Chapter 322: Chapter 45: The Cauldron in the Imperial City
The Ochre Whip and the Divine Farmer’s Cauldron, two Dao Artifacts, each bore one of Emperor Yan’s Dao Fruits. They were two sides of the same coin, representing humans and gods.
The Ochre Whip had been lost many years ago until nearly four years prior, when it was found by the Dinghu Sect. Coincidentally, this was during the drastic changes within the Jiang family, as the main household relocated overseas, leaving the Ochre Whip with the Dinghu Sect.
The Divine Farmer’s Cauldron, on the other hand, left the Nine Provinces with the main Jiang family for overseas.
That was how it should have been...
Until today, Jiang Li had believed this as well.
Until Jiang Li’s bloodline had been activated and Divine Farmer’s appearance had emerged unconsciously...
"The Divine Farmer’s Cauldron is actually here."
Standing in the shade of a tree, Jiang Li exhaled gently, looking towards the tall palace walls and the majestic city gates. His gaze seemed to pierce through everything before him, hoping to see the sparkling palatial halls within and find the hidden Divine Farmer’s Cauldron.
The Divine Farmer’s Cauldron was actually within the Imperial City!
"The Immortal Queen is also in the Imperial City," Tianxuan likewise watched the tall walls, "She is using the Divine Farmer’s Cauldron to refine medicine."
Refining the Elixir of Immortality!
Although one could not wield the Divine Farmer’s Cauldron without awakening the Divine Farmer’s appearance, simple uses were still possible.
Just as the Dinghu Sect used the Ochre Whip to open up a Secret Place and plant various precious and unusual herbs. If one possessed sufficient strength and expertise in the relevant Magic Doors, a simple use of a Dao Artifact wasn’t impossible.
Given the position of the Divine Farmer’s Cauldron in the medical and Alchemy Dao, even a simple use quantified an advantage over thousands upon thousands of other cauldrons in the world, immensely increasing the probability of successfully refining the Immortality Elixir.
"It really is a well-thought-out plan," Tianxuan pressed her lips together, murmuring softly.
Since seven days ago, the Heavenly Mechanism had become increasingly difficult to observe, and today, it had become utterly chaotic, with no one able to divine its course.
Sending the Fourth Prince and Bu Yusheng into the Cave Heaven Blessed Land was a clear sign of the Fourth Prince’s ambition for the throne, but the underlying motive was aimed at the ginseng fruit.
If the Emperor himself intervened, other third-grade forces would certainly take notice. Moreover, upon the emergence of the Cave Heaven Blessed Land, some might launch an attack. But with the Fourth Prince and Bu Yusheng, it was different.
Although the Fourth Prince was already over forty years old, to a third-grade individual, he was still considered junior.
Why bother paying attention to the actions of a mere junior?
This was not enough; there had to be another covert line: Outwardly, it was the Fourth Prince, but behind the scenes, it was Bu Yusheng from the Kunxu Immortal Palace, protected by the Plain Cloud Realm Flag. As long as the ginseng fruit was secured, it would be considered a success.
As for the ginseng fruit tree, gaining it would be ideal, yet failing to do so wasn’t unacceptable.
Even the timing was selected with impeccable precision.
With Zhang Zhixuan entering Divine Capital, other third-grade forces were naturally justified in paying attention and might even stealthily make their way there. The presence of multiple third-grade forces would further scramble the Heavenly Phenomenon, providing the Immortal Queen with a pretext.
If her whereabouts were discovered, she could readily use Zhang Zhixuan as an excuse.
Such layered plotting, if Tianxuan weren’t so sharp-minded and already suspicious, leading Jiang Li directly outside the Imperial City, she might have completely missed the adversary’s scheme.
Perhaps she might still be at Dragon Abyss Lake contending for the ginseng fruit tree.
But even if she discovered this, so what? Inside the Imperial City were now four third-grade powers: the Emperor, the Sect Leader, Zhang Zhixuan, the Immortal Queen.
