The Prince Can Do Divination

Chapter 411 - 254: Inquiry Sword at White Jade Capital, The Reared True Dragon, Wei the Ninth Appears

From the Nine Heavens, more than half of its Grotto Heavens, from Tai Cang and Great Red to Taiwei and Ziwei, had come.

From the Ten Lands, more than half of the Cultivators from the Blessed Lands of Cyan Cloud Continent, Jade Toad Continent, Fuyao Continent, and Yellow Sand Continent had also arrived.

In response to the call from the Celestial Master’s Mansion, the Ziwei Immortal Sect, and the Taiwei Daoist Sect, more than half of all Qi Cultivators from the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands had flocked here.

The talented scholars of the Confucian Temple, most of whom admired the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace Mansion for his good name and his courage in retrieving Qi Xingyan’s coffin, also gathered.

The Jianghu was full of heroes, and several leaders of the Infinite Faction had dropped everything to be here. They felt it was their duty to show support and join the spectacle.

When Luo Ying raised the banner to depose the Emperor, these members of the Infinite Faction were overjoyed.

Of their seven great leaders, besides the captured Sect Leader of the White Lotus Ancient Sect, there was Lu Zhengchun, the Prime Minister of Nanli. He was quite famous for his Confucian Divine Technique, "A Brushstroke of Divine Inspiration."

There was Luo Shengmiao, the Golden Court Mountain Master of Luoshui Cave Heaven, who sought to prove his Dao through his fists.

Master Bai Yue of the Nether Moon Celestial Sect from Jade Toad Continent.

Liu Feiyu, the Sword Venerable of the Dao Alliance.

Luo Ying, the Second Princess of the Golden Crow Country and a former True Disciple of the Fuyao Sword Palace.

And the Valley Master of the Ashen Dragon Valley, Celestial Dragon Master. His Magical Treasure was the Dragon-slaying Platform. He had entered the Dao through painting, using dragon’s blood as a medium to create four ink-wash Celestial Dragons that guarded the Dragon Valley.

The Infinite Faction had always been looked down upon by the Three Religions, seen as a fringe organization that couldn’t be taken seriously. To be able to participate in such a monumental event was a blessing bestowed upon them by the Crown Prince.

This meant that from now on, the Infinite Faction’s status in Great Yan would rise to a new level.

The number of experts at Lu Mingyuan’s side continued to swell.

Lined up in a single row, their combined momentum was staggering.

The sight made the Piano Demon, the Old Fisherman, and their allies turn deathly pale. The expressions of the many Imperial Experts from the Dragon Guardian Pavilion grew solemn.

Even the Mountain Masters of the Three Academies, spectating from a distance, did not dare to intervene recklessly.

They were not only men of the Court but also of the Three Religions.

But now, the Crown Prince of Great Yan was leading a rebellion right to the gates of the Capital City, and the sheer number of supporters he had amassed was, in itself, a very strange thing.

At first, they had thought it was just Lu Mingyuan acting out on his own, daring to defy the Holy Emperor’s decree.

But looking at the situation now, perhaps there truly was more to the story.

’Could what Lu Mingyuan said be true? Did the Holy Emperor really collude with the Great Nether Empress?’

’But how could that be possible?’

’Emperor Yong’an is the ruler of the nation. If even he has betrayed Great Yan, is there any hope left for the empire?’

In truth, most people didn’t understand the full story.

But the battle lines drawn before them were undeniably clear.

When a single person clamors to open a window, perhaps no one pays any mind.

But when a crowd expresses dissatisfaction, there is definitely a problem.

No matter the issue, it will command immense attention.

Assessing the situation was something the Cultivators of the Three Academies had to do.

It wasn’t just the Three Academies; the Mountain Masters, Great Scholars, and Gentlemen from all the major academies, as well as the Mountain and Water Deities from every region, were all being cautious. They dared not act rashly, choosing instead to observe the situation first.

At a moment like this, with the two sides in a standoff, anyone who wanted to get involved had to weigh whether they had what it took to join the fray.

It was true that the Imperial Experts of the Dragon Guardian Pavilion and the numerous Great Yan Tributors were very powerful.

But the experts of the Three Religions led by Lu Mingyuan were just as formidable.

In fact, he even had more helpers at the Twelfth Realm.

The officials and ministers who had retreated to the Great Flame Dragon Wall were already numb. They were completely baffled by the immense influence Lu Mingyuan wielded.

’Since when did the Holy Emperor become the public enemy of the Three Religions?’

The Imperial Experts were starting to seem insufficient.

’The disparity in numbers is this great.’

’How are we supposed to fight this?’

Emperor Yong’an clenched his fists, the veins on the back of his hands bulging. He sneered, "Rebellious son, do you truly intend to be so defiant? To destroy our ancestral foundation at the first sign of trouble? Do you really think you can do as you please here with this paltry group of followers?"

Standing to the side, Yuan Xuangang sighed inwardly. ’Isn’t the current Lu Mingyuan already doing as he pleases?’

’From my perspective,’ he thought, ’Emperor Yong’an’s chances of winning are now less than fifty percent.’

’Overwhelm the enemy with momentum, subdue their forces without a fight.’

’Sow confusion.’

’These have always been the best methods.’

Yuan Xuangang lowered his gaze. He was beginning to understand the general outline of Lu Mingyuan’s plan since leaving the Capital City.

’Everyone had assumed Lu Mingyuan was ignorant of military strategy and that this expedition would end in failure. Still, they generally admired his courage.’

’Who could have imagined that leaving the Capital City would be like a dragon returning to the sea?’

’Lu Mingyuan routed the Demon Country’s army and even defeated the Great Nether Empress in a direct confrontation. Not only did he gain immense prestige, but he also secured the support and allegiance of numerous factions.’

’This Sixth Prince, not known for his intellect or cunning, had silently executed a brilliant scheme of feigning injury.’

’He played the victim, luring the Emperor into his own trap and forcing the Holy Emperor into a corner.’

’First, he presented himself as the wronged party, entering the fray alone while secretly marching his army to the Capital City.’

’He must have anticipated that Emperor Yong’an would target him upon his return. So he prepared countermeasures in advance, escalating the conflict to force the Holy Emperor’s hand. Once the Emperor acted prematurely, Lu Mingyuan could then raise the banner of public sympathy for Qi Xingyan, forcing the Emperor of Great Yan onto the wrong side of morality.’

Yuan Xuangang sighed.

’Lu Mingyuan had undoubtedly seen right through his father.’

’It was as if he already knew the Holy Emperor’s plan to target Qi Xingyan, as if he had predicted Emperor Yong’an’s every move.’

’Before his son, the Holy Emperor had no secrets to speak of.’

And all of this had led to the current situation.

’Actually, one couldn’t entirely blame Emperor Yong’an.’

’The main reason was that Lu Mingyuan had obtained too much information in advance. Yun Qinghe’s early warning, the results of the Turtle Shell Divination, Qi Xingyan’s self-sacrificing ploy to reveal the truth, and even the Great Nether Empress’s confession—all of this was the capital he used to orchestrate this entire affair.’