Eternal Life as False Emperor

Chapter 400: Chapter 340: New Concubine Candidates (2)

"Traveling outside? To where?"

Zheng Yi’s eyes flickered as he said, "You can’t go to Star Island; you can choose any other place."

Tuoba Qingying glanced at Zheng Yi, frowned, and said, "Originally, I did want to go to Star Island, but since Your Majesty... never mind, let’s not go there. How about going west?"

"West?"

Zheng Yi frowned slightly but finally nodded.

Ten years ago, he had received news of turmoil among many small countries in the west.

However, back then, turmoil was everywhere in Great Yu, and he didn’t have time to deal with them.

Moreover, those western countries hadn’t crossed the Western Regions Mountains into Great Yu’s domain.

If you want to train, the western countries are indeed a good place.

After thinking for a moment, Zheng Yi said, "You can, but wait a little longer."

"Wait?"

Tuoba Qingying asked in confusion, "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"

"Three years, two years perhaps... at most two years. Once I am ready, you may go out to train."

"Two years..."

Tuoba Qingying nodded and said, "That’s fine; I’m also thinking of taking this opportunity to migrate the entire Tuoba Family to Fairy Peak and Azure Dragon Peak."

"Two years is enough."

"Good."

Zheng Yi nodded and said, "In a few days, I will go into seclusion in Celestial Longevity Mountain for a while, and you should come with me."

"Seclusion?"

Tuoba Qingying’s expression turned strange, "I’ve heard that Your Empress has specifically prepared a grand selection event for you."

"Currently, more than three thousand Concubine Candidates are all residing in Chuxiu Palace, and you’re going to seclude yourself at Celestial Longevity Mountain?"

Zheng Yi chuckled, "My seclusion doesn’t conflict with the selection."

"Celestial Longevity Mountain Palace is already complete and can accommodate tens of thousands of people."

"A mere three thousand Concubine Candidates are sufficient."

"What do you mean?"

Tuoba Qingying exclaimed in shock, "You’re planning to move all these three thousand Concubine Candidates to Celestial Longevity Mountain?!"

"Why, is there a problem?"

"You... you foolish monarch!!!"

A few days later.

Chuxiu Palace.

The distant sky remained a deep blue, with the thin daylight undulating out.

Yet the entire Chuxiu Palace was already buzzing with activity.

Teams of eunuchs and palace maids scurried back and forth, distributing various directives to maintain the stable operation of Chuxiu Palace.

"Hurry up! Today is the grand selection event; if anything goes wrong, I won’t spare you!"

"By the decree of the Empress! All Concubine Candidates are to proceed to Baiyu City for instructions today!"

"Oh dear, still asleep? Today is your big day!"

"If you can garner the favor of His Majesty, it’s truly a stroke of luck, a great blessing!"

"Quickly wash up and get in line with us!"

"Hold your Identity Token carefully and line up according to the arrangements from the previous days to proceed..."

Surrounding so many eunuchs and palace maids were numerous women dressed in various palace robes.

These women were the Concubine Candidates meticulously arranged by Lu Lin’er.

Based on their background, social standing, and identity, they were clearly categorized into several distinct groups.

There were girls from noble families, daughters of officials, daughters of military generals, as well as numerous daughters of merchants and commoners.

However, compared to girls from noble families, high-ranking officials, and generals, the number of commoner daughters was quite sparse.

But all these girls had one thing in common.

That is... beauty!

At a glance, they were all beauties of various kinds, with their own unique charm.

Various types, appearances, and personalities of girls were all gathered together.

Charming, innocent, cute, or perhaps confident, proactive, and gentle as water, all were present.

This group of young ladies, under the guidance of their respective eunuchs and palace maids, lined up and proceeded towards the depths of the Imperial Palace.

Their destination was Baiyu City, located at the very center of the Imperial Palace.

From afar, elongated, it seemed.

These thousands of Concubine Candidates, plus numerous eunuchs and palace maids, numbered at least five or six thousand people, flowing like a stream into a river, rolling towards Baiyu City’s direction.

In the crowd, some women were nervous, not knowing what they were thinking.

Others, their eyes burning with ambition, were busy making friends with nearby Concubine Candidates.

There were also women with confident eyes, their steps exuding an air of authority, clearly hailing from noble families.

