Chapter 37: The Imperial Seal—Inimitable and Unrepeatable

Carving words... upon the heavens?

Three thousand scholars believed that everything they witnessed at this moment would be etched forever in their memories, never to be forgotten.

Their assumption was largely correct, though the images they would remember after a short while might differ somewhat from what they saw now.

“Heaven’s mandate, everlasting prosperity?”

Xiang Ning was originally awed by Emperor Jiajing’s methods, truly worthy of being called the greatest of his age! To inscribe words upon the sky, and do so with such ease—if it were her, even wielding the Overlord Spear, it would be impossible. At best, she could leave a faint mark in the heavens—that was her limit.

Yet now, she felt not the slightest surprise. Instead, her expression was oddly unsettling.

Xiang Ning repeatedly confirmed the eight characters inscribed upon the sky: “Heaven’s mandate, everlasting prosperity”—there was no mistake.

“I’ve heard that the imperial seals of Chu, Han, and Ming each have their own origins and are not the same. But why does the inscription on Emperor Jiajing’s seal match exactly with that scoundrel’s?”

She looked to Fan Li for answers, but he ignored her, his own face twisted into a peculiar smile.

Emperor Jiajing, meanwhile, was thoroughly pleased with his display.

He could distinctly sense the gaze of three thousand scholars shifting toward him, gradually tinged with reverence.

“Good, remember this moment forever—remember that I alone am the greatest under heaven!” Emperor Jiajing thought to himself.

He looked up, satisfied, at the heavens.

His “masterpiece”—Emperor Jiajing believed no one in the world but himself could achieve such a feat.

He was especially fond of those eight characters!

The imperial seals of every dynasty had their own variations. Most common were inscriptions like “Treasure of the Emperor,” “Imperial Seal,” “Treasure of the Imperial Presence,” and the like.

Such inscriptions struck him as ordinary, utterly insufficient to demonstrate the unparalleled dignity of the Son of Heaven.

Heaven’s mandate, everlasting prosperity!

“Only these eight words are worthy of me!” Emperor Jiajing thought in secret.

In fact, the original Ming imperial seal bore only the four words: “Treasure of the Emperor.”

But Emperor Jiajing was dissatisfied.

He ordered his ministers to scour ancient texts and seek out relics of legendary rulers, hoping to find an inscription truly befitting the Son of Heaven.

After ten long years, someone finally presented him with these eight words.

That someone was Zhang Juzheng, a student of Xu Jie, the Vice-Chancellor of Ming.

Upon receiving the eight words, Emperor Jiajing treated them as a priceless treasure, immediately commanding the nation’s finest artisans to gather rare materials, and then personally refining them with his supreme cultivation.

At last, a new imperial seal was forged!

Though he received this treasure, Emperor Jiajing did not lavish rewards upon Zhang Juzheng.

The civil and military officials of the court all believed Emperor Jiajing to be harsh and ungrateful, and Zhang Juzheng himself felt the sting.

But only Emperor Jiajing knew his own mind: Zhang Juzheng was still young, and possessed the talent of a prime minister.

Such a minister was best reserved for his successor.

As for himself, he had Yan Song as Grand Secretary and Xu Jie as Vice-Chancellor to assist with state affairs—more than sufficient.

“When I ascend to the immortal realm, I shall pass the throne to the Crown Prince, and bring Zhang Juzheng into the cabinet. The Ming dynasty will have successors, and its glory shall endure for thousands of years, ha ha!”

The more Emperor Jiajing thought on it, the more delighted he became, and his desire to erase Chu and Han grew stronger.

His performance concluded, he regarded Xiang Ning with a cold smile.

“Has the Emperor of Chu been frightened into silence?” Emperor Jiajing called out. “Or is she simply too young, unaccustomed to such wonders?”

Xiang Ning’s lips twitched, but she said nothing.

The only thought in her mind was: How could you and my scoundrel use the exact same thing?

The scholars present had little faith in the Emperor of Chu.

