Chapter 71: Chapter 66: Turmoil

What did he mean by “the fated one who can save the Dayan Dynasty”?

Who else could it be but the Emperor?

The old man had spoken in deliberate riddles, giving the two of them plenty of room for speculation. His goal was to stir up conflict and drag Li Chang’an into the battle for the throne.

After all, from his perspective, Li Chang’an’s disposition was simply too detached.

If he didn’t apply some external pressure, he feared the boy might just hole up in this Library Pavilion indefinitely.

It was safe to say his provocation was a resounding success.

The gazes of both the princess in her pale yellow dress and the Prince in the Python Robe standing behind her instantly turned sharp as they stared at Li Chang’an.

After a moment of silence…

The Third Prince, dressed in his Python Robe, asked coldly, “Ancestor, you aren’t joking with us, are you? Father hasn’t had any children since the eleventh was born. So where did such a young brother come from?”

The old man chuckled. “That, I don’t know. Why don’t you send your own people to investigate? I only know he carries the blood of the Royal Family and has been acknowledged by the Ancestral Temple. Beyond that, I know nothing, nor do I wish to.”

Of course, he knew Li Chang’an’s true identity.

But the more he knew, the more vague he had to act. It was the only way to awaken the competitive drive hidden in the blood of these younger generations.

The Dayan Dynasty could no longer afford another Master of the Middle Path.

They had to find a ruthless, iron-willed restorer as soon as possible—someone with talent in the Martial Dao, capable of commanding awe and respect from all.

If a Prince had no mettle, then there was no reason for him to live.

The Jianghu was full of troublemakers who used their martial arts to defy the law.

Especially the Four Top Sects—each one was backed by a Grandmaster, or even a Great Grandmaster.

They were certainly not to be trifled with.

A spineless Emperor ascending the throne would only make the already weakened Dayan Dynasty appear even more feeble and incompetent.

If that were to happen, then once we old fossils are all dead and gone, the Dayan Dynasty probably wouldn’t last many years before being toppled from its pedestal.

…

Seeing the old man’s unperturbed demeanor and his unwillingness to reveal any more information, the Third Prince gave up on questioning him further.

Li Chang’an had fair skin and a delicate, doll-like face, with a completely harmless expression.

The princess in the pale yellow dress furrowed her slender brows for a moment before they relaxed. She leaned down and introduced herself, “I am the Seventh Princess, and this is the Third Prince. Who is your mother? And has Father given you a name?”

It was, in truth, an absurd question.

Normally, no matter how much the princes disliked one another, they would at least be acquainted.

After all, the Royal Family held various clan gatherings every year, and all registered Princes and Princesses would be formally invited.

But the Seventh Princess was certain she had never seen this child before.

In other words, no one had invited him to the clan gatherings.

If the Ancestor guarding the Library Pavilion hadn’t personally told them this boy was their brother, they would never have believed it.

Sensing the doubt and wariness in the eyes of the Seventh Princess and the Third Prince, Li Chang’an thought for a moment before answering, “My name is Li Chang’an. My mother is a Palace Maid, and Father has never bestowed a name upon me!”

He didn’t hide anything.

In truth, it couldn’t be hidden from anyone who bothered to investigate. Too many people in the palace already knew.

Hearing his childish voice, the Seventh Princess and Third Prince exchanged a glance, each seeing the profound confusion in the other’s eyes.

How could a child born to a Palace Maid, a child who hadn’t even been given a name, be the ’fated one’ meant to save the Dayan Dynasty, according to the Ancestor?

After another moment of silence, the Third Prince asked patiently, “Why have I never heard Father mention you before? And were you really not invited to the family’s clan gatherings?”

Li Chang’an glanced at him with his clear, bright eyes and replied, “I was. But I didn’t go!”

The Third Prince was dumbfounded. “Why not?”

Now it was Li Chang’an’s turn to be confused. He couldn’t help but ask, “Why would I go?”

At his words, both the Third Prince and the Seventh Princess fell silent.

’Why would he go?’

To be born into the Royal Family meant abiding by its rules. The clan banquets were a prime opportunity for Princes and Princesses to make their presence known before the elders of the various family branches.

Princes and Princesses who were particularly skilled at socializing could even win the support of elders at these events!

Asking “why would I go?” showed that this boy not only had no concept of how the game of power was played, but he hadn’t even formed a basic understanding of the world.

He had no grasp of social intricacies, nor did he have anyone sensible by his side to guide him.

Then again, on second thought, it seemed perfectly normal.

After all, judging by his age, the child couldn’t be more than three or four.

Yet his mother was merely a Palace Maid of humble origins, which meant her maternal family could offer him no support whatsoever.

On top of that, the Emperor himself paid him no mind.

With all these factors combined, his cluelessness wasn’t so strange after all.

They might have figured out the reasons, but the doubt in their hearts didn’t lessen. In fact, it only grew stronger.

After all, given Li Chang’an’s pitifully few resources…

If he was foolish enough to think he could compete for the throne, he would be nothing more than a pathetic insect for the Eldest Prince to crush underfoot.

They couldn’t fathom why the Ancestor held him in such high regard.

Of course, they couldn’t be blamed for their ignorance.

