Chapter 110: Chapter 104: Acquiring the Hidden Dragon Branch, the Witch Stirs the Winds and Clouds

Lu Mingyuan knew very little about the Demon Country.

His only connection to it was the case of the Demoness of the Demon Kingdom.

Even now, recalling the events of that time, he found it was riddled with questions.

For instance, the Imperial Capital was teeming with masters. How had she managed to escape?

As he recalled, the Demoness was a commander from the Demon Country, with a Cultivation at the Middle Fifth Grade. The Great Prison was guarded by countless masters, yet even under such conditions, she still managed to get away.

He couldn’t help but suspect there was a mole from the Demon Country inside the Imperial Capital.

His impression of the Great Nether Sacred Country, on the other hand, was limited to what he had read in ancient texts. It was a place where the Three Religions did not exist. There was no Royal Dao Cultivation of the Confucian Family, no protection from the Taoist Sect for weaker Sects, and no rites of the Buddhist Heaven. The concepts of inherent equality and karmic retribution were absent. Instead, everyone believed in Divine Beings, the law of the jungle prevailed, and the Netherworld Dao and Evil Ghost Dao ran rampant.

These Divine Beings held a status as revered as that of the Confucian Temple Saints, the Daoist Court Ancestor Masters, and the Buddhist Buddhas, and they had many followers.

That Demoness happened to be a Saintess serving under one of these Divine Beings.

Beyond that, he knew nothing more.

After all, none of this had anything to do with him.

’If the border is in chaos, so be it.’

’Prince Zhenbei will handle it.’

It was late, and he had been reading until midnight.

Yang Yingchan took the letter and hastily departed.

Watching her departing figure, Hong Wan looked at Lu Mingyuan, her eyes, marked by a teardrop mole, filled with confusion.

“Your Highness, you could have coerced Princess Consort Zhao long ago. Why did you wait so long?”

Lu Mingyuan stroked her thigh beneath her skirt and said leisurely, “I never force any woman. Otherwise, what would be the point?”

Hong Wan clutched her skirt tightly, a look of sudden realization on her face. “What’s that saying? ’To conquer a city is inferior; to conquer a heart is superior.’ Is that what you’re doing, Your Highness? Trying to win her over?”

Lu Mingyuan stood up, pinched her cheek, wrapped his arm around her slender waist, and gave it a light squeeze. He chided with a laugh, “You love to guess wildly. Aren’t you afraid I’ll conquer your heart?”

“My heart has long been open to you, Your Highness.”

The exquisitely beautiful Hong Wan’s eyes shimmered. She gave a sweet smile and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder.

How could Lu Mingyuan possibly resist after hearing that?

With a soft moan, the candlelight was abruptly extinguished.

…

「The next morning.」

「Holy Bright Palace.」

The Cabinet was in session, with both civil and military officials present.

A Military General clad in Armor slowly stepped forward. Holding a Ruler’s Tablet, he declared with a grim expression, “The Great Nether Sacred Country is currently in turmoil. This is an excellent opportunity for us, Great Yan, to dispatch our troops.”

From his seat in the Cabinet, Wang He’fu glanced at him and said coolly, “So, are you suggesting we should also accept the request Prince Zhenbei submitted to the Ministry of War, Lord Chen?”

“We must be wary of Prince Zhenbei, but the threat of the Demon Country is an urgent matter! The danger it poses is greater than that of Prince Zhenbei!”

“With the Holy Netherworld in civil strife, especially after the Demoness raised the flag of rebellion back then, the tables have finally turned in our favor. We absolutely cannot let this opportunity slip by.”

Seeing that most of the ministers in the Imperial Court agreed with sending troops, Wang He’fu felt a sense of helplessness.

It seemed the recent auspicious sign of the Literary Fortune Profound Bird descending from the heavens, along with the news of Wen Sheng’s appearance, had given everyone a major boost of confidence.

The main reason was the centuries-long standoff between Great Yan and the Demon Country, which had bred deep-seated personal and national hatred. During the Yong’an Era, they had finally gained the upper hand. The Holy Emperor had spent a decade preparing for a single battle and had decisively crushed the Demon Country’s main force. This was undoubtedly morale-boosting, but because the Demoness of the Demon Kingdom was allowed to escape, they had lost their fundamental right to negotiate.

