Traces III

The Ling Ting is divided into three parts: the inner city, the outer city, and two major defensive walls.

The inner city, commonly known as the imperial city, is where the palace complex is located.

The entire Great Ling Imperial Clan is not large in number, and they all live within the imperial palace complex.

Here you'll find streets, shops, and every service and product imaginable.

The only difference is that everything here is Hua Qian and maintained by the Ling Ting.

As the snow melted, the miniature streets within the palace began to be decorated with spring gardens from various regions.

Members of the Imperial Clan flocked here to enjoy the scenery and spend the spring season.

In a shop Spring Bud Milk Tea.

Ye Bai Yu Feng- patterned cup in his hand with a blank expression. It was just an ordinary cup of Spring Bud Milk Tea, but it used spring bud new tea produced in nineteen different places.

The milk is made by boiling and thickening the richest and most concentrated milk from Shan Province, then adding flower petals, honey, and other seasonings.

The cost of just one cup of milk tea would require at least half a year's income for hundreds of people to make.

"Since the National Preceptor took office, he has imposed many restrictions on us. Life is much more difficult now than before."

The Noble Lady in the red dress sitting opposite me had a slight hint of helplessness on her delicate face.

She was a member of the Snow Deer Branch of the Imperial Clan.

The Spirit Person Imperial Clan consists of more than two hundred people, divided into four branches: Snow Deer, Azure Wolf, Divine Mountain, and Jade Pool.

These four branches are nominally protected by the Four Great Divine General.

Three of the Divine General lead troops in the field, while the third remains hidden in the shadows, protecting the entire Imperial Clan.

This is the foundation of the entire Great Ling. No one is allowed to shake it.

Ye Bai is one of them.

She had never felt anything was wrong before, but since the National Preceptor Yue Dewen came to power, he began to restrict many Imperial Clan benefits, and her life began to become simple.

However, while restrictions were placed on their welfare, there were also greater freedoms granted to members of the Imperial Clan.

"Actually, when you think about it carefully, it's not bad. Although the benefits are gradually decreasing, we are also more free than before, aren't we?" Ye Bai retorted softly.

"That's true, but what's so great about the outside world? It's not as comfortable as here. Everywhere you go, there are lowly people and disgusting lackeys who come here drooling and fawning." The woman opposite said with disgust.

"Last time, I just casually killed a brat, and those lowly people rushed at me to fight to the death. They really don't know what's good for them. I ordered them all killed, and the National Preceptor actually sent someone to question me? I'm really annoyed!"

Ye Bai was speechless. Having often gone out in the past, she had long understood that the members of the Ling Ting Imperial Clan had become completely isolated from the outside world.

In their eyes, all living things in the outside world are slaves and livestock who depend on them for food and survival.

When he's in a good mood, he'll reward them, treating them like pets. When he's in a bad mood, he'll beat them or kill them at will.

With the protection of the Worship God warriors, any resistance would only result in death. With their safety assured, they viewed outsiders as nothing more than insects.

Ye Bai knew this was wrong, but... "National Preceptor, National Preceptor, sounds impressive, but he's just someone who sells his life and money to us Imperial Clan. He's only basking in the favor of the higher-ups for a few years. Just wait and see, the leaders of our various branches are all waiting. Last time he actually dared to go against the Divine General, he'll have a hard time later."

The woman opposite was still talking.

But at this moment, Ye Bai's expression hardened, and he vaguely sensed some aura spreading from afar.

Her beautiful eyes flickered, and she turned her head to look outside the shop.

Outside, people still come and go, and the sparse Imperial Clan and their dependents continue to enjoy their idyllic life here.

Unbeknownst to anyone, a confrontation that would determine the fate of all of them was taking place not far from them.

Ye Bai's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly got up.

"Excuse me, I suddenly remembered that I left something in the palace, I'll go back."

Before the woman in the red dress opposite "Princess" could speak, Ye Bai vanished in a flash.

She was just an ordinary person and had no way of knowing how the other person left.

On the street, Ye Bai moved like a swallow, gliding lightly and silently across the streets.

Soon, they stopped in front of a square open-air theater built for performing Zaju.

The theater doors were open.

There were also many Imperial Clan experts and palace guards who had rushed over just like her.

But at this moment, everyone stood outside the door, not daring to go in, just staring intently inside.

A circular stage for a Zaju show was built on the square space inside the theater.

At this moment, on the stage, a black-haired woman dressed in a blue robe with a gold and jade dragon patterned belt was sitting cross-legged on the ground, with a guqin on her knees, her ten fingers gently plucking the strings.

The sound of the zither is like a clear spring, like wind chimes, like birds in the mountains, sometimes rapid and sometimes soothing, making one's heart involuntarily change its tension and relaxation.

A black-haired woman plays the piano.

Below the stage, a plump, round old man sat calmly on a small stool, his eyes half-closed, listening to the melodious music without moving.

"The National Preceptor, and Auduna!?" Ye Bai instantly recognized the woman on the stage.

As for Yue Dewen in the audience, his distinctive physique was unique among all the Spirit General. Anyone who saw him once would remember him vividly.

