Transmigrating over ten thousand years late, I was forced to become a mighty presence-Chapter 762 - 347: Mortal Path’s Punishment_2

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The once declining Great Yin 3rd Prince, Shen Yuan, suddenly changed his ways from his previous listlessness and decay.

After executing several servants in various Prince’s Mansions, 3rd Prince Ji Zhaoyang began actively visiting the noble families who had lost favor amidst the changing tides of the Imperial Court.

Within the Imperial Capital, rumors began to circulate among the common marketplace.

It was said that the 3rd Prince of the Great Yin Imperial Dynasty had exceptional talent and was fit to be a Mortal Emperor, having swept away all enemies at the All-Worlds Luotian Convention and earned prestige for the dynasty.

Yet such a capable figure was maliciously suppressed by the Crown Prince Ji Xuanyi and, under the instigation of treacherous courtiers, fell out of favor with the Mortal Emperor and thus lost his power.

After a period of decay, Ji Zhaoyang saw through fame and fortune and aspired to reorganize his forces and once again contend for the position of heir to the throne.

Upon learning of these developments, Crown Prince Ji Xuanyi immediately dispatched people to trace the source of the rumors and tried to suppress their spread.

However, this move not only failed to suppress the rumors but also served as evidence of Crown Prince Ji Xuanyi’s envy and jealousy, causing the rumors to ferment rapidly in unexpected ways.

The Great Yin was a Human Emperor Dynasty, and although the Mortal Emperor had an authority that could be considered supreme, he was not beyond being checked and balanced.

Especially when the Mortal Emperor did not have full control over the humanity fate, the will of the people could influence the Mortal Emperor’s decisions.

If one wanted to counteract the will of the Mortal Path, a tremendous amount of humanity fate would need to be expended, which was exactly what the puppet Mortal Emperor lacked.

Whether to serve as a warning to others or to conserve humanity fate to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, the Mortal Emperor ultimately decreed that both the Crown Prince and the 3rd Prince be summoned three days later.

All levels of society, from the civil and military officials to the nobility and even the common folk within the Imperial Capital, had the chance to view the proceedings outside of the Imperial City.

The announcement caused another stir within the ranks of the elite at the upper echelons of the Great Yin Imperial Dynasty, all holding their breath in anticipation of the summons taking place three days later.

...

Three days passed in a flash.

Dressed again in the python-motif robe that symbolized his status as a prince, Ji Zhaoyang strode out from the Prince’s Mansion and rode in an Imperial Carriage towards the Imperial City.

No one knew that Shen Yuan had been seated inside the carriage from early on, his thoughts swirling as he watched the Great Yin Imperial City draw near.

The Great Yin Imperial City was the heart of the Imperial Capital, also a hub of the massive Mortal Path Array that enveloped the 36 Territories of Jiu Province.

Just by approaching the city wall of the Imperial City, Shen Yuan could sense the almost tangible flow of humanity fate embedded in the walls, as if weathered by countless years.

Without the Mortal Emperor’s decree or an official rank, ordinary cultivators would be suppressed of all their cultivation just by coming near the Imperial City, and even a Void Refining True Monarch could not escape.

This was the most prosperous place of the Mortal Path; even an Immortal descending to the world would be cast down to the dust, a forbidden zone for sect cultivators.

Underneath the city gate of the Imperial City, there was only a team of Imperial Guards patrolling the area, the laxity of its defense somewhat beyond Shen Yuan’s expectations.

But after some thought, Shen Yuan understood the reason.

Without the Mortal Emperor’s decree and official recognition, any outsider entering the Imperial City would be seeking their own death.

The Great Yin Imperial Dynasty had stood for tens of thousands of years, and there had been tales of disorder within and outside the Imperial Capital, but none have ever spoken of chaos within the Imperial City itself.

Even an Upper Realm Heavenly Immortal would not hope to escape the suppression of humanity fate.

In the carriage, Shen Yuan’s Unity Realm Stage cultivation was almost completely suppressed, and under the formidable power of humanity fate, his Mana and Primordial Elemental Qi were lifeless.

Only the humanity destiny Shen Yuan wielded was cheering at this moment; if not for Shen Yuan’s deliberate restraint, it would have already broken free from his hold and taken over the Imperial City.

"The lack of suppression from Great Yin’s Mortal Emperor’s humanity destiny is enough to prove that this puppet Mortal Emperor has very little control over the Mortal Path’s destiny.

If it were not for his still holding the position of Mortal Emperor, the humanity destiny would have abandoned this puppet long ago."

Realizing this, Shen Yuan’s mind also understood why the Dusk Realm was in a hurry to make Ji Zhaoyang serve as a warning to others.

The puppet Mortal Emperor’s indiscriminate purge of influential courtiers had destabilized the dynasty’s fortunes, and the blowback left him unable to sustain power. Should he delay and be at a standoff with the nobility for much longer, his weakness might be revealed.

Only by dealing with Ji Zhaoyang could he stabilize the situation once and for all in preparation for the bigger picture involving the Primal Chaos Realm.

