The Human Emperor

Translated by: Hypersheep325

Edited by: Michyrr

The mental brand Wang Chong had left on Xu Qiqin would inform him the moment Xu Qiqin was in danger. It was essentially impossible to kidnap Xu Qiqin within the capital.

“Better to be safe than sorry. We can’t be careless on this matter!”

Wang Chong’s face turned grim along with the topic of conversation.

“Mm.”

Seeing Wang Chong turn serious, Xu Qiqin also withdrew her smile.

“Is that Genesis Supreme really so frightening? You really think he can break the Miniature Nine Provinces Domain left by the Sage Emperor?”

“A constant refrain is certain to return an echo. There must be a reason Genesis Supreme has lingered on the outskirts, and those tricks being played in the palace are far too vulgar. Genesis Supreme should understand that they won’t be able to break the Miniature Nine Provinces Domain.

“He knows that they won’t be effective, but he persists. He must be holding something back,” Wang Chong said.

He would never underestimate his foes, and Genesis Supreme was simply too strong. The consequences of the Miniature Nine Provinces Domain breaking were unimaginable.

With this powerful foe present, he always felt like he was walking on thin ice, and he couldn’t help but be cautious.

Xu Qiqin turned pensive, and the tea house fell silent.

“Qiqin, if you were Genesis Supreme, what would you do?” Wang Chong suddenly said.

It was just an offhand question from Wang Chong. After all, while Xu Qiqin was the Queen of Logistics, intelligent and graceful, she was no powerful martial artist. She would not be able to offer much of an opinion here.

But to Wang Chong’s surprise, Xu Qiqin really gave an answer.

“This!”

After a moment of surprise, Xu Qiqin really began to ponder the question.

“I don’t understand this whole thing that much, but you said before that the core of the Miniature Nine Provinces Domain was the Three Emperors Formation beneath Taiji Palace. If there’s no way of breaking the formation externally, the best way would be to find someone to break the formation from the inside. This person would have to be strong and familiar with the layout of the palace. This is the only way they could get close to the Three Emperors Formation without being discovered.”

Xu Qiqin lowered her head, a contemplative look on her face.

“The number of people who can get close to the Three Emperors Formation isn’t a lot. I suppose palace maids, eunuchs, and Imperial Army soldiers could barely manage it. I presume this is why they’ve been sending so many disguised eunuchs and maids there recently. But Taiji Palace is guarded by the Dragon Guards. It doesn’t matter how many maids or eunuchs they bribe; it will be very hard for them to succeed.

“And Genesis Supreme and his subordinates can’t enter the Miniature Nine Provinces Domain, so they are at an impasse.”

Wang Chong chuckled. He had already thought about these things.

It would be very hard for these lowly and inferior tricks to succeed.

“There is one other method. They can find someone of similar strength to you, much stronger than the Dragon Guards, and have that person force their way into Taiji Palace to break the formation,” Xu Qiqin suggested.

“Impossible. If there were this sort of person, they would have succeeded long ago.”

Wang Chong shook his head and smiled.

Wang Chong was at the peak of the Subtle realm, infinitesimally close to the Grotto Heaven realm.

The men in black had existed for many ages and had many experts. It would be easy to find an expert amongst their ranks who was Wang Chong’s equal or better, but such a character was incredibly difficult to find in the entire realm, let alone the capital.

The Subtle realm was not that easy to reach.

Anyone who could have reached this realm would have become famous long ago.

“Then there’s only one method left: to find someone who can control the formation and have him destroy it,” Xu Qiqin said.

“Impossible. The formation is under my control!”

Wang Chong shook his head. Xu Qiqin was smart, but she lacked in cultivation. He had asked her a question beyond her abilities.

He hadn’t been thinking clearly.

But to his surprise, Xu Qiqin firmly shook her head. “That’s not for certain!

“You only control the Miniature Nine Provinces Domain, not the Three Emperors Formation. Did you forget who built the Three Emperors Formation?!”

Xu Qiqin’s words struck Wang Chong like a bolt of lightning, and he shivered as if a bucket of ice-cold water had been poured over him.

Xu Qiqin was right. Wang Chong had inadvertently forgotten that he only controlled the Miniature Nine Provinces Domain. He had never controlled the Three Emperors Formation beneath Taiji Palace.

The Three Emperors Formation was of vital importance, and it had been passed down through successive Sons of Heaven, an exclusive privilege of the imperial household.

With the Sage Emperor’s death, the controller of the Three Emperors Formation was naturally Li Heng.

Besides the Son of Heaven, there was one other person who could control the Three Emperors Formation: the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince was the heir apparent, the future Son of Heaven. The possibility of the Emperor leaking the existence of the Three Emperors Formation ahead of time could not be ruled out.

