Chapter 472

Chapter 472: The Moment to Show Loyalty

“Great one, spare my life! There was definitely no blood sacrifice before. I only took advantage of the Great Xia’s change of dynasties when the national fortune couldn’t hold the winning fish, sneaking into the underground lake. This winning fish can always linger near the Stone Stele, and even if it doesn’t practice, it grows stronger. Recently, after the national fortune fluctuated twice, it refused to leave. But I was severely injured and prepared to conduct a blood sacrifice to force it away. Thankfully, you arrived in time and prevented the little emperor from making a grave mistake. You can check my soul if you don’t believe me.” Zhao Yuxi displayed a repentant demeanor.

“So that was the winning fish,” Li Hui said. He had heard the name before but had never seen its image. It was rumored that this fish rarely appeared, but when it did, it would trigger massive floods. Being near the Dai Character Stele was not such a bad thing.

“Great one, you should leave quickly!” Zhao Yuxi urged. “Today’s situation is complicated; the Yin Moon Dynasty and Great Xia will surely clash.”

“Tell me everything you know,” Li Hui said. He did not enter the mountain. The heavenly palace above unleashed thunderous punishment, and Masters from the All-Manifestation Realm, summoned from various sects, began to attack the demon lair. There were also over ten ancestors in the Profound Law stage holding the line, with national fortune heavily leaning toward this location. It seemed there was truly a chance to eliminate the tumor.

Zhao Yuxi hesitated. “The little emperor doesn’t know much. However, guessing from the thoughts of those in power, the Yin Moon Dynasty will definitely take this opportunity to establish their authority. If they can kill the Summer Emperor, the entire Wutu Continent will be shocked. Moreover, the current Summer Emperor is cunning and shrewd; even in his old age, he is more crafty. He may not necessarily preside over the heavenly palace. It’s likely he set up a trap for the enemy. Or he could be clever enough to use himself as bait to lure out formidable foes.”

“Formidable foes? Does Great Xia have any Traveling Realm cultivators?” Li Hui knew little about the upper echelon of Great Xia, but Zhao Yuxi, being an old ghost, would surely know.

“Yes, the Jin Tian Sect has several, though the exact number is never known to the outside world. The sect leaders of several major sects in Great Xia are likely in the Traveling Realm as well. From what the little emperor knows, Traveling Realm cultivators focus on balance. Even if they take action, it’s unlikely anyone would understand, so they are rarely mentioned in texts.”

“Then these formidable foes would at most reach late Profound Law Stage?”

“Ah, you are the Daoist of the Jin Tian Sect and naturally do not care about the late Profound Law Stage, but how many can you find across the continent? It’s not unusual for someone to reach the Profound Law stage, but it is incredibly difficult to reach mid-stage or late-stage. In fact, achieving that in the Wutu Continent’s realms is nearly impossible; one would have to seek opportunities in other continents.”

“Is that so?” Li Hui found this old ghost somewhat useful; at least he had extensive experience and knew much more about Great Xia than he did.

“There’s no other way,” Zhao Yuxi sighed. “The Wutu Continent is neither small nor large. It sits at the center of many continents, which is why, in ancient times, powerful experts from other lands often landed here to gather rare treasures. They specifically came to face tribulation, and since this land is barren, it’s not worth lamenting. Over time, they took away the opportunities for the later generations to rise.”

“I see, thank you for the guidance,” Li Hui expressed his heartfelt gratitude. He now relied on the Dai Character Stele to reach mid-stage Bosa, standing among the mid-tier cultivators of Great Xia. Yet within the entire cultivation system, he still seemed somewhat low. Following the order of Spirit Motion, Gather Spirit, Condense Essence, Bosa, All-Manifestation, Profound Law, Traveling Realm, Void Ascension, and Celestial Sovereign, the All-Manifestation Realm truly marked the mid-tier.

At this moment, he couldn’t help but think, “I wonder when I will elevate to All-Manifestation. My Ideal Body cultivation has lagged, and I have yet to push it to the peak of mid-stage Bosa. My profound qi cultivation has risen, reaching early late-stage Bosa, which is no small feat. However, when facing the All-Manifestation tribulation, it’s best if my body refinement is at an appropriate level; otherwise, it will be difficult to reach perfection.”

