Poverty

Chapter 1863 Martial Arts Performance
The most important thing for Li Yanchu in cultivating the Primordial Dao Ode was to sort out his original realm. He calmed his mind and focused on cultivating in the Elegant Palace.

Time flies, and soon it was New Year's Day in the old town.

The old town was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, and there were dragon and lion dances, and even opera performances.

Li Yanchu couldn't help but wonder: "Who exactly founded this ancient land, and why is it so down-to-earth?"

Li Yanchu has left Fengya Palace and arrived in the capital. This is the first time he has left the imperial palace.

The capital was filled with joy, and people of all ages beamed with happiness.

The imperial city is predominantly inhabited by humans, but other races can be seen occasionally, and crackling sounds can be heard everywhere.

"They even have firecrackers here."

Li Yanchu was somewhat moved. Although the power of these firecrackers could easily annihilate an entire world, they were indeed firecrackers.

At this moment, he was accompanied by Fang Youqing and the other women, who were also curiously looking around.

Cuihua exclaimed happily, "If it weren't for the fact that the path here is so advanced, I would have thought I had returned to the mortal realm."

Fang Youqing nodded and said, "There is indeed a different atmosphere here. It's like an ordinary celestial dynasty."

People strolled along the street, stopping frequently to watch various performances.

No one would resort to violence during the New Year period, so the group did not encounter any provocation.

Li Yanchu exclaimed, "I never expected to feel the warmth of human life in this remote old imperial city. This place is truly different."

Everyone looked at each other and smiled.

On New Year's Eve, Li Yanchu paid his respects to Shao Hongjun and then returned to Fengya Palace.

At the New Year, the palace maids had the opportunity to be released from the palace and return home, and the guards also took turns on duty.

At this moment, the entire hall and the entire imperial palace appeared somewhat deserted.

Now, only Li Yanchu and the people from Jingjie remained in Fengya Palace. The group laughed and sang, and before they knew it, the night had passed, and they gradually returned to Jingjie.

These jubilant days continued until the eve of the grand assembly.

…………

On the eve of the grand assembly.

Gu Xiuyuan came to see Li Yanchu and said, "Your Highness, the Grand Court Assembly is coming soon. When it's time for the martial arts competition, the powerful figures from the various imperial clans will come forward to challenge you. You have only been cultivating the Primordial Dao Technique for a short time, while they all cultivate Emperor-level techniques. If you are not careful, you will be defeated. You must be careful tomorrow."

Li Yanchu nodded and said, "Thank you for your concern, Grand Tutor. I will do my best."

Gu Xiuyuan comforted him, saying, "Your Highness is exceptionally intelligent and will surely achieve great things in time. Even if you fail in this grand court assembly, there is no need to worry. It is a grand court assembly that only happens once every three thousand years. There will always be a time for you to shine."

Li Yanchu said, "Is the Grand Tutor not quite trusting me?"

Gu Xiuyuan said, "There are many emperors and imperial families in the old land, and some families from distant places have already taken spaceships to the capital. Your Highness has not been cultivating for long, so it is normal to lose. Just make sure your foundation is not damaged."

Li Yanchu nodded. Gu Xiuyuan's meaning was tactful, but he understood it.

You can't win, just don't get crippled.

However, Li Yanchu was indeed looking forward to the Grand Court Assembly and meeting the powerful figures of the Old Earth Imperial Clan.

…………

After leaving Li Yanchu's elegant palace, Gu Xiuyuan went to see Shao Hongjun.

Gu Xiuyuan said, "Your Majesty, His Highness has just begun cultivating the Primordial Dao Origin Mantra. It is impossible for him to win at the Grand Court Assembly and overpower all the heroes. Why doesn't Your Majesty wait until the Grand Court Assembly six thousand years from now, or even further into the future, and let His Highness participate?"

Shao Hongjun said, "So the Grand Tutor doesn't think highly of him and believes that I, his adopted son, am unlikely to win?"

Gu Xiuyuan said, "Your Highness is exceptionally talented and has a high level of comprehension. I even suspect that he has cultivated the Great Dao Mantra. But the more this is the case, the more I fear that Your Highness might lose his composure this time. He could soar to great heights, so why bother appearing in front of others so early?"

Gu Xiuyuan was Shao Hongjun's confidant, and the two spoke more frankly with each other.

Shao Hongjun said, "I can wait, but Jiu Tu may not be able to. If he appears in front of people too early, he may fade into obscurity, but he may also withstand the challenges from all sides and soar to great heights."

Gu Xiuyuan was deeply worried and said in a deep voice, "Those imperial clans will never allow an outsider to swagger around in the capital. They will definitely try their best to send experts to defeat him."

Gu Hongjun said calmly, "He is not an outsider; he is my adopted son."

Gu Xiuyuan's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said, "Your subject has misspoke."

Although they were like friends, there were some things that were off-limits to them.

Shao Hongjun shook his head and said, "It's not just you who thinks so, many people think so too, but I'm determined to make him gain a foothold in this imperial capital."

After a moment of silence, Gu Xiuyuan asked, "Why does His Majesty value him so highly?"

