Chapter 872: Chapter 871 Pretending

Chapter 872 -871 Pretending

Guan Shanhai’s voice spread throughout the entire Imperial City, and everyone from the princes and high officials to the common people trembled upon hearing that name.

Even the children studying letters in private schools had heard the name “Meng Junzi”.

The patriarch of the Meng Family, who once competed with the Jiang Family for the world, and although the Jiang Family ultimately won and established Great Xia, the Meng Family did not end up like the losers of previous dynastic struggles, being purged. On the contrary, they thrived and became the foremost influential family in Great Xia.

This was in part because the patriarch of the Jiang Family held onto old affections, but more importantly, it was due to the profound depths of the Meng Family’s foundation.

The origins of the Meng Family could be traced back to the Great Yu Era, but at that time, the Meng Family was no more than an ordinary influential family. It was Meng Junzi, who became the head of the family at the end of the Great Yu Era, who really led the Meng Family to greatness and accumulated their rich foundation.

“Dao Friend Guan, harboring such heavy murderous intent isn’t very good,” said Meng Junzi, standing with his hands behind his back, exuding a poised and tranquil aura that dispersed the oppressive presence of the Immortal enveloping the Imperial City.

“You’ve really become an Immortal!” If before Guan Shanhai had been half in doubt, now he was certain that Meng Junzi had indeed become an Immortal, just like himself.

The appearance of Meng Junzi shocked everyone, including Meng Jingzhou.

Meng Jingzhou gawked at his ancestor standing above him, his mouth agape in astonishment.

No way, so the old patriarch has become an Immortal.

Man Gu was also quite shocked. He had only been in the Imperial City for an hour and had already encountered two Immortals. He knew that following Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou would enrich his experience.

Meng Junzi had only shown himself at the very beginning of Great Xia’s establishment; since then, he had never again appeared. People said that after losing to Jiang Pingan, he grew disheartened and sealed himself away.

Guan Shanhai thought the same, Jiang Pingan and Meng Junzi, these two geniuses of later generations, were too dazzling to ignore. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent students to teach at the Meng Family private school in his capacity as the headmaster of the Taixue Academy.

Originally, he had witnessed with his own eyes how Meng Junzi sealed himself and had his descendants bury him in the mountains of the Meng Residence.

It seems that the self-sealing was all a show for his benefit.

An Immortal need not seal himself away!

Guan Shanhai stared intently at Meng Junzi, trying to recall when exactly Meng Junzi had become an Immortal right under his nose and where the Immortal Ascension Tribulation had taken place.

Suddenly, he realized that Meng Junzi had become an Immortal ten thousand years ago.

“Back when Wu Yao and I both ascended to immortality during the nation-founding ceremony, you and Jiang Pingan did the same during your final battle, both becoming Immortals!”

“Who would have thought, for a hundred thousand years, you have never used the power of Dao Fruit, always pretending to be a Semi-Immortal. You really are patient, Meng Junzi, I truly underestimated you!”

With a slight smile, Meng Junzi replied, “You see, when fishing, one must always be patient. And look, hasn’t today brought some rewards?”

Guan Shanhai, who was always cautious and would avoid fighting if possible, believed that as long as he avoided conflict, he would never be defeated. For this reason, he sent Jiang Pingan away. If he knew Meng Junzi had become an Immortal, he definitely wouldn’t have appeared in the Imperial City.

Guan Shanhai, as if not hearing Meng Junzi’s challenge, let out a cold laugh, “When I sent General Yu to intercept the Immortal Peach, you didn’t intervene, watching passively as Emperor Xia faced his demise. You truly are heartless.”

This was a statement meant to condemn Meng Junzi’s heart. By bringing this up, Guan Shanhai intended to make it clear to everyone in the Imperial City that their so-called emperor was nothing more than a tool manipulated and calculated by Immortals, a revelation that could shake the emperor’s standing in the hearts of the people!

However, Meng Junzi was not in the least bit anxious upon hearing this and remained in his leisurely manner, “How can you be so sure that Emperor Xia is truly dead?”

“Or even say, did Emperor Xia truly have issues with his lifespan?”

…

“What do you mean by acting? Emperor Xia hasn’t died of old age; is there still time to send the Immortal Peach now?”

Fairy Eternity was still half asleep, continuing to yawn, eyes bleary: “Immortal Peach? Didn’t Miss Yun mention she only found one, and the whereabouts of the Heavenly Root are unknown? Such a treasured item, Little Yang, you might as well have it, considering Emperor Xia’s lifespan exhaustion is all an act.”

“An act?”

Lu Yang was taken aback; he had thought that ‘acting’ referred to Emperor Xia’s imperial funeral rites, but from what was said, even Emperor Xia’s lifespan issues were a fabrication?

Upon hearing the heightened pitch in the Second-in-command’s voice, Fairy Eternity finally became more alert and said, “If he was about to die, why would I have let him become the Prime Minister?”

“You knew from the beginning that Emperor Xia’s lifespan was a pretense?”

“Not from the very start, it was during those three months when I served as the Acting Sect Master, getting ready for the twelve-millennium celebration of the Seek Dao Sect. Remember the meeting at the Imperial Palace with Emperor Xia? It was then that I realized he was faking it.”

“But that was the first time you met him!”

This was something even Yun Zhi had not anticipated. Emperor Xia’s ruse could fool Lu Yang, the whole world, and even Guan Shanhai, but not Fairy Eternity, who possessed the Eternity Dao Fruit and the power over life and death.

Lu Yang recalled something.

It was Eldest Senior Sister who first told him and the Fairy that Emperor Xia was nearing his end, asking the Fairy if there was any immortal item that could extend his life. Fairy Eternity suggested giving Emperor Xia the Initial Form of Immortal Dao Fruit, thus making him the Fourth Housekeeper; after Eldest Senior Sister rejected this, the Fairy then mentioned the Immortal Peach.

Ever since the Fairy had met with Emperor Xia at the Imperial Palace, she no longer brought up the idea of making him the Fourth Housekeeper.

Not only did she not propose making Emperor Xia the Fourth Housekeeper, but after defeating the leaders of the Four Great Immortal Sects at the palace, she even suggested challenging Emperor Xia.

If Emperor Xia truly had little time left, Fairy Eternity wouldn’t have done such a thing.

Lu Yang understood; right from the start, this whole scenario was a trap laid for Guan Shanhai.

No wonder Eldest Senior Sister didn’t directly bring the Immortal Peach to the Imperial Palace but passed it to him through Man Gu.

Eldest Senior Sister had never intended to let Emperor Xia consume the Immortal Peach to extend his lifespan.

If Emperor Xia extended his lifespan, the Power of National Fate would remain with him, and Guan Shanhai would not have been likely to make his move.

The purpose of the Immortal Peach was to provoke Guan Shanhai into taking action, thus convincing him that Emperor Xia was indeed done for.

…

Guan Shanhai’s expression was so gloomy it could drip water.

He had not anticipated everything was a sham.

He had been closely monitoring Emperor Xia’s movements lately, observing him up close in the guise of Chancellor Qi, yet he failed to detect the emperor’s deception.

As a naturally suspicious person, the recent changes in Imperial City indeed resembled the dying days of Emperor Xia: the emperor had the Crown Prince pretend to handle affairs to test his capability, then the Crown Prince’s reluctance to inherit the throne, followed by Emperor Xia eliminating the Fourth and Fifth Princes, forcing the Crown Prince to ascend.

“Very well, very well. To think that Guan has spent a lifetime scheming against others, yet never imagined he’d be outwitted by you juniors!”