Chapter 125: A Gathering of Heroes

Chapter 125: A Gathering of Heroes

"Envoys from the Great Ming Dynasty, approach!" Eunuch Li announced, his voice raspy and shrill.

A group of individuals strode forward, dressed in magnificent attire. Their wide coats were encrusted with brilliant, shimmering jewels. Though not particularly tall, their features were exceptionally refined, and each carried an imposing, heroic aura. The Great Ming Dynasty was the wealthiest of the five great nations; a single jewel on any of these envoys was worth more than a commoner could earn in ten lifetimes.

Next were the envoys from the Great Jin Dynasty. Wu Hong felt a jolt of surprise. From Lady Li, he had learned that the Great Jin lay in the bitter, frigid north. It was the oldest of the five ancient nations, possessing the deepest roots and countless masters. Wu Hong’s mother hailed from a noble family of the Great Jin, though he knew not which prestigious house she belonged to.

Two men and two women appeared, dressed in white as pristine as snow. The men were rugged and bearded—a striking contrast to their pure white garments—yet they exuded a unique, tranquil beauty amidst their wild appearance. The two women were exceptionally tall, standing taller than the average man of the Great Qian Dynasty. They were sturdy, their skin as supple and lustrous as mutton-fat jade.

After the envoys of the four great nations had paid their respects to Emperor Yang Wei, the Emperor turned to Wu Hong. "My brother, shall the third bout against the Great Han envoys proceed now?"

Before Wu Hong could reply, the two Great Han envoys, catching a signal from their stout leader, stepped forward quickly. "Your Majesty, the third bout is no longer necessary. We all know the new Prince Wuwei is peerless in martial arts! However, to add to the splendor of your coronation, our nation has dispatched another master who is currently en route and will only arrive in Great Qian tomorrow. Perhaps we might schedule the match for tomorrow instead?"

Originally, three bouts had been planned, and the Great Qian had already won two. Everyone expected the Great Han envoys to concede, but instead, they chose to delay. The onlookers found this amusing, as the Great Han envoys were right: Wu Hong’s martial arts were nearly invincible beneath the Xiantian realm, and this third bout seemed to have no suspense. Only Wu Hong caught a glimmer of confidence in the eyes of the two envoys, suggesting they were certain of their position.

Wu Hong smiled slightly. "Your Majesty, since the Great Han master has not yet arrived, let us schedule the bout for tomorrow."

"The new leader of Black Wood Cliff, Little Dongfang, pays respects to the Emperor!"
"The Chief of the Beggar Sect, Li Haoyang, pays respects to the Emperor!"
"Kunlun Sect Leader, Chen Qiao! Saintess of the Jade Maiden Sect, Wu Tenglan! Penglai Sect Leader, Hong Tianba! Qingyang Sect, Qingyang Zi! Sun-Moon Divine Sect, Wu Tian! Heavenly Fiend: Elder Guxing! Earthly Fiend: Ma Dewen, the Yama King! Medicine King Sect: Elder Medicine King, Ximen Hong! Pill King Sect: Daoist Danqing!"
Finally, the Abbot of Xiaolin Temple, Abbot Xuanbei, arrived.

These dozen or so sect leaders arrived one after another, standing in the plaza. They were followed by other famous figures of the jianghu. In short, everyone who had ever been involved with Wu Hong—and many who had not—were present. Most of these people had been harmed by the imposter Wu Hong, and today they were gathered in the imperial palace. Wu Hong recognized many of them.

These individuals, who usually commanded their own sects, dared not display any arrogance, standing respectfully in the military training grounds. Each was a formidable master, yet it was clear they had all come for Wu Hong. Only Emperor Yang Wei’s expression was stiff and unnatural. This had been his plan to use these martial artists to eliminate Wu Hong, gathering them all within the restricted confines of the imperial palace. But his plan had a fatal flaw: a single "Wuwei Token" had shattered what he deemed the perfect scheme. Now, these people had come uninvited, clearly appearing as if they had been arranged by the Emperor himself.

Eunuch Li, sensing the Emperor’s awkwardness, cleared his throat. "You are all leaders of great sects in the Great Qian Dynasty, or renowned merchants. It is a great joy that you have come to the Imperial Palace to congratulate our new Emperor! But today, I have even more joyous news to share."

The sect leaders grew nervous. They had been summoned by Emperor Yang Wei to eliminate Wu Hong and feared Eunuch Li was about to issue that order. However, Wu Hong’s internal energy had progressed significantly, and his appearance had changed. He was no longer the sallow, thin youth of the past; he now glowed with a faint, glazed radiance, looking divine, his face full and his physique well-proportioned. Even those who had seen him at Black Wood Cliff not long ago failed to recognize him immediately due to his vastly different temperament.

Wu Hong sat beside the Emperor, as equals. Only a few, such as Little Dongfang and Li Haoyang, turned pale as they realized his identity.

"Today, young Master Wu Hong, holding the Wuwei Token, assumes the title of Prince Wuwei. It is a day of celebration for all! Come forward and pay your respects!"

Eunuch Li’s words were essentially redundant, but to those present, they were like a thunderclap. The final sentence left them unable to believe their ears. Yet, this was the Imperial Palace; even as sect leaders with high martial prowess, they dared not act recklessly. With awkward expressions, they stepped forward one by one to kneel and pay respects to Emperor Yang Wei and Wu Hong. The scene was undeniably theatrical; they had been invited to purge Wu Hong, yet now they were forced to kneel to him. It was maddening, but the pressure of the situation left them no choice.

"Heavenly Fiend Organization, Elder Guxing pays respects!" As Eunuch Li shouted, a hunched old man leaning on a cane, eyes devoid of focus, walked forward with a man and a woman. Regardless of their status as sect leaders, before imperial authority, they were insignificant. No sect could challenge the throne.

Wu Hong was stunned to hear the name "Heavenly Fiend." It was one of the largest assassin organizations in the Great Qian Dynasty. Heavenly Fiend and Earthly Fiend had once been a single, massive organization that split due to internal conflict. Wu Hong had no memory of the old man, but the man and woman beside him were all too familiar.

After paying their respects to the Emperor, the three turned to bow to Wu Hong. "Wait," Wu Hong said, stepping down from the dragon throne.

Elder Guxing paused, confused. His organization had not participated in the battle at Black Wood Cliff, so he had no memory of the evolving Wu Hong. They assumed the evil Wu Hong of the jianghu and this handsome, long-haired man were not the same person.

"Are you Huang Hu? Are you Huang Ling?" Wu Hong pointed at the man and woman beside the elder. Both were shocked. Rumors held that there were two Wu Hongs—one good and one evil—but neither had any connection to the Heavenly Fiend organization. When they had entered the hall, they had looked at the Wu Hong on the throne and felt disappointed, thinking, *That is not him.* They never expected the man to leave his golden seat and call them by name.

Wu Hong bowed to the beautiful, quiet Huang Ling. "Miss Huang Ling, it has been a long time."

Huang Ling reached out to support him, shocked. *A joke? What is Wu Hong’s status now? How could a mere woman like me accept a bow from him?* She felt a surge of joy while studying him. She was overwhelmed; the man before her was tall and handsome, a far cry from the sallow servant she once knew in the Huang household. It was hard to reconcile the two men.

As she reached out, a gentle force pushed her back. Wu Hong continued his bow. "Thank you, Miss Huang Ling, for the kindness and help you showed me during my time of suffering."

"You... you really are Wu Hong?" Huang Ling stammered.

"Insolence!" Eunuch Li shouted, attempting to curry favor. "You commoner, how dare you accept such a gesture from the Prince, or address him so familiarly?"