Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The emperor cut his palm open to feed the black jiao dragon.
Lu Fan was surprised indeed. How did Yuwen Xiu come up with this idea?
The black carp became a black jiao dragon after he had applied the Transformation Technique to it, but it was still just a jiao dragon. In order to transform it into a dragon, it was necessary to keep it at a Dragon Raising Site.
Yuwen Xiu once got a wisp of Spirit Qi at the Dao Impartment Platform, so he was actually a half cultivator.
He had Spirit Qi in his blood. It was faint, but for the current black jiao dragon, it was undoubtedly extremely delicious.
What attracted the black jiao dragon was the Spirit Qi instead of the blood.
Of course, there was more Spirit Qi on Lake Island, so it was more alluring for the black jiao dragon. However…
How would the black jiao dragon have the nerve to get onto Lake Island? That was where White Jade City was based. Shrouded in Lu Fan’s Spirit Pressure, this little jiao dragon was certainly very scared of the place.
That’s why the Spirit Qi in Yuwen Xiu’s blood appealed to it a lot.
Human blood had spirit too. Lu Fan was actually a little reluctant when Yuwen Xiu drew the dragon’s attention with his blood.
Using blood to raise spiritual creatures could induce evilness.
Yuwen Xiu was thrilled. Touching the black jiao dragon’s cold body gently with one hand, he was trembling with excitement.
He made it!
Next to him, the old eunuch was shaking and bawling. He almost fell down.
“Your Majesty…”
How precious the emperor’s blood was! However, Yuwen Xiu let it out without hesitation…
“Your Majesty, this mustn’t be repeated,” Lu Fan said indifferently with his fingers gently tapping the armrest of his wheelchair.
“Everything in the world has a spirit. They are born with a pure nature. So the way to raise them matters a lot…”
“Once the wrong approach is adopted, a spiritual thing may become evil. If its evil energy is too strong, it will even hurt itself. Your Majesty should be careful,” Lu Fan said.
Yuwen Xiu perceived Lu Fan’s unhappiness.
He nodded while joyfully touching the black jiao’s gill around its head.
“Master, you said you would gift this black jiao dragon to us if we could tame it. Does that still count?” Yuwen Xiu asked.
Lu Fan’s wheelchair turned automatically, with his back facing Yuwen Xiu. The boat started to rock. A thick fog gradually emerged.
“The immortal set eight Dragon Raising Sites. Where the emperor is dwelling is one of them. The black jiao dragon will transform into a dragon if it stays in a Dragon Raising Site. Your Majesty, please treat it well,” Lu Fan said indifferently.
“As to what I promised Your Majesty, Ping’an already has a plan…”
“Sister Ning, see the guests out.”
Ning Zhao, who was still standing on the lake, bowed slightly.
“Yes.”
Then, Ning Zhao turned to look at Yuwen Xiu and the old eunuch. “Please.”
Yuwen Xiu’s face slightly froze. He looked at Lu Fan.
He did not speak. Apparently, Lu Fan did not approve of his artful approach of feeding the black jiao dragon with his blood.
Curling his lip, Yuwen Xiu did not try to explain or say anything. He did not regret it.
He needed the black jiao dragon. He needed help…
He used to rely on the Imperial Advisor, but when the Imperial Advisor was also involved in the scheme that caused the late emperor’s death…
Yuwen Xiu lost his support. For the moment, he could only rely on himself.
However, he was only a young emperor. Facing those ministers, he felt he was being twisted around their finger. He felt helpless.
In the past, the ministers did not dare go too far in the imperial court due to the Imperial Advisor’s status. However, when the Imperial Advisor had retreated to the Book Pavilion and been confined to the house as if he felt guilty for the late emperor’s death, those ministers started to throw caution to the wind.
Standing on the front of the boat, Yuwen Xiu cupped his hands at Lu Fan.
The black jiao dragon, wrapping around him, suddenly flew into the air, intending to fly to Lu Fan.
However, an invisible energy held the black jiao dragon back.
“Go.”
It was impossible to know whether Lu Fan said it to Yuwen Xiu or the black jiao dragon.
******
With the fog dispersing, the boat went back to the shore.
At the lakeside of Beiluo Lake, Yi Yue was carrying the whip around her waist, while Nie Changqing was wiping the butcher knife stained with blood. They both looked at Yuwen Xiu.
