Chapter 672
Chapter 672
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 672
>Chapter Title: Trouble
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> “You’re Qingqiu’s Si Tianjian?”
>
> “I know Li Huowang’s big name. I know who you are. What are you doing in Qingqiu?”
>
> “Xuan Pin told you?” Li Huowang couldn’t help but furrow his brows. It seemed the intelligence from each country’s Si Tianjian was shared among them.
>
> “It doesn’t matter who told me. You must answer my question right now. What are you doing in Qingqiu?”
>
> “What am I doing in Qingqiu? Of course, I’m here to help Qingqiu deal with the Dharma Cult! Do I even need to say it?”
>
> Hearing Li Huowang’s response, a cold smile appeared on the woman’s face. “I heard you’re a man of the Great Liang Emperor, so he flatly refused the Great Khan’s request for troops and sent you here as a token gesture of help?”
>
> Looking at the woman before him, Li Huowang’s brows gradually tightened. Her attitude seemed off. Did Qingqiu and Great Liang have some complicated history he didn’t know about?
>
> “You know me, so you should also know my strength. Isn’t that enough?”
>
> “Heh, then I really want to test it out to see if you, Li Huowang, are as formidable as people say.” With that, the woman stood up. “Little lady Bian Zhen, of the Left Path sect. Please advise me.”
>
> “Left Path?” Li Huowang sized up the woman before him, his right hand slowly tightening around the spinebone sword.
>
> Just as the atmosphere grew tense, Li Huowang watched the woman’s body gradually melt and reform, ultimately turning into Xuan Pin’s tall figure.
>
> “Xuan Pin, what’s the meaning of this? You’ve got time to mess around with me right now?”
>
> Xuan Pin’s slender finger lightly pointed, inserting into Li Huowang’s forehead before casually withdrawing. His forehead remained unscathed.
>
> “I’m not here in person. I just got word that you’d arrived, so I rushed over. Bian Zhen, no need to probe. I know Li Huowang’s background.”
>
> Bian Zhen’s body emerged from the Si Tianjian’s form. After sizing up Li Huowang once more, she turned on her tiptoes and left.
>
> Seeing no outsiders left, Li Huowang immediately said, “Alright, since we’re all acquaintances, no more nonsense. How’s the overall battle situation? How far has the Dharma Cult expanded?”
>
> Only by quickly understanding everything happening here could Li Huowang figure out what he needed to do to boost their side’s chances of victory.
>
> Yet facing Li Huowang’s question, Xuan Pin didn’t answer. Instead, he tossed out a new one. “You brought the White Lotus Cult’s holy lady with you this time? Why?”
>
> “Do I need to explain? The Dharma Cult expanded so fast because ignorant villagers believe the Child God can save the masses?”
>
> “They’re doing that, so we do the opposite. Believing in the Child God is worse than believing in the Mother of No Birth. At least right now, the Mother of No Birth is on our side.”
>
> Xuan Pin nodded silently. “Not bad, but you need to think a few steps ahead. Get more sects involved to shake the Dharma Cult’s foundations, to avoid driving away the tiger only for the wolf to devour us, leaving endless troubles.”
>
> “In fact, we’ve already talked to other sects and mountain gates. Plenty of their disciples have descended the mountains and entered Later Shu to start acting.”
>
> “I can’t handle that. I need the situation in Later Shu right now.”
>
> “The situation is very bad. Though Later Shu’s soldiers are holding steady, they’re on the verge of collapse. Yesterday at midday, the dragon vein of Later Shu snapped.” As soon as Xuan Pin said this, the atmosphere in the room turned oppressively heavy.
>
> Though Later Shu wasn’t large, Li Huowang knew the consequences of a broken dragon vein. It wouldn’t be long before the entire place became a living hell.
>
> “Weren’t they still locked in a deathmatch with the Dharma Cult before? How did the dragon vein snap so quickly? What exactly happened?”
>
> “I don’t know. Just the day before yesterday, we were still talking with Later Shu’s Si Tianjian. The dragon vein was intact then, and they’d set up a dragnet. Plus, at that time, the Dharma Cult hadn’t even reached near Later Shu’s capital.”
>
> “Why such a massive change in just one day? I can’t divine it. There must be some major cause behind it.”
>
> Brows tightly furrowed, Li Huowang paced the room, pondering how he could help now.
>
> Recalling Gao Zhiqian’s previous experience, Li Huowang spoke up. “A dragon vein can be reconnected even if it snaps. Can we find a way to reconnect Later Shu’s dragon vein?”
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> “A dragon vein can naturally be reconnected, but where do we find a posthumous son now? More importantly, the current dragon vein is in the Dharma Cult’s hands. How do we snatch it back?”
>
> Just as he said this, the Si Tianjian paused slightly before correcting himself. “Just now, word came from Zhengbo Bridge in Later Shu. The Dharma Cult is already using Later Shu’s dragon vein.”
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> Li Huowang’s brows knitted tightly as he gritted his teeth, mulling over the problem. He knew the power of a dragon vein. This would make Later Shu’s situation even more dire.
>
> After serious thought, Li Huowang looked up at Xuan Pin. “I’ll head to Later Shu right now. The dragon vein issue is on me. You find the posthumous son—no problem, right? Forget everything else for now. Let’s reconnect Later Shu’s dragon vein first!”
>
> “Not easy to find. Each country’s royal bloodlines are accounted for. Besides, one emperor can’t serve two. Unless you can find another royal from Great Qi.”
>
> “If it’s not easy, we just give up? How about we switch? You handle the dragon vein?”
>
> With that, Li Huowang pulled out a map from his robes and spread it on the table. “Take a good look. If Later Shu falls, plus the Four Qi and Nanping, the Dharma Cult’s territory will be larger than Great Liang’s!”
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> Xuan Pin stared at the map on the table, thought for a moment, and nodded lightly. “Fine. You go retrieve Later Shu’s dragon vein. I’ll find the posthumous son. Even if I can’t find a royal, preventing them from using the dragon vein is still good.”
>
> “Good. Tell me the dragon vein’s location first. I’m heading out immediately!”
>
> As soon as Li Huowang finished speaking, Shangguan Yuting crawled out from Xuan Pin’s wide red robes and shyly curtsied to him.
>
> “She’ll tell you the dragon vein’s approximate location. I’ll order those remaining in Later Shu to assist you as much as possible.”
>
> “Alright, it’s settled.” Li Huowang turned to leave the dim inner city.
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> But before he could take a few steps, Xuan Pin’s words made him pause and glance back. “Be careful. The Dharma Cult will surely guard the dragon vein heavily. There’ll be plenty of them nearby. And…”
>
> “And what? Spit it out. Why do you always say half and leave half unsaid?” Li Huowang’s tone was impatient.
>
> “And the matter of Later Shu’s dragon vein falling… I keep feeling something’s fishy. Though we overlooked it earlier due to the Sitting Oblivion Dao’s dice, the other countries’ Si Tianjians aren’t pushovers. The Dharma Cult followers’ strength has grown too fast.”
>
> “What are you getting at?” Li Huowang’s brows furrowed to their tightest.
>
> “I suspect what we’re dealing with isn’t just the Child God. There’s at least one other—or maybe two—hiding in the shadows, secretly aiding the Dharma Cult.”
>
(End of chapter)