Royal Crisis, Underworld Water Reappears

Several days later, a secret message from the Cloud Glow Sect arrived in the central Imperial City of the Great Dayu Kingdom.

Royal forbidden area, within a secret realm.

An aged, angry voice echoed:

"A mere Nascent Soul Early Stage, yet he thinks too highly of himself, daring to waver and demand exorbitant prices! Does he really believe that the Great Dayu Imperial Clan is an ordinary Nascent Soul force, incapable of being dealt with?"

"Ahem... Chieftain, please calm down!"

A slightly sickly-looking middle-aged lay Buddhist in blue robes, wearing a square scarf on his head and wooden clogs, bowed and reported.

If Lan Chang'an were here, he would recognize the Green-Clad Hermit hermit as the mysterious Nascent Soul of the royal family, the True Lord Iron Calculation.

This fourth-tier Divination Grandmaster of the royal family rarely appears in public. However, he made an exception and appeared once during Xiang Dalong's Nascent Soul Ceremony.

Currently, the Great Dayu Kingdom is engaged in a war against the Northern Region Great Daluo Kingdom, and the Emperor Yu is not in the country. Many of the Great Dayu Kingdom's strategies are being handled by the True Lord Iron Calculation.

Xiang Dalong sent was not a private letter, but evidence of the Baqi Mountain and the Great Daluo Kingdom's attempts to recruit and bribe him, offering an extremely high price.

Xiang Dalong sent the letter of defection to the royal family on the surface to show his sincerity, but his true intentions were not hard to guess, which angered and displeased the head of the royal family.

As a top-tier hegemonic power in the Central Region, which Nascent Soul Early Stage cultivator would dare to challenge the royal family?

"Xiang Dalong proactively presented the enemy's secret letter, so he probably doesn't want to betray the Great Yu and generally favors our royal family. Ahem... However, this young man needs our royal family to appease him, promise him more benefits, and solidify his resolve."

True Lord Iron Calculation analyzed the situation rationally and used tactful language to give the clan leader a way out.

It is now a settled fact that Xiang Dalong is truly comparable to Nascent Soul Middle Stage and can influence the landscape of the Great Dayu Kingdom's Cultivation War.

Moreover, the other member of the Twin Dragons of the Central Region, True Lord Jingtian, was suspected to have come from that legendary "minor sect" when he pointed out the weakness of the Great Dayu Imperial Clan.

Although True Lord Iron Calculation did not explicitly reveal such speculations, he had hinted at them to Emperor Yu and the clan leader.

"Enough! These are extraordinary times. Our clan is determined to subdue the Great Daluo Kingdom, so there's no need to bother with someone as profit-driven as Xiang Dalong."

An aged voice sighed, its anger gradually subsiding.

True Lord Iron Calculation was in the secret realm, and could only hear the voice, but could not determine the location of the voice's owner.

Back in the day, this Old Patriarch was also the previous Emperor Yu, a domineering ruler. When had he ever yielded to a Nascent Soul Early Stage?

"Ahem... The clan leader is absolutely right. Only by gathering more national fortune can the Yu Clan have a chance to produce a late-stage Nascent Soul Late Stage, possessing enough strength to withstand the crisis and changes from the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty."

True Lord Iron Calculation knew that the real threat to the Great Dayu Imperial Clan did not lie in the Great Abyss.

"Nascent Soul Late Stage, hopefully..."

The clan chief's aged voice held a hint of expectation, yet also revealed a sense of helplessness.

Subduing the Great Daluo Kingdom and controlling a larger amount of national fortune would at most slightly increase the chances of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Late Stage.

He asked in a deep voice, "Any new intelligence or developments from the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty?"

"Not yet, but the overall situation is clear."

True Lord Iron Calculation frowned and stated:

The reforms of the "Nine-Rank Immortal Official System" of the Jin Immortal Dynasty are maturing, truly unifying and stabilizing the entire Fenghua Province. Many Demon King and ghosts are subdued and submit to its rule. All indications suggest that the Immortal Dynasty has already begun to expand and infiltrate into other prefectures.

"Ten thousand years ago, our clan was framed and hunted down by the Celestial Dynasty. Fortunately, our ancestor, Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, protected us, allowing us to migrate to this remote coastal prefecture. In recent years, the Celestial Dynasty has freed up its resources, and the long arm of the law will surely punish and subdue the remnants of the royal family who betrayed us back then."

