"If I can leave alive this time, it will be like a dragon soaring into the sky. Can't I compare to a puppet like King Qi?"

When Jiang Taiyuan said this, his rough face was full of pride and his expression was indescribably heroic.

Ying Wuji couldn't help but take a closer look at him. He didn't see any shame on his face. Instead, his pride didn't seem fake at all.

This person was genuinely proud of everything he did.

But it couldn't be denied.

You could say that this person had no morals, no sense of righteousness, or even a trace of kingly demeanor.

But you couldn't say that his methods were ineffective.

The Jiang family itself had been marginalized, with most of the Jiang family's royal members exterminated by the Tian family's butcher's knife. But Jiang Taiyuan managed to survive with them in the Qi Palace in the capital of the Great Ming.

And according to Jiang Leqing, the current Qi Palace was not only inhabited by the Jiang family's subjects, but also by the Luans, Gaos, Guos, and Baos, among other clans.

Although they all belonged to the Jiang family, they had a history of bitter enmity with each other. However, these families, without exception, were united.

It was truly not easy to achieve this.

Regardless of how despicable Jiang Taiyuan's schemes were, he had at least achieved his goal.

If things continued to go smoothly in the future, it might really be possible to restore the Jiang family's former glory in the Kingdom of Li.

It was no wonder Jiang Taiyuan was so self-assured.

Ying Wuji smiled, "Brother Jiang has lofty ambitions, and I, your younger brother, am far from matching up to you. But our Kingdom of Li is treacherous. I'm afraid that Brother Jiang might not even reach halfway to the sky before meeting his end. So, it's better to be cautious. After all, speaking too boldly can lead to trouble."

"Hehe!"

Jiang Taiyuan chuckled, "You don't need to worry about that, Brother Ying. I was in such a hurry when I last visited Jiang City, and I didn't have a chance to explore many places. This time, I'll make up for that regret."

Ying Wuji raised an eyebrow. This person indeed didn't explore properly last time. He detonated his werewolf card in the tomb and forcibly broke through the space to escape.

However...

He frowned slightly. This person seemed very confident, not believing for a moment that he would be defeated in Jiang City.

Where did this confidence come from?

What was his trump card?

Jiang Taiyuan rubbed his hands, "What do you say, Brother Ying? Shall we explore Jiang City together?"

"Explore!"

Ying Wuji's lips curved into a faint smile.

Jiang Taiyuan asked, "Where to first?"

Ying Wuji smiled, "First stop, the prison!"

He signaled to the people beside him.

The guards quickly drew their swords, and the head guard swiftly took out handcuffs and shackles, neatly putting them on Jiang Taiyuan.

Jiang Taiyuan: "..."

...

An hour later.

The prison.

Jiang Taiyuan was wearing only a pair of shorts, drinking water and grumbling, "Brother Ying, you're really heartless. I had just prepared to proclaim myself as king, but in front of so many people, you clamped me in irons. Will I ever be seen again after the Jiang family is restored?"

Ying Wuji furrowed his brow.

Jiang Taiyuan had been thoroughly searched, even by the royal physician, who carefully examined him.

Every possible hiding place was thoroughly searched.

Apart from a few travel talismans, he didn't have anything on him.

So, what was his plan for escape?

Ying Wuji's perception was very keen, and he was certain that Jiang Taiyuan, who had just broken through to the realm of a warrior, couldn't possibly have mastered any special abilities like himself, unless he had the ability to replicate.

Under the heavens, only escape-type abilities could possibly work in the face of absolute power.

But there were only a few types of such abilities, and most of them were ineffective in the face of absolute power.

The only one that could definitely break free was the Thirteenth Prince's ability to cleave space with his sword.

This...

Ying Wuji smiled, "It seems that Brother Jiang is prepared to die. After accumulating wealth for so many years, it's all left in your Qi Palace."

"Of course, caution is necessary!"

Jiang Taiyuan chuckled, "But this is just a precaution. I don't believe that you will ultimately kill me. What do you say, Brother Ying? Do you plan to keep me imprisoned? Although the Jiang Qi family is down and out, we still have the status of lords. In a few days, we will have to sign an alliance. Keeping someone imprisoned until then wouldn't look good, would it?"

Ying Wuji nodded slightly and said to the guard beside him, "Release him!"

"Yes!"

The guard obeyed and removed all the handcuffs and shackles from Jiang Taiyuan.

Jiang Taiyuan couldn't help but burst into laughter, casually putting on his royal robe and tucking a few talismans he had brought with him into his pocket.

