The chubby man seemed to enjoy the reverent gazes from those around him. With a beaming smile, he said, "No need to be so formal..."
The Dongyang Lady led the way, with the chubby man following closely behind. As they were about to enter the rear hall, the man suddenly halted. He turned around, his small eyes squeezed into slits by his fat as they swept over the crowd. In a calm tone, he asked, "Who is Qin Sang?"
In an instant, all eyes in the Sacred Palace turned towards Qin Sang.
The Dongyang Lady raised her gaze slightly.
Qin Sang, who had been feeling disappointed, thinking that the young man with the surname Han had broken his promise, quickly bowed and said, "Esteemed Immortal, I am Qin Sang."
The young man scrutinized Qin Sang for a moment before giving a soft "hmm." He pointed at Qin Sang and said, "Come see me after the coronation ceremony."
With that, he turned and walked into the rear hall.
The main hall fell silent.
Qin Sang could feel the surprise and envy in those gazes, as well as the jealousy from the eldest prince. Even the Dongyang King, who was about to ascend the throne, stared intently at Qin Sang.
Military Commander Mu approached him and whispered, "There were rumors that you saved an immortal master's life. Are they really true?"
Chief Commander Feng, who knew a bit more, added, "I remember that person was supposed to be slimmer, right?"
Qin Sang, still immersed in joy, ignored the two men. Since the young man with the surname Han had not forgotten him and even sent someone to fetch him, didn’t that mean there was a good chance his request had been granted?
After a brief silence, the palace master of the Sacred Palace softly reminded the Dongyang King, "Your Majesty, the auspicious time is slipping away."
"Oh? Oh!"
Only then did the ministers and officials in the hall snap back to reality. The Dongyang King quickly stepped forward, holding the imperial seal with utmost care, and placed it between the jade tablets, marking the beginning of the coronation ceremony.
The ceremony was elaborate and lengthy. Later, they moved outside the hall where the officials received their titles. The whole process took nearly three hours. Fortunately, the mountain breeze was mild, and the winter sun was pleasantly warm, making it bearable.
In the end, the Dongyang King ascended the throne and named the era Wude[1].
Qin Sang was conferred the title of defender general[2] and marquis of Jiangzhou.
But how could Qin Sang be willing to give up now?
Qin Sang didn’t know if the Netherworld Scripture corresponded to the stages of the Qi Refining Realm, but he had reached the fifth stage in just five years. This pace shouldn’t be considered slow, right?
Doesn't this indicate that my talent isn't bad?
"Esteemed Immortal, I’ve made my decision," Qin Sang said solemnly, "Please test my spiritual root."
The chubby young man had long been annoyed with Qin Sang and, upon hearing this, snorted. "Do you think the path to immortality is so easily attained? I see you’re determined to crash into the wall. Fine, extend your hand."
Qin Sang nervously extended his hand, fearing that his talent might not be sufficient and that the chubby young man might discover his cultivation of demonic arts.
Unexpectedly, while Qin Sang was still secretly worrying, he suddenly heard the chubby young man coldly declare, "You have no spiritual root, and are not destined for the path of immortality. You can go back now."
Qin Sang froze. He had thought that testing for a spiritual root would involve some sort of mystical method.
But the chubby young man had merely placed his hand on Qin Sang’s arm for a moment before quickly withdrawing it, concluding that Qin Sang had no spiritual root.
"Impossible!"
Qin Sang exclaimed in shock. How could I have cultivated the Netherworld Scripture, developed spiritual power, and controlled the Purple Soul Bell and Ice Silkworm Armor without a spiritual root?
"What do you mean, impossible?"
The chubby young man shouted angrily, "I’ve already warned you—those with spiritual roots are one in ten thousand. Even among cultivation families, those with spiritual roots are rare. No spiritual root means no spiritual root! Stop making a scene here!"
Qin Sang’s eyes grew cold. He didn’t know how he had offended this Immortal, but it seemed the man had taken a strong dislike to him.
Seeing the chubby young man turn to leave, pushing the door open, Qin Sang quickly stepped forward and blocked his way. "I demand to see Immortal Master Han!"
1. Chinese era names, also known as reign mottos, were titles used by various Chinese dynasties and regimes in Imperial China for the purpose of year identification and numbering. ☜
2. This is an imperial official rank, also known as general of first rank ☜