Chapter 72 – The real beginning

AUGUST 9, 2023 PUTTTY1 COMMENT

Translator’s note

Another change, my bad folks. Faith Palace > Faith Manor.

I didn’t want to change it because I didn’t want to keep changing the terminology, but I guess I should for the sake of a better translation.

The news of the Xue clan’s sudden annihilation had yet to fully register when another shock hit – a mutiny erupted within the imperial palace. The city’s residents, already reeling from the Xue clan’s demise, found it hard to grasp the rapid sequence of events.

One of the four great clans in Yan, a clan with an ancestor in the Sky Reaching realm, was annihilated in no more than 15 minutes?

Unearthing the Xue clan ancestor’s corpse left them aghast. His head was brutally crushed, hia blood and brains staining the ground.

The question remained: what kind of deep-seated grudge or intense hatred could drive someone to commit such a heinous act?

His brutal murder left everyone baffled. No known influential force in Yan had ever displayed such power or ruthlessness. The enigma surrounding this atrocity deepened.

Simultaneously, the replacement of the third prince, Murong Lin, with an imposter sent shockwaves across the nation. The country was shaken by this revelation.

Murong Ding strategically leaked this revelation, positioning himself as an astute analyst of the scheme’s details. This portrayal garnered admiration and prompted many to switch their allegiance to him.

The valley and Duke Sheng’s manor tragedies were widely discussed. The consensus emerged that the imposter, the fake Murong Lin, employed these ruthless tactics to elevate his court standing, revealing his cunning nature.

Critics scorned their audacious siege of the imperial court, ending in a resounding failure.

Meanwhile, palace guards, aided by information extracted from the captives, tracked and located Murong Lin, who was held captive in a small house.

That was the real Murong Lin.

Murong Lin manipulated his spiritual power, invoking the ‘Evil of Lifelessness, Lawlessness, and Formlessness’ to mimic his original deathly pale appearance from when he first arrived in this world. He then adjusted his aura to match the first layer of the Origin realm.

Upon seeing him, immediate recognition spread; the real third prince was unmistakable. Decades of interactions and memories of his weak, pallid look solidified his identity, and his aura sealed the truth.

“Your Highness, the third prince! The hardships you endured…” An elderly guard’s voice quivered with emotion.

He surveyed the shabby, small dwelling, noting scattered food scraps and lifeless rat corpses strewn across the floor. A rush of sorrow overtook him as he envisioned the wretched conditions the third prince had endured in this place.

Murong Lin mirrored a pitiable expression, his voice grateful as he spoke, “I am deeply indebted to all of you for rescuing me.  What’s happening outside? How is Father?”

The crowd’s admiration swelled, witnessing the third prince’s genuine concern for his father. Even after his harrowing ordeal, his immediate worry for the emperor underscored his devotion.

“Fear not, everything is under control. That cunning thief had laced poison into the emperor’s meal, but an unwitting official consumed it greedily. It was only revealed after the intense battle’s conclusion.” The speaker chuckled wryly.

Naturally, the poison wouldn’t have posed a threat to a Sky Reaching realm expert like Murong Tong. His calculated negligence aimed to divert suspicions directed at him by making his subordinates appear careless.

Murong Lin, wiping his tears, leaned heavily on the guards, his voice feeble, “The past few days of torture have left me utterly drained, both physically and mentally.  I implore you to escort me back to my residence promptly for recovery. I extend my gratitude in advance.”

In response to his plea, the assembly sprang into action, hastening Murong Lin to the imperial palace’s healer.

Given that the imperial physician was merely at the first layer of the Manifestation realm, Murong Lin’s disguise remained impenetrable. Consequently, he relayed the third prince’s injuries higher up, stoking Murong Tong’s anger to a boiling point.

“Ha! Despite falling out of my favour, he’s still my flesh and blood. How dare they subject him to such treatment! They should be torn to shreds and fed to dogs!”

Murong Ding, standing nearby, had also perused Murong Lin’s report.

A mix of elation and frustration overcame him: Merely nine days had passed since the third brother’s replacement; how could he have endured such extreme torture? Denied food, surviving on rat blood alone—what a gruesome fate.

But the severity of his wounds, coupled with his tarnished reputation from the kidnapping, would likely hinder his claim to the throne.

Heh, the throne is ultimately destined for me!

In the aftermath of today’s battle, Murong Tong resolved to conduct a thorough investigation of the imperial court’s officials, fearing more impostors had infiltrated.

