Chapter 2375 - 2065: I Still Need More Heart Blood
Ji Yan has been staying in Guangling County for the past month, and he knows all about the events happening there. He hasn’t found anything unusual in Guangling County.
Du Wen replied, "The few Earth Realm powerhouses from the Deceit Suppression Bureau haven’t left Guangling City for a long time and have been staying in Guangling County."
Ji Yan asked, "What’s wrong with that? Prince Zhen Nan is now considered the head of the Deceit Suppression Bureau, so naturally, those higher-ups would stay by Prince Zhen Nan’s side."
Du Wen said, "Logically, the Deceit Suppression Bureau should be busy dealing with those Deceit Kings, yet they’ve done nothing for the past month."
"Moreover, those Deceit Kings have also gone silent; they haven’t attacked any human cities for a long time."
Hearing Du Wen say this, Ji Yan seemed to realize something and immediately said, "Could it be that the Deceit Suppression Bureau has already sealed those Deceit Kings? That’s why they have stayed in Guangling City."
"But if they’ve already sealed those Deceit Kings, they should have returned to the Capital City by now. Why would they still be staying in Guangling City?"
Du Wen said, "That’s what confuses our Sect Hierarch too. We’ve been gathering intel during this time, trying to find out why the Deceit Suppression Bureau hasn’t taken any action for a month."
The Yellow Springs Sect doesn’t feel much pressure dealing with Zhen Nan Prince Manor, but if those Earth Realm powerhouses from the Deceit Suppression Bureau are also staying in Guangling City, they could intervene if anything happens to Zhen Nan Prince Manor, which would disrupt the Yellow Springs Sect’s plans.
Initially, they thought those Earth Realm powerhouses from the Deceit Suppression Bureau were only in Guangling City to discuss with Prince Zhen Nan how to seal the Deceit Kings. However, after they arrived in Guangling City, they stayed there, forcing the Yellow Springs Sect to delay their plans.
At this time, Ji Yan asked, "So as long as the people from the Deceit Suppression Bureau don’t leave Guangling City, we’ll just keep waiting?"
Du Wen said, "Your Highness, do not worry; our Sect Hierarch has already decided that even if those Earth Realm powerhouses from the Deceit Suppression Bureau stay in Guangling City, our plans will proceed."
In the Yellow Springs Sect’s view, although those Deceit Kings have disappeared, they can create disturbances to lure away the people from the Deceit Suppression Bureau. This is no major issue.
...
Capital City, Long Life Hall.
Inside the hall, it was like a cold abyss, with the sunlight blocked outside the palace by heavy carved windows, allowing only a few weak strands of light to fall onto the cold gold-brick floor.
Golden palace lanterns hung between the beams, flickering with candlelight.
The entire hall seemed to be filled with a heavy chill, silent and desolate.
The air was oppressive and stifling, making it difficult even to breathe.
Emperor Zhou sat upright on a meditation mat in the middle of the hall, his whole aura significantly changed from before.
He seemed to exude a red blood aura, giving off a dangerous and evil vibe.
Just then, a shadow appeared behind a palace pillar.
The shadow addressed Emperor Zhou, "Your Majesty, our people are ready. Should we proceed?"
Upon hearing this voice, Emperor Zhou’s eyes opened, his pupils glowing blood red, and the corners of his mouth slightly curved up, giving his face a twisted excitement.
He then said, "Execute immediately."
He had prepared for this moment for so long, finally able to start his plan.
As long as he could obtain the Dragon Qi from Prince Zhen Nan, he was sure he could directly break through to the late-stage Earth Realm.
At this moment, the shadow continued, "Your Majesty, the Saintess from Tianxuan Palace seems to have also gone to Guangling City."
Hearing this, Emperor Zhou’s smile froze instantly, his brows furrowing together, giving him a bad feeling.
He had gone to great lengths to send Mu Yunxi away to prevent her from disrupting his plans, yet she ended up in Guangling County.
