I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals

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Chapter 390: Sword's Dragon Roar, Winds and Clouds Converge

"No wonder the imperial family ruled so quickly. If they had delayed any longer, they feared I would use both the fourth-rank demonic beast and the Serpent King's remains to refine puppets."

Upon reading the compensation terms in the royal edict, Lan Chang'an suddenly understood the true intent behind the ruling.

As the ruling power and lawmakers of Great Yu, the imperial family had chosen a moderate approach, leaving room for negotiation.

In the cultivation world, the death of a Nascent Soul True Monarch was always a major event, regardless of location.

Since Lan Chang'an had slain the fourth-rank Serpent King of Great Snake Mountain, the investigation had already determined his culpability.

Within the laws of Great Yu, resolving this matter through economic compensation was an acceptable solution. The ruling itself was not unreasonable.

After all, Nascent Soul True Monarchs stood above the masses, belonging to the privileged upper echelon of cultivators.

If an ordinary cultivator had committed such an offense without the protection of a True Monarch, the result would have been blood for blood. The imperial family would have demanded the surrender of the perpetrator, placing a bounty on their head.

Lan Chang'an recalled how years ago the demonic cultivator Liang Shaotian had been forced to flee in disgrace, hunted by everyone.

"The imperial family’s compensation terms are clearly targeting you, Dalong."

True Monarch Purple Mist's eyes held a trace of worry as she pondered a countermeasure.

"They don’t want our sect to produce a Puppet Grandmaster. They fear we’ll continue to grow stronger and upset the balance of power."

Blatantly defying the ruling was not an option.

First, the imperial family’s ruling adhered to the established laws and carried both public support and the momentum of the situation, Great Snake Mountain and its allies would fully support the verdict.

Second, the imperial family held absolute power within Great Yu, both politically and militarily.

Before Lan Chang'an even arrived in Great Yu, there had long been a common saying among cultivators:

"Even if all the Nascent Soul factions of Great Yu united against the imperial family, their chances of victory would still be slim."

Major sects in the region had at most one or two Nascent Soul True Monarchs, none had a mid-stage Nascent Soul expert.

However, the imperial family had two mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators on the surface, and given their special background as a branch of the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty, they likely possessed unknown trump cards.

Their visible strength was comparable to Beast King Valley, a power capable of suppressing the entire allied nations of the Righteous Dao Alliance.

Over the past thousand years, the imperial family of Great Yu had recorded at least two or three visits from Nascent Soul Great Cultivators, proving their deep and unfathomable foundation.

Not to mention, the other three great lineages of Great Yu were all supported by the imperial family and had engaged in intermarriages with the imperial family.

Essentially, these clans functioned as semi-dependent vassals.

Thus, all factions within Great Yu had no choice but to abide by the kingdom’s rules.

Should anyone refuse to comply, they wouldn’t even need the imperial family to act directly, rival factions and the imperial family’s lackeys would immediately apply pressure, seizing the chance to divide the benefits.

...

"Dalong, if necessary, we can use Ziyan’s half of the fourth-rank demonic beast materials as compensation, along with the assets of two or three subordinate forces. This won’t hurt our sect too much while also giving the imperial family some face."

True Monarch Purple Mist intended to play by the rules but was prepared to negotiate a lower price.

In her eyes, killing Great Snake Mountain’s strongest Serpent King ancestor was already a massive gain.

Even if Yunxia Sect had to offer compensation, they were still coming out ahead.

It was simply that they had profited too much, and now it was time to return a small portion to placate the so-called ‘victim’.

The imperial family’s strategy was in line with its usual balance-of-power approach, while still staying within Yunxia Sect’s bottom line.

"Ziyan, there’s no need to fear the imperial family too much. As long as we figure out their bottom line, we’ll be fine."

Lan Chang'an paused briefly before continuing his analysis:

"The imperial family’s real pressure doesn’t come from within Great Yu but from two external threats, ‘Yaqi Mountain’ and ‘Great Luo Kingdom’ which once split from them."

