Chapter 203: The Second Palace Lord Has Arrived

"Exactly!" Zhuang Yue said. "I told him not to come to Qiuzhou City, but he insisted. The Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival hasn't even officially started, and he's already nearly died twice in Bingzu Ze."

"You're surprisingly concerned about my safety. You knew about both close calls?" Li Weiyi chuckled.

Zhuang Yue turned her face away, not wanting to engage with him.

Li Weiyi sighed and explained, "It has nothing to do with the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival. I was born with a fire fate, meaning water brings disaster. But once midnight passes tonight and we enter the new year, perhaps my luck will change."

This was, of course, nonsense! However, from his scientific expedition in the Arctic Ocean, to his numerous near-death experiences in the river, and now Zhuang Yue's mention of two close calls in Bingzu Ze, Li Weiyi genuinely began to wonder if he was truly susceptible to water. He even thought that in the future, he should be more wary of anyone whose name contained the character for water, like Yang Qingxi.

Zhuang Yue was amused by him and giggled incessantly.

Jiang Ning was exasperated and considered resorting to extreme measures.

Li Weiyi said, "I'm curious, how did Fairy Yu know I'd be going from this street to the Xuantianshi Cliff at this exact time, able to block me so precisely?"

"I have people in your Jiuli Hidden Gate," Jiang Ning replied.

For Jiang Ning, the identity of Yin Shisan as a hidden member of the Jiuli Hidden Gate was not difficult to guess. It was, in a way, an open secret.

Outside the carriage, the elderly driver spoke in a young voice: "Please don't harm me, Angel! My first loyalty is to the Jiuli Hidden Gate; serving the court comes second." The old man was, of course, Yin Shisan in disguise.

Jiang Ning suddenly stated, "The Second Palace Master has arrived in Qiuzhou City."

"What?" Li Weiyi was horrified.

The Second Palace Master of Lingxiao Palace was known as the second most powerful person in the world, surpassed only by Yu Yaozi. Currently, the Second Palace Master was virtually indistinguishable from the number one person. After all, Yu Yaozi had not made a public appearance in a long time, and the Second Palace Master made nearly all decisions, large and small, for the court.

Jiang Ning said, "I've told you what needed to be told, and even what shouldn't have been told! Li Weiyi, I'm giving you two options."

"First, inside this carriage, if I make a move, you won't escape. I will seal you, and Yin Shisan will immediately take you out of the city. Whether you go back to Lizhou or Fuzhou, it will be safer than staying in Qiuzhou City."

Seeing that she wasn't joking, Li Weiyi immediately became vigilant, his internal energy circulating nonstop. "I choose the second option!"

Jiang Ning, in an even more serious tone, said, "The second option: This carriage will continue directly to the Xuantianshi Cliff, where martial artists from all over the world are gathered, along with countless revered elders watching. When you and I step out of the carriage together, how do you think the world will view it?"

Li Weiyi was racked with a headache. "Riding in the same carriage as Fairy Yu will make me a thorn in the side of countless martial artists. At this critical time, during the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, I'm afraid I'll meet a terrible end. To force me to comply, you're willing to put yourself in this situation... sigh, why injure yourself by eight hundred to kill an enemy by a thousand? What grudge do you hold?"

Jiang Ning had considered everything thoroughly. "It won't necessarily be an injury of eight hundred! You could join the court; the Second Palace Master has always greatly admired extraordinary talents."

"Is there no third option?" Li Weiyi asked.

Jiang Ning replied, "No."

"You're too ungrateful! My lady wants to help you, she wants to save you," Zhuang Yue said.

Li Weiyi cupped his hands, speaking weakly, "I appreciate Fairy Yu's kindness. It's clear you've gone to great lengths to repay this favor by force."

Jiang Ning's brows furrowed slightly but quickly relaxed. She said indifferently, "You have another quarter of an hour to consider! In another fifteen minutes, we'll be very close to the Xuantianshi Cliff. Once the streets become crowded, neither of us will have a choice."