The carriage slowly proceeded under the city gate, with the patrolling Imperial Guards allowing passage without any inspection, not even seemingly as vigilant as the Little Clarity Void Grotto Heavens.

After passing several palaces, the carriage came to a slow stop outside Taihe Hall.

The gates to Taihe Hall opened, revealing only the vague figure of an imposing personage clad in a bright yellow Imperial robe sitting on the throne behind the hanging bead curtains, as if all of the Imperial City were gathered there.

On the road outside the palace, the full assembly of civil and military officials, nobility, and titled gentry stood on both sides. Nearly every influential noble family within the Imperial Capital had its hereditary titles, and those stripped of their official ranks could still appear here.

And around them, a multitude of projection Spiritual Pearls floated in the air, transforming the occurrences here into images that were cast towards the Imperial Capital outside the Imperial City, as well as the vast expanse of the Jiu Province region.

Ji Zhaoyang stepped out from the Imperial Carriage, with the Great Yin Crown Prince Ji Xuanyi, his face somber as still water, not far from him.

The two Princes of the Great Yin stood side by side, with myriad civil and military officials, and military bigwigs eyeing them, their gazes flickering with a hint of anticipation.

Ji Zhaoyang and Ji Xuanyi arrived outside Taihe Hall, both kneeling and bowing to the supremely majestic figure inside.

"Your son, Ji Xuanyi, pays respects to Father Emperor!"

"Your son, Ji Zhaoyang, pays respects to Father Emperor!"

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

The silhouette on the throne above did not reply, and only a suffocating silence pervaded the interior of Taihe Hall.

After a long while, Ji Xuanyi, as the Crown Prince, took the initiative and spoke:

"The court is in turmoil, and both civil and military officials believe a new heir to the throne should be established.

My younger brother believes that each heir to the throne in Great Yin’s history has been the most outstanding of the Imperial Family, and wishes to contest for the position of heir to the throne.

I take the liberty to request Father Emperor to set a test!"

Upon these words, the noble families and all levels of society respectfully saluted, calling out in unison to the puppet Mortal Emperor:

"Please establish an heir to the throne!"

Finally, there was movement from the towering figure behind the beaded curtain within Taihe Hall.

It was as if a sleeping local deity had opened its eyes, and atop the firmament over the Imperial City, a pair of huge eyes looked down upon the civil and military officials, as an incomparable, terrifying pressure thundered down.

A dry, monotonous voice filled with dignity rang out from outside Taihe Hall.

"The position of heir to the throne concerns the very foundation of the Great Yin, how can you take it so lightly?"

Instantly, Ji Xuanyi knelt down and pleaded, "Father Emperor, calm your anger! Father Emperor, calm your anger!"

No one could see that at the corner of Ji Xuanyi’s mouth was a trace of a barely noticeable smile.

Those eyes, transformed from the humanity fate, fell upon Ji Zhaoyang, who knelt outside Taihe Hall.

"3rd Prince Ji Zhaoyang consorted with traitors, thus punished by me, originally intending for him to repent and reform.

However, Ji Zhaoyang harbors resentment, spending years wandering in places of pleasure, utterly disregarding the dignity of the Imperial Family.

Such frivolity does not befit the contest for the position of Great Yin’s heir to the throne!"

Above the sky, golden thunder suddenly struck down, and the wrath of heaven and earth erupted, spreading an innate fear rapidly among the civil and military officials before Taihe Hall.

"Henceforth, Ji Zhaoyang is stripped of his status as the Great Yin 3rd Prince, his cultivation revoked, and he is to be thrown into the Heavenly Prison to await trial!"

Upon this proclamation, shock was written on the faces of all the nobles, unable to be concealed.

Although most of the nobles also thought the Mortal Emperor would favor Ji Xuanyi, at the very least, they expected a test to be given for the sake of appearance.

Who would have expected the Mortal Emperor to not even bother with appearances, directly stripping Ji Zhaoyang of his Prince status, revoking his cultivation, and sending him to the Heavenly Prison?

How could an ordinary person endure the tortures of the Heavenly Prison? This almost amounted to a death sentence for Ji Zhaoyang.

Under the gaze of those eyes, it was as if the thoughts of all the noble families were laid bare.

Since they had united to use Ji Zhaoyang to test the Mortal Emperor, the Great Yin’s Mortal Emperor simply killed Ji Zhaoyang, cutting off all their thoughts.

"He is after all flesh and blood, the most outstanding of the Great Yin Imperial Family.

Without committing any mistake, he was ordered to be killed off as a show of power; such ruthless methods, such a heartless heart!"

The people gathered could not help but feel a chill, and their eyes turned towards Ji Zhaoyang with sympathy.

At that moment, Ji Zhaoyang, who had been kneeling on the ground, stood up of his own accord.

"Your Majesty is not only a father but also a sovereign. When the sovereign orders a subject’s death, the subject cannot but die.

However, as a scion of the Great Yin Imperial Family, I refuse to die in such a filthy place as the Heavenly Prison."

Saying so, Ji Zhaoyang with a piercing gaze, articulated each word:

"I take the liberty to request Your Majesty, to use the Mortal Path’s Punishment!"