Page 190

"Brother, haven’t snapped out of it yet?"

Looking at Wei Gongzhan lying in a daze inside the house, a group of neighbors who had recovered came to the door, one after another, to express their concern.

"Look at this guy, looks like he’s got soul loss, should we go consult the Mountain God?"

"I feel like the Fox Immortal went too far this time, a newbie, turning into that thing, I wouldn’t be able to handle it either."

"Isn’t that a bit much?" the dark-faced warrior Liu Yong frowned, "Brother Wei has served in the army up north, he can’t be that fragile. After all, the Fox Immortal is just a bit mischievous."

Most of the able-bodied men in Daqing Mountain had lost their children and wives, and they were quite tolerant of the somewhat lawless young Fox Immortal. Upon hearing Old Li speaking ill of the Fox Immortal, Liu Yong subconsciously retorted.

"Let’s wait and see. If Brother Wei hasn’t recovered by tomorrow when Lord Chen Ying and Master Luo Fu return, we’ll consult them then."

Lying there, Wei Gongzhan’s eyes flickered with a hint of unusual light.

He wasn’t suffering from soul loss but was rather deep in thought.

This was a habit of his; whenever he was thinking, his eyes would appear lifeless, and he would seem a bit sluggish even while walking.

Unfortunately, his Wind Serpent bloodline allowed his body to maintain balance even when not fully attentive, so people at the Wei residence often saw him wandering outside with a vacant look.

This led many to believe there was something wrong with his mind when he was young. However, this also meant he did not suffer persecution from his stepmother, for it would have been too much to harm even a son with a mental issue.

So what was Wei Gongzhan thinking about? Was he truly shocked by the magic that had forcefully transformed him?

Yes, but also no. That transformation magic was powerful, but looking back, it seemed to have its limitations.

That day, after transforming, the child clearly ran out of strength, indicating that contending with a blood warrior like him was very draining for the opponent, and facing those noble heirs would likely cost even more.

Perhaps they didn’t have the capability at all.

At least, the opponent still needed time to grow. There are many ways to deal with an immature demon.

What shocked him was the opponent’s final declaration a few days ago.

Her grandfather... is Your Majesty?

Could it be true?

This sounded utterly ridiculous, as everyone knew that Your Majesty’s progeny was thin.

Currently, the only descendant with a fully developed Golden Crow Bloodline was the Crown Prince, and for twenty years since the founding of the nation, there had been no news of royal grandchildren.

The last selection of the Crown Prince’s consort had resulted in such a significant blunder that it led to the current highly unstable situation, ultimately, because the country’s foundations were not secure.

And now, there’s supposed to be a descendant of Your Majesty hidden among the rural people of Lyuzhou?

How is that possible?

But if it’s not possible... Then the small burst of Golden Crow flame that the smug child snorted out through her nostrils at the end couldn’t be wrong!

Those of the bloodline have a strong sensitivity to their own kind, and when the child displayed her bloodline power, that ancient suppressive force, nearly imperceptible yet present, was undoubtedly genuine!

How old was that child?

Seemingly only about a year old, right?

And yet... she could wield the Golden Crow Flame?

The Crown Prince himself only began to access his bloodline power at the age of ten, and to project flames outward at thirteen!

The Siao Family’s most remarkable record was that of Princess Chang, who at the age of nine could project flames, hailed as the strongest bloodline in five thousand years!

One year old?

If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he’d find it too preposterous even for a joke!

So that night, ignoring the inconvenience of his body being transformed into cow dung, he rolled down the hillside desperately and exerted all his effort to find Heiyun to inquire about the matter.

The answer he received was quite shocking!

That one, among the ten most mysterious and loyal magicians to Your Majesty, actually admitted it.

That girl in Daqing Mountain... is truly the granddaughter of His Majesty!!

Though it still felt incredibly absurd, a thought he could not suppress rose uncontrollably in his mind...

If it’s true...

Does that mean...

All that’s happening in Lyuzhou now, is it with the tacit approval of His Majesty?

Even if Your Majesty doesn’t acknowledge it, if Lyuzhou supports this newest bloodline, is there a chance... He knows, he knows, the girl’s likelihood of ascending is slim, and the child is still young, the Crown Prince is in his prime, Your Majesty is robust and thriving...

But what if...?

If Lyuzhou could support the child’s claim to the throne, does that mean... everything in Lyuzhou now is justified?

Does that mean, in the future, the entire Great Jin might possibly, become like today’s Lyuzhou?

Is it possible?

Could this brief paradise become the new normal for all of Great Jin in the future?

Even if it couldn’t, was there a chance for him to bring his mother here?

Though all possibilities seemed slim, the presence of a royal grandson here at least indicated that His Majesty had plans for this place, right? Does that mean it would exist for a bit longer?

Could he stay here for a few more days?

Actually, he could be bolder...

There was trouble in the Imperial Court, thirty thousand Golden Dragon Guards had turned into monsters, the northern borders were strained, and it was difficult to reassign troops to protect the king.

