The one across from him, being a favored son of Heaven endowed with fortune, truly seemed to embody the notion that "miracles always accompany me."
Yun Shu reflected in some emotion.
Lanling City, Imperial Palace.
Inside the Imperial Study Room, the Emperor was reading the reports from Ming Province, his face growing ever darker.
Sending the Emperor’s Dragon Qi long-distance to aid Yun Shu in Ming Province had caused immense depletion of the nation’s fortune!
Moreover, with Qingxu True Monarch slaying over nine hundred thousand people in Ming Province, and more than a dozen cities burnt to a crisp, the nation’s fortune had once again been impaired.
And not just that, there was considerable damage to the economy and public morale!
Then there was the loss of military forces.
All the Righteous Courts in the four prefecture cities and fourteen ordinary cities of Ming Province had rebelled, and the Imperial Camp Army was entirely under control.
The City Guard Armies, Zhi Ge Courts, and Inspection Bureaus across the regions had all suffered severe casualties!
"Cough, cough, cough, cough—"
The Emperor suddenly started coughing violently, his complexion pallid.
The eunuch guarding outside hurried into the Imperial Study Room, "This servant will immediately summon the royal physician!"
The Emperor gestured with his hand, signaling the eunuch to leave.
"Your Majesty, please take care of your Dragon Body!"
The on-duty eunuch said tearfully.
The Emperor glanced at him, "I’m fine."
Once the on-duty eunuch had stepped down, the Emperor set down the report in his hands and closed his eyes wearily.
Eighteen years ago, the Western Seven Countries Alliance invaded the Da Lan Dynasty, inflicting tremendous losses on it.
After eighteen years of recuperation and a sweeping reform, this once-decayed empire had been reborn, barely making up for the loss of national fortune from that war.
Now, in one night, everything was ruined!
The Emperor sat silently for a while before picking up the report again.
Upon reading it to the end, his expression somewhat relaxed.
The last part of this report was a message from Yun Shu, who had specifically mentioned Li Fei:
Defending Chong City, wielding the Emperor’s Dragon Qi to overcome the incoming Imperial Camp Cavalry, seriously wounding Qing Yu True Master.
After reading this content, the Emperor thought back to the divination Yun Shu had once performed for Li Fei:
"Safety and peril are interchangeable, calamity and fortune coexist."
Taken literally, the phrase means "safety and danger, fortune and calamity can transform into each other."
And with the vision of an Emperor, he also had his own interpretation:
A favored son of Heaven like Li Fei could be beneficial to the nation or become its disaster—the key was in how he was managed.
Looking at it now, his decision to send Li Fei to investigate the case of the stolen Lifespan Extension Pill was wise, making Li Fei truly beneficial to the country!
The Emperor put down the report in his hand:
The eunuch outside quickly entered the Imperial Study Room.
"Grind some ink for me."
After the eunuch prepared the paper and ink, the Emperor picked up the brush and started writing on the fine rice paper.
The brush strokes were lively and powerful, quickly finishing a piece of calligraphy.
Putting down the brush, the Emperor glanced at the writing, then left.
Sunlight streamed through the window, shining on the desk.
The paper bore eight grand characters:
"All under heaven’s talents join my ranks."
Rumors of Qingxu True Monarch of the Daluo Sect’s rebellion had recently been a hot topic among the people.
There were various rumors on the World, but when it came to the exact details, like the number of deaths in Ming Province and the intricacies of the rebellion, not a single piece of news came out.
Or rather, only the real upper class could know some of the inside information.
Those nine hundred thousand deaths and the cities that had burned were not reported in the news, there were no official announcements, and even their relatives were not allowed to spread the word.
The death of more than nine hundred thousand people should have been like a mountain cast into a lake, raising towering waves!
However, under the strong suppression of the court, this incident did not cause much stir outside of Ming Province.
People’s attention was diverted more to other matters:
"Li Fei fights against the Imperial Camp Cavalry alone!"
"Li Fei annihilates the ’Twelve Xiao’!"
"Li Fei repels a contemporary True Master!"
Li Fei’s achievements in this incident, apart from that one battle using the Emperor’s Dragon Qi, were spread far and wide across the great rivers and southern lands.
Every major newspaper competed to report about it!
After the previous Martial Arts exchange competition, this person, already known nationwide, has become first in history.
Now, with the court’s deliberate campaigning, the name Li Fei had truly become a new legend!
November 3rd, Lanling City.
Suzaku Street, "Under Heaven" Tavern.
This tavern was opened by the Da Lan Dynasty’s leading intelligence organization, "Under Heaven."
On the stone stele outside embossed with "All under heaven’s great figures emerge from our midst" was posted the "Fengyun Leaderboard."
That morning, two waiters from the tavern stepped out of the door, approached the stele, and began to tear off the old list.
This act quickly drew a crowd!
Because this meant that the "Fengyun Leaderboard" was being updated.
Compared to those Martial Arts Masters, True Masters, and Great Grandmasters who seemed to exist in the heavens, those at the Tao Foundation Stage were the great figures closest to the World, figures many could witness, or even interact with.
So, the "Fengyun Leaderboard" always had a high level of interest.
As soon as the list was updated, it would spread to all twenty-three provinces in the country at the first opportunity.
Shortly after, the two tavern waiters finished posting the new list on the stele.
The crowd jostled, each eager to catch a glimpse of the new list.
Meanwhile, at the top floor of the "Under Heaven" Tavern, in the most luxurious guest room,
a refined and dashing young master was also looking at a list.
He had received the latest list much earlier than those gathered around the stone stele downstairs.
Although "Under Heaven" had a rule that before the list was posted publicly, it would absolutely not be disclosed.