Chapter 335: Chapter 226: Natural Heart Inquiry Bureau, The Contest of Daos Between the Two Princes, The Dao-Inquiring Trial of the Grand Thousand Canglan Map

’Times had changed. Other than that father of mine, I could now deal with anyone who displeased me.’

’Some things must be brought to an end.’

’Otherwise, he couldn’t stand having someone constantly dragging him down.’

...

「Imperial Capital City.」

The streets of the Imperial City were bustling and lively. A magnificent golden palanquin, adorned with Glazed Jade, appeared at the end of the street. It was followed by squads of iron-masked guards, making onlookers curious about the identity of its occupant.

It wasn’t until they saw the Python Jade Plate hanging from the front of the palanquin and the five Dragon Horses that everyone understood.

It belonged to a Prince or someone of higher rank.

Many interested parties followed, intending to find out just what the palanquin’s owner was planning to do.

"The Crown Prince has arrived!"

The iron-masked Armored Warriors cleared the way as the golden palanquin sped toward Prince Chongwen’s Mansion. Lu Mingyuan wasn’t accustomed to keeping eunuchs by his side, so that clear-voiced cry had come from Hong Wan.

"It’s actually the Crown Prince? What does he want, coming to Prince Chongwen’s Mansion?"

"Lately, there have been a lot of conspiracy theories about the Crown Prince. I wonder if they’re true."

"The innocent have nothing to fear. We’ll have to see what the Crown Prince does."

Lu Mingyuan arrived at Prince Chongwen’s Mansion in person. Peeking through the window, he discovered that the mansion’s main gates were wide open.

As if they were welcoming someone.

Four Maids disembarked from the carriage one by one, gathering around Lu Mingyuan.

Luo Ying was the first to notice that something was strange about the scene. She frowned and said, "Something’s not right. I can sense the auras of many experts nearby."

"Could it be that the Eighth Prince has already prepared a countermove?"

Yun Qinghe mused aloud.

Even Lu Mingyuan himself was filled with suspicion upon seeing the wide-open gates.

As everyone was busy guessing, a gentle and refined voice drifted out from the mansion.

"You really did come for me, Sixth Brother."

Lu Yunqing was dressed in a dark cyan Python Robe, a grey fox-fur scarf wrapped around his neck. His hands were tucked into his sleeves, and he exuded a gentle, scholarly elegance, a faint smile on his face.

The many Counselor Tributors by his side also revealed themselves. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"You must know about Gongyang Hu by now."

Hearing this, Lu Mingyuan seemed to understand everything. He chuckled softly. "You really have gotten much smarter than before."

Lu Yunqing continued speaking, as if to himself, "I was just thinking, if what Gongyang Hu said was false, you wouldn’t have come. Since you’re here, it proves that you do have some connection to the Endless Pavilion."

"At the very least, they are working for you."

"You killed Prince Jin too, didn’t you?"

’Lu Mingyuan hadn’t expected Lu Yunqing to have anticipated his move. Lu Yunqing knew that not killing Gongyang Hu was a way of fishing for him, yet he willingly took the bait. He did it precisely to see how I would react. If I didn’t care, I wouldn’t have investigated Gongyang Hu’s death, which would mean I had nothing to do with the Endless Pavilion. Since I did care, it showed that Gongyang Hu’s value was related to the Endless Pavilion, and I would certainly come to find out what was going on. Lu Yunqing’s mind had indeed become much more meticulous than before. He had improved greatly. At the same time, he definitely had more information than before. To be able to use Gongyang Hu to this extent was clearly the result of long and careful planning. I was a bit careless.’

Lu Mingyuan looked at the Sword-Carrier Slave beside Lu Yunqing and asked, "With all this pomp and circumstance today, what are you planning to do? A direct confrontation?"

"Or do you plan to kill me, the Crown Prince of Great Yan, right here on the street?"

"Or is it to sling mud and achieve some ulterior motive of yours?"

Lu Yunqing shook his head. "None of the above."

His gaze was calm as he said, "Sixth Brother, have you ever heard of the term ’Inquiry of the Heart’?"

"Of course. You want to perform an Inquiry of the Heart with me?"

Lu Mingyuan said, his eyes showing his surprise.

Inquiry of the Heart is a concept from the Confucian Dao. It is an examination of whether one’s path on the Great Dao is flawed. As a Cultivator, one must have a clear conscience and press forward with a firm will, never wavering.

Lu Yunqing continued, as if talking to himself, "My teacher said I am obstinately clinging to a flawed Dao. If I cannot take this step, I will never be able to enter the Tenth Realm, let alone the Eleven Realm."

"Since neither of us can convince the other, then today, let us use this Grand Thousand Canglan Map to see whose Dao—yours or mine—is right and whose is wrong."

"The Grand Thousand Canglan Map?" Lu Mingyuan felt the name of this Treasure sounded familiar.

’I think I just heard it not long ago.’

’I remember now. I think I was inside the Grand Thousand Canglan Map when I met the Yuqing Ancestor Master.’