The Sect Leader’s stance was unclear, and no one knew how deep his involvement was, and the same went for Zhang Zhixuan.
Even if these two did not make a move, having the Emperor in Divine Capital was enough to dissuade any action.
Or should the news be spread far and wide, calling upon all third-grade powers to strike together?
In that case, it was feared the Ji Family’s foundation might be ruined overnight.
The power of the Ji Family could potentially be used, but the most qualified among the Ji Family to check the Emperor was Princess Ji Lingguang, who was still in Yong Province cleaning up a mess.
Upon reflection, even this aspect might have been exploited.
Jiang Li could also deduce this and felt the predicament; to be honest, he felt like withdrawing.
As the saying goes, one step back opens up a vast horizon. If he simply ignored the Emperor’s machinations, then there would be no need to face such troubles.
Yet, as much as Jiang Li wished to retreat, it was not suitable for him to do so.
The fall of the Jiang family was tied to the Emperor, and Jiang Li was a member of the Jiang family, even currently its leading figure in the Nine Provinces. If the Emperor made a move against the Jiang family next, Jiang Li would surely be the primary target.
Moreover, Jiang Li had killed the Fourth Prince.
Though he had thrown the blame on a false identity, who knew if one day it might be exposed.
With the possibility of becoming adversaries with the Emperor in the future, it was natural to want to weaken the opposition as much as possible.
’If it truly comes to a hopeless situation, I’ll just leak this matter. There are things my master cannot do, but I can,’ Jiang Li thought secretly in his heart.
He carefully concealed this rebellious thought, asking, "Master, what do we do next?"
"Wait," Tianxuan slowly breathed out a single word.
"The Emperor’s Dao Fruit is both his greatest support and his shackle. To break free from his shackles, he must first face the backlash of the Dao Fruit. That will be our opportunity to intervene. People’s hearts are fickle; if the Emperor obtains eternal life, the misfortune would outweigh fortune."
Already going to such lengths for eternal life, one could imagine the future.
The Elixir of Immortality may not grant eternal life, much like the ginseng fruit that can no longer extend one’s lifespan indefinitely.
Should this attempt succeed, the next would only be more frenzied.
In that case, it might be better to have a different Emperor. After all, as long as the Emperor’s Dao Fruit exists, the Emperor remains.
The Emperor was very important, but not as important as the Emperor Dao Fruit.
"Leave first. The Ginsengfruit you’ve collected can’t be stored for too long."
Tianxuan said, placing a hand on Jiang Li’s shoulder, his figure disappearing in the shade of the trees.
...
"They’ve left."
Atop the Xuanyuan Platform, the Emperor’s eyelids drooped low, seemingly aware of every move Tianxuan and Jiang Li made.
"I hadn’t expected you to find your way to the Imperial City under these circumstances. Truly worthy of being a member of my clan. You’d better not obstruct me, and pray for my success, or else... cough cough cough..."
The Emperor suddenly coughed repeatedly, wrinkles piling up on his face, exuding an air of decrepitude.
He covered his mouth with his hand, only to see the liver spots there, prompting a look of distaste from the Emperor.
"Sixty years, a Jiazi passes like a dream, and I cannot accept this!"
When news of the Fourth Prince’s death reached him, the Emperor was unusually calm. Later, because the Fourth Prince died in a manner that brought shame, his voice showed a ripple of emotion.
But never before had the Emperor been so agitated, so fierce.
That extreme unwillingness even affected the heavens above the Divine Capital, causing the skies to change abruptly. In a blink, what was a clear sky became overcast, a harbinger of an impending storm.
"The changes in one’s thoughts directly trigger changes in the world."
On a certain pavilion in the Imperial City, Zhang Zhixuan, clad in yellow robes, looked up at the sky and sighed lightly, "With the Emperor in the Divine Capital, he stands on invincible ground. Under the heavens, no one in the Divine Capital can threaten the Emperor."