After all, at his age, they had still been in the Imperial Study learning to read and write. They hadn’t even begun to practice the Martial Dao until they were five or six, once their bodies were more developed.

Even in their wildest dreams, they couldn’t imagine a three-year-old child could not only set foot on the path of the Martial Dao but also achieve something on it.

…

After questioning Li Chang’an for a long time only to end up more confused themselves, the pair could only suppress their intense curiosity for now. They decided to return and have the matter investigated before doing anything else.

They exchanged a few more pleasantries with Li Chang’an and the old man, then prepared to leave with the Cultivation Techniques they had borrowed.

As they were leaving, the Seventh Princess, Li Linlin, looked at the adorable little Li Chang’an and couldn’t resist. She reached out, patted his head, and said gently, “Little brother, if you run into any trouble in the future, you can come find me at Xuanyi Hall!”

The Seventh Princess was soft-hearted and kind by nature. She clearly felt a deep sympathy for the misfortunes Li Chang’an had faced since birth.

In the chaotic mess of the Dayan Imperial Palace, her existence was truly an anomaly.

…

After the two had left, Li Chang’an went back to the bookshelves and resumed reading.

The old man threw his head back and took a large swig of wine. Then he pulled a Waist Token from his pocket and handed it to him. “Here,” he said. “I doubt you’ll have any use for it, but I’m giving it to you anyway. The Clan tournament is in one month. The top three finishers will earn the right to enter the fourth floor of the Library Pavilion. Do your best. I’m looking forward to seeing what you can do!”

This Waist Token symbolized his support for Li Chang’an.

Groups of Princes and Princesses were constantly circling him, all vying for this very Token, which represented the stance of a Royal Family Grandmaster.

Even though Li Chang’an had said he didn’t need it, the old man gave it to him anyway.

After all, not needing something and not having it were two completely different things. The fact that Li Chang’an didn’t want it made the old man all the more willing to give it, and doing so left him feeling even more content and magnanimous.

Li Chang’an glanced at the Token, took it, and casually hung it from his waist. He nodded. “Thank you. I don’t know what it would take to not disappoint you, but if it’s just dealing with a bunch of rookies, it shouldn’t be a problem!”

At those words, the old man nearly spat out his wine. He coughed for a long moment, unsure how to respond, before finally laughing. “If that aura that burst from you last time was your true Realm, then I suppose you have the right to say that. But don’t you try to fool me. You’re only three years old!”

The aura that had erupted from Li Chang’an during his breakthrough had left a deep impression on him.

So, when he had a free moment, he had specifically consulted numerous ancient texts.

Though he hadn’t found a definitive answer, he did find records of Martial Artists from Ancient Times who would sometimes generate celestial phenomena that didn’t match their actual Realm upon breaking through.

According to the ancient records…

Generating such phenomena during a breakthrough meant the person had received the recognition of heaven and earth. It signified that their aptitude for the Martial Dao was exceptionally high, and their potential was nearly limitless!

The old man refused to believe that the aura erupting from Li Chang’an was that of a Grandmaster. Thus, he subconsciously attributed the phenomenon to one of these celestial anomalies.

To this, Li Chang’an merely smiled without a word.

…

…

「A month passed in a flash.」

During that time, many more Princes and Princesses came to the Library Pavilion in a steady stream.

You could say that Li Chang’an had seen more Princes and Princesses in this recent period than the total number of people who had come to borrow books from the Library Pavilion over the entire past year.

As the saying goes, sharpening your blade right before the battle might not make it sharp, but it will make it shine.

Clearly, all the Princes and Princesses were taking the upcoming Clan tournament very seriously. They were all scrambling to showcase their talents during the competition and win the approval of the clan Elders.

With so many people coming and going, it was inevitable that many of the Princes and Princesses would notice Li Chang’an on the second floor.

Especially after they saw the Token hanging from Li Chang’an’s waist, the expressions of the Princes vying for the throne grew even more grim.

Word that there was an obscure Twelfth Prince in the Library Pavilion had long since spread through the inner circles of the Clan Relatives.

Because Li Chang’an’s mother was a Palace Maid…

Although most of the Princes and Princesses never said it aloud, in their hearts, they had all written off Li Chang’an as nothing more than a neglected bastard.

But to their utter astonishment, this insignificant bastard had actually managed to obtain the Six Ancestors Waist Token!

According to the accession histories of the past few Emperor Dayans, any Prince who coveted the supreme throne needed the approval of at least four of the six Elders to even have a chance.

Until now, only the Eldest Prince had managed to secure the Waist Tokens of two Elders.

He had held an absolute lead.

But now, this little bastard who had appeared out of nowhere was hot on his heels, having obtained the Waist Token of a third Elder!?

This, without a doubt, made all the other Princes feel threatened.

The Eldest Prince, in particular, upon hearing the news, immediately saw Li Chang’an as a thorn in his side, wishing for nothing more than to eliminate him!

When the Eldest Prince relayed the news to Phoenix Perch Palace…

Empress Li gritted her teeth, shot to her feet, and smashed the Golden Jade Glass Cup on the table. “That little bastard has finally made something of himself in the Library Pavilion!” she seethed. “Someone, summon the Hidden Guards! I want him to suffer the fate of ’losing his footing and falling to his death’!”

…

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