My cultivation disguise has been exposed by Xiao Sizi.

Li Chen stood there, completely dumbfounded.

He opened his mouth, only to find himself speechless, unable to refute a single word.

He encountered an unreasonable demon emperor and a hypocritical and venomous demonic cultivator.

But he swore.

I've never seen anyone in my life who can describe "robbery" in such a refreshing and righteous way as Lao Li!

"You...you..."

After holding it in for a long time, Li Chen finally managed to utter a sentence.

"With your shamelessness, you've definitely surpassed the Nascent Soul stage and reached the Mahayana stage, haven't you?"

"How shameless! Doesn't your conscience hurt?!"

Li Shimin snorted coldly, not buying into his act at all. He turned his head away, adopting a shameless posture that said, "I just won't give it to you, what can you do about it?"

Li Chen was so angry that he was trembling all over.

He turned his head, looking pitifully at Empress Zhangsun beside him like a left-behind child who had suffered a great injustice.

"Mother!"

Li Chen pointed at Li Shimin and loudly accused him.

"Old Deng has become so shameless, he even steals his son's savings! Aren't you going to do anything about him? I can't live like this anymore!"

Empress Zhangsun looked at the two lovable father and son.

The smile on her face was like spring flowers in full bloom, incredibly gentle.

She slowly stepped forward, extended her slender, armored hand, and gently straightened Li Chen's slightly disheveled collar.

"Chen'er."

Empress Zhangsun spoke softly.

"What your father said may be a bit rough, but the reasoning behind it is sound."

"We are one family, blood is thicker than water. What's yours belongs to the Tang Dynasty, and what belongs to the Tang Dynasty is yours."

"We'll see."

Empress Zhangsun's gaze drifted, intentionally or unintentionally, to Jiang Liyue, who was standing not far away, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"Your father took your secret manual; wasn't that also for the sake of the Tang Dynasty's stability and prosperity?"

"Now that the Tang Dynasty is strong and well-equipped, isn't it the perfect time to give you a grand and glorious wedding?"

Empress Zhangsun's words were a mix of rebuttal and attack.

This completely shut Li Chen down, leaving him utterly speechless.

Even his most beloved mother has turned against him; it seems this debt is completely uncollectible.

"I was so stupid, really."

Li Chen, like a deflated balloon, walked dejectedly to a large red pillar next to the Taiji Hall.

He squatted down without any regard for his image.

Facing the corner of the wall, he picked up a small twig and began drawing circles on the ground.

His face was filled with utter despair.

While drawing circles, Li Chen muttered to himself in despair.

"If I had known that the cultivation method of the 'Immortal Forging Dynasty' was so awesome, that I could increase my cultivation level just by absorbing the fortune of my people."

"I practiced it all by myself back then!"

Li Chen was filled with remorse.

"I must have been out of my mind back then. I only thought that the Tang Dynasty was full of ordinary people without any cultivation, so they couldn't provide any luck boost."

"Just treat this peerless martial arts as an ordinary piece of junk, and stuff it into the hidden compartment to prop up the table legs."

"I never expected this."

"In just over a year, the Tang Dynasty has actually absorbed so many hidden cultivation forces! Its fortune has skyrocketed to such an abnormal level!"

"Oh no! I've lost out big time! I regret it so much!"

Li Chen squatted in the corner, beating his chest and stamping his feet. His desperate appearance caused the surrounding palace maids and eunuchs to cover their mouths and chuckle.

Listening to Li Chen's muttering in the corner.

Li Shimin had just won a great victory and gained a huge advantage.

His lips curled up into a wild smile once again.

He walked slowly behind Li Chen with his hands behind his back and a measured gait.

Li Shimin looked down at his son, who was squatting on the ground, his tone full of undisguised mockery and provocation.

"What's wrong?"

Li Shimin sneered.

"From what you're saying, you actually want to cultivate the Imperial Divine Art of the 'Forging Immortal Dynasty' yourself?"

"Don't forget, only a ruler who possesses the destiny of the world can unleash the full power of this technique!"

Li Shimin suddenly raised his voice, his eyes becoming incredibly sharp.

"You unfilial son, do you intend to rebel and seize my throne to become emperor?!"

