Sovereign of the Three Realms (WN)

Celestial Emperor Skypillar flew into a rage, his breathing labored and his expression menacing. “How dare you spread such devious heresy, Crimsonwaters?” he snapped. “Take him away and throw him into the dungeon! Strip the key to the Divine Prison from him and divest him of his title! His territory will be taken over by a godking with integrity!”

His rage pushed everyone into action. A group of cultivators lunged like beasts at Crimsonwaters.

Godking Righteous was the first to shoot to his feet.

“I support Brother Crimsonwaters. What do we cultivate for? This is our homeland. Aren’t we honor-bound to prevent its doom? How prosperous was the world under Celestial Emperor Taiyuan’s rule? Look at what the realm has become. It’s weak, grim. You can’t all be blind to that, can you? Where’s your sense of justice? Where’s your conviction? Your courage?”

“I’ll put everything I have into supporting you, Brother Crimsonwaters!” The overweight godking pushed his way out of the crowd.

“Count me in.” The godking in blue was quiet, but his determination was clear in his eyes.

“Me too.” The thin godking rose as well.

The five of them had obviously reached a consensus in private.

Skypillar lost all control of his temper. “Good, good, good! All of you want to commit treason together! Take them all! Arrest them all! Who will help me subdue these cretins?”

A good number of godkings stood up. Darknorth was the most eager to please the emperor. Ninecauldrons also sighed. “No matter what, Celestial Emperor Skypillar is our supreme leader. Challenging him in public is challenging the seat’s authority, which I’ve always respected. I can’t stand by and do nothing.”

Skypillar held one of the seven keys, and among the other six keyholders, two had chosen to oppose Crimsonwaters.

Godking Greenwood sighed faintly. “What’s the point of this? I said the creation token is the important thing here. Why can’t you focus on that? I’m out.”

He withdrew from the conflict.

Whiteriver shook his head with a sanctimonious expression and muttered, “Why would you raise a hand against your own?”

Despite his words, it didn’t seem like he intended to intervene.

This made two godkings who’d decided to stay on the sidelines.

Skypillar smirked. “Take them!”

Godking Hoarfrost, who hadn’t said anything all along, suddenly opened blazing eyes. “Halt!”

His gaze was sharp enough to pierce the sky. Even Skypillar found himself breathing more quickly in response.

“What do you have to say, Hoarfrost?” Skypillar asked coldly.

“I would like to ask, what has Daoist Crimsonwaters said wrong? Wasn’t Taiyuan Plane a hundred times more prosperous under Celestial Emperor Taiyuan’s rule?”

There was a steely glint to his gaze that prevented anyone from meeting his eyes.

“All of you tell me, do you think the plane can still be saved?” Hoarfrost scoffed, levelling a look straight at Skypillar. “Even mediocre trash like you has taken the throne. That’s proof of how much Taiyuan Plane has fallen.”

“How… how… how dare you!?” Skypillar trembled with fury. He didn’t expect Hoarfrost would mock and ridicule him in person. That was a challenge against the throne’s authority!

“You called me a traitor, Skypillar, but I’m saving your hide. Don’t you think you’ve bitten off more than you can chew? Unless you’re the hand behind the scenes, how long do you think you’ll be able to stay on the throne? Don’t you feel the noose tightening around your neck? Releasing Celestial Emperor Taiyuan isn’t a threat to your power, but a way for you to survive! You should be thankful, yet you call upon others to kill Daoist Crimsonwaters. Is that head of yours empty?”

Hoarfrost’s sharp words stunned Skypillar.

Although he was the celestial emperor, he cared most for his own interests. What he worried most about was that someone would overthrow him.

However, would he be able to wear the title of a celestial emperor well given his level of strength? Based on the happenings of the past few centuries, the answer was ‘no’.

Current events proved his suspicions right. Clearly, no one took him seriously!

“Stop spouting nonsense, Hoarfrost!” Darknorth snapped. “There’s no reason that His Majesty won’t be able to stay on the throne. I support him with all of my being.”

“Haha, His Majesty is the rightful ruler before a new emperor is selected. I, Godking Ninecauldrons, support him as well!”

Each of the seven top godkings had their roles. It was disorienting for Jiang Chen to watch.

He could now say for sure that Crimsonwaters, Hoarfrost, and Skypillar weren’t the enemy.

Darknorth, who had been yapping as Skypillar’s lapdog, was unlikely to be responsible either.

That left Greenwood, Whiteriver, and Ninecauldrons as potential suspects. One or more of them must be the mastermind.

Jiang Chen had been keeping himself under tight control, waiting for the right moment.

The air was thick with tension. It felt as if countless blades were hung above everyones’ head, ones that could fall and reap their lives anytime.

As a result, no one dared make a sound or take a stand, despite many secretly missing Celestial Emperor Taiyuan. Just as the thin godking had expected, very few were brave enough to show their support.

Few, but that also didn’t mean none.

That was a good start. Perhaps all they needed to do was to stoke the fire.

Crimsonwaters stared at Greenwood and exclaimed with ringing tones, “You suggested the release of Celestial Emperor Taiyuan, Daoist Greenwood, yet you’re the first to back off. What are you planning? Troublemaker, and now a bystander. What exactly do you want?”

He seemed to have his suspect.

Greenwood smiled faintly. “As I’ve said before, I agree that Celestial Emperor Taiyuan should be released so that we can get the creation token from him. I’m not getting involved in the rest.”

What a cunning old man.

Jiang Chen found it more and more difficult to pin down Greenwood. He should be trustworthy since he possessed the Amaranthine Clouddew Tree. Father had also visited him before.

But father had never mentioned Godking Greenwood. Neither had he said that Greenwood was a confidante Jiang Chen could trust.

Whiteriver remained mysterious as well. He seemed to have his own agenda and was equally suspicious.

Ninecauldrons, on the other hand, was a hypocrite. Jiang Chen wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up being the hand behind the scenes.