Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 222 - Chaos

Liu Wuxie was puzzled by Prince Ruyang and his wife's presence in the Imperial City, given their duty to investigate the Terrabreak Army matter.

He turned to Senior Chen, asking, “When did you two return to the Imperial City?” He remembered that Chen Yusheng and his wife were assigned to guard the west border and rarely returned to the Imperial City. It had been over a month since they parted ways in the Dragon Rock Mountain Range.

As the crowd gradually dispersed, leaving Liu Wuxie, Chen Yusheng, and Qin Biyu behind, Chen Yusheng revealed, “Well, we returned mainly because there has been a major upheaval in the royal clan.” This was the first time he had shared such information with someone outside his close circle.

Over the past few years, Prince Yongxian had been gradually eroding the imperial authority of the emperor, seizing half of the military power. It seemed only a matter of time before he would attempt to usurp the throne, a move that would undoubtedly cause an uproar.

Intrigued, Liu Wuxie asked, “What’s the upheaval about?” He felt it would be rude not to inquire further since Chen Yusheng had brought it up.

Chen Yusheng lowered his voice and said, “This is a long story. There’s an upheaval in the royal clan, which has something to do with you.” He hadn’t expected that the upheaval in the Great Yan Dynasty would somehow be connected to Liu Wuxie.

This made Liu Wuxie frown, and he soon guessed something. He said, “This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s discuss it at my place.”

Liu Wuxie extended an invitation to prevent eavesdropping.

......

Liu Wuxie closed the door, and with a wave of his hand, he set up a spiritual array in the courtyard. He inserted four flags into the corners, creating an invisible barrier that prevented anyone from eavesdropping on their conversation, even if they used their divine sense. This array didn’t restrict anyone’s freedom; its primary purpose was to ensure privacy.

Chen Yusheng and Qin Biyu exchanged surprised glances. Liu Wuxie’s proficiency in spiritual arrays, in addition to his talent in alchemy, was impressive, especially considering his young age. As they sat down, Qin Biyu personally poured tea for the two of them.

In the eyes of Chen Yusheng and his wife, Liu Wuxie was more than just a young man. Despite their higher cultivation levels, they acknowledged that they couldn’t match his combat prowess. They remembered how Liu Wuxie had easily defeated Xuanyuan Guang and Cui Shao on the Dragon Rock Mountain Range.

With no outsiders present, they could speak freely. Liu Wuxie, having some guesses about the situation, still wanted to hear it from Chen Yusheng. He was surprised that his actions had caused such a commotion.

“Do you still remember the matter of the Cloud Xing Pavilion?” Chen Yusheng asked, taking a sip of tea. Upon his return to the Imperial City, he had learned about the events at the Cloud Xing Pavilion and was surprised by the stir Liu Wuxie had caused.

Liu Wuxie nodded in response, indicating that his understanding was more or less in line with what he had guessed.

Chen Yusheng then explained, “After the conspiracy of the Blood Mirage Pills was exposed, Prince Yongxian lost his source of income and could no longer maintain his troops. Without the Black Shell Pills, the troops would gradually lose control and fight among themselves.” He knew that Prince Yongxian had been nurturing a troop of killing machines with Black Shell Pills, but he didn’t have a solution yet.

Liu Wuxie acknowledged this. He knew that to contain their ferocity, everyone in the troop had to consume a Black Shell Pill daily. After the Blood Mirage Pills lost their market, the Cloud Xing Pavilion struggled to make ends meet.

Thus, Prince Yongxian found himself in a predicament. He was forced to spend money to procure ingredients for the Black Shell Pills, but this was not a sustainable solution. Within a mere span of twenty days, Prince Yongxian had already hit his limit.

“So, are you suggesting that Prince Yongxian is planning to seize the throne sooner than he initially intended?” The situation was clear. Prince Yongxian planned to act when the time was right, but Liu Wuxie’s appearance had disrupted his plans, prompting him to launch his scheme in advance. Thus, this placed the Great Yan Dynasty in a civil war crisis.

“It’s not just a simple rebellion now but impeachment.” If it were just a simple rebellion, it wouldn’t be as big of a deal as it was just a fight. The emperor had the support of the Terrabreak Army, a formidable force. Overthrowing the throne wouldn’t be an easy task for Prince Yongxian.

“What are you implying?” Liu Wuxie was perplexed. He had an inkling about Prince Yongxian’s dilemma, but his years of hard work would be in vain if the issue with the troops nurtured on Black Shell Pills wasn’t addressed.

“My royal cousin is gravely ill, and Prince Yongxian is seizing this chance to lobby for a new monarch among the other officials. As for my two inept nephews, one lacks intelligence, and the other is as dense as a log. Persuading anyone to let them ascend the throne won’t be a simple task, and it’s causing turmoil in the imperial court.” Chen Yusheng’s anger was palpable as he discussed this. After all, most of the court officials were already favoring Prince Yongxian.

“Has anyone proposed that Prince Yongxian should succeed to the throne?” Liu Wuxie grasped the royal family’s predicament. The Emperor was sick, and his sons were unfit to inherit the throne.

Certainly, Prince Yongxian, as the younger sibling of the Emperor and a member of the royal lineage, it was only natural for him to step forward in light of his elder brother’s illness.

“Xue Chunyu, the Vice-Minister of Revenue, suggested it.”

Liu Wuxie narrowed his eyes. He hadn’t anticipated that the Xue Clan would so openly align with Prince Yongxian and even propose that he take control of the imperial court.

