Beginning with the Five Animals Fist to Become a Saint

Chapter 891 Jiang Ning Confers the Title of King!

Martial arts training ground.

Jiang Ning withdrew his gaze, but his mind was racing.

"Master Kuhai of the Vajra Temple's Sutra Repository is quite generous!!"

He was certainly not naive enough to think that the sea of ​​suffering was just being polite.

Although he didn't know what factors had driven this old monk to come today, he understood that it was certainly not as simple as it seemed on the surface.

As the abbot of Vajra Temple, Ku Hai's thoughts were certainly not that simple.

By taking the initiative to extend a friendly gesture and inviting him to the Sutra Repository, Ku Hai may be hoping to forge a positive connection with Vajra Temple.

This thought in his mind was not due to his overconfidence.

Having reached this point, he knows that his strength is no longer a threat to any martial artist in the world.

He could put up a fight against those so-called second-best in the world.

Only Huang Tian Dao Ren left him uncertain.

Because Huang Tian Dao Ren, like him, has also reached the realm of Yuan Shen Immortal in the Dao of Immortality.

Neither the Abbot of Qingxu Temple nor the Master of the Sea of ​​Bitterness have reached this point.

As for martial arts, whether it's the Abbot of Qingxu Temple, Kuhai, Ji Xuan, or Huangtian Daoist, they have all gone very far, far surpassing ordinary first-rank experts.

However, the exact depth and distance are immeasurable.

But he was certain that they were all pretty much the same.

Because he had already fought against three of the previous two strongest people in the world.

Although they did not engage in a life-or-death struggle or go all out, they could still roughly assess the strength of these three individuals.

Unless it's a life-or-death battle, they're likely evenly matched.

After thinking it over, Jiang Ning turned to the crowd on the sidelines and said, "Everyone, the ceremony isn't over yet, so we need to go back and show our faces."

"Of course!" Xiang Yuan laughed heartily. "We can't ignore the new emperor's face, after all, that person is, by all accounts, the Marquis's brother-in-law!"

Upon hearing this, everyone chuckled, and the atmosphere became harmonious.

Only Su Qingying showed a slight change in expression.

the other side.

The banquet has resumed in front of Chengtian Hall.

Amidst the music and rituals, officials toasted each other, but their minds were clearly no longer on the fine wine and delicacies on the table.

The strange phenomenon in the sky and the earth-shattering aftershocks of the battle had already made it clear to everyone the level of the duel that had taken place in the martial arts arena.

When Jiang Ning reappeared in the square, the entire banquet fell silent.

Almost all eyes were on him at the same time.

There was awe, wonder, envy, and also a deep-seated fear.

Ji Minghao sat on the dragon throne. Upon seeing Jiang Ning's return, a look of relief appeared on his face beneath the tassels of his crown. He then announced loudly, "The Marquis of Dongling has returned! Guards, bring him the seat of honor!"

At this moment, Shen Mengyun felt the sweat on the large hands holding hers, and glanced at the current emperor with a slight frown.

Then, the eunuchs quickly brought over a chair and placed it below the dragon throne, placing it in the first tier, only half a step lower than the throne.

Jiang Ning did not refuse; he bowed slightly and sat down with ease.

By sitting down, he was essentially announcing his status to everyone present.

In the Great Xia court, the Marquis of Dongling's status was second only to the Emperor.

But seeing this, no one raised any objections.

They all knew that the emperor's ascension to the throne was entirely due to the support of this Marquis of Dongling.

Without the support of the Marquis of Dongling, this eighth prince would have had no chance of succeeding to the throne and becoming the new ruler of the Great Xia.

The banquet then continued.

Singing and dancing filled the air, and toasts were exchanged.

But Jiang Ning could clearly sense that gazes occasionally swept over him, as if trying to probe his true strength.

He couldn't be bothered to pay attention to those stares.

Having come this far, it's impossible to avoid being subjected to such ordinary scrutiny.

