Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 234 - 231: A Strange Phenomenon Descends, the Age Star Across the Sky

Chapter 234: Chapter 231: A Strange Phenomenon Descends, the Age Star Across the Sky

Great Yan Imperial City, Yunjing City.

In a corner of the imperial palace guarded by multiple layers of forbidden gates, sits the Cabinet that directly controls the life and death, fortunes and misfortunes of countless citizens of Great Yan.

Though it could not compare to the Emperor’s Golden Que throne, it still represented the apex of ministerial power during peacetime and was the ultimate target of every official’s lifelong endeavors.

At this moment, although the night had deepened, lights were still on in the Cabinet.

They illuminated a government official sitting before a desk, appearing not young, yet with pitch-black hair, and possessing a commanding presence even without displaying anger.

One of the four Prime Ministers of the Cabinet, that included the Great Scholar of Wuying Hall, the Great Scholar of Huagai Hall, the Great Scholar of Jinshen Hall, and the Great Scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, would stay in the palace overnight each day to be on call should the Emperor seek counsel.

Today, the person on night duty was none other than Xue Donglou’s father, Prime Minister Xue Jiexi.

He held the esteemed positions of Chief Minister, Young Protector, guardian of the Crown Prince, Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and was also the Great Scholar of Wuying Hall—the de facto most powerful individual in Great Yan’s officialdom.

Moreover, having consistently assisted the indefatigable Emperor Jianming, Zhou Wenrui, for many years, Xue Jiexi naturally also had a vast knowledge and was diligent in his governmental duties.

During his night shift, he did not forget to handle the documents and reports sent from various government departments.

"Report from the Imperial Observatory Bureau, there are indeed abnormalities in the Turbid River, fearing a once-in-a-century taboo: ’When the Turbid River suddenly clears, a great disaster will follow’ is about to happen.

We hope that His Majesty will make early preparations to prevent the Turbid River from changing its course and turning the northern regions into marshlands."

"Report from the Ventilation Department, despite my subordinates conducting secretive patrols along the Turbid River, they also keep failing to locate where the ’Green Seal Strange Immortal · One-Eyed Stone Man’ of the No-Life Dao is hiding.

Yet, they discovered many foolish men and women in remote and impoverished areas abandoned by the ’Dragon Qi Prohibition’, sacrificing their own children to the ’Dragon King’ for favorable weather.

With the ’Dragon Gate’ about to open, we believe that such anomalies must be investigated."

"..."

Xue Jiexi glanced through several encrypted reports with green covers, frowning deeply, and thought to himself:

"Zhou Wenrui has been issuing orders to vigorously search for information about the Turbid River and the No-Life Dao recently; he must truly be aware of some insider details regarding the ’Leaping Dragon Gate’.

But didn’t Yu Jiezi say that after receiving my message, he had already dispatched the Inverted Taoist to intercept and kill the White Tiger Elite Soldiers responsible for passing the message halfway?"

"Although Zhou Wenrui is ambitious and talented, rash and self-reliant, always thinking he is the chosen one, able to right the collapsing world.

His paranoia towards the monarchy, however, comes naturally.

Because of what I have done over the years, he probably has started to suspect that there is a traitor among the central officials, and no longer trusts many courtiers."

After much thought, he decided to categorize and organize these reports as usual and resolved to report them to Zhou Wenrui the next day.

Unaware of the implications of a prophecy:

"Leaping Dragon Gate, eating heart and liver, Flood Snake swallows the Holy Infant Pill! By the Turbid River banks, drums sway, Red Dragon falls at Yunhe Bridge!"

Xue Jiexi felt these were not any significant intelligence, not worth the risk of exposing himself to shield "No-Life Dao".

He could even add some baseless rumors, as long as he can hold out until next February, when Flood Snakes rise and devour the Red Dragon, establishing the major affairs of the "No-Life Dao".

"However, over these fifteen years, Zhou Wenrui gradually became more capable, cultivating generations of courtiers who could challenge me.

This false dragon’s wariness towards me is becoming increasingly heavy.

Knowing so many of his secrets, how could I possibly expect this cunning man to spare me in the future? I naturally have to strike first!"

Normally, Zhou Wenrui wouldn’t have had any opportunity to inherit the throne, and before his ascendancy, he naturally had no base within the court.

Relying on seizing Qingyan’s Dragon Scale Armor and accumulating enough Dragon Energy to meet the requirements of the throne, his support could only come from the subordinate officials of the Prince Mansion during his hidden mansion period.

As long as they were not too incompetent, most of these hidden mansion officials could climb to high positions, far more trusted than other courtiers.

But in recent years, the situation has gradually changed.

Xue Jiexi could clearly feel the turbulent undercurrents beneath his position.

Indicating that Zhou Wenrui was finding it increasingly difficult to tolerate his monopolization of power.

"Hehe, all the officials outside praise the Emperor for loving his people like his own children.

But since I witnessed the scene where you abandoned your imprisoned wife fifteen years ago, I knew clearly, the only person you love is yourself!

Anyone else can be used and discarded; don’t blame me for this."

Xue Jiexi stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the Imperial City in the night, his eyes electrifying and commanding.

"After next February, my son will rightfully be the Ming King, and I will no longer care for this Prime Minister position.

With internal and external support, I aim for much more!

It doesn’t matter if the Xue family is gone; losing accumulated wealth and armor over the years doesn’t matter either, as long as Xue Donglou and I are around, this world will one day bear the name Xue!"

However,

just at this moment, the clear night sky suddenly darkened, while a bright star in the southeast suddenly shone brightly.

