Chapter 1733: Great Formation
All of the women were smart. They quickly realized that something was strange about the conversation. The libationer didn’t seem to be here to help the emperor, but rather… to go against him? The younger ones, Xie Daoyun and Qiu Honglei, were puzzled. Only Yan Xuehen had a pensive expression.
Zhao Han looked at the libationer and asked, “Is it still because of the last dynasty’s affairs?”
Zu An was startled. As expected!
The libationer remained silent. Zhao Han couldn't help but say, “During the Meng Dynasty, you were beaten down and pushed aside. You were nothing more than a marginalized idle prince. You were never treated as well as you have been in this dynasty, and you now receive the admiration of countless people. Isn’t your life far better than it was during the Meng Dynasty?”
Apart from a few of the women, the others all widened their eyes in disbelief. The libationer was actually a prince of the previous dynasty?! They had never heard such a thing before, and there were no records of it at all! The news caused a huge uproar.
The libationer shook his head slightly and replied, “Do you think I am doing this because I care about those people?”
“Then it seems you are still discontent that your Chen clan’s world was replaced by our current dynasty,” Zhao Han said with a sneer. “As expected of raising an ungrateful wretch. It is useless no matter how well you are treated.
“But I am quite curious. You are already so old, and you do not even have any descendants. Why would you take the risk to rebel like this? What are you really after?” Zhao Han asked. He just couldn't figure that out. He wasn’t stupid; he knew how sensitive the libationer’s identity was, and yet had still given him a respectable position.
Apart from his cultivation indeed being quite brilliant, however, the libationer had never taken a wife and didn’t have any children. It was hard to remain on guard against someone like that.
The libationer’s expression remained calm as he replied, “If it were just ruling this world, why would I care? But there is something you absolutely should not have done, which is harming her descendants.”
“Her?” Zhao Han repeated, stunned. However, he quickly realized who the libationer was referring to. He couldn't help but roar with laughter, exclaiming, “I had long heard of the rumors between the two of you. I didn’t expect you to be the affectionate sort!”
“Affectionate sort?” The women couldn't help but give the libationer a look. They really couldn't associate such an elder of virtue and prestige with those two words.
Zu An was moved. He recalled that in the past, when he first arrived at the academy’s rear mountain, he had seen a picture of a court lady in the libationer’s room. Could it have been her?
“I ask, what is love in this world…” the libationer said with a long sigh, not refuting Zhao Han’s statement. His expression was full of sorrow.
Zu An had a weird expression as he thought, Is this guy going to copy Li Mochou and follow that up with ‘to make a solemn vow of life and death’...
“You make it sound beautiful,” Zhao Han said with a sneer. “But unfortunately, the one you loved was your sister-in-law!”
The others’ eyes widened when they heard the shocking news. Even though this wasn’t the time to enjoy a good drama, the libationer was someone of extraordinary status! Any drama related to him was irresistible!
“Let one's actions be guided by emotions, but restrained by propriety. I do not believe that there was anything improper. I only regret that I met her a bit too late,” the libationer replied. Perhaps because of his great age, or because so many years had passed, he had already accepted that reality. Zhao Han’s words weren’t able to stir up many emotions in him.
“You never even went to bed with her?” Zhao Han asked with a frown. He said with a mocking tone “If you like a woman, you naturally need to obtain her. Those are nothing more than words of jealousy you used to console yourself.”
The libationer frowned slightly. He clearly found Zhao Han’s words unpleasant. He retorted, “Someone like you naturally would not know what love really is.”
Zhao Han gave him a look of disdain and said, “I think you are the one who doesn’t know how to make love.”
The libationer was speechless.[1]
Zu An almost burst out laughing, while the women’s faces turned completely red. They had never expected the two individuals who had the greatest statuses in the world to argue against each other like hoodlums on the streets. But currently, it seemed as if the libationer was on the losing side.
The libationer took a deep breath and said, “It was one thing when your father and grandfather usurped the Chen clan’s world, but you even used those venomous schemes to make the Chen clan’s offspring die prematurely. Those young princes died one after another, At first, I thought that the Chen clan might have done some wrong and was being punished by the heavens, but later, I learned that it was all because of your Zhao clan.
“I have always been lazy in nature. In the past, I was already treated as a wastrel who ignored my responsibilities. But my surname is still Chen. Since I now know the truth, a debt still needs to be paid.”
