608 Treading in the Shadows
Qing Cang Palace, Imperial Capital.
The muscular youth, Long Pingāan, knelt anxiously before Prince Qing Cang. āGodfather, itās been several months. Instead of dwindling, the crowd outside has only swelled.ā
In stark contrast to Long Pingāanās worried expression, Prince Qing Cang appeared unperturbed. Casually humming, he poured water on the flowers, his plump form exuding an air of nonchalance. āIt doesnāt matter. The area around the imperial residence is mine. Have those restaurants, gambling dens, and brothels increase their rates. Theyāve become too greedy. Increase them fivefold.ā
...
āGodfather, weāre under scrutiny. Should the six clans settle their feud with the three sects, weāll be their next target. And that person in the palace⦠time isnāt on our side.ā
Prince Qing Cang chuckled, spraying the water on the petals. āWhat would you have me do? The time isnāt right for any action on my part. And Pingāan, how are you so certain the person in the palace is running out of time?ā
Long Pingāan hesitated, then responded, āRumors have been rampant for years. Otherwise, would the six royal clans dare to be this audacious?ā
Prince Qing Cangās tone turned grave. āTread carefully. Those who consistently operate in the shadows often become consumed by them. The Sacred Heart Sectās fanaticism will be their undoing.ā
Prince Qing Cangās meaningful words caused Long Pingāanās body to stiffen. āIāll heed your advice, foster father.ā He cupped his fists and left quickly.
āWhat a headache. Iāve become a bird in a cageā¦āPrince Qing Cang looked in the palaceās direction. āI underestimated this young emperor.ā
ā¦
āAchoo!ā
Within the confines of the imperial palace, the little emperor sneezed, his small frame wrapped in a blanket. Holding a pile of memorials, he mused aloud, āWhoās talking about me? Could it be my good imperial uncleā¦ā
A disembodied voice whispered, āQing Cang has lain low for many years, nursing old grudges. Having seen through a plan heās harbored for over three hundred years, how do you expect him to react?ā
The little emperor retained his poise. āAncestor, how should I proceed?ā
The voice sounded almost amused. āYou have an idea, donāt you? Why seek my counsel?ā
Caught off guard, the little emperor stammered, āIf I had any inkling, I wouldāve actedā¦ā
Interrupting him, the ancestor pressed, āThen why did you give him the flowing rainbow dragon scales?ā
The little emperor chuckled. āYou truly are astute, Ancestor.ā He sighed wistfully, saying, āThe owner of those scales⦠such a figure appears once in millennia.ā
āIndeed, to singlehandedly take down six ancient kings is unheard of,ā the ancestorās voice echoed with a mix of awe and caution. āCan you confirm who that person is?ā
The little emperor hesitated for a moment. āIām not sure. They bear the dragon energy, but locating the dragon clan is a feat in itself. The Kun Peng wings, however, are distinct to Qingzhou.ā
The ancestor prompted, āBut?ā
The little emperor replied, āItās just too obvious, too straightforward. It feels like a misdirection. That person might be human, master of the art of camouflage and deceit. Befriending such a being requires true sincerity.ā
The ancestorās tone grew solemn, āThen do as you wish. My only piece of advice is itās best not to make an enemy of such a figure.ā His voice dissolved into the echoing silence of the royal study.
ā¦
Meanwhile, atop the Hundred Spirit Mountain, the king corpse hovered, casting its gaze below.
āYou dared to comeā¦ā
The earth rumbled in response, causing a cacophony of bird calls and the distant sound of beasts. As dust clouds billowed, a force emanated from the heart of the mountain, revealing its source ā the white-robed king.
The king corpse watched with composed anticipation as the mountainās peak was torn asunder.
Inside the now-exposed mountainside, the white-robed kingās eyes flared with determination. āRise!ā
With a single command, the massive mountain was repelled, its aura reverberating like a relentless drumbeat through the range.
He hadnāt had time to summon his king realm puppet, yet his enemies were already upon him. They had tracked him with an alarming speed, perhaps due to some divine power technique.
The king corpse, unfazed by the massive mountain hurtling towards him, simply extended his arm, releasing a devastating punch.
Boom!
The mountain shattered, raining down as meteor-like fragments, while the white-robed kingās enraged countenance was visible amongst the falling debris. He had been merely days away from empowering his king realm puppet.
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