Chapter 0185: Tian Qin Grand Hall

Chapter 0185: Tian Qin Grand Hall

If Xiao Yuemei weren't appearing together with Qin Yun, people would assume she had been rescued by Xiao Xuanqin using the Soul Shaker Powder. Therefore, she knew her presence would only complicate matters.

Qin Long urged, "You two should leave the secret passage first. I need to remain here a bit longer!"

Qin Yun had many things he wanted to discuss with his father, but now wasn't the time. He could only leave the secret passage with Xiao Yuemei for now.

Late at night, the Hall of Runes was eerily quiet.

Xie Wufeng and the others had left the Hall of Runes. They had returned with their elders or teachers to stay in the Imperial Palace, preparing to attend the engagement ceremony.

Only Duan Qian remained in the Hall of Runes. Seeing Qin Yun return with Xiao Yuemei, he was greatly surprised.

Duan Qian promptly arranged for Xiao Yuemei to be accommodated in the most secretive level of the Hall of Runes, putting Qin Yun at ease.

Despite his curiosity about how Qin Yun had rescued Xiao Yuemei, Duan Qian refrained from asking.

Xiao Yuemei, who had recently endured frequent torture, now rested peacefully and fell into a deep sleep.

Qin Yun and Duan Qian were in a hidden chamber.

"Uncle Duan, who are the attendees of the engagement ceremony?" Qin Yun asked, concerned that if powerful individuals were present, Qin Long might not be able to handle them.

Duan Qian said, "Among those attending, the Blue Spirit Star Palace is likely the strongest. A few individuals from the Martial Dao realm will be present. They are also expected to discuss matters related to the Cloud Dragon Mountains."

"The emperors of Tian Qi and Tian Xiao are already at the Tian Qin Imperial Palace. Most of the major clans from the three empires are still in the Imperial City and will enter the palace over the next two days."

Seeing Qin Yun's worried expression, Duan Qian smiled slightly. "Don't worry; Elder Zhuochuan is also there. Last time, when he learned that you died in the Tian Qi forbidden land, he was upset for quite a while! So, he will definitely help you this time!"

His expression suddenly turned cold as he said, "At the last auction, the sale of Soul Shaker Powder almost caused us trouble. It must have been the doing of Blue Spirit West Palace. We will settle this score with them."

"You should rest first! When you're ready, go to the Imperial Palace to attend the engagement ceremony. With our strong support, you won't be harmed."

Qin Yun nodded and returned to his suite.

After returning, as he soaked in the bath, recalling what had happened in the palace, his emotions stirred.

"Father is back!" Qin Yun closed his eyes, feeling a sense of security.

The emperor of Tian Qin, who was thought to be seriously ill, had finally appeared and even stepped into the Martial Dao realm.

After closing his eyes, Qin Yun quickly reopened them, remembering the dragon-shaped scar on his father's right cheek.

"How did Father get that scar on his face? Could it be..." A sudden realization struck him, and he glanced at the Heavenly Lion totem tattoo on his left arm.

"Could the scar on Father's face be from the dragon totem?" Qin Yun sat in the bath, wide-eyed, filled with shock.

After the initial surprise, he felt secretly happy. If this was true, then his father's strength would undoubtedly be formidable.

...

The next morning, Qin Yun awoke from the bath, his injuries nearly healed.

In the secret passage, the powerful inner energy of Ye Changchao had peeled off a layer of skin from his back, but fortunately, it wasn't too severe and had healed overnight.

"The giant spirit soul of the Empress of Heavenly Roar can be refined into the Giant Spirit King Hammer! As for Ye Changchao's Purple Gold Thunder Soul... I'm not sure how to use it yet. If Grandma Qiao were here, she might help me refine the Purple Gold Thunder Soul into the Heavenly Lion arm."

It’s not easy to obtain a good martial soul, as those who possess them are usually of high status and great power, and do not perish easily.

Over the past few days, the martial souls Qin Yun obtained were mostly high-level ones!

Of course, if his actions were discovered by the public, he would certainly be viewed as a demon.

In the secret chamber, Qin Yun carefully infused the White Gold Giant Spirit Soul into the mid-grade Giant Spirit King Hammer.

There is a technique in soul-refining arts that allows the fusion of a martial soul into a weapon. Once mastered, it becomes quite easy to execute.

Fortunately, this Giant Spirit King Hammer was forged from top-grade spirit iron. Otherwise, it would not have been able to withstand the White Gold Giant Spirit Soul.

Holding the Giant Spirit King Hammer tightly, he activated the Giant Spirit Soul inside, feeling elated.

Originally, including the handle, the entire hammer was less than half a meter long. After growing larger, the handle became over a meter long, and the hammerhead massive, weighing more than 5,000 jin.

"This is the real Giant Spirit King Hammer!" Elated, he walked out of the secret chamber, left his suite, and headed to the floor where Duan Qian was.

Duan Qian opened the door, saw Qin Yun, and said, "I was just about to find you—this news might be a huge blow, so brace yourself."

"What is it?" Qin Yun frowned and walked into a hall.

After closing the door, Duan Qian sighed softly, "News from the Imperial Palace says that Qin Long passed away years ago due to internal injuries from a martial arts mishap! The announcement is made today so that Crown Prince Qin Zhengfeng can ascend the throne right after the engagement ceremony!"

