Chapter 972: Chapter 966: Three Suns
Deston Prefecture.
The Wu tribes advanced and breached the Shadowfell Prefecture border pass. Today, the entire Deston Prefecture is in critical danger.
The Deston Prefecture has gathered commoners and cultivators from the Shadowfell Prefecture and the Sunreach Prefecture, as well as reinforcing troops arriving from all across the Dynasty.
It is a truly chaotic melting pot where fish and dragons intermingle.
The three great cities of Deston Prefecture—Dawnspire City, Highsun City, and Sunfall City—were founded upon the ancient creed: “Three Suns Herald Prosperity.”
In this year of the Wu tribes breaching the borders, they have formed an interlocking defensive stance like the horns of a beast, with each city responding to the Wu tribes that have invaded the Dynasty.
The major powers of the Dynasty gathered here continually shift their strategies in response to the crisis of the Wu tribes entering the pass.
With the Dynasty in peril, cultivators of the Body Integration realms have stepped forward to respond, as the Dynasty rallies and dispatches its armies to the front.
Within Highsun City.
Spirit boats could be seen everywhere. The Wu tribes had broken the unspoken rules by deploying Body Integration realm cultivators, which thoroughly enraged the Dynasty.
Cultivators likewise crossed the border pass of Shadowfell Prefecture, charging into the Wu tribes’ territory.
Using the strong to bully the weak and striking when the enemy was caught off guard, the Human race was equally capable of doing the same.
With various factions scheming, opportunities could be found everywhere, and Highsun City had thus become a stronghold for human cultivators.
In the cloudy sky, a small, leaf-like boat flew over, carrying three cultivators.
The one leading them was dressed in magnificent robes, a longsword hanging at his waist. With one hand resting on the hilt, he looked incredibly majestic.
This person was none other than the Prefecture Lord of Shadowfell Prefecture, Yun Manlou.
Since fleeing from Shadowfell Prefecture, he had brought the Yun clan to settle down outside Silver Wolf Lake, just beyond Highsun City.
Yet today, as he arrived at Highsun City, his face was filled with sorrow.
“Patriarch, that fellow Ba Siyu is insatiably greedy. Every time he sees us, he demands our clan’s treasures and forces our clan to contribute manpower and resources. Why are we coming to see him again?” an elder of the Yun family looked toward the city with indignation.
The Yun family had been on the run for three years.
Originally considered deserters by the Dynasty, they lived like rats scurrying across the street, terrified that the Immortal Suppression Department would come knocking on their door.
However, a Dynasty faction comparable to the Immortal Suppression Department had arrived to hold down the fort in Deston Prefecture—they were the Imperial Protectors.
The members of these Imperial Protectors only emerged when the Dynasty was on the verge of collapse.
Ba Siyu, a mighty figure among the Imperial Protectors, had found them even faster than the Immortal Suppression Department.
He had given the Yun family a way to survive, yet his greed knew no bounds.
“What else can we do?”
Yun Manlou’s face was filled with sorrow. “The Azure Cloud Li family has also come to Deston Prefecture.”
“What?!” The Yun family elder’s expression changed drastically.
He then grumbled sullenly,
“Patriarch, you are always afraid of the Azure Cloud Li family. But during the battle at the Western Border, it was the old nun from the Lotus Ferry Nunnery who fled first.
How could we not flee as well? Could the Azure Cloud Li family actually lay the blame on us?
The Azure Cloud Li family had people die, and they have nowhere to vent their anger, but whose family hasn’t lost people?”
Yun Manlou merely let out a long sigh.
“The Azure Cloud Li family ought to be reasonable. I sent a letter to the Li clan three years ago, and the Li family Patriarch, Li Xinnian, expressed his understanding regarding my retreat.”
“Then why is the Patriarch so plagued by anxiety?” the elder asked in confusion.
Yun Manlou said bitterly, “He told me that if we had nowhere to go, I could bring our entire clan to take refuge in Azure Cloud.”
“This…” The elder’s face paled with sheer terror.
How was this a gesture of understanding? This was clearly luring them into a trap!
He gritted his teeth and said, “Are the people of the Azure Cloud Li family truly so unreasonable?”
“There is no need to worry about the Azure Cloud Li family.
Our Yun family is in Deston Prefecture. Ba Siyu may be greedy, but he can protect us.
I presume the Azure Cloud Li family wouldn’t dare to act recklessly here. Otherwise, in the face of the nation’s greater good, how could they possibly justify themselves?”
Yun Manlou tightly gripped the hilt of his sword, unable to conceal the nervous tension in his heart.
“The Li family holds an official post in the Azure Cloud Prefecture, but I also hold the title of Prefecture Lord.
The experts of my Shadowfell Prefecture are gathered at Silver Wolf Lake, so what is there to fear from the Li family?”
