Chapter 77: An Audience with His Majesty
Epang Palace.
Fan Li and Princess Changle lay unconscious, enveloped in a cocoon of azure light.
Their expressions were serene, like unborn children peacefully slumbering in the womb.
The palace itself was vast; its interior spacious enough for galloping horses.
Two rows of crimson-gilded columns stood like pillars of heaven, supporting the lofty dome.
The imperial mausoleum and celestial palace exuded an extraordinary aura, yet there was no one to appreciate its grandeur.
“It hurts…!”
Fan Li, after what felt like an eternity, finally managed to awaken.
He became aware of his bizarre predicament and tried to break free from the green glow. With just a slight struggle, he felt excruciating pain as if every bone in his body had been shattered!
“I… I was ambushed by the Lord of Golden Virtue. Did Qingqiu and Changle save me?”
Fan Li struggled to recall the events that had transpired. Alongside his anger toward his assailant, he was also rather astonished.
At this moment, Princess Changle remained unconscious, lying within Fan Li’s embrace.
The sleeping princess had lost some of the sharpness she usually possessed; a trace of blood stained her lips, and her beautiful face was marred as though scratched, evoking pity.
“Was it for me…?”
Fan Li wasn’t certain whether the Lord of Golden Virtue’s attack had simply been too wide-reaching, causing Changle to be caught in the crossfire, or if she had sacrificed herself to shield him from most of the harm.
“Regardless, I owe you a debt for surviving the Lord of Golden Virtue’s assault.”
Fan Li silently repeated these words in his heart, when suddenly he sensed another presence moving within the palace.
It was the desiccated corpse of Zhao Gao!
Like a restless spirit, it wandered aimlessly through the palace, carrying the Imperial Sword of Qin.
Every so often, as it passed by Fan Li, Zhao Gao would swing the sword to strike.
Yet it could not unleash the sword’s divine power; it wielded it like any ordinary weapon, utterly incapable of breaching the shield.
“I am safe within the azure light, but sooner or later I must emerge…”
Lost in his thoughts, Fan Li felt his wounds gradually beginning to heal.
After about half an hour, his right hand could already bend and clench into a fist.
“Even if I recover, how will I escape?” Fan Li lamented inwardly.
Not to mention the corpse of Zhao Gao—even the Twelve Golden Men could crush him without effort.
Princess Changle’s injuries were clearly even more severe than Fan Li had imagined.
A few hours later, Fan Li’s bones had healed, but the princess remained unconscious.
Her stunningly beautiful face, which could enchant the masses, was still ghastly pale and devoid of color.
“Your Majesty, your humble servant admits his wrongs, please forgive me…”
Somehow, the desiccated corpse of Zhao Gao began to cry aloud.
Naturally, it shed not a single tear, but its voice was filled with emotion.
Zhao Gao even knelt before the empty throne atop the imperial steps, kowtowing fervently.
“Forgiveness?”
Fan Li was puzzled. Why, with Twelve Golden Men guarding the Mausoleum of Qin, would they also keep a living corpse like Zhao Gao?
Was Zhao Gao’s plea for mercy an indication that his guardianship was punishment?
---
Fan Li noticed that in the four corners of the palace, the Twelve Golden Men stood scattered, like imperial guards.
“Hm…”
Pressed beneath the princess for so long, Fan Li’s body was somewhat numb.
Just as he tried to stretch himself a little, something fell from his clothes.
It was the Imperial Seal!
Carelessly, Fan Li’s Imperial Seal slipped out and fell, actually piercing through the azure barrier!
With a pop, the shield burst like a soap bubble!
Fan Li was startled!
He could only endure the pain and hold Princess Changle close, both tumbling to the ground!
“How could Qingqiu’s secret arts be so easily broken?”
“Am I fated to die here today?!”
Fan Li’s cultivation was still shallow, and his knowledge limited.
Such a powerful barrier, like that of the Lord of Qingqiu, could easily block even the likes of Golden Virtue.
