荔枝影院

Edited by: Michyrr

As time went on, the capital remained peaceful. As the new Emperor presided over the realm, everyone soaked in a harmonious atmosphere.

But beneath the peaceful surface, the undercurrent grew more and more furious, though only a few people knew of this.

Ten days later, Wang Chong’s three divine embryos finished their long trek and returned to the capital.

Buzz!

In the main hall, the floor rippled as Wang Chong’s three divine embryos emerged out of the ground, radiating, brown, azure, and golden light respectively. But the greatest change was with the energy on their bodies.

This time, the three divine embryos had a faint hint of spacetime energy.

“Not bad! It really was a good harvest!”

Wang Chong looked in delight at the three divine embryos.

The harvest had been much greater than he had initially imagined. Destroying the teleportation gate was good enough, but he had also obtained the precious law energy within Firmament Supreme’s Grotto Heaven Core.

Though Firmament Supreme eventually self-detonated and destroyed a part of the law energy, if he gathered together all of the Grotto Heaven Core Law energy the three divine embryos had collected, he had around eighty percent.

“Once the time is right, I can combine these Grotto Heaven Laws together and have a much easier time cultivating.”

Wang Chong’s eyes were bright with satisfaction.

The peak of the Subtle realm and the Grotto Heaven realm seemed only one step apart, but in truth, it was a gap as great as that between heaven and earth. Yet in obtaining Firmament Supreme’s Grotto Heaven Law, he essentially had a staircase crossing this gap. It would now take much less time and difficulty for him to reach the Grotto Heaven realm.

“Faceless man, come here.”

Wang Chong turned his gaze to the other side of the hall, where the faceless man was standing.

With the mission at the shores of the Caspian Sea over, the faceless man had returned to the capital. More importantly, the faceless man had also absorbed some of the precious Grotto Heaven Stellar Energy from Firmament Supreme and was showing signs of advancement.

“Your Excellency!”

The faceless man silently came forward and bowed.

“This is for you. This contains knowledge of the origin of energy, and I have also added in part of my memories and understanding. Take it and digest this knowledge. At your level, once you comprehend the origin of energy, you have a high chance of reaching the Subtle realm, which will make you much more helpful in future operations,” Wang Chong said from the raised platform.

Bang!

He flicked his finger, sending a warm ball of light flying through the air and into the faceless man’s body.

“Many thanks, Master!”

The faceless man bowed, but his voice did not carry much emotion.

“You’re dismissed.”

Wang Chong waved his hand, and the faceless man took his leave.

He had his own places to be. If he did not wish to report something to Wang Chong, Wang Chong would not ask.

The hall fell silent. With the faceless man gone, Wang Chong waved his hand, closing the doors of the hall. In a flash of light, Wang Chong activated the powerful protective formation he had requested the Formation Elder to set up underneath the hall, covering the entire hall in a barrier.

Boomboomboom!

At this moment, the air in the hall rumbled as Wang Chong and his three divine embryos all exploded with howling energy. Behind them, golden pavilions manifested, magnificent and grandiose, seeming to extend into the depths of spacetime.

The Trayastrimsa Heaven!

At this moment, Wang Chong and his three divine embryos were all using the supreme art of the Central Plains.

Each of these Trayastrimsa Heavens was at least twenty-five floors, with Divine Embryo 1’s rising up to twenty-seven floors.

Buzz!

Wang Chong appeared in the center of the hall, positioning himself and three divine embryos so that they were in the positions of the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermillion Bird, and Xuanwu Turtle, the four directions. The four Trayastrimsa Heavens were pushed to their limit and began to fuse together.

Their four energies began to fuse, strands of golden Origin Immortal Stellar Energy flowing between the four pavilions.

And within these streams of Origin Immortal Stellar Energy were mysterious strands of spacetime energy.

Wang Chong’s three clones had seized Firmament Supreme’s Grotto Heaven Core Laws and Stellar Energy, and they were now sharing it with Wang Chong’s original body.

With the Trayastrimsa Heaven serving as the bridge, the Grotto Heaven Stellar Energy and Laws slowly moved to Wang Chong’s original body.

As these powers nurtured him, Wang Chong grew stronger and stronger.

Buzz!

Space rippled as Wang Chong’s twenty-five-floor Trayastrimsa Heaven rose another floor.

Twenty-six floors!

It had taken only a few moments for Wang Chong to achieve a breakthrough, rising to the twenty-sixth floor of the Trayastrimsa Heaven. And just a few moments later...

Boom! The Trayastrimsa Heaven behind Wang Chong trembled again and rose to twenty-seven floors.

