From the fake emperor to the concubine

“I’m still considering it,” Wang Tianhai said.

"Still considering?" Lu Tianming sneered. "Wang Tianhai, are you testing the Lu family's patience?"

“I dare not,” Wang Tianhai said. “However, submitting to the Lu family is a major matter, and I need to consider it carefully.”

"Careful?" Lu Tianming's face darkened. "I gave you a month and a half, and you still haven't thought it through? Are you toying with the Lu family?"

“I dare not mock the Lu family,” Wang Tianhai said. “However, Elder Lu has not yet given me a clear answer regarding the conditions I proposed earlier. If the Lu family can accept my conditions, I am willing to submit.”

"Conditions?" Lu Tianming scoffed. "Do you think you're qualified to negotiate with the Lu family?"

"All I want is a fair partnership," Wang Tianhai said.

"Fairness?" Lu Tianming laughed loudly. "Wang Tianhai, look at this small town behind you, and then look at the men behind me. What right do you have to talk about fairness with the Lu family?"

With a wave of his hand, the guards behind him drew their weapons, looking menacing.

The city guards on the city wall also tensed up, drawing their bows and aiming them at the Lu family below.

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

"Elder Lu, are you going to launch a full-scale attack?" Wang Tianhai asked in a deep voice.

"A direct assault?" Lu Tianming sneered. "If you don't submit, the Lu family doesn't mind resolving the issue by force."

"Elder Lu, are you sure you want to do this?" Wang Tianhai asked. "Although Qingyun City is just a small border town, it's not so easy to take. Even if the Lu family manages to conquer Qingyun City, it will come at a considerable cost."

"The price?" Lu Tianming said dismissively, "What price could your small town possibly impose on the Lu family?"

"Elder Lu might as well give it a try," Wang Tianhai said.

Lu Tianming squinted, surveying the situation on the city wall.

He noticed that the city wall had been newly repaired, and the guards on it were very vigilant. There were also some arrays set up on the wall, emitting a faint glow.

"It seems you haven't been idle lately," he said. "The city walls have been fortified, the city guards have been trained, and battle formations have been set up. Did you also hire some experts to help?"

Wang Tianhai remained silent.

Lu Tianming's gaze swept over the crowd on the city wall, finally landing on Zheng Yi.

Today, Zheng Yi made no disguise, using the identity of "Dark Night," dressed in a black robe with a thin veil covering his face, making him mysterious and unpredictable.

"Are you Dark Night?" Lu Tianming asked.

“Exactly.” Zheng Yi nodded.

"I heard you're quite formidable, having defeated an elder of the Han family?"

"It was just luck," Zheng Yi said calmly.

"Just a fluke?" Lu Tianming sneered. "I'd like to see just how lucky you are."

The spiritual energy within him began to surge, and a powerful aura erupted from him.

The oppressive aura of the late-stage Mahayana realm was like a giant mountain pressing down on the city wall.

The city guards on the city wall immediately changed their expressions. Many of them could not withstand the pressure, their legs went weak, and they almost knelt down.

But Zheng Yi stood on the city wall, unmoved.

He also unleashed an aura, the pressure of a late-stage Mahayana realm cultivator like a giant dragon awakening, clashing with Lu Tianming's aura.

The two forces collided in mid-air, producing a buzzing sound. The surrounding air began to vibrate, as if it were about to be torn apart.

"Not bad, you do have some skill." Lu Tianming withdrew his aura, his expression becoming serious.

He originally thought that Dark Night was just an unknown nobody, but he didn't expect him to have the strength of the late stage of the Mahayana Realm. Moreover, he seemed to have a very solid foundation, not the kind of person who improved by pills.

"Elder Lu, do you still think Qingyun City is easy to conquer?" Zheng Yi asked calmly.

Lu Tianming fell silent.

He had indeed underestimated Qingyun City. The Dark Night warrior that Wang Tianhai had invited was not to be underestimated. If they launched a direct attack, although the Lu family could take Qingyun City, they would also have to pay a considerable price.

“Wang Tianhai,” he began, “I’ll give you three more days. If you still can’t make a decision after three days, the Lu family won’t be so polite.”

After saying that, he turned and left.

Lu Xuanfeng and Lu Yunfei exchanged a glance and followed.

The group of people left in a grand procession and soon disappeared at the end of the official road.

On the city wall, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"That scared me to death!" Tieshan patted his chest. "That aura just now was terrifying; I almost thought a fight was about to break out."

"Lu Tianming has retreated," Wang Tianhai murmured, gazing into the distance. "He actually retreated."

