"Hmph!"
Liu Hong and Bi Xi exhaled deeply. They hadn't expected the Human King of this new dynasty to be so young.
Yang Hao, wearing a crown, was enveloped by layers of colorful and yellow aura within three Zhang of him, his face occasionally clear, occasionally blurry.
Just as everyone lined up on either side, two figures entered from outside the Xuanzheng Hall. The crowd looked up and saw a middle-aged man with piercing eyes, eyebrows like an inverted character 'eight', a nine-foot tall body like silver, clad in Qilin golden armor, majestic and dignified, his presence akin to a celestial being. Su Dan Fiction Network.
The other figure was an elder in white, his white hair tied back with a single withered branch at the nape of his neck. His complexion was ruddy, his white beard flowed, and his spirit was radiant. The withered wood staff he held was tied with a gourd of pills, emitting waves of medicinal fragrance, making the elder appear ethereal and dignified.
These two were none other than the recently summoned Jade Qilin Lu Junyi and the Medicine King Sun Simiao.
The assembled ancient heroes all nodded in acknowledgment.
"To court!"
Wei Zhongxian, with his raspy voice, glanced at the civil and military officials standing below and then loudly declared. His voice, emanating from the Xuanzheng Hall, spread throughout the royal palace.
"Your humble servant(s) pays respects to the Human King. May the Human King live long!"
"Your humble servant(s) pays respects to the Human King. May the Human King live long!"
"Your humble servant(s) pays respects to the Human King. May the Human King live long!"
...
All the civil and military officials in the hall knelt on both knees, performing three kowtows and nine bows.
"Rise!"
Yang Hao raised his hand slightly, and Wei Zhongxian immediately said softly.
Yang Hao scanned the crowd: "Bi Xi!" He looked past the officials towards the ancient being of the Prisoner Soul Abyss standing at the very back, Bi Xi. The Human King Stele needed a monstrous beast's flesh and blood to bear it, and Bi Xi was a suitable candidate.
In ancient China, the choices for carrying steles were usually Baxia or Bi Xi; their flesh and blood were sufficient to bear immense fortune.
"Your humble servant pays respects to the Human King!"
Upon hearing this, Bi Xi bowed and walked to the front of the hall, prostrating himself.
"Are you willing to serve in the Great Han?"
Yang Hao's voice was calm, devoid of emotional fluctuation. Bi Xi had been loyal to Human King Mang, but he had returned to the Great Han after Mang's death. Yang Hao had been observing Bi Xi's reactions during Xie Feng's appearance earlier.
"I am willing!"
Bi Xi bowed deeply.
"Good!"
Yang Hao waved his right hand, and a three-meter-tall Human King Stele appeared. This stele could reach ten thousand Zhang, but Yang Hao was controlling its size.
"Buzz~~"
The Human King Stele descended directly above Bi Xi. Instantly, golden light permeated the area. A figure was carved on the stele, holding a long sword and glaring forward, with a grand landscape painting behind it.
"Buzz~~"
In an instant, Bi Xi transformed into his true form, and the Human King Stele landed directly on his back!
"Pfft!"
A mouthful of blood gushed from his mouth. The ground beneath Bi Xi's four feet shattered. His flesh and blood were pushed to the extreme. The carapace on his back, the moment the Human King Stele descended, was covered with dense cracks.
"Ah!"
Bi Xi roared at the sky. The stone stele seemed to weigh ten thousand times more as it descended upon him, crushing him to the point of gasping for breath.
"Ancestor!"
Liu Hong exclaimed. Bi Xi was not Bi An; he was at the Spirit Comprehension realm! A single stone stele could suppress Bi Xi to the point of being unable to breathe, and even crack his normally impenetrable carapace.
"Ah!"
Bi Xi's four legs became bloody and torn, and blood flowed from his back.
"Crack crack crack!!"
"Crack crack crack!!"
The carapace on his back directly burst open, and the stone stele pressed further into Bi Xi's body!
"Ah!!"
Bi Xi roared madly, his eyes red, his body trembling uncontrollably. Yet, he could feel a powerful force continuously nourishing his physique.
