The Mortal Realm—several more days passed.
Pine Cloud Dynasty.
The impact of the old emperor's murder had finally begun to reveal itself. Unrest stirred throughout the land.
However, Prince of Southern Pacification, the man of greatest prestige, made no move. Thus, none of the other factions dared to be the first bird to stick its head out.
Seeing that the situation could go wrong at any moment, the imperial clan and the civil officials' faction dared not delay. They immediately issued a proclamation to the realm, declaring that the emperor had suddenly fallen gravely ill and died of disease.
They then supported the eldest prince in ascending the throne before the spirit tablet, and, following the "late emperor's final decree," appointed three regents to oversee the old emperor's funeral arrangements.
The entire Capital City was draped in mourning white. Singing, dancing, entertainment, and gathering to drink were forbidden...
Naturally, this was the new emperor's concession to the civil officials' faction.
After all, the old emperor had been killed by Xiao Fan. He himself had still been seeking an "immortal opportunity" in pursuit of longevity, and had not even named a crown prince—so where could any "final decree" have come from?
Still, there was plenty of room to maneuver in this matter.
What happened before death and what happened after death—how could they possibly be the same?
Yet not long afterward, the Purple Purity Temple disciples remaining in the Capital City were inexplicably wiped out.
The greatest force besides the imperial clan and the civil officials' faction vanished just like that.
The new emperor was terrified. Though the civil officials' faction was also somewhat baffled, with this major counterweight gone, its power consequently reached its peak.
The night was deep, and the candlelight within the imperial study was faint.