Chapter 463
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 456
Chapter Title: The Incense Fire Deification Method
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"The Incense Fire Deification Method?"
Looking at the cultivation art Lu Yang offered, Wu Tai'an's first reaction was utter disdain.
Beneficial to the Dao Court?
What a joke. The Dao Court commands the wealth of four seas, with mountains of gold and silver that could never be spent dry! Why would we need some rundown True Dragon clan's offering?
But given the Dragon Lord's face, he still swept it with his divine sense.
"Hm?"
A bit uncertain, he scanned it again.
"Hiss!"
The next second, just as Lu Yang expected, Wu Tai'an—who had been utterly nonchalant—bolted upright, snatched the art, and pored over it meticulously.
Only after a long while did he raise his head, staring at Lu Yang in disbelief.
He hadn't been wrong. This Incense Fire Deification Method was indeed of great use to the Dao Court!
Gathering the cultivation of the masses, forging godhood through incense faith...
Paired with the Dao Court's official rank system, it could spark explosive growth in the Dao Court's power!
This was monumental merit! Heaven-shaking merit!
But soon, Wu Tai'an spotted the issue: the method was all theory, lacking the foundation to realize it in this world.
Missing the fruit positions!
"Which realm-heaven?" Wu Tai'an demanded directly.
A brand-new system never seen before must hail from beyond the skies—at the very least, with embryonic fruit positions formed. The Dao Court of that realm-heaven was a must-have!
Yet facing his question, Lu Yang merely smiled and said,
"I wish to meet His Majesty."
Those simple four words instantly sobered Wu Tai'an. He shot Lu Yang a deep look.
"The True Dragon Clan does show sincerity."
Yes, in his eyes, this was the True Dragon Clan's sincerity—the sincerity of that mid-Golden Core Dragon Lord. After all, how could a mid-Foundation Establishment Dragon King produce a realm-heaven with even embryonic fruit positions? Absurd. Only as a gift from the Dragon Lord did it make sense!
'Pity...'
With that thought, Wu Tai'an couldn't help sighing, knowing he had no hope of claiming this heaven-shaking merit for himself—not even a share of the credit.
With anyone else, he'd swallow the merit whole.
After all, he was the Dao Court's Prince Who Pacifies the South, the Emperor's own brother, second only to the True Lords in status. Swallowing your merit would be an honor!
But not the True Dragon Clan.
The True Dragon Clan was currently an object of the Dao Court's fervent overtures. For the old Dragon Lord to offer such a grand gift now showed profound sincerity.
Who would dare pocket merit like this?
Whoever did would be courting death!
With that realization, Wu Tai'an focused on Lu Yang once more. A smile quickly bloomed on his face.
"This Prince offers his early congratulations to the Dragon King."
'This True Dragon is about to skyrocket!'
After all, with merit this massive, the Dao Court couldn't reward it to the old Dragon Lord. So it would have to heavily reward this batch of True Dragons who had entered Jiangdong!
That thought made Wu Tai'an's smile all the more genuine.
"Meeting His Majesty is simple. I'll vouch for you personally, Dragon King, and send word straight to Tianwu City for His Majesty's decree. You won't wait long for a reply."
"My thanks, Your Highness."
Lu Yang bowed respectfully. Then, shifting tone,
"But speaking of which, Your Highness, there's one matter this king truly needs clarified."
With that, he pointed overhead.
There, the sixth-rank official position [Dongting Dragon King] gleamed brightly.
"I came bearing the True Dragon Clan's sincerity, yet the Dao Court grants me such a post. Does Your Highness think this passes muster?"
"."
Wu Tai'an's pupils shrank.
No need for explanation— one glance told him everything. Clearly, someone in the Dao Court wanted to rap the True Dragon Clan on the knuckles, give them a show of strength to curb any unruly noble remnants from the fallen world upon arriving in Jiangdong. Hence the deliberate bestowal of a mere sixth-rank post unfit even for Foundation Establishment.
Nothing wrong with that, normally.
But no one foresaw that without any pressure, the True Dragon Clan would prove so amenable, offering the Incense Fire Deification Method as such hefty sincerity.
Now, this back-and-forth turned the mild rebuke into a grievous insult—enough to cost heads!
In that instant, Wu Tai'an decided.
Cut ties! He had to cut ties!
His expression turned solemn as he intoned gravely,
"Rest assured, Dragon King. I'll see to the official position matter personally—this was absolutely not His Majesty's intent."
"So, someone in the court is meddling?" Lu Yang pressed.
"Exactly!"
Wu Tai'an nodded firmly.
"Rest easy, Dragon King. I'll report this to the court, investigate to the bottom, and ensure no meritorious servant suffers injustice!"
"I see!"
At those words, Lu Yang's face filled with righteous fury, his expression one of deep sorrow as he said,
"I knew His Majesty meant well—it's the underlings who botched the execution! Damn it, how did the Dao Court come to this? Do they deserve His Majesty's grace?"
Wu Tai'an: "."
Well played. A True Dragon from the clan, slipping into the role so seamlessly? For a moment, I thought some patriotic old minister was speaking.
But at least the True Dragon Clan hadn't flown into a rage.
Room for talk remained—the issue wasn't dire. Worst case, offer extra compensation later.
With that, Wu Tai'an hurried to add,
"I'll make arrangements at once. Soon you'll head to Tianwu City, Dragon King—you and all your kin you've brought this time."
"My thanks, Your Highness."
Lu Yang nodded, warmly adding,
"This one feels a bond with Your Highness at first sight—why stand on ceremony? Just call me Du Huan from now on."
Wu Tai'an paused, then took the out with a bow.
"Then greetings, Fellow Daoist Du Huan. We must keep in touch henceforth."
"Certainly! Certainly!"
Moments later, leaving the Prince Who Pacifies the South's mansion, Lu Yang's smile vanished in an instant.
'As expected. I always thought the Seven Luminaries Heaven's incense faith path matched the Dao Court perfectly. Sure enough, they're quite tempted.'
That was enough.
He never planned to hand over the complete Seven Luminaries Heaven in his grasp anyway. What he offered was the one still lingering beyond the skies!
'Hongyun has no use for it anyway.'
'I'll make use of it for him.'
'Come to think of it, recreating Chongguang's testimony of the Heaven of Non-existence in this life—with the world's True Lords in seclusion—maybe I can sever Hongyun once more?'
Lost in thought, Lu Yang halted abruptly.
Ahead, a breeze stirred, revealing a black-robed middle-aged man. His features were stern and fierce, fangs glinting between his lips.
'Beast cultivator.'
Lu Yang's brow arched slightly. Across the world, where were beast cultivators most plentiful? Overseas, stronghold of the True Dragon Clan—or here in Jiangdong under the Dao Court.
After all, under the [Immortal Kingdom's Dao Laws], all were equal. Beast cultivators could strive too, even outpace humans with their superior physiques—prime labor.
Yet even so, as Lu Yang knew, beast cultivators languished at the Dao Court's social bottom.
No wonder the black robes.
"This lowly beast greets the Dragon King."
The next instant, the black-robed man bowed deeply to Lu Yang.
"We've long heard of the True Dragons' renown. Might we have the honor?"