Han Yin clung and refused to leave. The aging emperor of the vampire Yong state had died, giving up his power but retaining a key position. His son, Han Xu, reformed politics, revitalizing the state. Its national power flourished day by day, and he also achieved the realm of a True Person as a result…

For Zhuang Gao Xian, who always paid attention to the Yong state and had developed a vast network of informants within it, this was no secret. He had a clear understanding of the state’s development, and tracing it back was not difficult.

Only, Han Xu had intentionally concealed it, so he pretended not to be aware. He just waited for a crucial moment to follow the flow.

His previous order for Song Qing Yue to go to the Dragon Palace, laying the foundation for collecting the Lan River Water Mansion, was precisely to elicit Han Xu’s reaction.

If Han Xu relied on his hidden Cave True cultivation, he would definitely seize the opportunity to send this lord to see Han Yin!

But today, Han Xu appeared alone in full regalia, clearly no longer concealing his cultivation.

Why conceal for so long, yet not conceal today?

A wisp of vigilance arose in Zhuang Gao Xian’s heart.

But he immediately reacted. The threshold of the Tai Xu Alliance was precisely Cave True.

If Han Xu, this child, endured any longer, he would miss this grand banquet, miss the great changes in the world over the next ten or twenty years. Of course, he couldn’t endure.

If he didn’t even have this much strategic vision, if he couldn’t see the importance of the Tai Xu Alliance, Han Xu wouldn’t be qualified to sit as the lord of the Yong state, after contending with him for several years after Han Yin’s death.

“What is the matter today, here in this long river!” Zhuang Gao Xian sighed and said:

“Actually, the lord of Yong state Your Majesty has come to see Zhuang Heavenly Emperor!”

Compared to Zhuang Gao Xian’s pale, plump middle-aged appearance, Han Xu’s complexion was much darker, but his eyebrows and eyes were gentler, possessing a kind of meekness from being suppressed under Han Yin’s unusual tyranny for years.

This meekness, while he was still a prince and in the initial period of ascending the throne, was often regarded as weakness.

It wasn’t until Han Yin died in battle and he stepped forward to turn the tide that the world saw his tenacity and grand ambition.

And those like Zhuang Gao Xian, who had a certain tacit understanding with him, knew his ruthless decisiveness even more.

At that time, the Yong state was like a centipede; although corrupt, it was enough to enjoy wealth. Not everyone had the courage to overthrow heaven and change the day.

Facing Zhuang Gao Xian’s arrogance, Han Xu only smiled slightly:

“You misspoke, didn’t you? Is it not the Yong Heavenly Emperor seeing an old minister? Your ancestors still had to kneel to my Han clan. Huai De True Person should not forget his ancestors.”

“You’ve only become a True Person for a few days, and you’re already so impatient?” Zhuang Gao Xian sighed and said:

“You truly disappoint me. Han Yin’s bones aren’t even cold, and you already lack the former Hidden Dragon city’s cunning. With this conduct, how can you treat people well?”

Han Xu’s face remained unchanged:

“Jiang Wang abandoned his state and left, Zhu Wei Wo regarded you as an enemy, Lin Zheng Ren ascended Guan River Platform, not daring to draw his sword and admitting defeat. Generation after generation of heaven’s pride like this, this is all the result of your treating people well, ah, Zhuang Gao Xian. My family’s Bei Gong Ke, however, fought to exhaustion on the platform.”

Zhuang Gao Xian’s emotions were equally unmoved:

“Where are there no ungrateful people?”

“Yes, indeed.” Han Xu agreed:

“Just like that Zhuang Cheng Qian, who deeply received the trust of the Ming Emperor, entrusted with military power, entrusted with state affairs. But he secretly established himself, splitting the land during the state’s difficult time, disloyal and unkind, without righteousness and without shame. To the extent that you see me today, you still dare to be presumptuous!”

