This Martial Saint’s Health Bar is Too Thick!
Chapter 583 - 88: The Height of Grace and Honor

Chapter 583 -88: The Height of Grace and Honor

Before attending the court, Li Fei had carefully calculated the merits he had accomplished:

Defending Chong City and saving tens of thousands of civilians from slaughter was an unquestionable merit.

After that, he took on the task of channeling the Emperor’s Dragon Qi, facing off against over a hundred Imperial Camp Cavalry and thwarting the plans of Qingxu True Monarch.

At the time, Qingxu True Monarch’s Big Array was only short of completely encompassing Jinshan Prefecture, with only Bado City and Chong City remaining as key nodes unbreached.

Just one more conquest, and Qingxu True Monarch would have further completed his Array, Yun Shu’s received Emperor’s Dragon Qi would be further weakened, and he would no longer hold on.

Not only would the State Preceptor meet peril, but Jinshan Prefecture would be entirely lost, and Qingxu True Monarch would succeed in establishing the Tao Country!

From this angle, the merit established by Li Fei truly was an unmatched achievement!

But in reality, at the time Yun Shu had not placed all his bets on Li Fei; the court’s real backup was Buddhist.

Right after Li Fei had defeated the hundred-plus Imperial Camp Cavalry, the Lifebound Magical Treasure of a Buddha from Pudu Temple arrived in Ming Province, directly breaching Qingxu True Monarch’s Array!

From this perspective, even if Li Fei had not managed to control the Emperor’s Dragon Qi or defend Chong City,

the enemy’s Blood Sacrifice would have needed time.

Before the complete Blood Sacrifice of Chong City, Buddhist reinforcements would have arrived.

Hence, there was a critical variable:

How long could Yun Shu hold out?

There was a significant chance that even if Li Fei failed, Yun Shu could have held on until the arrival of the Buddhist support.

Yet, there was also a chance that once Chong City began its Blood Sacrifice, the two True Monarchs would be affected, and eventually Yun Shu might not hold until the arrival of the Buddhist reinforcements.

This variable directly determined the magnitude of Li Fei’s merit!

And even Yun Shu himself couldn’t be certain how long he could endure.

It depended not only on his personal performance but also on that of Qingxu True Monarch.

It depended on the resistance effort of Tai Yu and the stability of the Emperor’s Dragon Qi provided by Lanling City.

Under such circumstances, to claim that Li Fei played a decisive role in this event, that he was the sole savior,

lacked convincing power.

But, to say that even without him, the final victorious outcome wouldn’t have changed,

wouldn’t necessarily be true.

Therefore, the extent of Li Fei’s final merit, and the rewards and honors he would receive, depended on how State Preceptor Yun Shu reported to the Emperor.

And even more, on how the Emperor wished to reward Li Fei.

And now, the result was out:

The Emperor recognized Li Fei’s unparalleled achievement!

A direct conferral of nobility, even a non-heritable lifelong marquisate, was already a reward beyond anyone’s imagination!

An under-twenty marquis, with no precedent in the history of the Da Lan Dynasty, nor in the thousands of years of human history among all the dynasties.

Thus, Li Fei once again set a record that made history!

The court officials finally snapped out of their shock.

Most of the contributions made by Li Fei had already been known since they had been announced before.

What really astonished people were two points:

First, Li Fei facing off against over a hundred Imperial Camp Cavalry?!

How could a Tao Foundation Stage Martial Artist face off against a group numbering over a hundred from the Imperial Camp Army?

This achievement completely overturned the worldview of many powerhouses in the hall!

However, many also noticed the four words ‘mandated by Heaven’ in the imperial decree.

These people understood a bit about fate and had witnessed with their own eyes the Purple Gold Giant Dragon flying toward the southwest that night.

Thus, the phrase ‘mandated by Heaven’ led them to many associations, and their glances towards Li Fei filled with even more amazement:

This one truly was a child of miracles…

The second point that shocked people was ‘hindering True Master Qing Yu and causing damage to his Flying Sword.’

The reason the Fengyun Leaderboard ranked Li Fei directly as third was mainly due to the achievement of ‘repelling True Master Qing Yu.’

