73: Chapter 73 The Secret of the Great Qian Emperor

While Xia Jin was on his way to the Great Qian Dynasty, a series of coughs could be heard from time to time in the Imperial Study of the Great Qian Imperial Palace.

The elderly Emperor Lu Hao looked at the memorials before him, his expression suddenly darkening, and then he fiercely threw the memorial onto the floor.

"Those bastards!! Knowing that I am old, frail, and have little time left, they dare to take the opportunity to insert their own people among the officials and eliminate dissidents!"

"Just the Second Prince alone has inserted six cronies into the City Defense Battalion this time."

Under the strain of his angry cursing, it seemed to aggravate his injuries, as a fit of violent coughing erupted from his chest.

"Cough, cough... cough, cough, cough—"

Emperor Lu Hao hurriedly covered his mouth with his hand, but he could not stop the surging Qi and blood, and a few droplets of blood seeped through his fingers, splattering onto the memorial in front of him.

"Your Majesty!" The old eunuch standing to the side changed color drastically, hurriedly stepped forward, and took out a silk handkerchief from his robes to hand over.

Emperor Lu Hao took the handkerchief, covered his mouth and nose tightly, and coughed muffledly for a long time before his breathing gradually calmed down.

"Your Majesty, are... are you alright?" The old eunuch's face was filled with worry, but no one saw the flash of cold light that passed through his eyes.

Emperor Lu Hao slowly leaned back against the chair, as if he had exhausted all his strength: "Companion... it seems that my time... is truly running out."

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty is blessed by the heavens and will surely live for ten thousand years in peace and health!" The old eunuch knelt down with a "thud."

Emperor Lu Hao shook his head, looking at his own withered palms: "I know my own body. Three years ago, I should have passed away! These years, I have only been sustained by those rare Medicinal Pills in the palace... I am afraid I can only last until this year at most."

The old eunuch raised his head, his lips moving a few times, but in the end, he could not say anything and just bowed his body deeply.

Emperor Lu Hao looked at the old eunuch kneeling before him, not knowing what he was thinking.

Suddenly, the sound of cicadas rang out from outside the hall. He sat up straight, his eyes changing from the resignation just now to something sharp: "The Sixth Prince... and Consort Hua, is there still no news?"

The old eunuch raised his head, looked at Emperor Lu Hao, and hurriedly said: "Replying to Your Majesty, ever since the great fire at Zhaojue Temple a month ago, Consort Hua, along with the monks and guards within the temple, have all disappeared without a trace. As for The Sixth Prince..."

"According to people in the residence of The Sixth Prince, Your Highness had visited those top Sects within the Great Qian Dynasty before disappearing. And..."

"And what?" Emperor Lu Hao frowned, his gaze shifting from the memorial in front of him to the other person again, "Speak directly! In front of me, there is no need to hesitate."

The old eunuch dared not hesitate any longer and quickly said: "Furthermore, our people investigated afterwards and discovered that those Sects Your Highness visited... were all wiped out, with not a single survivor!"

"Wiped out? What exactly is The Sixth Prince trying to do?" A cold light flashed in Emperor Lu Hao's eyes, and an invisible pressure filled the entire Imperial Study.

"By the way, Your Majesty, the way those people from the Sects died... was exactly the same!" The old eunuch had not wanted to say more, but seeing the murderous intent that flashed in Emperor Lu Hao's eyes, he could not help but say it.

"A sword strike to the throat, and all their Qi and blood was completely devoured!"

"A sword strike to the throat? It seems that old man Yun from The Sixth Prince's side made the move. All Qi and blood completely devoured, could it be... The Sixth Prince is secretly Cultivating some kind of evil Cultivation Technique?" Emperor Lu Hao faintly sensed something in his mind.

But no matter how he deduced it, he still could not figure out how The Sixth Prince could suddenly disappear without a trace within the Great Qian Dynasty.

Emperor Lu Hao pondered for a long time before slowly saying: "Continue to send more men and investigate carefully for me! The matter of The Sixth Prince and Consort Hua cannot possibly be that simple. A fire at Zhaojue Temple, and so many people can just disappear into thin air? I do not believe it. And those wiped-out Sects, what exactly is hidden behind them? Dig it all out for me!"

"Yes, this old servant obeys the decree!" The old eunuch nodded hurriedly and replied respectfully.

"Alright, I am tired, you may withdraw first." Emperor Lu Hao sighed and waved his hand with slight fatigue.