Shao Hongjun smiled and said, "Perhaps it's because I find it pleasing to the eye."

"…………" Gu Xiuyuan's lips twitched. He knew that His Majesty's answer was just a joke, but since Shao Hongjun said so, he would not ask any further questions.

……

The next day, there will be a great meeting!

This was Li Yanchu's first time attending the grand court assembly, and the magnificent scene dazzled him.

He donned ancient and noble attire and followed Shao Hongjun, completing one ancient ritual after another.

They worshipped their ancestors and the emperors of past dynasties. Li Yanchu was surprised to find that there were so many emperors in the old land, dozens of them.

A storm raged within Li Yanchu's heart.

"How could the old emperors have changed so quickly?"

Li Yanchu was greatly puzzled by this.

At this moment, many people's eyes were on Li Yanchu.

Shao Hongjun had no children, but the Shao family, as an ancient imperial family, had many talented young people.

These people were never under Shao Hongjun's control, let alone adopted as his godsons.

But today, a young man suddenly appeared and followed Shao Hongjun in such a grand ancestral worship ceremony, and even made an appearance at the grand court assembly.

Many people are already in shock. This is probably not as simple as just taking someone as an adopted son. It concerns the succession to the throne!

Li Yanchu is the Heavenly Emperor of the Jing Realm. Although his several Daoist partners have not yet given him any offspring, he knows that Shao Hongjun's actions probably have a deeper meaning.

He found it hard to believe.

He hadn't known Shao Hongjun for long. The Old Earth Emperor was of extremely high status and unfathomable strength; he wondered why Shao Hongjun valued him so much.
Not only was he adopted as a godson, but it seems there's an even deeper arrangement going on!
Li Yanchu followed Shao Hongjun, watching those incredibly powerful beings bow to him, and he couldn't help but feel as if he were in a dream.

Commander Gu Leyun of the Imperial Guards was in charge of security, leading his elite troops to garrison the outer perimeter. At this moment, he glanced at the spirited young man beside Shao Hongjun...

Even the Grand Tutor, the Imperial Preceptor, and other important officials were seated behind Li Yanchu.
Gu Leyun was also extremely surprised, thinking to himself, "Could it be that they really intend to appoint him as the crown prince?"

Upon realizing this, his grip on the spear tightened involuntarily, and the shock in his heart was indescribable.

Shao Hongjun led a group of important officials and the elders of the imperial family to worship their ancestors. After completing various rituals, it was time for the martial arts demonstration.

Li Yanchu waited below the stage.

He had changed his clothes, now in attire that was just as dignified but more suitable for martial arts performances.

Previously, she wore a purple-gold crown, a type of clothing that was elaborate and had many accessories, and was only used during sacrificial ceremonies.

At this moment, his casual attire made him appear even more refined and elegant.

Grand Tutor Gu Xiuyuan stayed by Li Yanchu's side and said softly, "There are no fixed rules for each martial arts competition. Since you want to stand out this year, you will be the first to appear on the stage and accept the challenges from experts of all races."

After Gu Xiuyuan finished speaking, he glanced at Li Yanchu's reaction.

The young man didn't seem nervous, nor did he make any grand pronouncements; he simply nodded slightly.

Whether it was a misperception or not, Gu Xiuyuan felt that the young man in front of him was extremely similar to Shao Hongjun when he was young. It wasn't that their appearances and figures were similar, but rather the air about them.

Gu Xiuyuan didn't say anything more. He had already given all the reminders and instructions he needed to. The rest of the journey was up to Li Yanchu.

Gu Xiuyuan had initially held no hope for Li Yanchu, but seeing Li Yanchu's current demeanor...
A sense of nostalgia welled up in my heart: "His Majesty was just as composed during the Grand Court Assembly back then."

Gu Xiuyuan couldn't help but smile as he recalled the events of that year.

Although His Majesty is extremely powerful now, he was calm and composed, as immovable as a mountain, when he attended the Grand Court Assembly.
But in his very first match, he was defeated and beaten badly!
Gu Xiuyuan was young at the time. Recalling how Shao Hongjun had two teeth knocked out, yet remained unfazed as he stepped off the stage, even commenting, "These people didn't hit hard enough, it's nothing serious."

Recalling how Shao Hongjun had stubbornly insisted on staying put back then, he couldn't help but smile slightly.

"He is as composed as His Majesty was back then, but I wonder if he will be defeated in the very first match, just like His Majesty."

Talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words. Since Shao Hongjun has decided to give Li Yanchu a push, Gu Xiuyuan, despite his doubts, will definitely support him wholeheartedly.

This can be seen from his meticulous instruction of Li Yanchu in the Hunyuan Dao Fu.

"He has even passed on the Primordial Dao Ode. His Majesty is really grooming him to be the successor. However, the succession to the throne still depends on strength. Can he really withstand the storms ahead if he makes his appearance so early?"

The more Gu Xiuyuan admired Li Yanchu, the more worried he became.

Gu Xiuyuan was a man of great wisdom, yet at this moment he was unusually anxious and worried.

