Duan Yu Became a Monk

"Father-in-law, if I'm not mistaken, this man already knew that Duan Yu was his son."

Nalan Sheng pointed at Duan Yanqing, whose pupils were trembling violently, and spun his tale with a perfectly straight face. "The reason he drugged Duan Yu and Zhong Ling was to turn raw rice into cooked rice-to make their relationship a done deal. Ideally, they would even have a son.

"That way, even if Duan Yu's true parentage came to light someday, for the sake of Zhong Ling, your daughter, and your grandson, you would have no choice but to hold your nose and pass the throne to Duan Yu."

"What a vicious scheme! Truly worthy of the leader of the Four Great Evils!"

Hearing this, Duan Zhengming felt a chill of belated fear.

Since Duan Zhengming had no children, he had planned to pass the imperial throne to Duan Zhengchun.

And since Duan Zhengchun had only one son, Duan Yu, he would certainly pass the throne to him in turn.

The others instinctively nodded as well, understanding dawning on their faces.

They had originally found it strange. Dali's Imperial Family had no feud with the Four Great Evils, so why would Duan Yanqing do something so malicious?

But after learning that Duan Yanqing was Duan Yu's biological father, his actions began to make sense.

Duan Yanqing, meanwhile, was filled with endless regret. He had never known that Duan Yu was his son.

Had he known, he would never have stirred up so much trouble and caused his own son's parentage to be exposed before everyone.

"Impossible! How could I possibly be his son?"

Duan Yu could not accept being an illegitimate child, much less believe he was Duan Yanqing's son. Breaking down, he shouted, "Mother, say something!"

"Your Highness, I have wronged you."

Dao Baifeng ignored Duan Yu's tearful cries. Instead, she apologized to Duan Zhengchun, her face filled with guilt, then drew a dagger hidden in her sleeve and plunged it into her heart.

"Phoenix, no!"

Seeing this, Duan Zhengchun darted toward Dao Baifeng, but he was too late to stop her. He could only watch helplessly as she fell.

"Phoenix, don't frighten me!"

Holding Dao Baifeng as blood spilled from her mouth, Duan Zhengchun cried through streaming tears, "I don't blame you. I really don't blame you..."

"Your... Your Highness, Yu'er is innocent. Please... please don't take your anger out on him..."

Dao Baifeng struggled to voice her final, regret-filled plea, then lay forever still in Duan Zhengchun's arms.

[Ding! The host drove the destined male lead's mother to commit suicide in public. Reward: 3,000 villain points!]

As the system notification sounded in his ears, a gleam flashed through Nalan Sheng's eyes. He then turned his gaze toward Duan Yanqing and the others.

Nalan Sheng slowly raised his right hand. Three fist-sized fireballs materialized out of thin air and shot toward their heads.

[Ding! The host killed the destined male lead's father. Reward: 3,000 villain points!]

[Ding! The host killed the destined male lead's mother. Reward: 3,000 villain points!]

With Duan Yanqing and Ye Erniang dead, two more system notifications sounded in Nalan Sheng's ears in succession.

"Pfft-"

After suffering one blow after another and watching Dao Baifeng kill herself before his eyes, Duan Yu spat out a mouthful of blood. Overwhelmed by anguish, he fainted on the spot.

"Yu'er!"

At the sight, Duan Zhengchun ultimately could not harden his heart. He ordered someone to carry Duan Yu back.

With Dao Baifeng no longer standing in their way, Qin Hongmian and the others returned to the Prince's Palace with Duan Zhengchun. Naturally, Nalan Sheng went along as well.

More than half a month later

Time could always smooth away the pain. With Qin Hongmian and Gan Baobao comforting him, Duan Zhengchun soon came to accept both Dao Baifeng's death and the fact that Duan Yu was not his biological son.

Compared with the domineering Dao Baifeng, Qin Hongmian and Gan Baobao were clearly more considerate. They did not even mind if Duan Zhengchun took a few more secondary consorts.

Besides, although Duan Zhengchun had lost a son, he had gained two daughters and a son-in-law. It was hardly too great a loss.

Duan Yu, however, could not accept what had happened. Unable to pretend that nothing had changed, he chose to enter the Heavenly Dragon Temple and become a monk.

Duan Zhengchun did not try to force him otherwise. After all, Duan Yu had always been fond of Buddhist teachings, and members of Dali's Imperial Family had a tradition of becoming monks.

Meanwhile, in a courtyard within the Prince's Palace, Nalan Sheng browsed the newly listed merchandise in the System Shop while toying with Mu Wanqing's and Zhong Ling's baby-feeding stations.

Soon, Nalan Sheng finished reviewing the new merchandise and could not help looking somewhat disappointed.

Among the ten newly listed products were some excellent items, such as Ultraman Tiga's transformation device, an "Incense-to-God Cultivation Method" skill card, and treasures like a Resurrection Coin.

The "Incense-to-God Cultivation Method" allowed its practitioner to cultivate into a god by absorbing the power of faith. Unfortunately, it cost several million villain points, far beyond what Nalan Sheng could afford.

As for the cheaper products, they were things of little use to him, such as an Evil-Warding Swordplay skill card and sports cars. Naturally, Nalan Sheng would not waste villain points buying them.

Thus, Nalan Sheng could only silently pray that the System Shop's next refresh would offer a few treasures worth their price.

While Nalan Sheng, Mu Wanqing, and Zhong Ling enjoyed their blissfully shameless life together, Duan Zhengchun received a letter requesting aid, sent back by Duan Yu.

The letter's contents were simple: Jumozhi, the Dharma King and protector of the Tubo Kingdom, wanted to seize the Heavenly Dragon Temple's prized treasure, the "Six Meridians Divine Sword."

The monks of the Heavenly Dragon Temple were not confident they could defeat Jumozhi. Having happened to learn from Duan Yu that Duan Zhengchun's son-in-law had single-handedly killed the infamous Four Great Evils, they specifically asked him to write Duan Zhengchun a letter requesting aid.

Since Nalan Sheng was Duan Zhengchun's son-in-law, he could be considered half a member of Dali's Imperial Family. Asking him to face Jumozhi was perfectly reasonable.

Upon receiving Duan Yu's letter, Duan Zhengchun immediately sought out Nalan Sheng and explained the entire situation to him.

Nalan Sheng was also very interested in the Six Meridians Divine Sword, so he naturally would not refuse Duan Zhengchun's request. Taking Mu Wanqing and Zhong Ling with him, he followed Duan Zhengchun to the Heavenly Dragon Temple.

The Heavenly Dragon Temple stood north of Central Peak on Dian Cang Mountain, outside Dali City. Its official name was Chongsheng Temple, but the people of Dali had grown accustomed to calling it the Heavenly Dragon Temple.

Since successive emperors of Dali liked to enter the Heavenly Dragon Temple as monks after abdicating, it was also Dali's royal temple and held the highest honor among all the temples in the country.

After each emperor of Dali became a monk, whenever his birthday arrived, his descendants

would visit the temple to pay their respects, and every such visit brought offerings for renovations.

Thus, the Heavenly Dragon Temple was vast in scale and exquisitely built. Even among the great temples on famous mountains in the Central Plains, few could compare.

Under Duan Zhengchun's guidance, Nalan Sheng and the others soon arrived at the Heavenly Dragon Temple and met Duan Yu, who had become a monk.