Chapter 391: Gathering Intelligence: Dragon Virtue and Hong Jin

"The two of you, we have arrived!"

Jing Lixia brought the carriage to a halt, stepped down from it while trailing her skirt, and signaled to Luming and Yuan Hong.

"It seems the Great King is indeed, as we heard before, a person of power and influence in the Heavenly Court~"

Luming and Yuan Hong stepped off the carriage and surveyed their surroundings, seeing thick spiritual energy condensed into golden flowers and tassels, scattering everywhere, dyeing the pavilions and spirit mushrooms into the color of glazed glass.

Dark dragons coiled and soared, colorful phoenixes fluttered, spirit concubines scattered flowers, and golden boys cast incense; hymns of the grotto-script drifted through the air, and all manner of illusions and strange phenomena appeared one after another.

The two followed Jing Lixia, walking through corridors and paths until they reached the Treasure Pavilion where Fang Longye resided.

"Greetings, Great King!"

As soon as Luming and Yuan Hong entered the Treasure Pavilion, they bowed to Fang Longye, then immediately looked up.

They saw their Great King dressed in magnificent imperial robes, his eyes clear and bright, seemingly able to see through everything; above his crown, three thousand purple-green rays swirled, forming a canopy that hung high above.

Even though he was right before their eyes, they felt nothing; had they not seen him, they would never have discovered him.

His entire aura was lofty and profound, as if it were Heaven and Earth itself~

If they had not known beforehand that the Great King before them was merely an avatar, with his true body still far away at Cangmang Mountain, they would never have been able to tell the slightest difference between the two.

"A Taiyi Golden Immortal~"

The two could not help but feel inexplicable emotion when they recalled that when they were first taken under the Great King's command, he was only a True Immortal.

In such a short time—merely a few decades—looking back, it felt as if it were only yesterday, yet witnessing their Great King's growth felt as if several epochs had passed.

And they, too, had been promoted by their Great King, becoming Immortal Golden Immortals in just a few decades, and were now even to serve in the Heavenly Court; even now, it felt like a dream.

"Clinging to the tail of a fine steed allows one to travel a thousand miles; climbing upon the wings of a swan allows one to soar across the Four Seas"—the ancients did not deceive us!

"That is enough~"

Fang Longye waved his hand and smiled: "We are in the Heavenly Court now, so let us follow the local customs; do not call me Great King, call me Mansion Master instead~"

"Yes, Mansion Master."

A jade table lay horizontally, and a bronze three-legged incense burner emitted smoke, wisps rising in curls, condensing without dispersing, filling the surroundings with a cold, secluded atmosphere.

Fang Longye glanced at the two and said with a chuckle: "You two have come at the right time; I happen to have a task that requires some help~"

"Of course, since you are new here, I do not expect you to actually accomplish anything; just follow the people in this mansion and go out to gain some experience~"

Upon hearing this, Luming and Yuan Hong naturally expressed their determination to serve with great passion, but Fang Longye merely waved his hand, completely indifferent.

Subsequently, Fang Longye summoned his subordinates from the mansion and ordered them to go out and inquire about news regarding Dragon Virtue Star Lord Hong Jin.

He had no other intentions; he simply wanted to contribute a bit more for his sister-in-law's sake~

What? You say Hong Jin is now a young talent of the Dragon Clan? That he is considered family?

Sorry, this Fang is not familiar with him~

Moreover,

He despised fickle and heartless men the most, especially someone like Hong Jin who relied on soft-eating 【living off a woman】~

Hmm, this is absolutely not because he has any designs on Longji Princess, but rather that such a character who ruins a good woman's life deserves to be punished by all.

Thus,

The group received their orders, bowed to Fang Longye, and then dispersed one by one, including Luming and Yuan Hong, all heading out to inquire about news of Hong Jin.

Of course,

Being newcomers who were not even as familiar with the Heavenly Court's situation as Sun Wukong, the two were merely tag-alongs in this regard.

