Chapter 583 347: War of the 3 Worlds, Investigating the Ice Corpse Gathering Place, Nanli Celestial Mandate (Part 2)

"In the Wilderness World, ever since the First Throne, Bai Ze, left Eternal Mist Mountain, he has usurped the authority of the Second Throne, Qiongqi, and its leader, Liu, taking control of the Wilderness throne. Now, the entire Wilderness has halted its military campaigns and is mired in internal strife. The conservative and radical factions are at war, yet the occupied territories of the Nanli Dynasty have not been reclaimed."

Lu Mingyuan's eyes brightened, and he nodded slightly. "This means it's a good opportunity. Great Yan can use this chance to unify the Central Plains."

Chen Ke hesitated for a moment before explaining, "But, Your Majesty, I believe this is also a good opportunity to stabilize the situation."

"The First Throne, Bai Ze; the Fourth Throne, Luxury Stone; the Seventh Throne, Rain Master; and the Tenth Throne, Jin Kui, belong to the conservative faction. They do not advocate for war, but their power is far less than that of the radicals. Recently, the Fifth Throne, Emperor Kong, has defected to Liu, so the situation is not looking good. If the Wilderness World were to march south while Great Yan is in the middle of a war, it would be disastrous."

Lu Mingyuan had also heard the legends of the Fifth Throne.

This Emperor Kong was an Ascension Realm Sword Immortal, rumored to have refined a thousand Lifebound Flying Swords.

His true form was that of a peacock emperor.

When his true form unleashed the Heaven and Earth technique, he could spread his tail feathers like a peacock's display.

It surpassed a sky-blotting sea of swords, and with a flick of a finger, he could slaughter a million members of the Human Race.

Lu Mingyuan understood his minister's underlying meaning and frowned. "Are you suggesting that Great Yan should now help Bai Ze?"

Even though Bai Ze had saved and helped him before, he was, after all, a member of the Demon Race.

If he were to help the Demon Race...

...he would be condemned by every member of the Human Race.

Chen Ke cupped his hands. "The world-renowned Human-Demon Accord was signed by Bai Ze ten thousand years ago. He still harbors goodwill toward the Human Race."

"If Bai Ze can reclaim his authority and stabilize the situation, the Wilderness and Great Yan will see a thousand years of peace."

"Your Majesty must conquer the Three Kingdoms within three years. With the time that leaves, we can launch the war for the world ahead of schedule. Only then can Great Yan hold the absolute advantage in the war among the three worlds."

Lu Mingyuan sank into deep thought. What Chen Ke said made sense.

Right now, all sides were preoccupied with their own troubles. Whichever one could resolve its internal conflicts first would seize the initiative.

This was, in fact, an opportunity for Great Yan.

"Three years... In that case, there will only be ten years left on the countdown."

he murmured to himself.

"If I may ask, Your Majesty, what ten years?"

"It's nothing."

...

「Night fell. Fengning Palace.」

"What an adorable baby girl. She's sure to be a great beauty in the future."

"Well, look who her parents are! Her Ladyship and His Majesty are a match made in heaven~"

"Look at her eyebrows, don't they look just like His Majesty's? Hee hee hee!"

Delicate laughter drifted intermittently from the paper-paned windows. As Lu Mingyuan approached the palace gates and stepped down from his Golden Jade Carriage, the eunuch at his side announced in a loud voice:

"The Holy Emperor has arrived!"

The silhouettes behind the paper windows rose one after another and came to the doorway to offer their greetings.

The hall doors swung open, and Lu Mingyuan found that everyone was present: Huo Hongling, Qi Muxue, Zi Yun, Hong Wan, and the others. Even Qi Muxue, who was in bed, had sat up.

More importantly, Yun Qinghe was also in the hall, to his surprise.

"When did you get back?"

Lu Mingyuan asked in surprise.

"Recently."

Yun Qinghe was dressed in a form-fitting black robe, her expression cold and sharp. She was clearly travel-worn.

"It's good that you're back. Stay and visit in the palace for a while."

Lu Mingyuan strode forward into the hall, wanting to see his daughter. He looked toward Qi Muxue, nestled in the bed, and gave her a gentle smile.

"You should stay lying down."

"Did the baby cry today?"

A maternal glow appeared on Qi Muxue's pale and still somewhat weak face. She chuckled softly, "Not at all. This child has been so well-behaved since she was born. Whether she's nursing or sleeping, she's perfectly peaceful and never cries or fusses."

Lu Mingyuan laughed heartily. "Let me see our daughter."

As Yun Qinghe watched this harmonious scene, her gaze lingered on Lu Mingyuan for a moment. She pursed her lips, her expression growing complex.

Then she turned her head away and spun around.

As she walked out of the main hall, she left behind a telepathic message:

"There's a message from the Taoist Sect. I'll be waiting for you outside."

'Compared to reality, she missed the days inside the Grand Thousand Canglan Map even more.'

