The Great Martial Saint!

Chapter 988 The Rebellion of Treason, the Imperial Palace

Beneath the tranquil and peaceful exterior of Bi Cang Prefecture lies an atmosphere of extreme tension for all parties involved.

With three days remaining until the final selection of the crown prince at the Bicang County Prince's Mansion, the water in the prefecture city was becoming increasingly murky.

The Prince of Bicang's Mansion has been making continuous moves to suppress the faction to which Ji Dongqing belongs. Guards are constantly being mobilized around Biling Mountain.

Besides the Xuanjia Guards, which are the personal guards of the Prince of Bicang, the Prince of Bicang's residence also has some standing guards. As a royal family that was granted a fiefdom, the Prince of Bicang's residence naturally has this privilege.

The corresponding regulations and rules were all granted by the dynasty and conformed to the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty.

A major event is about to occur at Biling Mountain in a few days, one that will attract attention from all sides. Under such circumstances, it is only natural to deploy more forces to guard the area, maintain order, and prevent any mishaps.

As time went by, the layout of the Bicang Prince's Mansion seemed to become clearer and clearer.

With the constant suppression, the candidate to succeed the Prince has become increasingly clear.

The person to be chosen for the position three days from now will likely be Ji Xuanmo, who is currently the most popular candidate.

Another day passed, and the representatives from all sides began preparations for the ancestral ceremony two days later. Regardless of the circumstances, the established procedures remained unchanged and needed to be followed.

Even though the hope was slim, everyone still clung to that faint hope, hoping that the throne would eventually fall into their hands.

Now, much of the power struggle has come to a complete end. The awakening of the Prince of Bicang and the public display of his bloodline have completely put aside any lingering concerns many might have had.

This bloodline ceremony will be attended not only by members of the Prince of Bicang's household, but also by many other prominent figures from Bicang.

Some well-known independent cultivators, representatives of forces stationed in Bi Cang, and people from the official system.

Under such circumstances, even if they had any ulterior motives, they probably wouldn't dare to make them public.

Once you ruin your reputation and are branded as unfilial, the throne will be completely out of your reach.

In fact, not only the throne, but also the position of elder statesman, which might allow one to live out one's days in peace, is completely out of the question.

Being a clan elder in the Prince of Bicang's mansion is naturally not as prestigious as the most coveted positions, but compared to the average situation, this position is certainly a very high choice.

If one could attain the position of Grand Elder of the Clan Court, although one's power would not be comparable to that of the Prince of Bicang, one would still wield considerable influence within the clan.

With so many resources being allocated to him, he is probably not much different from the newly appointed Prince Bicang.

Many candidates who felt they had no chance of competing for the position of Prince of Bicang were eyeing the position of the clan elder.

The scenario of the snipe and the clam fighting while the fisherman benefits might very well happen to them.

Another day passed under these circumstances.

"Tomorrow, all of this will be settled."

Under the cover of night, Chen Ping'an stood under the green pine tree in Qingchi Courtyard, gazing into the distance.

Looking down from his vantage point, he could see a great deal.

As the sun rises and the sky begins to glow, the grand ceremony for the bloodline of the Prince of Bicang will take place, and the new Prince of Bicang will be announced there.

With the official status established, everything else falls into place naturally.

He will receive his reward and, after reviewing the secret files of the Prince of Bicang's mansion, will leave and return to Beishan.

Despite the change in Chen Ping'an's thoughts, his expression remained extremely calm.

At that moment, his brow twitched slightly, and he suddenly raised his head to look into the distant distance.

Boom!

A slight, low-pitched boom echoed in the distant sky, its sound, after being deliberately amplified and weakened, reached his ears.

It's on the southeast side.

The direction of Biling Mountain!

"problem occurs."

Although Biling Mountain is the ancestral land of Bicang, it is quite a distance from Bicang Prefecture City. This commotion seems to have been deliberately isolated and weakened by some kind of formation; at such a distance, even an ordinary second-realm Celestial Being would find it difficult to detect.

However, it could not escape his spiritual perception.

"Sure enough, things are more likely to go wrong at times like these."

Chen Ping'an sighed softly, flicked his sleeve, and the shimmering light disappeared as he headed away into the distance.

Above Mount Biling, violent fluctuations and collisions, like clouds exploding, created a powerful and chaotic scene that disturbed the heavens.

But for some reason, the power of this force was greatly reduced after it left Biling Mountain, and the amount of energy that escaped was less than one percent of its peak.

Rumble~

The sound was deafening, like surging waves.

At the same time, there were also shouts of battle and clashes of weapons. Trees fell, and the sound waves swept across the land.

However, the commotion did not last long and was quickly subsided amidst waves of noise.

Biling Mountain, the Prince's Palace.

"Ji Dongqing, you are a wolf in sheep's clothing, daring to lay a hand on your great-grandfather and commit treason!"

Ji Xuanmo, dressed in a magnificent robe, with a brilliant blue light shining from between his brows, looked down at the heavily injured and kneeling Ji Dongqing.

At this moment, Ji Dongqing looked extremely disheveled, with his hair flying wildly, his clothes tattered, and his expression full of resentment and anger.

