War Sovereign Soaring The Heavens
chapter-217

Duan Ling Tian thought inwardly, and in next to no time, he’d guessed the identity of the middle-aged man.

Besides Prime Minister Gu You Ting, there ought to be no one that would have such a demeanor and was capable of standing beside the Emperor of the Crimson Sky Kingdom.

"This Gu You Ting is actually releasing killing intent towards me…." Duan Ling Tian thought in his heart as he vaguely guessed some reasons.

Presently, not only Paladin Academy, even the entire Imperial City was comparing the son of Gu You Ting, Gu Xuan, with him, and they were imperceptibly stepping on Gu Xuan as they praised Duan Ling Tian.

Presumably, this Gu You Ting released killing intent towards him because of this!

The dignified Prime Minister of the Crimson Sky Kingdom had such a narrow breadth of mind….

A sense of vigilance arose within Duan Ling Tian’s heart.

He’d discerned that this Gu You Ting was extremely difficult to deal with and was a person who was adept at concealing his thoughts.

After that killing intent from before flashed and vanished, Gu You Ting didn’t reveal any other unusualness. Someone who was capable of restraining their feelings so perfectly would absolutely not be a simple figure.

"A thousand blessings, your majesty." Zhan Xiong respectfully saluted the Emperor of the Crimson Sky Kingdom before lightly bowing.

The Emperor nodded before slowly opening his mouth. "Vice Dean Zhan Xiong, you may forego formalities."

"Your majesty." Duan Ling Tian looked at the Emperor as he lightly nodded in salute.

The Emperor lightly frowned when he saw Duan Ling Tian’s actions, whereas Gu You Ting, who stood beside him, had already shouted coldly in a loud voice, "Audacious, Duan Ling Tian! Why don’t you kneel in salute when you see his majesty? Could it be that you really think that since you’ve achieved some meritorious service, you can be compared to Vice Dean Zhan?"

"Prime Minister Gu, his majesty hasn’t spoken…But when you make so much noise in front of his majesty like this, I wonder what spot you’re placing his majesty in? As for whether I salute or not, frankly speaking…What the f**k does it have to do with you?!"

After Duan Ling Tian had noticed Gu You Ting’s killing intent towards him, he’d been filled with vigilance and hostility towards Gu You Ting. Now that Gu You Ting had tried to teach him a lesson right in his face, he instantly rebuked.

Gu You Ting’s face went gloomy, and the killing intent within his eyes appeared once again…

At this moment, even Nie Yuan and Nie Fen had traces of bitter smiles on the corners of their mouths.

This Little Tian was actually so unrestrained before the supreme Emperor of the Crimson Sky Kingdom…However, they weren’t worried.

Since they were here, Duan Ling Tian would surely be fine.

"Hahahaha…." Right at this moment, the Emperor started laughing, and his aged face revealed a carefree and joyful smile before looking at Duan Ling Tian. "You’re Duan Ling Tian?"

"Yes." Duan Ling Tian lightly nodded. When facing the Emperor, he was instead refined and courteous.

"You’re the only person who has clashed with the Prime Minister like this other than myself…The younger generation will surpass the older, the younger generation will surpass the older!" The smile on the Emperor’s face hadn’t once halted. It was as if he was still thinking about the scene from before.

Gu You Ting was slightly embarrassed, but he didn’t say anything further.

"Your majesty, you flatter me. I only feel that Prime Minister Gu’s reaction was too exaggerated. It’s only just mere formality, so why rigidly adhere to it like so?" Duan Ling Tian slowly said, in a neither humble nor arrogant manner.

"Now that you put it this way, I’m slightly curious. Why don’t you kneel?" the Emperor asked with a smile.

"Your majesty, in my eyes, under the entire heavens, besides the heaven and the earth, only my parents can make me kneel…Like the old saying, there’s gold beneath a man’s knees, and his knees only bend for the heavens, earth, and his parents!" Duan Ling Tian said.

"There’s gold beneath a man’s knees, and his knees only bend for the heavens, earth and his parents…." The Emperor was stunned when he heard what Duan Ling Tian said. He slowly pondered about this saying before laughing carefreely and joyously. "As expected of someone who can lead a huge army of 100,000 to capture the Southern Champion Kingdom’s Southern Barbaric City without losing a single soldier…You actually have such haughtiness! However, you indeed have the qualifications."

