Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1231 Please present
"I don't know how much time we have left."

Liu Changdie gazed at the lingering wind and rain on the horizon, stroked his beard, and nodded. Li Jiangqian, however, did not hesitate much and said:
"It could happen in the blink of an eye."

In Li Jiangqian's view, allowing the situation in Qingji to become turbulent was essentially a veiled attack on his father. He wanted to test his father's condition and perhaps even take advantage of his father's still-unrecovered injuries to prolong the time.

"Whether one stands in the North or the South, no one will mind this test. Therefore, the sooner the better. It's not something I can deter by establishing a presence in the desert and accumulating strength."

'But even now, managing Wangyue Lake will still require some effort from them!'

He suppressed the thought, smiled, led Liu Changdie to the side, and whispered:
"Senior, please take a look at this!"

Then he opened the jade box in his palm, and it shimmered with light, revealing the gold piece lying there!
Li Jiangqian didn't find anything extraordinary about this thing, but Liu Changdie, a 'Kujin' cultivator, instantly changed his expression. His usually calm and smiling eyes revealed an unusual intensity and excitement as he whispered:
"Where...where did this come from?!"

Li Jiangqian's smile remained unchanged as he said:
"I knew you'd like it, senior!"

He beat around the bush and didn't answer the question, but Liu Changdie, caught up in surprise and excitement, didn't notice and exclaimed in shock:
"This isn't about liking or disliking; this is the 'Treasury Gold' spiritual treasure... an immense benefit!"

The shock in Liu Changdie's heart was indescribable—he was considered a person with both good fortune and luck. Over the years, he had traveled all over the country and traveled the world, but he had not seen a single spiritual artifact, let alone a treasure! The spiritual embryo in his hand that best conformed to the Daoist tradition was even snatched from the cave by Li Zhouwei, and he treasured it like a precious gem.

But now he's being told there's a treasure trove of spiritual gold!
"I don't know the name of this thing?!"

Li Jiangqian smiled and said:
"But it has a strange name: [Mysterious Treasury Request Letter]."

Liu Changdie's gaze was somewhat entranced as he softly said:
"Not surprising..."

"'Kujin' refers to stored gold, found in mines and hidden in gold deposits. Ancient cultivators used certificates and oaths as evidence of 'Kujin,' and using a certificate of request as the body of a spiritual artifact is most suitable."

"There's actually such a saying..."

Li Jiangqian nodded with a smile.

Liu Changdie couldn't look away and said:

"I have heard of this type of spiritual treasure. In order to meet the characteristics of 'treasury gold,' the people who create it often use great magic power and supernatural abilities to hide it deep inside the spiritual treasure. It is called various kinds of treasuries because it often implies that people ask for help to take it for their descendants to use. Hence the name!"

"only…"

His gaze burned with intensity, clearly sensing that the magical treasure in his hands was now ownerless, and he held it with such care he feared dropping it. He whispered:
"Your Highness, this is..."

Li Jiangqian had already made up his mind.

'Grand Uncle and this senior already had an extremely close relationship. When the new grand formation was created, this senior did everything in his power, without holding back a single bit… Old favors and new kindnesses were unavoidable.'

'Since the Dragon Clan is compensating Liu Changdie for the 'Treasury Gold' treasure they chose, it's difficult for my family to keep this magical treasure to ourselves. It wouldn't be appropriate for anyone other than this Senior Liu to have it!'

For various reasons, he was already considering giving up this item, and he didn't just take it out for the current big battle!
He understood that giving favors in this way shouldn't be done without much hesitation, and even though he felt a pang of heartache, he still smiled and said warmly:

"My family just got this too, and it immediately reminded me of you, senior!"

To his surprise, Liu Changdie stroked his beard, seemingly calming his excitement, and said in a deep voice:

"Your Highness need not say more. It is already a great fortune in my life that I can hold this item and experience even a little bit of it. How could I covet the spiritual treasure on the lake? This spiritual treasure will be handed over to me in this battle. I will surely use its wondrous power to protect the peace of the lake!"