She was so young, and her performance might not even match that of Liu Xie, the Emperor of Han.

Truth be told, Liu Xie’s “True Dragon’s Thunder Strike” was extraordinary.

He was simply too unlucky: when he launched his attack against Emperor Jiajing, his sword couldn’t withstand the power of the heavenly thunder and snapped on the spot.

Otherwise, had he completed the blow, regardless of victory or defeat, his strength would have left a deep impression.

As for Xiang Ning, the three thousand scholars doubted she had any real ability.

Accompanied by Fan Li, a mere cultivator of the Body Refinement realm—a super weakling—the Chu sovereign and her minister seemed the weakest pairing in history!

“Emperor of Chu, please.” Emperor Jiajing spoke indifferently.

“Your Majesty, please make your move,” Lü Chunqiu added.

Of all the scholars and cultivators present, perhaps only he retained confidence in Xiang Ning.

Xiang Ning looked troubled.

She knew her own limits: even if she unleashed the Overlord Spear with all her might toward the sky, at most she could barely punch a hole.

Compared to the eight words “Heaven’s mandate, everlasting prosperity,” it would be like adding a punctuation mark.

“What should I do?” Xiang Ning looked to Fan Li for help once more.

Fan Li produced something and solemnly placed it in her hand.

Heavy, like a brick.

Xiang Ning looked down—it was Fan Li’s imperial seal.

“You…” Xiang Ning was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

To bring out such a thing now—if he intended rebellion, shouldn’t he pick a better moment?

“The Emperor of Chu wishes to contest treasures with me?” Emperor Jiajing’s sharp eyes recognized the imperial seal and he laughed, asking aloud.

Could such fortune really occur?

When sovereigns compete with imperial seals, the loser’s defeat is absolute!

In ancient times, such things had happened.

Two mighty rulers clashed with their seals; one was crushed to dust by the other.

With the destruction of the imperial seal, the nation’s fortune was severed, and its legacy ended.

Indeed, the defeated ruler saw his officials and subjects defect en masse, and his nation perished overnight.

“Sadly, this Three Sovereigns’ Alliance is a contest of words; I have no chance to truly destroy the Emperor of Chu’s imperial seal. Still, even if she loses by words, the demise of Chu will come within a few years!”

Emperor Jiajing’s joy was written all over his face.

“Scoundrel, are you trying to kill me?” Xiang Ning nearly burst into tears.

What was Fan Li thinking? At such a critical moment, he not only failed to help her, but put her at a disadvantage!

If Emperor Jiajing’s imperial seal could inscribe words in the sky, could Fan Li’s privately crafted seal possibly surpass it?

“Your Majesty, my cultivation is insufficient. Only you can wield this,” Fan Li said with a smile.

“You…” Xiang Ning looked at his earnest expression, her teeth grinding in frustration.

She glanced down at the imperial seal in her hand, still feeling the lingering warmth of Fan Li’s palm.

It must be said, Fan Li’s imperial seal possessed a solemn, ancient beauty—as if it had absorbed the essence of billions of years, becoming as eternal and unyielding as heaven and earth.

By contrast, Emperor Jiajing’s seal was a new creation: outwardly sumptuous and splendid, but compared to Fan Li’s, it was like a clumsy imitation.

“The imperial seal, bestowed by heaven, mirrors the will of the cosmos.”

“Heaven admits no second sun; the realm no second king.”

“Heaven’s mandate belongs to one alone. Everlasting prosperity, with no rival!”

The rules of this world decreed that imperial seals could not be replicated.

Each one forged must secretly align with a power of heaven’s law.

Thus, every dynasty, upon its founding, must possess its own exclusive imperial seal—never imitating another.

Unless it is an ancient dynasty, long since vanished for millions of years, its imperial seal destroyed, and its rule returned to heaven’s law.

Xiang Ning finally understood the meaning in Fan Li’s eyes.

“Two seals with the same inscription—one genuine, one counterfeit?”

“You claim yourself the true one, and what Emperor Jiajing holds is a false copy…?”