Song Qian was at a loss for words as she gazed blankly at Chen Xia. After a long pause, she nodded slowly with a pained expression and whispered softly, “Alright.”
What Chen Xia said was right. Even without the Great Song Dynasty, he could still be the national teacher of other dynasties, or even more than just a national teacher.
If he wanted, he could take on any identity in this world.
Chen Xia stretched lazily and turned to look out the window again. Scattered scenes continued to pass by outside as the carriage moved along. He quite enjoyed this feeling.
Song Qian did not bother him further. She bowed to Chen Xia and retreated, closing the room door behind her.
The convoy of carriages travelling along numbered three thousand people in total, flying the banners of royalty and bearing the most prestigious five-clawed golden dragon plaques.
This was equivalent to the entourage of an emperor travelling. On the wide official road, an area of three thousand meters all around was forbidden from anyone approaching.
Ahead were the guards of the Patrol Bureau clearing the way, having driven away other carriages and people on the official road long in advance to make way for Chen Xia's convoy.
In addition, the three thousand people in the support convoy followed imperial standards for an emperor's travels, and were even more extravagant than the emperor's procession.
The food in the convoy, regardless of whether Chen Xia ate it, was all extremely fresh. Anything even slightly subpar, like dull luster, was immediately eliminated and replaced by other relay station personnel urgently transporting more from eight hundred miles away.
There were even specialized ice rooms to store the food. Accompanying the convoy were many nationally renowned master chefs.
As soon as it was time for meals, the master chefs would start cooking, again regardless of whether Chen Xia ate. The dishes were prepared first, so that as long as Chen Xia asked, they could be served immediately.
The awkward thing was, Chen Xia had not asked for any meals these past two days.
The chefs' carefully prepared food turned cold, and could only be reheated and given to the other accompanying guards to eat.
This allowed the accompanying guards to thoroughly enjoy the treats, silently thanking the National Teacher in their hearts.
In addition, the convoy also had beautiful women and fine wine, constantly travelling along, ready to serve Chen Xia anytime.
Yet Chen Xia had also not called for them. He currently sat in the carriage, lost in his own thoughts.
The higher he rose, the stronger he became, the more he could feel just how terrifying that hand that annihilated a city was when he first arrived.
Perhaps this was how emperor-level figures were.
After all, even with his power raised to 35, Chen Xia did not have such terrifying strength. He could annihilate a city, but was far from being able to do so with one palm.
Moreover, the owner of that great hand was likely suppressed in power by the Heavenly Dao of this realm.
Chen Xia sat up and roughly estimated that when his power reached around 1000-1200, he would be able to effortlessly annihilate a city with one palm.
This was calculated using the most basic conversion method.
Assume a city was thirty kilometers in size.
With his current power of 35 fully deployed, he could make a crater three thousand meters in diameter, ten times smaller than a city.
Therefore, at the minimum, 350 power would be required to annihilate a city with one fist.
And to reach the level of effortlessness, tripling the power would not be excessive, since there was still quite a big gap between going all out and doing something effortlessly.
Therefore, roughly calculated, when Chen Xia's power reached 1000-1200, he could match up evenly with that great hand.
Converting further, that would be about a thousand years or so, neither too long nor too short, depending on one's perspective.
If Chen Xia did not want to bother with external matters, he could choose to remain in seclusion, adding a few thousand or ten thousand more points before venturing to the myriad heavens and worlds.
This was also the safest approach.
After all, the immortals out there were too powerful, with emperor-level figures existing, and all kinds of unfathomable supernatural abilities.
Chen Xia exhaled. There was no hurry, taking it slowly was good. At least currently in this world, there was no existence that could threaten him, just as he himself had said.
Even as an ant, he would be the biggest one.
The carriage convoy transporting the immortal continued moving forward. Along the way, officials from each province would specially rush over. After obtaining permission to clear the area from the escort guards, they would bring their subordinates to kneel by the sides of the official road, respectfully crying out in loud voices,
"Greetings to the Immortal!"
Chen Xia did not have any intention of acknowledging them. Compared to now, he still preferred his days as a county magistrate in Taili Town.
In his four consecutive years as the outstanding county magistrate of Taili Town, he had stolen no small number of watermelons from Old Li's house, especially on summer nights when he was bored, going to hug one and eat it.
Passersby who were thirsty could pick a melon to eat. That did not count as stealing.
What he managed were the badgers.
The youths in the melon fields would stab at badgers with steel forks, but they did not always succeed, sometimes damaging the melons instead.
Chen Xia would then laughingly walk over, still holding an unfinished watermelon, and confiscate the youth's steel fork.
Then he resold it to the newly arrived blacksmith in the village.
He earned quite a bit of silver that way.
Mainly for fun.
Later, the youth's family also stopped planting melons and switched to selling steel forks instead. Chen Xia even hyped it up several times, buying all kinds of large and small steel forks to keep at home as collectibles.
After that, the youth's family earned money and moved to the city.
He himself also became an immortal.
They were all old stories.
But reminiscing made him feel amused.
After becoming an immortal and entering cultivation, there were fewer glimpses he had of the human world's scenery.
This was perhaps why cultivators who cultivated their power rarely cultivated their hearts.
After all, with fewer people and events encountered, less seen, and less experienced, by the time they emerged from seclusion, they were already lofty immortals, judging superiority purely by power.
Although there was nothing wrong with this, Chen Xia still felt something was lacking.
Perhaps manners.
After all, he was a very polite person. If he had agreed to kill someone, he would prepare a flower wreath the day before.
Then set out a bowl of rice and three sticks of incense.
When committing the murder, he would try his best to avoid blood on his hands.
