153: Route confirmed! Dragon Turtle clones, move out!

What satisfied Li Qing was the manor's backyard.

Passing through a meticulously tended garden, there was an open lawn, at the end of which was a stone staircase leading down the cliff.

Following the stone steps down, a vast, boundless golden beach appeared before his eyes.

The sand was fine and soft, shimmering with flecks of gold under the moonlight.

In the distance was the deep and vast East Sea.

The waves crashed against the reefs, making a "hualala" sound, like an eternal lullaby.

The sea breeze carried a hint of saltiness, blowing against his face and making him feel refreshed.

"A good place."

Li Qing stood at the edge of the cliff, overlooking the private sea area below that belonged to him, a satisfied expression appearing on his face.

This place was practically a perfect nest tailored specifically for his dragon turtle avatar!

"Master, are you satisfied?"

The steward on the side bowed his back and asked cautiously.

"Mm." Li Qing nodded.

"You did well."

"Hehe, it's good as long as you are satisfied, Master!"

Receiving Li Qing's praise, the steward's face wrinkled up in a smile.

"Alright, you may go back now." Li Qing waved his hand.

"I don't need anyone to wait on me for now; I'll just stay here by myself."

"Yes, yes, then this lowly one shall take his leave."

The steward dared not disobey in the slightest; he gave a respectful bow and tactfully withdrew.

The entire Guanhai Garden instantly became quiet, with only the sound of the waves echoing in his ears.

Li Qing did not linger in the mansion for long.

He went directly to the lawn at the edge of the cliff and sat cross-legged.

The night was as dark as ink, and the starlight was brilliant.

He slowly closed his eyes and completely calmed his mind.

It was time to begin.

With a thought, the Earth Pulse talent, which had long since fused with his Soul, was quietly activated!

Buzz—!

An invisible, mysterious ripple centered on him and permeated into the ground beneath his feet.

At this moment, he felt as if he had merged with the entire earth.

The undulations of the mountains, the rushing of the rivers, the surge of magma deep underground... everything was clearly presented in his perception.

Then, he took his current location, the coordinates on the shore of the East Sea, and turned it into an incredibly clear and strong spiritual mark, transmitting it into the mind of his Clone!

...Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Jinling City, at the bottom of the Qiu River.

In a dark, cold cave.

A terrifying colossus, over fifteen meters long, with towering dragon horns on its head, a divine armor covering its back as if cast from dark iron, and limbs as thick as pillars supporting the heavens, lay quietly prostrate.

Its eyes were tightly shut, its breathing long and deep; every breath caused the river water in the cave to form a massive whirlpool.

It was Li Qing's dragon turtle avatar!

After this period of silent development and devouring countless Vicious Beasts in the river, its size and strength had made significant progress.

Just then!

"Buzz!"

An incredibly clear summons from the depths of its Soul exploded in its mind without warning!

It was a set of coordinates.

A set of coordinates from thousands of miles away, filled with a familiar aura!

"Roar—!!!"

The sleeping colossus snapped open its vertical pupils, which looked like golden lava!

A terrifying pressure that was impossible to describe in words erupted!

At this moment, the entire Qiu River seemed to tremble because of it!

On the surface, the calm river water suddenly surged with towering waves without warning!

At the bottom of the river, countless fish, shrimp, and Vicious Beasts felt this terrifying pressure originating from the depths of their Bloodline.

All of them were scared out of their wits, prostrating in the silt at the bottom of the river, shivering and not daring to move an inch!

Inside the cave, the ten Vicious Beast generals recruited by the Dragon Turtle—the weakest being at the Late-stage Condensing Yuan Realm, equivalent to the Meridian Opening Realm—were even more liable for their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, burying their massive heads firmly in the ground, their bodies shaking like chaff.

King!

Their King had awakened!

However, a message came from the King's consciousness.

It was a sense of urgency!

An emotion of wanting to go somewhere!

The dragon turtle avatar slowly stood up from its slumber.

Li Qing's spirit had entered the avatar.

The Dragon Turtle's body, as massive as a mountain, almost burst the entire cave!

It raised its head and let out a silent roar.

Then, it turned around, its golden vertical pupils looking toward the east.

There, it felt the positioning of the main body!

Rumble!

It moved its pillar-like limbs and strode out of the cave.

Every step that fell caused the entire riverbed to vibrate violently!

It let out a roar.

Immediately, the ten Vicious Beasts followed along.

Crossing thousands of miles, heading for the mountains and seas!

The underwater migration began!

...Royal Capital, Royal Traveling Palace.

Unlike the hysteria and mess of the day, Grand Princess Xia Qingyue's bedchamber was now quiet.

All the broken porcelain and antiques had been cleaned up and replaced with brand-new decorations.

In the air, soothing sandalwood incense was lit, with curls of green smoke drifting through the room.

Xia Qingyue sat at the dressing table, wearing an elegant palace dress, her makeup exquisite, her phoenix eyes shining.

She calmly looked at that still-beautiful face in the mirror.

Her heart had calmed down.

Previously, she hadn't known what was going on, acting as if she had lost her mind!

She had only recovered this afternoon.

Anger, humiliation, resentment... these emotions seemed to have left her.

All that remained was calmness.

She was now carefully analyzing the reasons.

From the moment she decided to send someone to assassinate Li Qing, she had stepped into the grave she had dug with her own hands, step by step.

She had underestimated that youth from Jinling City.

She had underestimated the methods of her good brother, Crown Prince Xia Yuan, even more.

She thought that with great power in her hands and the help of the "Shadow Kill" organization, killing a mere commoner would be as simple as crushing an ant.

But what was the result?

Not only had she failed to harm a single hair on Li Qing's head, but she had also been slapped in the face by him again and again.

Fortunately, her uncle had written a letter today.

It helped her calm down.

Only then did she realize in hindsight.

She had been too arrogant.

These past few years had been smooth sailing, and even the Crown Prince had been suppressed beneath her feet.

As soon as she encountered something unpleasant, she lost her mind.

Even an important supporter of her faction, Liu Xing, Minister of Personnel, had been forced to apologize in public, losing all face.

And she herself had become the laughingstock of the entire Royal Capital, so angry that she coughed up blood and fainted.

Most fatally, her series of foolish actions had not only failed to strike the enemy but had also personally delivered the sharpest blade, Li Qing, into the hands of Crown Prince Xia Yuan.

Under these circumstances, the Crown Prince's prestige in the court was at its peak.