Li Jiangqian took it as a polite gesture. After all, who could remain unmoved by a spiritual treasure from the same lineage? Especially one whose path was cut off, where not even a single spiritual artifact could be found in the present world!
'If it were anyone else, they'd be terrified I'd change my mind, and might even run away in the chaos of battle! Only this senior... I dare to trust him...'

He said seriously:

"Since you treat me as your own junior, how can you say such things? It makes it sound like you're the kind of person who only retrieved this thing when disaster struck. That's really inappropriate!"

That's the truth. Li Jiangqian had only had the item for less than an hour, and without even glancing at it carefully, he immediately handed it over. Liu Changdie was speechless after hearing this. Li Jiangqian continued:
"If you insist on returning it, then please ask your great-uncle!"

Liu Changdie was about to speak again when he saw the solemn expression on the face of the younger man before him:
"The most urgent task is to quickly familiarize ourselves with the spiritual treasure!"

Liu Changdie then snapped out of his intense joy and excitement, realizing that a great battle awaited him. He nodded deeply, and without hesitation, grabbed the magical treasure and headed into the great formation. As he felt his supernatural powers continuously connecting with the magical treasure, a profound sense of absurdity arose within him, alongside his overwhelming joy.
'How laughable… I haven't seen a single spiritual resource in over a hundred years, and now, just because I had the idea, and on my first visit to Jiangnan, this spiritual treasure has already been delivered to my hands! No wonder… no wonder these True Immortals would rather fight tooth and nail in the domestic seas than go out to the outer seas to claim territory and become kings…'

'This world... is ultimately a world on the chessboard! Outside the chessboard... it's just about surviving!'

……

As dusk fell, crows cried in the night, and a cold wind swept through the mountains and forests. The faint sounds of clashing weapons could be heard, and a man stepped out from the void.

This person was extremely tall and had an elegant appearance, but his lips were filled with blood. After only a few dozen steps, he coughed up blood, which turned into dust-like jade powder in mid-air, exuding a chilling aura.

'Wei Xuan's supernatural abilities have improved again... Even though he hasn't mastered the last supernatural ability yet, its power far surpasses that of the previous ones...'

This person was none other than Wu Rong, the Great Master of Western Shu.

The great master flew for a while, but could not bear it any longer. He bent down again and coughed violently. After more than ten breaths, he coughed up a cloud of white mist, which hovered in the air for a while before falling out as a living creature.

This thing resembled a mouse but wasn't quite one; it was only about the size of two fingers. It squeaked and tried to run away, but the great master didn't even glance at it. He raised his boot and stomped on it until it burst. He let out a long breath, only then feeling the icy chill in his lungs lessen considerably.

'This is indeed the "Jueyin" method of the Guan Hua Dao lineage; its supernatural power... is truly not to be underestimated.'

When Wu Qian was young, he traveled all over the world. He actually had a friend who observed the power of magic. Now that this supernatural power had struck him, he realized how powerful it was. He simply wiped the blood away with the back of his hand, his eyes filled with helplessness and suppressed gloom.

'How could they lose so badly!'

Looking up, the palaces below the mountain were gradually coming into view.

The royal court of Western Shu was located at the foot of Changhuai Mountain. Compared with the magnificent and grand Simin County, this royal court appeared solemn, cold, and silent, without even a single fire. Only the armor of the soldiers gleamed coldly under the moonlight.

Wu Qian lowered his head and descended, just in time to see a person sitting in front of the palace. The person's complexion was relatively good, but their body was covered in golden wounds. They were holding a pot of female water and pouring it onto their wounds. Upon seeing him, they quickly said:

"Great Master!"

Wu Rong's attitude towards him was much better, but the disbelief in his eyes was hard to hide, and he said with anger:
"King Quyang, how could you have suffered such a crushing defeat!"