“Shameless thief, you still have the face to mention the Yong Ming Emperor!” Zhuang Gao Xian pointed and rebuked:

“My Zhuang state’s Taizu of the past received the Ming Emperor’s imperial edict, desiring to return politics to the descendants of the Ming Emperor. It was your father Han Yin who usurped power, causing suffering to the populace, forcing various heroes to rebel. Taizu had no choice but to establish Zhuang, to establish the spirit of the Yong Ming Emperor. Han Yin killed his nephew and seized the state, you Han Xu murdered your father and usurped power. Today you actually speak to me of betraying virtue and being ungrateful? Where do you get the face!”

Han Xu’s face was expressionless. He took out a black longsword, the sword point aimed at Zhuang Gao Xian:

“Shameless people twist black and white. I am already tired of seeing it and do not wish to say more! Now I am Cave True, and you are also Cave True. Why don’t you and I have a contest before the alliance, for the world to witness? Whoever loses shall not join the alliance. This will also avoid us two seeing each other and being annoyed!”

He was actually so confident as to bet the attendance at the Tai Xu Alliance!

Missing this attendance would also mean losing the qualification to strive for opportunity in the changes of Tai Xu.

Zhuang Gao Xian found it very difficult to imagine where Han Xu’s confidence came from. What kind of support did the Mo family give him?

But no matter what kind of support, from ancient times, people were superior to tools. External things were unreliable!

Making a child hold a steel knife would also make it difficult to fight an adult.

A Cave True Han Xu who hadn’t been at this realm for long… was suppressed under the forever town of mountains and rivers seal of Nine Dragons Hold Sun, isolating various gazes, and therefore not easily interfered with by the Mo family in the long river.

If he could be fought and killed, the Yong land could be taken down in one go. Although the Mo family supported Han Xu, their giant city was no match for the Han clan’s Yong court. If Han Xu died, the Mo family’s support might turn, and he might not necessarily be able to change his cage and become a bird, escaping from Yu Jing Mountain’s control.

Jing state, Yu Jing Mountain, Yi Zhen Dao, these bridging lines were gradually narrowing. He was already treading a very dangerous path and should have introduced new changes earlier.

At that time, with Zhuang and Yong together… how could he not become another Yong Ming Emperor!

Compared to this, what Jiang Wang and Zhu Wei Wo were not too big a crisis. When he walked higher and possessed more, these lone wolves would find it harder to reach. Ultimately, the current world was an era of great prosperity for the state system, and the official path, the one way, was national power first.

“Good, good…” Zhuang Gao Xian had already given birth to killing intent at this moment. He flicked his sleeve, his face still bearing an indifferent smile:

“Beneath our feet is the ten thousand li long river, and at the bottom of the long river is the grand banquet of the Dragon Palace. You and I, as lords, should also let later generations see what a True Person is. Now, let’s spar a round and let you Han Xu see, what is the gap between achieving Cave True through national power and me!”

Han Xu perhaps only wanted to determine victory or defeat, to verify his own Cave True cultivation. He, however, wanted to take the opportunity to determine life and death!

Of course, this wisp of killing intent would only be released at the most crucial moment.

At such a moment, Han Xu’s expression was equally flat. He seemed completely unaware of Zhuang Gao Xian’s killing thought and only said:

“Achieving Cave True through national power is governing politics with virtue, it is the foundation of the official path. Achieving Cave True by borrowing a country’s corpse, I just don’t know how to describe it… You speak of a gap, I also want to see where it is!”

As the words fell.

Two figures in black and white coronet dress immediately clashed!

The long river had no waves, and even the wandering clouds did not shift at all, all receiving the same town by mountains and rivers.

But with these two as the center of this battle, all Yuan power twisted into one group, and the heavens and earth were difficult to see in their original colors.

Before the Tai Xu Alliance formally opened, the lords of the Zhuang and Yong states performed first for the world!

The door of the Dragon Palace isolated time and space.

The world outside was filled with wind and clouds, while within the Dragon Palace, stars also competed to shine.

Jiang Wang left his seat alone to prepare a gift for the Dragon Lord. Some people had thoughts, others were indifferent.

After Li Qi, Jiang someone had no backing. Wanting to flatter the Dragon Lord a bit and gain some care was understandable.

Only, the hall door closed, cutting off that lonely figure.

Lin Zheng Ren sat in a corner of the great hall, suddenly feeling fear.

