inspire-indiana Chapter 171 Recruitment
Chapter 171 Recruitment
However, he has no Golden Core experts protecting him now, so refusing is definitely out of the question.
An Lushan took a deep breath, pursed his lips, and nodded slightly. "Okay, I'll go with you."
Having said that, he stood up and followed the man out of the tavern.
Seeing this, An Yong tried to follow, but found that he was still unable to move.
“This is my trusted confidant!” An Lushan stopped in his tracks, his sharp gaze fixed on the mysterious man, and then he spoke.
"He has followed me for many years and is completely loyal. I hope you can let him go with me. I still need his help with many things."
Although the man's eyes were cold, after scanning An Lushan and An Yong back and forth, he finally raised his hand and waved it. A flash of light appeared, and the restraints on An Yong's body were instantly released.
An Yong stumbled and almost fell. After regaining his balance, he quickly ran to An Lushan's side, watching the man warily, his hand unconsciously reaching for the hilt of the sword at his waist.
The man ignored An Yong and turned to walk out of the tavern.
An Lushan patted An Yong on the shoulder, signaling him to calm down.
There's certainly nowhere left to stay in these three states now, so we might as well see what kind of power this person belongs to.
The two then followed closely behind.
The three left the bustling city and stepped onto a secluded path, where a dense forest appeared ahead.
The man made a slight hand seal, and a golden flying spirit beast roared out and hovered steadily in front of the three of them.
This spirit beast was enormous, emanating a powerful aura. Its wingspan was over ten zhang wide, and its golden feathers shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.
A hint of surprise flashed in An Lushan's eyes.
"Are you a member of the Zhu family of the Ming Dynasty?"
"That's right!"
The man replied succinctly, then with a wave of his hand, he swept the two of them up and boarded the plane.
It landed on the back of the flying spirit beast.
After receiving an affirmative answer, An Lushan's eyes and face showed a hint of awe.
The Ming Dynasty was the most unique among these countries.
For nearly ten thousand years since the founding of the nation, both the cultivation world and the mortal world have been firmly controlled by the royal family.
It has only been through nine emperors to this day.
Apart from the first three emperors, every subsequent emperor had the cultivation level of the Nascent Soul stage.
The royal family had become the de facto controller of the three major factions in the Ming Dynasty. On the land of the Ming Dynasty, imperial power and the cultivation forces were closely intertwined and interdependent, jointly building a stable and powerful empire.
Its influence is not only deeply rooted in China, but also makes various forces in neighboring countries wary of it.
The Zhu family of the Ming Dynasty, relying on the Nascent Soul stage cultivation of their emperors, permeated the influence of the imperial family into every corner of the country.
In the world of cultivation, although the three major sects are nominally independent, they all actually follow the lead of the royal family.
Many crucial matters, such as resource allocation and sect succession, require the approval of the royal family.
In the mortal world, the Zhu family's rule was deeply ingrained in people's hearts. The people's awe and reverence for the imperial family were as unwavering as a faith.
This belief stemmed not only from the imperial family's immense power but also from their effective governance of the Ming Dynasty.
This also created the Ming Dynasty's transcendent status among all nations, and neither the mortal world nor the immortal cultivation sects dared to provoke it easily.
An Lushan's diligent efforts were undoubtedly aimed at transforming the three prefectures of the An clan into an entity like the Ming Dynasty, wielding absolute power in both the cultivation and mortal realms.
Unfortunately, fate played a cruel trick on him, and everything was destroyed by Zhuge Liang.
At this moment, his resentment grew stronger, and in addition to his awe of the Ming Dynasty's Zhu family, he also felt a glimmer of hope that he might be able to use the power of the Ming imperial family to achieve his revenge plan.
It is possible that the three prefectures of the An family will be recovered in the future...
Flying spirit beasts sped across the sky, the wind whistling past their ears. An Lushan looked down at the earth, his thoughts churning.
After an unknown amount of time, a magnificent city came into view; it was the capital of the Ming Dynasty—Zichen City.
The walls of Zichen City soar into the clouds, constructed from a special material that exudes spiritual energy, resembling an indestructible barrier.
At regular intervals along the city wall stands a defensive tower brimming with spiritual energy, its spires shimmering with mysterious runes, showcasing the city's formidable strength.
The city gate was enormous, crafted from a mixture of refined iron and spirit crystals, and adorned with lifelike dragon and phoenix patterns, which seemed to swirl and dance with a lively and dynamic air.
This is far beyond the configuration of an ordinary imperial city! Even a Nascent Soul cultivator would be utterly shocked if he came.
The flying spirit beast flew straight toward the city gate. When the guards saw it from afar, they immediately knelt on one knee and bowed respectfully.
Upon entering the city, the streets are wide and clean, the bluestone pavement is spotless, shops line both sides, and pedestrians are everywhere, creating a bustling scene.
The shop sells all kinds of rare treasures, spiritual herbs and elixirs. Among the passersby are high-ranking officials and nobles dressed in gorgeous clothes, as well as cultivators with spiritual power shining through them, creating a harmonious and prosperous scene.
After entering the city, the man put away his flying spirit beast and led An Lushan to a magnificent palace.
The palace, named "Qianyuan Hall," was where the Ming emperors handled military and state affairs.
The palace is entirely golden in color, with glazed tiles shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight. The palace is supported by huge white jade pillars, which are carved with exquisite mythological stories. Every detail showcases the majesty and luxury of the royal family.
An Lushan entered the palace, walked along the long red carpet, and finally arrived at the center of the main hall.
Inside the main hall, a middle-aged man dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe sat on the dragon throne. His face was dignified and his eyes were deep, as if he could see through everything.
This person is none other than the current Emperor of the Ming Dynasty—Zhu Song.
The man who led An Lushan into the palace knelt on one knee and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, An Lushan has been brought here."
Upon seeing this, An Lushan immediately knelt down and bowed, "Greetings, Emperor Ming!"
Ren Anlushan was used to the world and considered himself arrogant, but the person in front of him made him dare not look directly at him.
This person is not only the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, but also the ruler of the Ming Dynasty's cultivation world. His true age is probably well over a thousand years old.
Faced with such a formidable figure, An Lushan had no choice but to bow and scrape, proceeding with utmost caution.
Zhu Song slightly raised his hand, gesturing for him to stand up. After scrutinizing An Lushan for a moment, he slowly said, "An Lushan, do you know why I have summoned you?"
An Lushan's heart tightened upon hearing this, and he hurriedly replied respectfully, "I dare not presume to know the Emperor's will, but since the Emperor has summoned me, there must be a reason why I am of use. I am willing to go through fire and water for the Ming Dynasty without hesitation!"
Zhu Song's face showed no emotion, but his fingers tapped lightly on the dragon throne, while his eyes revealed a hint of scrutiny.
"I know you have been operating in the three prefectures for many years. Although things have changed, I have heard of your methods. Now that my Great Ming is extremely powerful, it desperately needs strategists like you! It's just a pity that Zhuge Liang is dead..."
Zhu Song frowned slightly, revealing a hint of regret.
Upon hearing this, An Lushan's lips twitched. Judging from the Emperor's words, it seemed that he valued Zhuge Liang even more.
But now he is desperate and desperately needs to rely on such a powerful force in order to have any hope of taking back everything that belongs to him...