576: Chapter 576 The Bai Family's Scheme

["An unknown origin doesn't necessarily mean he's a bad person," Demon Lord Tianxuan spoke. "The fact remains that he saved Huanger."]

[He paused for a moment and continued, "Besides, every major power wants to recruit someone with a Heavenly Fate Dao Embryo. If he can become Huanger's Imperial Consort, it will only bring benefits to our Tianxuan Immortal Dynasty, with no drawbacks."]

["You have a point," Ancestor Tianxuan nodded. "Let's observe him for a while. If he can truly be used by our dynasty and possesses a Heavenly Fate Dao Embryo, he will surely help us advance further in the future."]

["Ancestor is right; he's only at the Early Stage of Soul Transformation, so he can't stir up any waves," Demon Lord Tianxuan smiled.]

["That's not what I'm worried about," Empress Tianxuan's expression was solemn.]

["Are you worried he was sent by the Heavenly Palace?" Ancestor Tianxuan looked at her, his brows slightly furrowed.]

["Exactly. Regardless, Yan Wenjie from Nine Heavens Heavenly Palace died within my Imperial City, and I fear..." Empress Tianxuan's voice trailed off.]

["Rest assured," Ancestor Tianxuan snorted coldly. "No matter how overbearing the Heavenly Palace is, they wouldn't dare move against us without any evidence."]

["The most important thing right now is for you both to put down the burdens of the Immortal Dynasty as soon as possible and step into Void Refining."]

["When the tianyi true water condenses this time, we will personally give a drop to the Vice Dean."]

["The Tianyi Spiritual Spring only condenses a single drop of essence every hundred years. If we give it to the Vice Dean this time, what about Huanger?" Empress Tianxuan asked in a low voice.]

["Sigh... we'll just have to wait another hundred years," Ancestor Tianxuan sighed.]

[The three of them looked at each other and fell into silence.]

[The wind blew through the palace, and the copper bells on the eaves jingled.]

[You sat in the courtyard of the Princess Royals Mansion, looking up at the stars, yet your Divine Thought had already blanketed the Imperial Palace, hearing every word of their conversation.]

[During these days, although you hadn't left the house, you were constantly monitoring news of the tianyi true water.]

[By now, you had finally figured it out—both Empress Tianxuan and Fairy Tianxuan possessed the legendary Water Spirit Saint Body.]

[This was not an Innate Saint Body, but one that was Acquired through cultivation.]

[The root of it lay within the Tianyi Spiritual Spring.]

[The Tianyi Spiritual Spring was one of the Foundations of the Tianxuan Immortal Dynasty—a pool of clear spring water that never ran dry. Every hundred years, it condensed a single drop of essence, which was tianyi true water.]

[As for where the Spiritual Spring was hidden, you guessed it was likely kept by Ancestor Tianxuan inside some grotto-heaven magical treasure.]

[Most importantly, if a Water Spirit Saint Body refined a drop of tianyi true water, it could save them a hundred years of bitter cultivation.]

[Unlike when you used the xuantian treasure mirror to accelerate time—where one year equaled a hundred, but the Foundation remained unstable—]

[their method didn't have that problem.]

[A thought suddenly occurred to you—if you used the xuantian treasure mirror to empower the Tianyi Spiritual Spring, wouldn't it produce a drop of tianyi true water every year?]

[The more you thought about it, the more excited you became.]

[Originally, you only intended to wait for the tianyi true water to appear, snatch it, and run; you had no desire to be some Imperial Consort.]

[But now, you suddenly felt that this Imperial Consort position is actually quite a catch.]

[The more you thought about it, the clearer things became, and you stopped hesitating.]

[You settled your mind, cultivating while secretly collecting auxiliary Materials for refining the immortal slaying sword.]

[The eighth year,]

[you finally brought another Law to Perfection—accumulating a total of four hundred and eight Laws at Perfection.]

["Even with the help of the xuantian treasure mirror, it takes a year to fully comprehend just one Law. For the remaining six hundred Laws, won't it take another six hundred years? Without it, even sixty thousand years wouldn't be enough," you couldn't help but lament.]

["No wonder they say the Spiritual Root determines one's upper limit; I need to find a chance to get a better Spiritual Root."]

["If I had known, I shouldn't have completely killed Yan Wenjie from Nine Heavens Heavenly Palace back then."]

[You fell into deep thought.]

