567: Visitors from outside the domain, mysterious projection

Prince Yans Mansion.

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was exceptionally oppressive. Over a dozen generals stood with solemn expressions, looking at Prince Yan who was seated on the throne.

Liu Rushuang, dressed in a simple skirt, stood beside Prince Yan.

"How are the plans progressing?"

Prince Yan asked in a deep voice.

"Replying to Your Highness, everything is ready. We just await your command."

A middle-aged general responded.

"Very good. As soon as the old man passes away in three days, immediately take control of the Imperial City and seal the five gates."

"That old thing is very likely to pass the throne to Prince Qi."

Prince Yan said with a gloomy expression. His performance in the Golden Luan Hall today surely meant he was out of the running for the throne, so he could only activate his backup plan.

The general guarding the ancestral temple had already been bought over by him with high official positions and generous rewards.

He could cooperate with him to falsify and alter the imperial decree.

Liu Rushuang said, "Your Highness, now that His Majesty has appointed a Supervisor with immense power, he will certainly pose a great threat to your imperial authority in the future. This person…"

Prince Yan waved his hand and said, "Even if Chu Jiang becomes the Supervisor, I have ways to deal with him. He won't be able to stir up any major waves."

Once he inherited the throne and advanced to the Rongtian with the power of Luck, possessing Imperial Dragon Qi, he would be an invincible existence within the Rongtian.

Liu Rushuang fell silent.

She instantly understood his reliance was on “Wu.” Having followed Prince Yan for a long time, she naturally knew the people behind him.

Among them was the mysterious and unfathomable “Wu.” All of Prince Yan’s knowledge, apart from what was mandatory for the imperial family, was taught by “Wu.”

“Wu’s” strength was extremely powerful. Any martial art, to him, presented virtually no Bottleneck or pressure. He was definitely a peak expert of this era.

…

Prince Qi's Mansion.

Prince Qi sat on a fishing platform, holding a fishing rod, casting bait into the pond, leisurely fishing.

"Prince Qi, in three days, no matter who the throne is passed to, it will not pass peacefully. There will certainly be bloodshed."

Jiang Lao said in a deep voice.

"Prince Jin has been a bit off lately, completely different from before, like two different people. And Prince Yan has been making frequent moves behind the scenes. It is said that most of the generals in the entire Imperial City, and even within the imperial palace, have been bought over by him and boarded his pirate ship."

"Only our Prince Qi's Mansion has shown no activity at all. Your Highness… are you really not going to contend for it?"

Jiang Lao looked at Prince Qi, who still had the leisure to fish, and felt helpless.

The struggle for imperial power had reached its most crucial days.

The winner was about to be decided.

Yet, his Highness was not in the least bit anxious, as if it had nothing to do with him.

In fact, Prince Qi's influence in the entire court was terrifyingly strong.

He just hadn't activated it yet.

With just a word from him, half the forces in the entire Imperial City would stand by him.

But he deliberately kept it hidden.

"You say, is my Imperial Father really going to die?" Prince Qi asked, not responding to the question Jiang Lao had posed to him.

"With all the officials as witnesses, the Chu Emperor is going to die. How can that be false?"

Jiang Lao asked in confusion.

This time, there was no possibility of extending his life; it was a complete end. Otherwise, the Chu Emperor would not have urgently summoned all officials, the first time in eight hundred years.

"I still don't believe he will die. If he really is going to die, all of this… is too illogical. I can't see through it."

Prince Qi said.

"No matter what the Chu Emperor is thinking, his impending death is real, and the succession is real. On such a major matter, the Chu Emperor would not deceive us." Jiang Lao responded.

"You're right, that's what I can't figure out either."

Prince Qi tugged at his fishing rod; it seemed a fish had bitten.

Prince Qi's Mansion would only make a move once, but it was definitely not now.

He couldn't see clearly.

"Your Highness, who do you think His Majesty will pass the throne to?" Jiang Lao asked.

"I guess it won't be among the Three Kings. Perhaps it's the Crown Prince, my fourth brother?"

