THE ETERNAL DYNASTY 1-3

1284 - The Eternal Dynasty_1

A servant softly walked towards a slender and handsome man and whispered in his ear.

The man’s face was covered by a mask of sorrow, but a trace of joy secretly flashed across his eyes. He did not react and ordered the servant to leave. He sighed softly and walked over to an exquisite-looking girl, who was secretly wiping away her tears.

“Eldest Royal Sister.” The man called softly as he handed her a handkerchief.

The girl took the handkerchief and wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes. “Eldest Royal Brother… Fourth Royal Brother was just too pitiful. He was only thirteen years old… why…”

These two were the eldest prince of the Eternal Dynasty, Ling Feng, and the eldest princess, Ling Qiong.

Just yesterday, the crown prince of the Eternal Dynasty, the Fourth Prince, had suddenly taken ill and died. Today was the day of the funeral.

The Fourth Prince was the Emperor of the Eternal Dynasty’s youngest son. The Emperor had doted on the Fourth Prince, who was the son of his old age. He even ignored the ministers who felt that the Fourth Prince was too young to be made crown prince. He had insisted, and a month ago, the Fourth Prince was made the crown prince of the Eternal Dynasty.

But no one had expected the Fourth Prince to die suddenly.

The Emperor was deeply grieved. The Fourth Prince’s mother had cried until she was hoarse and exhausted. The other princes and princesses had arrived in the imperial city to participate in the funeral of their young brother.

“Fourth Royal Brother was pitiful. He was so young, why… Eldest Royal Sister, don’t grieve too much, or you might make yourself ill and cause our Royal Father more worry.” Ling Feng comforted her softly.

The Eldest Princess, Ling Qiong, wiped her tears and nodded gently.

There were no traces of tears in Ling Feng’s eyes. He glanced around and said softly in Ling Qiong’s ear, “The guests have arrived.”

A strange look flashed across Ling Qiong’s eyes. Then, she began crying bitterly, as if she had not heard him. She cried so hard that she turned pale.

“Eldest Royal Sister! Eldest Royal Sister!” When Ling Feng saw that Ling Qiong had cried herself into a faint, he scooped her up in shock and hurriedly sought medical attention.

The ministers could not help but sigh when they saw the Eldest Princess cry so bitterly over the death of her brother.

Only one person smiled coldly.

That was a frosty-looking girl, who was extraordinarily beautiful and was enshrouded in an elegant air. She watched as the Eldest Prince and Princess left. There was no amusement in her eyes, only coldness.

“Third Royal Brother, Eldest Royal Sister loved our Fourth Royal Brother so much. Her tears just now were truly heart-wrenching.” The frosty-looking girl suddenly turned to look at a handsome man next to her.

Ling Yan raised his eyes slightly and smiled at the frosty-looking girl, the Second Princess of the Eternal Dynasty, Ling Yue.

“Our Eldest Royal Sister has always doted on her younger brothers and sisters. She must be heartbroken by what happened to the Fourth Prince.”

Ling Yue laughed softly. The chill in her smile deepened as she looked at Ling Yan’s calm countenance.

“Third Royal Brother has always been intelligent. Of course you know the truth behind Fourth Royal Brother’s death. Our Eldest Royal Brother and Sister have always been on good terms. Didn’t they invite Third Royal Brother for a short stay a few days ago? Has Third Royal Brother forgotten that?”

Ling Yan laughed softly, but he did not reply. He glanced at the disappearing figures of the Eldest Prince and Princess from the corner of his eye. Amusement continued to linger in his eyes.

Miss Ye, we are about to meet soon.

______________________________________________________________________________________

1285 - The Eternal Dynasty_2

The Eldest Prince hurriedly carried the Eldest Princess away. However, after they left the palace and got into a sedan, the Eldest Princess suddenly recovered. She casually wiped the tear stains from her eyes and took out powder to repair her exquisitely made-up face, as if no one else was around. She also removed her mourning attire.

“Eldest Royal Sister, your acting skills are truly admirable.” The Eldest Prince laughed softly as he watched his younger sister swiftly change her appearance.

The Eldest Princess glanced at the Eldest Prince and laughed. “Royal Brother, is what you said true? The guests from the Temple of Shadows have arrived?”

“Naturally.” The Eldest Prince nodded with a smile.

The Eldest Princess nodded slightly. “That’s good. Our Royal Father spoiled our Fourth Royal Brother and made him crown prince over everyone’s protests. He did not expect our Fourth Royal Brother to be so unfortunate as to die after having been crown prince for only a few months.”

The Eldest Prince laughed softly and said, “Our Fourth Royal Brother was too young and needed more training. It was inappropriate for our Royal Father to allow him to become crown prince so early. Nonetheless… since Fourth Royal Brother is already dead, we will say no more… However, our Second Royal Sister has recently grown even closer to the Grand Advisor.”

“Hmph.” The Eldest Princess laughed coldly. “Second Royal Sister is too ambitious. The Advisor is from the Sacred Ground of Reflection. She thinks that by seeking support from the Advisor, she will receive aid from the Sacred Ground of Reflection. However… it won’t be that easy for her to achieve her desires…”

A malicious look flashed across the Eldest Princess’s eyes.

After a while, the carriage stopped at the residence of the Eldest Prince.

The Eldest Prince and Princess alighted and went directly towards the main hall.

Three figures were already sitting in the main hall of the Eldest Prince’s residence.

The moment the Eldest Prince and Princess saw the three figures seated in the main hall, they hurried over to greet them.

“Honored guests from the Divine Temple, we are sorry to keep you waiting. Please excuse us.” The Eldest Prince went forward with a smile and bowed apologetically.

The Eldest Princess also bowed.

Ye Qingtang, who was sitting in the main hall, quietly observed the two people who were next in line to the throne of the Eternal Dynasty. On the way here, she had vaguely heard about them from Lady Ghost.

The cooperation between the Temple of Shadows and the Eternal Dynasty was essentially selecting the most suitable prince to ascend the throne of the Eternal Dynasty.

In this generation, the Temple of Shadows had chosen the Eldest Prince, Ling Feng.

The Eternal Dynasty’s emperor was getting old and infirm. In recent years, the position of crown prince had been vacant, with the various princes and princesses jockeying for the highest position.

Not long ago, the Emperor of the Eternal Dynasty had suddenly selected a crown prince.

He had made his most beloved Fourth Prince the crown prince of the Eternal Dynasty.

“Guardian Lady Ghost, it has been a long time. How are you…” The Eldest Princess greeted Lady Ghost. She had previously met Lady Ghost once and so knew who she was.

She was also very happy to see Lady Ghost.

Their chances of victory were slightly greater now that the Temple of Shadows had sent their guardian.

Lady Ghost smiled and nodded. She introduced the Eldest Prince and Princess. “This is the Holy Son of the Temple of Shadows, Ming Gu.”

The Eldest Prince and Princess were taken aback and bowed to Ming Gu.

“Greetings, Holy Son Ming Gu.”

So far, the most senior member of the Temple of Shadows that they had met was Lady Ghost, and they had only met her once. They had not expected even the Holy Son to be dispatched!

______________________________________________________________________________________

1286 - The Eternal Dynasty_3

Ming Gu could not be bothered to make small talk with these two. His gaze remained fixed on Ye Qingtang.

When they saw that Ming Gu was ignoring them, the two of them naturally did not say anything else.

“And this is…” The Eldest Prince’s keen senses noted the direction of Ming Gu’s gaze and noticed a beautiful young girl with a faint smile, who was sitting nearby.

Lady Ghost’s expression flickered, and she said, “This is Elder Ye from the Temple of Shadows.”

“So you’re an elder. Greetings, Elder!” The Eldest Prince and Princess did not suspect anything and simply bowed.

