"I think I understand now. It seems this Golden Scale really does want to become a dragon."
Lianshan Xin's tone was calmer than the Heavenly Sword had expected. He even heard a hint of pity in it.
"Barring any surprises, the Second Prince has secured a Great Grandmaster's support and commands a behemoth like the Golden Scale Alliance. At court and beyond it, he's already a power unto himself. Lianshan Xin, are you pitying the Second Prince?"
The Heavenly Sword sounded bemused.
Lianshan Xin did not deny it. "My father is only an ordinary physician."
After a pause, Lianshan Xin shook his head. "Let me correct that. My father is an excellent physician, but our family certainly can't begin to compare with the Imperial Family. Still, I'm very glad that my father is my father, and His Majesty isn't."
The Heavenly Sword stared at Lianshan Xin in surprise for a second, then burst out laughing. He patted Lianshan Xin's shoulder again and praised him. "Good lad. I'm starting to like you. You have a swordsman's courage."
Lianshan Xin said calmly, "Swordsmen are indeed generally braver than most, but they still pale considerably beside those of our lineage."
The Heavenly Sword conceded wholeheartedly. "You're right."
Even after being castrated twice, the Dragon Aiders lineage still possessed heaven-defying audacity that left the world in awe.
"His Majesty is very wise, but in this matter... he really has put the Second Prince over a fire to roast."
The Heavenly Sword clearly understood why Lianshan Xin pitied the Second Prince.
Lianshan Xin nodded. "From the moment His Majesty said those words, the Second Prince had to contend for the throne, whether he wanted to or not. Unfortunately, that path has an even higher death rate than ours."
Not everyone had to throw themselves into the rat race.
If you were born with more money than you could spend in a lifetime, with only a handful of people above you... there really was no need to compete.
People like that already had little room left to rise, but their room to fall was limitless.
Lianshan Xin believed the throne was tempting, but he also firmly believed that the Imperial Family had no shortage of people who wanted to lie flat and take life easy.
"Sometimes, whether to contend or not isn't up to the princes and princesses."
The Heavenly Sword was clearly accustomed to such things. "There's His Majesty, the ministers, and your lineage, too... before princes and princesses come into their own, they're merely pieces held by the various players. But while Old Xie can treat princes as pieces, Shiyun only barely has that standing. For you... it's a little too early."
The Heavenly Sword spoke bluntly.
Lianshan Xin took no offense. "I certainly don't have the courage to provoke the Second Prince, but I do have the courage to deal with the Golden Scale Alliance."
"What has the Golden Scale Alliance done to you?"
The Heavenly Sword was somewhat curious.
Lianshan Xin explained what Luo Panlan had said about the possible conflict between him and Zeng Ningbing.
After hearing him out, the Heavenly Sword stared. "That's it?"
Lianshan Xin said earnestly, "Sir, isn't that enough? I'm a member of the Nine Heavens now. If Zeng Ningbing dares provoke me today, she'll dare provoke the Nine Heavens tomorrow. As for what she'll want to do the day after, I scarcely dare imagine."
"Don't blow this up into a matter of principle. Even the Second Prince might not dare provoke the Nine Heavens."
The Heavenly Sword did not know whether to laugh or cry. "I think you're deliberately looking for trouble. At most, Zeng Ningbing would dare give you a beating. She wouldn't dare go too far."
"Sir, isn't that already a very serious matter?" Lianshan Xin said solemnly. "If I was bullied before joining the Nine Heavens, and I'm still bullied after joining, wouldn't I have joined for nothing?"
Unable to refute him, the Heavenly Sword could only offer a kindly reminder. "Neither the Nine Heavens nor I would have any reason to intervene in such a trifling matter. Besides, it's not as though the Golden Scale Alliance has no backing. Shiyun has already offended the Crown Prince. Do you want to thoroughly offend the Second Prince as well? At least give some thought to your future together."
