Seventeen Clans Knocked at the Gate, and Lu Chen Had a Headache

Outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass.

Seventeen clans knelt upon the Blackwater Sea.

Most of them were covered in wounds.

Some clans had only a few dozen people left.

Some even carried infants still in swaddling clothes.

Several elderly clan chiefs had weak, unsteady auras, clearly having already burned their origin.

They had fled all the way here, nearly exhausting every last bit of strength.

If Dragon-Suppressing Pass did not open, they would soon die in the Northern Sea's black tide.

Han Jue stood atop the pass walls, his expression grave.

It was true that Guixu took in refugee clans.

But Dragon-Suppressing Pass had only just been completed, and the Dragon Clan's Third Prince was still being punished with guard duty here.

With seventeen more clans arriving after escaping the Dragon Clan, it was bound to invite fresh trouble.

Lan Shuang soon arrived at Dragon-Suppressing Pass.

Lady Mingzhu came with her.

The two women stood atop the pass walls, looking down at the seventeen clans below.

The white-haired elder at the front kowtowed once more.

"This old man is Han Cang, chief of the Cold Sand Clan."

"Our seventeen clans were all conscripted by the Northern Sea Dragon Tribe."

"The Dragon Clan demanded that we offer up the young and strong of our clans to build a water palace at the Blackwater Dragon Palace."

"But our clans had long since dwindled in number. If we offered up any more of our young and strong, it would bring calamity upon our clans."

"We heard that Guixu could shelter us from the Great Tribulation, and that the Mysterious Abyss Emperor protected weak clans."

"We are willing to offer all the spiritual materials in our clans, asking only to enter Guixu and seek a path to survival."

After saying that.

The leaders of the seventeen clans all kowtowed together.

"Please show mercy, Emperor!"

Their voices were mournful.

Quite a few Guixu guards were moved.

Many of them had fled here in much the same way back then.

If Guixu had not opened its gates, their clans would have vanished in the Northern Sea long ago.

Now that they saw the seventeen clans kneeling outside the pass, they could not help thinking of their former selves.

Han Jue tightened his grip on his spear.

"Fate Overseer Lan Shuang, should we save them?"

Lan Shuang did not answer immediately.

She knew this could not be decided by a momentary soft heart.

Allowing the seventeen clans into Guixu meant that the conflict between Guixu and the Dragon Clan would deepen further.

Moreover, the Book of Cause and Effect had already proven that not every small clan fleeing for refuge was worth taking in.

The matter of the Redfin Tribe was still fresh in their minds.

If they let in more clans harboring ill intentions, trouble would arise within Guixu as well.

"We should seek the Emperor's instruction."

Lan Shuang spoke softly.

Deep within Guixu.

Lu Chen looked at the seventeen clans outside the pass and felt a terrible headache coming on.

Did he want to save them?

Of course, he did, somewhat.

These clans had brought their entire families. There were elders and children among them.

Leaving them outside would most likely condemn them to death.

But once he took them in, the Dragon Clan would definitely add another mark against him.

The Blackwater Dragon Palace had already come twice.

What would come next time?

A Great Principle?

The Dragon Clan Main Lineage?

Or even the Ancestral Dragon?

Just thinking about an existence like the Ancestral Dragon made Lu Chen feel his turtle shell tighten.

Yet when he looked again at the clans kneeling outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass, he truly could not bring himself to say, "Drive them all away."

The system's voice sounded at just the right moment.

"Seventeen clans have been detected knocking at the gate and requesting entry into Guixu. Please make a choice, Host."

"One: Admit them all into Guixu and display the Emperor's benevolence. Reward: three Northern Dark Spirit Veins."

"Two: Reject them all and sever external karma. Reward: one bottle of Tribulation-Averting Pills."

"Three: Establish three rules for entering the realm. Admit the good and reject those burdened by grave evil karma. Reward: Book of Cause and Effect upgrade."

Lu Chen's heart stirred when he saw the third option.

An upgrade to the Book of Cause and Effect.

That was good.

Taking them all in was too risky.

Rejecting them all was too cold-blooded.

Using the Book of Cause and Effect to screen them was the most suitable choice.

"I choose three."

"Congratulations, Host. The Book of Cause and Effect has been upgraded."

Before the Northern Darkness Dao Palace, the Book of Cause and Effect suddenly blossomed with a denser black-and-white radiance.

The radiance passed through Guixu City and descended directly upon Dragon-Suppressing Pass.

Lan Shuang's heart trembled.

She understood that the Emperor had given his response.

Lu Chen's voice followed, spreading beyond Dragon-Suppressing Pass.

"Those entering Guixu must abide by three rules."

"First, no private fighting or killing within Guixu."

"Second, Guixu's true circumstances must not be revealed."

"Third, you must submit to the illumination of the Book of Cause and Effect."

"Those with clean karma may enter."

"Those steeped in slaughter and unwilling to repent must leave."

The seventeen clans immediately stirred.

Hope appeared on most of the clan leaders' faces.

But the leaders of two clans had clearly flickered their eyes.

Standing atop the pass wall, Lan Shuang raised her hand and activated the Book of Cause and Effect.

"We will begin with the Cold Sand Clan."

Han Cang did not hesitate and immediately led his clansmen forward.

The Book of Cause and Effect's radiance descended.

The water mirror revealed the Cold Sand Clan's past.

The Cold Sand Clan had lived in the Northern Sea's sandy seas for generations, skilled at condensing cold sand to build nests.

They had indeed suffered under the Dragon Clan's oppression for many years.

Though there had been killing within the clan, it had mostly been to fend off sea beasts and pursuers.

The Book of Cause and Effect gave its verdict.