Stretching his muscles, he smiled and said, "By the way, Brother Ying, I haven't seen Princess Wang for a long time. I dare to ask you to let her out for some fresh air. It just so happens that we can explore the capital of the Great Ming together!"

Ying Wuji smiled faintly, "Since Brother Jiang has made such a request, how can I refuse?"

With that, he took out a mirror from his jade bracelet and released Jiang Leqing's soul shadow.

He wasn't worried about Jiang Taiyuan using any tricks, because Jiang Leqing's soul was sealed in his mind, and the image in the mirror was just a projection. Unless Jiang Taiyuan killed him, it would be impossible to take her away.

Jiang Leqing was suddenly released and subconsciously looked around. When she saw Jiang Taiyuan, her eyes were filled with complex emotions.

"Brother, you're here?"

In her gaze, there was worry and confusion, all mixed together.Jiang Taiyuan, however, ignored her gaze and instead chuckled as he asked Ying Wuji, "Brother Ying, is this the glass mirror that you used to trap the allied forces of the Ji surname? I heard that although the Flame Kingdom did not send troops, the Flame King, under tremendous financial pressure, spent a fortune to acquire one. Yet, the next thing he knew, each of your hundred thousand soldiers had one in hand, which must have infuriated him.

Now the business of glass mirrors has spread throughout the Central Plains. They were rare items to begin with, and now they've become strategic materials.

You must have made a fortune, right?"

Ying Wuji smacked his lips, "We didn't earn too much, just a few million taels!"

Indeed, it was a few million taels.

But that was just the figure from the two months following the battle at Capital of the Great Ming's Anyi.

In the long run, the total value was expected to increase by more than tenfold.

Because these mirrors could easily outperform so-called high-quality bronze mirrors, and they could also relatively enhance the combat power in the Capital of the Great Ming, they were genuine strategic materials.

Add to that Ying Wuji's hunger marketing, and a single glass mirror would cost at least several hundred taels of silver.

Although this would reduce the relative advantage of the Kingdom Li in the Capital of the Great Ming, aside from creating another place like Anyi, the overall significance wasn't great, and Anyi was now in the hands of Kingdom Li.

It was easy to defend and hard to attack, with no possibility of being breached.

So, compared to maintaining a relative advantage, it was better to cash in quickly. What Kingdom Li needed now was to recuperate and rebuild, requiring a large amount of money for infrastructure and city walls.

"That's a lot!"

Jiang Taiyuan seemed a bit envious as he rubbed his hands together and said, "Any interest in sponsoring our Jiang Qi a bit?"

Ying Wuji raised an eyebrow, "What? We've already sponsored Anyi to you, isn't Brother Jiang satisfied?"

"Satisfied, of course, I am satisfied!"

Jiang Taiyuan chuckled as he rubbed his hands, "But who would complain about having too much money? The people of our Jiang Qi will be the vanguard for Kingdom Li in the east, but we lack money, grain, and military supplies. If you want us to fight for you, you have to let us live a prosperous life, right?"

Ying Wuji became interested, "Oh? You also want to live a prosperous life?"

"Why not?"

Jiang Taiyuan nodded as if it were a matter of course.

Ying Wuji scoffed, "What's in it for me to let you live a prosperous life?"

Jiang Taiyuan pointed to Jiang Leqing in the mirror, "My sister here is beautiful and well-behaved. How about I give her to you as a concubine? Her body has been refined with the Guijing, and if used properly, she could help you control the entire world. Aren't you tempted?"

Jiang Leqing was stunned for a moment, somewhat shocked, "Brother King? You..."

It wasn't that she was shocked Jiang Taiyuan was selling her off, as she had long been prepared to sacrifice for the state of Jiang Qi as a princess.

But the Guijing was an important artifact of the Jiang royal family, which had been crucial in resisting the pressure from the Tian family, thanks to the secret techniques of the Guijing controlling the officials of Qi.

But now, Jiang Taiyuan was willing to give away this trump card?

However, she quickly understood Jiang Taiyuan's intention.

Ying Wuji naturally understood as well and scoffed, "If I remember correctly, your sister's body is still in the hands of the Tian family, right? I give you money, and I also have to help you rescue her? What are you thinking?"

"Haha! Still can't fool Brother Ying."

Jiang Taiyuan wasn't embarrassed and laughed a few times before leaving the prison with Ying Wuji.

He had wanted Ying Wuji to act as a tour guide and stroll around together, but Ying Wuji had no interest in accompanying him.

