Chapter 135: Divine Thunder Treasure Armor, Frequent Encounters with Old Acquaintances

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“The Nether Spring Yin Mountains are vast beyond measure. Though many experts have come here in search of the dragon vein, there should be no reason for the four of us to have gathered in this tiny place.”

“Oh? Are you suggesting that someone manipulated our routes, deliberately guiding us here?”

“Other than that, what explanation could there be? Though the ‘someone’ you speak of may not necessarily be human.”

“We will know soon enough if we wait. If someone truly intended to manipulate our paths, surely more than the four of us would have ended up here.”

The four fell silent and sat quietly apart from one another.

Less than half an hour later, a peal of thunder rang out. A white-robed young man came rushing toward them in disarray, wearing indigo armor beneath which arcs of blue lightning, each as thick as a chopstick, crackled and flashed!

Han Chong’s pupils contracted sharply.

The man was none other than Ouyang Jingguan!

Ouyang also spotted Han Chong. A complicated emotion flickered through his eyes, but he immediately composed himself. With a brilliant smile upon his face, he strolled toward Han Chong.

“Brother Han, weren’t you in the northwest? How did you come here?”

“Heh heh. The First Prince ordered me to come. And you, Brother Ouyang—were you sent here by the Eighth Prince?”

“That is correct. The Prince of Ying entrusted me with the task. A gentleman must die for the one who recognizes his worth, so I had no choice but to make the journey.”

As he spoke, he put away his thunderous armor and turned to the other three.

“Heh heh, so the renowned Ouyang Jingguan, foremost disciple of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, has arrived. What an honor. We have long admired your reputation.”

Zuo Lang and the young Daoist both cupped their hands in greeting, their expressions clearly revealing an eagerness to befriend and win him over.

“Please, you flatter me. My cultivation is nowhere near as profound as yours. I have come merely to make up the numbers. I hope none of you will make things difficult for me.”

Ouyang smiled and returned each greeting in turn.

“Brother Ouyang, what are you saying? We may yet have to rely on your arcane arts. Speaking of which, was that armor you wore just now the legendary Wood-Thunder Divine Armor forged by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau?

“Could it be that you forged it yourself?”

“Heh heh, don’t make fun of me. This armor is merely an imitation I crafted. Its thunderous power is extremely unstable. Otherwise, I would not have fled here in such a sorry state.”

“Hiss! You really forged it yourself? Brother Ouyang, you are truly a heaven-sent genius to have imitated such a treasure! If caught off guard in close combat, even a warrior of the Heavenly Extreme Realm would likely meet his end!”

The young Daoist cried out in astonishment.

Han Chong’s heart tightened. He had never imagined that Ouyang Jingguan possessed such attainments—he could actually forge a treasure of thunder and lightning for his own use. Who knew how many other abilities Ouyang had that remained unknown to him?

…

“Brother Han, did you accomplish anything in the northwest? When I return, I can ask the Prince of Ying to plead on your behalf. I guarantee that no harm will come to you,” Ouyang Jingguan asked with a faint smile.

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“Heh heh, I was fortunate enough to achieve something, though I’m afraid I am truly unpopular. On this journey, I offended the First Prince rather severely, so I agreed to redeem my fault through service and came here to search for the dragon vein on his behalf.

“Brother Ouyang, is the Yin Moon Dynasty’s dragon vein truly located within these Nether Spring Yin Mountains?”

Han Chong had no intention of pressing him about whether he knew of the strange desert insects. He simply pretended to know nothing of the secret and asked with a faint smile.

“Ah, so that is how it is. Brother Han, you must be careful with your words and actions from now on. None of the princes is easy to deal with.

“A moment’s carelessness may earn you their enmity. And if one of them succeeds in ascending the throne, serving him will be like accompanying a tiger.

“Fortunately, the Prince of Ying is broad-minded and indifferent to fame and wealth. He has never formed factions or cultivated a following, and he has always treated even a minor figure like me with courtesy.

“As for the dynasty’s dragon vein, no one has yet produced a definite answer. Still, it is better to believe that it exists than to assume it does not.

“If we can enter it and undergo a transformation of flesh and marrow, perhaps the cultivation of both you and me might advance another step.”

