Chapter 730: The Human Prince's Incense

The sixth hour of the investigation into the theft of the Dawn Sun.

The sky was late, yet there was no crimson glow; the oppressive, pitch-black clouds made it seem as though dusk had arrived, yet not quite, as if the night had descended upon the world ahead of schedule.

The rain continued, accompanied by rumbling thunder, and the oppressive atmosphere, combined with the presence of the Imperial Palace guards, filled the human capital with a murderous chill.

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.

The investigation from the Five Palaces of the Profound Heaven involved a vast scope; beyond the Imperial Princes, it also implicated many cultivators associated with them.

Over the past six hours, most of these people had been taken away.

Some were taken from their places of cultivation, some from their sects, and others from their homes; no matter the party, when faced with the majesty of the Human Emperor, they had to choose to bow their heads.

Any resistance would be met with summary execution.

The falling rain washed away the blood, yet the scent of carnage was hard to disperse, gradually churning along with the night.

In the heavy rain of the night, Xu Qing, wearing the robes of a Sword Holder, walked on the path toward the Imperial Palace dungeon, his pace becoming hurried in accordance with his state of mind and the environment.

He had participated in the Sword Holding Palace's investigation of the Dawn Sun theft from start to finish, had seen all the evidence uncovered, and had felt the undercurrents surging among the various Imperial Princes within the capital.

"It shouldn't be like this."

Xu Qing looked up, his gaze piercing through the rain before him, staring at the Imperial Palace in the dark of night.

The dungeon was inside the Imperial Palace, and the entrance was not the Rainbow Bridge, but a side gate.

"These Imperial Princes are none of them ordinary; it is impossible for their connections to be uncovered so easily, unless... someone has woven and pushed all of this with their own hands."

"The Imperial Preceptor?"

"And the Human Emperor's own verification also feels somewhat abrupt."

Xu Qing frowned; he always felt that since arriving at the capital, the things he had seen contained a gap, as if a puzzle were missing a key piece.

"Is it possible that the one playing the game is not two people..."

Xu Qing's footsteps faltered; a bolt of heavenly thunder rumbled across the firmament, illuminating the Imperial Palace and reflecting the thoughtful expression on Xu Qing's face.

After a long while, Xu Qing closed his eyes; when he opened them, his expression was as usual, and he walked into the side gate of the Imperial Palace.

With the decree of the Sword Holding Palace, he passed the inspection smoothly and, guided by three black-armored guards, walked into the depths of the Imperial Palace.

Feeling the chill of the surroundings, the astonishing auras, and the restrictive runes on every brick and tile along the way, Xu Qing understood that this prison was likely the most secure in the capital.

Even with his decree, he still had to undergo layers of checks until it was confirmed there was no issue, and only then was Xu Qing brought to the cell where Xiang Ningyan was held.

The Imperial Palace dungeon had nine levels in total; the deeper one went, the higher the status and the more mysterious the imprisoned royalty.

Especially after the sixth level, all visits were strictly prohibited.

Xiang Ningyan was imprisoned on the third level.

The entire cell was shrouded in restrictions, and Xiang Ningyan was covered in sealing rings, rendering him like a mortal here, unable to fly even with wings; his expression was complex as he sat on the ground, motionless.

Only when he sensed Xu Qing's arrival did he manage to lift his head and look at Xu Qing outside the protective barrier.

"Boss..."

Looking at Xiang Ningyan, Xu Qing sat cross-legged and scanned the surroundings.

"The environment here is not bad; it's not as dirty or chaotic as I imagined."

Xiang Ningyan gave a bitter smile.

"And it's quite quiet; you can calm your mind well here."

Xiang Ningyan remained silent.

"After calming your mind, some things you overlooked might be recalled."

Xu Qing stopped speaking and looked at Xiang Ningyan calmly; Xiang Ningyan was instinctively a bit nervous, meeting Xu Qing's gaze, his eyes flickering away.

Time passed; an incense stick of time went by.

Xiang Ningyan lowered his head, and Xu Qing closed his eyes.

There was silence.

Until another incense stick of time passed, Xu Qing stood up.

"Since you have nothing to say to me, I am leaving."

Xu Qing turned and walked away; inside the cell behind him, Xiang Ningyan watched Xu Qing's back, his hesitation and conflict intertwining, until after Xu Qing had taken five steps, Xiang Ningyan gritted his teeth hard.

"Boss."

Xu Qing's footsteps paused.

"While it is possible that someone impersonated me in this matter, the greater possibility is... my brother, the Eleventh Imperial Prince."

Xu Qing turned around and looked at Xiang Ningyan through the barrier.

"The Eleventh Imperial Prince's tomb has been investigated; he is indeed dead."

Xiang Ningyan's expression was complex; he touched the floor of the cell, lowered his head, and spoke in a low voice.

"Boss... my brother and I were born together; when we were young, we often played a game."

Xu Qing focused.

"The game was hide-and-seek."

"But every time, he could find me; no matter where I hid, he knew clearly."

"I didn't know why, and I asked him at the time; he told me that when I grew up, I would know, even though he was only born an incense stick of time before me."

"Until today, after I was sent here..."

Xiang Ningyan lifted his head and looked at Xu Qing.

"I know the answer; back then, no matter where I hid, he could actually sense me through the special connection between us."

"I, too, have sensed it."

Xiang Ningyan pointed to the ground.

"Below, there is my brother's aura."