"The Great Yu Imperial Family needs to consolidate its domestic power. They won’t push a three-Nascent Soul sect like ours too hard. That’s why their ruling left room for negotiation, allowing both sects to bargain."

Jiang Ziyan nodded. "These I understand. Do you have a specific plan, Dalong?"

"Drag it out. Push for an even bigger reduction. Reply to the imperial family stating that I am still in seclusion and unavailable to travel to the Imperial City."

Lan Chang'an said thoughtfully.

"Additionally, let’s bring up two points publicly:"

"First, during the hunt for the fourth-rank demonic bird, the Scarlet Abyss Serpent King ambushed first, and I only acted in self-defense."

"Second, back when Senior Brother Yunlan died, it was due to Great Snake Mountain’s scheming. Yunxia Sect suffered heavy losses. We should have the Great Yu imperial family help us seek justice as well."

Had Hu Ang still been alive to hear the second point, one could only imagine his reaction…

Jiang Ziyan pondered before saying, "The first argument is reasonable."

"As for the second… I once approached the imperial family about Senior Brother Yunlan’s death, hoping for a resolution. However, since his death occurred within the Ancient Nether Hall, where battles over fortunes are a matter of fate, and since it happened outside of Great Yu’s borders, the imperial family refused to intervene."

The Ancient Nether Hall was open to cultivators from all over the Central Region, including those from foreign lands. Many Core Formation and Nascent Soul cultivators from Great Yu had perished there.

The imperial family would never seek justice for every fallen cultivator.

"We’re not actually expecting the imperial family to intervene. This is just a negotiation tactic."

Lan Chang'an replied calmly.

"We need to ensure that Great Snake Mountain doesn’t come across as the ‘victim’ in this situation. If they refuse to acknowledge their role, we should demand that the imperial family use their ‘Source of Malefic Aura’ technique to investigate."

He knew this wouldn’t reverse the situation, but it would shift the public perception.

The Source of Malefic Aura was a technique that traced karmic energy. While difficult to fully erase, it wasn’t infallible.

Given enough time, karmic imprints could fade, and certain cultivation methods could accelerate this process.

"As a bargaining chip, this is indeed a useful strategy."

True Monarch Purple Mist smiled slightly, though she felt a hint of guilt.

Her former Dao companion, Senior Brother Yunlan, had been dead for many years, and yet not only had they failed to avenge him, but now they were using his death as leverage in a negotiation.

Lan Chang'an gave Jiang Ziyan the exact wording:

"Yunxia Sect’s True Monarch Xiang acted in self-defense when slaying the Scarlet Abyss Serpent King. Yunxia Sect is willing to offer 1,000 low-grade spirit stones as a gesture of condolence and sympathy to the allied sect."

"...1,000 low-grade spirit stones?"

True Monarch Purple Mist was stunned.

This counteroffer was an insult, the equivalent of tossing a beggar's alms at Great Snake Mountain.

Still, Jiang Ziyan understood Lan Chang'an’s intent and sent someone to respond to both the imperial family and Great Snake Mountain.

...

Within two days, both the imperial family and Great Snake Mountain’s upper echelon received Yunxia Sect’s response.

The two Nascent Soul True Monarchs of Great Snake Mountain were furious.

Not only had Yunxia Sect shifted the blame, attempting to hold them accountable for True Monarch Yunlan’s death, but they had also offered a mere 1,000 low-grade spirit stones as “condolence compensation”. It was a blatant insult.

Meanwhile, the imperial family’s senior officials were also left stunned upon receiving the reply, exchanging confused glances.

In response, Emperor Yu convened a meeting with several elders to discuss their next course of action.

"This kind of response doesn’t seem like True Monarch Purple Mist’s usual approach."

Yu Yuanjin, a high-ranking imperial elder, frowned.

Based on his understanding of Jiang Ziyan, she had always been dignified and concerned about maintaining appearances. She was not the type to engage in such shameless and cunning tactics.

"Cough, cough! It must be that brat. He’s certainly difficult to deal with."

True Monarch Iron Calculation chuckled but offered no immediate countermeasure.

