The fall of the dynasty

Hearing this, Qing Zhe was shaken. He clenched his teeth, refusing to let any more tears fall.

"Xiao Xu, you still have me. I'm a member of the Azure Feather Dynasty too."

"For this grudge, our Azure Feather Dynasty will repay them a hundredfold, a thousandfold someday!"

"I, Qing Zhe, swear it on my life!!"

A moment later, in the patriarch's house, Lu Qingshan looked at Qing Zhe in surprise. "You want to acknowledge me as your adoptive father too?"

Qing Zhe nodded and knocked his head heavily against the floor before Lu Qingshan. "Patriarch Lu, I will never disappoint you," he said in a deep voice. "From now on, I'll work twice as hard and make everyone see me in a new light. Please show me mercy and take me in!"

He knew that the Azure Feather Dynasty's destruction was now a foregone conclusion. With only himself and Qing Xu, even growing up safely would be a problem.

But things would be different if they could attach themselves to the Lu Clan.

Only under the Lu Clan's protection would he have a chance at revenge.

Besides, the two sides were already allies. Though he hadn't understood why before, he had now figured it out.

The Lu Clan was bound to have an extraordinary side.

So he hoped to join the Lu Clan like Qing Xu, and Patriarch Lu Qingshan was the best choice.

Of course, if Lu Qingshan refused, he was willing to settle for the next best thing. Marrying into the Lu Clan wasn't out of the question either.

Hearing Qing Zhe's words, Lu Qingshan fell into thought.

In the past, he naturally wouldn't have thought much of a wastrel like Qing Zhe.

But now, things seemed a little different.

This fellow really did seem to have changed.

Seeing Lu Qingshan hesitate, Qing Xu stepped forward and knelt before him. "Adoptive Father, I'm willing to vouch for Qing Zhe. If he really fails to do as he says, Qing Zhe and I will leave the Lu Clan of our own accord and never trouble the clan again."

Her words stunned not only Lu Qingshan but Qing Zhe as well.

"Xiao Xu, you...!"

He hadn't expected Qing Xu to go so far for him.

He knew that his younger sister had her own goal in joining the Lu Clan, yet now she was willing to give it up for his sake.

At that moment, Qing Xu felt bitter too.

She didn't know what had come over her either. Perhaps, with their nation destroyed and both of them suffering, Qing Xu's sympathy for Qing Zhe had overflowed. Or perhaps the familial bond between them had begun to surface.

Qing Xu had made her choice, but she was also willing to believe in Qing Zhe.

After a long silence, Lu Qingshan chuckled.

"So be it. You are a member of the Azure Feather Dynasty, after all. My Lu Clan already feels guilty for failing to help our allies. Now that you're all alone, how could I stand by and watch you wander homeless?"

Qing Zhe's expression lit up. "Patriarch Lu, does that mean you agree?"

Lu Qingshan nodded.

At that, Qing Zhe immediately began knocking his head against the floor. "Adoptive Father, please accept Qing Zhe's bow!"

And so, Lu Qingshan took in both brother and sister.

The next day, Lu Guangyao sought out Lu Qingshan and reported the information he had gathered.

First, he had confirmed that the force from Central Province was a powerful superpower known as the Supreme Purity Palace.

Then there was the Lush Wood Blessed Land, which had fallen completely. By now, the experts of the Supreme Purity Palace had probably begun moving it to Central Province.

With the fall of the Lush Wood Blessed Land, the Azure Feather Dynasty was also declared utterly destroyed.

Although Ancestor Qingtian had activated a last resort left behind by his ancestors and severely wounded his opponent, his own injuries had been beyond recovery, and he had died on the battlefield.

The Feather Emperor had stayed behind to cover Crown Prince Qing Ji's retreat and had been killed.

The second prince had joined the Supreme Purity Palace, Crown Prince Qing Ji's whereabouts were unknown, and the remaining princes had all perished.

Countless court officials and generals had either died or surrendered.

Hearing this, Lu Qingshan wore a rueful expression, marveling at how quickly the world could change.

The Azure Feather Dynasty had dominated all of Qingzhou only days ago, yet in such a short time, it had perished, its Dao extinguished.

At the same time, he warned himself not to let his guard down.

