Chapter 764: Chapter 246: Lone Swan and Guest Star_2
“Master Qing Yan, though I come from outside, I have nevertheless been awarded a position as a male concubine in your village’s allotment. Shouldn’t you reward me with something?” a man suddenly opened his mouth.
Everyone turned their gaze to see a towering middle-aged man with a lion’s mouth, broad nose, and a full beard. His exposed chest was covered with black chest hair, exuding a strong masculine aura.
It was then that Ning Zhuo realized that Commander Qing’s full name was Qing Yan.
Qing Yan sized up the man who spoke and, unconcerned, laughed heartily, “You’re an outsider, even though you volunteered to become a male concubine, you indeed contributed to my village. What do you want? Let me consider it.”
The middle-aged man’s full name was Yang Weida, a Body Cultivator from the Flying Cloud Country, and a merchant by trade.
Upon hearing about the recruitment of male concubines, and considering his own excellent cultivation techniques and extraordinary talent, he decided to reach high branches. Surviving an attack with his own means, he witnessed Qing Yan taking care of Ning Zhuo and Sun Lingtong, prompting his merchant instincts to try for a reward.
Although Yang Weida appeared simple and rugged, he was actually quite shrewd, and immediately requested a Bone-piercing Crocodile Stomach Bag like the one given to Ning Zhuo.
Commander Qing sneered, “You have a big appetite. A Golden Core Level Stomach Bag isn’t something given to you so easily. Be more realistic.”
Yang Weida: “If that’s the case, then please reward me with a few Soul Crossing Lampwicks.”
Commander Qing took out six Magic Artifact Level Soul Crossing Lampwicks from his Storage Bag and tossed them to Yang Weida.
“Hehe.” A cold laugh suddenly came, “Something like a few Soul Crossing Lampwicks can make an outsider risk everything. Qing Yan, you should really become a merchant, you’ve made quite a deal!”
“Who’s there?!” Qing Yan rose and shouted in inquiry.
The rest of the people changed color and were on full alert.
The river bulged and suddenly exploded, revealing a Golden Core Level Bone-piercing Crocodile among the waves.
On the back of the Bone-piercing Crocodile “sat” a Human Clan cultivator with a body as massive as an elephant.
The male cultivator was encased in Bone Armor, his gaze cold and piercing, staring at the cultivators on the three warships: “The White Paper City Lord needs a vast amount of Yang Energy; selecting male concubines is to utilize Dual Cultivation to provide her with an immense amount of Yang Energy to aid her cultivation.”
“Therefore, becoming her male concubine often results in too much Yang Energy being drained, leading to loss of life.”
“And those of you who are about to be chosen as male concubines still take pride in it? Hmph, how ridiculous! You are courting death.”
Many cultivators’ faces changed again.
Ning Zhuo’s gaze was deep, Yang Weida’s expression shifted slightly, his eyes darting: “I don’t believe it! If it were true, the White Paper City Lord would have been overthrown long ago out of public outrage. Even if she couldn’t be overthrown, others would have run away by now. But in reality, she has held many such selections for male concubines.”
His argument was logical and drew another look from Sun Ning.
Qing Yan snorted coldly, “White Bone Crocodile Demon, wasn’t it you causing trouble when my village was attacked by the crocodile group before?”
The White Bone Crocodile Demon admitted directly, “Of course, I just can’t stand you greedy fools.”
“Why does the White Paper City Lord get to lord over us?”
“It’s you idiots who voluntarily provide her with vast amounts of Yang Energy, supporting her cultivation, making White Paper City solid and unshakeable!”
“We of the City Covering Alliance intend to intercept and kill you degenerates to make the Black Swamp Wetland more free and pure!”
With these words, a large number of Bone-piercing Crocodiles surfaced from the depths of the river to attack the three Redwood Warships.
The Redwood Warships immediately shone brightly, activating the defensive Array.
Cultivators on the ships launched spells in layers, launching a fierce attack on the Bone-piercing Crocodile group and the White Bone Crocodile Demon.
Under the spell attacks, the Bone-piercing Crocodile group suffered heavy casualties.
Some directly rammed the warships, while others opened their mouths to spray corrosive venom.
The White Bone Crocodile Demon laughed wildly, bathing in layers of spells, his Bone Armor was thick and heavy, securely protecting him, leaving him unscathed.
“Such a weak assault, feels like a mere itch to me?” the Crocodile Demon taunted.
“Is that so?” Qing Yan sneered, striking suddenly.
He summoned a massive Soul Blade, its blade aura surging and expanding to the size of a warship, slashing fiercely at the White Bone Crocodile Demon from mid-air.
Boom!
The White Bone Crocodile Demon tried to parry, unable to withstand the overwhelming attack, was thrown into the river, raising a pillar of water several feet high.
The White Bone Crocodile Demon launched an underwater assault, launching a counterattack.
