"I broke through two realms in a single day—could it really have given Tanhua Qi such a massive boost?"
Lianshan Xin feigned composure, attempting to bluff his way through.
Heavenly Sword glanced at him, looking as though he wanted to say something yet held back.
In the end, he decided to bring the boy back down to earth, lest he grow blindly arrogant.
"Tanhua Qi's breakthrough most likely has nothing to do with you."
"Huh?"
Lianshan Xin was stunned.
*Nothing to do with me?*
*How could that be?*
Dai Yueying's bones weren't even cold yet. For Heavenly Sword to claim this now, Dai Yueying wouldn't be able to rest in peace!
"What do you mean by that, my lord?" Lianshan Xin asked.
Heavenly Sword hesitated once more.
In theory, he shouldn't undercut Qi Shiyun.
Yet he hadn't anticipated that Lianshan Xin could be so unreasonably confident, immediately taking credit for Qi Shiyun's advancement.
Once a person's self-perception warped, many of their future actions would go astray.
With Lianshan Xin's best interests in mind, Heavenly Sword decided to let him in on some inside information. "You aren't the only 'Chosen' son Shiyun took a liking to."
Lianshan Xin paused. "...How many Chosen Sons of Heaven has Tanhua Qi groomed?"
"As far as I know, you are the ninety-first. Over on her side, your codename is '91 Young Master Xin.'"
Lianshan Xin's entire body trembled.
Did that make any sense at all?
Could an innate ability like Old Zhan's really be found everywhere?
And she had actually ranked him ninety-first!
This was outright defamation of his character!
Whenever he did the deed, he always turned off the lights.
Even when the lights were on, he never recorded videos!
Heavenly Sword saw Lianshan Xin's utter disbelief and understood it all too well.
When he had first learned about Qi Shiyun's player-like tendencies, he had reacted the exact same way.
"Don't be sad. That's just how your 'Heaven's Chosen' lineage operates. Shiyun merely learned from her master's mistakes."
Lianshan Xin struggled to rein in his 'grief.'
Pulling himself together, he began inquiring into the secrets of his own lineage. "My lord, what happened to our lineage master?"
"Back then, Old Xie trained thirty-six candidates, and only Shiyun proved capable enough to fight her way out. The other thirty-five all died. Your lineage often falls prey to underhanded schemes. If Shiyun had died back then in those plots, Old Xie would have died right along with her. Having so few people—that is the downside."
A chill ran through Lianshan Xin.
Catching the unspoken implication in Heavenly Sword's words, he asked, "My lord, the thirty-five who died... how did they die?"
Heavenly Sword looked at him with an eye full of appreciation.
"Five were killed by the Demon Cult, and five died on the battlefield."
Lianshan Xin didn't even blink.
Those fell under dying in the line of duty; there was nothing to complain about.
"Another ten died during the succession struggle of that era. After His Majesty ascended the throne, they were given lavish burials, and their families were treated generously."
Lianshan Xin's expression remained unchanged. There was nothing to say about that either.
Their lineage was bound to take part in succession struggles. Win, and you soared to the heavens; lose, and all nine relations of your clan were wiped out. You had to take responsibility for your choices—life and death were governed by fate. Any grown adult understood this.
"The causes of death for the remaining fifteen were rather bizarre. Ten of them died in Shenjing for various odd reasons."
"At the foot of the Son of Heaven, ten people from a direct Nine Heavens lineage died inexplicably?" Lianshan Xin questioned.
Heavenly Sword explained patiently, "It wasn't inexplicable. Every single one of those ten Chosen Sons of Heaven who died in Shenjing had an official cause. Three suffered qi deviation, three were poisoned to death, and four chose to hang themselves."
Lianshan Xin felt a cold shudder. "My lord, does that explanation make any sense? Should such things even be happening in the realm's model capital, right under the emperor's nose?"
