allendalepharm Page 255
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Even top experts in the Shattered Realm cannot escape its control.
Yelü Chucai spoke at this moment:
"Your Highness is absolutely right! However, our current focus is all on the Mingwang Temple matter."
"We previously abducted three thousand exceptionally talented children from several great dynasties, including the Han and Sui. Padmasambhava and his companions will soon return."
Temujin finally showed some satisfaction with Yelü Chucai.
"So, regarding the Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon..."
Yelü Chucai was somewhat relieved and immediately consulted Temujin.
"Zhamukha, this matter is entrusted to you!"
After a moment's thought, Temujin decided to try to seize the Azure Dragon's Seven Mansions.
Since joining the "Thirteen Wings", Jamukha has not yet clashed with any other masters of the same level.
In this battle for the Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon, we will surely encounter formidable enemies.
The Great Tang Dynasty, Daming Palace.
"This Ximen Yu is really that extraordinary?"
As Wu Zetian perused the descriptions on the Heavenly Hundred Flowers List, a strange feeling stirred within her.
Li Taibai, the leader of the Five Dragons, took Lu Linxuan as his disciple, but it turned out to be an opportunity to curry favor with Ximen Yu.
"His Majesty……"
Seeing the Empress's unusual expression, Shangguan Wan'er said helplessly:
"If Ximen Yu is lustful, that would be easy to deal with."
"Our Great Tang Dynasty has many beauties. Why not select a few exceptional ones and present them to the Azure Dragon Society, along with the Unwavering Devotion Pill..."
Before she could finish speaking, Wu Zetian interrupted her, saying:
"Wan'er, think about it, even the 'Thunderfire Bomb' that can injure a Shattered Realm cultivator can't do anything to Ximen Yu."
"How can we allow a mere 'Unwavering Devotion Pill' to become Lin Shiyin's puppet?"
"Your Majesty is wise..."
After news of the Battle of Qilian Mountain spread, Shangguan Wan'er also lost faith in this elixir.
It may be able to bewitch men in the world, but it certainly doesn't include Ximen Yu.
"Then why not plant a few people here so we can gather intelligence on the Azure Dragon Society's movements in the future..."
"This may not be feasible; let's abandon this plan!"
Wu Zetian looked slightly tired and said in a low voice:
"Let's wait until we've both made it onto the Heavenly Hundred Flowers Ranking, and then we'll wait for Li Canghai to come and discuss it."
Li Canghai would surely send any of the most beautiful women on the Heavenly Path Hundred Flowers List to the Azure Dragon Peak if he had the time.
People didn't understand its meaning at first, but now they finally get it.
The legendary Ximen Yu, the number one martial arts master who was said to have intimidated the entire land, was actually labeled as a lecherous man.
If Ximen Yu, far away in the Sword Realm, knew that the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers Ranking was "slandering" him in this way,
He would probably be so enraged that he would smash the list to pieces with a single sword strike.
However, when Wu Zetian's words reached Shangguan Wan'er's ears, they sounded particularly jarring.
What has been wrong with Her Majesty the Queen lately?
Why is he completely devoid of his former ambition, and instead unusually enthusiastic about the Azure Dragon Peak?
Shangguan Wan'er suddenly recalled the secret report from a few days ago:
"Your Majesty, Lord Di recently sent word from the northern border that something strange has happened in the Guobei Town area."
"Oh? What's the strange thing?" Wu Zetian asked languidly.
"It is said that there is a deep mountain near Guobei Town, and a Lanruo Temple is hidden in the mountain."
"There was a long-standing rumor in the temple that it was harboring the wanted criminal Liu Ruofei, so the governor of Youzhou posted a reward notice for his capture."
"Strangely, all the martial arts masters who went to capture them, even those at the terrestrial immortal realm, never returned."
Shangguan Wan'er recounted the contents of the case file in detail.
Wu Zetian said calmly, "In that case, send a royal official to investigate."
