Dream of the Red Chamber: Starting from Immortal Martial Arts

Chapter 119 A Secret Plot in Ancient Times!

Jia Tang's eyes narrowed. If the Northwest also valued bloodshed as much as the Huai River region, Wang Dazhuang's trip would be in grave danger!

"Jia Kang, go to the Northwest to support Da Zhuang. If things go wrong, retreat immediately!"

"only!"

After Jia Kang left to carry out his orders, the room fell silent again, and everyone was speculating about what they had seen and heard that day.

Suddenly, a sage spoke up: "Chen Kan was too hasty today!"

Jia Tang nodded slightly: "You look so impatient; you obviously have a guilty conscience."

"I'm wondering, is this 'Xiu Lan' a person or a thing? The Chen family even planted a spy in there."

Shi Cuiyue continued, "It should be a powerful force, the mastermind behind the Blood Land. The Chen family is cooperating with them, and sending spies is also for monitoring and nibbling away at their territory, all for the sake of what's in the Blood Land!"

Jia Tang largely agreed with this assessment, and then asked, "Located in the Huai River region, could it be the real driving force behind Fengyang Prefecture, or the mastermind behind Yangzhou?"

Everyone's eyes narrowed. If that was the case, this power was even greater than they had guessed!

"From the incense-burning path that began in Yangzhou, to the Huang family's martial arts tournament in Fengyang Prefecture, and then to the Bloodstained Land, Xiulan, and the Chen family!"

"From the beginning of the year until now, we have killed more than one third-tier cultivator in our hands. There are quite a few third-tier cultivators."

"Hmph, they look imposing, but they're nothing but a coward hiding their true colors!"

"Absolutely, absolutely. They're just scum from the gutter. If they were truly powerful, why would they need to operate in such a clandestine manner?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Tang smiled and said, "That's right. They may have more cultivators, but we are stronger in one-on-one combat. However, there's no need to worry too much."

"Once Jia and the others return, we'll dispatch a few third-tier warriors to forcibly capture that scoundrel Huang Zhentao from Jinling and see if anyone dares to sit idly by!"

At this point, Jia Tang paused and asked the servants, "Have you kept an eye on all those who escaped from the Huang family?"

"None of those who fled with Huang Zhentao from their ancestral home have escaped surveillance, except for his son, Huang Qinglin, who has not shown up at all!"

"Not only Huang's son, but also the other two people in the three portraits from Qingyun Tower have been missing for a long time!"

Jia Tang's expression remained unchanged: "It's alright, just kill those who show themselves first!"

"only!"

Jia Tang got up and went to the window, gazing at the direction of the palace through the openwork, his eyes expressionless.

"The Chen family, the Chen family—the time is almost here!"

The Imperial City, the Palace of Heavenly Longevity!

Emperor Chongwu stood with his hands behind his back by the window, his expression unreadable, gazing calmly westward.

Behind him stood several imposing and dignified cultivators: Chen Kan, the True Man of the Dragon, Chen Yu, the True Man of the Kui Dragon, Chen Yuan, the True Man of the Dragon, Chen Tan, and the Blood Dragon, whose robes were a mixture of gold and blood!

"Uncle, you can't even subdue Jia Tang?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Kan recalled the scene of Jia Tang instantly killing a third-level cultivator with the Tiger Fiend Banner. Including the third-level Jurchen from Liaodong, he had already killed two of them, and Ze'e should also have died at his hands!

"His strength is comparable to the mid-stage of the third tier, and he also possesses a divine ability that is unpredictable and difficult to predict. To be honest, my chances of winning against him are less than 30%!"

Emperor Chongwu Chen Ke's expression remained unchanged upon hearing this: "It's alright. The erosion of the Divine Ranking has accelerated. Once I have complete control, the world should be restored to stability."

Upon hearing this, the several immortals looked incredulous. The clan's supreme treasure was obtained by exploring a secret realm with the Jia family before the founding of the kingdom.

They were all participants at the time. The Chen family obtained the True Dragon God List, and the Jia family obtained the Tiger-shaped Ghost Token. Subsequently, at the founding of the country, Emperor Anwu Chen Kun conferred upon them the title of Duke of the Second State!

Just as the Chen family was secretly plotting the Ghost Token, it mysteriously disappeared, because no matter what method they used through the Divine Ranking, they could not detect the Ghost Token's aura.

Only then did they begin to test Jia Shi step by step!

After the Ghost Order disappeared, Emperor Chongwu Chen Ke obtained the ancient method of refining Qi Luck Pills from a secret realm, which enabled them to rapidly increase their strength!

Chen Kan snapped out of his daze, his face lighting up with joy, and asked, "Your Majesty, what has caused this change?"

Emperor Chongwu shook his head, the scene from the early hours of yesterday flashing before his eyes, and murmured, "I don't know, but it must be the will of Heaven—"

.. *

Above the blood pool deep underground in the palace, carved with images of a real dragon, the Dragon List, which Emperor Chongwu called the Divine List, seemed to come alive and suddenly let out a soft, mournful cry.

