Li Chunfeng's laughter echoed amidst the thunder and howling wind, filled with a sense of relief as if he had finally seen through the secrets of heaven.
"So that's how it is."
"So that's how it is."
"This 'Immortal' resurrected us solely for the sake of the common people!"
He looked at Ian, the initial shock on his face now replaced entirely by profound reverence.
At these words, the taut string of tension in the hearts of Li Shimin and his ministers seemed to loosen slightly.
For an entity to make Li Chunfeng say such things, his motives were perhaps not as unfathomable and sinister as they had imagined.
Li Shimin straightened his black dragon robes, his innate imperial majesty suppressing his initial bewilderment.
He stepped forward slowly, followed by the entire legendary court of the Great Tang's civil officials and military generals.
Finally, he stopped three paces away from Ian and bowed deeply and solemnly.
"Thank you, Immortal, for taking action to resurrect me and my ministers," he said.
Li Shimin's voice was as steady as a mountain, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, yet it carried genuine sincerity.
Ian accepted the bow calmly, as if it were only natural.
"I am merely a traveler wandering through the heavens," Ian replied.
"I was just passing by and happened to arrive in an era I do not particularly like."
"Having some free time, I figured I might as well see if I could find some amusement."
"I am actually quite looking forward to seeing Yuan Tiangang's expression when he lays eyes on all of you."
These words were spoken lightly, yet they left everyone present reeling in shock.
Wandering through the heavens.
The implications contained within those few words far exceeded the boundaries of their comprehension.
Standing to the side, Li Bai felt the majestic power coursing through his flesh-and-blood body, and his reverence for Ian deepened even further.
It seemed this Immortal did not belong to their world; he was far more powerful than anyone could have imagined.
Ian did not seem to want to dwell on the topic. He took out his wine gourd again and shook it casually.
The crisp sloshing of liquid clearly reached everyone's ears.
"Since this is our first meeting, I don't have any grand gifts to offer you," Ian smiled.
"So, please, allow me to treat you all to a cup of humble wine."
As soon as he finished speaking, he uncorked the gourd.
A stream of clear wine, carrying a rich and intoxicating fragrance, flowed upward, defying gravity.
At the same time, warm, translucent white jade cups materialized out of thin air in the hands of Li Shimin, Li Chunfeng, Cheng Yaojin, and the other officials.
The cups felt warm to the touch, as if they were forged from condensed moonlight.
The wine suspended in mid-air instantly split into dozens of slender streams.
Each stream traced a mystical arc, pouring with absolute precision into everyone's cups.
Not a drop more, not a drop less—perfectly full.
Throughout the entire process, not a single drop was spilled.
This miraculous display once again left the monarch and ministers of the Great Tang in a daze.
A cup also appeared in Ian's own hand. He raised it high, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally landing on Li Bai beside him.
"Call the boy to exchange them for fine wine, and with you, I will wash away the eternal sorrows."
With that, he tilted his head back and drained the cup in one gulp.
Hearing his own poem recited by this Immortal, Li Bai was overwhelmed with mixed emotions, his eyes growing slightly moist.
Li Shimin snapped back to reality. He glanced at the mirror-clear wine in his cup, then at Ian, and without a moment's hesitation, he raised his cup and drank.
With their monarch taking the lead, the ministers naturally followed suit.
Cheng Yaojin, whose mouth had long been watering from the aroma, swallowed hard. Without waiting for anyone's urging, he gulped the wine down his throat.
As the wine slid down their throats, a warm, soothing current instantly erupted, surging like a rushing river through their limbs and bones, reaching every corner of their bodies.
They experienced a warmth that seemed to stem from the very origin of life.
Li Shimin felt the chronic ailments accumulated over the years, the countless hidden injuries sustained on the battlefield, the marks left by time, and even the gloomy aura of death clinging to the depths of his soul—all of it was completely washed away by this warm current.
His body was returning to its absolute peak.
No, it was even surpassing its peak.
He felt as if he had returned to his twenties, to that world-swallowing moment when he slew Dou Jiande at the Battle of Hulao Pass.
His vitality was as vigorous as a roaring furnace, and the true qi within his body unexpectedly broke straight through the Great Heavenly Position, reaching an even higher realm.
"Mother of God," Cheng Yaojin bellowed.
The earth-shattering roar interrupted everyone's internal introspection.
They saw Cheng Yaojin with his eyes wide open, his muscles bulging, and steam rising from his body. As if to vent the explosive power within him, he subconsciously threw a fierce punch into the empty air.
He didn't use any true qi.
It was purely raw physical strength.
"Bang!"
A dull, massive boom resonated as his punch shattered the sound barrier. A visible white shockwave exploded outward from his fist.
The power of this single punch was far greater than anything he could muster during the prime of his previous life.
Just as the crowd was marveling at the miraculous effects of the immortal wine, their rising joy was interrupted by Ian's next action.
Ian casually waved his hand.
The space before them rippled like a calm lake disturbed by a skipped stone.
A massive map, constructed entirely of light and shadow, slowly unfurled in mid-air.
The layout of the mountains and rivers was incredibly familiar to them—it was the Divine Land.
However, the sight displayed on the map made everyone's heart sink.
The once-unified territory of the Great Tang was now fractured and torn apart by dark borders.
Flags representing various factions were planted all over the land, their borders interlocking like jagged teeth.
"This is the world as it stands today."
Ian's calm voice rang out, beginning to explain the history to these "ancients."
From the Huang Chao Rebellion that swept across the realm.
To Zhu Wen usurping the Tang dynasty and establishing the Later Liang.
And finally, to the current state of affairs: regional warlords carving up the land, constant warfare among feudal lords, beacon fires burning everywhere, and the common people living in absolute misery.
Event by event, piece by piece, he laid out the rise and fall of the past few centuries before their very eyes.
After hearing this, the air fell dead silent.
The color drained from everyone's faces.
Especially Li Shimin.
When he heard the words "the Great Tang has fallen," the emperor who had single-handedly ushered in the golden age of the Zhenguan Era swayed uncontrollably.
His eyes, which had once commanded the awe of countless heroes, now revealed profound sorrow.
He remained silent for a long time.
So long that Cheng Yaojin and the others couldn't help but want to speak up and comfort him.
But when he raised his head again, that sorrow had been buried deep within his heart. In its place was a newly rekindled fire blazing in his eyes.
It was not anger over the loss of imperial power, but a deep grief and unyielding resolve for the sake of the common people.
He bowed deeply to Ian once more.
"Immortal."
"Please help me... No."
He paused and corrected himself.
"Please help me pacify this chaotic world, for the sake of all the people."
Li Shimin added slowly, his voice incredibly calm yet carrying absolute determination.
"I have already died once. Whether it is the throne or the empire of the Li Tang dynasty, to me, they are nothing but fleeting clouds."
"What I seek today is not an empire belonging to a single family or surname."
"I only seek peace for the Divine Land and prosperity for its people."
"As for who will rule this world in the future, I no longer care."
"As long as the successor is a wise ruler who can allow the people to rest and recover, that is enough."
These words echoed in the hearts of Zhangsun Wuji, Fang Xuanling, and the others.
They looked at their emperor, their faces filled with profound respect.
This was the monarch they were willing to follow to the death.
This was the true breadth of mind of the Heavenly Khagan.
Hearing this, Ian nodded and said, "Excellent! I expected nothing less from you!"
He then turned to Li Bai. "Well? Brother Li, the wise ruler I found for the Great Tang isn't bad, is he?"