Chapter 82: The Soul Returns

Chapter 82: The Soul Returns

"Warning! Warning! Soul dispersion detected! Activating protective protocol!"

"Progress of spatial body repair: 97%"

"Progress of spatial body repair: 98%"

"Progress of spatial body repair: 99%..."

"Ding! Repair successful! Returning to original plot point!"

As Lu Yan faced death, the long-awaited system notification finally rang in his ears. He secretly sighed with relief, feeling that the black heart that appeared before him was more comforting than ever:

"Take me back, System."

The flames swallowed Lu Yan's voice, but he knew the system could hear him:

"I want them all to live..."

Whether it was Shang Junning, the Emperor, or the countless citizens of Xianling, none of them should be casualties of this war. If he could return to the moment of his assassination, everything could still be prevented.

"Boom—!"

Dark clouds gathered on the horizon, and suddenly a black vortex appeared. Heavy rain poured down, accompanied by thunder and lightning, as if trying to extinguish the raging flames.

New sprouts emerged from the barren land,

Wilted peach trees sprouted new branches,

After the snow came spring, another cycle of seasons passed silently, heralding the passage of time.

Lu Yan woke up on such a warm summer day. He opened his eyes groggily, and the familiar golden-thread canopy greeted his sight. A maid knelt at the foot of the bed, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief. Startled, he sat up abruptly.

The maid was taken aback but quickly exclaimed in delight, "Your Highness, you've finally awakened!"

Lu Yan felt a splitting headache and subconsciously grabbed her wrist, asking, "What year is it now?"

Confused by his agitation, she stammered, "R...Replying to Your Highness, it is now the thirty-fifth year of Divine Splendor."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan released her and muttered to himself, "Thirty-five years... Thirty-five years..."

Did this mean the Emperor hadn't died yet, and Shang Junning wasn't dead either? But when he was assassinated, it was still the thirty-fourth year of Divine Splendor. How did an extra year appear out of nowhere?!

Realizing this, Lu Yan urgently asked, "Where is the Emperor? Where is Shang Junning? Where are they?"

The first question was easy to answer—the Son of Heaven was naturally in the imperial palace. However, the second question left the maid at a loss, cautiously asking, "Your Highness, have you forgotten? Chancellor Shang has already returned to Wu Yun."

This sentence struck Lu Yan like a bolt of lightning, leaving his mind blank. How could Shang Junning have returned to Wu Yun after he was merely stabbed and fell into a coma?!

"Replying to Your Highness, after you were attacked in the outskirts and brought back to the mansion without any breath, the Emperor searched for renowned doctors across the land and used countless rare treasures to save your life. Chancellor Shang stayed by your bedside day and night, not closing his eyes for days."

"Fortunately, it wasn't long before you finally woke up. But after you woke up, you suddenly changed your personality, once again enjoying capturing people and torturing them in the dungeon for fun, just like before. When Chancellor Shang tried to stop you, you didn't listen, and...and you even locked him up in the dungeon..."

Eunuch He knelt on the cold white marble floor, recounting the events of recent times: "Last year, the King of Wu Yun passed away due to illness. After Prince Yuzhang returned to his country, he ascended the throne soon after. In exchange for national treasures, he repeatedly requested the Emperor to allow Shang Junning to return to Wu Yun..."

Lu Yan slowly crouched down to meet Eunuch He's gaze, his face pale, struggling to utter a sentence: "Did Father agree?"

Eunuch He couldn't help but become even more sorrowful: "The Emperor was gravely ill, and no one was managing the major affairs of the court. The emperor had no choice but to lift the house arrest of Prince Guxu. Now he and Prince Nanxun jointly assist in overseeing the state. Chancellor Shang was also allowed to return with their consent."

Lu Yan closed his eyes, his heart roiled with shock. How could things have turned out this way? Could someone's evil soul have possessed his body during the time he was unconscious?!

Lu Yan felt a throbbing pain in his temples. He frowned and held his head, but suddenly noticed a bandage wrapped around his forehead. His movements paused: "How did I injure my head?"

Eunuch He hesitated before speaking: "You and Prince Nanxun had an argument in the hall and accidentally...accidentally got pushed down the steps by him and injured yourself."

Lu Yan: "…"

Forget it; since he kicked his balls, getting pushed back could be considered poetic justice. He wouldn't dwell on it.

Lu Yan had no time to worry about how many chaotic events occurred during the time his soul was separated from his body. Upon hearing that the Emperor was gravely ill, he suddenly remembered the poisoning incident involving Prince Guxu in his previous life. His expression changed, and he hurriedly rushed to the imperial palace with his entourage.

