"No!!"
The Wise King of the Left's roar reverberated across the immortal heaven, its pitch spiking sharply halfway through.
It was the exact moment his three grotto-heavens—suppressed ruthlessly by Immortal Monarch Yanshi—abruptly collapsed, their cores falling into Yanshi's grasp.
At the same time, a breach tore through Wei Yuan's grotto-heaven, and an enormous beast skeleton shot out like lightning, vanishing in the blink of an eye. Keen-eyed immortals noticed that only the skeleton fled this time; the red-haired woman originally growing from its head was nowhere to be seen.
Within the Splendor of the Many Realms, Wei Yuan remained seated calmly outside the realm-heaven. This time, his face was even larger, so vast that the space between heaven and earth could accommodate only his pair of eyes. Deep and unfathomable, like two turning vortexes, those eyes quietly regarded Hongmo. Floating motionless in midair, Hongmo still wore a carefree expression, yet gravity had crept into her eyes.
Beside Wei Yuan, several other divine senses—some domineering, some uncanny, some faint and elusive—appeared, no longer bothering to conceal themselves. One divine sense even carried an obvious aura of the heavenly fiends, subtly twisting everything that drew near it, including the divine senses of others.
All these divine senses converged on a single point: an illusion, an illusion of paramount importance.
Inside the illusion, Xu Wenwu stood with a dry throat and eyes wide with astonishment, watching the stunning female commander before him suddenly undo two middle buttons of her military uniform. Through the crack left open, there was nothing underneath!
Leaning back against the desk, her voice sweet and sultry, she murmured to Xu Wenwu, "Are you... willing to come with me?"
"Come? W-Where to?" Xu Wenwu found his voice raspy.
"To a beautiful new world, where it's just you and me spending the rest of our days together. We won't fight anymore, and we won't care about the filthy mess of this world. What do you say?"
*Wh-What is this?* Xu Wenwu's heart pounded wildly. *A gorgeous commander falling for a good-for-nothing past fifty like me?*
His mind spun in a daze. He had indeed fantasized countless times about doing this and that to this cold, arrogant female commander who never gave him a second glance, but how had this scenario actually materialized before his eyes? No matter how skilled Xu Wenwu was at dreaming, even he knew this dream could never come true.
Yet dizzy as he was, Xu Wenwu's survival instincts overrode everything. Adhering to the principle of letting the big boss take the benefits first, he blurted out, "No, I'm not going! But you can ask the boss. He'd probably love to go to the new world with you. Our boss is into your exact type!"
The smile froze on Wei Yuan's face.
In an instant, several divine senses locked onto him, sharp as blades. Right now, Wei Yuan felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, standing beside an abyss, walking on thin ice. He wanted to curse, but he couldn't speak up. Cursing would betray guilt, while staying silent meant tacit admission.
Moreover, this illusion was the key to restraining Hongmo. Breaking it now would seem far too deliberate.
Fortunately, Hongmo looked up, looking beyond the illusion to meet Wei Yuan's gaze. She was clearly unwilling to squander a single speck of her divine abilities on Xu Wenwu. In her eyes, although Wei Yuan was formidable, his Dao heart was just as riddled with holes—making him the ideal target.
Hongmo's true spirit streaked forward like lightning, slamming violently toward Wei Yuan with crushing might, intent on utterly delivering him into her fold.
Wei Yuan's spirits lifted. Was someone truly naive enough to contest Dao hearts with him? Did she not know his Dao heart was so vast it could not be swallowed at all?
This was not only a duel of arts, but also the perfect moment to prove his innocence. Wei Yuan's true spirit manifested, executed a decisive pivot, and plunged headfirst into the boundless ocean of human luck!
Arriving at terrifying speed, Hongmo's true spirit crashed violently against the ocean's surface. A layer of the sea of human luck evaporated instantly, while Hongmo was knocked senseless by the impact.
Only then did Wei Yuan's true spirit emerge from the depths. With a cold sneer, he moved to seal Hongmo's true spirit. This Hongmo truly was naive, actually believing Wei Yuan would pit his true spirit and Dao heart against hers. Who didn't know by now that Wei Yuan possessed two supreme divine abilities: an abundance of people, and an abundance of money.
Having thoroughly subdued the Dharma God Hongmo, Wei Yuan felt refreshed. Manifesting within the immortal heaven, he was just about to speak when he noticed that the Wise King of the Left's three grotto-heavens were still held in Yanshi's palm, unrefined.
Wei Yuan paused, puzzled.
Yanshi chuckled and explained, "Fellow Daoist Cui said just now that the human race shares the same roots and must keep the bigger picture in mind. I figured there's some truth to that, so I wasn't in a hurry to refine them. I wanted to see what the Wise King of the Left and Fellow Daoist Cui have to say about this 'bigger picture.'"