"Why should the imperial court be alarmed by a mere wanted criminal?"
What the mortal immortals cannot solve should be no problem for the royal family's servants.
Why did Di Renjie specifically report such a trivial matter? And why did Shangguan Wan'er bring it up at this moment?
"Your Majesty, the most puzzling thing is that Liu Ruofei is wanted by the Azure Dragon Society with a bounty on his head!"
Shangguan Wan'er unfolded the file and read aloud the contents of the Qinglong Society's bounty:
The lowest rank is entry into the Azure Dragon Society, while the highest rank is ascending to the Azure Dragon Peak to receive rewards.
Wu Zetian, who had been feeling listless, suddenly straightened up:
"Ridiculous! When has the Azure Dragon Society ever publicly offered a bounty?"
The Azure Dragon Society, always shrouded in mystery, operates in secrecy, and its missions are only communicated to its internal members.
Chapter 200 Bounty
This public reward offer is truly unprecedented.
"What's even stranger is that more than half of that mountain has now collapsed."
"Grand Secretary Di sent Li Yuanfang with the Thousand Bull Guards to investigate, but they got lost in a maze."
"Although the people could see Lanruo Temple in the distance, they could not get close and could only wander in the forest."
"Grand Secretary Di believed that this matter was extraordinary, so he requested the court to make a decision."
After Shangguan Wan'er finished her report, a flame of inquiry ignited in Wu Zetian's eyes.
The Azure Dragon Society issued a bounty, but the location of the bounty suddenly collapsed, and a mysterious formation prevented outsiders from getting close.
Upon learning of the connection to the Azure Dragon Society, Wu Zetian immediately became interested and ordered: "Imperial Advisor Yuan Shoucheng is to personally go and investigate."
Yuan Shoucheng is not only highly skilled in cultivation and proficient in fortune-telling, but also adept at the arts of the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams. The maze on the mountain can trap the experts of the Thousand Bull Guards, but it may not be able to stop him.
"Your Majesty!" Yuan Shoucheng hurriedly stepped into the main hall.
Wu Zetian was slightly surprised; she had just been preparing to send him north, yet he had already come of his own accord. "What is it?"
Yuan Shoucheng's expression was solemn. He glanced at Shangguan Wan'er and said in a deep voice, "Is His Majesty aware of the matter of Guo Bei Town in Youzhou?"
"Oh? You also know about Guo Bei Town?" Wu Zetian raised an eyebrow slightly.
Privy Council intelligence was traditionally managed by Shangguan Wan'er and Di Renjie, while Yuan Shoucheng was in charge of the Imperial Observatory, specializing in divination and celestial secrets. How could he have learned of this so quickly without calculation?
As expected, Yuan Shoucheng explained, "Yesterday, the seismograph malfunctioned. I used it to divinate the heavenly secrets and discovered that there was a change in Guo Beizhen. After reviewing the secret files and divining again, I found that it involved a major event."
"What is it?" Wu Zetian and Shangguan Wan'er asked at the same time.
Yuan Shoucheng slowly said, "North of Guobei Town, there is a barren mountain, and in the mountain is a Lanruo Temple. Before the founding of the Tang Dynasty, this place was occupied by the demonic force 'Yinyue Dynasty'."
"This force has produced six generations of demon lords, its power shaking the demonic path. Those who submit prosper, and those who resist perish."
"Later, the reclusive sect 'Xuanxin Zhengzong' sealed it with a secret method."
Empress Wu Zetian was astonished upon hearing this. The Tang Dynasty had existed for hundreds of years, yet there were no records of such a thing? How could a demonic force establish an imperial dynasty?
"Why was such a powerful force sealed away?" she pressed.
Yuan Shoucheng replied, "'Yinyue Dynasty' is located in one of the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens. 'Xuanxin Orthodox Sect' sealed it with an ancient array, isolating it from the world."
It turns out, yet another hidden paradise has appeared in the world!
There has always been only one secret paradise within the territory of the Tang Dynasty.