For some reason, seeing this phenomenon made Xue Jiexi’s heart skip a beat.

"This is... a heavenly omen, what has happened?!"

The next moment, another official responsible for the night shift from the Ling Tai Lang of the Imperial Observatory Bureau stumbled into the Cabinet, rolling and crawling, and screamed:

"Disaster, in the southeast direction, an extraordinary event has occurred beyond the Heavenly Gate in the Cycle Star Mansion—a grand star passing by is the Tai Sui Star that dominates fortune and misfortune!"

The Age Star travels through the heavens, passing over Dengzhou Prefecture! Prime Minister Xue, come with me to meet His Majesty immediately!

For the time being, the extent of its impact is unknown, but anyone among the common folk who sees this star will not only find ’nothing advisable,’ but also great calamity looming over them!"

"Dengzhou Prefecture?! Is my son, Donglou, not in danger..."

Hearing the name "Tai Sui Star," Xue Jiexi’s heart surged with a heavy palpitation.

Even knowing that Xue Donglou still had a lifeline with him, he felt a deep chill throughout his body.

For that "Tai Sui Star" was the avatar of the "Heavenly Official–Black Tai Sui," and even a casual release of its power would render common Magicians and mortals alike insignificant.

...

Far off in Shanyang City of Dengzhou Prefecture, Wang Yuan and his group felt the intensity even more.

When they, guided by the saying "Three feet above the head, there is a deity," personally witnessed the bloody "nothing advisable" on the old Yellow Calendar.

The Tribulation Energy above Wang Yuan’s head immediately gathered at a rate far exceeding any prior month, explosively surpassing its former peak in the blink of an eye.

Suddenly, the ominous names surrounding the words "nothing advisable" on the Yellow Calendar gradually twisted into dozens of blood-red eyes.

As they constantly blinked and observed around, a blood-red beam of light suddenly shot upwards from the top, piercing through the floral hall into the high sky.

Immediately, the clouds above all of Shanyang City dispersed, leaving the sky crystal clear.

In the night sky, the bright moon and many stars all dimmed, except for one previously inconspicuous star that shone brightly.

It seemed to occupy the entire mid-heaven, yet its true form could only be seen within Dengzhou Prefecture.

That’s not right, because it happened to rain today, although the "Age Star" passed over Dengzhou Prefecture, its light could only be seen in Shanyang City.

In the eyes of Wang Yuan and his group, along with many demons and ghosts.

On that great star, red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, purple... and many more unnameable colors flickered, seeming to belong not of this world, flashing continuously.

All together, they formed an indescribable, colorful black!

Just a single glance filled them with contamination, gloom, depression, bad luck... and other negative feelings immediately overwhelmed their hearts.

As the light of the great star flickered, the frequency of the blood light on the Yellow Calendar gradually synchronized with it, as if an overwhelming spiritual message from heaven and earth was continuously interacting between the two.

This rendered the Yellow Calendar itself shaded in an extremely ominous black.

"Dharma Master, an... an extraordinary phenomenon from heaven? What... what does this mean?"

When Xing’er, the Fire Official, asked this, she failed to notice her teeth chattering uncontrollably.

Completely unaware, yet feeling an endless terror deep in her veins from that thing above the sky.

All the cultivators in this world know this.

For those terrifying Heavenly Officials hanging outside the Heavenly Gate, every heavenly phenomenon is not a superstitious joke but truly portends some kind of disaster.

One of the most famous phenomena is called "Ying Huo Heart Guarding"—where sparks of fire bring chaos and confusion.

The "Heart" here refers to the Heart Mansion among the twenty-eight lunar mansions, consisting of three stars, representing the Emperor and the princes, the most essential members of the Imperial family.

During "Ying Huo Heart Guarding," there is bound to be a great disaster, war, upheaval, and the abdication of the Emperor.

Another significant phenomenon is "Broom Star Enveloping the Moon," which when passing through the sky, covers the moon’s radiance, indicating plague and war.

Unfortunately, the current phenomenon is rather obscure.

Not only is Wang Yuan unaware, but even Lady Peach Fairy from a sect doesn’t know what this exactly signifies.

They do not know, but some do.

From the mouths of the three surviving disciples of the Xuankong Flying Temple across the mirror came a deathlike wail:

"The old Yellow Calendar is truly alive, borrowing the ’knowledge’ attracted mutually with the ’Heavenly Official–Black Tai Sui,’ intending to exterminate us, the Disaster Stars utterly!"

Lady Huaiyu’s eyebrows furrowed as she sternly exclaimed:

"Speak quickly, what exactly is happening?!"

"Taboo: nothing advisable, and engaging in activities will lead to taboo, a great misfortune!

Right now, whether we are walking, sitting, lying down, eating, drinking, sleeping... whatever we do, every moment invites a Killing Tribulation.

The phenomenon: as the Age Star crosses the sky, this effect is magnified to cover an entire district or prefecture. In this area, anyone who sees the Age Star will be dogged by bad luck and followed by the Death God, and may suffer bloodshed.

For others to survive, the only solution is to kill us, the Disaster Stars, causing the imbalance of Qi Fortune!"

Near Shanyang City, many demons and deceit monsters are likely already on their way.

This accursed Yellow Calendar probably intends to carry out a ’Killing Banquet’ as well!"

As soon as Master Qianxing’s words fell, aside from those corpses on the ground.

Including Wang Yuan, the instigator, a dazzling blood-colored rainbow light lit up above everyone’s heads, so bright that not even the rooftops could hide it.