So, he wandered around not far from Ying Wuji with the mirror image of Jiang Leqing, not straying too far because the signal would be poor and affect the quality of the projection.

He wandered around for an entire day.

He seemed to have no psychological burden, like a carefree tourist, taking Jiang Leqing on a random stroll through the streets.

As evening approached.

He entered the Capital of the Great Ming with Ying Wuji, burned a few travel talismans, and hurried towards Anyi.

Watching the orderly movement of the Jiang subjects into the city, his smile stretched to his ears.

Atop the city tower of Anyi.

Ying Wuji and Zhao Ning sat side by side, looking at the scene within the city, both feeling quite emotional.

At this moment, Anyi in the Capital of the Great Ming was under the strict guard of the Kingdom Li's army.

This area had cut off the mirror transportation of the Capital of the Great Ming. To enter the city, one had to teleport to a location outside Anyi and then walk in. The area outside Anyi had already reverted to the influence of the Capital of the Great Ming, and even with glass mirrors, the combat power would be significantly weakened, making it difficult for external forces to pose a threat.

In other words, this fertile land was almost completely safe.

And it was entirely in the hands of Kingdom Li. Even if Jiang Qi colluded with outsiders, it would be difficult to achieve anything.

The Jiang subjects could only be considered as residing here. They could recuperate and grow under the assistance provided by Kingdom Li, and even after paying taxes, they could still store their own food.

Even if this place couldn't be called their home, it was enough to make every Jiang subject smile with joy.

At this moment, Jiang Taiyuan was like a king who cared for his people, with a kind smile on his face, warmly greeting the Jiang subjects, appearing to love his people like his own children.

Ying Wuji smacked his lips, "This guy really puts on quite a show. It's a pity that the theater troupes haven't recruited such talent!"

"Indeed!"

Zhao Ning nodded in agreement, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Wuji, are you sure you didn't find anything strange on him?"

Ying Wuji affirmed, "Yes! Other than his bloodline being a bit off, which seems to be hidden by a secret technique along with the royal seal, there's nothing else."

Zhao Ning nodded slightly.

The royal seal could indeed be hidden within the bloodline, as it was bestowed by the Zhou Emperor and represented the legitimacy of each family's rule over their territories, naturally binding to their bloodlines.

The reason why the Wei and Han families were constantly hindered by the Zhao family, and why the Tian family had not yet been able to officially replace the Jiang family, was largely due to this.

If an alliance was stamped with the royal seal, it was tantamount to two countries making a sworn promise.When the bloodline rules are at their strongest, there will be serious consequences for violating the oath, which is equivalent to weakening the version of Zhuanxu's blood oath.

Even though the Mu Ye Stele has been weakened to the extreme, it is not something that can be violated casually.

Unilaterally tearing up the alliance agreement will probably come at a cost.

However, the terms of the alliance have already been drafted, and the Zhao family has the initiative, so they are unlikely to violate the alliance. On the contrary, the Jiang family is constrained everywhere. Therefore, after Jiang Taiyuan proposed the royal seal, everyone defaulted that even if they were to take action, they would have to stamp the royal seal first.

However...

This royal seal has always been in the hands of the puppet Qi Wang.

When did it end up in Jiang Taiyuan's hands?

After the conclusion of this alliance, the Tian and Jiang families are likely to have a significant conflict.

Zhao Ning closed his eyes and pondered: "Although the Jiang family has suffered a great loss in vitality, the power of their bloodline still remains. They have been lurking for many years, and Jiang Taiyuan has been planning for the Mu Ye Stele for many years. Many young people have condensed high-quality spirit embryos.

If they can be completely brought under their control, it will definitely be a powerful tool to influence the situation in the Great Li.

Such a powerful tool, in the hands of Jiang Taiyuan.

It's probably harmful to others and to himself!"

Ying Wuji nodded deeply in agreement. When he saw the Jiang family's subjects moving in just now, he also had this idea. Although the Jiang family suffered heavy losses, they retained many young people, and all those under thirty years old had an energy aura that had just broken through the fetal transformation realm less than a year ago.

If his guess is correct, they are all benefiting from the period when Jiang Taiyuan just revived their bloodline.

It must be said that this is quite a plan.

It can be foreseen that the combat effectiveness of the Jiang family's army will be very strong in the short term, and it can indeed be called a powerful tool. It's not a good thing to be in the hands of Jiang Taiyuan, who is a lunatic.

But...

He frowned slightly: "However, I think he should have a reason that forces us to give up killing him."

"I think so too!"

