Chapter 1019: Blue

The first hall on the left housed Bodhi Patriarch, and the second hall held Tathagata Buddha. Both were immensely powerful figures, whether through their individual strength or the formidable forces they commanded. Zhong Shan's gaze naturally turned to the first hall on the right, curious about who resided there.

As the door of the rightmost hall opened, a refreshing and vast aura, reminiscent of the ocean, filled the air. It was powerful and grand, announcing the arrival of yet another figure. A man stepped out, clad in an exquisitely ornate blue imperial robe, his hair a striking shade of blue cascading down his back. Following him were four subordinates, each displaying the utmost respect for the man who led them.

The aura of an emperor!

Unlike the ethereal presence of Bodhi Patriarch and Tathagata Buddha, this blue-robed, blue-haired man exuded the proud, commanding presence of an emperor.

As the blue-robed emperor stepped out, his gaze fell on Zhong Shan, curiosity flashing in his eyes. He was clearly surprised, as Zhong Shan's cultivation level was rather conspicuous—though his growth had been rapid, he was still only at the seventh level of the Grand Celestial stage. Any Ancestor Immortal could see this at a glance.

Yet here was Zhong Shan, standing among these other three figures as one of Great Qin's most honored guests. The blue-robed emperor found this quite intriguing.

"Chancellor Lü, who might this be?" Zhong Shan asked curiously.

Before Lü Buwei could respond, the blue-robed emperor spoke up, "You may call me 'Lan.'"

Lan? An emperor named Lan?

Lan hadn't yet discerned Zhong Shan's identity, but anyone acknowledged by Ying must certainly be worthy of his own recognition.

"Zhong Shan," Zhong Shan introduced himself with a nod.

Hearing the name, Lan's expression shifted slightly, as did those of the four subordinates behind him. They exchanged glances, surprise evident in their eyes.

"Zhong Shan? Are you the same Zhong Shan who recently caused a great commotion in the underworld and defeated Zilu?" Lan's eyes gleamed with interest.

If this was indeed the same Zhong Shan, then the man before him was no ordinary individual. Defeating Zilu, an Ancestor Immortal, while being only a Grand Celestial? Such an achievement, while perhaps not unprecedented, was certainly a display of extraordinary power.

Defeated Zilu? Tathagata and Bodhi Patriarch both looked at Zhong Shan with renewed interest, as this was news to them. Could it really be true?

Even Sun Shen, standing behind Bodhi Patriarch, appeared conflicted. Could this really be possible?

"If no other Zhong Shan has emerged in the last few months to defeat Zilu, then the one you speak of is indeed me. How did you come to know of this?" Zhong Shan asked with mild curiosity.

"So it's true! About a month ago, I passed through the underworld and heard the stories circulating there. They described Zhong Shan as a towering figure, ten feet tall, with eyes like bronze bells and a fearsome aura. It seems the rumors were greatly exaggerated," Lan said with a smile.

Zhong Shan nodded, recognizing the exaggeration typical of such tales. The two now knew each other's names, and Zhong Shan discerned something from Lan's words—was this man the ruler of a certain holy court in the underworld?

"Saint King Zhong Shan, we... we..." the East Sea Dragon Prince suddenly stammered.

The Four Seas Dragon Princes were clearly uncomfortable, overwhelmed by the immense pressure they felt. Tathagata Buddha stood before them—an existence so powerful that even the mightiest of their elders in the Great Leiyin Temple could only serve as protectors in his presence. And now, here he was, standing right in front of them, making the Four Dragon Princes feel incredibly small.

Then there was Bodhi Patriarch, another formidable ancestor. And this man named Lan—who was he? He also seemed incredibly powerful.

The Dragon Princes felt an overwhelming sense of pressure. The shame they had felt earlier at being associated with Zhong Shan now turned into deep embarrassment, and they could only think about getting away as quickly as possible.

"By the way, Chancellor Li, these Dragon Princes are here to find the North Sea Dragon King, Ao Shun. Do you know if he has arrived?" Zhong Shan asked, looking at Li Si.

"Ao Shun should be in the Guest Garden. I can guide you there," Li Si offered after a moment of thought.

"No need, no need. Just send a guard to lead us there," the East Sea Dragon Prince quickly interjected.

"Very well," Li Si nodded.

He summoned a guard with a wave of his hand, who then led the Four Seas Dragon Princes to find Ao Shun.

In the Guest Garden

Ao Shun was adamantly insisting, "The ones who flew by earlier were really my sons!"

But none of the other guests in the garden believed him.

In the Guest Garden, only those with red invitations were allowed entry. Most of the other guests viewed Ao Shun as someone who had only managed to get a red invitation because of his connection to the Dragon Clan—a privilege he had barely earned, in their eyes.

The group that had just been escorted by both Li Si and Lü Buwei was obviously comprised of extraordinary figures, as they were taken directly to Chongtian Hall.

That place was reserved for only the most honored guests. Among those they knew, Tathagata Buddha was one of these supreme guests.

Yet even Tathagata Buddha had not warranted the personal attention of both Li Si and Lü Buwei.

And now, Ao Shun had the audacity to claim that one of those guests was his son? Who do you think you are? Could his son really stand on equal footing with Tathagata Buddha? If that were the case, Ao Shun wouldn't be just a minor Dragon King of the North Sea.