As soon as these words were spoken, Xu Qing's mind was stirred.

"This aura is not normal; I find it hard to describe, but the only feeling is... both familiar and strange, and it contains something eerie."

"I tried to call out, but there was no response."

Xiang Ningyan felt bitter, a mix of emotions; for him, this day had been a massive shock.

Especially sensing his brother's aura in this dungeon, it had overturned his thoughts; he clearly remembered that his brother and mother had died together.

Yet now, beneath this dungeon, he had actually sensed his brother's aura.

He did not know the reason, nor why this was so, but he was not a child; he understood... that this contained a massive secret.

Xu Qing was silent, his gaze falling on the ground.

This was the third level; there were six more levels below.

And this was the Imperial Palace dungeon; only by the Human Emperor's decree could someone be imprisoned here.

"A person who died is suspected to be alive, yet appears in a dungeon where only the Human Emperor can order imprisonment... and this suspected-to-be-alive Eleventh Imperial Prince stole the Dawn Sun."

"The purpose is unknown."

"Life and death are also unknown."

Xu Qing raised his hand to rub his brow; his mind suddenly thought of the portrait of Xiang Ningyan's mother, and looking at it now, it seemed everything was inextricably linked to the death of Xiang Ningyan's mother back then.

And the Human Emperor had a great secret.

The Imperial Preceptor even more so.

After a long while, Xu Qing left the dungeon and returned to the Sword Holding Palace.

He did not inform anyone else of this matter.

The lack of results from the investigation into Xiang Ningyan meant the case could not continue, ending with the current result; until late at night, after the eighth hour, the Sword Holding Palace submitted all investigative documents.

The other four palaces also submitted theirs in succession.

When the results from different directions were gathered before the Human Emperor, as he flipped through them, the heavenly thunder in the firmament roared even more, as if a burst of fury were about to erupt.

But in the end, this fury did not descend; the Human Emperor closed his eyes, and after calming down for a long time, he seemed to have aged somewhat.

Yet when his eyes opened again, that incomparably domineering Human Emperor, who suppressed all directions, saw his majesty return; a look of decisiveness appeared in his eyes as he announced an imperial decree that shook the human race.

Outside the Imperial Palace, starting from today, twelve Crown Prince Incense sticks shall be built, each ninety-nine zhang tall, spaced nine zhang apart, and red in color!

Excluding the two Imperial Princesses, An Ran and An Bei, the twelve Imperial Princes and Princesses, including An Hai, shall each infuse one stick with their soul blood, imprinting their own spirit.

"Since you all wish to vie for the throne, rather than causing chaos in the court with undercurrents, it is better to bring it out into the open."

"From today on, the twelve incense sticks shall burn together; based on the performance of each Imperial Prince and Princess, merit will slow the burning, and error will hasten it. One year from now, the one whose incense burns the slowest and remains the highest shall be... the Crown Prince!"

Once this decree was issued, the capital was in an uproar, and all factions were moved; the Human Emperor was not only incomparably decisive in establishing the Crown Prince, but he also tore apart all undercurrents, guiding the struggle for the throne in a positive direction.

In this way, everything was on the table; whoever wanted to be the Crown Prince had to ensure their own incense burned the slowest, so that it could ultimately stand high and tall.

And having neither merit nor fault would not suffice, so the incense would burn constantly.

In an instant, the various Imperial Princes in the capital who had been focused on the theft of the Dawn Sun all had intense light shining in their eyes.

And with the issuance of the imperial decree, the theft of the Dawn Sun became a cold case, and no one mentioned it again.

Xiang Ningyan and the Ninth Prince were also released; the Imperial Palace gates were closed, and no morning court was held for seven days.

Xiang Ningyan, having returned to his mansion, had his personality changed after this event, locking himself in the ancestral hall.

Xu Qing knew that at this time, Xiang Ningyan might prefer to be alone, so he looked at the ancestral hall, recalled the experiences of this day, and found an answer in his heart.

"The one who placed the pieces has won a round."

At the same time, as the Imperial Palace gates closed, the capital's curfew was lifted, and everyone was shaken by the matter of the Crown Prince Incense, inside the Imperial Palace, in the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, a great wind howled.

The Human Emperor stood there, hands behind his back, looking at the massive Ancient Imperial Star before him.

Behind him, the void distorted, and the figure of the Imperial Preceptor appeared out of thin air, bowing to the Human Emperor with a faint smile.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, for finally making the decision to sever the last trace of attachment."

The Human Emperor's eyes were profound; he did not turn his head, speaking indifferently.

"Even if you are the Prince Ziqing Crown Prince, you have not yet recovered, and you are within the vital territory of my human race; it would not be difficult for this Emperor to slay you."

The State Preceptor's expression was gentle as he spoke softly.

"I am merely helping Your Majesty fulfill a dream; furthermore, Your Majesty naturally knows that I only gave it a push, and there is someone else behind the scenes."

"As for who it is, Your Majesty also has the answer."

The Human Emperor remained expressionless.

"Your Majesty, a god is already paying attention, so since the decision has been made, it must be done as quickly as possible; after all, this transaction... is unprecedented."

The State Preceptor smiled, and after finishing, his body blurred and drifted away with the wind.

Inside the Heaven-Reaching Pavilion, it was silent, with only the sound of the wind echoing.

In that wind, the Human Emperor's gaze seemed to pierce through the clouds and mist, falling toward the depths of the Ancient Emperor Star...