Before Ye Qingtang entered the Eternal Dynasty, she had instructed Lady Ghost not to tell anyone that she was the Holy Lord. Lady Ghost had naturally followed her orders.

“We have received the Eldest Prince’s news. What is the situation now?” Lady Ghost said with a smile.

Now that Ye Qingtang was incognito, Ming Gu supposedly had the highest status. However, Ming Gu was unwilling to pay attention to anyone else, so Lady Ghost had no choice but to speak on his behalf.

In reality, Ye Qingtang had deliberately concealed her identity, both to hint to Lady Ghost that she wished to secretly observe the situation and also because… she did not know about the cooperation between the Eternal Dynasty and the Temple of Shadows. She preferred this method to stumbling around and making mistakes.

The Eldest Prince and Princess grew more serious at the mention of business. They told Lady Ghost about the recent events in the Eternal Dynasty.

They wished to seize the throne but needed the support of the Temple of Shadows. So naturally, they had nothing to hide.

“What you are saying is that the Fourth Prince died yesterday and that the position of the crown prince is now vacant?” said Lady Ghost.

The Eldest Prince nodded.

“That’s right. But… the Fourth Prince was very young, so he was no threat even after he became the crown prince. Rather, it is the Second Princess, Ling Yue, and the Third Prince, Ling Yan, who are harder to deal with.”

Ye Qingtang’s heart fluttered at the mention of Ling Yan’s name, but she continued to maintain her composure. She secretly pricked up her ears.

“For many years, the Second Princess, Ling Yue, has been growing closer to the Grand Advisor of the Eternal Dynasty. In recent years, the Grand Advisor has supported Ling Yue’s influence in many areas,” said the Eldest Prince.

“Grand Advisor…” Lady Ghost raised her brows slightly. “Is that the one from the Sacred Ground of Reflection?”

“That’s right,” said the Eldest Prince.

The Sacred Ground of Reflection was one of the major mysterious forces in Central Mainland. It had a rich heritage and was very involved in the various major dynasties. The advisors of all the major dynasties were sent from the Sacred Ground of Reflection. On the surface, they assisted the Emperors in governing the dynasties, but in reality… everyone knew better.

The advisors from the Sacred Ground of Reflection held important positions in every dynasty they were sent to. Even royalty like the Eldest Prince treated them with great deference whenever they met.

The Second Princess’s intentions were perfectly obvious when she had sought support from the advisor.

And it was precisely because the Second Princess had obtained the support of the Sacred Ground of Reflection that the Eldest Prince had hurriedly contacted the Temple of Shadows. He was afraid that the Second Princess would get ahead of them.

Lady Ghost laughed softly but did not question further. She said, “And what about the Third Prince?”

The moment she heard Ling Yan’s name, Ye Qingtang listened even more intently.

The Eldest Prince frowned. “The Third Prince, Ling Yan, is not supported by any base of power. But he is more intelligent than others. He is known to have near demonic brilliance. He is very difficult to deal with, although he is acting alone.”

______________________________________________________________________________________

THE ELDEST PRINCE 1-3

1287 - The Eldest Prince_1

The Eldest Prince paused and continued. “Before this, Ling Qiong and I planned to imprison him and thought that he would never see the light of day again. But… he unexpectedly escaped without a scratch.”

Ye Qingtang was speechless as she quietly listened to all this.

These two wanted to trap Ling Yan?

It was more likely that Ling Yan had willingly gone to prison; otherwise, they certainly could not have locked him into the dungeon.

However…

After hearing this, Ye Qingtang could not help but worry.

Based on the current situation, it looked like the Eldest Prince and Princess had already obtained the support of the Temple of Shadows while the Second Princess had the support of the Sacred Ground of Reflection.

Ling Yan on the other hand… was fighting alone.

Should she be applauding his ability or lamenting the fact that he had no allies?

Ye Qingtang also understood the Temple of Shadows’s plans. The Temple of Shadows was supporting the Eldest Prince, which meant they were opposing Ling Yan. It would be natural for Ling Yan to happily expose the false Holy Lord, who was on the opposing side.

“It’s late. Please go and rest. We will discuss other things when all of you are rested.” Although the Eldest Prince was anxious about the matter of the crown prince, he did not dare to delay Lady Ghost and the others.

Lady Ghost nodded, and the servants led them, along with the others from the Temple of Shadows, away to rest.

Ye Qingtang only relaxed after she returned to her room.

The little white tiger, who had been cuddled in her arms, now jumped onto the chair and shook out its fluffy fur.

“This Eldest Prince and Princess seem like a bad lot. They probably killed the Fourth Prince.” The little white tiger flicked its ears.

“It might not be them, it might be the Second Princess. However… that’s not important. Their motives are all the same. They will not allow anyone else to become the crown prince or get closer to the throne.” Ye Qingtang sat nearby and rested her chin on her hand.

In her previous life, she was exhausted from fleeing and had not come into much contact with the jostling and intrigues of the various major dynasties. However, the intensity of these did not pale in contrast to any battle.

“Do you trust Ling Yan that much? Why don’t you just say that he did it?” The little white tiger glanced at Ye Qingtang and asked naughtily.

Ye Qingtang rolled her eyes at it.

“Do you think he is so stupid? Since someone will definitely do it on his behalf, he doesn’t need to soil his hands.”

“You really understand him very well…” The little white tiger said meaningfully.

Ye Qingtang ignored him.

Little white tiger did not mind. It batted its eyes and suddenly jumped onto Ye Qingtang’s knee and stared at her.

“Get down.” Ye Qingtang frowned.

This fellow was getting heavier, and her arms ached from carrying him.

“Do you think… you will have to oppose Ling Yan, since you are here in the capacity of the Holy Lord of Shadows?” The little white tiger sniggered.

Since the Temple of Shadows was supporting the Eldest Prince, then any member of the royal family apart from him was the enemy.

“…” Ye Qingtang remained silent. She picked the little white tiger by the scruff of his neck and flung him down.

Before the little white tiger could get up, Ye Qingtang’s door suddenly opened.

A furry little head peeped in through the crack.

“Ah Yao…” Ming Gu’s big black eyes shone as he gazed at Ye Qingtang.

She had just begun to unwind, but now, she could not relax anymore…

______________________________________________________________________________________

1288 - The Eldest Prince_2

Although Ye Qingtang was pretty fond of this little fellow, he was, after all, the Holy Son of the Temple of Shadows. He was nice to her only because he thought she was the Holy Lord of the Temple of Shadows. If her true identity were to be revealed…

He would be the first to try to kill her.

“Come in.” Ye Qingtang sighed inwardly but put on a smile to welcome Ming Gu.

Ming Gu rushed in and threw himself into Ye Qingtang’s arms.

“Ah Yao, can I sleep with you over the next few days…” Ming Gu rubbed Ye Qingtang’s arm as he gazed at her with large, liquid eyes.

“Ming Gu… you…” Ye Qingtang tried to tactfully reject Ming Gu “attempt” when someone suddenly knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

The Eldest Prince appeared at the door with a few servants in tow.

“Elder Ye, Holy Son, Ming Gu.” The Eldest Prince spoke graciously with a smile. “Meeting you has been a rare opportunity, so I have prepared some presents.”

With that, the Eldest Prince lifted his chin slightly, and the servants that followed him humbly came forward. They placed a few brocade-wrapped boxes and a crystal bottle before Ye Qingtang and Ming Gu.

Ming Gu frowned slightly. He was clearly displeased that someone had interrupted his time alone with Ye Qingtang.

Ye Qingtang’s gaze swept over the presents on the table. All the items were exquisitely wrapped, but Ye Qingtang could smell the faint scent of blood.

The crystal bottle in particular gave off the strongest scent of blood. The transparent crystal bottle held some liquid that was crimson, like fresh blood, although a shade darker.

