53: The dynasty is in turmoil, and a storm is brewing.

The news of Chu He's Breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage swept through the entire Great Yan Dynasty like a super hurricane of magnitude twelve within just three days.

Tianyan City, deep within the imperial palace.

The Great Yan Emperor, clad in dragon robes with a majestic countenance, slammed his palm down, shattering the zitan wood imperial desk before him. His face was so grim it seemed about to drip with water.

“A Nascent Soul! Another Nascent Soul!”

“And it's in that Chu City! That Chu He who slew Li Daoran and annihilated the Liu Clan of Tianfeng Prefecture!”

The Emperor's voice echoed through the vast hall, filled with uncontrollable rage and a hint of... apprehension.

Li Daoran was the chief enshrinement of his imperial family, a Middle Stage Nascent Soul Cultivator, the stabilizing force that awed all Sects and aristocratic families under the imperial family's sway.

His demise remained an unsolved mystery, causing the imperial family to lose face and significantly weakening their control over various factions.

Although everyone suspected it was related to the Chu family, no one could believe that a Golden Core Cultivator could kill a Middle Stage Nascent Soul.

But now, Chu He had actually broken through to the Nascent Soul Stage!

This changed everything entirely.

A Nascent Soul Old Monster, beyond their control and with a potential grudge against the imperial family, entrenched within the Dynasty's territory, was no different from a sleeping tiger by one's bed, ready to devour at any moment!

“Your Majesty, this matter must not be tolerated!”

Below the main hall, a Prince wearing a python robe and exuding a chilling aura stepped forward. It was the Third Prince, who had previously advocated sending someone to offer an olive branch.

“This child has the ambition of a wolf, and now he has advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage. If he is not eradicated soon, he will surely become a major hidden danger! Your subject requests permission to gather all imperial family enshrinements and unite with the Blazing Sun Sect and the Xuan Shui Pavilion, two great Sects, to set up an inescapable net and kill him in one fell swoop!”

His words were filled with Killing Intent, and he immediately received agreement from many hawkish ministers in the hall.

“Absolutely not!”

Another old minister with white hair and beard immediately spoke out in opposition.

“Your Majesty, how terrifying is a battle between Nascent Soul Cultivators? Once a war breaks out in the heartland of the Dynasty, it will surely lead to widespread suffering and shattered lands! Moreover, that Chu He's strength is unfathomable. He could slay Enshrinement Li, and now he has advanced to the Nascent Soul Stage, his strength is probably far beyond an ordinary Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator. If we rashly attack, what if... what if there are further losses, then the Foundation of our Great Yan Dynasty will truly be shaken!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the great hall immediately fell silent, and the momentum of the hawkish faction also stalled.

Yes, if another Nascent Soul Enshrinement were to die, the Great Yan imperial family would truly become an empty shell.

The Emperor's face grew even uglier; how could he not understand this principle?

To fight, they had no confidence and might lose all their assets.

Not to fight, and let the Chu family grow, where would the imperial family's prestige be? How could they command the world in the future?

This was simply an insoluble dilemma!

Just as the great hall fell into a dead silence, a sharp voice suddenly sounded.

“Your Majesty, this old servant has a plan.”

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, only to see an old eunuch, pale-faced and beardless, dressed in the uniform of a chief eunuch, silently emerging from the shadows behind the Emperor.

“Chief Eunuch Wei, what good plan do you have?” The Emperor's spirit lifted.

Although Chief Eunuch Wei's cultivation was not high, his mind was meticulous, and he was the Emperor's trusted strategist.

Chief Eunuch Wei bowed respectfully and smiled softly, “Your Majesty, since a direct assault is not advisable, why not try 'praise to kill' and an 'open conspiracy'?”

“Oh? Tell me more.”

“Although that Chu He is now a Nascent Soul, he is ultimately a Loose Cultivator with a shallow Foundation. Why don't we go with the flow and, in Your Majesty's name, issue an imperial decree to enfeoff him as the 'state protecting dharma king' of our Great Yan Dynasty, granting him a status equal to yours, and bestowing countless treasures, beauties, and fiefdoms, elevating him to the highest position!”

