Druid Fairy

Chapter 205 Making a feint to the east and attacking in the west
The news that the "Exorcism Bureau" was about to conduct its final alchemy was like a boulder thrown into the bottomless murky waters of the capital, provoking a violent reaction from all the hidden forces.

The eldest prince and the fifth prince mobilized their most elite forces at almost the same time.

On the surface, there were two squads of imperial guards, their armor gleaming, completely surrounding the area within a mile of the Exorcism Bureau, so that not even a fly could get in.

In the shadows, countless cultivators, hidden atop the high walls of darkness, their divine senses intertwined like a net, monitored every corner.

The atmosphere in the entire capital became tense and oppressive.

Li Mengze, who was at the center of the storm, turned a blind eye to it.

As night fell, he changed into a specially made alchemist's robe engraved with spirit-gathering runes and slowly ascended the temporary platform erected in the center of the Exorcism Division.

Below the high platform, a huge and complex alchemy array had already been set up according to the blueprints he had provided.

In each of the eight directions, there are rare and precious treasures containing immense energy, which were plundered by the two princes.

"The time has come!"

Li Mengze's voice, amplified by spiritual energy, resounded in all directions: "Activate the formation!"

At his command, dozens of exorcists simultaneously channeled their magical power into the array's core.

"Buzz!"

In an instant, a dazzling seven-colored beam of light shot into the sky, illuminating the gloomy night sky as bright as day!
Countless mysterious runes flowed within the pillar of light, and the boundless spiritual energy formed a massive vortex centered on the Exorcist.

The clouds above the capital were stirred up by this force and actually began to gather. Lightning bolts could be seen flashing through the clouds, accompanied by muffled thunder.
"My God! What a feat! It can even affect the heavens!" A royal attendant who was secretly observing exclaimed in surprise.

The spies from the First Prince's residence were deeply moved and excited.

The man sent by the Fifth Prince was also shocked and felt unprecedentedly fortunate that his master had decided to cooperate with this person.

Li Mengze stood on the high platform, his hands constantly forming profound hand seals, and beams of spiritual light entered the pillar of light, each time making the momentum even more magnificent.

Unbeknownst to anyone, beneath the shadow of this dazzling light, two figures, almost blending into the darkness, had already silently left the Exorcism Bureau's territory, like two night owls, stealthily making their way towards the Imperial Ancestral Temple, perpetually shrouded in majesty and solemnity, at the end of the central axis of the imperial city.

These two people are Li Mengze and Li Mengjin.

The figure on the high platform was merely a puppet clone crafted from rare spiritual wood, controlled by Li Mengze with a wisp of divine thought.

The earth-shattering phenomenon was merely a magnificent yet hollow release of the energy of those treasures through his use of an array.

…………

The Imperial Ancestral Temple was the ancestral temple of the Dayu Dynasty, where the spirit tablets of the previous emperors were enshrined. It was the most heavily guarded and sacred forbidden area in the entire imperial city.

Ordinary Golden Scale Guards are not even qualified to approach within a hundred feet of this place. Guarding this place is the Emperor's most mysterious and loyal shadow force—the Dragon Shadow Guards.

However, under Li Mengjin's sword heart perception, which had already touched the realm of "Dao", the patrol routes of these Dragon Shadow Guards had nowhere to hide.

He and his elder brother, like a fallen leaf blown by the night wind, always managed to find the only blind spot during the patrol breaks and slip through quietly.

Soon, the two arrived at the towering vermilion main gate of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, which stood three zhang tall.

Without further hesitation, Li Mengze took out the heavy phoenix seal bestowed by the Empress Dowager from his bosom.

The moment the Phoenix Seal appeared within the Imperial Ancestral Temple grounds, the solemn and dignified atmosphere in the air seemed to undergo a subtle change.

A gentle power emanated from the Phoenix Seal, resonating slightly with the royal dragon energy guarding the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Li Mengze, holding the Phoenix Seal, slowly stepped forward.

As Li Mengjin was about to touch the invisible warning array, his heart was in his throat.

The expected alarm did not sound.

The restriction that was powerful enough to kill a Nascent Soul cultivator quietly receded like a tide after sensing the power of the Empress Phoenix from the same source as the Phoenix Seal, making way for them in an invisible passage.

The two looked at each other and saw relief in each other's eyes.

That risky move was absolutely the right one!

They successfully infiltrated the main hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Inside, incense smoke swirled, and rows of memorial tablets for the former emperors appeared both majestic and eerie in the dim candlelight.

