Chapter 771: Human Prince Incense

It was the sixth hour of the investigation into the theft of the Sun of Dawn. Evening had arrived, but there was no fiery sunset glow. Dark, oppressive clouds hung low, making twilight feel both present and absent, as night descended prematurely upon the human realm.

Rain persisted, accompanied by rumbling thunder, contributing to an oppressive atmosphere. The sight of imperial guards throughout the capital filled this human city with a chilling aura of solemnity and severity.

This night was destined to be a sleepless one.

The investigation, spearheaded by the Five Palaces of Shangxuan, was extensive, implicating not only the imperial princes but also numerous cultivators connected to them. Within these six hours, most of these individuals had already been apprehended. They were seized from their cultivation grounds, their sects, and their homes. Faced with the Emperor's authority, all had to yield; any resistance was met with immediate execution.

The falling rain washed away the blood, yet the metallic scent lingered, subtly churning with the deepening night.

In the dark, heavy rain, Xu Qing, clad in the long robes of a Sword Holder, walked briskly towards the imperial palace's celestial prison, his steps quickening with his thoughts and the surrounding atmosphere. He had fully participated in the Sword Holder Palace's investigation into the theft of the Sun of Dawn, reviewing all the unearthed evidence and sensing the turbulent undercurrents among the imperial princes within the capital.

“It shouldn’t be this turbulent!” Xu Qing murmured, looking up, his gaze cutting through the rain towards the imperial palace veiled in darkness.

The celestial prison was located within the imperial palace, accessible not via the main Rainbow Bridge but through a discreet side gate. None of these imperial princes were ordinary; it was inconceivable that they could be implicated so easily unless someone had meticulously orchestrated and driven this entire scheme.

Could it be the Grand Preceptor?

Furthermore, the Emperor's sudden self-vindication felt somewhat abrupt. Xu Qing furrowed his brow. He continually felt there was a significant gap in the events he had witnessed since his arrival in the capital, as if a crucial piece was missing from a puzzle.

“Is it possible that there aren’t just two players in this game…?”

Xu Qing paused. A peal of thunder reverberated across the sky, illuminating the imperial palace and casting light upon the contemplative expression on Xu Qing’s face. After a prolonged moment, Xu Qing closed and then reopened his eyes, his expression calm as he proceeded through the imperial palace’s side gate.

Armed with the Sword Holder Palace’s decree, he passed inspection smoothly and was then led by a guard into the palace’s underground levels. As he proceeded, he felt the pervasive chill and remarkable auras, noting the restrictive runes etched into every brick and tile. Xu Qing understood that this prison was undoubtedly the most secure in the imperial capital.

Even with his decree, he was subjected to multiple layers of inspection. Only when he was deemed clear was Xu Qing finally led to Ning Yan’s cell.

The imperial palace’s celestial prison had nine levels. The deeper one went, the higher and more mysterious the identity of the incarcerated imperial family member. From the sixth level downwards, all visits were strictly forbidden.

Ning Yan was held on the third level. The entire cell was enveloped in restrictions, and Ning Yan was bound with sealing rings, rendering him as helpless as a mortal. His expression was profoundly complex as he sat motionless on the ground. Only when he sensed Xu Qing’s arrival did he reluctantly lift his head, looking at Xu Qing through the restrictive barrier.

“Boss…”

Gazing at Ning Yan, Xu Qing sat down cross-legged and surveyed the surroundings. “The environment here is quite acceptable,” Xu Qing remarked. “Not as squalid as I had imagined.”

Ning Yan offered a bitter smile.

“It’s also quite secluded. You can find peace here.” Ning Yan remained silent.

“And after you’ve calmed your mind, you might recall some things you’ve overlooked.” Xu Qing said nothing further, quietly observing Ning Yan, who instinctively grew a little nervous.

Xu Qing watched as Ning Yan’s gaze darted away. Time passed, and an incense stick burned down. Ning Yan lowered his head. Xu Qing closed his eyes. A profound silence settled between them.

After another incense stick had burned down, Xu Qing finally stood.

“Since you have nothing to tell me, I’ll be leaving!” Xu Qing said, turning to walk away. In the cell behind him, Ning Yan watched Xu Qing’s retreating back, his hesitation and internal turmoil intertwining. He remained silent until Xu Qing had taken five steps.

Ning Yan gritted his teeth, a decision made.

“Boss…” Xu Qing’s steps halted.

“While there’s a possibility that someone impersonated me in this matter, the greater likelihood is my brother… the Eleventh Imperial Prince!”

Xu Qing turned around, looking at Ning Yan through the restrictive barrier.

“The Eleventh Imperial Prince’s tomb has been investigated,” Ning Yan said, his voice soft, head bowed, and a complicated expression on his face as he touched the cell floor. “He is indeed confirmed dead.”

“Boss, my brother and I were born of the same mother. When we were young, we often played a game.”

Xu Qing listened intently.

“That game was hide-and-seek.”

“Every time, he could find me, no matter where I hid. He always knew exactly where I was. Do you know why? I asked him back then, and he told me I’d understand when I grew up. Yet, he was only born an incense stick’s time before me!”

“Now that I’ve grown up, and after I was brought here…” Ning Yan suddenly looked up at Xu Qing. “I know the answer now. Back then, wherever I hid, he could actually sense me through a special connection between us.”

