Chapter 57

Leaving the pile of corpses, they returned to the mist and came back to the lakeside, yet they could no longer see the flood dragon's silhouette.

Chen Yi He, Wu Rong, and the Young Palace Master together treated Dongfang Xing's injuries.

Dongfang Xing's injuries were severe, with several meridians broken inside her body; fortunately, experts of her own level treated her, and it is estimated that she will recover in seven to ten days.

Yesterday, they inadvertently found another acquaintance's grave—it was Zhou Kai's.

"I never expected that a noble prince would end up like this." Chen Yi He sighed.

"It's already not bad. At least they gave him a grave, Miss Dongfang, but she doesn't even have a grave—she was just tossed onto the pile of corpses." Wu Rong said, not missing a beat.

Chen Yi He also had nothing to rebut. He didn't like someone like Zhou Kai, but when Zhou Kai, like him, was a disciple and lost his life, he inevitably felt some regret, even sympathy: "Thank goodness it wasn't me who died..."

Dongfang Xing had quietly asked Chen Yi He several times how the Dragon King was doing.

Chen Yi He could only shake his head helplessly.

In the blink of an eye, three days passed, and Dongfang Xing's injuries healed much faster than expected—over half again as fast. She scooped a ladle of water, washed her face clean, and became lovely and delicate once more.

"Come over, let's discuss what we should do next," Chen Yi He said to the Young Palace Master.

The Young Palace Master was like a wooden statue—once seated she could sit all day without moving or speaking, yet she remained alert; Chen Yi He's words, she heard every syllable clearly from the first word.

The Young Palace Master rose and walked over.

Wu Rong was also in position, but he said, "Looks like there's no need to discuss..."

Wu Rong sensed someone approaching—not one person, but two.

They emerged from the mist—one walked leisurely, the other staggered, hunched over.

Chen Yi He drew his sword; Dongfang Xing and the Young Palace Master rose to their feet, and together they gazed at the approaching figures growing ever clearer.

"Whoosh." Without seeing which of the two had struck, a mahjong tile flew at Chen Yi He's face.

"Smack." Although Chen Yi He had clearly dodged, his cheek still took a hard hit, leaving a deep red mark from the scarlet "2 of circles" mahjong tile.

"Damn..." Chen Yi He touched his burning, bleeding corner of the mouth.

The attacker was the Sixth Elder, who laughed and said, "Heh, not bad reflexes, kid—otherwise my 2 of circles would have pierced your skull!" Having finished speaking and laughing, he already stood before everyone.

Even the mist couldn't conceal them.

"Old Six, how many years has it been since we last came here?" the Fifth Elder spoke, her back hunched, looking truly unlike a woman.

"At least thirty years, right?" the Sixth Elder replied in turn.

"What an utterly detestable place!" the Fifth Elder seemed not to regard the four youngsters before her as people; to her they were like air, "I recall twenty years ago, among that batch there was a young man I liked—high martial prowess, deep cultivation, quite handsome... but alas!"

Hearing the Fifth Elder say that, Chen Yi He's mind conjured an image of an old ox eating tender grass... "Moo..."

"If he were still alive, he'd probably be a regional lord or a hero by now?" the Sixth Elder asked.

"No way that could happen! Still, I most admire sects like the Five Absolutes Palace and the Purgatory Gate—clearly knowing the Thousandfold Gate is off, they haven't sent anyone for years, yet this year they've suddenly gone crazy, really a headache!"

The two immortals were performing a double act, speaking without restraint.

Chen Yi He glanced at the Young Palace Master and Wu Rong beside him, recalling what the Dragon King had said: "It hasn't produced any decent talent in many years; in the past seventy or eighty years, not a single disciple has been selected for the Thousandfold Gate—yet here we are, standing out just when we seemed destined to be forgotten by history." Now thinking about it, damn it, it's not that they lack ability; they've seen through it—there's something fishy going on!

Chen Yi He couldn't hold back, pointing at the two elders before him and cursing, "You old immortals, we risked our lives to get in here to learn some skills, yet you treat us like lab rats, making us run in circles!"

"You're the only one with a bit of brains."

Chen Yi He launched a kick at the Sixth Elder.