Heavenly Sword patted Lianshan Xin's shoulder and comforted him, "The 'model capital' applies to our other eight lineages. Yours is an anomaly."
Lianshan Xin said frankly, "My lord, you truly know how to comfort someone."
"I really am comforting you. At least those ten Chosen Sons of Heaven who died in Shenjing had clear official causes of death, even if you don't care to believe them. As for the other five who died elsewhere, the causes of their deaths remain unverified to this day."
Lianshan Xin turned slightly pale. "Even with the power and influence of the Nine Heavens, you couldn't get to the bottom of it?"
Heavenly Sword answered honestly, "We can't investigate everything, can we? What if we actually found something?"
Lianshan Xin was left speechless.
"In short, Shiyun is the sole surviving seedling under Old Xie. If Shiyun hadn't applied to travel for official duties on her own, Old Xie would never have allowed her to come to Jiangzhou. Old Xie's life is now tied to Shiyun's. She is actually in great danger, and might even be targeted by a Heavenly Rankings grandmaster."
Lianshan Xin grew somewhat concerned for Qi Shiyun's safety.
His angel investor had better stay alive and well.
"It seems Tanhua Qi is the linchpin of our lineage's survival."
"Indeed."
Heavenly Sword explained on Qi Shiyun's behalf, "Shiyun knows this herself. That is why she must groom more Chosen Sons of Heaven, doing everything she can to keep you all from being wiped out so she doesn't end up in the same predicament as Old Xie. Because she nurtures so many, her cultivation progresses rapidly. Naturally, the trouble is far greater too, since she constantly has to clean up messes for those candidates."
"I basically understand now. It seems Tanhua Qi's breakthrough truly had nothing to do with me."
Lianshan Xin had cleared himself of suspicion and felt relieved.
Yet he hated what Heavenly Sword had revealed about their lineage's current situation.
It was fraught with an intense sense of insecurity.
He had to enhance his ability to protect himself as soon as possible.
With that in mind, Lianshan Xin spoke again. "My lord, are you familiar with the Golden Scale Alliance?"
Heavenly Sword was somewhat taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Lianshan Xin answered honestly, "If I want to grow stronger quickly, I'll inevitably have to make some big moves that will shake Jiangzhou. I have uncovered evidence that the Golden Scale Alliance is suspected of harboring members of the Demon Cult; Thousand Faces might even be taking refuge there. If the Golden Scale Alliance does not answer to you, my lord, I may strike hard against them."
He wanted to verify first whether the Golden Scale Alliance had Heavenly Sword's backing.
That was crucial.
Heavenly Sword's gaze turned peculiar as he looked at Lianshan Xin.
"I am not close to the Golden Scale Alliance, but I know their origin."
Lianshan Xin perked up. "I would appreciate your guidance, my lord."
"Consort Shu in the palace is the biological elder sister of the Jiangzhou Prefect."
Heavenly Sword opened with a matter that appeared entirely unrelated.
Lianshan Xin nodded. "I am aware of that."
After all, he had lived in Jiangzhou for eighteen years and knew the background of the Prefect.
Heavenly Sword continued, "Consort Shu bore His Majesty a son—the Second Prince, who currently holds the greatest prominence in Shenjing."
Lianshan Xin blinked. "Is the Second Prince very capable?"
Heavenly Sword's tone was calm. "In both civil statecraft and military strategy, he is thoroughly accomplished. Both the imperial court and the public sing his praises, viewing him as far superior to the Crown Prince."
Lianshan Xin pinpointed the crucial question. "And His Majesty's attitude toward the Second Prince?"
Heavenly Sword's voice shifted. "His Majesty said: 'The Crown Prince is prone to illness; exert yourself.'"
Lianshan Xin's eyes narrowed slightly.
*How venomous those words were!*
"Ever since His Majesty uttered that phrase, the Golden Scale Alliance began expanding aggressively. Lianshan Xin, do you understand now?"
Chapter 47