Chapter 295: Advance

"Take that bunch of fools in Qi State!"

The old man's face twisted into a cold sneer: "They actually think they can use violence to block that great destiny bearer and cut off his path!"

"They even want to take his life!"

"Do they not think—if this person could be easily killed, how could he possibly be a great destiny bearer? What kind of destiny is that?"

"True destiny is mysterious and beyond words!"

"Understood?"

He looked at the assembled elders: "Stop suggesting blockades or violence against others—use your brains, do you understand?"

A young man clad in a yellow dragon robe bowed to the old man: "Ancestor!"

"Emperor!" the old man said, gazing at the man in the dragon robe: "The best thing to do in such matters is to do nothing!"

"We must avoid making enemies with this great destiny bearer!"

"To be blunt, he's Qi State's great destiny bearer—any chaos will shake Qi's throne, not ours. What does it have to do with Liang State?"

The Emperor said: "Then… Ancestor, your meaning is that after eleven years, we open the secret realm and present the 【Black and White Lotus Root】 to him with both hands?"

"Not at all!" the old man shook his head. "We are the imperial family. Even if he is a great destiny bearer, we need not grovel and diminish our own dignity!"

"Merely letting him develop without interference is already our grace!"

"Of course, we will not allow him to seize benefits from our imperial house!"

"Here's what we'll do!" the old man glanced at the Emperor: "Issue the order—the secret realm will open ahead of schedule!"

"Set the date for three months from now!"

"Whoever retrieves the 【Black and White Lotus Root】 will be granted an additional third-rank heavenly treasure: one 【Blood Jade Purple-Skinned Jujube】!"

The Emperor blinked in surprise.

Beside him, someone suddenly realized: "Brilliant!"

"Truly brilliant!"

"Utterly brilliant!"

…

"Good news!"

"Good news!"

"Good news!"

Ling Zhiwang nearly ran into the Grand Void Alchemy Shop, shoved aside the blocking Old Cheng, and rushed into the courtyard.

"Brother Xu… Brother Xu…"

"Come out quickly!"

"Good news!"

"Great good news!"

He Ping, who had been studying arrays inside the room, stepped out: "Elder Ling, what good news could excite you so?"

"It's top-tier good news!" Ling Zhiwang said. "Didn't you ask me to look into heavenly treasures last time?"

"I've got word…"

"I've got news!"

He Ping's face lit up: "What news?"

Ling Zhiwang said: "The Liang royal secret realm is opening—anyone who claims first place within will be rewarded with one 【Blood Jade Purple-Skinned Jujube】!"

"This realm was previously open only to royal family members, but now any Foundation Establishment cultivator from Liang State qualifies!"

This news filled He Ping with overwhelming joy.

Just what he needed!

Though he must wait eleven years to secure the Black and White Lotus Root for his wife, it doesn't matter—he could break through to Foundation Establishment Level Twelve first.

Heavenly treasures are rare and unpredictable.

"When does it open?"

"What are the entry requirements?"

"Where is this secret realm?"

He Ping fired off three questions in rapid succession.

Ling Zhiwang said: "I just received word—the 【Five Dragon Gully Secret Realm】, located in Liang's 【Xishu Commandery】, is about to open!"

"In three months!"

"It opens three months from now!"

"The royal family says whoever retrieves the 【Black and White Lotus Root】 within the realm will receive an additional reward: one 【Blood Jade Purple-Skinned Jujube】."

As Ling Zhiwang spoke, He Ping's brow slowly furrowed.

Black and White Lotus Root?

Five Dragon Gully Secret Realm?

Xishu Commandery?

This… this is the realm that Master Xiaoyao mentioned!

Wasn't it supposed to open in eleven years?

Why is it opening early?

Did Master Xiaoyao misremember?

No…

He Ping frowned and shook his head.

A Soul Transformation elder's intelligence is almost certainly accurate.

If he said eleven years, it would be eleven years.

Then why is the realm opening early?

And the Black and White Lotus Root isn't even mature yet, is it?

It still has eleven years to go!

After three breaths of silent contemplation, He Ping deduced the likely truth.

Intentional.

The imperial family did this on purpose.

They opened it early, deliberately while the Lotus Root remained immature.

And then encouraged others to harvest it!

One could imagine how frenzied the cultivators would become, lured by the 【Blood Jade Purple-Skinned Jujube】, when they tried to seize the Black and White Lotus Root.

Thus, though the imperial family gains nothing, they indirectly sabotage the materials needed for Qiao Huizhu's early enlightenment.

This move cuts the firewood from under the pot.

Ruthless.

And crucially, no one can object—there's no legal or moral grounds to protest.

Brilliant.

Truly brilliant.

"Brother Xu, what's wrong?" Ling Zhiwang watched He Ping.

He Ping calmed his emotions slightly, then asked: "Elder Ling, what are the entry requirements for this Xishu Commandery secret realm?"

"Can anyone just walk in?"

"No!" Ling Zhiwang shook his head. "The City Lord's office has announced: each major commandery gets five hundred slots!"

"Our Hongshi City is no exception!"

"If you want to go, your first step is to earn qualification."

"But the City Lord's office hasn't yet released the details."

"But it should be soon."

"Good!" He Ping nodded. "Elder Ling, thank you for the heads-up. If you get any further updates, notify me immediately."

"I'm going to that realm."

He knew full well this was the imperial family's scheme to sabotage the Black and White Lotus Root—but so what?

After all, the heavenly treasure belongs to the imperial family.

Even if they smashed it publicly, no one could complain.

Though it was an open stratagem, he still had to go.

Immature?

Doesn't matter.

He Ping had faced this before.

Back in the Cuiping Mountain Trial Realm, he took three immature Water Elemental Spirit Apricots from Xiao Bofan of the Ice Pole Sect, strengthened them with the Treasure Basin, and turned them into six mature apricots.

The Black and White Lotus Root is a third-rank heavenly treasure.

Perfect—the Treasure Basin can strengthen it.

He could just strengthen it.

The only condition: he must first obtain the immature Black and White Lotus Root.

…

Xiao Yao Immortal Sect!

Inside a vast divine temple.

Xiao Yaozi sat cross-legged upon the white jade lotus platform, his expression icy, his aura sharp as blades and swords, as if ready to devour any who dared approach.

"Hmph…" he sneered, "The Liang imperial family has made a fine plan indeed!"

"They don't want us to thrive, yet dare not openly oppose us!"

"Old fox!"

"Old trickster!"

"This move is truly brilliant!"

"What do we do?" Biyun Xianzi paced anxiously in place. "Master, these imperial elders are clearly targeting us!"

"And what can we do?" Xiao Yaozi said. "The artifacts belong to them; if they destroy them, we can only watch helplessly!"

"Tell Xu Kunlun not to go to the secret realm!"

"Old man will ponder if there's another way to solidify the Dao root!"