The gentle, jade-like light that constantly flowed around Yin Yilong's body dimmed, and even his struggles in the surging blood waves of the blood pool became somewhat stiff.

At this moment, Emperor Chongwu's tall and robust figure appeared here, his majestic face full of surprise.

He watched as the crimson lines spread rapidly across the scroll, weaving into a dense, impenetrable net that tightly enveloped the Dragon List.

The blood streaks, which had decreased in scope due to some inexplicable changes some time ago, suddenly surged back up, and within a few breaths they had eroded half of the area.

Emperor Chongwu was overjoyed and took out a square, exquisite, and small jade seal from his bosom, which was also covered with a light layer of blood.

"Very good, very good. The God Ranking has been controlled by more than half of the people, and the Heavenly Seal has also been affected, with a slight layer of the common people's wishes covering it, allowing me to control it more easily."

"Hahaha, truly, the mandate of heaven is with me!"

After Emperor Chongwu finished laughing, he looked at the blood pool, which was still less than half full, and ordered, "Quickly have them send in the blood of devout people to fill the blood pool to the brim."

"Tell them, this time the blood must be from a monk!"

From the deep, desolate darkness outside the palace, a respectful voice rang out in response: "Yes, sir!"

..

"Destiny?"

Chen Kan was taken aback upon hearing this, then repeated it aloud, his eyes gleaming with a brilliant light as he exclaimed fervently, "Yes, it's destiny! His Majesty's destiny is ordained by Heaven; his life's mandate is for all ages, ensuring eternal prosperity!"

Emperor Chongwu nodded slightly and instructed, "The blood-stained lands in the Northwest and Lianghuai regions have been exposed. They should be abandoned as they are, and all efforts should be made to accelerate the development of blood-stained lands in other areas."

"Replenish the recently lost Tier 3 units, restoring them to their original quantity!"

"only!"

Chen Ke turned his gaze to Master Kuilong and said, "Go to the underground vault and retrieve the last bottle of Ten Thousand Blood Pills. Reach the mid-stage as soon as possible and restore the Four Symbols!"

A look of wild joy flashed in Chen Yu's eyes, and he loudly accepted the order: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"You're saying that Ze'e is one of the old man's men?"

In a secluded spot in Jiangnan, Xiu Lan's eyes flashed with a cold light as he gritted his teeth and questioned the person in front of him.

This man was an old man dressed in a blood-red brocade robe with crane and cloud patterns, wearing a seven-beam crown made of amber and jade. He had a thin face, bright eyes, and a neat and long beard.

"These are not my words, but the dying words of the crocodile pleading for mercy. Though he didn't say everything, that's the gist of it!"

Upon hearing this, Xiu Lan's breathing became somewhat rapid, and he couldn't help but pick up the smooth, white jade inkstone from the table next to him and smash it down heavily!

He recalled how loyal and dedicated Ze'e had been in the past, and how he had repeatedly rewarded him with Blood Pills, enabling him to become the first cultivator outside the family to advance to the mid-stage of the third rank!

Unexpectedly, I ended up training the old man's subordinates!

"Damn it! He deserves to die!"

The old man glanced at Xiu Lan and sighed inwardly, thinking that his young master had had too smooth a journey.

It's good to suffer a loss now, so we can be more vigilant in the future. With the protection of many cultivators in the clan, we can move forward steadily!

After all, no matter who wins in the end, they can't govern the people without them!

"Young Master, your childhood courtesy name has been revealed—"

"That's not the main point!"

Xiu Lan suddenly waved his hand, his eyes burning with killing intent, and shouted, "The Qingyun Chamber of Commerce belongs to the Jia family! When Jia Min died in Yangzhou, I was waiting for Jia Tang at Qingyun Tower!"

The old man paused, then said coldly, "So what? Those who can disguise themselves are as numerous as carp crossing a river!"

"Young Master, in the eyes of the world, you have always been deeply devoted to literature and the arts within the clan, detached from worldly affairs."

"That way, it won't be so easy for anyone to try and smear us!"

Xiu Lan was taken aback upon hearing this. He took a deep breath to suppress his anger, then slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, repeating his calm tone.

"Thank you for your guidance, Uncle. I had been misled!"

The old man chuckled and stroked his beard: "It's alright."

Xiu Lan closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then said, "The Chen family has always been wary of us, and they also hold the Dragon List. Jia Tang is gaining momentum, but 'Tiger' is nowhere to be found. With two powerful forces clashing, we must consider other contingency plans!"

Where?

"The Four Kings of the East, West, South, and North!"

Xiu Lan suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of shrewdness flashing within them: "At the founding of the nation, the Chen family controlled all the other families, the Four Kings formed an alliance, and the eight prefectures of Xianjing became an independent entity. Since the later years of Emperor Anwu, the Chen family has been secretly fighting against the eight prefectures of the Jia family, while the Four Kings have been left unattended. They must have accumulated considerable power, and we should win them over!"

The old man paused slightly, stroking his beard, and asked, "How can we be sure they are not of one mind with the Chen family, nor with the Jia family? And what about the incense-burning sects?"

