Wayfarer

Chapter 768: Taking on Lou Yujing

Back in Hongyue's capital, Lou Yujing sat on his draconic throne as a session of court took place. "The empire of Shenfeng has been encroaching on our borders and capturing our citizens. How should Hongyue respond?"

"Those who dare attack Hongyue should be destroyed with due haste for the integrity of our empire!" an official shouted immediately.

"I am in agreement!"

"I am in agreement!"

The officials immediately voiced their support, as if they had planned this out in advance.

That Lou Yujing was bringing this up in court meant not that he wanted a discussion, but rather unified support for his cause. He surely already had a plan in mind.

"Very well. We shall draft an army to take on Shenfeng. Li Qianjun will be commander-in-chief, and Yuan Wudi his vice-commander. We shall take on Shenfeng and maintain the integrity of our empire!" Lou Yujing declared.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Li Qianjun and Yuan Wudi shouted immediately.

"Hongyue is invincible! Long live Hongyue!" the officials of court chorused.

News of Hongyue's army rapidly spread far and wide. Hongyue's counterattack had officially begun.

Lou Yujing dismissed the court and met Tu Jiuniang as he returned to the palace.

"Husband, this is porridge I made just for you. Won't you try it?" Tu Jiuniang proffered him a bowl of porridge.

Lou Yujing had a spoonful and smiled in satisfaction. "Excellent. You're getting better and better at cooking."

Tu Jiuniang smiled happily. She stared at Lou Yujing, besotted, as she continued feeding him.

Once Lou Yujing had finished, Tu Jiuniang wiped at his mouth.

Lou Yujing suddenly said, "Tu Feng was just executed at the Imperial Palace. Divine lightning struck him 81 times in all."

Tu Jiuniang grimaced. She bowed her head in silence, then smiled as she looked up at Lou Yujing again. "My third brother committed a serious crime. No one could have saved him. Don't blame yourself, Husband."

"It's good that you understand. I heard you've even been killing off the other members of your clan..."

"The only clan members I care about are my brothers and sisters. I worry that the others will bear you hatred and attempt to take revenge on you, Husband. They're not particularly skilled, but they could be troublesome to deal with. That's why I'm finishing them all off on your behalf."

"There's no need for you to go to such extents," Lou Yujing saint gently.

Tu Jiuniang shook her head. Her eyes blazed with determination. "Any who dare hinder you will be my enemy, Husband."

"My dear Jiuniang." Lou Yujing hugged Tu Jiuniang and kissed her.

Tu Jiuniang smiled blissfully, then frowned. "Husband, will you really be able to take down Shenfeng so easily?"

"It's only a stalling tactic while I digest what I obtained from Chi Hai. Once I do that, I'll be able to create more Boundless Immortals easily. We'd overpower Shenfeng then.

"Why not directly demolish Shenfeng's capital and Yongding?" Tu Jiuniang asked.

"Don't underestimate Xiao Nanfeng. He may have contingencies in mind, or even Yu Fuli's assistance. I don't want to reveal my hand before I've finished my preparations."

"You really do think of everything, Husband." Tu Jiuniang nodded.

Hongyue and Shenfeng were at war once more after a tense period of peace.

The clash between Shenfeng and Hongyue's armies again drew the attention of the world. This time, just as before, no external forces dared to interfere. They still recalled the shock of the first confrontation between these two supreme empires—and the fact that Xiao Nanfeng had managed to secure the saint's main body all by himself not too long ago. More and more forces began to fear Xiao Nanfeng and Shenfeng's strength.

If they were to interfere now, they might easily end up dead.

Of course, this was when the various Immortal sects around the two empires were at their most active. They sent their disciples into the two empires as officials, hoping that they would be able to accumulate merit during the upcoming war and hence be promoted into high-ranking positions.

At Danxian, where Yang Chuan had once been beheaded, two men dressed in ornate robes were rushing into the city lord's manor. One was the city lord of Danxian himself.

"Father, what did Li Qianjun say when you met with him?" the other man asked.

The city lord of Danxian frowned. "The war is starting anew. Danxian will be part of the primary battlefield, and Li Qianjun intends to use Danxian as bait for Shenfeng's army. It may very well perish."

"Is Li Qianjun preparing to give up on Danxian, then?"

"Not giving up on it, but using it as bait," the city lord of Danxian corrected.

"Bait is meant to be consumed. Are we going to die?"

