Chapter 1008: The Soul Pagoda Descends
Chapter 1008: The Soul Pagoda Descends
These words truly stunned Wu Yu.
"So this is the real punishment. The kneeling just now was just for Prince Le to regain his dignity."
He was a little shocked, let alone the others. Even Di Yuantian had been blindsided by the Regent. The Regent forcing Prince Yan to kneel was typical of a squabble between children. Prince Yan had begged on his knees for forgiveness, and would not dare to do it again. And that was that.
After it ended, even Prince Yan had breathed a sigh of relief. And now his prince status was being stripped from him. This was a devastating blow that would take everything from him. And he was to be imprisoned in the East Region Divine Continent's Eastern Hell!
That was where the most blackhearted of criminals in the Yan Huang Tribe were kept....
Stripping his prince status meant that he was now an ordinary Dao Querying cultivator in the Yan Huang Ancient Country. And to be put into Eastern Hell for 100 years of misery meant that his cultivation level might not be able to rise much further. He had already passed the Heaven's Thunder Calamity, and this heavy blow meant that he might very well not survive the Hellfire Calamity.
As for the Mighty Wind, that was completely out of the question. It was unlikely that he could reach that stage.
Amongst the elder princes, Prince Yan was not considered the most exceptional, although he had always loved the spotlight.
After hearing this, Prince Yan was completely shaken. He looked at the Regent Di Shatian in disbelief, unable to believe his ears. He even stammered out, flustered, "Wh.. what did the Regent say?"
"From this day forth, let it be known. Because Prince Yan has plotted to kill his brother's Kingmaker, by the laws of the tribe, he is stripped from his prince status, and sentenced to 100 years in the Eastern Hell!" Regent Di Shatian repeated, louder. The news was well and truly out now.
"Impossible! I cannot accept this!" Prince Yan was completely undone by his fear, his wide eyes looking wildly at Di Shatian.
Di Yuantian frowned. "Regent, I feel that this punishment is too harsh. Throughout the ages, no prince or princess has ever been treated so harshly. It was a moment of folly. He made a mistake, but it led to no serious consequences. Such things are but the impulsiveness of the young. Youngsters are reckless beings, and such clashes are very normal. An apology and an admission is something both sides can live with. There is no need for such extreme punishment. If news of this were to leak, the entire Yan Huang Tribe's reputation would suffer."
A few of the older siblings of Prince Yan spoke up for him as well, echoing Di Yuantian's points. They, too, felt like there was no need for such harshness. Prince Yan saw a sliver of hope, and hurriedly kowtowed to Di Shatian, wailing, "Regent, I was wrong. I will never dare to do it again. Please give me the chance to turn over a new leaf...."
Papapa!
His forehead hit the ground again and again.
However, the Regent only continued to smile thinly at him, then he addressed Di Yuantian and the others. "Firstly, youngsters are reckless, but Prince Yan is not much younger than myself. He is no longer young. To do such immature things at such an age can only be described as regrettable. Secondly, if any of you think otherwise, please have your say when you are Regent. But as long as I am the Regent here, all will obey my words. And naturally the will of the Ancient Emperor."
His words were accompanied with a cool smile as he faced his whole family alone. There were even others who were older than he was, and of a higher status, and even past Regents, although none had held the post as long as Di Shatian.
When Di Shatian showed such ultimate confidence, it made Di Yuantian and the others hesitate. They naturally remembered their own objections in the matter of the Infernal Sky Pillar previously, but it had been the will of the Ancient Emperor. They could not read Di Shatian at all.
"The 10,000 Kingdoms Pilgrimage is starting soon. The time to defend the honor and glory of the Yan Huang Tribe is upon us. Such tumors amongst the royal family besmirches our reputation. They must be culled. If anyone else has an opinion, go to the Ancient Emperor."
Di Shatian finished. He had a marshal capture Prince Yan. The marshal was at least a seventh tier Dao Querying Three Disasters Realm cultivator, so capturing even the elite Prince Yan was not a problem.
Although Di Shatian had said to go to the Ancient Emperor, everyone knew that they could not even locate him. That was where Di Shatian had the final word. The more confident Di Shatian appeared, the more they hesitated. Because it implied that he was executing the will of the Ancient Emperor. If it were his own conceptions, then even without their protests, the Ancient Emperor would take care of him.
Di Yuantian and the others looked at Prince Le and then at the blubbering Prince Yan. The difference was clear.
One was young, composed, steady, and very talented. His future was infinite, and he had a following of equally talented youngsters supporting him.
