Imperial City

"How are they?" Only Shaheluo could still stand upright. Seeing that the two green-haired men had brought five others, he disregarding his own injuries rushed to them, bending deeply at the waist. "I beg you, sirs, please save them!"

"We came here at Yutian's behest. He encountered the Danfeng City Lord, fought to a mutually assured destruction, and was unable to contact the Sub-Institute. Luckily, he ran into us and told us of your location so we could come to your aid. Finding this sudden teleportation spot, however, took some doing!" explained the green-haired man as he channeled the vitality he'd just absorbed into Yun Feng's body. "Their injuries are now under control. As for that fellow cultivator..." He pointed at Lan Jinxi. "... she will need treatment at the Imperial City!"

"We thank you, sirs, for saving our lives. May I ask your esteemed names?" Shaheluo's worries eased somewhat, and he quickly bowed in thanks.

"Wu," answered the green-haired man.

"Su Xian," said the man beside him, squinting and smiling at the group as he gave his name.

"I am Su Jin, the legitimate eldest son of the previous Heterodox Emperor and former Crown Prince. This is my sixth brother, Xun Kong," said the man who had earlier crushed the Danfeng City Lord, pointing to his somewhat disheveled companion.

"Since you are all royalty of the Heterodox Clan, and the Imperial City is now occupied, are you heading there to... reclaim your honor?" Yan inconveniently regained consciousness and then inconveniently asked.

Shaheluo shot Yan a glare, signaling him to be quiet. The four royals, in unison, gave a helpless smile.

"Young man, you can't judge everything by appearances. It's true they seized the Imperial City, but they were forced into it. Part of the blame lies with me—I was preoccupied with trivialities and failed to notice the threat in time.

Furthermore, the Celestial Clan has long had designs on the Imperial City. Their attack was just the first wave, and the mildest one at that. Had they failed, who knows what calamity might have befallen us next? It's better they hold it, so long as the common people remain unharmed."

Su Jin patiently explained: "If the Celestial Clan invaded, it would spell utter devastation. While they did kill many defending generals, they preserved their souls intact and sent them all to the Heaven Beyond Heavens. There, they can be revived when the time is right—something the Celestial Clan would never do!

Moreover, they've made us realize the Imperial City cannot stand among the various clans if it detaches from the Heaven Beyond Heavens. We should take this as a lesson and strive to improve.

Besides, their leader has already spoken with me about returning the throne. But I, in my inadequacy, felt unworthy of such a heavy responsibility and requested an extension. After all, I was inexperienced when assisting my mother in governance years ago. Having made little progress since, how could I lead a nation? Let them govern in my stead, ensuring the people's peace is enough." Su Jin elaborated in detail, clearly anxious to avoid further misunderstanding.

"To put it bluntly, he's afraid to face it!" Su Wu stated bluntly, showing no regard for saving his elder brother's face. "He missed the defense battle, and we lost it. He feels he has no face to meet our ancestors. Even if he goes to the Imperial City, he'll just live with those guys in the barren mountains, refusing to set foot in the palace."

"And besides! Big Brother probably slacked off on his memory techniques at the sect. He's probably scared he won't pass the trials before the coronation—he might have just lost his nerve!" Xun Kong, who seemed to have learned something on the way here and held a bit of a grudge against Su Jin, seized the chance to chime in.

Su Jin pinched the bridge of his nose, looking rather embarrassed.

"My apologies for my younger brothers' lack of discipline and courtesy," Su Xian hurriedly interjected to stop them, then addressed the group: "This is no place to talk. Let us proceed to the Imperial City!"

Even from a distance, the northeastern city wall of the Imperial City was visible. It stood there, its surface cracked by millennia of wind and frost, bearing dried blood, weapons embedded in its surface, and scars of blade strikes—all testifying to its past glory. Under the setting sun's afterglow, facing the once blood-stained desert, it seemed slightly desolate.

The four leading the group were in a somber mood, especially Su Jin, who gazed at the city wall mesmerized, as if the battles had happened yesterday and the dried blood upon it were still warm.