The Great Yu lineage was not an ordinary cultivation Aristocratic Clan in the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty, but a royal relative who had been granted the title of king, and had taken away many of the secret manuals passed down in the Jin Immortal Dynasty.

Therefore, once the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty has freed up its resources, it will come knocking on their door sooner or later.

Fortunately, once the "Pseudo-Heavenly Lord" of the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty are removed from the sphere of influence of the Immortal Dynasty's Dragon Fortune, their cultivation level will plummet. The coast of the Great Abyss is far from the Immortal Dynasty, and when Pseudo-Heavenly Lord arrives there, he will not be much stronger than a normal Nascent Soul Great Cultivator.

As for the true Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarch, they are bound by the overall situation in the Cultivation World and rarely take action. Furthermore, with the threat of the Tianyi Great Tribulation, it is even less likely that they will make a high-profile appearance.

As long as a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator is born, the Great Dayu Kingdom will have enough strength to deal with any future challenges from the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty.

As for why they didn't directly submit to the Jin Immortal Dynasty?

This is not simply a matter of assigning blame and punishment.

Cultivators seek immortality and freedom; they would never willingly submit to the control and regulations of a celestial dynasty, bound by numerous laws and rules.

Within the territory ruled by the Celestial Dynasty, neutral and free sects and cultivation forces are not permitted. Even demons and monsters must be granted titles and subject to the rule of the Celestial Dynasty.

Within the secret realm, silence lingered for a long time.

"Tie Suan, how do you plan to appease Xiang Dalong?"

The Yu Clan patriarch broke the silence.

If we can win over Xiang Dalong and get him to work for the royal family, conquering the Great Daluo Kingdom will be much easier.

"Open the royal treasury and secret treasures, trade at low prices, and try to meet their resource needs. It's been a century since we've seen Xiang Dalong; he may have already reached the threshold of a fourth-tier Puppet Refining Grandmaster and will inevitably need to create fourth-tier Puppet. Our royal family has many treasured Puppet materials, including lost puppet-making secrets..."

True Lord Iron Calculation's prepared response.

Xiang Dalong only seeks profit; satisfying him as much as possible and appeasing him is sufficient. There's no need to create unnecessary trouble.

The clan chief then asked, "The Great Daluo Kingdom has promised to marry its most beautiful woman, Luo Qianshui, to Xiang Dalong. Do you have any leverage to counter this?"

Since the intention is to appease Xiang Dalong, the Great Dayu Kingdom cannot refuse the conditions proposed by the enemy country.

"Ahem... Among the current princesses of the royal family, none can compare to Luo Qianshui's talent and beauty."

True Lord Iron Calculation coughed and spoke frankly.

The princesses of the Great Dayu Imperial Clan in this generation are either too old or have already been married off through arranged marriages.

Some unmarried women have very messy private lives, such as keeping male lovers, and their reputations are not good.

In contrast, Princess Luo Qianshui of the Great Daluo Kingdom is exceptionally beautiful and talented, young, and virtuous. None of the princesses of the Great Dayu Imperial Clan are capable of fighting.

Hongxiu suggested that Princess Zhiwei be given to Xiang Dalong as a concubine.

"Zhiwei? Doesn't this little girl already have a husband?"

The clan chief hesitated for a moment, as if he thought it was unreliable.

In terms of talent, appearance, and temperament, Princess Zhiwei surpasses the princesses of the royal family and is no less impressive than Princess Luo Qianshui.

Princess Zhiwei was proud and arrogant. After her arranged marriage with Xiang Dalong failed in her early years, her standards became very high, and she refused other marriage proposals for a long time.

A few years ago, Princess Zhiwei married a man who moved into her family home, thus severing the royal family's ability to arrange further political marriages for her.

However, everyone knows that Princess Zhiwei's so-called husband is just a figurehead, and the two have never had any real relationship.

"Ahem, Hongxiu is certain that Zhiwei's current identity might be more to Xiang Dalong's liking."

True Lord Iron Calculation took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Oh?"

After a moment's thought, the Yu Clan patriarch let out a cryptic chuckle.

Come to think of it, given Xiang Dalong's status and position, would he lack a clueless, naive girl like Luo Qianshui?

