The new emperor ascended the throne.
Celebrations echoed everywhere.
Each of the Thirty-Five Nations of the Central Plains sent envoys to offer their congratulations.
Lin Yuan adeptly dealt with everyone, showing no trace of awkwardness.
Despite just ascending to the throne, for over a decade, Lin Yuan had served as the Crown Prince in charge of national affairs.
The only thing he lacked compared to an actual emperor was the title.
Half a month later.
In the Heavenly Conquest Hall.
Lin Yuan wore the dragon robes, deep in thought.
Now officially crowned, the true secrets of the Great Yan Dynasty unfolded before him, primarily revolving around the “divine weapon.” The Great Yan Dynasty’s nation-guarding divine weapon is truly named the “Sun and Moon Spear.” Over the three thousand six hundred years of the Yan Calendar, the divine weapon “Sun and Moon Spear” had awakened thrice.
Each time was due to the havoc caused by a “Cursed Weapon,” leaving the people in misery until the weapon masters activated the divine weapon to suppress everything.
“Cursed Weapon?” Lin Yuan stroked his chin.
To force the divine weapon into action, the so-called “cursed weapon” surely possesses power far beyond a Martial Saint.
“The Godslayer Society...” Lin Yuan pondered.
According to the information held by the Great Yan Dynasty, the Godslayer Society and the cursed weapons were always interconnected.
Every time a cursed weapon caused chaos, the shadow of the Godslayer Society lurked behind it.
Therefore, the Great Yan Dynasty, accurately speaking, the Thirty-Six Nations of the Central Plains, would always execute any member of the Godslayer Society on sight, without any need for capture.
This is also the will of every nation-guarding divine weapon, a decree none dare defy.
“It seems this Godslayer Society holds significant secrets…” Lin Yuan mused.
His forces were close to pinpointing the location of the Godslayer Society’s main base within the Great Yan Dynasty.
The secrets of the Godslayer Society would soon be revealed to Lin Yuan.
In court.
Lin Yuan sat upon the Dragon Throne.
The Minister of Rites stepped forward and respectfully said, “Your Majesty, now that you have ascended to the throne, you must soon visit the ‘Divine Weapon Ancestral Land’ to offer sacrifices to the divine weapon.” Among the Thirty-Six Nations of the Central Plains, there exist many shared “traditions.” One of them is the offering of sacrifices to the divine weapon.
Every newly crowned emperor must quickly visit their divine weapon’s ancestral land to perform this rite.
This tradition is quite normal.
After all, to every nation, the nation-guarding divine weapon is akin to a divine presence.
Offering sacrifices to the divine weapon is much like paying homage to the heavens.
“Sacrificing to the divine weapon?” Lin Yuan gazed at the Minister of Rites.
The Divine Weapon Ancestral Land was not within the capital but several hundred miles away.
Lin Yuan had always viewed this place with some trepidation, even though he was certain that most of the time, the Sun and Moon Spear was in a dormant state.
Yet, he’d been reluctant to approach the ancestral land.
Not long ago, Lin Yuan had broken through to the Heavenly Being Realm and, to ensure success, specifically chose a location far from the ancestral land to do so.
“I have been feeling unwell recently, so I will postpone the ritual for another day.” Lin Yuan casually used an excuse to dismiss the matter.
Sacrificing to the divine weapon is a tradition that even the emperor cannot alter.
But while it cannot be changed, it can certainly be delayed.
Lin Yuan wasn’t refusing to go; he merely decided to wait until he felt better.
Who could argue against that?
“Yes.” The Minister of Rites reluctantly retreated.
Unwell? Who was he fooling? It might work for others, but for the current emperor… The Minister of Rites was a seasoned official, having served under two reigns.
He knew well that when Lin Yuan was born, court physicians proclaimed his innate talent and constitution as the finest in the history of the Great Yan Dynasty.
Even with some “exaggeration,” such claims likely had some basis.
The previous emperor had no fondness for sycophantic officials, so the physicians’ conclusions must have been partly rooted in truth.
Under such circumstances, when Lin Yuan claimed he was unwell, the Minister of Rites didn’t believe it.
But disbelief didn’t change anything.
Could he insist? In a regular monarch’s regime, perhaps he could.
After all, a new emperor must heed the ministers' advice to stabilize governance.
But Lin Yuan… Over the years, the Minister of Rites had acquired at least a sense of recognition for this prince who had smoothly transitioned to emperor.
If he were to strongly insist, truly play the martyr of counsel, the emperor might genuinely fulfill that act.
Moreover, the emperor might compassionately send his family and kin to accompany him in the afterlife.
“Never mind.” “If it’s delayed, it’s delayed.” The Minister of Rites decided to let it be.
He would merely raise the issue periodically as a formality.
He didn’t believe the emperor could push it off for twenty to fifty years.
Wuyan City.
A southern city in the Great Yan Dynasty.
Backed by vast mountains, it was quite prosperous.
Within the dense forest ten miles from Wuyan City, over twenty figures had gathered unknowingly.
Although standing there, each one of these figures was inwardly roiling with blood Qi, unmistakably of the “Blood Refining” Martial Saint level. “Blood Refining” Martial Saint is the maximum limit ordinary people can reach.
