Chapter 175

Chapter 175: Father and Son

These two did have Golden Core Stage strength.

But their foolishness would turn that strength into a burden.

If she tried to explain the Grand Bloodfiend Body-Refining Grand Array to them, they might not believe her and would only stir up trouble.

From the way they barged in, someone had already egged them on.

Li Shuang did not have time to play the game of proving herself to fools.

[Let them sleep.]

In the Hall of the National Preceptor, Ye Zhao Zhao waited and waited, but Sheng Yuan and Shen Yue did not return.

Doubt flashed in her eyes, and she moved to look for them.

But as soon as she reached the door, she was stopped.

The warden, a mortal woman, was nervous yet careful as she said: “Honored Immortal Maiden, the State Preceptor said this. Of all the people here, only the Honored Immortal Maiden may not leave at will.”

With that, she lowered her head in fear.

Ye Zhao Zhao raised an eyebrow.

So she was being grounded?

The guard was only a mortal. But there was a mark of divine sense left in this hall.

If she forced her way out, Li Shuang’s group would learn of it quickly.

“Then do not go out,” the System said. “Even with my knowledge, I cannot see where the formation core is. Those people likely will fail too. If you stay inside the Hall of the National Preceptor, you will avoid all suspicion when the Sword Sect investigates later. For now, just wait for them to bring ruin to themselves.”

Hearing this, Ye Zhao Zhao nodded and went back to her room.

She pushed open the window and looked out with a bit of excitement.

Outside, wind and rain raged. It was daytime, yet the sky was as dark as night.

The whole palace felt like it was shaking in a storm at the end of the world.

[Let this also be Li Shuang’s end.]

Time crept closer.

Based on the structure of the formation, the group had guessed several likely places.

The Radiant Sun Hall was strange, though.

It was far from the palace center and not a new building. If the “Emperor Chen Lie” had not pointed it out, they would never have noticed it.

Liu Jun Cheng said in a low voice: “Li Shuang, the Radiant Sun Hall does not line up with the formation from any angle. Are you sure that person did not lie to us?”

Li Shuang said gently: “I will go check. When midnight comes, we will know.”

“All right.” Liu Jun Cheng unfolded the palace map: “From our sweep, the central Skyreach Hall has the highest chance. First Senior Sister, it is yours.”

Luo Ming Yue agreed at once.

“I will take the Sovereign Splendor Hall. Third junior brother takes the Luminous Hall. Fourth junior sister takes the Phoenix Grace Palace South Hall. If we guessed right, then the second the core shows itself, send the signal and strike first to destroy it,” Liu Jun Cheng said. “If we guessed wrong, the core’s appearance should make a clear sign. Everyone rush there at once.”

It was the best plan when they did not know the full picture.

All agreed.

While the rain still fell, they hid their traces and set up early near their assigned halls.

By late afternoon, the endless rain stopped all at once.

The dark sky cleared in a moment.

By night, points of starlight winked into view, as if to promise good weather tomorrow.

Li Shuang watched the stars and waited for the Royal Sovereign Star to show.

The Royal Sovereign Star was an ominous star. It meant turmoil and war.

If it only appeared by itself, the nation’s fate would shake and the mortal kingdom might step into a new era. That was normal change among mortals, and cultivators would not step in.

But if someone took that swing in fate to steal a nation’s luck for themselves, that was Devil Path work and had to be crushed at once.

Li Shuang held her breath and drew in her aura until it was nearly gone.

She hid behind a boulder and waited.

Time ticked by. Midnight came closer.

The palace stayed quiet, as if the Grand Bloodfiend Body-Refining Grand Array was just a joke.

Li Shuang was very glad she had knocked those two fools out.

If they had lost their patience, all their plans might have failed.

Close to midnight, a feeling tugged at her. She looked up.

Behind the sea of stars, a huge yellow white star showed one sharp corner.

The Royal Sovereign Star was about to appear.

The instant it edged into view, the palace also changed in a strange way.

Many beams of light shot into the sky.

If you looked only at the light, you would never guess this was a sinister formation. The light felt upright and grand, with no trace of Devil Path aura.

Mortals across the palace looked up, curious.

Liu An had ordered everyone to stay inside tonight.

Seeing the sky, they were not afraid. They only thought the State Preceptor was setting up some great formation.

Light rose everywhere.

Only the Radiant Sun Hall stayed dark, without a hint of glow.

Li Shuang waited calmly.

She had chosen the Radiant Sun Hall for two reasons.

First was her own guess.

Second, her cultivation method told her that the fake Emperor Chen Lie held no malice toward her.

Of course, no malice did not mean he spoke the truth.

But she had to check the Radiant Sun Hall.

The Royal Sovereign Star slowly revealed itself.

At last, its last hidden corner leaped out of the night.

The great yellow white star, edges sharp with light, looked down on the world.

When it appeared, the fate of the whole Chenrong Kingdom seemed to shudder.

In Chenrong, a disaster of war would rise.

At the same time, the dark Radiant Sun Hall changed at last.

The entire hall collapsed with a roar.

On the ruins, a huge altar appeared out of nothing.

On the altar, a blood cauldron rose. From it, red lines spread in all directions.

The moment the cauldron emerged, the upright golden light everywhere turned blood red.

In a blink, the sky filled with scarlet.

The Grand Bloodfiend Body-Refining Grand Array had started.

Two people crawled out of the blood cauldron.

One was the former emperor, Emperor Chen Yang, whose portrait Li Shuang had seen.

The other was the missing Emperor Chen Lie.

Father and son were indeed in on this.

Li Shuang’s pupils tightened. [The core is being brewed inside that cauldron.]

The tip from “Emperor Chen Lie” had been true.

Li Shuang sent a fast message and waited for the others to arrive.

She fixed her eyes on the cauldron, waiting for the core to fully appear.

Emperor Chen Yang said with pride: “After years in hiding, we father and son are about to reach the Great Dao. Once we take a nation’s fate, our Great Dao will be within reach. We will break free of mortal fate and live like cultivators, free under heaven.”

Emperor Chen Lie answered softly: “Congratulations, Father. Our great plan is about to succeed.”

Emperor Chen Yang looked at him with affection and said: “Out of so many children, I favor you alone. I share this sky high chance with only you. Later, with one heart, we will trample all those cultivators underfoot.”

Emperor Chen Lie nodded with joy.

In the cauldron, a beating heart slowly rose.

Li Shuang’s heart tightened. [A heart. Again, a heart. The formation’s core is the heart itself.]

Luo Ming Yue and the others were not here yet, but she could not wait.

Li Shuang flashed into the air. The Black Abyss Sword came down hard toward the heart.