Chapter 326: Chapter 332: Chaos in the East Border_1
Qionghua Sect.
Amidst a profusion of blossoms, Sect Master Zheng Guiqiong led her sect’s elders, waiting at the mountain gate to welcome esteemed guests from afar.
After the spiritual energy tide, the Qionghua Sect’s strength had also undergone an earth-shattering transformation. It now boasted four Emperor Realm martial artists and over a dozen Semi-Emperor Realm martial artists.
A short while later, a five-colored radiance flew from the distance and landed at the mountain gate.
She was an old woman in ornate robes, her hair white and her face deeply wrinkled, leaning on a cane. Behind her followed two maidservants, both emanating a terrifying aura.
Zheng Guiqiong, leading the elders, bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Ancestor Rong!"
"Sect Master, there’s no need for such ceremony. Please rise," Ancestor Rong said, helping Zheng Guiqiong up. Gazing at the sect, which had changed dramatically, a hint of nostalgia appeared in her eyes. "Truth be told, this old woman is also a disciple of the sect; it’s just been a very long time since I last returned!"
The Qionghua Sect was one of the oldest powers in the East Border, dating back to the same era as the Kylin Holy Land. It had produced many prodigies, though all of them had mysteriously disappeared.
It seemed now that the prodigies born from the Qionghua Sect had all departed for other places.
"Ancestor, for what matter have you returned? I must make the necessary preparations!" Zheng Guiqiong asked respectfully.
Early that morning, she had received intelligence from the Taiyi Saint’s Court stating that there was a matter for her to handle, but it did not specify the nature of the task.
"The Empress Dowager has issued a decree: I am to assist you in dominating the East Border!" Ancestor Rong said with a smile.
"Eh?" Zheng Guiqiong was stunned. Dominate the East Border? Wouldn’t that mean becoming enemies with the Kylin Holy Land, a true behemoth?
However, considering Ancestor Rong’s strength, she bowed again with clasped hands and said, "We shall follow the Ancestor’s commands in all matters!"She was well aware that in the world of martial artists, strength equated to power. Thus, she proactively yielded authority over the Qionghua Sect to Ancestor Rong, hoping to earn some goodwill.
"Since that is the case, then this ancestor shall issue the first command: immediately attack the surrounding domains!"
Ancestor Rong might appear benevolent, but having witnessed countless conflicts in her long life, her methods were exceedingly ruthless when necessary.
"Within three months, the Qionghua Sect must occupy fifty domains!"
"Within a year, it must expand to one hundred domains..."
Her cold voice, filled with murderous intent, echoed in the sky and lingered for a long time.
That day, the tranquil Qionghua Sect erupted into a flurry of activity. Hundreds of thousands of disciples assembled in neat formations, were divided into several armies, and began their outward expansion.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of miles away, the Purple Cloud Sect was experiencing its greatest disaster. A middle-aged martial artist hovered in the air. He wore a robe adorned with the Big Dipper constellation and radiated an enigmatic aura. At his feet lay the gravely injured Shu Qingyun.
On the spacious training grounds, tens of thousands of Purple Cloud Sect disciples had formed an encirclement, yet they hesitated to attack.
"Who are you?" Shu Qingyun asked in terror, clutching the middle-aged martial artist’s leg.
He had been supervising disciples on the training ground when the sky suddenly tore open, and the middle-aged martial artist emerged from a spatial rift. With a single move, he had rendered Shu Qingyun powerless to fight.
Who is this arrival? Why has he come to our door?
"Lord Kaiyang of Beidou Palace!"
The middle-aged martial artist’s expression was impassive. "I have come to bring the Purple Cloud Sect under our banner," he stated coldly. "If you know what’s good for you, surrender obediently!"
"Impossible..." Shu Qingyun refused without a second thought.
"Don’t be so quick to refuse. Surrender to Beidou Palace, and the Purple Cloud Sect can retain its name, becoming a vassal force. If you refuse, then even without me lifting a finger, you will find it hard to escape death!" Lord Kaiyang said coldly.
