Upon seeing these skeletal remains, Chen Chuan realized that the imperial consorts and princes he had seen accompanying Emperor Wenguang along the other two routes were almost certainly illusions.
They had likely been fashioned from bits of their original bodily tissue in conjunction with certain esoteric arts.
Yet why had Emperor Wenguang slaughtered these consorts and princes here?
If it had been to preserve imperial dignity out of fear that his wives and daughters might suffer humiliation, killing them in advance did not make sense either. Judging by their condition, they had been dead for at least a year. A year ago, Great Shun had not yet invaded, so there had been no need whatsoever to take such drastic measures.
Could it truly have been to secure the loyalty of the legendary Bo snake? That seemed far too simple.
Mingchengzi pondered for a moment, then formed an incantation gesture with his fingers. A luminous mirror manifested above his crown, casting down a beam of radiance.
This was the technique of the True Evidence Mirror, which allowed one to discern information from certain objects according to the limits of one's own comprehension. For someone with vast knowledge and extensive experience, the insights gained through it were typically far greater.
After observing for a while, he grasped the general picture and could not help but let out a soft, rueful sigh—whether of pity or derision, it was hard to tell.
Looking up, he said, "Xuanji, this must have been for the false emperor's ascension ritual. He used his own kin to refine 'blood pills.'"
"Blood pills?"
Mingchengzi said, "Xuanji may not have heard of them. These are not pills meant to aid personal cultivation; rather, they are sacrificial offerings used toward ascension."
He pointed downward.
"If one uses the flesh, blood, and vital essence of those closest to him to refine such pills, they can be used to appease certain spirits and gods. Ancient spirits and deities are particularly fond of such offerings. If such entities act as guides on the other side to receive him, the false emperor's path to ascension would be far more assured. I suspect Consort Teng was the one brokering this arrangement."
Chen Chuan asked, "Does the High Priest know Consort Teng's origins?"
Mingchengzi shook his head. "As to her exact identity, I am not entirely certain. However, the Bo snake was originally enfeoffed by my Xuan Sect. In the past, when our Xuan Sect contested orthodoxy with the Chan Sect, our sect suffered a setback, and many of the enfeoffed spirits and monsters defected to the Chan Sect. Among them was this Bo snake. This creature possesses arts of enchantment. By virtue of this skill and having defected early, it later became one of the Six Attendants of the Chan Sect's Dharma Protectors, often serving as an envoy for the Chan Sect, traveling far and wide to ferry messages between the two worlds. It truly became acquainted with many gods and ghosts from beyond the heavens. Now that there are blood pills as well as the Bo snake, the truth is most likely as I have said."
Chen Chuan nodded slightly. He recalled that the final secret art Emperor Wenguang had employed appeared to be a technique of the Chan Sect, though the Chan Sect itself had not shown its face this time.
Looking at the Chan Sect's past conduct, it seemed not to participate directly in the clashes between various factions, yet maintained connections with all of them. While its exact intentions were hard to say, it was most likely positioning itself for the arrival of the Great Impact.
Having grasped the situation, he had no intention of lingering any longer. Turning, he walked out, intending to have his men clean this place up later and perform rituals of release and deliverance.
This was not out of any special solicitude for them; these individuals were no nobler than the fallen soldiers and civilians in Youdu City. However, this was the Melded Lands, and with the approach of the Great Impact, those who died in specific locations through anomalous means ran a certain risk of generating abnormalities.
If that happened, it would cause trouble, so it was better to deal with it in advance.
However, a thought suddenly crossed his mind. While observing earlier, he did not seem to have seen anyone dressed in an empress's robes. Was Empress Cao among them as well?
That could be clarified once he had his men count and inspect the remains later.
Behind the stone palace lay only a secluded bamboo grove, with a few paths leading to the low hills behind it; venturing further would take them out of the forest park.
Upon stepping outside, however, shifting his gaze slightly naturally brought a sprawling palace complex in the northwest corner into view.
This area was nestled among undulating hills, looking quite inconspicuous from ground level, but when viewed from the sky earlier, it appeared orderly, solemn, and grand in layout.
Furthermore, a power was similarly blocking their spiritual perception over there.
Unlike the previous buildings that relied on physical materials for shielding, here a force lingered persistently, though in a very subtle and concealed manner.
Arriving before it, Chen Chuan and the others surveyed the area. A straight grand avenue led directly toward the high hill ahead. Both sides of the road were lined with stone figures and statues, while farther out stood neatly planted tall, ancient trees with interlocking canopies, casting deep, somber shade.
The road was paved with clean, smooth flagstones, with a dragon-patterned relief carved every ten-odd paces. At its end stood an open palace gate, and beneath the palace eaves stood two towering divine generals clad in golden armor.
These were evidently field projections. In the Melded Lands, however, due to various disturbances, such field projections were exceedingly rare because they consumed immense resources, mostly concentrated in the major cities of the Melded Lands. Encountering them here indicated that whatever lay ahead was an exceptionally important and unique location.
Mingchengzi examined the layout and said with great certainty, "Xuanji, this must be the Yuan Clan Ancestral Temple, the place where the two Yuan clan ancestors are enshrined. Whenever he sought to commune with the ancestors, he had to come here."
Chen Chuan gave an affirmative hum, glanced at the buildings atop the hill, and said, "Let's go have a look."