'Because there, she could have Lu Mingyuan all to herself.'

'In reality, that was destined to be impossible.'

'This was why Yun Qinghe had never been able to overcome her own inner turmoil.'

Outside the palace, Yun Qinghe leaned against a railing, gazing up at the moon and stars. Her jet-black hair was coiled on top of her head, secured by three Agarwood hairpins in a classic Taoist topknot.

One hand supported her chin, while the slender, fair knuckles of her other hand tapped rhythmically on the carved stone dragon of the balustrade.

She listened to the joyous laughter from within the hall, but her gaze was fixed on the star-filled night sky as she lost herself in thought.

"You seem a little agitated."

A moment later, Lu Mingyuan descended from the sky, landing softly beside her.

"What can I do? A certain someone keeps ignoring me. How could I not be agitated?"

Yun Qinghe turned to face him, her shimmering, star-like eyes fixing on Lu Mingyuan, seeming to see through all the world's vanities.

Lu Mingyuan sighed. "I'm sorry."

Golden Light coiled around Yun Qinghe's fingertips, solidifying into a letter. "It's a message from the Yuqing Ancestor Master," she said coolly.

Lu Mingyuan took the letter, glanced at it, and quickly read the message.

"The matter of the Dragon Peak Cave Heaven isn't over yet?"

He frowned.

"Of course not," Yun Qinghe said, as if it were obvious. "The Grotto Heaven is about to collapse into a Blessed Land. When it does, all the creatures inside will get out, so someone needs to be there to control them."

"Dealing with the creatures from inside is indeed a big problem."

Lu Mingyuan recalled the many clans of the Ancient Demon Race within.

"The letter mentions dealing with a gathering of Ice Corpses... it's not talking about the ones from the Returning Ruins Silent Sea, is it?"

Yun Qinghe's expression was grave. "Yes. Those Ice Corpses were reanimated long ago, and a few have already escaped the Grotto Heaven to wreak havoc in the surrounding lands."

"They are powerful and unrestrained, posing a great threat to the Cultivators of the Central Plains World. Before the problem gets out of hand, the Taoist Sect is trying to figure out how to handle it."

Lu Mingyuan said thoughtfully, "If we don't control these things, there's no telling what might happen. It definitely needs to be investigated."

"If we could turn these Ice Corpses into an asset, that would be a good thing too."

Yun Qinghe gave him a strange look, as if she found his idea preposterous.

"If you have the ability to make them serve you, I suppose it's not impossible."

"But let me remind you, they are all beings from the Middle Ages. The strength of each one should not be underestimated. It's best to prioritize your safety."

"I understand that, of course."

Lu Mingyuan nodded.

"When do you plan to leave?" Yun Qinghe asked.

"Soon."

Lu Mingyuan mused, "As it happens, there's one more thing I need to finish."

...

「Seven days later.」

Lu Mingyuan entrusted all matters of the military and state to the Cabinet.

He personally set out to investigate the gathering place of the Ice Corpses.

Dragon Peak Mountain happened to be located in the Nanli Dynasty.

For Lu Mingyuan, this trip was more or less a tour of the Nanli Dynasty.

He arrived after three days and three nights of travel.

He had issued a secret decree in advance, ordering Li Muwan of the Nanli Dynasty to send someone to receive him.

He arrived in the Nanli Dynasty without any fanfare; only Li Muwan knew of his arrival.

Everyone else simply thought that Her Majesty had recruited a top-tier expert.

"Did the Taoist Sect send you?"

In the Nanli Imperial Palace, Li Muwan, who was now the Empress, formally received Lu Mingyuan and Yun Qinghe. She wore a wide, fiery red imperial gown embroidered with a fire phoenix, adorned with intricate gilt patterns and long enough to cover her ankles.

The Nanli Dynasty is aligned with the virtue of fire, so the primary color of its Dragon Robes is red.

It was meant to be a solemn and dignified garment, but on Li Muwan, with her baby face, it made her look somewhat cute and playful.

"The Ice Corpses you mentioned have indeed been sighted in a few places, but I haven't paid it much mind. If the situation is as serious as you claim, then it truly warrants a thorough investigation."

In Lu Mingyuan's presence, Li Muwan deliberately avoided the imperial "we," instead using a form of address befitting a marquis to lower her own status.

"Where are they located?"

"Around Li Huoshan Hill," Li Muwan recalled. "That entire area is where our dynasty mines for Li Fire Stone. It's rich in energy, and recently, there have been cases of people disappearing there."

Lu Mingyuan nodded, his eyes turning profound. "There is one more matter. I hope the Empress will abide by the rules."

'The Nanli Celestial Mandate was, to this day, still in her hands. If he wanted to gather all the pieces of the Celestial Mandate...'

'...Nanli was indispensable.'

Hearing this, Li Muwan's expression was one of resignation. "You're talking about the Celestial Mandate, aren't you? I knew this day would come."

...