The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

The Old Jue Emperor perished amidst the tribulation lightning.

The Xuan Yang Court quickly began to dismantle the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race. "Those not of our race are sure to have different hearts." The brutality of the Grand Ancestor Emperor's war against the world's Demon Race was still remembered by the people to this day.

Dealing with the Xuanjiang Aquatic Race would naturally not be as violent as back then, but the process would likely be no less brutal—perhaps even more so.

Grand Tutor Xuanyang, Liang Yuan Kang, personally oversaw the operation, with the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Works in charge of execution.

As per the previous agreement between Liang Yuan Kang and the Old Jue Emperor, the Xuanjiang Merfolk were exiled to the South Sea, and the Xuanjiang Water Court ceased to exist.

There were quite a few members of the Aquatic Race who resisted, but they were all ultimately suppressed.

Everything proceeded smoothly.

As Bai Yuan walked along the Black Tortoise Great Path toward the Imperial Inspection Office, he happened to encounter a convoy.

In the convoy was an iron cage, inside which the Seventh Prince of the Merfolk was imprisoned.

Counting the days, it was just about time for this Seventh Prince to be executed.

Perhaps due to the Old Jue Emperor's death, the Seventh Prince of the Merfolk was like a walking corpse, slumped against the iron bars. He didn't even spare Bai Yuan a glance.

The Xuanjiang Aquatic Race was now completely under the Court's control.

For this achievement, Emperor Li Chengyuan would be remembered by later generations.

Of course, none of this had anything to do with Bai Yuan.

"Lord Bai."

The young officials of the Imperial Inspection Office bowed in reverence when they saw Bai Yuan.

Although Bai Yuan was still only the Left Deputy Chief Imperial Censor, his position was of the second rank. Coupled with the semi-retired Imperial Censor Zhang, he was now the de facto head of the Imperial Inspection Office.

Life was truly comfortable.

...

In the days that followed, everything returned to normal.

After appearing on the banks of the Xuanjiang that day, Elder Pei continued to stay at Bai Yuan's home.

Mr. Yuan, however, had vanished as if he had evaporated from the face of the earth, and there was no further news of him.

On this day, Eunuch Chang of the Ritual Department made a rare appearance at the Imperial Inspection Office.

Bai Yuan was somewhat surprised as he looked at the old eunuch, who was highly favored by the Emperor.

After arriving in the Capital City, he had gained a deeper understanding of the eunuchs who served the Emperor.

Civil Servants had a clear path for promotion, and so did eunuchs. To become a Chief Eunuch of the Ritual Department was a position no less prestigious than one of the Six Ministers; their Martial Arts Realms and authority were in no way inferior.

"Lord Bai, this old servant has come with a message from His Majesty."

Upon hearing it was from Emperor Li Chengyuan, Bai Yuan's expression turned solemn.

'Eunuch Chang coming to deliver the message in person must mean it isn't a small matter.'

Seeing Bai Yuan's serious face, the old eunuch smiled. "Rest assured, Lord Bai, it's good news. His Majesty plans to go to the Dragon Tiger Sect in three days to offer sacrifices to Heaven. Besides the officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Sacrificial Worship Office, he has specifically requested that you accompany him."

Only then did Bai Yuan remember.

During the Imperial Court session that day, Li Chengyuan had promised Elder Pei he would go to the Dragon Tiger Sect. He hadn't expected the Emperor to fulfill his promise so quickly.

Eunuch Chang said, "His Majesty thinks very highly of you, Lord Bai."

"Thank you, Eunuch Chang."

Bai Yuan showed no hint of arrogance.

In the Xuan Yang Imperial Court, apart from the overt Civil Servant Group, the military officers, and the various large and small factions, the eunuchs were a power that could not be underestimated.

Just as in history, when the Emperor was weak, the eunuchs were strong, and when the Emperor was strong, the eunuchs were weak.

Li Chengyuan was determined to be an emperor for the ages, so the eunuchs of the inner court naturally couldn't stir up any trouble.

Of course, this didn't mean one could afford to slight these eunuchs.

The Emperor resided high up in Jinluan Hall, managing countless affairs daily. It was impossible for him to know every little detail, so he would sometimes ask the eunuchs by his side. A single sentence from them could decide an official's fate.

