I Don't Agree to the Terms

Gu Shanhai had already felt a massive influx of Ghost Energy trying to penetrate his body, but all of it was blocked.

Then, immediately using that data to extrapolate, he soon created two Ghost Energy Seeds.

He had wanted to create just one, but reality simply did not permit it because the Ghost Energy he controlled was not the most primitive and pure form but rather Secondary Ghost Energy that had been transformed by An and Moon.

So, he planned to temporarily condense it into two Ghost Energy Seeds, reap the corresponding benefits, and then revert them to the pure, original Ghost Energy.

With the acquisition of this Ghost Energy, Gu Shanhai gained a deeper understanding of the concept of death in this world.

An hour later, the Iron Guard Commander once again opened the door.

"Prince Surth, have you noticed anything unusual?" the Iron Guard Commander inquired, as was customary.

"Are you referring to this unusual sensation?" Gu Shanhai said, revealing a trace of gentle Ghost Energy in his hand, which was an external expression of Moon Energy.

At this point, there was no need to play coy anymore.

"Yes, you have awakened Ghost Energy, please follow me," the Iron Guard Commander said, his attitude changing at once. He had been addressing him directly as Prince Surth and had even been rather cold, but now there was a clear respect in his tone.

Gu Shanhai followed the Iron Guard Commander away and soon they moved around to the back of the ancestral temple to a building hidden by its shadow.

The building had no name, but the Iron Guard Commander allowed Gu Shanhai to enter on his own.

Gu Shanhai strode in and saw text projected onto the walls on either side.

After reading through once, he learned that the walls detailed techniques for mastering both An and Moon Ghost Energies, methods to strengthen one's internal Ghost Energy, and various applications.

On the central wall, there were records of various Secret Techniques to further enhance the power of Ghost Energy.

Typically, Royal Family members who had awakened Ghost Energy would first record the Ghost Energy techniques and strengthening methods they needed, followed by the various Secret Techniques.

After all, although these Royal Family members had awakened their abilities, they were essentially still ordinary people without eidetic memories. They would have to come here daily for the next month to memorize and learn, as no copying or external transfer of these contents was allowed, only here.

If after a month you still haven't mastered it, the consequences would be self-evident.

If mud can't be propped up the wall, then stronger measures must be employed.

'A system with an extremely high ceiling...'

Gu Shanhai now began to suspect that the current Emperor was still the Great Emperor who had founded the Navia Empire. The latter had likely already used the power of Ghost Energy to become an immortal being and probably controlled not the two types of Secondary Ghost Energy that had branched out, but a higher level, original Ghost Energy.

It seemed he was using his own offspring to gradually advance the understanding of Ghost Energy.

'It seems, the greatest challenge of this mission will likely be meeting the Emperor of the Navia Empire.'

If the speculations were true, then the Ghost Energy possessed by the Emperor of the Navia Empire was already very close to the concept of death itself; which is why he could no longer become stronger.

But if a universe appeared where there was no death, only life, it would be the equivalent of reconnecting a path that had been severed for the Emperor.

With his talents and abilities, it was highly possible that by the addition of the concept of life, he could transform his original Ghost Energy into the true concept of death.

A person empowered with both the powerful forces of death and life would become the eternal ruler of two universes.

After all, if he brought the concept of death into the cancerous universe, then the greatest advantage of those cancerous life forms would disappear.

'Truly an old monster...'

Gu Shanhai could not estimate the strength of the Emperor, as he had cloaked himself, and it was not wise for Gu Shanhai's Spiritual Sense to probe too blatantly.

Now he understood why there was such a severance between the Royal Family and the Parliament, it was because the path of Ghost Energy had reached its end in terms of personal cultivation.

Instead, it was technology that was advancing, even creating Ghost Energy Technology.

This must have been inseparable from the support of the Royal Family.

The extraction of Ghost Energy should only be supported by the Royal Family, Gu Shanhai thought of the Princes who had left the Imperial Palace.

Perhaps it was they who extracted the Ghost Energy for national defense use.

Gu Shanhai had been here for three hours, pretending to earnestly memorize the Moon Energy Training Method, mainly because there were surveillance systems, and he had also felt the sensation of being spied on.

It must be the Emperor of the Navia Empire observing him.

From the Iron Guard Commander's words, he also learned something: out of so many Princes and Princesses, including Gu Shanhai, the counterfeit, only three people had successfully awakened.

Among them, two were fighting for the position of the future Emperor in the Imperial Palace, almost to the point of bashing each other's brains out.

"Have you memorized it?" the Iron Guard Commander rushed over to see Gu Shanhai as he came out.

"Yes, I want to know what a Prince is?" Gu Shanhai asked.

"A Prince is one who has given up the right to succeed to the throne; you can live freely outside the Imperial Palace. Apart from not being allowed to directly interfere with the Parliament and the workings of the Empire, not being allowed to reveal Ghost Energy, and not being allowed to violate laws and related regulations at will, you hold a transcendent status."

"You can also make connections with members of Parliament through your status as a Prince, engage in business, or even travel and enjoy yourself, to which the Royal Family will provide a certain level of financial support."

"There are corresponding duties, which will be disclosed to you after you become a Prince."

Hearing Gu Shanhai ask about the matter of becoming a Prince, the Iron Guard Commander was clearly more enthusiastic.

"Good, I want to become a Prince. How do I do that?" Gu Shanhai didn't disappoint the other party's enthusiasm, staying in the palace and playing the fool for that Undying Emperor's power struggle drama not being an option.

"You just need to wait until your Ghost Energy grows from the Seed Stage to the Sprouting Stage to apply," the Iron Guard Commander said.

The growth of Ghost Energy also has stages, divided into six stages: Seed Stage, Sprouting Stage, Rooting Stage, Leafing Stage, Flowering Stage, and Fruiting Stage.

Each stage represents a qualitative change in Ghost Energy and a strengthening of oneself.

"So that's how it is, I understand," Gu Shanhai thought; besides these six stages, whether there was a higher level of Ghost Energy.

But Gu Shanhai was no longer dwelling on this issue, he had obtained the samples and data, and could fully deduce a whole new system of Ghost Energy, with no need to follow the old path of the Undying Emperor.

Through these data and his brief speculation, he could already see that this was a process of cultivating Secondary Ghost Energy step by step into original Ghost Energy and regressing it to the concept of death.

If he wasn't careful, after the Fruiting Stage, it would be a step into death.

The fruit borne could likely become the sustenance or experimental samples of the Undying Emperor.

"The Imperial Palace is abundant in Ghost Energy; allowing your Ghost Energy to reach the Sprouting Stage will take at most one month. The Royal Family can prepare the relevant materials for you in advance, ensuring you can enjoy sufficient pleasures outside," the Iron Guard Commander seemed to have received some instruction, and thus he said.

"Okay, then prepare in advance for me, I'd like to settle the status of Prince by tomorrow, and as soon as it reaches the Sprouting Stage, I'll leave."

"There shouldn't be any problems, right?"

Gu Shanhai glanced at the Iron Guard Commander.

"Of course, there's no issue. Tomorrow morning, the appointment of Prince will be sent to your royal chamber," the Iron Guard Commander readily agreed. If Gu Shanhai wanted to stay, the two Princes would press him down, but Gu Shanhai wanted to leave, those two would surely join forces to send him away from the Imperial Palace, lest there be one more person to compete with them for the right of succession to the throne.

Therefore, issuing the Prince status in advance was also to cut off the right of succession early, so they wouldn't lose sleep at night; after all, once the right of succession was cut off, even if you have regrets later, you will have no chance.