Chapter 40: The Second Prince

"After observing him these past few days, our emperor dislikes trouble, and especially dislikes others causing him trouble—you understand now?"

Zhao Wenyuan wore an enigmatic expression, then savored the bitter tea in his cup.

Unlike the tribute teas of other court ministers, the tea leaves he brewed were utterly ordinary, affordable even to common folk.

The attendant beside him, upon hearing this, looked as if he had just had a sudden revelation.

"I understand—we should directly eliminate the trouble for His Majesty, and he’ll surely appreciate us."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Zhao Wenyuan spat out his tea, choking badly.

The attendant hurriedly handed him a cloth and wiped away the tea stains on the table.

After catching his breath, Zhao Wenyuan cursed: "Eliminate it? If I could handle the Second Prince, I’d have done it already. Forget it—let’s not talk about this. As ministers, our duty is to assist His Majesty when he needs us, so he’ll see us as useful."

This was Zhao Wenyuan’s way of serving as a minister.

General Guo Po’s mistake was that he overeagerly tried to impress, acting according to his own understanding to help Li Chen.

But were those the things Li Chen actually needed?

If he guessed right, Li Chen might indeed appreciate him.

But if he guessed wrong, he’d be confined to his home.

Zhao Wenyuan had served as chancellor for decades, and his position remained unshaken even though Li Chen held little personal regard for him—because he understood the way of ruler and minister.

When Li Chen needed something, he could prepare it in advance—but he would never offer it before being asked.

It was like when Li Chen was thirsty and wanted water—he had already prepared ten cups of different flavors, yet he never offered them proactively.

Only when Li Chen asked for water would he present the cups and let Li Chen choose; Li Chen would then pick the one he liked.

In this way, he would never make a mistake.

Nor would he ever end up like Guo Po, kissing the horse’s ass and getting kicked in the face.

As chancellor, Zhao Wenyuan had already reached the peak of titles; as long as he made no errors and demonstrated his competence, his position was secure.

This, he defined as the ideal "perfect minister" persona.

Of course, the incident last time when he forgot to bring money while dining out was purely an accident—he hadn’t anticipated it at all.

Since then, Zhao Wenyuan had developed the habit of carrying some cash in his pocket whenever he went out.

On the other side, in the central region of the TianCe Dynasty, stood a magnificent and awe-inspiring sect: Tianyan Divine Sect.

Tianyan Divine Sect controlled nine immortal mountains, each shrouded in mist and steeped in divine aura.

These nine mountains rose in layers, from low to high, like a celestial ladder piercing straight into the clouds.

The sect’s disciples called them the "Nine Heavens," symbolizing the sect’s transcendence beyond the mundane.

Tianyan Divine Sect’s territory stretched vast and boundless, as if it were an independent little world.

Across this immense land, buildings stood in orderly arrangement, majestic and imposing.

There were gilded palaces, serene courtyards, towering pagodas piercing the heavens—each structure radiated the sect’s depth and power.

The sect had thousands of disciples, all of exceptional talent.

Even the registered disciples numbered over ten thousand; though not formally admitted, they still held deep reverence and longing for the sect.

The sect was teeming with powerful cultivators and prodigies.

Among them, the sect master, Supreme Heaven Man, possessed unfathomable strength and abilities that reached the heavens and pierced the earth.

He had founded the Nine Abyss Sacred Domain and was its alliance leader.

Most importantly, Supreme Heaven Man was the master of the TianCe Dynasty’s Second Prince, Li Xian.

This relationship elevated the status of the Nine Heavens of Lingxiao within the TianCe Dynasty, making it even more noble and unique.

After suffering a major defeat at Li Chen’s hands, Li Xian had slunk back to the sect, seeking his master’s intervention.

In his view, Li Chen, so young and already at the Saint Realm, must be newly ascended.

His master, Supreme Heaven Man, had been a Saint for decades, and countless powerful cultivators had fallen before him.

If he could persuade his master to act, dealing with Li Chen would be as easy as plucking an apple. But the problem was—how to get his master to act at all.

Though the title "Supreme Heaven Man" sounded blasphemous, he had so far done nothing truly blasphemous.

Killing Li Chen? That would be regicide!

The entire TianCe Dynasty would be thrown into chaos.

Sect cultivators considered themselves celestial immortals beyond the world, and they cared deeply about their reputation—they would never lightly commit such an act.

Since returning to the sect, Li Xian’s expression had been grim.

Though powerful and highly regarded within the sect, none of the disciples dared provoke him.

Supreme Heaven Man was in seclusion; Li Xian had informed his master of his return the very day he arrived.

But now two days had passed, and Supreme Heaven Man had still not responded, leaving Li Xian extremely anxious.

If he didn’t act now, and waited until Li Chen had firmly secured the throne, then any move against him would truly be blasphemous!

He could no longer wait idly, so Li Xian went to the sect’s rear mountain, where a quiet courtyard stood.

The courtyard was rich with spiritual energy, causing the plants and trees to flourish extraordinarily.

!

In the courtyard sat a woman of breathtaking beauty, clad in a shimmering celestial robe, wearing an exquisite jade crown, a bright red cinnabar dot on her brow adding allure and seduction without diminishing her divine aura—no one dared to desecrate her.

Her skin was whiter than snow, smooth as porcelain; her nose was elegantly straight and refined, her lips pink and supple, and when she blinked, the subtle charm in her eyes was mesmerizing.

From another angle, one could see the full curve of her hips, and even from behind, the magnificent swell of her chest.

She looked like a woman just past thirty—a mature beauty whose essence seemed to drip with honey.

She was Li Xian’s concubine, the consort of the Supreme Heaven Man, the Youlan Immortal.

"Mistress, it’s been two days—why hasn’t Master replied to me?"

Every time Li Xian saw Youlan Immortal, he was deeply respectful.

Since his master spent years in seclusion, most of his cultivation guidance came from his mistress.

His current level of cultivation was thanks entirely to her meticulous teaching.

"You’re still so impulsive," Youlan Immortal said. "How many times have I told you? Rushing for results only leads to failure at the final moment."

Her voice was like celestial music, slowly calming Li Xian’s restless heart.

Then, like a child, Li Xian began to complain—how many years he had fought for the throne, enduring the Crown Prince’s suppression and the other princes’ schemes, barely surviving until now.

If he gave up here, he could never accept it.

Youlan Immortal seemed moved by his words and agreed to speak with Supreme Heaven Man again.

Li Xian was overjoyed, repeatedly thanking his mistress and promising that once he became emperor, he would build her the largest Dao hall in the imperial capital.

Watching Youlan Immortal’s retreating figure, Li Xian knew this time he had it in the bag!

His master always listened most carefully to his mistress’s advice.

Inside Supreme Heaven Man’s seclusion cave, a graceful figure entered.

"I assume it’s Xian asking you to come?"

Before Youlan Immortal even spoke, Supreme Heaven Man already knew her purpose.

"If you know, why haven’t you given Xian a clear answer? I’ve noticed he’s been restless these past two days."

Youlan Immortal truly still cared deeply for Li Xian.

At this, Supreme Heaven Man replied calmly: "I will help Xian—but not now."

"But that’s regicide!" Youlan Immortal’s expression was filled with confusion.

She had assumed his silence stemmed from reluctance to bear the stigma of such an act.

"Who said I intend to commit regicide?" Supreme Heaven Man smiled mysteriously.

(End of Chapter)