The Immortal Seeker: Legend of Bronze Mirror

Soon, the day of the imperial audience arrived.

Xu Qing was taken away by two young Taoist attendants sent from the Chaotian Temple ahead of time and brought to the Zichen Palace in the West Garden. He left all his valuable possessions, including the Qiankun Bag, in the care of his father-in-law.

One could say that aside from the Top Scorer's waist token to prove his identity, he was entirely alone.

After "purification" in the Zichen Palace, led by the Taoist attendants, he arrived at the Yan Nian Gate where he was searched by the guards before entering the palace. The murals on the walls beside the gates depicted dragons pulling chariots, an image of the Heavenly Emperor's imperial procession.

Magnificent structures adorned with dragon carvings, nothing more.

Ordinary people would naturally be intimidated by the splendor of the Emperor's residence.

However, Xu Qing felt nothing.

In his previous life, not to mention murals of dragons pulling chariots, even projecting a dragon flying in the sky with a drone was easily done.

Before him was a vast courtyard with plum flowers, deer, and cranes walking leisurely.

The heavenly paradise imagined by commoners was nothing more than this.

The path ahead, paved with pebbles, led to a crossroads where the pebbles formed a Tai Chi pattern, arranged mysteriously, and carried an indescribable Taoist essence.

In front of him were three paths, one leading to the flower garden, another to the herb garden, and the middle one led to the dwelling place of the old Emperor—the Longevity Palace.

After another inspection by the guards, Xu Qing entered the front hall to wait.

Portraits of the Three Pure Taoist Ancestors hung in the hall, with an altar for offerings below. Opposite the altar stood a bronze incense burner on a three-legged stand, its intricate Taoist engravings deep and complex. The fragrance of sandalwood was so overwhelming that even Xu Qing's Divine Soul nearly fell into a trance.

He knew this was the most heavily guarded place in the world and exerted the greatest suppressive force on the Divine Soul. Without harnessing his Divine Soul, his Qi-Blood flowed slowly like mercury, deep and silent.

His gaze swept across the great hall; he did not see any dragon throne, only a white jade couch, beneath which were Eight Diagrams Purple Gold Bricks meticulously refined by Taoists.

Gu the Taoist of Fang Immortal Dao had mentioned that these Eight Diagrams Purple Gold Bricks held the power to ward off evil and focus the spirit. Even with his Cultivation, it would take a year to make just a few due to the extremely low production.

These purple gold bricks were clearly accumulation of the Imperial Family's foundation.

In Xu Qing's eyes, the old Emperor was just like a typical student with an abundance of school supplies.

With so many fanciful treasures, who knows if his Divine Soul Cultivation had reached the Manifestation Level.

Surely no one's talent could be so deficient.

This was like spending tens of millions in a game without reaching the max level, and still being several major Realms away from it.

It couldn't be, really, it couldn't...

His gaze then fell upon a calligraphy on the east wall, the treasures of the Longevity Emperor,

"I have three treasures, which I hold and guard: The first is kindness; the second is frugality; the third is daring not to be ahead of the world."

This was a passage from the Tao Te Ching.

Xu Qing had no particular opinion in his heart. It didn't matter what a person said, but what they did that was key.

Entering the great hall and observing everything was a moment's affair for Xu Qing.

He then waited calmly.

Soon, an eunuch came out and said, "Xu Jieyuan from South Zhili, right? Follow me for your imperial audience."

Led by the eunuch through the hall corridor, Xu Qing reached the rear hall where the old Emperor usually practiced Cultivation, concealed by many layers of curtains.

"Your Lordship, that Xu Qing has arrived," the guiding eunuch whispered softly.

In the current dynasty, eunuchs referred to the Emperor with reverence, calling him "Your Majesty" or "Your Lordship," and the Crown Prince as "Lord" or "Thousand Years Old." As for the title "Everlasting Majesty," it was not used at all.

As for subjects in private, respectfully they might call him "Daoist," and if not, it was up to personal discretion.

On the other hand, this was not a formal court meeting, so there was no exclusive music for the Emperor's entrance; instead, there was a long and melodic sound of a Jade Chime.

Seeing Xu Qing dazed, the eunuch reminded him, "His Majesty has consented to see you. Aren't you going to pay your respects?"

Xu Qing immediately performed the proper courtesy.

After a while, the thick curtains opened slightly, giving a glimpse of the old Emperor inside, dressed in his usual imperial attire, with a robed Taoist standing guard by his side.

He appeared to be the Temple Master of Chaotian Temple.

But now, Xu Qing did not deliberately project his Divine Soul or concentrate his gaze to probe anything; instead, he followed all the etiquettes of a subject.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

His Luck Little Jiao did not give any danger signal.

He felt very secure in his heart.

"Rise." The Emperor's voice seemed both distant and close, as if coming from the Nine Heavens, ineffable.

Xu Qing stood up immediately,

with every bit of etiquette in place.

"Is it true that you're not yet eighteen years old?"

"Answering Your Majesty, I will turn eighteen after the New Year, on the fifteenth day of the first month," Xu Qing replied.

After the New Year, he didn't have much time left before the bronze mirror's prediction of his life's end.

His time was pressing, but his heart had preset plans, so as long as he did his best, there would be no regrets.

If the day was approaching and there was no solution in sight, Xu Qing could only plan to take down everyone who he thought posed a threat to his affairs after death, one by one.

"At under eighteen, you're already a Martial Arts Grandmaster and your Divine Soul has attained the Cultivation of Possession Realm. Do you have any unique Cultivation secrets?"

In response to the old Emperor's inquiry, a ludicrous thought popped into Xu Qing's mind, "Not inquiring about the mortals, but questioning the ghosts and deities."

It had to be you.

This showed that the old Emperor had a clear grasp of the information about him.

"Sages engage in no-action and teach without words; they accomplish their work without claiming credit. This is the essence of my Cultivation."

"No-action? You've done so much, how can you claim no-action?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, to act through no-action, is to leave nothing undone."

"Since it's teaching without words, and you claim no credit once the work is done, if I were to ask for all the wealth and properties in your hands, would you be willing to give them up?"