"Ah..."
"Was what I just experienced... the second trial?"
"The second trial was a test of willpower? I remember..."
In an instant, the expressions of the First Prince, Third Prince, and Ninth Princess all shifted.
Willpower!
They had been tested on their willpower!
Yet all three wore solemn expressions.
Clearly, none of them were satisfied with their performance in the second trial.
The black-robed elder spoke slowly. "The First Prince and Third Prince demonstrated adequate willpower. The Ninth Princess's willpower was slightly weaker."
The black-robed elder gave no numerical score.
In truth, none of the three trials received specific scores.
There was no point in doing so.
Only by taking all three trials together would the elders council deliberate and decide who would emerge victorious.
By and large, the elders council was virtually impervious to outside influence, remaining remarkably fair and just each time they determined the successor to the throne.
The Ninth Princess felt a slight chill in her heart.
She knew her own shortcomings.
Willpower had always been her weak point.
She was well aware of this.
Now that the second trial tested willpower, she had indeed fallen slightly behind.
However, she had gained an advantage in the first trial.
Overall, taking both trials into account, she still held a slight lead.
It was just that her lead was no longer substantial.
What mattered most now was the third trial.
It was also the most important of them all.
This trial would practically decide who claimed the position of crown heir.
The black-robed elder glanced at the three of them, then spoke slowly. "Do you know what matters most for an emperor?
"As future rulers, you may not be the strongest in martial might, nor the cleverest, nor the most unyielding in willpower. You need only excel at one thing—commanding subordinates!
"So long as you can properly govern those beneath you and unearth talented people to help you handle the divine dynasty's affairs, that is the pinnacle of statecraft.
"Therefore, whether you can recruit more, better, and more talented subordinates is of paramount importance to an emperor.
"The third trial is very simple: to see just how strong the strongest individuals you have recruited truly are.
"For the third trial, dispatch your subordinates. Defeat all rivals, and you achieve complete victory!"
The black-robed elder's words widened the eyes of the First Prince, Third Prince, and Ninth Princess.
None of them had expected the third trial to be so "simple."
It did not even test them directly.
Instead, it tested their subordinates.
Or rather, it had already been testing them all along.
Over the course of many years, they had recruited subordinate after subordinate.
Now was the time for those followers to play their decisive role.
"The third trial is of absolute importance."
"Whether I become the crown heir hinges on this test alone."
"The opportunity has finally arrived."
All three harbored confidence.
They had brought their strongest subordinates today just in case.
And now, those preparations could finally be put to use.
Her expression solemn, the Ninth Princess walked over to Lu Changsheng and whispered, "I must trouble Mister Lu for what comes next. As for the four of you, cooperate with Mister Lu and obey his commands."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The other four experts were well aware of Lu Changsheng's strength.
None of them harbored any thoughts of vying with him for authority.
Besides, this was the pivotal battle of the succession struggle; naturally, they would give it their all.
Not just the Ninth Princess, but the First Prince and Third Prince were also giving instructions to their respective retinues.
The five subordinates accompanying each of the two princes were by no means ordinary.
Those two princes possessed the deepest foundations.
Foundations so profound they bordered on unimaginable.
Soon, the five experts from the First Prince and the five from the Third Prince all walked out onto the Martial Arts Field.
*Boom!*
The next instant, all ten individuals unleashed their auras in unison.
Before releasing their auras, no one could tell their true strength.
Even if others knew they were formidable, none knew to what extent.
No one even knew whether they had forged divine body foundations or spirit body foundations.
Yet the moment these ten unleashed their auras, the faces of the Ninth Princess and her retinue dramatically changed.
"What? This aura... divine bodies?"
"This is indeed the aura of forged divine body foundations. But why are there so many? All ten experts under the First and Third Princes have forged divine body foundations? How did not a shred of news leak out beforehand?"
"Every single one is a divine body level expert! No wonder the First and Third Princes always stood so haughtily, as if holding the succession struggle firmly in the palms of their hands. With strength like this, how could anyone else hope to contend?"
"This is trouble..."
The Ninth Princess's heart sank like a stone.
She had previously tried to deduce the number of experts under the First and Third Princes.
