Wait a minute, where is my master?

Three Taoist and a chicken sat before desks designated for those with and without identity cards.

They watched as Xia Yunzhao, dressed in splendid attire, descended from the sky.

Today, the Seventh Princess was no longer in a white dress, but had changed into a golden-red phoenix robe adorned with various auspicious cloud patterns, primarily in gold with red accents.

The expression on her face had also changed from the usual serene elegance to one of solemnity and gravity.

Accompanying the entry of this future Empress of Great Xia were various strange and auspicious phenomena, such as pine and crane offerings, Earth Bursting Golden Lotus, stars shining in the sky, and brocade-like mountain and river maps, among others.

In any case, the more splendid, the better.

Of course, these phenomena were all artificially created by formations, mainly to highlight an atmosphere of grandeur and festivity.

"Hey, Sister Yunzhao today looks so... so..."

Behind the desk, Little White, not highly educated, was at a loss for the right adjective for a moment.

"Regal and dignified, an extraordinary demeanor? Nation's beauty, a beauty that shames the moon?"

Yu Yaoer, sitting next to her, timely added the second half of the sentence for Little White.

"Little Yu sister is right!"

Husky nodded vigorously.

Little Fish Demon continued, "Not only does Sister Yunzhao look extraordinarily elegant today, but these phenomena also seem quite lavish, especially the brocade-like mountain and river map, which perfectly complements Sister Yunzhao's outfit."

After saying this, she turned her head towards the young Taoist beside her, blinked, and asked, "Young master, what do you think?"

Jin Xu's eyes sparkled faintly as he focused on divining the fortunes of the people in the square.

Hearing his demon pet's question, he replied offhand.

The Little Fish Demon, seeing her master's usual disinterest in Xia Yunzhao, blinked reassuredly and continued watching the coronation ceremony.

Elsewhere.

The young Taoist, using the fortune-telling method of Spiritual Eyes, scanned the entire square. He noted that most guests had a "Neutral" symbol above their heads.

This indicated that these people were having an average day, with no disasters or illnesses, but also no particular good luck.

A small portion had symbols like "Auspicious" or "Great Auspicious" above their heads. This indicated that these individuals were particularly fortunate today and would definitely encounter good events.

The representative among them was Xia Yunzhao, whose "Great Auspicious" symbol was so vibrantly red it was purple, indicating that her luck today was exceptionally good.

However, none of this made Jin Xu linger in his observation.

His gaze was fixed on a ritual officer responsible for the sacrifice. In the large square, this person's head bearing a faint "Minor Misfortune" was notably conspicuous.

The young Taoist suspected this man might be a spy from the Demon Sect, but his Qi, judged through the fortune-telling method, showed no anomalies.

He hesitated whether to send a warning telepathically or to take action directly.

Then... he saw the ritual officer's foot get struck by a ceremonial bronze cauldron that had fallen from the sky.

Thereafter, the "Minor Misfortune" symbol above his head, along with the tremor of his body, gradually turned into a "Neutral" symbol.

Alright, no harm done.

It turns out the man was just unlucky.

...

This minor incident had no impact; the coronation ceremony continued orderly.

After Xia Yunzhao finished the sacrifices to heaven and the ancestors with the Imperial Family members and civil and military officials, Xia Huantang handed over the Jade Seal signifying the power of the Great Xia Dynasty and announced his abdication.

The Seventh Princess accepted the Jade Seal, and under the witness of Xia Xuanmin and the supervision of the ritual officer, she began, from that moment, to take over the Great Xia Dynasty.

At the last word read by the ritual officer,

Xia Yunzhao activated the Secret Technique Grandpa Emperor had taught her, driving the Jade Seal in her hand, and suddenly a powerful force burst forth, stirring the Dragon Energy of Shangjing City and Great Xia. It forcefully poured into her body.

At this time, in the two provinces under the de facto control of Great Xia, a vague Dragon Energy appeared in the skies above all cities, forming into a dragon shape and moving towards Shangjing City in a ritual of homage.

Under the infusion of the Dragon Energy, the Seventh Princess's cultivation had reached the pinnacle of the Void Refinement Realm, a fact she was deliberately restraining. Promoting to Divinity Transformation required facing a Minor Heavenly Tribulation, which was naturally not suitable at the moment since the coronation ceremony must continue.

On the high platform, Xia Xuanmin watched his own granddaughter take over the Jade Seal and successfully navigate the process of infusing Dragon Energy into her body, letting go of half of the worries in his heart.

In his plans, if the Demon Sect intended to disrupt today's coronation and seize the Dragon Energy of Great Xia, the moment of the transfer of power between the old and new emperors would be the best opportunity to act.

Now that this moment had passed, the likelihood of the other party making a move had greatly decreased.

With this thought, he couldn't help but steal a glance at Jin Xu, the young Taoist sitting behind the desk.

"Heh, it seems the Demon Sect also knows that this formidable presence is here, so they dare not come today."

...

The ceremony continued.

After the sacrifices and the transfer of power came the felicitations.

This segment mainly involved civil and military officials and various guests paying homage or offering congratulations to the new Emperor of Great Xia, followed by presenting their gifts.

Simply put, this was the segment for receiving gifts and blessings.

For instance, guests had already begun offering their felicitations.

"Longevity Mountain's Iron Sword Sect, congratulating Emperor Zhao's coronation, presents an ancestral iron sword as a gift!"

"The Teng family from Shangjing, congratulating Emperor Zhao's coronation, presents ten thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones and an ancestral defensive treasure."