Promptly, Yun Manlou and his two clansmen arrived in the cloudy sky above Highsun City.
Within the layers of clouds lay a hidden world; in the blink of an eye, they arrived in a mountain forest.
This was also inside Ba Siyu’s supreme-grade Dharma Treasure, the “Carefree Cloud.”
It was rumored that this treasure had accompanied Ba Siyu for tens of thousands of years. Not only did it contain a world of its own, but it also possessed an exceptionally powerful trapping array.
After having the members of the Imperial Protectors in the mountain forest announce their arrival, they reached a palace within the woods.
The moment he stepped inside, Yun Manlou’s expression changed drastically.
On the main seat sat a bare-chested, rugged-looking, large man.
The man’s face was covered in fierce, bulging flesh, resembling a mountain bandit.
This was the mighty Body Integration realm expert of the Imperial Protectors, Ba Siyu.
Within the main hall, a peerless, elegantly dressed young nobleman could be seen chatting and laughing with Ba Siyu.
It was unknown what was being said, but it made Ba Siyu roar with laughter.
“Hahaha, the Patriarch of the Li family, Li Xinnian, is truly a rare and outstanding talent in this world.
To actually see that I, Ba Siyu, am a supreme pillar of the Dynasty—you indeed have a good eye, far smarter than those fools with eyes but no sight!”
Li family Patriarch, Li Xinnian!
Yun Manlou was sweating profusely. The nightmare that had plagued him for over three years was currently turning its head, revealing a warm and genial smile at him.
Even though Li Xinnian’s eyes clearly held no anger, it made Yun Manlou suddenly feel a chill shoot from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head!
Li Xinnian had come to meet Ba Siyu, representing his family.
On this trip to Deston Prefecture, he had three matters to attend to.
First, with the invasion of the Wu tribes, everyone understood the principle that when the lips perish, the teeth grow cold.
Second, following the grand overarching trend of the era, they would use Deston Prefecture as a foundation to vie against the various powers of the world.
Third… the border pass of Shadowfell Prefecture had fallen.
The various factions scheming behind the scenes had achieved their goal, but for the Li family, this was only the beginning.
However, it was only upon arriving in Deston Prefecture that Li Xinnian realized the true extent of the chaos here.
In just a few days, wherever a weak point emerged between the Human race and the Wu tribes across the Deston Prefecture, it would instantly turn into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
There were very few restrictions here. Many cultivators, much like Duanmu Yushu, resorted to any means necessary to forcefully pillage and plunder.
The slightest carelessness would result in becoming a meal on the plates of the major factions or the Wu tribes.
As Yun Manlou arrived, Li Xinnian nodded at him with a beaming smile, as if the incident at the Shadowfell Prefecture border pass had never happened.
Ba Siyu cast a seemingly casual glance at Yun Manlou, his expression playful. Yet he did not bring it up, only saying,
“The world says that the Azure Cloud Li family is full of loyal and heroic souls. Now, with our nation in peril, Patriarch Li has led the experts of his clan here uninvited.
You understand the greater good far better than those self-serving, petty individuals within Highsun City.”
Ba Siyu’s words carried genuine appreciation.
The Li family’s Blood-Robed General was renowned throughout the world, yet perished at the Shadowfell Prefecture border pass.
The Li family’s three hundred and twenty thousand fiercely loyal troops all died on the battlefield.
The Li family’s Bodhisattva Li was still missing to this day, and the Battle Grotto-Heaven had completely fallen into the hands of the Wu tribes. Despite all this, they still sent people to assist.
How many factions in the world could do the same? Not to mention, they had also suffered heavy losses in the battle at Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
“That fellow Wu Neng from the Immortal Suppression Department is a treacherous dog. Since your Li family has come, I cannot treat you poorly. Take this item as a reward.”
The burly man in the hall waved his hand, and a longsword adorned with carvings of dragons and phoenixes suddenly appeared in the hall, landing directly in front of Li Xinnian.
Upon seeing this, the elder behind Yun Manlou widened his eyes. He glanced at the sword hanging at Yun Manlou’s waist. “Patriarch, this… isn’t this your sword?!!”
Yun Manlou’s expression turned incredibly foul.
To obtain Ba Siyu’s protection, he had practically emptied his clan’s entire fortune.
He had even offered up the high-grade Dharma Treasure he wore, the “Dragon and Phoenix Sword,” to Ba Siyu.
Yet he never expected that today, right to his face, Ba Siyu would actually gift his personal sword to Li Xinnian!
“Thank you, Lord Ba. I have spoken at length with you today, and the elders of my clan have already been waiting for quite some time. I should return to discuss a thing or two with them, so I shall disturb you no longer.”
Li Xinnian did not stand on ceremony, firmly grasping the “Dragon and Phoenix Sword” in his hand.
“You may go.”
