Chapter 55: Wei Canglan

The prefectural examination of Great Zhou Prefecture concluded, yet it caused a considerable sensation throughout Great Zhou City. The most popular topic of discussion was the remarkable performance of the Great Zhou Prince, who, despite being rumored to be unable to cultivate his meridians, displayed exceptional talent in the examination. He forcefully defeated Qi Yue, who had reached the eighth meridian opening through the Meridian-Breaking Art, by opening six meridians himself.

The news quickly spread, eliciting widespread astonishment. For the first time, Zhou Yuan's name gained renown within the Great Zhou Dynasty, no longer solely defined by his status as a prince.

Following the Great Zhou Prefecture examination, a lengthy holiday period commenced. Yet, for Zhou Yuan, this victory did not lead to any relaxation; his daily cultivation continued unabated.

As he had told Qi Yue, Zhou Yuan did not view Qi Yue as a formidable threat, but rather as a minor obstacle on his path to becoming stronger.

Having casually removed the obstacle, his gaze remained fixed on the horizon.

One month later.

Inside the Royal Palace's Inner Hall, Zhou Yuan entered and addressed Zhou Qing, who was seated behind a table, "Father King, did you send for me?"

Zhou Qing looked up, smiled, and asked, "How has your cultivation been lately?"

"It's going quite well," Zhou Yuan replied. "I should be able to break through to the seventh meridian very soon." He had continued to cultivate diligently day and night throughout the past month, and the seventh meridian was indeed within reach.

Zhou Qing nodded with satisfaction, realizing that the prefectural examination victory had not made Zhou Yuan complacent or caused him to neglect his cultivation.

"This time, we owe it all to you," Zhou Qing said with a sigh, recalling the earlier prefectural examination with a trace of lingering alarm. "Otherwise, Great Zhou Prefecture might not have escaped the clutches of the Qi King's Mansion."

"As a member of Great Zhou, it's only natural for me to contribute," Zhou Yuan replied with a smile.

Zhou Qing's smile became even more contented. He then slowly stated, "Although we've thwarted the Qi King's Mansion's designs on Great Zhou Prefecture this time, I doubt they will give up so easily."

"Father King," Zhou Yuan said, a cold glint in his eyes, "the Qi King's Mansion is a malignant tumor within our Great Zhou. To strengthen the Great Zhou, this tumor must be eradicated."

Zhou Qing nodded. "Of course, I've always wanted to eliminate the Qi King's Mansion. However, their current strength is comparable to the Royal Family's. If we were to engage in war, it would inevitably result in a mutually destructive outcome, unless..."

"Unless what?" Zhou Yuan asked, taken aback.

Zhou Qing murmured, "Unless the Great General can unswervingly side with the Royal Family and help us contend with the Qi King's Mansion."

"The Great General? Wei Canglan?" Zhou Yuan's heart stirred; he had clearly heard of that name before.

Zhou Qing nodded slightly. "Currently, Great Zhou essentially has three dominant powers: our Royal Family, the Qi King's Mansion, and the Great General, Wei Canglan."

"General Wei himself is a formidable expert of the Taiqing Realm, and under his command is the Canglan Army, one of the three most powerful armies in the Great Zhou Dynasty."

The other two are the Royal Imperial Guard and the Qi King's Guard, belonging to the Qi King's Mansion.

"Father King," Zhou Yuan asked with a frown, "does General Wei also harbor ulterior motives?"

Zhou Qing shook his head. "Even during our conflict with Great Wu, General Wei remained steadfastly by my side. He is not the type to harbor ulterior motives. In truth, I believe I owe him a great apology."

At this, Zhou Qing's expression grew somewhat somber.

"What happened?" Zhou Yuan inquired, puzzled.

Zhou Qing rose from his seat and pointed to the Great Zhou map hanging on the wall behind him. In the northwestern border region lay an area known as Canglan Commandery. Beyond it stretched a vast expanse of dark land, resembling a boundless abyss.

"Do you know this place?" Zhou Qing asked, his expression grave, as he pointed to the sprawling dark land on the map.

"This is... the Black Abyss?" Zhou Yuan's expression subtly shifted. The Black Abyss was a notorious and dangerous region in Great Zhou, home to countless ferocious source beasts. Consequently, no dynasty had ever been able to fully occupy this territory, leading to a proliferation of rogue cultivators who formed numerous large and small factions within it.

These factions frequently encroached upon Great Zhou's borders, engaging in plunder, slaughter, and all manner of depraved acts.

"Within the Black Abyss, the most formidable power is Black Poison City, led by the Black Poison King, a notorious and powerful expert of the Taiqing Realm," Zhou Qing stated gravely.

"Years ago, when the Black Poison King invaded our Great Zhou, he was repelled by Great General Wei. However, the Black Poison King then besieged Canglan Commandery. Although he was eventually driven back, Great General Wei was struck by a hidden attack from the Black Poison King – the Miasma Demon Poison."

"While this poison severely tormented Great General Wei, he, being a Taiqing Realm expert, managed to suppress it. Yet, what no one foresaw was that his only son, Wei Bin, was born infected by the poisonous gas and has remained bedridden and tormented by it ever since."

"Devastated by his son's poisoning, General Wei was consumed by immense fury and an overwhelming hatred for the Black Poison King. From that day forward, he never left Canglan Commandery, regarding the Black Poison King as a constant menace and forever seeking revenge."

