One more catty, one more attribute point

Jian Chuan didn't directly answer Yuan Hong's question, but retorted, "Do you know about the recent disturbances on Skull Plain?"

"Of course," Yuan Hong replied without hesitation, "but it's the resurgence of Law Palace Temple that's stirring up the storm."

"Could it be..."

Yuan Hong was startled and widened his eyes, "There are hidden secrets behind this matter."

"Exactly." Jian Chuan gazed out the window, the dappled shade casting shadows on his white robe, "Over two thousand years ago, the Corruption Demon God Marpa descended upon an ancient kingdom known as Yuan Xi, and engaged in a fierce battle with the guardian divine beast Golden Crow. He was ultimately defeated and sealed away."

"The location of that seal is none other than the Law Palace Temple." Jian Chuan said, "This incident is also the direct cause of the extinction of the Law Palace Temple."

"Those bald monks truly had it coming," Yuan Hong had no good impression of those barbaric monks from Skull Plain. Hearing this secret, Yuan Hong unraveled his doubts and couldn't help but remark with a sigh of relief. He quickly realized, "If it is a seal, then doesn't that mean... "

"Exactly." Jian Chuan smiled, "The life force of demon gods is extremely tenacious, and the Corruption Demon God Marpa is among the toughest."

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"Even the ancient Golden Crow could only seal it, unable to kill it completely."

"If we time it right during their exploration of Law Palace Temple's secret treasures, releasing the starved and maddened Corruption Demon God Marpa who has been suppressed for a thousand years..." In the sunlight, Jian Chuan spread his arms wide and made an exploding gesture.

His features were handsome, and his slender physique paired with a white robe.

It gave him the delicate beauty of a scholarly gentleman.

With such an appearance, even attending a tune-play in a brothel wouldn't cost him a dime. But at this moment, the gentle and handsome smile on Jian Chuan's face brought Yuan Hong a great chill. Under the swaying shades, Jian Chuan's calm and indifferent voice slowly came, "At that time..."

"The monks of Skull Plain, the three great immortal sects, the four major families, and the one you're so worried about, that chief officer, will all perish. Like ants under a giant's foot, like rotten wood under a flood, there will be no survivors."

Hiss...

A chill abruptly rose in Yuan Hong's heart, frightened by Jian Chuan's crazy plan.

"Absolutely not, my lord!" Yuan Hong's dark face turned red, he hurriedly said, "If you release the demon god, even if it really could eliminate those elite sects and major families. But what about the common people of North Jiangzhou? They would surely suffer greatly."

"They are but mere ants," Jian Chuan frowned slightly, slightly displeased, "Those mortals live such short lives, as light as feathers, hardly worth mentioning. Just like leeks in the ground, cut once and a mere hundred years later, new ones will grow back."

"Compared to our empire's millennia of domination, what do their lives count for?"

"I..." Yuan Hong was momentarily stupefied, not knowing what to say.

"Moreover, you don't need to worry about losing control of the situation," Jian Chuan patted Yuan Hong on the shoulder, continuing, "King Dingxuan will suppress everything and clean up the aftermath. There might be some innocent casualties, but the end result will be beneficial, and the empire's borders will stabilize and could even extend further."

"The King Dingxuan ordered this!?" Yuan Hong widened his eyes, incredulously.

"Shh!" Jian Chuan placed his finger on his lips, making a shushing gesture toward Yuan Hong. He playfully blinked, his face bearing a gentle smile, but the implied threat was clear, chilling Yuan Hong to the bone.

Bang!

Jian Chuan stepped forward.

His white robe billowing, he swiftly opened the door and left.

Yuan Hong stood alone in the study, his mind in turmoil.

Jian Chuan had the backing of King Dingxuan, and behind King Dingxuan was the Third Prince. Such significant movements, were they really just targeting a few immortal sects and noble families? Or was there some other scheme behind it... perhaps a sacrifice of millions to summon an evil deity or cultivate a demonic cultivation technique?

Reminded of the recent worsening condition of Emperor Wudi, Yuan Hong shivered violently.

He looked outside.

The sunlight was bright, the shade lush. But in a trance, he envisioned the collapse of the empire, scenes of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and felt a sudden chill.

...

...

...

Spending some time on the road, plus dealing with the impact of jetlag,

by the time Su Heng crossed North Jiangzhou and arrived at Skull Plain, it was already evening. The sun had set, and a golden full moon hung high in the clear sky. The sky was clear, with only a few patches of clouds resembling galloping horses. Snow covered the distant rolling hills, and cold wind swept the yellowed grass on the ground.

The environment of Skull Plain was desolate,

but from a high vantage point, looking down, it too possessed a kind of majestic beauty.

In the distance, a winding river flowed down the gobi, its rough channel filled with huge boulders, water rushing, making a roaring sound. Several wild yaks and sheep, their fur clumped and dirty, bowed their heads to drink from the muddy riverbanks.

Su Heng watched the scene with interest,

then was somewhat at a loss for words.

He received the news and came in such a hurry that he forgot to ask Qin Shunying the exact location of Law Palace Temple.

Arriving at Skull Plain, Su Heng was utterly clueless, a bit at a loss. Going back to ask wouldn't be a big issue, mainly because he couldn't bring himself to lose face in front of Qin Shunying...

"Just wandering around here and, as long as luck isn't too bad, I should eventually meet a couple of people who know something,"