Dragon Battles in the Wild, Its Blood Black and Yellow

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"The Western Wasteland is going to be destroyed?" In the Southern Li, Mang You and his generals were laughing heartily, "This guy has really gone mad."

Faced with the mockery, Li Qinglin's smile remained unchanged, "This world is not just about the two countries of Southern Li and Western Wasteland. There are many great powers in the Central Lands, whose national strength is a hundred times greater than yours and mine. You barbarians have probably forgotten."

The generals of the Western Wasteland were still laughing, but Mang You realized something, and his smile gradually faded.

As if instructing a subordinate, Li Qinglin slowly said, "Our Southern Border has a complex terrain and rugged roads. If the great powers of the Central Lands were to conquer it, the journey would be difficult and transportation inconvenient. Even if they managed to conquer it, they could only rule it remotely, and resources would be scarce, making it quite unworthy. There was a time when a great power the Soldiers Arrive, and we simply became its vassal, allowing it to govern itself and pay tribute. By the time that great power itself was destroyed, our Southern Li was still standing, and we had become an independent nation again. This is the root of our Southern Li's enduring existence for thousands of years."

At this point, Li Qinglin looked at Mang You with pity. "You barbarians have only risen to power less than a century ago, your culture is barren, and your history is shallow. You probably don't understand the ins and outs of this world. Do you really think that stronger nations don't exist?"

Mang You did not get angry, but his expression slowly became very serious. "You... have colluded with the great power of the Central Lands?"

"The north is now the Qian Kingdom." Li Qinglin rested one hand on the armrest of the Dragon Throne, leisurely propping his chin up with a smile. "A month ago, I sent a This King to acknowledge him as a vassal... well, actually, not a vassal. The Qian Kingdom still officially appointed him as the Nanli King. The Qian Kingdom even sent a lot of gifts to express their congratulations."

"I never imagined that you, Li Qinglin, would so debase yourself to become a vassal!"

"So you're just a general, while I'm the king," Li Qinglin said leisurely. "Politics doesn't care about face, it only cares about results."

"So the result is that not a single soldier from the Qian Kingdom came to protect you?"

"I wish they could come... but the journey is difficult, and with this snow and ice, of course they can't send a large army. Sending a few thousand elite troops to defend the city for me is not an option, there's nothing we can do about it." Li Qinglin laughed, "But there are other ways... if they don't want to come and defend the city, but a vanguard pointing its sword at the Western Wilderness Kingdom, that's a different story. Conquering a country is something we're both very interested in, and the Qian Emperor is certainly very interested as well."

Mang You's expression changed drastically. "Your border generals offering up the pass was indeed a trap, meant to keep us tied down in Southern Li!"

"Of course it's a scheme. Would I, Li Qinglin, be such a foolish ruler that no one would be willing to serve me? It's obviously abnormal for me to have everyone defect to the enemy and lead the way. Mang Zhan is brainless, but are you, Mang You, brainless too?" Li Qinglin laughed, "Now the Western Wasteland is mobilized, penetrating deep into Southern Li, while we ourselves are empty-handed. Who knows what outcome the thousands of vanguard soldiers of the Great Qian will bring..."

The expressions of all the generals in the Western Wasteland changed.

Mang You retorted sharply, "This is alarmist talk. If that's the case, why don't you let the Lihuo Army defend this city to the death, instead of sending them all to Hengshan County, leaving yourself to wait for death empty-handed?"

Li Qinglin shook his head with some regret. "If that's the case, even if you return to force the Da Qian Army, or even if you also submit to them, the situation will remain unchanged, and they will come back to fight again next year. What's the use then? I want to solve this problem once and for all and completely solidify this situation."

Before he finished speaking, a hail of arrows flew in from nowhere outside the palace gates, turning all the soldiers that Mang You had arranged to guard the gates into pincushions. Then, as if by some mechanism, the palace gates slammed shut.

At the same time, a fire suddenly broke out in the entire palace. In almost no time, the entire square was engulfed in flames, including Li Qinglin and Mang You, who were instantly swallowed by the flames.

Li Qinglin laughed loudly amidst the raging flames, "Your strongest Blood War Army and all you seasoned generals of Western Wasteland Western Wilderness Kingdom is sealed. Southern Li has only lost a foolish cultivator, while the Princess and the elite of the Li Huo Army are all unharmed. As long as she's not stupid, it will be your Western Wasteland, not my Southern Li, that will be destroyed!"

The Western Wasteland army had no time to listen to what he was saying and rushed toward the palace gate in utter chaos. How could they possibly break through in such a short time?

Mang You felt ice-cold all over.

Even if the Great Qian Dynasty sent troops to help him defend the city, Li Qinglin would probably refuse. He was clearly deliberately using himself as bait, using his own life, the Nanli King as his grave, and dragging the entire Western Wilderness Kingdom with him!

