In order to live immortal, I changed a martial artist world to a xianxia world

Chapter 41: Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Martial Dynasty

Nanjing, Imperial Palace

“Are we certain about this?”

Seated on the imperial throne, Zhu Yuanzhang sounded excited.

“Your Majesty!”

“My subordinate, a first-tier secret agent of the Tian (天) rank, was present at Wudang Mountain. He personally witnessed Zhang Sanfeng, restored to youthful vigour, gravely injure Pu Zhi with nothing but a cold snort!”

[“Tian” (天): Means “heaven,” “sky,” or “divine,” symbolizing the highest level, celestial authority, or supreme achievement.]

Zhu Wushi bowed deeply, his tone deferential as he addressed the emperor.

Zhu Wushi, Zhu Yuanzhang’s nephew, had risen to prominence thanks to his exceptional martial talent and the emperor’s deliberate cultivation. By the age of thirty, Zhu Wushi had already attained the status of an Earthly Immortal (陆地神仙). Despite his immense power, Zhu Wushi was acutely aware of his uncle’s fearsome capabilities, and he dared not harbour disloyal thoughts.

As soon as Duan Tianya returned to the Dragon-Guard Manor (护龙山庄) with news of the events at Wudang, Zhu Wushi hastened to the palace to report.

[Dragon-Guard Manor (护龙山庄): A secret intelligence and enforcement agency serving the Ming Dynasty, responsible for protecting the imperial family and executing covert missions.]

“Excellent! Hahaha…”

“Who would have thought? After Ying Zheng, our Great Ming Dynasty has also discovered an immortal inheritance!”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s laughter echoed through the hall, brimming with joy.

Since learning of Ying Zheng’s ascension to immortality, Zhu Yuanzhang had ordered an exhaustive search for similar inheritances across the Ming realm. However, despite mobilising the vast resources of the imperial court, the search yielded nothing but frustration.

Doubt began creeping into his mind—is it possible that the Ming Dynasty lacks such treasures? Or worse, could Ying Zheng’s supposed immortality be a grand hoax?

But now, with Zhang Sanfeng’s transformation, those doubts had been dispelled.

As the ruler of an empire, Zhu Yuanzhang was no stranger to the allure of immortality. Ying Zheng’s legacy was out of his reach, but not Zhang Sanfeng’s secrets.

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“Wushi,” Zhu Yuanzhang began, his tone steady but commanding. “Do you have the means to acquire this immortal inheritance for me?”

In the Ming court, Zhu Wushi wasn’t the sole Earthly Immortal, but he was uniquely positioned as the emperor’s kin. Despite being aware of Zhu Wushi’s ambitions, Zhu Yuanzhang had never acted against him—he was confident that his nephew posed no real threat while the emperor still reigned supreme.

Now, with the immortal path at stake, Zhu Yuanzhang trusted no one else.

“Your Majesty,” Zhu Wushi replied with a wry smile. “I fear that is beyond my abilities.”

Before Zhang Sanfeng’s transformation, he had already been a peak Earthly Immortal. Now, as a cultivator on the immortal path, his strength far surpassed Zhu Wushi’s own. Facing Zhang Sanfeng directly was tantamount to suicide.@@novelbin@@

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“What are you thinking?” Zhu Yuanzhang said, shaking his head. “Did you imagine I would send you to seize it by force?”

“Let me tell you, Wushi—even I cannot match Zhang Sanfeng.”

“No, your task is to negotiate with him,” the emperor explained. “Offer him terms: if Zhang Sanfeng agrees to share the immortal inheritance, I shall proclaim Wudang as the state religion of the Ming Dynasty. Furthermore, I am willing to grant Wudang three imperial favours, provided they do not harm the empire.”

Though Zhu Yuanzhang admired his nephew’s prowess, he harboured no illusions about Zhang Sanfeng’s power. Open conflict was unthinkable.

“Understood, Your Majesty!” Zhu Wushi bowed again, a sense of relief washing over him.

As long as negotiation was the plan, he was confident in fulfilling the emperor’s wishes—or, at the very least, leaving Wudang Mountain unscathed.

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After Zhu Wushi exited the hall, Zhu Yuanzhang leaned back, his expression a mixture of pride and regret.

“What a pity,” he murmured. “Such talent, and yet not of my direct lineage.”

Among his descendants, even the most gifted—Crown Prince Zhu Biao and Prince of Yan Zhu Di—had only reached the Heavenly Phenomenon Grandmaster level. In Zhu Yuanzhang’s eyes, that was far from sufficient.

The emperor’s path to power had begun with nothing but a begging bowl, yet he had risen to create one of the greatest empires in history. His martial might had long since surpassed that of ordinary mortals.

The title of Martial Emperor (武帝) wasn’t mere flattery. Decades before founding the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang had already reached the Earthly Immortal realm.

Even in his later years, his strength remained unparalleled. Were it not for Zhang Sanfeng’s newfound ascension, Zhu Yuanzhang would have confidently regarded himself as the apex of the Five Dynasties.

“Still,” he sighed, “who would have thought Zhang Sanfeng would surpass me first?”

But Zhu Yuanzhang’s gaze sharpened.

“No matter. Once I acquire the immortal inheritance, I will surpass him yet.”

“After all, sects are but sects. How can a mere martial faction compare to the might of an empire?”