We Agreed You’d Just Play the Divine Son, So How Did You Become the Forbidden Zone Emperor?

Chapter 19. The Blazing Heaven Purple Flame Qilin, and the Holy Emperor’s Condition!

This token was Chu Feng’s greatest source of confidence.

If anyone attempted to probe him, the token would be able to block all detection.

Just as this thought flashed through Chu Feng’s mind—

Rumble…

Suddenly, as if sensing some presence, Chu Feng abruptly looked toward the entrance of the royal hunting grounds.

It was not only Chu Feng. Consort Yu beside him, the four great princes, the many princes and princesses, and the Eastern Wasteland geniuses who had come seeking allegiance all turned their gazes in that direction.

“That is… the aura of a true dragon. It is His Majesty the Holy Emperor!”

Someone among the seats cried out in shock.

Immediately afterward, everyone saw a ferocious beast shimmering with purple-gold radiance. Its head resembled that of a true dragon, its four limbs like heaven-treading claws, and its entire body burned with purple-gold flames, as though it had emerged from purgatory after endless slaughter.

This purple-gold beast slowly advanced while pulling a magnificently resplendent palace behind it. Beside that grand palace stood a hunched old man, seemingly a servant.

With every step the beast took, the earth trembled, striking fear into the heart.

“The Blazing Heaven Purple Flame Qilin… that is His Majesty’s mount!” someone with sharp eyes exclaimed.

As the Holy Emperor of Great Chu, even his mount was extraordinary. It was a ferocious beast possessing ancient Qilin bloodline, incomparably powerful.

The Holy Emperor of Great Chu had indeed come!

At once, everyone present rose to their feet.

“Your Majesty the Holy Emperor!”

Thousands who had gathered at the royal hunting grounds spoke in reverence.

The Holy Emperor of Great Chu was supreme and unparalleled. Hundreds of years ago, he had risen into prominence, the unparalleled genius of his generation within Great Chu.

He had defeated countless prodigies of his era before ascending to the throne of Holy Emperor, his strength boundless and terrifying.

The gazes of the four great princes in their seats were complex, carrying traces of wariness and doubt.

Chu Feng looked toward the Blazing Heaven Purple Flame Qilin but did not activate his Chaos Dual Pupils.

An existence of this level was no trivial matter. Even though rumors claimed that he had failed a breakthrough while cultivating a divine art, suffered backlash, and was nearing the end of his life—

He was still not someone to be underestimated. There was no need to take the risk of probing him.

“The Holy Emperor of Great Chu…”

Chu Feng murmured inwardly. The feeling this Holy Emperor gave him was, in fact, inferior to that ancestor within the Scripture Pavilion.

Rustle!

At that moment, the curtain of the palace carriage was lifted.

A middle-aged man stepped out slowly. His face was pale as paper, his eyes dim and lifeless, his breath frail as a dying thread. He wore a dragon robe.

The instant he emerged, the hunched old man beside him hurriedly supported him, as though afraid he might collapse at any moment.

Many looked on with varied expressions.

His Majesty appeared closer and closer to death. That lifeless aura about him made it seem as though he would not survive three months.

It was as if half his body had already stepped into the Nine Netherworld, sustained only by sheer will.

Cough, cough!

The Chu Emperor walked forward unsteadily. He possessed none of the domineering aura befitting a Holy Emperor.

From time to time, he coughed, even spitting out traces of vital blood. It was a distressing sight.

Supported by the hunched old man, the Chu Emperor struggled to reach the imperial seat prepared for the Heavenly Hunt Ceremony and slowly sat down.

He looked extremely weak, like a candle flickering in the wind.

His gaze slowly swept across the arena before settling upon the geniuses who had come from all corners of the Eastern Wasteland.

These people were destined to become followers of the Great Chu Dynasty.

By longstanding custom, followers were chosen before the Heavenly Hunt Ceremony began.

