Sage Monarch

'What is it? What's coming to Joyflower Palace? Something with a power index of over three thousand?' Yang Qi shivered. 'I can hardly imagine how terrifying that level of power would be. Someone like that could slaughter Eunuch Sunflower and Zilin as easily as drinking a cup of water. In fact, they could probably slaughter a hundred such people with no effort at all.'

He immediately ceased his work with the god formations and slipped back into hiding in the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart. Obviously, the last thing he wanted was for some extremely powerful entity to trap him there in the treasure storehouse.

Once he was sure he was safe, he used the powers of the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart to establish a view of Joyflower Palace as a whole.

The palace was located on a planet of flowers on one of the pathways of the Great Necropolis. And as soon as Yang Qi got a larger view, he saw countless flowers blooming as a figure appeared.

It was a woman surrounded by boundless glory, who seemed to resonate with the Passionless God Flower itself. She even emanated deathless godliness from within her.

'It must be Empress Joyflower!' he thought. It couldn't be anyone else. Any other force so powerful that came to Joyflower Palace would be an enemy, and wouldn't be received in grand fashion.

Yang Qi watched as a host of figures emerged from the depths of Joyflower Palace, pulsing with powerful auras as they said things such as, "Congratulations Empress! Your divine abilities are even more spectacular than before. With the godhood you've assimilated, you'll be invincible among all the many heavens!"

Nodding, Yang Qi assessed the power indexes on display. 'Joyflower Palace is so powerful! They have so many people with power indexes over a thousand that I can't even count them. People like that could be considered true old-timers and patriarchs. I wonder where Leaf Dao-Denier is, and what he's doing right now.

'Unfortunately, I can't peer too closely at what's happening, lest I be noticed. Did they just say that the empress has assimilated some godhood? If so, her senses are going to be even more acute and it will be that much easier for her to locate me. I need to take things slowly and carefully from here on out. As long as the empress is around, I can only do things via power double, and can't go into the treasure storehouse. What a pity. I only got twenty million god formations, nowhere near close to the billion that were there. I wonder if I'll ever reach that god-king's tear.'

Yang Qi was a bit disappointed, but at least he had acquired enough treasures to shave a thousand years off of his cultivation requirements. For now, he would have to focus all of his effort on trying to assimilate the godhood he had acquired.

It currently floated above the God Legion Seal, trembling as the seal relentlessly leached away at it.

It was a very gradual process, but it was working.

He was certain that this godhood would eventually push his power index past a thousand, perhaps even to fifteen hundred or two thousand. Although he would still be beneath the empress, at least he would be qualified to brush shoulders with top experts around her level.

Considering the developments, he stopped worrying about matters in the Joyflower Palace and kept his efforts focused on the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart. As the godhood was being converted into liquid, it entered him drop by miniscule drop, each of which was filled with immense power.

With the nutrient of godhood, the God Legion Seal became more closely connected with Yang Qi's nascent divinity, giving him access to even more secrets that he had previously been unaware of.

**

An atmosphere of celebration had filled Joyflower Palace because of the return of the empress. In fact, a huge banquet was thrown.

Afterward, things quieted down. However, those who were perceptive would see that there was a major shift in loyalties and power, with one person in particular benefiting.

That person was none other than Leaf Dao-Denier.

In the depths of the harem, there was a private plane of existence filled with mountains, rivers, and copious amounts of flowers. And they weren't ordinary flowers, but rather godflowers from the god world.

Strolling through the flowers, Leaf Dao-Denier laughed heartily and said, "I finally succeeded. I've finally seized true power within Joyflower Palace. Soon, I'll control everything under heaven!"

Flanking him were none other than Grand Emperors Myriadmagic Heavenspan, Heavenearth Vastocean, and Ninelimits Paragon.

"Yes you will, Young Master Leaf," said Myriadmagic Heavenspan. "You really did step into some good fortune. And we've benefited a lot by sticking with you. I hope that, in the future, you continue caring for us."

The three Grand Emperors were very nearly fawning over Leaf Dao-Denier, as if they were his servants. There was something mysterious and powerful about him now, as though he contained a convergence of both yin and yang that caused a taiji symbol to appear on his forehead, and in fact, throughout the rest of his body. Because of Yang Qi's cultivation, he appeared to be composed of the power of godmammoths. But as for Leaf Dao-Denier, he was filled with particles resembling taiji symbols.

Whatever great dao or divine ability it was a result of, it was profoundly mysterious and provided immense power.

