Calamity Approaches, a Prince Rebels, and the Old Emperor's Life Hangs by a Thread
Chen Du raised his hand and slowly concealed the purple lightning patterns flowing in his palm.
The scattered, leaping lightning bolts all Lie Dormant and Return to the Ruins, and all the fierce thunderous aura and annihilating Dao energy on his body were gathered together, returning him to a state of calm and tranquility.
A profound sense of understanding welled up within him.
Throughout his cultivation, he had long been trapped in a misconception, always believing that the longer the name of a law, the more complex its profound meaning, and the more elaborate its hierarchical packaging, the stronger and more domineering its combat power.
Only now, after comprehending the fundamental laws of both the Thunder Dao and the Cause and Effect systems, has he truly grasped the essence of the Heavenly Dao.
The greatest truths are the simplest; the closer one is to the fundamental laws of the universe, the more unadorned and pure one's name becomes.
The word "Dao" (the Way) points directly to the origin.
For example, the simple word "Thunder" encompasses the order of thunder in the heavens and the origin of nine heavenly punishments, and carries the ultimate authority to judge, destroy, and eliminate all things.
In contrast, the Tribulation Source Law upon which he relied for his existence had a fixed upper limit for cultivation. Even if he reached the ultimate level, he would be stuck at the eighth level for life. Ultimately, it was just a secondary path derived from the calamity, which had an end and a bottleneck.
But the Law of Thunder are different.
This is the fundamental path truly rooted in the underlying order of the universe, without upper limits, without constraints, and without end.
Even though he has only just begun to grasp the basics and barely entered the field, this meager foundation already far surpasses the sum of all the laws he has ever studied in the past.
The difference between the two is as vast as heaven and earth, and it is immediately obvious.
Chen Du's gaze was deep as he stared at his empty palm, a clear understanding forming in his mind.
The power of thunder that Lie Dormant in his sea of consciousness at this moment may seem weak and immature, but it is the supreme foundation that will be able to crush all ages and sweep across all heavens in the future.
He suppressed his inner thoughts and focused on the three new core Daos: Divine Firmament Divine Firmament Thunder Source, Law of Thunder, and Law of Karmic Destruction.
It settles steadily deep within the black hole of the sea of consciousness, complementing and resonating with the Tribulation Source Law, making its foundation increasingly profound and perfect.
Just as he finished his seclusion and his Dao heart was stabilized, a series of hurried footsteps came from below the mountain path.
The peddler who lived at the foot of the mountain hurried up the mountain, passed through the gate of the bamboo forest, and went straight to the bamboo courtyard. He looked anxious and held an urgent secret letter sealed with hot mud in his hand.
"Junior Brother Chen Du, urgent news from down the mountain!"
Chen Du took the letter, his fingertips brushing away the seal, his eyes quickly scanning the entire text.
In an instant, his brows furrowed slowly, and a deep, cold glint flashed in his eyes.
The letter was filled with shocking news, detailing dramatic changes in the Ling Dynasty court and the ensuing chaos throughout the land.
The thirteenth prince of the Northern Border fiefdom, who had been secretly accumulating power for many years, has now brazenly launched a rebellion.
He openly colluded with the sworn enemy, the Northern Barbarian Kingdom, and led foreign cavalry into the pass. Millions of troops marched south, conquering cities and fortresses with unstoppable momentum, and had already surrounded the Capital of the Ling Dynasty.
Zhao Yuan Lang publicly declared that he would "cleanse the court of corrupt officials, punish treacherous ministers, and restore the nation," claiming that the current emperor was incompetent, that treacherous officials were in power and causing chaos in the court, and that his uprising was solely for the purpose of entering the capital to eliminate these evils, cleanse the court, and restore the imperial family.
However, anyone with a clear mind, whether in the court or among the common people, could see through his wolfish ambitions.
Purging corrupt officials from the emperor's inner circle was a pretense; the real intention was to usurp the throne and seize control of the state.
The century-old Ling Dynasty was suddenly thrown into turmoil.
The various vassal kings, who held considerable military power, remained inactive and watched from the sidelines. Furthermore, many ambitious individuals secretly sent letters in support of the thirteenth prince's rebellion, waiting only for the Capital to fall so they could divide the country and establish their own independent regimes.
The once prosperous Ling Dynasty court has completely fallen apart, with civil and military officials filled with fear and the court and the country in chaos.
Chen Du traced the words on the letter with his fingertips, his eyes slightly cool.
He had heard of the thirteenth prince.
He was the youngest prince of the old emperor, and he was always low-key and patient. He guarded the Northern Border for many years and commanded a large army on the border. He was recognized by the court and the public as the prince who guarded the border.
No one could have predicted that this prince, who had guarded the nation's borders and resisted the invasion of Barbarian Kingdoms for a century, would turn around and collude with his sworn enemy, inviting wolves into the house and plundering his own country.
This is no longer a simple matter of vying for the throne or power struggles within the court.
This is treason and territorial division, the overthrow of the state, and the plunging of all people into the inferno of war.
