Chapter 1691: The Transformation Of Northwest (I)

But today... I no longer have the luxury of keeping silent!

Ning Wan waited as Li Zhouwei raised an eyebrow, rose from his seat, and began pacing.

He said softly, "I heard... that Daoist Master Ning presented a dragon tendon to the Emperor of Song."

A look of quiet sorrow gradually settled over Ning Wan's face as she replied, "That is true."

Li Zhouwei suddenly turned to face her. "Which dragon descendant did it come from?"

Dragon tendons were among the rarest treasures in existence. Let alone finding someone capable of making use of one, simply possessing such an item was enough to send a chill down one's spine...

Every dragon descendant was accounted for. If even one went missing, everyone would know. Ning Wan's actions were not merely a declaration of loyalty to the Emperor of Song. They were a resounding slap across the face of the dragons before the eyes of the entire world. If it was not unprecedented throughout history, then she was at least the first to dare such a thing in the present age!

This was no longer a matter concerning her alone. It would have enormous consequences for the relationship between the Underworld's judiciary and the dragons.

Ning Wan let out a long breath before answering, "The White Dragon Succession. Dongfang Ai."

Li Zhouwei asked quietly, "How did you obtain it?"

Ning Wan shook her head, her voice trembling slightly. "It was left behind by Daoist Master... Someone later enlightened me as to what was inside the box, and how I could use it to preserve my life."

She lifted her head and met his gaze with eyes that were gentle yet unwavering. Gritting her teeth, she said, "This was what his majesty wanted. If I refused to hand it over... someone else would simply come and take it! What choice did I have? Only by cutting off every path of retreat could I seize the slightest chance of survival. From this day onward, the Ning Family can never again set foot upon the sea. Our fate is now bound to Great Song. We shall flourish together, or perish together!"

Li Zhouwei stared at her in silence. Her answer did not surprise him. The only thing that truly puzzled him was Yuansu. A myriad of thoughts flashed through his eyes.

Daoist Master Yuansu... Was it truly only Daoist Master Yuansu? Even if he possessed spirit treasures, he was still only a cultivator with a single divine ability. Do the dragons not possess spirit treasures as well? How could he possibly have slain a dragon?

And even if he truly could slay a dragon, why provoke the dragons at all? Why force the Ning Family into such a desperate position? Even if he had foreseen this day, there was no need to take such a reckless gamble!

Li Zhouwei was unconvinced. He asked quietly, "What Dao did Dongfang Ai cultivate?"

Ning Wan closed her eyes before answering, "[True Essence]!"

Li Zhouwei slowly straightened and turned back toward the window before asking his final question. "How will the dragon tendon be used?"

Ning Wan glanced at him and said, "Tianwu possessed three dharma relics. The first was the [Martial Inquiry Purification Vessel], the second was the [Profound Whip of True Devotion], and the third was the [Martial Seal of Sovereign Authority]."

"The [Martial Inquiry Purification Vessel] was an Order and was shattered long ago, so there is no need to speak of it. As for the [Martial Seal of Sovereign Authority] and the [Profound Whip of True Devotion], both were inherited from his father, the [Jiangling King]. They were originally ordinary objects, but after he ascended to immortality, they followed the Emperor into the Outer Heavens."

She continued softly, "The [Martial Seal of Sovereign Authority]... had long been prepared by the imperial bloodline. Its refinement began when the Yue King pacified the realm, and by now it has reached the utmost pinnacle of spirit artifacts. As for the [Profound Whip of True Devotion]..."

Meeting Li Zhouwei's gaze, she said evenly, "It is refined when the emperor ascends the throne. For that, this portion of dragon tendon is required."

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Zhouwei asked, "Was this all foreseen by Senior Yuansu?"

Ning Wan's pupils widened ever so slightly, betraying a moment of surprise. Yet she kept her head lowered, her eyes fixed upon the teacup before her, as she answered quietly, "Perhaps he was guided by someone of even higher standing."