“I happened to learn of some of Holy Son, Ming Gu’s hobbies. It was hastily prepared today. I hope Holy Son Ming Gu will graciously accept it, even if it is somewhat lacking.” The Eldest Prince smiled, and his gaze fell on the crystal bottle filled with the dark red liquid.

“This is blood essence, distilled from the blood of a hundred young girls who just turned sixteen years old. I hope the Holy Son, Ming Gu, will enjoy it.” Since the Eldest Prince was cooperating with the Temple of Shadows, he had secretly investigated the tastes of the senior members of the Temple of Shadows.

In the course of this, he learned that the Holy Son, Ming Gu, was a mutant Undead and liked fresh blood, so he had made preparations.

After hearing the Eldest Prince’s words, Ming Gu’s unhappy look diminished a little. His gaze passed over the blood essence in the bottle, but he did not immediately reach out for it. He only subconsciously glanced at Ye Qingtang.

Ah Yao did not like him to be too brutal.

Ye Qingtang received a jolt when she saw the bottle of blood essence.

She had heard of blood essence before. The blood needed to be extracted while the person was still alive. The fresh blood was slowly drained drop by drop, to the last drop. Furthermore, blood essence of the highest quality had strict requirements for the person whose blood was being extracted.

After the fresh blood was distilled, it could only be kept for a very short period of time. After two days, the purity of the blood essence would deteriorate, and the color would fade.

But the bottle of blood essence gifted by the Eldest Prince had such a deep color that it was apparent that…

It had been freshly extracted.

They had only been here for half a day, but the Eldest Prince had already distilled this bottle of blood essence.

Ye Qingtang could almost imagine the Eldest Prince immediately ordering someone to prepare it after he had met them.

A hundred young girls had been instantly and casually murdered.

Just to provide the Eldest Prince with a present…

______________________________________________________________________________________

1289 - The Eldest Prince_3

Ye Qingtang had heard of the Eldest Prince of the Eternal Dynasty in her previous life and knew that he was a cruel and savage master.

Ming Gu saw that Ye Qingtang did not intend him to take it, so he said to the Eldest Prince, “No need.”

With that, Ming Gu even batted his eyes at Ye Qingtang, as if begging for approval.

The Eldest Prince did not mind. He just smiled and said, “Perhaps the Holy Son Ming Gu does not like the present I prepared. However, there is still one more thing…”

The Eldest Prince paused and said, “My Royal Father has learned that envoys from the Temple of Shadows have arrived. He is holding a banquet in the palace. I hope you will attend.”

Ye Qingtang nodded slightly.

The Eldest Prince did not say anything else and led the rest away.

Shortly after leaving the room, the smile on the Eldest Prince’s face slowly faded.

Not far away, the Eldest Princess who had been waiting for a long time saw the Eldest Prince and walked over.

“Eldest Royal Brother, how were the presents received?”

The Eldest Prince shook his head calmly.

“Tonight, our Royal Father is holding a banquet to host the guests from the Temple of Shadows. I assume that Ling Yan and Ling Yue will attend. You should make your preparations then.”

The Eldest Prince looked meaningfully at the Eldest Princess.

The Eldest Princess immediately understood.

“I understand.”

The two of them conversed for a while and then left.

When the sun set, the carriages prepared by the Eldest Prince brought the group from the Temple of Shadows to the palace.

Under the moonlight, the royal palace of the Eternal Dynasty was ablaze with light. The white cloth that hung there during the day had been quietly removed.

The huge palace was completely silent. There was only the occasional footstep from a patrolling guardsman or the sound of an insect.

The aged Eternal Emperor was already seated in the main hall, at the place of honor. His craggy face showed faint signs of weariness.

“Royal Father, don’t grieve too much. Just take care of yourself. If Fourth Royal Brother knew, he would feel guilty and uneasy.” The Eldest Princess who had arrived earlier looked worriedly at the weary Eternal Emperor and spoke with concern.

The Eternal Emperor sighed softly, and a faint frown appeared.

“Miao’er died suddenly, and Concubine Jade is lying heartbroken on her sickbed…”

The Miao’er that the Eternal Emperor was referring to was the Fourth Prince, Ling Miao, who had died. Concubine Jade was his birth mother and also the emperor’s favorite concubine.

“Your Majesty, although you are grieved, you must have a thought for your own health.” A minister at the banquet rose to console him.

Today, the Eternal Emperor was holding a banquet to entertain the guests from the Temple of Shadows. Besides the princes and princesses, some of the senior ministers of the dynasty had also been invited to the banquet.

The Eternal Emperor had been unwell in recent times. Everyone had already been feeling depressed, but then the recently crowned Crown Prince had died suddenly, making things worse.

The Second Princess, Ling Yue, was seated at the banquet. Her lips involuntarily curved into a cold smile when she saw the Eldest Princess’s concern for the Emperor. From the corner of her eye, she glanced at Ling Yan, who was sitting by himself.

She realized that Ling Yan was just sitting there with a faint smile. He occasionally took a sip from his cup but had no intention of speaking.

“Third Royal Brother is in a good mood,” said Ling Yue.

Ling Yan smiled and lifted his eyes to look at Ling Yue.

“Grief will not undo enmity. Our Fourth Royal Brother would not wish his affairs to worry others. Am I right?”

Ling Yue laughed coldly. “Third Royal Brother is truly brilliant. But today’s banquet is not to mourn our Fourth Royal Brother. Ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows arrived today. Third Royal Brother, with your intelligence, can’t you see the motive behind this?”

______________________________________________________________________________________

THE ETERNAL ROYAL FAMILY 1-3

1290 - The Eternal Royal Family_1

Ling Yan smiled but did not reply.

Ling Yue continued. “Eldest Royal Brother has always been on good terms with the Temple of Shadows. I’m afraid Eldest Royal Brother is the one in the best mood today.”

Ling Yue knew about the cooperation between the Eldest Prince and the Temple of Shadows and also that the Eldest Prince had designs on the throne. He was also allied with the Eldest Princess and was a truly formidable opponent.

“The Third Prince spent some time in prison. Did you get used to it?” Ling Yue sneered.

“It was alright,” Ling Yan said with a smile.

Ling Yue’s expression grew chillier. She was just about to say something else when she suddenly heard someone report that the Eldest Prince had arrived with ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows.

Everyone in the main hall, including the Eternal Emperor, immediately turned sober.

Everyone’s gaze turned towards the entrance of the main hall. Only Ling Yan continued to smile faintly as he held his cup. The amusement showed even in his eyes.

A moment later, the Eldest Prince, Lady Ghost, and the others entered the main hall.

“Royal Father, your son greets you.” The Eldest Prince bowed to the Eternal Emperor.

“Arise.” The Eternal Emperor laughed softly, and his gaze turned to Lady Ghost and the other two standing next to the Eldest Prince.

“We are honored today by a visit by our guests from the Temple of Shadows. You must be tired from your journey. Please take a seat.” The Eternal Emperor spoke with a smile.

In the main hall, everyone’s gaze converged on Ye Qingtang, Lady Ghost, and Ming Gu.

Ye Qingtang looked at ease. She smiled as she sat down with Ming Gu.

At the moment, her status was not that of the Holy Lord of Shadows but an elder from the Temple of Shadows. Therefore, there was no need for her to speak.

The moment she sat down, Ye Qingtang suddenly realized that she was sitting opposite Ling Yan!

Ever since she last bade farewell to Ling Yan, she had not seen him for a long time. Today, Ling Yan was dressed simply, but it could not conceal his air of elegance.

Just as Ye Qingtang was secretly studying Ling Yan, Ling Yan lifted his head and smiled politely at Ye Qingtang. Then, he glanced away, as if he did not recognize her.

“…” Ye Qingtang was speechless.

“The Temple of Shadows is some distance from the Eternal Dynasty. It is a rare opportunity for you to visit us. We are truly honored to have you as our guests, and we wish to welcome you today.” The Eternal Emperor smiled and raised his cup.