Those who could truly gather information

were merely those already arranged in Fang Longye's mansion, such as Meng Lingkuan, Jing Lixia,... and those who had been continuously defecting to Fang Longye these past few days.

Do not look down on these people for their low cultivation or status; they had been immersed in the Heavenly Court's system for a long time. "Cats have cat paths, mice have mouse paths"—these people had their own ways of inquiring about all sorts of news.

Furthermore, under Fang Longye's command, there were quite a few second-generation descendants like Chixuan, the nephew of True Lord Danxia, whose connections in the Heavenly Court were intricate and by no means simple.

Perhaps in other matters, because their abilities needed to be tested, they might fall short.

But when it came to inquiring about news regarding people in the Heavenly Court, these second-generation descendants could absolutely exert their usefulness two hundred percent.

After all,

Whenever any power exists for a long time, the situation of cliques and nepotism will appear; no one can avoid it—it was true for mortal dynasties, and it is true for the Heavenly Court.

Several days later, Heavenly Court, Shuiyuan Shengjun Mansion.

A majestic treasure hall stood tall, with double eaves and heavy ridges, carved beams and painted pillars, filled with gold and jade; it was covered with azure-colored Glazed Tiles, magnificent and solemn.

Thousands of rays of sunlight and starlight slanted down, brushing against the color of the tiles, turning everything into a sheet of green and gold, shining brightly through the windows painted with green vines and frost.

Fang Longye sat upright on a Cloud Couch, reading a Jade Volume, looking very serious.

The halo of light fell upon him, placing his entire person within a corona, adding a sense of holiness, and there was a light of wisdom between his brows.

After a long while, Fang Longye raised his head, casually set down the Jade Volume, his eyes clear and secluded, divine light shining sternly behind him, with the faint image of a dragon head held high and moving forward; he did not speak for the moment, but stood up and paced to the window.

Outside, bamboo shadows were mottled, small branches reached the wall, thick and dense, with light and shadow intertwined in a moderate way~

When the wind blew, they danced with a rustling sound.

"This Hong Jin really has had a stroke of dog-shit luck!"

Fang Longye stood with his hands behind his back, exhaled a breath of Turbid Qi, and could not help but complain in his heart.

Through the inquiries made by his subordinates in the Heavenly Court, he had managed to get a clear picture of this fellow Hong Jin's background and life.

Compared to before,

he had a clearer understanding of him~

Just as Longji Princess and Yang Chan had told him, this fellow was originally a koi carp that attained the Dao, and later luckily entered the Shangqing Sect, becoming a disciple of the Calamity Sect.

But in the end, his foundation was shallow, and even among the outer disciples of the Calamity Sect, he was not considered anyone of note.

The only thing worth mentioning was that he was good-looking, had a dignified appearance, and was glib-tongued. He really had no other strengths~ Yet his encounters were strange, and he was chosen as a tool to scheme against Longji Princess and slap the Jade Emperor and Wangmu in the face; he truly was a "carp leaping over the Dragon Gate"~

At present, this fellow is not only a Zhu Long with a body at the level of an innate creature in terms of origin, but he has also made great strides in his cultivation.

From a mere silver-spear-head of a fellow, he has become a Taiyi Golden Immortal just a hair's breadth away from Daluo~

Hmm, just like the current Longji Princess, one can call them half-step Daluo.

The accumulation is sufficient, the foundation is solid, and whether due to the timing of heaven or the calamities of men, they may not attain the Dao for a moment, but as long as the shackles are removed, they can almost instantly become Daluo.

With such a realm and such cultivation, it is no wonder that the old veterans of the Dragon Clan of the Zhu Long lineage would rather offend the Jade Emperor and Wangmu than fail to protect this fellow Hong Jin.

"I don't know if I can actually persuade those Daluo veterans of the Zhu Long lineage~"

Fang Longye could not help but think to himself.