One was old, rash, boorish. His potential was already mined raw, and he could not reach immortalhood. And he had not a single person like Wu Yu by his side.
The Ancient Emperor still had a long lifespan. He could definitely afford to wait. And the Ancient Emperor saw all clearly! They now understood why the Regent was so biased to Prince Le. It was because he could get near the Ancient Emperor and grasp his will. Or rather, directly execute the Ancient Emperor's will.
This heavy punishment on Prince Yan also demonstrated the Ancient Emperor's favor towards Prince Le. If they still could not see it at this time, they could not have survived so many centuries.
"Royal Uncle, save me, save me, please!" Prince Yan's tears fell like rain as he clung onto Di Yuantian's leg desperately, his voice reedy.
"You bear the consequences of your own actions. Love cannot save you." Di Yuantian's expression turned cold, and he raised a hand to shrug Prince Yan off. He left with speed, and the others followed him soon after, no longer wanting to have anything to do with Prince Yan.
"Royal Uncle!" Prince Yan was completely stunned. Perhaps he, too, understood at this time.
He looked at Prince Le, who met his gaze neutrally. Although there was a difference in their powers, their influence was the same.
"Go to hell!" Prince Yan suddenly lost it. He was about to attack Prince Le, but Di Shatian would never let him. The marshal subdued him with a dao treasure. If Wu Yu guessed right, they might very well be using a seraphic dao treasure!
A tier higher than advanced dao treasures.
"Prepare well." Di Shatian gave a nod and a parting shot to Prince Le, then took the captured Prince Yan away. As they left, Prince Yan truly crumbled. He might not be alive in 100 years, and the world would be a different place then.
After which, the Regent and the others left quickly as well. After news of Prince Yan had spread, and that he had vanished from the Immortal's Capital, news of him would probably still be circulated for many years.
Only Wu Yu and the others were left in Prince Le's Residence now.
"In truth, I was a little startled myself. The Regent was too harsh this time...." Prince Le said with a wince towards Wu Yu.
"It's truly hard to understand what the Regent is brewing." Wu Yu concurred.
Prince Le said, "You know what will happen when news of this gets out, right?"
Wu Yu considered this. "The news of the Ancient Emperor being rather unremarkable in his youth already made you a subject of discussion. This preferential treatment of Prince Yan's harsh treatment will only raise your profile higher. You seem like the chosen one, and you'll definitely be subject to more attention, especially from the other hungry-eyed princes and princesses. Those at the 10,000 Kingdoms Pilgrimage will also pay extra attention to you and might even try to beat you down to challenge the Yan Huang Tribe."
This was why Prince Le had winced.
Although Prince Yan had been stripped of his status and imprisoned for 100 years, which was a good thing, a closer look showed that even Di Yuantian and the others were starting to pay special attention to Prince Le, let alone the world.
"In less than three days, the entire Yan Huang Ancient Country, perhaps even the entire Jambu Realm, will be discussing you, Prince Le." The Full Moon of Nanshan chuckled.
"Wu Yu, do you see this as good or bad?" Prince Le did not seem too reassured.
Wu Yu said, "It's not easy to say. After all, everything depends on the Ancient Emperor. We are but common people, and can only submit to fate. But in any case, fight as hard as you can."
His true feelings were different, but these words were for Prince Le. After all, it did not matter what he said at this point. The Regent had already pushed them to the spotlight, and they lived there now.
"Sound words." Prince Le was in full agreement.
The 10,000 Kingdoms Pilgrimage was almost here. It was said that the foreign tribes would stream in from the various countries within the next few days. They would enter the ancient borders. In order to prevent anyone from using the opportunity to carry out mischief, the various armies of the Yan Huang Ancient Country, as well as the provincial guards and city guards, were all on alert.
Wu Yu was still talking to Prince Le when a huge commotion started in the sky above. Wu Yu heard a deafening sound, as though countless bees were beating their wings by his ears.
Looking up, he saw that the dense spiritual qi of the Immortal's Capital was accumulating in the skies above. A huge, black figure appeared, shadowy behind the cover of the clouds. It was huge, and the shadow that it cast was as big as a castle. It was at least a tenth of the Immortal's Capital's size. Roughly the size of the royal city.
Wu Yu used his Eyes of Fire and Gold and saw that it was a huge, flat, black surface, currently descending like a gigantic seal. But as this seal passed through the clouds, Wu Yu realized that it was a pagoda's base. Which meant that the mammoth structure currently descending was actually a huge pagoda.
Wu Yu suddenly recalled a name.
Ancient Soul Tower.