Chapter 1871 - 190: Sword Immortal, Cave Heaven Blessed Land’s Probing

Royal Capital.

Imperial Palace.

The sky was clear for miles around, the air pure and bright.

But at this moment, a faint oppressive atmosphere pervaded the imperial palace’s rear garden.

"Holy Emperor, have you really made up your mind?" Xu Xiao stood behind Ji Minghao, his tone heavy.

"I have thought about it for a long time and very clearly. The Ji Clan’s foundation cannot be defeated by my hands. With the Martial Saint’s dissolution, we have lost the protection of this world’s strongest figure. With the current power of the imperial family, with the current power of Great Xia, maintaining the strength of Great Xia’s foundation is impossible. Only by seeking protection can Great Xia’s foundation remain undefeated." Ji Minghao slowly spoke, his tone filled with calmness.

"This act of the Holy Emperor is akin to negotiating with a tiger for its skin. Has the Holy Emperor forgotten that the forefather became independent and established this vast foundation covering the thirty-six prefectures of the Nine Provinces only through the Martial Saint’s help, separating from whom’s grasp?" Xu Xiao said.

Upon hearing this, Ji Minghao turned and looked at Xu Xiao.

"Negotiating with a tiger for its skin is better than waiting here to die. My Ji Clan has a longstanding acquaintance with a lineage of the Nine Heavens’ master. The Nine Heavens are one of the Upper Three Days. With the protection of the Nine Heavens, with this great tree, Great Xia can still maintain dominion over the thirty-six prefectures of the Nine Provinces!"

As he spoke, Ji Minghao’s expression suddenly became extremely earnest, his eyes blazing as he stared at Xu Xiao.

"Does the Great General Xu also wish to support me?"

As their eyes met, Xu Xiao could feel the seriousness in Ji Minghao’s gaze, along with a faint sense of crisis.

He suddenly realized within his heart, then slowly nodded: "The Holy Emperor jests. My daughter is married to the Holy Emperor. We are family. As family, I must advance and retreat together with the Holy Emperor, share life and death, share glory and disgrace!!"

As his words fell, Xu Xiao thrust his cupped hands forward, opened his arms, and saluted Ji Minghao.

Ji Minghao’s face instantly showed a faint smile.

"Father-in-law, you are too polite! There’s no need for such a grand salute!"

As he spoke, he supported Xu Xiao’s elbow with his hands and helped him up.

Then continued: "With father-in-law’s support, Great Xia will surely be reborn from the ashes and launch a new era of prosperity!"

Upon hearing this, a faint bitterness arose in Xu Xiao’s heart.

He knew very well that maintaining the imperial family’s rule would be as difficult as ascending to heaven with the Martial Saint’s dissolution.

He also understood Ji Minghao’s choice.

In this world, with the Martial Saint gone, the most powerful forces were the Cave Heaven Blessed Lands which hadn’t emerged for hundreds of years.

And among these Cave Heaven Blessed Lands, the strongest are the legendary Upper Three Days.

Nine Heavens, Biyou Heaven, Five Elements Heaven.

Ji Minghao’s choice, he also realized, was truly a choice of necessity.

Currently, though the Ji Clan appears to be the master of Great Xia spanning thirty-six prefectures of the Nine Provinces, its end was imminent like a sunset over the western hills.

All this was because the great tree supporting Great Xia’s dominion fell.

These days of peace were merely the calm before the storm.

This peace could be shattered at any moment, perhaps today, perhaps tomorrow, or even the very next instant.

With this in mind, Xu Xiao sighed inwardly, feeling a fear he’d never felt before, an unrest that couldn’t be grounded.

He couldn’t help but look at the structure ahead.

The grand and magnificent building was now bathed in noon sunlight, appearing exceedingly solemn and grand.

But at this moment, it appeared in his eyes as an ethereal tower in the sky, a mere illusion to be shattered by a single touch.

He inwardly sighed again.

"Holy Emperor, what do you plan to do next?" Xu Xiao settled his heart spirit and asked again.

Ji Minghao replied: "I have a deal with them, and I need to fulfill it to gain their protection!"

Upon this response, Xu Xiao’s heart involuntarily shook.

The Martial Saint had just dissolved, and the news hadn’t spread yet, but Ji Minghao already had a deal with the Nine Heavens!

His heart suddenly realized that this wasn’t merely Ji Minghao’s forced choice for survival right now.

In fact, Ji Minghao had long made this choice; he clearly had secretly contacted people from the Nine Heavens before today and had made a deal in secret.

"Can the Holy Emperor explain what the deal is?" Xu Xiao asked.

"I cannot say for now!" Ji Minghao shook his head.

...

Water Moon Sword Palace.

It was noon.

Golden sunlight poured from above the grand hall, casting a faint halo around the statue of a woman carved from white jade.

Suddenly.

The void rippled and shimmered.

Then, a figure emerged, appearing in the expansive and empty grand hall.

This figure was Jiang Ning.

At this moment, he turned to glance at the statue behind him.

Though the statue’s features were blurred, the features of the Moon Palace Woman already clearly floated in his mind.

Among the exquisitely delicate perfect features, there was a hint of gentle aloofness.

He knew this was the influence of cultivating the Taiyin True Scripture.

A person’s external temperament, or even appearance, would be somewhat influenced by the cultivation technique.

Regarding the Taiyin True Scripture, long-term baptism and washing with the Taiyin Origin naturally results in an aloof temperament, making it difficult to display a fiery enthusiasm.

He saluted the white jade statue again, then turned and walked out of the grand hall.

Upon leaving the hall, the two sword palace female disciples at the entrance still hadn’t detected Jiang Ning’s presence.

Walking on stone bricks heated by the sun, images of the familiar panel appeared before Jiang Ning.

[Skill]: Sun True Scripture (Novice 213/100000)

"Continuously operating, accumulating over two hundred experience points, but to achieve small success, it needs ten thousand experience points in total! The Sun True Scripture indeed deserves to be a supreme scripture targeting the True Immortal level!"

Looking at the text on the panel, Jiang Ning sighed.

Then, his gaze shifted to another column on the panel.

[Skill]: Taiyin True Scripture (Master 31333/200000)