She had known they were concealing their strength.
Having only one divine body expert on the surface was impossible.
They had to have at least two, perhaps even three.
Yet no matter how far she stretched her imagination, she had never conceived that each would have five!
Combined, the two princes fielded ten grand experts at the divine body level.
The Ninth Princess had immense confidence in Lu Changsheng.
Yet no matter how confident she was, could a single person defeat five divine body experts, let alone ten?
That was nothing short of a pipe dream.
"Eldest Brother, you hid your strength so deeply!" The Third Prince narrowed his eyes slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his gaze.
"Third Brother, the feeling is mutual. You are hardly weak yourself."
The First Prince and Third Prince were old rivals.
Yet even they had not realized the other commanded five grand experts at the divine body level.
Both had concealed their hands far too deeply.
A single misstep could have meant total defeat.
"Foundations—this is what true foundation means!"
"It seems the crown heir this time will be either the First Prince or the Third Prince."
"A pity. In truth, I rather favored the ninth girl."
"Indeed. Aside from her slightly weaker willpower, the ninth girl surpassed both the First and Third Princes in every other respect. Yet the position of crown heir relies on three trials to decide victory and defeat. Only the victor earns the right to become the crown heir."
A few regretful murmurs arose from the elders council.
They held their own opinions.
Yet their opinions carried no weight here.
Rules were rules.
No matter whom they favored, they would not intervene.
The rule dictated three trials, with the victor becoming the crown heir.
As things stood, the First and Third Princes possessed deep foundations, having concealed their strength long ago to recruit five divine body experts without anyone noticing.
This force was truly terrifying.
Other princes in the succession struggle possessed not five divine body experts, but not even a single one.
The Ninth Princess had only one divine body expert: Lu Changsheng.
In the end, her foundation fell short.
With ten divine body experts taking the field, the Ninth Princess was practically out of the running.
Her elimination was virtually guaranteed.
Her path in the succession struggle ended here.
The Ninth Princess clenched her fists tightly.
Yet those ten terrifying auras weighed down on her so heavily that she could scarcely breathe.
What did she have to fight with?
Rely on Lu Changsheng?
If they fought to the death, Lu Changsheng would simply be throwing his life away.
Her so-called bid for the throne seemed like a farce now.
The title of "Three Chieftains" had been nothing more than a beautiful, tragic illusion.
The First and Third Princes had never truly viewed her as their rival.
"Mister Lu... let us concede."
"There is no point. The succession struggle is already over..."
After a long silence, the Ninth Princess spoke word by word, her face filled with bitterness.
Her tone was utterly dejected.
What else could she do?
She had no choice.
Conceding was the only option now.
Otherwise, Lu Changsheng might die.
He would be dying in vain.
There was simply no hope.
Hearing the Ninth Princess's concession, the other four attendants breathed a quiet sigh of relief, Lu Changsheng being the sole exception.
They were only at the spirit body level.
Previously, with Lu Changsheng around, they could have risked their lives.
Yet facing five, even ten grand experts at the divine body level, entering battle meant certain death.
Risking their lives held no meaning whatsoever.
With the Ninth Princess conceding, nothing could be better.
They would not have to throw away their lives.
"Concede?"
Lu Changsheng shook his head. "Your Highness, the battle has not even begun. Why speak of conceding?
"Furthermore, I promised you back then that I would help you succeed in this succession struggle. That promise remains unfulfilled, but now only a single step remains. I am about to fulfill it."
Having spoken, Lu Changsheng walked toward the ten grand experts, step by step.
With every step, his aura and fighting spirit surged upward.
Each stride caused his momentum to skyrocket.
A terrifying aura swept across the entire Martial Arts Field in an instant, enveloping everyone present.
With the first step, Lu Changsheng's Reincarnation Divine Body erupted.
His aura surged with immense majesty.
Yet this was expected; everyone knew Lu Changsheng had forged a divine body foundation.
Possessing such formidable momentum was only natural.
However, their side fielded ten divine body experts in total.
Then came his second step, and the divine bodies within Lu Changsheng began to fuse.
His aura skyrocketed once more.
Like a terrifying hurricane, it swept across the entire Martial Arts Field.