Lu Mingyuan finally recalled having spent some time inside this map back in the Wilderness Cave Heaven.

He had heard that the Grand Thousand Canglan Map was an extremely precious ancient artifact from the Confucian Temple, painted a thousand years ago by the Confucian Temple’s Painting Saint.

It contained Great Thousand Worlds, each one remarkably realistic. There was always one that would appeal to a person’s heart, trapping them inside. It would cause them to become completely engrossed, leading to a psychological death.

With this Treasure’s power, even an ordinary Saint would fall for its trap.

Hearing this, Yun Qinghe, who was standing to the side, narrowed her eyes. "The Grand Thousand Canglan Map... Li Sheng must be trying to use this map to help Lu Yunqing completely restore his state of mind and will."

"It can be used like that?" It was the first time Lu Mingyuan had heard of such a thing.

Yun Qinghe warned, "This method is extremely dangerous. Throughout history, countless people who prided themselves on their firm Daoxin have tried it, and nine out of ten never came out. Using the Grand Thousand Canglan Map to reforge one’s Daoxin is like taking drastic medicine. But anyone who manages to emerge from the Grand Thousand Canglan Map will have had their Dao refined and sublimated. They become powerful existences capable of entering the Celestial Gate and achieving Ascension."

After hearing this, Lu Mingyuan completely understood Lu Yunqing’s determination.

’He truly, genuinely wants to overcome his Heart Demon.’

’And I am his Heart Demon.’

Lu Yunqing was unwilling to be his enemy, nor could he kill him. Therefore, his only option was to use the Inquiry of the Heart to vanquish his Heart Demon.

Yun Qinghe’s voice grew grave. "Your Highness, leave quickly! I will cover our retreat. He wants to use the Grand Thousand Canglan Map to set up a Heart Inquiry Bureau and gamble against you. It’s far too dangerous!"

’Is this one of the trials the Yuqing Ancestor Master spoke of?’

’The Six-Yao Turtle Shell isn’t reacting either...’

Lu Mingyuan’s worries completely vanished. He looked Lu Yunqing straight in the eye. "I can agree to your request, but you must grant me one condition: let the people behind me leave."

"No problem."

Lu Yunqing nodded lightly. His target had always been Lu Mingyuan, not the Maids.

"What are you thinking?!"

Upon hearing this, Yun Qinghe grew anxious, her pretty face turning pale.

She hadn’t expected Lu Mingyuan to agree.

Lu Mingyuan looked at her with a surprised expression and smiled. "Why are you so worried about me?"

Yun Qinghe clenched her teeth. "You idiot! I accepted your things, so of course I have to protect you!"

Seeing that the two of them seemed to be having a moment, Lu Yunqing reminded them coolly, "My teacher’s Heaven and Earth Chessboard uses all living beings as its pieces. Even if you wanted to resist, you couldn’t leave. Since Sixth Brother has spoken, you should all hurry and go."

’In truth, there was one more thing he hadn’t said. This was the last time his teacher had promised to help him. Ever since Lu Mingyuan inherited the position of Crown Prince, Li Sheng had never contacted him again. He had clearly been cast aside. His apprenticeship back then might have been arranged with a hidden purpose from the very beginning. He had taken the initiative to find his teacher to beg for this one chance to enter the map for an Inquiry of the Heart. He had to seize it.’

"Your Highness!"

"Your Highness..."

Hearing that Lu Mingyuan intended to face this alone, both Zi Yun and Hong Wan looked at him with worry.

"I’m fine. You all go back first," Lu Mingyuan replied with a smile.

He gave Luo Ying a look, signaling her to act and take the two of them back.

Luo Ying quickly followed his order, using a Body Fixation Skill to restrain the two and get them onto the palanquin.

Before she got into the carriage, she looked back at Lu Mingyuan, hesitated for a moment, and said one thing:

"Come back alive."

With that, she pulled the curtain closed.

Yun Qinghe, still by his side, also walked hesitantly to the edge of the carriage but didn’t get on.

At that moment, Lu Yunqing took a deep breath. Facing the Sixth Imperial Brother he had always admired, he summoned his courage and declared:

"Today, we will not only distinguish right from wrong, but also life from death."

"Sixth Brother, if you please!"

As soon as he finished speaking, from the great beyond, high above the clouds, a pair of dazzling Divine Eyes appeared. They pierced through the thick veil of the sky, looking down upon the myriad of living beings, the smoke and fire of the Mortal World, and all of its vicissitudes.

All living beings were like chess pieces on a board, and every person was a pawn.

An invisible finger descended from the void.

The world before them paused, and then its colors suddenly changed.

From a world of vibrant color, it transformed into a monochrome of black and white ink wash. The colors rapidly faded, sweeping across the heavens and earth.

Lu Mingyuan felt the world spin around him, everything suddenly turning upside down.

Just then, a figure in a green Daoist Robe darted out, grabbing Lu Mingyuan’s arm and trying to pull him out.

Her intentions were good, but she ended up being pulled into the Scroll World along with him.

...