Central Province Force Launches a Surprise Attack

"You want the right to enter the Lush Wood Blessed Land? How could that be possible?!"

In the Azure Feather Dynasty, the Feather Emperor couldn't help shrieking when he heard the news.

The Lush Wood Blessed Land was the Azure Feather Dynasty's lifeblood. He didn't even want outsiders to know about it, so how could he possibly let them enter?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

The Feather Emperor shook his head and refused outright.

"Then what about His Highness the Ninth Prince, Your Majesty? And the Tenth Princess is still with the Lu Clan as well."

The Feather Emperor chuckled. "What's there to fear? Could the Lu Clan possibly harm the two of them?"

"So Xu'er has gone to the Lu Clan. She's a girl, and she'll have to marry sooner or later anyway. What of it?"

"As for Zhe'er, let him gain some experience. It's time he suffered a little hardship."

The Feather Emperor showed no concern whatsoever for these two children of his.

At worst, he could simply have a few more.

The alliance treaty said the two sides were to help each other, but it said nothing about the blessed land.

It had been signed by the two sides' ancestors, so he couldn't be blamed.

Besides, he believed that even if the ancestor were here, he would make the same decision.

"Your Majesty, even the ancestor thinks highly of the Lu Clan. If the Lu Clan grows powerful in the future, could today's affair...?"

The Feather Emperor's expression changed slightly at those words.

But after pondering for a moment, he shook his head. "So what if the Lu Clan grows powerful in the future? As long as the alliance stands, they won't do anything to us. Could they really break the agreement and attack my Azure Feather Dynasty?"

"Say no more about this. Only core members of my Azure Feather Dynasty may enter the Lush Wood Blessed Land."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Over the past few days, White Cloud City seemed much the same as ever, with nothing out of the ordinary.

The Lu Clan had also begun to find its footing, developing steadily and in good order.

The Lu clansmen worked hard at cultivation by day and making babies by night.

With resources from the Azure Feather Dynasty's Ancestor Qingtian, the Lu Clan had begun spending freely.

Cultivation resources were generally in good supply.

The rewards were generous, too.

But Lu Qingshan knew this was no long-term solution.

After all, didn't the Azure Feather Dynasty need resources too?

On the contrary, the resources such a vast dynasty required were staggering, far beyond what the present Lu Clan needed.

After entering the imperial treasury, Ancestor Qingtian had also thought of this, so he could only take out a portion and lend it to the Lu Clan for the time being.

As for when the Lu Clan would repay it, that was another matter.

In the rear hall of the ancestral shrine.

The place had undergone an earth-shaking transformation.

Sage Tianyan had forcibly opened up a small world here so he could devote himself to cultivation.

"Senior Tianyan."

Ancestor Qingtian appeared and gave Sage Tianyan a slight bow.

"Fellow Daoist Qingtian, what brings you to see this old man?"

A few days ago, after giving the Lu Clan a batch of resources, Ancestor Qingtian had returned to the dynasty.

Yet today, he had come back.

Ancestor Qingtian looked a little uncomfortable. "Senior Tianyan, I have learned that your clan wishes to enter the Lush Wood Blessed Land."

At those words, Sage Tianyan's eyes remained lightly closed, as though he hadn't heard.

Seeing this, Ancestor Qingtian sighed. "If your clan wishes to enter the Lush Wood Blessed Land, I can step in and settle the matter. I only hope that after this old man passes away, your clan can ensure that my Azure Feather Dynasty retains the Lush Wood Blessed Land."

His thoughts differed from the Feather Emperor's.

His days were numbered. Once he was gone, the Azure Feather Dynasty would no longer have a Saint Realm expert standing guard. Even with the contingencies left by its ancestors, it would be hard-pressed to protect itself.

Once word got out, certain superpowers would inevitably set their sights on it and seize the Lush Wood Blessed Land by force.

When that happened, whether the Azure Feather Dynasty could even survive would be in question.

"Fellow Daoist Qingtian, for the time being, my Lu Clan has no designs on the Lush Wood Blessed Land."

At that moment, Ancestor Tianyan suddenly spoke.

Ancestor Qingtian was briefly stunned. Thinking he had misheard, he hurriedly asked, "Senior Tianyan, what did you say?"