For a moment, the expressions of the ten divine body experts turned solemn.
All of them clearly felt a tremor of shock.
Yet this was not the end.
There was a third step.
When Lu Changsheng took his third step, the spirit bodies within him began to fuse as well.
*Rumble!*
The void seemed to distort instantly.
A faint thunderous roar detonated beside everyone's ears.
"What?"
"This aura..."
"How can an aura be so terrifying?"
"Even with the combined auras of all ten of our divine bodies, we cannot contend with it?"
"Just what kind of monster is this Lu Changsheng? What kind of divine body did he cultivate?"
The ten divine body experts were deeply shaken.
They stared fixedly at Lu Changsheng.
It was not just the ten experts.
Even the elders of the council widened their eyes, appearing unable to believe what they were seeing.
*Swish!*
The Ninth Princess shot to her feet.
Her gaze locked onto Lu Changsheng.
Her entire body was trembling.
It was excitement.
The thrill of finding life in a hopeless situation!
"Mister Lu..."
The Ninth Princess was overwhelmed with joy.
She had been backed into a corner, yet against all odds, a path had opened; Lu Changsheng had restored her hope.
Now, the Ninth Princess only prayed that this was not a dream, let alone an illusion.
She hoped with all her heart that this was real!
Lu Changsheng strode into the center of the Martial Arts Field step by step.
He did not even spare a glance for the other four experts from the Princess Estate.
Whether they took part or not made little difference.
Lu Changsheng swept his gaze over the ten experts.
Clasping his hands behind his back, he said calmly, "Since this is the final step, there is no need to hold anything back. Let us settle this all at once. All ten of you, come at me together!"
*Boom!*
Lu Changsheng's words rang out with absolute clarity.
What was this?
One fighting ten?
This was simply... far too arrogant!
These were ten grand experts at the divine body level.
Moreover, quite a few of them ranked among the pinnacle of divine body experts.
Forget Lu Changsheng; even those top-tier otherworldly godly beings would not dare claim they could take on all ten at once.
Yet Lu Changsheng had just done so.
One person challenging ten!
This was no friendly sparring match.
Nor was it an exchange of martial arts insights.
This was the succession struggle!
In the succession struggle, one resorted to any means necessary.
Hearing Lu Changsheng's arrogant declaration, the First Prince and Third Prince exchanged a glance.
In that instant, both reached a decision.
"Join forces for now and kill Lu Changsheng first!"
"Kill him at all costs!"
Both had sensed the threat Lu Changsheng posed.
At this moment, the two old rivals who had fought for years joined hands completely for the first time.
"Kill!"
Following the two princes' command, the ten experts hesitated no longer.
The ten divine body experts mobilized their divine body power in unison.
Instantly, ten terrifying forces intertwined in the void.
Blotting out the sky, they surged toward Lu Changsheng.
Against such might, what divine body expert could stand firm?
"Heh."
Lu Changsheng smiled.
Ten people joining forces—this lineup was hardly weak; in fact, it was exceptionally strong!
Beneath the Martial Dao Sovereign level, such a lineup could sweep through anything.
Unfortunately, how many avatars did Lu Changsheng possess now?
Twenty-five!
Nine divine bodies, sixteen spirit bodies!
At this moment, divine bodies and spirit bodies alike—
Fuse!
Madly fuse!
As all twenty-five avatars merged into one, Lu Changsheng's power seemed to effortlessly shatter a certain limit, surging far beyond it, climbing higher and higher without end.
This elevated power also broadened his perspective.
The terrifying combined strike of the ten experts now seemed like an utter joke in Lu Changsheng's eyes.
He gently extended a hand.
"Extinguish!"
With just a single word, peerless might erupted from Lu Changsheng's palm.
Pure power.
Pure death energy unfurled.
Then, across the entire Martial Arts Field, the dense array of ten radiant beams and ten terrifying forces dissolved into mist, vanishing without a trace.
It was as though they had never existed.
Seeing this, everyone's heart seized in shock.
"Impossible..."
The ten experts could hardly believe their eyes.
This had been the combined strike of ten divine body experts. And the result?
A single palm.
