CH 2201.2

“Evidence?” Situ Yun’s handsome face remained composed. He lifted his head slightly and looked at Situ Jie seated on the throne. “Even if there is evidence, it’s not up to you to judge. You, are not the emperor yet.”

Emperor Situ Wenxian had announced that Crown Prince Situ Jie would be regent while he was in seclusion. Despite acting as one, Situ Jie was not the emperor.

“Hahahaha!!” Situ Jie threw his head back with laughter. “If this emperor says you are guilty, then you are guilty! Men, arrest the traitor!” A cold light sparkled in his eyes.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

Three unfamiliar nascent soul cultivators flew into the hall. Their energy fluctuated powerfully as they walked toward Situ Yun.

Savagery flashed across Situ Jie’s face. Nascent soul cultivators were either patriarchs of Darklake clans or lords of their local fiefdoms. While Situ Jie was the crown prince, he didn’t dare show too much disrespect to nascent soul powerhouses.

Yet with the Darklake senior royals returning as nascent soul powerhouses, and even some soul projection heavyweights coming to help, Situ Jie felt adequately fortified for his ambitions to bloom. He was the one behind placing Situ Wenxian under house arrest.

A voice rang out when the three figures drew close to Situ Wenxian. “These three look quite unfamiliar. They’re not from Darklake Empire, are they?”

Bam!

The three figures stuttered before a strange surge of power flung them outside the hall.

Immensely taken aback, the crowd focused on the man leading the group of officials to the right of the dais. He wore black court robes and a tiny golden hairband in his topknot. Roughly forty years of age, the three strands of long hair flowing in the air imparted an ethereal demeanor.

True origin circulated within his upraised hand. He was the one who’d sent the three nascent soul powerhouses flying.

“Are you trying to mutiny, Lu Tianling?!” Situ Jie surged to his feet, fear flashing through his eyes. His confidence quickly returned when another thought occurred to him.

“This is the imperial palace of Darklake Empire. No outsiders are allowed to give offense here,” Lu Tianling responded coldly as he put his hand down.

“How dare you! These three are royal guards that this emperor has recruited!” Situ Jie insisted stiffly.

“Oh? Then why does this marshal not know of them?” Lu Tianling raised his head. “I lead all of the cultivators in the nation and any nascent soul powerhouse or above that joins Darklake does so with my approval. Why has this marshal never seen these three?”

“Lu Tianling, does this emperor need your approval to recruit cultivators?!” Situ Jie slapped his throne with fury.

“This emperor?” Lu Tianling snorted with laughter. “What kind of emperor are you?”

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“He will be the emperor very shortly,” came another jarring interjection. An otherworldly elder with white hair swept into the hall.

“Forefather!” Situ Jie greeted with delight and walked down from the throne, respectfully welcoming the elder. He was the founding father of Darklake Empire—Situ Lei. Situ Lei was a legendary figure of two thousand years ago and now latter soul projection.

Those assembled traded confused glances, not understanding what was taking place. Seeing as Situ Lei’s portrait hung in the palace’s Hall of ancestors, everyone recognized him.

“You are Lu Tianling, the current strongest of the nation?” Situ Lei coolly addressed Lu Tianling.

“I am.” The Lu patriarch assessed the Darklake legendary figure, not thinking much of him. Two thousand years and still latter soul projection? What a trash among trash. If among Great Xia, those who were two thousand years old should’ve become immortal long ago.

Of course, Lu Tianling also understood that it likely had much to do with Dark Orchid that the founding father hadn’t broken through. Once Situ Lei ascended beyond soul projection, he would shake off their control.

Dark Orchid would never permit a cultivator from a vassal nation to become a soul separation powerhouse.

“You’ve got some nerve!” Situ Lei sneered. “The empire that I created with my bare hands is now controlled by vicious rats the likes of you. You manipulate the court, collude with the enemy, and scheme to overthrow the Situ royal clan. Now that I am here, you will not be permitted to be lawless anymore!”

Lu Tianling looked at Situ Lei with a strange expression and said something that baffled everyone gathered. “Did… your parents not tell you before you came that Lu Tianling is very dangerous, to not offend him if you can?”

“Eh…” Not only Situ Lei, but the officials around them were flabbergasted by Lu Tianling’s mystifying response.