There is no other reason;

A Zhu Long at the level of an innate creature might be something those veterans would abandon if a price were paid, but a future Daluo who is a certainty is not necessarily so.

In any case, putting himself in their shoes, he certainly would not be willing.

"It all depends on what kind of bargaining chips Longji Princess has offered~" Fang Longye could not help but take out a Treasure Pot, shaking his head and smiling, while his hands began to stroke it.

The body of the Treasure Pot was bronze, engraved with the Eight Meetings Pattern, be it Heavenly Book or Earth Book, or the images of turtles, dragons, fish, and birds, or the shapes of scales, armor, hair, and feathers... the talismanic colors intertwined, colliding to create a halo.

Held in the hand, it glowed with brilliance, with coiled dragons holding pearls and Jinfeng spreading its wings, blooming with radiance; one could faintly sense the wisps of purple-green aura within.

This Treasure Pot was a Storage Tool, and what was loaded inside was precisely the bargaining chip that Longji Princess had entrusted Fang Longye to pass on to the Dragon Clan veterans.

As for what exactly was loaded inside, he did not know either. After stroking it for a while, Fang Longye put it away again; although he was curious, since it was ultimately to be delivered to others on someone else's behalf, it was naturally not appropriate to pry into it privately.

"Alright, let's leave it at that for now!"

Fang Longye flicked his sleeves, casually wiping the Jade Volume placed on the desk into fly ash.

The matter of inquiring about news of Hong Jin had come to an end; he would just continue to pay attention to it later.

"Luming~"

"Present!"

Luming, who was guarding to the side, replied in response.

Fang Longye nodded; he had grown accustomed to using Luming, so as soon as he arrived at the Heavenly Court, he replaced Meng Lingkuan's position and became the manager in his mansion.

That is to say, the steward, the general manager.

Of course, this was only temporary.

Once his Shuiyuan Shengjun Mansion in the Heavenly Court truly became a government office capable of getting things done and got on the right track, he would naturally have to add more burdens to him.

"Summarize the personnel who participated in this operation, and reward them according to their merits based on this standard~"

Fang Longye casually flicked out a ray of spiritual light, which submerged into the center of Luming's brow before him.

"I will strictly follow the Mansion Master's orders~"

Luming immediately nodded, indicating he understood.

This task was something he had done countless times at Cangmang Mountain; it could be considered his old trade.

"Alright, go down!"

Upon hearing this, Luming

bowed and performed a salute, then exited the precious hall.

After sending Luming away, Fang Longye stood up, stretched, and smiled: "The matter of inquiring about information related to that thief Hong Jin has come to an end, it is time to visit that famous Taishang Laojun at Doushuai Gong~"

To see if he could beg for some benefits.

Zhou Tian Star Sea, Longde Star.

Inside a palace, the dome could not be seen overhead, only a semi-arched starry sky covered it.

Stars fell from time to time, flickering bright and dim, dragging long tails, and landed on the ground~ as soon as they reached the ground,

they instantly turned into water color, permeating the surroundings.

Looking closer,

beneath the starry sky, there was a high platform, holding up a canopy, decorated with yellow conch, agate, mysterious essence, and water ink.

In a thousand postures and varied forms, it shone with brilliance.

Below, it was precisely Hong Jin, whom Fang Longye was thinking of, the Dragon Virtue Star Lord of the Heavenly Court.

Of course,

it was not his true body, just an incarnation.

One could see him wearing a star crown and draped in a Dharma robe of stars, his face extremely handsome; clearly, it was only an incarnation, yet a vast power rose from his body, filling the surroundings.

Mighty and grand, it looked as if it had no end.

It made the entire hall suddenly have a feeling that time was like water, all within his grasp.

People within it would leave no traces of the passing years.

Hong Jin sat quietly on the cloud bed under the canopy, flanked by precious racks of true jade, two zhang high, on which were placed various objects, each exuding precious colors, crystal clear, and permeated with inexplicable radiance.

