Chapter 1378: Shaking the World
Under Qin Yutong's attentive service, Zhang Ruochen bathed, changed clothes, and burned incense before picking up his brush to write the "Crown Prince Edict."
Inside Zhang Ruochen's body, the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture circulated as he wrote. Each stroke contained a unique and powerful sacred dao force, causing the surrounding air to tremble slightly.
The document was both a "Crown Prince Edict" and a sacred decree condensed from Zhang Ruochen's full saintly power.
The content of the edict was concise. On one hand, it proclaimed Zhang Ruochen's identity as the Crown Prince of the Sacred Bright Central Empire. On the other, it summoned the former ministers and remnants of the empire to gather at Wuding Mountain on the seventh day of the next month to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth.
"Whoosh——"
As the edict was completed, the silk brocade on the table emitted a dazzling sacred light, illuminating the inner halls of the Phoenix Dance Palace.
Sacred Bright City was the capital of the Sacred Bright Central Empire. Every generation of Bright Emperors held sacrifices to heaven, earth, and the gods here each year.
Zhang Ruochen's ancestor was a god, known as the "Immovable Bright King Great Venerable."
Beyond that, the Zhang Clan's history had produced more than one Great Saint.
Through the continuous baptism of sacrificial power and the modifications to the rules of heaven and earth by the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable and successive Great Saints, this land had long undergone a transformation, imbued with national destiny and fortune.
Even now, that power had not dissipated.
The edict Zhang Ruochen wrote was infused with the sacred dao power of the Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture, naturally resonating with the national destiny and fortune of the Sacred Bright Central Empire, producing extraordinary phenomena.
"Boom."
A wave of imperial dao energy radiated from the "Crown Prince Edict." It then rose from the desk, broke through the roof, and soared above the clouds.
The silk brocade shattered into powder.
One by one, the sacred dao characters arranged themselves neatly, imprinted in the sky, emitting dazzling golden light.
In an instant, the entire Sacred Bright City was bathed in gold. Almost all cultivators were startled, rushing into the streets to gaze at the sky.
An edict, like a sky full of stars.
Deep within the mansion of the medieval aristocratic Cai Clan, a bull-shaped sacred mountain emitted a surging sacred might. Then, a wisp of sacred qi dispersed.
That single wisp of sacred qi was like a great river, coiling around the sacred mountain.
An extremely ancient old man crawled out from beneath the sacred mountain, standing at the center of the sacred qi river, looking up at the sky. His voice trembled: "A crown prince edict—actually a crown prince's edict. Eight hundred years ago... wasn't the crown prince assassinated?"
Seeing the old ancestor emerge from seclusion, the Cai Clan Saint Lord and the various saints of the clan hurried to the foot of the bull-shaped sacred mountain, bowing in salute.
"Old Ancestor, the Sacred Bright Central Empire has already fallen. Even if the crown prince returns, he cannot restore the kingdom," the Cai Clan Saint Lord said.
"Silence! How dare you comment on His Highness the Crown Prince?"
The Cai Clan old ancestor roared. Waves of sound surged outward like dozens of heavy fists striking the Cai Clan Saint Lord.
The Cai Clan Saint Lord spat blood and knelt on the ground.
The Cai Clan old ancestor had once been a cabinet minister of the Sacred Bright Central Empire, holding great power and naturally harboring deep feelings for the empire.
However, after the Bright Emperor disappeared, the court and countryside were thrown into earth-shattering turmoil—slaughter and conflict unending. Disheartened, the Cai Clan old ancestor voluntarily withdrew from the court and went into seclusion to cultivate.
Later, to protect the lives of billions of clan members, the old ancestor was forced to surrender to the Chiqing Central Empire, though he never accepted any titles or rewards from them.
Not just the Cai Clan—the entire Sacred Bright City erupted like a boiling cauldron.
"Eight hundred years ago, the Sacred Bright Central Empire's Crown Prince Zhang Ruochen is still alive! And he has issued an edict, summoning his former ministers and remnants."
"Zhang Ruochen? That name... could it be the same as the Heir of Time and Space? What a coincidence?"
"On the seventh day of next month, go to Wuding Mountain to sacrifice to heaven, the gods, and the dead. Why not hold the sacrifice in Sacred Bright City? Why go to the Demon Sect's headquarters?"
"Eight hundred years ago, Wuding Mountain was also within the territory of the Sacred Bright Central Empire. Why can't we go there to sacrifice?"
"Next month's seventh day is the wedding of the Demon Sect's Little Saintess and Qiu Yu... Heaven! This Sacred Bright Crown Prince must be Zhang Ruochen."
...
...
Even the most foolish cultivator now understood that the Sacred Bright Crown Prince and the Heir of Time and Space were clearly the same person.
This news spread at lightning speed, soon reaching every corner of the First Central Empire.
When the leaders of the major human forces heard about it, none were not shaken.
Shengshu Cainü had long guessed that Zhang Ruochen had this identity, but when she received the news, a huge wave still stirred in her heart.
After a long moment, Shengshu Cainü calmed her emotions and muttered to herself: "Zhang Ruochen, what exactly are you trying to do? For a woman, are you really going to turn the First Central Empire upside down?"
In the Wan Clan mansion, Wan Zhaoyi and Canglan Wusheng received the news at the same time. They exchanged glances, seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
Wan Zhaoyi's eyes flickered, then he revealed a smile: "Now I finally understand some of the grudges and grievances between the Empress and Zhang Ruochen. So that's how it is... so that's how it is..."