He had no desire to waste his own energy and lifespan on a matter of this scale, especially when it involved Xiang Dalong, an unorthodox wildcard.

After all, Xiang Dalong wasn’t openly defying the ruling.

His tactic was simple: stall, drag out negotiations, and keep lowering the price.

And with Yunxia Sect boasting three Nascent Soul cultivators, the imperial family couldn't exert too much pressure without destabilizing the delicate balance of power within Great Yu’s cultivation world.

Acting as a mediator, the imperial family arranged for late-stage Core Formation representatives from both sects to negotiate in the Imperial City.

- Each side argued endlessly, unwilling to concede. The negotiations dragged on for months, turning into an exhausting war of words.

Unknowingly, another half a year had passed.

The representatives were mentally and physically drained, yet no agreement had been reached.

Towards the later stage of negotiations, Yunxia Sect outright declared—

"The materials from the fourth-rank demonic beast and the Serpent King’s remains have already been used up. They are no longer available for compensation."

Rumors also began circulating within Yunxia Sect’s upper ranks, suggesting that—

There were even rumors circulating among Yunxia Sect's higher-ups, suggesting that True Monarch Xiang had failed in his attempt to become a Puppet Grandmaster, squandering a large amount of materials in the process.

...

Inside Yunxia Sect’s underground cultivation ground, Lan Chang'an and Jiang Ziyan stood side by side, secretly testing a newly completed puppet.

The massive Flying Tiger Puppet, standing three zhang tall, was covered in fiery-red fur streaked with black, exuding a fierce and domineering aura.

With a single movement, the puppet roared, its speed as swift as lightning.

Dark winds and black sand whirled around it, its overwhelming pressure alone enough to terrify late-stage Core Formation cultivators.

"Ziyan, without the sect’s support and its rare materials, I wouldn’t have been able to refine this quasi-fourth-rank Flying Tiger Puppet so smoothly."

Lan Chang'an handed the control token to Purple Mist Fairy.

Though she had only contributed half a fourth-rank demonic beast’s worth of materials, both Yunxia Sect and her personal collection held many treasured resources.

Moreover, during the demonic calamity, the sect had actively purchased materials through various channels.

Thus, in just two years, they had managed to gather everything needed for a quasi-fourth-rank puppet.

This was the advantage of being part of a sect, achieving such efficiency would be nearly impossible for a loose cultivator.

"For someone of your age to already be a quasi-fourth-rank puppet master… with a Nascent Soul’s lifespan, it’s only a matter of time before you achieve true Puppet Grandmaster status."

Purple Mist Fairy nodded approvingly, highly satisfied with the puppet’s combat strength.

The art of puppet refinement had success and failure rates. Even minor mistakes could result in the puppet’s quality dropping.

Fortunately, Lan Chang'an was already a quasi-fourth-rank puppet master, and with the guidance of Puppet Master Wei, this project served as valuable experience for future attempts.

"I also have to thank the sect disciples. Over the past few years of the demonic calamity, my entire puppet army has been upgraded to peak third-rank."

Lan Chang'an laughed heartily.

Previously, his puppet formation’s outer puppets had been high-quality mid-third-rank, but thanks to the abundance of materials from the demonic calamity, and the contribution of the sect, all of them were upgraded to the superior third rank.

This resulted in a massive boost to his puppet army formation’s overall power.

Even the true fourth-rank green-armored puppet would struggle if trapped inside the upgraded puppet formation.

However, the limitations of the puppet army formation remained, it could only fully demonstrate its ability to rival veteran Nascent Soul cultivators in positional or defensive battles.

Once it fell into skirmishes or pursuit battles, its effectiveness diminished significantly.

Additionally, only top-tier puppet masters could fully harness the power of the puppet army formation.

Because of these limitations, Purple Mist Fairy dismissed the idea of commissioning Lan Chang'an to refine a puppet army formation for the sect.

Creating such a large-scale puppet army would require a massive amount of materials.

Even with Lan Chang'an’s personal resources, it had taken him over a hundred years to build his own formation.

...