Of course, Zhang Zhixuan could easily cause a Heavenly Change. If he were to use the Thunder Technique, he could make the heavens and earth change color, with Heavenly Thunder dictating life and death.
But such a Heavenly Change would be due to Zhang Zhixuan’s Dao Fruit and power.
The Heavenly Change before them, however, was solely due to the Emperor’s mood.
Anger clouds the skies, stormy weather approaches; joy clears the skies, leaving not a cloud in sight.
No need for additional means, nor any magic to be cast – just a shift in mood, and the celestial phenomena change.
With no second-grade or Emperor venturing from the capital, there was no one in the world capable of defeating the Emperor.
Even outside the Divine Capital, the Emperor remained one of the six ultimate powers within Great Zhou, with few capable of standing as his enemy.
’The only one who can defeat the Emperor is the Emperor himself.’ Zhang Zhixuan’s gaze was unfathomable as he kept these words to himself, unspoken.
Should he voice them, they might reach the Emperor’s ears.
Meanwhile, within the Imperial City, "Heavenly Monarch" Gongsun Qi turned his head toward the Xuanyuan Platform during the Heavenly Change, revealing a secretive smile.
"Unwilling, are you? That’s good."
As he spoke, Gongsun Qi turned to look in another direction, where a misty white vapor rose, tinged with red light.
"The Ginsengfruit has successfully been refined, and now, it is time to wait. In forty-nine days, all will be clear."
"If the Immortality Elixir succeeds, perhaps the Immortal Queen will only have the one condition left – having the female cultivators of the world bow their heads to her? She truly is a step ahead."
...
Above Dragon Abyss Lake.
The great battle raged on. Even though the fourth-ranks were restraining themselves, the mayhem still stirred the Jianghu, paired with the sudden change in the weather, cast an image of utter chaos.
Until a moment, when a gap tore open and the Dao Light burst forth violently, propping up the Plain Cloud Realm Flag. Thousands of clouds were squeezed towards the rift.
Below the ginseng fruit tree, amidst intertwined roots, Ji Jiji’s body began to move again.
His facial features appeared and disappeared, ultimately forming a transparent silhouette with only a pair of eyes remaining. However, the pupils also turned transparent and profound, like the sky.
The handprint on his chest exuded a majestic aura, seemingly trying to suppress the body, yet unable to stop its transformation.
Palms spread on the platform, the lines on his hands gradually became faint, until all palm lines disappeared, and his hands shone with brilliance.
"Boom!"
In this moment, the ginseng fruit tree, as if recognizing its master, burst with waterfall-like Dao Light, streaming upwards. The Plain Cloud Realm Flag was forcibly expelled from the Cave Heaven Blessed Land; the Divine Fire extinguished, and even bursting through the rift, causing the fourth-rank cultivators to stumble.
Immediately after, as if turning back the flow of time, the Dao Light receded, the Cave Heaven Blessed Land began to shrink, and all the Sword Light withdrew into the iron pillar behind the Iron Pillar Temple, with the silhouettes of Cave Heaven Blessed Land completely vanishing.
The group of fourth-rank cultivators dispersed, their gazes returning to the Iron Pillar Temple.
Daode Sect’s Daoist Wen Xu calculated with his fingers, sensing the breath of the Cave Heaven Blessed Land and frowning, "It cannot be predicted. I can only sense that the breath disappeared into the water veins underneath Dragon Abyss Lake."
"The water veins of Dragon Abyss Lake are connected to the Earth’s veins of the Divine Capital. To dig open the water veins means to damage the Earth’s veins, akin to upturning the Divine Capital..."
Hearing this, the crowd exchanged looks.
Upturning the Divine Capital, what difference was there from overthrowing Great Zhou?
To accomplish this task, one would have to slaughter the Emperor first.
So, just like that, the struggle for the Cave Heaven Blessed Land ended?