That was the royal family's exclusive cultivation ground, where the royal guards and powerful members of the royal family cultivated in seclusion year-round.
Wu Zetian always believed that there could not possibly be a second grotto-heaven within the territory of the Tang Dynasty.
Who could have imagined that such a remote place as Youzhou would hide an unknown paradise?
"So, perhaps there's more to the story behind the Azure Dragon Society's bounty?"
Although Shangguan Wan'er was quite interested in the blessed lands and the Yin Yue Dynasty, the movements of the Azure Dragon Society were more worthy of her vigilance.
"Indeed. Given the Azure Dragon Society's modus operandi, if Liu Ruofei truly stole their treasure, and the Yin Moon Dynasty happens to be a hidden paradise..."
"They will not remain idle; they will certainly launch a full-scale attack to seize and plunder."
Wu Zetian agreed with Shangguan Wan'er's speculation.
Throughout history, since the appearance of the Temple of War God, the Azure Dragon Society has never been absent whenever a new grotto-heaven has emerged.
"Should we take over this hidden paradise?"
Shangguan Wan'er asked for instructions.
Judging from Yuan Shoucheng's description, the Yinyue Dynasty was by no means a benevolent force.
The grotto is wonderful, but only if one can subdue the Yin Moon Dynasty.
"In my humble opinion, the most urgent task is to contact the Xuanxin Sect and ascertain the true nature of the Yinyue Dynasty."
Yuan Shoucheng suggested.
Wu Zetian pondered for a moment, then nodded and said:
"The Imperial Advisor is absolutely right. The strength of the Yin Yue Dynasty is still unknown; only by knowing ourselves and our enemy can we remain invincible."
"Wan'er, order Di Qing to seal off all news from Guo Bei Town; it must not be leaked."
"At the same time, we sent people to secretly investigate the whereabouts of the Xuanxin Zhengzong sect."
"Since they were the main force that sealed the Yin Yue Dynasty back then, their understanding of this grotto-heaven must be the most detailed."
"Your Majesty is wise!"
Shangguan Wan'er and Yuan Shoucheng bowed in unison to accept the order.
Dongjun Yanfei is the second most important figure in the Yin-Yang School of the Great Qin Dynasty, second only to Donghuang Taiyi.
Many years ago, she was sealed on the Mirage Tower by Donghuang Taiyi and the Moon Goddess for some reason.
Not long ago, she somehow managed to break free from her constraints.
After escaping her predicament, she discovered that the world order had changed.
Three great dynasties stood in a tripartite balance, and Yunzhou rose to prominence.
The five great dynasties—Han, Sui, Ming, and others—all submitted to the Azure Dragon Society.
She devised a plan to escape the control of the Yin-Yang School, and the only way was to join the Azure Dragon Society.
Since the Han Dynasty was closest to the Qin Dynasty, she hurried towards the border of the Han Dynasty.
Just as she was about to step into the territory of the Han Dynasty, Donghuang Taiyi led the elite of the Yin-Yang School to intercept her.
On the desolate plains, Donghuang Taiyi used the Yin-Yang secret technique to distort the entire space.
Donghuang Taiyi used his astrological skills to obscure the aura of heaven and earth.
Unless one's cultivation level is higher than his, no one can detect the unusual activity here.
As the thirty-eighth strongest person on the Heavenly Dao Golden List, Donghuang Taiyi was originally at the peak of the Heavenly Human realm.
Recently, Ying Zheng felt deeply threatened by the Azure Dragon Society and did not hesitate to use the Great Qin's secret treasures to help him break through.
He has now entered the early stage of the Supreme Myth Realm!
In addition, he is proficient in Yin-Yang arts and fortune telling. If the Heavenly Ranking were to be re-established, he would surely be among the top thirty!
"Yanfei! Why are you wandering around instead of guarding the Mirage Tower?"
Donghuang Taiyi stood beneath the black robe, his voice unreadable.