“I can sense it too!” Ning Yan pointed to the ground. “My brother’s aura is below!”

Xu Qing’s mind was instantly stirred by these words.

“This aura is abnormal, almost indescribable. The only feeling I get is that he… is both familiar and strange, and carries a profound eeriness! I tried to call out, but there was no response.”

Ning Yan’s expression was a bitter mixture of emotions; this day had been an immense shock to him. Especially sensing his brother’s aura within this celestial prison, his thoughts were completely overturned. He distinctly remembered his brother and mother dying together. Yet, now, beneath this very prison, he was sensing his brother’s aura. He didn’t know the reason or how this was possible. But he was no longer a child; he understood this truly held a profound secret.

Xu Qing’s gaze fell to the ground. Below them lay six more levels. This was the imperial palace’s celestial prison, where individuals could only be confined by the Emperor’s direct decree.

“Someone presumed dead, yet seemingly alive, is found in a celestial prison where only the Emperor can order confinement. And this Eleventh Imperial Prince, supposedly not dead, stole the Sun of Dawn. His purpose is unknown, and his true fate remains uncertain.”

Xu Qing raised a hand to rub his brow. His thoughts drifted to Ning Yan’s mother; in hindsight, everything seemed intricately linked to her death years ago. The Emperor held a great secret, and the Grand Preceptor even more so.

After a long while, Xu Qing left the celestial prison and returned to the Sword Holder Palace, keeping this information to himself.

The investigation into Ning Yan yielded no further results, effectively halting the case. It was concluded. Then, late into the night, after the eighth hour, the Sword Holder Palace submitted all its investigation documents. The other four palaces also successively submitted their findings from various investigative angles, all summarized before the Emperor. As the Emperor reviewed these reports, the thunder in the sky grew louder and more furious, as if a burst of rage was about to erupt.

Ultimately, however, this rage did not descend. The Emperor closed his eyes and, after a long period of calming himself, seemed to have aged considerably. Yet, when his eyes opened again, the overwhelming majesty of the Emperor, who commanded all directions, had returned. With decisive eyes, he announced a startling imperial decree to the human race.

“Outside the imperial palace, effective immediately, twelve ‘Prince’s Incense’ pillars shall be erected,” the decree proclaimed. “Each will be ninety-nine zhang tall, spaced nine zhang apart, and colored crimson. Excluding Imperial Princesses An Ran and An Bei, the twelve imperial princes and princesses, including An Hai, shall each infuse one pillar with their soul blood, imprinting their divine essence. Since you all desire to contend for the succession, rather than stirring up undercurrents and destabilizing the court, it is better to do so openly! From today, all twelve incense pillars will ignite simultaneously. Based on each imperial prince and princess’s performance, merits will slow their incense’s burning, while mistakes will accelerate it. After one year, the one whose incense has burned the slowest and remains highest will be… the Crown Prince!”

Upon the issuance of this imperial decree, the capital buzzed with excitement, and all factions were deeply moved. The Emperor’s decisive action regarding the Crown Prince’s establishment not only shattered the hidden undercurrents but also transformed the succession struggle into a direct and guided competition. With everything laid bare, any contender for the Crown Prince position now had to ensure their incense burned the slowest to ultimately prevail. Merely being without merit or fault would not suffice, as the incense burned constantly, demanding continuous achievement. Immediately, all the imperial princes in the capital who had been following the Sun of Dawn theft now saw an intense light in their eyes.

With the decree proclaimed, the theft of the Sun of Dawn became an unresolved case, never to be mentioned again.

Ning Yan and Old Nine were released. The gates of the imperial grand hall were closed, and court was suspended for seven days.

Upon returning to his mansion, Ning Yan’s personality had changed after this incident, and he locked himself within the ancestral hall. Xu Qing knew Ning Yan likely preferred solitude at this time. He gazed at the ancestral hall, reflecting on the day’s events, and an answer solidified in his heart.

“The one who placed the piece has won a round.”

Meanwhile, with the imperial palace gates closed and the capital’s curfew lifted, as everyone was still reeling from the news of the Prince’s Incense, a fierce wind howled within the Tongtian Pavilion inside the imperial palace. The Emperor stood there, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the massive Ancient Emperor Star before him. Behind him, the void twisted, and the Grand Preceptor’s figure emerged from thin air. He cupped his hands towards the Emperor and smiled faintly.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty, on making this crucial decision,” the Grand Preceptor said. “And on severing the last trace of restraint.”

With profound eyes, the Emperor did not turn back, speaking calmly. “Even if you are the Purple Azure Crown Prince, you have not yet recovered. And you are within the heart of my human realm; it would not be difficult for this Emperor to slay you.”

The Grand Preceptor’s expression remained gentle as he spoke softly. “I am merely helping Your Majesty fulfill a dream. Besides, Your Majesty naturally knows about this matter; I merely gave it a push. There is someone else behind the scenes. As for their identity, Your Majesty already has the answer.”

The Emperor remained expressionless.

“Your Majesty already has divine attention, so now that the decision is made, you must act quickly. After all, this transaction is unprecedented!” With a smile, the Grand Preceptor’s form blurred and vanished with the wind.

A profound silence settled within the Tongtian Pavilion, save for the echoing wind. In the howling wind, the Emperor’s gaze seemed to pierce through the clouds, extending deep into the Ancient Emperor Star…