Chapter 138: Hostility

In the city of Listening Tide, atop the Holy Mountain, Bingfeng Luo stood alone by the window, gazing into the vast wilderness beyond and down at the city lights below.

The door behind him opened, and a maid stepped in, whispering, “Lord, the young miss has coughed up blood for the third time. What do you think we should—”

Bingfeng’s hand trembled, but his voice remained calm. “Do not disturb her.”

The maid, emboldened, said, “But, Lord, her face is as white as a sheet.”

“I said, do not disturb her!” Bingfeng raised his voice.

The maid jumped, then hastily replied, “As you command,” and quickly left.

Bingfeng looked up at the sky, seeing only thick, leaden clouds stretching to the horizon. He knew that beyond those clouds, in the void above, perilous battles were being waged, unspeakable in their ferocity.

He lightly tapped the windowsill, and the entire wall before him crumbled. Though he had tried to control himself, the surging power still overflowed, destroying the stone wall.

A cold wind swept through the gap, howling. The room’s temperature plummeted, and a cup of warm tea on the table rapidly cooled, turning to ice with a soft crack, leaving it riddled with cracks.

Though the wind was cold, it could not compare to the chill in Bingfong’s heart.

The door burst open again, this time flung wide. The maid, in a panic, rushed in, gasping, “My lord, something terrible has happened! The amulet you gave the young miss has been activated!”

“What?!” Bingfeng finally lost his composure, pushing the maid aside and vanishing in an instant.

The maid struggled to her feet, her face pale and blood trickling from her lips, clearly injured. She endured the pain and followed after Bingfeng.

In the chamber across the courtyard, a woman lay half-propped on the floor, her face ashen, her breath faint, and her clothes stained with shocking crimson. The room was in disarray, as if ravaged by a fierce fire. Most of the origin force formation on the floor was destroyed, and the crystal stones were shattered, with only a few remaining intact.

“Nan, how did this happen?” Bingfeng lifted the woman, noticing the charred marks on her chest and neck, remnants of the amulet’s explosion.

The woman managed a weak smile, gently caressing Bingfeng’s face. “Isn’t this to be expected?”

“You told me it would be a bit difficult. But now the amulet has been activated! Is this just a little difficult?”

The woman coughed, spitting more blood. “I sensed a great hostility and tried to probe further, but I inadvertently caught its attention and was wounded in the counterattack.”

Bingfeng frowned. “The strong of the Eternal Night Empire are coming, and there are true powerhouses among them, ones even I cannot easily defeat. Didn’t you know? This is utter recklessness!”

The woman shook her head. “I’ve always been cautious of the powerhouses of the Eternal Night and the Empire, and I’ve encountered those skilled in the Celestial Techniques. However, as long as I don’t get too close, they generally won’t attack. The powerhouses of the Eternal Night and the Empire are more concerned with each other. The great hostility I sensed belongs to neither the Eternal Night nor the Empire.”

Bingfeng’s expression grew grave. “How can you be sure?”

The woman sighed. “I am sure, though I can’t explain why. It’s just a feeling, you know. The Celestial Techniques often work like this.”

Bingfeng nodded. “Alright, I will be careful. You need to rest now.”

As he reached to help her, she clutched his clothing, her voice trembling. “Bingfeng! It’s Zhang Buzhou. He wants to kill you! Can’t you believe me?”

Bingfeng hesitated. “For such a grave matter, we need evidence.”

She gripped tighter. “Evidence? By the time we see it, it will be too late. Bingfeng, come with me. Don’t concern yourself with these matters anymore. If you stay on the Holy Mountain, you will die!”

Bingfeng patted her reassuringly. “Rest assured, it’s not easy to kill me on this Holy Mountain. Who else can kill me besides the one on the Blood Throne? Even if he comes, he must bring the Shattered Flow.”

“The Holy Mountain can suppress others, but not Zhang Buzhou. Don’t forget, this was originally his sanctuary.”

Bingfeng gave a bitter laugh. “Brother Tianwang and I are as close as brothers, and he saved my life in the past. Why would he want to kill me? Even if he is surrounded by sycophants, I still believe he is not a fool.”

“He needs only one reason to want to kill you. The Neutral Grounds cannot accommodate two Tianwangs!” the woman declared.

Bingfeng was stunned, then shook his head. “Becoming a Tianwang is no easy feat. Look at how many years Brother Tianwang has been in seclusion, yet he still has not made progress. It was only meeting you that I glimpsed a path. Brother Tianwang will always be my elder brother, whether he or I become a Tianwang first. Even if I take that step first, I will never covet his position. He will remain my elder brother, the Tianwang.”

His voice softened as he looked at her. “You should know that I have no interest in power or martial prowess. I only want you.”

“You may think so, but Zhang Buzhou does not.”

Bingfeng said, “Brother knows my thoughts. Let’s not speak of this. Without evidence, I cannot believe that Brother would harm me. He entrusted the Holy Mountain to me, and I will fulfill my duty to protect it. Hmph, even if the Eternal Night Empire is powerful, I, Bingfeng, do not fear them!”

The woman thought for a moment, then sighed. “Very well, you will soon see the evidence.”

Bingfeng helped her up and, after examining her, found that, besides her weakness, there were no other fatal injuries. He felt slightly relieved, but her vital energy was severely depleted, and recovery would take time.

“Nan, let me take you to rest. I will handle everything from here. You needn’t worry.”

The woman nodded. “Bingfeng, many powerhouses from the Eternal Night Empire are coming. Even with the Holy Mountain’s protection, you must be very careful.”

Bingfeng laughed confidently. “Don’t worry! I, Bingfeng, have survived many deadly situations. This small matter will not defeat me. And with you by my side, they will have to step over my corpse to reach the Holy Mountain! Hmph, whether it’s the Eternal Night or the Empire, if their leaders are not foolish, they should know that killing me, Bingfeng, will cost them dearly. We’ll see if they can afford it.”

Turning to a maid in the corner, Bingfeng said, “Tell your master exactly what I just said.”

The maid’s face turned pale, and she stammered, “Lord, I don’t understand what you mean.”

Bingfeng sneered. “I don’t care whether your master is from the Eternal Night or the Empire. Just deliver my message, and you will keep your life. I don’t want to hear your excuses. If you don’t go, then end your own life.”

The maid trembled, then bowed deeply and fled.

Bingfeng summoned another maid. “Dismiss everyone. We need some peace and quiet in the coming days.”

“Yes, Lord.”

Bingfeng helped the woman back to the bedroom. When he returned, the courtyard was silent, devoid of any human presence.

He looked up at the sky and muttered, “Brother, will you betray me?”

No answer came.

The storm was brewing.

In the city of Listening Tide, an air of grim foreboding filled the streets, and the atmosphere was tense. People hurried along, exchanging brief nods and parting ways without lingering, even with old friends.

From generals and wealthy merchants to commoners, every household was packing and preparing. On both sides of the main street, people were seen reinforcing their homes.

The mass movement of fleets could not be hidden from observant eyes, especially with the Great Purge in Lang City. Song Zining did not try to hide it, and began assembling his forces openly, aiming directly at Listening Tide City.

The scale of the military mobilization shocked all parties, with tens of thousands of troops on the ground, mostly mercenaries from the Neutral Grounds. The truly terrifying aspect was the Imperial fleet gathered in South Green City. Most of the warships had already shed their disguises, revealing their fangs. Disguises, no matter how good, compromised maneuverability and combat effectiveness. Since concealment was impossible, Song Zining removed all disguises to maximize their fighting strength.

This fleet now boasted over a dozen warships, all state-of-the-art Imperial vessels, far surpassing ordinary ships and even more superior to the second-hand ships in the Neutral Grounds. In terms of size, this fleet nearly qualified as a full task force, needing only a flagship to become independent.

With so many powerhouses from the Empire, who knew if they had a hidden capital ship? To claim otherwise would be unbelievable, given the failure of Jialer Lin’s fleet.

On paper, the Imperial fleet was strong enough to sweep through the Neutral Grounds. This was Song Zining’s greatest asset. If Bingfeng could not defeat the multitude of Imperial powerhouses single-handedly, the fleet alone would secure victory for the Empire.

Anyone with eyes could see that even if Bingfeng repelled the Imperial powerhouses, the battle in the city would be catastrophic.

In the past, during wars in the Eastern Sea, people sought refuge in Listening Tide City, which was a safe haven. Neither the Spider Emperor nor the Wolf King dared to threaten it. Yet now, Song Zining’s forces were targeting Listening Tide, and where could the people flee?

There was no place to run, only a fight.

In the Neutral Grounds, everyone was fierce. Despite the impending war, people were not afraid and began preparing for battle.

The common folk, with no choice, fortified their homes, ready to fight to the death if necessary. The upper echelons, however, saw many uncertainties and moved to prevent the conflict.

In such chaotic times, the movements of the top powerhouses were crucial. The Wolf King, with his fortress near Listening Tide City and his status as one of the strongest in the Eastern Sea, naturally drew much attention.

For several days, visitors to the fortress were constant.