Zhao Ning nodded deeply in agreement, because Jiang Taiyuan's behavior is indeed a bit strange.

Ying Wuji smiled and asked, "If that's true, what does the king mean?"

Zhao Ning pondered for a moment: "The king's meaning is that although he is now sitting on the throne to help us bear the pressure, the final decision still needs to be made by us. And I am too fair and peaceful in my actions, so..."

She looked at Ying Wuji, smiling ambiguously.

Ying Wuji grinned: "Alright! You're throwing the difficult problem to me again."

Zhao Ning smiled and stood up: "I'm leaving first. If you have any questions, communicate with me at any time."

With that, she left directly.

Ying Wuji was idle and had nothing to do, so he stayed with the siblings until the last day before signing the national document.

He checked them several times in between, but found no abnormalities.

Finally, it was dusk.

It was time to leave the capital of the Great Ming.

Seeing Jiang Taiyuan return to the city tower with a happy expression, he waved and called out to him, "Brother Jiang, are you ready to leave?"

Jiang Taiyuan saw him and his smile froze, and he reluctantly handed over the mirror.

He looked at the guards and imperial physicians beside him, and his mouth twitched as he said, "I say, Brother Ying, are you being too cautious with me? It's not that I can't accept being checked naked every day, but it's a bit unbearable to have my skin peeled off every time!"

Ying Wuji smiled faintly, showing no mercy: "Blame it on you being too annoying. In order to ensure that you can die peacefully in Jiangcheng, I can't afford to be negligent at all!"

With that, he waved his hand.

The imperial physician took Jiang Taiyuan into the small house.

Soon.

The sound of Jiang Taiyuan's "ouch ah oh" came from the small house.

About a quarter of an hour later.

Jiang Taiyuan, while putting on his clothes, grumbled at the imperial physician: "I've said it a long time ago, I don't have anything hidden. Once you've checked once, it's enough. You keep checking repeatedly, it's too much!"

Ying Wuji glanced at the imperial physician and saw him nod, feeling somewhat curious.

Because he had always suspected that Jiang Taiyuan's contact with the Jiang family's subjects was likely the way he obtained his means of escape.

Unexpectedly, he had no intention of escaping at all.

Seeing Jiang Taiyuan's calm appearance, he smiled and asked, "Brother Jiang, are you really planning to escape tomorrow?"

"What can I do if I don't escape?"

Jiang Taiyuan smirked, "Who in this world doesn't know that the Zhao family's Absolute Heaven Seal is the number one restriction in the world? With my meager cultivation, can I escape?"

Ying Wuji asked with a smile, "Oh? How do you plan to escape? You seem quite confident about tomorrow. Why don't you tell me in advance, so I can think about how to break your escape technique. Otherwise, if you win too easily tomorrow, the process won't be exciting enough."

"True!"

Jiang Taiyuan nodded deeply in agreement, seemingly quite approving of Ying Wuji's words.

He actually seemed to seriously ponder for a moment, then laughed and said, "It's not that I can't tell you, but even if you want to counter it, it will have little impact on the result. It's just that if I tell you everything, there will be fewer surprises when the national document is signed tomorrow."

Ying Wuji raised an eyebrow slightly, "Tsk! If you dare not say, then don't babble so much!"

Jiang Taiyuan chuckled and shook his head, "It's not that I dare not say. If you really want to know in advance, you might as well ask the female prince of the Kingdom Chu when you go back, and see what has been happening in the Kingdom Chu recently."

"Hmm?"

Ying Wuji frowned slightly, wanting to ask more, but seeing Jiang Taiyuan's pretentious smile, he knew that even if he asked, he wouldn't say anything, so it was better not to spoil the fun.

Shaking his head, he left with Jiang Taiyuan, leaving the area where Anyi was located, and directly returned to the modern royal palace using the mirror.

He looked in a certain direction, where the place for entertaining foreign guests in the palace was located, and the specifications were quite high. Jiang Taiyuan was staying there, or rather, he was imprisoned there.

He didn't know what kind of escape plan this guy would come up with tomorrow.

Turning around and leaving.

On the way back to the Fu Ma Mansion, he focused his attention on his brow, "Leqing?"

Jiang Leqing's voice sounded in his mind, "What's wrong, Lord Fu Ma?"

In the past few days.

She had been imprisoned.

Every day, there was a look of misery on her face.These days, after interacting with my own subjects, my emotions seem to have risen a lot.

But the sorrow in their eyes still hasn't dissipated much.

Just from that look.

It's so pitiful, yet it makes people can't help but want to bully her.