An elderly man waited early at the city gate. Once high-spirited and overbearing, he was now white-haired with a face deeply lined by time. He was none other than the former leader of the invaders and the current temporary steward of the Imperial City—Dang Mo.

"Young Master Jin, you have come!" He bowed first in salute. In the years of governing the Imperial City, caught between two forces, striving to hold the city, care for his brethren, and protect the people, he was utterly weary. Now, seeing Su Jin, the legitimate eldest son of the royal line, willing to return through the main gate, he was filled with joy.

"Elder, why must you...?" Su Jin stepped forward to help the old man up before returning the salute, the others following suit.

"Young Master Jin... you..." Noticing the travel-worn state of the people behind Su Jin, especially Yan and others bearing wounds, Dang Mo proposed, "Young Master Jin, this is no place for idle talk. Why don't we first settle everyone comfortably, then discuss matters? What do you think..."

Su Jin nodded, simultaneously gesturing for the group behind him to follow.

The atmosphere remained heavy along the way. This urban area was divided by a wall into the outer and inner city. Since successfully taking over and repairing the ancestral halls on behalf of the Heterodox Clan, Dang Mo and his people had never set foot in the inner city except for the annual memorial visits to the Imperial City's honored spirits. However, many commoners would go there to unwind or reflect when faced with misfortune.

After settling Yan and the others, Dang Mo couldn't wait to practically push Su Jin into the inner city, leading him to the former royal council chamber used for major events.

"Young Master Jin, by any measure, you are the rightful heir to the Imperial City! Given the current situation, no one else in this generation is fit for this great responsibility!" Dang Mo placed stack after stack of reports before Su Jin. "The tug-of-war between the two factions is extremely disadvantageous for the Imperial City. Moreover, the stance of the Heaven Beyond Heavens is ambiguous. This old man fears further complications!"

"The Celestial Clan again? Even the Tianluan Universe behind Danfeng! What exactly have you done?" Su Jin looked at the reports with disbelief.

"The Celestial Clan did indeed promise us they wouldn't wipe us out if we took the Imperial City. But word somehow leaked about this old man preserving the souls of many Imperial City soldiers. The Celestial Clan learned of it and then wanted to seize the foundation of the Imperial City. I refused, and so we became enemies!" Dang Mo explained. "As for the Tianluan side, you know well what they are involved in..."

"But you shouldn't have copied the Imperial City's past actions by openly making an enemy of them! With the backing of the Heaven Beyond Heavens, we're not afraid of them, but you..." Su Jin was furious, yet found it hard to stay angry.

"How would this old man dare? Merely rescuing some commoners led to this..." Dang Mo sighed helplessly. He had thought things would improve after conquering the Imperial City, but it seemed lacking sufficient strength and backing for such actions only made one a target. "Therefore, I implore you, Young Master Jin, for the sake of the Imperial City, to accept the title of Heterodox Emperor, if only in name! As for unifying the entire Heterodox Clan, it's not too late for this old man to personally command a campaign to help you reclaim it later! The Heterodox Clan is now scattered sand. If the Imperial City's foundation is lost, what will become of the people? What of the Heterodox Clan? By then, even if the Heaven Beyond Heavens changes its mind, it will be too late! I beg you to reconsider!"

Su Jin knew Dang Mo had taken the Imperial City for survival and hadn't harmed the commoners; most of the true casualties were actually on Dang Mo's own side. So he didn't press the point, merely bowing his head in silence.

Seeing this, Dang Mo went directly to a chest in a corner of the council hall. Carefully, he retrieved a wrapped stone and slowly presented it to Su Jin, kneeling as he offered it. The gray cloth fell away, revealing the Hereditary Imperial Jade Seal belonging to the Heterodox Clan.

Neither of them spoke a word, yet it felt as if everything had been said. Su Jin sighed, gritted his teeth, and agreed. He picked up the jade seal. "Esteemed Elder, Jin is currently unworthy in the eyes of all. I still ask you to manage the Imperial City on my behalf. Once I can pass the trial of the Heterodox Emperor, I will formally take over the affairs of governance."

Su Jin helped Dang Mo to his feet, thus setting their vow.