Mahayana 143
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Chapter 143: Catching Crown Prince Dai Yun in the Act Again!
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :
Part 1
The two of them stayed at an inn within the city, planning to purchase the Sea Spirit Flower the following day before returning to the Heaven Inquiry Sect. After all, due to the delay caused by the Immortal Palace, there were now only about half a month left before the True Martial Ranking.
After Su Miaoqing fell asleep, Xiao Yifeng followed the mark he had left on Yuge and her brother to find them. He had not expected that the two of them would remain in the Elegant Courtyard.
“Yuge was not sighing about anything in particular. It is only that I am at a loss regarding the current situation,” she said. She then recounted in full the recent events, as well as the difficulties the two of them were currently facing.
Afterwards, she took out a jade slip and handed it to Xiao Yifeng. It contained the information they had recently gathered.
Xiao Yifeng accepted the item, swept it with his spiritual sense, then drew out two jade slips and passed them to Yuge with an easy smile.
“You and your brother have come remarkably far in such a short span of time. That earns my approval. These contain the subsequent Foundation Establishment and Golden Core portions of your cultivation techniques."
Yuge accepted the jade slips from Xiao Yifeng and said calmly, “Then many thanks to Master Faceless.”
Xiao Yifeng paid little heed to her lukewarm attitude. He continued, “You two should remain here and continue gathering intelligence for me. While you’re at it, release a message on my behalf.”
He then produced another jade slip and a storage pouch, placing them on the table. “Act according to what’s written inside. This contains your reward and operational supplies. If anything arises, contact me via the transmission talisman.”
His figure gradually became illusory, fading from sight, though his voice still lingered. “As for those people from Tender Blossom Pavilion, I will handle them for you. In one hour, you may begin drawing in the net. What follows will depend on you.”
Xiao Yifeng disappeared like a shadow slipping between candle flames, gone without trace. Yuge approached the jade slips and storage pouch he had left behind and gathered them into her hands.
She found herself increasingly unable to see through this Master Faceless. Still, she reasoned that she and her brother must be of some use to him. Otherwise, he would not have acted in this way.
She immersed her consciousness into the jade slip to see what he wanted her to do. To her surprise, the message he wanted them to spread was: “The Scarlet Firmament Sect has already pledged allegiance to the Star Saint Palace!”
Following that was an extremely detailed plan of execution. In fact, the plan was so thorough that not only the two of them, but even a pig could carry it out.
Yuge fell into thought, unable to understand what benefit this would bring to Master Faceless. She did not dwell on it further and went to find Zhang Tianzhi. After all, in one hour, the Yuanhai Kingdom might well undergo a drastic change.
Meanwhile, after leaving Elegant Courtyard, Xiao Yifeng headed straight for the Crown Prince’s residence. His divine sense swept across the entire estate, only to discover that Crown Prince Dai Yun was not there.
He casually seized someone and questioned them, only to learn that Crown Prince Dai Yun had been residing within the imperial palace all along and had not returned to the Crown Prince’s residence for quite some time.
Xiao Yifeng let out a cold laugh and headed straight for the imperial palace. With his current cultivation at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment realm, coupled with deliberate concealment of his presence, he infiltrated the palace effortlessly.
His divine sense spread outward and quickly located Crown Prince Dai Yun within the palace. His expression then turned peculiar.
Why did he always seem to encounter the man in the midst of such illicit affairs? And every time, the female lead was Lin Fei. This time, however, there was an additional participant.
His divine sense sweep alerted the cultivators stationed within the palace, yet he paid it no mind and swiftly flew toward the palace hall where Crown Prince Dai Yun was located.
During his investigation, he also discovered that the old emperor of the Yuanhai Kingdom had been placed under house arrest deep within the imperial palace. Imprisoned alongside him was the empress.
For reasons unknown, Crown Prince Dai Yun had not yet taken action against them. He had merely placed the two under house arrest. It was unclear whether this was because he feared acting without proper justification.
At this moment, Crown Prince Dai Yun was inside the palace hall, indulging in a “one dragon playing with two phoenixes” scenario. Beneath him were two delicate and charming women.
One of them was the alluring Lin Fei. The other was equally enchanting, another favoured consort of the old emperor.
“Lady Wang,” Dai Yun panted, flushed with exertion, “tell me. Who is superior? This prince… Or that old relic?”
“Your Highness is unmatched,” Lady Wang answered in a syrupy voice. “This humble one can scarcely endure Your Highness’s boundless favour... mm~”
Crown Prince Dai Yun burst into laughter and became even more vigorous, while Lin Fei covered her mouth with a soft laugh. Yet a trace of disdain flickered in her eyes.
Over the past two years, aside from the empress who was regarded as the mother of the nation, all the other consorts in the palace had already been taken by Crown Prince Dai Yun. What he pursued was the thrill of acting as emperor.
As for the empress, it was not that he did not desire her, nor was it due to filial piety. It was simply because she was the birth mother of Princess Lian Yue, and Princess Lian Yue had a close relationship with Xiao Yifeng.
Dai Yun feared Xiao Yifeng. Two years ago, after consuming what was supposedly a fake poison, he had suffered the consequences for a year before recovering. The experience left him shaken. He did not dare provoke Xiao Yifeng again, so he left himself a line of retreat.
“Lady Wang, that performance was quite convincing. I nearly believed it myself. Crown Prince Dai Yun, bearing the title of crown prince, yet conducting the affairs of a sovereign. Relieving your father of his burdens, and even caring for your father’s consorts at night. Truly filial devotion that moves the heavens.”
A teasing male voice suddenly echoed within the hall.
Crown Prince Dai Yun felt the hairs all over his body stand on end. For one dreadful instant, he was convinced that Xiao Yifeng had returned. The sudden voice that echoed through the chamber was eerily identical to the nightmare he had once lived through.
“Who’s there?! Show yourself!”
He immediately scrambled off Wang Meiren, turning to stare in terror at the figure standing behind him, dressed entirely in black. He had no idea where the person had suddenly appeared from.
Wang Meiren shrieked and hastily snatched the quilt from the bed, clutching it over her chest. At the same time, Lin Fei narrowed her eyes and stared cautiously at Xiao Yifeng.
“Who are you, skulking about like that? To dare trespass into the imperial palace of the Yuanhai Kingdom… What exactly do you want?”
Once Dai Yun realised the man before him was not Xiao Yifeng, his panic eased slightly. Even so, he forced his trembling composure into place and spoke in a deep voice.
“I am who I am. There is no need for the Crown Prince Dai Yun to concern himself with it. Just remember that I am someone who has come to kill you for the sake of the people of the Yuanhai Kingdom,” Xiao Yifeng said coldly.
Crown Prince Dai Yun quietly crushed the communication jade slip beside the bed. Xiao Yifeng saw it but made no attempt to stop him. Instead, he smiled. “Your Highness had better send word to gather all your companions. Don’t leave anyone out. It will save me some effort.”
Crown Prince Dai Yun did not expect him to be so fearless. Putting on a fierce front while inwardly weak, he said, “You coward hiding in the shadows. Leave now and this prince will pardon your crime. Otherwise, when the fairy of Tender Blossom Pavilion arrives, she will tear out your soul and strip your bones.”
“What do you want, fellow daoist? This place belongs to our Tender Blossom Pavilion. I advise you to leave quickly,” Lin Fei said, covering her chest with one hand while keeping her legs together.
She knew the experts of her sect would arrive soon, so she was not worried. She observed Xiao Yifeng with curiosity. Something about him felt strangely familiar.