In the throne room, Emperor Dan was listening to his advisors and suggesting solutions. The court continued for the entire morning, after which he stepped out with a calm bearing. However, right as he was about to walk toward his harem and have a relaxing time, he saw a scared yet urgent eunuch rush toward him.
A frown appeared on his face. 'What can be so urgent for a head eunuch to rush over?'
"Y-Your Majesty!" The eunuch quickly bowed down, his posture reverential.
"Speak, what's wrong?" Emperor Dan nodded and asked, the entourage of maids and eunuchs behind him glancing stealthily and curiously at the eunuch.
"This…" The eunuch glanced behind the Emperor, showing that he was afraid that this news was somewhat sensitive. However, Emperor Dan didn't care much. Was there anyone who dared gossip behind his back in the current Empire? None! He was the absolute authority.
"I said speak. Don't let me repeat myself three times."
His tone was low and imposing, making the eunuch feel tense. While sweating in nervousness, he stuttered the message out. "Y-Young Master Dan has… um…"
"Stop stuttering and say things straight!" Annoyed, Emperor Dan frowned and scolded the eunuch.
With determination to die, the eunuch spoke aloud. "The Young Master of the Prince Duke has slapped Fourth Princess Dan's face and broken her nose!"
Emperor Dan, who was annoyed, froze for an instant. "You said what?"
But the eunuch didn't dare repeat it. The Emperor, still thinking that he was having auditory hallucinations, asked once more. "Repeat what you said, and this time loud and clear!"
"The Young Master of the Prince Dume has slapped Fourth Princess Dan's face and broken her nose!"
"THE GALL!" The Emperor's face twisted, and his aura exploded outward violently. He, naturally, didn't care about anyone around him, and the several maids and eunuchs flew off, slamming against the walls and other decorations.
While he was in favor of spreading the Dan Family bloodline and even took care of his many brothers and sisters, that didn't mean that any of them were above imperial bloodline!
Just as he was about to storm off and get to the bottom of this, another eunuch arrived running. The poor man looked at the sprawled and bleeding maids and eunuchs around, and his steps faltered.
"If you've come already, do you think I'll let you go!? Spill it out!"
The new arrival blanched, but he still faithfully answered. If he didn't, he would die, after all. "Y-Your Majesty… General Fa is requesting an audience. He said to speak to Your Majesty the next words. 'The Fox has become too arrogant.'"
Together with the news he just received, Emperor Dan's face twisted into a cold sneer. "I see. So that's how it is. Guide me."
Did he think that this was a setup? Initially, he did. However, when he saw Princess Dan's in the distance with his Spiritual Sense, all doubts disappeared. The princess had not only broken her nose, but her skull had sunk inward at the front!
It seemed that the eunuch was careful not to overexaggerate things, fearing for his life!
"Good, good, good. I always thought that those inferior creatures wouldn't stay put for too long, coveting my position. Heh. You are showing your true face so early? Did you think that I wouldn't be prepared?"
As he walked down the corridor, his aura terrifying, no one dared to speak a single word.
Emperor Dan was many things, but everyone knew that his most noticeable trait was one: Paranoia!
If he even assumed someone was planning to betray him, he would instantly execute that person and his entire family. Therefore, in court, many enemy families actually tried to frame each other quite often.
Emperor Dan didn't want his empire to collapse. So, his killings occurred only after investigating himself. He knew that they framed each other, but sometimes, the framing would be like a blind arrow shot hitting a hidden prey.
Once he arrived at his Imperial Office Room, he saw General Fa kneeling respectfully in front of his desk. Emperor Dan sat down with a cold expression and spoke up. "Explain."
General Fa didn't raise his head. "The Fox and the Swallow are on the move. The Bull and the Sheep have yet to react, but they are paying attention. Only the Falcon seems indifferent."
Each of those names was used to describe Emperor Dan's siblings. The Fox was Prince Duke, the one with the most authority after himself in the entire family.
He, being the most talented and cunning, was quick to gain Ancestor Dan's favor. With him as backing, gaining his support to become the Emperor was not a problem in the slightest.
Of course, he was not the only covetous one. The others eyed his position like a hawk, but each of them had their own methods. So, according to his understanding, Emperor Dan gave each of his siblings a code name for his personally trained imperial guards to check.
With his spies, hidden guards, and General Fa acting as a two-faced spy, Emperor Dan sat on his throne quite comfortably. Moreover, having brought down the Luan Family not that long ago, everyone was relatively satisfied for the moment. No one was in a rush to act.
However, after Young Master Dan's move, it seems that his sister and brother were moving, two others glancing over, while the last kept his indifference.
"Since they want to test my bottom line, I'll help them. I just hope they don't end up becoming the next Luan Family." Emperor Dan sneered.
