Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The next morning…
The morning light shone upon the earth.
In a teahouse in one of the capital’s bustling towns…
“Who is it?!”
Although the beauty, Qianqian, charmingly sat on a chair, her pretty face was extremely gloomy.
Before her, a few errand boys who worked for the teahouse were kneeling on the floor. Behind the beauty, a few maids who had their hair tied into buns stood motionlessly, afraid to even let out too deep of a breath.
“The Mohists… had planted a spy in my Tianji School? Who spread the news?” the beauty said coldly, slamming her hand on the table and causing the errand boys to tremble.
Lv Mudui sat in a corner, stroking his beard while having a bowl of congee. He was the very epitome of relaxation.
The previous night, the Astrology Sect messenger pigeons flew from the teahouse and spread the news that shocked the court and the people.
“The former emperor, Yuwen Tuo, fell for Kong Xiu’s trick and died at the hands of Jiang Li.”
How could anyone say that?!
Furthermore, this news was spread from the home base of the Tianji School, which was equivalent to confirming the veracity of the news.
How could the beauty not be angry about this development?
Lv Mudui continued eating his congee leisurely at the corner. The beauty shot him a glance and let out a cold “hmph.”
Ever since the news about Immortal encounters at the Hidden Dragon Ridge had been circulated, the Tianji School had become the focus of the world. Now that this matter had taken place, they were once again pushed into the eye of the storm.
After Lv Mudui had finished his congee, he wiped his beard and smiled.
“Oh, Qianqian, don’t be so angry. Just keep tabs on the Astrology Sect messenger pigeons next time…”
“Anyway, even though the Tianji School is a neutral group, now that the Hundred Schools and Great Zhou are fighting each other, it is only a matter of time that we pick a side… What’s more, the news that circulated this time is not without reason too. After all… there’s no smoke without fire,” Lv Mudui said.
“Shut up! What do you know, you terrible old fogey!”
At first, the beauty was already in a fit of anger, but after hearing Lv Mudui’s sarcastic remarks, she could no longer contain her rage.
Lv Mudui grinned.
After that, he slowly got up and grabbed his bamboo stick to make a move.
“Where are you going?”
The beauty furrowed her brows.
“To Beiluo…,” Lv Mudui said with a smile.
“Young Master Lu should have fulfilled his initial promise to me by now.”
******
The capital was bustling.
With many aristocratic families circulating the news spread by the Tianji School, very soon, everyone in the city knew about it.
“The royal adviser, Kong Xiu, plotted to murder the former emperor, Yuwen Tuo!”
“It turns out that the soul of the Great Zhou military, Jiang Li, was the main culprit behind the former emperor’s death!”
“The death of the former emperor is a startling mystery!”
These messages spread like wildfire in just one night.
This matter was the topic of discussion in almost all the teahouses, taverns, and even roadside bookstalls.
What many people could not understand was the fact that Jiang Li and Kong Xiu were the former emperor Yuwen Tuo’s right-hand men, so what could have been their motive for killing him?
Nevertheless, not long after, more detailed secrets were revealed too.
This matter involved a key figure—a descendant of the Militarists, Bai Fengtian.
In the past, during Yuwen Tuo’s reign, the Militarist descendant, Bai Fengtian, was awarded numerous commendations for defeating the Xirong ethnic group, subduing the southern people, and killing thousands of southern minorities.
Another one of his incredible achievements was his act of burying 300,000 soldiers alive at the frontier fortress of Great Zhou with just a single command.
The Bai Fengtian then possessed all of Great Zhou’s military power.
He could be said to be so outstanding that he outshone the emperor and thus posed a threat to him.
Naturally, the former emperor, Yuwen Tuo, could not allow such a person to exist. At once, he had issued nine orders to bring back Bai Fengtian, who was pursuing the western people at the time.
He revoked Bai Fengtian’s military power and made him retire from his position.
But alas…
Before the day of his retirement had arrived, Bai Fengtian had died a miserable death.
Back then, the advisor Kong Xiu and Bai Fengtian were the best of friends.
Jiang Li was Bai Fengtian’s disciple.
The news of Bai Fengtian’s death had shaken the entire world. Many had speculated that Bai Fengtian’s death was the work of the emperor, Yuwen Tuo, but no one had dared to discuss such a taboo subject.
Yet, not long after Bai Fengtian’s death, Yuwen Tuo had died mysteriously too.
As such, now that this piece of news was out, the world was shaken once more.
All the civil and military officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty were all the more enraged.
One after another, statutes were being sent to Zijin Palace. They were all statutes of condemnation and demands for impeachment.
A lie, if repeated often enough, will be accepted as the truth. As the news spread more and more widely, the accusation that Jiang Li had killed the emperor seemed to have become completely set in stone.
In the capital, in the Imperial City…
In Zijin Palace…
Looking at the multiple statutes, Yuwen Xiu trembled with rage.
Yuwen Xiu’s face was extremely upset, as he threw the statutes on the floor with great force.
In the distance, the old eunuch stood in the wake of the dust, not daring to draw a deep breath.
A lingering moment later, Yuwen Xiu took a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes.
“We are going to the Book Pavilion.”
Accompanied by the old eunuch, Yuwen Xiu headed toward the Book Pavilion. However, he was stopped by Mo Tianyu, who had long disheveled hair, right outside the pavilion. No matter what the emperor said, the advisor refused to see him.
In response to the advisor’s refusal to see him, Yuwen Xiu was utterly dejected. While he was a mighty emperor, he was still a mere eleven-year-old child, after all.
