Chapter 444: The Heaven Earth Cauldron
Chapter 444: The Heaven Earth Cauldron
Numerous Blood Replacement Realm experts, including the eight princes, gathered in the White Jade Square, their eyes fixed on the prince draped in a light golden python robe, the Duke of Jin. With a sweeping gaze, he spoke with a hint of emotion:
"Sixth brother, seventh brother, fourteenth brother..."
"We eight brothers haven't been together in twenty years."
As he finished, the other seven princes in the square had varying expressions, some with a glint of reminiscence and a sigh.
The Duke of Chu, second in line, smiled faintly and said, "Indeed, it's been over twenty years. I still remember when we were young, and the Emperor bestowed four spirit fruits. Seeing my greed, the Duke of Jin gave me three. It's been decades since then."
The slightly petite Duke of Liang stepped forward, sighing, "Back then, we brothers were so close, but from when did we start drifting apart? We fought for that position, scheming and plotting, causing chaos in the world."
"Hehe."
The Duke of Yan, tall and clad in a blue python robe, glared coldly at the Duke of Liang, "In the royal family, there's no father-son bond, and emperors rarely have brothers. There's no need for false sentiment. If the Duke of Liang has no interest in the throne, he can step down now. I'll guarantee his safety, and all past grudges will be forgotten. I won't make things difficult for him."
The relationships among the eight princes varied, with some as close as brothers and others as bitter as fire and water. The Duke of Liang and the Duke of Yan, for instance, were enemies. The Duke of Yan deeply resented the Duke of Liang for a past scheme that cost him a beloved woman. Thus, in the power struggle, he constantly opposed the Duke of Liang. Recently, when he learned of the Duke of Liang and the Duke of Han's actions in the Northern Cold Region, he secretly informed Chen Mu to warn him.
Of course, at that time, he merely hoped that Chen Mu would cause trouble for the Duke of Liang and the Duke of Han, preferably to the point of mutual destruction, so he could reap the benefits. But he never expected that what was initially a minor piece in the game would now have the potential to overturn the entire chessboard, becoming a dark cloud looming over everyone's hearts.
However, he had never offended Chen Mu. Chen Mu's mortal enemies were the Duke of Liang and the Duke of Han, and he didn't care about their lives in the slightest. One had a cold relationship with him, and the other harbored deep grudges.
"Once you enter the Imperial Family, it's like a vast sea; how can you simply retreat when you wish to?"
The Duke of Liang faced the Duke of Yan's mockery without annoyance, responding with a calm smile.
The eight princes in the square, representing the eight sons of the Great Xuanyan Emperor, may not have all coveted the throne initially. But after decades of changes and countless events, they were now compelled to fight, their destinies no longer their own.
Take the Duke of Liang, for example. Even without the immense threat of Chen Mu, he couldn't retreat. What he represented was not just himself but also the faction of his mother and the numerous influential sects supporting him.
"The Duke of Liang speaks the truth. At this point, what path of retreat is there?"
The Duke of Han, Ji Xuan Fei, slowly spoke.
Aside from the dark cloud of Chen Mu looming in their hearts, like a thunderclap waiting to explode, the decades-long power struggle among the princes had already sealed their fate.
Who could guarantee that once one of the eight princes ascended the throne, they wouldn't be held accountable for past actions?
That would be entrusting one's destiny to others.
Moreover, the Great Xuanyan Imperial Family had numerous princes, and those chosen as the eight princes were exceptional in both martial and literary arts. They were all masters of Body Tempering Martial Arts, and none were weak-hearted.
"Duke of Han, Duke of Liang, you two have brought such a formidable enemy to the Imperial Family, and now you don't even know how to deal with him. Yet, you stand here claiming there's no way back. Isn't that laughable? I think you two are the ones with no way out!"
The Duke of Qi, wearing a light purple python robe, was the last to arrive in the White Jade Square. He was the youngest and the last to be granted the title of prince. Only two Blood Replacement Realm experts followed him.
He directed his words at the Dukes of Han and Liang, his tone chilling.
The Duke of Liang responded with a cold laugh, "The Duke of Qi's words are like those of a child, amusing to think about. The reason someone like Chen Mu emerged is because of our infighting, causing chaos in the world. Who can escape this cause and effect? Moreover, this person's martial arts are nearly divine. In the future, when he unifies the world, he'll be invincible. Even if the Duke of Qi ascends the throne, will he be able to sit securely?"