This was originally a joke used to jokingly warn or intimidate.

In feudal dynasties, even princes would be so frightened by the word "rebellion" that they would immediately kneel down and beg for mercy, kowtowing to express their loyalty.

however.

To Li Shimin's and everyone else's utter surprise,

Li Chen heard this.

Not only did they not feel the slightest bit of fear.

The twig he was drawing circles on suddenly stopped.

Li Chen slowly turned his head.

He looked up at Li Shimin, who was looking down at him.

"rebel?"

Li Chen stroked his chin and muttered something thoughtfully.

then.

He braced himself on his knees with both hands and stood up decisively.

Li Chen patted the dust off his hands.

Arms crossed over the chest.

He scrutinized Li Shimin from head to toe with the same eye one would use to appraise prey.

"Don't say anything more."

A wild and unruly smile curved Li Chen's lips.

"For the sake of this imperial fortune that allows one's cultivation to soar while sitting down, becoming an emperor is not out of the question."

This statement came out.

The surrounding air instantly dropped to freezing point.

Wei Zheng, Fang Xuanling, and other civil officials were so frightened that their faces turned pale. They all lowered their heads and didn't dare to breathe loudly.

"You unfilial son! You...you actually dare to covet my throne!"

Li Shimin's eyes widened, and his beard seemed to fly up in anger.

"Of course I dare! What's there to be afraid of!"

Li Chen stood tall and proud, took a step forward, and directly confronted Li Shimin.

He looked directly into the emperor's eyes with a mocking gaze, his voice echoing throughout the entire Taiji Palace.

"Father! Abdicate! Issue an abdication edict now and go to the inner palace to live out your days as the retired emperor!"

"I believe I'm far better suited to be the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty than you!"

"I will be a peerless emperor of a celestial dynasty!"

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

Everyone was stunned by Li Chen's shocking and outrageous words.

Is this something you can just say in public?!

Li Shimin's chest heaved violently.

He laughed in anger, pointing at Li Chen's nose, his finger trembling.

"Good! Good for you, you traitorous scoundrel!"

"Today I'll see just how capable you are, daring to seize my throne!"

"Want to see what I'm capable of?"

Li Chen took a half step back and adopted an extremely arrogant starting stance.

He beckoned to Li Shimin with his finger, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit.

"Come on, Old Deng!"

"There's no time like the present!"

"Let's set a time today, just outside Xuanwu Gate, for a true man's ultimate showdown!"

Li Chen roared loudly, his arrogance reaching the heavens.

"Come, come, rain or shine, Xuanwu Gate awaits you! Let's have a showdown at Xuanwu Gate! Whoever wins, the throne of the Tang Dynasty belongs to them!"

"Xuan...Xuanwu Gate attacking each other?!"

Upon hearing the words "Xuanwu Gate".

The string of "reason" in Li Shimin's mind snapped completely!

Xuanwu Gate.

That was his biggest taboo in his life. Although he didn't care about it now, it was still his Achilles' heel forever!

This unfilial son actually dared to provoke him by mentioning the Xuanwu Gate!

"Aaaaaah! I'm so angry!"

Li Shimin let out a furious roar, like a wounded wild beast.

He suddenly reached out and pulled out the jade belt with seven wolves inlaid with golden dragon patterns that he had just used to hit Li Chen!

"Today I'm going to personally chop you up, you unfilial son!"

Li Shimin's eyes were bloodshot as he brandished his belt, unleashing the terrifying pressure of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, and lashed it down hard at Li Chen's crown!

"Holy crap! You can't take a joke! You're actually going all out!"

Li Chen felt the destructive power contained in the belt and screamed in fright.

His arrogant and domineering demeanor, as if he were about to challenge the emperor to a decisive battle at Xuanwu Gate, vanished instantly.

Li Chen clutched his head, like a rabbit whose tail had been stepped on.

Under the stunned gazes of all the civil and military officials and otherworldly cultivators present.

With a "whoosh".

He hid directly behind Empress Zhangsun.

He clung tightly to the Empress's collar, poked half his head out, and continued to be stubborn.

"Mother, help! He's going to kill us to silence us!"