Li Mengze ignored all of this and walked straight to the deepest part, to the memorial tablet of the founding emperor.

He reached out and, following the few words recorded in the secret manual of the Alchemy Academy regarding the royal ancestral treasury, gently pressed the Phoenix Seal onto an extremely hidden phoenix totem on the base of the spirit tablet.

"Crack!"

A sickening creaking sound of machinery turning filled the air, and the enormous memorial tablet slowly shifted to one side, revealing a bottomless, pitch-black opening just wide enough for one person to pass through.

A stale, pungent stench, a hundred times stronger than that of the underground altar, mixed with blood and resentment, assaulted our senses!

The entrance to the Royal Treasury has been found!
The moment you step into the cave, it feels like you've entered another world.

The main hall of the Imperial Ancestral Temple behind them vanished instantly, replaced by a long passageway paved with bronze.

On the walls on both sides of the passageway, an ever-burning, eerie blue flame burned, casting the shadows of the two people in flickering light.

The air was no longer filled with incense smoke, but with a dense, tangible aura of dragon energy and resentment.

Two completely different auras strangely merged here, forming an oppressive force field that made people extremely uncomfortable.

"Be careful." Li Mengjin gripped "Shadow Fang" tightly. He could sense that the passageway was filled with invisible killing intent.

Li Mengze, holding the phoenix seal, walked ahead. The warm jade phoenix seal emitted a soft halo, completely shutting out the resentment and murderous intent that tried to invade.

At the end of the passageway stood a massive bronze door. There was no lock on it, only a lifelike carving of two dragons playing with a pearl: one a five-clawed golden dragon representing imperial power, and the other a terrifying, nine-headed, pitch-black dragon!

"It seems they're too lazy to even bother with a cover-up." Li Mengze sneered and pressed the Phoenix Seal onto the "Dragon Pearl."

"Boom!"

The heavy bronze door slowly opened, revealing the true face of the royal ancestral treasury.

This is an enormous circular space, like an inverted giant bowl. At the center of the space is a bottomless pool of blood, within which churns viscous, ink-like liquid resentment.

That "Ten Thousand Souls Blood Crystal" was probably born from this blood pool!

Around the blood pool were spiraling bookshelves filled with various jade slips, animal skin scrolls, and bronze books.

"Let's split up and search!" Li Mengze decided immediately.

The two immediately sprang into action, their divine senses sweeping across the rows of bookshelves with incredible speed.

The books here are all-encompassing, ranging from strategies for governing a country to martial arts techniques and secret arts, and even strange tales of the continent. But Li Mengze has only one goal—the most original record of the "Wraith Dragon Contract".

Time passed second by second, and the "performance" by the Exorcism Division couldn't last much longer.

Finally, Li Mengjin discovered a hidden compartment made of ten-thousand-year-old black iron in a corner that was heavily restricted and sealed off.

On the hidden compartment, dragon and phoenix-shaped grooves are simultaneously imprinted.

Li Mengze immediately stepped forward and placed the Phoenix Seal inside.

Although the imperial seal was missing, the Empress Dowager's divine power still managed to activate the restriction.

The hidden compartment slowly opened, revealing no jade slips, but a scroll made of the hide of an unknown behemoth, exuding an overwhelming aura of bloodlust.

Li Mengze slowly unrolled the scroll, and after just one glance, his pupils shrank to the size of pinpoints.

On the scroll was the original text of the contract written in blood, which was far more detailed and cruel than what they had seen on the altar murals!
It turns out that this "Nine Netherworld Wraith Dragon" is not a creature of this world, but rather a "sacrifice-summoning technique" used by the founding emperor of the nation, a technique forbidden in ancient times.

The core of the contract is not "suppressing the nation's destiny," but "sharing life"!
The vengeful dragon feeds on the resentment of the Great Yu Dynasty. In return, it links a portion of its life essence to the bloodline of the Great Yu royal family. As long as the vengeful dragon exists, the royal bloodline can live forever and be passed down from generation to generation.

This is the real reason why the royal family has been able to maintain its rule and why there are always strong figures in every generation!

But the price is that the royal bloodline has become the "anchor" for the vengeful dragon in this world.

They must continuously provide "food" for the vengeful dragon, which is the resentment generated by the pain of death in war.

Once the supply of resentment is insufficient, the vengeful dragon will begin to retaliate, directly devouring the host's life force and soul!
The "National Protection Ceremony" is not a simple feeding ceremony. Rather, it is a ritual in which the royal bloodline and the vengeful dragon achieve "life harmony".

