Druid Fairy

Chapter 218 Crisis
A hot-tempered elder stepped forward abruptly, shouting angrily, "Our Tianxuan Sect has existed for thousands of years, when have we ever suffered such a humiliation? Senior Brother Fire Dragon has been insulted to this extent! If we don't avenge this, how can our Tianxuan Sect save face?!"

"Get revenge? How? With your meager temper, are you going to become fuel for their entire forest?"

The elder in charge of law enforcement was speechless, his face turning red, but he dared not refute him.

Another elder, who appeared quite wise, stroked his beard and pondered:
"Sect Master, this matter is strange in every way. The Great Yu Dynasty is just a mortal kingdom in a remote corner of the Eastern Region, with scarce spiritual energy and incomplete laws. Why would such a monstrous genius capable of wielding the 'Dao' suddenly emerge?"

"Moreover, the attitude of the Great Qian Dynasty is quite intriguing." He continued his analysis, "Not only did Emperor Qianwu not stand up for his son, but he also deposed the crown prince and sent a state letter, in which he shifted all the blame onto us. This is clearly an attempt to distance themselves and sit back and watch the tigers fight!"

"Hmph, that old fox, Emperor Qianwu, has always been like this."

Yan Dong snorted coldly, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes, "He simply wants to use us to find out the truth so that he can reap the benefits later."

He rose from the sect leader's throne and slowly paced around the hall. An invisible pressure emanated from him, causing everyone to feel their breath catch in their throats.

"I have examined Junior Brother Fire Dragon's injuries."

Yan Dong's voice became extremely deep, "That is not a curse, but a higher level of power, almost like a 'law'."

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked.

These two words are so distant and mysterious to cultivators who are still at the level of "technique"!

Yan Dong's gaze fell on the churning sea of ​​clouds outside the palace.

"A fruit that allows mortals to comprehend the 'Dao' in a short period of time... Such a divine object is no longer something that my Tianxuan Sect can monopolize."

He turned around abruptly and issued an order that made all the elders pale with fear.

"Issue my decree!"

"First, the sect will be closed for a hundred years, effective immediately! All disciples traveling outside must return to the sect immediately and are forbidden from setting foot on the territory of the Great Yu Dynasty!"

"Second, compile all the information about the 'Dao Fruit' into a book and send it to the other three major sects in the Eastern Region—'Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion', 'Listening Snow Tower', and 'Hundred Beasts Manor'."

“Third,” a deep smile curved his lips, “send another copy of this intelligence to the ‘Central Plains Pill Tower’.”

"Sect Master! No!"

The Transmission Elder was shocked. "You're luring a hungry wolf into our Eastern Region! The Central State acts with such tyranny; if they come, the very heavens and earth of the Eastern Region will change!"

"The world has changed?" Yan Dong sneered. "If the world doesn't change, does that mean they've completely grown up?"

His eyes gleamed.

"Muddy waters are the best places to fish!"

…………

The decree of the Tianxuan Sect stirred up a huge wave.

Wanjian Pavilion.

Located atop the highest peak in the Eastern Region, "Heavenly Sword Peak," the area is characterized by fierce winds and soaring sword energy, making it impossible for ordinary cultivators to even approach within a hundred miles of the mountain gate.

Inside the main hall, a middle-aged man dressed in a simple blue robe, holding an ancient wooden sword, was quietly looking at the jade slip sent by the Tianxuan Sect in his hand.

He is the current head of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion, known as the "Sword Master Without Self" and hailed as the number one swordsman in the Eastern Region.

"A single thought can bring about rise and fall..."

The Sword Master of Selflessness slowly opened his eyes. There was no emotion in his eyes, only the purest sword intent arising and ceasing.

The space in front of him was cut into tiny black cracks by the sword intent he unconsciously emitted.

"That old fox Yan Dong suffered a loss himself, so he wants to drag the entire Eastern Region down with him."

"An elder sneered, "Sect Master, we need not concern ourselves with this matter. What do the grudges of the Heavenly Profound Sect have to do with our Myriad Swords Pavilion? We sword cultivators only seek clarity of mind and disdain such intrigues."

"No." The Sword Master of Wuwo shook his head, his voice as calm as still water. "We can ignore the matter of the Dao Fruit. But we cannot ignore a young man who can comprehend the 'Sword Domain' and integrate the meaning of 'Life and Death Reincarnation' into his sword."

His gaze seemed to pierce through thousands of miles of space, landing in the direction of the Great Yu Dynasty.

"Pass down the order to my chief disciple, Ye Gufeng, to take this personal letter and travel to the Great Yu Dynasty. The official purpose is to congratulate the new emperor of Great Yu on his ascension to the throne."

Hundred Beasts Manor.

