Chapter 486: Reactions from Three Sides (Part 2)

Green waves ripple, schools of fish and shrimp abound.

Beneath the clear waters stands a majestic white stone palace.

As an adult dragon grandson, with the full support of the Golden Patterned Turtle Clan, Ke Laoqi already possesses his own fiefdom.

At this moment, he sits atop a coral throne.

His expression is slightly cold, looking down with a headache.

An aged Golden Patterned Turtle demon kneels on one knee, his face filled with grim determination, his aura comparable to Bai Yujing flickering faintly: "I beg the Dragon Grandson to issue an edict, allowing this old servant to lead troops to the Heavenly Sword Sect to demand an explanation!"

"..."

Ke Laoqi pressed his lips, swallowing back the words "on your own merit."

Is this old Wang Ba confused in the head?

How could the Seven Sons of Southern Hong be bullied? If they are truly provoked, this group would risk their lives and even turn the Southern Long Gong upside down.

However...

The fate of the other party's beloved son remains unknown.

The happy event the Turtle Clan prepared will now likely become a funeral.

The Southern Long Gong indeed fears not the Seven Sons of Southern Hong.

But this Dragon Grandson of his cannot represent the Long Gong, let alone regarding the matter of a subordinate general's son.

Ke Laoqi truly did not wish to issue this magical edict.

His status in the Long Gong was already low; causing trouble again would inevitably displeased Dragon Grandpa.

According to Ke Laoqi's way of doing things, he would always invoke the Long Gong's name to solve ninety-nine percent of troubles; if that failed, he would instinctively feel inclined to retreat.

"What are you rushing for?"

Thinking thus, Ke Laoqi finally spoke: "Negotiating with the Seven Sons of Southern Hong is my Fourth Brother's responsibility. If I, the Great One, intervene rashly, it will inevitably cause Fourth Brother to misunderstand. Do you wish to cause discord between us brothers?"

"This old servant... this old servant dares not!"

The Golden Patterned Turtle demon's lips trembled; he had clearly seen through the Dragon Grandson's thoughts but dared not speak plainly.

After taking a deep breath, he suddenly knelt on his other leg as well, his posture shifting quietly from a plea for battle to one of begging: "My Golden Patterned Turtle Clan has always been utterly loyal to the Dragon Grandson, willing to face boiling water and blazing fire without a second thought. My handsome son has always guarded the Dragon Grandson's side, and he regards the wounds he took to shield you, which have remained on his face for years, as an honor."

"Now that his life or death is unknown, this old servant asks for nothing else, at least... at least let me know if he is truly dead, and if so, who struck the blow."

The old turtle demon's words were like weeping, evoking a sense of sorrow for the fox upon the rabbit's death among the surrounding demons.

"Enough. To learn these things, there is no need to ask the Heavenly Sword Sect."

Concealing the irritation in his eyes, Ke Laoqi cut off the old Wang Ba's weeping directly: "If I recall correctly, my Thirteenth Brother was also present at that time."

Speaking thus, he could not help but let out a cold sneer.

Others all believed Ke Thirteen had acted on his behalf, protecting the wedding sedan chair as it entered the water.

Only Ke Laoqi knew in his heart that the young man absolutely had no good intentions.

The other party was subtly showing signs of ambition, inevitably turning their spearhead against these elder brothers, paving the ground with blood and building a new palace with corpses.

Among the remaining twelve Dragon Grandsons, the one most suitable to be challenged was none other than himself.

Very well, let me just brush off this old Wang Ba.

After all, there are major matters ahead that will require his use.

Thinking thus, Ke Laoqi closed his eyes and began to contact that brother he had not seen in a long time through a secret method.

Under the expectant gazes of the demons.

A strange smile unconsciously spread across Ke Laoqi's face.

He slowly opened his eyes, looking at his palm in surprise.

There, a blood talisman quietly materialized in his palm.

"Dragon Grandson, what is wrong?"

The Golden Patterned Turtle demon, whose realm was comparable to Bai Yujing, looked over nervously.

"Nothing."

Ke Laoqi quickly clenched his fist, looked up, and swept his gaze over: "Your son has most likely died; there is no need for further words."

"Dead..."

The old turtle demon's body trembled twice; he opened and closed his mouth, unable to speak for a long time.

"Put your heart at ease. I will make the Heavenly Sword Sect give you an explanation; blood for blood."

Ke Laoqi rose to his feet slowly and deliberately; with just that one sentence, the faces of the demons below changed drastically.

The Dragon Grandson actually intends to break with the Heavenly Sword Sect for the sake of the Turtle Clan?!

"However..."

"The face to be given to Fourth Brother must still be given. I will inform him as soon as possible; just wait."

With these words spoken.

The old Wang Ba could barely contain his emotions, his voice trembling: "This old servant understands. This old servant can wait."

"Let us speak of serious matters."

Ke Laoqi walked slowly to the side of the Golden Patterned Turtle demon and gently patted its shoulder: "The Great One has encountered a great opportunity, one large enough to regain Dragon Grandpa's favor. Now, I require you to help me seize this opportunity."

