133: A divine eye? A blind man? (18)

The storm caused by the Clan Academy assessment was far greater than You Chen had imagined.

He was no longer that sweeping prince who could be beaten and scolded at will.

Heaven-Grade Heart-Nature.

Grandmaster-level combat intuition.

These two evaluations, personally affirmed by the deacon of the Imperial Clan Court, were like two protective talismans, giving him the treatment of a "human" for the first time in this imperial palace.

The palace maids and eunuchs who used to avoid him like the plague would now bow from a distance when they saw him, their faces filled with awe.

The imperial prince followers who used to treat him as a joke now all steered clear of him.

The most obvious changes were among the true princes and princesses.

The third day after the assessment ended.

The Fourth Prince, You Shu, sent someone with a set of precious ancient book rubbings, said to be the only surviving copies, along with a message inviting him to his study to discuss scholarship at any time.

The fifth day.

The Third Princess, You Yue, who was in charge of the Imperial Guard, sent a soft sword that could cut through iron like butter, passing on a message that if he were ever bullied in the palace, he could go to her at any time.

Even the Divine Lord, that high and mighty father who had never looked him in the eye, issued an imperial decree.

Although there was no summons.

The contents of the decree caused the entire Great You Imperial Palace to shake once again.

Promote the Nineteenth Prince You Chen to "Lord Chengyun."

Bestow residency in "Tingxue Hall."

Grant him permission to enter the first and second floors of the Scripture Pavilion to practice freely.

You Chen stood before the brand-new, grand "Tingxue Hall," which was even staffed with over a dozen maids and eunuchs, feeling somewhat dazed.

He knew.

None of this was because of himself.

It was because of Big Brother Jun.

He cautiously handled the olive branches thrown from all sides, and for every decision, he would silently ask Jun Yun for instructions in his heart.

And Jun Yun's guidance was always simple and direct.

"Accept the Fourth Prince's books, but don't go see him."

"Accept the Third Princess's sword as well; remember this favor."

"You can go to the Seventh Princess's banquet, but only drink wine and don't speak."

You Chen did exactly as he was told.

Following Jun Yun's instructions completely, he navigated the complex power network of the imperial palace with precision.

Offending no one, yet maintaining distance from everyone... Time passed quickly.

One year later.

Inside Tingxue Hall, the Spiritual Qi was dense.

You Chen sat cross-legged on a prayer mat, his breathing long and steady.

With every breath he took, the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi formed tiny whirlpools that surged into his body.

The aura on his body was no longer the weak state it had been a year ago.

Spirit King Realm Fourth Level.

With the support of the massive resources left by Zi Yuan and Jun Yun's "Hibernating Dragon Breathing Technique," his cultivation had progressed by leaps and bounds.

Such speed would be considered shocking even if it were seen in top-tier prodigies.

Today's You Chen still had a lean face, but there was now a sense of confidence and composure between his brows.

He was no longer that bullied youth.

He had become a rising star of the Great You Imperial Family.

Yet the creator of all this, Jun Yun, seemed to have been forgotten.

During this year, he had hardly left Jingxin Hall by a single step.

He sat motionless in the darkness, comprehending the Azure Heaven Pagoda Record and the second page of the Sword Scripture absorbed by the small tower.

His Minds Eye only occasionally swept over You Chen.

Watching that golden thread of Luck grow from the thickness of a chopstick to the thickness of an arm.

Cooking with oil on a blazing fire, a scene of flourishing flowers... At the same time.

In the northwest corner of the Great You Imperial Palace, inside an inconspicuous artificial mountain.

This was a secret room.

Candlelight flickered, reflecting several grim faces.

Sitting in the main seat was a middle-aged man wearing a black-gold python robe.

He had a refined face, but his gaze was very intimidating.

The Prince of a different surname, Zhou Xuan.

He was also the biological uncle of the strongest among this generation of princes, the Tenth Prince You Ming.

His Grotto-Heaven Realm cultivation gave him a pivotal status in all of Great You.

"Speak up, everyone."

Zhou Xuan picked up his teacup and blew gently, his voice not loud, yet it made the temperature in the secret room drop a few degrees.

"That kid named You Chen has been gaining more and more attention lately."

Below, an old man dressed as an advisor bowed.

"My Lord, this boy is indeed strange. According to scout reports, his cultivation speed is phenomenal; he is already at the Spirit King Realm Fourth Level. Moreover, he acts with meticulous care, never forming alliances with any princes or participating in any factional struggles, leaving no weakness to be exploited."

"Hmph, meticulous?"

Zhou Xuan sneered, "He must simply have a master pointing the way behind his back."

He put down the teacup, killing intent appearing in his eyes.

"None of that matters."

"What matters is that his existence already threatens Ming'er."

The atmosphere in the secret room became even more heavy.

The Tenth Prince, You Ming, possessed the "true dragon fate" and was identified by his mother's clan, the Zhou family, as the sole candidate for the next Divine Lord.

A true dragon, there cannot be two suns in the sky.

Anyone who might threaten this fate was an enemy.

"A Mortal Body, even if his Heart-Nature is Heaven-Grade, what kind of waves can he possibly stir?" another person dressed as a general said disdainfully.

"Fool!"

Zhou Xuan reprimanded sharply.

"This boy's rise is like a prairie fire. His Heaven-Grade Heart-Nature triggered the resonance of the Heart-Questioning Stone; this in itself is a sign of recognition from the Heavenly Dao!"

"If we let him keep growing like this, as one waxes and the other wanes, Ming'er's true dragon fate will eventually be thinned by him!"

"This kind of variable absolutely cannot be allowed to remain!"

Zhou Xuan stood up and paced back and forth in the secret room.

"He must be completely eliminated before his wings are fully grown."

"Furthermore, it must be done cleanly and efficiently, leaving no trace, so that no one can suspect us."

The old advisor's eyes flickered as he stepped forward.

"My Lord, I have a plan."

"Speak."

"Three months from now is the day the 'Blood Moon Secret Realm' opens, which happens once every ten years. According to custom, the imperial family will send a group of outstanding young disciples inside to train and seek opportunities."

"You Chen is currently in the spotlight; he will certainly be on the list."

The old man smiled coldly.

"We can prepare a 'grand gift' for him."

"Oh?" Zhou Xuan became interested.

"What is You Chen's greatest weakness?" the old man asked.

"Mortal Body."

"Exactly, the Mortal Body."

The old man lowered his voice, "A Mortal Body cannot withstand power that is too overbearing. We can design a trap to let him 'accidentally' obtain a 'massive Opportunity' that he cannot withstand."

"Once he accepts that 'Opportunity,' there will be only one outcome: his Physical Body will be unable to bear it, and he will explode and die."

"When the time comes, everyone will think he was too greedy and died from the fate of his own Mortal Body."

"As for the Divine Lord, he will only sigh that a Mortal Body is after all a Mortal Body, incapable of great use."

After the old man finished speaking, he looked at Zhou Xuan triumphantly.

Zhou Xuan's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"Good."

"What a fine 'kill with praise' scheme."

He slapped the table with his palm.

"Let it be done."

...Jingxin Hall.

In the darkness, Jun Yun's eyelids twitched slightly.

His Minds Eye penetrated through layers of palace walls.

Although he couldn't hear the specific details within the secret room,

He clearly captured that intense killing intent that soared to the sky and was deadlocked onto You Chen.

Jun Yun slowly revealed a cold smile.

"So it's finally coming."

"Someone can't sit still anymore."

He knew the moment to test You Chen had arrived.

This was also the most important link in his plan.

After all, how could a child of destiny not have a 'cheat'?

For a 'cheat' to appear, there must be a turning point...