"This servant understands!"

Hearing this, Helian Guang understood the Old Emperor’s bottom line. That would make the arrangements much easier.

’As long as I operate within those bounds, there will be no issues.’

His attitude toward the Sects was not as hostile as Grandmaster Yan Hongwen’s, nor as conciliatory as Grand Protector Sikong Wenwen’s. He maintained a neutral stance, one that ultimately depended on the Emperor’s own position.

If the Emperor wished for friendly relations, he would support Grand Protector Sikong Wenwen. If the Emperor wanted to move against them, he would side with Grandmaster Yan Hongwen.

His actions were never swayed by his own opinions; he simply followed the Emperor’s wishes as always.

"What about the Sect members who escaped from White Jade City? Do they need to be dealt with?"

Helian Guang was referring to those who had fled. Some had already been captured, but a portion had managed to get away.

If they were to be targeted, more men would have to be assigned.

"Let the escapees go. It’s not worth the effort. As for those we’ve captured, leave no one alive. The reasoning is the same as before."

"If the situation turns sour, drag out Xu Chuan, the Vice Alliance Leader of the Pharmacist Alliance."

"The refining of Our Earth Element Supreme Pill failed. He ’helped’ quite a bit with that, so it’s time he paid the price."

"If he tries to flee the Capital City, capture him secretly. We’ll use his collection and the fruits of his life’s work to compensate for Our losses."

The Old Emperor, Yang Yu, was well aware of why the refining of the Earth Element Supreme Pill had failed. The sabotage had happened right under his nose.

The Vice Alliance Leader of the Pharmacist Alliance, no longer content with his position, had conspired with the Crown Prince and others to sabotage the refining process.

Although Lu Qianfan, the Alliance Leader of the Pharmacist Alliance, had admitted he wasn’t confident of successfully refining the pill anyway, the Old Emperor still placed the blame squarely on Vice Alliance Leader Xu Chuan. Since Xu Chuan had made a move, he was the one who would have to face the consequences. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

If Xu Chuan remained within the Pharmacist Alliance, it would be difficult to act. The Emperor would have to wait for the right opportunity, expose Xu Chuan’s deeds, and then arrest him to compensate for the losses.

If Xu Chuan tried to flee White Jade City, things would be even simpler. He could be captured in secret without having to wait for the right time. Later, when the Major Sects started to cause a stir, the investigation could be pointed toward the Pharmacist Alliance. Xu Chuan could be presented as having fled out of guilt, which would be a very convenient narrative to handle.

From the moment Xu Chuan and the others made their move, the Old Emperor had already planned their fates.

As an emperor who had reigned for many years, his mind was far from failing; he had his own calculations. Even with the political situation of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty in turmoil, he paid it little mind. He knew, with absolute clarity, that what the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty truly needed was a National Guardian Martial Saint.

The Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty’s ultimate deterrent, its National Guardian Martial Saint, was nearing the end of his life. He was the key to keeping other kingdoms and imperial dynasties in check. If Great Zhou couldn’t produce a new expert of the National Guardian Martial Saint level, it would soon face an all-out war. That would be true chaos—and a crisis nearly impossible to resolve.

Neighboring nations were already testing the waters, but they would remain restrained until they had a definitive answer. This gave him a window of opportunity to achieve his own breakthrough, but time was running out.

He held out little hope for the other Sects within the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty. After all, even if one of them produced a National Guardian Martial Saint, that expert would never be loyal to the Great Zhou Imperial Family. It was more likely they would overthrow the Imperial Dynasty and seize power for themselves.

This was a very real possibility; history was rife with such examples.

Once a Martial Arts Cultivation reaches the National Guardian Martial Saint Realm, it can no longer be countered by sheer numbers. When such an individual makes a move, they are essentially invincible unless confronted by an expert of the same level.

It would take them very little time to annihilate even a powerful faction.

"This servant understands."

Helian Guang nodded quickly. He now knew exactly how to handle these people.

’Advanced Pharmacists are precious, but these are the Sects’ Advanced Pharmacists. To avoid public outrage, they must all be eliminated. The blame will naturally fall upon the Crown Prince and his co-conspirators, as well as the Pharmacist Alliance.’

’The Old Emperor’s execution of the Crown Prince and the other Princes demonstrates the Imperial Family’s stance. The Pharmacist Alliance can then be targeted by the Major Sects, which will simultaneously force the Alliance to gradually become dependent on the Imperial Family and a part of its power base.’

’The Pharmacist Alliance previously appeared to be subservient to the Imperial Family, but that was not the reality. With two Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmasters and numerous Inner Masters, they already posed a threat to the Great Zhou Imperial Family. Their continued growth could not be permitted.’

’Restricting the Pharmacist Alliance, or better yet, bringing it completely under control, is the best course of action. The benefits for the Imperial Family would be immense.’

The Old Emperor was, naturally, a master of such machinations.

"Also, clean up the Noble Families in the Capital City who were close to the Crown Prince and the other Princes."

"Mm. Have the Six Gates deal with them secretly first. Handle it similarly to how the Sects were handled."

"This chaos in White Jade City can last for seven days at most. After that, order must be restored. So, make your arrangements, and don’t be slow about it!"

Old Emperor Yang Yu continued. It was both an order and a warning.

He would permit chaos in White Jade City for a few days, but not for long. During this chaotic period, those marked for secret disposal would be handled first. Anyone implicated later would be rooted out and dealt with one by one.

This two-pronged approach, both overt and covert, was the Imperial Family’s stance. It was also the explanation they would give to the Major Sects.

The Old Emperor wanted to weaken the Major Sects, but not to the point of provoking a full-blown rebellion. He was carefully controlling the situation.

"Leave it to me. I will not fail to meet Your Majesty’s expectations!"

Helian Guang understood Old Emperor Yang Yu’s intentions. He bowed low, his expression solemn and his tone firm as he spoke.

As the Old Emperor’s man, he could grasp the unspoken meaning behind his words and get the job done properly.

This was why he had been able to become a First Grade Official of the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty.

Loyalty to the Emperor was part of it. Understanding the Emperor’s thoughts was another. His competence was yet another, as was his cautious nature.

Together, these qualities were what had allowed him to reach his current position.

"Very well. If there is nothing else, you are dismissed."

Seeing this, the Old Emperor smiled with satisfaction.

When Helian Guang shook his head, the Emperor simply waved his hand.

"This servant takes his leave!"

Helian Guang bowed low, then backed out of Taihe Hall.

Only after leaving Taihe Hall did he dare to straighten his clothes and wipe the sweat from his brow.

His conversation with the Old Emperor had been brief, with few words exchanged, but he had to carefully dissect the meaning of every single sentence. The Old Emperor never spoke plainly; it was up to Helian Guang to decipher his true intent.

Today, however, had been less ambiguous. The Emperor had given a general scope for his orders, which was a relief. It would make arranging the manpower on his end much easier.

Even so, the constant vigilance and intense concentration had caused sweat to bead on his forehead—a rare occurrence for a master at the Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster level.

’If I weren’t in this cage, would I be like this?’