Chapter 2205: Dark Undercurrents Surge

"We now know that the Imperial Advisor Frostleaf of the Autumn Palace also has a celestial being backing him. This means the power of the Celestial Palace will further strengthen in the Beiguan imperial court, and the will of the celestial beings will certainly be more firmly implemented in the future."

He Lingchuan concluded, "You asked if Beiguan and Mou will engage in a direct, full-scale war. I don't think it will come to that, as both are formidable in size and thus wary of each other. However, the likelihood of intensified conflict between Beiguan and Mou in other dimensions is considerable. The celestial beings' fundamental need is nightmare energy, and the Demon Emperor only needs to satisfy that."

"Is this very beneficial for us?"

"For a period, yes."

The mirror thought for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "Who on earth sank Beiguan's fleet?"

By all accounts, it must have been Mou, because Cang Yan wasn't involved.

Who else in the world would dare to sabotage Beiguan's fleet and possess the capability to do so?

"It doesn't matter; it's no longer important."

A few days later, He Lingchuan received another confidential report from Nairuotian:

"I received news that Jialoutian recently captured a True Immortal known as the Hermit God."

"Huh?" The Soul-Collecting Mirror in his arms shrieked.

He Lingchuan's scalp tingled at the words "True Immortal," but hearing the immortal's title left him bewildered: "The Hermit God? Who is that?"

He had never heard of him. He searched his memory for True Immortals of Spirit Mountain but found no match.

Was there such a figure among the True Immortals?

"I don't know either." A smile seemed to spread across Nairuotian's misty face; he had long disliked He Lingchuan's composed, all-knowing demeanor.

"Are you certain this is a True Immortal?"

"Are you questioning my source?" Nairuotian's smile vanished. "The mortal realm is vast. Just because you haven't heard of something doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"You've lived longer than me and even participated in the Ancient War, and you haven't heard of him either?" He Lingchuan frowned. "Could it be that this Hermit God never appeared during the Ancient War?"

"If you want to know, you'll have to investigate it yourself. I'm only providing you with this valuable information." How could Nairuotian care how many True Immortals and Immortals had died in the human realm? "This Hermit God was not easy to deal with. I heard Jialoutian lost many subordinates—seven subordinate gods among them—and Jialoutian's own corporeal form was also damaged."

That certainly sounded like a rare and powerful being, He Lingchuan mused. When Miaozhantian entered the Upside-Down Sea to scheme against True Immortal Qianhuan, he also brought over a dozen subordinate gods. With more than a dozen immortals from the Illusion Sect, Qianhuan's own intervention, and He Lingchuan's instigation, all the invading Heavenly Demons were eventually eliminated. Just how capable was this Hermit God, and how large was his faction, to have killed seven of Jialoutian's subordinates?

The fall of the Hermit God was indeed as silent as his title suggested, unlike the demises of True Immortal Qianhuan and Miaozhantian, which shook both realms and sparked widespread discussion among immortals, demons, and cultivators alike.

Even if the Hermit God truly existed, his renown was far less than that of the other two.

How did Jialoutian choose him?

Regardless, it was likely that the Heavenly Demons would acquire another useful corporeal form, which was not good news for the mortal realm.

"Wait, you must know the location of the capture, right?"

"It seems to be in the distant seas south of Mou."

"South of Mou?" He Lingchuan frowned. "That location... a while ago, Beiguan's fleet was attacked and completely wiped out in the seas south of Mou. Beiguan attributed it to Mou, but Mou denied it."

What exactly happened in the distant seas south of Mou?

The ocean was too vast; for land-dwelling beings like them, understanding what transpired beneath its surface was exceedingly difficult.

"I heard about that too," Nairuotian chuckled. "That's why I'm adding this piece of information for you."

Then, the human face formed from smoke vanished.

He Lingchuan pondered for a long time, then opened the window. A cool breeze swept in, bringing a desolate yet crisp chill.

Autumn had arrived once more.

In the Coiling Dragon Wilderness, the autumn sky was clear and refreshing.

Flocks of geese flew south, one after another, across the vast plains.

He Lingchuan returned north to Stone Spring City. The official road was flat and straight, and his horse's hooves made crisp, cheerful clattering sounds on the gravel path.

All around, mountains and valleys were filled with golden maples and red trees, while merchants and travelers passed by on either side.

Three years ago, Zhong Shengguang designated this mid-sized city as an auxiliary city to Coiling Dragon City and vigorously promoted its development and construction.

After several rounds of expansion and mergers, the current territory of Coiling Dragon was already larger than Xiluo Kingdom. While Coiling Dragon City's location at the Chima Plateau pass was excellent for defense in the past, it was now somewhat remote, situated in the northern part of the entire territory.

Stone Spring City was located in the southern part of the Coiling Dragon Wilderness, connecting to the Mao River Plain to the east and the Second Sea Route to the south. It was a true hub, making travel convenient from any direction. Therefore, despite the opposition of many veteran officials, Zhong Shengguang established it as the second administrative center.

Which should be the focus: war or development? This depended on the times.

With more than half of Coiling Dragon City's administrative staff relocating, Stone Spring City's economy boomed like oil on a fire.

Unlike Coiling Dragon City, this new city, built partly on the plains, was not restricted in area and could be freely planned and expanded. Benefiting from its convenient location for north-south travel, it showed a tendency to surpass Coiling Dragon City within just three years.

After entering the city, He Lingchuan walked along the newly built Red Cloud Street. The street was wide enough for ten carriages abreast, paved with clean, impressive bluestone slabs. The dusty landscape once common in the wilderness was now rarely seen.

Along the way, countless people greeted him, and the Winged Tiger General responded with a smile.

In the center of Stone Spring City lay a large, picturesque lake, with a dike running through its middle and weeping willows lining both sides.

Ten years ago, only a handful of dry willows grew in the Coiling Dragon Wilderness. Such a scene of shimmering water, green trees, and red flowers was something people would not have dared to dream of in the past.

As He Lingchuan rode his horse across the dike, he overheard several people discussing as they walked:

"I really didn't expect it."

"Indeed, indeed. Who could have imagined ten years ago that our Coiling Dragon City would still be here, but Xiluo Kingdom would be gone first!"

He Lingchuan's heart skipped a beat. Xiluo was gone?

He had just returned to the city today; how could he already be hearing such shocking news?

Another person said, "Oh, do you think we'll send troops to Xiluo?"

The one who spoke earlier excitedly said, "We definitely will! That's our longed-for homeland of Xiluo, not just any other place!"

"Sigh, does that mean war again? We've only just had a few years of peace."

They walked away.

Along the way, He Lingchuan heard similar discussions twice more.

It sounded like this matter was a hot topic in the city.

If Stone Spring City was like this, he couldn't imagine Coiling Dragon City.

He had just stepped into the government office when Menban greeted him, "Boss, you're back? You've arrived just in time for the War Hall meeting."

Due to his long years of campaigning and numerous military merits, Menban had also been promoted to general. However, his rank was lower than that of the Winged Tiger General, and he remained very respectful, still using his old title for He Lingchuan.

The military meeting hall here was also called the War Hall.

"Mm." He Lingchuan had only been away from the Coiling Dragon Wilderness for just over twenty days, yet it seemed a major event had occurred during that time. "What happened? I heard people on the road discussing that Xiluo Kingdom is no more?"

"Yes, that's what the meeting will be about in a moment."