However, no one could tell that Gu Xiuyuan, the legendary Grand Tutor of Jiutu, who could rank among the top ten Grand Tutors throughout history and was known as a pillar of the nation, was actually feeling anxious and uncertain at this moment.

If this were to become known to others, the mythical image would likely be somewhat diminished.

At this moment, Li Yanchu stepped onto the stage and began to explain the rules of the grand court assembly, causing an uproar among the crowd below.

Although the rules of the Grand Assembly are not fixed, the situation where Li Yanchu had to accept challenges from various ethnic groups right from the start has only happened three times in the entire history of the Old Land.

All three attempts ended in failure. The strongest of them only lasted until the seventh round before being defeated by experts from various races below the stage. Moreover, there weren't that many imperial races at that time.

Now, the ancient land has been ruled by several emperors, and the imperial family has a very profound foundation.

Everyone initially thought this grand court assembly would be just an ordinary one, after all, it only happens once every three thousand years, which is quite commonplace for these incredibly powerful beings.
But no one expected that there would be such a martial arts demonstration today!
The ancient land has produced dozens of emperors and dozens of imperial families throughout history. These ancient families have a long history and have now gathered in the imperial capital.

The grand court assembly and martial arts demonstration provided an opportunity for many aristocratic families to exchange ideas, and the atmosphere was not particularly tense.

But this year is different. Li Yanchu stands on the stage as Shao Hongjun, the adopted son of the current emperor, and openly accepts challenges from various ethnic groups.

Everyone sensed the unusual significance of this.

Li Yanchu stood alone on the stage, dressed in casual clothes, with a calm expression. Many people could feel the extremely low atmosphere around him.

"A storm is brewing."

"Imperial Advisor Shang Rongjun said softly."

She couldn't understand His Majesty's intentions either. Was he deliberately pushing this young man forward to attract the attention of all races and have the powerful figures of each race humiliate him?
Shang Rongjun is a meticulous person, and this is the only reason she can think of at the moment.

Although Li Yanchu fought against Shang Rongjun and Gu Leyun that day with the power enhanced by the black box, Shang Rongjun also knew that Li Yanchu's cultivation level was too low.

Although his Dao-severing divine power was formidable, even Shang Rongjun was moved by it.
However, the imperial families gathered here today all cultivate imperial-level techniques and supernatural abilities, and none of them are weak.

Even if those Dao Kings don't make a move, the powerhouses from these imperial families alone could crush Li Yanchu. It would be extremely difficult for him to even survive one of them, let alone achieve a winning streak.

At this point, even the Grand Preceptor Shang Rongjun could only conclude that His Majesty had deliberately pushed him out to attract attention and make him a target for attack.

Shang Rongjun watched coldly. She didn't think highly of Li Yanchu. He was just an outsider who had gained favor and stood too high. If he fell, he would fall even more tragically and might even die!

After Li Yan first stepped onto the stage, looking at the powerful imperial families below, his previously somewhat agitated heart suddenly calmed down.

What Gu Xiuyuan and Shang Rongjun could think of, he could naturally think of as well, but Li Yanchu didn't care.

He had received a great favor from Shao Hongjun, who treated him very well. Shao Hongjun had asked him to come to the Grand Assembly to demonstrate his martial arts skills. This reason was sufficient, and no further explanation was needed.

Li Yanchu felt an unprecedented sense of peace.

Grand Tutor Gu Xiuyuan had already told Li Yanchu about the situation of these imperial families.

Soon, turmoil broke out within an imperial clan.

A young man who looked gentle and refined suddenly stepped onto the stage. He didn't seem to have any fierce aura, but as soon as he appeared, the group of people from the imperial clans around him immediately burst into a commotion.

"It's Mo Taixu from the Mo family!"

"During the grand martial arts competition three thousand years ago, he defeated the experts from the other five families, making him the strongest among the younger generation of the Mo family. The Mo family promoted him directly, probably because they wanted to teach this Li Yanchu a lesson."

“With Mo Taixu making a move, Li Yanchu will undoubtedly lose. But wouldn’t that be a bit disrespectful to His Majesty? Being defeated in the first round doesn’t sound very good.”

The crowd began to discuss the matter.

The Mo family has many powerful figures. Below the Dao King, Mo Taixu is the number one, and his strength is undisputed.

None of the young Mo family members who came with him took to the stage; instead, Mo Taixu was sent out directly, and everyone could sense the Mo family's determination to win.

The elder of the Mo family, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, smiled.

"Since no one is willing to be the first to undermine His Majesty, then let the Mohists do it."

He was extremely dissatisfied with the reigning emperor, Shao Hongjun, and this dissatisfaction had never been hidden. At this grand court assembly, he directly revealed his discontent by sending Mo Taixu to the scene.

His gaze fell upon the emperor on the stage, but Shao Hongjun did not look at him. His face remained ashen, and no one could tell what he was thinking.

"Rumor has it that Shao Hongjun ventured into the Dao Domain alone and was severely injured. This is an opportunity."

The elder of the Mo family withdrew his gaze, suppressing the ambition in his eyes.