Ying Wuji smiled and asked, "There's a question I've always wanted to ask you."

Jiang Leqing sighed lightly, "Lord Husband, go ahead!"

Ying Wuji pondered for a moment, "The royal seal is on Jiang Taiyuan, what will your father king do?"

The puppet king no longer has the royal seal.

What's the point of being a puppet then?

Upon hearing this question, Jiang Leqing instantly closed herself off, and the atmosphere fell silent for a while.

After a while.

She finally recovered and said, "Actually, you could have asked a long time ago."

Ying Wuji pursed his lips, "I just saw you getting along with people of the Jiang surname and didn't want to ruin your mood."

Jiang Leqing was stunned for a long time before saying softly, "Thank you!"

[Hint]: When the target's emotional fluctuation value reaches 100, you will obtain the Earth-rank technique "Seventy-Two Arts of Earth Demon - Soul Capture" at the highest level.

Huh?

All of them are evil spells!

Ying Wuji really didn't expect that such a sentence could cause her emotions to fluctuate so much.

And gave her some time to react.

Jiang Leqing then sighed softly, "My father king was originally a puppet, and Tian handled many state affairs, so the royal seal was not needed at all. He handed the royal seal to the king's brother, and he won't be in immediate danger. But tomorrow, when the Li Jiang Alliance is signed, my father king is afraid..."

Ying Wuji couldn't help but ask, "Are you willing to let him die for the sake of Jiang Taiyuan?"

"If he doesn't die, what else can we do?"

Jiang Leqing's voice was faintly tinged with a crying tone, "Our Jiang royal family is on the verge of extinction, who else can leave their life behind? In fact, when my father became the puppet king, he had already prepared himself for death.

We are not fulfilling my king's brother, but fulfilling the re-establishment of the Jiang royal family. What's not to be happy about?

Moreover.

Theft is never good, try looking at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.

The legitimate line of the Jiang family is already in my king's brother's line, and the blood has long since run dry.

If it weren't for my king's brother bearing the identity of a royal disciple at the time, how could he still be alive now?"

"Alright!"

Ying Wuji shook his head gently.

Jiang Leqing couldn't help but ask, "You really can't let my king's brother off the hook?"

Ying Wuji shook his head, "Of course not!"

Jiang Leqing: "..."

Ying Wuji smiled and comforted, "But don't worry too much. If he's so confident in his ability to talk his way out, maybe I really can't kill him."

Jiang Leqing: "Hmm..."

The atmosphere was a bit strange.

At least that's how Ying Wuji felt.

Just now, the two of them were chatting like ordinary friends.

But they were discussing whether to kill her cousin.

It was really a bit helpless.

The carriage returned to silence.

Although Ying Wuji wanted to indirectly inquire about what Jiang Taiyuan's bottom line was, he felt that he probably wouldn't be able to ask, so he decided not to torture her already fragile emotions.

Soon.

The carriage stopped at the gates of the Lord Husband's Mansion.

Ying Wuji jumped down and walked straight into the mansion.

The Bai family members had already explored the city of Jiang to their satisfaction over the past few days. Bai Yi and Hua Chao had both returned home and were sitting at a table, eating quietly. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law both had a very dignified manner of eating, while Mi Xingli was eating heartily.

It wasn't that she was being impolite.

It's just that she spent all day pondering those profound things, which really consumed a lot of energy.

Her hungry stomach didn't allow her to have a too dignified manner of eating.

"Wuji! You're back!"

Hua Chao reacted the fastest, standing up and smiling.

Mi Xingli glanced over and, with her mouth full of food, made a symbolic sound towards Ying Wuji, as if to say hello, and then stuffed a chicken leg into her mouth.

"Hey!?"

Ying Wuji didn't understand why Mi Xingli could eat so heartily, and just pulled her up, "Mother! Sister Hua Chao! I need to talk to her about something."

With that, he pulled her towards the study.

Mi Xingli was not pleased, and a sound of "hehe" came from her throat. Although she didn't know what she was saying, she could tell that it was probably very unpleasant.

In the study.

Mi Xingli drank several mouthfuls of tea before reluctantly swallowing the food in her mouth, and gave him an annoyed look, "Couldn't you have waited for me to finish eating before talking? You almost choked this young master to death!"

Ying Wuji took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the food stains off her lips.

Mi Xingli was startled, looked out the window in panic, and found that Hua Chao wasn't looking in their direction, then breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at Ying Wuji with a puzzled expression, "What's wrong with you? Sneaking food in front of Hua Chao?"