Canglan Wusheng sighed: "A year ago, I even asked the Empress for Zhang Ruochen's hand in marriage. Thinking back now, how ridiculous it was. How could their grudges and grievances be resolved with mere pleading?"
In the Eastern Domain, the Supreme Old Ancestor of the Murong Clan walked out from an ancestral mansion, gazing toward the Central Domain with Murong Yue.
Murong Yue's eyes showed joy: "Old Ancestor, His Highness has finally revealed his identity. Should we take action?"
The Supreme Old Ancestor of the Murong Clan, named Murong Yefeng, was the number one genius of the Murong Clan eight hundred years ago. He was Zhang Ruochen's only friend in his previous life and also his book attendant, often studying together with Zhang Ruochen, Kong Lanyou, and Chi Yao.
Because Murong Yefeng was the youngest, Zhang Ruochen, Kong Lanyou, and Chi Yao all called him "Little Leaf."
Although Murong Yefeng had lived for eight hundred years, he did not look old, appearing to be about thirty. His weathered eyes revealed a trace of reminiscence and a bitter smile: "Your Highness, since you have chosen to be the Sacred Bright Crown Prince again, then from now on, Murong Yefeng will continue to follow at your side."
In one of the Central Domain's nine provinces, Tiantai Province, both the Shangguan Clan and the Blood God Sect were thrown into great upheaval.
The saint-level figures of the Blood God Sect naturally knew that Zhang Ruochen was their Sect Leader. With such a major event happening, how could they not be shocked?
That very day, two Saint Elders immediately convened a council of elders to discuss countermeasures.
Because of the "Crown Prince Edict," the Shangguan Clan was also pushed to the forefront of the storm.
This was because the Shangguan Clan's old ancestor, "Que Saint King," had been the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor of the Sacred Bright Central Empire.
A Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince meant he was the crown prince's teacher.
Now that the Crown Prince had issued the "Crown Prince Edict," how should the teacher conduct himself?
In the Western Domain, Brahma Heaven Path.
The Grand Minister of Works and the Second Minister of Works received the news and were extremely excited, rushing toward an ancient temple.
The Grand Minister of Works ran as he spoke: "Master, our Junior Uncle is stirring up a big storm this time! He clearly wants to flatten the Demon Sect in one go. We have to join the fun."
The Second Minister of Works said: "The Demon Sect has many experts, and the Fire Clan has deep foundations. Our Junior Uncle is fighting a tough battle. Master, we cannot stand idly by."
Master Indra sat like a clay statue on a cushion, motionless.
The Grand Minister of Works had a roguish air, his two arms bare and his face flushed: "Our Grand Master was killed by the Empress—an irreconcilable blood feud. Master, why don't we rebel alongside our Junior Uncle?"
"Silence! The Empress has become a god. Who dares to rebel?" Master Indra scolded.
The Grand Minister of Works muttered: "The Empress has already left Kunlun Realm. She might have gone to the God Realm and won't return."
At Master Indra's level, he was very clear on how terrifying a god's power was. Even if Empress Chi Yao had left Kunlun Realm, the divine power she left behind could still crush all living beings.
The Second Minister of Works was more composed: "Our Junior Uncle has always been cautious. Knowing the Empress has become a god, he still dares to reveal his identity. That can only mean one thing—he has a backup plan to ensure everyone's safety."
The Grand Minister of Works exclaimed: "Could it be that the Qiankun Realm has already been born? In the Qiankun Realm, there is the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree. The cultivation environment far surpasses Kunlun Realm. As long as we enter the Qiankun Realm to cultivate, we won't have to hide anymore."
The Grand Minister of Works and the Second Minister of Works had gone with Zhang Ruochen to the Azure Dragon Ruins Realm to seize the World Spirit. They had heard Zhang Ruochen mention that seizing the World Spirit was to evolve the Scroll World into the Qiankun Realm.
Outside the domain, on a high-grade ruins realm, Death Zen Old Ancestor received Zhang Ruochen's message light talisman.
Death Zen Old Ancestor laughed: "Zhang Ruochen's favor is not easy to repay."
Mind Technique Buddha Master stood below, took the message light talisman, read its contents, pondered for a moment, and said: "The Demon Sect and the Fire Clan are both first-rate major forces, second only to the imperial court. Master, it's better not to get involved."
"If I don't repay Zhang Ruochen's favor, my sacred heart will have a flaw, and I will never be able to take that final step." Death Zen Old Ancestor sounded somewhat helpless.
In truth, even if Zhang Ruochen hadn't sent the message, Death Zen Old Ancestor had planned to find him to repay the favor.
Mind Technique Buddha Master said: "But Master has already sworn not to set foot in Kunlun Realm again."
"If my true body cannot enter Kunlun Realm, I can send a doppelganger. The doppelganger will carry the divine corpse. With the divine corpse's combat power, Zhang Ruochen should be satisfied. The sooner this matter is settled, the sooner I can step onto the true path of the great dao."
Death Zen Old Ancestor laughed again, put down the message light talisman, and a flash of Buddha light flickered on his body. Then, a doppelganger stepped out from within him.
Although it was a doppelganger, it gave the impression of having flesh and blood, extremely sacred, radiating Buddha light all over, no different from the true body.