"Well, that goes without saying," Leaf Dao-Denier said. "It's just too bad that you Grand Emperors didn't side with me much earlier. If you'd joined me back in the mortal world, and offered me protection, you wouldn't be in your current sorry state. You see, as a consort of the empress, I'm able to practice dual cultivation with her. And recently, the empress achieved major progress with her cultivation base. She achieved the consummate level of the yin-yang taiji, and acquired a full collection of godhood, a portion of which she gave to me. I'm already powerful enough to dominate many figures from the Ancient Road to the Gods, and I'll soon be the most powerful entity in the Joyflower Palace."

Suddenly, an expression of vicious hatred flickered across his face. "Eldest Brother Secundus didn't know how to appreciate favors, so I devoured him. Now I'm truly an Eternal Fortuned One, and when you add in the yin-yang taiji powers I have... I'm definitely going to give Yang Qi what's coming to him! In fact, I want you to investigate him. Figure out where he is and what he's doing. Once I find out, he's dead. At this point, I could kill him as easily as exhaling!"

"Young Sir, congratulations on making progress with the Taiji Indestructible Chaos-Magic World-Terrorizing Profound Art! We've already been doing some investigating, and as it turns out, the Dao Defense League has been taken over by the Joyflower Palace. One of the flower goddesses, Orchid Purity, is running the place. Because of it, she's earned quite the reputation and has even received rewards from the empress. As a result, she's acquired much of the destiny of the immortal worlds."

"What?!" Leaf Dao-Denier exclaimed. "All of that happened while I was in seclusion for only a year? What about Yang Qi? What is he up to now?"

"People are saying that he was taken captive and is now a low-ranking god-general. Unfortunately, we aren't sure exactly which prison he was put in. Of course, we'll continue investigating, Young Sir, and we'll inform you as soon as we have more information. When the time comes, he'll definitely end up dead at your hands!"

"Exactly," Leaf Dao-Denier said, chuckling arrogantly. "Ah, Yang Qi. At long last, you've become my inferior. You were nothing but a lucky upstart from the beginning. How could you compare to me in the long run? In the end, I'll make you live a life worse than death!" Looking at the Grand Emperors, he said, "Go. Run the investigation. Find out—" All of a sudden, he stopped talking and seemed to calm down. "Wait a moment. Yang Qi can't be such a simpleton. Based on what I know of him, there's no way he would allow himself to simply be arrested by Joyflower Palace. He must have had some reason for coming here. He's up to something! After all, he could escape that prison any time he wanted simply by using the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart. Look into it! Start in the Dao Defense League, with his family. Kill them one by one until you find out the information we seek. If no one from the Yang Clan is present in the Dao Defense League, then it means that he really has intentionally infiltrated Joyflower Palace. The only question is what plot he's working on."

"This...."

The Grand Emperors were clearly taken aback, and not very happy. "Young Sir, how could we pull that off? Flower Goddess Orchid Purity runs the Dao Defense League now. We can't just go in and start killing people. We're not you, with consummate godly arts and the favor of the empress. We're your lackeys, but that won't stop us from getting killed if we offend the wrong people. Virtually every female disciple from the Joyflower Palace outranks us."

"Right, I forgot about that," Leaf Dao-Denier said. "Although I have a lot of power as a favored consort, there are a lot of people who aren't happy with me. Many of the old-timers and eunuchs hate me, as well as many of the other consorts. There are even some flower goddesses who dislike me. I need more time to build power and gain loyalties before I can truly act without restraint. Just imagine what it will be like when I have full authority! After all, the Joyflower Palace vastly surpasses the Dao Defense League."

"It's an amazing thought!" Grand Emperor Heavenearth Vastocean said obsequiously. "In any case, Young Sir, we'll do our best to follow your orders."

"Yes. Find out everything you can regarding Yang Qi. Perhaps we can't meddle with the Dao Defense League, for now, but you can definitely look into the god-generals. I refuse to believe my authority doesn't extend that far!"

"Yes sir!"

"Good. As my loyal servants, it's only appropriate that I reward you for your service. Thankfully, the empress gifted me with three god pills that I can give you. They're Heaven-God Heart-Nourishing Meridian-Strengthening Pills. They contain the power of ten Grand Emperors, and you'll be vastly stronger if you consume them. Unfortunately, I can't trust anyone in this palace except you three. You're the only ones who can help me, so don't disappoint me!"

The three pills flew out, and when the Grand Emperors consumed them, they immediately burst with immense power, prompting them to drop down and prostrate themselves before Leaf Dao-Denier.

Two hours later, they had assimilated all of the medicinal strength and their eyes shone with dazzling light.

Rising to their feet, they left.

Alone, Leaf Dao-Denier suddenly shivered, causing thousands upon thousands of taiji symbols within him to rotate as he began absorbing the surrounding vital energy and building up even higher levels of power.