Chen Lin had asked all those questions so carefully for a reason.
Since Ling Cangqiong had already decided to make a move against the Nine Nether Sect, that meant Chen Lin's own plans would have to speed up as well.
Ling Tian was still Crown Prince. If he lost his position, Ling Cangqiong would likely purge the court within six months at the latest.
Chen Lin still didn't know the royal family's true foundations, and he wasn't sure he could suppress all the opposing forces by himself. Though he should have reached Cave Perfection in six months, who knew how many forces Ling Cangqiong had behind him?
Therefore, finding out what military strength his disciple Ling Tian actually commanded was an urgent priority.
"So many experts in the Dharma Aspect Realm..." Chen Lin's thoughts raced. "If I can guide them and help them take their strength to the next level, what an impressive fighting force that would be!"
Besides, those experts in the Dharma Aspect Realm surely had cultivation techniques and martial skills of the Heaven tier...
He even thought of a further plan. "Even so, I should have Zhou Jueshi find a way to reclaim the Divine Guard Army. Though he was transferred away, surely his trusted men from all those years wouldn't scatter so easily. There's a very good chance he can win them back."
"If Zhou Jueshi takes another step forward in strength, and has an elite Divine Guard Army at his side, he might even be able to muster the fighting strength of the Cave Reality Realm."
"As for King Zhenbei..." Chen Lin's lips curled into a cold smile. "Since his daughter is in the Nine Nether Sect, he'll inevitably fall out with Ling Cangqiong. By then, I should be able to bring out at least two Cave Reality Realm experts to put an end to things. Yes, this plan is solid."
Having thought it through, Chen Lin immediately sent a telepathic message to Ling Tian. "In a month, summon the Dharma Aspect experts under your command who are available to a secluded place outside Tianyan City."
"Over the next month, give me their cultivation techniques and martial skills to review. I'll personally guide them. We must make sure your overall strength is raised as much as possible within six months."
Ling Tian was overjoyed. He could barely contain himself. "All right! Thank you, Master!"
As for why Chen Lin had said six months, Ling Tian understood. His master must have sensed that a storm was coming within half a year.
"One more thing," Chen Lin's voice came through again. "Qin Tianxian, King Zhenbei's daughter, is with the Nine Nether Sect. She wants to work with you. I assume you didn't agree?"
Ling Tian's heart tightened. He hadn't expected his master to know even such a closely guarded secret.
He had meant to find an opportunity to report it, but his master had already seen through everything.
He quickly replied, "I didn't."
Chen Lin nodded to himself and continued sending telepathic messages. "The Nine Nether Sect has deep connections, and even involves a prince. If you work with them, you could easily become a pawn at the front of their game—or even a sacrifice they can cast aside at any moment. Don't take this lightly."
After that, master and disciple exchanged several more confidential messages.
When Ling Tian left, even his steps seemed lighter. His awe for his unfathomable master had grown.
Though he hadn't even left the Scripture Repository, he knew so many secrets. His reach was truly boundless.
Terrifying.
Chen Lin brushed his fingers over the unremarkable Storage Ring. His Spiritual Sense probed inside, and in an instant, he sensed resources far more abundant than he'd expected. A satisfied smile rose to his lips.
And at the very bottom lay an ancient Jade Slip.
His mind stirred, and his Spiritual Sense sank into it. A moment later, his eyes flashed. "The Great Sun Heavenly Merit?"
It might be an advanced version of the Sun True Scripture!
Of course, for now, that was only a guess.
But even as a mere possibility, the technique's potential was enough to tempt him.
After all, it was a Heaven-tier cultivation technique.
If that really was the case, the resources in the ring could greatly accelerate his original plans!
"One month should be enough for me to break into the Dharma Aspect Realm!" The thought sent a wave of barely restrained excitement through Chen Lin.
At the thought of soon being reborn and taking his strength to the next level, the smile on his face grew broader.
He stood and stretched his limbs, then leisurely settled back into the old rocking chair. Closing his eyes, he began carefully organizing his cultivation plans, savoring the calm and anticipation brought by this sudden stroke of fortune.
He was also waiting for nightfall, when the two great sect masters would fight.
Above Tianyan City, the winds and clouds shifted ominously, with undercurrents churning beneath an eerie calm that seemed ready to shatter at any moment.
At that moment, Ling Tian had just passed through the heavy gates of the Imperial Palace when an old man in Daoist robes, with white hair and a youthful face, appeared silently at his side, as if emerging from the shadows.
"Old Daoist," Ling Tian said, his gaze fixed on the distant city walls. His voice held a hint of complicated feeling. "I didn't expect your earlier words to be right after all."
At this, the old man in Daoist robes—the Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master—merely smiled and stroked his long beard. He said nothing more.
He had not only established a Taoist Temple outside the Imperial Capital and named himself the Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master; he was also a powerful expert in the Dharma Aspect Realm, as well as a trusted adviser on whom Ling Tian secretly relied.
Though Tianyan City, the Imperial Capital, was the heart of Yanzhou, the province was vast and held far more than one city. Beyond the five top powers, experts in the Dharma Aspect Realm like him were not uncommon in the wider world. They simply lacked a Cave Reality Realm expert to hold down the fort.
The Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master turned his gaze to Ling Tian and said slowly, "This old man observed the stars at night and sought to understand the workings of fate. I discovered that Your Highness's thread of heavenly fortune was tied to an ordinary person who seemed unremarkable. Now that I see you, I presume you've found him."
Ling Tian's face showed a complicated mix of realization and relief.
It was those words from the Old Daoist that had made him even more certain that kneeling to Chen Lin, who seemed like an "ordinary person," and taking him as his master had not been a coincidence. It was destiny, ordained by Heaven.
"One move, and you've attained the Way—destined by Heaven. This is truly an auspicious sign!" Seeing that Ling Tian understood, the Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master stepped forward and clasped his hands in congratulations. "Congratulations, Your Highness! My felicitations!"
Ling Tian's joy faded somewhat. After a moment's thought, he suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, Old Daoist, I heard the daughter of the Four Directions Merchant Association's president has arrived in Tianyan City."
His gaze flickered as he continued, "Do you know where she is?"
A glint passed through the Dragon Tiger Heavenly Master's eyes before turning into an inscrutable smile. He nodded slightly. "Such a small matter has already been taken care of for Your Highness."
He paused, then explained, "The Four Directions Merchant Association has deep roots, with branches in all Ten Provinces. It never meddles in power struggles and deals only in business. If Your Highness befriends its young lady and builds closer ties with the association, you'll gain an immeasurable source of support outside the court."
A glimmer flashed in Ling Tian's eyes, and he understood at once.
He nodded slightly, his voice calm but decisive. "In that case, let's meet her."
Before you continue