Prince Qi said uncertainly. He had never underestimated his fourth brother, the Crown Prince. How could someone who could be a Crown Prince be an ordinary person?

"Wasn't the Crown Prince confined to the Eastern Palace? He has long been abandoned by His Majesty, and has no foundation in the imperial court. How could he ascend to the great throne?"

Jiang Lao shook his head and continued, "Rather than believe it will be passed to the Crown Prince, I would rather believe it will be passed to Prince Jin, or even that cold-blooded monster Prince Yan."

Prince Jin's show of goodwill and cooperation must mean the Chu Emperor has already passed the throne to him, otherwise how could his recent abnormal behavior be explained?

"Perhaps, my fourth brother, the Crown Prince, is secretly planning something big."

Prince Qi said with a faint smile.

Jiang Lao remained silent, still not understanding Prince Qi's actions. It seemed that this time, Prince Qi's Mansion would still not make a move.

Hopefully, it wouldn't be wrong.

…

North Sea, a desolate island.

The surrounding hundred thousand li of sea was utterly silent, with only the sound of ocean waves.

The entire island was enveloped by a massive Formation. In the center of the island, there was a purple altar. At each of the altar's eight corners, a Top-Grade Spirit Stone was inserted, as if outlining the stars of the heavens and opening a mysterious star gate.

A person, whose entire being was filled with mysterious Qi and shrouded in divine radiance, was present.

It was precisely the Eternal Life Alliance Leader.

He was forming hand seals, outlining ancient divine runes. Around the altar, four Divine Beasts emerged: Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise.

"Xuantian Eight Gates, open!"

With a soft shout from the Eternal Life Alliance Leader, the purple altar erupted with divine light, and a spiritual energy vortex appeared. In an instant, the vortex transformed into a star gate.

A moment later.

From within the star gate, five towering jade pillars appeared.

The Pillars Suppressing Heaven stood at the apex of the star gate, their entire bodies emanating an ancient bronze hue. Nine profound iron chains, each as thick as a mountain, coiled around the pillars. Ancient divine runes were etched on their surfaces, and their tops were hidden within a thunderous vortex, where purple lightning coiled like dragons and snakes, as if they were pillars of creation, filled with an ancient and vast Aura.

Within the star gate, amidst countless stars, a blurred projection was faintly visible, seated on an illusory throne, possessing an Aura that seemed to crush the eight directions.

"Greetings, Immortal Emissary!"

The Eternal Life Alliance Leader bowed slightly.

"The higher-ups are very dissatisfied with you. It has been two thousand years, and you still have made no achievements. These five Pillars Suppressing Heaven were collected by the Immortal Alliance over a thousand years and sent here at a huge cost, breaking through the barrier."

"This time, there can be no more mistakes. Do you understand?"

The mysterious projection said faintly.

"Understood!"

The Eternal Life Alliance Leader said in a deep voice.

Just then.

In the sky, a world-ending thundercloud suddenly appeared, as if brewing something.

Rumble!

Heaven and earth exploded, and thousands of Heavenly Tribulation forces erupted suddenly.

Crack!

The outer grand Formation was instantly torn apart, heading straight for the purple altar on the desolate island.

The mysterious projection smiled indifferently, looking up at the sky: "The Heavenly Dao is already incomplete, yet still so sensitive. I haven't even stepped into this world, and I'm already sensed. Are you really so unwelcoming of a distinguished guest from outside this domain?"

As soon as the mysterious projection finished speaking.

The Eternal Life Alliance Leader immediately took out an ancient scroll and instantly crushed it.

Whoosh—

A mysterious power enveloped him, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from this sea area.

The Heavenly Tribulation descended.

Pfft!

The altar shattered, the star gate collapsed, and the mysterious projection instantly turned to dust. The island, spanning a hundred li, was directly pierced through and completely submerged.

In the heavens and earth, a lingering echo remained.

"Your resistance is futile. Next time, you will only belong to my Immortal Alliance. You cannot escape…"

But no one responded. The world-ending thundercloud, having shattered the altar, then dissipated.