Could it be that Mu Yunxi discovered something and knows about the connection between the Yellow Springs Sect and him?
Emperor Zhou quickly calmed down, thinking that it’s unlikely Mu Yunxi knew about his relationship with the Yellow Springs Sect. Mu Yunxi going to Guangling City was probably just to assist Zhen Nan Prince Manor in sealing those Deceit Kings, and he was overthinking it.
Thinking this, Emperor Zhou said to the shadow, "Keep a close eye on Tianxuan Palace, and inform me of any movements."
The shadow said, "Yes, Your Majesty."
At this moment, Emperor Zhou suddenly thought of something, and he continued, "By the way, tell your Sect Hierarch that I need more heart blood."
The heart blood Emperor Zhou mentioned refers to the essence blood inside the human heart.
Before his failed coup, he had stayed in the Imperial Mausoleum for some time.
In the Imperial Mausoleum, he discovered a hidden legacy and found an identity token that allowed him to command the Yellow Springs Sect.
Among the legacies he acquired, there were two evil techniques. One was called the Blood Refining Soul Stealing Technique, which accelerates cultivation by devouring human heart blood; the other was called the Blood Evil Demon Planting Technique, which can transform people into Deceit Demons.
Deceit Demons were different from evil spirits and mysterious beings, as they were extremely powerful and not suppressed by Dazhou’s Qi Fortune.
However, transforming into Deceit Demons wasn’t easy, and their existence would erode Dazhou’s Qi Fortune. Initially, Emperor Zhou didn’t want to use these two techniques.
However, after his coup failed and he was trapped in the Imperial Palace, he gradually abandoned his principles, secretly contacting the Yellow Springs Sect to provide him with heart blood.
During this period, those village-massacring monsters were Deceit Demons created by the Yellow Springs Sect.
Because Deceit Demons had a unique aura, neither belonging to evil spirits nor mysterious beings, the Deceit Suppression Bureau hadn’t been able to track them down, allowing the Yellow Springs Sect to act more recklessly.
Initially, the Yellow Springs Sect worried the Deceit Suppression Bureau might trace them through the Deceit Demons’ movements, so they chose remote locations for their village massacres.
But later, the Yellow Springs Sect discovered through spies planted in the Deceit Suppression Bureau that they couldn’t track the aura of Deceit Demons, emboldening them to start operations around the Capital City.
Being close to the Capital City allowed them to collect fresher heart blood, accelerating Emperor Zhou’s cultivation.
As for why the Yellow Springs Sect sought out Ji Yan, the main reason was that Ji Yan had royal blood, his body could perfectly accept the Dragon Qi from Prince Zhen Nan, and extracting Dragon Qi from Prince Zhen Nan also required royal blood.
Thus, to Emperor Zhou, Ji Yan was merely a sacrificial pawn. Once Ji Yan returned to the Capital City, his Dragon Qi would be devoured by Emperor Zhou, and after actively extracting the Dragon Qi, Ji Yan’s cultivation state would vanish, absorbed by Emperor Zhou.
Thinking about how he was on the brink of breaking through to the Earth Realm and regaining power, Emperor Zhou felt extremely excited.
He also knew that using evil techniques would lead to a decline in Dazhou’s Qi Fortune, but without doing so, without relying on the Yellow Springs Sect, who knew when he would be able to regain power?
Most importantly, the Empress Dowager, Pei Shuhua, wasn’t lacking in talent. With her talent, breaking through to the Earth Realm was a certainty, and her talent might even surpass his as Emperor.
He achieved his current cultivation state entirely through evil techniques, while Pei Shuhua’s cultivation state came from her own efforts.
Pei Shuhua might outlive him, and if he attempted to outlast her through longevity, it was more likely he’d be the one to die first.
So he could only resort to aggressive methods to quickly seize power.
Once he regained power, he would then find a way to deal with the Yellow Springs Sect.