Chapter 1661: Unification of North and South

The unification of Daxia came even faster than imagined. In less than half a month, the Northern Region of Daxia surrendered at the mere whisper of their approach. After all, with the marquis-level powerhouses who served as pillars—Gong Yuan, Zhu Zhu Qinghuo, Si Qing, and others—all executed, the Northern Region had lost any power to resist.

Therefore, when the Eldest Princess led her army to sweep through, those once heavily fortified cities immediately changed their banners.

The central Ducheng of the Northern Region's Wang Ting was besieged. The one acting in Gong Yuan's stead was his eldest son, Gong Gong Shenjun. This once prominent figure of the Sacred Profound Star Academy put up only a token resistance for a single day before opening the city gates and surrendering with his men, begging only that the Eldest Princess spare his father's life.

With this, the years-long division and chaos of Daxia could finally be considered completely at an end.

And when news of the Northern Region's Wang Ting being broken reached Daxia City, it caused this capital—already beginning to regain its vitality and prosperity—to erupt in cheers that rang throughout the entire city.

Only those who had lived through the chaos and despair of recent years could understand how precious this present peace truly was.

The cheers also drifted into the headquarters of the House Luolan Mansion.

Cai Wei and Yan Yan Lingqing had led the House Luolan Mansion's forces from Nanfeng City to Daxia City ten days earlier, so under the management of Cai Wei, the great steward, the House Luolan Mansion headquarters had already regained its former vitality.

However, one thing was slightly different from before: the gates of the House Luolan Mansion headquarters were now far too lively. Leaders of all factions across Daxia were sending visiting cards, attempting to enter and pay their respects.

And many properties that had once belonged to the House Luolan Mansion had changed hands over these years, but now other forces were using various pretexts to try to return them.

Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge both saw through the intentions of these forces clearly enough—it was simply a desire to forge some connection with the current House Luolan Mansion. After all, anyone with eyes could see who the true master of this Daxia would be in the future.

Regarding this, neither Li Luo nor Jiang Jiang Qinge had any interest in engaging, so they left it all to Cai Wei to handle. She had managed the House Luolan Mansion for many years and was long experienced in such matters.

They had no intention of expanding the House Luolan Mansion within Daxia. Although, given their current strength and status, they would only need to spread the word, and the very next day, marquis-level powerhouses from beyond Daxia would swarm in, transforming the House Luolan Mansion into the most powerful force in the entire Eastern Region of the Outer Shenzhou.

But such an outcome would instead cause that sanctuary deep within their hearts to change for the worse.

This was a scene that neither Li Luo nor Jiang Jiang Qinge wished to see.

So after tossing these affairs to Cai Wei, Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge headed to the rear courtyard of the House Luolan Mansion. In one courtyard sat a restless figure—Student Xin Fu.

In half a month's time, he had rushed back to the Lanling Mansion headquarters without pause, and had also brought the critically wounded Ye Ye Chengying to Daxia City.

Li Luo knew that Ye Ye Chengying was the last hope Student Xin Fu had for living in this world. Without this spiritual support, his long-broken heart would likely collapse entirely, leaving him with no will to live at all.

So Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge immediately refined their water aspect and light aspect to the utmost, transforming them into their origin essence, to restore Ye Ye Chengying's depleted vitality and stabilize her last breath.

After that, Li Luo handed Ye Ye Chengying over to the Pill Saint, who was responsible for refining pills to regrow her severed limbs, while also attempting to reshape her aspect palace.

"Captain, Senior Jiang!"

Seeing Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge, Student Xin Fu hurried forward to greet them.

Li Luo glanced at Student Xin Fu's face. That face once filled with the aura of death and gloom had now somewhat regained some life and hope—presumably because Ye Ye Chengying's condition was improving.

"Your appearance could also be restored. You could ask Senior Pill Saint to refine a pill for you," Li Luo said with a smile.

Student Xin Fu had once been a handsome youth, but now his face was covered in hideous scars, frightening to behold.

Yet upon hearing this, Student Xin Fu shook his head and said, "These are trivial matters of no importance. How could I dare to trouble Senior Pill Saint's energy? The fact that she can restore Sister Ye's limbs is already an immense kindness to me."

"Besides... this is fine for me. It keeps some people who knew me from recognizing me."

His emotions sank low as he finished speaking.

