**Chapter 118: The Emperor**
*Clap.*
Two empty sword cases tumbled to the ground at Qin Mu's feet, rolling twice before coming to rest.
Behind him, a row of scholars stood frozen in shock. Even the boy attending Daoist Lingyun had twisted his head around, his neck bent at an impossible angle, mouth agape as he stared into the hall, unable to form words.
Beyond Pure Yang Hall lay the Imperial Academy's Great Hall—many times larger than Pure Yang Hall itself. A long staircase ascended before it: nine hundred and ninety-nine steps. At the top, before the great hall, sat the Sage's Seat—the throne reserved for the Grand Preceptor of the Imperial Academy alone.
But the one seated upon that throne now was not the young Ancestor of the Heavenly Demon Cult who held the Grand Preceptor's position. Instead, a middle-aged man in yellow robes and a jade crown occupied the seat. The young Ancestor sat below him, and descending from there to the steps stood hundreds of civil and military officials and a number of Imperial Preceptors.
Below the platform, scholars from across the realm were engaged in combat.
The scholars who had reached this level were all supernatural warriors, and their trials differed from Qin Mu's. They had fought through layer upon layer of difficult tests just to arrive here.
When these scholars finally looked up from their battles and saw the yellow-robed figure on the Sage's Seat, then took in the sheer scale of the assembly before them, some were so terrified they fainted on the spot—immediately eliminated.
The man upon the Sage's Seat was none other than Emperor Yanfeng, current Son of Heaven of the State of Yankang.
The Emperor's personal visit to the Imperial Academy was not entirely unexpected. He had come many times before to observe scholars seeking to study and become his personal disciples.
The Imperial Academy, along with the secondary schools and primary schools, was Emperor Yanfeng's weapon against the deeply entrenched sects. The Academy in particular was the centerpiece—the one thing he could not neglect.
Below the platform, scholars clashed fiercely in combat. Suddenly, a tremendous boom shook the air as the rear door of Pure Yang Hall exploded inward, and a figure hurtled backward into the battlefield!
Wooden swords followed close behind, flying faster still. Their whistles cut through the air as they struck the tumbling figure—*thud thud thud*—seventy-one impacts in rapid succession, driving the body backward until it slammed against the steps, where it sprawled limply.
Below the Great Hall, silence fell. The scholars who had been fighting stood dazed, staring blankly at the figure sprawled across the stairs.
Before the Great Hall, silence reigned as well. The hundreds of officials on the steps had been startled by the commotion.
After a moment, Emperor Yanfeng spoke at a leisurely pace: "Grand Preceptor, it seems your primary school scholars put on an even livelier show than the secondary school's—even my Imperial Preceptor has been sent flying. I've grown rather interested. I'd like to watch the primary school scholars compete."
The young Ancestor smiled: "If Your Majesty wishes to watch, we can have these scholars come forward and compete here. Lingyun—get up. Don't you find this embarrassing enough?"
Daoist Lingyun scrambled to his feet, humiliated, and offered his apologies to the Emperor.
A wooden sword protruded from his chest—the seventy-second. Seventy-two consecutive wooden swords had struck the exact same spot, piercing deep into his muscle, nearly reaching his heart.
Fortunately, during his flight through the air, he had managed to unseal his other divine treasuries. With his power restored, he had avoided being killed outright by Qin Mu's attack.
But the embarrassment—before the entire Academy, before the Emperor himself, before the assembled ministers, and worse still, before foreign dignitaries.
Among the officials on the steps were several ambassadors from other nations.
Emperor Yanfeng laughed: "Imperial Preceptor, you've truly distinguished yourself—beaten to this state by a mere primary school scholar. Who was it? Bring him forward. I wish to see who dares assault a fourth-rank official of my court."
Daoist Lingyun wished the ground would swallow him whole.
The young Ancestor summoned another Imperial Preceptor, instructing him to accompany Daoist Lingyun, and smiled: "Your Majesty, Lingyun was likely careless and lost the initiative to the scholar. But this primary school student's abilities are truly remarkable—to beat Lingyun like this, even I am curious to see who has such skill."
Before Pure Yang Hall, Qin Mu turned around as though nothing had happened. Behind him, the other scholars had not yet recovered from their shock. Only the girl named Si Yunxiang was staring at him with wide eyes, and when he turned to look at her, she quickly averted her gaze, lowering her head to fidget with the hem of her clothes.
*That shyness—definitely not Grandma Si,* Qin Mu thought with confidence.
At that moment, Daoist Lingyun and another Imperial Preceptor hurried over. The attendant boy rushed to meet them: "Master—"
*Slap.*
The boy was knocked tumbling by a backhand from Daoist Lingyun. The other Imperial Preceptor frowned: "Senior Brother, there's no need to take your frustration out on a child."
Daoist Lingyun's expression was dark as he glared at Qin Mu, his fury barely contained. He said through gritted teeth: "Come with me."
The other Imperial Preceptor turned to the remaining scholars: "You come as well. The primary school examination is suspended."
The scholars snapped out of their stupor and hurried after them.
When the group arrived below the Great Hall, their hearts hammered wildly. They had never imagined so many people would be here—all the most prominent figures of the empire. The Emperor himself was among them!
