Lothar was charging over, but even with his formidable power, he could not clearly see what Habus held in his hand. From afar, it seemed like a vague ball of light slowly flowing.
What was it that made Zhang Boqian so startled?
Habus turned to look at Lothar, raising his hand to signal him not to come closer. At the same time, the Great Governor of the Arachne sensed a powerful aura lightly touching him from afar. This was usually how two dark powerhouses without hostility greeted each other as they entered each other’s safe range. Such behavior between a great lord and a prince, even if Habus was a council giant and an ennobled prince, was somewhat of an affront.
However, Lothar still cautiously slowed down. His intuition was sending a strong signal, warning him that this sudden change was far from ordinary. Moreover, the power Habus had just displayed was astounding, making Lothar hesitate for a moment whether to directly intrude into the other’s domain.
What are the Bloods up to? Lothar thought, suddenly noticing that Medanzo was not following closely, lingering more than a hundred meters behind, drifting slowly towards him.
The Great Governor of the Arachne immediately stopped, no longer approaching, and looked at Medanzo with a wary eye. The King of Shadows seemed oblivious, drifting leisurely until he was shoulder to shoulder with Lothar.
Lothar did not move, and Medanzo would certainly not rush over alone, nor would any of the other princes and grand dukes. This side of the battlefield fell into a strangely eerie stillness.
Zhang Boqian asked slowly, “How did you get this image?”
Habus replied, “How I obtained it is unimportant. What matters is that what you see is real.”
The light in Habus’s hand flowed quietly, yet even the two nearest dark lords couldn’t discern anything unusual about it.
But Zhang Boqian saw a detailed image, with the white-haired man in a simple robe turning to look at him, the patterns on the hem of his robe clearly visible, and even the tiniest expressions on his face were vividly clear, as if Zhang Boqian could touch the man’s aura by reaching out.
The scene was so real that it felt like being there, and even more striking was that the aura was perfectly presented. Zhang Boqian immediately sensed Lin Xitang’s extremely weak aura. Lin Xitang’s glance was as calm as usual, but his vitality was dim, and his body and limbs barely moved, indicating a clear loss of mobility.
When did Lin Xitang become so weakened? Or rather, he never showed such weakness in front of others!
Zhang Boqian’s gaze swept over the surroundings in the image, the unique scenery outside the long window behind the recliner etched in his mind, and he felt another shock.
This time, he didn’t bother to conceal anything, shouting, “He is in the Pavilion of Celestial Secrets?”
“If not there, where else could he be?”
“Regardless, he shouldn’t be there!” Zhang Boqian’s voice, though not loud, was filled with a chilling intent, pressing down on Habus like a tidal wave. The Pavilion of Celestial Secrets was a vital imperial ground, designed for large-scale celestial evolutions and rites, with heavy restrictions. Each celestial evolution required a substantial blood sacrifice, and a single person could not use the Celestial Techniques within.
A strike from the Duke of Qingyang, even if it was just a pressure of qi, how many could endure it? Habus dared not face it head-on, retracting the image and slightly retreating.
“Whether it’s true or false, the Duke of Qingyang knows well, and some things cannot be faked. So, do you still want to continue wasting time here?”
A cold flash appeared in Zhang Boqian’s eyes, and he said, “How is Lin Xitang now?”
“How should I know? But he should still be alive.”
“Should?!”
Habus smiled calmly, “It seems the Duke of Qingyang’s anger is misplaced. However, I have always been concerned that Commander Lin’s non-ascension to the Celestial Throne would affect his lifespan. But looking at his current state, it seems he may not even make it through this year, let alone ten years.”
Before Zhang Boqian could finish, he suddenly unleashed a palm strike, several dazzling electric lights forming a barrier that rushed towards Habus.
But Habus was prepared, retreating far away. A pale golden light enveloped in crimson blood formed his famous domain, the “Dusk Kingdom,” and the electric barrier was partially deflected and avoided.
“I have nothing to do with his current state. More than a month ago, a seer in the council predicted a change in your imperial palace, and now it seems to have come true for Commander Lin. Is the Duke of Qingyang also powerless? In the Great Qin, must even the Celestial Throne bow to the inevitable?”
The light in Zhang Boqian’s eyes flickered, and he said, “Such meaningless provocations are tiresome. There are, of course, people and things I have to consider in the empire, but in this matter, there are none!”
With a wave of his robe, he turned to leave, but Habus called out, “Wait!”
“What do you want to say now?”
“Please convey to Commander Lin that no matter what he has planned, the arrival of the new world will change the era. Even if he is unwilling to give up the overall situation, it will be a meaningless failure.”
Zhang Boqian replied directly, “I won’t relay that message for you. Lin Xitang’s choices are his own, and he will bear them himself.”
“Would the Duke of Qingyang prefer to seek forbidden techniques rather than persuade him to abandon a futile sacrifice?”
Zhang Boqian’s tone turned grim, “His and my affairs are none of your business.”
Habus paused for a moment, then said, “There are various factions in the council. Some want to bring back the Emperor, while others are more interested in the benefits from the internal changes in the Great Qin. So, the Duke of Qingyang must be cautious on this journey.”
Zhang Boqian replied calmly, “As long as it’s not the three Supreme Beings, I can handle anything else.”
“The Duke of Qingyang is too arrogant.”
Zhang Boqian gave Habus a deep look, saying, “No matter what, I will remember today’s events.”
“Thank me not, I just want to bring the Emperor back. If you don’t leave, we won’t be able to receive him.” Habus smiled.
Zhang Boqian nodded, and started to walk away, completely uninterested in knowing the identity of the person. Meanwhile, Zhi Ji Wang was shocked and nearly hit by the Eternal Flame. Though he managed to dodge, his hard-won advantage was greatly diminished.
“Boqian, what are you doing?”
Zhang Boqian’s back moved slightly, but he finally stopped, turned around, and stood still, saying, “Surely you know what happened in the capital, don’t you?”
At this moment, both Lothar and Medanzo realized the situation had drastically changed, and they didn’t follow up to attack Zhang Boqian. The two lords did not move, and the other princes and grand dukes would not join in to cause trouble. Habus also did not go far, standing aside, watching the show with a serene expression.
While countering, Zhi Ji Wang replied, “I know.”
“You know, and you still brought me here to stop someone whose identity is unknown?”
“This matter is of utmost importance, far beyond anything else. Furthermore, priorities must be set. Whatever happens in the capital is merely internal politics, and as Celestial Throned, we should not lean towards any side.”
Celestial Thrones do not lead armies, and they do not interfere in politics either. Behind-the-scenes influence is unavoidable, but even the most power-hungry Longevity King has never stepped into the open.
Zhang Boqian chuckled, his voice low, “Not that urgent? Shouldn’t lean towards any side? Does it matter how chaotic it gets?”
Zhi Ji Wang frowned, “The political strife in the capital is trivial compared to this. If we fail to stop that person, perhaps in the future, the Evernight will gain another figure approaching the peak of the Holy Mountain. By then, the overall situation will collapse, and will we regret not acting today?”
Zhang Boqian said coldly, “The Evernight gaining or losing a strong figure is their business. The capital is our business.”
“But these two matters happen simultaneously. Balancing them, we must be here.”
Zhang Boqian narrowed his eyes, “So, the entire change in the imperial palace is a pawn, a big move to trade off the one you are stopping.”
Zhi Ji Wang sighed, “The Evernight did not give us a choice. Since the change in the imperial palace was bound to happen, why not take advantage of the situation? At least now, the Evernight’s attention is divided due to internal conflicts, otherwise, we would have no hope of stopping that person. Just wait a little longer…”
Zhi Ji Wang spoke diplomatically, but Zhang Boqian cut him off, “By the time half a day passes, the capital will be settled, right? In the end, it’s still a pawn.”
Zhi Ji Wang said slowly, “Actually, I am not entirely clear about the details of the capital’s unrest. But in internal politics, a Celestial Throne’s stance should be neutral. Boqian, you come from a noble family and are always a leader among the nobility. But for the clans to dominate over the imperial faction is not good for the empire.”
Zhang Boqian caught the hint, realizing that Zhi Ji Wang was worried he might support the noble families against the imperial faction. He laughed angrily, “I don’t think the clans are dominating the imperial faction, but rather the emperor is purging his own ministers, isn’t it?”
From the moment they started discussing the capital’s internal politics, they switched to using the Dawn force to transmit sound, isolating the ears of the Evernight powerhouses. The Evernight powerhouses seemed to tacitly agree, not interfering with the conversation between Zhi Ji Wang and Zhang Boqian. Even the Eternal Flame slowed its attack, allowing Zhi Ji Wang to maintain a slight advantage to converse properly with Zhang Boqian.
The more they acted this way, the clearer Zhi Ji Wang understood the reasons.
The Evernight Council had clearly made more than one preparation. Now, Zhang Boqian was clearly swayed by Habus. If the Evernight powerhouses attacked now, it might backfire. These three lords, from different races, were already in a restraining position, and even with their tasks, they did not wish to engage in a life-and-death battle with the human Celestial Thrones.
Zhi Ji Wang simply stopped, flashing to appear in front of Zhang Boqian, and indeed, the demon lord did not obstruct their meeting.
Now, the closest to the two Celestial Thrones was Habus. He remained calm, smiling and bowing, slowly retreating. This time, he retreated to a distance outside the attack range of the Celestial Thrones.
Zhi Ji Wang said, “Boqian, we only need to wait here for a day, and that person will surely pass. Then we can remove a major threat to the empire for the next hundred years. Even if we only injure her, it will hinder her entry into the new world and her growth. Besides, all the major lords of the Evernight who can lead troops are here. If we can keep them restrained, the pressure on the floating land will ease, and we can seize it, laying the foundation for the revival of the empire!”
Zhang Boqian confirmed that Zhi Ji Wang might truly not know the specific details of the imperial palace’s change. For a Celestial Throne, the political strife in the capital was child’s play, and it mattered little which faction governed. They were transcendent beings in the empire, focused on the broader picture of the Evernight and Dawn, and would play their cards accordingly.
Zhang Boqian suddenly did not want to beat around the bush anymore, speaking sarcastically, “I wonder which great strategist from the empire persuaded you to agree to this, without knowing who we are trading off. Perhaps, even if you knew, you’d still think trading Lin Xitang for an unnamed person is not a problem, oh, and the floating land and a lot of bonuses, right?”
Zhi Ji Wang was slightly surprised, clearly taken aback by the mention of Lin Xitang. As one of the four regents designated by the late emperor, the empire’s commander-in-chief, and the chief of the cabinet, as well as the top expert in Celestial Techniques, Lin Xitang’s position in the court was second only to one person, and in the entire empire, his power was among the top ten.
However, Zhi Ji Wang’s expression quickly turned serious, “The competition between the empire and the Evernight is a greater trend. In the collision, whoever is in the middle will be crushed to dust. Not to mention Lin Xitang, even you and I, if the tide comes, dying on the battlefield is not uncommon!”
“Dying on the battlefield is not the same as dying in a plot!”
“Boqian, what is wrong with trading Lin Xitang for the floating land and a potential strong figure in the Evernight?”
Zhang Boqian looked fixedly at Zhi Ji Wang, saying, “I, Zhang Boqian, am well aware that I am not a military genius, and I do not want to be one, so I never scheme. This trade-off may seem profitable, but to me, Lin Xitang is a political rival and a comrade, and he is not a chess piece! Even if the Evernight gains another strong figure, if we fear them and cut off our own arm, how can such an empire overturn the Evernight?”
“Boqian…”
“Enough, I am just a soldier, and I do not understand much of the grand principles. If that person becomes a threat, I will challenge her in the void. But for now, old duke, if you stop me, don’t blame me for not understanding the bigger picture!”
Zhi Ji Wang hesitated, but Zhang Boqian did not intend to say more. His sleeves billowed, and clouds began to form in the void, a sign that he was about to fully open his domain and forcibly break through.
Zhi Ji Wang’s expression changed several times, but he only sighed, stepping aside.
Zhang Boqian brushed past him, then stopped, not turning back, and said, “You never said who you were trying to stop, but now I have a rough idea. On this matter, some in the empire have acted despicably. If they knew it would come to this, why did they do it in the first place?”
Zhi Ji Wang sighed, “We have reached this point. Aside from uprooting the problem, what other solution is there? Can we hope for her kindness in the future?”
Zhang Boqian was silent for a moment, then said, “Old duke, you were not like this before.”
“In the past…” Zhi Ji Wang’s smile was tinged with sorrow, and he shook his head, “Since she left, Ji Wentian is dead. Now, I am just a Celestial Throne of the human race, using this old body to do more for our people.”
“If you really think that, you should be cutting out the root of the internal chaos in the capital, not stopping me here.”
Zhang Boqian’s gaze was sharp, and Zhi Ji Wang found it hard to meet, turning slightly, he smiled bitterly, “Root of the problem, that description is quite fitting.”
Zhang Boqian did not reply, and walked away, disappearing into the depths of the void. Yet halfway through, a massive shadow began to spread in the deep void ahead.
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