The Last Sentinel

"You brat!"

Ao Bai's beard and hair stood on end, and his aged voice, carrying a chilling dragon's might, boomed out.

The entire Longyuan Council Hall was constructed of deep-sea jade. The dark blue water-patterned spiritual light floating inside the hall surged violently, and the invisible deep-sea pressure layered upon layer. The cold and heavy aura instantly locked the entire hall, making it difficult for people to breathe.

"Get this guy surnamed Li out of here!"

At a command, a thick, swirling mist surged into the hall, obscuring all views. Two ten-zhang-tall sea patrol yakshas landed steadily on the mist, their figures as majestic as mountains.

Both were robust and muscular, clad in uniform deep-sea high-tech armor. The armor was cold and sharp, covered with thorns, and the pressure-resistant alloy blades embedded in the shoulder armor were gleaming. Dark blue energy patterns circulated between the seams of the armor.

The Yaksha, wielding a trembling, buzzing gravity-projecting halberd, used its powerful restraining force to hold Li Jing's shoulders and neck, pressing down on him until he was hunched over. It was about to forcibly throw this Chen Tang Pass patriarch out of the hall.

"Slip of the tongue!"

"Brother Ao, Lord Ao, it was purely a slip of the tongue!"

Li Jing's muscles were tense, and she was unable to move under the immense force of the Yaksha. She struggled slightly, and cold sweat rolled down her face, wetting her clothes.

The composure and arrogance he displayed upon arrival had vanished completely, replaced by panic and humility. His tone was urgent and ingratiating: "These are all old grudges, why dwell on the past and ruin our deal today!"

Ao Bai sat upright in the main seat, his anger completely consumed by his heart. His aged face turned red, his snow-white beard trembled violently, and the dragon energy around him surged and churned, seemingly about to burst out of his body. His narrow dragon eyes were filled with layers of anger, and he was already on the verge of exploding in rage.

As the atmosphere became tense and the standoff reached a stalemate, Ye Feng, who had been silently observing from the side, subtly shifted his gaze. He appeared calm, but a clear plan instantly formed in his mind.

He quickly reviewed his past life experiences and recalled how the United States, the "beacon of light," maneuvered between two sides during World War II, acting as an intermediary in arms sales, reaping global benefits without participating in the war, and ultimately becoming a world hegemon.

Currently, the various forces in the heavens are mutually restraining and checking each other. I happen to be in the most secure middle position. I don't need to take sides. I only need to mediate and manipulate. This is the perfect opportunity to sit back and watch the dragon and tiger fight and to profit from it.

Ye Feng coughed lightly, raised his hand to ease the tense situation, and said in a calm and fair tone: "Fellow Daoist Ao, as the old saying goes, it is better to resolve enmity than to make it. Now that Patriarch Li has taken the initiative to come to apologize and seek peace, everyone can turn hostility into friendship."

Ao Bai's cloudy eyes flickered slightly as he forcefully suppressed the raging fury surging in his chest. His surging dragon might slowly subsided, and he stared intently at Ye Feng, tentatively asking in a deep voice, "What does Ancestor Ye mean?"

Ye Feng waved his hand casually, and the two Yakshas immediately put away their halberds and stood on either side, releasing their restraints on Li Jing.

With the shackles lifted, Li Jing's tense muscles relaxed instantly. She let out a long sigh, then quickly bowed deeply, her posture extremely humble, her eyes filled with genuine gratitude: "Thank you so much, Elder Ye, for your help. I will forever remember your kindness in rescuing me!"

Ye Feng stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent: "No need for thanks. This is a private feud between you and the Ao family. The one who tied the knot must untie it. Whether you can reconcile depends entirely on your sincerity."

A calculating glint flashed in Li Jing's eyes, and she quickly said, "I understand! I'll offer Endless Tears as a deposit immediately, and the remaining balance will be paid in full after I conquer Flower Fruit Mountain! How about it?"

Ao Bai merely turned his head to the side and coldly snorted, his facial lines tense, his impatience and disdain between his brows and eyes undisguised. He didn't even bother to spare Li Jing a glance, and his aloof and cold aura spread out completely, displaying his resistance and displeasure to the fullest extent.

Seeing this, Li Jing panicked even more. Knowing that Ao Bai's attitude was tough and he would never back down, she immediately turned to look at Ye Feng beside her, her eyes pleading and full of hope for help and negotiation.

Ye Feng seized the opportunity to mediate, advising fairly, "This is not appropriate. You haven't settled your old debts, and now you're adding new ones; this is against the rules of the transaction."

Li Jing looked distressed and asked in an embarrassed tone, "Then, according to Elder Ye's opinion, how should this be handled?"

After a moment's thought, Ye Feng settled on a compromise: "You two each take a step back. Patriarch Li will use this one endless tear to offset the outstanding balance."