Everyone also raised their cups and drained them.

This scene caused a smile to appear in the eyes of the Eldest Prince and Princess.

Ye Qingtang coolly sat in her seat, but her eyes discreetly swept across everyone present.

She had not had much contact with the royal family of the Eternal Dynasty in her previous life, so she had not met most of them.

But based on what she understood, the frosty-looking girl sitting next to Ling Yan must be the Second Princess of the Eternal Dynasty, Ling Yue.

Before she reached the palace, Ye Qingtang already vaguely understood that there were three centers of power among the royal family of the Eternal Dynasty.

The Eldest Prince and Princess were allied in trying to seize the throne, and they were backed by the power of the Temple of Shadows.

The Second Princess, Ling Yue, was working together with the Advisor from the Sacred Ground of Reflection.

Only Ling Yan was fighting alone.

The three centers of power opposed each other.

“Why isn’t the Advisor here yet?” The Eternal Emperor asked as his gaze swept across the main hall.

The Second Princess, Ling Yue, immediately stood and said, “Royal Father, the Advisor had some matters to attend to and will come later.”

The Eternal Emperor nodded slightly and did not say anything.

The Second Princess sat down but looked straight at the Eldest Prince with a challenging expression.

Although the Eldest Prince had the support of the Temple of Shadows, she had the support of the Sacred Ground of Reflection.

______________________________________________________________________________________

1291 - The Eternal Royal Family_2

A look of cold amusement flashed across the Eldest Prince’s eyes. He had no friendly feelings for this younger sister who was always vying with him for the throne.

The Eldest Prince could not help but be somewhat worried when the Second Princess had sought the support of the Advisor. In recent years, the Eternal Emperor’s health had declined steadily, and the fight for the throne had become more intense.

Although the Eldest Prince knew that the Temple of Shadows had chosen him, he had yet to see the Temple of Shadows make a move. He could not help but worry, so he had invited the ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows to provide added security.

When he thought of that, the Eldest Prince’s gaze involuntarily fell on Ling Yan, who had yet to speak.

The truth was, he was more worried about this Third Royal Brother than the Second Princess.

Everyone was aware of Ling Yan’s brilliance. However, Ling Yan had not appeared to ally himself with any other power. As a result, the Eldest Prince had not taken him seriously before, although he had tried various schemes to get rid of him.

However, Ling Yan had escaped unscathed from these schemes. This had caused the Eldest Prince to be even warier of Ling Yan’s ability and intelligence.

However…

Now that the ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows had arrived, he felt even surer of seizing the throne.

Although Ling Yan was brilliant, it would be extremely difficult for him to oppose the Temple of Shadows and the Sacred Ground of Reflection.

On the surface, the banquet was a picture of harmony. But fierce currents lurked beneath the surface.

The Eternal Emperor looked at the three ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows. He had met Lady Ghost before, but the other two were unfamiliar. “Some matters have arisen within the dynasty recently. If we are remiss in anything, I hope the ambassadors from the Temple will forgive us.”

Lady Ghost smiled and said, “Before we arrived, the Eldest Prince already told us that the Fourth Prince recently passed away. The Emperor must be deeply grieved.”

The Eternal Emperor could not help but sigh softly at the mention of the Fourth Prince. “I am already old, and it is time to consider the matter of succession. Miao’er was unfortunate to die at such a young age. This had brought me much grief.”

The Eternal Emperor’s passing comment caused all the princes, princesses, and senior ministers present to prick up their ears.

“Although Miao’er is dead, the Eternal Dynasty needs a new crown prince to reassure the people. I do not have many children, and they are all seated here today.” As the Eternal Emperor spoke, his loving gaze swept across his sons and daughters who were seated at the banquet.

The Eternal Emperor seemed to be hinting at something.

At that moment, the Eldest Prince and Princess were the most agitated. Today’s banquet was to entertain the guests from the Temple of Shadows, but the Eternal Emperor had brought up the matter of succession. Was he hinting at something?

The Eldest Prince felt assured of victory, whether in terms of timing, location, or support.

An expectant look involuntarily surfaced in his eyes.

Rather, it was the Second Princess who looked rather pale. She had already arrived at the same conclusion as the Eldest Prince. At that moment, she could not conceal her inner unease. She kept glancing out of the hall. After a while, a look of joy suddenly surfaced in her eyes.

“Your Majesty worries too much. Your Majesty is still hale. There is no need to make hasty decisions regarding the succession.” A casual voice suddenly rang out from outside the entrance of the main hall.

Everyone looked over and saw a white-robed old man with white hair slowly walk through the door of the main hall.

This old man had a suave and other-worldly air.

“Advisor, you’re late.” The Eternal Emperor looked up and said with a smile.

______________________________________________________________________________________

1292 - The Eternal Royal Family_3

The old man smiled and strode into the main hall. He glanced discreetly at Ye Qingtang and the other ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows who were seated.

A moment later, he bowed shallowly to the Eternal Emperor and said, “I had some matters to attend to and was delayed.”

“No matter. Advisor, please take your place.” The Eternal Emperor smiled.

The Advisor nodded and sat somewhere near the Second Princess.

The moment the Second Princess saw the Advisor, she seemed to regain her inner strength. The trace of unease in her eyes vanished.

Instead, the delight in the Eldest Prince’s and Princess’s eyes faded.

The Eternal Emperor had just hinted that he would make the Eldest Prince the Crown Prince. They had thought that they could seize the opportunity to become the Crown Prince, but the Advisor had suddenly arrived and interrupted the Eternal Emperor.

The Advisor was from the Sacred Ground of Reflection, which was extremely prestigious. Within the Eternal Dynasty, no one dared to be rude to him.

It was as if he had almost managed to taste a delectable piece of meat, but something had intervened. The Eldest Prince was now in a foul mood.

“Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince has recently passed away. Your Majesty’s health has improved. There is no hurry to settle the matter of succession.” The Advisor looked at the Emperor as he spoke with an otherworldly air.

The Eternal Emperor sighed softly and said, “That may be so, but I have already made up my mind regarding the succession. Today, the ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows and the Advisor are all here, and we might as well consider the matter together with me.”

The Eternal Emperor’s words caused the hearts of all the princes and princesses present to flutter.

They had thought that today’s banquet was to entertain the ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows. But now it seemed that the Eternal Emperor was going to decide the next Crown Prince at the banquet?

The situation in the main hall immediately turned delicate.

Ye Qingtang secretly observed the reactions of everyone in the hall. The Second Princess and the Eldest Prince were the most intent on seizing the throne. Even though they deliberately suppressed their feelings, they were unable to completely conceal them.

Ling Yan on the other hand…

Had yet to speak. He continued to smile faintly as if the matter at hand had nothing to do with him.

Ye Qingtang inwardly applauded Ling Yan’s good mood.

Even to an outsider like her, it was apparent that none of his siblings were easy to deal with.

No matter who became the next Emperor of the Eternal Dynasty, the first person on their hit list would be Ling Yan, with his almost demonic intelligence.

After all, such a brilliant brother near the throne would cause them unease.

As if he sensed Ye Qingtang’s gaze, Ling Yan raised his eyes and met Ye Qingtang’s eyes when no one was looking. He smiled, showing a teasing look in his eyes.

“…” Ye Qingtang was speechless.

She should not worry about this fellow.

The Eternal Emperor laughed softly and did not mention the matter of succession again. He only raised his cup and toasted Lady Ghost, Ye Qingtang, and the other ambassadors.

Amidst the music and dancing, the Eternal Emperor smiled and said, “Yan’er, I happen to have good news for you.”

The Eternal Emperor’s words immediately gave the Eldest Prince and Second Princess a jolt. They involuntarily glanced at Ling Yan.

Ling Yan said, “Royal Father, what might that good news be?”