"Your Majesty, take care of your Dragon body, this old servant withdraws." The old eunuch stood up, bowed, and carefully exited the Imperial Study.

Just as the door closed, the candle flame in the Imperial Study flickered slightly.

On the Dragon Throne, Emperor Lu Hao, who had just been dying and gray-faced, slowly raised his head.

At this moment, the look of illness on his face had completely faded, and instead, it had become extremely ruddy; where was the appearance of someone at the end of their rope just now?

He opened his right hand, which he had been clenching tightly, and the blood-stained silk handkerchief lay quietly in his palm. He stared at the bloodstains on it, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

"Little time left?" Emperor Lu Hao muttered to himself, his eyes carrying a trace of mockery, "Hehehe... this play, it seems, must continue to be acted out slowly. The Sixth Prince, oh The Sixth Prince, it seems you really want to fight for this throne..."

"It is just a pity that compared to your brothers, you are still too immature!"

"However, it is fine for our Lu family to close our doors and fight among ourselves! But Lieyang Dynasty and the Three Northern Frontier Kingdoms, since you dare to reach out your hands, do not blame me for cutting off all these tentacles!"

Emperor Lu Hao tilted his head back, but his gaze was fixed on the map of the Dongxuan Continent to the side.

He saw that the north and south sides of the Great Qian Dynasty were exactly the territories of the Lieyang Dynasty and the Three Northern Frontier Kingdoms.

"Could it be that none of my sons are truly suitable to inherit the throne?" Emperor Lu Hao's mind flashed with the figures of several princes, but in the end, he could only sigh helplessly.

He appeared to be lowering his eyes to recover from illness, but in reality, every slight movement in the Great Qian was under his control.

It was just that the clearer he knew, the greater the disappointment in his heart.

The First Prince had top-tier talent and Heart-Nature. But now, in order to increase his chips in the battle for succession, he had secretly colluded with the Lieyang Dynasty, which was also a hegemon in the Central Region! Inviting an external tiger into the house and coveting his own territory—this is foolish!

The Second Prince appeared steady and capable, having operated in the court for many years, his wings gradually growing. Who knew he was even bolder, actually cooperating with the Three Northern Frontier Kingdoms! Dealing with barbarians and trying to borrow power—this is dim-witted!

As for The Sixth Prince, who looked the most like him and was also the most favored, he actually... abandoned the ancestral "Qianyuan True Scripture" and turned to Cultivate that kind of evil Cultivation Technique that devours Qi and blood! Destroying his own Great Wall and seeking quick success—this is... stupid!

"Enough! If there is really no other candidate, next year I will have to choose another person from the other princes to inherit the throne!!"

Only Emperor Lu Hao and a few Old Ancestors of the Lu family understood that he was so eager to set a successor—where was it because his "time was running out"?

Quite the opposite.

It was because he, Emperor Lu Hao, had obtained the opportunity to step into the Land Immortal Realm!

What Great Qian throne, what supreme majesty? In front of the existence of an Earthly Immortal, what did that count for?

And the Great Qian royal family had been able to dominate the Central Region for thousands of years by relying on that extremely mysterious royal secret text, the "Qianyuan True Scripture."

Those of the Lu family who Cultivate this Cultivation Technique, once they break into the Land Immortal Realm, will have one opportunity to pass on their power. Therefore, the Lu family's ancestral instruction is that when an existence in the Land Immortal Realm is nearing their end, they will choose the strongest person in the contemporary Lu family to help them break through.

This was also the strongest foundation of the Great Qian royal family.

"It is also time to go and see the three Old Ancestors! Perhaps the Old Ancestors should also have their own opinions on the next successor to the throne!"

Emperor Lu Hao, who had been silent for a long time, seemed to have made a decision.

He turned and walked towards the bookshelf on the side of the Imperial Study, his fingers pressing on a blue and white porcelain jar in the corner, and he turned it gently.

"Click."

The bookshelf slid inward silently, revealing a passageway.

After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Emperor Lu Hao finally reached the end.

On an incomparably vast grassland, three huge stone pillars that looked like they were supporting the heavens towered into the clouds.

At the top of each stone pillar sat a blurred figure, as if they had merged with this world, and just by existing there, they gave people a sense of oppression that made all things submit.

Emperor Lu Hao stepped forward quickly and knelt down on both knees without hesitation.

"Lu family descendant Emperor Lu Hao, pays respects to the three Old Ancestors!"