Gentlemen, it's time to enter the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls.

Chapter 399 The Old Ones Return?

Inside the quiet room, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood and the steam of tea. Chen Ye's knuckles rhythmically tapped the purple clay teacup in front of him, producing a crisp yet deep sound.

In this quiet room, besides Master Yuji of the Qinghe Sword Sect, there were also disciples of the Qinghe Sword Sect such as Su Chunyi. A group of senior experts sat on the left, listening attentively to the words of the Huangquan Sect Master.

As for the right side, there was a group of Transcendent Realm cultivators invited by Chen Ye, led by Yu Shenxing of the Yunlu Immortal Sect. They were also sitting upright, not daring to show the slightest sign of slackness.

"The 'Arrow of Time' used by the Soulfire Lord is extremely vicious. It doesn't kill people directly, but rather transcends time, steals lifespan, and implants a fragment of the Soulfire Lord's soul into mortals. Those struck by the arrow appear unharmed, but in reality, they are already walking corpses, and could be controlled by the Soulfire Lord at any time, becoming pawns in his world-destroying schemes. In the present Central Plains court, from the emperor on the dragon throne to all the civil and military officials, I'm afraid that most of them have already fallen into ruin."

Chen Ye's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like ice, making the room temperature seem to drop several degrees.

“Therefore, we must replace them. From the emperor to every high-ranking official who might be affected, leave no one alive.” He raised his eyes, his gaze cold and stern. “It is better to replace the wrong one than to let one go. We must completely isolate this demon’s fragmented soul from the court.”

These words are no longer a simple interference in imperial power, but rather an attempt to use supernatural means to depose and install an emperor.

If someone else said that, they would only be ridiculed as someone who has nothing better to do.

To true seekers of the Dao, earthly imperial power is nothing but fleeting smoke, a dream of a hundred years. They pursue longevity with heaven and earth, and brilliance that rivals the sun and moon. They have no time to concern themselves with the power shifts in the mortal world. In the blink of an eye, an entire dynasty may rise and fall.

For most cultivators, a hundred years is nothing more than one or two periods of seclusion, varying in length. The slightest slackening could slam the gates of the Great Dao shut for them forever.

But Chen Ye is different. From the beginning of his career, Chen Ye has been particularly concerned about the life and death of mortals. Otherwise, he would not have been able to win the favor of the Qinghe Sword Sect.

Moreover, Chen Ye is an anomaly among cultivators, achieving the Profound Realm in a year, a rarity in the world. For him, lifespan is far too abundant, and there is no need to worry about it in the short term.

Therefore, he had more free time than others, and thus he performed more acts of chivalry.

So when Master Yuji suggested changing the emperor, Chen Ye not only didn't object, but was also somewhat eager to try.

He disliked the rules of the feudal imperial system, and in the northern frontier, he also practiced a system that separated immortals and mortals and allowed mortals to govern themselves.

The Yellow Springs Sect hangs high in the sky, neither levying a single grain of rice on mortals nor interfering with the laws and responsibilities of towns and villages.

The City God system, which he single-handedly built up, had very clear responsibilities: to enjoy the offerings of incense on ordinary days, to protect the peace and tranquility of the local area, and to appear in times of crisis to relieve suffering—that was all.

As for ordinary people's weddings, funerals, wealth, fame, and fortune, he paid no heed. He once personally ordered that the City God be forbidden from interfering in the election of any tribal chiefs, and even more so from responding to prayers that sought personal gain; those who violated this order would have their incense offerings cut off and be permanently banished.

If mortals only know how to pray for divine protection, their spines will never be straight, and they will become useless people who can only kowtow.

A detached and indifferent attitude is the proper demeanor for a spiritual practitioner.

However, for the sake of all the people, Chen Ye has no choice but to become a rebel.

Chen Ye said in a solemn tone, "How can we ensure that the Imperial Guards in the capital do not fall into chaos? How can we ensure that enemy countries will not take advantage of the situation after the border generals are replaced? How can we appease the public and prevent popular resentment from boiling over and war from breaking out everywhere? And how can we suppress those ambitious princes and prevent them from staging the farce of the 'Nine Princes' Succession Struggle' at this moment?"

