Chapter 192: Completely Replacing Tian Zeyan

"How could I be joking with you about something like this! I only found out because the Holy Emperor of the Tianyu Dynasty just contacted me using a Communication Jade Tube," Cang Xingyan said, lowering his voice.

"What does that mean? The Tianyu Dynasty is going to hold a funeral for Tian Zeyan now, right?"

Jiang Xun asked.

After all, a Prince had died; surely they couldn't skip the funeral, right?

If they held a funeral for Tian Zeyan, wouldn't that mess everything up for him?

"I conveyed your situation here to the Tianyu Dynasty. The Tianyu Dynasty's intention is to cancel the funeral for the Tenth Prince. If you are willing, from tonight onwards, you will be the Tenth Prince of the Tianyu Dynasty."

"Bullshit! I didn't even get to show enough filial piety to my own father before he passed, and now they want me to show it to him?" Jiang Xun cursed upon hearing this.

"... This doesn't mean you have to act as his son; it just means that from now on, you will be the Tenth Prince of the Tianyu Dynasty in the public eye, and you will fully exercise all the rights of the Tenth Prince of the Tianyu Dynasty."

Cang Xingyan said.

"So you mean I just need to put on a front?"

Jiang Xun asked.

There was no way it was such a good deal.

"Of course, you will also need to contribute to the Tianyu Dynasty. For example, if there is a war, or if the Dynasty needs you to take action, you must participate."

As expected.

"But Tian Zeyan is already dead. How will those other Princes of the Tianyu Dynasty react when they see me?"

Jiang Xun asked.

"Haven't you noticed? In the entire Tianwai Island, you haven't seen a single person from the Tianyu Dynasty."

"Uh, that's true." Jiang Xun nodded.

"The Princes of the Tianyu Dynasty all remain in the Imperial City. Furthermore, Tian Zeyan himself, ever since he fell severely ill at the age of six, lived alone in his sleeping quarters. Almost no one, including the Tianyu Holy Emperor, has ever seen him; only Tian Zeyan's Maid has seen him."

"And this Maid has been imprisoned since Tian Zeyan's death. Her five senses have been sealed; she can neither speak nor hear. So, apart from the Tianyu Holy Emperor, no one in the Tianyu Dynasty will know that your identity is wrong."

Imprisoned? Why not just execute her?

Jiang Xun frowned and thought.

Soon, Jiang Xun understood; the Tianyu Holy Emperor was also keeping a backup plan, keeping someone who could prove the identity of the real Tenth Prince.

"And the final word from the Tianyu Holy Emperor is: if you are willing to become the Tenth Prince in the public eye, you take a Dao Oath. If you are not willing, he will not force you, and the funeral for Tian Zeyan will be held in three days."

Cang Xingyan said.

"... You call this not forcing me? This is clearly coercing me, okay?"

Jiang Xun was speechless upon hearing this. Three days later—weren't these three days just left as a consideration period for Jiang Xun? If you were willing, you could stay on Tianwai Island; if you weren't, they were giving you a chance to leave.

"Anyway... that was the exact message. I have no choice either. Thanks to you, this is the first time I've ever spoken with the Tianyu Holy Emperor," Cang Xingyan also said helplessly.

"Sigh." Jiang Xun sighed. He couldn't leave for the sake of the Lingerie-Sect: "Then I'll take the oath."

He absolutely could not take out the Soul Returning Pill for Tian Zeyan. On one hand, he was afraid of being targeted by the Tianyu Dynasty; on the other hand, Tian Zeyan's death might actually be a good thing for Jiang Xun.

"Just say: 'I, Jiang Xun, am willing to become the Tenth Prince of the Tianyu Dynasty in the public eye, enjoy all the rights of a Prince, act in the name of the Tianyu Dynasty, work for the Tianyu Dynasty, and respond to the calls of the Tianyu Dynasty. I will never voluntarily expose my true identity. If I violate this oath, may my body die and my Dao vanish, and may I never be reincarnated for all eternity.'"

"... And 'never be reincarnated for all eternity' at that." Jiang Xun rolled his eyes, then reached out to take the oath.

Seeing a flash of light on Jiang Xun's body, Cang Xingyan felt relieved.

"I will go back and tell the Tianyu Holy Emperor. You don't need to worry about anything else."

"Mm."

Jiang Xun nodded, then watched Cang Xingyan leave.

"I've discovered that this Dao Oath is useless against you," Si Yuyan said after Cang Xingling left. "You just eat a Soul Returning Pill and you're alive again. You have so many Soul Returning Pills, you don't need to worry about reincarnation at all."

"That's true. If it were any other requirement, I'd have to consider it, but asking me to die? That's impossible," Jiang Xun nodded and laughed.

This wave was equivalent to getting a fake identity for free, and from now on, he could run rampant with the status of a Prince.

"I think this Tian Zeyan died suspiciously. You are about to have your Top Ranking Challenge, and Tian Zeyan died at this time. Could the Tianyu Dynasty be trying to tie you down and control the Lingerie-Sect?"

Si Yuyan said afterwards.

"Yo, you've become smart," Jiang Xun was stunned upon hearing this. He really hadn't thought in that direction just now.

"Is that it?" Si Yuyan ignored Jiang Xun's teasing and pressed him.

"Cang Xingling and the others didn't tell the Tianyu Holy Emperor my true identity, but I think that since they want me to impersonate a Prince, the Tianyu Dynasty must have verified my identity, so what you said is very possible."

"... Forgive my bluntness, but the Lingerie-Sect has too much trouble. Except for the Baihua Sect, all the trouble finds its way to us," Si Yuyan said helplessly.

"They're all beautiful women, after all, with a reputation abroad. Everyone thinks the women of the Lingerie-Sect are very promiscuous and yearn for Dual Cultivation, but they are too embarrassed to say it out loud. They talk about merging or cooperating, but isn't it all just for Dual Cultivation?"

Jiang Xun shrugged.

There had been quite a few similar troubles over the years, but none had escalated to the level of a Dynasty, the Tianwu Sect, or Tianwai Island; they were all insignificant small-timers.

When did it start...

It was after merging with the Baihua Sect; the status of the Lingerie-Sect rose, and the troubles faced became greater.

Uh, or perhaps it was because Jiang Xun ran around everywhere and got himself into a mess...

"But whether he is dead or not, I don't have time to care right now. Finding a place to release Jiang Yan and teach me the second stage is the most important thing now."

Jiang Xun said as he flew downstairs.

If there was anywhere without people now, it would probably be the small cave where Gufang Ninglin used to live.

Jiang Xun arrived near the cave, and sure enough, there was no one there. After all, this stream had a foul stench, and these disciples of Tianwai Island definitely couldn't stand it.

Jiang Xun entered the cave, used his Ice Flame to condense an Ice Wall at the entrance to block the view from outside, and then took out Jiang Yan's corpse.

After pinching Jiang Yan's still-rosy little face and taking a little advantage, Jiang Xun used the Soul Returning Pill to start reviving Jiang Yan.

As the Soul Returning Pill entered Jiang Yan's mouth and was catalyzed by Jiang Xun, Jiang Yan's body began to recover. Because the physical body existed, Jiang Yan opened her eyes very quickly this time.

After opening her eyes and looking at Jiang Xun, she said, "What are you doing?"

"It's time to learn the second stage," Jiang Xun laughed.

Jiang Yan rolled her eyes upon hearing this, then stretched her body, emitting a crackling sound, twisted her neck, and stood up: "Let me first test how well you have practiced the first level."