The black jiao dragon that had come with Yuwen Xiu drew both of their attention.
“Is that… A legendary dragon?!”
Nie Changqing’s pupils constricted.
The Young Master gave the emperor a dragon?
Lu Changkong was astonished too. Dragon… That was a divine creature, according to ancient books.
Fan’er even got a dragon?!
What a dragon represented was obvious.
Yuwen Xiu was excited. He felt he could absolutely turn the tide.
“City Master Lu, we’ve been away from the capital city for two days. I have to go back today. Thank you for the company in these two days,” Yuwen Xiu said with a smile.
Obviously, he was in a great mood.
He glanced at the blood stain on the flagstones by the lake, wondering where all those ministers had gone.
Yuwen Xiu did not care. As long as they were not in sight, he would not be bothered by them.
He gave the order to go back to the imperial palace after getting onto the wagon.
The old eunuch took a deep breath and cupped his hands at Lu Changkong.
“City Master Lu, please send a team of elite soldiers to escort His Majesty…”
Lu Changkong nodded. So he sent a team of elite soldiers to escort the emperor’s wagon back to the capital city.
The city gate of Beiluo was widely opened.
Drawn by six handsome horses, the emperor’s wagon drove away, raising a cloud of dust in the air.
When the emperor left Beiluo City…
The news spread like wildfire across the world.
******
Ten miles away from Yuanchi City…
Squinting, Tantai Xuan held the letter in his hand tightly.
“Lu Ping’an didn’t leave Beiluo for the capital city with the emperor…”
“The emperor didn’t talk Lu Ping’an over?” Tantai Xuan murmured.
It was good news for him.
Next to him, his advisor Mo Ju, wearing an azure robe and a silk kerchief, was waving his feather fan lightly. He said with a puzzled look, “Lord, Ju sent people to Beiluo once to investigate Young Master Lu.”
“He is really a weirdo and very cruel. He would kill whenever he disagrees with someone.”
“He would take revenge for a tiny grudge he holds, but he likes to say he is good-tempered…”
“However, this man is like a mysterious swirl. No one can read him…,” Mo Ju said.
Sitting in the chair, Mo Beike was very silent.
Mo Ju’s comment about Lu Fan was right. In fact, Mo Beike knew very well how dreadful Lu Fan was.
White Jade City… This power had outrun quite a few powers among the Hundred Schools.
Yinyang School’s philosopher personally acted and allied with Mohist assassins and Jiguan School’s necromancers, but none of them walked out of Beiluo City alive.
“Mayor, now that Lu Ping’an didn’t leave Beiluo… We should seize the opportunity to attack the capital city.”
Mo Beike stood up. His hoarse voice was echoing in the tent.
Tantai Xuan got to his feet with a sharp look. “Giant, it wouldn’t be easy to attack the capital city. If we couldn’t defeat Jiang Li’s army quickly, we’ll be doomed!”
“I just got the information. Xiang Shaoyun is leading the West County Army to head north for the capital. Once those two armies squeeze us… By then, my North County Army will be slaughtered by Western Liang’s armored horsemen!”
Tantai Xuan sounded stern.
With his hands behind his back, Mo Beike hunched forward.
Xiang Shaoyun was heading north with his army. That meant the Mohist City of Traps had been captured.
The walled city said to be the most difficult to capture in the world was thus captured.
Mo Beike was suddenly speechless. Although he had anticipated it, when it had really happened, he still found it hard to accept.
In the current situation, he had to fight. There was no other option left to him. Nor could he give up.
He closed his eyes slowly.
“Mayor, I will take care of Jiang Li…”
******
Capital City.
The emperor’s wagon rushed into the capital city. The six handsome horses ran straight toward the imperial palace.
However, the capital city had an oppressive air over it.
On the steps before the imperial palace, all courtiers, donning their court uniforms, were standing there waiting after getting the news of the emperor’s return.
They looked downcast as if there were dark clouds overhead.
The six handsome horses stopped before the imperial city.
Glancing over at the courtiers on the steps, the old eunuch turned slightly serious. He lifted the curtain of the wagon.
Holding a dignified appearance, Yuwen Xiu got off the wagon.
The black jiao dragon was wriggling on his arm.
