Chapter 871

But the guards on duty are somewhat lacking, aren't they!

Thinking about it, it makes sense—what kind of power is the Qinglong Society?

Those who can join it are none other than local heroes and heaven-gifted geniuses.

Its influence spreads across all the Nine Provinces under Heaven, with its eyes and ears in every corner.

Moreover, the summit of Qinglong is utterly mysterious; without a guide, no outsider can ascend to this Qinglong Summit no matter what.

Given this, how would these places need people to guard them?

Just as some self-styled clever folk were feeling quite smug, thinking they'd figured out the trick.

Di Shitian lightly pressed down through the air above the gate of the Divine Armory Hall.

The next moment, ancient and arcane talismans suddenly filled the entire sky above the Divine Armory Hall.

Each of these talismans contained boundless, terrifying power.

Even figures of supreme cultivation like Lord Qiye and Wu Zhao—

Upon sensing this power, all felt a chill run down their spines.

Then Di Shitian formed several mysterious hand seals, and only then did the talismans gradually fade. At the same time, his voice drifted over leisurely,

"Everyone, this grand formation was personally set by the Great Dragon Head.

If outsiders break in without cause, the consequences would be unimaginable.

When you all enter shortly, do not casually touch the divine weapons.

Otherwise, even those of the Shattered Realm would likely…"

Speaking to this point, Di Shitian said no more.

Yet everyone could understand the meaning he left unsaid—if one were to carelessly cause the grand formation to activate.

Likely even warriors of the Shattered Realm would be reduced to ash within the grand formation.

A formation set by the Great Dragon Head—how could it be easy to deal with?

Only now did those who had been guessing wildly realize they had been thinking wrong all along.

It's not that they lacked manpower, but rather—who would dare cause trouble within a formation laid down by the Great Dragon Head?

Even Di Shitian, who was leading the way before them, wouldn't dare, would he?

Next, as the crowd was preparing to follow Di Shitian into the Divine Armory Hall.

Suddenly, they saw a person stumble out from within the Divine Armory Hall.

The crowd hadn't paid much attention at first—after all, having seen too many Heaven-grade divine weapons, they were feeling a bit of aesthetic fatigue.

But this person happened not to be wearing the blue robe of an ordinary Qinglong Society member, but rather a casual gray everyday garment.

So the crowd found it strange and couldn't help but take a look.

Not looking would have been fine, but after one glance, they found it even stranger.

They saw him holding a small drum, which looked nothing like a normal weapon.

Yet atop that small drum, faint flashes of lightning flickered.

"Divine light overflowing! Is this an Immortal-grade divine weapon?"

Among the crowd, Lord Qiye's experience could be said to be second only to Di Shitian's.

At a glance, he could tell that this small drum, which looked nothing like a weapon, was precisely an Immortal-grade divine weapon.

"What? An Immortal-grade divine weapon?"

Heaven-grade divine weapons were already exceedingly rare even among the great powers.

Needless to say, Immortal-grade divine weapons were even more on the level of a nation's most treasured heavy weapons.

Hearing Lord Qiye's soft exclamation of shock, the crowd immediately all turned to examine that small drum, and the person holding it.

"Eh! Isn't that Yuchi Zhen?"

You don't know until you look, and once you look, you get a fright.

Although Chagatai had never met Yuchi Zhen, because of the earlier battle with Tang Yuan, all of Dayuan knew Yuchi Zhen's information inside and out.

At this look, Chagatai discovered that the one holding the Immortal-grade divine weapon drum was precisely the Great Tang's Yuchi Zhen.

At first he felt surprised, wondering why he'd run into this bane of Dayuan's existence here.

Suddenly a thought struck him, and he looked at Wu Zhao with a half-smile.

Wu Zhao, however, acted as if she hadn't noticed.

After all, she was Wu Zhao, not Wu Zetian.

Although her appearance, expression, and bearing were similar.

Her knowledge of Great Tang was only partial.

This Yuchi Zhen, who had once rendered considerable meritorious service to Great Tang, she didn't recognize at all.

On the contrary, Yuchi Zhen had originally been overjoyed, but upon seeing the crowd looking, he subconsciously looked back as well.

This also gave him quite a fright.

What a coincidence—running into his own Empress at this very moment?

After a slight hesitation in his heart, he could only step forward and pay his respects,

"Your subordinate Yuchi Zhen, pays respects to the Great Tang Empress!"

Although, thanks to the Qinglong Society's grace and with a personal introduction from Yi Tianxing, he had already joined the Qinglong Society.

And only after rendering meritorious service was he able to exchange for this Immortal-grade divine weapon—the Five-Thunder Quaking Drum.

But no matter what, his family had received Great Tang's generous grace for generations.

Upon seeing the Great Tang Empress, how could he not pay his respects?

"Mm! Rise!"

Only now did Wu Zhao understand—the person before her was actually someone of the Great Tang?

Not a trace of it showed; she waved him off with cool indifference.

But the calmer she was, the more curious the crowd became.

Since his meritorious service, Yuchi Zhen had not only continued to hold the post of Lord Sikong, but had also become the Tang Army's brightest star of glory.

Within the Great Tang army, his acclaim rose wave upon wave.

Nowadays, apart from the Great Tang's God of War Su Dingfang still standing above him, among the younger generation he was second to none.

Such a future star of the Great Tang military had now abruptly appeared in the very heart of the Qinglong Society.

What this implied needed no saying.

Yet the Great Tang's Empress had reacted so flatly?

Yuchi Zhen too was somewhat taken aback; he had imagined every possible reaction from the Empress.

He had simply never expected his own Empress to be so utterly composed.

In his heart he both admired her and felt a little embarrassed.

After straightening up, he thought it over, and still explained,

"Your Majesty! When Yanmen Pass was in peril, on the verge of being utterly spent,

it was precisely the Qinglong Society's 'Wintersnow' Protector Lu Xueqi who came to find me in person.

She granted me boundless power of Lei Ting, so that I could seize the chance and defeat the Dayuan's Meng Chixing, Bi Xuan and others, and preserve Yanmen Pass.

Afterwards, to repay the Qinglong Society's kindness, I was introduced by the December Hall Master and joined the Qinglong Society.

I had not informed Your Majesty before this; please pardon Your Majesty the fault of concealment."

So the origin of everything still lay in that battle of Yanmen Pass.

The listeners found it rather amusing in their hearts.

Yet on their faces they all stared at their own noses, noses at their hearts, as if they had neither heard nor seen a thing.

After all, this was the friction between the Great Tang and the Qinglong Society.

Setting aside the Great Tang, even if one reacted wrongly and incurred the Qinglong Society's ill will, that would not be good.

In truth Wu Zhao did not know who Yuchi Zhen actually was, nor anything about the battle of Yanmen Pass; even the great war of Tang Yuan she only knew in broad outline.

But from Yuchi Zhen's words, she vaguely sensed that the young man before her might well be a pillar of talent for the Great Tang.

Yet because of the matter of Yanmen Pass, he had joined the Qinglong Society.

Thinking of this, she too felt a faint displeasure stirring within.

Yet she had just looked upon the great formation atop the Divine Weapon Hall, activated by Di Shitian.