Unlike the aloof and cold Wanjian Pavilion, Baishou Manor is located in a vast primeval forest, where the roars of beasts and the cries of monkeys fill the air all day long, full of wild and primal vitality.

The mountain villa's council hall, crafted from the skull of a ten-thousand-year-old behemoth, exudes an exceptionally rugged and imposing aura.

The master of the manor, a burly man with a towering build, bulging muscles, and skin covered with various ancient ferocious beast totems, was squeezing the jade slip so hard it made a "crunching" sound.

His voice boomed like thunder, making the entire hall buzz, "That old bastard Yan Dong has really bitten off more than he can chew this time! But the news came just in time!"

His eyes burned with undisguised greed and fanaticism.

"To wield the Dao Fruit... if I could integrate it into the 'Blood Pool of Ten Thousand Beasts' in my manor, wouldn't that allow the guardian beasts of my manor to revert to their ancestral bloodline and ascend to the heavens in one step?!"

"The Lord is wise!"

An elder fawned, "I've heard that the Li family is also quite skilled in beast taming; their members even have golden eagles following them. If such people could be employed by our manor..."

"Use?" The manor lord sneered, slamming his fist on the stone table in front of him, instantly turning the hard stone table into dust. "Such a divine object is only worthy of the strong! Issue my order, command my son 'Xiong Ba' to also go to the Great Yu Dynasty! I want to see whether his Taoist magic is more powerful, or whether the ferocious beasts of my Hundred Beasts Manor are more capable of devouring the heavens and the earth!"

Listening to Snow Pavilion.

This is a most mysterious sect, and no one knows the location of its mountain gate.

The world knows that there is no secret that Tingxuelou does not know, and no one that Tingxuelou cannot kill.

Inside a quiet little building that is covered in ice and snow all year round.

The host was a woman wearing a bronze mask. She listened quietly to her subordinate's report, her slender fingers gently tapping the table.

"interesting."

Her voice was like the winter wind, cold and fleeting.

"In a remote dynasty, the Taiyin Sacred Body, the nascent Sword Domain, and the Dao Fruit of Life and Death have all appeared at the same time... Such a convergence of fortune is illogical. Something abnormal must be going on."

"What does the host mean?" a subordinate, who was also wearing a mask, asked in a low voice.

"Yan Dong wants to use someone else to do his dirty work, Emperor Qianwu wants to watch from the sidelines, the brutes of the Hundred Beasts Manor are already tempted, and the sword fanatics of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion will definitely go there as well."

The host's voice carried a hint of all-knowing indifference: "Since the waters of the Eastern Region are already murky, how could my Listening Snow Pavilion not come and get a share?"

"Send 'Phantom' there," she ordered calmly. "Remember, our purpose is not to seize, but to observe. I need to know what secrets the Li family is hiding behind the scenes, and what the origin of that Dao Fruit truly is." In an instant, the three top sects of the Eastern Region all turned their attention to the Great Yu Dynasty.

However, the capital of the Great Yu Kingdom was a scene of prosperity and flourishing.

After the peace treaty with Daqian was signed, the border was reopened, and trade and travel resumed, injecting new vitality into this country that had just experienced internal turmoil.

Under the diligent rule of the Empress Dowager and the Duke of Zhenguo, the people's hearts were quickly calmed down, and everything was ready to be rebuilt.

For the people of the capital, the most direct feeling was that the air in the city seemed to have become much fresher, and their bodies were much healthier as a result.

Some elderly people who had been suffering from chronic illnesses miraculously recovered.

Unbeknownst to them, this was because Li Pingcan's Druidic temple was connected to the earth veins of Dayu, subtly nourishing the creatures of this land.

Tingtao Xiaozhu has become the spiritual center of the entire capital.

After completely refining the first batch of seeds, Li Mengze's Daoist techniques became increasingly refined. He did not rest, but instead shared these insights with his younger siblings without reservation.

The entire Li family was immersed in a tranquil yet rapid growth.

…………

Three days later.

Officials from the Court of State Ceremonial rushed into the palace in a panic.

"Your Majesty! The three major sects of the Eastern Region—the Myriad Swords Pavilion, the Hundred Beasts Manor, and the Listening Snow Tower—have all dispatched delegations, which are now outside the capital!"

These words caused a stir throughout the imperial court.

These three major sects are truly behemoths in the Eastern Region. Why would they condescend to come to a "remote little country" like Dayu?
Behind the beaded curtain, the Empress Dowager's heart sank, and her first thought was of the Li family.

However, she remained calm and composed, saying, "Since they are envoys from the upper realm, we shall welcome them into the city with the highest honors and treat them well. Duke Zhenguo, you shall be fully responsible for this matter."

"Sir, obey the order!"