“I see. Prince Yongxian has laid his scheme bare, aiming to ascend the throne.” Liu Wuxie had a clear understanding of the situation. A country cannot be without a leader for a day. With the Emperor’s health failing, it was only natural for a new monarch to be selected to guide everyone, and even the neutral officials couldn’t object.

The courtyard fell into silence as Liu Wuxie had no desire to meddle in the affairs of the Great Yan Dynasty. Having slain Qin Shi, he planned to leave the Great Yan Dynasty within half a year at most and didn’t wish to entangle himself in such complexity.

Moreover, Liu Wuxie abhorred the power struggles of the mortal world and wished to dedicate his time to cultivation, hoping to return to the Celestial Realm as soon as possible.

Only an Immortal Emperor could live as long as heaven, and a mortal only had a hundred years of lifespan at best.

“Wuxie, I have a favor to ask!” Chen Yusheng suddenly stood up and bowed.

“Senior Chen, what’s the matter? You can speak freely.” Liu Wuxie responded. He hadn’t forgotten that Chen Yusheng had saved his life in the Dragon Rock Mountain Range. Even though he had returned the favor, he still felt indebted to Chen Yusheng. If it weren’t for Chen Yusheng’s intervention, he would have fallen victim to Cui Shao long ago.

“I’m aware of your medical expertise, given how quickly you diagnosed Wen Li’s condition. I was hoping you could examine my royal cousin.” Chen Yusheng looked uncomfortable making this request, knowing it was a lot to ask. But he was out of options and had to explore every possibility.

“Even the palace’s imperial physician can’t find a solution?” Liu Wuxie furrowed his brow. He hadn’t anticipated this request from Chen Yusheng. If the imperial physicians were at a loss, what could he possibly do?

“I’m left with no other choice. The imperial physicians can’t identify his ailment, and I hope you’ll accompany me to the palace. Regardless of whether you can cure him, I’ll be deeply grateful.” Chen Yusheng wouldn’t have turned to Liu Wuxie if he had any other options.

“Allow me some time to think it over.” Liu Wuxie pondered deeply and didn’t immediately agree. After all, if he consented, he would be drawn into a power struggle, which would be a hassle for him.

“Have you given thought to the countless lives that would be lost in a civil war if my royal cousin were to die? The Great Yan Dynasty would crumble instantly, and the common folk would bear the brunt of the ensuing chaos.” Chen Yusheng implored Liu Wuxie, hoping to convince him to examine his royal cousin for the sake of the innocent populace.

At this juncture, if Liu Wuxie refused, he would become a sinner. The moment war erupted, it would be the ordinary people who would suffer the most.

“When do we leave?” Liu Wuxie had no choice but to agree with it.

“Excellent. It’s still early, and we can head to the palace now!” Chen Yusheng rarely spoke and always wore a stern expression. He had to lead soldiers in battles, and it would be hard for him to command his troops if he was too friendly.

His habit was formed through the years, but he looked like an entirely different person today. The three left the courtyard and headed to the royal palace. Before they left the Imperial Academy, a military officer rushed in.

“Lord, it’s critical! The Emperor’s health has taken a sudden turn for the worse, and he’s now in a deep coma.” Chen Yusheng had dispatched the officer to keep watch at the palace and report any developments.

He hadn’t anticipated that the Emperor’s condition would deteriorate so rapidly in just a day. When he had visited his royal cousin the previous day, the latter was still somewhat lucid.

“We can’t afford to waste time; we must hurry!” Liu Wuxie also grasped the gravity of the situation. If the Emperor were to pass away, Prince Yongxian could ascend the throne. In such a scenario, he would naturally become the prime target, having thwarted Prince Yongxian’s plans on multiple occasions.

Therefore, whether out of a sense of duty or self-interest, Liu Wuxie was compelled to save the Emperor.

The four executed a movement technique to speed through the streets swiftly, arriving outside the palace in less than two hours.

“Halt! Identify yourselves!” Five soldiers emerged from the gate, obstructing their path.

“How dare you obstruct me! Don’t you recognize who I am?!” Chen Yusheng was livid. While others might need to announce their arrival before entering, he, being of royal blood, should have unrestricted access to the palace.

“Prince Ruyang, please don’t make things difficult for us. We can’t let anyone enter the palace without the Emperor's decree.” The five guards stood firm, denying them entry.

Chen Yusheng hesitated to force his way in, wary that it might provide others with a pretext to accuse him and strip him of his military authority. However, if he couldn’t gain entry, he wouldn’t be able to attend to his royal cousin. This put Chen Yusheng in a predicament.

“Senior Chen, you should be familiar with the head of the royal guards, correct?” Liu Wuxie cast a glance over the five guards and smirked.

“I can identify most of them!” Chen Yusheng responded. He might not be able to recognize every guard, but he was familiar with most of their commanding officers.

“Ask them who their commanding officer is!” Liu Wuxie instructed.

A thought dawned on Chen Yusheng, and he fixed the five guards with a gaze filled with lethal intent. He demanded, “Who is your commanding officer? Speak the truth!”

Confronted with Chen Yusheng’s thunderous demand, the five guards recoiled. However, they didn’t back down and instead advanced, declaring, “Prince Ruyang, you dare to trespass into the palace! This is a capital crime!”

“They’re not the royal guards. If my guess is correct, the actual guards must have been killed by now.” Liu Wuxie was reluctant to accept it, but the unfolding events aligned with his conjectures.

“I remember now! They weren’t on duty when I departed from the palace!” The officer who had come to relay the news to Chen Yusheng chimed in after hearing Liu Wuxie’s words.