Chapter 292: Yinwen’s Choice of Life and Death

Chapter 292: Chapter 292: Yinwen’s Choice of Life and Death

「By the North Garden River Channel in the Hua Xu Empire’s Palace City.」

Yan Ying slowly emerged from the Space-Time Shuttle, causing a stir among the Imperial Forest Guards standing watch over the River Channel.

In the recorded history of the Hua Xu Empire, the shortest stay for anyone in the Hua Xu Secret Realm was three months. Yan Ying, however, had only been inside for a little over twenty days—not even a full month.

She had undoubtedly broken the record for the shortest time spent in the Secret Realm.

These Imperial Forest Guards didn’t know Yan Ying’s true identity. Their Captain even shouted at her bossily, "Since you’re out of the Secret Realm, I will go report to the Crown Prince. You are to wait here for His Highness’s orders."

Yan Ying nodded.

"What’s your name?"

"Long Yintian."

The Captain froze for a moment. The name was only one letter off from the Imperial Grandson’s. ’Is there someone like that in the Royal Family?’ he wondered.

Nevertheless, he sent a Guard to report to the Crown Prince.

Yan Ying waited on the bank.

Chu Fan’s scent seemed to linger on her. ’To think we’d be separated so soon,’ she thought.

Before long, Long Jingyao arrived at the North Garden. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes the moment he saw Yan Ying.

"Did you have any fortuitous encounters inside?"

"I obtained a book on the ninth floor of the Nine-Layered Tower. My cultivation has now reached the Void Realm," Yan Ying stated calmly.

She made no effort to speak privately. When the surrounding Guards heard her, they were all left gaping in astonishment.

’For ten thousand years, no one besides the Grand Ancestor Emperor has ever obtained a book from the ninth floor of the Nine-Layered Tower. She’s the first person to do so since him, and she reached the Void Realm after just twenty-odd days inside?’

’How old is she? The Void Realm?’

’This is absolutely insane!’

"Good. Excellent. You’ve done very well. Follow me to the Eastern Palace to rest. I have matters to discuss with you."

"As you command!"

Half an hour later, in Yan Ying’s personal chambers in Jinlan Garden at the Eastern Palace, a female Healer took her pulse. Once finished, she stepped out of the room.

Long Jingyao was waiting just outside the door.

When he saw the Healer emerge, Long Jingyao dismissed everyone else and asked her, "Well?"

"Your Highness," the Healer reported, "she is indeed with child, for no more than ten days. Though it is early, the fetus’s heartbeat is exceptionally strong. It will likely be an unparalleled prodigy."

Long Jingyao nodded. "From this day forward, you will personally attend to her every need until the child is born. If there is so much as a single mishap, you and all nine relations of your clan will be exterminated. But if you care for her well, I guarantee your family a thousand years of wealth and glory."

Upon hearing this, the woman felt no excitement, only terror. Her legs trembled uncontrollably as she dropped to her knees. "This humble servant thanks Your Highness for your immense grace!"

After the Healer departed, Long Jingyao pushed the door open, entered, and shut it behind him.

"Royal Father!" Yan Ying curtsied.

Long Jingyao waved a hand dismissively. "You are with child. Dispense with such formalities from now on. Did you truly obtain the book from the ninth floor?"

Yan Ying nodded. "It is called *Yin Yang*."

"*Yin Yang*?" Long Jingyao frowned. He didn’t understand the purpose of this book, but regardless, since it was one of the nine tomes from the ninth floor of the Nine-Layered Tower, it was bound to be unbelievably powerful.

’It seems my plan was correct,’ he thought. ’Entrusting the authority of the Empire to her is the right move.’

"Royal Father, what are your intentions for Chu Fan?" Yan Ying asked cautiously.

"In any case, he is the father of the child you carry. Once he leaves the Secret Realm, we’ll let him return to the Eastern Domain."

"You truly won’t move against him, Royal Father?" Yan Ying asked.

Long Jingyao burst out laughing. "Silly girl, am I that kind of person? If I moved against him, you would hate me for it, wouldn’t you? Rest assured. As long as he poses no threat to the Empire’s authority, I am no bloodthirsty butcher."