"If we are not careful, before the Soulfire brat's world-destroying plan can be launched, we will turn this world into a purgatory with our own hands. At that time, the number of dead and injured will probably be more than he has done."

Chen Ye presented all these complex and intertwined problems, then turned his gaze to Daoist Yuji, since he was the highest-ranking person present and his opinion had to be sought first.

Master Yuji stroked his long, snow-white beard, first showing a thoughtful expression, then gradually turning into a blank look.

He remained silent for a long time, so long that Chen Ye thought he had entered a meditative state, before slowly speaking: "I have cultivated for hundreds of years, only knowing how to slay demons and seek immortality with my sword. I never imagined that the succession of emperors in the mortal world would involve such complex knowledge. Sect Master Chen, you shall decide on the specific plan."

Chen Ye's hand, holding the teacup, froze slightly in mid-air.

He almost forgot that the man before him was a young senior who had been thrown into the Sword Tomb of the Qinghe Sword Sect in his youth and had only emerged from seclusion after hundreds of years. In terms of supernatural powers and magic, Daoist Yuji was the best in the world; but in terms of worldly power struggles, he was probably no match for a minor official.

It seems we can't count on Master Yuji.

Upon seeing this, Su Chunyi covered her mouth and chuckled, saying to Chen Ye, "Since you have such a vision in mind, then go ahead and do as you please."

Upon hearing this, Master Yuji nodded and said, "Indeed, this matter concerns the well-being of all people, and our Qinghe Sword Sect has an inescapable responsibility. You may go ahead and do it. If you need me to do anything, just say so."

Looking into Master Yuji's open and sincere eyes, Chen Ye couldn't help but chuckle to himself. This Qinghe Sword Sect, from top to bottom, truly embodies the same "pure" spirit.

Turning to the other side, Chen Ye asked Yu Shenxing, "Brother, do you have any suggestions? Please speak frankly."

Yu Shenxing smiled wryly and said, "Sect Leader Chen is well aware that my Yunlu Immortal Sect was in a terrible state when we were doing disaster relief. If it weren't for your instructions in your letter on how to deal with the disaster victims, it would probably have turned into a civil uprising long ago. We are completely ignorant about worldly matters, so we will just follow Sect Leader Chen's orders."

Chen Ye was helpless; it seemed difficult to find someone to share his burdens.

However, this is fine.

What he hated most was endless, drawn-out meetings. He and Ye Chen had a bet three days later, and time was of the essence, allowing no room for delay.

Chen Ye slowly put down his teacup, the bottom of which collided with the table, making a clear, light sound, as if the chief official in the court had struck the gavel.

"Since that's the case, I will not shirk my duty. Within three days, I will replace the entire Central Plains Dynasty, from the emperor to the ministers."

…………

The Central Plains Dynasty's territory was far vast, far exceeding any feudal dynasty Chen Ye had ever known in his previous life. This land of the Nine Provinces was so large that it would take several days to fly there.

He often wondered how this vast empire maintained its unity and ensured the smooth flow of government orders in an era when communication relied mainly on shouting and transportation relied mainly on walking. It would take months for a single imperial edict to travel from the capital to the frontier.

But at this moment, Chen Ye had no intention of delving into the workings of this empire.

He didn't come to reform the system; he came to replace people.

A huge map slowly unfolded before him, covering the entire Central Plains, which Chen Ye had painstakingly retrieved from the Governor's Mansion of Yunzhou.

Chen Ye pointed at the map and said to everyone, "The Central Plains is divided into nine provinces, each with a governor-general, governor, provincial treasurer, provincial judge... Even if we only deal with these regional officials, there are dozens of them in total."

The fingertip moved again, landing on the center of the map, the capital city, where the light shone brightest.

"The six ministries and nine ministers in the capital are qualified to meet the emperor in the court, and their words and actions can affect the course of the world. These people need to be completely replaced. By this calculation, there are at least several hundred people on the list."

Overthrowing the upper structure of an empire within three days is a pipe dream for ordinary people, but for cultivators, it is worth a try.

With a thought, Chen Ye unleashed his divine sense, and dozens of blank jade slips floated before him. His will, sharp as a blade, swiftly inscribed names, official titles, and locations within the jade slips. Moments later, the jade slips were distributed to the Qinghe Sword Sect cultivators and a group of Transcendent Realm experts present.

"Gentlemen," Chen Ye announced calmly, "the task is simple: within three days, make everyone on the list 'bedridden'."

He emphasized the phrase "bedridden." "We are not butchers, we do not take lives, nor are we reckless, we do not depose officials on the spot. Letting these officials, seemingly corrupted by the 'arrow of time,' temporarily 'fall ill' is currently the safest approach. For the people, it might actually be a good thing for these high-ranking officials to feign illness for a few days."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and then began to explain his plan in detail:
"The Central Plains Dynasty has its own bureaucratic system. If the chief official falls ill, the deputy will immediately take over. There will be no trouble in the next few days. Your primary task is to use secret methods to observe whether these temporary deputies have also been controlled by the 'Arrow of Time'."

"If so, then do the same thing and make him 'bedridden' as well. Continue this screening process layer by layer until the successor is confirmed to be clean, pure, and without any problems."

"After that, what you need to do is to secretly clear the obstacles for this new person, so that he can quickly take control of the situation, and at the same time ensure that those 'sick' nobles cannot get out of bed for a while. Don't worry about not having anyone to use. When it comes to being an official, if one mortal doesn't want to do it, there are plenty of mortals who will rush to take over."

“Remember,” Chen Ye’s tone turned serious, “the methods must be discreet, making it seem like they’ve just caught a cold or are suffering from chronic illness. Do not alarm their confidants or arouse suspicion of power struggles. The best course of action is to stabilize the local situation!”

His words were concise, but the swift and decisive methods he employed sent chills down the spines of the cultivators present.

Within three days, hundreds of high-ranking officials throughout the dynasty simultaneously "claimed illness." Any normal person would sense the stench of a conspiracy. If an ordinary person were to do this, it would surely ignite widespread rebellion and plunge the country into chaos.

But for a practitioner, it's a piece of cake. An inconspicuous incantation, an imperceptible technique, can make you appear perfectly reasonable when you're sick.

“Of course,” Chen Ye said with a cold smile, “there are always ants who overestimate themselves. If anyone becomes suspicious and wants to lead an army to rebel, so be it.”

"The rebellion has just begun. Let them witness the power of cultivators. When they wake up, their swords, spears, and halberds will have turned to molten iron, their armor will be reduced to dust, and they won't even find a decent wooden stick. I'd like to see how they can rebel with their bare hands."

"If any bandits try to take advantage of the situation to plunder and oppress the people, you only need to use a little trick to silence them, make them fall over, make their horses unable to run, and make their people unable to stand up straight."

At this point, several small, dark black banners appeared in his palm; these were the Myriad Soul Banners, a distinctive feature of the Yellow Springs Sect.

"Finally, take this banner with you. If there are still people who are difficult to distinguish, release the ghostly soldiers inside and interrogate them thoroughly, and you will naturally be able to tell the difference between the real and the fake."

Chen Ye's plan was very rough. It was impossible to be comprehensive in a few days, but cultivators have supernatural powers and magic, so they don't need to be too meticulous. Mortals also have no ability to resist.

This plan is enormous, and Chen Ye alone cannot handle it all. However, behind him stands the entire Qinghe Sword Sect, a group of highly skilled cultivators at the Tongxuan Realm.

If necessary, he can even mobilize all the city gods and spirits of the northern frontier.

With such immense power, it would not be difficult to perform radical surgery on a mortal dynasty, giving it a fresh bloodline.

"Finally, I must remind you all that there are still demons lurking in various parts of the Central Plains, so you must be extremely careful. Therefore, I would like to ask the seniors of the Qinghe Sword Sect to protect you and ensure that no accidents occur in any province."

This is the greatest danger in the entire plan. If there are demons lurking around these mortals, the cultivators sent out by Chen Ye will naturally have to fight against them.

The Soulfire Lord possesses the ability to quickly reach the Nascent Soul Realm using the Time Arrow technique. Even the weakest Nascent Soul Realm cultivator is still a realm higher than the Profound Realm. Acting rashly could easily lead to accidents.

Therefore, it is necessary to ask the cultivators of the Qinghe Sword Sect for protection.

Master Yuji will provide support from the center; he will arrive in the blink of an eye whenever anyone is in danger, ensuring that nothing goes wrong.

That's all Chen Ye can do; the rest is up to everyone to improvise.

Master Yuji and Qu Heng tore through space and sent everyone to various parts of the Nine Provinces. Otherwise, it would have taken several days just to fly to their destinations, which would have been too late.

Everyone transformed into streaks of light and went to their respective posts.

Chen Ye, on the other hand, turned his attention to the Central Plains Imperial City at the very center of the map.

This is the most troublesome place, because Chen Ye wants to replace the emperor.

The methods are similar: first, make the emperor on the dragon throne "catch a cold and be unwell," then find one of the princes who is clean-headed and has not been corrupted by the Soul Fire Lord, and help him ascend to the throne.

Not only must the prince be investigated, but also those around him, to ensure there is no corruption before he can ascend the throne.

Whether the new emperor is wise and powerful, or whether he is diligent and hardworking, is not important.

No matter how reckless a tyrant is, with cultivators keeping him in check, none of his chaotic orders can leave the imperial city.

After everyone had almost left, Chen Ye looked at Su Chunyi with a hint of reluctance.

The Qinghe Sword Sect is short-handed and needs to keep a few people in charge of the overall situation. It would be a waste for a powerful Nascent Soul Realm sword cultivator like Su Chunyi to stay with Chen Ye. She must go elsewhere to protect other Transcendent Realm cultivators.

Su Chun smiled and said, "Three days later, we will visit the ten realms of Yunzhou."

Chen Ye decisively said, "It's a deal."

Once Su Chunyi had transformed into a sword light and fled, Chen Ye also set off, passing through the spatial rift that Qu Heng had torn open for him, and once again arrived in the Central Plains Imperial City.

Looking down at the magnificent and bustling city, Chen Ye felt a sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of mixed emotions, including nostalgia and reflection).

The first time I faced that Soul Master was also in the underground of this imperial city, where I witnessed some of the Demonic Sect's secret techniques.

Back then, Chen Ye encountered a rapidly advanced Nascent Soul Realm cultivator under the command of Soul Master, and he had to be careful of various traps set by his subordinates in order to kill him.

But now, ordinary Nascent Soul Realm cultivators are no match for Chen Ye.

Chen Ye sighed, "In the blink of an eye, it's been... just a few months. Hmm, it's a pity my cultivation level hasn't improved much."

After making a self-deprecating remark, Chen Ye transformed into a beam of light and flew into the imperial city.

Looking at the still dark sky, the emperor should be sleeping in his palace at this time. It's good to let him stay in bed for now.

Chen Ye used his rudimentary illusion magic to conceal his figure and walk around the imperial city.

He had no idea where the harem was; the layers of pavilions and towers all looked pretty much the same, and it would take quite a while to find it.

However, before Chen Ye could find the emperor's location, he heard news that puzzled and shocked him.

As he passed through a corridor, two eunuchs hurried past him. One of them said, "Hurry up, it's almost dawn. If Princess Hongyu wakes up and doesn't see this osmanthus cake, we'll all lose our heads."

Chen Ye was stunned on the spot.

Princess Hongyu?

The image of the little girl I saw in Cui County flashed through my mind, along with her resolute determination when she was about to lose her soul.

That's impossible, absolutely impossible!
Princess Hongyu is dead!
(End of this chapter)