This person was none other than Qu Yang Wang Shangguan Mi. Upon hearing this, he stood up, looked around, and said thoughtfully:

"At least 20% of this great defeat can be blamed on Shen Sou Zhenren... He was unaware of Jiang Yan's movements, which led to the ambush in the north. He was just urgently summoned back and has already entered the palace to meet the emperor."

"Five points is...that Jiang Yan..."

“It’s really amazing!”

His eyes were filled with solemnity as he said in a low voice:

"He used his supernatural powers to storm into the battlefield. I saw him once... He was truly like a god descending to earth. He smashed half of Master Wang's cheek with a single punch... This guy is a ferocious demon. With the great masters not around, who can subdue him?"

After saying this, he refused to say the remaining three points, but Wu Rong understood that the master's subtext was that Qingji had failed in his duty of dispatch!

Wu Zong could only shake his head and sigh:
'Without my intervention, they would have been utterly defeated long ago. I never imagined that after surviving the most difficult hurdle, they would be beaten to this state by a mere hundred-year-old...'

These words could not be spoken, and not only could they not be spoken, but Qing Jifang would never admit that it was his fault, given his personality. Jiang Yan was an enemy general, and revenge would not be something that could be done in a short time. In the end, the blame would fall entirely on Shen Sou.

'But if Jiang Yan really used some kind of treasure, how could someone at the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm see it clearly from across the mountains?'

Wu Qian coldly shook his head, then another question arose, and he said:
"In that case, whether you're healing your wounds or guarding a certain prefecture, what are you still doing here?"

Shangguan Mi shook his head bitterly and said:

"Waiting for fellow Daoists... We must depart immediately for Wangyue Lake."

"Wangyue Lake?"

Wu Qian was speechless for a moment.

He knew that Qingji had this plan, and even knew that he would most likely attack the east after returning to his army. But he did not expect to suffer such a great defeat. This guy still did not give up his idea and refused to rest for a moment. He wanted to immediately launch an attack on the Song Dynasty!

After a brief moment of shock, Wu Xun felt only a chill in his heart. He looked up at Shangguan Mi, whose eyes held only bitterness.

Wu Qian paused for a good dozen breaths before finally saying:
"Who else wants to fight?"

Shangguan Mi shook his head.

Nobody wants to fight.

Having suffered a recent defeat in the north, he continued his journey towards the Song Dynasty, wounded and vulnerable. Who knew if he would be ambushed?
'Besides the Sun family…'

Among the powerful families of Western Shu, the most proactive in facing the Song Dynasty was undoubtedly the Sun family. After all, they were sworn enemies with the Chen family, and they could take advantage of the prevailing trend of the world to suppress their enemies. The injuries suffered by Master Sun were no less severe than those suffered by Wu Qian, and Qingji would push all the blame onto Shen Sou. The Sun family was in a precarious situation and probably had the idea of ​​redeeming themselves through meritorious service.

Wu Rong sighed softly and said:

"Let him do whatever he wants. If he asks me, just say I went back to heal my wounds."

Shangguan Mi hesitated for a long time before finally nodding and watching him leave. A moment later, rapid footsteps sounded, and several figures stepped out of the hall.

The leader was still Qing Jifang.

However, this man's face no longer showed the confidence and ambition he had when he attacked Longdi in the north. Instead, it was filled with gloom and hidden anger, and his aura was also unpredictable, seemingly vigorous but somewhat fluctuating.

This direct descendant of the Golden Core cultivator was clearly in a bad mood, so Shangguan Mi dared not be negligent and quickly bowed, listening to the other party coldly say:

"Where is the Great Master Wu Gong?"

Shangguan Mi lowered his brows:
"The Grand Master's injuries are quite severe; he has already returned to recuperate..."

Unexpectedly, the person in front of him remained silent for a while and did not get angry.