“Why… why won’t the advisor see me?”
Yuwen Xiu questioned himself nonstop upon returning to Zijin Palace.
This compulsive behavior of his caused the old eunuch’s hair to stand on end.
“Your Majesty, after all, the advisor is also caught right at the heart of this commotion. He needs you to make your own judgment,” the old eunuch said as he bowed down out of respect.
Turning over the statutes, all that Yuwen Xiu saw was content about the impeachment of the advisor and demands for him to summon Jiang Li to the capital for interrogation.
“Actually, it is up to Your Majesty to decide whether the rumors are true or false.”
The old eunuch bowed deeply once again. He was so close to lying flat on the floor.
The palace was incomparably silent; all that could be heard were the sounds of Yuwen Xiu gasping for air.
Many moments later, Yuwen Xiu’s voice rang out.
“While Father Emperor was still alive, you served him. About his death… how much do you know?”
“Surely it isn’t as the rumors say, that the regicides… were indeed the advisor and Jiang Li?”
The old eunuch, who was close to lying flat on the floor, raised his head abruptly.
The fact that Yuwen Xiu had asked such a question…
Meant that he had already developed some suspicion toward the advisor and Jiang Li.
A lie, if repeated often enough, will be accepted as the truth. The power of rumors had already affected Yuwen Xiu and swayed his views.
The old eunuch did not dare to say anything more. Instead, he lay motionlessly on the floor.
Yuwen Xiu’s eyes glazed over.
A lingering moment later, he said, “Help me get dressed and prepare to go to court.”
The old eunuch, who was still kneeling on the floor, got up and beckoned the maids to enter the room.
At the Hall of Supreme Harmony…
One by one, the vermilion wooden doors adorned with deep carvings opened. Morning light streamed into the hall.
On the way up the stone steps, the civil and military officials patted their robes to smooth out the wrinkles in their attire. One after another, they entered the hall.
Before the imperial court session in the morning could carry on for long, with a flick of his sleeve, Yuwen Xiu left the Hall of Supreme Harmony in rage.
Many civil officials who had risked their lives to advise the emperor were carried out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, with the bottom half of their bodies badly mutilated.
To many officials, this had been their opportunity to go down in history.
Although their bodies had suffered, they had earned themselves a good reputation.
After half a day had passed…
An emperor’s decree was disseminated from the depths of the Imperial City. The decree was rushed out of the capital at incredible speed, as though galloping on horseback, and went straight to Yuanchi City.
******
In the Book Pavilion…
A rocking chair rocked back and forth.
Mo Tianyu entered with his body bowed.
“Master, His Majesty… ultimately issued an emperor’s decree,” Mo Tianyu reported.
Upon hearing the news, Kong Xiu, who was sitting in his rocking chair, seemed to age rapidly in just a few moments.
All that could be heard in response to Mo Tianyu was a cryptic sigh from Kong Xiu.
******
The emperor’s decree left the Imperial City.
Before the news had reached Jiang Li, it had spread all over the world.
In Yuanchi City…
Upon receiving this piece of news, Tantai Xuan cast a strange look at Mo Beike.
“Leader, what should we… do next?” Tantai Xuan asked Mo Beike, cupping one of his hands into the other before his chest.
“Leave a thousand soldiers in Yuanchi City. As for the other troops, order them to withdraw 15 kilometers from Yuanchi City,” Mo Beike said slowly.
Tantai Xuan was puzzled. Instead, it was Mo Ju, who was standing beside him while gently waving his feather fan, whose eyes gleamed.
******
In Beiluo City, on Lake Island…
It was as tranquil and beautiful as ever.
Lv Mudui pushed his lonesome boat out into Beiluo Lake, creating ripples on the surface of the water. He dipped his bamboo pole, which he used as an oar, into the water and unwittingly scared the fish away.
On his head, he wore a bamboo hat. Looking at Beiluo Lake Island, which was shrouded in mist and reminiscent of fairyland on earth, the awe in his eyes intensified.
Compared to the last time he had seen Beiluo Lake Island, the island now seemed even more magical.
“Young Master Lu has had many Immortal encounters at the Secret Realm of the Hidden Dragon Ridge…” Lv Mudui lamented.
After that, his heart grew with anticipation.
He dropped his oar, startling a siege of herons.
On the island…
On the second level of White Jade City’s pavilion, on the veranda…
Lu Fan, who was leaning on the back of his wheelchair and listening to the sounds of the breeze, was contemplating the selection of the Dragon Raising Site and the creation of the second Secret Realm.
The first Secret Realm could only be considered as an appetizer for starting the recovery of Spirit Qi and informing the people about the existence of cultivators.
As for the second Secret Realm, Lu Fan would not open it on such a small scale as he did for the first.
While it was said that the current Wuhuang Continent was a Low Level Martial World, it was already close to being a Mid Level Martial World. According to Lu Fan’s plans, the creation of the second Secret Realm would bring the world halfway toward becoming a Mid Level Martial World.
In addition, White Jade City was to complete its final jump toward becoming a Supreme Power.
But…
Before that, it would be best if White Jade City could come up with a medium that could summon anything in the world.
Holding the bronze wine cup in his hand, Lu Fan leaned against the railing and admired the beautiful scenery by the lake.
Yet he saw ripples form on the surface of the lake and gulls and egrets fly away in shock.
A lonesome boat approached, wobbling on the surface of the water.
On the lonesome boat, the old man who was wearing a bamboo hat caused Lu Fan’s calm eyes to light up ever so slightly.