Before Ying Wuji could answer, she chuckled, "But it's quite exciting, I like it! Have you had your eye on me for a long time? In fact, I've had my eye on you for a long time too. Can your Zhuanxu Emperor's Blood let me borrow a bit?"

Ying Wuji: "..."

Indeed, one should not underestimate the power of a female hooligan.

He grinned, "Don't misunderstand, I don't have any feelings for you."

Mi Xingli snorted, "Then why did you wipe my mouth?"

Ying Wuji smirked, "Mainly because I didn't expect the young lady to have such a cherry-like mouth, which made me very happy, and I couldn't help but want to wipe it for you."

"Hiss..."

Mi Xingli looked at him warily, took a few steps back, and tightly closed her mouth.

Seeing him looking at her with a teasing smile, she couldn't help but feel resentful, and glared at him fiercely, "Just say what you have to say!"

Ying Wuji's expression became somewhat serious, "Has anything happened recently in the Kingdom of Chu?"

Chu and Yan are at war.

This is a well-known fact.

Originally, the intention of the Kingdom of Chu was to take advantage of the chaos in the capital of the Great Ming and the city of Anyi, and occupy more of the Flame Kingdom's territory, but they didn't expect the Flame Kingdom to resist so fiercely. The Kingdom of Chu didn't gain any advantage, and if they were to withdraw their troops so easily, the dignity of a great nation would be lost.

So the lightning war turned into a war of dignity, and the Chu-Yan border became a quagmire.

Everyone was feeling very uncomfortable.

But no one took the initiative to withdraw.

Apart from that, there doesn't seem to be anything else.

Mi Xingli raised her eyebrows, "Just fighting with the Flame Kingdom, isn't that something everyone knows?"Ying Wuji cut in: "You've eaten so much of my food, and you're not willing to tell me anything truthful!"

"Hmm?"

Mi Xingli couldn't help but be a little curious: "Where did you hear the news from? What have you heard?"

Ying Wuji smirked, knowing that if he said he hadn't heard anything, she wouldn't believe him.

It would be embarrassing to say it out loud.

He arrogantly smiled: "Is there anything in this world that can escape my knowledge?"

Mi Xingli looked at him strangely: "The news is quite well-informed. This is considered confidential in our Kingdom Chu."

Ying Wuji pursed his lips: "I only heard a rough idea. Tell me the details quickly."

"This matter is quite complicated."

Mi Xingli pursed her lips: "In short, during the Chu-Yan war, a great demon infiltrated our Chu Kingdom and the army, attempting to undermine our rear. Of course, that's not the main point. The main point is that our Kingdom Chu's Zhuanxu Seal, many outposts nearby have traces of infiltration."

"The Zhuanxu Seal!"

Ying Wuji's eyebrows jumped, and he suddenly felt a bit heavy-hearted.

Mi Xingli waved her hand: "Although it didn't really threaten the Zhuanxu Seal, our outer defense has been infiltrated like a sieve this time. It's embarrassing to say it out loud, so our Mi family is clearing the threat while keeping this matter suppressed. For this reason, many of our Kingdom Chu's experts have been restricted near the Zhuanxu Seal, resulting in a shortage of frontline experts. Otherwise, the Flame Kingdom might not have been able to resist for so long."

This was not an exaggeration.

After all, Kingdom Chu was a big country, and no matter how much internal strife there was, it still had a solid foundation.

Losing face on the front line, temporarily setting aside their differences, and joining forces would guarantee a few small victories against the Flame Kingdom.

Ying Wuji frowned: "So, how is the situation with the Zhuanxu Seal?"

Mi Xingli waved her hand: "Although there have been many probing attempts on the Zhuanxu Seal this time, it basically didn't pose any threat."

I see.

Ying Wuji breathed a sigh of relief.

The defense around the Zhuanxu Seals of each country was very tight, and it was not something that a few great demons could easily shake.

Mi Xingli was curious: "Hey! We've kept this news tightly sealed. Where did you hear it from?"

Ying Wuji's eyes narrowed slightly, and he whispered three words: "Jiang Taiyuan!"

"Him!?"

Mi Xingli's expression also became somewhat serious.

She hadn't been concerned about this matter before, after all, it was not surprising that some great demons would sneak in after a Zhuanxu Seal was loosened during the Chu-Yan war. But if this matter was related to Jiang Taiyuan, it would be less than wonderful.

This person had a history!

Having been with Ying Wuji for a long time, she naturally heard some of the past events of Li Caitan.

