CHAPTER 45: THE KING

As soon as the Crown Prince returned to his quarters, he did not hesitate to read the book.

However, someone knocked on his palatial door, bringing displease towards him.

Even then, he had to answer it.

No one would dare to disturb him unless it was necessary.

Sitting on his royal seat, more expensive and dignified than Liu Wei’s seats and table, he waited until the door was opened and a heavy footsteps echoed behind him.

It was obviously the Crimson Sun Guard, but perceiving the way it walked, it was certainly not Xuan Bo.

When the Crimson Sun Guard arrived beside him, he cast a glance and recognized it was Xuan Bo’s comrade.

And the Crimson Sun Guard was also his father’s personal guard.

Hence, the moment he saw him, he had an idea or two of why he came to him.

The Crimson Sun Guard said, "Crown Prince, your father, The King, has called your presence."

Jin Zhaoyang, the Crown Prince, nodded and stood up, still grasping the book in his right hand.

He turned towards the Crimson Sun Guard, who immediately lowered his head to not dare meet his gaze.

Furthermore, the Crimson Sun Guard was taller than the Crown Prince, staring at him might make it seem he was looking down at the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince asked, "Is he with Uncle Qiao Long?"

The Crimson Sun Guard replied in a very polite tone, "Yes, Crown Prince."

The Crown Prince nodded and walked past him.

The Crimson Sun Guard followed him to the throne room...

...

As soon as the Crown Prince entered the throne room, the other subjects were absent, only his Uncle Qi Long, was present, standing below the stairs.

Atop the stairs were the magnificent throne.

His father, the King, seated atop, wearing his usual dignified robe, showcasing his status.

The King showed similar semblance to his son, the Crown Prince, albeit he looked older and mature.

His expression was ambiguous, as he placed his cheeks atop his fingers filled with expensive rings.

His countenance did not change when he saw his son, he simply remained silent, returning his son’s greetings towards him, waiting for his prime minister to initiate a conversation with his son.

Qiao Long turned towards the King after greeting the Crown Prince, asking for his permission by taking a bow.

The King nodded his head slightly.

Then, Qiao Long turned towards the Crown Prince and cleared his throat.

He said, "Crown Prince, we called you for very important matters."

The Crown Prince smiled and nodded.

"Go ahead."

Qiao Long nodded and smiled.

He said, "We know you have already interacted with the librarian. I must tell you first, we have long been aware of his presence and his library, but we simply do not want to make a move yet.

After all, he appears mysteriously and the aura his library exuded seems to be beyond your father’s strength.

You should know your father is the strongest in the kingdom, correct?

In other words, we are very wary of the librarian and his library.

In addition, we only came to know that it was a library as those who visited him always left with a book in their hand.

What was very strange though, they were empty.

We did not kidnap and interrogate his customers, afraid to gain his wrath.

Hence, we investigated them.

What we found out was that..."

Qiao Long’s face turned solemn.

He continued in a serious tone, "They read the book and suddenly found enlightenment... one after another.

However, what we received from our intel was that... the book was empty.

As though they were the only ones who could see it.

Hence, your father, the King, concluded that...

We must not make enemies of the librarian at all cost.

I assume you did not, right?"

The Crown Prince chuckled and shook his head.

He said, "I am certain, Uncle Qiao Long, that you are aware that I already know that librarian and his library... at the very least, on the surface, compared to what you and father know."

Qiao Long nodded and smiled.

He said, "As expected of the Crown Prince. Alright, we will not waste your time, we want to ask.

Have you made a deal with him?

What was the price?

Please don’t lie, Crown Prince.

As you are already the future of the kingdom, your words will entirely depend on how the kingdom will progress in the future."

The Crown Prince rolled his eyes and said, "Don’t be too dramatic, Uncle. Well, I will tell you."

The moment he entered the throne room, he hid the book behind his butt, as inconspicuous as he could.

The Crimson Sun Guard remained outside to guard, so he did not notice the Crown Prince’s strange action.

