Chapter 78: Chapter 74: Return of the Eighth Prince, Disciple of the Saint of Reason

Prince Jin’s Mansion.

Lu Guangjing sat in a high-backed chair, looking down at more than a dozen people standing below. Their attire varied, but their faces and eyes were all utterly indifferent.

A burly man knelt on one knee and reported:

“Your Highness, the Soul Lamp has been extinguished. The targets are dead.”

Lu Guangjing frowned. “How did they die?”

“We’ve recovered the bodies. It seems they were killed by Saber Qi. There were no external injuries, but their meridians, Dantian, and internal organs were all pulverized. The killer’s control over Primordial Qi is masterful, and their aura was overwhelming. The deceaseds’ clothes were soaked through with sweat.”

Lu Guangjing’s expression was grim and uncertain. “Lu Mingyuan couldn’t possibly possess such skill. Someone must be helping him from the shadows.”

He took a deep breath to calm himself, then let out a self-deprecating laugh. “How did I not know there were suddenly so many experts in the Imperial Palace? Besides the Four Great Tributors, the Three Academy Cultivators, and the masters from the various General’s Mansions, my Sixth Brother now has an expert of this caliber by his side?”

“Or could it be that my father, the Emperor, has already purged my eyes and ears in the Harem, so much so that I couldn’t even catch a whisper of this?”

Gongyang Hu stepped forward, deep in thought. “This is indeed strange. The men who died were no small fries. One was a Grandmaster who had reached the Seventh Realm of the Martial Dao, skilled in Fist and Palm Techniques, and an expert in close-quarters combat and assassination. The other was an Eighth Realm Daoist Cultivator who practiced the Sword Dao of the Military Family and the Taoist Talismanic Method. They were among the best of assassins, had both previously assassinated a Kingdom’s Heir, and were responsible for countless deaths. They were wanted by many factions and were listed as Level B Experts in the Infinite Faction.”

The cost of recruiting a Middle Fifth Grade Cultivator is immense.

One must understand that even among Martial Artists, every Sea-Viewing Realm practitioner is qualified to command an army of one hundred thousand, or even be enfeoffed as a Marquis.

A Ninth Realm Dragon Gate Realm Martial Artist could serve as a commander-in-chief, governing a region and defending an entire province.

As for the Vajra and Feather Transformation Realms, those are beings who could establish their own sects and be revered as venerable masters.

There aren’t as many experts in the world as one might think.

A cultivator at the Grandmaster Realm could live a carefree life in the Jianghu, with no one daring to provoke them.

’Not everyone understands the principle of hiding one’s strength and biding one’s time. This Lu Mingyuan is definitely not as simple as he appears.’

Lu Guangjing mused aloud.

Gongyang Hu quickly understood. “Your Highness means to say there is something strange about the Sixth Prince?”

Lu Guangjing nodded slightly. “This was likely no coincidence. I had intended to probe him a bit, find an opportunity, and conveniently get rid of my sixth brother. I never expected such an accident.”

“Regardless of whether there’s a connection, I underestimated him. Since the simple approach didn’t work, it seems I’ll have to use other, less obvious methods.”

“You were right, Teacher. Killing someone is, after all, the lowest and simplest method. To truly destroy a person, one must first crush their spirit.”

In just a few sentences, Gongyang Hu could already hear the Second Prince’s reflection and conclusion.

After the assassins’ failure, His Highness realized he should not have underestimated his enemy, not even the Sixth Prince in the Cold Palace.

He had quickly devised the next plan and was preparing to face the situation with his full attention. His reaction was incredibly swift.

Lu Guangjing pondered for a moment, then said, “Let’s postpone our plans for the Fourth Prince. For now, let’s focus on Lu Mingyuan. We need to eliminate him before he becomes a real threat, lest we nurture a viper in our midst. Wang He’fu is about to contend for the position of Vice Chief Minister, and Noble Consort Yaoguang is the top candidate for Empress. We cannot let them be.”

Gongyang Hu asked, “What does Your Highness intend to do?”

Lu Guangjing chuckled. “The world knows that Lu Mingyuan is obsessed with beautiful women, especially those from the brothels. Any woman he fancies, he’ll take by force if he has to. He loves women more than anything, doesn’t he? If that’s the case, then I’ll send a ’woman’ his way.”

His tone became deeply meaningful in the latter half of the sentence.

Gongyang Hu knew that His Highness had already come up with a plan.

“Also, it seems the Eighth Prince is about to return to the capital. Does Your Highness have any preparations in place?”

Lu Guangjing rubbed the bridge of his nose. “The most difficult one to deal with right now is, ironically, the Eighth Prince.”

“Before, he just had some connection to the Confucian Temple. But now, he has gone to the Confucian Temple and been formally accepted as a disciple by the Saint of Reason. Even my teacher would have to be wary of him.”

