Chapter 207: Chapter 206: Coup d’état
"Quick, look! Isn’t that Wen Tongyu?"
"Yeah, the person he’s fighting seems to be from the Divine Wind Country."
"Incredible! Wen Tongyu just defeated that genius from the Divine Wind Country!"
"He’s brought glory to our country! Wen Tongyu is amazing!"
...
Within the Imperial City of the Celestial Martial Country, the crowd stared at the image projected onto the Water Curtain. Wen Tongyu had cut down a genius from the Divine Wind Country with a single sword strike, and the people of the Celestial Martial Country were ecstatic.
An elderly man, dressed in a Five-Clawed Dragon Robe, his expression dignified and his every move exuding a grand air, though his face was somewhat haggard, looked at the Water Curtain and said joyfully, "Good, very good! Wen Tongyu truly has not disappointed me. Excellent."
This man was none other than the current King of the Celestial Martial Country, Ling Yao.
Liu Ying stood beside him and said respectfully, "Wen Tongyu’s cultivation is at the Refining Spirit Fifth Layer Heaven. In the Thousand Rivers Secret Land, he can definitely rank among the top fifty. I believe he has a very high chance of passing through the Thousand Rivers Secret Land this time."
Every year, only about thirty or so people managed to pass through the Thousand Rivers Secret Land. Wen Tongyu’s strength was considerable, making him the most promising candidate in recent memory.
Ling Yao smiled and nodded. "National Master, you have done well. I never expected Purple Sun Prefecture to produce such a genius in these years. As for the contributions you have made to our Celestial Martial Country, We will be sure to remember them well."
Upon hearing this, Liu Ying was overjoyed, and he stood by excitedly.
Beside them, Crown Prince Ling Qi looked at Ling Wei and smiled. "Wei’Er, are you satisfied with the marriage I arranged for you?"
Ling Wei toyed with the sword in her hand, remaining silent for a long moment before looking at Ling Qi with a sneer. "If you arranged the marriage, then you can marry him yourself. I have no interest in Wen Tongyu."
"What?!" Ling Yao, who had overheard, couldn’t help but frown. "Since it’s been arranged, the marriage is already set. It’s not right for you to back out now, is it?"
At this moment, their conversation began to reach the ears of the surrounding crowd. Everyone pricked up their ears, listening quietly.
Ling Wei turned to look at Ling Yao. "Father Emperor, when Elder Brother went to discuss this marriage with you, was I present? Did I give my consent?"
"Well..." Ling Yao shook his head.
Ling Qi stood by, his brow deeply furrowed, his eyes fixed on Ling Wei.
"Therefore, this marriage was a decision made by Elder Brother on his own. I originally intended to bring this matter to you, Father Emperor, but Elder Brother sent me to the Hundred Break Mountains for Royal Family training. By the time I returned, what was done was done." Ling Wei paused, then continued, "This entire marriage was orchestrated by Elder Brother. I am merely a puppet, a tool for him to win over Wen Tongyu."
Ling Yao glanced at Ling Qi. Although he approved inwardly, his brow still furrowed slightly. "Since the matter is already settled, it’s not a bad thing. Wen Tongyu’s talent is extraordinary. In my opinion, it’s best to..."
Ling Wei’s brows knitted tightly, a frosty glint in her beautiful eyes, but she smiled as she interrupted Ling Yao’s words. "What? Is Father Emperor truly planning to force me to marry Wen Tongyu?"
Ling Yao looked at Ling Wei, and for some reason, he felt a sense of unease. His heart began to pound.
The Third Prince, watching Ling Wei from the side, was secretly alarmed. ’Ling Wei has been independent, strong-willed, tenacious, and intelligent since she was a child. Acting like this now... is she planning to turn against Father Emperor?’
Liu Ying’s eyelids twitched, but his gaze remained fixed ahead.
"Father Emperor, you’ve grown old." Ling Wei stared at Ling Yao without blinking.
Ling Yao’s expression changed. "Ling Wei, what do you mean by that?"
"Little Sister, there are some things you shouldn’t say carelessly." Ling Qi sneered at Ling Wei. He was about to say more, but Liu Ying pulled him back.
Suddenly, from deep within the crowd, a series of urgent, chaotic sounds erupted. Several banners, emblazoned with a "Huang" character, were waving back and forth.
