Chapter 2619

Duanmu Heng's words were correct; after the battle, the many powerful beings of Lingxu took stock and all sighed with regret, but the deed was done and the matter had come to this—Jiuyou used the battle of Yujing City to not only kill Shangguan Biao but also, taking advantage of the situation, subdue the Earth Mother, making her drag away the Panlong Ruins.

From then on, the Panlong Ruins were no longer trapped by the Panlong Desert, and even others could not find them! Although they had once been Jiuyou Dadi's weak point, they had now been smoothed out.

Tiangong also knew that the Earth Mother could use her innate barrier to shield inside and outside, and those within the barrier could not hope to transmit even the slightest bit of information outward.

Thus, although there were many living beings on the Earth Mother's plains, they were in a state of isolation from the world and could not leak the Earth Mother's position to the outside.

"It is known that the Panlong Ruins are especially significant to Jiuyou Dadi; as long as something happens to it, Jiuyou Dadi will certainly rush there." Duanmu Heng concluded, "In other words, as long as we find the Earth Mother, attack it, and control it, we can simply wait for Jiuyou to walk into the trap."

"Do you have a way?"

After the battle of Yujing City, Tiangong had many people researching the Earth Mother's path, but the final conclusion was—

There is no fixed route.

Besides attacking Lingyun Palace and returning to Cangyan, the Earth Mother's movements are truly random, aiming for aimless wandering everywhere.

It was brought back to the Xian Sect to guard the gate since childhood, and later Shangguan Biao imprisoned it for several thousand years; despite having such great strength, it was never able to travel far.

Jiuyou Dadi gave it sufficient permission to go out; the world is so vast, it naturally wanted to see it all.

The Earth Mother wanders so aimlessly that even it does not know where it will go tomorrow; Tiangong cannot predict its route.

Moreover, the Earth Mother spends most of its time wandering underground, only occasionally surfacing.

Trying to track this colossal being is simply an impossible task.

Has Tiangong not tried?

In unnoticed corners, Tiangong has failed many times.

"Yes!" Duanmu Heng said, getting to the point, swallowing his saliva, a little nervous: "Although the Earth Mother has no fixed direction, it always has places it must go."

Lingxu Shengzun then became interested: "Must-go places?"

"When Yujing City fell, many of Shangguan Biao's old subordinates escaped, some of whom had followed him for hundreds of years and later defected to us." Duanmu Heng spoke loudly, "I questioned over a hundred Yujing City monsters and extracted a clue from their answers: during the several thousand years that Shangguan Biao controlled the Earth Mother, apart from the period when heavenly and earthly spiritual energy waned and the whole city had to sleep, Shangguan Biao would, every few years, control the Earth Mother to go to a certain place—"

"Liaotian Yuan!"

Liu Yongyan asked in his place: "What does it go there to do?"

"Shangguan Biao never said it outright, but the monsters know that the Earth Mother surfaces there and remains quietly in place for half a month without moving. When they are about to leave, the city walls and earth of Yujing City turn into a vivid red."

"This red will gradually fade over the next ten or so years. By then, Yujing City will again go to Liaotian Yuan."

Does the Earth Mother need to absorb something from Liaotian Yuan?

Duanmu Heng paused, then continued:

"In these past few months, I have consulted a large number of ancient texts and finally found one mentioning that the predecessors of Fengfeng Valley tamed the Earth Mother there and brought it back to the sect. That is to say, Liaotian Yuan is the Earth Mother's homeland, very likely its birthplace!"

Liu Yongyan nodded, knowing he spoke lightly, but this painstaking research must have been enormous.

The ancient texts recorded in Tiangong are as vast as smoke and sea; Duanmu Heng could find the information he wanted because he was diligent and hardworking, and also because his luck was off the charts.

What about genius? Tiangong has never lacked diligent and hardworking geniuses; those are already dragons among men. But among them, those fortunate enough to achieve something and catch the eye of the heavenly gods are fewer than one in a thousand.

"That doesn't sound right?" Liu Yongyan saw Lingxu Shengzun silent and immediately asked on his behalf: "When the Earth Mother was a mountain-guarding beast in Fengfeng Valley, why didn't it need to return regularly to Liaotian Yuan?"

"I am supposing that, precisely because the Earth Mother only guarded the gate and did nothing else while in Fengfeng Valley, its burden was small, so it did not need to return regularly to Liaotian Yuan." Duanmu Heng answered, "Later, Shangguan Biao used its nature to make it carry a heavy shell, creating Yujing City, which is larger than an ordinary city, so it had to return to its birthplace to obtain nourishment."