"Crack crack!!"
The bones on Bi Xi's back began to crack, and the base of the Human King Stele directly fused with Bi Xi's spine.
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
A five-clawed golden dragon, representing immense fortune, surged from the Nine Cauldrons of Fortune, roaring towards the Xuanzheng Hall. Waves of yellow aura emanated from the dragon's body, directly merging into Bi Xi's back.
"Crack crack crack!!"
A layer of blood scab enveloped Bi Xi's body. Only the Human King Stele continuously absorbed the fortune. Gradually, golden light permeated the area, and a clear carved figure slowly emerged.
The carved figure was none other than Yang Hao, wearing a crown and imperial robes. He held the Xuanyuan Sword in one hand. The sword's blade was inscribed with the sun, moon, and stars on one side, and mountains, rivers, and vegetation on the other. The hilt was inscribed with methods of agriculture and animal husbandry on one side, and strategies for unifying the Four Seas on the other. His feet rested on a five-clawed golden dragon, looking up at the sky with unparalleled dominance.
"Roar!!"
Bi Xi, encased in blood scabs, suddenly let out a fierce roar. The layers of scabs began to fall off, revealing new flesh and blood. The carapace on his back also began to grow, directly enclosing the base of the Human King Stele.
"Roar!!"
Bi Xi's cultivation level suddenly skyrocketed!
Spirit Comprehension level three!
Spirit Comprehension level four!
Spirit Comprehension level five!
...
Spirit Sea level one!
In an instant, before everyone's eyes, Bi Xi's cultivation leaped past the barrier of the Spirit Comprehension realm and reached the Spirit Sea realm.
"This..."
Liu Hong stared at the scene in disbelief. Bi Xi had instantly reached a realm he couldn't fathom. The surging primal energy was comparable to that of Human King Mang, whom he had met only a few months ago.
Liu Hong looked at the Human King Stele, enveloped in a faint golden glow, and silently thought, "This stele must be an extraordinary item!"
Huang Zhong, with a gentle smile, bowed slightly towards Yang Hao and then disappeared. His time was up, and his strength was insufficient to sustain his body any longer.
"Bi Xi thanks the Human King for his nurturing!"
Bi Xi, carrying the Human King Stele, bowed slightly towards Yang Hao.
"Swish!"
Yang Hao waved his hand, and hundreds of Transformation Pills appeared before Bi Xi.
"This... these are... Transformation Pills?"
Bi Xi exclaimed. Transformation Pills were top-grade fourth-rank pills, extremely rare even in the Holy Yuan Dynasty. One Transformation Pill could allow a monstrous beast to completely shed its beastly form, possessing the long lifespan of a monstrous beast and the cultivation talent of a human warrior.
Human warriors possessed extremely high cultivation talent, far surpassing that of monstrous beasts. Tears welled up in Bi Xi's eyes as he bowed deeply to Yang Hao.
"I hereby decree Bi Xi the Divine Beast of the Great Han's Stele Carrier!"
Yang Hao said softly, then closed his eyes.
"This humble servant thanks the Human King!"
Bi Xi bowed and retreated.
Wei Zhongxian picked up the Human King's Edict from before Yang Hao and began to read to the crowd: "It is decreed that Lu Junyi is appointed as General of Ningyuan!"
"It is decreed that Sun Simiao shall be a honored guest of the Great Han and shall reside in the Pill Hall!"
"Your humble servant thanks the Human King's decree!"
The two stepped forward, knelt on both knees, and bowed to Yang Hao.
"Liu Hong!"
Wei Zhongxian glanced at Liu Hong standing at the very back and said softly.
"This commoner Liu Hong pays respects to the Human King. May the Human King live long!"
Liu Hong hurriedly ran out, knelt on both knees, and shouted loudly.
"It is decreed that Liu Hong shall be the Governor of Yizhou, with a fourth-rank official position!"
"Thank you, Human King!"
Liu Hong was overwhelmed with gratitude, not expecting the Human King to still value him. He secretly vowed to govern the territory of the Great Han with his utmost effort.