Druid Fairy

Chapter 171 Power
Prince Yong's voice was as cold as iron.

"Your daughter, Princess Qingyang, Wei Ling'er, how dare she! She actually dared to openly ambush and assassinate the alchemy master of my Great Yu Dynasty outside the capital! Does she have no regard for the law? Does she have no regard for His Majesty's authority!"

Princess Zhaoyang's heart sank.

However, having lived in the deep palace for so long, she had long since developed the ability to remain calm even if Mount Tai collapsed before her.

She glanced at the evidence with feigned composure, her eyebrows furrowed, and her phoenix eyes filled with anger. She retorted, "What does this mean, Imperial Uncle? Are you trying to convict my daughter based on a few items of dubious origin? Who knows if this is some kind of deliberate frame-up, an attempt to sow discord between my royal family and Your Highness?"

"Framed?" Prince Yong laughed angrily. "A fine framing! Guards, bring the person to me!"

The leader of the assassins, who was no longer human, was dragged in by two Tiger Guards and recounted in detail all his plans before and after the ambush, as well as how he was instructed by Wei Ling'er.

There was also that crucial recording stone, which clearly documented how Wei Ling'er escaped—that talisman was something only royalty possessed.

All the evidence is there!

Princess Zhaoyang's face finally turned pale.

She never imagined that not only would the elite suicide squad she sent out be wiped out, but one of them would even be captured alive!

Just as she was racking her brains, thinking about how to defend herself, a dignified and steady voice came from outside the hall.

"Enough! All of you, shut up!"

The Emperor of Da Yu entered, surrounded by a group of eunuchs, his face ashen.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Everyone in the hall knelt down in unison.

"Everyone, get up."

The emperor waved his hand, first glancing at the furious Prince Yong, then at his pale-faced sister, and finally at the shocking evidence on the ground, his brows furrowing into a deep frown.

He already understood everything perfectly.

He knew his younger sister's personality best.

As for Wei Ling'er's niece, she had been spoiled rotten since childhood, so he wasn't surprised at all that she did such a thing.

Knowing is one thing, but knowing how to handle it is a whole other skill.

Prince Yong, a veteran of three reigns, had distinguished himself in military affairs and enjoyed high prestige in the army. He was the pillar of the Great Yu Dynasty.

If we cannot give him a satisfactory explanation today, it will chill the hearts of veteran officials and shake the very foundation of the entire dynasty.

On the other hand, there was his own younger sister, and the reputation of the royal family. If this matter were made public, confirming the scandal of the royal princess ordering assassins to kill meritorious officials, what would become of the royal family's dignity?

How can he, as an emperor, still present himself as "benevolent and virtuous"?
On one hand, there's the substance; on the other, there's the appearance. Both are equally important.

The emperor's gaze slowly swept across the hall, and finally, he made his decision.

This matter must be suppressed.

However, the way to suppress it requires skill.

"I am already aware of this matter."

The emperor's voice rang out again, devoid of any emotion.

"Princess Wei Ling'er of Qingyang County is arrogant and reckless, disregards the law, and nearly caused a serious mistake. She deserves to be punished!"

"Preach my will."

"Princess Wei Ling'er of Qingyang County is hereby confined to her residence for one year to reflect on her actions! Her 'Seven-Jeweled Glazed Crown' and her fief of five hundred households are hereby revoked as a warning to others!"

"Princess Zhaoyang, for failing to properly discipline her daughter, has committed a grave error and is also to blame. She shall be fined three years' salary and must personally prepare a generous gift to apologize to Prince Yong and Master Li!"

"Alchemist Li Mengze has been frightened this time. Therefore, I bestow upon him a 'Mingquan Manor' outside the capital, which contains a small spiritual vein. I also confer upon him the title of 'Honorary Alchemist' and grant him a fief of three hundred households! I hope that he will continue to refine more spiritual pills for my Great Yu in the future!"

This ruling was watertight.

This severely punished Wei Ling'er while giving Prince Yong a huge amount of face.

They then changed the nature of the incident from "premeditated murder" to "arrogance and recklessness," thus preserving the last vestiges of the royal family's dignity.

Finally, Li Mengze was generously rewarded with a mansion with a spiritual vein and an honorary title! This was not just appeasement, but a blatant act of buying off and valuing him.

Upon hearing this, Prince Yong's expression softened slightly. This was already the greatest concession the emperor could make.

He bowed to the emperor and accepted the result.

Princess Zhaoyang, on the other hand, had a pale face and a cold gaze.