[You didn't dare go to the Chaos Sea for the time being; at least while you were still young, you didn't want to die yet.]

[After thinking for a bit, you spread out your Divine Sense as usual, scanning the surroundings aimlessly like an invisible net being cast.]

[Tea houses, taverns, inns, and mansions—countless voices flooded into your mind, noisy as a tide.]

[You listened patiently, like panning for gold in the sand.]

[Suddenly, a conversation caught your attention—the Five-Qi Origin Grass.]

[Your spirits lifted, and your Divine Sense immediately focused, locking onto that mansion.]

[Inside the living room of the Bai Mansion, two people sat opposite each other.]

[The Bai Family Ancestor handed over a qiankun ring and said casually, "Yan'er, this Five-Qi Origin Grass was something I obtained by chance while on a mission for the Heavenly Palace. Take it; it will be useful for your future Breakthrough to Soul Transformation."]

[Bai Yan took it with both hands, cradling it in his palms like some rare treasure, his eyes shining. "Thank you, Ancestor!"]

["By the way, Ancestor," he looked up, "has there been any progress in the Heavenly Palace's investigation into the murderer who killed Yan Wenjie from Nine Heavens Heavenly Palace?"]

[The Bai Family Ancestor smiled and took a sip of tea. "Whether there's progress isn't important. The Heavenly Palace is using this matter as an excuse to eliminate those forces harboring ulterior motives."]

[Bai Yan's eyes darted around, and he suddenly leaned in, lowering his voice. "Ancestor, why don't you report a piece of news... say that the murderer who killed Yan Wenjie from Nine Heavens Heavenly Palace is related to the Tianxuan Immortal Dynasty. When the time comes, wouldn't it be better if our Bai Family was put in charge of the entire Immortal Dynasty?"]

[The Bai Family Ancestor shook his head and set down his teacup. "You're thinking too simply. They have been attached to the Academy for many years; the Heavenly Palace won't easily break ties with the Academy."]

[He paused, his gaze darkening slightly. "Unless there is clear evidence... proving the murderer is related to the Tianxuan Immortal Dynasty."]

[The corner of Bai Yan's mouth curled into a cold smile. "Isn't that simple? We can just forge some evidence. Then, Empress Tianxuan won't be able to clear her name even if she had a hundred mouths."]

[The Bai Family Ancestor raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued. "Oh? Let's hear it."]

[Bai Yan narrowed his eyes, his voice even lower. "Ancestor, when that old man killed Yan Wenjie from Nine Heavens Heavenly Palace, I happened to see it. As long as someone disguises themselves as that old man..."]

[He didn't finish his sentence.]

[The space in the living room suddenly rippled, and a hunched figure stepped out from the ripples, appearing abruptly before the two of them.]

[The Bai Family Ancestor and Bai Yan looked over at the same time, their faces turning deathly pale in an instant.]

[The old man before them—with a hunched back, hair and beard all white, and a withered face—was exactly the person who killed Yan Wenjie from Nine Heavens Heavenly Palace.]

[Countless Cultivators in the city had seen him back then, and Bai Yan had remembered him too.]

[Now, the entire Immortal Realm had a bounty on this face, and wanted posters were posted everywhere; anyone would recognize him.]

[Bai Yan's mouth hung open, unable to say a single word.]

["It's you?"]

[The Bai Family Ancestor's face darkened, and a communication Jade Slip suddenly appeared in his hand. The spiritual light had just lit up, and before he could activate it—the Jade Slip was enveloped by an invisible force and shattered into powder with a crack.]

["Yan'er, run quickly!"]

[He cried out in alarm, his body flickering as he tried to teleport away.]

[But as soon as he moved, he slammed into an invisible wall—the entire Bai Mansion was shrouded in a Law Domain, and the spatial barriers were as hard as iron, making it impossible to move even an inch.]

[You casually raised your hand.]

[Bang—!]

[A majestic and vast power surged into the Bai Family Ancestor's body.]

[His body suddenly stiffened and then, like a skin shell bursting from within, it exploded with a bang, turning into a cloud of blood mist.]

[Just as his Primordial Spirit escaped from the blood mist, the soul-eroding pearl in your hand flashed with an eerie light, and an invisible beam of light shot out, instantly piercing through it.]

[The blood mist dissipated, and the Primordial Spirit vanished.]

[From beginning to end, it had taken only a single breath.]

[Until the moment he died, the Bai Family Ancestor never knew how he had offended you.]