Chapter 483

"Now, no matter how we lure them, they dare not provoke the Yihua Palace again."

Shangguan Wan was headachy; after expending immense manpower and resources, they'd finally found the cannon fodder.

With Pianpianxi Wudi's sword descending, no power dares to show its face now.

His Majesty has grown increasingly strange lately.

Shangguan Wan truly wanted to complain: So tired, can't carry this load!

"Oh? If they dare not, then fine…"

Wu Zetian was utterly unconcerned,

"After all, what I want is merely the eternal youth effect of the Mingyu Art."

"But given my conditions, I'm certain to rank on the Heavenly Dao's Hundred Flowers List, so this Mingyu Art is optional."

"This…"

Shangguan Wan was speechless again; her Majesty was truly capricious.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Then should we attempt to contact Seeing Ao Jue of the Jianshan Shanzhuang, and Seeing Lian Chengzhi?"

Shangguan Wan pondered, then asked again.

In her mind, since Seeing Ao Jue was wanted and hunted by the Yunzhou court, and was one of the Six Demonic Crossings,

he was an excellent candidate for recruitment.

Moreover, recruiting Seeing Ao Jue would come with the Jianshan Shanzhuang as a bonus.

The Yunzhou court's official sword-forging site could clearly greatly enhance Tang's strength.

As for Seeing Lian Chengzhi, though he is the son of the You Dongying Emperor,

he is a genius of extraordinary talent and has ties to the mysterious force "Wu Tian Lianyu."

Could this be buy one, get two free?

"We can try to recruit Seeing Ao Jue."

Wu Zetian pondered, then set her strategy,

"As for Seeing Lian Chengzhi, check the Heavenly Dao's evaluation."

"Appears respectful and virtuous, but inwardly cunning; seems warm and kind, yet truly cold and heartless!"

"A cunning, heartless man, tied to You Dongying—a force with wolfish ambitions."

"Such a person and such a power, once recruited, would demand enormous cost and yield little benefit."

"Seeing Ao Jue, with his open and upright nature, is better."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Shangguan Wan agreed with this judgment and immediately bowed and withdrew.

Yunzhou's western frontier lies precisely north of Tang.

Thus, Tang is like a house by the water, first to enjoy the moonlight!

…

The Great Yuan Imperial Court.

The battle reports from the Western Xia border finally reached the court.

Temujin heard the terrible news: his beloved son Prince Tuo Lei had died, and only ten to twenty thousand remnants of his hundred-thousand-strong army had retreated.

Most critically, after witnessing Ximen Wudi's sword from beyond the heavens,

their minds shattered completely!

Each one, not only plagued by demonic obsessions, but many had outright become insane.

In other words, the hundred-thousand-strong Qixie Army had nearly been annihilated.

The hundred-thousand Qixie Army, plus Prince Tuo Lei, were almost entirely destroyed.

Only Yelu Chu, because he had been near Qiao Feng, had miraculously escaped unscathed.

Qiao Feng, seeing the matter settled, returned to Qinglong Dian with Li Qinglu and Fang Ri Tu.

As for Yelu Chu, he had not been harmed—he was released back to the Great Yuan.

During the announcement of the Heavenly Dao Gold List, Temujin had been so distracted he barely paid attention.

Only after the list was fully revealed did Yelu Chu, gritting his teeth, speak up,

"Great Khan, this is not the time for grief."

After several calls, Temujin finally snapped back to awareness and saw Yelu Chu.

Instantly, he thought of Prince Tuo Lei's death and the hundred-thousand Qixie Army.

What is Long Yin Cave?

"Prime Minister Yelu…"

Temujin shot Yelu Chu a hostile glance, then slowly said,

"What noteworthy points are there in this Heavenly Dao Gold List?"

Yelu Chu knew that the complete annihilation of the hundred-thousand Qixie Army and Prince Tuo Lei,

with only himself surviving,

meant that although Temujin had never outwardly blamed him, he deeply distrusted him now.

After all, why had everyone else suffered, yet Yelu Chu—whose cultivation was mediocre—remained untouched?

Seeing Temujin's expression now, Yelu Chu felt both moved and helpless.

He was a northern barbarian; beyond the Great Yuan, only the Great Qing could accommodate him and let him wield his talents.

But the Great Qing had become a vassal of the Qinglong Society, and was far inferior to the Great Yuan.

So even if Tie Muzhen was suspicious, he had no other path to take.

"Great Khan! First and foremost, we must pay attention to the Ice Emperor of the third day of the third month."

Yelu Chu forced down his inner agitation and pointed to the heavens.

"He is merely a branch altar chief. Though this man is at the early stage of the Mythical Realm, what is there to note?"

The Ice Emperor's profile was indeed extraordinary.

But all of this, what does it have to do with Tie Muzhen?

Are there not enough experts in the Qinglong Society?

The Seven Dragon Heads, the Four Season Protectors, the Twelve Month Lords, and the three hundred and sixty-five branch altar chiefs.

Not to mention Di Shitian and Lord Chuan Ying, who still hold no official positions.

Truly, the Qinglong Society has no shortage of experts!

So what does it matter if we add one more Ice Emperor?

"Great Khan…"

Yelu Chu was not reminding Tie Muzhen for the sake of the Ice Emperor alone,

"It is the Ice Emperor's reward that matters."

"The Long Yin Grotto's secret key?"

Tie Muzhen glanced at the Ice Emperor's reward, unsure what it truly was.

"What's so important about that?"

"Great Khan! The Heavenly Dao Golden List has now entered the top thirty."

"Each reward is uniquely precious."

"The Long Yin Grotto's secret key is clearly meant to open the Long Yin Grotto."

"The Heavenly Dao Golden List does not directly reward treasures from within the Long Yin Grotto—it rewards the secret key to the grotto."

"Clearly, the Long Yin Grotto is no ordinary place!"

Yelu Chu quickly analyzed the matter.

"There is some sense to that. Do you know what the Long Yin Grotto is?"

Though he had begun to suspect Yelu Chu, this reminder of his held merit.

"Your servant has just reviewed the Juan Sect's records."

"I found many locations across the Nine Provinces tied to the words 'Long Yin.'"

"Based on local legends, intelligence, and other sources,"

"I deduce that the Long Yin Grotto may be here."