“Buahaha!” Lu Xiaochi couldn’t resist a round of chuckles when he heard his foster father’s reply. Why did that sound like something Lu Yun would say? To think that his taciturn foster father would be affected by the kid!

Ai, I wonder how he’s faring at the Yuwen Clan. I wonder if he’s succeeded or not.

Lu Xiaochi was ill at ease. Despite everything being under control, the Yuwens seemed to have gained a powerful backer as well. As heaven-defying as Lu Yun was, he was just a nascent soul cultivator. If anything happened to him, it would be more of a loss than a gain even if they managed to overcome the hardship at hand.

“Hmph! Is Lu Tianling supposed to be dangerous?” Situ Lei snorted, a ball of true origin flame burning over his palm. He slapped his palm at Lu Tianling’s forehead. If any other latter nascent soul cultivator was the target, they would be dead on the spot. However, it was the founding father of Darklake on one side and Lu Tianling on the other.

Shock rippled through the group of officials to see the legendary emperor attack their great war hero. Meanwhile, the Yuwen, Ling, and associates from assorted clans watched with schadenfreude. Lu Tianling was powerful? He was the greatest of Darklake? He was just a nascent soul cultivator. There was no hope of survival once a soul projection powerhouse made their move!

Bam!

Situ Lei’s blow connected solidly with Lu Tianling’s forehead, but the former was the one who froze instead. Situ Jie’s jaw dropped, and the assembly of officials reeled with surprise.

“Situ Lei, although you were the first emperor of Darklake Empire, don’t forget that you are a Dark Orchid citizen now. You are not of Darklake, so do you know the consequences of attacking an important subject in the imperial palace?!” Lu Tianling slowly lifted his head and regarded Situ Lei with a frosty glare.

“Y-you…” Situ Lei stammered with shock. He’d deployed his full strength with that blow—even latter soul projection cultivators would see their heads explode from the hit. Lu Tianling, however, remained completely unscathed.

In contrast, the Lu patriarch’s aura rose until he seemed as ponderous as a mountain.

Situ Lei and Situ Jie slowly backed away with incredulity.

“This cultivation… you are indeed guilty of high treason, Lu Tianling!” Situ Jie roared, trying to corral his mounting fear.

“High treason?” Lu Tianling snorted with laughter.

“You disappoint me too greatly, Situ Jie.” A majestic voice rang out as a middle-aged man clad in golden dragon robes walked in. A gold crown sat on his head; he walked with confidence and assurance.

“Greetings to Your Majesty!” The hall of officials rumbled with surprise. Meanwhile, the Yuwen and Ling Clans looked at each other with unpleasant expressions.

“R-royal father?” Situ Jie’s jaw dropped. Situ Wenxian had been confined by Dark Orchid’s powerhouses! What was he doing here?

The emperor’s aura was as boundless as the seas! Latter soul projection Situ Lei felt incredibly minuscule in front of the man. This was no latter nascent soul emperor! He was a heavyweight of unknown cultivation! At the very least, Situ Lei had never felt such a terrifying aura from Prince Sui of Dark Orchid.

“You, you…” Situ Lei’s face drained of color. Complicated emotions tinged primarily with fear flashed through his eyes as he looked at his descendant.

“Since the forefather has returned home, then do not go back. You can spend the rest of your days in Darklake and see how it rises over Jade Ruins Realm,” Situ Wenxian declared loftily. “As for this turncoat son… cripple his cultivation and throw him into the dungeons.”

……

Situ Wenxian’s sudden appearance and domineering methods completely shuffled the cards of Darklake’s court. Those hidden in the shadows with ulterior motives had all floated to the fore and were captured in one fell swoop.

Some princes, princesses, and brothers to emperor were also involved. All of them were crippled of their cultivation and thrown into the dungeons. Compared to the soundless assassinations in the capital, the cleansing of court was a much more bloody affair. Nearly thirty percent of the officials were executed on the spot. The Ling, Yuwen, and other small families that’d defected to Dark Orchid were completely exterminated.

An atmosphere of blood wreathed the capital. It was the final reckoning as the Lus and Situ Wenxian would all be doomed if the slightest hint went wrong.

Great Xia immortals would be completely unrestrained once the heavenly book’s power vanished. Lu Tianling could withstand external foes, but he could not defend against internal enemies.

The capital was surrounded by a massive formation that sealed the city within. All enemies were captured or executed on the spot. A massive spilling of blood occurred within the capital for an entire day.