Chapter 493: Unable to say a word

The people of Great Xiu's capital, almost everyone, had visited the City God Temple and offered incense there. While not everyone could recall the City God's exact face, his general appearance was widely recognized. Moreover, the City God was currently radiating divine light.

"The City God!" "Is that the City God?"

"It really is the City God!" "I was just at the City God Temple the day before yesterday, and he looked exactly like this!"

"Why is the City God suddenly here?" "It seems that immortal invited him..."

"Invited? Invited?"

The guards had seen it clearly. It wasn't an invitation; he had been summoned.

Let alone them, even Qiao Yong, who had arrived with Ji Yuan and the old beggar, was wide-mouthed in unconcealed astonishment.

The Great Xiu Dynasty was not a small nation. Its capital naturally had a large population. As the legitimate City God of Great Xiu's capital, closely connected with the dynasty and certainly receiving its strong support, the Kyoto City God naturally possessed profound magical power, incomparable to ordinary local deities.

Precisely because he was well aware of this, the Kyoto City God was even more astonished at this moment. The momentary chaos and dizziness, as if he had been forcibly teleported and made to appear here, coupled with the sensation in his spiritual awareness just before manifesting, all made the City God realize that he had been directly summoned by a powerful figure using the "Spirit Summoning" technique.

Even though he was accustomed to his lofty position, and no matter how much disbelief he felt, the City God, after realizing what had happened, dared not show the slightest disrespect. He immediately bowed deeply to the old beggar and Ji Yuan.

"Kyoto City God, Chu Ning, greets the two immortals!"

Although the City God tried his best to control his inner shock, a trace of excitement lingered in his voice. This did not escape Ji Yuan's hearing, and it was precisely the effect he and the old beggar intended.

"Ah, City God Chu, no offense intended," the old beggar said. "Ji Yuan and I don't have much spare time. These guards said the Great Xiu Imperial Advisor was with you and told us to come back another day. This old beggar thought, what if he's not here another day? It's best if we meet today. We don't know the City God Temple, so we just found a suitable person to convey our message."

The old beggar spoke quite seriously, without his usual playful grin. But his words almost made Ji Yuan, who was beside him, laugh out loud. Even immortal masters knew how to irk people with their words.

The City God naturally understood the old beggar's implications and quickly responded.

"I will immediately return to the City God Temple to inform the Imperial Advisor. Oh, and would the two immortals be willing to meet His Majesty?"

"Please ask the City God to invite the Imperial Advisor here. Just say Ji Yuan is visiting. I mentioned this matter to Envoy Qiao back in the East Sea, and I hope the Imperial Advisor hasn't forgotten."

Ji Yuan's reply did not explicitly state whether the Emperor should join them, only that the Imperial Advisor should come quickly.

The City God quickly responded to Ji Yuan.

"I will go at once. The Imperial Advisor has not forgotten this matter; he just mentioned it to me. I will go immediately!"

With that, the City God bowed to them again.

"I shall take my leave now!"

After saying this, the City God transformed into a phantom and rapidly departed towards the area outside the imperial city.

Once the City God was gone, the old beggar smiled at Ji Yuan.

"Mr. Ji, this move by the old beggar wasn't too much, was it?"

"Just right."

Ji Yuan nodded in reply.

The old beggar chuckled, looking at the guards standing at the gate of the Imperial Mentor's residence. The guards reacted quickly, bowing immediately.

"Two immortals, we were blind and failed to recognize true immortals. We humbly ask for your forgiveness!"

As the guards bowed, sounds emerged from inside the Imperial Mentor's residence. Following footsteps, three cultivators in magical robes appeared.

Because of the disturbance caused by the old beggar's spirit summoning, several cultivators inside the Imperial Mentor's residence who were practicing were startled awake. They rushed to the entrance as quickly as possible, and saw the guards bowing to Ji Yuan and the old beggar.

"Who are these two?"

When these cultivators looked at Ji Yuan and the old beggar, they couldn't perceive any manifestation of magical power or divine light from them. However, they didn't believe the two were mere mortals, or at least not ordinary ones.