Li Zhouwei fell silent. Looking beyond the window, he watched the changing sky in the distance. Billowing storm clouds and thunder gathered along the horizon, surging and churning as they swept over the timeless Mount Xiping before breaking into a torrential downpour.

Amid the relentless curtain of water, several faint white streaks darted through the sky, seemingly the light of flying escapes. As dark clouds spread across the sky, Li Zhouwei withdrew his gaze and turned. Ning Wan still sat with lowered eyes, cradling her teacup in silence.

Within moments, a broad-shouldered, powerfully built middle-aged man clad in bronze armor descended before the hall.

He dropped to one knee with a clang, breathing heavily as he reported, "My king... Smoke Valley Temple has been surrounded by enemy forces and has already fallen! One more advance, and they'll be at the foot of Mount Xiping!"

Li Zhouwei stood with his back to the messenger, giving no reply. Instead, his gaze slowly fell on the [Wei King's Conquest-Court Cloak], its divine radiance shimmering and every feather exquisitely defined. Beside it lay a dark banner with a green-purple field and golden profound patterns, folded neatly upon the table. Both shone with an almost blinding brilliance.

Ning Wan rose, lifted the jade tray bearing the royal cloak, and bowed. "King of Wei... Please!"

Li Zhouwei took up the royal cloak and looked deeply into her eyes without saying a word. With his other hand, he grasped the green-purple banner adorned with golden profound patterns and gave it a light shake.

Whoosh...

In the span of a breath, the profound banner unfurled into a towering green-purple war standard. The qilin motif blazed with radiance, majestic and inviolable, as Li Zhouwei planted its jet-black pole upon the ground with a resounding, firm clang.

Without another glance, he passed the royal standard into Li Zhouda's hands, draped the royal cloak over his shoulders, and strode out of the hall, leaving behind a calm yet commanding order.

"March on Smoke Valley."

————

Great Primordial Hidden Radiance Mountain.

The golden hall gleamed like polished crystal. Rows of lotus thrones descended in orderly tiers, while golden Buddhist bodies of every shape and size stood throughout the hall, each holding a different artifact.

The lotus platforms at the highest level shone with the brightest radiance. Seated upon them were several Buddhist cultivators of differing appearances and builds. None met another's gaze, each warily avoiding the others.

At the very summit sat a Maha bathed in flowing purple radiance, dressed in nothing more than a simple gray robe. Yet his face was covered with countless black eyes, clustered across his brow and cheeks, each darting about to observe every corner of the hall.

He was Zhelu, the Turbid Void Maha Liangli of the Emptiness Dao.

Ultimately, the Emptiness Dao lacked a strong foundation. Though Zhelu held the exalted rank of Liangli, he had only just reached the threshold of the sixth incarnation, and his Dao lineage carried little influence. The eminent monks around him refused to meet his gaze, but with so many eyes crawling endlessly across his face, avoiding them entirely was nearly impossible. Several Mahas looked as though they wished they could twist their heads all the way around to escape his stare.

Near the middle of the great hall, a pale pink golden lotus bloomed. Maha Minghui rested his cheek on one hand, nodding off while squinting lazily around the room.

What a decline in the world's ways... The landlords and rich men are holding a meeting, and they've seated those lapdogs of the Compassion Dao in the main seat.

With Great Song now established, Jiangnan had become too hard a target to crack. Buddhist cultivators had always been quick to bully the weak and fear the strong, so the Mahas of Great Primordial Hidden Radiance Mountain all wore uncertain expressions. Only Minghui remained completely at ease, dozing off without a care.

After observing the room for some time, Zhelu folded his palms together, his gaze cold. "Everyone... Now that news has arrived from the north, we should head south."

Silence filled the hall. After waiting for quite some time, Zhelu finally asked, "Why does no one speak?"

If you find any errors ( Ads popup, ads redirect, broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.