Li Heng would never give the Three Emperors Formation to the men in black, so the men in black should have had no way of accessing it, but that was not a guarantee.

“Li Xuantu!”

Suddenly, Wang Chong had a flash of insight, and his body trembled in immense shock.

Li Linfu!

Genesis Supreme!

Wang Chong’s face instantly turned grave.

He had initially come to see Xu Qiqin and chat with her, never imagining that Xu Qiqin’s insight would lead him to an unexpected discovery.

The two entirely unrelated matters suddenly intersected, revealing a secretive connection that he had never before realized.

Why did Li Linfu want to find Li Xuantu?

What did it matter if he knew where Li Xuantu was?

Wang Chong had been perplexed by these questions.

He could find no logical connection.

But now, Wang Chong suddenly understood.

The one who wanted to find Li Xuantu was not Li Linfu, but Genesis Supreme!

According to existing records, Li Xuantu had been invested as Crown Prince and had almost succeeded to the throne. There was an extremely high chance that he knew how to control the Three Emperors Formation. More importantly…

Li Xuantu was the Sage Emperor’s mortal foe!

Countless ripples appeared in Wang Chong’s mind.

In the Divine Dragon Coup, the Sage Emperor seized the realm from Li Xuantu. If Li Xuantu was still alive, he would undoubtedly be the best target to exploit for the men in black.

Li Linfu had no connection with Li Xuantu, and Li Xuantu would certainly not be of any help to Li Linfu’s current situation. But what if the men in black were looking for Li Xuantu, and Li Linfu was colluding with the men in black?

Hisss!

Wang Chong took in a deep breath, his expression turning even more grim.

He had never imagined that Li Linfu was connected to the men in black, but if it was really the case, it would explain many of the bizarre and confusing things about him.

Wang Chong also came to understand several other things.

An Yaluoshan was backed by the men in black, and during the feast of all countries, Li Linfu and An Yaluoshan, despite meeting for the first time, seemed very familiar with each other. Was this simply because they shared a common enemy?

Was the truth really that simple?

Was there some connection between Li Linfu, An Yaluoshan, and the men in black?

One suspicious incident was not proof of anything. After all, he could have just been seeing things.

But two incidents could no longer be considered coincidence.

“Surprising. Truly surprising!” Wang Chong muttered.

The wise Prime Minister of the Great Tang, the leader of all officials, who had presided over the court for ten-some years and had enjoyed the Sage Emperor’s favor, had been working together with the Sage Emperor’s mortal foes this entire time. It was probably the most ridiculous thing to have taken place since the founding of the empire.

“What’s wrong?”

Xu Qiqin widened her eyes in unease.

She had not expected her musing to elicit such a reaction from Wang Chong.

“I have some things to take care of, so I have to go. For the time being, stay in your residence. You must not leave the capital, no matter what!”

Wang Chong quickly stood up.

“Mm!”

Seeing how serious Wang Chong was, Xu Qiqin nodded and asked no more.

Wang Chong hastily departed.

Wang Chong had always believed that Li Xuantu had died thirty years ago, but current events hinted that the deposed Crown Prince might still be alive.

Even though it was hard to believe, it was probably the truth.

A matter from thirty years ago meant that many things were no longer possible to investigate. But Wang Chong knew that there was at least one person in the Great Tang who could know Li Xuantu’s location…

Eunuch Gao!

Wang Chong had a flash of insight.

After the Sage Emperor’s death, Eunuch Gao had withdrawn from the court, and nobody knew where he had gone.

But Wang Chong could track anyone down so long as they left even the smallest sliver of evidence.

When Eunuch Gao disappeared, many believed that he had left the capital and found some remote place to retire.

But Wang Chong knew that Eunuch Gao hadn’t left the capital at all. Rather, he had erected a hut near the imperial mausoleum so he could silently watch over the Sage Emperor’s tomb.

Attendant in life, guardian in death!

It was at this place that Wang Chong met with this renowned eunuch.

But in the short time since their last meeting, Eunuch Gao seemed to have aged ten-some years.

Eunuch Gao’s ruddy and beaming face was now sallow, lean, and covered in wrinkles, his hair completely white. He appeared like an ordinary old man.

After leaving the palace, Eunuch Gao had put away his silken robes for simple robes of cloth. No one could have ever realized without foreknowledge that this ordinary old man had once been the Eunuch Director of the Inner Court, Gao Lishi!

His expression was firm, not the hesitant and lost face Wang Chong had envisioned. After some time to gather his thoughts, he had seemingly determined that his purpose in life was to guard the Sage Emperor’s tomb.