19: Chapter 19 The Tragic Little Prince's Nobleman 1

A thin morning mist floated and spread, enveloping the mountains; vaguely, a magnificent Sacred Sect stood within them.

An occasional gust of wind blew, making the pines and cypresses that blotted out the sun shake gently, producing a sound like surging waves, while the towering palace halls stood firm amidst the softness.

the bluestone path winding up the mountain led directly to the tall and heavy gates of the palace halls. A nanmu plaque with vermilion lacquer relief and gold-traced characters hung above it.

The two characters 'Sacred Sect' on the plaque were personally bestowed by the founding emperor of the Jing Kingdom.

The reason for such an honor was that Emperor Jing's success in establishing his empire owed much to the full assistance of the Sacred Sect.

The people of the Sacred Sect were single-mindedly devoted to comprehending the Daoist laws, following Sect rules, abstaining from carnal desires, being indifferent to fame and fortune, and living in harmony with the world.

Consequently, the Sacred Sect enjoyed an extremely high reputation in the Jing Kingdom, becoming a Daoist Holy Land that the royal family and nobles scrambled for. It was also the origin of every Imperial Preceptor since the founding of the Jing Kingdom.

Only the most outstanding talent in Daoist laws of the current generation, who was also the last Disciple to inherit the mantle of the previous Imperial Preceptor, could qualify for the position of Imperial Preceptor.

Therefore, every Imperial Preceptor not only possessed unfathomable Daoist laws but also knew astronomy and understood all things, being truly wise individuals.

With the changing of dynasties, every Imperial Preceptor who emerged from the Sacred Sect was an exceptionally brilliant individual with superior appearance and temperament.

They were deeply versed in Daoist laws, capable of chanting scriptures and praying for blessings while telling prayer beads, as well as observing celestial phenomena to glimpse heavenly secrets and forecast fortune or misfortune. They maintained the Luck of the Dynasty, ensured favorable weather, and benefited the people everywhere.

However, because of this, bearing too much Karma made them most susceptible to damaging their Lifespan.

Thus, every Imperial Preceptor had no ambition for the imperial court; they would only reside long-term in the Imperial Capital after being appointed to the position to express their gratitude for the imperial favor.

Yet their time at court was quite short, lasting at most a dozen years and at least five or six years.

After hiding their merits and fame, they would return to the Sect to focus on cultivation and study Daoist laws, while simultaneously searching for a Disciple to train as the next Imperial Preceptor.

Since then, the Sect's ancestral rules dictated that unless the nation was on the brink of collapse, the Imperial Preceptor must not leave the mountain gate again.

This was the reason why the royal family of the Jing Kingdom never feared the Sacred Sect.

Consequently, although the Imperial Preceptor held no real power, their status was esteemed, respected by the nobles of the court and loved by the vast population of commoners.

And Lu Zhan's identity in this Small World, currently thirty-six years old, was Daoist Xuanchen, the last Disciple of the previous Imperial Preceptor and the current Imperial Preceptor of the Jing Kingdom.

Because he was taken into the Sect by the previous Imperial Preceptor in his later years, he was not old, yet his seniority in the entire Sacred Sect was extremely high.

Furthermore, as the current Imperial Preceptor, his status was naturally quite esteemed, almost on equal footing with the Sect Master.

His personality had always been cold and indifferent, and he disliked noise. Therefore, after he returned from the Imperial Capital of the Jing Kingdom six years ago, the Sacred Sect built this courtyard for him.

To facilitate his focused cultivation and study of Daoist laws, basically no one set foot here for the first few years, except for the young Disciple who delivered meals daily.

Later, the Sect Master encountered a talent with outstanding Aptitude and took the initiative to accept him as a Disciple on Lu Zhan's behalf, sending him directly to the small courtyard.

After Lu Zhan met the boy, he neither agreed nor objected, but from then on, his daily needs were taken care of, and the young Disciple who delivered meals never came again.

(Note: The clone left behind after departure is basically a replica of Lu Zhan; ordinary people cannot tell them apart.)

The courtyard was not very large, but it was fully equipped with everything one could need, and it excelled in being quiet and unique.

As far as the eye could see, the indoor furnishings were simple: a Luohan bed with an exquisite tea table in the middle, a set of green jade teacups, and a few chairs...

It was evident that they were all made of precious Materials, emitting a faint sandalwood fragrance.

The wooden window was gently pushed open by a pair of slender, jade-like hands. A ray of morning light filtered through, shining upon the young man.

He wore plain white robes, with most of his black hair tied by a hair ribbon and casually draped behind his head. A string of 108 red sandalwood prayer beads was wrapped around his wrist. He had a tall and slender stature, and his snow-white skin was set off in a way that created a startling beauty.

Lu Zhan walked a few steps and sat on the Luohan bed by the window. The sunlight projected onto his face, highlighting his sharp, handsome features. His expression was cold yet carried a hint of being compassionate and merciful, with sword-like eyebrows, long eyelashes, and indifferent amber eyes.

His temperament exuded an ascetic air, aloof and independent from the world.

The air carried the unique slight chill of the mountains. As a breeze blew, the emerald bamboo in the courtyard rustled, and droplets of crystal-clear dew slid off.

The bronze bells hanging from the eaves trembled, producing a soft and pleasant sound.

"009, briefly tell me about the Male Protagonist's situation during the years I was away, and transmit the specific information to me as well."

"host, the level of blackening of the Male Protagonist in this Small World, Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan, is slightly higher than Lin Sicheng's from the previous world; the blackening value is currently 97. The cause of blackening is unknown, and the plot has severely deviated from its original trajectory.

When the host departed, the Male Protagonist, Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan, had not only cultivated his own faction and obtained the remaining secret forces of his maternal clan but also gained considerable popular support. All of this progress was normal and without issue.

According to the established trajectory, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince would fall one after another in the following years, and then the Late Emperor would pass away from illness. Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan, as the sole frontrunner, would naturally ascend the throne and become a wise ruler.

But now, Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan has killed his brothers and father, ascending the throne two years ago. Rumor has it that his temperament is perverse and cruel, and his methods are sinister and ruthless; in short, he doesn't have a shred of resemblance to a wise ruler.

In the past two years, the imperial court has been in turmoil and has undergone a massive purge. The status of the Sacred Sect has also been declining daily under the targeting of those with ulterior motives.

By the way, after Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan ascended the throne, he sent people to invite you to the Imperial Capital many times, but you refused them all on the grounds that the Sect rules cannot be broken.

At that time, he had killed his father and brothers, and having newly ascended to the throne, his position was unstable. Furthermore, given the esteemed status of the Imperial Preceptor and the transcendent position of the Sacred Sect, he had no choice for the time being but to drop the matter.

But he later sent a letter specifically for you, which contained only two sentences.

'Today, you refuse me and are unwilling to return.

One day, you will beg me to return obediently.'

Now that he is securely seated on the throne and has eliminated dissidents in the court, holding absolute power, I'm afraid...

In short, host, handle it carefully. The mission in this world is still to eliminate the Male Protagonist's blackening value. 009 has gone into stealth mode!"

The somewhat cheerful voice of 009 stopped, and some detailed information regarding Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan was transmitted to Lu Zhan.

Lu Zhan understood the System's unspoken implications, and Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan was likely about to take action.

As for undermining the Sacred Sect's status, Lu Zhan did not believe that the Male Protagonist hadn't pulled some strings in that.

Recalling those two sentences, Lu Zhan knew Fifth Prince Qi Yuxuan was not joking and pinched the bridge of his nose with a headache.