Chapter 267: Seeking Cultivation

The National Teacher's wife, too, ascended to the Heavenly Altar's summit. Her gaze fixed upon the scene before her. Qin Mu had already sheathed his sword, and while Emperor Yanfeng regarded his back, this young woman's eyes were upon them both, a shadow of worry clouding her features.

The bloodbath swiftly subsided. The monks and Daoists of Great Thunderclap Monastery and Dao Sect, those who could flee had fled, but more lay dead upon the Heavenly Altar, their blood staining the hallowed ground.

The steps ran red. Blood plasma gurgled its way down, from the nine hundred and ninety-ninth step, all the way to the first, pooling at the feet of the observing envoys from various nations, the leaders of myriad sects and schools gathered below the Heavenly Altar.

The Heavenly Altar, a place for sacrificing to the heavens, was now dyed a horrifying crimson.

"My Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand upon ten thousand years!" An unknown voice suddenly cried out, followed by the sound of knees hitting the stone.

*Hua la*—

On the Heavenly Altar, and below it, whether officials, delegations, or the leaders of various doors, sects, schools, and families, all swiftly knelt, pressing a single knee to the ground. A single, resounding voice filled the air: "My Emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand upon ten thousand years!"

Emperor Yanfeng turned, standing at the forefront of the highest steps. He spread his arms wide, accepting the prostrations of his subjects. After a moment, he made a lifting gesture with both hands, seemingly raising them all up: "Rise."

The National Teacher's wife looked towards Emperor Yanfeng. Behind him, Qin Mu and the eight overseer envoys of the Heavenly Devil Cult stood on the Heavenly Altar, unbent, unkneeling.

"Husband, Cult Leader Qin's sharp edge is fully exposed. I fear this bodes ill," she whispered to the Yan Kang National Teacher.

The Yan Kang National Teacher's gaze flickered towards Qin Mu before he shook his head. "For him, Yan Kang Country is merely a place of tempering. Killing the Crown Prince was but another trial. He has no such concerns. Moreover, the Emperor, both within and without, has great need of him."

The National Teacher's wife was startled. "Tempering?"

The Yan Kang National Teacher nodded. "Tempering."

This time, the Crown Prince's rebellion, his collusion with the Dao Sect and Great Thunderclap Monastery in an attempt to usurp the throne and harm the Emperor, the influence and destruction it wrought, was significant.

In the annals of history, perhaps it would be recorded with a simple sentence: "February 18th, Crown Prince Yu Xia plotted rebellion. March 6th, executed."

A stark simplicity. The details within, unknown to outsiders. The stories and intricacies often found only in unofficial histories, though most were muddled and unreliable.

Yet, after the rebellion came the bloody purge. The Crown Prince's lineage of officials were exterminated, their families wiped out. The monks and Daoists from Great Thunderclap Monastery and Dao Sect were also sent to the execution grounds.

The decapitations at Vegetable Market Mouth began on March 7th and continued without pause until April 1st, finally concluding.

During this time, a strange incident occurred. The Crown Prince's head was not found.

It had vanished without a trace. Searches around the Heavenly Altar yielded nothing, and Emperor Yanfeng did not order a detailed investigation.

Subsequently, the Emperor issued a decree. Crown Prince Ling Yu Xia's name was revoked, removed from the imperial family's genealogy and ancestral temple. His birth mother, the deceased former empress, was demoted to a consort.

Emperor Yanfeng then replaced officials. He selected young imperial scholars from the Imperial Academy for promotion and capable individuals from various armies and departments to fill the vacant positions.

Within a few days, the Emperor summoned the Second Prince, Ling Yu Shu, back from the border to assume official duties. A few days later, the Emperor feigned a slight illness and enfeoffed Ling Yu Shu as Crown Prince, entrusting him with overseeing the nation's affairs.

"Yu Shu, you are to oversee the nation. What is the first thing you will do?" Emperor Yanfeng summoned Crown Prince Ling Yu Shu and asked.

He had not held this second son in high regard. Ling Yu Shu was not the most outstanding of his offspring, nor did he possess the greatest courage among his children. His aptitude was not the most remarkable either. On the contrary, he had admired Ling Yu Xia, who possessed exceptional courage, insight, and talent, a pity that he possessed too much of it.