Just then, after several rounds of drinks, Ji Minghao suddenly stood up, raised his cup to the officials, and said: "Today I ascend the throne, and with a pillar of the state like Marquis Dongling presiding over the court, it is truly a blessing for the Great Xia! Come, let us all drink this cup together!"

The officials immediately rose, raised their cups, and shouted, "Congratulations to Your Majesty! Congratulations to Marquis Dongling!"

Jiang Ning also stood up, raised his cup, and drank it all in one gulp.

The wine, slightly spicy yet mellow, is a fine wine from the palace.

He put down his wine glass, feeling somewhat relieved.

Only by reaching this point can we truly say that we have the strength to stand on our own two feet.

Having fought Ji Xuan, and also battled Qingxu and Kuhai, he realized that his strength was no longer what it used to be.

Based solely on the power of his primordial spirit, his strength is not far from that of these individuals.

He was not surprised by his own performance.

After all, the primordial spirit immortal he achieved was a top-grade immortal foundation, possessing the qualities of a true immortal.

Such a profound foundation naturally leads to different performance abilities.

Even if he only has the realm but not the corresponding cultivation, even if the current environment is no longer suitable.

However, even with only an extraordinary foundation in his primordial spirit, the power he wields, even a fraction of the might of an immortal, is still formidable.

Furthermore, he also possesses a highly transcendent sword technique, the Taixu Yin Yang Sword.

This sword technique originated from the Shangyang Immortal Sect, and it was perfectly suited to his path.

The combined effect is greater than the sum of its parts.

Just then.

A commotion suddenly broke out at the entrance to the banquet.

A figure in a red dress walked through the many palace gates and headed straight for the banquet in front of Chengtian Hall.

The figure was slender and thin, yet her steps were exceptionally firm.

The long red dress trailed on the ground, the hem slightly dusty, indicating that she had arrived in a hurry.

She still wore the elaborate phoenix crown on her head, but her exquisite makeup was smudged with tears, making it look somewhat messy.

This person is none other than Ji Mingyue, the seventeenth princess of the Great Xia royal family and the current emperor's younger sister.

The moment she stepped into the square, the entire banquet fell silent.

All the civil and military officials turned their gazes to her. Seeing her sorrowful expression and the tear stains still on her eyes, they were all filled with surprise and uncertainty.

Today is a joyous day of the new emperor's ascension to the throne and the emperor and empress's wedding. As the emperor's younger sister, the seventeenth princess should be dressed in her finest attire and beaming with joy. Why is she appearing in this state?

"Judging from the Seventeenth Princess's expression... something must have happened just now."

"Silence! Don't speculate too much!!" Someone seemed to understand and immediately kept quiet.

At this moment, the low whispers spread like ripples through the crowd, then quickly subsided.

On the dragon throne, Ji Minghao's expression changed slightly when he saw Ji Mingyue's appearance.

He already knew what had just happened at Ji Mingyuan's place, that Ji Mingyue had gone to Ji Mingyuan's residence, and that Ji Mingyue had witnessed Ji Mingyuan's death.

He gripped the handrail tightly, then let go.

Then, taking a deep breath, he stood up and announced loudly, "Little Seventeen, you've arrived!"

His voice was gentle and steady, and his face carried the majesty of an emperor.

Ji Mingyue paused slightly, raised her head, and through the beaded curtain of the crown, she could not see her brother's face, but she could feel the unfamiliar majesty emanating from him.

At that moment, a bitter smile involuntarily appeared on her lips.

She slowly walked forward, stopped before the imperial steps, and gracefully bowed, her voice calm: "Your Majesty, I, Ji Mingyue, pay my respects. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!"

Ji Minghao raised his hand to help her up, saying, "Get up, no need for formalities." Ji Mingyue slowly rose.

"Little Seventeen, come, sit next to me."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty, but there's no need!" Ji Mingyue shook her head, then looked at Jiang Ning, "Your Majesty, I can sit next to the Marquis of Dongling!"