“I see.” Han Chong nodded.

Another powerful expert had accidentally broken into the area from a different direction. When Han Chong saw who it was, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

It was Little Gray.

He still looked like a dog-headed man, his face filled with alarm as he hurried toward them in panic.

His enormous canine eyes swept across the group. The instant he saw Han Chong, his pupils contracted and the corner of his mouth twitched. His heart filled with bitterness.

“Pretend you don’t know me,” Han Chong transmitted to him.

Only then did Little Gray regain his composure and turn his gaze toward the others. Inwardly, however, he cursed bitterly. If he had known this cursed place would be so dangerous, he never would have come. He regretted it to the very marrow of his bones.

Zuo Lang’s expression also darkened when he saw Little Gray.

“Well, well, if it isn’t Fellow Daoist Evil Justice. Where have you found employment these days?”

“Caw, caw! I am now an adviser to His Highness the Crown Prince. It has been a long time, Brother Zuo.”

“Hmph. His Highness the Crown Prince really will accept anyone. Perhaps one day you will vanish without a trace again.”

“What did you say? You, Zuo! Do you think I wouldn’t dare kill you?”

Little Gray narrowed his canine eyes, his face full of menace.

“Oh? What a lively gathering. I never expected so many experts to arrive here.”

A soft laugh rang out. A white-robed man and a beautiful,妖艳 woman appeared soundlessly at the edge of the ruined walls.

“How did they get here too?” Han Chong murmured.

“Brother Han, you know those two?”

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“I do. Those two are demons called Flute Spirit and Spider Spirit. During the battle in the northwest, I was nearly killed by them.”

“Oh?”

Ouyang detected a trace of wariness in Han Chong’s voice and studied the pair. Among all the experts present, the two demons had the cleanest clothing by far.

They had traversed the perilous Ghost Forest without so much as a speck of dust upon them. One could easily imagine how formidable their strength was.

Yet that was not the end of it. One after another, more than a dozen experts of every appearance arrived.

Most of them looked battered and disheveled. Some were even gravely wounded and hovering on the brink of death. It was impossible to imagine how many experts had perished within the Ghost Forest.

Han Chong was not the only one wondering. Everyone present was secretly trying to determine which forces the more than twenty experts belonged to—or whether they had come solely to temper and transform their bodies.

“Brother Ouyang, how many Dragon-Seeking Disks did the Imperial Astronomical Bureau forge in total?”

“Not one more, not one less. My master forged nine.”

“Oh? After this disk came into my hands, why has it shown no reaction at all? And how are we supposed to locate the dragon vein?”

“Heh heh. The dragon vein is hidden in the utmost secrecy. Under normal circumstances, it emits not the slightest trace of aura. Only during certain special periods will it release a sliver of its presence, which the Dragon-Seeking Disk can then detect.

“This year is the one in which moonlight will be at its strongest in a decade. The Yin Moon Dynasty’s dragon vein was born from the moon and draws upon the moon’s celestial fortune, so it is bound to reveal itself.

“If I am estimating correctly, it will appear either during the full moon this month or the next. At worst, it will certainly emerge within three months.”

“Oh? Why did your master forge so many Dragon-Seeking Disks and present them to the various princes? Surely he knows that the princes will compete for the dragon vein in secret, throwing the court into turmoil.”

“Heh heh. The Crown Prince is incompetent and immoral, while His Majesty is overly indulgent and softhearted, unable to bring himself to depose him.

“But if one of the princes obtains the Yin Moon Dynasty’s dragon vein, his bloodline will advance dramatically. Should he ascend the throne in the future, that would bring nothing but benefits to the Great Feng Dynasty and no harm at all.

“That is why His Majesty tacitly approved my master’s decision to forge these disks and assist the princes in their search.”

So that was it.

Han Chong suddenly understood. A dynasty of fortune was not like an ordinary kingdom. The emperor’s bloodline and strength formed the foundation of the entire dynasty and determined the upper limit of its overall power.

If the successor’s bloodline was mediocre, then even the most brilliant mind would struggle to bear the tremendous weight of the throne.

Once one of the princes greatly increased his strength, then both sentiment and reason would dictate that the emperor pass the throne to him.

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