What was Jiang Wang going to do?

What gift was he going to take?

Without sufficient intelligence, unaware of the Tai Xu Alliance matter, unaware that Zhuang Gao Xian had already left the state, Lin Zheng Ren was still a distance from the truth.

But with his inherent caution, he still felt uneasy—of course, he wasn’t uneasy about Jiang Wang or Zhuang Gao Xian’s danger. What made him uneasy was the unknown situation, which filled him with uncertainty, not knowing how to grasp his own fate!

Jiang Wang must do something.

With his years of research on Jiang Wang, he was very certain of this point.

But Shen Lin killing a Cave True was completely impossible, and he also subconsciously avoided this guess.

The most anxious part was… now Zhuang Gao Xian and Du Ru Hui were already very guarded towards him. Core secrets were absolutely not shared with him. This time, he only knew that he needed to represent the Zhuang state to participate in the Dragon Palace banquet and needed to do his best to perform well, but he was completely unaware of what other plans Zhuang Gao Xian and Du Ru Hui had.

Therefore, he had no way to guess.

What exactly did Jiang Wang want to do?

What other action would Zhuang Gao Xian take?

How would he be manipulated on the chessboard this time, what role would he play?

Long Bo Ji of the Nan Dou Hall suddenly said:

“Since Jiang Wang has gone to get the gift, do we need to wait for him here?”

“Of course not.” Fu Yun Qin, the great manager of the Yellow River, said:

“The Dragon Palace banquet is a banquet for the world’s heaven’s pride, not set solely for one person. The banquet proceeds as usual. Whatever Jiang Wang misses, it’s all his own business.”

“That’s the reason.” Dou Zhao took a few bites, then picked up his wine cup and shook it, waiting for the attendant beside him to pour wine, while casually saying:

“But since Li Yi and Cang Ming aren’t here, and Jiang Wang doesn’t know how long he’ll be busy, what am I doing here accompanying you bunch of smelly fish and rotten shrimp?”

The hall had been calm for a while. Now it was angered by him again, boiling over.

The trained Dragon Palace attendants poured wine without any expression.

Zhong Li Yan beside him stared deadly at the wine, wishing he could poison it with his eyes. This greatly wicked child Dou, at a time like this when he’s having a verbal addiction, doesn’t he know to add the word “men” after “you”? One day when I have power in hand, this old man must exile you to the Fallen Immortal Forest!

Dou Zhao didn’t care about Long Bo Ji’s expression, and even less about being affected by his words. He just lazily said to Ao Shu Yi:

“Dragon Lord Your Majesty, what good things did you prepare for this Dragon Palace banquet? Why not take them out and give them to me now? It will also avoid wasting time—I’m in a hurry to clock out. Later I still want to kill Ye Er.”

Ye Er wasn’t annoyed at all. Instead, she smiled and said:

“Dou Zhao, ah, Dou Zhao. Having you in the Chu state may not be a blessing. Jiang Wang fled in panic in front of me. How do you plan to kill me?”

She was Three Points Fragrance Building’s Tian Xiang first. When Mei Chu first came, she was only Tian Xiang seventh, and later became Xin Xiang first.

Originally able to get the recognition of the Chu Heavenly Emperor and represent the Chu state to fight in the unrestricted field of the Yellow River Meeting, how could she, Ye Er, be weak? In the year three nine one nine of the Dao Calendar, she was also preparing to contend with strong ones like Ji Zhao Nan and Huang Bu Dong!

Being able to represent Three Points Fragrance Building and come to this Dragon Palace banquet today, she was even more prepared to welcome challenges. To raise her flag in the world, how could Three Points Fragrance Building not show strength?

She had been in this position much longer than Dou Zhao and Shen Lin. Although her words weren’t arrogant, her self-confidence was not small.

“This is also simple.” Dou Zhao smiled contemptuously:

“Didn’t the Dragon Lord Your Majesty want to see sword dance just now? My saber technique is no less than Jiang Wang’s. So, I’ll substitute saber for sword and dance a tune in front of the Dragon Lord. If you are not dead by the end of the tune, I will let you go this time!”