"Someone is inquiring about my news?"

Fang Longye sent people to inquire about all kinds of information on Hong Jin, so naturally, there would be some movement, and he was fearless, having no intention of doing any concealment.

As a result, Hong Jin, as the person involved, naturally reacted to this.

Circles upon circles of light flames immediately rose above his head, growing large and small, changing without form, supporting a map and a book, changing endlessly, difficult to exhaust~ for a time,

a neigh of a dragon-horse and a roar of a mysterious turtle sounded in the hall; the two leaped out of the water, carrying the Treasure Map and Treasure Book, with the vast principles of the starry sky permeating the air.

Indescribable mysteries flowed, in the past and future, in endless time and space, without end.

The River Map and Luo Book!

Of course, it naturally would not be the real River Map and Luo Book, but a pair of Spirit Treasures imitated in later times.

But it is still extremely extraordinary; this pair has at least thirty percent of the efficacy of the true River Chart and Luo Book.

If not for the fact that Hong Jin had achieved the Zhu Long body at the level of an innate creature, and was also a Half-step Daluo, he would not have been able to obtain such a treasure to keep by his side~

"A person under the seat of the newly appointed Water Origin Holy Lord?"

As mentioned before, Fang Longye did not intend to make any cover-up, so Hong Jin quickly discerned the truth of the matter and could not help but knit his brows.

"That Young Lord Yuanlong? Is this the intention of the Third Holy Mother or Longji Princess?"

Hong Jin's brows twitched, as if he had thought of something; a trace of gloom rose between his brows, casting a sinister and terrifying shadow over his handsome face~ Heh heh!

He gave a cold laugh, then immediately suppressed the gloom between his brows, flipped his palm, and took out a small note.

This small note was the size of a palm, like a paulownia leaf, shimmering with purple and green; on it were over a hundred words in tiny script, each stroke like a knife or sword, filled with murderous intent~ It was nothing else but the Battle Challenge issued to him by Longji Princess the first moment she emerged from seclusion.

That's right,

This is a Battle Challenge, an invitation to battle.

A Life and Death duel, to the bitter end! The loser perishes completely, the winner wins everything! "It is time to end everything!"

On the table, which was as clear and cool as jade, sat a small bronze tripod three feet high, hollowed out on all four sides with heavy gold and jade eaves covering the top; curling smoke rose out, condensing without dispersing, cold and dark green.

His eyes turned icy, his voice indifferent, sounding devoid of any emotion, as he muttered to himself: "Longji, there is really no need for so much trouble if you want a Life and Death duel with me! The person of today is no longer the person of the past; the current me does not fear any challenge."

"Or perhaps,"

His eyes were deep, staring motionlessly into the void, as if seeing through layers of time and space the young girl from the beginning with bright eyes and white teeth, full of spirit, and his former self, calculating and scheming at every turn.

"Do you really think the cowardly, weak, and death-fearing me from before was the real me?"

He did not lack the courage to cast everything aside for the sake of the Dao; otherwise, he would not have walked this far while treading on thin ice~

In fact,

He had been waiting for this day for a very long time.

Ever since he seized the fortune of Longji to perfect his cultivation and achieved the level of Half-step Daluo, he had been waiting for this very Life and Death invitation to battle~ There was no other reason,

Just as Longji must kill him now if she wants to attain the Daluo Dao, likewise, he must kill Longji if he wants to attain the Daluo Dao.

Perhaps it is because his current achievements were all attained by seizing the fortune from Longji, or perhaps it is the entanglement of their fates in the dark~

In short, their past encounters and special bonds have determined everything that is happening now.

Husband and wife turned against each other, facing each other in Life and Death~ "The grievances and grudges of the past, the entanglements of karma, are all in this one battle! Whether it is victory or defeat, who lives or who dies, it all depends on your fortune and mine!"

Hong Jin's gaze was resolute, revealing a sense of determination.

(End of this chapter)