"I permit you to be exempt from kneeling when you see me in the future. How about it?" The Emperor’s mood seemed to be extremely good.

But Prime Minister Gu You Ting didn’t have such a great mood, and his eyes occasionally flickered with a trace of gloominess when he looked at Duan Ling Tian.

The gloominess within Gu You Ting was something that one was utterly unable to notice unless one were to closely examine his eyes.

"Thank you, your majesty." Duan Ling Tian hurriedly bowed and expressed his gratitude.

The Emperor looked at Duan Ling Tian as he directly said, "Alright, I brought you here today mainly to grant you a reward…This time, you directed my Crimson Sky Kingdom’s huge army of 100,000 to capture the Southern Champion Kingdom’s Southern Barbaric City without losing a single soldier, and this is a matchless meritorious service! Tell me, what do you want?"

When the Emperor’s words escaped his mouth, even the father and son pair of Nie Yuan and Nie Fen, as well as Zhan Xiong, couldn’t help but be moved.

"Your majesty, you mustn’t!" Gu You Ting hurriedly persuaded. "Youngsters don’t know the complexity of things. Your majesty you…."

"What? Prime Minister, you want to help me make decisions?"

Even though the Emperor was aged, when his eyes narrowed, a sentence spoken in a flat and indifferent tone made Gu You Ting be unable to help himself from turning pale, and he hurriedly knelt on the floor.

"Your majesty, your subject has absolutely no such intentions!"

"Humph! I believe you don’t have the audacity! However, Prime Minister, you seem to be slightly discomposed today," the Emperor grunted coldly. Since he knew that Gu You Ting’s son, Gu Xuan, had led over 10,000 officers to their deaths, flames of fury had arose within his heart.

And it was because he’d always thought highly of Gu You Ting; otherwise, even if Gu Xuan was dead, he would still punish Gu You Ting!

After all, the sins of the son were blamed on the father!

"Yes, your subject knows of his crime. Your subject’s thinking of his son, and your subject hopes your majesty may pardon the offense," Gu You Ting hurriedly pleaded.

"Rise," the Emperor said indifferently, with a tone that didn’t carry any feeling.

"Thank you, your majesty." Gu You Ting stood up.

Duan Ling Tian’s eyes narrowed as he indifferently said, "Prime Minister Gu, according to my knowledge, Gu Xuan returned to the Imperial City over two months ago, right? You thinking of your son, I wonder what that means? Could it be that his majesty has denounced Gu Xuan and made Gu Xuan repent in the prison?"

After he finished speaking, he ignored Gu You Ting’s enraged gaze, looked at the Emperor, and respectfully said, "Your majesty is wise!"

The Emperor couldn’t help but be stunned when he heard this. This little kid, what a formidable mouth he had!

"Duan Ling Tian, tell me, what do you want?" The Emperor returned to the earlier topic and once again asked Duan Ling Tian.

Duan Ling Tian pondered for a moment before looking at the Emperor and slowly saying, "Your majesty, I want to ask you to specially authorize the establishment of an organization, then allow me to become the one in charge of this organization…."

"Oh?" The Emperor felt like it was a slightly fresh idea when he heard what Duan Ling Tian said. "Then tell me, what organization do you want me to establish for you?"

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard!"[1] When Duan Ling Tian spoke of these words, his eyes flickered with a strand of a bright light.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard!

It was also a dream of Duan Ling Tian during his previous lifetime.

When he thought about the domineering Embroidered Uniform Guard in the ancient Ming Dynasty in his previous lifetime, Duan Ling Tian palpitated with eager excitement.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard, frankly speaking, was a special task organization within the Ming Dynasty. In other words, a sabre within the Emperor’s hand, and they had monstrous authority.

Actually, Duan Ling Tian only wanted to have some fun and satisfy a craving.