“This...” The Third Prince frowned, “Isn't this aiding the enemy?”

“Your Highness, calm your impatience.” Chief Eunuch Wei continued unhurriedly, “The higher one is praised, the harder one falls. If we grandly enfeoff him, how will the world view it? They will believe that Chu He has pledged allegiance to the imperial family. Those who have grudges against him, or wish to curry favor with him, will all focus their attention on him.”

“And our true killing move comes later.”

A venomous glint flashed in Chief Eunuch Wei's eyes.

“At the enfeoffment ceremony, we can bring out the Great Yan Dynasty's national treasure—the Dragon-Locking Seal! This seal was left by the founding ancestor, a top-grade Magic Treasure that can seal space and suppress Nascent Soul Cultivators. As long as he enters the ceremony's range, we will activate the great seal to suppress his cultivation by thirty percent. At that time, with several enshrinements acting together, are we still afraid of not being able to kill a weakened Early Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator?”

“This plan, ostensibly an enfeoffment, is in reality a Hongmen Banquet! If he comes, he walks into a trap; if he doesn't come, he defies the imperial decree, openly making an enemy of our Great Yan. At that point, when we gather our forces to conquer him, we will have a just cause and full righteousness!”

After hearing Chief Eunuch Wei's sinister plan, everyone in the great hall gasped in cold air.

Too venomous!

This was practically putting Chu He on the fire, leaving him in an impossible situation!

The Emperor pondered for a long time, finally a resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he heavily slapped the armrest.

“Good! It shall be according to Chief Eunuch Wei's plan!”

“Issue my decree, draft the enfeoffment edict, and dispatch the Minister of Rites as the chief envoy. Three days from now, depart for Chu City to proclaim the imperial decree!”

...Meanwhile, Chu City, Chu family.

Chu He was well aware of the outside turmoil. The Pill Hall, managed by Lin Waner, now had a commercial network spanning the entire Dynasty and had long become an efficient intelligence agency.

“Husband, the imperial family has indeed made a move. They want to enfeoff you as the 'state protecting dharma king'.”

In the study, Lin Waner handed the latest intelligence to Chu He, her face showing a hint of solemnity.

Chu He took the intelligence Jade Slip, swept his Divine Sense over it, and instantly absorbed its contents, then let out a disdainful chuckle.

“state protecting dharma king? A 'praise to kill' scheme, plus a Hongmen Banquet. Their methods are quite insidious.”

“Then how should we respond?” Su Qingxue asked from the side. She was sketching something on a large blueprint, the blueprint for a super grand array covering the entire Chu City.

Chu He put down the Jade Slip and walked to her side, looking at the profound and intricate array diagram that was already taking initial shape, his eyes full of admiration.

He reached out and pointed to a blank spot on the blueprint labeled “Core Energy.”

“The method of response is simple: use their own scheme against them.”

“Qingxue, what else is our City Protecting Grand Array missing?”

Su Qingxue looked up, a hint of helplessness flashing in her clear, cold eyes: “Husband, all other Materials are ready, but we are missing the most crucial item—the 'nine-aperture exquisite heart'.”

“This object is an ancient wondrous stone, containing spatial power. It is the only core for activating the 'fortune gathering altar' and perfectly integrating it with the City Protecting Grand Array. According to ancient records left by Father, this object... only exists in the bedchambers of successive Great Yan Emperors, serving as the Dragon Vein Eye that suppresses the national fortune.”

At this point, Su Qingxue and Lin Waner both fell silent.

This item was simply impossible to obtain.

However, Chu He smiled.

He reached out and embraced his two beautiful wives, and under their astonished gazes, he leisurely spoke.

“Who says it's impossible?”

“Since they've handed us the ladder, why shouldn't we climb up and dismantle their house?”

“Pass on my order: three days from now, open the city gates wide. Your husband will personally receive the imperial decree.”