Chapter 258: The Crown Prince’s Methods

Chapter 258: Chapter 258: The Crown Prince’s Methods

The test at the Inquiry Stele Tower had certainly made a name for Chu Fan in the Celestial Dao Palace, though that had not been his intention.

Only afterward did he learn the significance of the Combat Power and Defense Value scores, and why they had caused such a commotion.

On second thought, Chu Fan felt it was to be expected. Throughout his journey, not only had he been accompanied by a supreme treasure like the Juntian Mirror, but his encounters had also been quite fortunate. Coupled with the fact that he possessed the Chaos Body, ’it’s only natural I could achieve such a feat!’

Leng Yingxue’s departure had caught Chu Fan somewhat off guard, but it was just like her. He would think of her in the dead of night, but life had to go on.

Over the next three days, Ye Xiaohan and his friends showed Chu Fan around many parts of Laojun Mountain, giving him a deeper understanding of the Celestial Dao Palace.

Three days later, Ye Xiaohan went into seclusion. Chu Fan then asked Yan Ying to help him find a Mentor within the Celestial Dao Palace who was skilled with the spear to guide him in his Spear Technique.

Of course, Yan Ying didn’t refuse.

Yan Ying invited an Outer Sect Elder named Gu Jie, who promised that for the month and a half leading up to the sixth month, he would come to Taihua Peak every two days to instruct Chu Fan in Spear Technique for two hours.

Chu Fan naturally cherished such an opportunity. Besides the two hours of instruction from Elder Gu Jie, he spent an additional six hours a day practicing his Spear Technique.

He was like a child just beginning their journey in the Martial Dao, diligent and hardworking.

Every day, he was drenched in sweat.

This Elder, Gu Jie, had truly profound attainments in the Spear Dao. His instruction progressed from the simple to the complex. He also found many Spear Manuals for Chu Fan, encouraging him to gain his own insights in addition to receiving direct guidance.

Chu Fan’s talent was exceptional, so under the tutelage of a skilled master, his progress in the way of the spear was more evident each day.

He even grew increasingly adept at using the Wandering Dragon Spiritual Awareness Spear Technique.

On this night, under a bright moon and a sky of sparse stars, Chu Fan set down his Iron Spear. Just as he was about to wash up, Yan Ying emerged from her room and called out to him.

"What is it? How are you feeling today?"

"I just slept for two hours and took my medicine. I’m feeling a little better."

Chu Fan nodded. "There’s less than a month to go. Once we enter the Secret Realm, I will do everything in my power to help you."

Yan Ying nodded as well, then asked, "Your Sword Dao has already reached the Middle Stage of Sword Intent Follows the Heart. Why abandon the sword to learn the spear now?"

’Why? To give you another chance at survival, of course.’

’Although Crown Prince Long Jingyao has pinned all his hopes for Yan Ying’s survival on some fated encounter in the Hua Xu Secret Realm, I’ve never been there, so I have no idea if that’s reliable.’

’Ultimately, I feel like it’s no different from searching for a needle in a haystack.’

’In half a year, once my Spear Technique reaches the Dao, I can undo the third seal on the Juntian Mirror. It would be best if Yan Ying is fortunate enough to find a Cultivation Technique for the Profound Yin Body in the Secret Realm. But if not, with the Great Returning Pill, at least she won’t die.’

’Besides, unsealing the Juntian Mirror layer by layer is a series of steps on my path to power, and I must climb each one.’

’My parents are waiting to be saved, and my enemies are waiting to be killed.’

’There are still people I need to protect.’

’Becoming stronger is my only way out.’

’I absolutely cannot afford to waste time. I must seize every single opportunity to improve myself.’

"I took on a pair of disciples in the Eastern Domain," Chu Fan said, his tone half-truthful. "My male disciple loves nothing but the spear. As his master, I can’t just teach him blindly, can I? I need to improve myself first, lest I lead him astray."

"You’re quite the dedicated master. Not bad, keep it up!" Yan Ying smiled. Without another word, she turned and left.

That night, Chu Fan sat cross-legged in his room, his mind completely absorbed by the Dao of Cause and Effect. Although he hadn’t achieved any sudden enlightenment, he had recently learned to analyze his daily experiences and past events by connecting them through the web of Cause and Effect.