Eunuch Chang had been in the palace for a long time; he spent even more time with the Emperor than the Six Ministers.

Li Chengyuan had praised Bai Yuan quite a few times recently.

As long as Bai Yuan's Martial Dao progressed, there would be almost no obstacle to him becoming a key minister of the Imperial Court in the future.

Such a person with a smooth-sailing official career was truly rare.

Eunuch Chang was pleased with his own judgment.

Although he had already become one of the Chief Eunuchs of the Ritual Department, he was, after all, an Inner Official. Many matters were inconvenient for him, but if he had someone to help, things would be much easier.

The Imperial Inspection Office was very close to the Imperial City, so Bai Yuan simply escorted Eunuch Chang to the palace gates.

The old eunuch chuckled. "Please, Lord Bai, you need not go any further."

Bai Yuan cupped his hands in a salute, then returned to the Imperial Inspection Office.

...

The great affairs of the state are war and sacrifice.

Offering sacrifices to Heaven was a matter of utmost importance for the Court.

The Dragon Tiger Sect was the Daoist Ancestral Court, a place of extreme importance, a conduit for communicating with the heavens. Every generation of Xuan Yang's Emperors would travel to the Dragon Tiger Sect to worship Heaven and Earth.

The Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Sacrificial Worship Office were the government offices in charge of sacrificial matters; they must have been swamped with work these past few days.

Three days passed in a flash.

The Emperor's golden carriage slowly departed from the Imperial Palace.

The accompanying officials and attendants numbered over three thousand, a truly terrifying figure.

According to the Ministry of Rites' plan, the vast procession of three thousand would first go to the Canal Wharf, then travel south by water to the Dragon Tiger Sect.

In ancient times when transportation was inconvenient, travel by water was undoubtedly the fastest method.

Bai Yuan was, of course, among the officials.

Most of the officials accompanying the Emperor to the Dragon Tiger Sect this time were from the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Sacrificial Worship Office. In addition, there were some senior ministers of great prestige and members of the Li Royal Family.

Aside from the one guarding the Southern Border, three of the four people on the Hidden Dragon List were in this sacrificial procession.

From the Imperial Inspection Office, there was, of course, only Bai Yuan.

"Lord Bai, that is Li Dai."

Bai Yuan followed Fanghua's gaze toward the side of the procession.

He saw a man with sword-like brows and star-like eyes, a Long Sword at his waist, riding a magnificent Demon Horse.

This was the mysterious Royal Family genius from the Hidden Dragon List, and also the first person to ever be on it.

Although Bai Yuan had been in the Capital City for some time, this was the first time he had seen this person's true face.

Fanghua said, "Li Dai reached Blood Tempering at ten, entered Jin at eighteen, and achieved Perception at twenty-eight. He is the undisputed number one genius in the Imperial Capital."

He quietly filled Bai Yuan in on Li Dai's situation.

After they had gone through a few things together, he had come to regard Bai Yuan as a close friend despite their age difference.

As Bai Yuan's position became more and more secure, fewer officials ostracized him.

Bai Yuan was astonished.

'That kind of speed is like using a cheat code.'

'He truly lives up to his name as the peerless genius cultivated with the full resources of the Li Royal Race.'

Unlike the imperial families of his past life, this world did not follow the principle of primogeniture. A weak emperor could not command the respect of the civil and military officials of the court.

To maintain their rule, the Li Family had no choice but to relax the conditions.

Any of the Li Family Members were eligible to inherit the throne; it was not necessary to be a direct descendant of the Emperor.

The current Emperor, Li Chengyuan, was one who had fought his way to the top from among tens of thousands of Li Family Members.

Therefore, it was highly likely that Li Dai would become the next emperor.

However, as a Grandmaster of the Mingxin Pass realm, Li Chengyuan had a lifespan of at least three hundred years. Any discussion about succession was still premature.

The Grand Scholar of the Wenyuan Pavilion, Situ Nan, who had previously clashed with Bai Yuan, was also in the procession.

This time, besides Emperor Li Chengyuan, Grand Tutor Liang Yuan Kang was also present.

A procession of this scale was a rare sight, seen perhaps once a century.

But Bai Yuan sensed that something was amiss...

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