The city lord of Danxian fell silent and sighed. "Li Qianjun said that his son would be coming himself, that we should relax. They won't let anything happen to us."

"How can we relax, Father? Look at the Tu clan—all its members have been killed. Do they really care a whit about us? What if it's our turn to die next?"

The city lord of Danxian grimaced. He stopped short and turned to his son seriously. "The Tu clan betrayed the Immortal Emperor. That's why they were all killed. It doesn't concern us. Forget about it entirely."

"But—"

"No buts. We don't want to cause trouble for ourselves, not when we're as weak as we are."

"Father, don't lie to yourself! We've been followers of the Tu clan since our stay in the green knoll hidden realm. If the empress is willing to kill even the Tu clan, why would she care about our lives? We're done for!"

"Silence! I won't allow you to say anything of the sort." The city lord of Danxian glared.

"I..." The city lord's son stiffened.

The city lord continued, "I'm aware of your reservations, but there are things we can't state publicly. Leave with your siblings. Leave Hongyue in secret."

"Not you, Father?"

"I can't leave, and I won't be able to."

The two men walked in silence, sighed, and entered the city lord's manor.

Just then, the city lord of Danxian blanched. Thick fog surrounded the manor, and all the servants and guards had fallen unconscious. He was taken by surprise.

"Who's there?!" his son cried out.

"Flee!" The city lord of Danxian was about to turn tail and run with his son when a flash of white light surrounded them and swept them into the yard. A huge fox's tail was curled around them and was preventing them from sending any signals to the outside.

"Please spare us, Empress! My son spoke out of ignorance. He didn't mean what he said!" the city lord of Danxian exclaimed. He bowed in fear.

"I'm not your empress," a male voice replied.

The city lord of Danxian's eyes widened in surprise. "Might I ask who you are, Elder?"

His son immediately bowed down.

The fog dissipated to reveal a chair in the yard, on which Tu Feng was seated.

"Third Elder? You're still alive? Haven't you been executed? You—"

The city lord of Danxian exclaimed.

Tu Feng frowned. "Are you disappointed that I'm still alive?"

The city lord of Danxian knelt down in relief. "We are blessed that you still live, Third Elder. We've always been loyal to your branch of the clan. We would surely be killed if you hadn't appeared."

Tu Feng eyed the city lord of Danxian coldly. "I heard you just went to meet with Li Qianjun."

"Yes, Third Elder!" the city lord of Danxian replied immediately.

He didn't dare hide this information; he had just brought it up with his son, after all.

"I intend to ask for your help to kill Li Qianjun. Are you willing to do so?"

"Yes, Third Elder! I would brave hell or high water for you!"

Tu Feng nodded. "Very good. How many subordinates of the Tu clan still live?"

The city lord of Danxian quickly realized Tu Feng's intent. Was he here to seek revenge?

"Well? Are you thinking about how to report me to Lou Yujing?" Tu Feng asked coolly.

"No, Third Elder. Lou Yujing and Tu Jiuniang have wiped out the Tu clan. The rest of us will be discarded sooner or later. The only reason they haven't yet struck is because of the impending war. I was just about to have my children escape. I had planned to stay in case Lou Yujing were to pursue us. Now that you've returned, Third Elder, I am yours to command," the city lord of Danxian replied immediately.

Tu Feng eyed the city lord of Danxian for quite some time before he ultimately nodded. "You have my trust for the time being. We'll see how well you cooperate."

"Of course, Third Elder. I'll do my best."

In a hall in the palatial valley of Shenfeng's capital, the Divine Emperor glanced at Xiao Nanfeng. "Must we strike immediately?"

"Indeed. We have to take on Lou Yujing now."

"Why? Wouldn't it be better to take down Hongyue's Immortal cities one by one first?"

"I'm afraid we don't have time."

"Why not?"

"I was prepared to fight Lou Yujing when he headed to Yongding. I even deliberately provoked him then hoping that he would make a move, but he chose not to. It means that his preparations are yet incomplete, and this army of his is only a stalling tactic."

"Oh?"

"Lou Yujing is a frightening enough foe as is. If we allow him time to finalize his preparations, he'll be even more dangerous. I can scheme and strategize him all I want, but I believe that now is the best time to strike. If we miss this opportunity, we'll have to exert multiple times the energy to take him down."

"Very well. I trust you. We'll take him on right now, and I'll fly to Hongyue's capital immediately." The Divine Emperor nodded.