The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 66: The Mess Was Coming

The Mess Was Coming . . .

The little princess remained grounded and unable to meet with Cha-Eun Xiao. Surprisingly, neither Zuo Wu-Ji nor Lan Lang-Lang came to visit him either. This raised Cha-Eun Xiao's curiosity, and he decided to take a break from his intensive cultivation.

After ten days of relentless cultivation, Cha-Eun Xiao had absorbed most of the excess frost qi in the Spaces. This absorption had caused the dominant Sky Space to become more subdued. Realizing the need to prevent further depletion, Cha-Eun Xiao decided to allow the frost qi in the Sky Space to accumulate for a few days before collecting it.

He descended from the watchtower, and the steward quickly approached him, inquiring about his progress. The steward was trying to be encouraging since Cha-Eun Xiao had been stuck at the third level of the Grade of Renyuan for years. However, he was unaware of the young lord's actual achievements.

Cha-Eun Xiao replied vaguely, mentioning that he was about to reach level 4, not specifying which Grade he was referring to. The steward was delighted by this news, believing that Cha-Eun Xiao was making significant progress.

Encouraging Cha-Eun Xiao to rest properly, the steward reminded him that cultivation required a balance between work and rest, taking it step by step.

Asking about any unusual events in the capital, Cha-Eun Xiao was advised to eat first, with the steward promising to provide updates afterward. He invited the steward, Uncle Song, to join him for the meal.

Uncle Song agreed and shared some information about the current situation in the capital. He drank with remarkable elegance and grace, impressing Cha-Eun Xiao. This steward was not an ordinary retired soldier; he exuded a sense of nobility.

When Cha-Eun Xiao inquired about the term "sensitive," Uncle Song explained that the capital was experiencing a sensitive period. He hinted at political turmoil and conflicts among the princes vying for the crown.

Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but wonder about Uncle Song's true background. His perceptive nature, elegance, and cultivation level concealed from Cha-Eun Xiao's sight hinted at a mysterious and formidable past.

Despite possessing the ability to estimate an opponent's cultivation level, Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't gauge Uncle Song's true strength. This indicated that Uncle Song was likely at a much higher level than him.

Uncle Song continued to share insights about the situation in the capital, mentioning the king's powerlessness in the face of the ongoing battle for the crown among the princes. It was clear that the auction had a significant impact on the political landscape.

"Oh, I'm quite intrigued. Please, do continue," Cha-Eun Xiao urged the steward to share more about the intricate web of politics in the mortal world.

While he had accumulated vast experiences and knowledge over his existence, Cha-Eun Xiao was acutely aware that his understanding of worldly politics was limited. His unique life experiences had kept him distant from the intricacies of mortal politics, making him eager to learn.

The steward began to shed light on the political dynamics within the royal court. It seemed that the king had been favoring the crown prince and subtly pitting the other princes against him. This strategy aimed to sharpen the crown prince's abilities while ensuring that he remained the favored heir to the throne.

"The king encourages competition among his sons, but he always maintains a delicate balance. He doesn't want the grinders to break the knife or the knife to consume the grinders too soon," the steward explained with a knowing smile.

"Politics," Cha-Eun Xiao mused, acknowledging the complexity of such schemes.

The steward continued, delving into the king's wisdom and the delicate art of maintaining this intricate balance. He spoke of the king's desire for the crown prince to succeed him in ruling the kingdom and expanding its territory. However, he noted that the crown prince lacked the necessary experience to fulfill these ambitions.

The interruption to the king's grand plan came in the form of the crown prince falling in love with a girl from the Mu Clan, one of the eight noble clans. This girl, while not the clan's heir, held a significant position within the Mu Clan.

The king had always been cautious of the noble clans, including the Mu Clan, and was initially against the marriage. However, he couldn't find a legitimate reason to block it without causing strife between father and son or straining relations with the Mu Clan, a powerful noble family.

Reluctantly, the king approved the marriage, leading to a sudden expansion of the crown prince's power. This shift diminished the influence of the other two princes significantly.

But those princes were not ready to concede defeat. As the throne held immense allure, they sought alliances with the other two noble clans within the Kingdom of Chen. Each prince proposed to marry a daughter from one of these noble clans, effectively rebalancing the power dynamics among the three princes. However, the situation remained fragile.

Cha-Eun Xiao absorbed this newfound knowledge, gaining insight into the delicate dance of power and strategy within the royal court. It was evident that the mortal realm's politics were as intricate and multifaceted as any cultivation world he had encountered.

Cha-Eun Xiao listened intently to the steward's explanations, realizing that the delicate balance of power within the royal court was indeed a high-stakes game with far-reaching consequences.

"In the past," Cha-Eun Xiao replied thoughtfully, "it was the ruling king who maintained this balance. Whenever one party became too dominant, the king would naturally step in to suppress their influence. However, it seems that the current king's control over the situation has waned. This lack of control could potentially lead to a crisis where all sides might suffer."

The steward nodded in agreement, appreciating Cha-Eun Xiao's grasp of the situation. "Exactly. The noble clans, despite their wealth and influence, never reached the level of authority commanded by the royal power due to the king's vigilance. However, with the recent marriages between the noble clans and the king's sons, they've achieved a level of integration they'd long dreamed of. This was like a dream come true for them. They eagerly welcomed the opportunity, even if they had to invent daughters to marry off."

He continued, recounting how the crown prince's actions had disappointed the king, especially since all three of his sons had married into noble clans. This had caused significant upheaval, but now, it seemed that the king had made efforts to redefine the powers of his sons and restore order. However, just as the situation appeared to be stabilizing, the unexpected auction had emerged, throwing a wrench into the delicate equilibrium.

Cha-Eun Xiao contemplated the situation. It was clear that the recent auction had disrupted the carefully crafted balance of power among the royal family, the noble clans, and the crown princes. It was a complex web of interests and alliances that had the potential to tip the scales in unpredictable ways.

"Indeed," Cha-Eun Xiao agreed, "the sudden appearance of the auction has added a new layer of complexity to an already intricate situation. It seems like we're witnessing a pivotal moment in the kingdom's politics." He couldn't help but feel a growing interest in the unfolding events within the mortal realm, realizing that he might be drawn into the intricate dance of power sooner than he expected.