Chapter 600: The Humiliated Lady Yushan

West Hong, the Long Gong Great Hall.

Numerous dragon sons stood within the hall, whispering among themselves, their faces growing increasingly grim.

Only Qi Shengtao sat high above, eyes closed to nurture his spirit; his slender frame was shrouded in magnificent robes, from which a terrifying aura subtly radiated, making anyone dare not look directly at him.

"So, with so many water-dwellers watching day and night without rest, there is still not a single trace of the Wan Yao Dian?"

After a long while, this West Long Wang exhaled lightly, cutting off the conversation within the hall.

The tallest and most imposing of the four dragon sons, whose appearance was truly strikingly heroic, clad in the Long Gong's silver armor, stepped forward slowly and respectfully clasped his hands, saying, "Reporting to Father King, your son has already dispatched soldiers to guard all key passes; as soon as there is news, the Long Gong will react immediately, and the situation from last time will never happen again."

This son was named Qi Zhaowen, ranking second among the dragon sons; had it not been for the sudden arrival of a purple-bearded immortal from the east, the position of Crown Prince of the West Long Gong would long ago have been his to grasp.

After all, whether in strength or in temperament, he far surpassed his elder brother, Qi Zhaoyi.

Now that Father King has awakened, this outsider named Zihuan has restrained herself considerably, which in turn has made Qi Zhaowen feel much more comfortable in his heart.

This is an opportunity.

While Father King holds court in West Hong, he will secure the position of Crown Prince in one stroke.

Although Qi Zhaoyi was lucky and seized the initiative, clearly having provoked Zihuan and gone to South Hong to avoid the storm, he ended up stumbling upon such a good thing.

But given the other party's capabilities, Qi Zhaowen truly did not believe this person could subdue those great demons of West Hong; perhaps he would only make a complete mess of things.

For this reason, he had truly exerted all his strength to search for traces of the Wan Yao Dian, attempting to seize this great merit and establish his position in the Long Gong in one stroke!

Yet this faction seemed to have vanished from the human world.

Even with the combined strength of the entire West Hong water-dwelling race, they still failed to uncover any news.

They arrived abruptly and disappeared strangely.

Had it not been for the fact that the West Long Gong truly lost two dragon sons, Qi Zhaowen might even have thought this was something fabricated by others to deceive the public.

But he immediately wiped that thought from his mind.

If it truly were a fabricated thing meant to deceive the public, then the ones they slew, the fourth and the seventh, one was Qi Zhaoyi's supporter and the other was neutral; who would benefit from this was already obvious.

So I am the Hall Master of the Wan Yao Dian?

Qi Zhaowen clenched his fists tightly, secretly looking up at Father King above; the other party clearly held a special fear of the East Long Gong, yet still did not give up on Qi Zhaoyi, even actively creating a great opportunity for him.

It was probably because he still suspected that I had done something involving killing my own kin...

"Father King, rest assured! A group of demons playing tricks with ghosts and spirits; your son will surely take their heads to present them, avenging my two brothers!"

Thinking thus, Qi Zhaowen raised his head with solemn vows, his words ringing clear and firm.

Facing such words, the West Long Wang showed no joy or anger on his face, merely lifting his eyelids slightly; after a moment, he waved his fingertips: "Go, do what you ought to do; if your eldest brother sends a message back, remember to report to me immediately."

How could he not see the thoughts of his own son?

Of all the words Zhaowen spoke just now, only one was sincere.

Indeed, they were just a group of demons playing tricks with ghosts and spirits.

Let alone being comparable to the North Long Gong and the Liangdaohuang Sect; even if the Wan Yao Dian possessed a scale similar to the West Long Gong, they would not have been so frightened into completely vanishing and fleeing in panic after killing the barely Heaven-Realm-crossing Fourth Young Master.

Let alone claiming they were doing other things.

Just based on their previous frenzied posture of subduing various demons and monsters, I specially drove the great demons of all races to prepare such a hard dish for the Wan Yao Dian in South Hong; why did this so-called Hall Master dare not eat it?