Lu Changsheng had completely neutralized their attack with nothing more than a single strike of his palm.
What was more, that strike retained residual power.
Surging forth like splitting bamboo, it engulfed all ten experts.
"Suppress!"
Lu Changsheng brought his palm down.
The ten experts had nowhere to evade.
Moreover, a terrifying suppressive force bore down, causing the bodies of the ten experts to fracture inch by inch.
"No..."
The ten experts shrieked in agony.
Then Lu Changsheng's palm slammed down violently, striking the stone floor of the Martial Arts Field.
*Rumble!*
A cloud of dust billowed outward.
A colossal roar echoed in every direction.
A massive palm print was clearly etched into the ground.
Yet the ten experts had been ground into fine powder.
Blood pooled across the floor, dyeing the Martial Arts Field crimson.
Not a trace remained of the ten experts.
Dead.
All dead.
Unable to withstand a single palm from Lu Changsheng, death was their only end!
Lu Changsheng frowned slightly.
"So weak?"
In truth, he had only intended to suppress the ten of them.
He had not expected that despite not using his full strength—even holding back a portion of his power—the ten still could not endure it.
They were simply far too frail.
The fusion of Lu Changsheng's twenty-five avatars had already triggered a qualitative transformation.
No matter how much power he held back, there was no way those ten experts could have blocked it.
*Hum.*
A repulsive force manifested around Lu Changsheng.
*Hm?*
With a sudden flash of insight, Lu Changsheng realized the Kunwu World's repulsive force had appeared again.
Immediately, he separated his avatars, ceasing the fusion, and his aura reverted to its previous state.
As the avatars unfused, the repulsive force vanished without a trace.
Even so, a repulsive force was still a repulsive force.
The moment it appeared, it drew the attention of several onlookers.
Particularly the Imperial Elders Council.
The black-robed elder narrowed his eyes slightly.
Seeing that repulsive force, his mind was shaken.
*That was... the repulsive force?*
*Once the repulsive force appears, it means someone has exceeded the Limit Realm! Has Lu Changsheng surpassed the Limit Realm?*
*Yet exceeding the Limit Realm should cause one to be expelled. But this Lu Changsheng's aura suddenly plummeted, and the repulsive force vanished. How is that possible?*
*Even otherworldly godly beings lack the ability to disperse the repulsive force.*
*Lu Changsheng must be harboring a staggering secret...*
The black-robed elder fixed his gaze on Lu Changsheng, thoughts racing through his mind.
He could actually disperse the repulsive force.
Or rather, he could make it vanish while still unleashing power at the Sovereign Realm.
In the Kunwu World, ordinary people might not know much about otherworldly godly beings.
However, the upper echelons of the divine dynasties were well acquainted with their circumstances.
After all, they had captured quite a few otherworldly godly beings over the years.
Compared to the cultivation system in the Boundary Sea, the Kunwu World's cultivation system was far too chaotic.
Thus, the upper ranks of the Kunwu World had directly adopted the Boundary Sea's cultivation hierarchy.
They knew of the Limit Realm, the Sovereign Realm, and even the Ancestor Realm.
They also knew of the Kunwu World's repulsive force.
In truth, that repulsive force served to protect the native life of the Kunwu World.
If someone could evade or disperse that repulsive force, it would be a devastating blow to the entire Kunwu World.
Yet the black-robed elder kept his composure, revealing nothing.
It was too early to speak of such things.
Even so, the elder was already keeping a close watch on Lu Changsheng.
He intended to investigate Lu Changsheng thoroughly as soon as possible.
Lu Changsheng's heart stirred slightly.
He had noticed the gazes from the elders council.
The repulsive force had been far too conspicuous just now, and those elders clearly recognized what it was.
They had not made a move solely because they were wary of Lu Changsheng.
Or perhaps the timing was not yet right.
Yet Lu Changsheng did not care.
He knew very well just how strong he was right now.
So long as the national divine item remained unused, no one could do anything to him.
Naturally, if the other party truly mobilized the national divine item, Lu Changsheng would do everything in his power to flee.
If he could not win, he would run.
However, deploying the national divine item was no simple matter.
Unless pushed to the absolute brink, the Imperial Elders Council would never use it.
