The Human Emperor

“Lord Huang, this location is prepared for those interested in the saber. If you aren’t here to bid for the saber, please leave the premises now. Also, even if Lord Huang intends to bid for it…”

Li Lin glanced at the metal token in Huang Xiaotian’s hand with a deep glance, as though mocking him, and said:

“…you should change your token first. This kind of metal token that can be bought with ten gold taels… only qualifies one to stand at the very back!”

At which, Li Lin gestured to the very back of the hall.

Boom!

Hearing those words, the crowd immediately burst into laughter. If Huang Xiaotian succeeded, everyone would admire him for his righteousness. However, since he failed, it meant that there was nothing wrong with the weapons that Chong gongzi forged.

The nature of the event was completely different then.

There were quite a few among the crowd who had been displeased with Huang Xiaotian from the very start. Upon seeing him make a fool out of himself, how could they miss this ideal opportunity to mock him?

“You! ——”

Glaring furiously at Li Lin, who was standing behind the black metal table, his face flushed in rage. It had been long since he made his name in the Imperial Army, and he possessed deep qualifications to match his standing. There was no one who didn’t greet him respectfully upon seeing him.

Yet, to be mocked before such a large crowd, how could he tolerate such humiliation?

Huang Xiaotian was about to lash out, but Li Lin didn’t give him the chance to.

“Everyone, I believe that you all have witnessed the quality of the Death’s Abyss for yourself. The longer the weapon, the easier it breaks. However, the weapon my nephew forged broke this convention! Let’s resume the bidding now. The previous bid is 190,000 taels, is there anyone who wishes to raise the bid?”

Li Lin turned his gaze from Huang Xiaotian to the crowd below.

“Me! Me! Me! I offer 200,000!”

“Tsk, what does 200,000 taels count as? I offer 220,000!”

“230,000!”

…

Huang Xiaotian’s two Adamantine Storm Fingers had flicked out the enthusiasm in the crowd. The quality of this saber was simply way too high! Not only was it sharp enough to cut through metal as though mud, it was even able to remain undamaged from the two flicks of Huang Xiaotian’s Adamantine Storm Finger. Just by these itself, this saber was definitely one of the best, if not the best, in the world!

“240,000!”

This time, the voice came from behind. Taken aback, Li Lin realized that it came from the Imperial Army commander seated on Zhao Fengchen’s right. He was staring at the Death’s Abyss in Li Lin’s hands with an exceedingly passionate gaze.

“Why, Lord Li, can’t we participate in this auction?”

The Imperial Army commander who goes by the surname of Zhou asked.

“Of course! Of course you can!”

Li Lin smiled brightly in agitation. Why would he say no? This was what he wanted!

“240,000, is there any higher bidder?”

“250,000!”

This time, it was the commander by Zhao Fengchen’s left. The passion in his gaze didn’t lose out to the other.

Initially, he had no intentions of participating in this auction. However, Huang Xiaotian’s Adamantine Storm Finger… That was a legend of the Imperial Army! Any weapon that was capable of withstanding two flicks from him was worth collecting!

An incomparably sharp weapon possessing outstanding aesthetics and capable of withstanding the Adamantine Storm Finger… He didn’t feel that it was a loss even if he were to buy it at 250,000 taels.

“251,000!”

“260,000!”

This time, even Zhao Fengchen joined in as well. He upped the bid with a highly interested look. He could tell that the saber Wang Chong crafted was extraordinary, and it was very different from the sword he had bought from him previously.

Zhao Fengchen wanted it sorely. Even if he didn’t use it, it would be worth collecting!

Zhao Fengchen possessed a good eye for weapons. In his view, the value of this saber would only grow higher in the future.

Objects were often priced on their rarity, and this kind of exclusive collectible was very different from the mass produced weapons in the market.

“Bastard!”

Huang Xiaotian stood there awkwardly. It would be humiliating for him to stay, even more so if he were to leave, leaving him in a difficult position. In an instant, his face became as dark as the bottom of a pot.

At this moment, no one’s attention was on him anymore. Everyone’s energy had been devoted to the auction. Furthermore, what that infuriated Huang Xiaotian further was that these people weren’t intentionally disregarding him, they were truly uninterested in him.

The saber had stolen all of their consciousness.

“300,000! ——”

Boom! Just when everyone was vying over the saber in agitation, a lightning-like voice abruptly sounded from the door.

The voice contained immense strength, and even the tiles on the ceiling jolted before it. Inexplicable deep deference was induced in the crowd upon hearing that voice.

Hu!

A black mantle danced in the air, and an imposing and majestic figure suddenly appeared at the entrance. The aura he exuded felt so powerful that it seemed that it was capable of tearing apart the heavens, and it was as if one was staring at a humongous mountain or ocean.

Before this majestic and domineering aura, everyone felt as insignificant as an ant.

“Gra-Grand Marshal!

An Imperial Army commander stuttered. His eyeballs were about to pop out from its sockets from shock.

Hua!

The room abruptly descended into chaos. The crowd which was still fighting to bid over the weapon suddenly trembled in fear, and one by one, they began kneeling down.

And this wasn’t just limited to the crowd. Shocked, Zhao Fengchen hurriedly got up from his seat and kneeled on the ground as well.

Li Lin, as well as the other Imperial Army commanders, hurriedly got to the ground fearfully too, not daring to move at all. In an instant, the massive palace turned completely silent and still.

“Gr-Gr… Grand Marshal!”