It was nothing but fear of the West Long Gong.

This also perfectly explains why they only targeted lone demons and monsters; it was simply because they possessed some strength, but fell far short of the extent others boasted about.

A cold smile curled the West Long Wang's lips.

He would surely catch this group of timid mice and make them know whose domain West Hong truly is.

Having thought thus, Qi Shengtao lowered his eyelids again.

"Your son takes his leave."

Qi Zhaowen carefully observed the changes in Father King's expression; knowing what murderous intent lay within the other's heart, he dared not speak further, and directly turned and left the hall with his three brothers.

Not long after stepping out, he paused slightly in his steps, frowning as he looked ahead at the dignified and luxurious, plump figure.

It must be said that the Purple-Bearded White Dragon clan was absolutely favored by heaven; each was born with a beauty that made fish sink and geese fall, and each possessed a different charm.

Had it not been for the East Long Wang specifying that Zihuan be married to this waste, Qi Zhaoyi, Qi Zhaowen would actually have been quite moved back then.

But now, the other party had become the biggest stepping stone on his path to securing the position of Crown Prince.

Qi Zhaowen's heart held nothing but a cold sneer; constrained by face, he perfunctorily clasped his hands: "Sister-in-law is not cultivating at Lady Yushan; what urgent matter brings you to the Long Gong?"

"Nothing much."

Zihuan smiled faintly: "I am also a member of the West Long Gong; recently this land and water have been so chaotic, even disturbing Father King, so naturally I have some worries; I just do not know why, when you discuss such matters, you do not call me; it seems you treat this Palace as an outsider."

"Sister-in-law jokes."

Qi Zhaowen curled his lips slightly, lowering his palms: "Eldest Brother is handling affairs in South Hong, which is already extremely arduous; naturally, our West Long Gong must take good care of Sister-in-law, so as not to make him worry while away."

While the two spoke polite words both understood were empty, their gazes swept in unison toward the three figures behind them.

Among these three dragon sons, the Third and the Sixth had received many benefits from Zihuan; though they had not fully taken sides, they leaned toward her; in other words, only the Fifth had always stood on Qi Zhaowen's side.

But at this moment, the atmosphere was subtly off.

Facing Zihuan's casually sweeping gaze, the Third and the Sixth both averted their eyes and turned their heads; no matter how abundant the benefits from the East Palace were, where could they compare to Father King's majesty?

Recently, Father King's various actions had almost written the intention of isolating this Dragon Wife onto his face.

Had this woman not come from the east, Father King would have long ago expelled her from the Long Gong.

"Hmph."

The Qi family's Fifth let out a low snicker.

Qi Zhaowen turned back calmly, used a glance to remind the other party once, then turned around again, smiling lightly: "Things are unstable recently; Sister-in-law should return to Lady Yushan to rest; if there is no other matter, do not wander about."

Having said this, he directly led the three past Zihuan, riding the waves toward the distance.

"..."

Zihuan stood silently in place; though her expression remained calm, her Bai Xi five fingers gradually clenched tightly; only after a long while did she suppress the anger in her heart.

As expected, once the Western Long Wang awakens, all my efforts will be in vain.

Now, I can only hope to settle the matter of the Wan Yao Dian before the Crown Prince position is fully secured, forcing Qi Shengtao to roll back into the Dragon Den and stay there.

Or perhaps I can hope that Qi Zhaowen will act somewhat properly in Southern Hong and openly compete with his younger brother.

But if that happens, the idea of sidelining him will become a delusion.

The entire situation instantly shifted from seizing the Western Palace Great Seal to deception; a single character difference, and the price to be paid is most likely... myself.

"Hah."

Qingyue Daozi let out a soft breath; thinking of that scene, she felt slightly nauseous.

She extended her index finger and rubbed her temples.

She turned and headed back to Lady Yushan.

After she left, several Dragon Sons stopped moving again.