At that time, no specific details of the battle were revealed, and even ‘Under Heaven’ could only confirm that Li Fei had encountered Qing Yu, but no more details could be ascertained.

Even so, surviving under the sword of a powerful Daluo Sect True Master was already a remarkable achievement, deserving of the third rank on the Fengyun Leaderboard.

But the imperial decree had just said ‘causing damage to the Lifebound Flying Sword.’

Surviving under the sword and causing damage to the opponent’s Lifebound Flying Sword were entirely different in difficulty!

How frightening was Li Fei’s combat power to have caused damage to True Master Qing Yu’s sword?

Could Zhu Fenghua, ranked first on the Fengyun Leaderboard, achieve this?

For a moment, the looks everyone gave Li Fei were very complex.

Overly dazzling, too incredible to believe!

Lv Wenxing, standing in the back, was trembling with excitement!

He knew he had bet correctly.

Having navigated the treacherous court politics for many years, Lv Wenxing understood something clearer than most:

For the vast majority of people who lacked extraordinary talent, making the right choice is more important than hard work!

Lv Wenxing was now a Fifth Tier Tao Foundation Stage Martial Artist and had integrated four types of Implants.

It took him a long time to achieve ‘Unity,’ and the first type of Implant he integrated was now entering the ‘decline phase,’ not waiting for him to integrate a fifth type.

This was a common problem encountered by the majority of Tao Foundation Stage Martial Artists.

Lv Wenxing knew his martial arts talent reached its limit, so he focused all his efforts on his official career.

Choosing Li Fei was the most significant decision in his official career.

Now, it proved to be the correct decision!

An under-twenty-year-old marquis was truly a wondrous dream that one couldn’t even imagine.

Below the elevated platform, Ye Ze’an continued to read the imperial edict:

“Reward of a million in gold.

A mansion as residence.

Permission to select a Secret Manual from the Royal Book Collection Pavilion.

Permitted to carry a sword to court!”

Only then did the rewards and honors for Li Fei conclude.

Hearing each reward, one more enviable than the last, many people’s eyes widened with desire.

A million in gold was fine; with the ‘Green-faced Ghost King’s’ business enterprises in Datong Prefecture and Xing City, the annual net income was already over a million.

Li Fei was not so short of money anymore, at least not short of ‘small money.’

The awarded mansion would definitely be in the Inner City, and neither the location nor size would disappoint.

Such a mansion would be worth no less than a million itself, and even more valuable was that it was an imperial grant, something money couldn’t buy!

As for selection from the Royal Book Collection Pavilion, Lv Wenxing and others received similar rewards before, just the allowed access levels differed.

The Royal Book Collection Pavilion had a total of twelve floors, and the vast majority of individuals were only permitted to select secret manuals from the seventh floor and below, but Li Fei had the privilege of choosing from any floor!

The last clause “permitted to carry a sword at court” truly revealed the Emperor’s favoritism towards Li Fei!

At nineteen years old, the Marquis could not possibly ascend to a higher noble title, and “carrying a sword at court” was a special grant of royal grace.

Throughout the entire court, there were fewer than ten individuals bestowed with such an honor!

In front of him, the Eldest Prince turned back and glanced at Li Fei, his eyes dark and gloomy.

He too was a practitioner of Martial Arts, a Martial Artist, and a favored Prince.

Yet, he did not have the privilege of carrying a sword at court.

If, prior to this, Li Fei had been seen by him as nothing more than a lowly ant, now that ant had become a flood dragon, capable of baring its teeth and claws at him!

“Your subject, thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness—” Li Fei’s loud and clear voice echoed in the Great Hall.

From the start of the ascension proceedings, he seemed very calm, and only when the ennoblement began did he finally show a bit of emotion.

“Hahaha.”

The Emperor laughed heartily, but said,

“Don’t rush to express your gratitude yet.”

“Hmm?”

His words caught everyone by surprise.

Could there be more?!

The Emperor instructed Ye Ze’an to continue.

This time it was the conferment of honors upon the State Preceptor, Yun Shu:

“State Preceptor Yun Shu, a great pillar of the nation…”

As everyone anticipated, the State Preceptor’s rank was established, having already been appointed as Pavilion Master of the Righteous Law Pavilion, commanding all the Righteous Courts under Heaven, leading tens of thousands of Magicians; there were simply no further promotions available in terms of official position.