Qin Yun fell into deep thought, certain that Empress Ye and the others knew Xiao Yuemei had been rescued. The whereabouts of Heavenly Roar Empress and Ye Changchao, both martial arts experts, were unknown, so this decision must have been made hastily.

Seeing Qin Yun silently pondering, Duan Qian spoke in a low voice, "Qin Zhengfeng has the support of Blue Spirit South Palace and is preparing to marry Xiao Yuelan. Therefore, the various factions in the Tian Qin Empire recognize him as their young emperor."

"No matter what, I will be there!" Qin Yun replied calmly, which surprised Duan Qian a little.

Qin Yun knew clearly that his father was still alive and well, hidden in the secret passage of the Tian Qin Imperial Palace.

...

In Tian Qin Imperial City, various hotels and teahouses bustled with activity. Everyone was waiting for the latest news.

This was a rare major event. The Imperial Palace was filled with powerful experts. If something significant were to happen inside, they would know immediately.

For instance, today, news of the Tian Qin Emperor’s long-ago death spread, shocking the entire city.

Those gathered in the city felt regretful that Qin Yun had died in the Tian Qi forbidden land and could not attend this grand engagement ceremony. Otherwise, there would definitely have been a big spectacle to watch.

While they couldn’t witness it in the palace, getting the fastest news here was also quite satisfying.

Two days passed, and the engagement banquet for Xiao Yuelan and Qin Zhengfeng was finally about to begin.

Early in the morning, in teahouses, hotels, and inns, people were drinking and eating, waiting for news from the Imperial Palace.

Many speculated that something unexpected might happen during the engagement banquet. First, Xiao Yuelan did not want to marry. For this reason, the Tian Xiao Empire had captured Xiao Yuemei to coerce her.

Furthermore, Xiao Yuelan possessed the secret of the Burial Immortal Diagram and was a Purple Gold Dragon Martial Soul with an eighth-stage martial body cultivation level. She surpassed Qin Zhengfeng in every aspect.

Therefore, many speculated that others who wished to marry Xiao Yuelan would offer generous terms to the Tian Xiao Empire.

Tian Qin Avenue, a hundred meters wide, stretched directly from the city gate to the Imperial Palace gate. High-end shops lined both sides of the avenue.

Due to the large number of martial artists from various countries coming to spectate, these shops had to place seats on the street, leaving only a ten-meter-wide path.

Under the morning light, the entire Tian Qin Avenue seemed to be covered in a layer of faint golden glow.

The street was teeming with life. Martial artists from various lands gathered in small groups; some had met halfway, while others were with relatives and friends. They sat at tables, chatting, drinking, and talking about various topics, giving the street a festive air.

Suddenly, a silver lion shimmering with light appeared at the city gate, startling many people.

A closer look revealed that the lion was not real but made of metal. Everyone realized it was a puppet beast!

On the puppet silver lion sat a handsome and martial young man. He wore a white robe; his appearance was striking, with firm features. His skin was dark, but his eyes were sharp and bright, as clear as the cold stars in a night sky, gleaming with dazzling light.

Qin Yun, looking confident, gazed at the palace gate. The puppet silver lion beneath him roared and charged onto Tian Qin Avenue, rushing towards the palace gate.

Along both sides of Tian Qin Avenue, many martial artists were seated, and quite a few of them recognized Qin Yun's handsome face, who had matured significantly since their last encounter.

They had last seen Qin Yun during the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts Tournament.

Instantly, Tian Qin Avenue erupted in excitement!

Because Qin Yun had appeared!

"It's Qin Yun! He's not dead!"

"Is it really Qin Yun? Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Although his face has changed a bit, I remember it clearly, especially those eyes full of fighting spirit. I would never forget them!"

"Now sixteen, it's normal for him to look this way, but he died in the Tian Qi forbidden land!"

"He's riding a puppet beast? Did he craft it himself? I remember he was just a novice Runes Master!"

"The Tian Qi forbidden land holds the Soul Refinement Demon. Qin Yun was in the forbidden land for a few days before the meteor fell. Maybe he obtained the Soul Refinement Demon's soul refinement technique!"

"If that's true, then it's terrifying!"

The crowd on Tian Qin Avenue buzzed with excited chatter.

At the palace gate, Qin Yun, riding the puppet silver lion, was halted by the guards.

"I am the Fifth Prince, Qin Yun. Isn't it permissible for me to return to my own home?" Qin Yun said coldly, his icy and sharp gaze fixed on the several guards who were at the sixth level of the Martial Body realm.

The guards, who had seen Qin Yun before, were astonished and unsure whether to let him pass.

As they dispatched someone to report the situation, Qin Yun controlled the puppet silver lion and charged straight in, heading towards the central grand hall.

Qin Yun had learned from Duan Qian that around three thousand people were attending the engagement banquet.

The Tian Qin grand hall was vast, over a hundred meters in both length and width, easily accommodating all the guests.

Amidst the noisy hall, someone suddenly ran in, shouting, "Qin Yun is here, and he's alive!"

The opulent and magnificent hall fell silent in an instant!