After all, Lu Changsheng currently posed no threat to the imperial family.
Moreover, he remained an attendant of the Ninth Princess.
And the Ninth Princess was practically the crown heir now.
With that status and identity, she was no longer someone the elders council could push around at will.
They still had to consider her feelings.
"Elder, may you make the announcement now?" Lu Changsheng said indifferently.
Lu Changsheng's words drained the color from the faces of the First Prince and Third Prince.
Finished!
They were completely finished!
Both had suffered an absolute defeat in the third trial.
Their subordinates had been wiped out by Lu Changsheng.
The outcome was already decided.
The Ninth Princess was ecstatic.
Even though she tried to maintain her composure, she could not suppress the excitement surging within her.
She had succeeded!
She had actually succeeded!
Crown heir!
The Ninth Princess was about to become the crown heir of the entire Great Qian Divine Dynasty!
At this point, the black-robed elder nodded and spoke slowly. "In the third trial, the Ninth Princess achieves complete victory!
"Combining all three trials and following deliberation by the Imperial Elders Council, the Ninth Princess shall become the crown heir of the Great Qian Divine Dynasty.
"We shall have the Emperor issue an edict investing the Ninth Princess as the Imperial Crown Princess!
"As for the remaining princes who failed in the succession struggle, all shall be exiled according to the rules. Return and await your sentences. None may leave the Divine Capital; otherwise, it will be treated as flight, punishable by death without mercy!"
The black-robed elder's words were stern.
Princes who failed in the succession struggle were exiled, but they were not put to death.
This was because an alternative possibility remained.
What if the crown heir met with an untimely death through some accident?
Such things were possible, however slim the chances.
Those exiled princes effectively served as backups.
Hence, they could only be banished, not executed outright.
Yet if a prince attempted to flee, it was a capital offense that warranted immediate execution.
"Thank you, Elder!" the Ninth Princess responded, brimming with excitement.
The First Prince and Third Prince, on the other hand, left the palace in a daze, looking like walking corpses.
The following day, an imperial edict was issued from the palace.
The Emperor decreed that the Ninth Princess was invested as the Imperial Crown Princess, formally becoming the crown heir of the Great Qian Divine Dynasty, and proclaimed this to the world.
With this edict handed down, the dust settled on the succession struggle, bringing it to a complete close.
The Ninth Princess had the last laugh.
"Mister Lu, this was all thanks to you. Otherwise, I would never have succeeded in the succession struggle," the Ninth Princess said with deep emotion.
Lu Changsheng looked at her without speaking.
The Ninth Princess understood his meaning and promptly produced a box.
"Mister Lu, inside this box are four divine items at the divine body level, all retrieved from the treasuries of the First and Third Princes.
"I must say, the First and Third Princes truly possessed deep foundations to hold so many divine items of the divine body level. As for spirit-body-level divine items, they are still being gathered, and I will have them delivered to you before long.
"The quantity of spirit-body-level divine items will certainly satisfy you."
Lu Changsheng glanced at the box, feeling very pleased.
With that, the Ninth Princess took her leave.
Lu Changsheng remained in his room and began refining the four divine-body-level divine items.
He had already been "targeted" by the Imperial Elders Council; Lu Changsheng was well aware of this.
Yet he had prepared for it long ago.
Drawing their attention was only a matter of time.
What of it?
He needed to increase his strength as quickly as possible.
Only with greater power could he handle any unforeseen shifts.
Day after day passed.
Over the following period, Lu Changsheng indeed received a great many spirit-body-level divine items.
In total, they numbered about thirteen.
This was a staggering figure.
Four divine-body-level divine items and thirteen spirit-body-level divine items.
Such was the accumulated foundation of the First and Third Princes.
Naturally, Lu Changsheng refined every last one.
He now possessed thirteen divine-body-level avatars and twenty-nine spirit-body-level avatars.
That made forty-two avatars in all.
This was an astonishing number.
A full forty-two avatars.
Once fused, there was no telling what heights his strength would reach.
Even so, Lu Changsheng could sense that he had still not broken through the barrier.
The gap between a Martial Dao Sovereign and the Ancestor Realm was simply too immense.