"Masters, just now these two immortals summoned the City God, and now the City God is on his way to find the Imperial Advisor..."

The guards briefly explained the general sequence of events, but the three cultivators were more interested in the spirit-summoning process.

"Summoned the City God? Here?"

The three were slightly puzzled. Then, an older one among them suddenly froze, as if remembering something, and quickly bowed to Ji Yuan and the old beggar.

"Two esteemed seniors, please come inside and rest. Have some tea and refreshments while you await the Imperial Advisor's return!"

"Please come in, both of you!"

Ji Yuan looked at Qiao Yong and said, "Mr. Qiao, let's go in together."

"Uh, yes, yes!"

Inside the City God Temple in Great Xiu's capital, chaos had erupted. Moments before, in the main hall of the temple, the City God had been with the Great Xiu Emperor and the Imperial Advisor.

This was originally a scene of tea and conversation. They were discussing the Immortal Gathering. The old emperor was very concerned about whether the envoys dispatched by Great Xiu could truly enter the Immortal Gathering's venue.

The Imperial Advisor and the City God of the capital knew the old emperor was overthinking things; it was absolutely impossible. The former had already advised the Emperor, but he was still not giving up, so he had come to the City God Temple to ask the City God again.

City God Chu Ning was also helpless and was in the midst of explaining.

"Your Majesty, I have overseen the Capital's Underworld for many years. I am a deity, big or small, and I have some channels for information. This Immortal Gathering is a grand event of the immortal way; it is very difficult for secular courts to..."

Before he could finish, the City God's divine form suddenly blurred, then transformed into a swirling mist, and swiftly vanished from the main hall.

"What!?"

The Great Xiu Imperial Advisor instantly stood up.

"Protect His Majesty!" "Someone, protect His Majesty!"

"Guard the Emperor! Guard the Emperor!"

The guards around the Emperor became agitated. In an instant, several palace masters leaped into the hall, and the guards outside also became tense.

"Imperial Advisor, where is the City God? Was he taken by some evil spirit?"

The old emperor also looked surprised, gazing at Imperial Advisor Men Yutong, who was equally startled and uncertain.

If the Imperial Advisor had witnessed the old beggar using the Spirit Summoning technique in person, he would have recognized it. But knowing what the technique looked like when cast didn't mean he knew what a deity looked like when being summoned. Thus, he was a bit bewildered and somewhat nervous.

"Your Majesty, do not panic. With me here, I will ensure your safety. Everyone, stay alert! And I ask all deities of the Underworld to manifest and protect His Majesty together!"

One by one, officials of the Underworld also manifested their forms, accompanied by their yamen runners.

The tense atmosphere in the City God Temple lasted for a while, but was soon broken because City God Chu Ning returned. He had hastily teleported back, only reappearing at the temple's entrance, and quickly walked back to the main hall of his temple.

"Your Majesty, Imperial Advisor!"

"City God Chu, what just happened? Why did you suddenly vanish?"

Hearing the Imperial Advisor's question, and seeing the expressions on the old emperor's and Imperial Advisor's faces, Chu Ning shook his head.

"No, no, I didn't vanish; I was summoned away!"

"Summoned away? Has such a powerful evil spirit entered Our capital?"

The old emperor's voice held surprise, but the Imperial Advisor's reaction was even greater.

"Could it be... Spirit Summoning!?"

The City God nodded.

"Exactly, it was Spirit Summoning. I, the City God of Great Xiu's capital, was summoned to appear before them to be used."

"What is Spirit Summoning? Oh, Imperial Advisor, and City God Chu, stop speaking in riddles and tell Us!"

Seeing the old emperor's urgency, the Imperial Advisor apologized and quickly explained.

"Your Majesty, forgive me. This news is quite astonishing. Spirit Summoning is a profound and unusual art. Very few in this world can master it; only those with great divine powers can achieve it. And City God Chu Ning is the legitimate City God of our Great Xiu capital, a deity of no small rank. To summon him away means the cultivation of the other party is immeasurable!"

