Heavenly Dao Engine
Chapter 998 - 998 0594 Taking Down_2

Chapter 998: Chapter 0594: Taking Down_2 Chapter 998: Chapter 0594: Taking Down_2 At that time, Emperor Jianwu was utterly unaware of the potential safety hazards that could arise from forcibly elevating his cultivation level by such means. By the time he realized it, it was already too late; he had lost the chance to further strengthen his power, and with it, the opportunity to extend his lifespan in tandem with his strength. To prolong his life and grow his lifespan, he had no choice but to continue consuming various spiritual materials and elixirs. And so, a vicious cycle had begun; today, he was completely unable to rid himself of the dependency on elixirs and spiritual materials.

Emperor Jianwu had to admit that Qi Tian’s analysis of his condition was very accurate. Having consumed various elixirs and spiritual materials for an extended period, every single one of his meridians, large and small, was clogged and eroded by toxins, with hardly a single one left intact.

His condition was not entirely like those cultivators who specialized in the path of poison. If their meridians became like this, they could still continue to cultivate. But he could not. The toxins had severely damaged his meridians, much like a patient terminally ill. Without a miraculous cure, he would truly have no other choice but to wait for death.

“Qi Tian, do you truly have a way to cleanse the toxins from my meridians?” Emperor Jianwu asked, clinging to a shred of hope.

Qi Tian replied, “Prince, as the saying goes, ‘secrets are not to be revealed lightly.’ We have no kinship, and cleansing the toxins from your meridians would not only cost me greatly, but also bring me no benefits. Why would I bother to help you with this matter? Of course, if you’re willing to let me plant a Servant Pact, then we would be as one family. Then, it would be natural for me to expend the effort to cleanse your meridians, and I could convince myself to do it. Doesn’t that make sense?”

Emperor Jianwu hesitated and said, “Qi Tian, how do I know you’re not deceiving me? If I accept your Servant Pact and you later refuse to cleanse my meridians, wouldn’t I end up a fool, gaining nothing in return?”

Qi Tian responded, “Prince, you are a wise man. You must realize that it wasn’t easy for me to enter the Imperial Family Secret Territory, and I certainly won’t leave lightly. I still need to stay here for a while, to seek further opportunities. During this time, I will definitely require your protection, to ensure that you live well. How could I possibly do that if I didn’t help you cleanse the toxins from your meridians?”

Emperor Jianwu fell silent, making his final calculations and considerations.

Deciding to fuel the fire further, Qi Tian continued, “Prince, I can promise you one thing. The pact between us is time-bound. When I leave the Imperial Family Secret Territory, I can leave you behind to continue ruling from your Jianwu Palace, to remain as Emperor Jianwu. From then on, you walk your sunlit path, and I’ll walk my solitary bridge. We will not meddle in each other’s affairs, and I won’t press any obligations upon you. Prince, think carefully. I cannot stay in the Imperial Family Secret Territory for long—perhaps a few months at most, a year or two at most. Afterwards, I will leave, I will depart from the Imperial Family Secret Territory. Your submission to me will only be for such a short while. After that, you will regain your freedom and continue to live secure and stable as Emperor Jianwu. Moreover, by then, some of the toxins in your meridians will have been cleansed by me, any blockages cleared. You could cultivate to the Late Gold Core Stage, or even potentially reach the Half-step Nascent Soul realm, becoming the unrivaled ruler of Eastern Capital City, enjoying unfettered freedom and ease. Compared to what you will gain in the future, what is losing one or two years of freedom to sign a Servant Pact with me?”

It might have been Qi Tian’s promising outlook that captivated Emperor Jianwu, or perhaps the relentless pressure of the Servant Pact, but Emperor Jianwu’s Divine Sense could hold on no longer. With a deep sigh, he said, “Qi Tian, I hope you keep your word. If you dare to deceive me, even as a ghost, I shall never forgive you.”

After that, Emperor Jianwu’s Divine Sense ceased to struggle and resist, coming to a halt within the Sea of Consciousness. The Servant Pact sent by Qi Tian into the Sea of Consciousness, like a hungry wolf sensing blood, pounced upon it. In an instant, it entered Emperor Jianwu’s Divine Sense, taking root and sprouting. With that, Qi Tian finally, after a battle of wits with Emperor Jianwu, gained firm control over him through the Servant Pact, solidifying their master-servant relationship.

After confirming repeatedly, Qi Tian determined that the Servant Pact had indeed fused tightly with Emperor Jianwu’s soul. Emperor Jianwu had not used any means to isolate the Servant Pact from his soul. Qi Tian finally set his mind at rest, for he could now confidently go about certain matters without worrying about any backlash from Emperor Jianwu.

The first thing Qi Tian did was to retrieve the remnants of Emperor Jianwu’s Divine Sense that he had taken away on two occasions, from the storage of the Heavenly Dao Engine, and brought them back to Emperor Jianwu’s side.

“Prince, I, Qi Tian, am a man of my word. Did I not just promise you that I would return your Divine Sense? Look, here they are. You can now take them back,” Qi Tian said.

Emperor Jianwu’s Divine Sense emerged swiftly from his body and deftly caught the two severed pieces, then took them back inside. After being severed, these fragments of Divine Sense had significantly less vitality than before, but they nevertheless originated from Divine Sense and could be nourished back to strength. This was much simpler and less time-consuming than restoring Divine Sense to its original condition.

Qi Tian said, “Prince, the next thing I plan to do is to remove the toxins from your body. Let’s not speak of other things for now; at the very least, we must first restore your freedom, allowing you to freely and flexibly control your own body.”

Emperor Jianwu replied, “Qi Tian, if you can achieve this, I will believe that you indeed intend to fulfill our agreement. I, too, will abide by the Servant Pact and provide you with coverage in the Imperial Family Secret Territory, so that you need not worry about the risk of exposure.”

Qi Tian nodded. No matter what he intended to do, restoring Emperor Jianwu’s freedom and regaining control over his body was of the utmost priority. If Emperor Jianwu remained in his current state, unable to leave the small space, that certainly would not do. A prince who could move about freely and be called upon at any time surely possessed more deterrent power than a prince who could only hide in a small space, and was more capable of inspiring fear in others.

Qi Tian placed his hand on Emperor Jianwu’s wrist, beginning to examine the Emperor’s internal condition meticulously. In truth, even without doing so, he could use the Heavenly Dao Engine to perform a detailed exploration of Emperor Jianwu’s meridians. However, the Heavenly Dao Engine was his greatest secret, and he did not wish for Emperor Jianwu to deduce its existence through any clue, no matter how small.

It did not take long for Qi Tian to confirm the specific condition of Emperor Jianwu’s meridians. As he had surmised, not a single meridian was in good shape. Nearly every meridian was obstructed, and each one was eroded by toxins. Emperor Jianwu’s body was in tatters, resembling a small, leaky house that could collapse at any moment.

From a certain perspective, choosing Emperor Jianwu as his servant was not a wise decision. From another angle, if Emperor Jianwu were not in such a state, how could Qi Tian have easily succeeded and taken him as a servant so readily? If it were a prince with a healthy body, unobstructed meridians, and overwhelming combat prowess, Qi Tian would have been unable to subdue him at all.