Qing Yan was extremely dominant, his attacks forceful and overwhelming, keeping the White Bone Crocodile Demon firmly suppressed.
A large number of Bone-piercing Crocodiles, under the siege of the remaining cultivators, became floating corpses in the water.
Although the White Bone Crocodile Demon was a Golden Core Cultivator, he clearly followed the Beast Taming School. Despite the large scale, he himself was caught by Qing Yan, forced into constant defense.
The Bone-piercing Crocodile Group besieged the remaining cultivators and should have had the upper hand. However, these three redwood warships were among the best in the village, with outstanding defenses, resembling mobile water fortresses. The attacks from the Bone-piercing Crocodiles yielded little result.
In the latter half of the battle, Qing Yan let out a low whistle and plunged directly into the water to engage in combat with the White Bone Crocodile Demon.
The people on the ship saw explosions on the water surface, sending up pillars of water.
The White Bone Crocodile Demon shouted angrily, “Qing Yan, you foolishly loyal dog! What good thing did the White Paper City Lord give you to make you so loyal to her?!”
Qing Yan replied, “You from the City Covering Alliance are all short-sighted!”
“Without the White Paper City Lord overseeing the Immortal City, acting as the main force to resist the annual Ghost Tide, how can we live here peacefully?”
“Protecting the White Paper City Lord is safeguarding our present and maintaining the order of the entire Yin Soul Black Swamp!”
The White Bone Crocodile Demon sneered, “You speak well, but it’s just for your own benefit.”
“Have you thought about those chosen to become male concubines? They’ve all become cultivation sacrifices for the White Paper City Lord!”
Qing Yan roared angrily, “Stop sowing discord!”
“Becoming a male concubine brings glory and wealth. How could the White Paper City Lord harm the innocent?”
“It’s indeed hard to be a male concubine, but if they cannot provide Yang Energy, they can just leave. The White Paper City Lord has never restrained them!”
“Your City Covering Alliance is ambitious, wanting to overthrow the order here and reign supreme. But do you have the power to withstand the Ghost Tide?”
“Your tactics are mediocre, it seems the entire City Covering Alliance is no more than this!”
The White Bone Crocodile Demon was furious, “I’m so enraged! Qing Yan, today I will tear you to pieces and show you the might of your Crocodile Demon grandfather!”
The explosions underwater became more intense and powerful.
But after a round of fierce battles, the explosions significantly decreased.
Qing Yan’s voice transmitted again, “Crocodile Demon, whatever tricks you have left, bring them all out.”
Crocodile Demon: “Damn it!”
Clearly, Qing Yan still had the upper hand.
The Crocodile Demon sneered, “Qing Yan, you don’t know the state of the White Paper City Lord. Let me tell you the truth, she’s finished.”
“This time, even if she integrates new male concubines, their Yang Energy is insufficient for her to balance.”
“She has overseen the White Paper City for too long, really too long. Her Yin Qi has accumulated too heavily; how can meager Yang Energy balance it out?”
“You are doomed to lose this time! Doomed to lose!!”
Black Water Mountain, White Paper City.
In Tingyou Pavilion, bamboo shadows swayed, with only Sang Le Youling present.
She sat cross-legged, her expression solemn. On the Green Jade Table in front of her were several magic treasures scattered.
A bronze lamp, seven Yellow Jade Bells, and a Jiaowei Ghost Pattern Zither lying across.
Sang Le Youling reached out and lit a long incense with the bronze lamp’s flame.
Blue smoke rose, swirling endlessly in the air.
You Ling used Divine Sense Control to play the Jiaowei Zither.
The zither’s sound coiled, causing the blue smoke to transform multiple times. As the seven bells hung in mid-air, vibrating continuously, the bell sound joined in, reaching the most difficult period of the divination.
After a long time, the poignant, mournful music gradually faded, and the blue smoke settled on the table, turning into a layer of light ash.
The faint ash outlined an Omen Poem.
Sang Le Youling slightly panted, focused on the table, muttering aloud.
“Ghost Tide floods, White Paper endangered, a lone swan with a candle pierces the sky’s veil. A guest star should shine north of the literary axis, myriad images lamp bright, the calamity self-destructs.”
She activated a Finger Technique for more detailed understanding.
A moment later, her breath became weaker, but her eyes were much brighter: “So the turning point lies in the north. Both lone swan and guest star represent outsiders.”
“An outsider carrying a candle will light the Myriad Images Lamp, becoming the key for us to overcome this crisis!”
“Is myriad images referring to the lamp or the Myriad Images Sect?”
Sang Le Youling pondered for a moment and suddenly sparked inspiration, sending out a Flying Message: “Wen Ruanyu, you are a person of the Myriad Images Sect, and a crucial figure in the omen. Go to the north to welcome an outsider. Remember, he carries some sort of candle, or candle flame, candlelight.”