With a furious roar, he unleashed a massive axe, engulfed in flames, and slashed fiercely at Li Qinglin.

Li Qinglin blocked the flames with his spear, and both of them were engulfed in flames at the same time.

"I don't have much time left This King, so it's a pleasure to have so many warriors This King the Western Wasteland die for me."

Amidst the raging flames, Li Qinglin remained calm, seemingly oblivious to the pain of being burned. "I forgot to tell you, this fire is your Dong Huazi's Blazing Flame Array. When they were scavenging Blazing Flint, the people of Southern Li were filled with resentment. Now it has been put to good use and has not let down the people of Southern Li's sacrifices."

No one paid him any attention. The fire quickly engulfed everyone's bodies, and everyone rolled around in agony, their screams echoing through the sky, completely drowning out Li Qinglin's words.

The giant Mang You fell to the ground, writhing in agony. With its last ounce of strength, it pointed at Li Qinglin: "Since your ascension to the throne, your cultivation has been utterly muddle-headed. Was it all a deception?"

Li Qinglin silently leaned on his gun on the ground and closed his eyes. "No, back then... it was true."

"Boom!" The palace collapsed, and the sky was ablaze with fire.

Minghe gazed wistfully at the firelight above Lihuo City, recalling her conversation with Li Qinglin a few days ago.

"Are you really not going to tell Qing Jun about your plans properly?"

"If Qing Jun finds out, there's no way she'll agree. It would be a real problem if she ended up destroying Lihuo City as well."

"Then... I've told you about the Jade Pendant's origin, why didn't you send anyone to search for it, instead giving Jade Pendant to Qing Jun?"

Li Qinglin stared blankly at the dragon carvings on the beams and pillars for a long time before slowly saying, "I have been worried and fearful, and I have also wavered. I coveted power and longed for immortality... I am not as great as I once imagined. When I discovered that I could not cultivate even a trace of immortal Immortal Qi according to Qin Yi's Method Formula, I became extremely irritable, beating and scolding concubines and whipping palace servants to death—perhaps I am just an ordinary person, and I have the potential to be a tyrant."

Minghe looked at him quietly without saying a word.

"But Daoist, people are so strange... When one day they suddenly wake up, they are clear-headed like never before... I know that not only am I beyond saving, but Southern Li is also beyond saving. It has rotted to the bone marrow... If we have a few years to slowly turn things around, there may still be a chance, but the Western Wasteland will not give us that time. They will not even wait until spring. There will definitely be a thunderous attack in this winter."

Minghe remained silent, listening.

"In such a short time, let alone Qing Jun, even if I hadn't been Curse and worked hard, Southern Li wouldn't have survived this calamity. All our previous ambitions were nothing but wishful thinking and self-deception," Li Qinglin laughed. "So what should we do? Wait to welcome the invasion from the Western Wasteland, perish after a heroic and tragic battle, and become a few lamented strokes in history books?"

Minghe finally said, "What I'm asking is why you don't go to find the owner of the Jade Pendant, instead of asking about your national policies."

"Because I don't want to look anymore." Li Qinglin laughed. "So be it, everyone dies eventually. I've finally found out what my original intention was."

"What is it?"

"No matter how much I accomplish, in the end I'll just be a handful of dust and a few feet into a grave. If that's the case, why did I bother with all this in the first place?"

Minghe shook his head. "I have never known why you want this kind of achievement."

Li Qinglin's gaze turned somewhat strange. "Your sect is extraordinary, Master. Perhaps some members have achieved immortality? They may exist in seclusion in their cave abode, hidden from the world, unknown to all. Compared to those whose names are etched in history and revered for generations... who truly lives forever?"

Minghe paused for a moment, then remained silent.

"Everyone has their own ambitions, and I'm afraid there's no answer to this question." Li Qinglin laughed again. "Qing Jun loves to seek immortality. If one day she can break free from the shackles of Southern Li, then the Jade Pendant will be her guide, and I won't need it. But if you see Qin Yi in the future, please tell him a word for me."

"Please speak."

"Hmm... He's a friend worth having. I feel really bad for causing him so much trouble and effort."

Minghe asked curiously, "Just this?"

"No... I once told him that I would rather believe that the Great Sage is dead than accept that the Monkey King is sitting cross-legged with his hands clasped in prayer, living forever as a Buddha." Li Qinglin said slowly, "Please tell my friend that although I wavered at one point, I ultimately did it."

Looking at the towering fire, Minghe recalled the divination she had performed when she first met Li Qinglin in Zhang Family Village.

Dragons fight in the wild, their blood turning black and yellow.

He wasn't fighting Dong Huazi, or even the Western Wasteland; from beginning to end, he was fighting against Changsheng.