The Eternal Emperor said with a smile, “The girl from the Mo Family has recently returned. I have summoned her here today. You have been engaged since young, but she was always cultivating with her Master elsewhere. Both of you have had few opportunities to meet. Today’s banquet is a good opportunity for you to reunite.”

______________________________________________________________________________________

THE ENGAGEMENT 1-3

1293 - Engagement_1

Engagement?

When Ye Qingtang heard the Eternal Emperor’s words, her heart somehow skipped a beat. A strange feeling suddenly arose in her heart, and she involuntarily looked at Ling Yan.

Only to see Ling Yan smile at the Emperor.

The Emperor gestured, and a moment later, a tall, extremely beautiful girl walked slowly into the hall from a side room. The girl was exquisite-looking, and under the lamplight, her delicate skin looked especially flawless.

“Elder Brother Yan.” The girl looked straight at the handsome Ling Yan, her eyes filled with emotion.

Ye Qingtang involuntarily looked at the girl and received a mild shock.

Mo Yunxian.

Ye Qingtang had met this girl in her previous life.

Mo Yunxian was the daughter of General Mo of the Eternal Dynasty.

General Mo was one of the top generals in the Eternal Dynasty. He commanded a million valiant troops and was one of the Eternal Emperor’s most favored subordinates.

Mo Yunxian was extremely beautiful. In fact, she was known to be the most beautiful woman in the Eternal Dynasty.

Mo Yunxian was also incredibly confident of her looks. In her previous life, Ye Qingtang had met Mo Yunxian once in the Central Mainland academy. At that time, Ye Qingtang had regained her looks, and her great beauty had irritated Mo Yunxian.

Mo Yunxian had ordered someone to destroy Ye Qingtang’s looks. Fortunately, Ye Qingtang had fled in time to avoid Mo Yunxian’s destruction.

But it turned out that…

Ye Qingtang and Mo Yunxian would meet again in this life, under completely different circumstances.

What was even more surprising was that…

Mo Yunxian is actually Ling Yan’s fiancée?

She had not even known that Ling Yan had a fiancée. But then, she realized… Ling Yan had no need to report to her…

For some reason, Ye Qingtang felt as if she was choking. She subconsciously swallowed some wine to try to remove this feeling.

“Ah Yao… no need to force yourself to eat these things. I’ll find some Black Flame Worms for you later…” Ming Gu watched as Ye Qingtang gulped her wine and looked at her rather worriedly.

Ye Qingtang’s gut wrenched at the mention of Black Flame Worms. The choking feeling in her heart instantly vanished.

“I’m alright.” Ye Qingtang smiled at Ming Gu. She secretly broke out in a cold sweat.

No matter what she thought, Lady Ghost was still next to her. Fortunately, Lady Ghost had not noticed anything. If not, she would have given the game away.

She could barely save herself now, so she had no time for wild thoughts.

Ye Qingtang immediately cleared her mind of these messy emotions and prepared to look on with composure.

So what if she is his fiancée!

While Ye Qingtang’s emotions were running amok, Mo Yunxian had walked over to Ling Yan and gently sat down next to him.

Ling Yan looked at his fiancée but continued to secretly observe Ye Qingtang’s every move from the corner of his eye. When he saw Ye Qingtang gulp down her wine, an amused look involuntarily surfaced in his eyes.

But the amusement was too deeply hidden, and no one noticed it.

When the Eldest Prince and Second Princess saw that the Eternal Emperor’s good news referred to Mo Yunxian’s return, they relaxed.

After all.

Both the Advisor and the ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows were present today. Ling Yan certainly would not be made Crown Prince.

______________________________________________________________________________________

1294 - The Engagement_2

“Elder Brother Yan, I have already completed my studies and will remain in the capital for now. In the future, we can see each other every day.” Mo Yunxian only had eyes for Ling Yan.

Ling Yan did not say anything. He only smiled.

Why are you smiling? Do you think you look good when you smile?

Stupid fox.

Ye Qingtang muttered to herself.

The Eternal Emperor was all smiles when he saw the “intimacy” between Mo Yunxian and Ling Yan.

“Yan’er, you and Yunxian have known each other for a long time and have been engaged for many years. You are no longer young and should be considering your marriage,” the Eternal Emperor said with a smile.

Mo Yunxian’s eyes were filled with anticipation.

Ling Yan smiled and said, “There must be order in the family. My older royal brothers and sisters have not yet married, so I am not in a hurry either.”

The Eternal Emperor only smiled and shook his head.

“There is no need for such considerations. You are younger, but if you became the Crown Prince, there your birth order would not matter.”

Everyone’s expression changed at the Eternal Emperor’s casual words.

“What’s going on… What does our Royal Father mean?” The Eldest Princess was startled and involuntarily whispered to the Eldest Prince.

The Eldest Prince also looked shocked, but he quickly steadied himself.

“Perhaps it is only a joke. Let’s see what our Royal Father says next.”

The Eldest Princess frowned slightly but also calmed down.

The Second Princess’s composure showed signs of cracking. Her gaze swept over Ling Yan, and her eyes grew sharp.

But the Eternal Emperor seemed to be completely unconscious of the undercurrents. He said, “It is best to have two joyous occasions together. Yan’er, you are the most intelligent of my children, and I have great expectations of you. So I have decided that from tomorrow onward, you will be the Crown Prince of the Eternal Dynasty.”

The Eternal Emperor’s words shocked everyone.

No one would have thought that… the Eternal Emperor would make Ling Yan the Crown Prince at today’s banquet!

“Royal Father, thank you for your favor. I will certainly not disappoint you. I will do my utmost to shoulder my duties as a Crown Prince.” Ling Yan smiled and seemed completely unsurprised by this outcome. It was as if he had anticipated everything. He slowly rose and went forward to make his obeisance to the Eternal Emperor.

At that moment, the Eldest Prince could no longer maintain his mild expression. He glared at Ling Yan with a vicious look in his eyes.

The Second Princess grew even chillier as if her gaze was frozen.

The entire atmosphere in the main hall grew strange.

However, many senior ministers nodded. They also favored the Third Prince, Ling Yan. After all, there was almost no one who could compare to Ling Yan in terms of intelligence.

With such capability and intelligence, he was the best choice for heir.

“How could it be him!” The Elder Princess twisted the corner of her robe until it almost tore. She ground her teeth as she glared at Ling Yan. She regretted not killing Ling Yan when he was in the dungeon.

This development was completely unexpected.

Today, both the Eldest Prince and the Second Princess felt that they were the likeliest ones to seize the throne.

Who knew…

Ling Yan had gotten ahead of them.

“This is the golden seal of the Crown Prince. Keep it carefully. Your Fourth Royal Brother departed recently, and I have no wish to involve too many people. You only need to know that from the moment you receive this golden seal, you are the heir of the Eternal Dynasty.” The Eternal Emperor personally handed the golden seal to Ling Yan. He beamed as he looked at this incredibly brilliant son.

______________________________________________________________________________________

1295 - Engagement_3

“Yes.” Ling Yan took the golden seal and kept it carefully.

When the Second Princess and the Eldest Prince saw Ling Yan take the seal, their eyes almost fell out of their heads.

Ye Qingtang sat there, watching everyone’s reaction.

One might say that from the moment Ling Yan accepted the Crown Prince’s golden seal, he became the number one target on the Second Princess’s and the Eldest Prince’s blacklist.

The two of them were definitely involved in the Fourth Prince’s death. Now, Ling Yan had become the target, bringing with it another wave of events

Ye Qingtang herself had not expected to witness the moment Ling Yan became the Crown Prince.

“Congratulations, Third Royal Brother.” The Eldest Prince suddenly suppressed his emotions and raised his cup. “Ha… I got it wrong. From now on, I must refer to you as the Crown Prince. Crown Prince, all your siblings are happy that you will share our Royal Father’s burdens in the future.”