The courtiers all turned pale as soon as they saw Yuwen Xiu show up with the black jiao dragon. Staring at the black jiao dragon on Yuwen Xiu’s arm, they could hardly believe what they were seeing.
In their eyes, this black jiao dragon was no different from a black dragon.
The emperor returned with a dragon… Was it a sign of something?!
With a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, Yuwen Xiu was a little perky in his imperial robe. He was in high feather when he saw the courtiers’ facial expressions.
His return with the dragon confirmed his identity as the real dragon and the son of heaven. Who would have the nerve to disobey him again?!
Of course, the black jiao dragon’s appearance did shock the courtiers.
However, since they had been here, they certainly would not back out.
Since the Imperial Advisor was suspected to be involved in the late emperor’s death, many courtiers in the Imperial Advisor’s camp asked for sick leaves.
None of the courtiers here was in the Imperial Advisor’s camp.
When Yuwen Xiu had walked onto the terrace from the last step.
All the courtiers knelt down.
Minister He Shou walked out of them, holding a file in hands. He looked like he had been ready to sacrifice his own life.
“Your Majesty!”
“The cause of death of the late emperor is still in doubt. As the son of the late emperor, how could Your Majesty not seek justice for the late emperor? How could Your Majesty allow the late emperor’s murderer to wield military power? Lu Ping’an from Beiluo has been scourging and killing high officials of the country. How could Your Majesty allow such a vicious wizard to stay unpunished by the law?”
Minister He Shou handed the file to the old eunuch.
The old eunuch unfolded it and took a glance at it. His fair-skinned beardless face turned pale instantly. He threw the minister an incredible look.
His facial skin vibrated drastically.
“Give it to me!”
Yuwen Xiu, pulling a long face, saw the change on the old eunuch’s face.
He took the file from the old eunuch.
It was a denunciation.
The title “A Denunciation of the Wizard Lu” written in a large font came into sight as soon as he unfolded the file.
Yuwen Xiu was so angry that his face turned pale. On the surface, the denunciation was condemning Lu Fan, but in fact, the Imperial Advisor and Jiang Li were also included.
He tore the file into pieces right away.
However, Minister He Shou was not intimidated.
“Your Majesty, the whole capital city, even the whole world, has read this denunciation… If that wizard stays alive, the capital city will absolutely fall into turmoil. If justice remains undone for the late emperor, Your Majesty’s ministers will be left deflated and hurt!”
The other courtiers all agreed with him, neither too humble nor too pushy.
Yuwen Xiu hit the ceiling.
He swore furiously. “You sons of b**ches!”
Then he left.
Yuwen Xiu went into the study after going back to Zijin Palace. He was sitting in the chair with the black jiao dragon. His face flushed red with anger.
However…
He was slightly dumbfounded when he had looked at the desk. Then he flared up, pounding the wooden desk.
“Where are the nine decrees we wrote?!”
The old eunuch, standing aside with respect, also turned pale.
******
Minister He Shou’s denunciation was spread widely in the world.
The capital city was in chaos, and the people were all angry.
The emperor, deluded by a wizard, killed high officials of the country for no reason. Great Zhou was in turmoil. The wizard was jeopardizing the country!
And at this moment, the rumor about the Imperial Advisor and Jiang Li murdering the late emperor together was more widely spread.
Restaurants, teahouses, and even whorehouses were full of people talking about it.
The Book Pavilion, the capital city.
The Imperial Advisor Kong Xiu was lightly rocking the chair. The chair kept making a creaking sound.
Mo Tianyu could not help but gasp in admiration after reading the denunciation.
“It’s great writing. It’s so powerful as if a storm is brewing. He Shou’s literary talent is amazing.”
Kong Xiu and Kong Nanfei looked at him indifferently.
Mo Tianyu was more and more helpless as he spoke. In the end, he simply snorted and threw the denunciation hard onto the wooden table.
“Humph! It’s b***shit!”
Kong Nanfei rolled his eyes at Mo Tianyu, while the Imperial Advisor closed his eyes slowly.
“No one would die if they hadn’t asked for it. Now that this denunciation came up, with Lu Ping’an’s temper, it will be interesting.”
******
Deep in the night…
The sky was full of stars. A breeze was blowing.
A denunciation seemed to be blown into the quiet Beiluo City by a wind.