The Third and the Sixth wore expressions of slight embarrassment as they looked at Qi Zhaowen, remaining silent for a long time.

Jumping ship halfway is easy to say, but hard to do.

After all, if one can jump once, one can jump a second time; to regain Second Brother's trust, something must be done.

"Tsk."

Qi Zhaowen turned slowly, his gaze sweeping over the two; after pondering for a long time, he finally smiled: "We are all brothers of the same family; why be so distant? Although Father King ordered me to handle this matter, would I intentionally harm you two?"

"Dare not, dare not!"

The two hurriedly waved their hands, making Ke Laoqi's face even more full of mockery.

"However, I do have a matter that requires both of you younger brothers to handle." Qi Zhaowen's tone shifted, and he dropped his smile: "The Fourth and Ke Laoqi perished at Wanxiang Pavilion, yet that place is now guarded by Lady Yushan's soldiers and generals; this is ultimately somewhat against the rules."

"You two go there immediately, take over this place, and investigate it thoroughly for me."

Hearing this, the two clearly sighed in relief and smiled simultaneously: "What kind of matter is this? Since Second Brother has bestowed the Imperial Decree, we will go and handle it at once."

However, in the next moment, the smiles on their faces stiffened.

Qi Zhaowen raised an eyebrow: "A prince of my Western Long Gong going to command the water clan's soldiers and generals requires what Imperial Decree? What, do they dare to disobey orders? Or do the blades in the hands of my two younger brothers no longer have the strength to cut down the people below?"

"By the way, after dealing with them, once the treasure land is clarified, the contents within shall be considered my reward for you two brothers; I hope you two can feast to your heart's content."

A treasure land capable of establishing a Heavenly Contract contains living beings numbering in the tens of thousands; even for a Heavenly Realm great demon, it counts as a hearty meal.

But this seemingly fat piece of "fresh meat" is somewhat tooth-grinding to bite.

Everyone knows the Purple-Bearded White Dragon clan is kind-hearted.

Killing Lady Yushan's demon soldiers first, then eating the living beings within the Wanxiang Nanyang Baodi; doing these two things, the Third and the Sixth could almost imagine what cold expression Lady Yushan, the Dragon Consort, would reveal.

This would mean completely tearing off the face!

"If you do not wish to go, you need not go; such a fine task, I can handle it myself." Qi Family's Fifth, with his fat and bulky body, squeezed to the side, hooked the shoulders of the two brothers, and whispered: "Let us not trouble you two."

"What kind of words are those, Fifth Brother!"

The two shivered, looked at Qi Zhaowen's gradually indifferent face, and hurriedly clasped their hands: "This is a great favor; thank you, Second Brother, for the reward!"

The moment these words left their mouths, a certain shackle was lifted from their hearts, their expressions became much ferocious, and they spoke in a cold voice: "We guarantee not a single one will be left."

They spoke correctly; how could Qingyue Daozi, a woman married out, represent the entire Eastern Long Gong?

Moreover, even if the Eastern Long Gong is as powerful as it is, could it stretch its hand so blatantly into the West? Know that those in the North are all watching them.

"The affairs of Western Hong must be handled by us of the Western Long Gong ourselves."

The Third finally revealed a smile, turned, and led the Sixth away, soaring toward the waters.

Western Hong, Lady Yushan.

Qingyue Daozi stepped slowly up the long stairs, her mind somewhat wandering as she headed toward the inner chambers at the top; occasionally, her peripheral vision swept across the surroundings, and she discovered that among her own personal soldiers, many unfamiliar figures had suddenly appeared.

Like maggots, they had corroded her Lady Yushan until it was disgusting, making one feel repulsed just by looking at it.

And in front of the inner chambers, the familiar Black-Backed Serpent Generals had already been replaced by two Dragon Grandsons.

They guarded outside the door; seeing Qingyue Daozi's figure, they both nodded respectfully and saluted: "We pay our respects to the Dragon Consort."

"Heh."

