Noticing Huang Xiaolong looking over at him, Zhao Shu nodded slightly, indicating that he should directly call Duanren Emperor by his name in the future.
Huang Xiaolong could not help but smile wryly inside as he imaged the scene where he called Duanren Emperor by his given name in public. The envisioned reactions already made him feel helpless and gave him a headache.
In the end, Huang Xiaolong nodded in silence.
Duanren Emperor was delighted that Huang Xiaolong acquiesced. Smiling, he turned to Zhao Shu and said respectfully, "If Duan Ren knew Mister Zhao had come to Duanren Empire, Duan Ren would have gone out to welcome you in advance. Now, it would appear Duan Ren was presumptuous to summon Mister Zhao into the imperial palace. This mistake really makes Duan Ren feel ill at ease." Saying he was ill at ease were honest words, and better yet, he was even trembling in his dragon robe.
Zhao Shu waved his hand in a blasé manner, "It's nothing. The Young Lord and I will be staying in Duanren Empire for a period of time. While we are here, you can come look for me if you have any questions related to your cultivation."
Duanren Emperor's face lit up, with utmost respect and solemnity, he said: "Then Duan Ren shall be indebted to Mister Zhao's favor." Recently, he indeed ran into a few stumbling blocks in his cultivation and was helplessly struggling for some guidance.
Half an hour later, Duanren Emperor saw Huang Xiaolong and Zhao Shu out of the palace grand hall. In actual fact, Duanren Emperor wanted to escort Zhao Shu and Huang Xiaolong all the way back to Southern Hill Estate. Huang Xiaolong discouraged his intention for it ran the risk of bringing unwanted attention. Thus, he managed to persuade Duanren Emperor that only escorting them to immediately outside the grand hall sufficed. Even so, jaws dropped to the ground when the guards who were lined up along the way saw their majestic Duanren Emperor sending Huang Xiaolong and Zhao Shu off. The grounds were littered with shocked eyes.
After respectfully escorting Huang Xiaolong and Zhao Shu out, Duanren Emperor turned back and said to Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian, "Both of you send Young Noble Huang and Mister Zhao back to Southern Hill Estate on my behalf."
"Yes, Imperial Father!"
"Yes, Imperial Highness!"
Both Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian immediately replied with utmost respect.
Despite that, when the four of them reached the imperial palace's main entrance, Huang Xiaolong stopped Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian at the steps. Seeing Huang Xiaolong's insistence, neither of them wished to refute and thus, they relented. Afterwards, when both Huang Xiaolong and Zhao Shu's figure disappeared from view, both of them returned to the previous palace grand hall to report.
Duanren Emperor observed the two people standing below the dais, "You two must be feeling curious about Mister Zhao's identity, am I right?"
"Imperial Father, that Mister Zhao is… ?" Duan Wuhen took a step forward, cautiously inquiring.
"Mister Zhao was a good friend of my Master." Duanren Emperor spoke in a slow and seemingly distant voice as he looked ahead, falling into reminiscence. "About a thousand years ago when I was still a Xiantian warrior, Mister Zhao was already a Saint realm master."
Shock suddenly plastered itself all over Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian's faces.
Already a Saint realm master more than one thousand years ago! While Duanren Emperor was just a Xiantian realm warrior at that point of time.
It seemed like a long time later when Duan Wuhen spoke again, "Imperial Father, then Master Ancestor is now…?" He had never heard his Imperial Father talk about Master Ancestor.
"Master has fallen. One thousand years ago, he was besieged by enemies. At that time, Mister Zhao rushed over and rescued me. If it wasn't for Mister Zhao, I'd have died just as Master had that year!" Duanren Emperor sighed, "Looking out for Master's interest, Mister Zhao took good care of me after he saved me, guiding my cultivation over the span of a dozen years. More than a thousand years has passed so fast!"
Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian exchanged a look.
Such a thing happened!
If that was true, then Mister Zhao was not only Imperial Father's elder, he was also Imperial Father's savior! On top of that, he was also half a teacher!
No wonder Imperial Father treated Mister Zhao with abundant respect and was overjoyed when they met! Duan Wuhen thought to himself.
"Your Highness, what is Mister Zhao's level of strength?" Cheng Jian questioned carefully.