The other guests regarded Ao Shun with disdain, which only deepened his anxiety.

"Immortal Lord of the South Pole, you've known me for many years. Am I the type to boast or lie? Please, help me prove it—that was really my son!" Ao Shun pleaded with one of the guests.

Ao Shun knew that if he couldn't clarify the situation, his reputation would be utterly ruined. The people here were all of high status, and he wasn't particularly well-regarded to begin with. If they firmly believed he was lying, he would lose all face in the East Continent.

The Immortal Lord of the South Pole's face twitched slightly. Prove it? I don't even know your son!

"Ao Shun, I think it's best to just let it go. It's already a privilege to be in the Guest Garden—there's no need to take unnecessary risks. It's fine to talk here, but if word of this reaches those distinguished guests, it could be bad for you," the Immortal Lord of the South Pole advised.

"You don't believe me either?" Ao Shun was on the verge of breaking down.

He looked around and saw nothing but disdainful gazes. Heavens, will someone please help me explain this?

"Father! Father!" Suddenly, the voices of the Dragon Princes could be heard calling out in the distance.

The guests turned to look and saw, to their surprise, that it was indeed four of the figures who had flown toward Chongtian Hall.

"My son! You're finally here!" Ao Shun, his emotions running high, called out.

Son? The guests stared at Ao Shun in shock.

"What's wrong, Father?" the North Sea Dragon Prince asked, confused.

"Uncle!" the other three Dragon Princes called out immediately.

"Tell them, tell them who you are to me!" Ao Shun urged desperately.

The Four Seas Dragon Princes exchanged confused glances, completely bewildered by the situation.

At Chongtian Hall Plaza

After meeting the other three honored guests, Zhong Shan refrained from further conversation. Though curious, he chose not to intrude, recognizing that he was not familiar with them. Moreover, he was unsure of their temperaments, and most importantly, this was Ying's domain. It was best to leave the interactions and introductions to Ying.

Over the next five days, Zhong Shan had one meeting with Lü Buwei. They discussed various topics, but neither revealed their true intentions or thoughts.

On the fifth day, which was also Ying's grand birthday, all of Great Qin's officials were dressed in their finest attire. Li Si, Lü Buwei, Bai Qi, and other ministers stood in anticipation at the entrance of Chongtian Hall.

The palaces where Zhong Shan, Tathagata Buddha, Bodhi Patriarch, and Lan had resided over the past few days were now cleared. Numerous distinguished guests were gathered outside Chongtian Hall Plaza. Despite their status as honored guests, none dared to speak loudly, as if they were all silently awaiting the momentous event.

Ying was about to emerge from seclusion.

A black mist surrounded Chongtian Hall, the dark waters of Great Qin's fortunes roiling in the clouds above. Countless golden dragons of fortune roared as they weaved through the cloud layers, their presence filling the air with a sense of impending power.

Time slowly passed. Suddenly...

"Buzz!"

A piercing chime, like that of a jade flute, resonated through the air.

"Rumble～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～!"

The sky abruptly darkened as thick, heavy clouds began to converge, growing denser and more oppressive by the second. The pressure from above was immense, as if the heavens themselves were descending to capture a being of unimaginable power below. The atmosphere grew so stifling that many of the guests couldn't bear it, and some had to sit down in meditation to resist the crushing weight from above.

Zhong Shan looked up at the sky. Within the black clouds, countless dark figures seemed to be dancing. Staring too long into the clouds made it appear as though celestial maidens were gracefully moving within them.

Realizing the illusion, Zhong Shan quickly pulled himself out of the trance.

"Heavenly Demons?" Zhong Shan murmured in surprise.

"Boom～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～!"

Suddenly, a massive black pathway, like a celestial road, shot up from within Chongtian Hall. It pierced through the thick black clouds with a thunderous roar, tearing them apart with its immense power.

This colossal black pathway connected heaven and earth, standing tall in the center of Xianyang.

"Roar～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～!"

A terrifying dragon's roar echoed across the skies, its power overwhelming. Yet, the roar did not come from the golden dragons of fortune, nor from Ao Shun or the other true dragons present. Instead, it emanated from this black celestial pathway.

To the shock of all present, a massive black jade dragon slowly began to manifest within the dark pathway.

Huge—unbelievably so!

The black dragon stretched at least a million miles in length. As it moved, it coiled around the celestial pathway like a colossal dragon wrapped around a pillar.

Yet, this black dragon appeared to be an integral part of the celestial pathway, indistinguishable from it.

A strange celestial phenomenon—an enormous black dragon coiled around a celestial pathway.

"Roar～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～!"

The black dragon let out another roar, and the oppressive black clouds above instantly dissipated, leaving the sky clear. The earth echoed with the majestic voice of the celestial black dragon, vast and overwhelming.

All of Great Qin's citizens and soldiers knelt down in reverence.

"Sacred King, may your immortality be eternal, and your life as long as the heavens!"

At the same time, the North Sea Dragon King, Ao Shun, watched with eyes gleaming, filled with excitement and reverence. It was as if he understood the significance of what he was witnessing. A dragon-shaped celestial phenomenon?

"Boom～～～～～～～～～～～～～～～!"

The doors of Chongtian Hall swung open, and the towering dragon-shaped celestial pathway, along with the black dragon, abruptly retracted and vanished. Ying was about to emerge.

To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8