The God of Heavens

Chapter 284 The Crown Prince Falls from His Horse, Gongyang Subdues

The fifty-first year of the Daqian era.

Today's court assembly is different from others; a tense atmosphere is brewing.

Throughout the countless streets and alleys of Yujing City, there are spies in every shop, so everyone knows about the slightest disturbance.

Last night's assassin attack on the city and the disappearance of Grand Tutor Hong Xuanji have shaken the very foundation of the Great Qian Dynasty like a major earthquake.

Princes, crown princes, members of the imperial clan, and nobles from various mansions, such as Prince He, Prince Yu, and the Duke of Zhennan, all arrived. Although they tried to conceal their presence, their expressions of panic were still evident.

"Boom-"

As the morning bell rang, civil and military officials quickly lined up according to their ranks. Golden-armored guards stood with halberds in hand, their imposing aura filling the entire area.

"May the imperial carriage be raised!"

With a shout from the eunuch, the heavy palace doors slowly opened.

"Greetings to Your Majesty."

The courtiers all bowed down in unison. On the imperial road, a pair of dragon-patterned boots walked unhurriedly past the edge of everyone's sight.

Emperor Qian sat upright on the dragon throne, his gaze calmly sweeping over the assembled officials in the hall.

The people in the hall were all exceptional talents selected from among the best in the Great Qian Dynasty. They had exhausted their efforts to squeeze into this Qian Gang Hall, the central hub of power in the world, all for the chance to participate in the governance of the country.

At this moment, their fate rests entirely in their own hands. A single imperial edict can bring anyone down to earth.

What's even more ridiculous is that these people have to kowtow and express their gratitude, otherwise they will be considered "resentful," and not only will they be in danger, but their relatives will also suffer.

If it were an ordinary person, the thrill of wielding such power would likely have caused them to lose their true self.

But in Lin Yu's eyes, only the Great Dao is eternal.

He is not lonely when he walks alone, nor is he confused when he holds power. Even sitting on the throne is merely for the purpose of better seeking the Tao and cultivating himself.

"The princes are at peace."

The Emperor Qian's clone spoke softly, his voice not loud but it carried to every corner of the hall. Upon hearing this, all the officials rose, but none dared to look directly at the Emperor's face.

After exchanging greetings, the Minister of Rites stepped forward, bowed, and reported, "Your Majesty, assassins attacked the city last night, and the Grand Tutor's whereabouts remain unknown. This matter concerns the safety of the court, and we humbly request Your Majesty's wise decision!"

The Emperor Qian's clone said calmly, "I am already aware of this matter. I believe the Grand Tutor is blessed by Heaven and should be fine. He may return soon."

Anyway, that's the gist of it. After Hong Xuanji escaped, she must have had some kind of adventure.

He might encounter someone from the Dream God Machine or the Outer Heaven World, just like twenty years ago, who would provide him with resources to help him level up, and of course, make it easier for Lin Yu to reap the rewards in the end.

The courtiers exchanged glances, and seeing that even the emperor, Hong Xuanji's closest ally, remained so calm, they had no choice but to hold off on the matter for the time being.

These old foxes in the court were all shrewd and cunning. Although they sensed that the atmosphere was strange today, they tacitly refrained from pointing it out.

After all, Hong Xuanji had offended countless powerful figures by implementing new policies over the years. Anyone who didn't know when to back down would have been played to the bone long ago.

The Emperor Qian's clone swept his gaze across the hall: "Let's set this matter aside for now. Is there anything else you wish to report?"

The Minister of War stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty! The barbarians from the Huoluo Kingdom in the Western Regions have invaded our borders, and the Jingyuan Temple is secretly manipulating things behind the scenes."

The Divine Might King sent an urgent report, urgently requesting the allocation of grain, supplies, and the dispatch of elite troops from the imperial court.

Huoluo Kingdom was a Western Regions country where divine authority outweighed imperial authority.

The Temple of the Primordial Spirit was its supreme ruler. The people there worshipped the Primordial Spirit God day and night, and every household enshrined the deity's image. The temple was the center of faith in the Western Regions.

