85: Chapter 84 The Alliance of the Western Regions

Great Yan Calendar, May 18th. The fifth day after Shen Gongbao's second escape.

The citizens of Huadu did not know what had happened in the Heavenly Realm; they only knew that after the Crown Prince returned from the heavens, his expression was not good. It was not Life Qi, it was gravity. A gravity heavier than when the three hundred thousand troops of the Great Xia once pressed upon their borders.

In the first basement level of the Crown Princes Mansion, Crown Prince Xiao Xuan sat in the main seat, a secret report sent by Zhao Gao spread out before him.

The secret report had been sent from the Western Regions and stated: The thirty-six nations of the Western Regions have formed an Alliance, electing Old Ancestor Hei Tian as their leader, vowing to crusade against Great Hua.

At the end of the report was a line of small text: Shen Gongbao has appeared in the Western Regions and held secret talks with Old Ancestor Hei Tian for three days.

After reading it, Crown Prince Xiao Xuan handed it to Zhang Liang. After reading it, Zhang Liang furrowed his brows: "Your Highness, the thirty-six nations of the Western Regions have no more than five hundred thousand troops combined; they are not worth worrying about. But I have heard of this Old Ancestor Hei Tian. He is a Loose Cultivator who has lived for eight thousand years and is at the True God Great Perfection. He does not concern himself with worldly affairs, so why would he suddenly get mixed up with Shen Gongbao?"

Strategist Guo Jia added: "Old Ancestor Hei Tian lacks neither money, nor fame, nor women. He lacks nothing, so what could Shen Gongbao possibly use to sway him?"

The hall fell silent. Zhuge Liang suddenly spoke, his feather fan swaying gently, his voice very calm: "The Power of Calamity."

Everyone looked at him. Zhuge Liang continued: "I have read in ancient texts that in the ancient era, there was a type of power called the Power of Calamity. It is not spiritual power, nor is it Divine Power; it is a negative force condensed from war, death, chaos, and fear. The greater the war and the more people who die, the stronger the Power of Calamity becomes. Shen Gongbao is at the Heavenly God Realm Perfection; to break through to the Heavenly Emperor Realm, Cultivation alone is no longer enough. He needs the Power of Calamity."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan raised an eyebrow: "So he incited the thirty-six nations of the Western Regions to unite and attack Great Hua?"

Zhuge Liang nodded: "Exactly. Once war begins, the people will suffer, and the Power of Calamity will be generated continuously. Shen Gongbao will hide in the shadows, absorbing this power. Once the power is sufficient, he will be able to break through to the Heavenly Emperor Realm."

The hall was deathly silent. Everyone knew that if Shen Gongbao broke through to the Heavenly Emperor Realm, Great Hua would be finished. Master Jiang is at the Heavenly God Realm Perfection, Crown Prince Xiao Xuan is at the Heavenly God Realm Early Stage Peak, and everyone else is at the True God Realm. The Heavenly Emperor Realm is the Realm of the Ancient Heavenly Emperor; one could turn their hands to create clouds and rain, and a single person could annihilate an entire nation.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan stood up and walked to the territory map, looking at the location of the Western Regions. After a long silence, he spoke: "If Shen Gongbao wants to fight a war, I will give him one. But if he wants to collect the Power of Calamity—I will not give him that opportunity."

He turned around and looked at everyone: "Pass down the order: from today on, Great Hua will enter a state of full combat readiness. The Northern Territory, Southern Frontier, Eastern Sea, and Western Regions—all four directions must be on alert simultaneously. However, no one is permitted to strike first."

Zhang Liang was stunned: "Your Highness, if we do not strike first, are we to just wait for them to attack?"

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan shook his head: "Not striking first does not mean we will not fight. It means waiting for them to make the first move. If they make the first move, Great Hua will be acting in self-defense. In a counterattack for self-defense, we are killing invaders, which will not generate the Power of Calamity. The Power of Calamity only comes from unjust wars."

