Chapter 637: Similar Interests

Within a certain inn in Yongding, the youth in the Department of Rites and Rituals smiled as he faced Clan Head Li.

"Is this a threat?" Clan Head Li demanded.

"Hardly, Clan Head Li! You are a guest from afar, and Dazheng helped you considerably in the formation of the empire of Dali, did it not? Clan Head Li, you even mentioned that you would generously reward His Majesty for what he had done for you." The youth smiled.

"I did say that," Clan Head Li acknowledged.

"That's the spirit!" The youth smiled again. "We remember your promise, Clan Head Li, and we haven't requested anything from you. That said, we believe our help should be the foundation of a positive relationship between our two empires. Don't you agree?"

Clan Head Li slightly furrowed his brows, unsure of the youth's intentions. He frowned, not quite getting angry, and chose to nod. "You are correct."

"Clan Head Li, I've reserved the entire inn and have made preparations for a banquet at the best location in the inn. Would you join me in a celebration and discussion?" the youth suggested.

Clan Head Li shot a glance at his disciples, who nodded.

"Very well."

"Please follow me."

Clan Head Li followed the youth toward an open-air patio in the courtyard of the inn, where a banquet had been laid out.

There were plenty of delicacies, and the scent of fragrant alcohol drifted in the air. Everything seemed unusually ornate.

The two cultivators sat down and began to chat. The youth was adroit at conversation, bringing up the situation in the various Immortal cities that Clan Head Li controlled and the actions that the empire of Dali had taken to date. Clan Head Li's eyes twitched: just how much did the youth know? It was almost as though the empire had no secrets of which he was unaware. The youth had even pointed out a few crucial errors in judgment that might well have ended the empire. He sucked in a deep breath in surprise.

Throughout the banquet, Clan Head Li listened to the youth talk. He knew that Dazheng's information network had thoroughly dissected his empire from top to bottom. If he were to fight with Dazheng, the outcome would be disastrous.

Just then, several of his disciples sent him mental transmissions.

"Grandmaster, my avatar made a few inquiries. Something has happened in the sect. Your eldest grandson had suddenly gone missing."

"Grandmaster, my avatar made a few inquiries as well. All ten city lords of Dali's ten Immortal cities have had important descendants go missing out of nowhere."

The disciples' mental transmissions caused Clan Head Li to blanch.

"What tricks Dazheng plays," Clan Head Li suddenly said, his voice cold.

The youth smiled blandly. "Whatever could you mean, Clan Head Li?"

"My grandson has gone missing. Were you aware?" Clan Head Li demanded.

"Of course. Plenty of them have disappeared, haven't they. The spectral guards of Dazheng have reported that they share similar interests with those young masters, and they're all out hunting by the Eastern Sea. Isn't it great for young cultivators to explore the world together?" The youth smiled again.

Clan Head Li: ...

The spectral guards? Sharing similar interests? Clan Head Li cursed. Did Dazheng think him a fool? It was clear that his grandson had been kidnapped!

"Clan Head Li, Dali was founded with the help of Dazheng, and it's a good thing that the youths of both kingdoms are congregating. Worry not. They'll return to Dali in no time. Don't you agree?"

Clan Head Li grimaced at the bold threat, but what choice did he have?

He had no choice but to smile. "You're right. It's a good thing for these young people to congregate."

"That's the spirit!" The youth toasted him. "Let's keep on drinking."

Clan Head Li's face grew dour. He knew that if he were to continue carrying out his plan, not only would his relatives fall prey, Dazheng would retaliate against Dali on all fronts. Given what the youth had relayed to him, he was almost certain that there were Dazheng spies all over his empire. How quickly would Dali fall?

Surely he shouldn't make a move today?

Although it was true that he was in alliance with a few other forces, such alliances were based on profit. Given his situation, the profitability of making a move was surely negative—and steeply so, as well. Why would he act, then?

After hesitating for a moment, Clan Head Li interjected, "I have some matters to deal with. I only coincidentally stopped by Yongding today, so I don't want to be a bother any further."

"Clan Head Li, won't you wait for His Majesty's return? He's already on his way, and would be more than happy to welcome you himself," the youth suggested.

"There's no need. We can meet again some other day," Clan Head Li demurred.

"Very well, then. Allow me to send you off, Clan Head Li." The youth smiled.

"There's no need. I'm curious if you're aware when my grandson's hunt will be over, however."

"I suspect that the young masters will be home by the time you return, Clan Head Li." The youth's smile widened.

"Very well. Farewell, then. We won't take up more of your time."

"Nonsense, Clan Head Li! It's been my pleasure. Dazheng welcomes you."

Clan Head Li glowered as he left with his disciples in tow.

To himself, he muttered, "Dazheng welcomes me? To the extent that it would kidnap my relatives? Is that the grand welcome Dazheng offers me?"

He stewed all the way as he flew out of Yongding and toward Dali.

"Grandmaster, should we return in secret? We can hide in Yongding and make a move if there's an opportunity," a disciple suggested.

"We don't even know how they discovered us. Aren't you afraid these spectral guards will kill you if they find you back there?" Clan Head Li demanded.

