The commotion from Wu Ling and Tang Hao's battle had been too great. Anyone with a little strength or a high position could tell that the force involved had already surpassed an ordinary Titled Sage. Because of that, in just two or three days, intelligence about the site had reached the desks of various power holders. Factions with enough strength, such as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, even sent people to examine the scene. The Bone Sage Wu Ling had encountered in Soto City had gone there for that very reason.
As the crown prince of Polaris, Xue Qinghe naturally had information about the matter as well. A piece of soil from the scene had even been delivered to him.
One day earlier, when Aurelia learned that the site had been left behind by a battle between the Clear Sky Sage and a certain Spirit Hall figure, she sensed the lingering flame aura inside the soil and almost thought her grandfather, Lucius Cross, the Grand Consecrator, had personally acted.
In her memory, only a level ninety-eight or ninety-nine existence could create that kind of attack. As for the flame aura contained within it, only Lucius Cross's sacred flame had that kind of power.
But now Wu Ling had admitted it. Leaving everything else aside, that destructive power alone meant Wu Ling could already play a role comparable to Lucius Cross. Think about it. Spirit Hall already had a level ninety-nine Ruler. Now it also had Wu Ling, whose attacks could rival a Ruler's. If starting a war would not cause massive casualties, Aurelia might have wanted to unify the continent by force then and there.
"Mm. Although I said we are speeding things up, that is only relative to your previous plan," Wu Ling said. "To avoid alerting the enemy, Emperor Noctis's death date will be set two years from now. During that time, you still need to keep eating away at his authority and raising your own position."
Just like that, Emperor Noctis Winter of the Polaris Empire received his death sentence from Wu Ling with startling ease.
"I understand. But if it is two years from now, is this medicine a kind of dormant poison?" Aurelia asked, taking out one of the test tubes. The pale green liquid inside swayed in her hand.
Wu Ling smiled.
"No, no. Poison is already outdated. No matter how exquisite a poison is, there will always be a day when it can be discovered or sensed. Because of that, this is not poison at all. It is actually a powerful tonic. It simply nourishes a little too much."
Aurelia understood cultivation, politics, art, and many other subjects, but medicine, or more precisely the human body, was too profound, and she had never studied it. Because of that, she felt some confusion toward Wu Ling's plan.
She tried to understand what he meant. Although she did not understand the human body, she still knew some principles. After thinking for a moment, she said, "If the body is nourished too much, is it similar to excessive yang leading to decline, or things reversing after reaching an extreme?"
Wu Ling nodded and explained, "More or less. The human body can be called the most precise tool in this world. It can continue operating after suffering major damage, but it can also completely collapse because of one tiny malfunction.
"The effect of these potions is to greatly enhance the function of one specific organ in his body. At first, Emperor Noctis will not only be fine, he will even seem refreshed and energetic. But once enough time passes, when the other organs can no longer keep up with that organ's working efficiency, the body's collapse will begin.
"By then, even if a physician examines him, they will only find that his body is not weak, but too strong. It will clearly look like he ate too many delicacies and tonics. Because of the potions' effects, even if he later tries to adjust his diet, he will not be able to change the outcome.
"Of course, this plan has flaws. First, the effect is not obvious on powerful people. If someone is strong enough, they can adjust the organs inside their own body. But Emperor Noctis clearly does not fall into that category.
"Second, if Emperor Noctis panics and randomly seeks treatment, then by sheer luck consumes some immortal herb that can harmonize the body, or enough targeted spiritual herbs that can regulate the body, he could recover.
"Because of that, the plan has a second step."
At this point, Wu Ling looked behind Aurelia.
"Elder Poison, come here for a moment."
The Elder Poison Wu Ling referred to was Erasmus Graves. After joining Spirit Hall, Erasmus had been sent by Wu Ling to infiltrate the Polaris imperial household. And not only Erasmus. When Wu Ling came to Polaris City to find Aurelia, Chrysanthemum Sage Yue Guan and Ghost Sage Ghost had already arrived as well. Wu Ling had merely sent them to handle a few things earlier, and now they were regrouping here.
Wu Ling and Aurelia had been chatting in the pavilion, while the three Titled Sages had been conversing not far behind them.
Calling it conversation was generous. In reality, Erasmus and Yue Guan had been bickering, while Ghost quietly stood to the side. Now that he heard Wu Ling call him, Erasmus shot Yue Guan a vicious glare, then came to Wu Ling and Aurelia's side.
"Your Highness, what do you need?" Erasmus asked. While speaking, he glanced subtly at Aurelia. Although he knew Xue Qinghe was one of Spirit Hall's people, this was his first time seeing her true form.
Wu Ling explained the plan to him again. As someone who dealt with poison constantly, Erasmus understood Wu Ling's scheme at once. He would use a powerful tonic to throw Emperor Noctis's internal balance into disorder. When the time came, even if a god descended, the emperor would still have died because of his own body. Erasmus would be the final insurance and the fuse.
If Emperor Noctis ate some spiritual herb that could regulate his body after his condition began to decline, Erasmus, as a poison expert, would be summoned by Xue Qinghe to treat him. When that happened, all Erasmus needed to do was adjust the medicine slightly. After a period of silence, all that accumulated nourishment would erupt, and then... Aurelia would ascend.
After explaining the preparations to Aurelia and Erasmus, Wu Ling called Ghost and Yue Guan over.
"Elders, how did it go?"
Ghost answered without a word and handed Wu Ling several documents. In Polaris City, where there were no Titled Sages, the Spirit Emperors had no way to detect his ability. Because of that, the intelligence Wu Ling wanted had been gathered completely in very little time. Of course, part of it had also been taken from Salas, who was stationed at the local Spirit Temple.
Wu Ling received the documents and flipped through them casually. He made no attempt to hide them, and Aurelia could see everything simply by tilting her head.
"The Strength Clan? What, Wu Ling, are you planning to move against them?"
"Not just them. I have plans for all four clans under the Clear Sky Sect. Those who can be pulled in will be recruited. Those who cannot will be destroyed. For example, the Strength Clan. Their current patriarch, Goliath Brock, is a typical diehard loyalist of the Clear Sky Sect. There is only one ending for them."
After confirming that the intelligence did not differ much from his memory, Wu Ling casually tossed the papers onto the table.
"Perfect. We can use the battle between the Clear Sky Sage and me as an excuse. The Clear Sky Sage attacked Spirit Hall's Saint, and that intelligence was provided by the Strength Clan..."