After all, not long in the future, he would be leaving the Crimson Sky Kingdom, and he didn’t know if he would have the chance to try it in the future…Or maybe, even if he had the opportunity in the future, he might not have the mood anymore.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard?" Presently, not only was the Emperor bewildered, but even Nie Yuan and Nie Fen, as well as Zhan Xiong and even Prime Minister Gu You Ting, all had bewildered expressions.

Seeing the Emperor interested, Duan Ling Tian stopped for a moment before saying, "Your majesty, the so-called Embroidered Uniform Guard is an organization that is directly under your majesty’s command. Besides your majesty, it cannot be interfered with by anyone else! As for the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s function, it’s to share the burdens of your majesty and fully sweep away all injustice within the Crimson Sky Kingdom. For example, to deal with someone who isn’t respectful to your majesty, or, say, to find out who poisoned your majesty…."

When Duan Ling Tian spoke up to this point, besides the Emperor, the expressions of the other four people present went grim!

Gu You Ting looked at Duan Ling Tian as he said, in a cold voice, "Duan Ling Tian, don’t talk nonsense. His majesty’s status is lofty; who would dare poison his majesty?"

However, what the Emperor said next caused Gu You Ting to be dumbstruck.

The Emperor looked at Duan Ling Tian full of interest as he asked, "You…You’re able to discern that I have been poisoned?"

"Your majesty, not only can I discern that you’ve been poisoned, I can even discern what poison you’ve been infected with, and I even know that you’ve been poisoned for a few years…If it wasn’t for your majesty’s cultivation being deep, maybe you’d long since have…." Although Duan Ling Tian didn’t finish speaking, everyone present understood what Duan Ling Tian meant.

"Your majesty…." Nie Yuan, his son, and Zhan Xiong all looked at the Emperor and were surprised in their hearts.

Did his majesty just admit that he’d been poisoned?

A trace of coldness arose within their hearts. Who the heck would actually dare to poison the Emperor of the Crimson Sky Kingdom!?

"If I agree to your request, will you really able to help me find the one that poisoned me?" The Emperor’s gaze focused, and a dignified aura enveloped Duan Ling Tian.

Actually, he’d investigated in secret for a long time for the person who poisoned him, but he returned empty handed.

Duan Ling Tian remained unmoved as he lightly smiled. "If your majesty agrees to my request, not only am I able to help your majesty find the person who poisoned your majesty, but I’m even able to cure the poison for your majesty!"

Meanwhile, Duan Ling Tian couldn’t help but sigh in his heart.

The Spirit Cleansing Pill is really a good thing…And I can use it no matter where I go.

"What!?" The Emperor’s originally tranquil expression couldn’t help but be moved when he heard what Duan Ling Tian said.

After all, even the Guild Master of the Alchemist Guild’s Main Guild, a grade 6 alchemist, was helpless towards the poison he’d been infected with.

He had practically accepted his fate.

Based on his estimates, he could live for another half a year at most, so he had always asserted that he was sick to the public and not poisoned….

Actually, with his cultivation, how could he possibly get sick?

"You’re really able to help me cure the poison?" The Emperor took a deep breath and stared fixedly at Duan Ling Tian with a slightly excited mood, as if he’d grabbed on to the last lifesaving straw.

If his poison were to be cured, he’d at least be able to live for another few tens of years.

"Your majesty, if you don’t believe me, I can refine the medicinal pill to suppress the poison within your body right now…It’s sufficient to suppress a portion of the poison within your body, and it will allow you to hold on for another year." Duan Ling Tian had a carefree expression and his body emitted a strong self-confidence.

"You…are an alchemist?" The Emperor was stunned.

Chi!

With a flip of his hand, a strand of pill fire was vaguely noticeable on Duan Ling Tian’s palm.

Instantly, everyone present, besides Nie Yuan and Nie Fen, was stupefied.

This Duan Ling Tian, besides a heaven-defying natural talent in the Martial Dao and heaven defying natural talent as a strategist, he even had such heaven-defying natural talent in alchemy?

An 18-year-old grade 9 alchemist!

The gloominess in Gu You Ting’s eyes went even deeper as he sneered, "Duan Ling Tian, if a mere grade 9 alchemist could cure the poison for his majesty, do you think you would have the chance to try?"

[1] TL Note: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embroidered_Uniform_Guard