In the distance, golden thunder rained down, leveling many nearby peaks. The demon lair had already been suppressed by disciples of the Jin Tian Sect, and today, the Summer Emperor was making serious moves to quickly clear away the peripheral obstacles.

They fought among themselves; Li Hui had no desire to participate, but there were people he was concerned about.

In his hardest years, his sister-in-law chose to go without food to ensure he could eat, saying that a growing child must not miss a meal. When he had just joined the Jade Symbol Sect, all his clothes were hand-sewn by his sister-in-law. She not only saved and scrimped on fabric but also put in quite a bit of thought, insisting that he mustn’t lose face in front of his peers.

To say she was like a sister or mother was no exaggeration. Even if his sister-in-law could no longer recall the details of those moments, Li Hui would absolutely not allow any harm to come to her.

Zhao Yuxi was shocked. “What are you planning, Great One? It’s dangerous ahead; you won’t even have time to hide, yet you charge forward?!”

“Shut up! Understand this: make any sudden moves, and I’ll send you straight to the afterlife,” Li Hui sped ahead, quickly closing in on the area where golden thunder washed over. He saw in the distance a deep pit that resembled an abyss. It was too dark and too deep; even Bai Ze’s divine eye couldn’t see the bottom.

“Please don’t send me away! Spare me… whatever the Great One says goes.” Zhao Yuxi, terrified, thought to himself, “He’s a ruthless one.”

Li Hui halted his steps; he couldn’t go further. Advancing would mean stepping into the battlefield, and he would be attacked if he didn’t invite the cultivators.

Just then, a voice emanated from the heavenly palace: “Father, I wish to fight! I have returned from Yang Jue Mountain without yet using demon blood to sacrifice my sword!”

“Thirteenth Prince, be patient; I and the old ministers are willing to fight.”

“Eradicate the demons! Eradicate the evil! I’m willing to battle alongside brother Thirteenth and show these ruckus-making demons the might of the Dinghuo Continent!”

“I volunteer to fight…”

“I swear on my life to eradicate the demons…”

“I’m willing to lead the charge and ensure they leave not a single piece of armor behind.”

On the surface, they all appeared supportive of Zhi Cheng, but in reality, the princes and ministers had divided into many factions. Everyone knew it was time to show their loyalty. The ministers had their favored princes, along with those royal relatives.

When the dark moon appeared, they had been invisible. Now that the Summer Emperor was to give orders, they quickly jumped out to assert their presence. Although Great Xia had a crown prince, if the crown prince did not perform adequately, it would not be difficult for him to be replaced by the Summer Emperor’s decree.

To be a crown prince of Great Xia was the most challenging task. If you are benevolent, people say you are indecisive. If you are ruthless, people say you are cruel and immoral.

Every generation of Summer Emperors holds sway over the world for at least a hundred years; the longest reign has reached eight hundred years. This is still due to the Barbarian Nation and many border clans impacting the national fortune; otherwise, there would always be rare items that could extend life, allowing them to rule Great Xia for a thousand years without issue.

The current Summer Emperor had ruled over Great Xia for more than three hundred years and lived a fulfilling life. Given the circumstances, he could easily last another three hundred years; the crown prince even believed he might not outlive his father.

Why wouldn’t he outlive him? His brothers plotted against his position! Little did they know that a pie would fall from the sky, and the Summer Emperor’s time was short. Unfortunately, that pie might not be his. This time, as the Summer Emperor went to war, he ordered the crown prince to stay at the royal city, making him anxious about how to display his loyalty.

At the moment many princes were offering to battle, in the Great Xia royal palace’s study, the crown prince was hastily writing at his desk. A eunuch conveyed that Side Consort Wu Zhao sought an audience.

“Oh? My beloved consort has come; let her in quickly!” The crown prince rose. His beloved consort was quite opinionated; he felt he should hear Mei Niang’s thoughts…