187: Chapter 184 Something's Wrong with Fang Tao

Facing this storm-like offensive, the Great Xuan Dynasty's defensive lines were retreating step by step, countless soldiers bled on the battlefield, and vast territories were lost.

At this critical moment of life and death, a bright yellow imperial decree and an ancient Jade Slip were sent with the utmost speed to the Great Yu Dynasty and the Zetian Sect, respectively.

"If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. If Great Xuan falls, Great Yu will surely be isolated! I implore Brother Zheng to assist me!"

"Sect Master Wang Ming, Huangzhou is in chaos. I fear the evil, heterodox paths are making moves. Please lend your aid quickly!"

The responses from the Great Yu Dynasty and the Zetian Sect came without the slightest hesitation.

Three days later.

The Great Yu Dynasty's Old Ancestor, Zheng Ming, personally led thirty thousand Imperial Guards, transforming into a golden rainbow spanning the sky to reinforce Great Xuan.

From the direction of the Zetian Sect, an Aura as heavy as the earth and as vast as a Black Tortoise descended over the Great Xuan Dynasty.

The Zetian Sect Master, the number one powerhouse in Huangzhou, Wang Ming, had arrived in person!

With the powerful intervention of these two Great Grandmasters, and both forces sending out their elites, the Great Xuan Dynasty's crumbling defensive lines finally managed to stabilize, gaining a precious moment of respite.

The war situation fell into an eerie stalemate.

Great Xuan Capital City, deep within the imperial palace.

Inside an ancient palace floating in the air.

Lu Wei, in the guise of "Chu Chaosheng," sat high upon the throne, resting his chin on one hand, a flicker of impatience and anger flashing in his eyes.

Below him, nine figures stood quietly, their Auras deep and profound, yet their eyes were devoid of spirit, like clay statues.

"Trash."

Lu Wei spat out these two words softly. The voice was not loud, yet it caused the temperature of the entire palace to drop suddenly, as if frost was condensing in the air.

"A mere Great Xuan, plus a Zheng Ming and a Wang Ming, is enough to halt your steps?"

He slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the ten Puppets below, his eyes filled with undisguised disappointment and contempt.

"It seems that relying solely on you shells, stripped of your 'souls', is still lacking something."

"Oh well, the chess game should also enter its next stage."

He cast his gaze toward "Fang Tao."

"Fang Tao."

"Master."

Fang Tao responded woodenly.

"You, go to the Great Xuan Capital City."

A cold arc curled at the corners of Lu Wei's mouth.

"Just say that I, 'Chu Chaosheng,' invite the three Fellow Daoists Chen Heng, Wang Ming, and Zheng Ming to meet before the two armies at noon tomorrow."

"Yes."

Fang Tao's figure turned into a stream of light and instantly vanished from the palace.

...

Great Xuan Dynasty, Capital City.

Inside the imperial city, the atmosphere was heavy to the extreme.

Chen Heng, Zheng Ming, and Wang Ming, the three most supreme existences in Huangzhou, were sitting together in one hall.

Chen Heng's face was aged, his brows filled with an inseparable worry and exhaustion; with his Lifespan nearing its end, he should not have had to endure such a catastrophe.

Zheng Ming was burly, radiating a fiery temper, his brows tightly locked; he kept rolling two crimson iron balls in his hands, producing a dull clacking sound.

Only Wang Ming, wearing simple gray Daoist robes, had an ancient and simple face, his Aura restrained to the extreme, as if he were not a Great Grandmaster, but an ordinary old man from the mountains.

Yet, as long as he sat there, the entire space seemed to be suppressed by an invisible force, as steady as Mount Tai.

Just at this moment, a royal attendant rushed in with a panicked expression.

"Old Ancestor! Old Ancestors! Great Yan Dynasty Old Ancestor... Fang Tao, requests an audience!"

"What?"

Chen Heng and Zheng Ming were both shocked and stood up.

