Desolate Devouring Art

Chapter 243 - Frog in a Well

This combined attack was targeted at Liu Wuxie’s vitals. Qi Ninghai’s sword technique was elusive, while Qi Ningshan’s was peculiar.

They had experienced countless battles, and this sword technique was tempered through combat. No one understood a human’s weakness more than they did.

When they performed their sword techniques, a thunderstorm raged, and the hall was enveloped in countless sword rays shuttling around.

Liu Wuxie was in the storm's center and would be swept away any moment. The sword ray was like a viper, reaching him in the blink of an eye.

Chen Yusheng was nervous because it would be too late if Liu Wuxie didn’t retaliate.

The Heretic Blade appeared in Liu Wuxie’s hand, and an even more powerful blade intent swept out, shattering the incoming sword aura.

The Qi brothers were initially calm and composed, thinking that Liu Wuxie was already in the bag. But this scene shocked them, and they instantly discovered they were wrong.

When Liu Wuxie raised the Heretic Blade, it felt like space in the Divine Martial Hall had frozen, and their movements slowed.

“You two are too weak!” Liu Wuxie raised the Heretic Blade. After killing Jiang Yue’s group, his strength had drastically transformed. He might not have reached the third level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm yet, but he wasn’t far away—it would only take a day or two at most.

When Liu Wuxie performed the Fatality Blade Art, his blade had no flaw and trajectory. The moment he swung his sword, the surroundings became dark. His blade was so fast that it reached the Qi brothers before they could respond.

Along with two flashes of blood, all the sword aura in the Divine Martial Hall disappeared as everyone fell silent.

The only sound that filled the air was the heavy panting, as the previous events had completely shattered everyone’s comprehension.

Prince Yongxian narrowed his eyes with a strong sense of crisis upon seeing how Liu Wuxie easily killed two experts in the ninth level of the Marrow Cleansing Realm. He realized that even a True Core Realm expert might not be able to suppress Liu Wuxie if he was allowed to carry on growing.

This was also a pleasant surprise for the Emperor, who held more hope for the upcoming Battle of the Hundred Nations. If someone from the Great Yan Dynasty could enter the cultivation world, it would be great news to them.

Just as Xue Chunyu was on the verge of laughter, anticipating Liu Wuxie’s demise at the hands of the Qi brothers, he found himself inhaling sharply at the sight before him. The earlier swing of the blade felt as if it had struck him instead.

All the officials widened their eyes in disbelief. Chen Yusheng was also dumbfounded, rubbing his eyes and exclaiming after taking a better look.

“They’re dead?”

The Qi brothers appeared to be standing in their spots, maintaining an attacking posture, but their aura had disappeared. There were only fine wounds on their necks, and their vitality swiftly left their bodies.

Xu Lingxue covered her mouth. In just six months, Liu Wuxie had grown from trash to this height, and this meant that no one in the Great Yan Dynasty could threaten him unless they were someone in the True Core Realm.

Liu Wuxie sheathed the Heretic Blade and returned to his table as if nothing had happened. This outcome was comforting and helped stabilize the morale of the Emperor’s faction.

After all, Prince Yongxian's scheme was to get rid of Liu Wuxie at the banquet. However, Liu Wuxie had overturned the outcome, slapping his face instead.

The first round involved medical skills, in which Prince Yongxian’s faction lost nine imperial physicians. When they tried to get rid of Liu Wuxie through martial arts, the Qi brothers couldn’t even put up any decent resistance before they were killed.

This depended on what other means they had left. There wasn’t much meaning to carrying on sending people to provoke Liu Wuxie as they would only send themselves to death.

The Divine Martial Hall fell into silence as the Qi brothers’ corpses were dragged out. A few maids came in with water to clean the blood stains on the pillar. Even after the blood was washed, a strong reeking of blood still made everyone’s hearts heavy.

Despite the odds, Liu Wuxie had survived, while Prince Yongxian’s group had suffered the loss of eleven members, signifying a clear defeat for Prince Yongxian.

“It’s getting late, and I’m exhausted. Let’s end the banquet here!” The Emperor swept his gaze around, announcing the end of the banquet in case Prince Yongxian tried anything else.

Liu Wuxie had successfully dodged his plots twice. While fortune may have played a role, it was also a proof of Liu Wuxie’s abilities. If Prince Yongxian were to bypass these two instances, would Liu Wuxie still stand a chance of victory?

“Your Majesty, this humble subject has something to report!” The Minister of War stood up, interrupting the Emperor. The banquet had just undergone halfway, so how could it end like this?

“Speak!” The Emperor responded, his mood sour. He was open to the idea of purging and punishing these deceitful officials right then and there if necessary.

Everyone held their breaths because the real confrontation had just begun.

“Your Majesty, what this subject is about to speak may be disrespectful, so please forgive me in advance.” The Minister of War looked determined. They knew they would have no chance to impeach if they missed this banquet.

“At least you are aware that it’s disrespectful.” The Emperor sneered, “Go on!”

In their eyes, his status as the Emperor could be overlooked.

“This subject will proceed then. According to the rules of the dynasty, if the Emperor doesn’t have any heir to the throne, the officials have the right to interfere with the dynasty and pick a new monarch!” As soon as the War Minister voiced those words, the hall immediately erupted into chaos. The open call for the Emperor’s impeachment and forced abdication sent shockwaves through the banquet.