However, at this moment, someone stepped into the room. The man was an old, hunched man, his gaze murky and heavy. "Child. I didn't put you in your position to slaughter your own family."
Emperor Dan looked at the top powerhouse of his house and spoke coldly. "Then, am I supposed to wait for them to chop my neck before I act?"
The old man looked at Emperor Dan and spoke. "I don't have much time left. There are no other Fifth Realm powerhouses in our family besides me. Even when I am strong enough currently, that won't remain true for long. You and those five have a high chance of entering the Dantian Spiritualization realm. Each one you kill is one less powerhouse that can share your burdens in the future."
Emperor Dan understood that. However, he also understood his siblings. "That's true. But do you think that some of those greedy fools understand it? They probably think the following: 'It's just one less of us, how much could that affect us?' While plotting my demise. They are snakes, Ancestor, and you know it."
The old man didn't speak. After all, much of what Emperor Dan said was the truth. His eyes moved toward General Fa and asked. "What's the cause?"
General Fa answered swiftly and respectfully. He knew that this Ancestor was a no-nonsense person. "A beauty."
Emperor Dan and Ancestor Dan froze for a second, confusion flashing in their eyes. "That spoiled brat, Dan Rulong, has always brought beauties back. Never did he retaliate so harshly when Little Lan went visit him."
General Fa hesitated for a second before speaking. "This woman's beauty… she is no worse than immortals."
Ancestor Dan and Emperor Dan's first instinct was to sneer. They had seen immortal beauties in the past, and they recalled how soul-stealing their looks were. How could a mortal woman rival immortals who had gone through Heavenly Tribulation rebirth?"
General Fa knew that they were sneering at him. However, he had come prepared. He took out a single jade-slip and used it.
A three-dimensional image of Yasenia manifested, smiling as she looked sideways. Her dragon tail enchantingly surrounded her body, while her long, black hair was gently blown to the side by the wind.
Emperor and Ancestor Dan were instantly stupefied. They had thought that General Fa was exaggerating, but now that they saw her, they thought that he was instead selling Yasenia short!
Of course, an image from a low-level jade slip couldn't bring even a thousandth of Yasenia's true beauty to light. So, her appearance didn't affect anyone in the room. Nevertheless, her egregious, sinful body and the hint of innocence in her golden slit eyes were enough for the two Dan family members to understand.
"Little Xue probably wants to murder her, but Dan Rulong is against it. Right?" Emperor Dan asked.
And yet, to his surprise, General Fa shook his head. "That's… not the case."
Emperor Dan frowned. "I see that you are hesitant to speak. Why is that?"
General Fa sighed. "The following words are rumours, and I don't dare repeat them in front of his majesty. They are too insulting to your esteemed imperial bloodline."
Having spoken those words, how could Ancestor and Emperor Dan not have their curiosity piqued? Ancestor Dan spoke up. "Speak. Whatever you say next, you are under total impunity and my protection. Even if you decide to curse at us, we won't hold you accountable."
General Fa glanced at Emperor Dan. Seeing him nod while reaching for his cup of tea. General Fa spoke firmly. "Fourth Princess does not want to kill the beauty… Rumors say that she wants her for herself. Not only that… rumors say that Fourth Princess has cuckolded Young Master Dan with her."
"Pffft!!" Emperor Dan spat the tea he was drinking, his eyes widening to the extremes.
Even Ancestor Dan was showing pure incredulity in his eyes. "W-Why is everyone today speaking so many outrageous things?" Emperor Dan was angered, but having promised General Fa, he naturally didn't lash out to him.
Ancestor Dan glanced over toward the Prince Duke state and spoke up. "I'll go see this beauty personally."
"Don't kill her." Emperor Dan warned. "Since Little Xue likes her, I'll give her the beauty as a present. As for Dan Rulong, he can forget about it after slapping my daughter!"
Ancestor Dan nodded and rushed out. He moved through the city like a shadow, and soon, he arrived at Prince Duke's state.
What he had not expected was that before he stepped into Yasenia's room, a massive formation unfurled and covered the entire state. Ancestor Dan frowned deeply, looking around. "[Hundred Lotus Blade Killing Formation]... This is problematic."
The activation of this formation quickly made him realize that he had been too careless.
As he looked around, he saw three people appear with smiles. "Old Dan, it seems that being at the top has dulled your senses quite a bit. Who knew you'd fall so easily into our trap?"
These three were the other Dantian Spiritualization Realm experts in the Empire! And now, they had surrounded the strongest powerhouse.
Ancestor Dan's murky eyes showed coldness. "Was that beauty prepared by you? Quite generous to give up on her."
"Haha. You misunderstand us, Ancestor Dan. It was a mere coincidence… Who would've thought that such a beautiful pie would fall from the sky? She can serve our lineage later… After we've dealt with your Dan Family, of course."
Ancestor Dan snorted, summoning a cane-sword.