“Eldest Royal Brother is too polite.” Ling Yan smiled. He took the cup offered by a passing servant and toasted the Eldest Prince.

“The Crown Prince has always been intelligent. Our Royal Father is a wonderful judge of character. I believe that our Eternal Dynasty will prosper from now on. Here’s to you.” The Eldest Princess arose and toasted him with a smile.

Only the Second Princess looked icy. But the Advisor secretly glanced at her, and she took a deep breath and arose, carrying a natural smile on her face.

“Congratulations, Crown Prince.”

Ling Yan did not turn down any toasts, returning every compliment.

Mo Yunxian’s face was filled with joy. She arose with a cup and slowly went over to Ling Yan.

“Elder Brother Yan, in the future, I must call you Elder Brother Crown Prince. Allow Yunxian to salute you.” Mo Yunxian looked at Ling Yan with glowing eyes.

Ling Yan nodded slightly and drained his cup.

Lady Ghost, who was sitting nearby, saw it all. She secretly glanced at Ye Qingtang from the corner of her eye and saw that she was smiling faintly. Lady Ghost arose and walked towards Ling Yan.

“We did not expect such a joyous occasion on our visit. I am Lady Ghost. May I salute the Crown Prince.”

When Mo Yunxian looked at the enchantingly beautiful Lady Ghost, a look of displeasure flashed across her eyes.

“Thank you, Guardian.” Ling Yan responded with a smile.

Lady Ghost was not shocked when Ling Yan called her “Guardian”. After all, with Ling Yan’s reputation for intelligence, it was no surprise that he knew who she was.

When Ye Qingtang, who was sitting far away saw this, she also arose with her cup. Her status was that of an elder of the Temple of Shadows. If the Guardian, Lady Ghost, had already presented her congratulations, then she too needed to make a gesture.

However, Ye Qingtang only smiled and raised her cup to Ling Yan and did not speak.

She did not need to say anything in her capacity as Holy Lord of Shadows. Even a fake elder did not need to speak.

Furthermore…

For some reason, she did not feel like talking to Ling Yan right now, so she saved herself the trouble.

Ling Yan looked at Ye Qingtang raising her cup. Amusement flashed across his eyes, and he drained his cup.

Instead, it was Mo Yunxian who was standing nearby who looked surprised when she saw Ye Qingtang’s appearance.

Mo Yunxian was proud of her beauty, and few could compare with her. She was even confident that she could rival Lady Ghost.

But the moment Ye Qingtang appeared, Mo Yunxian received a jolt.

Could anyone on earth look so beautiful?

When she saw Ye Qingtang toast Ling Yan and the hint of a smile on Ling Yan’s lips, Mo Yunxian felt as if someone had stabbed her in her heart. She suddenly grew stern and suddenly spoke to Ye Qingtang.

“Who are you? You didn’t even say a word to the Crown Prince. That’s so rude.”

______________________________________________________________________________________

UNREASONABLE 1-3

1296 - Unreasonable_1

Everyone in the main hall was shocked by Mo Yunxian’s sudden attack.

When the three ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows entered the hall just now, Mo Yunxian had not yet arrived, so she did not know who they were.

Ye Qingtang glanced at the hostile-looking Mo Yunxian. She maintained her composure and simply smiled silently.

However, she quietly glanced at Ling Yan from the corner of her eye.

When the Second Princess saw what was happening, she could not help but look eager to watch the show.

Mo Yunxian’s father commanded the forces of the Eternal Dynasty and was an important person. Mo Yunxian herself was fairly talented, and together with her extreme beauty, she had grown rather arrogant.

Mo Yunxian had admired Ling Yan since they were young and was very possessive of him.

Besides the princesses who were related to Ling Yan, if Mo Yunxian saw any pretty girl draw closer to Ling Yan, she would find some way to get rid of the girl.

Under ordinary circumstances, it would not matter.

But today…

The Second Princess’s gaze fell on Ye Qingtang, who was standing in front of Mo Yunxian.

The Second Princess had also been startled by the sight of Ye Qingtang. As a girl, she could not help but sigh over Ye Qingtang’s beauty.

Now…

Mo Yunxian was probably madly jealous to see such a beautiful woman standing in front of Ling Yan.

Mo Yunxian was beautiful, but not as beautiful as Ye Qingtang.

Given Mo Yunxian’s nature, she would never allow any girl more beautiful than her to live.

However…

Today, Mo Yunxian had provoked the wrong person.

Although the Temple of Shadows was on the decline, its fundamental strength remained. Further, the Temple of Shadows supported the Eldest Prince. Now, not only had Ling Yan become the Crown Prince, this Mo Yunxian had publicly reprimanded an Elder from the Temple of Shadows.

This would be interesting.

The Second Princess was not alone. The Eldest Prince and Princess also looked ready to watch a good show.

If Ling Yan’s fiancée offended an Elder from the Temple of Shadows just after he was made Crown Prince, matters would certainly take an interesting turn.

The Eldest Prince decided to stir the pot a bit more. He rose up and spoke.

“Mo Yunxian, these are my guests. Don’t be rude.”

Mo Yunxian frowned slightly at the Eldest Prince. She knew about the fight to be Crown Prince, but she had always admired Ling Yan, so she was naturally wary of the other princes and princesses. In addition, upon her return, her father had told her that the Eldest Prince had recently allied himself with the Eldest Princess and locked Ling Yan into a dungeon. As a result, she was even more displeased with the Eldest Prince.

Mo Yunxian laughed coldly and spoke.

“Even the guests of the Eldest Prince should have some manners. His Majesty has personally made Elder Brother Yan the Crown Prince, and he is the future Emperor. Eldest Prince, is it appropriate for your guests to show such contempt of our dynasty?”

The Eldest Prince secretly smiled. He knew Mo Yunxian’s personality and hoped that she would make as big a fuss as possible. If she really made an enemy of the Temple of Shadows, it would destabilize Ling Yan’s position as Crown Prince.

“Mo Yunxian, don’t be unreasonable. I don’t think my guest was rude at all.”

Mo Yunxian raised her head to look at Ye Qingtang’s utterly beautiful face. A cold, jealous look shone in her eyes.

“She’s only a guest. Setting aside the matter of whether she is fit to toast the Crown Prince of our Dynasty, she did not say a word when toasting him. Isn’t that rude?”

______________________________________________________________________________________

1297 - Unreasonable_2

Mo Yunxian did not care whether Ye Qingtang had been rude or not. She only knew that she detested that face that was more exquisite than hers.

She could not tolerate this seductive girl shamelessly toasting her Elder Brother Yan!

Also, Mo Yunxian had never met Ye Qingtang. When she saw that Ye Qingtang’s clothes were not very luxurious, she guessed that Ye Qingtang was not very important.

Furthermore…

As the daughter of a great general, Mo Yunxian had never feared anyone in the entire Eternal Dynasty. When she heard that these were the Eldest Prince’s guests, she did not have any reservations.

The Eldest Prince frowned deeply, as if angered by Mo Yunxian’s words.

Ye Qingtang looked on coolly. This Mo Yunxian was exactly the same as she had been in her previous life.

In her previous life, Mo Yunxian had also been like that, simply finding any excuse to destroy her looks.

However…

Things were different now.

Before Ye Qingtang could move, a black figure suddenly rushed forward.

Mo Yunxian was about to say something else when she suddenly sensed an intense murderous aura rushing towards her.

Mo Yunxian almost subconsciously tried to block the oncoming blow.

But the force was unbelievably strong. She did not even have time to raise her hand before an immense force smashed into her shoulder.

An agonizing pain instantly spread through Mo Yunxian’s entire body. She fell to the ground, her carefully chosen outfit spattered with blood. Her shoulder blade had been smashed by the force.