Lan Chang'an silently expressed his gratitude to True Monarch Yunlan, or rather, to the remains of Hu Ang.

The hidden spatial ring he had retrieved from Hu Ang’s corpse had brought him an unexpected fortune.

Without these resources, it would have been much harder to fully upgrade both his true fourth-rank puppet and his puppet army within such a short period.

Hu Ang's spatial ring contained a few goodies.

Among them were fourth-rank precious materials, spirit pills, herbs, spirit ores, and even two superior-grade magical treasures.

Additionally, he had secretly stashed some mid-to-superior-grade materials from third-rank demonic creatures, which he had not turned over to the sect.

Moreover, there were two main ingredients for the Infant Transformation Pill, though their age was insufficient.

It also held Nascent Soul spirit items, Heart Tribulation spiritual materials, and embryonic treasure materials for crafting a lightning tribulation-resolving treasure.

Hu Ang had nearly gathered everything needed for a Nascent Soul breakthrough!

Based on Scarlet Abyss Serpent King’s memories, when True Monarch Yunlan fell, his possessions had been claimed by Great Snake Mountain.

His fortune was later divided among several Nascent Soul cultivators and many of his treasures were sold off beyond Great Yu’s borders.

Lan Chang'an had not expected much to remain, yet Hu Ang still possessed such astonishing resources.

His vast wealth was partially due to being a core member of the Hu clan, a powerful family within Yunxia Sect that had fully supported his cultivation.

But Lan Chang'an speculated that True Monarch Yunlan likely had a private stash that he never revealed to True Monarch Purple Mist.

Otherwise, there was no way Hu Ang who had been in the Core Formation stage for only a few decades could have accumulated such a deep reserve.

...

"Ziyan, in a little while, I’ll be leaving for a journey."

After handing over the quasi-fourth-rank puppet, Lan Chang'an finally spoke of his plans.

"Dalong… are you returning to…"

Purple Mist Fairy’s expression changed slightly, and she instinctively grasped Lan Chang'an’s hand.

Her violet-starred eyes shimmered with emotion, her gaze carrying a gentle reluctance that made her seem particularly delicate and heart-wrenching.

For a fleeting moment, even Lan Chang'an found it difficult to bear.

He wasn’t sure how much of her feelings were genuine, but in this moment, this breathtakingly beautiful Nascent Soul Fairy, filled with tender sorrow, could make anyone's heart soften.

"Not so soon. I have matters to attend to on this journey, it will take at most two to three years."

Lan Chang'an softly reassured her.

At this point, he was nearly 397 years old.

His plan was to fulfill his agreement with Jing Wufeng before reaching 400.

After that, he would focus on repairing the Tinghai Pavilion’s teleportation array and, only return to Great Qing when the time was ripe.

Over the past six months, Lan Chang'an had sent his fourth-rank puppet to secretly meet with Jing Wufeng.

Jing Wufeng had temporarily shaken off his pursuers, but he was seriously injured and was currently recovering in Great Yu.

Jing Wufeng investigated the situation in the forbidden zone demon-sealing site in the Central Region and took advantage of the demon calamity outbreak and the perilous environment of the forbidden zone to inflict heavy losses on those who pursued and besieged him.

Jing Wufeng also slew a Nascent Soul early-stage cultivator and severely injured another True Monarch, forcing their Nascent Soul to escape from their body and flee.

If not for the presence of two formidable mid-Nascent Soul adversaries, his spatial divine ability combined with the hostile environment would have allowed him to slowly wear down the weaker Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Dalong, you must keep your word."

Hearing his reassurance, Purple Mist Fairy’s sorrow lifted, and a smile broke through her grief as she chose to believe him.

Years ago, before his Nascent Soul breakthrough, Lan Chang'an had gone traveling for six or seven years, and in the end, he had kept his promise and returned.

But this time, he wasn’t guaranteeing anything.

Going with Jing Wufeng into the forbidden zone of the Central Region meant that he could potentially get caught up in the latter’s troubles.

However, he had made a contract sixty years ago, sealed with an oath, and the deadline was approaching.

