After pondering Zuo Yuanhao's words carefully, everyone seemed to think he might indeed have a point.

This time, the war in West State had made such a commotion, yet it seemed that the Fourth Prince and the War God were the ones truly in control!

As the Emperor of the Tianyuan Dynasty, the Ice Emperor, astonishingly, had remained silent!

This was too strange!

"Yuanhao, what do you mean?" Zhou Yang asked, as he had already started gleaning some implications in his mind.

Seeing everyone's gaze directed at him, Zuo Yuanhao decided not to keep them in suspense and said, "I personally feel that the Ice Emperor has already begun to guard against the Fourth Prince."

"As for us, it appears that the Ice Emperor wants to use us as a chess piece to counterbalance the Fourth Prince, who is currently somewhat dominating. That's precisely why, as you can see, we fought a great battle with the War God and even allied with the Demon Clan, yet the Ice Emperor has not issued a decree labeling us as rebel forces. This is peculiar, especially when compared with the Ice Emperor's previous actions against the Martial King."

Zuo Yuanhao's analysis was meticulous; Qin Tian thought it over carefully, realizing it did make sense.

The Ninth Prince and the Crown Prince were successively defeated by the Fourth Prince.

The Martial King was also orchestrated to ruin by the Ice Emperor's schemes.

Currently, no one seemed capable of challenging the Fourth Prince, and the Ice Emperor must indeed be apprehensive. Although the Fourth Prince is his son, what if one day the Fourth Prince amassed too much power and desired to become Emperor prematurely?

Therefore, Qin Tian suspected that the Ice Emperor intended to keep Qin Tian and his group as chess pieces to balance against the Fourth Prince, ensuring the Fourth Prince could not dominate entirely and overshadow the sky by himself, thereby allowing the Ice Emperor to maintain control.

It's just probable that the Ice Emperor did not foresee that the War God, at the most critical moment, would emerge to assist the Fourth Prince, and do so with formidable momentum, crushing North State, pacifying West State, demolishing both Xu Fengnian's and Xu Kuan's armies beyond recovery.

"According to the current situation, the Ice Emperor should be even more wary of the Fourth Prince... So perhaps, we still have a slim chance?" Zhou Yang considered and said.

Zuo Yuanhao nodded, "It depends on how the Ice Emperor and the Fourth Prince maneuver in the Imperial City right now. Even with the War God's help, for the Fourth Prince, don't forget that among the three core figures during the Ice Emperor's ascension, the State Preceptor Sima Tianchen has yet to make a sound."

State Preceptor, Sima Tianchen!

When everyone heard this name, they were momentarily stunned.

This once well-known big figure had been exceedingly low-profile for a dozen years; could he truly desire seclusion?

Impossible, he is still in the position of State Preceptor, bound to harbor some schemes!

"The State Preceptor… I haven't met him many times, but his city and depth are unfathomable. I truly cannot discern whether he is loyal to the Ice Emperor or harbors some other ambition? Such discreetness."

Qin Tian recalled bits and pieces of his interactions with the State Preceptor.

This man was like a drop of water that left no traces, revealing no flaws whatsoever.

Zuo Yuanhao said, "Now, West State, North State, and East State have all become the Fourth Prince's domains. Of the four major states in the Tianyuan Dynasty, the Fourth Prince has acquired three, leaving only the impoverished and weak South State, which is still eyed covetously by the Southern Barbarians. Given this situation, the Ice Emperor must be well aware, and he should take action; otherwise, he might find himself forced to abdicate before he passes away!"

Forced to abdicate!?

The notion Zuo Yuanhao put forth instantly left everyone present gasping.

Lin Yu said, "Impossible, the Ice Emperor is a figure renowned throughout the Spiritual Domain. The Fourth Prince dares to force his father to abdicate early? Not only is it rebellious, but in terms of strength, the Fourth Prince might not be the Ice Emperor's match, right!"

Zuo Yuanhao said, "The Fourth Prince managed to make the likewise illustrious War God submit; what would prevent him from forcing his father to abdicate?"

Shush!

Everyone was left speechless.

This Fourth Prince, hidden for so many years, turns out to possess such formidable forces!

Even the War God submitted!

Qin Tian thought back to Black and White Impermanence, reminiscing about leaving the Fourth Prince's secluded courtyard one day. He sensed something—a voice in the courtyard urged him not to linger but to leave quickly. Who could have spoken, and who had detected someone tracking Qin Tian? It had to be a master of the first order!

"Perhaps, there are forces behind the Fourth Prince unknown to me. His waters run deep." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Qin Tian sighed; throughout the journey, he and the Fourth Prince had used each other, but overall, it seemed that everything was under the Fourth Prince's control.

Except for that instance when Long Yin exerted force to bring Murong Fei and himself out of the Imperial City.

"It seems Long Yin's people must have understood the Fourth Prince well beforehand; otherwise, how could they be so clear on the Fourth Prince's movements and easily know where we were held?"

Reflecting on Long Yin, Qin Tian felt he might have found a breakthrough point.

However, ever since Xu Junwei intervened to rescue Qin Tian, then they parted ways, Qin Tian had not seen Xu Junwei again. With many unanswered questions, he couldn't seek verification, leaving him with no choice but to wait passively for further contact from Long Yin's people.

"Since the Ice Emperor and Fourth Prince are likely to embark on a shadow battle within the Imperial City, we may as well watch from the sidelines for now."

Qin Tian contemplated it, arranged his thoughts, and said, "I will handle the negotiations with the Demon Clan to ensure the territory east of Black Cloud River becomes our temporary foothold. We will station ourselves there, overlooking West State, ready to act according to the Imperial City father-son duo's bargaining situation."

"General Xu Kuan, Military Adviser Zuo Yuanhao, I order you both to lead a vanguard force of 150,000 troops to station at Mu City on the eastern border of the Demon Clan. That city is defensible and hard to attack, about 500 kilometers from the border line, serving as a bridgehead for exchanges with West State. I hope you will go and guard it well!"

Xu Kuan and Zuo Yuanhao rose simultaneously, "At your command!"

"General Che Aijun, General Ye Kun, you both will accompany them. Any major issues at Mu City, if unable to report to me in time, should be executed with unanimous consent from General Xu and Military Adviser Zuo."

"At your command!"

"The rest will accompany me to Black Cloud City. That place will be our permanent base, a temporary stronghold; I hope this 'temporary' won't last too long."

Qin Tian rose and went to discuss borrowing the eastern territory of the Demon Clan with Liu Fei'er.

Liu Fei'er naturally had no objections here. The demon ministers, seeing Qin Tian's occupation of West State, also agreed to designate the area east of Black Cloud River as Qin Tian's temporary base camp.

With Qin Tian's 300,000 troops stationed nearby, the Demon Clan wouldn't worry about going to war with the Tianyuan Dynasty, allowing them to focus more on internal developments.

When Qin Tian and his group settled in Black Cloud City, the next agenda was put in place—

Heading to the Myriad Demon Mountain Range.