This felicitation segment proceeded from the lesser to the more significant, with small families, minor forces, or lower-ranking officials starting first.

The most important guests and high-ranking officials, of course, were saved for the final act.

But none of these concerned the young Taoist; he was already bewildered upon hearing the felicitations.

Do well-wishers really need to bring gifts?

"Isn't this meant to be a congratulatory visit?"

He hadn't prepared a congratulatory gift for Xia Yunzhao either!

Jin Xu looked toward the end of the banquet table where guest after guest and Great Xia officials were standing up to sing their congratulations, then expressionlessly sent his Spiritual Sense into his storage magic treasure.

What was inside the twenty-four Mystic Treasure Pearls?

A box of Spirit Stones that had been used and wasn't very full.

The storage magic treasure that Zhao Dabao had given him came with completely useless items like a Treasure Basin, a small green bottle, a meteorite, and a ring.

Jin Xu's own spare Taoist robes; although the little Taoist wore dark blue robes every day, he had actually bought five of the same color.

Several buckets of "well water" from Xuanxu Temple.

A branch and leaves from the Senior Guan Ling.

Quite a few jade tablets.

That was it...

"Should I give these buckets of water to Xia Yunzhao?"

The idea sprouted in the little Taoist's mind, just as he saw Yu Yaoer beside him taking a large water tank filled with "well water" out of her red jade bracelet.

She turned to Jin Xu and said, "My lord, Little White and I discussed it and decided to give this tank of Spiritual Liquid to Sister Yunzhao as a congratulatory gift. What do you think?"

"...Quite good."

The little Taoist nodded expressionlessly.

"Mm-hmm. By the way, my lord, what are you planning to give Sister Yunzhao as a congratulatory gift?"

Yu Yaoer blinked her clear yet somewhat foolish large eyes, curiously asking Jin Xu.

"..."

What to give? A heartfelt congratulation? That definitely won't do!

How about...

The little Taoist's eyes shifted to the Age Chicken, who was chatting merrily with Little White.

As Jin Xu was wrestling with this decision.

Above Shangjing City's sky, high up in the air.

An anomaly suddenly occurred!

A several zhang wide pitch-black pupil emerged from the void, emitting billowing black air, covering the sunlight near Shangjing City.

Xia Xuanmin was the first to notice. He looked up at the sky, saw this strange sight, and anger appeared on his aged face while the stone that had settled in his heart was lifted once more.

"This bunch of demonic bastards, they really came after all!"

In the square, the guests who had been singing their congratulations felt the change in light and involuntarily stopped, looking up towards the sky.

The other guests and the civil and military officials who sensed something was wrong also turned their heads upwards, their faces showing panic.

In front of the Golden Throne Hall, standing at a height, the Cultivator from Tingfeng Building responsible for broadcasting this coronation ceremony also changed the direction of the child Formation in his hand towards the sky.

In the void, this lone black pupil, seeing that everyone on the ground was looking at him, immediately emitted a soul-shaking eerie sound.

"Ye Wuyang, Fourth Elder of the Demon Sect, congratulates Emperor Zhao on his coronation. The gift is the lives of ten thousand citizens of Shangjing City! I wonder if Emperor Zhao dares to accept this gift?"

This questioning voice spread throughout Shangjing City and was broadcasted to all parts of Nine Provinces Realm via Tingfeng Building.

Seated in the Golden Throne Hall, enjoying the congratulations, Xia Yunzhao heard this voice, donned in her phoenix robe, and suddenly appeared high up in the air, her eyebrows inverted, ready to rebuke this evil cultivator from the Demon Sect.

Now as Empress of Great Xia, she represented the face of the Great Xia Dynasty. At this moment of her coronation, even though her cultivation was not as high as her opponent's, she could not diminish her own authority.

More so, her Grandpa was still below, and today, Jin Xu, the young Taoist, was also present.

This newly ascended Empress had plenty of confidence.

"I..."

"Boom!"

A thick column of golden lightning burst forth from the ground, in a flash, striking directly upon the pitch-black pupil.

In an instant, this black eye evaporated from the void, and the billowing black air in the sky was also cleansed away by the dispersing golden Thunder Arc.

This anomaly came swiftly and departed even faster. If the guests at the scene weren't still feeling the terrifying fluctuations of Spiritual Power, they would certainly think they had just experienced an illusion.

In the sky, Xia Yunzhao, clad in a phoenix robe and wearing a high crown, turned her head to look down at Jin Xu, who still had his right hand raised, a momentary confusion of expressions crossing her solemn face.

"I know with you around, little Taoist, there wouldn't be a problem, but you could have let me scold him a bit before killing him!"

In front of the Golden Throne Hall, the Cultivator from Tingfeng Building responsible for broadcasting hurriedly directed the child Formation in his hands toward Jin Xu, who wore a faceless mask.

Then, they heard the little Taoist on the ground calmly speak: "Jin Xu of Gusu City, with no title of note, congratulates Emperor Zhao on his coronation, the gift being the life of the Demon Sect's enlightened great pupil!"

After saying this, Jin Xu expressionlessly took a long breath in his heart.

Good, good, the matter of the gift should be considered resolved.

The little Taoist lowered his continually raised right hand, preparing to sit down.

High up in the sky, Xia Yunzhao also prepared to say a few customary words before returning to the Golden Throne Hall.

However, at this moment, another aberration arose in the sky, another pitch-black pupil emitting rolling black air appeared in the void.

Jin Xu, just about to sit down, saw this scene and his brow furrowed slightly.

"Hmm? It wasn't completely purified?"