Chapter 466: Kill Lu Yang First

In the new, ownerless grotto-heaven, cultivators of the Great Yu Dynasty emerged one after another, unpacking treasures from their storage rings to adorn their new sanctuary.

Even grand palaces were conjured forth from the depths of their rings; before long, magnificent and resplendent halls stood erect amidst the barren landscape of the pocket realm.

Beside the opulent palace stood an inconspicuous thatched hut, which served as the residence of the State Preceptor.

Styling himself a humble hermit of the mountains, the Preceptor maintained a residence that was profoundly low-key and austere.

Squatting upon a small wooden stool, his gaze ran deep, like an ancient, bottomless well, epitomizing the enigmatic image of a transcendent master who held the world in his grasp.

"We are safe for now."

"That the Seek-Dao Sect has forced me to relocate my base of operations is truly a monumental disgrace!"

What manner of man was he? He was the second State Preceptor of the Great Yu, the heir and promoter of its golden age; under his tutelage, several Yu Emperors had been guided into becoming wise and enlightened monarchs revered by the world.

The first State Preceptor had possessed two exceptional disciples; the eldest had campaigned across the four directions to establish the Great Yu Dynasty, known to posterity as the Founding Yu Emperor, while he was the second disciple.

He was not merely the second State Preceptor, but also the martial brother of the Founding Yu Emperor; who beneath the heavens would dare show him disrespect!

He himself was a cultivation powerhouse of terrifying might, capable of suppressing six Tribulation Transmutation stage experts single-handedly.

The genesis of all this lay in Daoist Bu Yu's elaborate scheme, which had led to the capture of Po Xiao and the exposure of their grotto-heaven's coordinates.

Fury flared in the eyes of his subordinate, incensed that a mere sect would dare contend with the brilliance of an empire: "Accursed Seek-Dao Sect!"

The State Preceptor's eyes grew dark as he analyzed how to deal with their adversary: "Thus far, the Seek-Dao Sect has thwarted the path of our Great Yu on three separate occasions."

"During the Qingzhou Grand Ceremony, a cultivator from the Seek-Dao Sect intervened, yet under the obscuring influence of the empire's destiny, the true identity of that individual could not be discerned."

"Next was a minor Golden Core disciple named Lu Yang, who unmasked Huang Ming, our plant within the Corpse-Refining Sect."

"And finally, Daoist Bu Yu, the Sect Master of the Seek-Dao Sect, who used his own person as bait to ensnare Po Xiao."

"These three must die. We shall begin with Lu Yang, who possesses the lowest standing. If our Great Yu does not strike back now, we risk becoming a laughingstock to Great Xia and the remnants of Great Qian hiding god knows where!"

Both Great Yu and Great Qian harbored intentions of supplanting Great Xia, placing them in a state of fierce rivalry; the Preceptor had sought Great Qian's hiding place multiple times, hoping to instigate a mutually destructive conflict between Great Xia and Great Qian so that Great Yu might reap the rewards.

Regrettably, his efforts had yielded nothing.

The State Preceptor commanded his subordinate: "Go and investigate this minor disciple, Lu Yang. Find his current whereabouts, and if the opportunity arises, eliminate him."

"Understood!"

Following his subordinate's departure, the Preceptor fell into deep thought; according to the intelligence he had gathered, a third faction had emerged during the battle of Hanshui City—an immortal claiming to be the Supreme Heavenly Deity of the Heavenly Court Sect, who had defeated Wu Youdao and his two companions.

"What exactly is the origin of this Heavenly Court Sect, and who is this Deity Dou?"

Despite the Preceptor's vast, heaven-encompassing erudition and his thorough mapping of contemporary powers, he had never once heard of the Heavenly Court Sect, let alone Deity Dou.

"This Heavenly Court Sect seems to have materialized out of thin air. How bizarre."

"Why did the Heavenly Court Sect intervene to stop Wu Youdao? Have they also set their sights on the power of the empire's destiny?"

Five days later, the subordinate returned to report.

"Have you found Lu Yang?"

"Reporting to the State Preceptor, yes."

"Is he dead?"

"Well... about that..."

"You failed to kill a mere Golden Core disciple?!" The State Preceptor was visibly incensed, deeply dissatisfied with his subordinate's inefficiency; if everyone possessed such an attitude, how could the Great Yu ever hope for restoration!