Zhuge Liang's eyes brightened: "Your Highness is brilliant. Without a just cause, calamity will not be born. If Shen Gongbao wants the war to generate the Power of Calamity, he must make Great Hua strike first. If Your Highness does not move, he will become anxious. Once he is anxious, he will make mistakes."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded: "Correct. I want to make him anxious."

Western Regions, Hei Tian City. This was the center of the thirty-six nations of the Western Regions, and also the lair of Old Ancestor Hei Tian. On the highest tower in the city, Old Ancestor Hei Tian sat cross-legged, with a person standing before him—Shen Gongbao. Old Ancestor Hei Tian was a burly old man with dark skin, a stern face, and eyes like lightning. He had lived for eight thousand years and had seen countless heroes and warriors, but the person before him was one he could not see through.

"Shen Gongbao," he spoke, "you said you could help me unify the Western Regions and make me the King of the Western Regions. The condition was that I help you fight Great Hua. Now, the thirty-six nations have already formed an Alliance. When will Great Hua make a move?"

Shen Gongbao smiled slightly: "No rush. Wait for Crown Prince Xiao Xuan to make the first move."

Old Ancestor Hei Tian frowned: "Wait? Wait how long?"

Shen Gongbao said: "He will not wait too long. He is the Crown Prince of Great Hua; if Great Hua is bullied, he cannot possibly endure it."

Old Ancestor Hei Tian was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Very well. This King will wait for you."

Shen Gongbao turned and left. As he walked out of the tower, a cold sneer appeared at the corners of his mouth. Old Ancestor Hei Tian did not know that he had no intention of becoming any King of the Western Regions. What he wanted was war, death, and the Power of Calamity. Once the power was sufficient, he would kill Old Ancestor Hei Tian as well.

Huadu, Crown Princes Mansion. The night was already deep, and Crown Prince Xiao Xuan had not yet slept. He stood before the window, gazing at the moon outside. Master Jiang walked up behind him.

"Your Highness, what are you thinking about?"

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan did not turn his head: "I am thinking about Shen Gongbao. He is at the Heavenly God Realm Perfection, and I am at the Heavenly God Realm Early Stage Peak. He is stronger than me. If he were to take action personally, no one in Great Hua could stop him."

Master Jiang was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "He will not take action personally. He needs the Power of Calamity, so he must let the war continue. If he takes action personally, the war will end. Once the war ends, the Power of Calamity will be cut off."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan turned around and looked at him: "Master Jiang, can you stop him?"

Master Jiang thought for a moment: "I can. But I cannot kill him. He is my Junior Brother, and I understand him. He cannot defeat me, but I cannot catch him either. He is too slippery."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded: "That is enough. As long as he does not take action personally, I am not afraid."

He turned around and looked out the window again. The moon was round and bright. But his heart was not at peace.

Western Regions, Hei Tian City. Three days later. Shen Gongbao appeared before Old Ancestor Hei Tian once again. This time, he brought a piece of intelligence—Great Hua had already assembled one hundred thousand troops at the border, preparing to take the initiative to attack.

Old Ancestor Hei Tian's eyes brightened: "They are going to make a move?"

Shen Gongbao nodded: "Yes. Crown Prince Xiao Xuan could not hold back any longer. Three days from now, the army will head west out of Yumen Pass. Old Ancestor, it is time for you to take action."

Old Ancestor Hei Tian stood up, picked up his black iron long saber, and strode out of the tower. Behind him, the allied forces of the thirty-six nations had already assembled, a vast, dark mass that stretched as far as the eye could see.

Shen Gongbao stood on the tower, watching that army, a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. The Power of Calamity, it is coming soon.

What he did not know was that the intelligence was fake. It was false information deliberately leaked by Great Hua. Crown Prince Xiao Xuan wanted to lure the snake out of its hole. The snake had already come out.