He had already gained benefits from this agreement, reneging on it now was not an option.

Lan Chang'an had always honored his debts, whether in favors or transactions, he ensured he repaid what was owed, besides there was the restriction of the oath.

Moreover, Lan Chang'an and Jing Wufeng share a common enemy, the Netherwater True Monarch, an unresolved threat that will need to be addressed sooner or later.

Additionally, Lan Chang'an has his own requests of Jing Wufeng.

For instance, there is the legendary method of 'Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul Formation.'

According to the scenes within the Heart Demon Tribulation, Jing Wufeng mentioned that the method for Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul Formation is not considered a secret among the top-tier forces of the Heaven Honoured Continent.

This led Lan Chang'an to wonder whether the real Jing Wufeng truly possesses the method for Heavenly Dao Nascent Soul Formation.

...

Half a month later.

Yunxia Sect publicly announced that its Honored Elder, “True Monarch Evergreen”, had departed on a journey.

Lan Chang'an made no attempt to hide his departure, leaving Yunxia Sect openly and with dignity.

As the prime suspect in the death of Scarlet Abyss Serpent King, had he sneaked away in secret, the responsibility and pressure would have fallen entirely upon the Yunxia Sect.

The imperial family’s ruling had yet to be finalized.

By leaving so brazenly, Lan Chang'an’s actions directly challenged the imperial family’s authority.

When news of Lan Chang'an’s departure reached the upper echelons of the imperial family, Emperor Yu was enraged.

Yunxia Sect's earlier negotiations, filled with endless bickering and exorbitant haggling, showed a complete lack of sincerity. The prolonged delays have already caused frustrations within the imperial family.

Now, instead of showing up to defend himself, Lan Chang'an had left on a leisurely journey. This was an outright insult to the laws of Great Yu and a slap in the face to the imperial family.

Within the grand hall of Imperial Dragon Hall, the ruler of Great Yu sat on the Dragon Throne.

Clad in a royal dragon robe embroidered with golden and violet dragon motifs, Emperor Yu exuded a powerful and regal aura.

He had a broad forehead, a square jaw, thick brows, and fierce tiger-like eyes.

Despite appearing only around forty years old, he was actually a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, one of the top-tier powerhouses of the Central Region.

Even among his peers, this supreme sovereign of the Great Yu Kingdom radiated an innate dragon-like majesty, something that ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators did not possess.

A scholarly elder in an ancient robe stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"Your Majesty, True Monarch Xiang has both a fourth-rank demon king and a powerful puppet army. If only two Nascent Soul cultivators were sent after him, not only would they fail to stop him, but it would also only fuel his arrogance."

Throughout history, there have been other Nascent Soul cultivators who defied the rules.

However, the imperial family had always dealt with them swiftly and decisively, either through warnings or direct suppression.

Almost all of them eventually submitted.

Emperor Yu’s expression darkened.

"In that case, I shall personally invite True Monarch Evergreen back to the capital."

His gaze blazed like the sun, making the Nascent Soul elders in attendance avert their eyes, not daring to meet his gaze.

No one questioned his decision.

To ensure Lan Chang'an’s capture, a mid-Nascent Soul expert would have to be deployed.

"Your Majesty, allow us to accompany you!"

Several Nascent Soul elders stepped forward, eager to participate.

This was an opportunity to showcase their loyalty and gain favor with the emperor.

Emperor Yu was among the top-tier Nascent Soul cultivators in the Central Region.

Even other regional overlords were wary of him.

"Iron Calculation, Yuanjin, you two will accompany me to invite True Monarch Evergreen back."

Emperor Yu chose True Monarch Iron Calculation and Tianyuan Sword Monarch, both Nascent Soul cultivators.

The former was a divination grandmaster, while the latter, as a sword cultivator, excelled in combat techniques, ranking among the best in the early Nascent Soul stage.

As they soared into the sky, Emperor Yu casually asked True Monarch Iron Calculation:

"With me leading the way, can there be any doubt about capturing True Monarch Evergreen?"

The imperial family often consulted True Monarch Iron Calculation when making major decisions.