The subordinate wished only to weep: "My Lord, Lu Yang has already become the Acting Sect Master."

"What?"

The State Preceptor thought his ears were playing tricks on him; though he held the Seek-Dao Sect in low regard, it surely could not have fallen so far as to appoint a mere Golden Core cultivator as its Acting Sect Master.

He had been reluctant to move against Daoist Bu Yu precisely because the man was the Sect Master—too prominent, making any attempt prone to oversight.

Now that Lu Yang had assumed the role of Acting Sect Master, his protection would undoubtedly be formidable, making a rash assassination attempt an unwise move.

"According to the rumors your servant gathered, this matter involves an internal power struggle within the Seek-Dao Sect. For many years, the authority of the sect has been usurped by a cultivator named Yun Zhi, who is the Sect Master in all but name. Yun Zhi is the eldest disciple of Daoist Bu Yu, and her cultivation realm remains unknown. Unwilling to be perpetually sidelined and rendered a figurehead, Daoist Bu Yu appointed his youngest disciple, Lu Yang, as the Acting Sect Master."

The State Preceptor sneered, "Your perception is far too superficial. Lu Yang is but a Golden Core cultivator; how could he possibly vie for power against his senior sister? This is clearly a countermeasure by the Seek-Dao Sect. They divined that I would strike at Lu Yang, so they elevated him to Acting Sect Master ahead of time to afford him protection!"

"Let me ask you, did Lu Yang's ascension to Acting Sect Master occur precisely upon his return from Hanshui City?"

The subordinate looked upon him as if looking at a god, his reverence for the Preceptor deepening further: "Your Lordship's insight is flawless! That Lu Yang was indeed appointed Acting Sect Master immediately after returning from Hanshui City!"

Their willingness to follow the State Preceptor stemmed precisely from his world-shaping genius and his flawless, all-calculating foresight.

A look of realization washed over the Preceptor's face: "Hmph, there are no such coincidences in this world. It is all a calculated scheme behind the scenes."

"Then, regarding this Lu Yang..."

"Kill him! He must be killed!"

"A mere Seek-Dao Sect—even if they anticipated the vengeance of our Great Yu, so what? Do they truly believe they can safeguard a paltry Golden Core cultivator?"

"I shall make the Seek-Dao Sect realize, and let the entire world know, that before absolute power, any and all calculations are utterly fragile!"

The subordinate was overjoyed upon hearing this, already imagining the bewildered, furious, yet utterly helpless expressions of the Seek-Dao Sect upon Lu Yang's assassination.

"Your servant also learned that the Seek-Dao Sect will hold a grand celebration in two months to mark the 120,000th anniversary of its founding. They will invite numerous factions, providing us a perfect opportunity to infiltrate!"

The defenses of the Seek-Dao Sect were normally airtight and entry screening was rigorous; only during such massive events would there be a slight lapse in vigilance.

"To think such an opportunity exists." A gleam flashed in the State Preceptor's eyes, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "It seems destiny truly sides with our Great Yu."

"The 120,000th anniversary of the Seek-Dao Sect shall also be the date of its demise."

He spoke the words casually, passing a definitive death sentence upon the Seek-Dao Sect.

If they could not even contend with a mere Seek-Dao Sect, how could their Great Yu speak of restoration?

At this moment, Lu Yang remained entirely unaware that he had been targeted by the State Preceptor of Great Yu and placed upon the absolute hit list.

In truth, this was entirely a misunderstanding born of an information asymmetry.

During the Qingzhou Grand Ceremony, Venerable Heavenly Calamity could have escaped, yet he was defeated by the Senior Sister whom Lu Yang had summoned.

In Hanshui City, Wu Youdao and his two companions were on the verge of obtaining the power of the empire's destiny, only to be thwarted by the Immortal Fairy residing within Lu Yang, who also captured them along the way.

In Dingxin City, the paper crane that flew to Daoist Bu Yu had been written at Lu Yang's behest.

Had the State Preceptor of Great Yu known that these three major incidents were all tied to Lu Yang, the youth would have been placed on the hit list long ago, rather than waiting until today.

Yet even if Lu Yang knew he was on a hit list, he wouldn't care all that much.

He had far more important matters to attend to at present.

"Senior Sister, did you say that I am to attend a meeting at the imperial palace in my capacity as the Acting Sect Master?"

The second update will be at eleven o'clock.

(End of this chapter)