If something major happened in Capital City, would Lyuzhou.

.. with its purest Imperial Family bloodline.

.. be qualified to vie for that position. ..?

No, no, no... Such thoughts were treacherous and unforgivable!

Yet, for some reason, during the two days since his return, Wei Gongzhan couldn’t stop his mind from running wild with these thoughts, considering all sorts of possibilities and then denying them time and again.

He didn’t even know when it got dark outside, when dawn broke, or when he had reverted to his original form.

He even dared not close his eyes to sleep, fearing that once he did and then opened them again, this dream... would be over...

-----------------------

"Things are going smoothly..."

In a cave on the back mountain, an incredibly seductive being lazily lay on the bed, teasing a child with a feather wand.

The child was as interested in the feather wand, which had a small bell attached to it, as a kitten would be, pouncing and jumping as if he would never tire of it.

If Wang Ye were here, he’d likely recognize this woman as the Thousand-Faced Fox.

Ali hadn’t changed her face, and despite having the ability to shift into countless others, she seemed addicted to the face of Cui Yan’s wife, sticking with it even though it lacked the beauty of other exceptional women.

But paired with her inherent, unreasonable charisma, she became the most beautiful woman in the world, one who could still outshine all other beauties, should any visit this place!

"I didn’t expect Heiyun to come back so soon," Ali said with a beaming smile, looking at the still incredibly weak Zi Yue in the distance, her voice gentle.

"He has always been a rash one, running headfirst into danger. Had it not been for the miraculous power of rebirth, he would have died hundreds, if not thousands of times over." She looked at Ali and asked, "Can you truly rely on the child’s memories to see what’s happening outside?"

"Incredibly reliable..." Ali’s tail tickled the child’s cheek, eliciting a giggle, "Her eyes are so pure, and the memories she sees are untainted, clearer and more penetrating than what I can see."

"Is that so?" Zi Yue nodded, "If that’s the case, Heiyun’s motivations become quite interesting. Facing that question from the Wei Family boy, he actually admitted it, which is beyond my expectations."

"Highly likely... that his ally is unstable!" Ali frowned, "He must have been reborn in Lyuzhou out of desperation. If it wasn’t part of some greater scheme, then he must believe Lyuzhou to be safer than any other place."

"From what the Wei Family boy remembers, the Duke of Qin has been plotted against. Even if he isn’t completely ruined, he’s definitely severely weakened.

And taking in the thirty thousand Golden Dragon Guards and the forces deployed by Princess Chang, they now have nearly the only powerbase capable of openly contending with the force from the West Sea.

There’s no word from Capital City, but I refuse to believe that he’d fall to Princess Chang without any resistance; he must have other preparations. "

"With the current situation so volatile and deceptive, we need more information."

Zi Yue nodded, "We must also be wary of Chen Qing, he’s not reliable!"

"Of course, he’s not reliable!" Ali said coldly, "I won’t trust anyone anymore, unless the King of Qin comes back to life!!"

"Is that so?"

When Zi Yue heard that, she didn’t respond but a flicker of something different flashed in her eyes...

Silly girl... The King of Qin... isn’t that reliable either!

---------------------------------------

"That guy is very cautious..."

At the foot of Daqing Mountain, Wei Gongcheng and Shen San watched Heiyun from afar. The moment he arrived at Lyuzhou, they had detected his presence.

Heiyun himself might not know that during the instant of his rebirth, the act caused a slight disturbance to the underworld of Lyuzhou. It was unfortunate that Wei Gongcheng’s powers were not yet strong enough, otherwise, he might have been able to detain Heiyun on the spot!

"It’s quite rare..." Shen San chuckled, "This guy, now that he has that lifesaving trump card, often acts ruthlessly without leaving any way out, gaining a considerable reputation in the Sorcerers’ Realm for being vicious and reckless. Yet, who would’ve thought he’d be so cautious one day?

Has he sensed the constraint your underworld has on him? "

"I don’t think so..." Wei Gongcheng shook his head, "After sensing the disturbance, I’ve been careful not to startle the snake by beating the grass. He shouldn’t have been able to detect it."

"Then that’s interesting, but it also makes sense.

If he were to go up to Daqing Mountain now, even if he didn’t fall under the control of the Thousand-Faced Fox, his memories could be read, which would be disadvantageous for him.

Using your Wei Family boy to test the waters seems like a good strategy. "

"Could we capture him alive?" Wei Gongcheng asked, frowning.

Having such a character lingering in Lyuzhou was not conducive to the stability they desperately needed.

"No..." Shen San shook his head, "He has many ways to commit suicide, and even if Mu Yunji made an all-out effort, the odds of capturing him alive are slim. If he successfully kills himself, we won’t know when we’ll have the chance to confront him again. Unless you’re absolutely certain, I don’t recommend making a move. "

"Is that so?" Wei Gongcheng sighed, Chen Qing was rapidly expanding his forces amidst the chaos, but it still wasn’t enough. They needed to buy at least another half year for Chen Qing!!