“Who are you? How dare you to talk to Ah Yao like that!” Ming Gu was suddenly standing in front of Ye Qingtang, radiating a demonic aura. At that moment, Ming Gu was shrouded in a strong aura of death. The charming look had vanished from his exquisite little face, replaced by a viciousness that was akin to a killing god that had descended to earth. His liquid, black eyes seemed to be bottomless pits of death.

Mo Yunxian had not expected someone to actually strike her at the Eternal Emperor’s banquet She had never been so seriously injured before. She stared at this demon-like child.

“You dared to hit me?”

“Disgusting smelly grub, why haven’t you died yet…” Ming Gu frowned slightly as he looked at Mo Yunxian, who had actually withstood his blow. He suddenly lifted his small hand and prepared to kill this reckless smelly grub.

Ming Gu’s action completely shocked everyone.

“Holy Son Ming Gu, have mercy.” The Eternal Emperor snapped out of his trance and spoke hurriedly.

Ming Gu did not seem to hear him. To him, the Eternal Emperor was a nobody. The only person who was important to him was Ye Qingtang.

Just before Ming Gu struck, Ye Qingtang suddenly reached out her hand and patted Ming Gu’s shoulder.

Ming Gu paused and turned. The vicious look on his face instantly transformed into a charming expression.

“Ah Yao?”

Ye Qingtang calmly shook her head at Ming Gu.

“Holy Son Ming Gu, today is the Eternal Emperor’s banquet. It is not appropriate for us to dampen his spirits.” Ye Qingtang spoke with a faint smile.

Ming Gu frowned slightly, but in the end, he withdrew his hand. Only his eyes swept coldly over Mo Yunxian. His gaze was so cold that it was almost freezing.

“How dare you fight at His Majesty’s banquet! You…” Mo Yunxian was in such pain that she had broken out in a cold sweat, but she had never been so humiliated in her life, so she continued to shout.

______________________________________________________________________________________

1298 -  Unreasonable_3

“Mo Yunxian, shut up!” The Eternal Emperor looked stern as he shouted.

When they saw that the Eternal Emperor was angry, all the ministers, princes, and princesses present instantly fell to their knees.

“Your Majesty, please don’t be angry!”

Mo Yunxian was shocked by this shout. The Eternal Emperor had always treated her affectionately. This was the first time she had been reprimanded like that.

“Your Majesty…”

“Mo Yunxian, I will make allowances for your youth and ignorance, so I will not punish you severely. Do you know who these guests are?” The Eternal Emperor said coldly.

“I…” Mo Yunxian was taken aback. She glanced at Ye Qingtang and Ming Gu.

She had only noticed Lady Ghost and Ye Qingtang’s looks but had not observed them closely. Upon closer inspection, she vaguely noticed the color of Lady Ghost and Ming Gu’s pupils, which was unique to the Undead.

The Undead Clan!

Mo Yunxian instantly thought of that race.

Mo Yunxian had seen many Undead when she was cultivating with her Master. However, those Undead had been riddled with the aura of death and looked very peculiar, so they could be identified at a glance.

However, her Master had said that the more powerful the Undead, the more they could hide their death aura and could even transform their looks to resemble ordinary humans. If a powerful Undead so wished, they could transform themselves so that they looked exactly like a human.

Mo Yunxian had not expected Undead to be present and had not paid close attention. But now…

“These three are our honored guests from the Temple of Shadows. The person you insulted just now is Elder Ye from the Temple of Shadows.” The Eternal Emperor spoke sternly.

Mo Yunxian instantly blanched.

An Elder from the Temple of Shadows?

When she thought of the force of Ming Gu’s blow, Mo Yunxian broke out in a cold sweat. If her Master had not given her a Paragon-level Dharma treasure upon her return, she would have been killed by the blow.

Even so, she had been severely injured…

“Perhaps Miss Mo has grown arrogant outside, and even the Elder from the Temple of Shadows is beneath her now? Surely an Elder of the Temple of Shadows is worthy to toast our Crown Prince?” The Second Princess seized the opportunity to fan the flames. Now that Ling Yan had become the Crown Prince, he was an even greater threat than the Eldest Prince.

“It is my fault that our honored guests from the Temple of Shadows have been annoyed today.” The Eldest Prince sighed and looked guilty.

“Miss Mo, our Royal Father is hosting today’s banquet to entertain our guests from the Temple of Shadows, but you have been so rude to them. Perhaps you have no regard for our Royal Father’s honor? Or perhaps now that our Third Royal Brother has become the Crown Prince, you think you will be the future Crown Princess, so…” The Eldest Princess chipped in, clearly intent on causing division.

At that moment, Mo Yunxian’s expression was extremely ugly. She had not known who they were; otherwise, she would not have acted as she did.

“Your Majesty, I did not… I… I did not mean it.”

The Eternal Emperor looked displeased, and he frowned as he looked at Mo Yunxian.

“Mo Yunxian, I will take into account your father’s services in battle on the behalf of the Eternal Dynasty. Get out now,” the Eternal Emperor said.

Mo Yunxian panicked and looked at Ling Yan. “Elder Brother Yan…”

Ling Yan only listened to the Eternal Emperor’s reprimand with a bowed head.

______________________________________________________________________________________

DANGERS ABOUND 1-3

1299 - Dangers Abound_1

Shortly thereafter, the severely injured Mo Yunxian was “invited” to leave the main hall.

The Eternal Emperor took a deep breath and said, “Everyone, arise.”

It was only then that everyone dared to resume their seats.

“Our guests from the Temple of Shadows have not enjoyed themselves because I have not arranged things properly,” the Eternal Emperor said as he looked at Lady Ghost.

Lady Ghost smiled without saying anything.

The disturbance caused by Mo Yunxian had left everyone speechless. They lost interest in the banquet and left quickly.

For many of them, it would be a sleepless night.

At the residence of the Eldest Prince.

“I did not expect our Royal Father to make Ling Yan the Crown Prince.” The Eldest Princess was sitting on a chair looking subdued.

The Eldest Prince wrinkled his brow in deep thought.

Ling Yan becoming the Crown Prince had been a surprise. He had assumed that the arrival of the ambassadors from the Temple of Shadows would improve his chances, but in the end, Ling Yan had become the Crown Prince.

“Today has been hard on Elder Ye. I hope Elder Ye will not take it to heart. It is my fault for being unprepared.” The Eldest Prince did not mention the matter of Ling Yan being made Crown Prince but raised his head to look apologetically at Ye Qingtang, who was sitting in the hall.

At this, the Eldest Princess also snapped out of her trance.

It was a fact that Ling Yan had been made Crown Prince. However, the Crown Prince was just a Crown Prince. They still had a chance before he became the Emperor. In fact, the Temple of Shadows was now even more important to them.

“This Mo Yunxian is really spoiled. Does she really think her Mo Family is the most important in the capital? Our Royal Father clearly showed his partiality to Ling Yan today. Mo Yunxian is Ling Yan’s fiancée. If she were to be severely punished, Ling Yan would certainly be implicated. But our Royal Father did not show any clear intention of punishing her… sigh…” The Eldest Princess sighed while she observed the reaction of the group from the Temple of Shadows from the corner of her eye.

Ye Qingtang was not stupid. She could read between the lines of what the Eldest Prince and Princess were saying.

The Temple of Shadows was supporting the Eldest Prince. The Eldest Prince and Princess were probably delighted that Ling Yan’s “fiancée” had clashed with Ye Qingtang.

The more Ling Yan’s side offended the Temple of Shadows, the greater the Eldest Prince’s advantage.

“I thought that after our Fourth Royal Brother passed away, there would be much delay in deciding on the next Crown Prince. I did not expect our Royal Father to make a decision so quickly,” the Eldest Prince said with a frown.