"This humble subject, Li Mengze, thanks Your Majesty for your great favor! Long live the Emperor!"

Li Mengze's face showed just the right amount of gratitude and flattery, but his heart was ice-cold.

A one-year ban? A three-year salary deduction?

What difference is there between this kind of punishment and a tickle to the high and mighty royal family?
A year later, Wei Ling'er was still the noble and beautiful Princess Qingyang.

As for Li Mengze, if it weren't for his continued usefulness and the fact that he had Prince Yong as a powerful figure to rely on, he would probably have long since become a skeleton whose name would not even be remembered.

So-called law and justice are nothing but a joke in the face of absolute power.

As for residences and honorary titles...

What others give you, they can give you, and they can also take it back at any time.

Li Mengze was more lucid than ever before.

The emperor's favor is nothing but a mirage.

Only by firmly grasping everything in one's own hands and possessing the absolute strength to overturn the chessboard can one establish oneself in this dog-eat-dog world of cultivation.

'strength……'

Li Mengze clenched his fist, a glint of the same desire for power he had for his father flashing in his eyes.

'I need more power!'

…………

Peach Blossom Mountain, Li Pingcan's study.

The night was as dark as ink, but the candlelight illuminated the small study as brightly as day.

Lee Pyeongchan was leaning back in his recliner, holding a communication mushroom in his hand, listening to a series of thrilling events that had occurred in the capital, his face gradually darkening.

"A royally bestowed residence, with a fief of three hundred households?" Li Pingcan's face was cold. "It sounds better than it's written. Can this stuff be eaten? Or can it block the flying swords of Foundation Establishment cultivators? The old emperor is quite shrewd in his calculations, trying to tie my son to his dilapidated ship with two empty titles."

He stood up and paced back and forth in the study, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

"In the end, it's because our Li family's foundation is too shallow. In front of those real behemoths, we are like saplings in a storm, which can be crushed with a single finger."

"A reward? It's just a few bones they casually toss aside because you still have some use. Once you're no longer useful, or you get in their way, they can take it all back with interest at any time."

It appears to be all-encompassing in kindness and power, but in reality, it is utterly ruthless. Li Mengze was able to escape danger today thanks to one part strength, three parts luck, and the remaining six parts entirely to the powerful backing of Prince Yong.

But ultimately, the thigh belongs to someone else; mountains may crumble, and people may run away.

"No, we can't continue to be so passive."

A glint of light flashed in Li Pingcan's eyes, "The Li family must have its own 'blood-generating' ability!"

He realized that relying on himself was better than relying on others, and he was no longer satisfied with the small-scale defensive fortifications on Peach Blossom Mountain.

With a thought, he activated the Druid's newly awakened skill—[Heart of the Earth]!
Over the past few months, he continuously increased his proficiency by 1, 1, and 1 until he finally perfected it, generating a new trait—[Eagle Sense].

Divine senses are similar to an eagle's intuition; they can intuitively perceive even the slightest existence.

"Buzz!"

A strange rhythm rose from beneath his feet, instantly connecting him with the earth's veins throughout Peach Blossom Mountain.

In an instant, the "breathing" of the earth and the "pulse" of the mountains and rivers within a radius of a hundred miles were clearly presented to his perception.

Where there are underground rivers flowing, where there are slumbering minerals, and where there are nodes where spiritual energy gathers, all are clearly visible, as if reading the lines on the palm of one's hand.

Li Pingcan's consciousness roamed freely beneath the earth. When his divine sense swept over the deepest part of Peach Blossom Mountain, a rocky area that no one had ever set foot on before, a faint yet extremely tenacious energy fluctuation caught his attention.

"This is……"

He focused his mind and pushed his perception of the "Heart of the Earth" to its limit.

Hundreds of feet underground, an inconspicuous mineral vein, almost blending into the mountain rocks, lay dormant.

This vein is not large, but it contains a metallic ore that glows with a faint bluish light.

The ore contains naturally formed, mysterious patterns that have excellent conductivity for spiritual energy.

【Azure Spirit Iron Ore (Tier 1, Medium Grade): A naturally occurring metallic ore imbued with spiritual energy. It is tough and elastic, making it an excellent material for crafting runic weapons and defensive artifacts. Due to its unremarkable appearance, it is easily confused with other rocks, thus making it extremely rare.】

This is like a windfall!
He was just worrying about how to upgrade the equipment of the newly formed "Peach Blossom Guard" when this happened.