Ye Er managed her expression very well, her smile just right:

“The Dragon Palace grand meeting, just killing so simply and straightforwardly, is somewhat uninteresting. Why not add some stakes?”

“Whatever stakes you want, I will promise you.” Dou Zhao did not hesitate:

“As long as you are willing to step into the field and fight.”

Ye Er’s beautiful eyes rippled:

“If one tune is finished and you don’t kill me, I won’t ask you to let me go. You can continue your pursuit after the banquet. I only ask you to represent the Chu state and acknowledge my Three Points Fragrance Building’s autonomy. Can you promise?”

“How can this matter be made a bet?” Zuo Guang Shu immediately spoke:

“No matter the situation, Three Points Fragrance Building can’t possibly be acknowledged! Your killing each other is for yourselves—”

“I promise,” Dou Zhao said flatly.

Zuo Guang Shu was so angry his handsome face turned red:

“Dou Zhao, you—”

“If I say I will kill her in one tune, then I will definitely kill her,” Dou Zhao described lightly:

“What do the stakes matter?”

This condition was undoubtedly very unfavorable to Dou Zhao. Even Zuo Guang Shu jumped out to stop him, but Dou Zhao easily promised, showing unparalleled confidence!

The heaven’s pride in the hall immediately focused their attention.

Dou Zhao and Ye Er contending to kill, how could it not be a good show? Before the grand banquet began, why not watch a round first!

But at this moment, an extremely startling sound rang out—

It was Lin Zheng Ren, sitting in the corner of the great hall, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Long River Dragon Lord, sitting upright on his big chair, his eyes were playful. This scene… was somewhat familiar.

Bei Gong Ke of the Yong state, of course, wouldn’t miss adding insult to injury. He immediately said with concern:

“Zheng Ren, ah, if you are seriously ill, then go back and recuperate. There’s no need to force yourself to participate in the banquet. In case something happens, how can I explain it to Lord Zhuang?”

Lin Zheng Ren used a square handkerchief to wipe the corner of his mouth hard, nodding slightly to Bei Gong Ke:

“Thank you, Brother Bei Gong, for your concern. I am indeed not too comfortable, so I won’t stay here to disturb everyone’s elegant interests… Dragon Lord Your Majesty, everyone, Zheng Ren will take his leave first.”

He was so gentle and elegant, in contrast to Bei Gong Ke’s maliciousness.

Bei Gong Ke knew in his heart that something was wrong. Although he wasn’t clear exactly what was wrong, he couldn’t let Lin Zheng Ren have his way. He immediately said:

“Hey, don’t hurry back, ah! Where are you uncomfortable? Just speak directly! The true transmissions of Ren Xin Hall and Dong Wang Valley are all here. Can’t they cure you?”

“It’s not a physical problem…” Lin Zheng Ren shook his head:

“It’s that I have subdued too many evil ghosts, exceeding my ability limit. It’s a temporary backlash, no other problem. A quiet room is enough for me. I can suppress it soon.”

Hearing that he only wanted a quiet room to suppress evil ghosts and wouldn’t directly leave the Long River Dragon Palace, Bei Gong Ke said no more.

Fu Yun Qin waved his hand:

“Since that’s the case, you should go down and rest first.”

A Dragon Palace attendant immediately led Lin Zheng Ren out of the great hall.

Walking in the majestic and spacious Long River Dragon Palace, the Dragon Palace attendant was considerate and thoughtful:

“Young Master Lin, the quiet room is this way. Do you need some spirit nourishment—hey?”

He only saw Lin Zheng Ren clutching his heart and striding away.

“The evil ghosts are restless and too urgent. I can’t suppress them anymore. I must return to the state once to suppress it with national power. Please ask for leave from the Dragon Lord on my behalf!”

He couldn’t wait for everything to settle.

He didn’t have the qualification to wait.

Because whether it was Jiang Wang, Zhuang Gao Xian, or Du Ru Hui, they all had no goodwill towards him, Lin Zheng Ren!

He wanted to actively enter the game!

The bloody storm covering Maple Forest City would always have a day of settling.

His years of endurance should also have a stage for an answer!