As the widow of Fairy Zixia, she was deeply admired and loved by Xiang Dalong, and her long-cherished wish was finally fulfilled.

It is said that the two were already having an affair when True Lord Yunlan was still alive.

In contrast, True Lord Hongxiu, also a Nascent Soul fairy, had tried to win Xiang Dalong over with ambiguous advances, but Xiang Dalong responded coldly.

This suggests that Xiang Dalong has certain quirks, and it would be best to cater to them.

Moon Empress.

Having just returned from the front lines and recuperated in the Imperial City, True Lord Hongxiu set off without stopping.

"True Lord Xiang! The Imperial True Lord Hongxiu has come to visit."

The Snow Peak Sect Master, who was guarding the sect, sent Sound Transmission Talisman immediately.

"The relevant party is already aware of this."

Lan Chang'an, who was in seclusion for cultivation, opened his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

He flew out of the cave on Yunlan Peak and arrived at the mountain gate barrier.

A royal Flying Chariot hovered in the sky, its red carriages, pulled by a third-tier spirit bird and adorned with golden phoenix patterns, exuding magnificence and grandeur.

"I am overwhelmed with gratitude that True Lord Xiang personally came to greet me."

The True Lord Hongxiu gracefully stepped out of the carriage, a charming smile on her face. She was still dressed in a long red dress, her appearance elegant and dignified.

Xiang Dalong laughed heartily, his gaze fixed straight on him.

True Lord Hongxiu felt a chill run through his body, sensing a subtle fluctuation in his Divine Sense.

For a brief moment, she had the illusion that all her clothes and robes had been lost, and all her secrets were exposed.

She was secretly surprised; this sense of unease from Divine Sense probing was something that only giants in the Nascent Soul Middle Stage realm could bring in the past.

Could it be that Xiang Dalong, who disappeared over a hundred years ago, possesses Divine Sense no less than that of Nascent Soul Middle Stage?

"Please forgive me, Fairy Hongxiu! These are extraordinary times. Cloud Glow Sect only has one Nascent Soul Cultivator, myself, in charge. Entrusted by Ziyan, I must be cautious."

Lan Chang'an smiled apologetically, and with his Divine Sense, he not only checked True Lord Hongxiu to confirm her identity, but also probed the carriage behind her.

"It's alright! The Great Dayu Kingdom is currently engaged in foreign wars, and the Evil Dao forces of Baqi Mountain have infiltrated our country. It's better to be cautious than to make a big mistake."

True Lord Hongxiu indicated that she did not mind and followed Lan Chang'an into the Cloud Glow Sect's mountain gate.

She appeared elegant and smiling, but her heart was far from calm.

She suspected that Xiang Dalong's Divine Sense probe just now was intentional, meant to make her aware of it.

Otherwise, Xiang Dalong could have easily concealed this trump card.

The reason for displaying strength is likely to warn the royal family to show sincerity and not to play tricks.

"I have important matters to discuss with you. May I visit True Lord Xiang's residence?"

"Good."

Lan Chang'an tacitly agreed.

In the past, when he met with True Lord Hongxiu, he was always accompanied by Fairy Zixia, which prevented them from having in-depth conversations.

Yunlan Peak Cave.

Inside the main hall, Lan Chang'an and True Lord Hongxiu took their seats as guests.

"This small gift is a token of the royal family's goodwill."

The True Lord Hongxiu smiled and gently raised her fair hand.

The royal carriage was brought in from the center of the main hall.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and a graceful maidservant emerged carrying a tray.

There was a gift book on the tray.

Behind the maid, in the carriage, four treasure chests were neatly arranged, along with a pile of Jade Box and medicine bottles containing precious medicinal herbs and elixirs.

Lan Chang'an took the gift list and glanced at the maid carrying the tray, feeling that she looked familiar.

The maid was clearly not an ordinary female cultivator.

She wore a long, flowing court dress, her long, straight black hair exuding elegance and her bright, sparkling eyes. The white veil covering her face couldn't completely obscure her beauty from the Divine Sense senses of Nascent Soul Cultivator, revealing her stunningly beautiful face.

Since she appeared as a maid, Lan Chang'an did not expose her or ask any questions.

"Such a generous gift from the royal family is unworthy of my humble status."