With this batch of "Azure Spirit Iron", there's more than enough to provide everyone with a magical longsword, let alone standard armor!

Once this guard, composed of mortals, improves its martial arts level, it will truly possess the ability to directly confront cultivators in the early or even mid-stages of Qi Refining!
Without the slightest hesitation, Li Pingcan immediately discussed it with his elder brother, Li Pingfu.

"Big brother," Li Pingcan said, pointing to the rocky area on the map, lowering his voice, "find a way to buy this land for me. Remember, keep it quiet and don't arouse suspicion."

Upon hearing this, Li Pingfu, with the tacit understanding unique to brothers, immediately comprehended without needing to say more. They exchanged a knowing smile, everything understood without words.

Li Pingfu was extremely efficient. In just two days, he obtained the land deed for the "barren" mountain land from the county government at a price that was practically given away, under the pretext of "finding an auspicious burial site for his family elders." The whole process was done without anyone noticing and was completely in accordance with the laws of the dynasty.

It's our own land, we can dig however we want!
Having solved the raw material problem, Li Pingcan immediately began working himself to the bone.

While having Sun Zheng lead the dozen or so "chosen ones" he had painstakingly selected to intensify their training in the "Seven Star Guardian Blade Formation" he had taught them in the back mountain, he also went to the market of rogue cultivators to find his old friend, the weapon refiner, to forge weapons and armor.

…………

Emerald Dreamland remains as peaceful and serene as ever.

Beneath this tranquility, the younger generation of the Li family is growing at an astonishing pace.

The trial ground of "Ancient Ruins".

"Qiang! Qiang! Qiang!"

The crisp sound of swords ringing out could be heard continuously.

Li Mengjin, wielding the "Shadow Fang," moved erratically as he fiercely clashed with three illusory divine consciousness figures wielding lightsabers.

These three illusory figures coordinated perfectly, their swordsmanship cunning, each strike aimed at his vital points.

In the past, if Li Mengjin had faced three opponents of the same level at the same time, he would probably have made numerous mistakes.

But now, he seems to be handling it with ease.

"Divine Sword Split, Three Thousand in a Single Thought!"

Li Mengjin let out a low shout, and the "Shadow Fang" in his hand drew a mysterious trajectory in the air.

In an instant, his figure swayed, and two sword energy clones that were exactly the same as his appeared out of thin air!

Although these two clones had no physical form, the sword light they wielded was equally sharp, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.

For a moment, a bizarre scene unfolded in the arena: "three Li Mengjins" besieging three illusory divine consciousness figures.

Seizing this fleeting opening, the main body unleashed a move from the "Return to Origin Sword Scripture" called "Stone Splitting," carrying an unstoppable and domineering momentum as it fiercely slashed at the head of one of the phantoms!

At the same time, the other two sword energy clones also used tricky sword moves in unison, entangled the other two opponents respectively.

"Pfft!"

With a soft sound, the illusory image of the divine thought shattered, turning into countless points of light.

Immediately afterwards, Li Mengjin repeated the same method, and in just over ten breaths, he also cut down the other two illusory figures with his sword.

"call……"

He sheathed his sword and stood there, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, but his face was full of excitement and satisfaction.

Ever since he obtained the "Divine Splitting Sword" manual that his brother brought back from the capital, he has treasured it like a precious gem, immersing himself in the dream world and cultivating it day and night.

This sword technique is practically tailor-made for him!

It not only made up for the shortcomings of the Guiyuan Sword Scripture, which was too broad and flexible, but also made his fighting style unpredictable and full of infinite possibilities.

"My brother has made such a name for himself in the capital, I, as his younger brother, can't let him down!"

Li Mengjin gripped his sword tightly, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit. "One day, I will be like my brother, making the name of the Li family resound throughout the entire Great Yu Dynasty!"

…………

The backyard of the Li family.

A burly member of the "Peach Blossom Guard" sat cross-legged with a tense expression.

During previous training, he was accidentally injured by a furious wild boar monster while protecting his companions. Although his physical body was fine after being treated with pills, the injury caused him to suffer from frequent splitting headaches, lethargy, and even difficulty holding his knife.

Li Mengyue's bare feet were white, and her face was full of focus beyond her years.

The "Moonlight Essence" pearl, obtained from the royal family's secret treasury, was floating in the chubby little palm.

The pearl emitted a pure and pristine moon-white light, illuminating the entire spring area as if it were a fairyland.

She said earnestly, "Uncle, relax and don't be afraid. The moon will protect you."

(End of this chapter)