A Cunning Pervert in the Cultivation World Chapter 379: The Internal Chaos Within the Court.

Prime Minister Mu slammed his hand on the table, roaring in fury at the assembled imperial physicians, whose expressions were tinged with helplessness.

"Such incompetent quacks! His Majesty’s life hangs in the balance, and you old fools can achieve nothing?! What is the point of keeping you around?!"

One of the elder physicians stammered, "P-Please calm your anger, Prime Minister. T-This plague is truly peculiar. We should await the arrival of the Envoy from the Azure Moon Sect for examination—"

Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Mu’s posture suggested he was moments away from leaping over the table to maul the man.

"Hmph! So we are to abandon His Majesty’s life to fate?! You traitors!"

Just then, a tranquil, aged voice sliced through the hall, akin to a cool breeze dispelling lingering smoke.

"Compose yourself, Prime Minister Mu."

All heads turned towards the side entrance.

An elderly man, clad in deep azure robes adorned with golden cranes, entered with measured steps.

His long white beard cascaded to his chest, and though his gait was unhurried, an unspoken pressure emanated from him, instantly silencing even the Prime Minister’s volatile rage.

This was Grand Tutor Wei, one of the esteemed Three Dukes and the most revered elder in the Fen Dynasty, having tutored two generations of emperors.

Grand Tutor Wei cast his gaze upon the vacant Dragon Throne before sweeping it across the assembled ministers.

His eyes held the profound depth of decades of dedicated service.

"The physicians are not traitors," he stated softly. "They are merely… powerless. This plague is no common ailment, neither divine wrath nor natural affliction. It bears the mark of forbidden arts… Demonic arts."

At these pronouncements, a weighty silence descended upon the Grand Vermillion Hall.

Prime Minister Mu’s face contorted with frustration, yet he managed a slight bow.

"Then what course of action does Grand Tutor propose? His Majesty has remained unconscious for three days. Black fissures are already manifesting across his body. If we delay further—"

"There is naught we can do," Grand Tutor Wei interjected with a subdued sigh, "save for hoping the Envoy from the Azure Moon Sect arrives swiftly."

His words sparked a wave of murmurs among the ministers.

Abruptly, a slender man with a sharp countenance, dressed in dark official robes, stepped forward.

This was Censor-in-Chief Zhao, the head of the Censorate.

"Grand Tutor, pray forgive this old servant’s candor," he said coldly, "but as you yourself have noted, this plague is exceptionally strange and its onset far too sudden. I surmise it may be orchestrated by our adversaries."

His sharp eyes darted across the hall like piercing blades. "Or perhaps… it originates even from within the Azure Moon Sect itself."

Gasps and hurried whispers erupted amongst the ministers at such a brazen assertion.

Several senior officials directed furious glares at Zhao, while a few of the younger ones silently signaled their agreement.

Meanwhile,

Prime Minister Mu jabbed an indignant finger at him. "Zhao! Mind your tongue! You dare to accuse the Azure Moon Sect without a shred of proof? The Imperial Princess herself and many of our elites are disciples there!"

Unmoved by the outburst, Censor-in-Chief Zhao.

Offered a cold, formal bow towards Grand Tutor Wei before proceeding.

"Grand Tutor, this servant does not speak from disloyalty… but from prudence. As you have stated, this plague is unequivocally man-made. It propagates like demonic blood arts… fracturing the victim’s meridians and draining their vitality. Even our most skilled physicians are rendered helpless, thus I merely articulate the obvious as we must consider who stands to gain the most from our dynasty's desperate predicament."

He paused, allowing the potent insinuation to permeate the hall before resuming.

"Or… could it be that an individual within the Azure Moon Sect has been corrupted? Or are they exploiting this crisis to exert greater influence over our Fen Dynasty?"

Grand Tutor Wei closed his eyes for a prolonged moment.

Upon reopening them, his gaze was laden with weariness and profound wisdom.

"Your suspicion is not entirely unfounded, Censor Zhao," he stated deliberately.

"However, diverting blame at this juncture will only accelerate the dynasty’s demise. Furthermore, we possess neither the power nor the motivation to oppose the great sects, and vice versa. Therefore, that possibility carries minimal weight."

