CHAPTER 438

Lu Qing looked in the direction of the voice.

Not far away, a group of figures stood by a window in a tavern, gazing down at the street below.

Among them, two were familiar to Lu Qing: Wei Dazongguan and Yan Canghai, the County Magistrate.

As for the person who had just spoken, it was a young man around twenty years old, dressed in luxurious clothing. His facial features bore a striking resemblance to Yan Canghai. Behind him stood several guards with extraordinary auras, their presence suggesting mastery of Precelestial Intent.

Hearing the words of the lavishly dressed youth, Yan Canghai’s expression darkened.

“Seventh Brother, what is your true purpose for coming here? Surely it’s not just to laugh at my misfortune?” he asked coldly.

“What do you mean? We’re brothers, after all. Can’t a younger brother visit his elder brother without suspicion?” the youth replied with a teasing smile.

“Brothers?” Yan Canghai couldn’t hold back a bitter laugh. “The reason I was exiled here by Father wasn’t because of anyone else but you and our scheming siblings!”

“Now, Fourth Brother, you’re putting it unfairly,” the youth replied, still smiling. “We merely mentioned a certain secret, and you couldn’t help but probe Father about it, thereby violating his taboo. How could that be our fault? If your curiosity hadn’t gotten the better of you, would you have been sent here?”

Yan Canghai froze, unable to retort. He knew the youth’s words held some truth. His current predicament was largely self-inflicted.

After a long silence, Yan Canghai took a deep breath and said, “Fine, I won’t argue over the past. But enough with the word games—just tell me why you’re here. And with Father’s birthday approaching, aren’t you afraid the others will snatch his favor while you’re away?”

The youth’s playful expression turned serious. “It seems you still hold a grudge, Fourth Brother. Very well, I’ll get to the point.”

He straightened his posture. “I came here precisely because of Father’s upcoming birthday. I want to prepare a unique gift for him, and I need your help.”

Yan Canghai blinked, then sneered. “This impoverished backwater? What treasures could it possibly hold? And why should I help you? If there were any valuable items here, I would present them to Father myself.”

“Fourth Brother, you caused quite the uproar back then. Do you think a mere birthday gift can placate Father? He’d probably get angry just seeing your name,” the youth countered with a calm smile.

Yan Canghai fell silent. He was painfully aware of how much lingering anger his father held over his past actions. Letters from his mother often warned him to stay away from the capital until the fury subsided. Even his correspondence with her was to remain minimal to avoid reminding their father of his existence.

The youth pressed further. “You know as well as I do that without a royal decree, you cannot leave Cang County unless you renounce your royal status.”

Yan Canghai’s expression grew darker. Renouncing his status meant abandoning everything—not only his title but also potentially implicating his mother.

“So, Fourth Brother, if you help me this time, I promise that when I ascend the throne, I will rescind your punishment. You’ll be free to return to the capital or roam the world as you please. I could even grant you a fiefdom.”

“Ascend the throne?” Yan Canghai raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile on his lips. “Father is still in excellent health. Are you so certain you’ll succeed him?”

“That’s not for you to worry about,” the youth replied indifferently. “But I can tell you this much—I’ve recently gained the support of ‘Tian Lao.’”

“Tian Lao has pledged his support to you?!” Yan Canghai’s body stiffened.

“Indeed. And more than that, I’ll share another piece of news: not long ago, as the heavens and earth shifted, Tian Lao experienced a profound epiphany. He has now ascended beyond the Precelestial Realm.”

“Beyond the Precelestial Realm!” Yan Canghai exclaimed, visibly shaken.

“Precisely,” the youth said. “So, Fourth Brother, do you still think I lack the means to claim the throne?”

Yan Canghai’s expression turned conflicted. Tian Lao, the royal family’s most powerful cultivator, wielded immense influence over the throne’s succession. With his recent breakthrough, it was likely that many of the other clan elders would follow his lead.

Standing nearby, Wei Dazongguan was equally shocked, though he kept his emotions hidden. Despite hearing such explosive news about the throne’s succession, he still didn’t understand why the County Magistrate had summoned him here. Could it be to involve the Wei Family in the struggle for the throne?

After a long pause, Yan Canghai spoke. “What do you need me to do?”

The youth smiled. “It’s simple. I’ve heard that you and Lin Zhirui, the true disciple of Tianji Tower, are close friends. I want you to introduce me to him. I have a matter that requires his assistance.”

“You wish to meet Zhirui?” Yan Canghai asked, clearly surprised. “I didn’t expect this.”

He frowned, then added, “Zhirui doesn’t like meeting outsiders. Your request might be difficult.”

“I know that disciples of Tianji Tower are notoriously reclusive,” the youth replied, “but if you can introduce me, I’ll owe you a great debt.”

“What exactly do you need from him?” Yan Canghai pressed. “Tell me first, and I’ll judge if he’s likely to agree.”

The youth’s eyes flickered, but he quickly resumed his casual demeanor. “It’s nothing major. I recently acquired a map from a small, disgraced family. However, it contains encrypted messages, and despite consulting the finest experts in the capital, no one could decipher them.”

He continued, “The disciples of Tianji Tower are renowned for their vast knowledge. They are said to understand the heavens and the earth, capable of divining secrets beyond mortal comprehension. I wish to ask Zhirui to help interpret the map.”

“What kind of map could be so important to you?” Yan Canghai asked, his curiosity piqued.

The youth hesitated only briefly before revealing, “The map came from a minor family, but their ancestor was an extraordinary figure. Fourth Brother, have you ever heard the name Li Weitian?”

Hearing this, Lu Qing, who had been observing silently, suddenly understood. The faint unease he’d felt earlier while flying over the county now made sense.

The reason lay here.