Among the onlookers, Ye Bai was considered to be of high status. In addition, she was one of the few members of the Imperial Clan who had experience in managing affairs and serving in the military.

Upon seeing her approach, a general immediately stepped forward to report the situation.

"Qianye Highness, the National Preceptor, traveling incognito, came to the theater to watch a performance and discovered that the theater was secretly purchasing young children from outside for the amusement of the Snow Deer Branch within the palace. Enraged, the Grand National Preceptor wanted to shut down the entire theater. He was stopped by Lady Auduna, who arrived later. We have now all evacuated; the next steps depend on the decisions of the Grand National Preceptor and Auduna."

The court general guarding the theater remained expressionless and explained the whole story in just a few words.

Before Ye Bai could even speak after hearing this, the Imperial Clan who had rushed over upon hearing the news erupted in a frenzy.

"The affairs of the theater are matters of our Imperial Clan. Isn't Yue Dewen meddling too much?!"

"Ever since Yue Dewen came to power, our lives have become worse day by day. Now he even dares to confront Auduna. He's simply courting death!"

"The Great Dao Sect is nothing but a dog of my Imperial Clan. Now this dog dares to climb over its master's head and act arrogantly. It's utterly ridiculous!"

"So what if I'm just playing with commoners? What? Adults can play with them, but children can't? I used to have a particular fondness for steaming young children, but now I'm just tired of it. What? Does Yue Dewen dare to hold me accountable for what I did back then?!"

An Imperial Clan man with a thick beard, dressed in a long black-purple robe, and with his long hair adorned with jingling silver bells, stepped forward and spoke angrily.

Ye Bai frowned slightly upon hearing this, and immediately wanted to retort.

Laugh!!

Unfortunately, just as she opened her cherry lips, a white light, as swift as lightning, shot towards her.

It was so fast that even she could only see a fleeting afterimage.

With a bang, the head of the Imperial Clan man who had spoken exploded.

Behind him, a delicate black jade pendant, after piercing through his forehead, gently fell to the ground, completely undamaged.

Everyone around fell silent for a moment, and then after a few seconds of silence, a series of huge screams exploded out.

The Imperial Clan, like ordinary civilians, scattered and fled, searching for places to hide.

Some of the bolder ones stood still, roaring and cursing, ordering skilled fighters to stand in front of them.

But then he was immediately dragged away by the guards to find a place to hide.

Imperial Clan has died. At this moment, the shock and fear rising in Ye Bai's heart, as well as everyone present, was like a flood, almost drowning all their thoughts and worldviews.

Since the founding of the Great Ling Kingdom, the Imperial Clan has been in a high position, enjoying all the best things.

But now, someone actually dares to kill an Imperial Clan!? And the person who made the move—everyone looked in the direction from which the jade pendant flew out, and there stood the Grand National Preceptor of the Great Dao Sect, Yue Dewen, who had been sitting below the stage.

"How dare you!" The music on the stage abruptly stopped.

The black-haired woman stared coldly at Yue Dewen below.

"What wouldn't I dare?" Yue Dewen smiled. "I've risen to a position of great power now, I'm not what I used to be, Auduna."

He slowly got up.

"The Imperial Clan has long since strayed from the hopes of Ling Zhi Emperor Lingzhi. They have been corrupted and misled. As the National Preceptor, it is my duty to cleanse the nation of its ruins."

"Interesting." Auduna gently placed the guqin aside and stood up.

"I thought you were on the Imperial Clan side, but it turns out you're here to revive your sect."

I thought you were acting on the promise made to Ling Zhi Emperor, but you showed no respect or concern for the Imperial Clan branch he left behind.

Now, instead of doing what you should be doing, you're confronting us and Snow Rainbow Pavilion head-on.

"Yue Dewen, what exactly do you want to do? What do you want?"

"I have never changed, it's just that you always overcomplicate things," Yue Dewen sighed.

"Do you know what the Great Way is? If the Imperial Clan could still be as powerful as when Brother Lingzhi was alive, I would naturally take care of them. But now that the roots are rotten, we should uproot them and plant new ones."

"So, out of the four Imperial Clan, you chose Lingzhi and my side?" Auduna asked rhetorically.

"It is not that I chose you, but that you chose me," Yue Dewen sighed again, and stepped forward slowly.

He lifted his foot, and his first step landed lightly on the first step of the stage.

"What Damir failed to overcome back then, I will try again today."

When he looked up, Yue Dewen's eyes suddenly turned pure white.

"My Divine General, this time is different. If we lose, we will die."

"You have no idea what you're about to face," Auduna said coldly, her eyes filled with contempt.

***"Yue Dewen killed the Third Divine General, Auduna, within the Imperial City. At the same time, he declared the abolition of all privileges of the Imperial Clan Snow Deer Branch."

When Zhang Rongfang heard this news inside the Wish Woman Canyon, his hand holding the chess piece paused slightly.

He was sitting upright inside the cave at this moment, with Xue Tong sitting cross-legged opposite him.

The old man, who also claimed to be Yue Dewen, put down a letter in his hand and let it turn into ashes and disappear completely.

"Interesting. It seems I've done a good job as a substitute." He smiled, seemingly unaffected by the news from Great Capital.