At that moment, Prince Guxu had just finished reporting state affairs to the Emperor and walked out of the bedroom when he collided with Lu Yan. Seeing Lu Yan, he was slightly taken aback, then regained his smile: "Third Brother, your head injury hasn't healed yet. What urgent matter made you rush into the palace so hastily..."

Without a word, Lu Yan suddenly took a step forward, grabbed Prince Guxu's collar, and leaned close to his neck, sniffing forcefully.

Prince Guxu's smile froze: "…"

#Lu Yan, the disgusting pervert#

Prince Guxu endured and barely maintained his smile: "Third Brother, what are you doing? In public, you should still..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a sharp pain suddenly struck his cheek, and he was brutally punched to the ground by Lu Yan. The imperial guards stationed around were startled and rushed forward to intervene, but they heard Lu Yan's cold voice: "Get lost! I'll see who dares to come over! Whoever comes, I'll chop off their head!"

The imperial guards could only watch helplessly as the two of them fought each other. Although Prince Guxu's martial arts were inferior to Lu Yan's, he wouldn't take a beating without fighting back. In the end, driven to anger, he started retaliating, but he was still firmly suppressed by Lu Yan.

Coincidentally, Prince Nanxun was rushing to the Emperor's bedroom with a military report when he unexpectedly saw Lu Yan and Lu Sheng fighting. He instinctively stopped and asked blankly, "What's going on with them?"

The imperial guards anxiously said, "Replying to Your Highness, Prince Fengling suddenly punched Prince Guxu for some reason earlier, and the two started fighting. We dare not disturb the Emperor. Please help restrain them!"

Prince Nanxun was secretly delighted. According to him, it was best for these two dogs to bite each other. But remembering that the Emperor was inside, he still had to make a show of propriety. He stepped forward, grabbed Lu Yan's shoulders, and pretended to mediate: "Enough, Third Brother. What's worth fighting like angry chickens over? Second Brother didn't provoke you. He's always been weak, so don't hurt him too badly."

Hearing this, Lu Yan turned to look at Prince Nanxun and asked coldly, "Didn't you push me down the stairs a few days ago?!"

Prince Nanxun was stunned; "I..."

"Bam—!"

Without further ado, Lu Yan directly punched him as well. The three of them fought in front of the Emperor's bedroom, creating quite a spectacle. Passing palace maids and eunuchs dared not look, and upon seeing the scene, they all lowered their heads and quickened their pace, leaving the area.

Emperor Jun was originally taking his noon nap when he was abruptly awakened by the commotion. He propped himself up in bed with one hand and, eyes still closed, pinched the bridge of his nose as he called out, "What's going on outside? It's so noisy."

Eunuch She had heard the ruckus long ago but hadn't reported it. In his heart, he felt that these three princes were becoming increasingly unruly, and getting into a fight to learn a hard lesson might be for the best. Seeing Emperor Jun startled awake, he now parted the curtains and stepped inside with light footsteps:

"Your Majesty, the three princes accidentally got into a fight just now outside."

To be precise, Prince Fengling was unilaterally beating up the other two princes, pummeling them as if trying to kill them.

Hearing this, Emperor Jun flew into a rage. "Rascals! How could they have gotten into a fight like this out of nowhere?! Have the Imperial Guards not separated them yet?!"

With Emperor Jun's command, the Imperial Guards finally dared to intervene. Before long, the three princes were brought in like criminals. Prince Guxu was the worst off, his face so bruised and swollen that his original features were unrecognizable; Prince Nanxun was second, with a large, purple bruise on his forehead; while Lu Yan was the cleanest, his face as fair and spotless as ever, still as endearing as always.

Seeing their state, Emperor Jun was so enraged that he felt dizzy, lacking even the strength to be angry. "You three never give Me a moment's peace!"

Prince Guxu was about to step forward to weep bitterly and pour out his grievances when suddenly Lu Yan lunged forward, directly reaching Emperor Jun's bedside. He buried his face in the blankets and began sobbing, a sight that would move any onlooker to tears. One might think he was the one who had been beaten.

Lu Yan pounded his chest as he cried, "Father… Waaah… Father… Your subject has finally seen you again…"

Emperor Jun felt strangely as if he was witnessing a mourning scene. "…"

"Speak up when you're done. What is this weeping and wailing? I'm not dead yet!"

At the mention of the word 'dead', Lu Yan suddenly cried even harder. "Your subject was afraid that you'd be killed by villains!"

His words stunned everyone in the room. Prince Guxu's expression changed dramatically. "Third Brother, what nonsense are you spouting? How could Father be harmed by villains?!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yan suddenly turned to look at him, his red-rimmed eyes filled with coldness. "Dare you say you didn't secretly poison Father? Dare you say that the incense you wear mixed with the medicinal scent in Father's chambers isn't toxic?"