The Sixth Elder's body seemed unmoving, yet he clearly dodged the incoming kick, then raised his hand, using the gold ring on his finger as a weapon, and struck Chen Yi He's back hard, sending him crashing down!

Dust sprayed up, filling the ground.

The whole motion, connected in an instant, treated the Third Heaven's Chen Yi He like a doll!

Chen Yi He was subdued in one move by the Sixth Elder; he lay on the ground, the Sixth Elder's foot pressing on his back.

How could Dongfang Xing bear to see Chen Yi He bullied? She raised a palm, and jet-black true qi poured from her palm, blasting toward the Sixth Elder.

The Sixth Elder's speed was unimaginable—he bent down, snatched Chen Yi He up, and used him as a shield in front of himself.

Dongfang Xing couldn't stop in time, so she forced the true qi upward! "Boom!" It sounded like striking a stone slab, producing a thunderous roar.

Chen Yi He nearly died under Dongfang Xing's palm—just a hair's breadth away.

The Sixth Elder was about to kick Chen Yi He's shin, but Wu Rong intercepted it.

Blazing flames erupted from the ground, shooting straight toward the Sixth Elder's feet.

The Sixth Elder had to lift his foot to dodge, while at the same time the Young Palace Master charged forward.

The Fifth Elder struck, throwing a punch at the Young Palace Master.

The Young Palace Master flicked her skirt, borrowing skillful force, perfectly neutralizing the punch and rescuing Chen Yi He!

After everything settled, the Fifth Elder couldn't help but shake her head, casting an approving glance at the Young Palace Master; for someone about to die at her hand, she was not stingy with praise: "Given time, you will surely become formidable."

She gritted her teeth, straightened her hunched back, "But... I cannot give you the time to become formidable!"

Bei Du, the imperial capital, the palace.

In the vast hall of the palace, only two people were present—above, Emperor Wen of Zhou; below, Zhang the Eunuch.

Emperor Wen of Zhou sat on the dragon throne, one hand clutching his chest, his golden dragon robe wrinkled from his grip; the other hand pinched a letter, which he had crumpled into a ball, and beneath it lay a green bottle.

At this moment, Emperor Wen of Zhou wore a sorrowful, angry expression, his gaze icy; a deep anguish emanated from him, filling the hall. Truly, it was a mournful dragon's majesty.

Little did he know, when a gentleman is angered, blood flows a thousand li.

Emperor Wen of Zhou's anger lay hidden beneath his sorrow.

"Your Highness." Zhang the Eunuch knelt on the ground, upper body bowed, trembling, "Please, Your Highness, reconsider."

Emperor Wen of Zhou began to unfasten his dragon robe in the hall; in such a sorrowful setting, he no longer bothered with propriety. The truth is what matters most.

The puncture marks on his right arm had long vanished; years of privileged palace life had made his skin supple, yet touching that spot still gave a faint ache. He didn't know what it was, only that after leaving the Thousandfold Gate, many puncture marks had appeared on his right arm—he had once wondered, but hadn't given it much thought.

"Your Highness, you surely don't really believe what's written in this letter, do you?" Zhang the Eunuch, who already knew the letter's contents, said, "Whether Prince Kai is alive or dead cannot be judged by a single letter!"

"Shut up!" Emperor Wen of Zhou roared, raising the green bottle in his hand, "This is the antidote! How could the sovereign of Tian'an be deceived?! If word got out, wouldn't the whole world laugh at us?"

"What if it's poison? Who will bear this risk! At the very least we need to find someone, or let the old minister try it first for Your Majesty!" Zhang Gonggong risked his life to admonish, tears streaming down his face. The Emperor's tears cannot be shed lightly, but this eunuch can weep for the Emperor. "Your Highness, think again, think again, and think once more!"

"There's no mistake, I, in countless late nights, often dream of that period of time that seemed to have existed." Emperor Wen Huang said softly. After speaking, he removed the stopper and drank the liquid from the green bottle in one gulp.

"Your Highness!"

"My child, I will surely avenge your grudge!"

"Your Highness, should we invite the Old Ancestor to emerge?"

"Why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken? Zhang Gonggong, send a secret letter to Nan Zhongyi, ordering him to dispatch men immediately to surround and annihilate the Thousandfold Gate! Inside and outside Southern Border City, kill anyone you encounter! Leave no survivors!"