The Duke of Zhenguo stepped forward, his voice booming. His iron-blooded aura calmed the panicked hearts of the officials in the hall somewhat.

Soon, the three distinct teams, under the curious gaze of countless people, slowly drove into the capital.

The Wanjian Pavilion team had the fewest members, with only three people.

Leading the group was a young man dressed in pristine white, carrying a long sword on his back, with a handsome face and sharp, eagle-like eyes.

He was Ye Gufeng, the chief disciple of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion.

The two disciples behind him also possessed a sharp aura and restrained sword intent, clearly indicating that they were elites among elites.

The Hundred Beasts Manor's group was the most flamboyant. The young man at the head was tall and burly, none other than Xiong Ba, the son of the manor lord.

He rode a huge, tiger-like beast with wings. Its ferocious aura caused the people on both sides of the street to retreat in fear.

The Tingxuelou team was the most enigmatic. The group of five was all dressed in black and masked, their auras elusive and ghostly. The woman at the head of the group had a graceful figure and eyes that seemed capable of bewitching souls. She was none other than Tingxuelou's ace assassin, "Phantom".

That evening, the palace hosted a state banquet to entertain the distinguished guests who had traveled from afar.

Inside the Golden Palace, amidst the singing and dancing, the atmosphere was unusually oppressive.

The Duke of Zhenguo and his court officials were extremely cautious in their interactions, afraid of showing the slightest disrespect. Meanwhile, the envoys from the three major sects displayed varying expressions.

The phantom of Tingxuelou sat quietly in the corner, seemingly indifferent to everything, but her sharp eyes never stopped observing.

Xiong Ba of the Hundred Beasts Manor ate meat in large mouthfuls and drank wine in large bowls, appearing bold and unrestrained, but his gaze would occasionally sweep over the guards in the hall, with an undisguised contempt in his eyes.

Ye Gufeng of the Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion never touched the food and drink in front of him. He simply used a white cloth to wipe his sword, which had never been drawn, over and over again.

After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food.

Ye Gufeng finally put down the white cloth in his hand. He slowly stood up, his sharp gaze sweeping over the civil and military officials, finally landing on the Duke of Zhenguo.

"I have long heard of the Great Yu Dynasty, whose people are known for their fierce spirit and whose military is at its peak. The Duke of Zhenguo has spent his life on the battlefield and is renowned for his prestige."

His voice was cold and clear, "However, when I observed the guards in this palace today, although they were quite elite, they seemed to lack a certain spirit and energy."

The moment he said this, the hall fell silent.

As everyone knows, the main topic is about to begin.

The Duke of Zhenguo's face darkened, and he was about to speak.

Ye Gufeng continued, “My Ten Thousand Swords Pavilion is founded on the sword. The sword is the edge. A country or an army without edge is like a tiger with its teeth pulled out. No matter how big it is, it is nothing but an empty shell.”

He paused, his gaze becoming even more aggressive: "I've heard that the Great Yu has recently established an elite force called the 'Immortal Slayer Guard.' I wonder if we could witness the 'sharp edge' of the Great Yu?"

This is no longer a simple inquiry, but a blatant provocation!
At a state banquet, in front of the entire court, challenge the nation's most elite army!
The Duke of Zhenguo clenched his fist tightly.

Just as tensions were about to rise, a similarly cold voice rang out from outside the hall.

"The Immortal Slayer Guard is a national treasure; how can it be shown to others so easily?"

Before he finished speaking, Li Mengjin slowly walked in from outside the hall.

He was dressed in a blue robe today, with the ancient sword "Shadow Fang" hanging at his waist. He was like a peerless divine weapon hidden in its sheath. Although his aura was restrained, everyone who saw him felt a chill from the depths of their soul.

“However,” he walked to the center of the hall, his gaze calmly meeting Ye Gufeng’s, “if you really want to see the might of the Great Yu, I can let you see it.”

Li Mengjin's appearance instantly brought the atmosphere in the hall to a fever pitch.

Two terrifying beams of light burst forth from Ye Gufeng's eyes. He stared intently at Li Mengjin, and his pure sword intent could no longer be suppressed, soaring into the sky!

"Buzz!"

The entire Golden Palace seemed to be enveloped by an invisible force field; the candlelight inside instantly stopped, and the air became thick.

"Sword Domain!"

Xiong Ba of Hundred Beasts Manor dropped his arrogant demeanor, his eyes revealing a serious expression. Mei Ying of Listening Snow Tower also subtly curved a smile at the corner of her mouth, hidden beneath her mask.

"very good!"

Ye Gufeng's face revealed an almost fanatical fighting spirit, "I came here to find you! I didn't expect you to be even stronger than I imagined!"

(End of this chapter)