Chapter 2079: Qingyang's Last Words

A letter lay on the lotus stand.

"Also," a voice stated, "the bird-demon that the former Imperial Advisor Qingyang took to Shanjin has just returned to Qing Palace, bringing an item to present to the Emperor."

Another relic of Qingyang was a small wax pellet.

These two relics arrived together—was it by chance or by divine will?

The Demon Emperor paused for a long moment before speaking: "Since she entrusted you with this letter, it means she trusts you. Please read it aloud for me."

"Yes," Nie Xiaolou replied, carefully taking the letter and noting the wax seal on it.

He didn't quite understand why the red lotus had only just bloomed, given that the former Imperial Advisor Qingyang had been dead for a long time and the Dragon God War on Shanjin Plains had already concluded. He could only deduce that the red lotus's blooming might be tied to another catalyst, not Qingyang's life or death.

The Demon Emperor did not lower his head, yet watched his every move, then spoke: "Open it. Read."

"Yes," Nie Xiaolou replied, opening the letter and glancing through it before beginning to read softly: "Greetings, Emperor! If you see this letter, know that it is Qingyang's final testament."

As this line was read aloud, the Demon Emperor closed his eyes, his sharp claws scoring four deep gouges into a colossal pillar.

*Grrrinding—* A bone-chilling grinding sound echoed through Chonghua Hall, and Nie Xiaolou immediately stopped.

But the Demon Emperor's voice was surprisingly calm: "Continue."

Only then did Nie Xiaolou resume reading.

Qingyang had written this personal letter on the eve of her final operation. With He Xiao's army gathered and momentum firmly on his side, Qingyang knew she was fighting a losing battle alone on Shanjin Plains. She decided to stake everything on a desperate, life-or-death gamble. If she failed this time, Shanjin Plains would undoubtedly fall under He Xiao's control, and both Celestial and Beijia forces would be expelled.

In the letter, Qingyang meticulously detailed her engagements with He Xiao, from the conflict over Yaoguo to the struggle in Shanjin, omitting no single detail. It clearly described how He Xiao used his merchant identity to scheme in Shanjin, how he sowed chaos in Yaoguo, how he impersonated the Dragon God, how he expanded his army, and how he initiated the war. Every move and counter-move between him and Qingyang was laid out in plain detail. Even Nie Xiaolou, as he read, found himself secretly alarmed, let alone the Demon Emperor.

The primary reason for Shanjin's drastic transformation was the defeat in the Battle of Diandao Sea, which nearly depleted the Celestial and Beijia forces there. He Xiao exploited this power vacuum to launch his offensive, achieving success in one fell swoop. However, the exact truth of the Battle of Diandao Sea remains unknown even to the Celestials. No one could clearly ascertain He Xiao's role in the defeat of Miaozhantian. By the time the Dragon God swept across Shanjin Plains, Qingyang was in an impossible situation, akin to a clever cook with no ingredients.

Nevertheless, as He Xiao's primary adversary in the Dragon God War, she had gained insights, which she included in her final letter for the Demon Emperor's reference:

Although He Xiao was the culprit who caused havoc in the Celestial Palace, and Lingshan claimed responsibility for him, his relationship with Mou State appeared to be merely average. Firstly, the Illusion Sect, founded by Master Qianhuan, surprisingly did not return to Lingshan after leaving Diandao Sea, but instead remained to serve under He Xiao. Secondly, while Mou State's initial strategic presence in Shanjin Plains was not particularly successful, it had managed to embed several key influences, such as the Xiaoyao Sect and Peng Nation in western Shanjin, Jingmingxin Pavilion in the central region, Liaoshan in the south-central, and over a dozen powerful demons. However, the Dragon God War indiscriminately swallowed up all these sectarian forces without hesitation.

