Though the Emperor Star Was Hidden, Ziwei Had a Master

As for why Yuan Tiangang smiled at the sight of Mars, it was because this battle had come at just the right time—though still a little too early. Had it come later, it would have been perfect.

Still, it did no real harm. They could simply deal with everything at once.

In Yuan Tiangang's view, the best course would have been for His Highness to first proceed to his fief, set everything in order, recruit worthy talents, and place the right people in the right positions.

Then, he could seek an opportunity to display the Prince of Qin's majesty through a great battle.

He would reveal himself with the bearing of an enlightened ruler and intimidate others with the might of a hegemon.

Establishing his authority through dominance, he would lay bare his grand ambitions.

Once his foundations had been built, his troops strong and vigorous, and the common people wholeheartedly devoted to him, whether he had someone pass the throne to him or make way for him would be easy.

That was the best path, and the path of development they had discussed and decided upon before.

Yet before the man had even arrived, chaos had already emerged. The affairs of the world truly did not bend to human will!

Since the situation had changed, they could only take another road. Time waited for no one.

He would directly display his dominance, suppress You Province, and use this battle to draw all the factions of You Province into the game. As long as they won, His Highness's prestige and majesty would spread just as surely.

Then they would prepare to soothe and settle matters after the war, gathering all of You Province's popular support into their arms. His Highness's name for benevolence and virtue would become known in every direction.

At that point, You Province would be secured, and he would command one region like a mighty stronghold.

The outcome would still be the same, but this pace was simply too fast. Building only a towering mansion without stabilizing its foundations—one careless misstep, one error, and trouble would follow.

That was why they had not made such a decision before. But now that matters had come to this, this was their only choice. They would seize the territory first and speak of the rest later.

Popular support? Foundations? You needed people before you could even think about popular support.

If You Province fell, they would practically have nowhere left to live. What use would popular support be then?

If they won this game, such prestige added to His Highness would bring nothing but benefits and no harm to his future contest for power.

Suddenly, Yuan Tiangang, who had been gazing thoughtfully at the star chart, narrowed his eyes. His expression turned grave, as though he had seen something extraordinary, and he said in shock.

"The Tianji Star has stirred?"

He raised his head toward the sky. The Tianji Star was dim and without light, showing not the slightest change.

The Tianji in question was not the heavenly secret of divination, but the Tianji Star, one of the Fourteen Main Stars of Ziwei.

The main star surrounded by the other stars shone with only a faint purple radiance, preserving but a single breath. It drifted without fixed direction, bearing the aspect of one without a master.

When he looked back at the star chart, Yuan Tiangang's gaze darkened. The Tianji Star had indeed stirred—or rather, it was not the Tianji Star that had moved, but the Yujing Star. Yet from the path traced by the Yujing Star, it was clearly centered upon the Tianji Star.

The schemer behind the curtain might conceal their form, but the paths of the stars could not be wrong.

How could such a trick possibly fool Yuan Tiangang?

The Yujing Star was merely a minor star. Even if it changed—or even mutated—Yuan Tiangang would not care. But what was the Tianji Star?

It was one of the Fourteen Main Stars of Ziwei. Since the Ziwei Emperor Star had not moved, why would the Tianji Star, which represented wisdom and strategy, make a move on its own?

That was what shocked Yuan Tiangang. The Tianji Star moving was not frightening; what mattered was that once it moved, it signified the Ziwei Emperor Star.

But the Emperor Star had no master. How could it stir so lightly?

Unless—at this thought, a cold gleam surged into Yuan Tiangang's eyes, and killing intent rose sharply.

He knew very well that His Highness did not possess the fate of Ziwei.

Moreover, Emperor Stars came in different ranks. The Tianfu Star was also an Emperor Star and represented an emperor, but how could it compare with Ziwei?

Among the many Emperor Stars, Ziwei was the most exalted. The Ziwei Emperor Star stood at the head of all stars.

What it represented was an unparalleled sovereign, an emperor for the ages.

How many years did it take for a single Ziwei Emperor Star to emerge?

Ever since arriving in this world, with His Highness harboring the heart of an emperor, Yuan Tiangang had frequently observed the stars. Ziwei had been his utmost priority. He used the Tui Bei Tu for divination once every three days, yet the result was always the same: the Emperor Star was dim, and Ziwei had no master.

Yuan Tiangang had even considered seizing an opportunity from Heaven itself, to scheme for this Ziwei on His Highness's behalf.

But now, with the Tianji Star secretly making moves behind the scenes, although the Ziwei Emperor Star showed no anomaly at present, once Tianji had stirred, the Ziwei Emperor Star could not possibly remain dormant. The Emperor Star would emerge, and it would absolutely become His Highness's greatest obstacle in the future.

At this thought, true qi gathered around Yuan Tiangang. The yin-yang Eight Trigrams patterns in the Tui Bei Tu in his hand etched themselves into the void, and the Tui Bei Tu blazed with light. The myriad stars surrounded Ziwei as he used the Ziwei Emperor Star as the center to divine the heavenly secrets.