Of course, Li Weiyi didn't want to leave, and even less did he want to be forced by Jiang Ning to join the court. The court was almost entirely composed of eunuchs. Moreover, there was a perverse rule that Imperial Censors were forbidden from being in the same room as men, which showed it was certainly not a benevolent place. More importantly, the court was indeed surrounded by enemies; who knew how much longer it could hold out?

Thinking of this, a flash of insight struck Li Weiyi's mind. He instantly understood everything, his body relaxed, and he chuckled, "I think I understand!"

"Understand what?" Jiang Ning asked, puzzled.

Li Weiyi said, "The Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival is approaching, and you're taking such a huge risk to see me, which means there must be a compelling reason. If we don't meet tonight, perhaps tomorrow everything will be too late?"

"Go on," Jiang Ning prompted.

Li Weiyi continued, "It's common knowledge that Du'e Temple is holding the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival in Qiuzhou City to build momentum for the Zuoqiu Clan. Large numbers of young martial artists from the court are rushing here, not to support the Zuoqiu Clan, but to dismantle it."

"I'll make a bold guess: once midnight passes tonight and the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival officially begins, the young martial artists of the court will make their move against the Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiuli Tribe. And it will undoubtedly be a swift and devastating assault, like a whirlwind. By dawn tomorrow, perhaps the streets will be filled with corpses and rivers of blood."

Seeing that Jiang Ning didn't immediately refute him, Li Weiyi knew he had guessed correctly. His scalp tingled, and cold sweat ran down his back.

He finally understood the true weight of Jiang Ning's earlier statement, "The Second Palace Master has arrived," which meant the court was not at all afraid of the Zuoqiu Clan turning hostile, and the younger generation of the court could act without restraint.

Li Weiyi asked, "Is this the Second Palace Master's order? Or Ge Xiantong's strategy?"

Jiang Ning didn't answer, but sighed faintly, "You truly only have two options left! Shall I help you choose one?"

"No, I have a third option."

Li Weiyi said, "If the younger generation of the court chooses to massacre the Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiuli Tribe tonight, it will be a grave mistake. All young martial artists from the court participating in the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival will face eternal damnation."

Each word resonated like a hammer striking Jiang Ning's mind. She said, "Are you trying to tell me that this is the Zuoqiu Clan's territory, and their Five Seas Realm martial artists far outnumber those of other factions, making us no match? If so, you are greatly mistaken!"

"In the Five Seas Realm, human wave tactics are effective! Even against me, or against masters of the East Dragon, West Pig, South Tiger, North Sword caliber, it works; they can be overwhelmed and killed by sheer numbers."

"However, for individuals of Ge Xiantong's and Luan Sheng Linyou's caliber, no matter how many Five Seas Realm martial artists there are, they can cut through them. Human wave tactics are useless against them."

Li Weiyi had never seen Ge Xiantong or Luan Sheng Linyou fight, so he didn't know their combat prowess, but he trusted Jiang Ning's judgment.

He said, "No matter how strong Ge Xiantong is, he will surely get injured. Do you think individuals of Cang Li and Zuo Qiu Ting's caliber, fighting to the death, truly can't injure Ge Xiantong? If Ge Xiantong is injured, that's when Luan Sheng Linyou will kill him."

"Jiang Ning, you've made a fatal mistake, blinded by a single leaf! You believe that Du'e Temple choosing the Zuoqiu Clan will make them the target of all criticism. But the true target of all criticism has always been your court."

"Your powerful facade can indeed intimidate people, and Ge Xiantong is even hailed as the strongest in the world. But if the strongest in the world is injured, if that powerful facade shows a wound, it will immediately attract countless predators, and you will be besieged by all forces. At that time, what will you use to block Luan Sheng Linyou?"

Although Jiang Ning wore a veil and her eyes were calm, tempestuous emotions caused her ample bosom to rise and fall slightly, clearly indicating her inner turmoil.

Zhuang Yue found Li Weiyi's words incredibly logical; her face changed dramatically, and she couldn't help but want to speak.

Striking while the iron was hot, Li Weiyi added, "If I were you, I wouldn't just refrain from attacking the Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiuli Tribe tonight; I would secretly contact them, either to form a temporary alliance or set up a trap to eliminate Luan Sheng Linyou, the greatest threat, first. Once the situation is under control and all powerful enemies are dealt with, it won't be too late for us to settle our own scores."