Ji Minghao glanced at Jiang Ning, a hint of hesitation in his eyes, before slowly nodding.

"also!"

"Your Majesty!" Just then, Ji Mingyue stopped what she had just raised and looked at Ji Minghao.

Ji Minghao's tone remained gentle: "Little Seventeen, feel free to speak your mind."

Ji Mingyue looked at Ji Minghao with a complex expression in her eyes.

She wanted to tell him about Ji Mingyuan's death, but the words caught in her throat.

Then she shook her head: "It's nothing!"

After saying this, she came to Jiang Ning's side and sat down gracefully.

The red dress spread out, looking exceptionally vibrant.

Jiang Ning squeezed her palm and then patted it gently.

He saw what just happened, even though he was in the Chengtian Hall.

At this moment, he could probably understand why Ji Mingyue was so distraught.

The struggle for imperial power and the killing of siblings naturally have a great impact on people's mental well-being.

This is the first time that Ji Mingyue has directly faced the powerful impact of power.

At this moment, Ji Mingyue gave Jiang Ning a forced smile, a look of feigned joy.

Jiang Ning looked at Ji Mingyue's expression and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Imperial power is ruthless; within the imperial family, fratricide is a common occurrence throughout history.

He could understand Ji Minghao's choice, and he could also understand Ji Mingyue's grief and disappointment at this moment.

But he had no right to judge anything.

Things in this world can never be simply explained by right and wrong.

The banquet then continued.

Amidst the sounds of ceremonial music, the atmosphere was one of peace and prosperity.

Halfway through the banquet, Xie Xun, the Minister of Rites, rose from his seat, came before the Emperor, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, the auspicious time has arrived; the grand ceremony of bestowing titles and rewards shall be held."

Ji Minghao nodded slightly: "Granted."

Xie Xun straightened up, cleared his throat, and announced loudly, "His Majesty's decree—proclaim it, all officials, receive your titles!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

All the civil and military officials rose in unison, straightened their hats and robes, and stood respectfully with their heads bowed.

Jiang Ning also got up from his seat and stood in the middle of the field.

According to the ritual system of the Great Xia Dynasty, a new emperor must be granted titles and rewards upon his ascension to the throne.

Firstly, it was to reward meritorious officials, and secondly, to appease the people in the court.

In particular, this change of the throne involved many major events such as palace coups, succession struggles, and military uprisings. Many people made contributions, and they were naturally rewarded.

Xie Xun unfurled a bright yellow imperial edict and read it aloud:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I, at a young age, have inherited the throne. Thanks to the blessings of Heaven and Earth and our ancestors, and the efforts of my civil and military officials, I have been able to secure the nation and stabilize the world. Now that I have just ascended the throne, I shall reward merit and punish wrongdoing in order to rectify the court. Therefore, I hereby bestow rewards according to the magnitude of my merits."

"General Shen Xiao is commendable for his loyalty and bravery, and has repeatedly made meritorious contributions. He is also married into the royal family and is my father-in-law. He is hereby granted the title of Duke Zhenguo, which is hereditary and will not be replaced. He is awarded ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand bolts of fine silk. He will still hold the position of General and will have the power to command the troops of the realm. In addition, he is granted three gold tokens of immunity from death, which can exempt him from three death sentences."

Shen Xiao stepped forward, bowed, and accepted the imperial decree: "Your subject Shen Xiao thanks Your Majesty for your great favor!"

His voice was steady, and his face remained calm, but the slight smile in the corner of his eye betrayed his joy at that moment.

The title of Duke Zhenguo is hereditary and will be passed down through generations, granting him control of all the military forces in the land.

This is perfectly legitimate and naturally gives them the right to claim the moral high ground.

This honor is practically the highest a military officer can achieve in the imperial court.

Moreover, there was also the reward of a pardon from death.