’Could Long Jingyao’s words be trusted?’

Yan Ying didn’t believe him for a second. From that day on, she went to the North Garden of the Palace City every day to wait for Chu Fan to emerge from the Secret Realm, determined to see him safely out of the Central Domain.

「Inside the Secret Realm.」

Long Yinwen roared at Chu Fan, "I asked you, how do you know?!"

But shockwaves were already crashing through Chu Fan’s mind. ’So, Crown Prince Long Jingyao began laying his plans over twenty years ago.’

’From Yan Ying being raised as a boy to Long Yinwen’s identity as the Imperial Grandson...’

’This was just a glimpse of the depth of Long Jingyao’s cunning and the brilliance of his methods.’

"So, he’s threatening you with your family, your entire clan?" Chu Fan asked.

Long Yinwen slumped to the ground, defeated.

"Do you want to live or die?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you want to live, and if you don’t want to bring harm to your family, you had best answer my questions truthfully," Chu Fan said.

"And why should I believe you?"

"Stop with the royal ’I.’ You’re only deceiving yourself. Trusting me might be your only way out of this alive. If you don’t believe me, I can show you something that will convince you."

As he spoke, Chu Fan snapped his fingers. The Stone Giant that had left earlier came running back, its every footstep making the very earth seem to tremble.

Long Yinwen shot to his feet in alarm, instantly ready for battle.

But then, Long Yinwen saw more than a dozen White Apes rush in from another direction to intercept the Stone Giant, and the two sides began to fight.

"You did this? How did you do it?"

Chu Fan snapped his fingers again. The White Apes and the Stone Giant immediately broke apart and vanished without a trace.

"Where in this Secret Realm do you want to go?" Chu Fan asked.

"Moon Cang Mountain."

The words had barely left his lips when he and Chu Fan appeared before the Nine-Layered Tower.

"This is..." Long Yinwen stared, dumbfounded, at the scene before him.

"Do you believe me now?"

"Fine. Ask whatever you want."

"When did you find out you weren’t Long Jingyao’s son?"

"Half a year ago. It was around that time I contracted an illness that even the Imperial Physicians couldn’t cure. A little over three months ago, my Royal Father sent me to the Celestial Dao Palace. The Hundred Flowers Wanderer, Lao Yisheng, diagnosed me personally and said that the juice of a Cloud Flower from the Hua Xu Secret Realm could cure my condition."

"Lao Yisheng has been to the Hua Xu Secret Realm before?"

"He entered once, over two hundred years ago," Long Yinwen said.

"Did Long Jingyao say anything to you about the matter of the Emperor’s throne?"

"He’s already told me I’m not his son. Of course the Emperor’s throne won’t be passed down to me. Did he really need to spell that out?"

"Then do you know Yan Ying’s true identity?"

"Yan Ying? Isn’t he Master Yunchen’s Direct Disciple?" Long Yinwen asked, confused.

"He is Long Jingyao’s first child."

Long Yinwen’s first reaction was disbelief. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized how many lingering questions suddenly made sense in light of this revelation. ℴ

"I’ll tell you another fact. In three years at most, the Emperor will abdicate the throne. The one to succeed him won’t be Crown Prince Long Jingyao, but Yan Ying. Now, imagine what your fate will be."

"No, that’s impossible!" Long Yinwen denied. "My Royal Father... Long Jingyao has coveted the Emperor’s throne for years. Why would he let someone else take it?"

Ignoring whether Long Yinwen believed him or not, Chu Fan changed the subject. "Do you still think you’re in this situation because of me?"

"This world is now completely under my control. I can help you raise your Cultivation to the Void Realm in the shortest time possible right here. And in the future, I can get you safely out of the Central Domain. The choice is yours."

"What do you mean?"

"I almost forgot you all swore a Celestial Dao Oath before entering. But that’s fine. You can wait to leave until after Yan Ying ascends the throne. Then it won’t count as breaking your oath."

"Are you telling me to pledge my allegiance to Yan Ying?"

"Do you have any other choice? You can leave the Secret Realm now and be executed by Long Jingyao, or you can wait for Yan Ying to ascend the throne, pledge allegiance to her, and at least keep your life."