"Neither the Chen nor the Jia families could stand by and watch the four princes lean toward the other side. They treated each other with familiarity yet distance. What I need to do is to add fuel to the fire between the three of them!"

Xiu Lan regained his confidence and said calmly, "As for the Incense Offering Path? The Blood Ground creations that the Chen family and we made are just cannon fodder!"

The old man looked thoughtful, paused for a moment, and then asked, "The northern branch family?"

"Them? They're from the same clan. As long as they don't block the way, there's no need to pay them any attention!"

"If they block our way, kill them without hesitation!"

Jia Tang made a move in Tongzhou late at night, instantly killing three level-3 enemies. The battle in Fengyang Prefecture some time ago was originally a battle between the Huang and Li families, but unexpectedly it turned out to be a battle between the forces of Master Ze'e and the Jia family.

Such a momentous event, which should have been a world-shaking event, seemed insignificant in the face of Tian Lie.

What exactly is it that can cause the heavens and earth to tremble, creating such a spectacular phenomenon that has ignited the passions of cultivators throughout the world?

It must be a supreme treasure of the immortals!

For the next period of time, cultivators from all sides in the Great Zhao territory, whether in the northern plains or the deep mountains of the southwest, were searching for the two places where unusual activity had occurred.

In an instant, the entire Great Zhao Dynasty seemed to come alive, with cultivators from all over appearing one after another, heading towards the north and southeast of the dynasty.

But when the commander of the Flying Eagle Division, a second-level cultivator, returned from beyond the pass covered in blood and with his robes torn, only to crash and die in the Immortal Capital, the world realized that something was amiss.

Some secret information gradually began to circulate among the major families—

Ningguo Mansion, Ruihu Courtyard Study.

Jia Tang stood before the enormous map, flanked by numerous cultivators from the eight prefectures, five retainers from within the prefectures, and the Tiger Guard Commander.

The crowd's expressions were solemn, their eyes wide with surprise, their pupils slightly dilated, as if they had seen something incredible.

"What do you mean by 'two vast areas suddenly appearing out of thin air'?"

Zhao Daniu clutched the secret letter, staring at the map, and couldn't help but scratch his head: "Damn it, it can't be that the foreign lands were conquered by Jia and his men, can it?"

"Shut up!"

Li Jia frowned, pointed to the map and said, "Young Master, the grasslands outside the pass are divided in two. A mountain range that stretches for tens of thousands of miles forms a thick wall. The place where the two meet doesn't feel like a patchwork; instead, it looks like that terrain was originally there."

"What lies beyond the mountains is unknown, and the original grassland royal court has vanished without a trace."

"In addition, there are living creatures in these newly added mountains. All those discovered are various kinds of primordial beasts, or similar exotic demons. They are all extremely ferocious and powerful, and have devoured many alien tribes on the grasslands that are close to the mountains."

Grand Master Wang Heyuan sighed and continued, "There have also been changes in the eastern coastal areas. A huge continent has emerged in the sea, about five thousand miles from the shore."

"Generally speaking, whether it grows from the sea or falls from the sky, it will create surging waves when it falls into the sea."

"But this enormous thing appeared in the sea without causing the slightest wave. It was as calm as ever, as if it had always been there."

"Moreover, there are living beings and cultivators on it; from a distance, they look like humans!"

"The other side has also discovered our territory, and is now in a standoff with the exploration teams from various countries in the air."

Jia Tang rubbed his temples and said in a deep voice, "Do you still remember the secret we learned from the secret realm earlier? In ancient times, the world underwent a great change, and the earth was shattered into pieces, leaving only the center of this world intact, which is the place we are in now."

"Later, in the secret realm of Zhuyu Bay, I obtained the Cloud Sky Notes and learned more about the past."

"Based on this comprehensive inference, the situation in these two places, along with the recent celestial anomalies, can be clearly explained."

"It's because the primordial energy of Huayang Realm has been restored. Once it recovers to a certain level, it will cause the previously divided realms to revert and merge into it, reappearing in the place it once was in ancient times!"

Chen Hao nodded solemnly and continued, "Perhaps that's the case. Judging from the current situation, it's not just the territory that's returned, but also the things inside."

"Perhaps it was one of the most powerful creatures of ancient times, or even the ancient human race?"

Jia Tang nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "Pass down the order: all officials under the jurisdiction of the eight prefectures of my Immortal Capital are forbidden from making any unauthorized moves when exploring the two ancient sites. If they do make a move, it must be a single, decisive strike!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Hao couldn't help but sigh, "These are turbulent times!"

"I'm not afraid of having a lot of trouble, I'm afraid of having no benefits!"

A glint of light flashed in Jia Tang's bright and sharp eyes. Change often means that risk and opportunity coexist!

"Spread all the spies and agents from each prefecture and household in the north to the grasslands and coast!"

"Use any means necessary to ascertain the true intelligence of both locations, with a focus on investigating their cultivation systems, power distribution, rare and precious resources, and miraculous elixirs —"

"We need to figure out everything that can improve our strength!"

Upon hearing this, everyone stood up in unison, bowed, and accepted the order: "Yes, sir!"

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