Although this item is useless to him, given his strength, it is essentially equivalent to being spared from death.

However, the "get out of jail free" token can be passed down through generations or given to others, making it a valuable item.

It can be said that from today onwards, the Shen family's power in the military will be even more solid, and almost no one can shake it.

Xie Xun continued reading:

"King Wu Xiang Yuan, who has made outstanding contributions to protecting the country and guarding the capital, is hereby granted the title of King Zhenwu and awarded with five thousand taels of gold and five hundred bolts of celestial brocade."

Xiang Yuan stepped forward, grinning, and said, "Your subject Xiang Yuan thanks Your Majesty for your great favor!"

He already held a high position and wielded great power. Although this reward added to his title and rank, his actual power remained largely unchanged.

However, Xiang Yuan didn't care about these things; his mind was never on power in the court.

"Xiao Wuque, Deputy Chief of the Inspectorate, is loyal and diligent in serving the king, and possesses keen insight. He is hereby promoted."

"Divine Might King Li Tianwen,"

The rewards were read out one by one.

Those who received rewards included princes of the imperial family, high-ranking civil and military officials, and generals and officials who had chosen the right side during this palace coup.

The atmosphere in the square was both solemn and enthusiastic.

Some people were overjoyed, some tried to remain calm, and some gritted their teeth in secret, envying those who received the rewards.

Finally, Xie Xun finished reading most of the list of those to be awarded, and then paused.

His gaze lifted from the imperial edict, swept across the entire room, and finally landed on Jiang Ning, who was dressed in a black robe.

"Finally—the Marquis of Dongling, Jiang Ning, will be bestowed with a reward!"

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy at that moment.

Almost simultaneously, everyone's eyes were drawn to Jiang Ning.

They all knew that the real highlight of today's awards ceremony was right at this moment.

Jiang Ning, through her merit in supporting the emperor, single-handedly turned the tide and placed the eighth prince, Ji Minghao, on the throne.

This achievement surpasses any merit gained from following the emperor.

If the reward is too lenient, it will not be enough to demonstrate their merit.

Everyone wanted to know how Ji Minghao would reward this young Marquis of Dongling.

Xie Xun took a deep breath and read aloud:

"Marquis Jiang Ning of Dongling, a man of outstanding merit and a pillar of the state. At a time of national crisis, he turned the tide, helped establish a new emperor, and his achievements are unparalleled. Therefore, he is hereby specially conferred the title of—"

He paused slightly, his voice becoming even louder:

"King of the Luo River!"

Xie Xun continued reciting without pausing:

"The four prefectures surrounding the Luo River—Luo River Prefecture, Qinghe Prefecture, Pingyang Prefecture, and Anyuan Prefecture—will all become the fiefdom of the King of Luo River. The thirty-six cities in the four prefectures will all be hereditary and perpetual, sharing prosperity and decline with the nation."

Upon hearing the last four words, many of the civil and military officials gasped in shock.

"Sharing the fate of the nation" means that as long as the Great Xia Dynasty exists, the four prefectures surrounding the Luo River will be used by Jiangning and his direct descendants.

Hereditary succession, lasting forever, sharing the fate of the nation.

Taken together, they are no different from a country within a country.

It spans three prefectures, four counties, and thirty-six cities!

This fiefdom exceeds the fiefdoms of most princes of the royal family, and is even larger than the fiefdoms of some veteran princes!

Moreover, these fiefdoms were in excellent geographical locations, backing onto the Luo River, and the entire Luo River area also belonged to their territory.

From then on, all products from the Luo River and the surrounding four prefectures and thirty-six cities were exempt from paying taxes to the imperial court. The appointment and removal of officials in the fiefdoms were also entirely decided by Jiangning, with the imperial court only making nominal records.

This level of power is almost equivalent to that of a small country within the Great Xia territory!

It is a true state within a state.

However, Xie Xun's reading was not yet finished. (End of Chapter)