"Consequently, for many years, General Wei has remained confined to Canglan Commandery, no longer involving himself in the affairs of the Great Zhou Dynasty."

At this point, Zhou Qing's voice dropped significantly. "I know this is because General Wei blames me. Originally, I had asked him to hold off the Black Poison King while I led my army to assist in the encirclement. But unforeseen circumstances arose when King Qi intervened and hindered my forces. By the time I arrived with my troops, General Wei had already been afflicted by the Miasma Demon Poison."

"Thus, I also bear a share of the responsibility for General Wei's only son's condition."

Upon hearing Zhou Qing's explanation, Zhou Yuan finally understood the hidden story. He realized that this was likely why General Wei harbored some resentment toward his Father King, and coupled with the decline in royal prestige, he chose to remain isolated in Canglan Commandery.

After all, if the Royal Family had retained its former power, Wei Canglan would likely not have dared to act in such a manner.

Wei Bin's predicament, interestingly, bore a striking resemblance to his own, though the Resentful Dragon Poison afflicting him was immeasurably more potent than the Miasma Demon Poison.

So, General Wei was a neutral party, neither aligning with the Qi King's Mansion nor accepting orders from the Royal Family. It was no wonder his Father King had said that whichever side Wei Canglan chose would gain an absolute advantage.

"As far as I know," Zhou Qing slowly continued, "Qi Yuan's eldest son, Qi Hao, went to Canglan Commandery after graduating from Great Zhou Prefecture and joined General Wei's forces. It is said that he has already made a name for himself there. Clearly, Qi Yuan intends to use this approach to get close to General Wei and sway him towards the Qi King's Mansion."

Zhou Yuan's eyes narrowed. If Wei Canglan truly sided with the Qi King's Mansion, then the Royal Family would face a genuine threat of overthrow.

"However, you needn't worry too much," Zhou Qing reassured him. "I know General Wei well; he would never ally with the Qi King's Mansion to oppose Great Zhou."

"But he won't help the Royal Family against the Qi King's Mansion either," Zhou Yuan said slowly.

Zhou Qing paused, then nodded with a bitter smile.

Zhou Yuan sighed softly. Great Zhou was truly in a precarious state, beset by crises on all sides. His victory in the prefectural examination could only slightly curb the Qi King's Mansion's arrogance. Unless this malignant tumor was removed, Great Zhou would never find peace.

"The reason I called you here this time is that there's something I need to tell you," Zhou Qing said, his expression grave.

"What is it?" Zhou Yuan couldn't help but ask, noting Zhou Qing's serious demeanor.

Zhou Qing's gaze lingered on the Black Abyss region on the map. He then slowly stated, "Some time ago, I received reports that ruins have been discovered within the Black Abyss."

"Ruins?" Zhou Yuan was momentarily taken aback. Given the immense size of the Black Abyss, the discovery of ruins there should be quite common.

Zhou Qing's eyes, however, blazed with an uncommon fervor. He spoke softly, "Someone discovered a peculiar plant within those ruins. It's red as fire, thrives by absorbing sunlight, and its seeds resemble fiery crystals."

"What is it?" Zhou Yuan asked, bewildered.

"If I'm not mistaken," Zhou Qing stated, "this should be the Fire Spirit Grain—a fourth-grade source food!"

"A fourth-grade source food?!" Zhou Yuan was finally stirred by this revelation. He knew that even their Royal Family's exclusive 'Black Crystal Rice' was merely a second-grade source food, yet it had significantly aided his meridian cultivation and helped them attract numerous talents.

The effects of a fourth-grade source food were almost unimaginable. Only during Great Zhou's most flourishing era did they possess a fourth-grade source food, the "Blood Dragon Barley."

If the Great Zhou Royal Family could acquire the Fire Spirit Grain, Great Zhou's power would undoubtedly surge, potentially allowing them to pose a threat to Great Wu once more in the future.

This was a genuine strategic resource, playing a crucial role for any dynasty.

Only upon hearing "fourth-grade source food" did Zhou Yuan finally grasp the reason for Zhou Qing's visible excitement.

"This Fire Spirit Grain must come into the possession of our Great Zhou Royal Family," Zhou Yuan stated firmly.

It was unfathomable to consider what would happen if this item fell into the Qi King's Mansion's hands; their power would surely escalate rapidly in the coming years, potentially even surpassing that of the Great Zhou Royal Family.

Zhou Qing nodded, then glanced at Zhou Yuan before adding, "And apart from this Fire Spirit Grain, it seems there's also a large, jade-like tree in those ruins, bearing jade fruits that resemble infants."

Zhou Qing's gaze fixed on Zhou Yuan as he slowly stated, "This is the Jade Infant Fruit, capable of extending one's lifespan."

Zhou Yuan's mind reeled as if struck by lightning; his breathing grew heavy, and his eyes turned bloodshot. His mother, to save him, had sacrificed years of her lifespan and now had less than a decade remaining. This had always been a deep-seated pain for Zhou Yuan, and he had relentlessly sought ways to extend her life.

Yet, treasures capable of extending lifespan were extraordinarily rare. Even with the Royal Family's exhaustive efforts, not a single lead had emerged. Zhou Yuan had never imagined that such vital news would surface today.

Zhou Yuan licked his lips, his gaze fixed firmly on Zhou Qing. "We *must* acquire this Jade Infant Fruit!" he stated, each word pronounced with resolute emphasis.