Lan Chang'an glanced at the list of treasures on the gift register and was deeply moved.

In addition to fourth-tier precious materials and elixirs, there are also ancient Puppet heirlooms treasured by the royal family.

"True Lord Xiang is not misled by Evil Dao and foreign enemies; his stance is firm. The royal family will naturally treat him with the respect due to a national hero."

"These are merely part of the royal family's sincerity. Among them, the <Machine Puppet Scripture> and <Demon Puppet Secret Canon> are ancient secret teachings from outside the Great Abyss, and the local Nascent Soul forces do not possess such foundations."

True Lord Hongxiu remained calm and composed, smiling faintly.

After saying that, she took out another Jade Slip and handed it to Lan Chang'an.

This Jade Slip records some of the top-tier resources and rare treasures treasured by the royal family, many of which are not available for trade.

Among them are many high-grade fourth-tier or higher puppet-making materials and core Puppet materials.

In the list, Lan Chang'an even saw the all-powerful Earth Source [Five Elements Soil], as well as extremely rare body-refining elixirs.

The resources recorded in the Jade Slip were not given away for free.

Some of Lan Chang'an items could be traded at relatively low prices by bartering. Others were exceptionally valuable and required Lan Chang'an to pay a price to obtain them.

"If True Lord Xiang can further demonstrate his sincerity, he will have a chance to obtain all the top-tier resources contained in this Jade Slip."

The voice of the True Lord Hongxiu is long and melodious, containing a unique kind of seduction.

Lan Chang'an was naturally tempted; the Great Dayu Imperial Clan's resources far exceeded the world's imagination.

The puppet-refining materials on the list can greatly accelerate the setup of his fourth-order Puppet Array.

There are also powerful elixirs for body refinement, rare treasures of heaven and earth, which will help him break through to the fourth level of body refinement in the future. I believe the royal family also has secret formulas for body refinement.

"Is the Azure Sparrow Feather recorded in this Jade Slip truly a late-stage fourth-order rank?"

Lan Chang'an withdrew his Divine Sense and asked curiously.

"Azure Sparrow Feather? Oh, that feather did indeed come from a late-stage fourth-tier Azure Sparrow Feather with Heaven Grade Bloodline, but it's ancient and has lost much of its spiritual essence. However, its value is at least comparable to a mid-grade fourth-tier Azure Sparrow feather that perished within the last thousand years."

"What, True Lord Xiang interested in Azure Sparrow Feather? Are you perhaps planning to create a Puppet of a fourth-tier flying bird?"

With a smile, the True Lord Hongxiu probed with great interest.

Back then, before leaving Great Abyss, Lan Chang'an was Puppet master who had traded for the skeleton of the Nine-Headed Bird to strengthen the Strange Spirit Peacock Puppet. This information was obviously known to the royal family.

"Well, I once attempted to become a fourth-tier Puppet Master, focusing all my efforts on creating a fourth-tier Puppet, but I failed once, wasting most of the materials. Now I have to collect materials again, which will probably take one or two hundred years..."

Lan Chang'an said with a bitter expression.

"This Azure Sparrow Feather has lost most of its spiritual essence. It can be downgraded and used as material to refine Tier 4 Low-Grade Avian Puppet. Would the royal family be so kind as to offer a low price for this transaction?"

True Lord Hongxiu, however, was half-believing and half-doubting, shaking her head slightly, and said firmly:

"Azure Sparrow Feather are not for sale by the royal family. They would not be revealed unless True Lord Xiang showed them his sincerity. Such top-grade materials cannot be traded normally unless True Lord Xiang kills a Nascent Soul Cultivator from an enemy country."

Upon hearing the royal family's conditions, Lan Chang'an frowned slightly, looking troubled:

"While we are confident in our ability to contend with Nascent Soul Middle Stage, our offensive techniques are somewhat inferior to those of Nascent Soul Middle Stage powerhouse. How easy would it be to truly kill one?"

While a normal Nascent Soul Middle Stage can easily overwhelm Nascent Soul Early Stage, completely annihilating them and preventing the Nascent Soul from leaving the body is quite difficult.

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Of course, cases involving underhanded tactics should be considered separately.

True Lord Hongxiu did not question this; after thinking for a moment, she took the initiative to concede:

"Killing a Nascent Soul's Dharma Body also counts."