The hall lapsed into a tense quietude once more as Grand Tutor Wei’s words settled upon everyone like an immense, unseen mountain.

In response, Censor-in-Chief Zhao offered a shallow, respectful bow, yet his sharp eyes remained piercing and resolute.

"Then may this servant inquire about the Grand Tutor’s proposed solution? The Azure Moon Sect’s envoy is still at least five days away. Yet His Majesty’s condition deteriorates by the hour. Should we remain idle, like helpless children merely waiting, the dynasty might not endure long enough to welcome their arrival."

Grand Tutor Wei stroked his long white beard, his expression inscrutable.

"Five days... We might not even possess five days. Yet, to launch accusations against the Azure Moon Sect prematurely is akin to inviting a war upon ourselves. They hold dominion over all spirit veins and are responsible for supplying over sixty percent of our high-grade pills and resources. To offend them now would be utter suicide."

Suddenly—

Prime Minister Mu's fist collided with the table, shattering it into pieces with a single, powerful blow.

Teacups splintered on the ground as he lunged forward, his eyes ablaze with an untamable rage.

"No more of this cowardly hesitation!!" he bellowed, his voice resonating through the Grand Vermillion Hall like the thunder of war drums. "Five days?! His Majesty will be nothing but a dried husk in five days! While the two of you old fools prioritize caution, the Emperor’s very life is being consumed by demonic arts!"

He whirled around, extending a quivering finger first toward Grand Tutor Wei, then sweeping it across every official present in the hall.

"As the Prime Minister of the Fen Dynasty, I refuse to stand idly by and witness our empire crumble because we are all too terrified to apprehend the true perpetrator! Someone must have illicitly brought this plague into the palace and poisoned His Majesty with those forbidden demonic techniques. I declare that we shall unearth this traitor today!"

Then, Prime Minister Mu's countenance turned a deep shade of purple with fury as he boomed, "Guards! Seal every single exit! No one departs this hall until we have our answers!"

His pronouncement triggered instant pandemonium.

"Prime Minister Mu, you have lost your mind!" exclaimed an aged minister from the Ministry of Rites, his face crimson with indignation. "How dare you command the apprehension of the entire court?! This is blatant treason!"

Meanwhile, the imperial guards stationed at the entrances wavered, their spears trembling in their grips.

Their gazes flickered nervously between the furious Prime Minister, the stoic Grand Tutor Wei, and the multitude of shouting ministers.

Uncertainty clouded their faces as to whose command they should follow.

"You dare to hesitate?!" Mu thundered at the nearest captain. "I am the Prime Minister! By imperial decree, my commands are absolute during this critical juncture of crisis!"

A cacophony of angry objections arose from dozens of voices in response to his declaration.

Some ministers hurled their jade tablets onto the fractured table, while others pointed accusatory fingers directly at Prime Minister Mu.

His own faction attempted to support him, their shouts fiercely clashing with the dissenting voices.

The Grand Vermillion Hall then dissolved into sheer bedlam, filled with overlapping accusations and furious roars.

"Prime Minister Mu, revoke your order without delay!"

"You are no better than a ruthless tyrant!"

"Someone must restrain this lunatic before the dynasty succumbs to ruin from within!"

Prime Minister Mu’s features contorted in a mask of uncontrollable rage.

Veins stood out prominently on his forehead as he advanced with a heavy stride.

"Fools! Every last one of you! While you squabble like gossiping old women, His Majesty is perishing! If none among you possess the necessary courage, then I alone—"

Just as the turmoil reached its zenith and Prime Minister Mu appeared poised to strike the nearest guard who had dared to defy him, the imposing doors of the Grand Vermillion Hall creaked open once more.

"Enough."

That solitary word, uttered in a voice that was both melodious and chillingly cold, severed through the roaring chaos as effectively as a razor-sharp blade.

And the entire hall was plunged into a profound silence within the span of a single heartbeat.

Even Prime Minister Mu's arm, raised with his sword, halted mid-motion at the sound of that familiar voice.