Yet he was in no hurry.
Instead, he waited quietly.
One month, two months, three months...
In the blink of an eye, three months flew by.
The opportunity finally arrived.
The Emperor was truly at his end.
Previously, they said he had only a month or two left.
Yet the Emperor's will to live had proven remarkably tenacious.
He had managed to hold on for three whole months.
On this day, a messenger arrived from the palace.
"Your Highness, an order has come from the palace commanding your immediate presence."
"Hm? Entering the palace now... Could Imperial Father have...?"
The Ninth Princess guessed what had happened at once.
The messenger gritted his teeth and replied directly, "Your Highness, His Majesty has passed away."
*Swish!*
The Ninth Princess shot to her feet.
The moment had finally come.
She felt no grief in her heart, only elation.
After all, there was no familial affection in the imperial household.
There had never been any warmth between her and the Emperor.
She had waited for so long, and today had finally arrived.
"Let us go to the palace!"
"Ah, Mister Lu, please accompany me."
The Ninth Princess still placed immense trust in Lu Changsheng.
She could leave anyone else behind, but she would always keep Lu Changsheng at her side.
"Understood, Your Highness."
Lu Changsheng's expression remained tranquil.
He was thoroughly composed.
Having been in the Kunwu World for over a year, his first objective was effectively complete.
Helping the Ninth Princess ascend the throne!
Once she became the ruler of the Great Qian Divine Dynasty, the imperial vaults and imperial archives would be open to him.
When that time came, could clues regarding the immortal body remain far behind?
Lu Changsheng had never forgotten that what he sought most of all were clues concerning the immortal body.
The carriage sped toward the imperial palace as fast as it could.
By now, night had fallen.
A curfew was in effect across the streets.
Yet the Ninth Princess's carriage moved without hindrance.
Soon, the carriage reached the imperial palace.
Displaying the Imperial Crown Princess token, she could enter the palace at any time.
Before long, the Ninth Princess and Lu Changsheng arrived outside the Emperor's bedchamber.
"Her Highness the Imperial Crown Princess has arrived!" a eunuch announced loudly.
Guards and palace maids bowed in succession.
The Ninth Princess hurried into the bedchamber.
Shadowy figures moved within.
Yet when she looked closely, her expression changed drastically.
Sitting on the dragon bed was a man clad in bright yellow robes, exuding an inexplicable majesty.
He was slowly sipping bitter medicinal soup, mouthful by mouthful.
It was none other than the Emperor!
Yet hadn't they said the Emperor had passed away?
The messenger was utterly dumbfounded as well.
He could scarcely believe his eyes.
He had seen it clearly before departing:
The Emperor had indeed died.
Even the Empress had been wailing in mourning.
Why was he alive again now?
The Ninth Princess scrutinized the Emperor intently.
For some reason, though his appearance remained unchanged, she felt an unfamiliar distance from him.
Something seemed different.
Moreover, the sickly aura and lingering death energy that had enshrouded him before were completely gone.
It looked as though he could live for a long time yet.
This... this made no sense.
The Emperor had clearly been terminally ill, his lamp running out of oil.
How could his health have recovered like this?
*Did the Imperial Elders Council intervene?*
*No, that's wrong. The elders council would never meddle in the succession, let alone prolong the Emperor's life.*
Thoughts raced through the Ninth Princess's mind.
Just then, the Emperor's piercing gaze fell upon her.
"What, disappointed to see Us?
"Not only did We not die, but Our condition has improved significantly. It seems you, Imperial Crown Princess, will likely have to wait in that role for many more years."
The Emperor spoke slowly, word by word.
Though his tone was calm, the meaning behind his words carried crushing pressure.
"Your Majesty..."
The Ninth Princess was about to explain.
Yet Lu Changsheng abruptly stepped forward, coming to her side. His gaze burned like torches as he fixed his eyes on the Emperor before them.
Then Lu Changsheng spoke in a measured voice: "No, you are not the Emperor!
"Speak—who are you?"
*Boom!*
Lu Changsheng's words landed like a thunderclap.
The person before them was clearly the Emperor.
If not the Emperor, who else could he be?
Chapter 333