Floating into the air, they crossed the long avenue in mere moments and touched down before the palace. It was built with grand solemnity, its exterior fashioned entirely from premium stone, and surrounding it were exotic breeds of birds tasked with guarding the premises.
These birds seemed to have been drugged with some medicine; originally standing motionless and dazed, the moment the group drew near, they became agitated. Their eyes turned blood-red, and with no fear of the Dongxuan View martial artists before them, they flapped their wings and rushed forward.
Naturally, the moment they entered the martial artists' field range, they perished on the spot and plummeted headfirst. Because of their sheer numbers, it was like a sudden rain of falling birds.
Chen Chuan merely cast a casual glance before striding into the front hall, crossing the courtyard square, and arriving before a great hall.
Once there, he gestured for Mu Xiaoren and the other accompanying martial artist to remain outside, while he and Mingchengzi walked in.
Inside the hall, two statues standing over ten meters tall were positioned side by side. Both figures possessed square faces and large ears, and were clad in the imperial ceremonial robes and crown of the Ding Dynasty.
The moment Mingchengzi laid eyes on these two statues, his expression hardened.
For the two statues had actually glanced at them, a flicker of chilling malice in their eyes. This was by no means an illusion, but the aura left behind by upper-layer powers.
His footsteps faltered.
Chen Chuan, however, seemed entirely unaffected. He walked straight up to the two statues, lifted his head to meet their gaze, studied them for a few moments, and only then spoke:
"The two of you must be the Yuan clan ancestors. Today, the Ding Dynasty has fallen. You two may move out of here. If you are unwilling to do so yourselves, I can see you on your way."
The gaze of the two statues grew even colder.
Chen Chuan stood motionless where he was. After waiting a while and seeing no response from them, he nodded and said, "It seems you have no objections. So be it, then."
He raised a hand and flicked his fingers toward the two statues. Instantly, two beams of light struck them, and the statues shattered apart, crumbling into a heap of fine dust across the floor. Yet looking closely, the dust gleamed with a brilliant golden luster.
The two statues had actually been cast entirely from solid gold.
Mingchengzi was startled. These were upper-layer powers, after all—to treat them so casually...
Hesitating, he said, "Xuanji, this..."
Even as he spoke, two malicious auras suddenly cast down from above, descending onto them in an instant, as if the masters of that power were about to arrive at the very next moment.
As a Divine Visage martial artist, Mingchengzi felt this profoundly. Under the sharp spiritual stimulation, the spiritual fire on his body could not help but flare outward.
Chen Chuan was completely fearless. Even though the aura bore down heavily upon him as well, his expression remained impassive.
After a while, the two malicious presences slowly receded.
Only then did Mingchengzi relax all over, drawing his spiritual fire back in.
Chen Chuan stood there with his back to Mingchengzi, looking upward as he said, "High Priest Mingcheng, there is no need to concern yourself too much with those two. The upper-layer powers of our Great Shun have been searching for them all along. If they had truly come seeking me just now, that would have been for the best. But as it stands, they lack the nerve."
Hearing this, Mingchengzi could not help but cast an admiring look at Chen Chuan. Even knowing that Chen Chuan's reasoning was sound, how many people would actually dare to do such a thing?
Chen Chuan was at the Dongxuan View stage; if he wanted to break through his layer limits, his cultivation would inevitably require him to cross over to the other side. When that time came, being targeted by two upper-layer powers made Mingchengzi's scalp tingle just thinking about it.
Chen Chuan, however, cared nothing for that. Even if he hadn't done this, as the commanding general who extinguished their dynasty, did anyone think those two wouldn't target him anyway?
Besides, the things on the other side that would target him were far more numerous than just these two. What difference would two more make?
After waiting a short while, the lingering aura blocking spiritual perception in this place faded away completely, seemingly dispersing alongside the shattered statues.
There were, however, some very valuable offerings around the hall, which he would leave for the cleanup team to catalog later.
Seeing nothing else out of the ordinary, he stepped out of the hall. Just then, a telepathic message arrived from afar.
"Commander, we have found something on our side. It may require your presence to take a look." With that, the sender transmitted a set of coordinates.
Upon receiving it, Chen Chuan's external implant immediately mapped out the location based on the coordinates: a massive wooded estate situated northeast of the city.
They had actually discovered this place early on, but because it lay some distance from Youdu and had held no garrison earlier, it had not been a primary area of focus.
Now, it seemed something might still be concealed there.
He immediately rose into the air and flew toward it, while Mingchengzi, Mu Xiaoren, and the others promptly took to the sky to follow.
Before long, an exquisite imperial garden appeared below. In an act of lavish extravagance, soaring sky-lanterns were lit everywhere—myriads of golden lanterns suspended high aloft, illuminating the grounds as brightly as daylight in the real world.
Below, pavilions rose in layered terraces, corridors meandered, and the shadows of curved eaves danced across water and bridges, presenting an opulent yet remarkably refined aesthetic.
Chen Chuan asked, "What is this place called?"
Mingchengzi had been waiting for the question; the moment Chen Chuan spoke, he immediately answered from behind:
"Xuanji, this is the Sleeping Dragon Villa, built by the false dynasty atop the ruins of the former dynasty's Eastern Garden. Normally, the false emperor came here to boat, seek amusement, feast, and admire the lanterns. I have heard that three years ago, it was bestowed upon Consort Teng as a separate palace."
Chapter 1442