Chapter 378 136: A Spine-Chilling Surprise for the Blood Immortal Sect, Could It Be Jiang Lan?

Setting aside the matter of the Xie Family and Xie Jianjia, the conflict in Qianyuan Prefecture alone was enough. Jiang Lan had publicly humiliated Xiao Teng in front of all the court officials and guests from the various Immortal Sect Lineages, creating an irreconcilable feud.

"It's rare that we're all back together, so let's not talk about such things. A gentleman can wait ten years for his revenge."

Prince Zhenbei, Xiao He, was in high spirits, but his expression soured when he saw his three sons bringing up the Prime Minister's Mansion and Jiang Lan. He found the topic distasteful.

Xiao Ye, Xiao Wang, and Xiao Teng quickly dropped the subject to avoid upsetting their father and moved on to other things.

They spoke of their experiences on the border, their progress in cultivation, and so on. Xiao Teng also recounted how he had nearly managed to channel the Power of the Stars inside Qianyuan Prefecture.

Soon, the table was filled with laughter. The night deepened in the blink of an eye, and the pavilion grew heavy with the rich scent of wine. All of them were showing signs of intoxication.

"His Majesty Emperor Xia holds our Xiao Mansion in high regard and has entrusted us with a great responsibility this time. Xiao Ye, Xiao Wang, you two must not disappoint me."

"When you return to the Imperial Palace to stand guard, you must not relax your vigilance in the slightest."

Xiao He was clearly a little drunk by now and was about to get up and return to his room, but he still made a point to give this final instruction.

"Father, rest assured. With the two of us guarding Changsheng Hall and protecting the National Treasure, there will be absolutely no problems," Xiao Ye and Xiao Wang immediately replied, their faces solemn.

The three of them did not hide this matter from Xiao Teng, who was beside them, showing their complete trust in him.

Xiao Teng had already learned of some of His Majesty Emperor Xia's plans from his father and two older brothers, and he was deeply shaken.

However, he understood the importance of such matters and committed them to memory, not daring to reveal them to anyone.

If even the slightest detail of this plan were to leak, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Undercurrents surged within the Imperial Capital, and the atmosphere grew increasingly solemn and oppressive.

The deep mountains outside the city were filled with a murderous air. A massive, dark army was spread across the mountain ridges. Some soldiers were clad in Heavy Armor and carried long sabers, while others wore full plate and rode Fierce Beasts, all of them brimming with killing intent. From time to time, Aerial Cavalry would streak across the sky, patrolling the region.

Generals rushed back from the borders, commanding their great armies and stationing them in the surrounding area. During this time, many powerful experts had arrived and were using a Secret Treasure to open the location for the upcoming Southern Hunting exercise: the Qianyuan Cave Realm.

Compared to the Qianyuan Cave Realm, Qianyuan Prefecture was utterly insignificant. Its vast, boundless territory was simply incomparable; the area of ten Qianyuan Prefectures could not match a single Qianyuan Cave Realm.

The aura of a vast, boundless world emerged from the depths of the sky, causing even the boundary wall to become transparent. Beams of divine light shot toward the heavens, transforming into a web of mysterious Runes that covered the entire area, causing the scene within to grow ever clearer.

A luminous world was manifesting within, preparing to connect with the mortal realm.

Around the Qianyuan Cave Realm, numerous troops and defenses had already been established. The surrounding Void was sealed by powerful Array Patterns, making it nearly impossible for cultivators to fly on streaks of light.

The official roads in the area were tightly sealed. Dragon banners were planted atop the cliffs, where powerful experts could be faintly seen. The entire scene was bustling with activity.

The Void rumbled as one prison wagon after another, forged from a special metal, emerged from the Observatory and various other prisons. They carried death-row inmates guilty of heinous crimes, who were being transported to a specific location to serve as targets for the Southern Hunting exercise.

...

「The lanterns glowed to life, and the moonlight flowed like water.」

In a small cabin near Lishui Pavilion, Song Youwei and Jiang Lan sat facing each other. On the wooden table between them were various fruits and candied preserves. Beside them, several bottles of treasured wine had been opened, their rich, mellow fragrance wafting alluringly through the air.

A slight blush graced Song Youwei's fair, smooth cheeks, which were like fine white porcelain. She had clearly already had a fair bit to drink with Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan, however, remained as composed as ever. He gently swirled the liquid in his white porcelain cup, his gaze deep as he watched the crystalline, nectar-like wine.

Taking advantage of their little get-together tonight, Song Youwei had already given him a list of the Blood Immortal Sect's recent deployments, their corresponding moles, and the names of those moles within the various great clans, Noble Families, and sects.

Of course, Song Youwei only knew a portion of the details and hadn't been able to uncover everything.

'It seems the Blood Immortal Sect's infiltration runs even deeper than I imagined. At this rate, even if I don't intervene, they might not be able to protect the Dragon-Suppressing Seal.'

Various thoughts flashed through Jiang Lan's mind.

Song Youwei looked at him and said, "However, Emperor Xia has mobilized numerous personnel and generals to the restricted areas of the Imperial Palace in recent days. He has clearly made preparations. He must have learned of the Blood Immortal Sect's plot, so the Elders are changing their strategy and planning a different approach."

"Following the original plan to seize the Dragon-Suppressing Seal is indeed no longer feasible."

"But if the Blood Immortal Sect doesn't find out the location of the Dragon-Suppressing Seal in advance, this operation will only end in their complete annihilation," Jiang Lan said with a nod.

Song Youwei, on the other hand, seemed completely unconcerned. She smiled and said, "In any case, I won't be taking part in the risk. The fight for the Dragon-Suppressing Seal is a matter for the Elders. With my level of strength, I can't get involved anyway."

No matter what, she was only a member of the younger generation. Her talent might be great, but her strength was ultimately no match for the older generation's experts.

She couldn't meddle in the affair of the Dragon-Suppressing Seal, let alone risk her life for it.

"Has the Blood Immortal Sect made any progress in finding the Dragon-Suppressing Seal's location?" Jiang Lan asked.