As a result, his understanding of Cause and Effect was subtly and constantly deepening.

The White Fox lay at Chu Fan’s side.

It greedily absorbed the True Qi and Spiritual Power that Chu Fan accumulated through his Cultivation.

Ever since breaking through to the Divine Separation Realm, Chu Fan had failed to notice something strange. Although his body was circulating energy twenty-four hours a day, his Cultivation level had not progressed in the slightest.

He simply assumed that the amount of Spiritual Power required to advance each tier in the Divine Separation Realm was just that immense.

He had no idea that the White Fox he treated like family, which was always by his side, was stealing the fruits of his Cultivation.

It wasn’t just the Spiritual Power he cultivated; his Spiritual Power and his comprehension of Daoist Techniques were also being stolen by this little creature.

In the days that followed, Chu Fan’s life was exhausting yet fulfilling. He practiced his Spear Technique by day and contemplated the Celestial Dao by night.

In his rare moments of leisure, he would also chat with Yan Ying.

During these conversations, Chu Fan learned that Yan Ying had lost her mother, the Crown Prince Consort of that time, at birth. The Crown Prince later took other Concubines, but Yan Ying could feel his profound and enduring love for her mother.

Despite the many Concubines in the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince cared little for them.

Even the birth mother of the Imperial Grandson failed to win the Crown Prince’s true affection.

Very few people knew Yan Ying’s true identity. Even the Imperial Grandson himself didn’t know he had an older half-sister.

Everyone in the Court and the palace believed she had died with her mother during a difficult childbirth.

That was how Yan Ying had managed to keep her identity so well hidden. As for why the Crown Prince had chosen to do so, no one knew—not even Yan Ying herself.

The Crown Prince would come to stay at the Celestial Dao Palace for a period each year, but even then, the father and daughter would only meet a few times.

It was the same this time. The Crown Prince had met with her only once; he had spoken more words to Chu Fan, an outsider, than to his own daughter.

The Crown Prince had already left Laojun Mountain, though no one knew exactly when he had departed.

That was simply the kind of man the Crown Prince was. No one could fathom his thoughts, nor did anyone dare to try.

What Chu Fan didn’t know was that during his time at the Celestial Dao Palace on Laojun Mountain, a bloodbath was unfolding in the Central Domain.

In Prince Huai’s Mansion, everyone capable of wielding a blade—including his own children—was slaughtered overnight. The only survivors were Prince Huai himself, now utterly alone, and a few of the women and children of the household.

Princess Huaining and her two lovers were found dead in an inn.

Afterward, seven or eight families with close ties to Prince Huai’s Mansion—such as the Ju, Qi, and Song Families—were completely annihilated.

With a Prince’s household suffering such a catastrophe, the Imperial Clan Court was obligated to conduct a thorough investigation. However, before the Imperial Clan Court or the Ministry of Justice could even dispatch their agents, the Crown Prince issued a decree accusing Prince Huai of treason and ordering the Garrison Army to escort him to the Capital City to answer for his crimes.

After that, the Crown Prince began to purge the Court.

Many Civil and Military Officials were implicated in Prince Huai’s alleged rebellion. In just over half a month, more than thirty officials and their entire families were put to the sword.

He then promoted nearly a hundred new officials to replace them.

In truth, the names of all the officials—both those executed for their connection to Prince Huai’s rebellion and those newly promoted by the Crown Prince—had been on the list Master Yunchen gave him.

Throughout this entire affair, the Emperor remained silent. Even when old ministers who had served him for over a century went to Qiantai Hall to beg for a decree of pardon, the Emperor would simply evade the topic.

It was as if the Emperor intended to completely cede his authority to the Crown Prince. Though he had not issued a Holy Decree appointing the Crown Prince as regent, his inaction had established it as fact.

The Capital City was thrown into turmoil. No one knew what the Crown Prince was truly planning.

Many in the Court knew that while Prince Huai could be arrogant, the notion that he harbored any intent of rebellion was laughable.

The Crown Prince then issued another order that sent a chill through the other Princes: before the sixth day of the sixth month, all Princes and Commandery Princes were to bring their consorts and all children aged ten or older to the Capital City for an imperial audience.