Other women had eyes filled with ambition, gazing at the newborn sun in the distance, secretly making vows in their hearts.

As the autumn sun rose, the sky gradually became brighter.

"Stop...!"

A hoarse voice suddenly rang out just as the group of noble family daughters and high-ranking officials’ daughters at the front were about to reach Baiyu City.

On the tall white jade steps stood Liu Cheng’en, with white hair and beard, bowing slightly in the center.

Despite his age, as an eunuch, his Primordial Yang was intact, and he was free from the troubles of gender.

Moreover, the frequent emergence of health elixirs in the harem kept his spirit youthful.

"By holy decree!"

"All Concubine Candidates, led by their Chief Eunuchs, wait in the plaza outside Baiyu City."

No sooner had his words fallen than several eunuchs at the front of the crowd responded respectfully, "We heed the holy decree!"

Then, each eunuch swiftly moved through the ranks.

Each eunuch led five Concubine Candidates to stand in their pre-assigned positions.

All the Concubine Candidates were confused, but could only obediently follow the eunuchs.

This was not in the previous rehearsal.

Only the dozens of women from noble families and officials’ households at the front had been prepared and quickly took their positions, whispering amongst themselves.

"Just as expected... Father was right, this is yet another Spirit Testing Ceremony!"

"Your Majesty is a cultivator, and many favored consorts in the harem also possess spirit roots."

"Only those with spirit roots can win Your Majesty’s favor!"

"Even those noble as the Empress, Consort Duann, and Consort De are gradually losing favor!"

"Stand properly... I wonder if I have spirit roots?"

"Sister, you and I are from noble families; if either of us is found to have spirit roots, we must support each other!"

"Naturally, sister will do so..."

Amidst numerous discussions, this news spread among all the Concubine Candidates.

Almost everyone became fervent, and the chatter grew louder.

Liu Cheng’en frowned slightly on the white jade steps but remained calm.

Once everyone was in position, he spoke again, "Everyone, silence."

"Anyone continuing to discuss will have their tokens confiscated and be expelled from the Imperial Palace!"

This statement quickly quieted the entire plaza.

Being one of the most favored chief eunuchs around Your Majesty, even ordinary concubines dared not offend him.

"Hmm!"

Seeing this, Liu Cheng’en nodded slightly, then swiftly turned and walked up.

On the third level of Baiyu City, Zheng Yi, the Empress, and several consorts had been waiting for some time.

"Your Majesty, three thousand Concubine Candidates have been brought and all are standing in fixed positions as arranged by Daoist Master Tianxingzi."

"Hmm."

Zheng Yi nodded and looked to his side, "Beloved Consort, I leave it to you."

"It is my duty to ease Your Majesty’s concerns,"

Zhuang Yuheng respectfully replied, then rose and went to the array hub of the Spirit Testing Great Array. freeweɓnovel.cøm

Tianxingzi, as the envoy of the Great Yu Immortal Dynasty, had already departed to draw support from several cultivation clans.

And the matter of the guardian array in the Imperial Palace was entrusted to Zhuang Yuheng.

She paced to the array hub, forming seals with her hands, and gently infused her magical power into the array hub below.

Soon, the lower grade spirit stone in the array hub emitted a faint glow, swiftly enveloping the plaza outside Baiyu City.

The array trembled, and waves of faint spiritual qi fluctuations quickly spread throughout the plaza.

Simultaneously, it also spread through the bodies of over three thousand Concubine Candidates.

At this moment, over three thousand Concubine Candidates all instinctively looked down to examine their bodies.

Around the Concubine Candidates, eunuchs and palace maids also instinctively looked up, gazing enviously at the group of Concubine Candidates.

Who among them possessed spirit roots?

Even atop Baiyu City, many consorts craned their necks to look down.

"Eh?"

Located at the array hub on the top floor’s edge of Baiyu City, Zhuang Yuheng quickly noticed something, forming seals with her hands to halt the operation of the Spirit Testing Array.

Then she turned respectfully to Zheng Yi, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, felicitations, Your Majesty."

"In this Spirit Testing... er, this Concubine Candidate selection, three Concubine Candidates possess spirit roots!"

Three Concubine Candidates...!

Among over three thousand, there happened to be three who possessed spirit roots.

This probability... one in a thousand!