Chapter 668 - 668: Ancestor Qin Huai!
“Only a handful of disciples attempted to enter Qingzhou to spread their teachings, but the border guards took them down,” Gou Jie reported.
Qin Huai massaged his temples. “They’re most likely brewing a larger scheme. We can’t underestimate the Sacred Heart Sect.”
After discussing more intricacies, Gou Jie left to buy information on the routes of the nine kings.
Surveying the world around him, Qin Huai mused, “What a strange turn of events,” finding it amusing that the white tiger clan leader was trading information of such importance.
He then departed, soaring through the skies, covering vast distances of terrain until he reached the outskirts of Qingzhou City – the ruins of the bronze world.
“Brother Qin!”
There, Zhang Youji awaited him, accompanied by over ten people in Daoist robes. The round, rotund man leading the group was a familiar face to Qin Huai from the secret realm of Pingwang.
Qin Huai greeted jovially, “Greetings, fat Daoist priest!”
Uncle Master Fei’s face twitched in annoyance, shooting a glare at Zhang Youji.
Unperturbed, Zhang Youji introduced, “Senior Uncle Fei is a renowned expert in array formations from the True Path Sect. He and his disciples maintain the sect’s protective array throughout the year.”
Understanding the dire situation, Qin Huai hoped to restore the bronze world array to fortify defenses against the six royal clans. Aware of the limited strength in Qingzhou and his own uncertainties facing formidable king tiers, he had communicated this concern. Eager to assist, Zhang Youji stepped in.
“We’ve spent days surveying Qingzhou, referencing ancient texts and examining remnants of the aged, yet surprisingly well-preserved bronze formations, ” Zhang Youji explained. “The primary challenge now is restoring the main array, mainly due to a shortage of spirit stones.”
After processing all this, Qin Huai pinpointed the crux of the issue: funds. But having pillaged the six royal clans, Qingzhou now had an ample supply of spirit stones.
Despite the considerable stash, the demands were numerous. The Qingzhou Alliance’s nine elites needed them for breakthroughs, the bronze array’s restoration consumed them, and Qin Huai himself needed them to cultivate his recently acquired domains.
Yet, prioritizing Qingzhou’s defense, Qin Huai decided to momentarily delay his personal cultivation. “The surplus king bones in Qingzhou can be traded with the True Path Sect,” he suggested. “Gou Jie must’ve already discussed this with Fatty Martial Uncle. If that’s insufficient, I’ll find ways to procure more.”
Uncle Fei tried to maintain a neutral face when he heard Qin Huai’s words. But the latter part left him baffled.
How could Qin Huai casually mention getting another batch of king bones? Did he assume they were as common as vegetables? Or had he found an uncharted king’s tomb or an ancient battlefield? Uncle Fei was burning with curiosity, but he restrained himself from asking about it.action
“We’ll wait for your good news, Alliance Master Qin,” Uncle Fei replied, “We still need to repair sixty percent of the bronze array gap, which would require, in king bones, the equivalent of two entire king corpses. But I trust you. Take the forty percent we have as advance payment and the rest can be repaid slowly!”
The agreement was reached quickly. The True Path Sect was indeed wealthy, having been restocked by the secret realm of Pingwang county. Converting spirit stones into tangible assets took time, but king bones were immediately valuable and lethal — a premium asset for sure.
After Qin Huai’s departure, Uncle Fei pulled Zhang Youji aside. “Youji, has Alliance Master Qin revealed any plans to you?”
Zhang Youji looked perplexed. “What plans?”
Uncle Fei frowned. “I mean, plans to defeat a king? How else would he claim to get two more king bones?”
Understanding dawned on Zhang Youji. “Considering the heavy losses the six royal clans and the Sacred Heart Sect faced here, they won’t just let it slide. They’ll retaliate, won’t they? And when they do, won’t we get the king bones from them?”
But Uncle Fei smirked at that idea. “If the royal clans just handed us their assets, we wouldn’t have been stuck in these provinces for so long. They’ll strike, but it’ll be a powerful, swift move. Inform Martial Uncle. If there’s significant intel, perhaps our True Path Sect can lend a hand.”
Zhang Youji responded with sarcasm, recounting the last time the three kings’ army made grand claims but only took minor actions. He doubted the sects’ promises.
Fatty Martial Uncle, feeling embarrassed, tried to defend their hesitance, attributing it to past betrayals and caution, but ultimately chose to end the topic there. Their past timid decisions, although logical, often caused divisions within the sects.
Meanwhile, on the Hualong River, a man in a pristine white bamboo hat steered his boat with a stern face.
The river flowed towards Qingzhou and was bustling with vessels heading that way. The traffic was dense, and among the throng, his boat barely caught attention.
A woman, dressed in light, enticing attire, nestled in his arms, adding to the boat’s inconspicuousness amid the busy river traffic.
“My lord, I have this constant uneasy feeling, as if something is about to happen, ” the woman said in a gentle voice, filled with apprehension.
He comforted her, “Don’t worry. This mission is critical. The white tiger clan’s leader is personally overseeing it. With the strategies laid out by the masters of the six great royal clans and the Qilin clan’s cloud pavilion covering our plans, even the powerful Qingzhou can’t predict our movements…
“That Qin Huai might pose a threat, but he can’t harm us until we reach Qingzhou,” the man confidently stated. He was a king of the Qilin clan, involved in the nine kings’ strategy to assassinate Qin Huai.
Her worried expression eased. “Given the combined strength of the six royal clans, they should at least get to Qin Huai, right? But, there’s this rumor about the abundant ancestral blood in our clan…”
The man dismissed her concerns with a wave. “It’s all speculation. Unless someone sees the real ancestral blood, they wouldn’t dare make any moves. And as for Qin Huai, if he does have it…” He paused and smirked. “The six royal clans might elevate him to an ancestral rank!”
The notion of a human uncovering the ancestral path, which the royal clans sought for ages, seemed preposterous. The man, pondering this, decided to rest and said, “I need a nap.”
Boom!
Suddenly, a gust of wind rocked the ship. After a momentary turmoil, calm returned, with passengers mumbling their frustrations.
Inside the cabin, an enigmatic bronze slate lay on the floor. The man and woman, now awake, gazed in astonishment at the scene before them.
He glanced skyward, shock evident in his eyes. “How did you find me?”
Hovering above, a dashing man in a black robe gazed down, a playful smile on his lips. “How can an ancestor not know the intentions of his descendants?” Qin Huai teased.
On the ground, the combined forces of the true dragon, the mountain giant, the king corpse, and Qin Huai unleashed a formidable king’s force, like a massive tidal wave..