This would have been a full feast if Guo Buqiu had been the appetizer and the Qi brothers had been the main course.

Of the dynasty's two princes, one was mentally challenged, and the other was dull; neither was qualified to inherit the throne. Wouldn’t that mean the dynasty wouldn’t have a ruler after the current Emperor died? Thus, the best option was to pick a new monarch while the current Emperor was around by forcing him to abdicate and select a new monarch to inherit the throne.

“Hahaha!” The Emperor laughed, but no one knew what the Emperor was laughing about.

After a full minute of laughter, the Emperor stopped and looked at the Minister of War coldly, “Very good! How dare you force me to abdicate?!”

Did these people think he was a pushover after being ill for so long?

“Your Majesty, I’m only stating the facts, and I apologize if there’s any disrespect!” The Minister of War said. There was no path of retreat for him, and this was an excellent opportunity to pick a new monarch.

“You’re naturally guilty, and it’s a capital offense. How dare you commit blasphemy against the royal clan, slandering that there’s no one capable of succeeding to the throne. According to the law, it’s punishable by the execution of nine bloodlines!” The Emperor said without a hint of emotion, with murderous intent filling his eyes. It seemed like it would be impossible to quell the fury in his heart if there weren’t a massacre today.

“Your Majesty, although the Minister of War’s words might be disrespectful, he meant well. A nation cannot go a day without a successor, and it hasn't had an heir for the past twenty years,” the Minister of Justice stepped forward.

Every nation had a spot for their heir, the crown prince. However, the Minister of War aimed to force the Emperor to pick a new monarch to inherit his throne.

“Well then, tell me. Who’s qualified to be this heir?” The monarch smiled. All the anger disappeared from his face as he released an invisible pressure and enveloped the Divine Martial Hall.

The aura he gave off was in the Quasi-True Core Realm. After his illness was treated, he had made a breakthrough in his cultivation. He might not have entered the True Core Realm, but he already had one foot in it. With more time, he would cross that threshold.

The hall fell silent, with no one daring to speak.

“Your Majesty, I have a candidate!” Xue Chunyu stood up, standing together with the Ministers of War and Justice. Three major departments had never turned against the Emperor before.

The Minister of Personnel also seemed eager to stand in support.

“Speak up!” Everyone already knew the answer, and this was just formality.

“As everyone knows, there’s another person besides Your Majesty who excels in both civil and martial arts. Thus, I recommend Prince Yongxian as the next heir,” Xue Chunyu said. After becoming the heir to the throne, managing everyone would become a simpler task, and Prince Yongxian could exert influence over the imperial court.

He could seize more power and sideline the current Emperor, smoothly taking control of the Great Yan Dynasty.

No one was surprised; it was an expected outcome, and Xue Chunyu was merely voicing the collective thoughts.

“Xue Chunyu, you have quite the nerves! If the current Emperor doesn’t have an heir, a new one will be chosen. The two princes are here, and you dare force the Emperor to pick a new heir for the throne? What are your intentions? Are you planning to commit treason?” Chen Yusheng couldn’t bear watching any longer and interrupted Xue Chunyu.

What was once a covert plot had now been laid bare, ripping away the final shroud of deception.

Two princes?” Xue Chunyu scoffed, “If the two princes can demonstrate their ability to rule the nation, I am prepared to face any repercussions for my previous statements. But if the two princes fail to do so...” A sneer played on Xue Chunyu’s lips as he left his sentence hanging in the air.

The two princes were mentally challenged, and they couldn’t even understand the book of war, let alone the art of governing a nation. This weakness was exploited, using the princes’ limitations as leverage to pressure the Emperor into choosing a new successor.

“Vice-Minister Xue is right. As long as the two princes can articulate the way to govern the nation, we’re willing to accept any punishment!” The Minister of War and Justice echoed this sentiment, feeling that Xue Chunyu was right.

The Emperor’s gaze hardened. He was well aware of his sons’ mental limitations and had invested considerable effort in educating them, insisting they learn the principles of governance and the strategies of war.

Chen Ruoyan anxiously turned her gaze towards Liu Wuxie, silently pleading for him to intervene and assist her father. This time, the plot was not aimed at Liu Wuxie, but at the royal family. Liu Wuxie had the option to remain uninvolved, given his minimal ties with the royal family.

However, Liu Wuxie and the royal family were allies. If the royal family were to fall and Prince Yongxian ascended to power, Liu Wuxie would be the first target for elimination, with the Xu Clan following closely behind.

The two princes were no longer in their youth. The elder prince, nearing his thirties, was mentally impaired and still reliant on others for feeding. The younger prince, though not impaired, was perceived as dull, often found sitting idly with a vacant chuckle.

It was unlikely that anyone would endorse either of them as the rightful heir to the throne. Xue Chunyu’s statement was tantamount to a challenge, expressing his readiness to face any consequences, provided the two princes could demonstrate their understanding of state governance.

The officials from the Ministry of War looked at Liu Wuxie with mockery on their faces, wanting to see how the latter would resolve this issue. After all, the two princes were born mentally challenged, and only a god could reverse this situation.

The Emperor also turned to look at Liu Wuxie with hope shining in his eyes.

“What a group of short-sighted people. The two princes are sagacious, merely feigning ignorance. Yet, you label them as mentally challenged. In my perspective, it is you who are truly mentally challenged.” Liu Wuxie abruptly straightened his posture, a sight that led many onlookers to clench their teeth in frustration.

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