Though the Great Zhou royal palace was no longer in its prime, it remained magnificent.
Carved beams and painted rafters adorned the halls.
The aura of majesty could still be felt, inspiring awe in all who approached.
“Halt.
State your business.” The soldier at the gate raised his hand, blocking Mu Chen’s path.
This was the palace.
No idle visitors were allowed.
“I am Mu Chen.
I wish to make a deal with His Majesty.
I have a spirit liquid that can heal the body.” Mu Chen spoke neither arrogantly nor humbly.
He planned to trade the Ancestral Stone Spirit Liquid for admission spots to the Great Zhou Academy.
As the founder of the academy, Zhou Qing definitely had the authority to grant them.
It was a simple solution.
The two soldiers exchanged glances.
One of them headed into the palace to report to the king.
This was not something they could decide on their own.
Within the palace, wisps of faint green smoke curled upward, releasing a strange fragrance.
A middle-aged man in a bright yellow robe sat on the throne.
His face was resolute, and his brows carried an air of authority.
He was Zhou Qing.
Behind him, a faint aura rose and fell, seeming to flicker between flame and thunder, emitting a low rumbling sound.
The sleeve on his right arm hung empty.
He had clearly lost that arm.
“Invite him in.” Zhou Qing pondered for a moment and decided to meet this Mu Chen.
This was the first time he had encountered such a situation, so he was quite curious.
The soldier bowed respectfully and walked toward the palace entrance.
“Brother Mu Chen, His Majesty has agreed to see you.” The soldier led the way, his attitude much better.
Along the way, Mu Chen observed the palace.
The patrolling soldiers were all Genesis Masters, at least at the Qi Nourishing Stage.
Those at the Heaven Gate Stage were likely minor commanders with some troops under them.
Alpha-Origin Stage experts held the highest status besides the king himself.
The Great Zhou Empire currently had no Divine Dwelling Stage experts, or else they would have launched a counterattack against the Great Wu Empire.
A boy of twelve or thirteen walked through the garden.
His frame was somewhat thin, his face pale, giving off a sense of weakness from lack of blood and energy.
“Greetings, Your Highness!” The soldier bowed directly, his expression respectful.
Mu Chen studied the young boy before him.
Addressed as “Your Highness,” he should be the Great Zhou prince, Zhou Yuan.
He appeared quite frail, with many of his peers looking stronger than him.
His Sacred Dragon Blessing had been stolen, and there was the hidden threat of the Dragon’s Resentment Poison.
This kind of starting point was indeed a protagonist’s setup.
If his blessing had not been stolen, Zhou Yuan would have been at least at the Heaven Gate Stage currently.
Born with the Sacred Dragon Blessing, his eight meridians would have naturally opened, allowing him to reach the Qi Nourishing Stage directly while he was still a baby.
His starting point would have far surpassed many of his peers.
“And who is this?” Zhou Yuan waved his hand casually.
His light golden eyes looked at Mu Chen with curiosity.
He rarely went out and had never seen Mu Chen before.
But his intuition told him that this handsome boy was no ordinary person, different from the other youths at the Great Zhou Academy.
“Your Highness, this is Brother Mu Chen, who has come to see His Majesty.
I am guiding him.” The soldier replied.
“Hmm…
You may go about your duties.
I will take him to see Father.” Zhou Yuan nodded and waved the soldier away.
“But…” The soldier hesitated, looking at Zhou Yuan.
If Mu Chen suddenly attacked the prince, it would be his failure.
“Heh, don’t worry.
He is not my enemy.” Zhou Yuan shook his head.
Seeing this, the soldier cupped his hands and left.
He was just a subordinate.
He would follow orders.
“Your Highness of Great Zhou, aren’t you afraid I might make a move against you?” Mu Chen teased with interest.
Su Youwei’s grandfather was now healed, so Su Youwei and Zhou Yuan would have no connection.
Did that mean he had stolen a march on Zhou Yuan?
“Just call me Zhou Yuan.” Zhou Yuan didn’t put on any airs.
He smiled helplessly.
“Alright.
Just call me Mu Chen.
You look a bit weak.
You should exercise more.” Mu Chen pretended not to know Zhou Yuan’s condition and joked lightly.
Zhou Yuan’s mouth twitched.
His expression turned slightly despondent.
“I’ve been frail since childhood.
I’ve tried exercising, but it doesn’t help.” Mu Chen nodded thoughtfully.
It seemed Zhou Qing and the others hadn’t told Zhou Yuan the truth yet.
Zhou Yuan still didn’t know his real condition, thinking it was just congenital weakness.
“Yuan’er, why are you here?” Zhou Qing said in surprise.
He looked at Mu Chen.
‘What a handsome young lad, full of vitality.’ He sighed inwardly.
‘If my son hadn’t suffered that misfortune as a child, he wouldn’t be any worse off.
Fate was cruel.’ “Father, I happened to run into Mu Chen.
Since you wanted to see him, I brought him over.” Mu Chen’s pupils contracted slightly.
‘So this was an Alpha-Origin Stage expert?’ Even without displaying his power, his majestic presence was still awe-inspiring.
“Hey, don’t be so surprised.
Though he’s the strongest you’ve seen so far, compared to Marten in his prime, there’s still a huge gap.” The little marten’s voice sounded in Mu Chen’s head.
Mu Chen had lifted the restrictions, so the little marten could now observe the outside and communicate with him.
“Yes, yes, Little Marten, you were a Profound Death Stage expert in your prime.” Mu Chen could tell the little marten was boasting about its glorious past.
“Mu Chen brat, don’t rush.
Being recognized by the stone talisman means you have good talent.
There will come a day when you reach Marten’s peak level.” The little marten said, comforting Mu Chen like a senior.
“What’s there to boast about?
You still ended up blowing yourself up and becoming just a spirit.” Mu Chen teased, knowing this was the little marten’s least favorite memory.
The little marten fell silent.
That bastard who ambushed him.
If he ever got the chance to meet him again, Marten would show him why flowers were red.
Just thinking about it filled him with murderous intent.
A Samsara Stage expert coming to kill a junior at Profound Death Stage.
How shameless.
If he hadn’t blown up his body, he really wouldn’t have escaped.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.
I am Mu Chen.” Mu Chen cupped his hands and spoke neither arrogantly nor humbly.
Without the Ancestral Stone and Ancestral Symbols as cheats, Mu Chen’s attitude would have been more respectful.
No, he wouldn’t have come to the palace at all.
Unless a commoner had exceptional talent, they wouldn’t catch the attention of the nobility.
Even if Zhou Qing seemed approachable, he was still the king of Great Zhou.
“Mu Chen, Mu…” Zhou Qing stroked his chin, pondering the surname.
In the Great Zhou Empire, there should be no notable clan with that name.
And Mu Chen’s bearing was extremely rare among commoners.
Could he be from a hidden clan?
Mu Chen had no idea that Zhou Qing was imagining all sorts of things, picturing him as a young master from a reclusive clan, out on his training journey, wearing plain clothes only to blend in and adapt to local customs.
“Did you come from outside the Great Zhou Empire?” Zhou Qing asked curiously.
Zhou Yuan looked at Mu Chen in surprise.
(End of Chapter)