Chapter 1964: No Big Deal

Chapter 1945: Harmless

As a trusted confidant who was always by the Palace Master's side, he couldn't comprehend: "Where did so many come from?" The local magnates of Shanjing had probably never witnessed a divine descent, so they couldn't possibly understand how outrageous the conditions offered by the Palace Master truly were!

Divine descent vessels weren't like cabbages that could be easily grown anywhere. The Heavenly Palace had an extremely strict mechanism for selecting divine descent vessels, as individuals with such unique physiques were inherently one in ten thousand.

Mount Xushi usually had only three divine descent vessels ready. Even with the power of the Heavenly God Miaozhan, who had scoured almost the entire Shanjing Plains, only a dozen or so divine descent vessels could be brought into the Inverted Sea. Otherwise, she could have activated even more subordinate deities. Fundamentally, it was the limited number of divine descent bodies that constrained their capabilities.

Yet the Palace Master could offer more than twenty at once? Ha! Could it be...?

It was important to note that Heavenly Gods typically did not descend upon ordinary human bodies. This was because, regardless of the divine descent's effect, the process itself consumed a significant amount of divine power.

Yuan Xuan then recalled what Qingyang had said: if these local forces in Shanjing wanted confidence, she would give it to them.

Yes, it didn't matter whether those twenty-plus individuals were truly "divine descent vessels." What mattered was that with this trump card, the magnates would gain the confidence to resist Emperor Jiuyou and the motivation to seize his territory.

Whether the trump card could actually be played out was a matter for the future. In any case, the local magnates had no way to verify it now—"divine descent vessels" were also human and outwardly indistinguishable from others.

Perhaps Yuan Xuan's gaze lingered on Qingyang for too long, or perhaps his eyes showed a hint of panic. She looked up, glanced at him, and discerning his thoughts, slowly and softly placed a finger to her lips, shushing him.

Yuan Xuan dared not utter a single word.

As night fell, Qingyang was enjoying a bowl of almond shortbread pudding when she suddenly looked at her wrist and frowned.

Then she waved her hand, "Everyone out."

The attendants filed out of the room, closing the doors and windows behind them.

Qingyang took out a small statue, placed it on the low table to the east, lit two candles, and burned several sticks of incense.

As the gray smoke coalesced into a blurred human face in the air, the voice of True Lord Tongming echoed in her ear: "How dare you! You have the audacity to distribute fake divine descent vessels in our name!"

The Heavenly God's rebuke was entirely within Qingyang's expectations; she didn't even flinch. "Then tell me," she retorted, "how else am I supposed to incite these natives to attack Emperor Jiuyou? They are more timid than mice. If I don't guarantee them something, they'll simply turn around and surrender to Emperor Jiuyou."

"It's not that they are timid; it's that you are too bold!" True Lord Tongming's voice was stern. "Several righteous gods are displeased. You will be in great trouble."

"And if the righteous gods are happy, will I have no trouble then?" Qingyang sat down, picked up the porcelain bowl from the table, and continued eating her almond shortbread pudding. Mmm, it smelled wonderful. The cook clearly understood her preferences, even sprinkling a little osmanthus sugar.

"What personnel have the Heavenly Gods sent me? What assistance have they provided?" Qingyang said languidly. "None, absolutely none. I'm holding a terrible hand, and you expect the effect of a royal flush without contributing anything. I have no choice but to resort to trickery and deception."

The local magnates of Shanjing would never imagine that the lofty Spirit Void Gods and the highly reputable former Grand Preceptor of Beijia would deceive and destroy them with fakes!

True Lord Tongming was naturally displeased by her brazenness but did not erupt in anger. Instead, he continued, "Miaozhan Tian almost took all our forces from Shanjing, leaving you with very little. We are already making other arrangements, and Beijia will also send people. Assistance will arrive in a few months."

Even the Heavenly Gods had their difficulties. This was precisely when the Heavenly Gods' power was weakest in the Shanjing Plains, and they truly could not spare any aid. Jiuyou's audacity in launching an uprising now truly seized an excellent opportunity.

"Distant water cannot quench a nearby fire," Qingyang said faintly. "Whether we can stop Emperor Jiuyou's invasion of Shanjing depends on these next few months. If he manages to train his troops well—" She didn't finish, merely shaking her head.

True Lord Tongming asked her, "If these people discover that the divine descent vessels you provided are fake, it will undoubtedly damage our reputation."

The most crucial impression Heavenly Gods aimed to leave on the mortal realm could be ferocity, benevolence, or mystery, but they absolutely had to be powerful and trustworthy! The more powerful a deity, the more followers they commanded. Conversely, if deities consistently deceived their followers with fakes and were discovered, a loss of faith would be unsurprising. Reputation was one of the invisible assets that Heavenly Gods strenuously maintained in the mortal realm. Qingyang's methods, damaging their credibility, naturally incensed the gods.

"By the time they discover it, it will also be their time to die," she scoffed. "When would divine descent vessels be used? Naturally, when they are so utterly defeated by Emperor Jiuyou that they have to unleash their trump card. Only then will they realize this card is made of paper. After that, Emperor Jiuyou will severely punish them, and they won't even have a chance to complain."

"Why do you care what the dead think? It's harmless," Qingyang scoffed. "Shanjing is isolated; how fast can news travel there? Besides, there are also real divine descent vessels among them, so it's not entirely fake."

"In any case, as long as they dare to seize Jiuyou's cities, kill Jiuyou's people, and stir up trouble for Jiuyou, our goal will be achieved," she said coolly. "Who cares about their ultimate fate?"

In her eyes, and in the eyes of the Heavenly Gods, they were merely expendable resources, just like the common folk in their territories.

Hah, these natives still wanted to bargain with her? In truth, they had no idea that Miaozhan Tian had almost exhausted the Spirit Void Gods' strongest forces in Shanjing, and they still believed the Spirit Void Gods' power there remained unshakeable.

This information asymmetry destined them to become mere cannon fodder.

Qingyang didn't expect anything else; she only needed them to stall the Dragon God.

No matter how the Beijia officials calculated, the Emperor would surely send reinforcements here.

The Emperor would also urge the Heavenly Gods to send aid here.

She had to buy time!

Patience makes perfect.

True Lord Tongming asked her, "Why do you intend to use such insignificant individuals?"

"If I don't use them, I'd have to use Baitun, but Baitun has too many issues and isn't ready at all," Qingyang explained clearly. "To shake Jiuyou's rear, the opposing forces need to be numerous and diverse, and they must rise simultaneously to create an effect like raging wildfires and earth-shattering chaos, just as the Dragon God's army swept through Shanjing back then. Was his army truly that powerful? Not necessarily, but the momentum he created was extraordinary."

"Mortals are foolish and prone to conformity; seeing everyone singing the praises of the Dragon God, they assume he's the strongest in the world and that joining him is surely the right path. Jiuyou is doing precisely this, catering to their mentality and desires," Qingyang said humbly. "In this regard, I can learn from him."