Chapter 1408, A Surprising Discovery; the Main Happiness Emperor’s Preceptor

Translator: Fate

Translation Checker: Silavin

 

“A solution?” Ji Hanjing kept a dispassionate smile on her face. She looked at Zhu Cangning and said, “There’s certainly a solution. Just kill Jiang Yun and set him free.”

 

Zhu Cangning was putting on a smile when he heard the first half of her response, but his smile soon froze and he was rooted to the spot.

 

In the entire the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty, only this Great Ancestor had the guts to say such a thing. Only she dared to be so disrespectful to Jiang Yun.

 

“Is there really no other way, Great Ancestor?” Zhu Cangning’s tone was bitter.

 

“Well, that’s the worst-case scenario. If Jing Yun is determined enough, he might be able to awaken from the endless darkness and break free from its hold, returning to his original self,” Ji Hanjing said impassively.

 

Upon hearing that, Zhu Cangning finally saw a glimmer of hope.

 

Since the Great Ancestor had said so, there was surely still some hope. After all, this Great Ancestor was the Daughter of the Middle Monarch, who had gone against the past Black Disaster. She definitely had a greater understanding of the Black Disaster than most people.

 

“I was wondering why the wise and gallant Emperor as described by all of you would make so many foolish decisions. This explains everything. No wonder he would decide to become the Alliance Leader of the Righteous Alliance and collaborate with the dark beings. He even signed that humiliating peace treaty with them.” Ji Hanjing seemed to be in deep thought. It was as though she was muttering to herself.

 

Zhu Cangning felt dejected. Although there was no evidence to prove that Jiang Yun had fallen into darkness and become a dark being, all the signs showed that it was the truth.

 

“Don’t let anyone else know about this for now. If word gets out that Jiang Yun has been corrupted by Dark Concentrate, it’ll have a negative impact on the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty. Before I fully take control of everything, this secret has to be hidden from everyone else. Also, retract the warrant for the arrest of Princess Weiyang. The Imperial South Kingdom is on good terms with the Righteous Alliance, and Jiang Yun has decided to let his Daughter marry their Ninth Prince. There might be a connection between the two incidents.” Ji Hanjing gave the order while glancing at Zhu Cangning.

 

“Yes, Great Ancestor.” Zhu Cangning turned solemn, no longer looking as dejected as before.

 

When the Imperial South Kingdom was at the peak of its power, it was just as powerful as any Supreme True World. Although its power had declined now, it was still fairly strong, and no one would dare underestimate it.

 

Moreover, all the signs showed that there was a deep connection between the Imperial South Kingdom and the dark beings.

 

Perhaps the King of the Imperial South Kingdom had also fallen into darkness.

 

“I hope nothing will go wrong at this juncture.” Ji Hanjing spoke solemnly and authoritatively.

 

“Don’t worry, Great Ancestor. I swear on my Dao Heart that I won’t let anyone else find out about it,” Zhu Cangning replied respectfully. His forehead was covered in sweat.

 

Although it had not been long since the Great Ancestor took over the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty, he knew how ruthless and powerful she was from her first few actions.

 

Under her rule, everything was run in an orderly manner. It could be said that she was just as adept at managing the Empire as Jiang Yun.

 

“You shall take your leave then,” Ji Hanjing ordered coldly after a nod.

 

Relieved, Zhu Cangning quickly left the hall. He dared not stay any longer.

 

He had a feeling that the Boundless Expanse would descend into chaos of an unprecedented scale. He could already envision the endless carnage. The sky would be covered in darkness and everywhere would be devastated by war.

 

“Is this also part of your plan? Even the fact that the Main Happiness Emperor has been corrupted by Dark Concentrate cannot be hidden from you.”

 

After Zhu Cangning left, Ji Hanjing stopped looking so icy. She fell into her thoughts with her hands placed on the table. Bored, she fiddled with several strands of hair that hung from her forehead.

 

She had no idea how Gu Changge found out about all of this. Before she could turn back into a Human after refining the Civilisation Supreme Treasure, Gu Changge had already made a plan for her. She just had to obey his order and walk down that path.

 

The fact that she made an appearance as the First Princess of the Flourishing Light Ancestral Court and everything that was happening now were part of Gu Changge’s plan. Nothing had gone a step off from it.

 

Even though Ji Hanjing felt that she had some understanding of Gu Changge, she still could not help but feel fearful. It was truly despairing for anyone to come across an enemy like him.

 

His power and strategies were unrivalled. No one in the Boundless Expanse could be his match.

 

However, what was the point of Gu Changge doing all of this? Given his strength and knowledge, it was not difficult for him to rule over the entire Boundless Expanse.

 

Ji Hanjing did not even know what was on his mind, let alone find out about his intentions.

 

[Does he really intend to slay the Heavens, as implied by the name Heavenslayers Alliance?]