"Grandmaster, you're a Golden Immortal! Surely you'll be alright?"

"If I don't return to my manor, do you think my grandson and the descendants of the various city lords will be freed?!"

"What?" His disciples reacted with dismay.

"Dazheng was able to defeat Dayin for good reason. It's my fault, at least partially. I was tempted by those other forces' talk of profit and tricked into coming here. I see how the situation is now. Those forty Immortal cities of Dazheng look tempting, but there's no way we'd be able to seize them," Clan Head Li said, sighing.

The other gray-clad disciples could only return to Dali with their grandmaster.

In addition to Clan Head Li, the other Golden Immortal that had been in the forests outside Yongding had been convinced to return by Wen Zhong as well.

There was no other choice, after all. The spectral guards had kidnapped his family. If he didn't return, he would essentially be condemning his family to death.

Yongding's crisis was resolved in the blink of an eye.

The greatest danger remaining came from the three Golden Immortals who had been trapped at the beginning of the confrontation.

Within the Spirit Emperor's hidden realm, 361 stars glowed in the air. Beams of starlight poured into the giant formation beneath them.

Within the formation, twelve golden cultivators fought against three Golden Immortals. They were sent flying again and again, but they relished the feeling of being pummeled and beaten up.

"Come on, again! Beat me up!"

"Like a tornado, these feelings are sweeping away my heart."

"If you don't beat me to death, none of you will be able to escape!"

Once the twelve golden cultivators were beaten to a pulp, Blue Lantern quickly brought them out of the formation.

The three Golden Immortals were exasperated. One of them frowned. "Something's wrong. Why haven't those two Golden Immortals around Yongding made their move yet?"

"At any rate, let's break out of this formation for now," another Golden Immortal suggested.

"Very well."

The three Golden Immortals struck simultaneously, causing a crack in the formation. The next moment, the crack vanished, having been filled up with starlight. The eye of the formation contained three resplendent treasures.

"Three Golden Immortal relics as the basis of this formation? What extravagance!"

"Damn it, we can't break out!"

"Attack at full force. We have to make it out now before it's too late. Hurry!"

Sensing something amiss, they charged at the formation again and again, causing it to shake and crack. It looked as though it would break at any moment, but the three Golden Immortals always seemed to fall just short of the energy needed.

Before long, Ye Dafu and the others had healed from their injuries. Their cultivation had all advanced.

"Haha, we're back!"

"Let's have fun together, you three Golden Immortals!"

"We haven't relaxed so well in far too long. I want another massage!"

The twelve golden cultivators tittered to each other in a way that sent shivers up the three Golden Immortals' spines. They froze. Were these cultivators maniacs?

"Die!" one Golden Immortal roared.

The three Golden Immortals began to strike the twelve golden cultivators again. After a ferocious beating, however, they fell silent. They were stunned. Those maniacs' shouts had quickly turned to moans. If spectators had been watching the fight with closed eyes, they might have envisioned a completely different sight.

"Trap them!" a Golden Immortal called out. "We need to pressure the creator of this formation!"

The Golden Immortals caught two golden cultivators with each of their palms.

"Now they won't be able to free themselves!" a Golden Immortal called out, laughing.

Just then, Blue Lantern manipulated the formation. The three Golden Immortal relics struck at the three Golden Immortals, shattering the palms and freeing the golden cultivators.

"Aren't those three Golden Immortal relics serving to power this formation? How could they still be usable?"

"If those relics could be used against us, why didn't they do so sooner?"

"Could it have been deliberate?"

The Golden Immortals blanched.

"Die!" the twelve golden cultivators shouted, attacking the Golden Immortals again.

The three Golden Immortals had no choice but to counterattack. If they were to try to trap the golden cultivators again, Blue Lantern would surely strike them with the Golden Immortal relics. However, he wouldn't interfere if they were to beat the golden cultivators up.

"These cultivators are sick in the head. If they want to die, then we'll grant them their wishes!" a Golden Immortal shouted.

The twelve golden cultivators were beaten black and blue. Grievously injured, they signaled for Blue Lantern to rescue them.

The three Golden Immortals: ...

Had they wasted their time fighting the golden cultivators again?

Before long, the twelve golden cultivators had healed up and were charging into the formation again.

"Ignore those maniacs. Focus on breaking the formation, now!" a Golden Immortal shouted anxiously.

The Golden Immortals continued to attack the formation, causing it to crack. The twelve golden cultivators hurriedly got in their way.

Blue Lantern continued overseeing everything from the vicinity.

Just then, a red figure appeared beside Blue Lantern.

"Your Majesty, you're back!" Blue Lantern exclaimed.

"How's the situation?" Xiao Nanfeng asked.

"Of these three Golden Immortals, one has a Golden Immortal relic. If he were to detonate that relic while all three Golden Immortals struck at the formation simultaneously, they should be able to break free. He hasn't yet been willing to detonate that relic, but I believe that he'll do so soon enough if they still can't break free," Blue Lantern said.

Xiao Nanfeng nodded. "Now that I'm here, none of them will be able to escape."