Lu Ya sat at an angle upon the mat, dressed in plain clothes with an easy, unrestrained air. At those words, he only slowly shook his head, a touch of detachment in his eyes, as if he had seen through the affairs of the world. His tone was calm, yet brooked no argument.
"Jiang Shang, by helping you defeat Zhao Gongming earlier, I already broke my rule of not interfering in the Mortal World's tribulations.
"The God Conferment is, in itself, a contest among the disciples of the four Xuanmen teachings. Each depends on his own cultivation, and each answers to his own tribulation. From now on, I will no longer take part."
The moment his words fell, before Jiang Ziya could open his mouth to beg again, brilliant red light suddenly bloomed around Lu Ya.
In an instant, the rosy radiance swelled, becoming a sharp yet gentle red streak that burst through the tent and flew straight into the sky. In the blink of an eye, it vanished into the depths of the sea of clouds, leaving Jiang Ziya standing alone in the empty tent, his heart filled with melancholy and helplessness.
Just then, the tent flap was suddenly lifted. Yang Jian, Nezha, and Huang Tianhua hurried in, all clad in military attire, their expressions grave.
The three stepped forward and bowed to Jiang Ziya. Yang Jian spoke first, his voice steady:
"Prime Minister, right now Lu Yue is relying on his plague divine abilities to wreak havoc on our army. We have investigated repeatedly and have already found out his true situation.
"This Lu Yue may seem terrifyingly fierce, but in truth, he relies entirely on his Plague Pills and his rampant plague arts. His own cultivation and combat strength are nowhere near as formidable as they appear.