Chapter 508
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 0
Chapter Title: Plots Against the Demon Dragon
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Tianwu City, within the Tutor Minister's residence.
Li Tai'an stumbled back all the way. As soon as he landed, he lifted his head to look at the current dynasty's Tutor Minister, gritting his teeth.
“My lord, we can hesitate no longer!”
“We must find a way to disband the Imperial City Division!”
At these words, the Tutor Minister immediately revealed a troubled expression.
“What happened? The Imperial City Division was established by His Majesty, after all. What can we do about it?”
“Moreover, the matter of His Majesty's assassination hasn't been fully investigated yet.”
“We can't investigate any further!”
Li Tai'an gritted his teeth.
“He's not investigating the assassins or Demon Sect spies at all. He's using the opportunity to purge dissent. To my mind, he's more like the Demon Sect spy.”
At this point, he glanced around once more and lowered his voice.
“Even... I suspect he's that lord from Jiangxi repeating his old tricks, sneaking back into our Dao Court to fish in troubled waters! My lord, we cannot let our guard down!”
“That lord from Jiangxi!?”
The Tutor Minister was greatly startled at the words. He then wore a face full of worry.
“But now he controls the Five Armies Command Mansion. He's gained the support of the Empress and the Crown Prince, with so many Imperial City Division officials following him. He's already a major force...”
“That 【One Heart Association】 is the biggest problem!”
Li Tai'an said gravely.
“His Majesty was deceived by that demon dragon. The Crown Prince and Empress are also in the dark. We must set things right!”
“...How do you plan to do it?”
The Tutor Minister asked.
Li Tai'an took a deep breath and voiced his idea.
“Invite Prince Who Pacifies the South Wu Tai'an to enter the capital! He's His Majesty's blood brother, his status no lower than the Crown Prince's.”
“As long as he stands with us, we'll have legitimacy on our side.”
“But before that, someone needs to restrict that demon dragon's movements, to intimidate him and stop his rampant arrogance.”
With that, Li Tai'an turned around.
“Pingyi, this task falls to you.”
At these words, the current dynasty's Junior Tutor Zheng Pingyi finally raised his head. His expression calm, he shook his head.
“Sorry, I have no interest in getting involved in power struggles.”
“This isn't a power struggle!”
Li Tai'an suddenly raised his voice.
“Can't you see? That demon dragon is suspected to be a hidden move by the World Venerable. One wrong step, and the heavens could turn and the earth overturn!”
“Have you forgotten the fate of the previous dynasty?”
“This...”
Seeing Zheng Pingyi's expression soften, Li Tai'an stepped forward and seized his hand.
“If this goes on, the nation will truly collapse.”
“The Dao Court is in crisis. Relying on me alone, I really can't accomplish anything...”
By the end, Li Tai'an's voice choked. At last, he whispered.
“Pingyi, you just need to keep watch on that demon dragon. Don't worry about anything else.”
As direct disciples of the Three Dukes, the Junior Tutor was the most unique among the three. He had no interest in Dao Court power struggles, devoting all his energy to combat techniques. Thus, his battle prowess was the strongest. At least in Li Tai'an's eyes, Junior Tutor Zheng Pingyi was currently the top Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Dao Court.
With him watching that demon dragon, he could rest easy.
Next, he turned to the Tutor Minister.
“The Imperial City Division is nothing but a motley crew. As long as Pingyi can hold that demon dragon in check, there's still hope!”
“Beyond that, we must persuade the Empress and make her see that demon dragon's ambitions.”
“As long as the Empress and Crown Prince withdraw their support, he'll stand alone. The brighter he shines now, the harder he'll crash.”
“In summary, that demon dragon has already won the loyalty of the Five Armies Command. We absolutely cannot let him obtain the Son of Heaven's Talisman Tally. If he gains command of the Five Armies and uses the talisman to assume the status of 【As If the Emperor Himself Were Present】, then it's truly over. No one could turn it back.”
“We all understand the reasoning.”
The Tutor Minister sighed.
“But how? The Son of Heaven's Talisman Tally is in the Empress's hands, and she's in Tianwu Hall. Now Tianwu Hall is sealed off by the Imperial City Division...”
“That's simple.”
Li Tai'an said gravely.