The Crown Prince then revealed the book in front of him and their eyes widened.

Even his father, who usually kept his unbothered expression, was surprised.

Suddenly, as they kept staring at the book, despite it being empty, they felt the sword aura.

The book appeared to be filled with sword intent...

Or if they were not wrong, stronger than that.

Before Qiao Long was able to say anything, the King, who usually spoke limitedly, letting his prime minister continue the conversation, said in a stern tone, "That is not just a book. It’s already an ancient artifact."

When he meant by the ancient artifact, it was an artifact where it came from the above.

Above the mortal world.

An artifact that often acted as the treasure of every kingdom, differentiating them from the rest.

Like any other kingdom, they too simply received external help from the above—according to their ancestor’s tale.

The Crown Prince replied, "It seems to be the case, Father. That’s why I concluded that Liu Wei is an immortal descended in the mortal world..."

The Crown Prince’s expression turned grave as he continued, "To help us."

The King’s expression did not change.

He glanced at the prime minister, who already stared at him.

He remained silent until the prime minister bowed deeply and left the throne room.

Once the door was closed, it was only the Crown Prince and the King.

The King’s gaze softened and sighed.

"It must be a heavy burden to you, my dear son."

The Crown Prince smiled, really like how a son would act towards his father.

He said, "Not only me, Father. To you, too."

The King nodded.

He said, "Alright, tell me the price to obtain that book. I’m pretty sure its quality is higher than his previous customer."

The Crown Prince chuckled and said, "Of course. Can they afford High-Grade Spirit Stones?"

The King was taken aback.

His heart skipped a beat.

He opened his mouth and was about to say something but kept it shut in the end.

He stared at his son in silence, not knowing what to say.

A minute later, he sighed for a long time.

He said, "From what I know, the Sword Expert did his best to finally buy a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone.

In fact, we, your uncle and I, worked in the dark, just so we could give it to him

It’s that rare, son.

Yet, you actually buy a book in exchange for a High-Grade Spirit Stone.

If it’s really just an ordinary book, I would have you executed."

The Crown Prince chuckled and shook his head.

He replied, "I know father that you know how valuable this exchange is. An extraordinary object becomes ordinary if it’s compared to liberty."

The King nodded.

He smiled.

"You might only know there was only a single High-Grade Spirit Stone remaining as the other was being used to supply the Blazing Wall Array for the past half a decade.

You are wrong.

There is still an extra.

We will return to him, but we must conceal ourselves.

Not even your Uncle Qiao Long must know about your future interactions with the librarian.

I’m certain that he will become his customers, too."

The Crown Prince nodded heavily.

He said, "I know."

The King smiled and decided to change the conversation.

He asked, "So, how did it go? I’ll be getting the same level of book as you."

The Crown Prince nodded.

He raised the book, empty in the King’s eyes but his eyes sparkled in excitement staring at it, and said, "This book’s Dao... It’s sharp. It contains the legendary Sword Will, Father."

The King’s eyes widened.

"Sword Will. There’s no single cultivator in this world who can attain such mastery with a sword."

The Crown Prince smiled and nodded.

"That’s right. It’s enough, Father. It should be."

The King was taken aback and exploded into a hoot of laughter.

The Crown Prince guffawed, not wanting to be left behind by the intensity of his father’s laugh.

Just like that, they remained guffawing for the next half an hour, easing the heavy burden on them.

When they finally felt exhausted, they rested for a while until the King initiated the conversation.

He said, "I understand now, Son. Don’t worry, I will not hesitate to waste the High-Grade Spirit Stones for Liu Wei.

We will visit him immediately tomorrow."

The Crown Prince nodded.

The King continued, "Meet me at the establishment beside the library."

Suddenly, the King grabbed his pocket and took out a palm-sized polished bronze hand-mirror with faint etchings of Dao runes that shift like rippling fire.

The King suffused his own qi and fire intent to the bronze hand-mirror and the mirror suddenly produces a perfect duplicate of his image.

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