NOVEL NEXT Chapter 181: What's to Come
Ever since a few of the Knights of the Round Table had arrived, Arthur's daily life began to change.
Most days, he could be found in the residential districts—the eight plazas built along the outer wall. He strolled through them like an ordinary man, chatting with the villagers as though they were old friends, while his knights kept a respectful distance, watching quietly like guardians.
"Sir Arthur, yesterday, we..."
"My daughter says she'd like to..."
"Arthur... How about tonight, we…~?"
The conversations never followed a single theme. They ranged from harmless gossip, to small reports about the fields and supplies, and even the occasional half-whispered invitation to join someone in more private affairs.
Yet those days of nightly indulgence were long past. Since the knights had gathered, Arthur's evenings of debauchery had been cut short. At most, one or two lucky women managed to claim his attention each night, but compared to how things used to be, it was almost nothing.
Strangely enough, his restraint only made him seem greater in the eyes of others. The more he pulled back, the more regal he appeared. His bearing grew heavier with a quiet dignity, and his aura seemed to polish itself into that of a true sovereign. In the eyes of the people, Arthur was becoming the image of a beloved king, despite the fact that, technically, Xu Tao held the role of ruler.
Of course, Arthur didn't just stroll and chat all day. His knights were working tirelessly under his word. They organized supplies for the city, made sure everyone received their share, and even drew up plans for defense. They weren't doing it because Xu Tao ordered them—they did it because Arthur asked it of them.
Bit by bit, the people's affection leaned more toward Arthur than Xu Tao. If Arthur had not sworn his loyalty early on, even he suspected his knights would have already urged him to seize the throne outright.
Naturally, Xu Tao noticed.
And just as naturally, he understood the unspoken ambition beneath the actions of Arthur's knights. But he didn't stop them. He simply allowed events to unfold.
"How dare they try to undermine my Emperor's authority and raise a false king! They deserve a thousand deaths!"
Zetian, when she learned of the situation, wasted no time in venting her fury to Xu Tao. Her eyes burned with a sharp resolve, her words brimming with the desire to strike on his behalf.
But Xu Tao only replied, calm and steady.
"No need. Let them be."
Zetian's brows knit together. "But, My Emperor, they—"
Her protest faltered when she saw his expression. His decision had already been made. If Arthur truly won the people's hearts, then Xu Tao was willing to step back without hesitation. In his view, there was no need to cling to the seat of power.
"I'll be leaving this place in a few days," Xu Tao said quietly. "If Arthur acts as king while I'm gone, then so be it. That may even be better."
Zetian's eyes widened, a flicker of unease rising in her chest. "My Emperor… where are you going?"
"Hm?" Xu Tao glanced at her, surprised she didn't know. "I'm returning to the real world... Ah." His face shifted slightly as he remembered.
Zetian had been summoned later. She didn't know about his ability to cross between worlds after a set number of days.
"Actually..." Xu Tao began, and this time, he told her everything.
He didn't think too much of it at the time. He had no idea what weight those words would carry later.
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That night, the castle grounds were alive with quiet preparation. On the patch of land between the castle and the Small World Tree, disciples and followers gathered. The outer disciples of the Azure Dragon Sect, Elder Lu, Zetian and her maids, even Yifa—all of them sat cross-legged, their postures straight, their breathing calm as they waited.
As always, Xu Tao stepped forward and raised a pill in his hand. He crushed it lightly between his fingers, and the Condensed True Qi Pill burst into a cloud of shining energy. The air grew heavy and bright as if a second dawn had bloomed under the night sky.
Normally, such Qi would scatter in moments. But under Xu Tao's control, it stayed, circling, condensed into a dome around them. The energy thickened near his body and thinned as it spread outward, balanced carefully under his guidance.
"Focus," he said.
Every disciple closed their eyes and obeyed.
One by one, they reached for the circulating Qi, drawing it into their bodies. Their cultivation rose at different speeds, some steady, some wavering, but all of them improving.
As always, Zetian's progress stood out most. Her aura swelled, steady and fierce, her cultivation climbing faster than the rest.
Xu Tao's gaze swept across the group. He watched carefully, prepared to intervene at the first sign of imbalance. But perhaps thanks to the strange influence of the Lost System, not a single disciple stumbled. No one strayed into Qi Deviation. Their growth was smooth, almost too smooth. For the first time, he had to crush a second pill to meet their hunger for Qi.
'At this pace, my entire stock will be gone in less than a month…'
The thought troubled him, but it also comforted him. Rapid growth meant strength, and strength meant safety—for the city, and for everyone relying on it.
The night stretched on. Xu Tao stood without rest, hands weaving seal after seal, his will shaping the flow of Qi like an endless tide. Hours passed, the moon slid west, and sweat began to gather on his brow, yet his focus never wavered.
By the time dawn arrived, the last wisp of Qi was gone. Xu Tao finally exhaled a long breath, releasing his stance. He looked around at the people who had trained through the night—the disciples whose cores pulsed stronger, the maids who now held faint traces of cultivation, the elder whose eyes shone with pride.
His lips curved faintly, satisfied.
"Not bad."
The morning sun spilled over the horizon, its golden light filling the training grounds, illuminating every face with a quiet, hopeful glow.