"What do you mean?" Shu Qingyun frowned slightly. He could sense no strong killing intent from Lord Kaiyang. Could his words have a deeper meaning?
"Both the Ten Thousand Demons Saint’s Court and the Taiyi Saint’s Court have dispatched powerful experts to the East Border. You are an intelligent man; you should understand why the two Saint’s Courts are taking such action," Lord Kaiyang stated coolly.
"They want to occupy the East Border?"
As a Sect Master, Shu Qingyun was certainly no fool. He understood immediately. After a moment’s hesitation, he said with a bitter expression, "Senior, I am willing to lead the Purple Cloud Sect in joining Beidou Palace!"
He knew clearly that with both Saint’s Courts entering the East Border, if the Purple Cloud Sect did not find a powerful backer, the sect would be annihilated and its members killed.
Joining Beidou Palace was undoubtedly the best choice.
Moreover, he could leverage the might of Beidou Palace to stir great storms.
"A wise choice. From now on, the Purple Cloud Sect may expand freely!"
Lord Kaiyang stepped away from Shu Qingyun and retrieved a pill from his personal storage. With an expressionless face, he said, "This is a Heaven-grade pill, a reward for joining Beidou Palace. Henceforth, I will reside in seclusion within the Purple Mist Palace. If you encounter a formidable enemy, you may come find me!"
With these words, Lord Kaiyang vanished into thin air.
Simultaneously, a Star Palace, emitting a faint stellar glow, appeared on the rear mountain of the Purple Cloud Sect.
Shu Qingyun rose to his feet, clutching the pill. Feeling its immense energy, a faint smile touched his lips. Perhaps joining Beidou Palace is indeed a good choice.
Subsequently, Shu Qingyun issued mobilization orders, launching aggressive campaigns against surrounding factions.
Inside the Palace of Ten-thousand Flowers, Qin Wudao sat on a chair. Before him stood three hundred talented women, all with slender figures, graceful curves, and faces as beautiful as jade.
Furthermore, these talented women were not weak in cultivation, all of them at or above the Heavenly Realm; they had clearly been meticulously selected.
"How are they? Not bad, right?" Qin Ying, who sat to the side, said with a grin.
Qin Wudao responded casually, "Mmm." He stood up and waved his hand. "All of you may leave for now. Return and await further notice!"
"As you command!" The three hundred talented women gracefully curtsied, their steps as delicate as lotus flowers, and exited the grand hall in an orderly fashion.
"My son, surely you can’t find fault with all of them!" Qin Ying’s expression changed slightly. He had thought Qin Wudao had high standards. Dissatisfied with this outcome, he stubbornly said, "Regardless, you must choose one today. It’s not necessary to name her empress!"
Qin Wudao gave a wry smile. Just as he was about to reply, he noticed a red string appear on his leg.
It’s a red thread of fate from the Matchmaker Deity!
"Father, let it be the second one in the first row. I have urgent matters to attend to, so I must leave now!" Qin Wudao said in a deep voice. With a flicker, his figure vanished.
"Then go attend to your business!" Qin Ying waved his hand dismissively. Then, he gleefully picked up the roster of names beside him, his eyes scanning it until he nodded in satisfaction. "Wang Xiumin, daughter of the Governor of Lu City, twenty-one years of age, virtuous and kind-hearted..."
"Excellent, excellent! She has the air of an Imperial Consort of Great Qin!" Qin Ying’s delighted laughter resonated through the spacious grand hall.
"Why has it disappeared?"
Outside the Imperial Capital, Qin Wudao, who had been following the red thread of fate, frowned. He released his divine sense to scan the surroundings but found nothing amiss.
After a moment, a puzzled Qin Wudao returned to the Imperial Palace.
Meanwhile, in a city in the Middle Region, a young woman in a white dress and veiled face was surprised to see a red string that had appeared on her foot at some unknown time. She reached out to touch it, but it vanished instantly.
What is this? Never mind, I’ll ignore it for now. I’ll ask Father about it when I get back!
The young woman in the white dress scratched her head, soon forgot about the matter unconcernedly, and continued her stroll through the city.