Qin Mu glanced around, then composed himself, eyes focused on his nose in a meditative gaze. Wei Yong was also standing below the platform, though he had not been called to compete. When he saw Qin Mu, he wanted to wave but held back, nearly clawing at his own ears in frustration.
Emperor Yanfeng smiled: "Which one is the primary school scholar who sent my Imperial Preceptor flying? Step forward and let me have a look."
Qin Mu took one step ahead and raised his head, meeting the Emperor's gaze directly. *So this is Emperor Yanfeng, ruler of the State of Yankang?*
The Emperor looked somewhat different from what Qin Mu had imagined. He had pictured a majestic, awe-inspiring figure—stern as a god. But this Emperor Yanfeng seemed almost approachable. He wore a yellow dragon robe, a red belt inlaid with gold and jade, and his face was somewhat round, with a broad brow, a high nose bridge, and four whiskers arranged in two pairs—one pair above his upper lip, one below his lower lip.
The upper pair was longer, but both were neatly trimmed, clearly maintained with care. They gave him a distinctive air.
Emperor Yanfeng studied him curiously and smiled: "Very young! Such strength at your age—it's rare indeed. Where do you come from?"
Qin Mu bowed, about to answer with Lizhou Prefecture, but caught himself and spoke honestly: "Your humble servant comes from the Great Ruins."
The moment the words left his mouth, a young general stepped forward from the ranks of officials and bowed: "Your Majesty, please order this man's arrest! He is an outcast of the Great Ruins!"
A wave of murmurs swept through the hall.
Qin Mu looked toward the voice, his heart uneasy. The young general was none other than Qin Feiyue. The two had met on more than one occasion and had even sat chatting in an inn in Xianglong City. Qin Feiyue knew some of his secrets.
Just then, an elderly minister beside the Emperor whispered: "Your Majesty, this young man is the divine physician from Flower Street I mentioned to you."
"Flower Street's divine physician? So young?"
Emperor Yanfeng paused briefly, then laughed: "Young General Qin, step down. The boy has already said he's from the Great Ruins. Why so alarmist?"
Qin Feiyue protested: "Your Majesty, this man's background is suspicious. He has connections to the Heavenly Demon Cult. I beg Your Majesty to see clearly!"
Emperor Yanfeng's brow creased slightly: "The Heavenly Demon Cult is one of the sects under my rule—my subjects as well. If I arrest my own subjects, how am I to govern the Heavenly Demon Cult?"
Qin Feiyue pressed on: "But Your Majesty—"
Emperor Yanfeng's expression darkened. He waved his hand: "Step back. Among my court officials are elites from every sect and school. Half of them, by origin, are from demonic sects and dark paths. Young General Qin, you go too far."
Qin Feiyue had no choice but to retreat.
Emperor Yanfeng turned to Qin Mu and smiled: "All the land under heaven belongs to the King. All the people within that land are the King's subjects. My domain extends beyond the borders of Yankang. Any who come from the Great Ruins are my subjects as well. Are you a disciple of the Heavenly Demon Cult?"
Qin Mu bowed: "I am."
The Emperor laughed and looked around at the assembled officials: "The Heavenly Demon Cult has always moved like ghosts and gods—elusive and mysterious. Now even their disciples enter the Imperial Academy to study. Grand Preceptor, your contribution is immense!"
The young Ancestor bowed slightly: "It is Your Majesty's celestial fortune."
A minister at the side spoke up: "Your Majesty, this boy could be an outcast..."
"An outcast?"
Emperor Yanfeng waved it off dismissively: "An outcast abandoned by the gods? I need not abandon him. If the gods can cast away all living beings, I cannot cast away my own people. Anyone who sets foot in my territory, regardless of origin, is my subject. Where does the notion of outcasts come from?"
An elderly minister stepped forward and bowed: "But Your Majesty, sects have been staging rebellions of late. I fear the Heavenly Demon Cult may be stirring as well. If this boy is a spy..."
"These jiang sects are always dreaming up some grand scheme to frighten me."
Emperor Yanfeng looked vexed, his voice turning cold: "They claim to oppose the State Preceptor, but in truth they oppose me! They want me to shift my seat and hand the dragon throne over to their backsides. A fool's dream! In the old days, the state was a vassal to the sects—whoever became emperor was decided by the sects. They sucked the blood of the nation, sucked the blood of the common folk, and any emperor who displeased them was removed or killed. Those days are over. From now on, the sects will be vassals to the state!"
He spoke with increasing fervor, as though something deep inside had been stirred. He rose to his feet, visibly agitated: "The State Preceptor and I drive this reform precisely to end the situation where sects control the lifeline of the people and the nation. Not only do I seek to reform—I seek to revolutionize! To revolutionize these sects! To revolutionize myself! If these sects refuse to change, then they can wait for me to end them! Every resource they hold will be brought under state control. They will never again dictate terms to me! Not only must the sects change—the court must change as well. If the court doesn't change, it will eventually fall apart! You all say the State Preceptor is radical? He is not nearly as radical as I am. Everything the State Preceptor has done was at my direction! To oppose the State Preceptor is to oppose me!"
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*Note: The word "revolution" (革命, geming) is not a borrowed term. It originates from the Book of Changes (Yi Jing), written two to three thousand years ago: "Tang and Wu carried out a revolution in accordance with the mandate of heaven and in response to the will of the people."*