Three Points of Advantage

Time flew, yet these days seemed to bring little peace.

Though Crown Prince Ling Tian had repeatedly dispatched the Eastern Palace's elite and even mobilized the Governor's troops to suppress the uprisings flaring up one after another, the results were negligible.

No sooner had one blaze been extinguished than another quietly emerged, like wild grass that could neither be cut down nor burned away.

This endless war of attrition had nearly caused the Imperial Capital's court to explode into chaos.

Each day, a mountain of memorials piled up before Ling Cangqiong's desk, many impeaching the Crown Prince for poor handling and wasting resources, while others defended him, blaming the petty troublemakers.

The forces under Ling Tian had suffered losses in this quagmire, with even several Divine Treasury Realm experts falling to the ceaseless hidden arrows and surprise attacks.

This nearly made Ling Tian grind his back teeth to dust; he had secretly ordered his men to preserve themselves and retreat whenever possible.

But those from the Nine Nether Sect, the Demon Race, and even forces secretly loyal to other Princes offered no quarter—their attacks were vicious and venomous, impossible to guard against, always claiming lives in moments that seemed calm.

Under immense pressure, Ling Tian felt his energy being drained away.

Even his frequent visits to the Scripture Repository had to be reduced due to his divided attention and the lurking dangers.

Thus, amidst chaos and anxiety, time slipped by in a flash, arriving at the eve of the promised duel between the Ming He Sect Master and the Yantian Sect Master.

A month and a few days felt like the blink of an eye to Chen Lin.

Ever since the system descended, his cultivation speed had bolted like a runaway horse.

Now, he stood firmly on the threshold of Divine Treasury Realm Sixth Layer!

He looked down at himself, then helplessly glanced at his empty Storage Ring—the batch of spirit stones, pills, and spiritual herbs his disciple had given him were long since squandered.

In just over a month, leaping from Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer to Divine Treasury Sixth Layer was a fantasy to outsiders, but he knew well the staggering resources this "mere" six layers had consumed.

"Barely passable, I've crossed a few major realms," he muttered, his tone tinged with self-mockery and a hint of longing for the future. "If I had enough resources, I could charge straight into Dharma Aspect, or even peek into Cave Reality Realm!"

Of the fifty-odd Earth-tier cultivation techniques in the Scripture Repository, he had absorbed over thirty into himself—techniques, Martial Skills, movement arts, fist techniques, and secret arts for tempering the body—he learned nearly everything.

Now, he was practically an all-rounder.

Most people feared "too many skills, not enough mastery."

But Chen Lin was different; learning one meant reaching Great Perfection.

Too easy.

His only fear was not having enough techniques.

And just then, under the ink-black night, more than ten days later, Ling Tian finally stepped into Chen Lin's dwelling again.

The moment he arrived, Chen Lin keenly sensed that his mental state was far worse than last time—a lingering weariness shrouded his brow, and the dark circles under his eyes were impossible to hide.

Chen Lin watched, almost laughing out loud.

These past ten-odd days had indeed been a bitter pill for Ling Tian.

His subordinates had fallen one after another; the open losses were bad enough, but what pained him most was that even the hidden Divine Treasury Realm experts had been lost!

And just then, the other Princes, like sharks scenting blood, had launched a fresh round of attacks on him, while Imperial Father's suspicious gaze grew more pronounced by the day.

Ah, being a Crown Prince is truly hard. Chen Lin sighed inwardly.

"Master," Ling Tian said, forcing down the turmoil in his heart, his tone respectful.

Before the words faded, almost instinctively, a faint Heavenly Artifact barrier materialized around him, enveloping even the old eunuch Little Anzi following behind, cutting off any prying eyes.

Little Anzi was inside it too.

Chen Lin watched this familiar routine and finally couldn't hold back a low chuckle: "Haha, look at you, like you're sneaking off to a secret rendezvous. From the looks of it, my good disciple, you've been quite busy lately!"

Ling Tian's bitter smile deepened at this: "Master, please don't tease me. Busy indeed."

"Tomorrow is the day the two Sect Masters descend, and already many Demon Race spies and scouts from other sects have infiltrated the Imperial Capital," he said, his voice low, exhaustion plain.

Chen Lin nodded; he was already well aware of this.

Now at Divine Treasury Sixth Layer, with his Breath Concealment Technique, leaving the Imperial Palace to wander outside was no difficult task.

But on second thought, what was the point?

His subordinates delivered news to him, and he had even used certain means to connect that subordinate with other low-level cultivators.

Now, he had roughly dozens of lines spread across the provinces, even within and outside the capital—information was firmly in his grasp.

He knew in his heart that he still preferred this leisurely "retirement," staying safe and sound in the Scripture Repository.

He just feared that if he went out, he'd stumble into some cliché scene of a Beauty being chased, stirring up a heap of trouble—completely unnecessary.

Still, looking at this disciple who seemed nearly drained dry, Chen Lin slowly spoke: "Tomorrow will likely bring great chaos. Keep your forces restrained for now; don't act rashly."

"Then, just wait for your Imperial Father and your brothers to wear each other down," he paused, his voice carrying a hint of worldly detachment. "Casting off that Crown Prince position might not be a bad release for you."

Ling Tian rubbed his sore eyes and nodded wearily.

Indeed, he was now a target for everyone; if he could abandon that empty title, he might buy a brief chance to catch his breath.

"Oh, by the way," Ling Tian said, as if suddenly remembering something, shifting the topic, "I hear that in the Ten Thousand Mountains, a peerless Demon Emperor has emerged, showing signs of rallying the Demon Race to attack our Great Yan Imperial Dynasty."

Chen Lin's eyes narrowed.

Cave Reality Realm cultivation!

"Logically speaking, the Demon Race should wait until our internal conflicts intensify and we've exhausted ourselves before making a move, but the world is unpredictable—there are always those who refuse to play by the rules." Chen Lin said thoughtfully, then shifted his tone.

"Your uncle Zhou Jueshi, former Great General of the Divine Guard Army, has deep roots and a wide network within the military. And your mother's clan happens to be near the area under King Zhenyao's jurisdiction—this is an excellent opportunity."

"Send him there. First, it allows us to test King Zhenyao's bottom line and attitude. Second, if the timing is right, he can use this to regain some military authority."

"Third, your uncle is a member of the imperial family, so his actions will naturally boost your prestige. Letting him reemerge in the military not only solidifies his own position but also indirectly strengthens your foundation."

Chen Lin laid it out slowly.

Hearing this, Ling Tian couldn't help but nod. It was a viable plan.