“He didn’t retreat, he just temporarily withdrew,” Zheng Yi said. “He just tested my strength and found that I’m not so easy to deal with, so he chose to temporarily retreat and reassess the situation.”

"What about three days from now?" Wang Tianhai asked. "Will he really launch a full-scale attack three days from now?"

“It’s hard to say,” Zheng Yi said, “but we need to prepare for the worst.”

He turned to Wang Tianhai, "Master Wang, you must intensify preparations these next few days. Strengthen the city's defenses, boost morale, and prepare for battle. If the Lu family really attacks, we will fight them to the bitter end."

“Alright.” Wang Tianhai nodded, a determined glint in his eyes. “I understand.”

A muffled rumble of thunder echoed in the sky, and the dark clouds grew thicker and thicker.

A storm is coming.

The three-day deadline passed in the blink of an eye, but the Lu family did not launch their attack as promised.

Lu Tianming led his men back to their camp fifty miles away, seemingly waiting for something. The scouts sent by Fengling reported that Lu's men remained stationed there, making no further moves, but showing no signs of leaving either.

"What is the Lu family waiting for?" Wang Tianhai asked, puzzled.

"Perhaps they're waiting for reinforcements, or perhaps they're waiting for the right opportunity," Zheng Yi said. "In any case, the fact that they haven't attacked immediately is a good thing for us."

“But this stalemate can’t continue,” Wang Tianhai said worriedly. “The Lu family’s forces are stationed outside the city, posing a huge threat to Qingyun City. The people in the city are living in fear, and trade has been affected.”

Zheng Yi nodded; he understood Wang Tianhai's concerns.

Although the Lu family did not launch an attack, their very presence was a source of pressure. As long as they were there, Qingyun City would never be at peace.

“I have an idea,” Zheng Yi said.

"Sir, please speak."

"The Lu family covets Qingyun City because it's the gateway to the Eastern Wilderness," Zheng Yi said. "They want to control Qingyun City in order to develop the resources of the Eastern Wilderness."

“I know that,” Wang Tianhai nodded. “What if we enter the Eastern Wilderness first and acquire its resources?” Zheng Yi asked.

"Enter the Eastern Wilderness first?" Wang Tianhai was taken aback. "Does the master mean..."

"Although the Eastern Wilderness is dangerous, it also contains a wealth of treasures and resources," Zheng Yi said. "If we can obtain some rare materials and demon beast cores from the Eastern Wilderness, we can use them to enhance our strength and strengthen our city's defenses. At the same time, we can also take this opportunity to train our team and increase our combat experience."

After listening, Wang Tianhai fell into deep thought.

“What you say makes sense,” he said, “but the Eastern Wilderness is too dangerous. It’s said that nine out of ten people who go in never come out. Are you really going to take that risk?”

“There are dangers, but they’re not insurmountable,” Zheng Yi said. “I plan to take my men with me. We’re quite strong, and as long as we’re careful, there shouldn’t be any major problems.”

"How many people are you taking, sir?"

"I have about seven or eight men under my command in Tianyuan City, plus Tieshan and Fengling here," Zheng Yi said. "Senior Qingsong is getting on in years, so we won't take him. He can stay in Qingyun City to continue setting up the formation."

"What about the city's defenses?" Wang Tianhai asked worriedly. "If the magistrate leaves with his men, what if the Lu family takes the opportunity to attack?"

“No,” Zheng Yi said. “The Lu family is also observing the situation and won’t act rashly. Besides, we won’t be in the Eastern Wilderness for long; we’ll be back in ten days to two weeks at most.”

"Furthermore, Qingyun City's defenses have been greatly strengthened. With the protective array and Senior Qingsong overseeing the city, even if the Lu family attacks, it can hold out for a while."

Wang Tianhai thought about it for a moment, and finally nodded.

“Alright, we will do as you say, sir,” he said. “However, you must be careful, sir. The Eastern Wilderness is extremely dangerous; please do not take any great risks.”

“I know,” Zheng Yi nodded.

He turned and walked out of the council hall to discuss the matter with Tieshan and Fengling.

When Tieshan heard that they were going to explore the Eastern Wilderness, he immediately perked up.

"Go to the Eastern Wilderness? Great!" He patted his chest excitedly. "I, Tieshan, have long wanted to go to the Eastern Wilderness. I've heard there are many powerful demonic beasts there, which will be a good opportunity for me to stretch my muscles."

"Brother Tieshan, the Eastern Wilderness is no joke," Fengling said coldly. "It's teeming with monsters and fraught with danger; a single misstep can cost you your life."

"What's there to be afraid of? With Boss Dark Night here, what's there to fear from those monsters?" Tie Shan said dismissively.

