Cultivating Immortality, Starting from Childhood Sweethearts-Chapter 429 - The Dragon-Slaying Platform.

After changing into a fresh set of clothes, Xu Ming followed the Wu Emperor out.

He had a vague idea of what the emperor meant when he said he had “a few heads” to gift him.

Most likely, these were the very people who had schemed against him before. The Wu Emperor must have already captured them and was now waiting for his return to carry out their execution.

However, when Xu Ming arrived at the execution platform on the western side of the imperial palace, he narrowed his eyes slightly in surprise at the sight before him.

The western execution platform of Wu Kingdom’s imperial palace was specifically used for beheading nobles and high-ranking officials.

Its name—Dragon-Slaying Platform.

The term “Dragon-Slaying” was, by nature, inauspicious.

After all, the Wu Emperor himself was a “dragon.” There was no logical reason for him to create a place meant to behead his own kind.

But legend had it that upon ascending the throne, one of the first things the Wu Emperor did was name this place Dragon-Slaying Platform.

He even declared boldly:

“This place shall execute tyrants above and traitors below! If ever I rule unjustly, I shall wash my own neck clean and present myself before this very platform!”

Of course, the emperor might have said this—but how many truly believed him?

At the time, he had only just ascended to the throne, lacking strong backing. The court was in turmoil, with various factions rising to the surface.

At that moment, he needed to assert his dominance.

Thus, he uttered those words.

But if you took them at face value, you would be gravely mistaken.

What, did you actually expect the Wu Emperor to come here and offer up his own neck?

Before that happened, you’d likely be the one testing the platform first.

That said, ever since then, Dragon-Slaying Platform had indeed gained a sacred status.

The emperor’s reputation among the people soared, and with this single move, he established undeniable authority.

Back to the present—anyone brought to this execution platform was no small figure.

Ordinary officials wouldn’t qualify.

Take, for example, the men currently before Xu Ming.

Xu Ming didn’t recognize them, but from their attire, the lowest-ranked among them was a second-grade minister.

There was even a prince.

This prince’s robe bore a dragon emblem—though it had one fewer claw than the emperor’s dragon robe.

According to Wu Kingdom’s laws, this meant the man was one of the few princes bestowed the title of “Equal Rank King.”

Yet, Xu Ming had never seen him before.

To his knowledge, he had no past dealings with this man.

When these condemned men saw the Wu Emperor arriving with Xu Ming, their eyes burned with rage and resentment toward him.

All except the Equal Rank King, who merely cast Xu Ming a calm glance.

The Wu Emperor smiled and asked, “Do you know who these men are?”

Xu Ming feigned ignorance. “I do not, Your Majesty.”

The Wu Emperor saw through his act but answered anyway. “These are the ones who once plotted against you. The civil and military officials will be gathering here shortly. Let’s wait in that pavilion over there.”

“As you command, Your Majesty.” Xu Ming nodded and followed the emperor into a pavilion overlooking the Dragon-Slaying Platform.

Xu Ming suspected that whenever officials were executed, this was where the Wu Emperor watched from.

Perhaps this was one of his guilty pleasures.

Before long, more and more officials gathered in the square below the execution platform.

They stood in silence, as if attending court.

Not a single one dared to utter a word.

At most, they would steal a quick glance at the condemned men on the execution platform—only to immediately lower their heads, fearing that if they looked too long, they might end up there themselves.

Suddenly—

“Prince Qin has arrived!”

Once all the civil and military officials had gathered, a crisp and commanding female voice echoed through the crowd.

The carriage came to a halt, and the attendants respectfully placed down the steps. A young woman, exuding an air of heroic spirit, gracefully descended from the carriage.

Even though Xu Ming was more than familiar with her, he couldn’t help but be struck anew by her presence.

“Prince Qin,” of course, referred to Wu Yanhán.

The official attire of a prince was traditionally complex and cumbersome, adorned with numerous accessories. Most people would appear somewhat bloated when wearing it.

However, Wu Yanhán’s attire had clearly been redesigned to suit her.

The once wide and heavy robes had been transformed into a sleek and elegant long dress.

The dress reached just above her ankles, avoiding any unnecessary drag on the ground. Designed for a perfect fit, it gracefully accentuated Wu Yanhán’s slender and well-proportioned figure. A jade ornament cinched at the waist further emphasized her upright and commanding posture.

Embroidered on the fabric was a four-clawed dragon—the same insignia worn by other Equal Rank Kings.

On her, however, the attire was more than just a uniform.

It radiated an aura of authority, while at the same time, highlighting her grace and elegance to perfection.

There was even a touch of regal sophistication in her presence.

Xu Ming had no idea which master craftsman had tailored this outfit, but it was evident that a great deal of effort and time had gone into its design.

He suspected that the Wu Emperor himself had arranged for this attire long ago—just waiting for the day his daughter would be granted her title and don it with pride.

Wu Yanhán strode forward with steady, deliberate steps.

As she passed through the gathered officials, they bowed their heads even lower.

Not a single one dared meet her gaze.

Xu Ming’s mind drifted back to the words she had spoken to him before he left for Beihai:

“When you return from Beihai, I will make sure you receive justice.”

He could only imagine what Wu Yanhán had done in his absence to instill such fear in these officials.

Whatever it was, she had clearly left a lasting impression.

“Let’s go. It’s time for us to descend.”

The Wu Emperor patted Xu Ming on the shoulder.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Xu Ming cupped his hands in salute.

Following the emperor’s lead, he descended gracefully from the high platform.

The officials had already seen the emperor, but now that he had stepped forward, they finally fell to their knees and chanted in unison:

“Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty!”

The Wu Emperor gestured lightly with one hand, a motion of feigned humility.

“Rise, my loyal subjects.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” The officials straightened themselves, but their demeanor remained tense.

Sweeping his gaze across the assembled court, the Wu Emperor finally spoke.

His voice was not loud, yet each word carried weight, reaching the ears of everyone present with crystal clarity:

“The reason I have summoned you all here today—surely you already know why!”

“Prince Qi, Chen Lu, colluded with court officials and bribed cultivators in an attempt to assassinate the top scholar of our empire—Xu Ming!”

“Such lawlessness! Such treachery! This act defies both the monarchy and the heavens themselves!”

“If not for Prince Qin’s tireless efforts—upholding justice, investigating relentlessly day and night—this conspiracy may never have come to light. But now, all the traitors have been exposed and captured!”

“The Dragon-Slaying Platform executes tyrants above and traitors below!”

“Today, justice shall be served to Scholar Xu Ming!”

“Does any official present have anything to say?”