Now, the court officials’ thinking was simple: the Demon Country was weak, and they had to kick them while they were down. If they succeeded and “bit off a few pieces of flesh,” their names would be recorded in the annals of history, their official careers would soar, and their Cultivation Realms would rise as well.

It was, without a doubt, a very profitable venture.

However, Wang He’fu was not so optimistic.

Great Yan currently appeared prosperous and peaceful, but a single mishap could plunge it into an irrecoverable abyss.

With the mutiny of the 300,000-strong army and the subsequent quelling of the rebellion by the Champion Marquis, he was the one most aware of the current state of military expenditures.

They couldn’t afford any more turmoil.

The best method was to remain steadfast in the face of all changes, to rest and recuperate.

There were others who shared his view.

“What if Prince Zhenbei rebels, just like the Third Prince’s subordinates? Who will take responsibility then?”

A Vice Minister of the Ministry of War from Wang He’fu’s faction stepped forward to question.

If they sent reinforcements north, what would they do if Prince Zhenbei decided to “drape the yellow robe” and “put on more clothes for the cold,” instigating a rebellion of the Vassal Kings?

“Doesn’t he have a daughter held hostage in the Capital City?”

“When faced with the grand tide of events, who can afford to be constrained by familial bonds?”

…

The two sides argued heatedly, spittle flying.

“Silence.”

The Chief Minister of Great Yan, Yuan Xuangang, banged on the table, and the hall immediately fell silent. He said calmly, “The matter of sending troops requires careful consideration. We cannot be careless when deploying our forces. However, the threat of the Demon Country remains a bone in our throat, and we truly cannot let such an opportunity pass.”

“We can discuss other matters after we have ascertained the situation.”

“The Cabinet will first draft an imperial edict, encouraging Prince Zhenbei to handle the situation himself using the troops from his own fiefdom. Once the situation develops favorably, it will not be too late to send our own army.”

Hearing this solution, the officials below all nodded in agreement.

They could let Prince Zhenbei test the waters with his own men first. All it would take was a single imperial edict, which was very convenient.

After he tested the situation, they would know whether to send troops or not, and whether this was all a trick by the enemy nation.

If the situation turned out to be excellent, they could send reinforcements then.

“If we do send troops, we should have the Champion Marquis lead the reinforcements. He could perhaps act as a Governor.”

“That way, we can ensure nothing goes wrong.”

The ministers’ opinions gradually unified, and Wang He’fu had nothing more to say.

Although he still felt it was best not to send troops, this was clearly not the right time to try and persuade them.

Chief Minister Yuan Xuangang looked at Wang He’fu and said softly:

“Lord Wang, what are your thoughts?”

Wang He’fu cupped his hands. “I will follow all of the Chief Minister’s arrangements.”

“Good.”

“In that case, let’s proceed with this plan.”

「After the court session ended.」

Dressed in his crimson official robe embroidered with a white crane, Wang He’fu met Yuan Xuangang with a smile. “Prime Minister, you were looking for me?”

Yuan Xuangang nodded. “Yes. These are eventful times. The Holy Emperor has not yet recovered from his grave illness, and the affairs of the Cabinet are as numerous as ox hair. I cannot manage it all alone and am stretched too thin. The other Cabinet Ministers all have their own duties to attend to. Only the Ministry of War is relatively quiet, with the fighting having subsided. So, there are some matters I must trouble you with and ask for your help.”

Wang He’fu was extremely sharp, and a glint flashed in his eyes.

’Aren’t these words his way of indirectly entrusting some of the Chief Minister’s responsibilities to me?’

’Does this count as him entrusting the position of Vice Chief Minister to me ahead of time?’

The Vice Chief Minister was not an official post within the Cabinet. It was a hidden position, but it was, in reality, the Chief Minister’s right-hand man.

“Lord Wang, I appreciate your hard work.”

“It is my duty to serve the Holy Emperor.”

Wang He’fu bowed hastily.

’If I have the authority of the Vice Chief Minister, I can promote Chen Ke. By doing so, I’ll be extending my reach into the Ministry of Personnel, which handles official appointments. I’ll have a grip on both civil and military affairs.’

