Chapter 2679

There are truly few who can make Frost Leaf sincerely burn paper offerings.

He Lingchuan smiled and clasped his hands toward him: "Your thoughtfulness is appreciated."

……

After the palace attendants escorted Frost Leaf away, He Lingchuan did not summon the Hao Yuan Golden Mirror, but instead strolled back to the Imperial Study, a distance of seven or eight li, with picturesque scenery along the way, and palace attendants bowing repeatedly.

He walked with his hands behind his back, admiring the view, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

When he entered the Imperial Study, snow from the treetops had piled up on his shoulders. The attendants wanted to brush it off for him, but he instructed:

"Find Du Shan."

Two hours later, Du Shan hurried over.

"The King of Shen Guo intends to take his grandson He Mingchen to study in Cang Yan, as requested by the Queen, and will likely dock at Ju Lu Port within one and a half months at most. They will stay in Ju City for a period, and this matter is entrusted to you," He Lingchuan said, still reviewing memorials without looking up.

Du Shan sensed the hidden meaning, his heart startled, but his expression remained unchanged:

"Yes! I will certainly arrange it properly."

Has the situation in Shen Guo become this dire? Even the venerable Shen King is anxiously entrusting his orphan to the Nine Abyss Great Emperor?

He Changjue's death, he naturally knew, and had pondered how the Emperor would respond. The relationship between the Shen King and the Emperor is subtle, and even Du Shan does not know whether they are considered family.

Now that the Shen King has entrusted his orphan, and the Emperor has accepted it. It appears that thereafter, Shen Guo's entanglements with Ba Ling and Between Between Between Beijia will become even deeper and more perilous.

He Lingchuan asked again: "Now, how many countries and regions in the human world are mired in conflict, strife, and war?"

"At least seventy or more." Du Shan walked to the edge of the sand table.

This sand table was evolved from mirage horns; not only do the colors of mountains, rivers, and snow mountains differ, but one can also walk into the sand table itself, as if entering an illusion, with no sand sticking to the body. Yet picking up the small flag on the side allows one to insert it directly into the sand table without it falling—truly marvelous.

Currently, sixty or seventy black flags are inserted into the sand table, each representing a site of war and conflict.

"The areas around Between Between Between Beijia and Mu Guo have the most, while farther places have fewer, but none are absent." Du Shan continued, "Many regions' conflicts are instigated by the barbarian demon states, even directly participating in battle. This is a new development; previously, it was always the Spirit Void City that dispatched troops first, with the barbarian demon states following in combat."

"Because the Spirit Void Royal City is more under the control of the Demon Emperor." He Lingchuan also rose and walked to the sand table's edge, "Yet among these barbarian demon states, there are die-hard followers of the Heavenly Demon: on one hand, driven by orders from above, they desperately create nightmare qi in the human world; on the other, they take advantage of this pretext to indulge in plunder, enriching themselves. Look at Xuoluo State, E Ling State, and Bo Lang State—these barbarian demon states have recently been waging war everywhere, feeding themselves to overflowing bowls and basins."

Du Shan also said: "These barbarian demon states serve the Heavenly Demon and harbor enmity toward Cang Yan; in terms of maritime trade and foreign commerce, they cannot match Chi Yan State; in terms of national strength and people's livelihood, they cannot match Shu Shu State. These years, resentment has run high. However, these past few months, they have instead grown fat through overseas plunder."

To grow rich, one must still rely on this costless trade.

"They are the vassal demon states of Between Between Between Beijia; sending their national and military power out to thrash the surrounding small states." He Lingchuan mused, "When they go out to stir up trouble, it shows the Demon Emperor's control over the vassal demon states has greatly weakened."

The relationship between Spirit Void City and the major vassal demon states is somewhat delicate—both a central-local relationship and yet harboring hidden competition. Since the founding of the state to the present, Between Between Between Beijia's development, economic prosperity, and military strength have always been led by Spirit Void City; any vassal demon state that rises too swiftly, faintly showing signs of surpassing Spirit Void City, will be suppressed.

Like now, the vassal demon states recklessly plunder and contend abroad—this is not the Demon Emperor's doing. Furthermore, He Lingchuan learned from Fushan Yue that the plunder gains of the vassal demon states abroad will at most be symbolically shared with Spirit Void City.

Previously, when Between Between Between Beijia launched foreign wars, the spoils were first distributed by Spirit Void City, and only then could the vassal demon states claim their small share.

Even within Between Between Between Beijia, the old custom no longer applies.

"The Frost Leaf National Master leading the delegation to visit Cang Yan represents only Spirit Void City." Du Shan smiled, "I carefully examined the background data of the delegation members; most are from Spirit Void City or Shu Shu State, and have no connection to those few vassal demon states."

"The heavenly realm is in chaos; as Between Between Between Beijia's weapon in the human world, how could it possibly remain untouched?" He Lingchuan drew several documents from the desk and handed them to Du Shan, "These are all pleas for aid, hoping Cang Yan will step forward to uphold justice or even send troops to assist in battle, coming from six small states and three sects."

Du Shan received them with both hands, opened them, and examined each one in turn, his doubts not diminishing but increasing:

In the past few years, Cang Yan has received similar pleas for aid not just dozens of times. The weak always hope someone will step forward to uphold justice for them, but the Emperor never responds directly. Except for Xuan Yi State, Cang Yan has never dispatched troops abroad to assist in battle, calling it 'self-preservation and self-reliance.'

Not intervening in foreign wars is one of Cang Yan's important state policies since its founding.

But now the Emperor has produced these documents—does it mean……

"You mean?"

He Lingchuan stretched lazily, his joints cracking:

"The time has come; we must take the initiative."

This great beast of Cang Yan, which has lain dormant for years, should now reveal its claws and fangs again.

Just these nine words made Du Shan startle violently; the few documents in his hand slipped, landing with a soft 'pa-da' on the floor.

Knowing his lapse, he hastily apologized, bent down to pick them up.

When he rose and lifted his head, his face was already flushed crimson.

"Since its founding, Cang Yan has strived to develop, avoiding entanglement in foreign wars." He Lingchuan spoke solemnly, "But now, with the Demon's descent imminent, Cang Yan can no longer remain aloof. Formerly Pan Long, now Shen Guo—neither are the weak, yet both have been drawn into Between Between Between Beijia's initiated conflicts, endless and unceasing."

"Change looms ahead; we must advance into the current and strike the water." He clenched his fist, voice low and powerful, "If we continue only to conceal our light and nurture obscurity, we will only follow in the dust of Pan Long and Shen Guo."

At last, at last Cang Yan will finally enter the fray! Du Shan could not conceal his excitement:

"Formerly, Between Between Between Beijia was a blazing pagoda, all nations coming to court, other states both envious and reverent, merely seeking favor. Cang Yan has raised the banner against the Heavenly Demon for so many years, yet they thought it had nothing to do with them, always coldly observing, never daring to utter a sound; but now those few vassal demon states of Between Between Between Beijia openly wield weapons, plundering everywhere, the hundred states of the human world fall silent, being slaughtered until they wish for death, finally realizing that before and after the Heavenly Demon's descent, they themselves must become offerings! If they do not resist, their end will be a dead end."

When will Cang Yan finally enter the fray? That is the best timing? Not only Du Shan, but even not only Cang Yan's ministers, countless virtuous officials and strategists in the human world have pondered and discussed this.

But only Du Shan understands: whenever the Nine Abyss Great Emperor decides to act, that moment is the best timing!