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As the divination continued, Yuan Tiangang's gaze grew increasingly impatient, until at last it shot forth a terrifyingly cold light.

Useless. Completely useless.

No matter what he used as the point of reference, the Ziwei Emperor Star remained utterly unchanged. Its purple light was dim, bearing the aspect of one without a master.

If Yuan Tiangang had merely suspected it before, he was certain now.

This starry sign seemed to have been locked in place. There was no doubt about it—not that the Emperor Star would emerge, but that it had already emerged. Ziwei had a master, hidden and not revealed.

Ziwei had been dim before, making it seem as though the Emperor Star had no master. But now that the Tianji Star had moved, no matter how he divined, the Ziwei Emperor Star still showed no anomaly at all. Was that possible?

Did they take Yuan Tiangang for a fool?

He could not even calculate the Tianji Star's exact location, knowing only that it was in the north. Did that even need calculating?

The Battle of Youzhou—Yujing Star had already moved with Tianji Star's trajectory as its lead. It wanted to meddle in Youzhou's affairs and was clearly located within Great Feng. Did that even need divination?

What Yuan Tiangang wanted was Ziwei's exact location.

Don't overthink it. He merely wanted to see whether this Ziwei Emperor Star truly possessed the bearing of an emperor.

He raised his head to look at the sky. Ziwei was unchanged. When Yuan Tiangang had seen this Ziwei before, he had been delighted. Ziwei had no master, and his Your Highness still had a chance to take command of Ziwei, to claim the noblest rank and the loftiest destiny.

But now, when Yuan Tiangang looked upon Ziwei again, nothing remained in his eyes but a forest of killing intent.

An emperor was not solely Ziwei, yet one who bore the sign of Ziwei was indescribably noble, with a name most righteous—and it would also bring immense benefits to future cultivation.

So if you don't come down, how is my Your Highness supposed to go up?

Staring at the vast sky, as deep as an abyss, Yuan Tiangang murmured.

"Heaven's will does not reveal itself, and heavenly secrets are obscured. What a Chosen of Destiny.

"Just what kind of Emperor Star are you, to make it shield you so thoroughly?

"Do you truly think I have no other way to learn who you are?"

He knew that the heavenly secrets' refusal to reveal themselves was because the Heavenly Dao had stirred them into chaos. This person bore destiny and was favored by the Heavenly Dao.

It did not wish others to know of this Emperor Star. Ziwei had only just appeared and had yet to mature; the time was not right, and it could not be exposed.

In short, its wings had not yet fully grown. The Heavenly Dao was concealing it, wishing for it to develop slowly, then remake heaven and earth once the chaotic age began.

But was that possible?

Yuan Tiangang's gaze was unfathomably deep. Mars had merely surprised him before, forcing him to adjust his strategy. That Mars might even become an aid to his Your Highness.

But this Ziwei Emperor Star was a tiger blocking the road—an absolute obstacle.

With a sweep of his right hand, all surrounding phenomena vanished. The aura of the Tui Bei Tu withdrew, falling into Yuan Tiangang's hand. The seal over heaven and earth was also lifted. With one step, Yuan Tiangang's figure instantly disappeared. The night sky remained deep, the courtyard silent, as though nothing had ever happened.

Yet Yuan Tiangang had already appeared beyond Tiandu City. He calculated on his fingers with his right hand, found an auspicious position, and shot into the sky.

When he appeared again, he stood above the surface of a raging river. The roar of water crashing echoed through the air, its current swift and violent, like a ferocious tiger that devoured men.

At this moment, Yuan Tiangang no longer suppressed his aura. The force radiating from his body was tyrannical beyond measure; the howling waters, the surging waves and splashing spray, all seemed like mere backdrops.

Within Tiandu City, Yuan Tiangang still needed to suppress himself, lest he draw upon fate or be detected by the royal Celestial Beings. Far from that place, he had no further need to conceal himself.

The Tui Bei Tu unfurled like a scroll. Yin and yang, the Two Principles; the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams unfolded layer by layer. Daoist runes flickered as they circled Yuan Tiangang's body, while a star chart spread everywhere.

Unlike in Tiandu City, the stars above now seemed to pour down their starlight, corresponding and connecting with the points of light on the star chart.

The light of the Emperor Star descended from the heavens. Looking at the Ziwei Emperor Star before him, Yuan Tiangang formed hand seals.

Mystic Heavenly Being Method, aura linked.

The workings of the Heavenly Dao—seek the spirit through the Dao.

The origin of man—draw it forth through the stars.

Yin and yang evolve, and the phenomena of all stars appear.

Borrow the power of sun and moon to draw forth the myriad stars; use the power of the constellations to manifest the true essence of the fate star. So long as the fate star was stirred, its true form would naturally be seen.

Daoist secret art: Sun Moon Star Attraction.

The yin and yang of the Tui Bei Tu interwove. Moonlight shone bright in the sky, falling upon the Tui Bei Tu and condensing into form.