"Does Third-Place Qi... have a serious feud with the Crown Prince?"
The Heavenly Sword smiled. "It seems you don't know the inside story."
"I know a little. Third-Place Qi killed his retainer right in front of him."
The Heavenly Sword's smile turned peculiar. "Did Shiyun tell you why she killed the Crown Prince's retainer?"
"No."
"Because the Crown Prince wanted to kill her."
Lianshan Xin instantly grew grave. "Has the relationship between Third-Place Qi and the Crown Prince deteriorated that far?"
"She stole his woman. What do you think?"
"Stole his woman? Wait, sir. I don't follow."
Lianshan Xin did not consider himself a fool.
But he really could not untangle this.
"Who stole whose woman?"
The Heavenly Sword's tone grew even stranger. "Back when Shiyun disguised herself as a man, the Crown Prince's sweetheart fell for her at first sight."
Lianshan Xin said, "...Surely Third-Place Qi can't be blamed for that?"
"You want to reason with the Crown Prince?"
That single question from the Heavenly Sword left Lianshan Xin utterly speechless.
"So you can afford to offend the Second Prince even less than the Crown Prince. If that really is the Golden Scale Alliance's attitude toward you, it does make sense."
Lianshan Xin fell silent for a moment, then decided to abandon the multiple-choice question.
"His Majesty has more than two sons."
The Heavenly Sword thought for a moment, then reminded him again. "I've heard of that Zeng Ningbing, too."
"You've even heard of such a minor figure, sir?" Lianshan Xin was a little surprised.
One sentence from the Heavenly Sword silenced Lianshan Xin. "From the Second Prince himself. She seems to be his beloved confidante."
Lianshan Xin reflexively looked in the direction where Qi Shiyun was cultivating in seclusion.
His reaction amused the Heavenly Sword again.
"Shiyun's entanglement with the Crown Prince's sweetheart has already shaken the Divine Capital. Even His Majesty has taken note. If you go and deal with the Second Prince's beloved confidante as well... Lianshan Xin, swordsman though I am, even I must say that excessive rigidity makes you easy to break."
Even courting death had its limits.
Lianshan Xin inwardly raised the Golden Scale Alliance's threat level.
Then he spoke slowly. "Sir, what if the Golden Scale Alliance really is colluding with the Demon Cult?"
"Then, naturally, kill them without exception."
"I understand."
"I mean genuine collusion, not fabricated charges."
"Sir, when have I ever framed anyone?" Lianshan Xin remained perfectly composed.
Whether the Qu Family or the Dai Family, there had been solid evidence against them.
On reflection, the Heavenly Sword agreed.
"It's no great problem either way. There's no need to stoop to Zeng Ningbing's level. If you can't afford to provoke her, simply steer clear."
"Sir, if you were me, would you steer clear?" Lianshan Xin asked humbly.
The corner of the Heavenly Sword's mouth curled upward. "It seems you don't know how I became the Heavenly Sword."
"I'm still young. My experience is indeed far too limited," Lianshan Xin said.
"Foremost immortal among three thousand, flowers like silken gauze, willows like mist. Let none marvel that he passed the examinations so young; Chang'e in the moon loves a youthful man. Have you heard that poem?"
"No."
"That poem was written about me thirty years ago. I won fame in my youth and stood at the top of the Hidden Dragon Ranking. My sword subdued all rivals, and I became a triple examination laureate. So a princess took a fancy to me. Unfortunately, I was already married. The princess had a fierce temper. She pursued me relentlessly and even tried to harm my wife, saying that anyone she took a fancy to in this life had to belong to her. If she couldn't have them, she would destroy them all."
At this point, the Heavenly Sword sighed softly. "I had no choice. I could only make it so she couldn't see me anymore. The princess became blind, and I became the Heavenly Sword. One rash thought-all the trouble came from acting on impulse. Lianshan Xin, let my example be a warning to you!"
Before you continue