The "Huang" character on the banners was the exclusive symbol of Huang Yi, one of the three great masters of the Celestial Martial Country.
The crowd couldn’t help but turn to look. They saw rows upon rows of armored soldiers, holding sharp weapons, their expressions grim. A glance revealed absolute silence, yet the overwhelming might of countless blades pressed down on them, blanketing the area.
The crowd parted, creating a path.
At the head of the formation was a middle-aged man with a white beard, but his physique was incredibly robust. This was Huang Yi. He raised the Long Spear in his hand high and shouted.
"Long live our King!"
"Long live our King! Long live our King!"
Suddenly, the black-armored soldiers raised their weapons and roared, their shouts thundering in all directions like crashing thunder, rolling and whistling as they pierced the heavens.
Ling Yao’s brow furrowed at the sight. His eyes, laced with an icy chill, fixed on Huang Yi. "Huang Yi, when did I order you to mobilize the Celestial Martial Army?"
"Long live our King! Long live our King!"
Huang Yi completely ignored Ling Yao’s words, waving the Horse-Cutting Saber in his hand and continuing to shout.
Ling Yao, Ling Qi, the Third Prince, Liu Ying, and the people behind them all paled. What was Huang Yi doing? Was he staging a coup?
A faint smile touched the corners of Ling Wei’s lips. Her fair hand slowly extended, seemingly carrying a supreme authority, the aura of a ruler over all under heaven.
The Horse-Cutting Saber in Huang Yi’s hand fell, and the tens of thousands of armored soldiers around him all came to a halt.
Crown Prince Ling Qi stared at Huang Yi in astonishment, pointing a finger. "You, you..."
Ling Wei flicked her long sleeve, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at Ling Yao. "Well, Father Emperor? Are you still going to coerce me now?"
"HAHAHA!" Ling Yao suddenly threw his head back and laughed. "Good, very good! The younger generation is truly formidable, truly formidable! I never thought you’d even manage to win over Huang Yi. Wei’Er, I have underestimated you."
After speaking, Ling Yao’s smile vanished. "Do you think this is enough to threaten me?"
Ling Wei clasped her hands behind her back and said coolly, "I am not threatening you. I am simply telling you not to coerce me."
Ling Yao was silent for a long moment, then gave Ling Wei a deep look. "Fine. I will no longer interfere in the matter between you and Wen Tongyu. How does that sound?"
Beside them, Ling Qi’s face was ashen as he watched Ling Wei, his eyes filled with deep apprehension.
Ling Wei nodded. "General Huang, thank you for your trouble. The prestige of our Celestial Martial Country has been bolstered. Let the Celestial Martial Army return and rest."
"Understood!"
Huang Yi cupped his fists, then turned to the numerous armored soldiers behind him and shouted, "Soldiers, return to camp!"
Rumbling sounds echoed in the ears of the crowd until the Celestial Martial Army had disappeared. However, Huang Yi remained standing by Ling Wei’s side, his expression wary as he watched Ling Yao and the others.
Now, as everyone looked at Ling Wei, none dared to underestimate this twenty-two-year-old princess.
Somehow, Ling Wei had actually won over Huang Yi—a master at the peak of the Refining Spirit Eighth Layer Heaven.
Ling Yao stood to the side, his brow tightly furrowed. He no longer had any interest in watching the scenes from the Thousand Rivers Secret Land on the Water Curtain. ’Why would Huang Yi listen to Ling Wei? I’m the one who promoted him through the ranks. Why is this happening?’
Liu Ying’s expression shifted, but inwardly he was already calculating. ’This Ling Wei seems to be a considerable threat. Unacceptable. No one can stand in my way.’
The Third Prince stood among the crowd, a cold sweat breaking out on his back. ’Crown Prince Ling Qi has Liu Ying’s support. Father Emperor himself is at the Refining Spirit Sixth Layer Heaven, and Ling Xiao is a staunchly loyal royalist. And now, Ling Wei has even won over Huang Yi.’
At this thought, a sense of powerlessness washed over the Third Prince. ’It seems my only choice now is to curry favor with Father Emperor. That way, after he passes on, if the throne is passed to me, I might still inherit the power and support he leaves behind.’
