Tell Me, Then-What Exactly Were Your Reasons? (Please Subscribe and Vote with Monthly Tickets)

Albert shook his head. "Prince Chet may have a motive, but as a wanted man, he probably couldn't command a Saint Realm expert."

He paused, then continued his analysis. "According to the intelligence from Heavenly Strategy, the attackers used cultivation arts native to Heavenly Strategy. They even left talismans behind as evidence, but their execution was clumsy. It looked more like a deliberate disguise."

"A frame-up?" Charles narrowed his eyes.

Albert nodded. "Exactly. Someone wants to provoke a war between the two countries."

Charles gave a soft snort. "It seems some people can no longer sit still."

He turned toward the window. "As long as my uncle is safe. Hopefully, his trip to Heavenly Strategy's Imperial Capital will get things settled."

Albert hesitated, but finally said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, if Prince Morris really reaches an agreement with Heavenly Strategy and introduces their cultivation system, I'm afraid we'll be inviting wolves into our home."

As the Chief Justice, equal in rank to Heavenly Strategy's Chancellor, Albert naturally took the long view.

It would be bad if they failed to resolve the trouble with the Holy See and instead added a host of new dangers.

"You're afraid of chaos, aren't you? That's precisely what I want," Charles interrupted, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.

As long as Li Chen agreed, the Holy See's monopoly over cultivation would come to an end.

The way of an emperor demanded an understanding of checks and balances. Without another force to restrain the Holy See, it would reign supreme, and that was not what Charles wanted.

He would rather tolerate a little chaos. He could support and suppress the different factions in turn, slowly eating away at the Holy See.

At that same moment, inside a compartment on the northbound train, the