Chapter 112 - 82: Fifth Year of Xuanlong 2

Chapter 112: Chapter 82: Fifth Year of Xuanlong 2

The Fifth Year of Xuanlong.

January.

The days were cold.

Snow began to fall.

Emperor Jie formally ascended the throne. He issued a command to the realm, continuing the policies of the Late Xuanlong Emperor. He would carry on treating the Liang People with kindness, honoring the Three Sects, granting privileges to the Nine Noble Families, and driving five million Zhou People back to Old Zhou.

The realm was at peace.

An era of tranquility.

Tens of millions of Liang People celebrated as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun, for a wise ruler had emerged.

However.

In the Land of Cold and Bitterness.

Tens of millions of starving Zhou People, their eyes red with fury, lay dormant like wolves, sharpening their fangs and claws.

Meanwhile, on Imperial City Street, right at the foot of the Emperor’s throne, a new medical clinic and apothecary had opened. The proprietor was a young man in a Profound Robe.

He was unremarkable in appearance, but his smile was kind.

’Jie.’

’I am watching you.’

’I hope you can truly be a good emperor.’

He gazed toward the Imperial Capital, seeming to whisper to himself. It was none other than Su Chen, who had slain the Flame Emperor only to flee in a sorry state.

Su Chen didn’t know how to rule the realm or bring stability to the masses either.

After all.

He was just a fake Eunuch.

’If worst comes to worst...’

’I’ll just put another emperor on the throne.’

’A person’s life lasts but a century.’

’A dynasty’s lifespan is only three to five hundred years.’

’But my own lifespan is infinite.’

’I have more than enough time for trial and error.’

"Doctor."

"Is the doctor in?"

"My friend’s leg is broken! Can you set the bone?"

A panicked voice rang out.

Five Porters, carrying a wailing young man, burst into the apothecary. They looked at Su Chen with pleading eyes.

In the money pouch they’d scraped together, there wasn’t a single Silver Coin, only pitiful copper coins.

There wasn’t enough money.

They had knocked on the doors of many clinics, only to be driven away from each one.

As a last resort...

They had come here to try their luck.

The doctor at this clinic was young and unknown. It had been open for over a month without a single customer.

"I’m here."

"It’s treatable."

"You can pay on credit."

"But I don’t want money. Find me some seeds from strange flowers and rare herbs, or any other peculiar seeds, as payment."

Su Chen set the bone, put it back in place, secured it with a splint, and prepared a dose of medicine. He tossed it to the porters from the pier and said,

"Remember to find me some flower and herb seeds."

...

...

In the Fifth Year of Xuanlong, the realm was stable.

The realm was unified.

The fortune of the mountains and rivers surged forth without end.

The Peak experts of the realm stepped into the Grandmaster realm one after another. Grandmasters of the Acquired First Realm emerged like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

Emperor Jie took on many consorts, opening up his harem. He married an empress and took on imperial concubines. That year, the Zhou and Liang Great Teachings sent congratulatory gifts to celebrate the New Dynasty’s new atmosphere.

That year, Chief Steward Yu rebuilt the Western Depot and received the Emperor’s sole favor. He became the new generation’s Chief of the Imperial Seal, was bestowed a Crimson Robe, and was made an Imperial Attendant.

That year, a Minister Vermilion once again ascended to the Jinluan Hall, entered the cabinet as a minister, and became the revered Chief Minister. He initiated the imperial examinations, selecting knowledgeable individuals from across the realm to serve in the court.

Everyone was saying that the Wind Snow Sword Immortal, the number one cultivator in the realm, had vanished without a trace. They wondered if he had also practiced the Heaven-Devouring Demon Technique and died a silent, unnoticed death.

Just like the other two of the Three Dukes of Great Liang.

A flash in the pan, then gone without a trace.

The world speculated.

If the Wind Snow Sword Immortal were still around, what would his rank be on the current Martial Arts List? Would he still be number one in the realm?

「Spring passed and autumn came.」

「Autumn passed, and winter arrived once more.」

Heavy, goose-feather snow blanketed the Imperial City.

On a street corner.

A medical clinic.

A group of fierce-looking cultivators from a gang kicked open the clinic’s door, startling the young doctor who was dozing inside, huddled by the stove.

"Doctor Xu, time to pay your protection fee."

Su Chen got up and offered them a money pouch.

"What a pushover."

They laughed, a contemptuous laugh.

Before these men had gone far, a young man from Wave Pier, carrying a shoulder pole, rushed over and started brawling with them.

After a long while.

The young man, his face bruised and swollen, snatched the money pouch back.

"Here."

"Doctor Xu, don’t let them rob you again."

"Under the Heavenly Son’s watch, we can’t let them act so lawlessly!"

Back in January of the Fifth Year of Xuanlong, Su Chen had saved this young man with the broken leg.

To repay the kindness, the young man would bring him food every few days. Over time, they became familiar with each other.

"I’m just an ordinary doctor. It’s only right that I pay some protection fees."

Su Chen sighed.

For some reason...

He was reminded of Xuan back in the pharmacy.

"Huzi."

"How is your cultivation going since you joined the Cao Gang?"

Su Chen selected some medicinal herbs, casually wrapped them up, and tossed the package to Huzi.

Huzi was by the water vat, teasing a small turtle that had grown to the size of a millstone. He responded,

"Doctor Xu, it won’t be long before I reach the Perfection of the Fifth Grade Blood and Flesh Realm!"

"When it’s time to claim territory, I’ll definitely choose this street. Then, these street thugs won’t be able to harass you anymore, Doctor Xu."

The Nujiang River changing its course, swallowing the Imperial Mausoleum, and flooding a thousand miles of land had created a million refugees, but it had also established Emperor Jie’s soaring reputation.

He slaughtered the wealthy families and forced them to release their grain stores.

The common people praised him.

By continuing the policies of the Xuanlong Empire, he won the allegiance of the Three Sects and Nine Noble Families.

However.

It completely chilled the hearts of the Zhou People.

But...

He probably didn’t care about any of that.

Outside the Imperial City, this Nujiang River was the very same Nu River that had furiously changed its course two years ago, submerging the Imperial Mausoleum.

The Imperial City was home to countless dignitaries and nobles. With peace in the realm, wealthy merchants naturally flocked to the Imperial City, bringing with them endless gold, silver, and treasures.

The Cao Gang rose with the tide.

By day, the Imperial City belonged to the dignitaries and nobles; by night, it belonged to the Cao Gang.

The Nu River ran from north to south, stretching for an immense distance, boasting hundreds, even thousands, of piers and a hundred thousand Cultivation Porters. It was truly a behemoth.

And yet, the Cao Gang had only been established for a little over a year.

"The Cao Gang Leader, Xuan Wuming!"

"Tenth on the Grandmaster Celestial List."

"A great expert of the Second Realm!"

Su Chen looked at the table.

There...

A register for the realm’s Martial Arts List was laid out.

Grandmasters were on the Celestial List, which had sixteen positions. Below that were the First-Grade Earth List, the Second-Grade Profound List, and the Third-Grade Yellow List.

The first on the Earth List... was still him.