Fang Tao? What is he here for? To intimidate us?

Only Wang Ming remained seated, but those eyes, calm as an ancient well, slowly opened, within which seemed to be the illusion of stars fading and the beginning of heaven and earth.

"Let him in."

Wang Ming's tone was very calm, yet carried an unquestionable majesty.

A moment later, Fang Tao, dressed in a crimson robe, walked in expressionlessly.

The majestic Aura belonging to a Late-stage Grandmaster on his body was not retracted in the slightest, like a walking volcano, pressing down so heavily that the air in the hall solidified.

Chen Heng and Zheng Ming both had their pupils shrink, their expressions turning grave.

They both sensed that Fang Tao's Aura seemed, compared to before... colder and even more powerful.

"Fang Tao, you still have the face to come here?!"

Zheng Ming had a fiery temper and was the first to roar in anger, the iron balls in his hand turning into powder with a "crack" as he squeezed them.

Fang Tao turned a blind eye to his anger, his hollow gaze sweeping over the three of them, and he spoke in a tone without any fluctuation.

"By order of Brother Chu, I invite the three Fellow Daoists to meet before the two armies at noon tomorrow."

After speaking, he stood silently in place, saying no more, like a heartless stone statue delivering a message.

Upon hearing this, the expression on Chen Heng's aged face changed uncertainly.

"Meet?"

He sneered, his voice filled with exhaustion and anger.

"Now that we are at war, with blood flowing like rivers, and my Great Xuan's hundreds of millions of citizens displaced because of you, what is there left to discuss?"

Chen Heng's heart was filled with vigilance.

He knew Chu Chaosheng too well; he would never do something meaningless. This so-called meeting before the armies must be a huge conspiracy.

However, just as Chen Heng was about to refuse outright, the silent Wang Ming slowly spoke.

"Go."

His voice was very light, just one word.

"Why not go?"

He added another sentence, as if answering Chen Heng, yet also as if talking to himself.

Wang Ming slowly raised his head, and for the first time, those deep eyes looked directly at Fang Tao.

He had cultivated the Dao for ten thousand years, and as a descendant of the Black Tortoise, he shouldered the mission of protecting Huangzhou, valuing the peace of this land more than his own life.

For this, he had mediated countless disputes, suppressed the North Sea Demon Clan chaos, and expended endless effort.

Not long ago, that kid Chen Zhiwen had just used thunderous methods to force back the North Sea Demon Clan, exchanging it for a brief peace.

But how long had it been since then?

Chu Chaosheng, Fang Tao, and those old guys from the Sects had actually joined forces to start a civil war of such scale; this had undoubtedly touched his reverse scale!

He wanted to see for himself.

To see this Chu Chaosheng, this Fang Tao, and these guys who would stop at nothing to make the Human Race bleed like rivers—what exactly were they plotting!

"Fellow Daoist Wang Ming, this matter..."

Chen Heng was a bit hesitant and wanted to dissuade him.

Wang Ming just waved his hand gently, and a gentle yet irresistible force made Chen Heng unable to speak further.

"It is settled."

Wang Ming looked at Fang Tao, his tone calm.

"Go back and tell Chu Chaosheng that we will arrive as scheduled at noon tomorrow."

Having received a definite answer, there was still no change in expression on Fang Tao's wooden face.

He just bowed slightly, which counted as a salute, and then turned around, walking out of the palace step by step.

From beginning to end, there was not the slightest ripple in his eyes.

Zheng Ming watched Fang Tao's stiff departing figure, his brows knitting into a knot.

The strange feeling in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

When Fang Tao's Aura completely disappeared outside the imperial city, Zheng Ming finally could not help but look at Wang Ming and Chen Heng, speaking in a deep voice.

"Fellow Daoist Wang Ming, Brother Chen..."

He paused, as if organizing his words.

"Don't you think... that Fang Tao just now was a bit strange?"