Qingyue Daozi almost laughed in anger: "A proper Dragon Grandson coming to guard the door for this Palace; is that not using a great talent for a trivial task?"

"It is all that a junior should do."

The two Dragon Grandsons did not look sideways, their expressions calm, and they spoke softly: "Trouble the Dragon Consort; if an old friend visits, or if a letter is delivered to Lady Yushan, please inform us juniors, so as to avoid any misunderstandings."

Upon hearing these words, a chill instantly rose in Qingyue Daozi's eyes; she turned her gaze coldly: "So you still know you are juniors?"

She was a Heavenly Realm powerhouse of the same level as Ji Jingxi; let alone two mere Dragon Grandsons, even the former Ke Laoqi, with just a slight wave of her sleeve, would have to be obediently swept off Lady Yushan.

But at this moment, under her gaze, these two juniors felt their spines begin to creak; they crashed to their knees on the ground, yet still had no intention of leaving; their arms' veins bulged as they propped themselves on the ground, gritting their teeth and saying: "Dragon Consort, calm your anger; this is Grandfather's will; he sent us to bring soldiers to guard Lady Yushan. If you are displeased in your heart, we will go immediately to report to Grandfather and withdraw the soldiers."

"..."

Ji Jingxi withdrew her gaze, stared indifferently at the door, and only after a long time did she sneer: "No need; do as you please, and by the way, thank Father King on my behalf for his kindness."

Having said this, she pushed the door open and entered directly; with a wave of her sleeve, the great door slammed shut.

Bang!

Blood and sweat had already seeped from the bodies of the two Dragon Grandsons; after resting for an unknown duration, they looked back with apprehension.

If this woman wants to stay in Western Hong, she must listen to Grandfather.

If you want to show off the Eastern Long Gong's prestige, you might as well return to the East and show it off slowly.

"Hah."

Qingyue Daozi closed her eyes and leaned against the door, her full heart heaving up and down.

After adjusting her breathing, she opened her eyes; in the next moment, she saw a figure slowly emerging from the bed, and the anger in her eyes was instantly replaced by astonishment.

"Why such a big fit?" Ji Jingxi flicked her finger to set up a restriction; she had heard all the commotion outside the door earlier. With the Western Long Wang's realm, how could he not know that relying solely on two Dragon Grandsons plus a group of demon soldiers was utterly impossible to prevent a true powerhouse?

Thus, this is merely a simple act of provocation.

Senior Zi Xian was undoubtedly trapped in a dilemma now; if she forced herself to swallow this grievance, it would completely contradict the conduct of the Eastern Long Gong, suggesting she had something to hide, which would only make the Western Long Wang even more suspicious.

If she flew into a rage and swept her sleeve to return east, that would also be exactly what the Western Long Wang wanted.

"You still have the mind to meddle in my affairs."

Senior Zi Xian shot her an annoyed glance, headache-inducing, and hurried over: "How is Yu Nanhong? I haven't received a single piece of news; do you know I'm nearly worried to death!"

"Are you here to request reinforcements? I've long wanted to go help, but this old traitorous dragon is too cunning; he gives me not a single chance... It's so annoying; I might as well just go with you directly. If he has the guts, let him send a divorce letter and drive me back to the Eastern Long Gong; I'd like to see if this old dragon dares!"

"By the way, why is it just you... where is that young man?"

Senior Zi Xian seemed to have been holding it in for a long time; she opened her mouth and unleashed a string of words, leaving the other person not knowing where to begin a reply.

"What 'that young man'? That is Shen Zongzhu..."

Ji Jingxi listened in silence, then smiled helplessly, a trace of guilt welling up in her eyes.

One had to admit, this old friend of hers was as kind as ever, but she had come today carrying someone's mission; she could not reveal anything about Yu Nanhong to Senior Zi Xian, and instead had to try to draw information out of the other party.

If that person were not Shen Yi, Ji Jingxi truly would not have been able to do such a thing.

(End of this chapter)