"You already knew?"

Ji Dongqing's eyes seemed to spit fire, his gaze blazing with fury.

Outside the palace, corpses lay strewn about, and there were also menacing swords drawn, ready to strike.

The black-armored guards tightly surrounded the Prince's palace, protecting his safety.

His painstakingly assembled forces failed completely, unable to even breach the palace.

This situation wasn't due to his incompetence. Rather, it was because the other party seemed to have anticipated it, having laid a trap in advance, as if waiting for him to fall into it.

The hidden schemes laid out earlier all failed before they could even be activated.

As if they already knew, the other party pulled out the nails that had been hidden for so many years one by one in advance.

"How could I not know you have malicious intentions?"

Ji Xuanmo looked down, a victor's joy on his face.

He had effortlessly defeated his long-time nemesis, leaving him utterly ruined. How could he not feel joy in such a situation?

"Since my great-grandfather entered the palace, I have never let my guard down, and tonight is the night I have been waiting for!"

"Guards, seize him!" Ji Xuanmo shouted triumphantly, "I want to see my great-grandfather and ask him to make the final decision!"

"Yes, Your Highness." Outside the palace, Ji Dongqing's faction members looked delighted, their eyes brimming with barely suppressed joy.

Ji Dongqing acted against the natural order, storming the Prince's palace with the intention of rebellion. Now that he has been defeated and captured, the title of Prince is no longer his.

With Ji Dongqing no longer a rival, the position of Prince of the County is undoubtedly His Highness Xuanmo's.

With Your Highness's achievements today, even the Prince of the County would find it difficult to ignore.

Outside the palace, besides Ji Dongqing, there were many of his confidants, some of whom had died in the previous battles, and others who had survived by chance.

Some people are of unwavering integrity, while others at this moment show fear and despair.

"Your Highness Xuanmo, I have rendered meritorious service, I have rendered meritorious service."

Among the crowd, an old man shouted and struggled violently.

"Oh? I almost forgot about you." Ji Xuanmo's expression was playful as he slowly looked down at Ji Dongqing. "Ji Dongqing, you're still in the dark, aren't you? The reason I knew about your covert arrangements was largely thanks to your trusted advisor. Don't you think so, Old Man Yan?"

"Yes, yes, yes." The old man's face showed a fawning and ingratiating smile.

"Rock!" Ji Dongqing's face turned ashen, his eyes blazing with fury: "How dare you betray me!"

"Ji Dongqing, a wise man submits to circumstances. Your power is gone, even those around you know that. They know to abandon the darkness and turn to the light, and join this palace!" Ji Xuanmo said with a relaxed smile: "Guards, release him. This time you have done a good job."

"Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, Your Highness." Old Man Yan bowed and scraped repeatedly, his manner as servile as that of an old dog. "Pah!"

Behind Ji Dongqing, a middle-aged scholar coldly glanced at him and spat out a mouthful of saliva with contempt.

traitor!

All of Ji Dongqing's confidants shared the same sentiment, their expressions filled with disgust and impatience, as if they did not recognize Elder Yan.

Among them, Elder Yan held a consistently high position, considered one of His Highness's most important advisors. There were many things they didn't know, but Elder Yan knew them all.

Like the previous major repair in the Western Wilderness, Baosha Sanren was contacted by the other party. The other party relied heavily on him, but now...

“Traitor!” A strategist gave him a cold, piercing look.

"You are a coward who fears death; I am ashamed to be ranked with you!"

The old man's face was obsequious, as if he didn't realize it, and he was just trying his best to please the old man.

"Fool, only the living are real." Ji Xuanmo smiled, his face filled with the joy of a victor.

"Hahaha," Ji Dongqing laughed loudly, his expression desolate and unwilling: "The victor is king, the loser is villain. Ji Xuanmo, you may not be the one to have the last laugh."

"Oh? Is that so?" Ji Xuanmo smiled coldly, not even glancing at him. "Guards, take Ji Dongqing inside and bring him to the palace with me."

"Yes, Your Highness." The voice was like thunder, and the soldiers trembled.

Over the years, Ji Xuanmo has amassed an extremely large team around him.

Aoki Fugong looked delighted and, along with His Highness and the others, escorted Ji Xuanmo into the palace under the strict guard of the Xuanjia Guards.

"Grandson Xuanmo requests an audience with his great-grandfather." Outside the main hall of the palace, Ji Xuanmo bowed and announced his request for an audience.

Before long, an aged voice rang out from inside the hall.

"What's the matter?"

"Reporting to my great-grandfather, Ji Dongqing intended to rebel, but has now been suppressed. Xuanmo wishes to report this to my great-grandfather in person." Ji Xuanmo stood outside the hall with a respectful expression and his head slightly bowed.

"I am aware of this matter. You may leave. We will discuss everything at dawn!" The voice of Prince Bi Cang echoed from within the hall, refusing Ji Xuanmo's request for an audience.

Under normal circumstances, Ji Xuanmo should have left by now and wait until dawn to meet him again.

Unexpectedly, Ji Xuanmo stood still, simply cupping his hands and waiting for the Prince of Bicang to receive him.

