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"You really don’t need me to intervene?"

Within the government office of Lyuzhou Prefecture, Ali gazed out and asked softly.

Following Ali at this moment was none other than Wei Gongcheng.

"The Lord has instructed me to protect you. From now on, under any circumstances, your safety will be the top priority."

After the incidents with the Western Sea Dragon King and the master of the Nine Heavens Mirror Valley, the situation both externally and internally had become incredibly tenuous.

The Shen Family members had suffered severe mental turmoil, rendering them incapable of combat.

At the same time, the Buddha Kingdom had opened, and many—including a number of city guards and colonels—had been drawn to the Buddha Light.

Jiangnan’s internal stability teetered on the verge of collapse.

The Shen Family was already powerless to act, and even the Hell Ruler’s domain was barely holding itself together.

Just keeping internal chaos at bay was considered fortunate.

Talk of suppressing the Buddhist temple was far-fetched.

If the Lord doesn’t return soon, a catastrophic upheaval is imminent.

"You may be obedient, but do you understand the gravity of letting this situation fester?

" Ali said softly. "You’ve read the reports. Several deputy generals from the Imperial Army have entered the Buddhist temple, including that dangerous individual named Lan Shang. They’ve brazenly infiltrated Jiangnan, likely aware of the current state here.

Have you considered what could happen if they suddenly act against us? "

Wei Gongcheng furrowed his brow deeply. He had interacted with those deputy generals before, particularly Lan Shang. Her strength was impressive, and the dangerous aura she carried rivaled even Tian Heng. In the current situation, perhaps only the return of Xuu Hu could suppress her.

Moreover, her tangential connections to ancient forces made matters even riskier. Pretending that turmoil wouldn’t erupt was delusional.

At the moment, their understanding of Jiangnan’s current state was still limited, which had kept their actions relatively restrained. Allowing Ali to act now—to alter their memories—might indeed resolve the crisis to some extent.

But the risks were severe. The Lord had made it clear before: Ali was a double-edged sword.

Her abilities were formidable, but her body fragile.

She was Jiangnan’s trump card. Precisely because Ali remained dormant, many individuals refrained from overstepping.

If she were to act—and failed—the deterrence would vanish altogether.

Wei Gongcheng understood all too well. The audacious testing from the enemies likely sought to provoke Ali into action. They had surely devised a method to counter her. If Ali fell into their trap, Jiangnan would lose its last shred of intimidation.

"It’s too risky..." Wei Gongcheng shook his head. "You cannot act."

"But if I never act, they will grow even more reckless. Deterrence is meaningless without effect. My suggestion is to target Lan Shang first. ’Capture the king to control the thieves.’ If we take her down, the others will indeed tread cautiously!"

"This..." Wei Gongcheng hesitated briefly. Suddenly, a weak voice emerged from outside.

"You’ve become quite aggressive lately. Is it because you killed that woman?"

Wei Gongcheng turned his head, his face lighting up with surprise. The speaker was Second Elder Shen, currently the strongest figure among the Shen Family. He had sustained the least damage in earlier battles. If he were to recover fully, Wei Gongcheng’s burdens would ease considerably.

"How’s your condition?"

"Don’t count on me..." Second Elder Shen smiled bitterly and shook his head. "That woman’s techniques are sinister. Recovering? I’ll have to wait for the Lord’s return to figure something out."

"Then why are you here?" Ali asked coldly.

"To keep an eye on you." Second Elder Shen shot her a glance. "If you die, that woman will instantly regain her memory. When that happens... those outsiders won’t even need to act..."

"You’ve grown so cautious lately." Ali said coldly.

"And you’ve grown far too smug..." Second Elder Shen sighed. "That ability of yours—can you still use it?"

Ali frowned slightly. He was referring to her method of using blood to imbue others with abilities.

"Not for now... That requires essence blood transformation. I need to recover first."

"See? You haven’t even recovered your own body and yet want to stir trouble with those people. The Buddhist temple, as you yourself said, is tied to extremely dangerous ancient forces. If you fail, Jiangnan will truly be finished."

"Coward..." Ali sneered but said no more. She knew herself to be fragile. A single slip-up could cause disastrous consequences.

"You’re not here just to stop this fox, are you?" Wei Gongcheng rubbed his eyes and said, "Don’t worry, I’ll manage to dissuade her."

Ali glanced at Wei Gongcheng disdainfully. This man seemed overly confident. What made him think he could persuade her?

"I came for another reason..." Second Elder Shen said quietly. "Just recently, a Wandering God reported someone significant passing through South Bright City and heading directly toward Daqing Mountain."

"Someone significant?" Wei Gongcheng froze. "Who?"

"The one Tian Heng mentioned!"

"Oh?" Wei Gongcheng paused. "She’s here personally?"

"Of course... If she didn’t come soon, the Imperial Army’s main forces might as well change their surname!"

"Why is she going to Daqing Mountain?"

"Probably waiting for reliable allies already hiding there. It’s likely they’ve been expecting her arrival. My suggestion..."

"To meet her?" Wei Gongcheng quickly discerned his intentions.

"The situation is passive right now. We desperately need someone strong. Tian Heng himself said this person rivals the Siao Family Emperor. Among King Level combatants, she likely has no peer. Her presence is critical for us."

"If such a person fell into enemy traps, and the Imperial Army spiraled out of control, it would truly spell ruin."

"But..." Wei Gongcheng frowned. "She’s also very dangerous..."

Someone on par with an Emperor—a force even the Lord might struggle to hold back. With Jiangnan so fragile, the Lords of Hell barely able to assist, disclosure of such weakness could incite dangerous ambitions against Jiangnan.

"Weighing the lesser evil... this is the only option left." Second Elder Shen said weakly.

"You want me to go?" Wei Gongcheng furrowed his brow.

"You’re the only one strong enough to make an impression. If the rest of us go, it would expose everything."

"This..."

"Besides, you have acquaintances there..."

"Acquaintances? Who are you referring to?"

"First, the Hong Family father and son. The old man, though affected by the Buddha Light, hasn’t shown any anomalies. He even brought his son to Daqing Mountain. I think the Hong Family remains loyal to the Imperial Court."

"The Hong patriarch is a principled man of valiant loyalty. He wouldn’t abandon his stance easily." Wei Gongcheng’s expression softened slightly. The Hong Family was indeed trustworthy.

"And another..."

"Who?"

"Your former employer... Patriarch Weichi!"

Wei Gongcheng: "....."

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"Your Highness... You’ve finally arrived!"

Upon reaching Daqing Mountain, Princess Royale was met by an anxious Hong Family father and son. From a distance, Princess Royale scrutinized them carefully before relaxing slightly.

She couldn’t fully trust Tian Heng’s information. If the Demon Fox were lurking on Daqing Mountain waiting for her arrival, it wouldn’t be out of the question.

Yet, the Hong Family father and son had distinct habits and characteristics. Even the Demon Fox couldn’t perfectly mimic them in such a short span. More importantly, the robust, martial artist aura they carried couldn’t be replicated by the Demon Fox.

"Speak..." Princess Royale commanded coldly. "What exactly lies within the Buddha Light?"