“Tieshan is right,” Zheng Yi said. “Although the Eastern Wilderness is dangerous, our strength is not weak. As long as we are careful, we should be able to handle it.”

"When shall we set off?" Tieshan asked impatiently.

"Tomorrow morning," Zheng Yi said, "today we'll make some preparations, gather intelligence about the Eastern Wilderness, and prepare some necessary supplies."

“Okay!” Tieshan replied excitedly.

Zheng Yi then sent someone to Tianyuan City to have Zheng Bowen bring Su Wanqing, Xiao Tianxing, and others to Qingyun City to meet him.

The following evening, Zheng Bowen and his group arrived in Qingyun City.

"Master, what brings you here?" Zheng Bowen asked.

"I plan to explore the Eastern Wilderness," Zheng Yi said. "Would you like to come with me?"

"Eastern Wilderness?" Everyone was stunned.

“That’s right.” Zheng Yi nodded. “Although the Eastern Wilderness is dangerous, it also contains a wealth of treasures and resources. We can take this opportunity to train ourselves and improve our strength.”

“Wherever the patriarch goes, we will follow,” Zheng Bowen said without hesitation.

“Yes, if the patriarch goes to the Eastern Wilderness, we will go too,” Xiao Tianxing agreed.

Su Wanqing nodded, "Wanqing is willing to follow the family head."

Looking at the determined eyes of everyone, Zheng Yi felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

“Okay, then we’ll set off first thing tomorrow morning,” he said. “Get a good rest tonight and recharge.”

"Yes!" everyone answered in unison.

That evening, Zheng Yi found Qingsong and inquired about the situation in Donghuang.

"Senior Qingsong, how much do you know about the Eastern Wilderness?" he asked.

Qingsong stroked his beard and pondered for a moment.

"I've only heard a little about the Eastern Wilderness," he said. "It's a desolate land located at the easternmost edge of the Tianyuan Domain. The spiritual energy there is thin, the environment harsh, and it's shrouded in thick fog year-round."

"But the Eastern Wilderness isn't entirely without value," Qingsong continued. "It's said to contain vast mineral deposits and resources, as well as some ancient relics. It's just that because of the rampant monsters, no one has been able to explore it deeply."

"How powerful are the monsters?" Zheng Yi asked.

"I'm not entirely sure either," Qingsong shook his head. "But it's said that the monsters in the Eastern Wilderness are extremely ferocious and numerous. Nine out of ten expeditions that venture into the Eastern Wilderness never return."

"Do you have any maps or information about the Eastern Wilderness?"

“I do have some,” Qingsong said, taking a roll of yellowed parchment from his robes and handing it to Zheng Yi. “This is a map of the Eastern Wilderness that I collected years ago, marking some known dangerous areas and resource points. However, this map is quite old, and the situation may have changed since then.”

Zheng Yi took the map, unfolded it, and looked at it.

The map roughly outlines the Eastern Wilderness, marking the locations of some mountains, rivers, and forests. There are also some red markers, likely indicating danger zones. Several blue markers may indicate resource points or ruins.

"Thank you very much, Senior Qingsong." Zheng Yi put the map away.

"Mr. Dark Night, the Eastern Wilderness is extremely dangerous. You must be careful," Green Pine cautioned. "If you encounter danger, never act recklessly; preserving your life is the most important thing."

“I understand.” Zheng Yi nodded.

On the morning of the third day, just as dawn was breaking, Zheng Yi and his group set off.

There were seven people in total who went to the Eastern Wilderness this time: Zheng Yi, Tieshan, Fengling, Zheng Bowen, Xiao Tianxing, Su Wanqing, and Chen Feng, who was in charge of logistics.

Zheng Hongzhi and Liu Ruyan stayed in Tianyuan City to guard the residence, while Qingsong stayed in Qingyun City to continue setting up the formation.

The group set off from the east gate of Qingyun City and headed east along the official road.

On both sides of the official road were fields and villages, with wisps of smoke rising from chimneys and the sounds of chickens and dogs. Farmers were working in the fields when they saw this group of people passing by their homes. They all stopped what they were doing and looked on curiously.

"Who are these people? They look like monks."

"I don't know, it seems to be heading east."

"The east? Isn't that the Eastern Wilderness? What are they going to the Eastern Wilderness for?"

"Who knows? Maybe they went on an adventure."

The murmurs of the crowd reached Zheng Yi's ears, but he ignored them and continued walking forward.

After traveling for about two hours, the official road gradually became rugged. The farmland on both sides disappeared, replaced by barren grasslands and sparse woods.

"We've already left the territory of Qingyun City," Fengling said. "Ahead lies the edge of the Eastern Wilderness." (End of Chapter)