The plan was set. As for the specifics, he’d play it by ear, but having a clear direction was enough.

Three years thus elapsed slowly.

Jiang Huan left early in the morning everyday, and returned late at night with new information that deepened their grasp of the dangerous situation that Taiyuan Plane was in.

The rumor mill even bandied a possible name change for the plane at the next convention, shaking even Jiang Chen to the core. It took either a genius or a lunatic to come up with such a thought.

It’d be pure suicide, unless one had the strength to refine one’s own plane. Without the support of its creation token, the plane would be struck from the list of heavenly planes and withdrawn by the heavenly dao. There was no coming back from this calamity.

The previous so-called shattering of the plane simply referred to the disruption of the political ecosystem and Celestial Emperor Taiyuan’s fall from grace, while a name change connoted true devastation.

This really was no joking matter.

“We’re dealing with a lunatic.” Jiang Chen sighed with emotion. “If he can refine his own plane, why waste his time with Taiyuan?”

Jiang Huan said, “I’m dead certain he can’t. His Majesty is the only one in Taiyuan with that kind of ability. Wouldn’t it be more convenient and satisfying to create a plane from scratch? Why go down the shameful route of usurping someone else’s? Moreover, our despicable culprit’s waited for aeons, hiding in the shadows to this day without exposing himself. Countless celestial emperors have occupied the throne after the great shattering, yet he’s still biding his time!”

“Uncle Huan, how do you know he’s not one of those former emperors?”

“Heh, would they have willingly stepped down if so? Not to mention, some of them are already dead.” Jiang Huan was now up to date on Taiyuan’s history.

But Jiang Chen shook his head. “That’s too simple an assumption. There’s never too much deception in war. Perhaps he’s more cunning than you think. He might have occupied the throne once, maybe to test the waters? He then abdicated when he realized he couldn’t hold onto power for long. As for death, that’s easy enough to fake. I’ve seen too many examples to count.”

Jiang Huan grinned appreciatively at his junior. “Hehe, good! Exactly what you’d expect from His Majesty’s son! Your brain works much faster than mine. It sounds plausible now that you mention it!”

“Yes, no matter who’s the chief instigator, he or she will have to come out of the woodwork soon. Our most pressing advantage is the increasing number of godkings nostalgic for my father’s rule as Taiyuan continues to degenerate. Time is on our side.”

“Exactly. By the time you suddenly appear, proclaim your identity, and occupy the throne with your creation token, no one will be able to stand in your way. Many peace-loving godkings will join your camp, weary as they are of the endless turmoil.”

“And then, I’ll free my father to solidify the greater picture!”

Celestial Emperor Taiyuan’s whereabouts were one of the facts Jiang Huan had learned. In fact, they were an open secret.

Based on the young lord’s analysis, the culprit had deliberately leaked the information. It was a honeypot to flush out the celestial emperor’s former henchmen.

Despite the celestial emperor’s capture, his creation token hadn’t been found. It was possible he’d entrusted it to a confidante, so the bait might be aimed at the item’s custodian.

Of course, this was merely conjecture.

Jiang Chen wasn’t a hundred percent certain, but given his familiarity with human nature, it likely wasn’t far from the truth.

“Hehe, so we need Taiyuan Plane to become even more chaotic, don’t we?” Jiang Huan grinned from ear to ear. “Maybe I should go on a trip after the competition ends. It’s already a lawless jungle out there, so I might as well add fuel to the fire, eh?”

Jiang Chen immediately caught his drift.

He wondered whether Jiang Huan’s strength wasn’t higher than he’d originally thought. I’m at the ninth level myself, so he might be a godking? Or a half step godking at least.

That kind of strength was enough to create some waves and leave a trail of destruction in his wake.

……

On this day, Sectmistress Han summoned the sect’s four elders once again.

“Gentleman, I’ve already sent in our application. Tomorrow’s the day they’ll audit our strength, so I hope all of you will be in attendance.”

They nodded in turn as her beautiful eyes swept across each of them. As to Jiang Huan, he rubbed his nose. “What a shame, looks like I can’t go out to play tomorrow.”

“Who’ll supervise the audit?”

“Naturally the godking’s men. Godking Crimsonwaters is in charge of the competition, so he’s the final arbiter.”

Jiang Chen nodded.

Early next day, Han Shuang brought the four of them to the strength audit’s venue. On the way, she constantly encouraged them. “Elders, today’s a big day. You need to be at your best so we leave a good impression on the godking mansion. That might cause them to arrange a favorable schedule for us down the road.”

Expert at socializing, she was highly skilled at deducing people’s emotions.

The godking mansion was a vast structure. In fact, it resembled a sect. The participating sects all arrived early, ready to demonstrate their strength.

Han Shuang saw many acquaintances and received cordial greetings wherever she went. This was one of the advantages of a female sectmistress. In comparison, male-led factions usually bared their fangs at each other, as if playing a game of chicken.

Jiang Chen followed behind Han Shuang, his face serene.

All of a sudden, a malevolent pair of eyes landed on him. Unsurprisingly, it was White Drake’s little witch. Scowling, she growled.

“Brat, don’t let me meet you in the competition, or you’ll get what’s coming to you.” It was a threat, pure and simple, but Jiang Chen shrugged it off and paid her no heed. He thought little of White Drake itself, to say nothing one little girl.