Let bygones be bygones, all grudges settled, and we can discuss new deals later. What does Fellow Daoist Ao think?

Ao Bai frowned, his face showing displeasure: "The outstanding balance you owe is a full 100,000 Thai Polis, while this Endless Tear is worth only 30,000 on the market. I have truly suffered a loss."

But out of respect for Ye Zu, I will not pursue this matter further; let this old score be settled.

Li Jing maintained a humble and apologetic smile on her face, bowing and thanking him impeccably. Her manners were impeccable, but inwardly she was filled with extreme regret and simmering anger. She cursed inwardly: "Ao Bai is a complete swindler! The Endless Tears are a rare treasure, worth a full 300,000 Thai Pli, yet he casually offered it for 30,000 as payment! Clearly, he's abusing his power! This old man and young man have obviously conspired beforehand, using the guise of mediation to swindle me!"

However, this place is the core hall of Longyuan, where Ao Bai holds power and Ye Feng's strength is unfathomable. He is alone here and controlled by others. Even though he is full of resentment and unwillingness, he can only suppress it in his heart and dare not show the slightest expression.

Ye Feng smiled slightly and smoothly smoothed things over: "That's good then. Please take your seats and let's discuss the new arms order."

Ao Bai's expression softened slightly as he sat down to steady himself. Li Jing immediately took out a gilded order book and handed it to him, saying urgently, "Brother Ao, please take a look. This is the list of weapons I need for this trip!"

Ao Bai quickly glanced at the paper, discerning the trickery within just a few lines. Suddenly, he slammed his palm hard on the jade table. A crisp, loud sound echoed through the hall, the spiritual light on the table trembled violently, and tiny water ripples scattered and exploded, a terrifying aura sweeping across the entire area.

"Li Jing, have I been too kind to you?!"

Ye Feng took the order and examined it closely. He saw that the paper was densely packed with top-of-the-line weapons, in huge quantities, almost enough to empty the Dragon Abyss's millennia-old treasure trove. Moreover, the entire process involved zero upfront payment and settlement after the battle, making the terms extremely outrageous.

No one could stand it!

You haven't even fought this battle yet!

If you lose, you'll be dead, and that debt will definitely be a mess!

If you win and become stronger, you'll say, "I've already won, and you still want me to pay you back? Didn't I win for nothing?" You'll definitely try to renege on your debt just like last time!

All things considered, Longyuan is losing money hand over fist. Even so, the fact that Ao Bai didn't kill you outright is already a sign of great restraint.

Li Jing was shocked and her heart tightened. She awkwardly smiled and explained, "Brother Ao, please calm down! This order was not made by me, but by Mo Lijie, the young master of the Mo family!"

Ao Bai's eyes widened in anger as he roared, "So what if it's Demonic Tribulation? A mere junior from the Heavenly Court dares to arbitrarily control Longyuan, a territory of the Heavenly Court? Your Heavenly Court's power has run rampant throughout the heavens, and you've long since lost your sense of propriety!"

His dragon might surged, his voice shaking the hall: "Longyuan is an independent third-party faction, transcending all heavens! Your dimensional battlefield conflicts have nothing to do with me. Don't involve Longyuan, and don't flaunt your Heavenly Court authority here!"

Li Jing quickly stepped forward to dissuade him: "Brother Ao, don't be angry! Young Master Mo Lijie is very generous; he promised to give the entire territory to Longyuan after conquering Huaguo Mountain!"

Ao Bai's face was full of sarcasm as he coldly said, "You think you can exchange a dilapidated, sealed land that's been sealed for ten thousand years for my Dragon Abyss's endless arsenal? First, conquer Flower Fruit Mountain, then come here and talk about gifts! Show him out!"

Li Jing refused to give up and earnestly advised, "Others may not understand, but how could you not? Huaguo Mountain is adjacent to the East Sea, Longyuan, and the Crystal Palace. It is the ancient homeland of the Dragon Clan in Dongsheng Shenzhou! If this place falls into the hands of outsiders, with tigers lurking beside the ancestral land of the Dragon Clan, how can you sleep soundly?"

These words struck a nerve with the dragons, causing Ao Bai's scales to turn red as his rage erupted. He roared, "You worthless wretch, how dare you threaten me? Chen Tang Pass is nothing to worry about!"

"Ever since Nezha left, your Chen Tang Pass has declined drastically, becoming nothing more than a treacherous, spineless lackey of the Heavenly Court!"

With all pretense gone, Li Jing slammed her hand on the table, her expression ferocious: "You surnamed Ao, let me make this clear! The Heavenly Court's conquest of Flower Fruit Mountain and pacification of the East Sea were to eliminate external threats to your Dragon Clan! This batch of weapons, you have to give it up, whether you like it or not!"

Ao Bai, enraged, laughed coldly. He flashed forward, his claws gripping Li Jing's collar, lifting her into the air. His fingers, sharp and menacing, glared at her: "You've got some nerve! A lowly wretch like you dares to threaten me so brazenly!"