Otherwise, once the results were announced, would not everyone rush to follow the champion, leaving the rest in obscurity?

The Great Chu royal clan valued balance. It was unwise to concentrate all forces upon a single individual. That would easily lead to trouble.

In previous years, when the First Prince and Second Prince had won the championship, countless geniuses had already become their followers while they were still young.

The Chu Emperor slowly opened his mouth and said in a hoarse, feeble voice:

“Before the Heavenly Hunt Ceremony begins, there is one more important matter.”

“Young geniuses, you have traveled from afar across the Eastern Wasteland to Great Chu. Now, you may choose the person you wish to follow.”

As soon as his words fell—

Among the group of sword cultivators whose bodies were wreathed in sword qi, one young man stepped forward. He was the chief disciple of this generation of Yunhai Sword Manor.

“Your Majesty, I am willing to follow the Fourth Prince,” the young man declared solemnly.

He and the Fourth Prince were both sword cultivators. They had once crossed blades outside Great Chu, and he had suffered a crushing defeat at the Fourth Prince’s hands.

The purpose of Yunhai Sword Manor’s visit was straightforward—they intended to become followers of the Fourth Prince, Chu Tianchen!

At this, Chu Tianchen merely gave a slight nod, his face betraying no great joy.

His gaze drifted, intentionally or otherwise, toward the delegation from the Great Xia Dynasty—toward Xia Zixuan.

Even when choosing followers, Chu Tianchen desired only true geniuses.

The people of Yunhai Sword Manor were decent in strength, but they could not withstand three of his moves. They were insufficient.

If someone like Xia Zixuan were to become his follower, that would truly be a fine outcome.

Next, a young genius from the Western Heaven Battle Hall stepped forward, looking at the Fifth Prince, Chu Xinghe, with reverence.

“The Western Heaven Battle Hall is willing to follow the Fifth Prince!”

“The Nangong Family is willing to follow the Ninth Princess!”

“The Myriad Beast Divine Mountain is willing to follow the Fourth Prince!”

…

The various Eastern Wasteland forces that had come—roughly several dozen geniuses in total—made their choices at this moment.

Most chose to follow the Fourth Prince, the Fifth Prince, or the Ninth Princess.

These three possessed boundless potential and had already earned resounding reputations within Great Chu.

Even throughout the Eastern Wasteland, they held a measure of fame.

Perhaps in only a few years, they would shine upon the grand stage of the Ancient Immortal World.

Like the Fourth Prince Chu Tianchen, the Fifth Prince Chu Xinghe, and the Ninth Princess Chu Mengyao—

The latter two also cast their gazes toward Xia Zixuan. Though they said nothing, their eyes spoke clearly: they too wished to take Xia Zixuan as a follower.

The atmosphere in the arena was fiery and animated.

Many whispered among themselves. These young geniuses had already begun to reveal their brilliance. Before long, they would fully step onto the grand stage of the Ancient Immortal World.

Their futures were promising.

However, while followers gathered continuously around the Fourth Prince and the others, Chu Feng’s side remained utterly deserted.

Even some collateral branches of the royal clan—various heirs and princesses—had people willing to follow them.

Yet Chu Feng, despite being the Third Prince and the son of Consort Yu, had not a single follower.

It was rather humiliating.

Consort Yu’s expression remained calm as her gaze swept over the crowd. Not a single genius was willing to follow Chu Feng.

But that was only natural. With Great Chu as their backing, why follow a powerful figure like the Fourth Prince when one could instead follow a wastrel like Chu Feng?

“Strange. Xia Zixuan of the Great Xia Dynasty has yet to choose whom she will follow!”

“This woman’s talent is astonishing. It is said she does not lose out to the top geniuses of Great Chu!”

“Hiss… I think the Fourth Prince and the others seem interested in her!”

Whispers spread among the crowd.

Among all the potential followers, Xia Zixuan was undoubtedly the most eye-catching.

Her talent was exceptional, and her status was the most noble among them.