"If you accomplish this matter, your Golden Patterned Turtle Clan shall enjoy ten thousand generations of fortune."

Hearing this, the old Wang Ba suddenly trembled.

Compared to the promise made by the other party, the dangerous aura contained within made it feel even more unsettled.

"Rest assured, I told you it is an opportunity."

Ke Laoqi offered a slight word of comfort.

The old Wang Ba slowly raised its head and said in a low voice: "May I ask the Dragon Grandson, what opportunity is it?"

Ke Laoqi's eyes filled with malice as he whispered: "For instance, ambushing a Xian Sect Daozi?"

Hearing this, Wang Ba staggered back, staring in disbelief.

As if he'd heard some absurd joke.

It? To ambush a Xian Sect Daozi?

The difficulty of this task is second only to slaying a He Dao realm titan.

First, the Nan Hong Seven Sons have only six Daozi total, each stronger than the last; beings like them, whenever they leave their sect, are under the watchful eyes of countless others—there is no possibility of being ambushed.

To secretly lure them out would require an extraordinarily close relationship.

Even childhood playmates might not manage it.

Then again, if one truly had such intimate ties with a Daozi, it would be like climbing the thickest tree in Nan Hong—why betray the Nan Hong Seven Sons?

What's the point?

Second, even if you managed to draw them out of the Xian Sect.

With the combined strength under Seven Dragon Grandson's command, who among the Daozi could they possibly defeat?

As for summoning the elder generation to act, it could never be done silently—it would be an outright declaration of war against the Nan Hong Seven Sons, a fight to the death.

What kind of merit is this? What kind of opportunity?

"Why are you panicking?"

Ke Laoqi raised an eyebrow, glancing at him with displeasure: "Do you think I'd send you to die?"

"That would never happen."

Wang Ba understood his own position clearly: Seven Dragon Grandson might not be sentimental, but at least for now, he still relied heavily on the Golden-Patterned Turtle Clan.

"The moon waxes and wanes."

Ke Laoqi strolled slowly out of the hall: "When the sharp edge reaches its peak, it is time to turn toward decline."

Hearing this, Wang Ba's eyelid twitched—he seemed to guess something, and his breath immediately grew sluggish.

He stared blankly at the back of the Dragon Grandson.

The other appeared utterly composed, as if he had already planned everything.

A wave of shock surged within him.

Could Seven Dragon Grandson truly have a way to make the Tianjian Sect Daozi leave the Xian Sect of her own accord, at her weakest moment?!

"Huh."

But Ke Laoqi did not turn back to explain further—he left only those words.

He walked forward, gliding atop the waves.

Only when he reached a desolate place did frustration finally surface on his face.

He immediately activated a secret technique, and before him appeared a water mirror.

Gazing at the dark, murky surface.

Ke Laoqi forced a respectful expression, straightened his armor, then knelt on one knee and bowed: "Old Seven has something to report to Fourth Brother."

The dark crimson figure slowly stirred, drawing slightly back, revealing scales like metal.

A massive dragon head emerged, sharp and fearsome, its eyes glowing yellow as it looked down: "Speak."

"Thirteen… Thirteen seems dead! After encountering a Tianjian Sect disciple…"

As he spoke, Ke Laoqi trembled as he extended his palm, trying to show the blood rune on his palm.

But the crimson dragon's expression remained indifferent, showing no sign of surprise, even too lazy to expose Ke Laoqi's fake grief: "Understood."

Before he finished speaking, the water mirror vanished silently.

Ke Laoqi froze—he had intended to use Fourth Brother's hand to clash with the Nan Hong Seven Sons, weakening Fourth Brother while diverting the Nan Hong Seven Sons' attention, making it easier for him to act.

A two-for-one advantage.

But the other's reaction exceeded his expectations.

Even if their relationship had always been distant, Thirteen was still their blood brother—how could Fourth Brother show such coldness? Had he ever truly regarded himself as part of the Southern Long Gong?

Dragon Grandfather entrusted him with the most prosperous waters—what a foolish old man.

"This bastard!"

Across the vast waters and lands, the crimson dragon could not hear Ke Laoqi's curses.

Of course, even if he had heard, he had no interest in caring.

He calmly stared at the letter before him.

The news of Ke Shisan's death reached the crimson dragon far earlier than anyone else.

Yet he had sensed Thirteen's aura once again afterward, which left him puzzled.

The reason he had taken no action until now

Was because of this letter.

It detailed the life story of an unknown cultivator, including every technique he had used and the changes in his realm.

At the end of the letter, it mentioned Qingyue Sect's Liu Shiqian traveling with this cultivator to the Yan family.

Normally, a letter written by a cultivator would be hard to trust for the Long Gong.

But Ke Lao four merely stared quietly at the talisman on the envelope.

It was left by a Tianjian Sect elder.

The man had not concealed his identity—he openly betrayed the Meng Sect.

That was interesting.

If he sent this letter to the Nan Hong Seven Sons, the man would surely die.

Yet precisely because of that, it revealed his sincerity.

"A desperate gamble?"