With her neck constricted and struggling to breathe, Li Jing's face turned purple, yet she still stubbornly snorted, each word carrying authority: "Behind me is the Heavenly Court's Demon Lord Li Jie! He has already cleared the Upper Heaven Battlefield and entered the Yellow Heaven Battlefield. Among his peers, only the Seven Deadly Sins, Greed, can rival him, but Greed has been trapped in the Yellow Heaven for too long and is no longer able to advance!"

He was panting heavily, his eyes filled with intimidation: "In the Heavenly Court's election, Mo Lijie will undoubtedly advance and secure a place among the Four Emperors! You should carefully consider whether you want to wait for him to seize power and destroy the monumental anchor of your dragon race on the dimensional battlefield!"

The veiled threat landed, and Ao Bai's dragon claws gripping his neck suddenly loosened, all strength dissipating. The raging fury that had been surging within him vanished instantly, replaced by a deep-seated solemnity and apprehension. His entire body swayed slightly, and his imposing dragon might completely subsided, leaving him silent.

While others remained oblivious, Ye Feng grasped the crux of the matter. The dimensional battlefield was not only a place of slaughter but also a top-tier secret realm among the heavens, where ancient giants had fallen, leaving behind divine weapons, legacies, and traditions. Supreme beings of various races would condense their soul monuments on the battlefield, serving as guiding beacons for their clansmen to overcome challenges, protecting their descendants as they acquired resources and inherited their legacy.

Once the monument is destroyed and the signposts are cut off, the future generations of the dragon race will have no way to advance to higher levels or find top-tier resources, which is equivalent to the future of the entire race being completely cut off.

The greatest source of Longyuan's confidence in remaining neutral and independent, without relying on any of the heavenly forces, is the dragon clan's monument in the dimensional battlefield.

As long as the monument stands, the Dragon Clan will have the opportunity to produce prodigies, inherit the lineage of the giants, and join the top ranks.

If this monument is destroyed, the Dragon Clan's millennia-long plan will fall apart, and their path to the future will be completely severed!

Li Jing raised her hand to straighten her clothes, and after breaking free of her restraints, calmly assessed the situation: "I never fight a battle I can't win. Brother Ao, let's stop here. You supply the weapons, and once the East Sea and Flower Fruit Mountain are recovered, the Dragon Clan will regain control of their ancestral lands. It's a win-win situation for both of us. Why suffer losses and cut off our own future?"

Ao Bai clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, his sharp dragon claws almost digging into his palms, his narrow dragon eyes lowered in a deep, silent gaze. The entire hall was deathly still, even the air seemed to freeze, a heavy, oppressive atmosphere enveloping everyone, making it hard to breathe.

In the dead silence, Ye Feng lightly tapped the table, the crisp sound breaking the monotony: "I have long heard of the four battlefields of Azure Heaven, Yellow Heaven, Jun Heaven, and Profound Heaven. Mo Lijie's stepping into Yellow Heaven is indeed remarkable, but he is far from being among the top geniuses. His boast of destroying the Dragon Clan's monument and severing the path of the clan is too arrogant."

Li Jing's eyes turned cold, her face full of disdain: "Ye Zu is quite arrogant. Have you ever set foot in the dimensional battlefield? Do you dare to speak so casually about the young master's strength?"

Ye Feng shook his head calmly: "I've never been there, but my senior brother has."

"Who is your senior brother?" Li Jing frowned, full of doubt.

Ao Bai, who had been lost in thought, suddenly snapped back to reality, his confidence instantly returning as he coldly stared at Li Jing, each word ringing with conviction: "Open your eyes and see clearly! This Ye Zu is the junior brother of Shuang Zu from Pangu Academy! Shuang Zu is a quasi-Emperor-level powerhouse who has dominated the Juntian Battlefield. How can Mo Lijie, a mere Yellow Heaven junior, be compared to him?"

Li Jing's expression changed drastically, and she gritted her teeth, arguing, "The Heavenly Court also has a Quasi-Emperor in charge of the Juntian Battlefield, so why should we fear him!"

Ao Bai's voice was sharp and went straight to the point: "How could the Heavenly Court's patriarch offend the Frost Ancestor for the sake of a mere Demon Ritual Calamity? The Ye Ancestor and the Frost Ancestor have a very deep friendship. The Frost Ancestor could easily suppress the Demon Ritual Calamity for him. This connection is beyond your comprehension!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the hall fell into complete silence; you could hear a pin drop.

The strength and arrogance that had been on Li Jing's face just moments before shattered and vanished completely. Her face stiffened and turned deathly pale, and her entire aura collapsed. She stood there blankly, no longer possessing any arrogance or confidence. In her heart, she had developed a deep sense of fear towards this mysterious Old Ancestor Ye.