As for cultivation resources or other rewards, Yun Shu truly was in no shortage.

Or rather, what he desired, the court currently could not provide.

Therefore, the reward for Yun Shu could only be in terms of honor:

“Confer upon Yun Shu the title of Duke of the State, hereditary without replacement!”

Ye Ze’an concluded at last.

Another unexpected conferral!

The Emperor’s bestowed rewards were indeed generous!

In the Da Lan Dynasty, non-imperial family nobility titles ranked as follows: Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, Baron.

According to ancestral laws, the Da Lan Dynasty did not entitle non-royal kings, nor was it possible to do so.

Therefore, being a Duke was the highest honor that a servant could achieve!

Hereditary without replacement meant that this highest honor could be passed down from generation to generation—a true sharing of glory with the nation!

The emergence of each hereditary peer signified the birth of a great family.

Before the current Emperor ascended the throne, the Da Lan Dynasty had only one Duke with the title hereditary without replacement.

In the forty-seven years since taking the throne, two Dukes had been appointed.

One was the “Military God,” Wenren Zheng.

Nineteen years ago, in the battle outside of Lanling City, Wenren Zheng led the Iron Cavalry of the sky-blue Da Lan Dynasty to a grand victory over the allied forces of seven Western Countries numbering in the tens of thousands, saving the Da Lan Dynasty; for his paramount contributions after the battle, the Emperor entitled him as Duke Guozhen.

But the title of Duke Guozhen was hereditary by order of succession.

Now, there was another title—Duke of the State, hereditary without replacement!

Many thought the title of Duke of the State would be reserved for Grand Secretary Ye Ze’an, especially with the political credit of the Ming reforms, but those reforms had not yet reached a point of finality.

Unexpectedly, it was State Preceptor Yun Shu who took the honor of Duke of the State first.

And he took one with hereditary without replacement!

“Your subject, thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness.”

Yun Shu thanked the Emperor calmly, with a ritual bow.

The Emperor, looking at a visibly aged Yun Shu, said,

“I also have a word to give to the State Preceptor; your aspirations are etched in my heart. I wish that you and I, as monarch and subject, can continue to hone and advance together, unfurling our grand visions!”

Yun Shu bowed deeply,

“Your subject shall exert every effort to the end of his days!”

“Duke of the State, please rise, and take a seat alongside the Grand Secretary.”

The Emperor said, then turned his gaze toward Li Fei, standing in the center of the Great Hall:

“Li Fei, come forward!”

Upon hearing the command, Li Fei strode forward.

The position in which one stands during a court assembly is of particular significance; simply put, the higher one’s status, the closer one stands to the front.

Beneath the vermillion steps, the closest individuals on either side were four:

Ye Ze’an, Wenren Zheng, Yun Shu, and the Crown Prince.

Following them were the Eldest Prince, Third Prince, and other royal family members and senior officials.

Of course, had Prince Li been present at court, he too would have a foremost position with a seat.

Li Fei came to a halt about thirty steps from the vermillion steps, his position just behind the Eldest Prince and others.

“Come forward,” said the Emperor from above the vermillion steps.

These words caused the Eldest Prince’s expression to change.

Hearing this, Li Fei continued to advance, coming to within less than ten steps of the vermillion steps.

This was already the foremost position, on an equal line with Ye Ze’an and Wenren Zheng!

During his first attendance at court, Li Fei could only observe the backs of Ye Ze’an, Wenren Zheng, and the others from afar.

Now it was the courtiers behind him who were looking at his back.

“Li Fei, I’ve heard that today just happens to be your nineteenth birthday,” the Emperor said with a smile as he looked at Li Fei.

Li Fei was startled and looked up at the Emperor, somewhat unexpected.

“The rewards just now are what you deserve. I have prepared another gift for you,” the Emperor smiled.

This statement once again shocked the assembly.

It turned out that the earlier phrase “don’t rush to express your gratitude yet” was hinting at this moment.

Indeed, there were more rewards to come!

…

Chapter three has arrived in the early morning.