His other elder sons had perished prematurely, worn down by him.

Ling Yu Shu pondered for a moment. He had just returned from the border battlefield, and the tempering of recent months had instilled in him a nascent sense of heroic spirit, a touch of decisiveness.

This time, Ling Yu Xia's rebellion in collusion with Great Thunderclap Monastery and Dao Sect, because he was not in the capital, he had instead escaped calamity.

Ling Yu Shu said in a deep voice: "Your son should abolish elder brother's..."

Emperor Yanfeng's face sank: "Now, you are the eldest son. I have no son such as him."

Ling Yu Shu paused, then said: "Your son will abolish his alliances signed with foreign countries, reclaim the ceded lands, and clean up those sects that took advantage of the chaos to annex territories. Now that Dao Sect and Great Thunderclap Monastery have suffered significant losses, losing more than half of their experts, your son will seize this opportunity to prepare to reclaim the majority of Dao Sect and Great Thunderclap Monastery's sect lands."

Emperor Yanfeng's face eased slightly. He said: "And then?"

"Your son will replace father in relieving the disaster, but before relieving the disaster, your son will first issue a self-confession edict..."

Emperor Yanfeng suddenly flew into a rage, shouting: "Say that again!"

Ling Yu Shu bowed, his voice deep: "Your son will first issue a self-confession edict, taking the cause and effect of the heavenly disaster upon himself, praying to the heavens to send no more disasters and calamities, and thus soothe the hearts of the people."

Emperor Yanfeng's face remained grim, he said coldly: "Who taught you this?"

Ling Yu Shu was slightly startled: "Your son..."

"I ask you, who taught you!"

Emperor Yanfeng stood up, furious beyond measure, pacing back and forth. Suddenly, he roared: "You are my son! I know you inside and out! You cannot speak such words! These words are not born from the position of a Second Prince, but rather from the clear-sighted, pragmatic perspective of one seated upon the Emperor's throne! Speak, who taught you?"

Cold sweat broke out on Ling Yu Shu's forehead. He suddenly gritted his teeth and spoke honestly: "After returning to the capital, your son visited the National Teacher and happened to meet Zhong San Dafu who was treating the National Teacher's injuries. Your son discussed with them the possibility that father emperor might inquire about state affairs to test your son, and thus sought their counsel..."

Emperor Yanfeng's anger subsided. He said unhurriedly: "The matter of the self-confession edict, which of them said it?"

Ling Yu Shu said: "Both the National Teacher and Zhong San Dafu said it. They mentioned that this calamity is a punishment sent by the heavens. It is better to follow the will of the heavens and plan gradually. If we act with force, it will lead to defeat. For your son to issue the self-confession edict is better than for father emperor to issue it. If father emperor issues a self-confession edict, it is to deny the reforms. Your son, as Crown Prince, can feign agreement."

Emperor Yanfeng's face eased a little more. He sat down and continued: "I know that with your talent and courage, you still wouldn't dare to speak such words. It must be someone taught you, so I pretended to be angry. When I ask you about state affairs, do not simply repeat what they taught you. Speak also your own views."

Ling Yu Shu assented.

Emperor Yanfeng sighed: "I do not worry about the National Teacher. I only worry about Zhong San Dafu. I fear that one day, when I and the National Teacher are no longer here, you will be unable to contend with him. This time, my cultivation is completely lost, my divine treasure broken. It is very difficult to cultivate it back. Therefore, I let you oversee the nation and manage state affairs. You should be diligent and conscientious. If I cannot recover my cultivation, my lifespan will only be three to five decades. By then, you will be emperor. Broaden your own vision, and also broaden your own tolerance. Think more for yourself."

Meanwhile, on the Sacred Arrival Mountain of the Heavenly Devil Cult, Qin Mu led the cult's hall masters, elders, and others to the graves of Qian Tian Wang and Lu Tian Wang. Only a handful of ashes remained of Lu Tian Wang, while Qian Tian Wang's body was not found; his grave contained his garments.

Qin Mu stepped forward and placed the Crown Prince Ling Yu Xia's head before the graves. Everyone offered incense and paid their respects.

"May the two Heavenly Kings, in heaven, rest in peace."