Wei Yuan realized at once: Yanshi intended to hold out for a higher price and extort a fortune.
Yet understanding was one thing; Wei Yuan adopted an expression of solemn righteousness, declaring sternly, "Those whose paths diverge cannot make common cause! As a human cultivator and a high minister of the Great Tang, I ought to serve as an exemplar for the myriad people. How could I act like those base scoundrels who collude and conspire with alien races?!"
These words rang out with righteous indignation across the immortal heaven. For a moment, Wei Yuan's face seemed bathed in a glow of justice.
Hearing Wei Yuan say this, Yanshi understood immediately: these grotto-heavens were useful to Wei Yuan.
Not only did Yanshi understand, but the other immortals did as well.
Cui Zhengxing suddenly found himself in an awkward position. When it came to other cultivators' grotto-heavens, there was always an issue of compatibility; in most cases, seizing someone else's grotto-heaven offered little practical use beyond dismantling it for a few materials. That was the premise enabling negotiations in the first place.
If a grotto-heaven were worth ten, paying four to six was usually enough to buy it back after it fell into enemy hands. But now that Wei Yuan found them useful, six would no longer suffice.
Cui Zhengxing glanced toward Duke Yansheng. This young-faced, richly adorned grand scholar of the age spoke: "It is rare for Realm Lord Wei to be so deeply understanding of righteousness. I am truly impressed. However, so long as the Realm Lord can heed the greater good, since we have arrived, we will naturally offer some compensation."
Wei Yuan cursed inwardly. The man meant he would pay, but not much—essentially expecting Wei Yuan to swallow the loss. If he refused to take the loss, he would be branded ignorant of righteousness, negligent of the greater good, and utterly selfish.
Yet Wei Yuan was never one to be led by the nose. He spoke up at once: "Duke Yansheng is the descendant of the Sage, blessed with noble blood and profound family heritage—that goes without saying! I have long admired the Sage. Since Duke Yansheng has spoken, I shall take another step back:
"I will sell this intact grotto-heaven in my hands to Duke Yansheng! I trust that bearing the Sage's blood, Duke Yansheng will surely offer a generous price and never let me suffer a loss."
Duke Yansheng's expression soured for an instant. He had no use for a metal-element grotto-heaven, so why would he buy it? What was more, buying it back would mean returning it to the Wise King of the Left. By Wei Yuan's logic, wasn't Duke Yansheng being made into the sucker who footed the bill?
Duke Yansheng instantly came to despise Wei Yuan.
Seeing that Duke Yansheng did not reply immediately, Wei Yuan pressed on, "Duke Yansheng's noble righteousness—could it be that you wish to offer me even more? Haha, giving too little would hardly match your prestige as the Sage's descendant, wouldn't it? Fret not, you need not worry about making me feel uneasy. No matter how much you offer, I will accept it all and certainly not let your good intentions go to waste!"
Before Duke Yansheng could formulate a response, Wei Yuan followed up, "So, how much do you intend to offer for this grotto-heaven? Immortal resources, Qingyuan, or estates—all are welcome."
Duke Yansheng's expression finally shifted. He said coldly, "Is Realm Lord Wei lecturing me on how to conduct my affairs?"
Wei Yuan froze, seemingly not expecting such an answer. The smile faded from his face, and he said, "What do you mean by that, Duke Yansheng? Do you not wish to buy, or can you simply not afford it? Is plucking a single hair to benefit the world something you won't even consider? You carry the Sage's blood!"
Duke Yansheng's face alternated between green and white as he raged, "Arrogant junior! Yanshi, is this how your Palace of Grand Beginning disciplines its disciples?!"
Wei Yuan wore an innocent expression. "What have I done? I merely wished to sell the grotto-heaven to you. If you don't want to buy it, that's fine—couldn't you just say so? After all, there's nothing in it for you; it only benefits the people of the world. If you're unwilling, we all understand."
Turning back to the Wise King of the Left, Wei Yuan added, "You see, it isn't that I'm unwilling to reconcile. As long as Duke Yansheng purchases the grotto-heaven and returns it to you, won't this matter be settled?"
The Wise King of the Left actually calmed down. Instead of taking the bait, he quietly observed the situation.
Seeing that the Wise King of the Left would not bite, Wei Yuan wasted no more time on him and turned his attention back to Duke Yansheng. "If you truly are unwilling to spend money, that's fine as well. You only need to answer a single question for me. No detailed answer required, just a yes or a no. Surely that won't be an issue?"