In this great battle, Wu Rong was the only one who could claim to be worthy of the Qing clan. If it weren't for him holding back the Xiangxiong Kingdom from the rear, Qingji would have been attacked from both sides long ago. If they had been defeated, it would have been far more serious than just being ambushed!
Shangguan Mi's heart stirred inwardly:
'This can actually be considered a merit, even though Qingji Fangchang is extremely stingy with rewards and harsh in punishing wrongdoing, and wouldn't mention any rewards, it's not appropriate to say much about it.'

Sure enough, the person in front of him remained silent for a while, then stopped mentioning it and said:

"Any news from Wangyue Lake?"

These words sent chills down the spines of everyone present. After several breaths, Shen Sou, who was in charge of the matter, finally stepped forward and whispered:

"I was ordered to be on guard. When I saw that the sky was full of little sunlight, it must have been that the great formation had been completed. However, I didn't have time to ask for details and rushed to support the north."

"It's completed?"

These words were like a bolt from the blue. Qingji, enraged, laughed coldly and said:
"You mean I only fought one battle, and in less than three years, the Li family's grand formation was completed? What, did Zi Pei come back to life and set up the formation for him?"

But the real people in front of him could not give him an answer.

In fact, in Qingji's estimation, whether the formation on the desert was completed or not was not an important matter. Even if the formation was completed, it would not be a matter of sending out a few more real people. Therefore, even though he knew that the formation on the lake was being built in full swing, he still did not care.

Even he himself did not expect that this battle would end in such a crushing defeat.

'If Wu Suan refuses to come, we can only leave him to guard the north... If all the True Immortals from Jianghuai were to come to our aid, we might not be able to dismantle this great formation...'

His eyes betrayed more annoyance than anything else, but his tone remained calm as he said indifferently:

"Shen Sou, take Prince Fu'en to meet up with Li Muyan and hold off the Song court's reinforcements."

He glanced at it coldly and said:
"If you can hold out, I'll consider this a meritorious service you've performed to atone for your crimes."

"Yes!"

Shen Sou's somewhat gaunt face was full of respect, but his hand holding the magic weapon was clenched tightly. He rode the wind and hurriedly headed south, while Qing Jifang's expression was cold and he slowly turned his head.

"Three early-stage Purple Mansion cultivators are enough to handle Li Ximing and Li Jiangqian. Sending a few more Purple Mansion cultivators from other aristocratic families should be enough to delay Jianghuai's reinforcements. Plus, with this Grand Master from the Sun family and my personal intervention..."

He whispered:

"The rest of you, come with me to the desert."

Shangguan Mi and the others could only rise with the wind, each one lowering their heads and remaining silent. This True Man looked to the east with some confusion, his heart filled with doubt.

'I see he's just driven by anger again, going to have a fierce battle, only to return both sides severely injured. What is he doing... insisting on this fight? What good will it do him...? Qing family... is there really no one who can persuade him?'

His gaze was deep and sweeping over the cultivators before finally settling on the inconspicuous gray-blue-robed figure standing in the corner.

Guanlan Zhenren, Qingzhuo.

This Guanlan Zhenren was also a direct descendant of the Qing clan. Compared with Qing Jifang, who was completely different from ordinary people, Qing Zhuo's methods and temperament were far superior, but he never took charge of important matters and only assisted from the side.

'Guanlan is far more suitable than Qingji to manage the important affairs of Western Shu… Can't the people on the mountain see that? Must this playboy, who has indulged in pleasure for hundreds of years, be in charge of these important matters, acting recklessly according to his whims?'

His gaze paused only slightly before the man turned around, smiled, and nodded at him. For some reason, Shangguan Mi felt a chill run down his spine and awkwardly smiled as he looked away.

He silently traversed the void, his mind heavy with thoughts. After an unknown amount of time, a single idea finally surfaced:
'Changhuai, do you truly consider the fate of Western Shu as your own...?'