In a world where might is revered, the struggle between imperial power and martial strength is inevitable.
The Great Xuanyan Empire has stood for a thousand years, its foundation laid by the High Ancestor Emperor, a martial arts master who conquered the world with his Heaven-Earth Body.
Over the millennium, martial arts flourished, producing talented individuals in every generation. However, imperial power always remained at the pinnacle, unshakable by any individual or sect in the world. All had to bow in submission to the Great Xuanyan Court.
Chen Mu, however, was different from such individuals.
Having cultivated the Heaven and Earth Principle, his talent and genius were unparalleled in history. It was almost as if everyone could foresee his future, where he would dominate the world and be invincible. At that time, Chen Mu's very existence would be like a dark cloud hanging over the Great Xuanyan Imperial Family.
No one wanted to see such a situation, but now, the situation was out of control. Even with the joint efforts of the King of Han and the King of Liang, exhausting all means, they still couldn't find any trace of Chen Mu. They had no choice but to give up and take things one step at a time.
And so, today, the Eight Princes gathered in the White Jade Garden, beneath the Heaven Earth Cauldron.
Everyone's purpose for coming here was the same: to compete for the recognition of the Heaven Earth Cauldron, and by extension, the approval of the current generation of the Great Xuanyan Imperial Family.
The Heaven Earth Cauldron and the Heaven Earth Abyss Formation were extremely crucial, forming one of the most fundamental foundations for the Great Xuanyan Dynasty's standing in the world. Throughout history, every Emperor Xuan had to gain the acknowledgment of the Heaven Earth Cauldron and subsequently, the support of the entire Great Xuanyan Imperial Family.
Although the Great Xuanyan Imperial Family was currently divided into four factions, resulting in the Eight Princes' struggle for power, the largest internal force was not any of the Eight Princes' lineages. Instead, it was a lineage independent of the imperial succession, solely dedicated to Martial Dao, the Heaven and Earth Principle, and the Art of Formations. This lineage guarded the various foundations and legacies of the Great Xuanyan Dynasty, following only the directives of the past Emperors Xuan.
The Ancestral Clan Hall, the Supreme Court, and other forces exclusive to the Great Xuanyan Imperial Family were all controlled by this lineage. They had no qualifications to compete for the imperial throne or the supreme authority, but they still held extremely high positions.
Before this, even when rumors spread that Ji Yongzhao was practicing Dark Arts, or that he had gone insane and fallen into a coma from which he would never wake, as long as he wasn't dead, no one dared to truly offend his authority. Even the Eight Princes, like the Prince of Jin, only fought amongst themselves, expanding their influence, and never considered the idea of forcing the issue of succession. This was because it was almost impossible to succeed.
Now that Ji Yongzhao had disappeared without a trace, the situation had changed.
Just as a country cannot be without a ruler for a day, following the rules established by the High Ancestor Emperor, after several months of searching with no news or trace of Ji Yongzhao, and with the court in chaos due to the Eight Princes' conflicts, this lineage finally made a decision. They would let the Heaven Earth Cauldron decide the new ruler from among the Eight Princes, and they would follow the new ruler's orders.
As one of the Great Xuanyan Dynasty's foundations, this lineage was crucial. Whichever side gained their support could potentially seize the greatest initiative in this power struggle, even if it didn't guarantee the imperial throne.
Therefore, whether it was the King of Han, the King of Liang, or even the Prince of Jin, the Prince of Chu, and others, none could ignore this matter.
This was why today, the Eight Princes gathered in the White Jade Garden. In reality, after Ji Yongzhao's disappearance and months of infighting among the Eight Princes, they had reached a point of irreconcilable differences. Assassinations and other treacherous methods had been employed countless times, even though the Eight Princes were all at the Grandmaster level and were now Blood Transformation experts.
In the White Jade Garden, besides the Eight Princes like the Prince of Jin and the Prince of Chu, everyone who had arrived was a famous Blood Transformation expert, standing at the pinnacle of Body Tempering Martial Art.
Among them, the Prince of Qi had the fewest, with only two Blood Transformation experts by his side.
Next was the King of Han and the King of Liang, whose power was not as strong among the Eight Princes. Having failed to ambush Chen Mu and with three Blood Transformation experts killed by Chen Mu, only a handful of experts followed them here.
The most powerful force belonged to the Prince of Jin. Behind him stood a total of seven Blood Transformation experts.