"What are your plans for the future?" Li Luo saw this and said no more, changing the subject.

Student Xin Fu shook his head blankly. He had long had no expectations for the future. Before, he had simply been waiting for Ye Ye Chengying to draw her last breath so he could follow her. But he hadn't expected Li Luo's return to pull him back from that despair.

So what to do in the future, he was also at a loss.

"Although the strange calamity in Daxia has subsided, the entire world will face even greater chaos in the future. If you have no other ideas, gather the Lanling Mansion's forces, select some trustworthy people, and have them join the House Luolan Mansion to form a 'Shadow Pavilion'—occasionally helping to gather intelligence and the like," Li Luo thought for a moment and said.

Student Xin Fu said somewhat shamefully, "Captain, the Lanling Mansion has a notorious reputation. I'm afraid it will affect the House Luolan Mansion's name."

"The past deeds were all done by the Marquis of Lanling, and they have little to do with you. Besides, 'Shadow Pavilion' is not the Lanling Mansion. Stop being so wishy-washy—it's decided," Li Luo said.

Student Xin Fu's eyes welled up. He had been in Daxia City for several days now and naturally understood what status the House Luolan Mansion held in Daxia. So many forces and even marquis-level powerhouses wanted to join but had no way in, yet Li Luo had directly allowed him to establish 'Shadow Pavilion' under the House Luolan Mansion. Such kindness was beyond words.

As for the intelligence gathering Li Luo mentioned, while this was something the Lanling Mansion was skilled at, for the current House Luolan Mansion it actually held little significance. After all, as long as Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge were present, any force in Daxia would be more than willing to serve as the House Luolan Mansion's eyes and informants.

"Captain, the best decision I ever made in my life was probably using my only free time back then to cultivate at the Sacred Profound Star Academy for a year," Student Xin Fu said softly.

There, he had become friends with Li Luo and Bai Bai Mengmeng, and now, because of these two friends, he was able to start life anew.

Although the one treating Ye Ye Chengying was Senior Pill Saint, her status was so lofty that even Principal Pang Pang Qianyuan was beneath her notice. Yet she was willing to spend time carefully treating Sister Ye. Student Xin Fu understood in his heart that this was because of Bai Bai Mengmeng.

Because sometimes, in the depths of Senior Pill Saint's gaze, Student Xin Fu could keenly detect that familiar gentle look.

Creak.

At this moment, the room's main door was pushed open, and the Pill Saint walked out. Behind her, a wheelchair floated out, carrying a thin woman.

Student Xin Fu hurried forward, his gaze falling joyfully on the woman in the wheelchair. Her once-severed limbs had all grown back, fair and tender like lotus roots just born.

"Sister Ye, your hands and feet are healed!" Student Xin Fu threw himself forward, weeping with emotion.

Ye Ye Chengying appeared extremely frail, utterly unlike her once tall and striking figure, but her eyes were also red. With trembling hands, she reached out and stroked Student Xin Fu's scarred face, tears sliding from the corners of her eyes.

Li Luo watched the two of them and sighed inwardly. Once, both had been full of vigor at the academy, but over these years, they had been tormented until they were riddled with wounds.

Fortunately, they had endured it all and made it through.

The Pill Saint then stepped forward and said to Li Luo, "My power is gradually fading. It won't be long before Bai Mengmeng comes out. And the wondrous array for refining the 'Divine Fruit Wind Aspect' for you is mostly complete. Settle your affairs in the next few days, then prepare for closed-door cultivation."

Li Luo nodded, then looked at Jiang Jiang Qinge beside him with some reluctance. This closed-door cultivation would require a considerable amount of time, so he likely wouldn't be able to see Jiang Jiang Qinge for a while.

"I will stay in Daxia to guard you until your closed-door cultivation ends," Jiang Jiang Qinge said softly, holding Li Luo's hand.

Li Luo interlocked his fingers with hers, then looked up toward the edge of the sky. The dark rift there writhed slowly like an abyssal demon, releasing an aura that inspired dread.

It was said that in the past half month, news had already come that Ghostly Realms were beginning to descend one after another, though the early ones were of lower grade and had not yet caused major chaos.

But in another month or two, the Ghostly Realms bearing the Demon Kings would descend, and that would be the source of chaos in the world.

Perhaps, by the time his closed-door cultivation ended, the world would have already entered an age of great turmoil.