The elder coughed lightly before responding.

"Cough! If it's just True Monarch Xiang alone, there's naturally no problem!"

He paused, then added:

"However, if others are assisting him, it may not be so simple. It is said that True Monarch Xiang is acquainted with the infamous ‘True Monarch Jing Tian' who has been stirring the winds and clouds in the Central Region."

"According to our intelligence, just recently, True Monarch Jing Tian was once again besieged by multiple Nascent Soul cultivators near the forbidden zone."

"Despite being outnumbered, he slew another early Nascent Soul expert and gravely wounded another. Our spies believe that he has already escaped the forbidden zone and returned to the Central Region."

"True Monarch Jing Tian."

Emperor Yu fell silent, his expression turning solemn.

True Monarch Jing Tian was someone even he regarded with caution.

The many battles over the years had proven that Jing Tian’s strength was enough to match mid-Nascent Soul cultivators.

Additionally, it was rumored that Jing Tian may have obtained the pseudo-spiritual treasure from Ancient Nether Hall.

Suddenly!

A resonant dragon-like sword cry echoed from the back of the imperial family's mountain.

A surge of light blue sword energy erupted into the sky, manifesting into a phantom dragon before coiling around an ancient sword.

A powerful, awe-inspiring blade, inscribed with intricate azure dragon engravings, descended into Emperor Yu’s hands.

"The Azure Dragon Sword!"

The gathered high-ranking imperial cultivators could not conceal their astonishment.

It was said that this Azure Dragon Sword was forged from lost ancient treasures and fragments of spiritual treasures, modeled after one of the Nine-Five Dragon Artifacts of the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty.

The Azure Dragon Sword not only anchored the dragon fortune of the Great Yu Kingdom but was also a weapon of slaughter.

Over the past millennia, many Nascent Soul True Monarchs had perished by this sword, including mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivators.

Over ten thousand years ago, the ancestor of the Great Yu Kingdom who wielded this sword to expand the great kingdom's territory had once used it to wound and defeat a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator.

This blade had once tasted the blood of an unparalleled Nascent Soul Great Cultivator.

"With this sword, it is sufficient."

True Monarch Iron Calculation solemnly nodded.

With this blade in Emperor Yu’s hands, his strength defied conventional logic, there was no one in the Central Region who could challenge him.

With the combined efforts of Emperor Yu, Iron Calculation, and Tianyuan Sword Monarch, they could even hold their own against a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator for a time.

...

In a tea house located within a frontier immortal city, on the outer edges of Yunxia Sect’s influence, two figures sat in a private room, casually conversing.

"True Monarch Xiang, you openly meet with me without any attempt at concealment, aren’t you afraid of drawing unwanted trouble?"

The man speaking wore a green silk robe. His pale blue eyes gave off a faint glow, and though his features were merely above average, there was something calmly charismatic about his presence. His mannerisms were unrestrained yet composed.

"Hehe, I just happen to be dealing with some trouble myself. I figured I’d borrow ‘True Monarch Jing Tian’s’ reputation to relieve some of the pressure in Great Yu."

Lan Chang'an took a sip of tea, his expression calm and unconcerned.

"You’re being too modest, True Monarch Xiang. With a true fourth-rank puppet, a fourth-rank demon king, and a formidable puppet army formation, even against an average mid-Nascent Soul cultivator, you would still hold the advantage. Why would you need to borrow my reputation?"

Jing Wufeng let out a light chuckle.

Out of all the cultivators in the Central Region, he was the one who understood Lan Chang'an’s strength best.

"Well, if that’s what you want, then rest assured. With my current reputation in the Central Region, as long as it’s not some heavenly calamity, most of the major factions will give me some face."

Having spent a year recovering in Great Yu, Jing Wufeng was well aware of Lan Chang'an's situation.

At first, he had simply wanted to watch from the sidelines, believing that as long as Lan Chang'an revealed mid-Nascent Soul-level strength, the imperial family would eventually back down.

Just then, however, three powerful spiritual energy fluctuations belonging to Nascent Soul True Monarchs began to surge from the heart of the Great Yu Kingdom. They were flying rapidly toward the border city.