Lady Ghost looked at the gloomy Eldest Prince and Princess and said, “The Crown Prince is only a Crown Prince, like the Fourth Prince was. The position of Crown Prince can be held by many. But only the last person to be Crown Prince will be the next Emperor of the Eternal Dynasty. Am I right?”

Lady Ghost’s words moved the Eldest Prince, and his brow smoothed out.

“Guardian Lady Ghost is right. It doesn’t matter who the Crown Prince is. What is most important is whether the person in the position of Crown Prince is fortunate enough to survive until he can ascend to the throne.”

“I’m glad that the Eldest Prince understands that. I’ve heard that the Third Prince Ling Yan’s martial ability is not very great. Even the late Fourth Prince was much more talented than him. However, even the Fourth Prince has passed away suddenly, so what chance does Ling Yan have?” Lady Ghost’s lips curved slightly as her eyes flickered.

“Why doesn’t the Eldest Prince use his time to consider how Ling Yan can be induced to leave the position of Crown Prince?”

“Thank you for your guidance.” The Eldest Prince cupped his hands. Although nothing concrete had been said, everyone present was smart enough to understand what had been implied.
______________________________________________________________________________________

1300 - Dangers Abound_2

“It’s late. Please get some rest,” the Eldest Prince said politely.

Lady Ghost, Ye Qingtang, and Ming Gu all returned to their rooms to rest.

Ye Qingtang had had a relaxing day. Anyway, she was supposed to be just an Elder, so Lady Ghost had taken care of everything.

“Ah Yao, can I come in?” Ming Gu had secretly crept outside Ye Qingtang’s room door, and now, he poked his head through the doorway and looked pitifully at Ye Qingtang.

Ye Qingtang looked at the exquisite little face. She was hard-pressed to reconcile this innocent face with the murderous god of killing in the main hall. She nodded, and Ming Gu immediately flew to her side.

“Ah Yao, that smelly grub was so insulting. Why didn’t you let me kill her?” Ming Gu squatted next to Ye Qingtang, his small hands on Ye Qingtang’s knee. He rested his small chin between his little hands, his large, black eyes filled with bewilderment.

Ye Qingtang chuckled but felt helpless.

Although Mo Yunxian had insulted her, one blow from Ming Gu was as much as she could withstand. Also, she guessed that based on her character, the actual Holy Lord of Shadows would not have allowed Ming Gu to actually kill Mo Yunxian either.

Someone like Mo Yunxian was probably beneath the Holy Lord of Shadows’s notice.

“Because today, I am only an Elder from the Temple of Shadows and not the Holy Lord,” Ye Qingtang said with a smile. She could not help but reach out to pat Ming Gu’s furry little head.

Ming Gu frowned. He did not care whether she was an Elder or the Holy Lord. Ah Yao was Ah Yao.

Ye Qingtang saw that Ming Gu was not prepared to let it go. She was about to say something else when the faint aura of death suddenly spread through her room.

Ye Qingtang’s heart thumped for a moment, but she maintained her composure and continued to rub Ming Gu’s hair smilingly.

The next moment, Lady Ghost’s lazy voice rang out from within the room.

“Holy Son Ming Gu, the Holy Lord made the right decision. We are here to help the Eternal Prince become the Crown Prince. If we started killing today, the Eternal Emperor would have been displeased.” Lady Ghost slowly emerged from a dim corner and bowed to Ye Qingtang.

“Why do I need to care about what a smelly grub thinks?” Ming Gu frowned impatiently.

So what if he was the Eternal Emperor? If he was displeased, Ming Gu would kill him too.

Lady Ghost was used to Ming Gu’s nature.

To Ming Gu, all humans were smelly grubs. They had no reason to exist. Even within the Temple of Shadows, the only two people that Ming Gu listened to were the Holy Lord of Shadows and Ming Wang.

Other than that, Ming Gu did as he pleased.

Lady Ghost knew that she could not convince Ming Gu, so she did not say anything more. Instead, she looked at Ye Qingtang. “Holy Lord, the Eternal Emperor’s move today was earlier than anticipated. However, it should not be a major problem. Tonight, the Eldest Prince will certainly investigate everything related to Ling Yan. Barring all other accidents, the Eldest Prince will try his best to make Ling Yan vanish forever from the Eternal Emperor, just like the Fourth Prince.”

Lady Ghost was not interested in why the Fourth Prince had died. But she was certain that the Fourth Prince’s death had been caused by the other princes and princesses.

And Ling Yan was their next target.

“Mhm.” Ye Qingtang nodded calmly, keeping her expression casual. But in her heart, she was silently mourning for Ling Yan.

______________________________________________________________________________________

1301 - Dangers Abound_3

This was not a good time for Ling Yan to become the Crown Prince. Not only would the powers on the Eldest Prince’s side try to kill him, but the Second Princess would also be scheming all night to get rid of him.

Ling Yan faced not only his siblings but also the powers behind them.

The Sacred Ground of Reflection and the Temple of Shadows.

However…

Ye Qingtang somehow felt that Ling Yan was not as easy to deal with as everyone thought.

Ling Yan had the power of karma. Surely he could predict these things?

When Ye Qingtang thought about it, she realized she was being absurd. She could barely save herself. She certainly did not have the time and energy to worry about Ling Yan’s safety.

One should know that…

Dangers had abounded at today’s banquet.

Logically, Lady Ghost should have done something when Mo Yunxian had insulted her. But from start to finish, Lady Ghost had not acted at all.

Although this could be explained as Lady Ghost deliberately concealing Ye Qingtang’s status as the Holy Lord, Ye Qingtang also knew that Lady Ghost’s inaction served to further intensify the unhappiness between her and Mo Yunxian.

So that Ling Yan could tell who she really was more quickly.

Ye Qingtang had not forgotten Ming Wang’s plans.

Lady Ghost spoke to Ye Qingtang for a little longer before she left. Although he was reluctant, Ye Qingtang also persuaded Ming Gu to return to his room.

Ye Qingtang only heaved a sigh of relief after they left.

Ling Yan was currently in an unpleasant situation, but so was she.

Ming Wang had placed Lady Ghost by her side as a watchdog. She needed to exercise extreme caution at every moment.

She might inwardly be filled with grievances, but she still had to adopt the air of the Holy Lord. She had suffered enough.

Ye Qingtang just wanted to sleep, but the conversation between the Eldest Prince and Lady Ghost kept surfacing in her mind. She involuntarily took out the voice transmission stone. She hesitated for a moment, then activated it.

“Ling Yan.”

“Mhm?” Ling Yan slightly indolent voice sounded from the voice transmission stone.

“What are you doing?” asked Ye Qingtang.

“Waiting for you.” Ling Yan’s voice held the hint of a smile.

“…” Ye Qingtang suddenly had the impulse to fling the voice transmission stone aside. But she quickly recovered and said seriously, “Don’t talk rubbish. I haven’t settled accounts with you for your fiancée’s actions today.”

“And how would Miss Ye like to settle them? I’ll do whatever you wish,” Ling Yan said with a laugh.

Ye Qingtang felt that if she continued to wrangle with him, she would end up digressing. So she stopped beating around the bush and spoke bluntly.

“Since you have helped me so much, I will warn you out of the kindness of my heart that your eldest brother is going to expedite investigations into your circumstances. I guess that your eldest brother or older sisters will be doing their utmost to kill you. You’d better watch out.”

He still had the mood to tease her in these circumstances.

The moment Ye Qingtang finished speaking, Ling Yan’s melodious laughter emerged from the voice transmission stone. His good mood was apparent just from his tone.

“So Miss Ye is so concerned about me…”

“…” She should not have contacted him. She should have just let him die.

“Their intention to kill me is not new. If they had that kind of ability, I would not have survived until today. Miss Ye does not need to worry,” Ling Yan said gently.

“Who’s worried. I’m just reminding you.” Ye Qingtang muttered.

______________________________________________________________________________________