<h4>Chapter 426 - Golden Eyes</h4>


    It was the morning assembly[1] in the pce, but the atmosphere was heavy after what had happened.


    The stampede at Ginger City hade to pass and the Cangyang Kingdom was supposed to be peaceful again. The kingdom had always emphasized cultivation strength, and the citizens lived with the belief that there was nothing that could not be solved through pure force. The morning assembly was just a tradition that had passed down through the ages and served no purpose.


    Thanks to the Sword Emperor, the Cangyang Kingdom appeared to be and ruled over by a sect rather than a proper country, though most kingdoms were the same. The Cangyang Kingdom had very few rules and regtions and was being held in ce by the strength of the imperial pce.


    The morning assembly was the only thing that resembled how a normal country would operate.


    One of the officials gave a report of what was happening in the capital as well as the other cities. No one else had anything to report after that. The patriarch of the Gongsun family, one of the two remaining noble families, stepped up. “Your Highness, a lot of people flooded into the capital recently, and various incidents have taken ce. It’s been ten years since something like this has happened.”


    The Sword Emperor was sitting on a white jade throne with his eyes closed. He appeared to be asleep and didn’t move at all even though the patriarch of the Gongsun family was speaking. He slowly opened his eyes, and golden light radiated from his pupils when the Gongsun family patriarch finished his report.


    The other officials lowered their heads and dared not look into the Emperor’s eyes.


    If Long Chen were here, he would’ve been surprised because the Emperor’s eyes were not ck like what he had seen that night, but instead gold. The Emperor with ck eyes had an indescribably gentle aura that resembled Yin energy, while the golden-eyed Emperor exuded a harsh and dominating aura that resembled Yang energy. No one dared to look at him.


    There had been a rumor circting the Cangyang Kingdom that the Sword Emperor was cultivating a secret technique that caused the changes in his eye color. It would be golden during the day and ck during the night. It was somewhat true as many had witnessed the change in eye color.


    The Sword Emperor looked at the Gongsun’s family patriarch.


    The patriarch couldn’t endure the pressure and his body trembled slightly.


    “Is that so ... I don’t know why they are here, but if I had to guess, it’s because that Long Chen brat wants to duel me.” The Sword Emperor enunciated each word clearly and calmly without expressing any emotions.


    “I think so ...” The Gongsun family patriarch had to admit that the people flocking in were indeed here to witness the battle. How could they afford to not watch it?


    Silence filled the room.


    “Hmm ... Gongsun, lead your family members to kill all those that came into the city to watch the battle. Pile their corpses in front of the city gates to warn the others.”


    His tone was calm, as if he had just said something normal.


    The officials, however, felt their scalps go numb. They had expected something like this after serving the Emperor for so long and learning of his temperament.


    “I understand!” The Gongsun family patriarch quickly withdrew himself. The moment the morning assembly ended, there would be a massacre. Everyone else said nothing as they waited in trepidation.


    “It’s been two months ... When will Long Chene? I can’t wait any longer. Batian, you came back with the news. Tell me.” The Sword Emperor looked at Lin Batian.


    Lin Batian took a deep breath and calmed himself. Ever since the death of Lin Zichen, the Sword Emperor’s mood had been unpredictable. He had killed many people during this time, and even Lin Batian was afraid.


    “Long Chen was slightly stronger than Lin Zichen, and he’s not an idiot. He knows that you’re leagues above him, so he would never dare to challenge you without improving himself first. Long Chen must be confident in himself, so he won’te here before he reaches the Heavenly Passage Realm. But it takes years to get there, so I think he’s lying. He will nevere here!”


    Lin Batian took a deep breath after saying that.


    He had never really digested what Long Chen had said to him before running back to tell his father. That was why they were in this mess right now. He finally had time to think and realized that it was possible Long Chen would note here. Although he was a genius, there was arge gap between him and the Sword Emperor.


