The morning bells and drums shook the capital, the golden palace towering above, shrouded in a haze of purple aura that seemed to radiate eternal authority. On the long streets, the crowd bustled, yet beneath the surface ran a subtle tension. Since the news of the bloody battles in Youzhou reached the capital, rumors spread like wildfire: some praised Li Tianyuan as the pillar of the nation's fate, while others whispered that he carried the Demon Cauldron, destined to bring disaster upon the empire.
Li Tianyuan rode into the city, banners fluttering, his guards arrayed around him. Yet despite the triumph, his heart remained heavy. The eyes of the people along the way—some reverent, some fearful, some muttering curses—wove together into an invisible weight pressing on him.
Before he could rest, another imperial decree arrived. The next morning, he was summoned with Qin Yue to enter the Golden Throne Hall and present himself before the emperor for the formal commendation.
As night fell, the palace remained brightly lit. Civil and military officials stood in their ranks, whispering among themselves. The urgent reports from Youzhou had stirred the undercurrents of the court into motion.
The Emperor of Da Zhou sat upon the dragon throne, his gaze piercing as it swept across the assembled ministers:
"The campaign in Youzhou—by now, all of you must have heard. Today we will deliberate on merit and faults, and clarify right from wrong."
No sooner had the words fallen than a censor from the left stepped forward, his voice ringing like a bell:
"Your Majesty! Though Li Tianyuan has fought with great valor, he carries the Demon Cauldron, a power beyond mortal comprehension! I believe he is unfit for such high office, lest he bring chaos to the court and endanger the realm!"
The statement struck like a stone in still water; murmurs immediately filled the hall.
Another general shouted in retort:
"Nonsense! If not for Inspector Li's battle against the Envoy of Dreams, Youzhou would have already fallen! And yet we stand here debating while our people suffered?"
"His martial merits are clear, but the source of his demonic power is unknown! Can Your Majesty entrust the nation's fate to him?"
"The realm faces peril! How can we risk destroying our own great wall?"
The ministers were divided, shouting until their faces reddened. Li Tianyuan stood quietly, listening. Each word struck his heart like a blade. He suddenly realized he was no longer a mere general; he had become a pawn thrust into the eye of a storm.
The emperor's gaze darkened. Raising his hand, silence fell instantly.
"I am fully aware of the battle in Youzhou," he said slowly. "Though Li Tianyuan wields strength beyond men, his service to the realm cannot be denied. This matter will be settled later."
Though spoken calmly, Li Tianyuan understood this was only a temporary calm; the true undercurrents were just beginning to surge.
That night, he was lodged in a guest mansion outside the palace walls. High walls and tight guards could not mask the chill in the air.
Late at night, Fu Yuan appeared silently, his robes barely rustling, eyes flashing like lightning:
"Every move you made in the hall has been watched by countless eyes. Those people do not seek your merit—they seek your life."
Li Tianyuan's gaze darkened.
"The Inverse Spirit Sect?"
Fu Yuan sneered.
"Not only them. High officials in the court are already in secret alliance with the Sect. By day, they sit in council with the emperor; by night, they feast with the Envoys of Silence."
Before the words even fell, faint sounds came from the roof above, like someone moving across the tiles. Li Tianyuan's eyes sharpened. In a flash, he leaped atop the roof.
In the moonless darkness, a black figure darted across the ridge, runes glowing faintly—an agent of the Inverse Spirit Sect!
Li Tianyuan roared, summoning the Cauldron's power into his palm. Gold light erupted like lightning, crashing down. The shadow screamed and turned into a wisp of black smoke, vanishing into the night.
Only a broken jade tablet remained, landing on the tiles. Li Tianyuan picked it up, frowning. Crimson letters etched across it read:
"The Holy Lord knows of your existence. The capital is not your refuge, but your tomb."
The next day, Mu Xueyin was summoned to the palace to receive her commendation for military service, yet her path led her to the guest mansion.
At night, Li Tianyuan sat by the window, turning the jade tablet in his hands, brows furrowed.
"Today in the hall… I saw you from behind," Mu Xueyin whispered. "You looked… so alone, it broke my heart."
Li Tianyuan looked up, momentarily stunned. The warmth and concern in her gaze cut deeper than any battlefield blade.
"Alone…" he smiled faintly, though it was bitter. "If I truly carry the fate of the nation, then my life belongs to this realm."
Mu Xueyin bit her lip.
"But you are still yourself, not just a pawn."
After a long silence, Li Tianyuan gently handed her the jade tablet:
"If one day I truly become a threat to this realm… what would you do?"
Mu Xueyin's eyes trembled, hands gripping the tablet tightly, her gaze burning with resolve:
"Then I will fight with all I have, to make sure you do not become that threat."
Li Tianyuan's chest tightened as he met her eyes, remaining silent.
In the following days, the grand ceremony to commend Li Tianyuan was set to begin, yet outside the Golden Palace, hidden currents were already rising.
Rumors spread like wildfire: some hailed him as the nation's fate incarnate; others claimed he was the Demon Cauldron reborn. The people whispered, soldiers wavered, even local garrisons began to doubt.
Meanwhile, the Inverse Spirit Sect moved like shadows through the capital.
At midnight, a black-clad man knelt in a secret chamber, whispering a report:
"The North Protector has reached Yanbei. All arrangements inside and outside the capital are complete. Once the Holy Lord gives the order, Li Tianyuan will become the target of all."
From the darkness came a chilling laugh, like it had risen from the depths of the nine nether realms:
"Let him fall in the glory he seeks. The Cauldron of Fate… will ultimately be ours."