"For the time being, my Lu Clan has no designs on the Lush Wood Blessed Land."

Sage Tianyan opened his eyes, and a faint white light flashed through them.

Ancestor Qingtian was utterly baffled.

Why had the Lu Clan suddenly changed its mind?

Or had this all been a test of the Azure Feather Dynasty by the Lu Clan?

For a moment, Ancestor Qingtian didn't know what to say. He couldn't understand what the Lu Clan was thinking.

But Sage Tianyan had no intention of saying more.

Seeing this, Ancestor Qingtian gave a bitter laugh and changed the subject.

"I heard that our dynasty's Tenth Princess, Qing Xu, was taken in as an adopted daughter by your clan leader?"

Sage Tianyan didn't deny it.

Ancestor Qingtian's expression grew complicated.

With his abilities, how could he not know of Qing Xu's potential? Qing Xu had reached her current level, attaining the Spirit Concentration Realm at sixteen, thanks in part to his years of secret help.

He knew that the Feather Emperor didn't care about this youngest daughter.

But he hadn't stepped forward to support Qing Xu. He still wanted the girl to gain more experience and strive to become capable of standing on her own as soon as possible.

If nothing unexpected happened, perhaps, with Qing Xu there after he was gone, the Azure Feather Dynasty might still have a chance to turn things around.

But now, the moment he let his guard down, the Lu Clan had actually whisked the girl away.

Still, this wasn't without its benefits.

With Qing Xu there, the ties between the two powers could deepen further.

If the Azure Feather Dynasty faced a desperate situation someday, could Qing Xu really stand by and watch without doing anything?

"For this girl to join the Lu Clan is an opportunity for her as well."

"In that case, I won't stay any longer. Senior Tianyan, until we meet again."

Ancestor Qingtian left the Lu Clan.

As Sage Tianyan watched Ancestor Qingtian's departing back, his gaze grew deep.

After watching for a long while, Sage Tianyan let out a soft sigh.

Who could have imagined that this would be the last time the two of them met?

Less than a few days later, momentous news exploded across Qingzhou like a thunderclap.

The Azure Feather Dynasty had suffered a surprise attack by a superpower from Central Province.

Its target was none other than the Lush Wood Blessed Land!

Even more shocking to the world, the Azure Feather Dynasty had long since been infiltrated by the Central Province force. Even the Second Prince, Qing Yun, had betrayed the Azure Feather Dynasty.

"Ancestor, so this was why you wouldn't let us lay a finger on the Lush Wood Blessed Land."

Looking at the expressionless Ancestor Tianyan before him, Lu Qingshan wore a bitter expression.

The news had come far too suddenly.

"Ancestor, our two sides are allies. Shouldn't we help the Azure Feather Dynasty?"

After a moment's silence, Lu Qingshan spoke again.

The two sides were allies. Simply watching their ally come under attack was hard to justify.

Hearing this, Ancestor Tianyan said calmly, "Qingshan, you must understand the cruelty of the world, and recognize the limits of your own strength."

"It is not yet time for my Lu Clan to stand out."

"But Ancestor, didn't you swear an oath? Won't this harm you?"

Lu Qingshan looked worried.

As clan leader, he naturally had to be responsible for the Lineage. The Lu Clan truly lacked the strength to help the Azure Feather Dynasty at present.

Even if the ancestor hadn't said so, after careful consideration, he would still have chosen to hold back.

What worried him was the oath the ancestor had sworn.

Hearing Lu Qingshan say this, a trace of gratification flashed in Ancestor Tianyan's eyes. "Don't worry. I have spent many years peering into the secrets of heaven and long ago mastered a way to weaken an oath. There will be some slight aftereffects, but nothing serious."

Lu Qingshan was stunned by those words.

When he recovered, his expression changed completely as he looked at his ancestor.

At that moment, he finally understood that what was recorded in the Lineage's records was entirely accurate.

To subdue the enemy's troops without fighting.

And now, without spending a single thing, he had obtained a great quantity of resources from the Azure Feather Dynasty, without having to bear any responsibility.

For judging by the information currently available, the Azure Feather Dynasty most likely wouldn't survive.

It was indeed highly immoral, but looked at another way, those resources were going to be taken by the Central Province force anyway, so why shouldn't his Lu Clan benefit instead?