At this moment, the only one left standing was Huang Xiaotian. He stood there blankly, his mind falling into turmoil.

Everyone knew that there were three most powerful figures in the Imperial Army, and they were the three Grand Marshals.

And the person before them was one of the three.

Because of his deep qualifications, Huang Xiaotian acted domineering, disregarding everyone else, including Zhao Fengchen and Li Lin.

However, before the three true heads of the Imperial Army, he meant nothing at all.

Zhao Fengchen’s group had privately made use of a palace to conduct an auction, and discovered by the Grand Marshal, they ought to be heavily punished, so this matter should be beneficial to Huang Xiaotian. However, Huang Xiaotian clearly remembered that the Grand Marshal had just…

Huang Xiaotian’s head seemed to have stalled.

Da! Da! Da!

That mountain-like figure walked over with large strides, slowly approaching him. Just as Huang Xiaotian was filled with utmost expectations, that figure walked past him, as though he was invisible.

In an instant, Huang Xiaotian’s face turned ghastly pale.

“Your name is Li Lin?”

That mountain-like figure stopped right before Li Lin. Lowering his head, he smiled slightly, completely different from how he treated Huang Xiaotian.

“Yes, your humble subordinate is Li Lin!”

Unable to see the expression on the Grand Marshal’s face, Li Lin’s heart beat furiously.

“I have been looking for a suitable saber, but it had eluded me throughout the years! This saber, I like it a lot!”

As that imposing, grand, and domineering voice sounded, a hand stretched over and touched the body of the saber. A crisp and pleasant buzz sounded.

“However, it is a pity that the inscription on it is too weak. It is completely unworthy of a pinnacle sword like this. However, it doesn’t matter. I can find another to inscribe on it once more!”

The Grand Marshal muttered as he swung the saber. He seemed to be extremely fond of it.

With his face directed toward the floor, Li Lin was taken aback for a moment before he suddenly recalled a matter. Indeed! There was a saber expert among the three Grand Marshals.

Even though it was a well-known fact, bizarrely, almost no one had seen him wielding a saber.

In the past, Li Lin didn’t pay much attention to it, and he didn’t give it any thoughts either. However, from the looks of it now, it seemed like the reason for it was because of the other party’s lack of saber. Or rather, he wasn’t able to find a saber to his liking.

Since that was the case…

“Lord, Li Lin is willing to offer this saber to the Grand Marshal without any compensation!”

Without any hesitation, Li Lin immediately spoke resolutely. Three hundred thousand gold taels was a huge sum, but the favor of this Grand Marshal was worth a lot more than that to him and Lord Zhao Fengchen.

With this lord covering them, no one would dare to harm them in the Imperial Army in the future. No one would dare to hinder their development!

A matter such as that with Huang Xiaotian today would never happen again!

Buying the favor of an Imperial Army Grand Marshal with three hundred thousand gold taels was a hard-to-come-by opportunity. Li Lin knew that if Wang Chong knew of it, he would surely support him.

The moment Li Lin’s voice sounded, Huang Xiaotian’s face immediately turned pitch-black.

However, the reaction of the Grand Marshal was out of Li Lin’s expectations.

“There’s no need for it! Three hundred thousand gold taels, that’ll be it! There’s no need to speak any further!”

The Grand Marshal spoke resolutely, leaving no grounds for negotiations.

“Three hundred thousand gold taels, I’ll have my men send it over to you later. Your name is Li Lin, right? I’ll remember it… I like your saber a lot!”

Taking the saber from the table, the Grand Marshal turned around and left. His black mantle danced in the air, and in just a few moments, he disappeared amidst the shadows of the night.

Even though the other party had taken away the Death’s Abyss straight, no one thought that a Grand Marshal would go against his words. In the Imperial Army, the words of a Grand Marshal was worth gold.

Li Lin and Zhao Fengchen stood up from the floor, and they glanced at one another. Slowly, a slight smile appeared in their eyes.

When they looked around once more, Huang Xiaotian had already disappeared.

However, they knew that the fellow wouldn’t dare to act arrogantly before them anymore. That was the Grand Marshal of the Imperial Army! …Wang Chong had truly done them a great favor this time!

…

After leaving the Death’s Abyss in the hands of his uncle, Wang Chong spent his days looking for the Demonic Emperor Old Man while visiting the Ghost Tree District to make his move.

There was no news on the Demonic Emperor Old Man at all, and Wang Chong had no idea where to look either. Thus, there was no progress on the matter at all.

On the other hand, atop the golden chessboard in Ghost Tree District, Wang Chong’s advantage in the fight between the two armies was growing greater and greater, and he had already forced his opponent up the corner.

Today, Wang Chong arrived at Ghost Tree District, intending to make his move as he did on any other day, when he suddenly noticed a white-haired elder standing before the golden chessboard.

This white-haired elder had a thin build, and he was dressed in a simple black shirt. With his back facing the Chinese scholar tree, he kneeled on the floor with a white stone in his hand as he stared at the chessboard in a daze.

Ssss!

Upon seeing this sight, Wang Chong took in a deep breath of air. At that moment, it felt as though the blood in his body froze, and massive shock tremored his soul.

“Su Zhengchen!”

Wang Chong’s head buzzed furiously, and for an instant, it seemed as though the entire world had darkened. All that was left in it was that ordinary-looking white-haired elder before the giant tree.After nearly two months, Wang Chong had finally met the elder who he respected the most and desired strongly to meet, the war god of Great Tang: