Daoqi Huangcheng

Chapter 73, Section 72: A New Emperor, A New Court (6.0K words - Long chapter, please subscribe)
for a long time
Much later.
Young Lady Youwei held Song Chen and wept bitterly.

She does everything.

She was talking nonsense.

She disregarded everything.

Then, when Song Chen stopped and gently stroked her hair, she cried.

It was a cry that was a mixture of extreme joy and extreme fear.

She has gotten what she wanted, though it may not be enough, but it's a good start.

She hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, Bachelor."

Then she hurried to find a towel so as not to annoy the scholar with her tears and to avoid making him find her sniffling grating.

Song Chen glanced at her hurried departure, her body wrapped in apricot-colored silk, but did not stop her.

The next day.

Afternoon
After school.
After more than half a month, Song Chen's Wenqu Hall finally welcomed its first cultivator guest.

acquaintance.

The patriarch of the Que family—Que Lieyun.

Que Lieyun, his wild hair now neatly combed, walked in from outside the Wenqu Hall wearing an ordinary cultivator's robe. He walked slowly but quickly across the cobblestones, his gaze casually sweeping over Lady Youwei, who was brewing tea and urging people to have some snacks, as usual. Then he greeted Song Chen, who came out of the hall to welcome him, and loudly bowed, saying, "Grand Scholar Song!"

Song Chen returned the greeting and asked curiously, "Senior Brother Que, what brings you here today?"

Que Lieyun said in a low voice, "We should celebrate, but since it concerns the Empress and it is the period of national mourning, I will make up for it a year later."

Song Chen smiled faintly, ignoring this unimportant topic.

Que Lieyun then continued, "My master sent me to instruct you."

Song Chen called out, "Youwei, go back to the harem by yourself first."

Lady Youwei hurriedly and earnestly nodded her little head and said, "Yes, Scholar."

Que Lieyun used a burst of light to envelop the two of them and headed towards the Imperial City Temple.

In the flash of light, he revealed a cautious expression, and then said, "Junior brother, you've been put to good use by our master, but... as your senior brother, I have a question to ask."

Song Chen asked, "What's the problem?"

Que Lieyun asked, "What exactly happened at Golden Peach Mountain that day? Did Master's plan succeed or fail?"

After saying that, he waved his hands repeatedly and said, "I was being nosy about the first question, Junior Brother, please pretend you didn't hear me. The second one, the second one... Master, is it done?"

Song Chen said, "It's done."

He didn't lie.

Jiu Lingzi failed.

But now Master Guiling has become...

After saying that, he added another patch, since the two women from the Pei family were still making a living from the Que family.

"Senior brother, we shouldn't ask too many questions about this kind of thing. Asking too many questions will only lead to more mistakes. It's like the blind men touching an elephant and saying that the elephant has one trunk and one leg. It's better not to touch it at all."

Que Lieyun was taken aback for a moment, then lowered his voice and asked, "Junior brother, what does this mean?"

He then explained, "I know this is against the rules, but my senior brother has been feeling something strange lately, as if something big has happened. But... well, my senior brother is also the patriarch of the Que family, and I have to steer this matter in the right direction. It can't go astray."

"Junior brother, you've been given an important position; you must know something. Tell your senior brother, but this place is neither heaven nor earth; what comes from your mouth will only enter my ears, and no third person will know."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Song Chen with anticipation.

Song Chen smiled wryly and said, "Junior brother is still young. Even if he has learned something by chance, he is not sure and cannot make a decision. Don't make things difficult for him."

Que Lieyun said urgently, "Junior brother, we are family. You came from the Que family. Although you are divorced, I and the entire Que family still consider you one of our own."

Song Chen was speechless.

His senior brother seemed to have really realized something and was already pressing him for an answer.

He shook his head.

How could he possibly say that?
He said it, so he's finished.

In the flash of light, Que Lieyun's expression was uncertain. Suddenly, he gritted his teeth and knelt down in front of Song Chen with a "thump".

He's been feeling really uneasy lately.

He was determined to get the answer out of this young man.

Young people are easily embarrassed, but he's willing to swallow his pride and refuse to utter a single word.

Song Chen reacted extremely quickly.

The moment Que Lieyun knelt down, Song Chen also bent down, grabbed him, and prevented him from kneeling.

The two worked together to carry the load.

The beam of light stopped in mid-air.

Song Chen said, "Senior Brother Lieyun, I can't promise anything, but I do have some goodwill with the Que family. In the future, no matter what, if possible, I will definitely help the Que family within my ability."

His expression was sincere.

Que Lieyun originally intended to act shamelessly, even at the cost of losing face, just to get something out of him.

But now, he understands.

He sighed and said, "When I return today, I will personally appoint the He family to join the main family. The Pei sisters will receive the same treatment as the main family's principal wives. If Junior Brother Song has any requests, the Que family will certainly not refuse."

It was impossible for Que Lieyun to form another marriage alliance with the emperor's son-in-law, so he could only find another way to bind their interests together.

Song Chen nodded.

Que Lieyun stopped making a fuss.

The light disappeared into the depths of the Imperial City Temple.

In a quiet and secluded room in front of the Peach Tree Secret Realm.

The Master is shrouded in a fog that no one can see.

As usual, Tian Kuizi was speaking flattering words and sucking up to his master.

When Master saw that Song Chen and Que Lieyun had arrived, he waited for a while.

After all fourteen core disciples had gathered, the master finally spoke.

These fourteen people are all Qi Gathering Realm Ninth Stage cultivators from the capital and surrounding areas who have the time to spare, and each of them holds a pivotal position in the Great Yong Dynasty.

The master spoke.

The sound is weird.

"The Jin state is currently stationing troops at Chimeng Pass, east of my Dayong. They now number over 100,000 and are likely planning to launch a surprise attack with hundreds of thousands of troops amidst the chaos."

My Great Yong could have dealt with this calmly, but we have already suffered heavy losses in the war against the Northern Witches. In addition, the late emperor died from excessive grief while worshipping the spirits of the fallen heroes, and the crown prince broke his leg while being distraught in his filial piety. The throne has changed hands and now belongs to Empress Fengqing.

We are a branch of the Great Yong clan, and naturally we will live and die with Great Yong.

Tian Kuizi said with a fawning smile, "Master, please issue the order directly."

He smiled, but felt a little strange. As his master's confidant, all his hopes for breakthroughs rested on his master. He had no idea what had happened at Golden Peach Mountain. He had just fainted from excruciating pain, and when he woke up, it was all over.

Then, he always felt that his master was acting strangely.

He couldn't pinpoint what was wrong with him.

He was on good terms with Que Lieyun, and when asked, Que Lieyun said that he had fought with a Jin Kingdom cultivator on Golden Peach Mountain that day and had no idea what happened on the mountain. However, Que Lieyun also felt something was wrong, because logically, after the great event was accomplished, their master would definitely summon them, but instead, it was delayed again and again, until four months had passed before their master summoned them again.

In those four months, the emperor died, the crown prince broke his leg, and then the empress ascended the throne. It was a period of great upheaval.

In addition, unlike in the past when Master would always hold a "small meeting" first, this time, Master directly summoned a large number of people.

Tian Kuizi, Que Lieyun, and others, forming a small circle, discussed the matter and concluded that Junior Brother Song must know something, since Junior Brother Song had unexpectedly become the Empress's son-in-law.

Therefore, Que Lieyun went to invite him in person.

Master spoke again.

"Chimeng Pass needs support and someone to take charge of the overall situation. The Empress and the Abbot have discussed it and will soon send General Que to continue eastward with their power to resist the Jin army."

This danger is even greater than the one faced by the Northern Witches. Lie Yun, you will take your Que family, along with the inner disciples of the Imperial City Temple who are acquainted with your family, and the rogue cultivators, to assist General Que. If you successfully defend against it, there will be a great reward.”

Que Lieyun was taken aback, and the words caught in his throat. He didn't dare to say them and respectfully replied, "Yes."

The master glanced at him and said, "I have backup support."

Then, the master continued speaking.

"I have heard that a mysterious organization called the Candle Dragon Camp has emerged in the Jin Kingdom in recent years. The Candle Dragon Camp has long been carrying out a plan called Mountain Demon in my Great Yong Kingdom."

Mountain demons, in the eyes of mortals, are ghosts and monsters of the mountains, inspiring fear. Judging from the plagues previously orchestrated by the Candle Dragon Camp, they were mostly designed to create panic.

But this time, they will likely launch a major offensive to pave the way for their army's westward advance.

Alright then. You are all disciples of my Five Elements Sect, and each of you has many subordinates. I will assign you some areas. If any problems arise in these areas, you must do your utmost to suppress them and annihilate the enemy cultivators.

Fellow disciples should also provide support as much as possible; they cannot stand idly by.

As for those in the Foundation Establishment stage, you don't need to worry about them. With me watching over them, they won't make a move unless I do.

Mortals have their rules, and cultivators have theirs; there's nothing to worry about.

The words are over.

A map, filled with the scent of incense, floated into the air.

Immediately, cracks appeared on the map, as if pieces of a jigsaw puzzle were peeled off and fell into the hands of the thirteen cultivators, excluding Que Lieyun.

Most of these puzzle pieces are located east of the capital, along the route the Jin army took westward. They were either important supply towns or key transportation hubs.
Every single place is an excellent location for Jin Kingdom cultivators to create chaos.

Of course, these were just "mobile forces" arranged by the master. In fact, there were many blessed lands like Jinxia Mountain and Dihuokou in Dayong, and each of these blessed lands was a small cultivator's stronghold, complementing the mortal towns and forming a tight defense network.

The moment the cultivators grasped the map fragments, they sensed a subtle constraint within them.

They were disciples of the Five Elements Sect. They had all entered the Peach Tree Secret Realm and lit the Glazed Soul Lamp. They also all had that mysterious incense aura within them.

Many of them already knew that the power of the incense smoke came from a wondrous object called the "Immortal Furnace".

Enveloped in the Immortal Furnace, which could contain the Soul Lamp, a comprehensive monitoring system was formed from top to bottom. The incense smoke from the Immortal Furnace entering their bodies made them fully aware of the whereabouts of the inner and outer disciples of the Imperial City Temple, but it was clear that their master also knew them very well.

Because Master is the master of the Immortal Furnace.

At this moment, they vaguely sensed that as long as they entered this restricted area, every time they left, they would break the cordon and be discovered by their master immediately. If their movements were abnormal, their master might also take action.

Some of them had seen their master in the territory of Dayong, instantly travel tens of thousands of miles away to pluck a human head. Therefore, if their master discovered something unusual, it meant that their master could appear near them in the next instant.

The master is omnipotent, and no one dares to be presumptuous. Even if the master doesn't take action, they still have their soul lamps remaining in the immortal furnace.

Just then, the master raised his hand, and palm-sized wooden puppets suddenly appeared in his hand.

With a flick of the wrist, they were distributed among the people.

"This is a substitute puppet. After refining it, it can become an avatar and help you withstand a fatal soul attack. In this dangerous situation, do your best to protect yourselves."

The cultivators took the substitute puppets and, as expected, felt the mysterious power emanating from them, which greatly pleased them.

They had never heard of scapegoat puppets before.

Soul attacks are the most insidious, often coming without warning. With these substitute puppets as a precaution, they can be said to have an extra life.

"Thank you, Master."

The cultivators thanked them, then, clutching their map fragments, transformed into rainbows and departed, gathering their followers.

Song Chen glanced at his fragments of map.

It's a very small area.

The palace.

He wasn't surprised either.

He also received a substitute puppet, cupped his hands and said "Thank you, Master" like everyone else, and then prepared to leave.

But a voice came from behind him.

"Xiao Song, stay."

He stopped and looked again, only to find that besides him, Que Lieyun and Tian Kuizi were still there.

But those two were clearly not left behind by the master, because their faces showed fear, doubt, and struggle.

The Master beckoned.

Song Chen stood behind her.

Tian Kuizi and Que Lieyun watched this scene in astonishment.

The master said, "Speak."

Que Lieyun gritted his teeth and said, "Master, I am willing to go to Chimeng Pass. But in the last battle against the Northern Witches, you said that if we suppressed the Northern Witches, their cultivators wouldn't fight. That's why we achieved an unprecedented victory. But this time, I don't know about the Jin Kingdom."

The master said, "If you can't suppress it, this time you have to fight with your life on it."

She thought for a moment and said, "How about this, if your Que clan can hold Chimeng Pass for a year, I will guarantee your Que clan's prosperity for a year; if you still have the strength to advance eastward, for every hundred miles you advance, I will guarantee you for another ten years, and if you advance a thousand miles, I will help you enter the Foundation Establishment stage."

Que Lieyun fell silent.

The master said coldly, "Let's go."

Que Lieyun cupped his hands in greeting, then transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the distance.

Only Song Chen and Tian Kuizi remained in the study.

Tian Kuizi looked at his master, who was still shrouded in mist. His body trembled, and his beard shook.

He seemed to have aged considerably in an instant, no longer displaying the same high spirits he had when Song Chen first met him.

At this moment, he looked at Song Chen, just as Song Chen had knelt down and looked at him standing behind his master back then.

"Disciple understands."

Tian Kuizi said.

The master said, "You and Xiao Song are the only two people who have seen my true face, right?"

Tian Kuizi said, "Yes, Master."

The master grunted and fell silent.

Tian Kuizi suddenly knelt down on the ground like a collapsing mountain and a falling jade pillar, and said, "Please give me a chance, Master. This disciple really wants to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage."

The master said gently, "I know he granted you a sage's body, but to establish your foundation, you need more than just a sage's body. How are your other preparations going?"

Tian Kuizi said, "Disciple understands. The body of a sage is meant to weaken the first two tribulations, but it can only weaken them and may not be able to completely resist them. As for the third tribulation, the fire hell tribulation, it is of no use. Disciple has prepared two main treasures for this purpose."

Both are Frost Marrow Armor and Soul-Suppressing Seal, both crafted from the treasure-refining secret diagrams bestowed upon them by their master.

The master said, "The Frost Marrow Armor? The Soul-Suppressing Seal? The former can withstand the Fire Hell, although it is a bit weak, the success rate is still 20% to 30%; the Soul-Suppressing Seal, combined with the body of a sage, can already achieve a success rate of over 50% in passing the first two tribulations, not bad."
But the materials used to forge these two treasures all belonged to the Northern Witches, didn't they? Heh, you and the Northern Witches have certainly been in cahoots quite a bit."

Tian Kuizi gave a bitter smile and gritted his teeth, saying, "This disciple is Master's dog. Whoever is Master, this disciple is their dog. This disciple...this disciple only wants to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm."

He's already very old; if he doesn't break through soon, he'll die of old age.

Even though he had consumed a lot of human pills to prolong his life, he had already reached his limit.

"That's all."

The master said calmly.

Tian Kuizi was overjoyed and was about to say "Thank you, Master" when he heard his master's strange voice again.

"Although you are a talented person, every emperor has his own set of officials. You know too many secrets, but your potential is really not that great. You won't reach the Foundation Establishment stage, so your usefulness is very limited."

Jiu Lingzi only employed you because he valued your shrewdness and experience; he didn't truly confide in you. Otherwise, why would he leave without offering you any further advice? You probably don't even know his name is Jiu Lingzi.
Before reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, they are merely consumables. We can cultivate as many as we want; it's just a matter of time.

After saying that, the master said indifferently, "I was hesitant about whether to kill you or not, because at that time I felt that I might not be able to find someone to replace you."

Even now, I was still hesitating whether to give you some time to escape, after all, you have done your best.

But if you actually start running and die in mid-air, the commotion will be too great, and it will have a bad influence.

Tian Kuizi looked horrified.

In the next instant, he was decisive to the extreme, and fast to the extreme. He didn't even move, but he had already transformed into a streak of light that was rapidly moving outward.

Since his master was worried about the impact of being outside, he had to fly out first and deal with the rest later. He didn't want to die!
Bang!
He had clearly reached the bright window, but was blocked by an invisible force.

He changed direction and rushed off.

Bang! !

He was turned away again.

Tian Kuizi looked up and saw that the room had disappeared, and he was standing in a closed blue space.

There were still gaps in that space, five gaps.

At the end of the largest gap, he saw a face.

The Master's face.

Even through the mist, that face remained utterly indifferent, icy, and terrifying.

And he, without realizing it, had been held in his master's palm like an ant.

Those five gaps were simply formed by the master's tightened fingers and palm.

He looked up blankly, and before he could even speak, his five fingers were already clenched.

In the instant the five fingers pressed down, he vaguely discerned his master's figure.
It looks very much like the blood-robed man on Golden Peach Mountain.

A thought flashed through my mind.

Clench your fists tightly.

His robes were not torn, and his flesh and blood were not yet gone, but Tian Kuizi's soul had been extracted and then thoroughly searched to see who else had seen his master's true face and some secrets about Jiu Lingzi.

Then, the human soul is destroyed.

The two souls, Heaven and Earth, one enters the realm of illusion and the other returns to the Yellow Springs Underworld. This is the rule of Heaven and Earth, the way of Heaven, which stipulates that "when people from all directions submit and the hearts of the people converge, the dragon's energy will be born."

Snapped!
Tian Kui Zi's soulless body lay on the ground.

A pair of blank, unclosed eyes were fixed on Song Chen behind his master.

The Master revealed his true form.

Her eyes were deep and her thin body was shrouded in a large phoenix robe, typical of an empress dowager.

She raised her hand and took out the storage bag from Tian Kuizi's arms. From it, she picked out a dark blue armor and a huge, black seal.

He glanced at it and said, "The quality is so-so."

She immediately said, "Take it."

Song Chen raised his hand and took the two treasures that Tian Kuizi had painstakingly collected into his storage bag, and said respectfully, "Thank you, Mother Consort."

Consort Gong, or rather the current Empress Dowager of the Great Yong Dynasty, said calmly, "Strive to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm within ten years. I will need your help then."

Song Chen said, "Yes."

The Empress Dowager casually tossed out a book and said, "I collected this in my spare time. It doesn't even contain a jade slip, but it should be very useful to you."

Song Chen took it and looked at it.

The book didn't even have a name; it's unclear which monk's market it came from.

He flipped it open again and was immediately stunned.

Because this is actually a spell that "makes a woman fake pregnant," that is, it uses simple spiritual energy to create the illusion of pregnancy. This illusion can fool all doctors in the human world, but it is too useless to use, as it requires injecting spiritual energy into the target's abdomen every few days.

It is likely that this spell was used on herself by someone from the Turtle Platform, and then, during her childbirth, she obtained the fetus from some unknown royal family, which is now the Empress Fengqing.

Now, the Empress Dowager wants him to do the same thing on Lady Ziwei.

Song remained silent for a moment, then put away the book without saying anything.

He then looked at Tian Kui Zi lying on the ground and said, "Mother, let me collect his body."

The Empress Dowager said, "The essence of your spiritual energy is all in your flesh and blood. Refining it into a human pill can directly help people break through. However, you have already reached the peak of the ninth level of Qi Gathering, so it will be of no use to you."

Song Chen's original intention was, "Since we've known each other for a while, let's bury Tian Kuizi in the ground and let him rest in peace."

Upon hearing what the man on the tortoise platform said, he did not insist, but simply explained his intentions.

The Empress Dowager nodded, then looked at him solemnly and said, "A new emperor brings a new court, as you have seen. And when the Empress comes of age, her imperial aura will surpass that of two generations, attracting even more covetous eyes. If I fail, your fate will be the same as Tian Kuizi's."

Song replied silently, "I understand."

He bowed again, then turned and left.

A faint voice came from behind.

"Ten years, I'm only giving you ten years! In these ten years, you can take whatever resources you want! I want you to break through as soon as possible!"

Song Chen paused briefly and calmly replied, "I will."

(End of this chapter)