The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

"What a fine example of 'every man has a responsibility,' haha!"

Song Tiange smiled and patted Wang Long on the shoulder, quite liking his words. Nowadays, many cultivators are too selfish, resorting to any means to improve their cultivation.

Too many ordinary people have been sacrificed. If there were more responsible cultivators like Wang Long, the Eastern Region would be even stronger!

His gaze lingered on Wang Long for a moment before he continued.

"I will personally interrogate these people. If you have no urgent business, you can stay in the city for a few more days. If you need anything, just give the order."

Wang Long nodded without refusing.

Song Tiange didn't delay any longer. He nodded slightly to Wang Long, then his figure flickered and disappeared from the spot in an instant.

Ye Niannu looked at the spot where Song Tiange had disappeared and whispered.

"Why did you leave in such a hurry?"

"This shows that this matter is of utmost importance."

Wang Long's expression was serious.

"As the central hub of the Eastern Region, Tianque City cannot afford any unforeseen events!"

The two walked out while talking.

Wang Long has many things to do and can't stay here forever.

As I stepped out of the city lord's mansion, the afternoon sun was shining brightly.

The main street of Tianque City was still bustling with people, and the discussions about the cracks rose and fell, creating a tense and busy daily atmosphere.

Wang Long stood on the steps in front of the city lord's mansion, looked up at the clear sky, and after a moment stepped down the steps and walked towards a teahouse on the side of the street.

"My lord, what should we do next?"

Ye Niannu followed beside him, casually straightening her sleeves that had been ruffled by the wind.

"Take a break first, then get back to work!"

Wang Long sat down by the window in the teahouse, ordered two pots of spiritual tea, looked out the window at the distant sky, and murmured to himself.

"I always have a feeling that a storm is brewing."

Ye Niannu didn't ask any further questions. She sat down opposite him, picked up her teacup, and took a sip.

His gaze fell thoughtfully on the pedestrians passing by on the street through the window.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in the council chamber at the highest point of Tianque City was completely different from before.

Song Tiange stood in the pavilion, with two Heavenly Venerable elders standing in front of him. They were Lin Changqing and Ji Yue, whom he had urgently summoned after parting ways with Wang Long.

On the table in front of the three men was a topographical map of the Eastern Region. Several locations on the map were circled with cinnabar, and scattered around it were several scrolls and fragments of artifacts that had just been taken from the men in black.

Without exchanging pleasantries, Song Tiange went straight to the point and recounted the news that Wang Long had brought.

Lin Changqing's expression turned solemn after hearing this.

He slowly stood up, walked to the huge map on the wall, and glanced at the places marked with cinnabar. He remained silent for a long time before speaking, his voice hoarse and solemn.

"The rift was artificially activated... This is no longer just a threat from the beast tide; someone is orchestrating this behind the scenes."

Ji Yue abandoned her usual leisurely fanning posture, placed the folding fan on the table, and gently pressed the edge of the fan ribs with her fingertips, her brows furrowed.

"The Central Plains Holy Land has extended its reach into the Eastern Regions, resorting to such methods to open up spatial barriers; its true purpose is far from simple!"

"What could be their purpose?"

Lin Changqing turned around, his gaze sweeping heavily over the few pages of the scroll.

"Tear a hole in the Eastern Region's defenses, let the beast tide surge out from within, deplete the strength of the various forces in the Eastern Region, and take the opportunity to infiltrate, nibble away at their territory, and even..."

He paused, lowering his voice slightly.

"Someone wants to use this to gather enough death energy and resentment to pave their own path to becoming an emperor!"

Ji Yue's expression changed slightly.

Song Tiange didn't speak, but his silence itself was a form of acquiescence.

The council chamber remained quiet for a long time.

Finally, Song Tiange broke the silence, her voice icy cold.

"No matter what the possibility is, we cannot sit idly by."

"Tianque City shall immediately draft a liaison document to inform the major powers in the surrounding regions of this matter, and jointly form a special inspection team to conduct a comprehensive investigation of all known crack nodes."

"If any further signs of deliberate activation are found, apprehend the suspect on the spot and interrogate them thoroughly!"

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the two of them.

"As for Zhongzhou, send people to gather information. We can't just stand by and watch the Eastern Region be destroyed by this madman!"

Lin Changqing and Ji Yue nodded simultaneously, without raising any objections.

When Song Tiange walked out of the council chamber at the highest point of Tianque City, it was already close to dusk.

Somewhere in the sacred land of Central China.

A majestic palace stands deep within the holy land, its entire structure built of dark purple black stone, its surface engraved with intricate runes, gleaming with a cold, eerie light in the twilight.

On either side of the palace gate stood a stone statue over ten feet tall, its faces blurred, yet exuding a chilling and menacing aura.

A man dressed in a gray short brown robe walked with his head down, his steps quick and light, almost jogging along the ground, through the long corridor, and stopped in front of the palace gate.

He took a deep breath, raised his hand, and gently knocked three times on the heavy palace door, his voice respectful and cautious.

"My lord, news has come back from the Eastern Region..."

There was a moment of silence in the hall, then a deep and calm voice seeped out from the crack in the door. It was impossible to tell whether the person was happy or angry, but it carried a kind of composure that sent chills down one's spine.

"Come in."

The servant hurriedly pushed open the palace door, lowered his head and quickly walked in. He stopped three steps inside the threshold, knelt down, and pressed his forehead against the cold ground, not daring to raise his head.

The interior of the hall was even more spacious than the exterior, with dozens of fist-sized luminous pearls embedded in the four walls, emitting a cold white light that illuminated the entire hall as if it were daytime.

However, the light was not warm at all; instead, it made the air inside the hall feel even colder.

On a high platform at the far end of the hall stood a large, dark purple throne.

A figure sat on the throne, tall and slender, his face hidden in a faint shadow, making his features indistinct.

One could only vaguely sense the eyes looking down from above, calm yet carrying an almost indifferent scrutiny.

"Speak, what news do you have?"

The voice carried an imposing, suffocating pressure.

The servant lowered his head even further, his voice trembling slightly, but he still tried his best to speak clearly.

"Reporting to Your Excellency, the people sent to the northern border of the Eastern Region of Daqian... have lost contact."

The last message that came back said they had encountered a Saint Realm cultivator, who was accompanied by at least two Supreme Realm experts…

After he finished speaking, the hall remained quiet for a long time.

The figure on the throne did not speak immediately, but merely tapped the armrest lightly with his fingertips, producing a soft "tap" sound.

"It was discovered so quickly."

The voice remained devoid of emotion, as if recounting a trivial matter, yet it caused the kneeling servant to subconsciously lower his breathing.

A moment later, the figure on the throne shifted slightly, as if shifting to a more comfortable position.

"It's alright."

The voice remained calm.

"Those cracks are just appetizers; the real main course is never a few small openings made beforehand."

He paused, tapped his fingertips on the armrest again, and his voice carried a hint of amusement.

"The beast tide in the Eastern Region is the carnival I've been longing for!"