"Unfathomable!" Duanren Emperor answered with a dignified tone, "He's at least a Saint realm Seventh Order master!"
Saint realm Seventh Order!
And it was an 'at least' at that!
A film of cold sweat appeared on Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian's forehead.
There were only so many Saint realm experts even if you combed the entire Duanren Empire with a fine-tooth comb. Most of them would be at the early stages of Saint realm, with probably only two or three at mid-Saint realm stages. As for Saint realm Seventh Order and above, Duan Wuhen searched his memories but, as far as he knew there was none!
People at Saint realm Seventh Order and above were undeniably super old monsters among old monsters!
These were definitely existences Duan Wuhen could only revere. Suddenly recalling the scene at the Righteous Square, when a general in Duan Wuhen's camp barked at Mister Zhao for not saluting him, Duan Wuhen's knees started to shake a little.
If Mister Zhao was angered earlier, didn't that mean he wouldn't have been able to protect his little life no matter how hard he tried?!
Duanren Emperor noticed his son's strange behavior, hence asked, "Hen, what's the matter?"
Duan Wuhen dared not hide the matter, immediately recounted what happened at Righteous Square to his Imperial Father.
Hearing the cause and reason, Duanren Empire's face became icy, "For those that offend Mister Zhao, death! Behead that general!"
"Beㄧhead?!" Both Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian blanked for a moment. That general was a famous Duanren Empire General.
"Didn't you hear what I've said?!" Duanren Emperor exuded a strong pressure as his voice grew stern.
"Understood, Imperial Father!" Duan Wuhen's heart tightened and answered without further hesitation.
"I will apologize to Mister Zhao later." Duanren Emperor added.
Hearing this, both Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian cast their heads down, not daring to breathe as they tried to reduce their presence.
"Imperial Father, then what about Huang Xiaolong?" Seconds later, Duan Wuhen could not resist asking.
"You must refer to him as Young Noble Huang!" Duanren Emperor snapped at his son.
Duan Wuhen's heart jumped up to his throat as he complied with his Imperial Father's order.
"I'm not clear on what Young Noble Huang is trying to accomplish either. If Mister Zhao wants to tell us, he will." Duanren Emperor said, "As for Young Noble Huang's identity, do not act on your own accord to investigate or make baseless assumptions, understand?"
Their two heads nodded like obedient children.
"Okay, you're excused." Duanren Emperor cautioned again, "Bear in mind, do not let any information slip regarding Huang Xiaolong and Mister Zhao!"
Acknowledging Duanren Emperor's warning, Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian saluted respectfully and withdrew from the grand hall.
Both walked out from the grand hall until finally leaving the palace structure. After that, Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian continued walking for a long time in silence. Neither spoke a word until they realized they had come to the imperial palace's main entrance.
"Second Imperial Prince," Cheng Jian spoke first, "This minister shall take his leave!"
"En, you return first." Duan Wuhen nodded, his thoughts were a bit muddled at the moment. The events from today gave him so much of a shock that he needed some time alone to think things over.
By this time, Huang Xiaolong and Zhao Shu had returned to Southern Hill Estate.
Back in Southern Hill Estate, Huang Xiaolong also had many doubts and questions.
Understanding Huang Xiaolong's confusion, Zhao Shu explained: "Sovereign, back in the day, Duan Ren's Master and I were good friends." Zhao Shu then recounted the events of that year to Huang Xiaolong. First explaining Duanren Emperor's Master being surrounded by enemies, then after that when he arrived and rescued Duan Ren from danger.
Huang Xiaolong's reaction was similar to that of Duan Wuhen and Cheng Jian. He finally understood the connection Zhao Shu had with Duanren Emperor.
When they entered the great hall, Yu Ming and Fei Hou were seen patiently waiting. Looking towards Huang Xiaolong and Zhao Shu, Yu Ming and Fei Hou greeted them respectfully. Huang Xiaolong did not forget to ask about the progress around arranging the Huang Family's migration to the Imperial City.
Once he was finished listening to Yu Ming and Fei Hou's report, Huang Xiaolong excused all three of them, initiated the God Binding Ring, and entered the ancient battlefield.
In the ancient battlefield, Huang Xiaolong took the Grade Seven Spirit Dan refined from the black-clad old man out of the Asura Ring.