As a long-time rival of the Great Qian Dynasty, the Huo Luo Kingdom frequently invaded its borders, and this incident was expected by everyone.

The Qian Emperor's clone said calmly, "Who is willing to lead troops to support the Divine Might King?"

Crown Prince Yang Yun's eyes flickered slightly, and he immediately stepped forward and bowed: "Your subject is willing to share the burden for Father Emperor! There are several valiant generals under your command who are well-versed in military strategy. I humbly request Your Majesty to allow them to join the army for training, which will surely help Prince Shenwei repel the enemy."

Placing trusted confidants into the army was a common practice among princes and nobles. It allowed them to accumulate military merits without having to go through the rigorous military examinations, naturally becoming a shortcut for the sons of the powerful and wealthy.

The Emperor Qian's clone's gaze suddenly turned cold, his voice like ice: "Crown Prince, do you know your crime?"

This question sent a shiver down the spines of all the officials, and the hall fell into complete silence.

Crown Prince Yang Yun prostrated himself on the ground, cold sweat beading on his forehead: "Your subject is terrified! I truly do not know what mistake I have made, and I humbly beg Your Majesty to enlighten me!"

"Li Shenguang, you speak!" Emperor Qian coldly flicked his sleeve.

Minister of Rites Li Shenguang stepped forward and spoke with sharp words: "Upon investigation, it has been found that the Crown Prince has been secretly supporting heretical organizations such as the Wusheng Dao and Zhenkong Dao in Wuyuan Province and other places, and there are also many licentious shrines that enshrine the Crown Prince's statues."

With both witnesses and physical evidence, the Qiankun Dragon Guard has seized the statue of the Crown Prince and the leaders, including the 'Eternal Mother'!

Before the words were finished, the sound of armored figures rang out outside the hall, and the Dragon Guards carried in a single file, followed by the disheveled "Eternal Mother" kneeling before the steps.

The court was immediately in an uproar!

The scholar-officials' expressions changed drastically. The Great Qian Dynasty was founded on Confucianism and placed the utmost importance on propriety and law. For the Crown Prince, the heir apparent, to collude with a cult was a scandal that could shake the very foundations of the nation! The scholar-officials in court abhorred cults and even held sway over orthodox monks and Taoist priests. At this moment, all the officials glared angrily; impeachment memorials would likely soon pile up on the Emperor's desk.

The Emperor Qian's clone's gaze was sharp as a sword, and his voice was cold and stern: "The Crown Prince's behavior is improper and frivolous. He shall be immediately confined to the Eastern Palace and made to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors."

He paused, then said in a deep voice, "Order the Ministry of Justice to thoroughly investigate the officials under the Crown Prince's command. Anyone who has been associated with cults shall be severely punished according to the law. The Governor of Wuyuan Province must do everything in his power to eradicate the Wusheng and Zhenkong sects without fail."

Instantly, everyone knew that the Crown Prince was finished.

Once this matter is exposed, he will be deserted by everyone, have no hope of ascending the throne in the future, and will be deposed sooner or later.

"Furthermore, I hereby order the Fourth Prince to proceed to the Shazhou camp immediately to support the Divine Might King." The Emperor Qian's clone took out a jade gourd that shimmered with light and color. "I bestow upon him a Creation Gourd for transporting troops and provisions."

"Retreat."

With the eunuchs' shrill shouts, the grand court assembly that had shaken the entire court came to a close. And the power structure of the Great Qian Dynasty would thus undergo a dramatic transformation.
Upon returning to his palace, he was greeted, as expected, by the Empress of the Qian Emperor.

Looking at the middle-aged woman in front of him, who was wearing a red-gold phoenix hairpin and a brocade dress with nine phoenixes facing the sun, and was crying her eyes out, Lin Yu felt nothing, and even wanted to laugh a little.

Empress Qian came from a powerful and influential family, the Ji family of Qingzhou.

Among the ancient sages, there was one named Ji Zi, and the Ji family of Qingzhou is a descendant of this Ji family!
The Central Plains of Tianzhou are vast and boundless. On this land, there are many ancient families, some of which predate even the Great Zen Temple and the Supreme Dao. These families possess profound and unfathomable resources, and rulers of successive dynasties have even sought to win them over.

