he would be voluntarily giving up control and putting his life in Emperor Jianwu’s hands.

Although Emperor Jianwu had been poisoned by the medicinal soup and couldn’t move at all, his soul was still present. Bypassing the physical body to control certain artifacts directly with the soul or divine sense was not common in the Cultivation World, but not unheard of either. Qi Tian dared not assume that Emperor Jianwu lacked such abilities. With victory within grasp, Qi Tian was not going to be careless and stumble at the last hurdle, turning a certain victory into defeat and becoming a prisoner under someone else’s foot.

Qi Tian elevated his vigilance to the maximum and carefully lifted his feet to step into Emperor Jianwu’s small space. With every step he took, he reconfirmed and inspected everything within the small space several times, focusing particularly on Emperor Jianwu’s soul to prevent him from using his soul to communicate with the restrictions, arrays, and artifacts within the small space to launch any attacks against him.

Qi Tian had already made preparations for the worst. If Emperor Jianwu dared to use his soul to control the restrictions and arrays in the small space, Qi Tian would not hesitate to launch an attack on Emperor Jianwu’s soul, even if it meant extracting his soul from his body, just as he had done with Su Jinghan, and plundering it to fuel the Heavenly Dao Engine. Without a soul, Emperor Jianwu’s threat to him would be minimized, and Qi Tian would no longer have to worry about Emperor Jianwu manipulating the restrictions and arrays in the small space to attack him.

However, this choice was almost the worst one possible. Although it could ensure Qi Tian’s absolute safety, it would not benefit his subsequent plans in any way; after all, he still wanted to use Emperor Jianwu as his support and shield.

The space was small, and even tiptoeing around it, it didn’t take Qi Tian long to reach Emperor Jianwu’s side.

Emperor Jianwu sat cross-legged on the ground, staring straight ahead with an expressionless face. Due to the effects of the medicinal soup, he found it impossible even to lift his eyelids and take a good look at Qi Tian.

Qi Tian bowed before Emperor Jianwu and said, “Your Highness, Qi Tian pays his respects here. Weren’t you curious about my Sect a moment ago? I can tell you now. My name is Qi Tian, and I am the National Master of the Great Zhao Imperial Master Mansion. Gao Jinmei and Xia Xiaoming are my subordinates; I brought them into the Imperial Family Secret Territory to explore its secrets. Now you know my background, right? Is there anything else you want to know?”

Although Emperor Jianwu was unable to make any movements, his hearing was unaffected, and his soul could still react to a certain extent. He tried to communicate with Qi Tian using his Divine Sense, which was difficult for Emperor Jianwu, but after trying multiple times, he managed it with great effort.

Emperor Jianwu conveyed his thoughts to Qi Tian through Divine Sense, saying, “Since you are the National Master of the Great Zhao Nation, ensuring the safety of the royal family is your inescapable duty and obligation. Now I, your emperor, am being persecuted by Su Jinghan and desperately need your help to pull me out of this dilemma. Don’t just stand there, hurry up and help me escape. If you can do this, I promise you here and now that once I regain my strength, I will confer upon you the title of National Master of Jianwu Palace, second only to me, above tens of thousands. You will help oversee the affairs of Jianwu Palace.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Tian chuckled and said, “Your Highness, it seems you’ve been the emperor for too long, and still have some confusion about the changes in the situation. First of all, you are no longer the emperor. You have abdicated, and your words are no longer binding, no longer heeded by all under heaven. Secondly, even if you were the emperor, you have no jurisdiction over me. We are not in a hierarchy of superior and subordinate. The emperor who can command me is not you, but Emperor Tian Rui. If Emperor Tian Rui were here giving me orders, perhaps I would consider whether to obey. But as for you giving me orders, I’m sorry, I don’t want to listen, nor do I intend to comply.”

Emperor Jianwu was infuriated, but he was well aware that emphasizing his former authority as the Emperor of the Great Zhao Nation was pointless at this moment. To provoke Qi Tian would leave no room for amends, no chance of getting any help. Before he became the emperor, he was someone who knew how to compromise. Realizing the situation, he immediately decided to change his approach, no longer harboring any strong attitude towards Qi Tian, and began to entice him with offers of power instead.

Emperor Jianwu said, “Qi Tian, I was foolish just now. Just as you said, I have abdicated for hundreds of years and am no longer the emperor. Pulling royal rank at this time is nothing but a joke. You are right to criticize me. I… Ah, no, I mean, I accept your criticism and will immediately correct my mistake. We are not ruler and subject, not superior and inferior; we are equals. How does that sound?”