novelraw Chapter 382 - 240: To amass greatly, one must give generously. _1
Chapter 382 - 240: To amass greatly, one must give generously. _1
Su Bei looked at the Supreme Yang Lotus Root before him, its vibrant, flowing radiance intermingling where it connected with the Supreme Yang Lotus Flower.
The corners of his mouth grew increasingly peculiar as he slowly reached out, stroking it bit by bit.
He was now more certain than ever that this object was indeed what he had suspected it to be, but he didn’t know if it worked the way he imagined...?!
HISS—
He took a deep breath, letting it swell gently in his chest, calming the excitement within him.
Anyway, Nan Ji will be back in a few days... I might as well give it a try.
It must be missing something.
...
AHEM—
After emerging from the crevice, Su Bei covered it with a large rock.
Ensuring that the bubbling hot air was no longer visible, he slowly floated to the surface of the water.
Looking at the small boat that held their memories, Su Bei’s white shirt fluttered in the wind.
The setting sun gradually disappeared, replaced by a rich moonlight, while the stars twinkled above.
Standing atop the boat’s awning, Su Bei gazed at the Milky Way.
He then reached out his hand toward the sky, as if to climb or to pluck. He spread his fingers wide, then suddenly clenched his fist, as if to grasp all the stars in the sky and bring them all into his fist.
I need to become stronger...
As starlight filled his vision, waves rippled through Su Bei’s mind. A slight ache formed between his brows, revealing the serious dark circles beneath his eyes.
He pinched his brow, a bitter smile touching his lips.
The fatigue accumulated over a long time came crashing down on him at that moment. He simply lay down on the boat, lightly closing his eyes.
No one was there to disturb him.
After a short rest, his figure faded into the moonlight as he headed towards the Sacred Land.
He had to say goodbye to Key Smoke.
This time, going to the Southern Border, he would not be alone.
Nan Ji.
「Dongfeng Ancient Country, Luodu.」
In the dim twilight, a young man wearing a Confucian robe walked leisurely down the prosperous street, heading towards An Nan Palace.
The Dongfeng Ancient Country’s Luodu was still as majestic as ever, carrying a legacy of ten thousand years, marked by the traces of time, like an aged elder.
But even in its age, it stood firm and unyielding.
On this visit to the Dongfeng Ancient Country, the South Emperor had privately entrusted him with some matters. As for the Confucian Sage’s daughter accompanying him, he mostly considered her a walking good luck charm for the journey.
Before setting out, Liu Zizhan had done his homework on the three vassal kings of Dongfeng Ancient Country and had a general understanding of each.
Among them was King Fuzhong, Ji Tongzhi.
This man was not particularly outstanding; among the three vassal kings, his actions could be described as ’unremarkably orthodox.’ He was undoubtedly the most stable of the three.
Ji Beiwang, after becoming the new King Beiwang, transformed Northern Sea City. Once a mere frontier fortress, it became a hub connecting the Northern Sea and the Western Wasteland. Countless caravans stopped and passed through here, which quickly earned the city the epithet ’Sea Capital.’ Although it did not compare to the prosperity of the Sacred Land, it was certainly comparable to the Jiangnan coast of the South Wind Ancient Country and even Jinling.
This city could be said to be a vital artery connecting the Twenty-One Provinces—a truly rare achievement. This demonstrated the significant standing he held in the heart of the late Old Eastern Emperor.
This man had ambition, but his actual seat of power was too far from Luodu, so Liu Zizhan did not focus his attention on him.
His purpose this time was very clear: it was the King of An Nan, who, among the three kings, was still in Luodu.
While his fief was in Hua Province, guarding the upper reaches of the Cang River, various reasons had kept him in Luodu; he had yet to venture out to it.
To outsiders, he appeared to do nothing all day but indulge in wine and women. Regarded as the most dissolute among the three kings, he was seen as utterly useless—like mud too soft to hold up a wall.
The An Nan Palace was located in the northwest corner of Luodu, second in size only to the Imperial Palace, and its interior was very exquisite.
The King of An Nan, Ji Pingsheng, sat idly in the pavilion of the palace’s back garden. A maid massaged his shoulders as he basked in the warm afternoon sun, on the verge of dozing off.
Just then, a man silently approached him, waved his hand to dismiss the maids, and whispered in his ear,
"Your Highness."
Ji Pingsheng’s eyes remained closed as he responded indifferently,
"What is it?"
The man spoke softly,
"A spy has sent a message: a man named Liu Zizhan intends to visit. This person apparently had a secret meeting with the South Emperor for two hours when he left the South Wind Ancient Country. Judging by the time, he should be arriving soon."
Ji Pingsheng’s eyes were half-closed, and without thinking, he said,
"Do not receive him."
The man seemed puzzled and was about to say more when he saw Ji Pingsheng’s eyes open. Ji Pingsheng looked at him and said,
"If you know he’s coming to An Nan Palace, it means that the whole of Luodu already knows his whereabouts."
"At this critical juncture, isn’t this tantamount to openly announcing it to the world?"
...
The man nodded with a grave expression. He turned to leave, but Ji Pingsheng suddenly stopped him again.
"Well, perhaps I can meet him, but not at An Nan Palace."
"Arrange a meeting at the theater."
...
The man nodded in agreement and then slowly withdrew.
In the pavilion, only Ji Pingsheng remained. He looked at the chessboard in front of him and murmured to himself.