He didn't want the Lu Clan to follow in the Azure Feather Dynasty's footsteps under his watch.

Still, with Ancestor Tianyan holding the fort, it should be impossible for a traitor to appear in the clan now, shouldn't it?

"Grand Elder, continue keeping an eye on the Supreme Purity Palace's movements in Qingzhou. I'll go discuss this with the ancestor."

With those words, Lu Qingshan hurried nonstop toward the ancestral shrine.

As soon as he entered the shrine's rear hall, his surroundings changed.

By the time Lu Qingshan came to his senses, he was standing in a small courtyard with mountains and water and beautiful scenery.

Fortunately, this wasn't his first visit, so he wasn't too surprised.

He looked around, then fixed his gaze on Sage Tianyan, who was sitting in a pavilion.

"Ancestor, the Azure Feather Dynasty has been completely destroyed."

Lu Qingshan spoke respectfully to Sage Tianyan.

Sage Tianyan nodded slightly at the news. Clearly, he wasn't surprised.

"Ancestor, the Supreme Purity Palace of Central Province is already planning to move the Lush Wood Blessed Land to Central Province. With your strength, you could seize it for the Lu Clan with hardly any effort. Are we really going to stand by and do nothing?"

Lu Qingshan voiced his question. Clearly, he found it hard to give up on the Lush Wood Blessed Land.

But Sage Tianyan shook his head slightly. "We must not ruin things for a small gain right before our eyes."

"Though I am in the Saint King Realm, I now know that I am not the only Saint King expert in this world."

"Those beings have never made a move, but that is only to maintain the so-called balance."

"Once I make a move, my presence will inevitably be exposed. The balance will then be broken, and what follows could very well be the outbreak of a full-scale war."

"With the Lu Clan's current strength, let alone a great war, we are no match for those superpowers even in an ordinary conflict."

Sage Tianyan spoke slowly, his startling words leaving Lu Qingshan deeply shaken.

No wonder the ancestor had kept a low profile ever since he emerged. Lu Qingshan hadn't expected this to be the reason.

After a moment's silence, Lu Qingshan frowned. "Then, Ancestor, what should we do now?"

Sage Tianyan looked at ease. "Develop gradually, watch how things unfold, and wait for the next ancestor to awaken."

According to Ancestor Tianyan, the next ancestor to awaken in the Ancestral Land would surely be stronger than him—that is, also in the Sage King Realm.

By then, with two Sage King Realm experts, the Lu Clan would no longer be so constrained.

Lu Qingshan nodded firmly. "Ancestor, I understand."

After leaving the ancestral shrine, Lu Qingshan looked at the Lu Clan, which was already on the right track, his eyes full of hopeful anticipation for the future.

Just then, another message came from the grand elder.

Qing Ji, crown prince of the Azure Feather Dynasty, had arrived at the Lu Clan.

"Crown Prince Qing Ji?"

"Big Brother!"

Qing Zhe looked at the dying Qing Ji, his face filled with grief.

Beside him, Qing Xu pressed her lips together and said nothing.

It was already a great stroke of luck that Qing Ji had reached the Lu Clan alive. He had practically been carried the whole way.

Now his life hung by a thread, and his end was only a matter of time.

Qing Ji drew a deep breath and laboriously opened his eyes, immediately seeing his two youngest siblings.

The next moment, a final surge of life came over Qing Ji. He suddenly seized both their hands and stared at them with bloodshot eyes. In a hoarse voice, he said, "Take revenge, restore the nation!"

Those four brief words spoke of so much unwillingness and helplessness.

As his words faded, Qing Ji's breath vanished completely.

The reigning crown prince had fallen.

Even at the moment of his death, he had never fulfilled his wish of sitting on that throne of power.

There were too many disappointments in a person's life.

Qing Zhe stared blankly at Qing Ji's body as it gradually grew cold. At this moment, Qing Xu was truly his only remaining family.

Behind them, the few loyal Azure Feather Guards who had risked their lives to bring Qing Ji to the Lu Clan couldn't help crying out in grief.

"Your Highness!"

Among them, it was worth mentioning, was Chi Chen.

He had been lucky enough to survive the chaotic battle and had followed Qing Ji off the battlefield.

And when he heard they were going to the Lu Clan, he had chosen to join them without hesitation.