Chapter 1455: Everything Is Possible

"Among the Luo Dian generals Xue Zongwu killed, there was one named 'Na' from a prominent and well-known family. It's possible that the family sought revenge, which evolved into the figure known as the Nine Underworld Emperor. Of course, this is merely He Yang's speculation."

"This can't be considered a clue at all." Qingyang frowned. "If they could kill Xue Zongwu, the Luo Dian people would surely publicize it widely. Why would they hide it and assume the identity of the Nine Underworld Emperor?"

He Yang didn't know the answer; that would require asking Xue Zongwu himself, who was now in the underworld. Or rather, Xue Zongwu's soul had been taken by the Nine Underworld Emperor.

"One of Xue Zongwu's personal guards, who had entered the hall with him, survived. He reported that the Nine Underworld Emperor released several tree demons into the battle, and one of them bore Zhao Guangzhi's face." He Yang added, "The guard had served with Xue Zongwu on the northern front and had seen Zhao Guangzhi on the battlefield multiple times."

"Zhao Guangzhi?" Qingyang's interest was piqued. "Zhao Guangzhi, the Luo Dian man? It seems the killer really is the Nine Underworld Emperor."

According to current intelligence, the Nine Underworld Emperor first appeared and killed by cooking Zhao Guangzhi to death.

With Qingyang's experience, she didn't believe this was a supernatural event. Instead, she said, "You mentioned earlier that Xue Zongwu's soul was taken on the spot, correct? It appears the same happened to Zhao Guangzhi. The artifact wielded by the black-armored army leader can not only collect souls but also modify and utilize them. This is no ordinary item."

Any artifact capable of such modifications to souls would be extraordinary.

"Did the tree demon that was Zhao Guangzhi die?"

"It was burned to charcoal. However, guards at Xiaotao Mountain Villa found the remains of another tree demon, reduced to just two charred pieces of wood." He Yang continued, "These remnants were brought back to Tianshui City for analysis, and the initial results suggest it could be either a Ju Luo tree or a Sala wood."

Sala wood is also known as soul-capturing wood. Unlike seabed wood, it captures souls as nourishment rather than serving as a dwelling place for them.

The exact identification couldn't be confirmed due to the significant variations often found between individual spirits.

"Why were they transformed into tree demons?" Qingyang mused. "It's likely to exploit their soul-capturing and soul-dwelling properties. Both Ju Luo trees and Sala wood are rare, and those that can become demons are even rarer."

He Yang immediately interjected, "The true form of the Treasure Tree King is a Ju Luo tree."

Qingyang hummed in acknowledgment, her eyes flickering slightly. "Is there any other intelligence?"

"The dragon totem's presence lasted only three days, so the palace envoy sent by King Yao didn't witness it. However, many people at Xiaotao Mountain Villa swore that the dragon-head mark was ten zhang in diameter, an incredibly spectacular sight!"

"Weren't they previously only the size of a millstone?"

"This mark originally appeared on a bronze base. When Qi Yunsheng intentionally tried to destroy it, an even larger, undulating dragon-head mark appeared on the ground right where they were standing!" He Yang whispered, "It's said that King Yao was quite startled when he heard about this, repeatedly calling it incomprehensible."

King Yao wasn't the only one; Qingyang's expression also shifted slightly upon hearing this:

This detail suggested that the dragon-head mark's appearance might not be the result of a supernatural power or magical spell.

Could it be naturally formed?

It was hard not to connect it to the Nine Underworld Emperor's pronouncements of judgment before acting:

Heaven's justice is manifest!

Xue Zongwu had indeed committed the evil act of city massacre.

Could the appearance of the dragon-head totem truly represent the will of Heaven?

What, then, was the Nine Underworld Emperor's role? Was he truly "acting on behalf of Heaven," or was it just an empty slogan?

Qingyang paced a few steps. "What color was the dragon-head mark that appeared on the ground?"

"As before, it was black, and the dragon's scales shimmered faintly," He Yang replied. "No matter where it appeared or what color the original surface was, the dragon-head mark was always black."

"The black dragon totem, Yuan Kingdom, Panlong City..." Qingyang murmured. "Why would it appear in the Shanjin Plain?"

While King Yao's country was unaware of the dragon-head totem's past, she remembered it vividly.

The locations where this mark appeared, and the factions it represented, were all in an unending conflict with Beijia, causing severe damage to them.

As Beijia's former eldest Imperial Advisor, she recalled both the War of Yuan and the Battle of Panlong City.

"Hmm, a black dragon..."

Unsure if she heard correctly, He Yang asked, "Palace Lord?"

"Beijia noticed the dragon-head totem a long time ago and even researched it. This totem is always black, and it might be connected to the former Dragon God." Qingyang slowly explained, "This relates to the war between immortals and gods. The Black Dragon was the most powerful divine beast among the immortals, the closest to what is called the Way of Heaven. I once heard that before its demise, it instructed the immortals to treat all living beings kindly. However, the Immortal Sect did not uphold this promise; in fact, they later drove the Dragon God's kin and descendants to the brink of extinction."

"Such ingratitude!"

"This dragon-head mark..." Does it represent the Dragon God's will? Does it represent an irresistible force?

He Yang couldn't help but ask, "Did the Dragon God truly perish?"

"Of course. Yet, even if such a being has fallen, no one can be certain that its influence on the world has entirely vanished."

He Yang asked, "Palace Lord, are you suggesting this so-called Nine Underworld Emperor represents the Dragon God?"

"No." Qingyang shook her head. "I believe this person, by some unknown method, has borrowed a portion of the Dragon God's power. Given that ancient immortals still exist today, who is to say that no one could have inherited the Dragon God's legacy?"

This world is full of ancient ruins and wonders; anything is possible.

He Yang then continued to report on palace affairs.

These were all trivial and tedious reports. Qingyang sat down, sipped a cup of floral tea, and listened casually.

Suddenly, however, she heard a name that piqued her interest. "Wait! Did you say King Yao summoned He Xiao to the palace yesterday?"

"Yes," He Yang confirmed.

"Do you know the content of their conversation?" Having previously encountered He Xiao unexpectedly on the street, Qingyang had felt he was more composed than two years prior. He was the initial investigator of the Elixir of Immortality case and likely still a subordinate of Shuang Ye. His sudden appearance in Yao Capital was of slight concern to Qingyang.

"Your subordinate will go and inquire further right away," He Yang said, bowing. "If the Palace Lord dislikes this person, your subordinate could..."

He demonstrated with a gentle slicing motion, using his hand like a blade.

In Yao Kingdom, He Xiao was merely a foreign merchant. Killing him would be trivial, so why keep him around if he displeased the Palace Lord?

"Even after traveling thousands of miles, you're still so impulsive." Qingyang glanced at him and chuckled. "Why do you think King Yao assigned him imperial guards? Do you truly believe they could stop someone with malicious intent? The warning is more significant than the actual protection."

She immediately understood the signal King Yao had sent.

She paused, then added, "Besides, the Yao Royal Court is still on high alert, and the birthday celebration is about to begin. It's not a suitable time to cause trouble."

After news of Xue Zongwu's death reached Tianshui City, many civil and military officials, while shocked, began to make connections and harbor suspicions. After all, within an eight-hundred-mile radius, the forces and individuals capable of eliminating Xue Zongwu were few. And when everyone counted, didn't the finger inevitably point to Qingyang?