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Can it be obtained now?

Two places, separated by hundreds of thousands of miles, are both deliberating over the same talisman paper.

It seems like a worthwhile bargain—clear conditions, explicit costs of use.

However... neither the Emperor within the Imperial Palace of the Capital City nor the Princess Royale stationed far away at the South Pass feels at ease.

Both are keenly aware that with these items, they could quickly break the deadlock. But... once the agreement is signed... it may lead to countless uncontrollable consequences!

Inside the palace, the Emperor stared at the talisman paper, hesitating for nearly two hours.

Time ticked away, and messengers continuously brought in intelligence, none of which was reassuring.

Either a prominent figure from a noble family had been lured to a Buddhist Temple, or groups of lower-ranking disciples from another noble family had traveled there together.

The situation in the Capital City was already becoming difficult to stabilize.

"Your Majesty..." Yun Yue bowed slightly.

"I realize that my position may not make it appropriate for me to hasten Your Majesty, but.

.. if you continue to hesitate, the soldiers within the Capital City may not remain intact.

As long as the Buddhist Temple exists, it will inevitably continue to lure your subordinates away.

You must act decisively, destroy the temple, or the longer you delay, the more harm it will do to you. .."

"The Emissary is right..." The Emperor took a deep breath and then said, "I’ll trouble the Emissary to step out for a moment. I wish to discuss this with the King of Qin."

Yun Yue showed no dissatisfaction at these words, faintly smiled, bowed again, and then turned to Princess Ziyue: "Your Highness Ziyue, I urge you to also make a decision soon.

The methods of the Evil Corpses are more troublesome than you might imagine.

My suggestion is... regain a certain level of strength and divine skills as swiftly as possible. "

Ziyue glanced at her. Although Yun Yue had presented credentials representing the Taoist Sect, Ziyue still felt unease deep within her heart. She ultimately shook her head and said, "I need more time to consider."

"Then I shall take my leave..." Yun Yue bowed once more and walked out slowly.

After Yun Yue had completely departed, the Emperor closed his eyes, while Ziyue waved her hand, summoning a barrier to envelop the hall.

"Chen Qing, do you think this plan is credible?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Qing frowned. "Your Majesty, it sounds plausible, but I have a nagging feeling it’s a trap."

"Haha..." The Emperor chuckled. "I feel the same.

But..." He looked outside. "The intelligence that has been constantly sent in just now tells me that among the noble families stationed in the Capital City, over half have already been influenced and swayed. If we don’t clean things up with decisive force soon, I’m afraid. .."

Chen Qing remained silent. He understood the Emperor’s concerns.

There was a Buddhist Temple within the Capital City and several more on its outskirts.

If they decided to act, they would inevitably encounter fierce resistance from subordinates who had already defected.

This situation required a swift and uncompromising purge.

The Emperor was a ruler of iron will, someone who ordinarily wouldn’t hesitate. But the current circumstances were extraordinarily complex.

The Buddha Kingdom held a powerful allure for living beings.

It was likely that many at lower societal tiers had already heard whispers of a "previous life.

" In such a scenario, if the Emperor relied solely on forceful suppression without offering substantial benefits, he risked sparking a mutiny among certain groups.

The betrayal of many, coupled with instigated rebellion, could still result in victory after suppression, but it would leave the Imperial forces greatly weakened. And if the forces of the Buddha Kingdom organized another assault afterward, could the Capital City hold its ground?

The items sent by the Taoist Sect this time were akin to a much-needed rainfall during a drought.

Leaving other matters aside, the elixirs they provided could be given to those previously excluded and told that these special elixirs could enhance their potential.

They could then be incorporated into the Ghost Army, gaining superordinary power and lifespans that extend for thousands of years.

This temptation was far more tangible and realistic compared to the uncertain promises of reincarnation, enough to retrieve the loyalty of the majority.

With such provisions in hand, the ensuing reckoning would greatly reduce damages—there might even be a chance to strike out first and dismantle the Buddhist Temples on the outskirts of the Capital City.

But the question remains... is it truly that simple?

"I understand Your Majesty’s dilemma. If you choose this path, I will fully support you during this period. I will exert all efforts to help Your Majesty defend the city and lend my aid!"

"The plan you mentioned earlier—if I delay now, can it resolve my current difficulties?" the Emperor asked in a low voice.

"No..." Chen Qing shook his head. "The supercomputer can merely create one batch of Super Life Forms. It can release Your Majesty’s latent potential and, at best, add King Xiang to the equation. With Your Majesty’s unleashed potential, there’s a high probability you could control the Dragon Vein and become the Heavenly Dao’s chosen recipient of the Dao Fruit of the Earth—a monumental breakthrough for yourself personally, but not for the empire.

Previously, the plan was solely focused on allowing Your Majesty to. .."

"...allow me to hold the fort here, fighting to the death on this side, while you devise a way to escape, correct?" the Emperor said quietly.

"Correct..." Chen Qing nodded. "If the plan succeeds, the strain in my body can be resolved in a very short period, giving me a way to return. At that point, I would unite with the army in Jiangnan to support Your Majesty. This was the path I had envisioned earlier."

"If Your Majesty feels this approach lacks assurance, you can also accept the Taoist Sect’s invitation."

"If I refuse it, can I truly hold out here relying solely on myself?"

"There’s indeed a chance..." Chen Qing lowered his voice. "However... it might cost the lives of many. If Your Majesty suppresses dissidents without offering any benefits, you risk losing the support of the people in the Capital City. The question becomes: which path will Your Majesty choose?"

"If I follow my own path, the monarchy will remain unbound by the Taoist Sect, but I may lose the current allegiance of these people. Your Majesty is the lord of humanity’s dao; if the hearts of the people are entirely lost, it could very well..."

Chen Qing did not elaborate further. He needed to objectively present the stakes.

If the Emperor were to stubbornly hold on, there could indeed be repercussions.

The Buddha Kingdom’s ability to sway hearts was astonishingly potent.

The Capital City was already subjected to immense fears and doubts, eroding trust in the Imperial Court.

Even the noble families’ offspring felt the same—most were living in constant fear.

Over time, if Chen Qing couldn’t swiftly return with reinforcements, it was highly likely that the Emperor would find himself entirely isolated and ultimately abandoned by the Heavenly Dao.

This was not beyond possibility...

"Which path do you want me to take?" The Emperor looked at Chen Qing.

Chen Qing was momentarily stunned, not expecting such a direct question.

He quickly replied, "Naturally, I hope Your Majesty will trust me. The content on that talisman paper is flawed; many of the Taoist Sect’s offerings are problematic.

If Your Majesty accepts them, future troubles will only multiply.

But since this involves Your Majesty’s life and death, as well as the survival of Great Jin, I cannot guarantee absolute success in returning before Your Majesty falls. .."

His response was equally candid. Absolute trust in him would mean relying solely on the Emperor’s resilience. Whether Chen Qing could indeed return to Jiangnan and lead troops back in time was a genuine unknown.

Could he achieve this? Even if he could, would he necessarily do so?

After all, the Imperial Army was stationed in Jiangnan. If he intentionally delayed and waited for the Emperor to perish, he could fully consolidate the Imperial Army for himself!