Chapter 348: A Hearty Laugh from Luo Wusheng
Luo Wusheng gradually began to replay everything in his mind.
Most of what Ji Yanyao said was believable.
However, what happened in that spatial realm after he lost consciousness was still a mystery to him.
His Junior Sister, the only one who might know, wasn't here right now, and she hadn't passed that information on to the girl in front of him either.
But aside from that, Luo Wusheng had a few additional thoughts.
(Since this Daoist Alter Ego of the Empress was present at the time... hmm, saying she arrived after the battle is probably not true. When those Nascent Soul cultivators from Sword Province were about to perish, the faint fluctuation I sensed likely came from her, meaning she must have arrived even earlier.)
He just couldn't understand why she didn't intervene back then.
And once he drew the chicken Netherkin into the Antediluvian Nether Eye space, there was no room left for her to step in, even if she wanted to.
(On the bright side, even if I had run out of options back then, things still wouldn't have gone in the worst possible direction.)
Though few had seen the Daoist Sect Chief Disciple fight in person, no one believed her true strength was only what her early-stage Nascent Soul cultivation suggested.
At least Luo Wusheng believed that the Empress's Daoist Alter Ego was very likely far stronger than that red-faced mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator from Sword Province.
And if she had wanted to call for reinforcements, any one of them could probably have taken care of the chicken Netherkin with ease.
Not to mention, should her Empress Alter Ego join the fight, just by using the Human Emperor Sword, killing the chicken Netehrkin would be as easy as swatting a fly.
Looking at it from this angle, this whole battle hadn't really been all that dangerous.
(So that was the final failsafe... Was this part of the white-haired loli's plan? She really thinks of everything.)
After experiencing multiple occasions where his powerful allies had planned things so thoroughly, Luo Wusheng felt like he had begun to grasp the thinking patterns of that white-haired loli and his master.
Just like this trip to Qifeng City, he guessed most of it had already been fully within the grasp of his big-name backers.
(I'll double-check later, but it should all be just as I imagined. As for the Ancient Phoenix Essence... judging from the bond I've felt since initially refining it, the planting location is already set. If I were to die now, I'd probably revive at that overlapping space on Xiaofeng Mountain?)
(Hiss... I wonder what that place looks like now…)
Thinking back to the terrifying pair of eyes he vaguely saw before losing consciousness, Luo Wusheng felt a chill run down his spine.
That must be the sealed peerless powerhouse within that realm?
His eyes flickered as Ji Yanyao's explanation came to an end.
"—That's more or less the whole story."
"Those Nascent Soul cultivators from Sword Province have temporarily accepted orders from the Immortal Nation. Once they finish recovering here, they'll assist in the defense against the Netherkin Race during this time… Also, before you were brought here, they repeatedly said they wanted to thank you in person once you woke up."
"Oh, by the way—are you interested in the Immortal Nation's current assignments? With your strength, you'd be treated the same as a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator."
Her beautiful eyes landed on Luo Wusheng.
Upon hearing these words, the Holy Saint of the Demon Sect couldn't help but feel a strange stir within.
The "Immortal Nation's temporary assignment orders" mentioned by the Empress's Daoist Alter Ego were precisely the reason why the wounded from Qifeng City had been brought to the Daoist Artifact Pavillion's estate.
After realizing the Netherkin Race might pose a threat to the Immortal Nation, the Immortal Nation naturally began to respond accordingly.
And the most important part of that response was, of course, gathering high-level cultivators who could stand against the Netherkins.
However, no matter how vast the world was, high-level cultivators were still a minority, and most had their own affairs to tend to. If they were just in seclusion for cultivation, that was one thing, but a large portion of them also held high positions within various sects. Leaving for even a short, specified period was manageable, but the current state of the Immortal Nation clearly required more than that.
The upper echelons of the Immortal Nation still had no clear idea when exactly the Netherkin Race planned to act.
Under such circumstances, expecting high-level cultivators to stay stationed in the capital—normally a peaceful and safe place—for an extended time was simply unrealistic.
Well, that also indirectly showed that the Empress didn't yet have enough influence over cultivators from other regions. After all, she had only been in power for three years. One year had been spent stabilizing the chaos from the previous emperor's disappearance. The fact that she'd managed to get the world to acknowledge her in such a short time already proved she truly had the bearing of a sovereign.
Just like commoners cared most about food and survival, cultivators were, more than anything, concerned with their own cultivation realm.
So, the Immortal Nation chose to issue these so-called temporary orders.
Cultivators of matching levels would be rewarded with spiritual stones, heavenly materials, and artifacts in exchange for helping defend the capital for a set period. If the Netherkins made a move during that time, those who stepped in to help would be rewarded based on their merits and any injuries suffered would be treated by the Immortal Nation.
—And this place was the primary treatment center.
Given the relationship between the Daoist Sect and the Immortal Nation, it was natural for the Daoist Sect to participate in such efforts.
With the Daoist Sect's and the Immortal Nation's healing techniques and pills—as well as competent cultivators to analyze each patient's condition—it was no wonder that Bai Xiaoyao agreed to be brought here.
After all, the Demon Artifact Pavilion only had him to hold the fort...
Luo Wusheng couldn't help but mentally complain.
(But something still feels off... Sure, the little pink fox went back, and the Netherkin Nation has shown hints of scheming, but is that really enough for the Immortal Nation to go this far? Or have they already uncovered even more clues on their own?)
This time, the Immortal Nation had even opened its national treasury, it really did seem overly cautious.
He had originally thought such measures would only be taken after he handed over crucial intelligence to the Empress...
As these thoughts churned in Luo Wusheng's mind, he looked at the girl in front of him and gave a carefree smile.
"I was already planning to remain in the capital for a while," he said. "If the Netherkin Race makes a move, I'll naturally intervene—no need to take part in any official assignment orders."
"Compared to material gains, I'd much rather the capital stay safe and untouched..."
He paused, his gaze naturally drifting toward the window, as if sighing with emotion. "Her Majesty must be troubled these days, right? If the battlefield ends up being in the capital, any casualties—no matter who—would be something neither the Immortal Nation nor she could easily accept… These temporary orders do help ease some of that pressure."
Ji Yanyao's eyes flickered upon hearing his words, and she responded casually, "It's only natural… Since we failed to notice the Netherkin Race's intentions early on, things have reached this point out of necessity."
But Luo Wusheng simply shook his head.
"Her Majesty reorganized the entire Immortal Nation in just three years—one of which was spent quelling the unrest caused by the previous emperor's disappearance. That alone is already nearly impossible."
"If she could still sense the Netherkin Race's moves in such a situation, how could the rest of us even claim to be on her level?"
The morning sun shone on the youth's face, illuminating his bright, hearty smile, which were reflected clearly in the eyes of the girl across from him.
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Note: Link to the character Illustration:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD
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