"By the way, City God Chu, where is the immortal who used Spirit Summoning, and what were their instructions? Why did you return so quickly?"

City God Chu Ning looked at the Imperial Advisor, then at the Emperor.

"There were two immortals in total. The one who performed the summoning was an immortal who looked like an old beggar. The other appeared refined in a green robe. The one in the green robe is Immortal Ji, who left a message on the East Sea. Both of them are now at the Imperial Mentor's residence, and they are looking for you, Imperial Advisor. Oh, and Qiao Yong is there too."

"Looking for me? And they needed to use Spirit Summoning to find me?"

The Imperial Advisor was visibly stunned. This was like rousing a sleeping person with a gentle shake, yet instead, they hired a drum and bugle corps to play at full volume by his bedside.

"Your Majesty, spies did report last night that the Qiao family hosted two distinguished guests: a scholar in green robes and an old beggar. The Qiao family even slaughtered two chickens and bought a fish."

"What? You're only telling Us this now?"

The old emperor turned and glared at his personal guard nearby. The guard immediately knelt on one knee.

"This servant deserves death! I thought it was just the Qiao family hosting guests, and there was no need to alarm Your Majesty!"

Evidently, Qiao De had said he was going to report to the Imperial Mentor's residence, but in reality, he was still liaising with royal personnel.

The Imperial Advisor shook his head. He seemed to understand why the other party had used such an extraordinary art as Spirit Summoning. He bowed to the Emperor and the City God and said, "Your Majesty, City God Chu, since powerful individuals are seeking me, I shall take my leave now."

"Uh, Imperial Advisor, may We accompany you?"

The City God quickly said, "Just now, I also asked the two immortals if they wished to see Your Majesty. Immortal Ji simply said for the Imperial Advisor to go quickly, but did not say that they would not see Your Majesty."

"Is that so!"

The Emperor's face lit up with joy.

"Then We shall go too!"

The Imperial Advisor thought for a moment, then nodded to the Emperor, but added a solemn warning.

"Your Majesty, please consider this carefully. This journey may not bring good fortune!"

The old emperor paused, his eyes narrowing in thought. But after a moment of hesitation, he gritted his teeth and said, "But We must go!"

"His Majesty arrives!" "The Imperial Advisor arrives!"

In the main hall of the Imperial Mentor's residence, Ji Yuan and the old beggar were drinking tea. The loud voices from outside announced the arrival of their awaited guests.

Imperial Advisor Men Yutong had arrived with the old emperor. Upon reaching the hall's entrance, they had already dismissed their entourages.

Qiao Yong quickly rose from his seat, hurried to the center of the main hall, and performed a deep bow towards the Emperor.

"This humble subject, Qiao Yong, greets Your Majesty, and greets the Imperial Advisor!"

"Beloved Subject Qiao, quickly rise!"

The old emperor left the Imperial Advisor, quickly entered the hall, personally went to Qiao Yong, supported him, and helped him straighten up. After looking at Qiao Yong with concern from head to toe, he nodded, then slowly turned to face Ji Yuan and the old beggar, cupping his hands in a bow.

"These must be the two immortals. We offer Our greetings!"

The Imperial Advisor also stepped forward a few paces at this point, and performed a deep bow to Ji Yuan and the old beggar.

"This junior, Men Yutong, pays respects to the two seniors!"

Ji Yuan and the old beggar did not take advantage of their deference, and also stood to return a shallow bow. Then, the former said to the old emperor, "Although Your Majesty is the ruler of a nation, there is nothing for Your Majesty here. We will not keep you to listen in."

As his words fell, Ji Yuan flicked his large sleeve. The old emperor and Qiao Yong felt their bodies sway unstably, and the surrounding scenery blurred and shifted. By the time they realized what was happening, they were already outside two courtyards. Along with them, the male and female attendants and guards from around the main hall were also sent out.

"We... couldn't even say two sentences?"