"Liaotian Yuan is not a landform naturally formed in the Great Thousandfold World, but a giant impact crater made by meteorites falling from the sky countless years ago." Duanmu Heng continued, "I have heard that it is so huge it hardly looks like a pit. Perhaps the nourishment the Earth Mother needs to sustain its vast city cannot be found elsewhere, forcing it to return to Liaotian Yuan periodically to replenish."

Extraterrestrial meteorites occasionally bring substances not found in the human world.

His supposition is quite reasonable, and Lingxu Shengzun finally spoke:

"When did the Earth Mother last return to Liaotian Yuan?"

"Exactly eleven years ago." Duanmu Heng had already done his homework to prepare for the Shengzun's question.

"How much longer until it returns to Liaotian Yuan?"

"It can be estimated from the color of its city walls." Duanmu Heng answered immediately, "The Yujing City monsters said the city walls are pale, mostly indicating they are nearing the end of their cycle."

He continued: "Two months ago, the Earth Mother appeared at Juli Port in Cangyan State, causing a sensation, with countless civilians gathering. According to over a dozen eyewitnesses, its walls were already dull gray, with only a few faint red threads visible in sunlight, not noticeable unless examined closely. Because the soil of Juli Port is blackish-brown, contrasting greatly with the Earth Mother's city, others noticed it. Combining the Yujing City monsters' statements, the Earth Mother must return to Liaotian Yuan in as long as five years or as short as two years."

"Good. Then let us begin preparations."

Lingxu Shengzun said this and then fell silent.

Duanmu Heng, understanding the cue, withdrew.

The long corridor, the cool breeze, could not suppress the fire in his heart.

He finally came face to face with the supreme!

The palace doors slowly closed behind him. Duanmu Heng exhaled deeply and once again waited in silence.

After another two quarters of an hour or so, the Chief of Dispatches came out.

As he stepped over the threshold, Duanmu Heng performed the great salute: "Chief Dispatcher, my lord!"

"You performed well today; I can see the Shengzun appreciates your insight." Liu Yongyan sighed lightly, "In Tiangong, there are too many who occupy positions without merit and too few who are truly usable."

"Thank you, Chief Dispatcher, for your patronage."

Liu Yongyan arranging for Duanmu Heng to meet the Shengzun meant that as long as Duanmu Heng gained the Shengzun's favor, he would rise straight to heaven!

How many talented people spend their whole lives waiting for such an opportunity!

Liu Yongyan smiled slightly, without ceremony, and asked him directly:

"If you were to prepare the ambush plan for Liaotian Yuan, what do you think is the most important step?"

Duanmu Heng was overjoyed. Liu Yongyan had stayed in the hall for over two quarters of an hour, surely receiving the Shengzun's personal instructions to deploy based on Duanmu Heng's proposal today.

This was more than mere praise!

Duanmu Heng said earnestly: "The most important thing is to prepare a deception, absolutely not letting Jiuyou Dadi discover that this plan is aimed at him!"

"He thinks he is going on a surprise attack or a rescue, but in fact he is recklessly jumping into the trap we have set!"

"I have carefully studied Jiuyou Dadi's past cases; he is extremely skilled at stealthy intrusion and deciding the universe in one move. To blunt his edge, the most important step is to take away his 'stealth' and 'secrecy,' so that his actions are fully exposed before our eyes. Thus, his killing power and scheming ability will surely be greatly reduced!"

"Excellent." Liu Yongyan nodded, "I will advise Lingxu City to dispatch troops to the vicinity of Liaotian Yuan soon. Coincidentally, the local garrison has long been requesting reinforcements from Beijia, so you may go with the army, as chief strategist."

"Yes!" Duanmu Heng answered, raising his head.

He rose from humble beginnings, enduring countless hardships to climb to this position; he desperately needed a chance to prove himself!

"An opportunity like this comes once in a decade or more." Lu Yongyan patted his shoulder. "Don't let it go to waste."

If Duanmu Heng could achieve success in one stroke, not only would he rise rapidly thereafter, but Lu Yongyan would also gain great merit!

"Rest assured, my lord." Duanmu Heng's blood boiled with excitement, his face flushing red. "No one knows that the Nine Nether Emperor is a heaven-born genius; to cross moves with such a peerless strategic master is my honor!"

"Excellent." Lu Yongyan patted his shoulder with gratification. Being able to face an opponent's strength squarely and acknowledge an opponent's excellence is what these proud and arrogant young people find hardest to do.

"Go prepare. You depart within seven days."

"Yes."

Duanmu Heng walked out of the Star-Plucking Tower, descended the Bai Yu steps, and couldn't help but glance back once more.

The shrine was hidden deep within the clouds and mist.

That place is the very center of power under heaven; he was already very close.

——

"The Great Strife Era" Section Three ends today~ Starting next chapter, a brand new rhythm begins!

Feng Xing Shui Yun Jian / Jiu Fang Ye