"Cold Sand Clan, permitted to enter the outer city."

Tears streamed down Han Cang's aged face.

"Many thanks, Emperor!"

Then.

The second clan.

The third clan.

The fourth clan.

One clan after another underwent the Book of Cause and Effect's examination.

Fifteen clans passed.

They had fought, killed, and made bloody choices during desperate struggles for survival.

But most of their killings had causes behind them and could not be considered grave evil karma.

Lan Shuang allowed them into the outer city, where they would temporarily reside in the area behind Dragon-Suppressing Pass.

Soon, it was the sixteenth clan's turn.

The Blood Loach Tribe.

Their bodies were long and slender, their skin dark red, and a thick stench of blood clung to them.

The Blood Loach Tribe chief had a cold gaze, yet wore a humble smile.

"My Blood Loach Tribe has also suffered under the Dragon Clan's oppression for years. We ask the Emperor to show mercy."

The Book of Cause and Effect's light descended.

The next moment.

Bloody scenes appeared in the water mirror.

The Blood Loach Tribe had not been driven to desperation by the Dragon Clan.

They had once willingly attached themselves to the Dragon Clan and hunted down small clans fleeing for refuge on its behalf.

They had even offered many children of weak clans to the Dragon Clan to be refined into blood food, in exchange for protection.

Only after the Blackwater Dragon Palace's conscription grew harsher had the Blood Loach Tribe chosen to flee.

The sight of those scenes caused an uproar throughout Dragon-Suppressing Pass.

Killing intent surged in Han Jue's eyes. "Beasts!"

The Blood Loach Tribe chief's expression changed drastically.

"Fake!"

"This is fake!"

"My clan is a victim too!"

Lan Shuang looked at him coldly.

"The Book of Cause and Effect does not slander."

Seeing that the situation had turned against him, the Blood Loach Tribe chief suddenly spun around and tried to flee.

But the instant he moved, Black Tortoise Formation Runes lit up across Dragon-Suppressing Pass.

Han Jue leaped down.

His spear carried icy blue light as it directly pinned him to the sea's surface.

"You dare behave so recklessly before the Emperor?"

The Blood Loach Tribe chief screamed.

The other Blood Loach Tribe members all retreated in terror.

The Book of Cause and Effect continued to reveal the truth, marking every participant in those evil acts.

Lan Shuang's voice was icy.

"Blood Loach Tribe members who participated in hunting weak clans are expelled."

"Those who did not participate may remain in the outer city and labor for three thousand years to atone for their clan's crimes."

"If they offend again, kill them."

Afterward, another small clan called the Black Toad Tribe was found to have committed similar evil acts.

During their flight, they had deliberately lured Dragon Clan pursuers to attack other small clans so they themselves could escape.

They were likewise rejected.

Of the seventeen clans, fifteen ultimately entered Guixu.

Most of the Blood Loach Tribe and Black Toad Tribe were expelled.

This matter quickly caused a huge stir outside Dragon-Suppressing Pass.

The fifteen clans that had just entered Guixu instead felt even more at ease.

Because they discovered that Guixu did not accept people without principles.

This place would not indulge you merely because you were weak.

Nor would it let you in simply because you wept and begged.

Under the Book of Cause and Effect's illumination, good and evil were difficult to hide.

Such rules gave those who truly suffered an immense sense of security.

Han Cang led the Cold Sand Clan to kneel within Dragon-Suppressing Pass and kowtow toward the depths of Guixu.

"Emperor, your virtue is boundless!"

"From this day onward, the Cold Sand Clan is willing to build Guixu's outer city without taking even the slightest payment!"

The other fourteen clans also knelt in worship.

"We are willing to serve Guixu!"

Lu Chen felt conflicted upon hearing this.

There were fifteen more clans now.

He had only intended to do some screening.

Yet there were even more people in the end.

Still, after the Book of Cause and Effect upgraded, the aura within the Guixu Inner Realm had indeed become much clearer.

The fifteen newly admitted clans had also brought quite a few special abilities.

The Cold Sand Clan excelled at building cities.

The Jade Reed Tribe excelled at purifying water veins.

The Silver Scale Tribe excelled at scouting underwater currents.

These abilities would all be useful for Guixu's development.

Lu Chen could only console himself.

As long as they did not cause trouble, it would not be much of a problem.

But he did not know.

The chieftains of the expelled Blood Loach Tribe and Black Toad Tribe harbored extreme resentment.

After leaving Dragon-Suppressing Pass, they did not flee far away.

Instead, they secretly headed toward Blackwater Dragon Palace.

Several months later.

An even more outrageous secret report was placed before the Blackwater Dragon King.

"Guixu has secretly taken in escaped Dragon Clan slaves."

"They have established Dragon-Suppressing Pass."

"They are holding Third Prince Ao Lie."

"They are using the Book of Cause and Effect to screen the clans of the Northern Sea, seemingly intending to establish new rules for all races."

"Fifteen clans have entered Guixu and now address Black Tortoise as Emperor."

After reading it, the Blackwater Dragon King's Blackwater dragon aura erupted with a thunderous boom.

The entire Dragon Palace trembled.

"What a Guixu."

"What a Mysterious Abyss Emperor."

"This king has tested him time and again, yet he expands with every step."

"He has even built Dragon-Suppressing Pass, yet he still dares claim he will not enter the conflict among the three clans?"

Ao Zheng stood below, unease faintly rising in his heart.

"Father, Third Brother is still in Guixu's hands..."

The Blackwater Dragon King's gaze was icy.

"That is precisely why this king must go himself."

"Pass down the order."

"Mobilize three thousand Blackwater Dragon Army soldiers."

"This king wants to see just how capable that Black Tortoise truly is!"