Killing the physical body of Nascent Soul Cultivator can prevent them from participating in battle for one or two decades and can also affect the course of the war.

More importantly, once Xiang Dalong eliminates the Nascent Soul Cultivator of the opposing camp, he will completely side with the Great Dayu Kingdom and will no longer be able to waver between the two sides.

"I'll consider it some more. Perhaps I'll have a better chance of success once I reach the peak of the Nascent Soul Early Stage."

Lan Chang'an understood the implications and did not agree immediately.

He planned to first acquire the tradable fourth-tier treasures from the Jade Slip, and then slowly negotiate prices to seek other top-tier resources.

True Lord Hongxiu smiled and said, "No rush, True Lord Xiang, take your time to consider."

Inside the cave, Lan Chang'an accepted the royal family's generous gifts, hosted a banquet, and warmly entertained True Lord Hongxiu.

During this time, Lan Chang'an expressed his stance, promising that he would never side with the Evil Dao faction, and also said some things that were conducive to the unity of the Great Dayu Kingdom.

True Lord Hongxiu was satisfied; the purpose of this trip had been basically achieved.

For Xiang Dalong, the royal family's bottom line is: he cannot betray them and side with the Baqi Mountain and Great Daluo Kingdom camps.

If we could entice them with benefits to help us fight the enemy on the front lines, that would be ideal.

Before sunset.

True Lord Hongxiu took his leave, leaving behind a carriage filled with treasure chests and heartfelt sincerity.

And of course, there was that elegant and stunning "maid".

"Zhiwei and True Lord Xiang are somewhat destined for each other, so why don't you stay in the cave and become True Lord Xiang's bed warmer?"

Seeing the doubt in Lan Chang'an's eyes, True Lord Hongxiu smiled and pursed her lips, transmitting her voice.

Lan Chang'an's gaze fell on Princess Zhiwei.

Beneath the white veil, the beautiful woman's face was ashen, her eyes filled with sorrow, her head bowed in silence, as if awaiting the judgment of her tragic fate.

Let's look back to many years ago, to when the two first met.

Xiang Dalong was still Core Formation Cultivator, and the royal family arranged for the two to become dao companion. Faced with the image of a bald man at that time, she even felt a slight sense of rejection.

"Don't worry, True Lord Xiang. Although Zhiwei has taken in a son-in-law, it's only in name; there's no real connection..."

"What! A son-in-law?"

Upon hearing this, Lan Chang'an's expression changed drastically, revealing a look of vigilance.

This woman is unacceptable!

"What kind of person does Fellow Daoist Hongxiu take me for? Take this woman away immediately."

Lan Chang'an's expression was serious and righteous, and he waved his hands repeatedly.

True Lord Hongxiu was slightly taken aback, bewildered and puzzled.

Did she see wrong?

Xiang Dalong isn't the kind of person with any particular hobbies.

"It seems that Xiang Dalong is still wary of our royal family and believes that Zhiwei is a spy planted by his side."

True Lord Hongxiu pondered to herself and did not press the matter further.

Unlike previous marriage alliances, Princess Zhiwei was merely a side bargaining chip this time.

The royal family had no intention of having this woman act as an inside agent under the nose of a giant at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage; that would only make Xiang Dalong resentful.

Before parting, Princess Zhiwei's eyes revealed gratitude, and she bowed silently to Lan Chang'an.

As a noblewoman of the royal family and Golden Core Realm cultivator, she would not be content to be a plaything of some Nascent Soul Old Monsters.

Perhaps, Xiang Dalong really is that kind of cultivator of noble character.

The two royal daughters were seen off.

Lan Chang'an picked up the gift register again and took stock of the generous gifts sent by the royal family.

The supplies in the carriage, including valuable fourth-tier treasures, elixirs, and herbs, were equivalent to the savings of an ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivator over two or three hundred years of hard work.

Lan Chang'an took out two secret Puppet manuals from the treasure chest containing books and ancient texts, and immersed his Divine Sense in them.

"The ' Machine Puppet Scripture ' is an High Antiquity treatise on mechanical Puppet originating from the Central Province, encompassing many lost techniques of mechanical arts."

"The <Demon Puppet Secret Canon> specializes in crafting Puppet made from demonic creatures. When crafting puppets from Puppet Demon Beast, it reduces losses and increases the probability of preserving the original Divine Ability abilities and talents of the demonic beasts..."

After the investigation, Lan Chang'an was pleasantly surprised.

True Lord Hongxiu said was not an exaggeration; these two secret Puppet techniques are very difficult to find in other forces in the Cultivation World.

He possesses the core inheritance of the Thousand Mechanisms Cult and has surpassed 99% of the world's Puppet masters.

Now that he has acquired two more secret Puppet techniques, he will be able to explore and study them together with the genius Puppet Master Puppet Master Wei, learning from their strengths and embracing their diversity.

To appease Xiang Dalong, the new tycoon of the Central Region, the Great Dayu Imperial Clan truly showed great sincerity.

The "Machine Puppet Scripture" and "Demon Puppet Secret Canon" are royal secrets, not to be circulated outside the royal family. However, making a copy and befriending Lan Chang'an would not cost the Great Dayu Imperial Clan family much.

What truly captivated Lan Chang'an was the even more precious resources he could obtain from the Jade Slip left by Hongxiu.

"Azure Sparrow Feather... Body Refining Elixir... Tier 4 Longevity Pill... Fourth-Order High-Grade Treasure Material..."

Lan Chang'an was extremely envious of the list of precious resources in the Jade Slip.

Some of these resources, such as fourth-tier puppet-refining materials, are tradable and priced slightly lower than the market price.

Even if the price is lower, the royal family won't lose money; it might be the treatment afforded to core royal cultivators.

Top-tier resources like Azure Sparrow Feather can only be obtained by Lan Chang'an through killing enemy Nascent Soul or participating in frontline battles and fulfilling certain obligations.

Lan Chang'an's secret technique, the Evergreen Art, combined with the Mending Heaven Spirit Nourishing Art he obtained from Zhang Tieshan (the Artifact Spirit), helps with the recovery of spirituality.

If one can obtain a late-stage fourth-tier Azure Sparrow Feather, it can restore most of the spiritual essence and help improve the quality of the Strange Spirit Peacock.

After reaching an agreement with Lan Chang'an, the Great Dayu Imperial Clan will devote more energy to the conquest of the Great Daluo Kingdom.

However, the progress of the Great Dayu Kingdom, which was fighting on two fronts, gradually slowed down after it conquered part of the territory of the Great Daluo Kingdom.

After penetrating into the interior of the Great Daluo Kingdom, it is necessary to consolidate and digest the territory, proceeding step by step, otherwise it is easy to be isolated and isolated.

The Baqi Mountain faction supports the Great Daluo Kingdom in the Northern Region, while also deploying a large formation in the western border of the Great Dayu Kingdom, posing a menacing threat.

Fortunately, the Evil Dao faction's Baqi Mountain was surrounded by other powerful enemies and dared not engage in a direct confrontation with the Great Dayu Kingdom. They only sent a portion of Nascent Soul True Lord to provide support or contain the enemy.

Fairy Zixia and Di Yan Jun went to the western border of the Great Dayu Kingdom to resist the harassment and restraint of Baqi Mountain.

Lan Chang'an guards the Cloud Glow Sect, focusing on cultivation and not participating in the Cultivation War.

There's no need to worry about Di Yan Jun's safety.

The Rat King, at the peak of the early stage of the fourth tier, possesses a set of protective combat Law Treasure, as well as Treasure Talisman and spirit charms bestowed by its master, giving it a strong ability to protect itself.

Cultivation War were commonplace for Lan Chang'an.

While the outside world was engulfed in fierce battles, with small and medium-sized forces and Immortal City Lineage being wiped out, he remained unmoved, focusing on his cultivation.

Furthermore, profiting from wars through Cultivation War is a specialty of long-lived individuals like him.

With the prices of many war supplies rising, Lan Chang'an took the opportunity to sell a batch of them in exchange for the resources he needed.

Among them, Great Dayu Imperial Clan was a major client in the transaction.

Lan Chang'an made transactions with the royal family every now and then, mainly dealing with fourth-tier puppet-refining materials from the Jade Slip register.

The royal family promised to trade at a lower price, and initially, in order to appease Xiang Dalong, they did not see anything wrong with it.

Xiang Dalong was, after all, an individual cultivator; how much material could he possibly trade?

The royal treasury is sufficient to sustain the family for over a century, by which time the war will have long been over.

However, as time went on, the royal family's high-ranking officials realized that something was wrong.

"True Lord Xiang, it seems like you don't need this many precious materials to craft a fourth-tier Puppet, do you?"

The True Lord Hongxiu sent a messenger with Communication Talisman, implying a questioning intent.

Although the amount of each transaction was not large, the total amount of precious materials that Lan Chang'an traded was far too much, exceeding the royal family's expectations.

"Crafting fourth-tier Puppet has a fairly high failure rate, especially during the stage of striving to become a fourth-tier Puppet Master. I am only a prospective fourth-tier Puppet Master, so naturally I need to have more materials on hand!"

Lan Chang'an responded confidently via the Sound Transmission Talisman.

As the war continued, Xiang Dalong continued his dealings with the royal family without any sign of stopping.

The elder in charge of the royal treasury was heartbroken, and the matter even alarmed the Old Patriarch.

Within the royal secret realm.

The Old Patriarch angrily retorted, "Xiang Dalong disappeared for a hundred years, how could he be so wealthy? His net worth seems to be no less than that of a giant in the Central Region."

If this continues, the fourth-tier puppet-making resources in the royal treasury will be completely drained. How will we then keep this kid in check?

"Strange, Xiang Dalong only advanced to the Nascent Soul in a little over a hundred years, which doesn't make sense. Could it be that this guy plundered a Nascent Soul sect?"

True Lord Iron Calculation was also puzzled. Several iron divination slips floated in the air above his palm, their mysterious light swirling around them.

Four or five years after the agreed transaction.

The royal family finally called a halt, stating that the treasury's resources were insufficient to cover expenses, and imposed restrictions on the annual transaction volume.

Unless Xiang Dalong can provide war Puppet of tier three or higher, it's not appropriate to trade for more tier four treasure materials.

"A powerful force that dominates the Central Region shouldn't make promises if they can't handle the game!"

Lan Chang'an secretly grumbled to himself, but he couldn't put too much pressure on her.

The royal family didn't completely halt transactions; they merely imposed restrictions, starting with incremental steps.

As long as the war between Great Yu and the royal family continues, they can continue to profit from the royal family steadily.

Under such favorable conditions, the formation speed of the fourth-order Puppet Array is greatly increased.

During the war, Lan Chang'an was not oblivious to what was happening around him; he would sometimes quietly go out.

That fourth-tier White-Clad Puppet, maintaining his appearance, sat in the sect's cave dwelling, and was enough to fool anyone.

Meanwhile, Lan Chang'an secretly monitored the movements of the Great Snake Mountain.

The True Lord Chilian fought alongside the Great Dayu Imperial Clan on the front lines, and it is said that this Poison Refining Grandmaster made significant contributions on the battlefield.

As for the True Lord Red Snake, this veteran Nascent Soul Nascent Soul, he has been guarding the mountain gate obediently and has never gone out.

On this day, within the territory of the Great Snake Mountain.

A certain body of water, a swamp.

A dark and deep stream of water descended from the sky, transforming into a mysterious body of water that enveloped an area of several dozen feet in radius, isolating it from the outside world.

Three mysterious figures emerged from the dark waters, their forms slightly distorted by the light reflected in the water.

"Grand Elder, a few thousand miles further ahead lies the main headquarters of Great Snake Mountain."

A Black-Skirted Beauty, wearing a veiled hat, with a pale face, stood to the side, her graceful figure appearing hazy in the dark water.

At this moment, the female cultivator at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage reported respectfully to the mysterious gray-haired man in the center.

If any senior cultivators from the Great Abyss Eastern Region here, they would recognize this person as the renowned Sea-Suppressing Grand Elder of the Black Marsh Sect figure in the Eastern Region's Near Sea!

A cold, stern voice echoed in the water:

"Junior Sister Underworld Water, is it really necessary to make things so complicated?"

"The Sixteen Sea-Suppressing Sects are renowned Near Sea and invincible in the Eastern Region! What are they to fear from the barren lands of the Central Region of the Great Abyss? We'll go directly to their doorstep and exert pressure; that brat will have no choice but to submit! The Great Dayu Kingdom is busy with its wars; that Emperor Yu will naturally give me, his senior brother, some face."