As the perpetrators of the capital’s turmoil were dealt with, a new crisis arose – the obliteration of the Xue clan.

The Wang clan, another of the four great clans, undertook an investigation but struggled to uncover any meaningful leads.

Only fragmentary witness accounts were gathered, describing a swift assault on the Xue clan followed by a rapid, all-consuming fire that razed everything. A mere trio of servants managed to escape by using a concealed back entrance.

Out of over a thousand disciples and attendants, just three survivors remained – individuals who had witnessed nothing.

Anxiety gripped everyone.

Upon learning of the mastermind’s execution, the Wang clan’s great ancestor recognized the formidable disguise technique.

His thoughts turned to the rebellious elders within the Wang clan.

In a sudden realization, he leapt to his feet, issuing an urgent command, “Probe the Wang clan. Identify and apprehend any of our disciples displaying unusual behaviour!”

The news quickly spread, leaving Yan’s influential factions stunned.

Meanwhile, at the Faith Manor, Bai Lao Bo observed palace guards meticulously scouring the premises for clues, ultimately departing empty-handed.

Upon learning of Murong Lin’s situation, Chief Guard Chen Yong sighed, “I truly didn’t anticipate this turn of events.”

Bai Lao Bo inquired, “What surprised you?”

Chen Yong paused before chuckling, “I didn’t sense anything amiss about the third prince’s behaviour these past days. I didn’t expect him not to be himself.”

Bai Lao Bo joined in the laughter, “So, you shared this information with the eldest prince?”

In the room, only Chamberlain Bai Lao Bo and Chief Guard Chen Yong were present.

Chen Yong’s complexion drained of colour, the room’s atmosphere growing tense with Bai Lao Bo’s words. He stammered, “Great Chamberlain, what are you saying? I don’t understand?”

Bai Lao Bo’s gaze sharpened, his eyes fixed on Chen Yong like a judge delivering a verdict, “Must I spell it out? You’re a spy, placed within the Faith Manor by the eldest prince, am I wrong?”

Chen Yong’s initially honest expression contorted, revealing a sinister expression that seemed utterly incongruous on his imposing figure.

In an instant, he lunged at Bai Lao Bo. Despite being on par with Bai Lao Bo in terms of cultivation, he held the advantage of youth.

Chen Yong held the misguided belief that he could confront Bai Lao Bo and make a clean escape afterwards.

Unfortunately for him, his assumptions were gravely mistaken.

A gleam of a blade’s light flashed, and Chen Yong’s body was cleaved in two with brutal efficiency.

His entrails spilt forth, mingling with his blood. A pitiful cry began to escape his lips but was cut short abruptly.

With indignant eyes fixed on Bai Lao Bo, Chen Yong managed to utter, “When did you figure it out?”

Bai Lao Bo’s laughter rang out, “A month ago. Did you ever wonder why all of you were permitted to learn about the master’s connection to the Blood Spirits?”

Chen Yong’s face underwent a series of transformations, ultimately settling into a mixture of horror and indignation.

As a spy, he possessed a shrewd mind.

Piecing together the unfolding events within the capital and realizing Murong Lin had known his true identity for some time, he grew suspicious of a deeper scheme at play.

His master, Murong Ding, was just a pawn on a larger chessboard.

“Murong Lin… Is it true? Or is it fake?” A thought flashed through his mind, but he never had the chance to voice it.

He was dead.

The blade’s radiance had emanated from the ‘Three Great Butcher Kings,’ and the wielder slowly retracted the knife. “It commences tomorrow night. Chamberlain Bai, ensure all preparations are in place.”

“Understood.”

Meanwhile, the ‘Unrelenting General’ Jiang Tian Sheng and his squad stumbled upon a monumental revelation.

Originally recovering within the capital, Jiang Tian Sheng quickly dispatched a group outside the city upon realizing a disturbing truth.

Today marked their discovery of a crucial corpse.

It was the lifeless form of a spiritual familiar.

The lifeless body they discovered belonged to none other than the treasured spirit familiar of the ‘Veteran General’ Wen Tian Luo: the Long Snouted Dog.

The dog’s life mirrored the general’s – alive when he lived, and dead when he perished. After decades of camaraderie with Wen Tian Luo, Jiang Tian Sheng was acutely aware of this bond.

Analyzing the Long Snouted Dog’s demise, Jiang Tian Sheng couldn’t deny the inevitable: Wen Tian Luo was dead.

Now, a perplexing question arose: Who, then, was the commander leading the formidable four-hundred-thousand-strong army on the frontlines?