But as the proverb goes, when the moon is full, it wanes; the stronger something is externally, the more vulnerable it is internally.
Though Fan Li’s abilities were modest, his Imperial Seal was truly the treasure of the Son of Heaven.
A mere gentle collision was enough to breach Qingqiu’s barrier from within.
Fan Li and Princess Changle fell to the ground, immediately drawing Zhao Gao’s attention!
“Assassins! Protect the emperor!”
The corpse of Zhao Gao seemed to possess some degree of intelligence, though its memory was extremely poor.
He had no recollection of Fan Li or Princess Changle, as if meeting them for the first time.
Yet the Twelve Golden Men were highly obedient to Zhao Gao’s commands, instantly charging from the four corners of the palace toward Fan Li!
A murderous aura swept through Epang Palace.
“It’s over?!”
Fan Li smiled bitterly, resigned to die here.
In the final moment, all he could do was adjust himself slightly, symbolically shielding Princess Changle with his own body.
“Ah?!”
“Your humble servant Zhao Gao greets Your Majesty! Long live the emperor, long live, long live!”
Suddenly, Zhao Gao knelt before Fan Li, holding something in his hands!
The Twelve Golden Men had already reached Fan Li, but as if sensing something, they immediately halted!
The twelve statues, like Zhao Gao, knelt before Fan Li as well.
“What is happening?”
Fan Li was bewildered by the scene before him.
“Zhao Gao is holding… my Imperial Seal?”
His mind raced, and he quickly grasped the situation.
He deliberately adopted a stern expression and asked in a deep voice, “Who are you, and why are you holding my Imperial Seal?”
---
On hearing this, Zhao Gao knelt even lower.
“Your Majesty, you must be the sovereign of Qin. Your humble servant Zhao Gao is the guardian of the celestial palace.”
Fan Li dared not approach Zhao Gao recklessly.
He continued in a grave tone, “I have not revealed my identity. What makes you certain I am the ruler of Qin?”
“Mandated by heaven, may your reign endure forever!”
Zhao Gao’s voice trembled with emotion.
“The eight characters inscribed on the Imperial Seal—I could never mistake them.”
“Your Majesty, you possess the imperial destiny and bear the Imperial Seal of Qin. You are undoubtedly the true dragon emperor of our realm!”
“Your guilty servant Zhao Gao bows once more: Long live the emperor, long live, long live!”
Fan Li finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At least, for now, he was safe.
Unexpectedly, the item granted by the system was so similar to the Imperial Seal of ancient Qin—it was truly a stroke of luck.
Looking at the kneeling Zhao Gao, Fan Li felt somewhat reassured, yet could not afford to be careless.
He desperately needed an ally.
“Zhao Gao, do you have any means to heal her injuries?”
Reviving Princess Changle was Fan Li’s immediate concern.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Gao cautiously edged forward, his demeanor even more humble, as though fearful of offending Fan Li.
From a few meters away, Zhao Gao examined Princess Changle for a while.
“Ah, it is the empress.”
Empress?
Fan Li was puzzled—what made Zhao Gao so certain of Changle’s identity?
But now was not the time to inquire; his only wish was to revive her quickly.
“Rest assured, Your Majesty. Within the celestial palace are many spiritual medicines; Her Majesty will not be in serious danger.”
Fan Li looked around.
Within the main hall of Epang Palace, apart from the imperial columns and the dragon throne, it was utterly empty.
Could the spiritual medicines be stored in the side chambers?
Had he destroyed them during his previous demolition?
Fan Li was still lost in thought when Zhao Gao spoke again.
“May Your Majesty proceed to the celestial palace?”
“To the celestial palace? Isn’t this place it?” Fan Li wondered aloud.
Zhao Gao shook his head.
“The Mausoleum of Qin was built thirty-six levels underground.”
“Your humble servant is tasked with guarding the tomb. This is merely the entrance to the celestial palace.”