Just a few moments’ effort had been the equivalent of a hard year of cultivation.

Not only that, as Wang Chong benefited from the energy of his divine embryos, his own Stellar Energy flowed back into the divine embryos.

The three divine embryos had all been damaged on this journey to the Caspian Sea, but Wang Chong’s actual body was unharmed. The Stellar Energy of the original body began to rapidly heal the injuries of the three divine embryos.

After a long, long time...

Buzz!

The majestic Trayastrimsa Heavens dissipated, the dazzling light returning to Wang Chong’s body.

Wang Chong and the three divine embryos ended their cultivation.

“Go!”

Wang Chong waved his hand, and the three divine embryos obeyed, the floor under them rippling as they sank back into the earth to cultivate.

Moving from the Subtle realm to the Grotto Heaven realm was no easy task. Talent and luck were both needed.

With Firmament Supreme’s Grotto Heaven Law, Wang Chong now had an entry ticket.

Advancing to the Grotto Heaven realm is no minor task. I should first bring my original body and my three clones all to the half-step Grotto Heaven realm. Then, I can gather together the power of the three divine embryos and break through in one go. This will greatly increase my chances, Wang Chong quietly said to himself.

Plans were needed before moving out, and while Wang Chong was anxious to break into the Grotto Heaven realm, he could not rush the matter too much. It was not the best time to advance.

“Come in!”

Wang Chong quickly turned his eyes to the door. He could sense that someone had been standing there for some time.

Creeeak!

Zhang Que came in with a stack of intelligence reports.

“Your Highness!”

Wang Chong waved his sleeve and asked, “What business do you have?”

“Your Highness, some reports concerning Li Linfu,” Zhang Que loudly said.

“Oh?”

Wang Chong’s eyes gleamed.

Old Eagle, after obtaining Wang Chong’s approval, had engaged in several small operations against Li Linfu. Li Linfu lacked martial prowess, but he was a master political operator. After some thought, Wang Chong wasn’t able to allay his anxieties, so he had tasked Zhang Que with keeping watch on Li Linfu. Zhang Que was to report any movement from Li Linfu to Wang Chong in a timely fashion.

“Speak! What has Li Linfu done recently?” Wang Chong said.

Li Linfu was extremely shrewd, but he also cherished his reputation. This was why he spoke with a honeyed mouth while concealing a blade behind his back.

Even when Li Linfu hated someone to his bones, he would maintain his usual grace, a smile on his face and nary a curse on his lips.

This was not merely to make his enemy let down his guard. It was also because he valued his reputation, and his efforts had earned him the reputation as a renowned minister.

Now that Old Eagle had let out rumors exposing his old scandals, Li Linfu would not let the matter go.

But Zhang Que’s answer left Wang Chong surprised.

“Your Highness, there’s been nothing. Although all sorts of scandalous rumors have been circulating through society as of late and many officials have begun to distance themselves from him, Li Linfu has been abnormally quiet. Moreover, there have been several court sessions where he has decided not to attend, seemingly knowing that His Majesty was displeased.

Zhang Que bowed and said, “We’ve observed him for a long time, but the gate of Li Linfu’s residence has remained shut. No one goes in or out except some servants. Li Linfu probably knows that his time is done and is preparing to prioritize his safety and start avoiding Your Highness!”

Wang Chong’s brows instantly creased.

“Your Highness, what’s wrong?”

Zhang Que’s heart tensed in surprise.

Wang Chong’s reaction was completely different from what he had imagined. His liege was the Son of Heaven’s disciple heavily favored by the previous Emperor, and also good friends with the new Emperor. With his achievements, it was reasonable for Li Linfu to feel that his time was over and that he was no match.

A new government was in power now.

And if his liege was willing, he could take Li Linfu’s Prime Minister post for himself. Li Linfu would never be able to overcome his liege.

But his liege did not seem happy in the slightest.

“Something is wrong!” Wang Chong tersely replied.

In any dimension, whether this life or his last life, Li Linfu was a formidable character with a burning desire for power. To seize his power was no different from killing him.

If he hadn’t wanted to protect his post, Li Linfu wouldn’t have caused so much trouble in the past.

His backstabbing ways, the Regional Commanders incident, his grudges against the Wang Clan... everything Li Linfu had done was to solidify his position.

This distant member of the imperial household who had been down and out for several decades had finally ascended to the apex of power, and he would not relinquish it so easily.

But despite being wounded, Li Linfu had gotten even more inconspicuous rather than countering. This wasn’t his style at all.

Wang Chong sensed that there was a big problem here.