After saying this, Yuan Xuangang walked straight toward the Deep Palace.

…

「In the days that followed.」

Lu Mingyuan spent his days enjoying the peace and quiet of the Cold Palace, cultivating in silence. Meanwhile, he activated his Shadow Warrior clone and, under the name of the Yang Family’s Second Son, had inadvertently made a bit of a name for himself.

Why say it like that?

In the Jianghu, there was said to be something called the Grandmaster List. Unlike the official Mountain and River List for Sects, which was sanctioned by Great Yan, this was an unofficial ranking that people gossiped about after dinner.

Common people rarely encountered Middle Fifth Grade Cultivators. They might meet a few Martial Arts Grandmasters at a Great Martial Arts Hall who could shatter mountains and crush cities, and they would have to address them as Immortal Lords.

Therefore, the Grandmaster List only ranked Cultivators of the Lower Seven Realms; it did not include those of the Middle Fifth Grade. There were no lists for the Middle Fifth Grade, nor could their strength be judged by rankings, because the slightest difference in power was enormous, completely unlike the Lower Seven Realms.

And the name Yang Erlang was already near the top of the Grandmaster List, ranked in the top fifty, becoming a figure feared by everyone in the streets.

These past few days, Lu Mingyuan, using his Yang Erlang alias, had been helping Prince Jin’s Mansion with some trivial tasks: patrolling mountains to search for stones, killing wild beasts in the hills, and assassinating local thugs, troublemakers, and gang bosses. These people had their eyes on Lu Guangjing’s shady, under-the-table businesses, so they were all courting death.

Through these comings and goings, he had come to learn of Prince Jin’s Mansion’s sources of income.

Brothels, private banks, human trafficking, assassins, apothecaries…

In any case, they weren’t involved in much of anything good.

Moreover, these businesses were only registered under other people’s names; the one collecting the money behind the scenes was still the Second Prince.

「In a dark alley.」

The atmosphere was desolate, with the scent of wine wafting over from time to time.

“CRASH!”

The sound of a wine bowl shattering echoed from a distance, followed by several howls from the alley:

“It’s Butcher Yang Jian! Run!”

“This man is incredibly strong! Within three days, several gangs in the Capital City have been completely wiped out! I’ve never seen someone so ruthless!”

“Who’s the real Demon here, us or him?!”

Amidst the flashing of blades, a Saber Astral shot toward the sky.

It sliced a ferocious, one-eyed, tattooed man at the waist.

After the man died, a tall, burly young man wearing a Bronze Tiger Mask and a Martial Robe slowly appeared.

He snapped his fingers, and all the blood and qi on the ground transformed into Essence.

「Blood Glutton Celestial Fall Scripture – Divine Sensing Chapter (Eighth Floor: 72,500/250,000)」

’I slaughtered three casino gangs today and got another ten thousand points of nourishment!’

’If it could be like this every day, I’d break through to the Sea-Viewing Realm very soon. Killing is the fastest way, but there aren’t as many of these wicked people as I’d imagined.’

As Lu Mingyuan was lost in thought…

“CLANG!”

A heavy slash came from behind, making a dull sound.

However, the blade got stuck in Lu Mingyuan’s shoulder. Not a single drop of blood flowed, and the bald man behind him couldn’t pull the hilt out no matter how hard he tried.

Unaffected, Lu Mingyuan slowly turned to look at the man.

The Evil Tiger Mask was terrifying, its gaze fixed upon him.

“Demon!”

Terrified, the bald man dropped his saber and ran.

Lu Mingyuan pulled the large saber from his shoulder, and the three-inch gash healed in an instant.

’It’s quite difficult for a mortal Heavy Artifact to break a Grandmaster’s body. Not to mention an Innate Treasure from a Sect, you’d at least need a Spiritual Artifact.’

He gave it a light toss. The saber flew like a sharp sword, whistling through the air with thick Gang Qi, and instantly pierced the man’s chest. His body collapsed to the ground.

Lu Mingyuan took three taels of silver from the man’s waist pouch, then pulled out a register and drew an “X” over the name “Black Wolf Gang” with a Cinnabar Brush.

’I hear there’s an important mission tonight. Time to finally get down to some real business, isn’t it, my dear second brother?’

…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep