Chapter 122
Xue Yi gazed intently at the powerful, majestic figure, which seemed to be embraced by loneliness.
Ignoring the burning pain on his cheek from the sparks, sweat dripping down his face, and letting the firelight illuminate his white hair, the Hanya also stared at that figure.
The dazzling flames gradually engulfed everything, from the storm to the enormous beastly shadow.
The world engulfed in flames was completely devoid of any wind. From the collapsed stone pillars to every corner of the hall, the fire roared and spread everywhere, releasing terrifying heat waves.
The scene was like a boiling kiln, with flames constantly scorching the lungs that were breathing. Looking up, one could see that the thick earth had been pierced, creating a huge hole that had been punched through it.
The ethereal sunlight streaming in through the large hole had gradually turned into the colors of dusk.
Chapter 151 The Sun is Both Intense and Warm
The towering flames pierced through and engulfed everything.
The enormous beastly shadow was swept away the moment it made contact. The sword energy formed by the calamity fire cleaved the earth, and the gale stirred up the clouds. Moreover, wherever the sword energy touched, a huge crack thousands of meters long was constantly emitting mist with terrifying temperature.
Even though Bai Jun intended to control the area, the terrifying impact instantly destroyed nearly half of the upper three levels of the Prison of Deep Seclusion, piercing through the thick strata of the earth as well. Many areas of the Alchemy Commission and the Scalegorge Waterscape were also unfortunately affected.
Nearly half of Luofu was shrouded in a cataclysmic earthquake. No matter where you were, as long as you looked up towards the setting sun, you could see the fiery sword energy shooting into the sky, creating a terrifying sound like thunder.
"Oh dear, isn't this a bit too much of a commotion?"
Jing Yuan gazed at the direction from which the calamity fire rose, clicked his tongue in astonishment, and then a subtle smile of surprise and relief appeared on his face.
"No wonder Elder Yan kept saying in his letter that Bai Jun was full of little secrets. I didn't expect him to be able to keep them so well hidden, even fooling me?"
There's no mistake. Only the Emanator can explain that level of power. Although Jing Yuan had long sensed that Bai Jun's strength was not weak, he still couldn't have imagined that he had reached such a level. Moreover, even he couldn't discern which Aeon this power originated from.
Jing Yuan wasn't particularly curious about this, nor did he need to worry, because he knew that person was Bai Jun. That was all he needed to confirm. Moreover, the Xianzhou having another Emanator- level combatant was excellent from every perspective. He just didn't know what the Marshal's attitude was towards this...
However, once this incident passes, the Marshal will surely learn of it, and regardless of his stance, he will definitely do his utmost to protect Bai Jun.
"Dragon Master Taoran respectfully welcomes General."
The voice beside him interrupted Jing Yuan's thoughts. He turned his head, his smile vanishing, replaced by an unusual coldness. "Let's skip the pointless pleasantries. Regarding the Prison of Deep Seclusion break, I've found some 'evidence' and sent it over. I'm sure Dragon Master has already seen it, hasn't he?"
The physical evidence points to a "map of the Prison of Deep Seclusion" and a "Dust-Returning Form-Preserving Pill".
How did Buli person the prison, find out about the area where Hoolay was being held? And why was it such a coincidence that they were able to learn about the entire plan while Yaoqing's envoy was preparing to escort him? These questions seemed too superficial to Jing Yuan, and the answers were not hard to find.
Firstly, judging from the route Buli person Liren during the prison break, someone must have leaked the topographical map of the Prison of Deep Seclusion to them, and the Vidyadhara contributed the most to the construction of the Prison of Deep Seclusion.
Secondly, the disguised Buli person needs medicine to maintain his Foxkin appearance, and the raw materials for the "Dust-Returning Form-Preserving Pill" can only be found within the Scalegorge Waterscape and the Alchemy Commission. Considering everything that has happened recently...
All the doubts ultimately point to the same answer --
"Naturally, I played a part in planning the Prison of Deep Seclusion break from the prison."
Jing Yuan arrived alone deep within the Scalegorge Waterscape, arms crossed, confronting the young-looking Dragon Master before him. Faced with irrefutable evidence and Jing Yuan's accusatory attitude, Taoran knew he was powerless to defend himself and could only nod and admit that the matter was related to him.
"Although it's not unexpected, it still breaks my heart."
"Stop with that fake smile, Jing Yuan. From the very beginning, I've despised your hypocritical, compassionate facade!"
Faced with Jing Yuan's nonchalant expression, as if everything was under control, Taoran's brows twisted in disgust. He ripped off his pretense and began to blame the world-renowned General of Divine Strategy from the bottom of his heart:
"Since the Sedition of Imbibitor Lunae, the number of those Vidyadhara the Dharma has dwindled. With the High Elder exiled, I and a few other Dragon Master have had to struggle to stay afloat and stem the tide. Our methods may be somewhat radical, and may not be understood, but ultimately it all boils down to one thing—'the survival of the Vidyadhara.' As a general, even if you stand idly by while the Vidyadhara suffer, you should understand my good intentions. All I've done is strive for survival!!!"
"In the name of survival, they disregard the subjective wishes of other Vidyadhara, willing to violate the Alliance's sacred law and bring war upon all innocent Vidyadhara beings. Even if they regain the possibility of reproduction, what good will it do?"
As for Taoran's anger and blame, Jing Yuan succinctly saw through his ulterior motives. "In the end, Elder, you just want to return to the era Vidyadhara held great power."
Taoran, having been rejected by Jing Yuan, quietly lowered his head.
"Hehe... haha... hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!"
He brushed aside his bangs, his feigned anger vanishing without a trace, revealing a pair of twisted, murderous eyes, no different from those of a wild beast, and a cruel sneer on his face, making his originally Vidyadhara face appear extremely ugly.
"As expected of General of Divine Strategy, you saw right through my little scheme! You were absolutely right! You were right about everything! I only pursue one thing: to restore the glory of the Vidyadhara and return to the era when I held great power!"
Taoran opened his arms wide and cheered with his head tilted back. Jing Yuan, witnessing this scene, couldn't help but feel a sense of disgust.
"Only chaos can bring us Vidyadhara of hope, allowing us to survive, and enabling our proud dragon race to once again ascend to the pinnacle of power. For the greater good, what does it matter if we cooperate with that 'Mangus'? What does it matter if we make sacrifices?"
The thought that the Vidyadhara would soon be revived in his hands filled him with excitement, making him tremble and his face flush.
Jing Yuan's attention was entirely focused on the "Mangus" that Taoran had unintentionally uttered.
As expected, whether it was Hoolay, Buli person, or the Dragon Master before them, they were all just pawns, driven to take this step by the hand of the player holding the pieces.
Jing Yuan remained completely oblivious, calmly watching Taoran, who was ecstatically muttering to himself.
The real issue isn't dealing with these puppets, but whether we can find clues to pull the mastermind behind it all – the one who saw through all the cracks in Luofu, orchestrated the Medicine King's Legacy and the rebellion of Vidyadhara, and led Buli person into Luofu.
"The era when the Ambrosial Arbor and Yaoshi beliefs coexisted, and the power of the Vidyadhara was not diminished, that era was truly wonderful! People yearned for eternal life, and therefore tried every means to obtain the qualification to seek the Way. You know, every time I see them kneeling before the Vidyadhara Temple, begging for that qualification, my heart always races!"
Taoran's face flushed like that of a girl in her first love, his eyes moist and dazed. His twisted and ugly appearance showed that he was indeed deeply infatuated and unable to extricate himself.
Maintaining that sinister smile, Taoran spoke again, "Jing Yuan, you're a smart man. Instead of going to war, why don't we make a deal?"
"Oh? The discussion about 'survival' fails, so the elders want to talk about 'interests' now?"
"The Alliance and the Denizens of Abundance have been locked in a bloody war for a thousand years, yet it has never ended. This is not because the Xianzhou lacks the ability to end the war. On the contrary, this is precisely the Marshal's will. Because if the Alliance wins, it will become the next Denizens of Abundance. You should understand this better than I do, after all, this is the 'balancing act' that you love to play with the most."
Jing Yuan remained noncommittal, only slightly raising an eyebrow and nodding in agreement, wanting to hear what other words might come out of his mouth.
"For a long time, the Alliance has hypocritically maintained this precarious balance, but I have a way to transcend this predicament: the 'Secret Art of Dragon Transformation'!"
Taoran suddenly scratched his cheeks hard, and even though his expression was distorted, he still maintained a blissful smile.
"Imagine if there were a way to transform other life forms into Vidyadhara. The Alliance would then have an endless supply of soldiers, free from the suffering of casualties. Once the war ends, these soldiers would not reproduce, eliminating any worry about them becoming a plague. This is the 'Xianzhou Alliance's' solution, a supreme path to eradicate the suffering of the plague from longevity throughout the universe."
Looking at Taoran's disheveled, maniacal smile, who seemed like nothing more than a fool wanting to satisfy his own selfish desires, Jing Yuan sighed, completely losing patience with his nonsense. "Enough. I'm utterly disappointed in you. Your thoughts and ideas are inhuman. There's no need for us to continue communicating. Only the Prison of Deep Seclusion is your final destination."
"Sigh, Jing Yuan, that's why I said you're a hypocrite..."
Taoran appeared calm and composed, as if reminiscing about the past—but his expression suddenly changed the next moment.
"You dare to trespass into our Vidyadhara realm alone? You must be prepared to pay the price of our clan's power. Let's see if our combined strength can drag a general down with us. Attack!"
At a command, the assassins hidden in the clouds and smoke instantly appeared, carrying daggers capable of killing with a single blow, and attacked Jing Yuan from all directions.
At the same time, the sorcerers who had been hiding behind the pillars of the main hall from the beginning began chanting the Vidyadhara, and bombardments of various attributes such as thunder, clouds, smoke, wind and snow were fired at Jing Yuan.
Despite the bombardment and torrential rain from all directions, Jing Yuan remained calm and composed, neither dodging nor evading the attacks. He simply watched Taoran's figure silently, a lazy smile playing on his lips.
"According to the oath, members of the Alliance are forbidden from killing Vidyadhara here. But do you know that in the face of a situation that threatens the foundation of the Alliance, every general has the right to act first and report later? Or do you... think that the name 'Shence' means that my martial prowess is inferior to that of other generals?"
The assassinations coming from all directions, as well as the magical bombardment erupting from afar, all the attacks stopped as if time had stood still within five meters of Jing Yuan. Then, the golden phantom gradually solidified, and the majestic Divine Monarch appeared behind Jing Yuan.
Amidst the flying fragments of lightning, the swirling snow and mist, and the sparks of fire, all attacks fell upon Him without causing the slightest disturbance; all schemes and plans appeared so pale and powerless before His divine might.
The joy of his successful scheme and the sudden shock froze on his pale face. In Taoran's shocked eyes, the Formation Blade, containing terrifying power, slashed down from the sky, followed by a burst of golden lightning.
Deep within the sea of consciousness, shrouded in the crimson light of the Crimson Moon, hangs a moonlit radiance enveloped in blood mist.
Feixiao stared blankly up at the blood moon. She didn't know when it had appeared. Perhaps it had just appeared, or perhaps it had always existed deep within her soul, like the "Moon Rage" passed down through her bloodline, a destiny she could not escape.
How familiar that feeling was! Disgusting sweat poured down my face, my heart trembled uncontrollably, and I could feel my skin and bones snapping inch by inch under the power of the Moon Rage.
She could only stand there before the high wall of the road called fate, gradually losing her way, sinking into the boundless darkness of loneliness, bearing the heavy responsibility of the hopes of the deceased, abandoned by those she cherished, feeling the cold reality, being abandoned by everything, and tasting the desolate feeling that drives one mad with tears streaming down her face.
As her consciousness gradually succumbed, just as she was about to be swallowed by the roaring blood moon and reduced to a beast driven by instinct—
A familiar voice kept calling her name.
Feixiao, who should have been trapped in the Moon Rage, isolating himself from everything else, did indeed hear it.
She heard that person's call, like the first light of dawn emerging from the horizon after being submerged by dark waves, like the dawn proclaiming that there is no endless night in this world. Suddenly, a white light pierced into Feixiao's heart.
The longing he felt until now made Feixiao clearly recognize that it was Bai Jun's voice.
Driven by this unwavering longing, Feixiao slowly opened her weary eyes and took in the world before her.
The collapsed ground--
Beneath the overwhelming, billowing sand, a large hole opened directly above the Prison of Deep Seclusion, creating an exposed landscape resembling a sinkhole, combined with the original shape of the space.
The stone slabs cracked and broke intermittently, like an hourglass counting down the days, while sand and stone chips fell from the broken walls all around, raining down like raindrops.
The cloudless sky sadly surveyed this tragic scene, ravaged by fire and storm.
"Cough cough cough... You're much stronger than I imagined."
A faint cough sounded, and the severely injured Feixiao found herself lying in a warm and strong embrace. The ferocious and chaotic crimson in her eyes faded, and rationality returned to Feixiao's consciousness. With weary eyes that could close at any moment, she looked up gently at Bai Jun's face.
It was as if one could hear the sound of life burning brightly.
It was as if one could see life being gradually swallowed up by the crimson light.
She could no longer turn back, she could no longer go back; she knew that her life was about to reach a tragic and ugly end.
"I had a dream, a dream of my past as a pathetic slave, a dream of Ningli's death, a dream of a battlefield where no one would answer my call, where no one was willing to save me... What a terrible dream."
As dust, like grains of sand, settled in the air, and feeling life slowly slipping away, Feixiao raised his trembling hand and gently stroked Bai Jun's face.
"But this time is different," my "hero" came to save me, and to die in your arms like this... I am so, so happy."
Feixiao gently closed her eyes, resting her forehead against Bai Jun's chest, and clear, transparent tears rolled down her cheeks.
She had no right to ask for more. Just as she had initially wished, being able to die at Bai Jun's hands was already her greatest fortune.
"What have you been muttering to yourself about since just now? Don't even think about dying until you get my permission."
However, the emerald green flames burning in Bai Jun's palm arrogantly denied this.
His face held an unyielding resolve as he repeated the vow he had whispered in Feixiao's ear that night, "What is a mere Moon Rage? Listen carefully, I will accompany you through the long years, to see every mountain and river with you, through disease, natural disasters, war, and even death cannot separate us."
That wasn't a joke, nor was it a white lie told by Bai Jun to Feixiao. It was a secret he had kept hidden in his heart ever since he obtained the power of "Abundance".
The abundant life force all around proved this point; the emerald green flames that filled the underground hall transformed into a beam of light and rose into the sky.
Instead, the shattered space was enveloped in green light, and the power of "Abundance," under the control of the "Sun," transformed into a gentle yet powerful warm current that continuously flowed into Feixiao's body, which had been depleted by Moon Rage, repairing her cells.
The continuous pounding of her heart shook Feixiao's eardrums, flowed through her body, and struck her heart—and the raging crimson flames within her gradually subsided.
Feeling his heartbeat gradually strengthen, warmth returned to Feixiao's body, and his consciousness cleared with countless green lights. Feixiao's eyes widened as he witnessed the miracle. Finally, as the flames died down and the flying ashes gradually subsided, the sea of fire in his heart receded like the tide.
The primal fire that burned throughout his body, which should have been uncontrollable, was slowly purified by the emerald green flames, while the mist swirling above the blood moon gradually dissipated.
"The current situation might be a bit inappropriate, but... you shouldn't mind a half-baked Emanator to you, right?"
As he said this, a gentle smile appeared on Bai Jun's face. He took out a ring that he had prepared beforehand from his pocket and gently put it on Feixiao's left ring finger.
Gazing at that breathtakingly beautiful sky, so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes.
Gazing at the reddish-purple light gradually approaching from the western sky.
This incredibly simple proposal ceremony was completely different from the grand and romantic scene Feixiao had imagined, yet her eyes trembled.
Feixiao, her eyes blurred by tears, looked up at Bai Jun's face. His azure eyes were like the pure sky without a trace of impurity, carrying a longing in Feixiao's heart, an expression like that of a plum Ningli ripening in a pear, and a gaze that held her own former self. His silver hair, like that of General Yueyu, shimmered in the afterglow of the sunset.
"You idiot... you idiot, you know I'm willing, what else do you want me to say?!"
Tears welled up and streamed down Fei Xiao's face. Large teardrops cascaded down her already tear-filled eyes. Overjoyed, Feixiao hugged Bai Jun tightly like a child, pounding his chest repeatedly with her left hand, which was adorned with a ring. This was the second time she had cried out loud since birth.
Bai Jun gently touched the warmth of her cheek, then pulled her tightly into his arms.
Chapter 152 I'll Become a General, Really? (Four Chapters Combined)
Only insiders knew that the extradition operation, which was supposed to last seven days, had been prematurely ended.
The bombing that shocked Luofu is finally coming to an end.
The official response from the Shence Mansion was that a problem occurred during the mining of a large number of energy veins near Scalegorge Waterscape. The explosion was caused by a management error, but fortunately there were no casualties. The relevant management personnel have been punished, and repair work is proceeding in an orderly manner.
This was the result of the Shence Mansion keeping quiet to avoid unnecessary chaos. After all, Scalegorge Waterscape was not only the sacred realm of the Vidyadhara, but it also contained the entrance to the Prison of Deep Seclusion. Both of these were classified secrets and could not be easily disclosed to the citizens.
However, this clumsy excuse, which was probably similar to a natural gas leak, could not possibly fool everyone. After all, the fierce sword energy that shook half of Luofu during the battle in the Prison of Deep Seclusion could not escape everyone's eyes.
But since even the citizens could see the signs of the situation, the officials were even more so. The reason they still made such a statement was that they were determined to cover it up and not reveal a word. The area around the Ancient Sea of Scalegorge Waterscape and Alchemy Commission had long been sealed off by the Cloud Cavalry, so even if someone wanted to intervene in the investigation, they would not be able to dig up any information.
The upper levels of the Prison of Deep Seclusion directly faced the clash between the two Emanator, suffered severe collapses. Countless stones turned into dust, resembling the scene of a raging natural disaster. The ground was also melted by terrifying heat. All the Vanguard of the Shence Mansion and the judges of the Ten Lords Bureau turned pale.
Although they guessed that this was likely caused by the battle of Merlin's Claw, no one even mentioned who her opponent was, let alone investigated it.
Although human curiosity inevitably leads to doubts about these things, once one witnesses the horrific scene before them, all complicated thoughts vanish without a trace under the instinctive fear.
Therefore, there was no need to delve into the rights and wrongs of the incident or to trample on the monster's Tail. The higher-ups of the Ten Lords Bureau, who did not know who had received the letter, also did not inquire and decided to turn a blind eye.
Apart from the fact that the reconstruction of the Prison of Deep Seclusion was delayed again due to the damage it caused, the events of that day were buried in darkness, as if the heavy rain that lasted all night had washed everything away, and Luofu returned to its peaceful daily life, no different from before the incident.