"Let’s go. We’ll discuss this up there."

Exchanging a brief glance, Jing Wufeng and Lan Chang'an left their tea money on the table and vanished from the city.

...

High in the Nine Fiery Heavens, Lan Chang'an and Jing Wufeng hovered in place, waiting briefly as three powerful Nascent Soul True Monarchs approached.

Among them, two were early-stage Nascent Soul cultivators, Tianyuan Sword Monarch and True Monarch Iron Calculation, both of whom Lan Chang'an was acquainted with.

At the center, exuding overwhelming majesty in his dragon robe, stood the Yu Emperor. For Lan Chang'an, this was his first time meeting this royal figure, and there was no need to guess, the man before him was undoubtedly one of the Central Region's most prominent figures.

"To think that a simple journey outside the sect would trouble Your Majesty enough to personally make an appearance."

Lan Chang'an greeted the emperor with a composed bow, his tone polite but unwavering.

He also exchanged nods with True Monarch Tianyuan and True Monarch Iron Calculation.

Meanwhile, Iron Calculation discreetly studied Jing Wufeng’s features, his expression suddenly shifting. There was an uneasy feeling settling in his heart.

"True Monarch Xiang, until the case of the Scarlet Abyss Serpent King is fully resolved, I ask that you remain within Great Yu."

Emperor Yu raised his hand slightly, his voice deep and authoritative, clearly intent on blocking Lan Chang'an’s departure.

Jing Wufeng stepped forward, and in an instant, the spatial fabric rippled, his silhouette split into two, one standing ahead, the other behind, before the rear figure faded into nothingness.

Such a profound and unpredictable spatial step technique left the three imperial True Monarchs visibly moved.

Those adept in spatial secret arts are notoriously difficult to kill. If one possessed mid-stage Nascent Soul combat strength, they would be even less wise to provoke.

Emperor Yu's tone softened slightly as he reasoned, "We are not here to make things difficult for True Monarch Xiang. He merely needs to resolve the matters in Great Yu and provide an answer to all involved factions."

"And what if I insist on taking him with me?" Jing Wufeng asked with a faint smile.

His gaze swept over Emperor Yu’s dragon robe, lingering on the Azure Dragon Sword floating behind him. The sword’s aura was so intimidating that even mid-Nascent Soul cultivators would feel a tinge of dread.

"Jing Wufeng, don’t assume that just because you possess a pseudo-spiritual treasure, I will fear you. With your current cultivation, how many times can you even unleash its full power?" Emperor Yu’s eyes narrowed.

His voice rumbled like thunder, his footsteps as steady as a dragon’s march.

Jing Wufeng remained calm, his tone unhurried yet confident.

"In a direct fight, I won’t be able to defeat Your Majesty. But, neither will Your Majesty be able to stop me from leaving with True Monarch Xiang."

His words contained an undeniable truth.

The three Imperial True Monarchs heard the hidden warning within his tone.

If they couldn’t prevent the two of them from escaping, then forcing a fight would only result in making them enemies.

True Monarch Iron Calculation coughed, urgently sending a voice transmission, "Emperor Yu, this Jing Wufeng has an inexplicable background, this humble one cannot discern his origins..."

At that moment, Jing Wufeng’s gaze remained fixed on Emperor Yu, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"If I’m not mistaken, Your Majesty’s bloodline originates from the ‘Carefree King’ lineage of the Great Jin Immortal Dynasty."

"Once a royal branch family governing a distant region, your ancestors fell from grace after committing certain offenses. They were hunted by the Jin Dynasty’s ‘False Heavenly Lord.’"

"Were it not for the fact that the dynasty had yet to establish full control over Fenghua Continent at the time, your lineage might not have..."

"Silence!"

"Who the hell are you? How do you know such things?" Emperor Yu demanded, his expression shifting drastically as his face contorted with anger and darkened.

The supreme ruler of Great Yu revealed a rare moment of urgency, interrupting Jing Wufeng abruptly to prevent him from continuing.