Cultivation: Fortune by Lots-Chapter 393 - 226. Pure Yin Immortal Body

The current Crown Prince of the Great Tang Dynasty, Zhang Hui, was the son of the late Emperor Zhang Qilong.

Zhang Hui, the sole son of Zhang Qilong, had been established as the East Palace Crown Prince while his father was still alive.

However, due to the supernatural unrest in the Western Regions, Zhang Qilong suffered grievous wounds that could not heal. After returning to the Capital City, he managed to hold on for a period but ultimately passed away.

After the Emperor’s death, the Crown Prince was still very young, merely ten years old.

In this world of cultivators, such a situation could hardly be described by the old saying, "When the sovereign is young, the state is unsure."

Or rather, age was not the crux of the matter.

Even if he were still in swaddling clothes, as long as he was a cultivator of the Upper Three Heavens, others might have tacitly accepted his ascension to the throne.

Unfortunately, the Crown Prince was not.

So, in the end, his aunt Zhang Wantong ascended to the throne.

After the Empress took the throne, her first act was to affirm that Zhang Hui remained the Crown Prince of the Great Tang.

In the ensuing years, she neither married nor had any descendants.

Thus, the Emperor’s Skill within the Tang Imperial Court is currently passed down between the aunt and nephew, Zhang Wantong and Zhang Hui.

Lei Jun remarked, "Counting the days, has it almost been ten years since the late Emperor passed away? Hmm, nine years. The Crown Prince should be considered an adult by now, right?"

By age, he was nineteen and, from a secular perspective, naturally considered an adult.

But in the Cultivation world, and especially within the unique imperial family, so-called adulthood also depended on one’s Cultivation Realm.

This was particularly relevant since the Empress had once declared that she would eventually return power to her nephew, Zhang Hui.

"I heard from Shangguan that the Crown Prince isn’t particularly zealous about the path of cultivation. Instead, he’s deeply fond of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, with a particular preference for calligraphy and painting," Yuan Mobai said slowly. "As for his cultivation, news from the Capital indicated that the Crown Prince is currently at the Fourfold Heaven Realm."

Lei Jun raised an eyebrow.

A nineteen-year-old cultivator of the Middle Three Heavens, even among the Noble Clans and Renowned Families or Sacred Lands, could not be considered slow; indeed, one might even say he was a genius far surpassing his peers.

But for Zhang Hui...

To practice the Emperor’s Skill, with the nation’s destiny vested in him, meant the most notable advantage—besides being stronger than cultivators of other Taoist Heritages within the same realm—was a faster speed of daily cultivation. Even the Heavenly Moat Tribulation between major realms was easier to traverse, a phenomenon known as the Blessing of Mountains and Rivers.

Compared to previous generations of Emperors in the Great Tang, as well as recorded Emperors and Eastern Palace Crown Princes of former dynasties, Zhang Hui’s pace was not fast.

Furthermore, considering the recent Surge of Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Qi, which was beneficial for cultivators, one might even say his progress was relatively slow.

Lei Jun said, "He likes calligraphy and painting, eh? That sounds really..." Thought-provoking.

"With such talents, can the Emperor truly be at ease handing over the throne to him?" Tang Xiaotang asked curiously. "If she abdicates to become the Retired Emperor, how will the next Crown Prince be cultivated? Or is the current Emperor going to completely abandon the Emperor’s Skill?"

The subtle undercurrents between the Tang Imperial Court and Noble Clans and Renowned Families like the Qingzhou Ye Clan did not much concern Tang Xiaotang.

But when it came to matters of personal strength and cultivation, she had a clear understanding.

If Zhang Wantong insisted on continuing her practice of the Emperor’s Skill but still abdicated in favor of her nephew, there was only one feasible path: she would abdicate to become the Retired Emperor, allowing Zhang Hui to succeed her.

The consequence, however, would be that if Zhang Hui were to establish a Crown Prince in the future, that Crown Prince would be unable to practice the Emperor’s Skill.

The positions would be occupied by the Retired Emperor and the reigning Emperor.

Of course, Zhang Wantong could abandon the Emperor’s Skill and return to her original cultivation path. This wouldn’t affect her realm or cultivation level, but it would diminish her strength within that realm.

If Zhang Hui truly proved incompetent, it would signify an overall weakening of the Tang Imperial Court.

"Such matters are solely dictated by the sacred heart," Yuan Mobai said with a smile. He exchanged a glance with Lei Jun. Tang Xiaotang’s recent speculation was based on one crucial premise: that the Crown Prince and his aunt were completely of one mind.

Although it’s said that position dictates perspective, if Zhang Hui were to become Emperor, he would surely seek to establish checks and balances rather than unilaterally favoring noble families like the Qingzhou Ye Clan. Emperor Zhang Hui and Crown Prince Zhang Hui could almost be regarded as two different people, or even two different kinds of beings...

The problem was, Zhang Wantong was currently making strides that were too ambitious. If an emperor who didn’t fully inherit her vision ascended the throne, many policies would inevitably face compromise and rollbacks.

Of course, Zhang Wantong could choose not to return power to her nephew for the time being and continue at her own pace.

If being a Crown Prince for decades could drive ordinary men to despair, Zhang Wantong, if she wished, could very well let Zhang Hui remain Crown Prince for several hundred years.

In that case, however, what Zhang Hui might think would become even more unpredictable.

"For Our Sect right now, it’s best to adhere to the established strategy of rest and recuperation as much as possible. Unless absolutely necessary, we should avoid stirring up extraneous issues," Yuan Mobai said softly.

"Especially recently, we must pay close attention to any movements from Jiangzhou."

"Lin Che has returned, yet Shangguan hasn’t—it’s simply preposterous!" Tang Xiaotang exclaimed, her expression one of dissatisfaction.

Lei Jun and Tang Xiaotang likewise sighed.

After fuming for a moment, Tang Xiaotang suddenly smiled. "Master, to be honest with you, I’ve actually considered us taking a trip to Jiangzhou on our own initiative."

Neither Lei Jun nor Yuan Mobai were surprised by her words.

If not for the sudden news of Lin Che’s return to Jiangzhou, Tang Xiaotang would likely have become restless much earlier and headed to the Southern Wilderness to find Lei Jun and the others.

Now that Lei Jun and Yuan Mobai had safely returned to Dragon Tiger Mountain, Celestial Master Tang’s mind naturally began to stir with ideas again.

"Truthfully, if there weren’t some unsettling factors involved, I would support your idea this time, Sect Leader."

The usually more cautious Yuan Mobai mused thoughtfully, "Our Sect should not act rashly at this time. However, an unexpected, bold move might just catch Jiangzhou off guard, rather than waiting for Lin Che to be fully prepared before he comes to trouble Our Sect."