Following Ba Siyu’s wave of dismissal, Li Xinnian nodded and turned around.
As he passed close to Yun Manlou, he smiled and said,
“This must be the former Prefecture Lord of the Shadowfell Prefecture, Senior Yun Manlou.
My family acquired a portrait of you, and it appears the resemblance is spot on.
I hear the Yun family has found a treasured land at Silver Wolf Lake. Someday soon, I, Xinnian, will surely bring the elders of my family to pay a visit to your esteemed grounds.”
His tone was gentle, and he departed immediately after speaking.
Having his personal sword taken by Li Xinnian was already akin to being slapped in the face.
Yet, the moment Li Xinnian smiled at him, Yun Manlou felt as if a fishbone was stuck in his throat.
He unconsciously gritted his teeth, unable to utter even half a word.
He only felt his mind turn dizzy and heavy, his gaze involuntarily following Li Xinnian’s back out of the main hall.
It wasn’t until Li Xinnian was completely out of sight that he actually felt a sudden sense of profound relief.
What am I afraid of him for? What am I afraid of him for?!!
A sudden, furious roar echoed in his heart. Yun Manlou looked toward Ba Siyu. “Lord Ba, he… Li Xinnian, he was threatening me!”
“Threatening?”
Ba Siyu had long known of Yun Manlou’s arrival but had ignored him for a long while.
Now, seeing Yun Manlou’s head covered in cold sweat, he sneered,
“Why does Prefecture Lord Yun say such a thing? I only heard Patriarch Li speak with perfect propriety; there was not the slightest hint of a threat.
For Prefecture Lord Yun to be so nervous, could it be that you have a guilty conscience?”
“I…” Yun Manlou truly found it hard to speak.
“Hmph.”
Ba Siyu let out a cold snort.
“Why must you fear the Azure Cloud Li family? This is Deston Prefecture, and Highsun City is the territory where I, Ba Siyu, hold down the fort!
If anyone dares to slaughter each other here, I will make them regret it bitterly. As long as you honestly serve our Dynasty, what is there to fear?”
Yun Manlou still wanted to say something.
Although Ba Siyu appeared rugged, he was incredibly meticulous.
Having already seen through Yun Manlou’s panic regarding the arrival of the Azure Cloud Li family, he waved his hand.
“Two of the Li family’s Void Refinement realm experts sacrificed themselves at Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
Now that the world is in chaos, their home also requires defense. At most, they would bring one Void Refinement realm guest cultivator here.
Even if the Li family still has a hidden Void Refinement realm cultivator, with your Yun family’s own Void Refinement realm cultivator present, could it be that you still can’t handle them?”
“Furthermore, your old ancestor still has two thousand years of lifespan remaining. Within these two thousand years, no one would dare to provoke your Yun family.
The ones who should be afraid are others. You all had better focus on carefully considering matters of succession.”
“Even if they really were to make a move, it would take me no more than an hour’s journey to go and intervene.
Being as timid as a mouse like this, how can your Yun family possibly fight the Wu tribes?
Look at Bi Shihu instead; just look at him. Does he hold the Li family in any regard at all?
If you continue acting so weak-willed and overly anxious, don’t blame me for losing my temper. Now get out!”
Yun Manlou departed, his back drenched in sweat. However, Ba Siyu’s words had also served as a pill of reassurance.
But the moment he reached the door, his heart leapt into his throat!
Entering his sight…
Li Xinnian had not left. Standing in a tall pavilion and facing the wind with his hands clasped behind his back, Li Xinnian was staring dead at him, a constant smile on his face.
He remained entirely silent, yet Yun Manlou couldn’t shake the feeling that Li Xinnian’s current tranquility was the calm before the storm.
“Patriarch, it’s Li Xinnian! He’s still staring at us. What on earth is he trying to do?!!”
The Yun family elder was seething with rage. The smile on that boy Li Xinnian’s face upstairs was like that of a smiling venomous snake. “I’m going to ask him exactly what he’s trying to do!”
“Don’t!”
Yun Manlou hastily held back his clan uncle. “We are going back right now. Do not provoke them. If he wants to stare, let him stare. I’d like to see how long he can keep it up.”
The Yun family members departed.
Li Xinnian’s gaze followed them closely, his smile gradually turning cold as he took an extra look at the Dharma Treasure where Ba Siyu was hiding.
“Deston Prefecture truly is complex; no wonder the Yun family came to Deston Prefecture. Ba Siyu is rather interesting, though.
Deston Prefecture needs people, so he shelters the Yun family. In his eyes, as long as they can fight for the Dynasty, anyone is acceptable. It’s nothing more than raising an extra vicious hound.”
“As for the Yun family…”
Looking toward the direction where the Yun family members were fleeing in panic, Li Xinnian sneered.
“A bunch of snakes and rats. If you knew it would come to this, why act as you did back then?”
—
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