Yu Tian Wang wished: "Heaven has sent down disaster and calamity; it is an eventful autumn. My Sacred Cult also inevitably faces calamity. Two Heavenly Kings, senior brothers, should protect my Sacred Cult."

After everyone had paid their respects, they dispersed.

Yu Tian Wang approached Qin Mu, hesitating slightly. He said: "Cult Leader still intends to return to Yan Kang?"

Qin Mu nodded.

Yu Tian Wang was puzzled: "This time, my Sacred Cult entered the imperial city, killed the false emperor, and eliminated so many strong individuals from Dao Sect and Great Thunderclap Monastery. I fear the Emperor will be wary of us. Is Cult Leader not worried going back like this?"

Qin Mu looked at the tombstones of the two Heavenly Kings, his face calm. He said: "Dao Sect and Great Thunderclap Monastery still exist. The Emperor's primary concern is to eliminate these two great holy lands. Until these two great holy lands are eliminated, he will not move against my Heavenly Sacred Cult. If these two great holy lands are destroyed, then we should be cautious. As for now, there is still no need to worry."

Yu Tian Wang considered it carefully. Indeed, this reasoning held true.

Qin Mu walked towards the Sacred Tree, gently stroking the textures of the ancient tree. He raised his head, looking at the tree crown, and said: "The way of the sages lies in the daily use of the common people. Yu Tian Wang, do you think we can truly change the great dao of heaven and earth?"

Yu Tian Wang stepped forward and said: "I am of dull aptitude. Cult Leader's question is too profound; I fear I cannot answer. But I know that before, the human world had no roads. As more people walked, roads appeared. Later, people disliked the muddy roads on rainy days, so they paved them with stone slabs, and the roads became much easier to walk. Later still, people disliked walking slowly, so they manufactured wheels and vehicles, and thus carriages ran on the roads. I think, perhaps from a time when there was no way for carriages, people created it, and thus the great dao of heaven and earth gained one more kind."

Qin Mu was stunned.

Yu Tian Wang continued: "Later, people disliked the slowness of carriages, and again created ships that could fly in the sky. There was no ready mysterious copper or mysterious gold, so they refined copper and gold from ores. Distances were too great to transmit messages, so they created flying letters to transmit. I think, perhaps with the creations of people, the great dao of this heaven and earth slowly increased."

Qin Mu was lost in thought, looking at the Sacred Tree, which had only one trunk, but its branches branched out more and more, and he involuntarily revealed a smile.

"Before, in the north during winter, it was difficult to eat fresh vegetables and fruits. But now, with flying ships, southern vegetables and fruits can be transported to the north in a few days. Before, in impoverished mountains and barren waters, demons and monsters were everywhere. Now, methods can be used to change geography, allowing impoverished mountains and barren waters to become mountains and clear waters. Before, the land was barren and produced little grain. Now, barren land can be made fertile."

Yu Tian Wang said: "Before, wind, rain, thunder, and lightning were heavenly phenomena. Now, people can already control wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. Cult Leader, have we changed the great dao of the world's heaven and earth?"

Qin Mu nodded, laughing: "We should have changed it."

Yu Tian Wang said: "Cult Leader, I am by nature dull..."

"You are not dull at all!"

Qin Mu interrupted him, laughing: "Yu Tian Wang, you are a capable person. There is no need to always belittle yourself. What were you just about to ask?"

Yu Tian Wang said: "Cult Leader just said that after the two great holy lands are destroyed, the Emperor might then deal with my Heavenly Sacred Cult. I wonder if Cult Leader has countermeasures? Or perhaps Cult Leader could also become emperor..."

Qin Mu shook his head: "No need to become. As long as the Emperor acts in accordance with my Heavenly Sacred Cult's principles, it doesn't matter whether I become emperor or not. Moreover, the National Teacher is also the fourth Heavenly King of my Sacred Cult. As long as the National Teacher is alive, how will the Emperor move against us? Furthermore, exterminating Dao Sect and Great Thunderclap Monastery will likely be quite difficult. Do not think too much. I came to Yan Kang merely for tempering my cultivation."

——I recommend this book to everyone, "Human Dao Rise." The mountain man has wonderful plans.