At that time, Li Caitan was incited by Jiang Taiyuan to try to touch the Zhuanxu Seal guarded by the Zhao clan.

This person definitely had connections with the demon race!

She furrowed her brows: "Could it be that this time in our Kingdom Chu, it was also incited by Jiang Taiyuan? But his main target is the Flame Kingdom, and the defense inside the Flame Kingdom is even weaker. Even if he really wants to incite the demon race to attack the Zhuanxu Seal, shouldn't he focus on the Flame Kingdom? What benefit does it bring to him to target our Kingdom Chu?"

Ying Wuji was also puzzled because Jiang Qi had been in contact with the Kingdom Wu in private, wanting to take Sui Prefecture, which was also on the border of the Flame Kingdom, clearly intending to swallow the territory of the Flame Kingdom and then set his sights on the cities of Qi.

To put it bluntly, it had nothing to do with Kingdom Chu!

He pointed to his head: "There's something wrong with Jiang Taiyuan's mind, and we can't use common sense to figure him out. But since he brought it up, this matter is definitely related to him."

"He's really asking for trouble!"

Mi Xingli's eyes flashed with a hint of severity. The attitudes of the various countries in the Central Plains towards the Zhou Emperor varied, but their attitudes towards the demon race were surprisingly consistent.

In any case, the Zhuanxu Seal was not to be easily touched.

Although the demon race couldn't break through the defense.

But Jiang Taiyuan's behavior was simply suicidal.

Ying Wuji's gaze turned slightly cold. According to what Bai Yi said, the current demon race was not something that the human race could contend with.

To withstand it.

Either unite with the heavenly and human races, or establish a new cultivation system.

Ying Wuji didn't want the former.

The latter was a distant prospect.

Touching the Zhuanxu Seal now was simply playing with the fate of the human race.

Was Jiang Taiyuan's way of breaking free this time to use the Zhuanxu Seal as a threat?

Was the sudden appearance of the great demon within the Kingdom Chu his doing?

This person.

Was really damn brave!

Ying Wuji took a deep breath: "This matter is of great importance. I'm going to the palace first!"

Mi Xingli's gaze was cold: "Take me with you!"

...

The next morning.

Chongli Palace was solemn inside and out.

Outsiders had already been cleared out, including the eunuchs and palace maids, who had been driven elsewhere.

The ceremonial decorations were grand, but there were few people around, making it look eerily quiet.

The autumn heat had not yet dissipated.

Ying Wuji was wearing a long robe, feeling a little hot, and after glancing at the sun, he confirmed that the time was almost right. He clenched the thick rope tied to the wooden stake and fiercely struck the bell.

"Dang!"

The sound of the bronze bell was solemn and majestic, echoing in the sky and reaching the ears of everyone in Jiangcheng.

Jiangcheng should have been quite lively in the early morning, but it had been quiet for a long time because of this bell.

The lingering sound of the bronze bell had not yet dissipated.

A figure strode from outside the palace.

This person was burly, with rugged features, and a beard covered half of his face, making him look extremely fierce.

He was wearing a royal robe.

His expression was solemn.

His demeanor was dignified.

He seemed to exude a kingly aura, striding towards the Chongli Palace.

Jiang Taiyuan was no longer as carefree as he used to be. When he passed by Ying Wuji, he just nodded slightly at him and walked straight into the Chongli Palace.

Ying Wuji pursed his lips and quickly followed.

He didn't expect this guy to suddenly become so formal.Perhaps... by signing the alliance today, does he represent the dignity of the Jiang royal family?

In the hall.

Zhao Ji sat high upon the throne.

Below, there were only six seats.

Zhao Ning.

Wu Dan.

Li Caitan.

Mi Xingli.

Wu Shuangxu.

And Ying Wuji, who had just taken his seat.

Jiang Taiyuan glanced around the hall: "King Li, today our two kings meet, yet you haven't even prepared a seat for me. This hardly seems in keeping with the hospitality of Kingdom Li, does it?"

His voice carried genuine anger.

Zhao Ji looked down at him with a piercing gaze: "I only know that the official king of Qi is Jiang Yu, while the actual ruler is Lord Tian. Which king are you?"

As soon as he finished speaking.

A snicker echoed through the hall.

The source of the laughter was Li Caitan. Seeing Jiang Taiyuan again, her emotions were not particularly stirred, but her gaze was chilling to the bone.

Jiang Taiyuan, however, seemed as if he didn't even see her, simply looking up at Zhao Ji.

With a flat palm, a phantom of a royal seal appeared out of thin air.

His expression was serious: "King Li, which king do you see me as?"