Jiang Ning said, "What kind of joke are you making? The court allied with the Zuoqiu Clan? Would Zuo Qiu Ting trust us?"

"Not an alliance, but open contention with secret cooperation."

Li Weiyi continued, "Shouldn't you connect this to the broader situation in the world? This is just the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival! Do you know what it means to never tire of deception in warfare?"

"The less likely people believe something to be, the more likely it is to successfully trap and kill Luan Sheng Linyou."

"The Zuoqiu Clan, with the Vertical and Horizontal School in power, understands better than you how to form alliances and break them, how to resolve a stalemate, and how to create favorable situations."

"Go back and tell Ge Xiantong that in the struggle for supremacy, the most important thing is the outcome, not the process. Even the fiercest enemies can become temporary allies in the face of a crisis. If he remains arrogant and opinionated, then, when the time comes, someone will naturally collect his corpse. To Luan Sheng Linyou, his flesh should be the most delicious."

Zhuang Yue's beautiful eyes shimmered, and then she muttered softly, "I feel like you're more arrogant than anyone!"

Jiang Ning processed everything Li Weiyi had said. The court certainly had many arrangements and contingencies, full of confidence, but it was impossible for them to defeat all the martial artists in the entire city.

Li Weiyi knew that his third option now had a chance of succeeding. The next step depended on Jiang Ning's decision after her deliberation.

After a while, Jiang Ning said, "I have to admit, you might be right. But it's too difficult to implement. Allies with no trust can sometimes be more terrifying than enemies."

Li Weiyi's suspended heart settled, a smile played on his lips. He looked at the provincial governor's robe she was wearing and asked the question he had wanted to ask since getting into the carriage: "How is your cultivation of the Dragon Awakening Art progressing? Can you control the dragon soul power within the provincial governor's robe?"

"How did you know I'm cultivating the Dragon Awakening Art? Did Zuo Qiu Ting tell you? Are you probing my strength for her?" Jiang Ning asked with a smile, her eyes slightly cold.

Li Weiyi protested vehemently, "I just observed that your cultivation seemed to have advanced again, and your aura felt very oppressive, so I asked casually. Can you let me go now? If not, the crowds will get too big!"

Jiang Ning's Seventh Sea Ancestral Field had not yet reached completion in her cultivation; it was still in the expansion and energy accumulation phase, so her cultivation was naturally continuously progressing.

"Honestly, I really don't want to let you out of the carriage! It's a true pity that a talent like you cannot serve the court..." What she really wanted to say in the latter half of the sentence was, 'must be eliminated.'

A sudden idea struck Li Weiyi, and he chuckled, "Fairy Yu, you wouldn't think I can't break your moves, would you? Do you know Yang Qingxi's current reputation? You don't want to follow in her footsteps, do you?"

Jiang Ning's delicate brows furrowed tightly. She really wanted to kick him out of the carriage. She snapped, "I've never seen anyone so eager to die! Since you've chosen to stay, hide yourself well. Don't let yourself be exploited by the Zuoqiu or Ting families and get pushed into the spotlight. Get out!"

"Thank you for letting me go, Fairy Yu."

After Li Weiyi got out of the carriage, the smile quickly vanished from his face, replaced by an extremely solemn expression. What choice the court would make tonight was still unknown; after all, Jiang Ning wasn't the one who held the power to decide.

Li Weiyi walked forward unhurriedly. The street was becoming increasingly crowded, packed with people.

Looking up, at the end of Qiankun Avenue, the brightly lit buildings abruptly vanished, as if reaching the edge of civilization. A majestic ancient mountain, shrouded in clouds and mist, rose from the ground, its slopes steep and its base sprawling into the distance. Cliffs and cascading waterfalls dotted its face. The entire view was filled by this famous ancestral mountain, "Taoli Mountain," its imposing presence overwhelming. Legends said there were mountains within the mountain, connecting to unknown spaces.

On a cliff a thousand meters above the ground, dense magical energy formed clouds, obscuring the mountain peak. As clouds swirled and mist shifted, no one knew what mysterious scene lay beyond them.