 

“If that’s indeed the case, it’s destined to be an extremely difficult path. Can he truly achieve his goal?” Ji Hanjing muttered.

 

The fact that the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty had retracted the warrant for the arrest of Princess Weiyang soon spread across nearby Civilisations, causing a stir.

 

Many speculated that the current ruler of the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty, the Great Ancestor, was displeased with the fact that Jiang Yun had chosen a Husband for his Daughter. After all, she had exploded in rage in front of the ministers in the main hall after she heard of Jiang Yun’s decision to make peace with the dark beings, and criticised him for being an undeserving Father.

 

Nevertheless, without Jiang Yun’s permission, the political marriage between the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty and the Imperial South Kingdom could not be called off.

 

Even though the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty had retracted the warrant for the arrest of Princess Weiyang, it still could not change the fact that she had been betrothed to the Ninth Prince of the Imperial South Kingdom, Ye Wudao.

 

The Imperial South Kingdom had every right to capture the Princess, who had fled from her engagement.

 

…

 

It was the Forest of the Dead in the Western Hill State of the Yin River Ancient Territory. Among the magnificent mountains, the ancient trees were massive and miasma permeated the area. A group of merchants were heading to their destination with plenty of goods.

 

Ferocious beasts that looked like Zhu Yans (Large gorillas) were restricted by numerous chains and Runes. They were at the front of the group, carrying the goods.

 

All those in this convoy were cautious.

 

This place was infamous for being an ominous area in the Western Hill State. Not only was it full of danger, but the miasma also filled every part of it, blocking views and obstructing divine senses.

 

Cultivators could not fly over this area. Thus, there was no other way through but this route.

 

“Young Lady, please stop making things difficult for us. If you decide to take this trade route, you’ll need a being in the Immortal King Realm at the very least for protection. Otherwise, it’s no different from seeking death. My Mother is around 90 years old and I have children to feed. If I die here, no one will take care of them.” A shrivelled old man looked meekly at a young woman in a red dress. Her face was alluring and her skin was fair and delicate. There was a peach blossom mark between her brows. The old man almost wanted to fall to his knees and plead with her.

 

However, the young woman in a red dress was unperturbed. She seemed oblivious to what the old man was saying as she was calmly seated there.

 

“I just want you to escort me. I won’t kill you. Why are you so afraid?” The young woman in a red dress shot him a dispassionate look. She ignored this shrivelled old man’s plea. “Moreover, I’m here. Regardless of how terrifying the Forest of the Dead is, it will not be able to take you as long as I am here.”

 

She was dismissive of his pleas.

 

The shrivelled old man lamented and sighed with a dejected expression. “Young Lady, I’m only responsible for protecting some simple goods to earn some money. Even those Major Forces would not have the guts to escort you through.”

 

As he spoke, he could not help but shift his attention to the carriage that was covered in a black cloth among the caravan. Sometimes, they would hear the clanging of chains from it. They would also faintly hear some growls that did not sound Human.

 

Other than him, no one else from the group was aware of what was inside the carriage covered in a black cloth.

 

The others in the group dared not approach the carriage. From a distance, they could feel a chilly aura from it, as though it was wind from the Nine Nethers.

 

During their journey, they passed by several cities and were ambushed by some mysterious experts. Those people either wanted to snatch the goods inside the carriage or destroy it.

 

He was the manager of an ordinary caravan, who was merely responsible for escorting simple goods. It never crossed his mind that he would be dragged into such a serious matter in just one day.

 

He had been terrified in the past few days, worried that some cultivators would show up and kill him at any moment.

 

“You’ll receive your just reward after you help me deliver my goods through the Yin River Ancient Territory. The amount would be more than enough for you to spend for the rest of your life. Even if you come into danger, I’ll save you. This is a beneficial deal for you. What’s there to worry about?”

 

The woman’s face was delicate. She had a small nose and a pair of smooth lips that looked like flower petals. There was no doubt she was charming.

 

Despite that, the shrivelled old man was still worried. He would not dare to let his guard down. He never expected that he would have to escort something like this.

 

After all, such a thing was not supposed to appear in a place like this. No sane person would accept the task once he knew what that thing was.

 

The young woman stopped responding to the worried old man. She turned around and entered the carriage.

 

She spread her slender hand and it glowed. A vague and mysterious furnace appeared. It was full of Fortuity and Divine Lights intertwined with one another. An ancient crystal was soon formed.

 

“I’ve gained a lot of benefits this time. The Fortuitous Furnace has condensed a lot of Fortuity Crystals, which are enough for my own cultivation. Also, I’ve discovered something surprising…”

 

The young woman’s gaze was calm. She waved her hand and set up a barrier. Then, she sat down cross-legged with the back of her palms placed on her knees. The mysterious furnace hovered in front of her. Wisps of Fortuity surrounded her as she breathed.

 

Presently, at the back of the caravan, a black and crudely made carriage was following everyone else.