Prince Guxu's face turned ashen, finally understanding what Lu Yan had been sniffing at earlier. But how was this possible?! How did Lu Yan suddenly discover it?!

Prince Guxu couldn't control the tightening of his hand hidden in his sleeve, forcing a smile. "Third Brother, I don't know what you're talking about."

Lu Yan grabbed Emperor Jun's hand and pointed to his bluish nails. "Father, haven't you recently felt exhausted and drowsy all the time? These are symptoms of poisoning! The incense he wears and the medicine you drink every day become a deadly poison when mixed together. It's just that the imperial physicians have been bribed not to tell you!"

The air in the bedroom froze due to Lu Yan's lengthy speech, making it hard to breathe.

Though Emperor Jun said nothing, his face grew unusually grim. He looked at the uneasy Prince Guxu, his fingertips trembling from extreme anger. He asked emotionlessly, "Second Son, is what Prince Fengling said true?!"

"Your subject…"

Prince Guxu's pale lips moved weakly, seemingly wanting to say something in his defense. But Lu Yan had shattered his plans, and Emperor Jun needed only to consult the imperial physicians to uncover the truth. Any further words would be futile.

After a long silence, a low laugh suddenly echoed in the air. It wasn't Lu Yan's or Lu Mang's, but Lu Sheng's. Everyone's expressions were subtle, wondering how he could still laugh when facing death.

Prince Guxu was particularly unwilling. Always presenting himself as warm and courteous, he stared straight at his father for the first time in his life. "Father, you've always favored him since we were young. Whatever Lu Yan says, you believe. Have you ever considered that Second Brother and I are also your sons?!"

Prince Nanxun, upon hearing this, quietly moved further away, fearing being dragged into the mess. This Second Brother, poisoning people was one thing, but on the brink of death, he still had to implicate others. Truly annoying.

Emperor Jun's voice was unreadable between joy and anger. "I'm asking you about the poisoning. Why do you evade the question?!"

Prince Guxu spoke out in frustration. "Yes! I did poison you! So what? Are you going to kill me? Imprison me? Use whatever torturous methods you have on your own son!"

Emperor Jun, who had spent half his life on the battlefield, remained calm even when faced with the collapse of Mount Tai. However, upon hearing Prince Guxu's defiant response, his vision darkened, and he nearly fainted. He pointed at Prince Guxu, his finger trembling. "You… You monster! You previously conspired with assassins to attempt murder, and I merely confined you to your quarters. I thought you would take it as a warning, but instead, you escalated your actions. What did I do wrong to have given birth to a monster like you?!"

Overwhelmed with anger, he spat out a mouthful of blood after speaking. Seeing this, Lu Yan's expression changed, and he quickly supported Emperor Jun. "Father, are you alright?!"

Eunuch She hurriedly shouted outside, "Quickly call the imperial physician! Hurry!"

The sudden turn of events caused chaos in the bedroom. The imperial physician, summoned urgently, rushed over with his medical kit to take Emperor Jun's pulse. He then carefully examined the remnants of the medicine Emperor Jun had drunk and the sachet Prince Guxu carried with him. After stroking his beard for a while, he solemnly said:

"This poison is called 'No Return to Wakefulness.' It's a secret medicine from the previous dynasty. Those who consume it gradually fall into a deep sleep each day, and as the toxins deepen, they can no longer wake up. However, because its effects are too slow, it was abandoned and eventually lost. I didn't expect His Majesty to have been poisoned with it."

Lu Yan's face was grim. "How can it be cured?!"

The imperial physician paused for a moment. "The ingredients for this poison are particularly rare, all difficult-to-find poisonous herbs. If my father were still alive, there might have been a way. My skills are insufficient, and using all my medical knowledge, I can only remove fifty percent of the remaining toxins from His Majesty's body. To completely cure the poison, unless…"

Lu Yan hurriedly asked, "Unless what?!"

The imperial physician slowly uttered three words: "Blood Toad Pill."

"This is a divine medicine in the world. Even someone with one foot in the realm of the dead can be pulled back to life. Solving this poison should be effortless. I remember that His Majesty's treasury happens to have one such pill…"

Prince Guxu, who had been kneeling in the corner without speaking the entire time, suddenly let out a burst of laughter at this, laughing heartily and freely. No one knew what he was laughing at except Emperor Jun, Lu Yan, and Eunuch She, whose faces gradually fell.

"Hahaha Father! Father! You didn't see this coming, did you?!"