Zhao Han replied with a laugh, “In the end, wasn’t it still only because things happened to that woman’s children? But I just can’t figure it out. Those weren’t even your descendants, but rather the descendants of your enemy. You would even get revenge for them?”
“The grudge between me and my older brother is something of the previous generation. The children have no part in that,” the libationer said, his mood shifting. Even though he had said that this was only for the sake of the one he loved in the past, in reality, how could he possibly tolerate letting an entire dynasty be overtaken by despicable means?
Zhao Han said mockingly, “You were a loser back then, and now, you are still destined to become a loser. I am standing right here! What can you even do to me?”
The libationer shook his head and said, “You are right. I did not expect that King Qi and the others would be unable to weaken you at all. In terms of cultivation, in a one-on-one battle, I am still a bit beneath you.”
“In that case, why are you still forcing yourself?” Zhao Han asked. “So much time has already passed, and your status is revered in our Great Zhou Dynasty. That is something your previous Meng Dynasty cannot possibly compare to. It was our Great Zhou Dynasty that gave you the chance to show your talent, allowing you to gain so much. Why are you still letting yourself be affected by the past?
“This emperor isn’t some small-minded being. I can pretend that nothing happened today. In the future, you will continue to be the Royal Academy’s libationer, the model that all cultivators of this world look up to. If you are still unwilling, I can even provide you with beautiful concubines and maidservants to continue your Chen clan. What do you think?”
Zu An was a bit surprised. When did Zhao Han become so agreeable?
However, he quickly realized that it was because the libationer was too strong. Even if he was a bit inferior to Zhao Han, it was probably not too great a difference. If a huge battle really did occur, Zhao Han would definitely have to pay an extremely great price. Furthermore, the emperor’s heaven and man deterioration was drawing near. If he indeed paid such a price, his death could end up drawing closer. That wasn’t a risk he wanted to take. Furthermore, the Royal Academy was too important to him. The court, armies, and even the local officials and common people needed the Royal Academy’s research and technologies.
The libationer sighed and said, “I have to admit that your conditions are tempting, and you are a formidable emperor as well. Unfortunately, we stand on different sides. That is not something that can be changed so easily.”
Zhao Han’s eyes narrowed. He knew that the libationer had already made up his mind and further persuasion was meaningless. As such, he gave up on those thoughts and said, “Then, I want to see just what ability you have to seek revenge for myself!”
He was a hero of a generation, after all. Even though he was worried that he would have to pay a considerable price if he fought against the libationer, in a situation where a battle was unavoidable, there was no way he would let himself be tied up in worries and show openings for the enemy to exploit.
The libationer smiled and said, “Then please assess me as you wish, your majesty.” His hands spread open as he spoke. His entire body suddenly floated into midair. An invisible aura spread out all around him.
Then, the entirety of Golden Peak suddenly flickered with a burst of azure light that carried the unique brilliance of runes. It wasn’t just Golden Peak; every other peak across the entire Violet Mountain Range surged with blue radiance as well. The ground rocked and rumbled, and natural laws swirled around. An aura of desolation filled the air.
If there were someone watching from above, they would notice that the entire Violet Mountain Range had formed a single giant formation. Compared to that formation, the Righteous Sun Sect’s mountain defense formation was like an infant. It wasn’t even worth mentioning.
The officials who had been trying to blast open the Righteous Sun Sect’s defense formation with their siege cannons were horrified. Was the entire world experiencing an upheaval?
No wonder the Righteous Sun Sect is so powerful! The true formation appears when the mountain defense formation is attacked?
Zu An had studied ‘One Drop of Heaven’s Essence’ and had a deep understanding of feng shui geomancy. He keenly sensed that the power of the entire Violet Mountain Rage seemed to have been transferred by the mysterious formation. It seemed similar to the power of the mountain range he had exploited back in the secret dungeon, but upon closer analysis, it was also substantially different.
Yan Xuehen’s eyes sparkled. She was an expert in formations and could sense how shockingly profound the formation was. So it turned out formations could even be designed this way! It really was spectacular. She had never thought of such a thing before.
There was a bit of confusion in Xie Daoyun’s expression at first. Then, it changed as she murmured, “Why… Why does this feel similar to the things I arranged a few days ago?”
1. Both sides said the same thing, but the connotations are different. ☜
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