“This time, the Imperial City Division's city-wide manhunt has provoked heavenly wrath and popular resentment. I plan to rally the officials and proceed together to Xuanwu Gate to remonstrate.”
The Tutor Minister's face changed dramatically.
“Don't speak recklessly!”
“That Du Huan is ruthless. If he snaps, he could purge every remonstrating official in one go. People will die...”
“We need dead people!”
Li Tai'an snarled.
“Without deaths, how can the Empress and Crown Prince see that demon dragon's ambitions and realize he's no loyal vassal?”
Under Dao Court rules, the imperial house and officials had always complemented each other. Li Tai'an was certain that even if Empress Xiao wanted to suppress them, she wouldn't truly unleash a massacre. Thus, with the officials making a scene, at minimum, Empress Xiao and the Crown Prince would have to appear.
This would pin Lu Yang down.
If they ignored it, they could publicly warn Empress Xiao of Lu Yang's ambitions—not outright sowing discord, but at least putting her on guard.
If they intervened and kept Empress Xiao from meeting the officials?
Then without any warning from them, Empress Xiao would grow wary of Lu Yang herself. Li Tai'an's ploy was thus an open yang conspiracy.
The only flaw: it might cost lives.
But a thousand dead was one figure; ten thousand or a hundred thousand, another. Dead was dead. In their hearts burned the myriad realms of the Nine Provinces.
“Positions can always be reappointed. The more who die, the better!”
Li Tai'an said fiercely.
“The dynasty has nurtured scholars for fifteen millennia. Now is the moment for righteous, dying remonstrance!”
Five Armies Command Mansion.
Lu Yang sat upon a grand armchair, eyes lightly closed, pinching a spell gesture in his hand. His originally fair skin now gleamed with a dark golden hue.
On that hand, the dark gold gathered, ultimately forming lines etched into his five fingers like chisel and axe blows. Looking closely, these radiant rune lines combined into divine ability names.
【Heaven-Cleaving Sword Draw】, 【Severing Emotions Slash】.
【Lawless Thoughtless State】, 【Dust Separation Severance】.
【One-Thought Divine Blade】.
These were the natal divine abilities of the Five Armies Commanders, now all stripped by Lu Yang using 【Enlightened Sovereign Rule】 and fused into the 【Interlocking Gold Soldier Command Talisman】.
‘Incredible.’
Feeling the interlocking gold spell talisman hovering over his palm, ecstasy surfaced in Lu Yang's eyes.
‘This Dao art... its power likely surpasses my wildest imagination!’
Empress Xiao had contributed greatly here.
The five capital camp commanders' natal divine abilities complemented one another. Unified under the 【Interlocking Gold Soldier Command Talisman】, their status surged exponentially.
‘But that's secondary.’
‘Most crucially, I have 【Calamity Wave】. Paired with sword intent and empowered by the 【Interlocking Gold Soldier Command Talisman】, the explosive might will reach absolute heights!’
Beyond that, Lu Yang had one unexpected boon.
Having successively mastered three Dao arts, his comprehension of 【Heavenly Apex Flame】 had deepened. Coupled with his Dao Court power grabs drawing 【Heavenly Apex Flame】's attention, the long-stagnant bottleneck since completing Foundation Establishment finally budged.
‘【Heavenly Apex Flame】 shifts between yin and yang, divides into sun and moon.’
‘In the sun, it is rigid, illuminating the heavens with splendor. In grand yin, it is yielding, brightening the parting seas. When sun and moon share the sky, it warms mountains and oceans, wondrously illuminating the cosmos...’
Vast knowledge flowed through Lu Yang's mind.
These were his Dao attainments, his insight into 【Heavenly Apex Flame】. As they filled him, Lu Yang felt his soul growing ever more solid.
Scoured by Dao momentum, the sturdy soul quaked violently—like scaling a treacherous peak, nearly plummeting midway, yet Lu Yang endured until the summit. Only then did his accumulated Dao and divine sense pour forth like a breached dam.
“Ah!”
In the next instant, Lu Yang's eyes snapped open. He unleashed a piercing long whistle. Within his soul, a strand of golden light slowly emerged.
‘My first strand of golden nature... uniquely mine... refined at last!’