The usually refined and elegant Prince Guxu knelt in the corner, laughing like a madman,

"Don't you love Lu Yan? You do love him, right? Aren't you regretting it now, regretting giving him the only life-saving pill to save Shang Junning? There's only one Blood Toad Pill in the world. Even if you turned the entire Twelve Continents upside down, you wouldn't find a second one. Hahaha!!"

Emperor Jun had privately bestowed the Blood Toad Pill on Lu Yan, a fact known by only a select few. It was unclear how Prince Guxu found out, but he was always a smooth operator with good information channels. Perhaps he had planted spies in the Palace of Ten Thousand Years.

As he was dragged away by the guards, he continued to laugh, laughing maniacally and uncontrollably, as if all the years of restraint and pretense had exploded out in an instant.

"Lock him up in the prince's mansion… Give him the same food and clothing as commoners, don't let him starve to death, and don't release him for the rest of his life…"

In the end, Emperor Jun couldn't bring himself to kill. Closing his slightly reddened eyes, he seemed to age significantly in an instant, sighing softly, "It's all fate."

The bitterness in his tone was evident to all, but it wasn't for the life-saving pill. It was for the sorrow of being betrayed by his own flesh and blood.

The one most affected was none other than Lu Yan. He clenched his teeth, never imagining that the pill he had begged for was so precious that it left Emperor Jun without a cure today: "Father… I… It's all my fault…"

Lu Yan's face was grim. "I'll go to Tian Shui immediately. They may have a second pill. Something as valuable as the Blood Toad Pill, if they wanted to keep it secret, no one would know. Since they were willing to offer it to the Immortal Spirit before, they must have more in private…"

Emperor Jun held Lu Yan's trembling hand, his tone suddenly softening, almost with a sense of relief. "Third Son, I've said it before, it's all fate. Though I am an emperor, I am also a mortal. How can I escape the great calamity of life and death?"

"As the heavens will it, I must accept it."

Lu Yan had already witnessed Emperor Jun die once before him and could not bear to see him die a second time. He tightly gripped Emperor Jun's hand and gritted his teeth. "Father, rest assured. Your son will ride post-haste to Tian Shui. No matter what, I will obtain another pill!"

Back when they were still at the mansion, he had secretly brought Gongsun Wuyou meat buns, sugar haws, lotus seed cakes, split pea custard, plum pastries, scorched pancakes, roasted lamb legs, and beggar's chicken. He should give him some face... right?

Prince Nanxun had been standing beside them like an invisible man for quite some time. Hearing this, he was reminded of something and looked down at the military dispatch in his hand. He hastily raised his hand and said, "Father Emperor, your subject received an urgent report on a red feather today, saying that Wuyun, Dongli, and Tianshui have suddenly gathered a million troops to attack Xianling. Their momentum is unstoppable, and they are now closing in on Longxia Pass!"

"What?!!!"

The news Prince Nanxun delivered was like a thunderbolt, stunning everyone and causing their faces to turn pale. The emperor pushed away Eunuch She, who was supporting him, and glared angrily at Prince Nanxun as he asked, "What did you just say?! Say it again?!"

At this point, Prince Nanxun didn't care if he would be beaten. He hurriedly stepped forward and anxiously said, "Father Emperor, Tianshui is responsible for supplying food and provisions, while Dongli and Wuyun are responsible for the strong attack. They've joined forces to rebel!"

Upon hearing this, the emperor nearly fainted from shock. Why did they choose to attack at this time, when he was seriously ill and unable to get up, and his two sons were foolish and incapable? How could they resist the three countries' joint attack with the strength of one country alone?!

Lu Yan asked incredulously, "They're going to attack Xianling?! Why?!"

Prince Nanxun looked at Lu Yan as if he were an idiot. "Nonsense, they'll attack if they want to. Do they need a reason?! When Father Emperor unified the twelve continents back then, didn't he just attack whenever he wanted? When did he ever give a reason?!"

Lu Yan: "...Damn, I'm so angry."

Prince Nanxun seemed to think it wasn't enough and stabbed another knife into Lu Yan's heart. "Father Emperor, in the letters sent by Dongli and Wuyun, they also said that if we hand over Third Brother, they might spare our lives when the country falls."

"Bastards!!"

The teacups and vases in the bedroom shattered all over the ground. The emperor, who was almost dead from anger, came back to life again from sheer rage. "They're trying to kill my heart! Back then, when I made them send their crown princes as hostages, now they're forcing me to hand over Third Brother! No way!"

Seeing this, Prince Nanxun couldn't help but feel a bit bitter. He thought to himself that Father Emperor clearly loved Third Brother the most. Handing over Lu Yan would kill his heart, but what if they handed him over instead?

Perhaps it would only hurt his kidneys.