The Ji family, from which the empress was born, was one of them.

Emperor Qian's marriage to this empress was more or less a political alliance. If it were Yang Pan himself, even if he knew that the crown prince was colluding with a cult, he would probably just turn a blind eye and at most reprimand him in private. He would never have taken such a big fuss about it.

But what does all this have to do with him? Lin Yu's goal is to eliminate Yang Pan's legacy. If the Ji family of Qingzhou is dissatisfied, then they can all go to hell together.

After dismissing the man, Lin Yu placed his hand on the golden box on the imperial desk. The moment the lid opened, an ancient jade seal lay quietly inside—the "Imperial Seal of Heaven," a vital national treasure passed down from antiquity!

"Om-"

The jade seal suddenly burst forth with boundless golden light, transforming in the blink of an eye into a magnificent gate, which Lin Yu stepped into without hesitation.

The scene before my eyes suddenly changed.

This is an altar standing atop a mountain, upon which a magnificent hall is built.

This place was originally where the Imperial Dragon Armor was kept. This armor not only allows one to fly and escape into the earth, but also greatly enhances the user's strength. If Hong Xuanji had not borrowed its power, there would have been no way he could have escaped from his clone that day.

After all, even if there is a loosening of monetary policy, there should be a limit.

At this moment, in the center of the altar, the once-renowned Sword Saint Gongyang Yu sat cross-legged, his hair and beard disheveled, and the Thunder Emperor's Salvation Divine Sword that once shook the world was no longer in his hand.

His loose skin was covered with wrinkles, showing none of the unparalleled demeanor he once displayed when he was acting as a righteous executioner.

"His Majesty!"

Gongyang Yu's eyes snapped open, and he roared as he stood up. But upon seeing the person before him, his aura instantly weakened; he knew all too well the other's true identity.

"Gongyang Yu, you have not yet reached the peak of the Human Immortal realm where one aperture connects to all apertures, and your lifespan is only two hundred years. Judging from your condition, your days are probably numbered."

Lin Yu suddenly spoke.
"As long as you abandon darkness and embrace the light, and remain loyal to me, I will immediately activate the supreme method to transform your vital energy and greatly extend your lifespan!"

"You want me to submit to you?"

Gongyang Yu sneered, "Understanding one thing leads to understanding everything; this is the work of the Creator. Even a Yang God cultivator couldn't elevate a six-times tribulation expert to this level. Do you take me for a three-year-old child?"

"I'm not referring to the martial path, but another great path. While the Human Immortal Martial Path can lead to rapid and vigorous progress, it offers no benefit in prolonging life," Lin Yu said calmly.

"What I will teach you is the way of Qi cultivation, which allows you to absorb the primordial energy of heaven and earth to temper your physical body, nourish your spirit and soul, and prolong your life. As long as you break through to the Golden Core stage, extending your life by five hundred years is not a problem."

Having said that, he recited the mantra:

"Qi is the essence of heaven and earth, the vital hub of all things, and the foundation of the human body."

"Look at the vast emptiness, where the pure and the turbid rise and fall, yin and yang mingle and interact endlessly..."

Every word was precious, causing Gongyang Yu's expression to change drastically. This path truly opened up a new way, where the primordial energy evolved and revealed a hidden world.

With his cultivation level as a Human Immortal, if he were to switch to other cultivation methods, he would quickly make progress, and his strength would not decrease by much.

"You spared my life and even offered to help me break through to the next level. What is it you seek?" Gongyang Yu asked.

"You're no different from when you were under Yang Pan's command." Lin Yu stood with his hands behind his back.

"Just be loyal to me as you would to your former master, and you too will have a ticket to the other side."

"Good!" Gongyang Yu's expression changed several times, then he suddenly looked up and laughed loudly:

"The victor is king, the loser is villain; the winner is righteous, the loser is evil! This is the ultimate truth of heaven and earth, and the true essence of martial arts! I am willing to await your command!"

"Very good!" Lin Yu nodded in satisfaction.
"You should rest for two days first, then I will remove the seal on his body and enhance your magical power. After that, come with me to the Western Regions."

(End of this chapter)