Therefore, after the Dragon God War began, Mou State imposed numerous sanctions on the Yangshan Archipelago, actually no fewer than Beijia. This indicated Mou State's considerable displeasure with He Xiao's actions. Furthermore, if He Xiao unified Shanjin and established a new state, Mou State would undoubtedly become extremely wary. Shanjin is vast and geographically close to Mou State, and no one desires a powerful neighbor on their doorstep.

Furthermore, Qingyang had already discovered that wherever the "Black Jiao Mark" was present, not only could the Heavenly Net Star not absorb nightmare energy, but even immortal cultivators' spirit-gathering formations were unable to draw in spiritual energy! Lingshan would certainly dislike such a development.

Qingyang had also thoroughly analyzed and compared the strengths, resolve, and training levels of both sides. She believed that He Xiao did not actually need four months of intensive training or an army of 400,000 to 500,000 to defeat Yaoguo and Baitian on the battlefield. Yet He Xiao persisted, despite the immense cost. After much thought, Qingyang concluded there was only one possibility: He Xiao's objective was not merely Yaoguo!

This individual possessed profound and far-reaching strategic vision. While others assumed that defeating Yaoguo and annexing Shanjin would be the full extent of his ambitions, Qingyang believed He Xiao was expanding his army and preparing for war for a more distant future. This man would not be content merely with establishing a new state. Defeating Yaoguo and unifying Shanjin were merely the initial steps of his grand ambition. He needed a more formidable military and braver warriors to protect these hard-won gains, and to then confidently confront the two most fearsome great powers in the world! From this perspective, he not only considered Beijia a potential adversary but also constantly eyed Mou State with deep wariness.

Therefore, there was a significant rift between He Xiao and Mou State, and the so-called "Dragon God" and Lingshan were not entirely aligned. Qingyang suggested that Beijia should leverage this division.

Hearing this, the Demon Emperor sighed.

Immediately after He Xiao took control of Shanjin Plains, a conflict arose with Mou State. Mou State attempted to seize the Yangshan Archipelago by force but found it had been preemptively occupied by Chiyan. With his sharp insight, the Demon Emperor immediately recognized that "Lu Qinglin's assault on Yangshan" was merely a pretense, and the true mastermind was undoubtedly Mou State. And Chiyan, appearing neither too early nor too late, but precisely before Mou State's attack to secure the Yangshan Archipelago without expending many troops, must have been acting on He Xiao's explicit arrangement!

When Fushan Lie came to report, the Demon Emperor appeared highly satisfied. Indeed, He was very satisfied. His chief ministers all believed that regardless of He Xiao's reasons for ceding the Yangshan Archipelago, this "cranes and clams fighting" scenario had greatly benefited Beijia, effectively driving a wedge deep into Mou State's territory. Otherwise, if the Yangshan Archipelago had fallen to Mou State, Beijia's eastern shipping lanes would have been largely under its control.

However, in the Demon Emperor's view, the ownership of this archipelago held an even greater political significance. Mou State and He Xiao had long been wary and scheming against each other. As long as Chiyan firmly held the Yangshan Archipelago, He Xiao would remember how Mou State had severely constrained him during the most arduous phase of the Dragon God War. And Mou State, in turn, would not forget the unparalleled backstab and counterattack He Xiao had delivered, which had been a resounding slap in its face. This thorn was deeply embedded in the relationship between Mou State and Cangyan, and any attempt to dislodge it would only reopen old wounds.

When Qingyang wrote her letter, none of these events had yet transpired. It could only be said that her judgment was precise, and she truly possessed foresight.

Given that the Dragon God War's outcome was decided and Beijia was currently out of reach, Qingyang strongly advised Beijia to cultivate good relations and express goodwill towards He Xiao's forces in Shanjin. "Allow He Xiao and Mou State to contend first." Beijia's indiscriminate suppression would likely backfire, inadvertently binding these two forces together. Conversely, if Beijia ceased pressuring He Xiao and even sought to win him over, the conflict between Mou State and He Xiao would likely escalate and become overt. After all, their relationship had been strained from the outset.