“That Old Man Zhu, the Saint of Reason… some small kingdom is actually implementing his ’Li Xue’. I can’t tell if they’re truly foolish or just pretending to be.”

“He really found himself a strong backer, didn’t he?”

Even Lu Guangjing couldn’t think of a good solution for the time being.

Opposing a Saint never ends well.

An existence of the Upper Three Grades could influence the heavens and the earth with a single word or action, their power accompanied by celestial phenomena.

They were beings who, in the truest sense, spoke with the authority of heaven and could enlighten the masses.

To deal with the Eighth Prince, his own teacher would have to act personally.

That teacher of his was not a Saint, but he was greater than one.

With his power alone, he had raised the curtain on this Nine Dragons Struggle for the Throne.

The plots to win over the Fifth Prince and frame the Sixth Prince all came from his hand.

The world knows the Fifth Prince died in an assassination, but who knows where the roots of that assassination lie?

If not for that assassination, the rift between my eldest brother and the Taoist Sect would not have appeared so quickly.

The world knows the Sixth Prince let the Demoness of the Demon Kingdom escape, but who knows how that Demoness managed to walk out of the Imperial Capital City?

…

Zhao Xuanwu left for the Northern Realm.

He said they couldn’t do without him there.

Before he left, he took a flask of fine wine with him.

Lu Mingyuan sat silently in the courtyard for a long time, drinking sullenly. For some reason, the mellow, fragrant wine now tasted bland.

He mulled over every word Zhao Xuanwu had said. They all sounded like warnings.

They could be summarized into a few key points.

Build good relationships.

The world is vast.

Train hard in your martial arts.

Live a long life.

Halfway through his thoughts, a soft knock came from the door.

This time, he chose to open it himself.

When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Zhou Pingfu.

“Those two eunuchs have disappeared from the palace. I came to report this to you.”

“Disappeared?”

Lu Mingyuan frowned, murmuring to himself.

Then, his brow smoothed, and he asked with a faint smile, “Why are you telling me this?”

Zhou Pingfu clasped his fist respectfully. “Since Your Highness was able to notice those two, you must have extraordinary abilities. This humble one may be a nobody, but I know there are things one should and should not say. Otherwise, I would never have survived this long in the vast Imperial Palace. This is a lesson I’ve learned through life and death.”

Lu Mingyuan used [Recognizing People] to observe him and saw that he was telling the truth. He nodded. “Thank you for informing me. Zhou Pingfu, is it? I will remember you.”

Zhou Pingfu nodded slightly, then took his leave.

Lu Guangjing…

Lu Mingyuan gripped the saber at his waist, his eyes sharp.

If, at first, it was merely suspicion, now he could say with certainty.

’The mastermind behind this must be my dear Second Brother. The formula is so familiar.’

’First, get close, then strike.’

He recalled Zhao Xuanwu’s abrupt departure in the middle of their drinks. It had all felt wrong. It was very likely that the old man had taken action, which explained his parting words.

He sighed. It seemed some things were destined to arrive sooner than expected.

A single phrase surfaced in his mind.

’The only truth is the saber at my waist!’

「The next day.」

In the Imperial Capital City, troops were gathering at the military barracks.

Tall, burly soldiers wearing beast-faced masks and clad in Crimson and Black Qilin Armor looked menacing. Every one of them radiated vigorous qi and blood. They led majestic Dragon-Scale Horses, each accompanied by three other horses carrying its feed.

Three horses to support one—a testament to how precious the Dragon-Scale Horses were.

The common people who witnessed this scene knew in their hearts that war was coming again.

At the same time, a carriage of cyan jade slowly entered the Imperial City. The curtain of the carriage window lifted for a fleeting glimpse, causing the hearts of many passing young ladies to flutter, wondering which noble young master had returned to the capital.

“The Qilin Guard are gathering. Is the Court planning to send troops against my Third Brother?”

Inside the carriage, a pensive look appeared on Lu Yunqing’s gentle, jade-like face.

His mood was heavy, and he sighed. “I never thought Third Brother would end up like this. Why have all my brothers become like this?”

“I haven’t seen him in half a year. I wonder how Sixth Brother is doing now.”

Beside him in the carriage, an old, sword-bearing servant with calloused hands offered comfort. “Your Highness, why trouble yourself with such thoughts? Just focus on studying the Emperor’s Heart Skill. With the venerable Saint of Reason supporting you, there is nothing to worry about.”

Hearing this, a hint of confusion flickered in Lu Yunqing’s eyes. “If I truly master the Emperor’s Heart Skill, will I still be myself?”

The old sword-bearing servant smiled. “In this world, so many people live only for themselves. It is time for Your Highness to start thinking about yourself as well.”

…

Don’t worry, everyone. This novel will be premium on the 26th at noon, which is next Friday. I’ll post an announcement then, along with the rules for bonus Chapters and mass releases.

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