Duke Yansheng and Cui Zhengxing exchanged a glance. Cui Zhengxing nodded slowly. With things pushed to this point, Duke Yansheng could not possibly buy the grotto-heaven under any circumstances. This was no longer about right or wrong, but face. To an immortal, face was the Dao heart itself.
Yet Cui Zhengxing had never imagined that the rhetoric he had always used without fail would be hurled straight back at them by Wei Yuan without a single modification.
The question was: how did he dare?
Fortunately, the lad seemed to have realized the dilemma and was seeking to de-escalate. Since it was a simple question, offering a casual answer would give everyone a graceful way out.
Duke Yansheng declared, "In my conduct, I have a clear conscience before heaven and earth, and there is nothing I cannot speak openly to others. Ask your question."
Wei Yuan smiled faintly. "My question is: will you ever collude with the Liao Clan again?"
The next instant, endless radiance erupted from the hand of Duke Yansheng—a man acclaimed for establishing destiny for the living people—as he unleashed the heirloom treasure of his ancestors. Upon Wei Yuan's body, resplendent human luck manifested like an ocean amidst a tempest. The two confronted each other from afar, a clash ready to erupt at the slightest provocation.
Yanshi's expression chilled. "Today, our Palace of Grand Beginning fought a decisive battle against the Liao Clan beyond the heavens. Have the three of you come not to aid the fight, but to ambush us and act as dogs for Northern Liao?"
Cui Zhengxing looked displeased and retorted, "Nonsense! We have no ties whatsoever with the Liao Clan! It is clearly Wei Yuan whose mouth knows no restraint and who disrespects his seniors, which is why Duke Yansheng wished to teach him a lesson—"
Wei Yuan sneered. "What kind of thing are you to address me by my name? Don't rely on your age to put on airs; you only make yourself a laughingstock!"
The old monk finally chanted a Buddhist invocation, saying, "We came only with words of gentle persuasion. Why must Almsgiver be so aggressive? Offending Duke Yansheng out of nothing is hardly worthwhile."
Wei Yuan said coolly, "A day will come when I ascend to immortality. I advise you all to consider carefully: when that day arrives, who was it that offended whom out of nothing?"
Pointing toward Duke Yansheng, he added, "If Duke Yansheng's Dao heart feels obstructed, I am standing right here beyond Qingming. I shall take a strike from you. Come!"
Looking at Wei Yuan standing amidst the ocean of human luck, Duke Yansheng's expression turned exceedingly grim. If a blow landed, there was no telling how much human luck would be shattered; even with the Sub-Sage's heirloom relic in hand, could he truly withstand the backlash?
He was a descendant of the Sage, possessing the utmost nobility of bloodline; suffering the slightest loss against Wei Yuan would be a devastating deficit. Fortunately, Cui Zhengxing intervened in time, saying, "The Great Master speaks truly. We came only to offer gentle advice. Since you refuse to listen, the disasters and foul consequences of the future will naturally be yours to bear. But claiming we came to take advantage of a crisis is nothing short of slander. Hmph. Yanshi, oh Yanshi, you truly no longer possess the bearing of your predecessors from the Palace of Grand Beginning."
With that, Cui Zhengxing let out a heavy huff and swept his sleeve, departing.
With the three immortals gone, Wei Yuan held the last metal-element grotto-heaven and turned to the Wise King of the Left. "Are you buying this or not?"
"Give me three months. In three months, I will come to buy it from you!" With that, the Wise King of the Left hurried off as well. Having suffered grievous wounds, he had lost more than half his strength; staying any longer would risk his very life.
In the blink of an eye, only Yanshi and Wei Yuan remained in the immortal heaven. Wei Yuan rubbed his hands together, refining the final metal-element grotto-heaven on the spot.
Yanshi was taken aback. "You really have a use for it?"
Wei Yuan nodded. "I do!"
Yanshi asked no further, merely warning, "Be careful once you return. Those fellows won't let this rest."
Wei Yuan replied coldly, "That is precisely what I was going to say."
A moment later, Wei Yuan returned to the immortal city and immediately entered the Splendor of the Many Realms. Gathering all the magnates of the Qingming Development Bureau, he opened with a question: "Let me ask you all a small question: how do you bring down a nation?"
None of the magnates expected such a ferocious question right off the bat. Fortunately, all of them possessed great talent and quick wits, stepping forward one by one to voice their insights.
Yet after listening to a few remarks, Wei Yuan grew impatient. "All cliches! Let me ask you: 'a court filled with upright men'—fine, but what comes next? Is there no sequel? Are the 'upright men' merely upright? Can't they accomplish anything?"
One magnate asked cautiously, "Drown the sovereign father in a lake?"
Chapter 1288