The Red Dragon smiled with amusement; this was the pledge of loyalty handed over. To gain the support of the Southern Long Gong and thus contend against other cultivators of the Bai Yujing, with such leverage in hand, the other party indeed seemed the best candidate to inherit the Dao-Union Sacred Land.

"Make a scene, make it even bigger."

"One little Ke Thirteen is not enough."

The dragon looked coldly at the dark crimson scales on its own body, the result of its maternal bloodline being too concentrated.

It had once been called a bastard.

By killing its own kin, it finally earned the title of Dragon Grandson.

But no matter how strong its power became.

The Southern Long Gong, dominated by the Yellow Fiend Poison Dragon, would ultimately never be handed over to a Red Dragon.

Who said only cultivators could inherit the Dao-Union Sacred Land?

It too wanted to try.

But the time was not yet right; only when the Long Gong was insulted to the extreme could the Seven Sons of Yu Nanhong pay the price of an abandoned Dao-Union Sacred Land to quell the anger of Dragon Lord.

Of course, one could not do nothing and leave others with grounds for criticism.

"Someone come."

The Red Dragon raised its head and said indifferently, "Go find some trouble for the Qingyue Sect. No matter what, I must meet that Liu Shiqian."

A Bai Yujing elder paying with his life for little Ke Thirteen was about enough.

"Your subordinate obeys!"

A series of grim responses came from outside the hall.

Between the towering peaks, white mist drifted.

Traces of purple qi still lingered within.

At the foot of the mountain, scattered in a few manors, common people struggled toward the summit, trying to trace where this purple qi came from, hoping to seek a chance at immortality.

However, when they finally climbed the mountain and looked up, what met their gaze was a palace radiating a menacing aura.

Seven stories tall, it stirred up waves in the sea of blood, as if the wronged souls were weeping and complaining.

Accompanied by low beast roars that made the mountain range tremble slightly.

"There are demons!!"

Desperate wails echoed through the mountains, and figures fled blindly downward.

Many mortals slipped underfoot and fell straight down the high mountain.

Just as they were about to die in a burst of flesh and bone, a mountain wind rolled up, holding them up and sending them back to the foot of the mountain, like a dream of yellow millet.

At the summit.

Shen Yi sat cross-legged, calming his breath, and withdrew the Boundless Demon Emperor Palace into his brow.

Killed Fanxu, seventh layer; finally, he had crossed the watershed and ascended to the late stage realm.

"Congratulations to my lord on greatly increasing his power!"

Wu Jun knelt on one knee, bowing his head with hands clasped.

"..."

Ke Thirteen paused, staring at this little Wang Ba in disbelief.

Could it be done like this?

His fingers trembled slightly; if he followed suit now, it would seem somewhat deliberate.

Damn thing! Why didn't you remind me!

Shen Yi was too lazy to deal with these two guardian stones; he indeed didn't quite understand, and since they would all be used to fill the palace anyway, what was there to argue about.

Currently, he had three usable guardian stones: besides the Dragon Grandson and this Wang Ba, there was also a Killed Fanxu ninth-layer demon general under Wang Ba's command.

In addition, there were six guardian stones between the second and first grades that could be condensed.

What was lacking now was not guardian stones, but rather the lifespan of demons and monsters.

That thing didn't care about cultivation levels.

As long as there was plenty, it would suffice.

Shen Yi glanced sideways at Wu Jun; if he remembered correctly, the other party still commanded a complete army of turtle demons.

With his current strength, confronting a main demon army under the Dragon Grandson head-on would be no different from seeking death.

But if there were an "inside traitor" to assist, slightly harvesting the lifespan of demons and monsters, as long as he was careful enough, the chances were quite good.

"Reporting to my lord, Wu Jun has long since mastered all information on the Golden-Patterned Turtle Demon clan."

Seeing his master look over, the bald Wang Ba responded without the slightest hesitation, full of confidence.

Having started trying to take charge of the turtle army at a young age, he indeed had grounds for pride.

"If we're talking about that, where the other Dragon Grandsons are, and even the Dragon Grandfather's place of cultivation, I know all of that," Ke Thirteen stepped forward, unwilling to yield.

"Wait a moment," Shen Yi glanced at him.

What good is knowing? Going to die there?

By comparison, Wu Jun was much more reliable; with such a great general to lead the way, at least safety was guaranteed.

He didn't think any further.

Shen Yi knew well how laughable his little tricks of deception were in the face of a great power like the Long Gong.

If the Long Gong truly became enraged.

Their claws and fangs in Hongze were like a vast net; if they intended to envelop him, there would be absolutely no room to secretly develop.

Wherever a demon was killed, the Long Gong could arrive immediately.

His time was truly running out.

This time, even the Hetu Nanyang Baodi might not be able to protect him.

Now it seemed that, if he wanted to live safely, the only way out was the Seven Sons Assembly — to secure the position of Shen Zongzhu and, leveraging the foundation of Yu Nanhong's Seven Sons, keep the Long Gong in check.

Only this way would he have time to merge with the Nanyang Nanyang Baodi, and thereby fight his way to a new sky.

Thinking of this.

Shen Yi directly summoned his jet-black flying sword and, under Wu Jun's guidance, darted toward that Wang Yang!

(End of chapter)