Beyond that, one has to become a “weapon master.” As a weapon master is essentially a divine weapon’s envoy, such a person would transcend humanity.
Over twenty Blood Refining Martial Saints could rival the total Martial Saints in slightly weaker Thirty-Six Nations of the Central Plains dynasties.
Beyond the presence of twenty Martial Saints, numerous strong contenders swarmed in from even farther away.
“That dense forest should be the main base of the ‘Godslayer Society.’ The master said, capture all remnants without killing. Understood?” The leading Martial Saint communicated through the fluctuations in their blood Qi, transmitting his message into the ears of every Martial Saint present.
“Understood.” “Got it.” “Capture them alive.” The Martial Saints nodded in agreement without objections.
The battle ended swiftly.
Under the onslaught of the twenty-plus “Blood Refining” Martial Saints, aided by hundreds to thousands of “Organ Refining” Innate Martial Masters and “Marrow Refining” Supreme Grandmasters, the main base of the Godslayer Society was quickly crushed.
The leader, Sikong Lun, didn’t even have time to escape through the underground tunnels.
Before he could realize it, three Blood Refining Martial Saints blocked his path.
Then, everything went black, and he knew nothing until later.
When Sikong Lun regained consciousness, he found himself in a bright carriage.
His veins had been completely sealed, rendering him unable to muster even a sliver of blood Qi.
In simple terms, Sikong Lun was now a powerless man, no different from an ordinary person who could be easily killed with a single stroke of a knife.
“Who in the world?” Sikong Lun's heart was stirred by shockwaves.
As the head of the Godslayer Society’s division, considered a rat in the eyes of the Thirty-Six Nations of the Central Plains, Sikong Lun was acutely aware that he could never contend with the Thirty-Six Nations, each harboring nation-guarding divine weapons.
This was why Sikong Lun emphasized secrecy when establishing the Godslayer Society’s base.
He even excavated multiple escape routes so that even if discovered, he could quickly flee through secret passages and preserve his power.
Yet just now? Sikong Lun's heart trembled with fear.
Over twenty Blood Refining Martial Saints unleashed their blood Qi pressure freely.
Thousands of “Organ Refining” Innate Martial Masters and “Marrow Refining” Supreme Grandmasters struck swiftly.
Under such suppression, even the division head like Sikong Lun didn’t escape, let alone other members.
“Which force initiated this?” “The Great Yan Dynasty or another Thirty-Five Nation?” “No, wait.” Sikong Lun furrowed his brow.
If he had fallen into the Thirty-Six Nations’ hands, how could he still be alive? The Thirty-Six Nations had always executed members of the Godslayer Society without mercy to prevent future troubles.
As for torturing for information on other members, the Godslayer Society's structure was airtight, with hidden measures within leaders that would cause instant death if they dared to reveal any significant secrets.
Ordinary members would not know much either, making interrogation meaningless.
Sikong Lun pondered deeply but couldn’t figure out which faction had moved against him.
“This place… should still be Wuyan City.” Sikong Lun strained to lift the curtain and glanced outside. “Forget it.” “Whether I live or die isn’t up to me anymore.” Sikong Lun dismissed any thought of escaping.
What a joke.
Could he escape from a mysterious force that could deploy over twenty Martial Saints?
Half an hour later, the carriage finally halted.
Sikong Lun immediately perked up.
Soon the carriage door opened, and a man invited him out.
Recognizing the man immediately, Sikong Lun realized he was one of the twenty-plus Blood Refining Martial Saints who had attacked earlier.
Given a Blood Refining Martial Saint’s stature in the Thirty-Six Nations, acting as a mere coachman seemed unbelievable.
Taking a deep breath, Sikong Lun gained a deeper appreciation of the unseen hand’s prowess.
Stepping down from the carriage, Sikong Lun followed the Martial Saint coachman into a nearby residence.
This place was more like a palace, winding through and dotted with many halls.
Inside the hall deep within, Sikong Lun met the person behind the attack on the Godslayer Society.
A young man sat there, exuding an aura of unparalleled nobility.
Just his presence alone filled Sikong Lun with slight shame. “You may leave now.” Lin Yuan raised his head, gesturing for the coachman Martial Saint to withdraw. “Yes, Master.” The coachman Martial Saint bowed reverently and left the hall.
Master? Sikong Lun’s heart skipped a beat.
A Blood Refining Martial Saint as this young man's servant? If not seen firsthand, Sikong Lun would never believe it.
After a moment of silence, Sikong Lun steadied himself and initiated, “May I ask, sir, what you require of me by capturing me?”
At this moment, Sikong Lun understood he must possess some value to this young man; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been brought here. “I wish to know.” “How does your Godslayer Society counter the Thirty-Six Nations’ nation-guarding divine weapons?” “What are these cursed weapons?” Lin Yuan inquired.
Upon hearing this, Sikong Lun looked astonished.
He’d assumed the man sought information on other Godslayer Society bases.
Sikong Lun had already prepared to trigger his inner failsafe and end his life whenever Lin Yuan touched upon these topics.
But this question? “Divine weapons are held in high esteem, beyond what we mere mortals can contend with.” Sikong Lun paused, seemingly gathering his thoughts. “Since ancient times, only a divine weapon can oppose another divine weapon.” “It is an unbreakable rule.” (Chapter End)