Don't ask why.
Because elegance is timeless.
The news that the carriage transporting the Immortal would arrive tomorrow morning spread throughout the entire capital city within half an hour. Even three-year-old toddlers knew that the National Teacher Immortal was coming to the capital.
The common people were still alright, excited and delighted but not panicking.
But the officials were in complete panic, not even daring to sleep as they hastily tidied up affairs within the city overnight, demarcating the various districts.
They also stipulated that only one person per household was allowed out, the streets absolutely could not be crowded, and everything had to be kept clean and tidy. All the common people had to wear their newest clothes, and kneel down in kowtow when they saw the National Teacher.
These rules were told door to door by the officials and patrolmen in the capital, instructing each household to strictly obey, in order to present a capital where everyone was happy and well-off.
And it wasn't just the officials who couldn't sleep—the Emperor was even more sleepless, currently tossing and turning restlessly in bed, constantly thinking about how he should converse with the National Teacher tomorrow, how to please the National Teacher.
He kept feeling that he was not ready yet, still somewhat lacking, but could not think of what exactly he lacked.
But time waits for no one. With the rising of the sun, morning came.
It was time for the morning court session.
The Emperor hurriedly got up. Despite not having slept all night, he did not feel the slightest bit tired. He hastily had the palace maids dress him and prepared to hold court.
The carriage carrying Chen Xia also finally entered the capital, the heavy clopping of hooves ringing out as it travelled alone down the official road, escorted by the Imperial Guards.
Around were the kowtowing common people paying obeisance, continuously crying out the National Teacher's name.
Inside the carriage, Chen Xia was sleeping, having blocked out the surrounding sounds with his Flood Dragon Qi, unable to hear anything.
He slowly made his way towards the imperial palace.
Above the court hall, the civil and military officials had long since arrived, including the Emperor sitting calmly on his throne, but no one spoke as they craned their necks expectantly towards the doors of the great hall.
They were all waiting for one person.
"The Princess arrives!"
The court herald's voice rang out from outside the door.
Song Qian, dressed in magnificent yellow robes, strode in steadily with an air of nobility, entering the court hall.
The Emperor hurriedly asked, "Sister, has the National Teacher not arrived yet?"
"He should arrive very soon," Song Qian replied in one breath, walking to stand at her official position, calmly awaiting the court session.
Everyone was ready.
Chen Xia was still sleeping.
"National Teacher, it's time for court. National Teacher!"
The anxious cries of the escorts outside the carriage rang out, yet there was no movement from Chen Xia, and they did not dare barge right into the carriage either.
They were extremely anxious now.
"Why don't we carry the National Teacher up?"
One escort suggested.
This proposal was quickly approved.
Thus, several dozen escorts bore the huge carriage palanquin, climbing over a hundred steps to enter the court hall.
"The National Teacher arrives!"
The court herald at the door loudly announced.
The civil and military officials in the hall hurriedly tidied themselves up and focused their spirits.
But all that entered was an enormous palanquin.
This stunned the Emperor for a while before he finally asked,
"National Teacher...where is the National Teacher?"
The escorts pointed at the palanquin without daring to speak.
Their gesture indicated that the National Teacher was inside the palanquin, refusing to come out.
"Could it be you've offended the National Teacher?" The Emperor glared as he interrogated.
The escorts frantically shook their heads and waved their hands. One of them explained,
"We told him we've come to pay respects to Your Majesty, but the National Teacher still refused to come out."
"Worthless scum!" The Emperor directly cursed them in anger. "How could you say you've come to see me? It should be me paying respects to the National Teacher!"
The civil and military officials all fell silent.
After cursing, the Emperor hurriedly came down and respectfully clasped his fists outside the palanquin, sincerely saying,
"I, Song Wei, seek an audience with the National Teacher!"
There was still no movement from within the palanquin.
Song Wei's expression grew tense. He bent even lower at the waist, continuing respectfully,
"If the National Teacher is dissatisfied with anything, please tell me in detail, and I will do my utmost to correct it!"
There was still no sound from within the palanquin, abnormally quiet.
The atmosphere in the court hall grew tense. Song Wei remained outside the palanquin door with clasped fists bent over at the waist, cold sweat beading on his forehead, terrified that something he said would incur Chen Xia's displeasure.
After a quarter hour.
Lazy, muffled sounds finally came from within the palanquin, and the door slowly opened.
A lazy, blue-clothed figure crawled out from inside, frowning as he scanned his surroundings before looking at the figure before him with bent waist and clasped fists, puzzlement in his voice as he asked,
"Who are you?"
Seeing a chance, the Emperor hurriedly bent even lower and respectfully replied,
"I am the loyal follower of the National Teacher, Emperor Song Wei of Great Song."
In his words, he had already placed Chen Xia foremost.
Chen Xia nodded and praised, "Not bad, very polite."
Song Wei said in a solemn tone, "When dealing with National Teacher, this is how it should be. National Teacher is like my Song Dynasty's foster parent!"
Chen Xia casually looked around the imperial court hall and jokingly asked, "In that case, am I your dad?"
The civil and military officials were instantly nervous, as this was a grave issue regarding the late emperor.
The veteran officials hoped the emperor could be a little tougher, instead of so humble before the immortal.
The new officials hoped the emperor could endure it and not conflict with the immortal over this remark, as that would be futile as an egg hitting a rock. It'd be best to let the joke slide.
The imperial court was very tense.
The emperor suddenly looked up, his eyes sharp, and stared at Chen Xia with utmost seriousness. With a flick of his wide sleeve, he cupped his fist and called out.
"Father!"
...
Now both old and new officials fell silent.