Zhao Ji raised an eyebrow: "So you really are a king!"

Jiang Taiyuan glanced at Eunuch Cao beside Zhao Ji: "Then shouldn't you hurry and prepare a seat?"

Unfortunately, Eunuch Cao turned a blind eye to his gaze.

Zhao Ji said with a faint smile: "A puppet king, a king for a day, is not truly a king. You might as well remain standing."

Jiang Taiyuan: "???"

But he only fell silent for a moment.

Then a comfortable smile returned to his face.

He turned to look at Ying Wuji and Mi Xingli, speaking with ease: "It seems the Prince Consort of your nation has already informed King Li. No wonder he disregards the etiquette of hospitality. However, King Li, the terms of the alliance have already been agreed upon. Please do not let personal emotions influence you."

With that.

He took out a scroll from his bosom.

With a light toss towards the sky, the scroll floated above.

It slowly unfurled, revealing the content of the Li-Jiang alliance.

The main point was that Kingdom Li would support the Jiang's restoration, and the Jiang would, in turn, protect the common interests of both Kingdom Li and Jiang in certain matters.

Each clause was carefully tailored to benefit Kingdom Li, including the details he had negotiated with Ying Wuji over the past few days. This included using Kingdom Wu to take down Suicheng and a non-aggression pact with Kingdom Wu.

There was not a single change.

The place for the signature was left blank, awaiting the seal of Kingdom Li.

The scroll hovered in the air for only a moment before it was presented to Zhao Ji.

Zhao Ji did not delay, stamping the seal directly and handing the scroll to Eunuch Cao.

Eunuch Cao, holding the scroll, came down and stood before Jiang Taiyuan, looking at the phantom of the royal seal hovering above his palm, and said with a smile: "Prince Taiyuan, please stamp the seal!"

For a moment.

All eyes in the hall were on Jiang Taiyuan.

Jiang Taiyuan felt as if thorns were on his back. If things continued this way, the moment he stamped the seal of Qi would be his time of death.

But he was not panicked at all.

Instead, he looked up at Zhao Ji with a smile: "King Li! Could it be that you truly believe that I instigated those great demons from Kingdom Chu?"

Zhao Ji's gaze was icy cold. Having heard the whole story from Ying Wuji the day before, his desire to kill was no weaker than anyone present.

His eyes narrowed, his gaze like a cold scraper, scraping over Jiang Taiyuan's skin again and again.

A threat?

The last thing he accepted was a threat!

He smiled indifferently: "What? Do you have an explanation?"

"Of course, I have something to say!"

Jiang Taiyuan laughed heartily: "As the King of Qi, I am a saint of the Central Plains human race. How could I collude with demon clans and bring disaster upon humanity?"

Li Caitan snorted: "Nonsense!"

From beginning to end, her hand never left the hilt of her sword.

You haven't brought disaster upon humanity.

Then who was the one who instigated me to tamper with the Zhuanxu seal of Kingdom Li?

Yet Jiang Taiyuan laughed and looked at her: "Speaking of which, I should thank this foolish woman. If not for her, I wouldn't have been able to figure out which of the many Zhuanxu seals was the loose one. Nor would I have stolen the method to loosen the Zhuanxu seal from the demon clan, let alone deduce the method to stabilize the Zhuanxu seal again!"

Hearing this.

Everyone's pupils shrank in unison.

How come, from Jiang Taiyuan's words, he seemed not to be a brain-dead colluder with the demon clan, but rather a righteous, clever and brave little trickster?

Feeling the shock and skepticism in everyone's eyes.

Jiang Taiyuan's smile grew even wider, turning his head to look at Wu Shuangxu: "Junior sister, testify for me!"

Under everyone's gaze.

Wu Shuangxu looked at Jiang Taiyuan with a complex expression, then turned to Zhao Ji: "Your Majesty! What Jiang Taiyuan said is true. If he hadn't mastered this method, with his actions, he would never have been accepted into our master's sect!"

Everyone: "……"

Their thoughts were in disarray.

For a moment, they couldn't understand what Jiang Taiyuan was up to.

Jiang Taiyuan looked at Zhao Ji's hesitant expression and couldn't help but laugh heartily: "King Li! This method is unique to me in the world. With this method, who can grant me death?"

His smile was full of confidence.

Because he was certain that no one in the current human dynasties would not wish for the Zhuanxu seal to be stabilized.

Hearing this.

Li Caitan's hand gripping the sword hilt suddenly tightened, and a flash of urgent killing intent passed through her eyes.