In the instant his mind stirred and he perceived the crisis of the chaotic world,
With a hum, deep within the sea of consciousness, the Heavenly Dao early warning mechanism suddenly activated, and a clear Dao sound echoed through the soul.
[Calamity Warning triggered.]
[Simulation in progress... Simulation complete.]
The sudden rebellion of the thirteenth prince, Zhao Yuan Lang, his invasion of the barbarians, and the siege of the Capital were no accident. The entire upheaval and chaos were secretly orchestrated and gradually pushed forward by the Xuanwu Divine Hall.
[The Xuanwu Divine Hall Ling Dynasty, having Lie Dormant in the shadows for a century, sensed the weakening of the Ling Dynasty's fortunes and the corruption within its court. Taking advantage of this, they supported rebels and stirred up war, intending to use the chaos to overthrow the dynasty's fortunes, fish in troubled waters, secretly seize control of the entire Ling Dynasty, accumulate resources, and plot a larger scheme across the heavens.]
[The current Ling Dynasty royal family is corrupt, the old emperor is senile and incompetent, there are no loyal ministers or capable generals in the court, the Capital's defenses are weak, the army's morale is collapsed, and the city's fall is imminent.]
[Suggestion: 1. Remain in your own place and firmly guard Qingfeng Temple. With the host's transcendent cultivation as Thirteenth Realm cosmic life form, coupled with the mountain gate's concealment of heavenly secrets and isolation from the mortal world, no matter how chaotic the world is, how the mountains and rivers are overturned, or how the flames of war spread, they will not affect Qingfeng Mountain in the slightest, thus completely avoiding all calamities and storms.]
Second, intervene in the world and sever the chaotic situation. Seize the opportunity to dismantle the Xuanwu Divine Hall's plans, thwarting their conspiracy to cultivate power amidst chaos and accumulate fortune through the dynasty, thus cutting off a core hidden force of the enemy.
Two paths, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, are laid out before us.
Chen Du leaned back in his bamboo chair, his gaze fixed on the ancient, vigorous pine tree in the courtyard, its branches swaying gently in the breeze, serene and composed.
He pondered quietly in silence, weighing the pros and cons.
By staying at the mountain gate, one can live a life of peace and quiet, avoiding all turmoil, danger, court intrigue, and worldly tribulations. For oneself, this is the safest and most secure choice, free from disaster and hardship, allowing one to quietly guard the path of cultivation.
But he knew the truth in his heart.
Once the Xuanwu Divine Hall's conspiracy to seize power and disrupt the world succeeds, the Ling Dynasty will fall, hundreds of millions of people will be plunged into war and slaughter, bones will be exposed in the wilderness, and not a rooster will crow for a thousand miles.
The dark forces that Lie Dormant in the shadows for countless years will take advantage of the chaotic times to grow wildly, their foundations becoming increasingly solid, making it as difficult as climbing to heaven to eradicate them in the future.
However, if he were to intervene in the mortal world and thwart this conspiracy, it would mean that he would have to reveal his extraordinary combat power at the Thirteenth Tier.
The Xuanwu Divine Hall's spies throughout the heavens and the top-level powerhouses with ancient foundations will instantly lock onto his presence.
From then on, he would be completely exposed to the vision of the dark giants, with no more room to Lie Dormant low and grow in secret.
Weighing the pros and cons, fortune and misfortune are intertwined.
After a long silence, Chen Du's eyes hardened, and he had made up his mind.
He rose, brushed the dust off his robes, turned with the letter in hand, and steadily walked toward the alchemy room.
Inside the alchemy room, the fire burned at a constant temperature, and the aroma of medicinal herbs wafted through the air.
As always, Xuanwei squatted in front of the furnace, calmly adjusting the fire, his expression serene and peaceful, indifferent to worldly affairs.
Chen Du gently pushed open the door and entered, spreading the urgent letter in his hand on the table. He then truthfully told his master about the entire conspiracy predicted by the Heavenly Dao, the perilous situation in the world, and the choices he himself faced.
The fire crackled softly in the stove, and the aroma of medicine quietly filled the air.
After hearing the whole story, Xuanwei paused slightly and remained silent for a long time.
In the cramped alchemy room, it was so quiet that only the faint sound of the flickering flame could be heard.
After a long while, he slowly raised his eyes, calmly looking at his disciple, and asked softly:
You want to go?
Chen Du nodded slightly, his tone firm. "Yes."
Xuanwei gave him a deep look, her eyes filled with worry, but she showed no intention of stopping him.
He already knew that his disciple had transcended the mundane game of chess, and that his character, vision, and path had far surpassed the heights he could reach.
All the words I could say in the end boiled down to a single, weighty, and heartfelt admonition:
Be careful in everything you do.
"Your disciple will remember this."
Chen Du bowed respectfully, then turned and stepped out of the alchemy room.
Qingfeng Mountain remains serene and tranquil, and the bamboo forest remains peaceful and idyllic.
But across the vast land below the mountain, war has broken out, and chaos has arrived.