Each time you are in sync with the vengeful dragon, you will be bound to it more powerfully and live longer. However, you will also be more deeply corrupted by the dragon's evil nature.

Li Mengze felt a chill run through his entire body.

In his quest for immortality, the founding emperor actually tied the fate of the entire dynasty to an evil dragon!
At the end of the scroll, there is a line of small notes in vermilion ink, the handwriting of which is completely different from the previous ones, appearing hasty and desperate.

"The contract is irreversible, the vengeful dragon cannot be destroyed... Only the purest and cleanest source of life can purify its resentment and suppress its evil nature... The legendary natural laws may offer a glimmer of hope..."

This inscription was clearly left by a later emperor. He discovered the truth and tried to find a solution, but ultimately only left behind this desperate speculation.

Li Mengze was shocked. He never expected that the power he possessed was the key to breaking the deadlock!
At that moment, the entire Ancestral Treasury suddenly trembled violently. From the blood pool in the center, the viscous resentment surged into the sky, transforming into a ferocious dragon head that let out a silent roar and charged straight at the two of them!

They touched the very essence of the contract, activating the imprint of the vengeful dragon's will left behind here!
"go!"

Li Mengze made a quick decision and put the animal skin scroll into his pocket.

Li Mengjin was already poised to strike, and without the slightest hesitation, he unleashed a sword strike!
"Stormy winds and raging waves!"

His newly comprehended sword intent erupted without reservation at this moment. The sword light was no longer simply sharp, but transformed into a raging storm that swept across the heavens and earth, carrying a resolute force to cleanse everything, and slammed fiercely into the dragon head of resentment!
"boom!"

A deafening roar echoed in the enclosed space. Li Mengjin let out a muffled groan and was sent flying backward, his clothes stained with blood.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Li Mengze grabbed his younger brother and rushed out of Zuku without looking back.

…………

When the two brothers returned to Tingtao Xiaozhu in a sorry state, covered in injuries and chilled to the bone, the "heavenly phenomenon" above the Exorcism Bureau finally dissipated, leaving behind only a scene of devastation and the shock and speculation of the city's cultivators.

Inside the study, when Li Mengze revealed the contents of the blood-red animal hide scroll to the public, even the usually bold Li Yuanhu felt a deep-seated fear.

Life is shared, resentment is fed, and the entire dynasty is used as pasture...

This has gone beyond the realm of power struggles and intrigues, escalating to the level of terror.

"What should we do next?" Li Mengjin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes sharper than ever.

Li Mengze's eyes gleamed, "We'll give him an unprecedented 'grand ceremony'!"

"Second brother, you and Yuanhu go to see the Duke of Zhenguo immediately. Give him this copy of the contract. Tell him that the reason why the Empress was devoured by resentment is because the fortune of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is one of the most delicious things in the eyes of the resentful dragon."

"Have him mobilize all available troops and, on the day of the national sacrificial ceremony, surround the altar of heaven under the pretext of 'purging the court of corrupt officials and eliminating evil spirits'!"

"Big brother, what are you going to do?" Li Mengjin keenly sensed something.

"I want to refine pills." A mad smile curled at the corner of Li Mengze's lips. "I want to refine the real 'Dragon-Suppressing Treasure Pill.' However, this pill is not for the princes to take, but for myself."

He looked out the window, as if he could see through the night to the towering altar in the center of the capital.

"On the day of the festival, I will personally ascend the altar and become the 'high priest.' I will take the initiative to 'synchronize life' with that vengeful dragon!"

"Are you crazy?!" Li Yuanhu exclaimed in shock.

“I’m not crazy.” Li Mengze’s eyes were unusually clear. “The core of the contract is bloodline, but the essence of synchronization is the link of souls. My soul has long been integrated with the ‘Hundred Herbs Spirit Realm’. I want to show that evil dragon what a vast world of life it will face when it tries to devour me!”

"And that moment was our only chance to fight back!"

He looked at Li Mengyue: "Crescent Moon, the moment you feel that I have successfully linked with it, do not hesitate, use all your Yin power to purify it!"

Finally, he looked towards Peach Blossom Mountain, his eyes filled with absolute trust.

“Father, he must be waiting for that moment.”

He knew that the "Communication Mushroom" was not just a communicator, but also a "beacon" that his father, Li Pingcan, had planted in this capital city!
There are only seven days left until the National Day Festival.

(End of this chapter)