 

A caravan like this that had to go to many places would have the protection of powerful cultivators. Therefore, some small groups would follow a caravan like this. All they had to do was give them some money or rewards.

 

The person driving the black carriage was a thin man with sallow skin. He was clad in simple clothes and seemed like an honest man. There were four women inside the carriage.

 

The woman at the head was wearing a bamboo hat. Although her figure was curvy, there was a greenish black mark that covered half of her face, which made her seem terrifying. The other three women looked like maidservants, appearances all ordinary.

 

“That’s wonderful, Young Lady. The Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty has retracted the warrant for your arrest. I guess your engagement with the Ninth Prince of the Imperial South Kingdom will be called off soon as well. By then, you’ll be able to return to the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty.”

 

“Yes. Life has been tough as we’ve been trying to avoid the pursuers. We can finally take a breather.”

 

One of the maidservants seemed pleasantly surprised. Then, she cheerfully spoke in a small voice.

 

The other two maidservants were jovial as well. There was no doubt they were thrilled to learn of this news.

 

“Can we really go back to the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty?”

 

One of them seemed to be longing for the peaceful days back in the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty. She was sick of being on the run.

 

Since they could become Princess Weiyang’s maidservants, they were naturally not ordinary people. Any one of them would be treated like a prodigy in any Civilisation.

 

During this period, to run for their lives, they had experienced hardship they had never experienced before. They wandered around on the streets and were even regarded as beggars.

 

“Why did the warrant for my arrest get retracted?” The woman with a greenish black mark on her face was none other than Princess Weiyang. She seemed oblivious to the discussion between the three maidservants. Instead, she fell into her thoughts. She was bit elated upon learning of this news.

 

She even suspected that something had happened to her Father.

 

That was because the Main Happiness Emperor was the one who told her to run away and issued a warrant, so why did it get retracted all of a sudden?

 

[Are the rumours true? Has the Great Ancestor taken control of the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty? Is she the one who retracted the warrant? Regardless, I won’t go back to the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty for now. The Yin River Ancient Territory is distant from the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty. Although I have no idea where I should be going, I’ll obey my Father’s order and stay as far away from the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty.]

 

Jiang Weiyang lifted her beautiful eyes that could not see anything as she looked out the window.

 

The Yin River Ancient Territory was not part of the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty. It was independent from any Civilisation. There were all sorts of Forces there. The strongest Forces were the Silver River Holy Church and the Ancient Corpse Harnessing Sect.

 

After crossing the Forest of the Dead, they would arrive at the edge of the Yin River Ancient Territory. There was a Teleportation Array, which they could use to be sent to a far off place.

 

While Jiang Weiyang was fidgety because of the news, she suddenly realised that the wind outside the carriage had stopped. The sounds of the wheels moving had also disappeared.

 

The entire world seemed to have fallen silent.

 

At this moment, a mysterious force descended and separated her from the clamorous environment.

 

Even the three maidservants, who had been whispering among themselves, froze in that particular Spacetime. Their expressions were still cheerful. It was as though they had turned into clay sculptures.

 

Jiang Weiyang’s expression changed as her pupils dilated. Just as she was ready to get out of the carriage, an anxious voice was heard speaking from the outside. “Are you alright, Your Highness?”

 

The thin man driving the carriage was Zhu Fuyi, who had changed his appearance. He could also feel the terrifying change. The entire Spacetime seemed to have become stagnant.

 

The rest could not move. Even the flowing of time and traces of spiritual energy had all disappeared.

 

It was as if someone had pulled them out of that particular Spacetime, and they had been separated from the Boundless Expanse.

 

“I’m fine. It seems that someone is after me.” Jiang Weiyang was still calm and collected.

 

After all, she was the Princess of the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty and the Daughter of the Main Happiness Emperor. She knew more things than most, like how her Father could also easily make Spacetime stagnant.

 

Nevertheless, she was confused as to why Zhu Fuyi was unaffected.

 

“You’re indeed brave, Your Highness. You’re still calm and collected even during a time like this.” Suddenly, a gentle voice was heard coming from the void in front of them.

 

Zhu Fuyi lifted his head in shock, only to see an old man wearing a white robe with a hood stepping out of the void with a smile. Despite his old age, he seemed oddly energetic.

 

“You are…” His eyes widened in disbelief. It seemed that he could recognise the old man.

 

“Master Xing Ming?” At the same time, Jiang Weiyang sounded surprised.

 

Although she could not see, her perception was sharp. She could identify the person by sensing his aura.

 

This person was the imperial preceptor of the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty. His background was mysterious. He had assisted her Father to build the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty and helped launch the rebellion to against the Great Yang Ancient Dynasty, forcing Emperor Yang to end his life.

 

It could be said that Master Xing Ming was the imperial preceptor of their Emperors. All those in the Main Happiness Celestial Dynasty held him in high regard.