    “The Eldest Prince is right. I think Long Chen is only at the Ninth River Stage and is roughly as strong as the Fourth Prince. Youths are arrogant and always boast about themselves. He must have been ovee with embarrassment when he realized the absurdity of his statement. I think he’s lying and will nevere here.” The Zhou family patriarch followed suit. The Zhou family was the second of the two remaining noble families.


    The Sword Emperor smiled before shouting angrily, “Idiot! I know for a fact that he wille here!”


    Everyone kept quiet when the Emperor shouted.


    Just as he finished shouting, someone ran in with a report. The messenger kneeled on the ground in a panic. “Your Highness ... Long Chen and his wolf have been spotted outside the capital!”


    Everyone was shocked by what they had heard. All of them looked at each other in disbelief.


    “He’s really here?” Lin Batian almost fainted from the shock. He had just sworn that Long Chen would not show up.


    Lin Batian calmed down and asked, “Hm? Are you sure? Is it really Long Chen?”


    “It’s definitely true! Everyone on the city wall saw him, and a ck demonic wolf is with him. This is the real deal! He stood outside the capital and shouted towards us to call for the ... Emperor toe out ...” The messenger hesitated at the end.


    The Emperor’s golden eyes red at the messenger as he said without any emotion, “Speak. What were his original words? He would never say something so simple. Answer me truthfully or die.”


    The Sword Emperor’s words terrified the messenger. He had no choice but to tell the truth. “Long Chen ... Long Chen is shouting for the Emperor to scramble out of the pce immediately to serve him. Your Highness! That brat is so arrogant and full of himself. To think he would say something this controversial! He must die!”


    The other officials'' faces paled when they heard what Long Chen had said. The Sword Emperor was a being above them all and had never been humiliated before, and now Long Chen had called him to scramble out of the pce.


    And even wanted the Sword Emperor to serve him?


    It was insane.


    Everyone dared not to look at the Sword Emperor’s face, but they could imagine how angry he had gotten.


    “Is that so?” The Sword Emperor smiled. Everyone was surprised to see him so calm.


    “He’s finally here. I’ve been getting impatient.” The Sword Emperor stood up with a smile, his golden robes covering his body. He walked forward and started heading towards the exit.


    “Let’s go. We can’t have our guests waiting for us for so long.” The Sword Emperor approached the messenger and ced his hand on his shoulder. An instantter, the messenger’s eyes grew wide and his body slumped to the ground without a breath.


    No one knew what to do.


    It was clear that the Sword Emperor’s killing intent was at its peak. They feared that even the smile of the Sword Emperor was only a cover for his killing intent. No one showed any intention to help the messenger. They simply followed the Sword Emperor and headed outside.


    “Does Long Chen like fighting outside city walls? I heard that he killed Zichen just outside the city walls. Interesting ... To think that I didn’t recognize himst time ...” The Sword Emperor’s voice spread towards the back of the group.


    They slowly walked towards the city gates.


    The Sword Emperor was looking forward to fighting Long Chen, but he slowed down his pace intentionally, as if he was enjoying the moment.


    Just then, the entire capital was in chaos after hearing the news. More and more people reached the city gates, and the streets were crowded. If the people hadn’t made way for the Emperor, he wouldn’t have made it to the gate.


    The Cangyang Kingdom’s strongest dark horse against the strongest individual. Everyone was moring to watch the fight. Thankfully, the capital’s wall wasrge enough for everyone to get a look at the fight from above. Even the soldiers couldn’t stop the waves of people as they surged past to find a spot on the city wall.


    The Sword Emperor led a thousand people from the pce as they slowly walked to the gates. Only the Sword Emperor was smiling while the others were serious. Long Chen was leaning on Xiang on an empty field just outside the Biyang Imperial Capital with his arms crossed.


    He had killed a guard on that very spot before meeting the Seventh Commander when he came here for the first time.


    Time had passed and now he was here again, but as the strongest youth in the Cangyang Kingdom. Ling Xi had the Profound Jade Lotus back then, but now whether she would get a physical body again hinged on him fighting onest time!


    1. The Emperor and the officials meet in the morning to discuss important matters, something like a morning meeting ?