These seven experts didn't hide their presence. Some were Grandmasters from major sects, while others were legendary figures from the Prince of Jin's mother's family. Each of them was renowned throughout the world.
According to the Prince of Chu and others' speculations, this might not even be the full extent of the Prince of Jin's forces.
As the eldest among the Eight Princes and the first to be bestowed the title of Prince, he had access to more resources and recognition than his brothers. However, this also made him the most cautious and targeted among the princes.
As the Eight Princes competed against each other, the Blood Transformation experts standing behind them also faced off, each sizing up the others with cold eyes, but most maintained a sense of restraint.
Action: Here, in the heart of the White Jade Garden, lies the core of the Heaven Earth Abyss Formation.
The Blood Replacement Realm experts present, despite their prowess, could only unleash the strength of Marrow Washing Realm within these confines. Even without restrictions, they might fall short compared to the Eight Princes, unless they joined forces to overthrow the formation. But that was clearly impossible.
Although nearly twenty Blood Replacement Realm experts were gathered here, accounting for almost a fifth of the Great Xuanyan's forces, they hailed from various sects and factions, some with deep-seated grudges, making collaboration unlikely.
They had come here primarily to prevent any unforeseen incidents.
After all, the recognition of the Heaven Earth Cauldron was of paramount importance. Whichever of the Eight Princes gained its acknowledgment would take a significant step towards the throne. One could say that half of their body was already seated upon the supreme imperial throne, and all that remained was to clear the court of opposition and gain the support of the many neutral factions within. Then, they could inherit the empire and become the new ruler.
However, these Blood Replacement Realm experts were all wary of each other. They hadn't ventured deep into the White Jade Garden; they had only reached its edge and stopped, watching as Jin Wang and the others continued towards the Heaven Earth Cauldron.
Meanwhile, outside the palace, in a certain direction, stood a towering Star-Picking Pavilion. At its top, several figures stood, clad in deep purple official robes adorned with crane patterns, signifying their first-rank status in the Great Xuanyan court.
The Great Xuanyan was a world where Martial Arts reigned supreme. In the past, when the empire was stable, even high-ranking officials typically possessed Martial Arts cultivation. They sought both scholarly and martial prowess. Now, with the Eight Princes in constant conflict, it was nearly impossible to hold a high position without Martial Arts cultivation. After all, if one was too weak, even a child with a knife could threaten them, and they wouldn't be able to guarantee their own safety, let alone hold a high position.
"The Heaven Earth Cauldron, having suppressed the Dragon Vein and undergone countless temperings, has become the core of the Heaven Earth Abyss Formation. It has almost developed its own consciousness. If it were to be included in the Great Xuanyan Spirit Armament Catalog, it would undoubtedly be the top-ranked armament," Zhao Lie said with a hint of awe.
The quality of spirit armaments was not static; they could be further enhanced through tempering. Just as the Earthly Calamity Banner had dropped in ranking due to its absence, others had risen through tempering.
The Heaven Earth Cauldron, from the very beginning, had been the core of the formation. It had never been removed individually and thus had never been assessed as a spirit armament. But now, if it were to be taken out, its quality would be difficult to determine after the tempering it had undergone in the Great Xuanyan, and the cultivation of the Heaven Earth Principle by countless figures.
This was another spirit armament that was not listed in the Great Xuanyan Spirit Armament Catalog due to its peculiar origins. It was said to have been embedded in a fallen 'Meteor' that landed in the Great Xuanyan. The sword itself was broken, yet its quality was so high as to be almost unbelievable. Wielding it could easily tear through space, but even Heaven and Man Realm experts couldn't fully control it.
This broken sword had changed hands several times before it ended up in the hands of the court. It became known as the 'Heaven Severing Sword', but was then lost during a period of chaos, rumored to have fallen into the void, its whereabouts unknown.
There were a few similar objects in the Great Xuanyan, each with its own peculiar origin. Some were brought from the Great Wilderness, their unique qualities making them difficult to categorize and control, thus never being listed in the Spirit Armament Catalog.
Of course, such information was rarely circulated in the world. Even some Bone Marrow Washing Masters might not be aware of these details.
In Zhao Lie's opinion, these objects from beyond the Great Wilderness were more like oddities rather than spirit armaments. As for the Heaven Earth Cauldron, it was the foundation for suppressing the Dragon Vein and a part of the royal family's heritage, barely qualifying as a spirit armament.
(End of Chapter)
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