"Get out of here!" Inside the hall, the voice of the Prince of Bicang became sterner.

"This matter is of great importance, and I humbly request that you, my great-grandfather, meet with me." Ji Xuanmo's posture was respectful, and his manners were impeccable.

"Ji Xuanmo!" The voice of the Prince of Bicang was stern: "Are you planning a rebellion?"

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Outside the main hall, weapons gleamed, their light blinding the eye.

"Your grandson wouldn't dare."

Ji Xuanmo's voice was calm, and despite the chilling glint of the blade, his expression remained unchanged. He stood motionless outside the hall, as firm as a nail.

At this moment, he would not feel at ease unless he heard the Prince's personal statement.

He has done so much, prepared so much for this position, and he won't be able to rest easy until the very last moment when he sees the result.

He also had to thank Ji Dongqing; without Ji Dongqing's actions, he wouldn't have been able to find such a legitimate reason to lead his troops into the palace.

Ji Dongqing had been plotting this for a long time, and now it had become his stepping stone.

Ji Xuanmo stood still, and the people behind him did not move either.

At this point, the situation is about to become clear. If we don't take a stand now, when will we?

By now, their interests and Ji Xuanmo's interests are deeply intertwined. Some things, even if they are utterly rebellious, must be done.

History is written by the victors.

As long as the throne is secured today, they will be loyal and devoted ministers.

All that happened tonight will vanish like smoke.

Inside and outside the main hall, there was a silent standoff.

The Prince of Bicang, who was inside the hall, remained silent for a long time before finally speaking.

"Come in."

"Grandson thanks Great-Grandfather." Ji Xuanmo bowed respectfully and stepped into the main hall.

Although his actions today are shielded by Ji Dongqing, they cannot conceal the fact that he was forcing the emperor to abdicate.

Judging from the current situation, once dawn breaks, the throne of the Prince will most likely fall into his hands.

But now, he will not allow it to happen even if there is the slightest possibility.

He wanted to make sure it was absolutely certain.

The throne of the Prince of the County should belong to him!

Ji Xuanmo entered the main hall, but the scene inside made him pause in surprise.

The scene before him was beyond his expectations.

At the head of the main hall, the Prince sat high. Although he was old and frail, his expression was not as weak as when they had met before. He even exuded an aura of authority that commanded respect without anger.

Two people stood to the left and right of the main hall. He recognized one of them—the Prince's confidant, Old Master Dou—so his presence here was not surprising at all. But the other person made his breath catch in his throat.

Elder Zong!

The Bi Cang County Prince's Mansion boasts numerous experts. Even those rare Celestial Realm powerhouses, accumulated over generations, are plentiful. However, those who have reached the second realm of Rainbow Crossing are far fewer in number.

Each of them was a powerful figure who controlled a strategic pass or faction, such as Aoki Fugong, whom he relied on heavily, and Ji Dongqing, Ji Shulan's main supporter.

However, these people are far from representing the core strength of the Bicang County Prince's Mansion.

A partial overhaul!

This is the true essence of the Bi Cang Prince's Mansion.

The exact number of near-master cultivators within the entire Bi Cang Prince's mansion may not be widely known to outsiders. However, through his years of investigation and understanding, the number of near-master cultivators is already transparent.

There are a total of three people in the entire Bi Cang County Prince's Mansion who are at the half-step major repair level.

One person who has always been by the side of Prince Bicang is an absolutely loyal confidant, Mr. Dou.

One person, residing in the Imperial Clan Court, was an elder member of the clan, highly respected and virtuous. Regarding the struggle for the crown prince position, he leaned towards neutrality; this person was the Imperial Clan Elder.

As for the other person, that is Elder Yi, who is by the side of Princess Ji Qingyu.

This one is also the easiest to overlook. Others just regard him as an ordinary senior celestial being, but very few people know that he is also a half-step great cultivator.

This is the core reason why various factions maintain good relations and remain neutral towards each other, rather than simply because of the prince's favor.

"Why is Elder Zong here?"

Ji Xuanmo's mind was thrown into turmoil, and he felt uneasy and anxious.

According to his plan, it was appropriate for Mr. Dou to be here. But Elder Zong should absolutely not be here.

With his preparations, he could handle Mr. Dou, but if Elder Zong joined forces, then…

Ji Xuanmo felt uneasy, but in a moment, he suppressed his emotions and respectfully bowed towards the top of the hall.

"Grandson greets great-grandfather."

"Get up." The voice of the Prince of Bicang was calm, revealing no emotion.

"The little guy from back then has grown up and has even learned to coerce others."

"Grandson wouldn't dare. Grandson." Ji Xuanmo raised his head and looked at the old man above the hall: "I just want to see who my great-grandfather has in mind."

"You've really grown up." Prince Bi Cang chuckled self-deprecatingly, gently reaching out to point to the golden scroll that had long been sealed on the desk.

"The answer you seek is written here. You will know tomorrow, so why the rush?"

Looking at the golden scroll on the desk, Ji Xuanmo's eyes revealed an eager anticipation.

"I humbly request that my great-grandfather allow me to have a preview." (End of Chapter)