If Duke of the East were determined to seize the treasuries of all Four Seas, Ao Yin would have fought him to the bitter end without hesitation.
However, if reduced to just two...
It was not entirely out of the question.
At worst, they could simply hand over the Dragon Clan treasuries of the Western and Northern Seas.
Those two dragon treasuries were the poorest among the Four Seas.
Giving them away would not do any real harm.
Still, whether to give them or not ultimately depended on Xuanjian.
Xuanjian did not answer Ao Yin. Instead, he chuckled and shook his head, as if genuinely amused. “Fellow Daoist, what right do you have to take the Dragon Clan's treasuries?”
A single sentence left Duke of the East stunned on the spot.
The surrounding atmosphere froze instantly into dead silence.
Xuanjian continued, “Had the Dragon Clan offended you first, Fellow Daoist, never mind handing over the treasuries of two seas—what would be the harm even if they surrendered all four seas’ treasuries to you as compensation?
“Yet the Dragon Clan never offended you or the Immortal Court in the first place, did they?
“Without even a shred of karma established, on what grounds do you demand compensation?
“Just because your Immortal Court has great power, you think you can rob others by force? If that is truly the case, there is no need for you to sit in that position as Head of Male Immortals.”
Although Xuanjian spoke softly, his words rang out with undeniable weight and logic, leaving Duke of the East seething with fury yet unable to find any rebuttal.
Across Honghuang, many Innate Sacred Beings and Daluo experts paying attention to this area couldn't help but agree with Xuanjian's words.
In particular, those Innate Sacred Beings of the Demon race who had previously been hounded like dogs by the Immortal Court felt immensely vindicated listening to this.
“So, Fellow Daoist, do you intend to continue making unreasonable trouble?” Xuanjian asked, looking at Duke of the East with a faint smile.
If Duke of the East was sensible enough to back off, Xuanjian wouldn't make things difficult for him.
If Duke of the East refused to see reason, Xuanjian wouldn't mind teaching this Head of Male Immortals a proper lesson.
Duke of the East's expression fluctuated wildly. Gritting his teeth in venomous resentment, he snarled, “Good, very good! I, Duke of the East, will remember today's karma!
“Release my people!”
Unfazed by Duke of the East's threat, Xuanjian merely offered a faint smile. “It is good that you are sensible, Fellow Daoist.”
With that, Xuanjian gripped the scroll roller and gave the Yellow Springs Death Map a light flick. The center of the scroll rippled like ocean waves in midair as waves of Yellow Springs death qi billowed forth, swallowing heaven and earth.
Next, the core of the Yellow Springs Death Map rippled like water. The five Daluo Golden Immortals imprinted upon the scroll gained dimension and flew out from within.
Looking at their condition and auras:
Every single one was listless and shrouded in death qi. Their Essence Souls were eroded to the point of being nearly transparent, and their physical bodies were riddled with wounds. The immortal, indestructible nature of a Golden Immortal was completely gone, leaving only withered decay.
Had any more time been wasted, Xuanjian truly wouldn't have been able to return intact people to Duke of the East.
“Hmph!”
Duke of the East cast a final glare at Xuanjian, sneered coldly, and led his retinue back toward Yingzhou Immortal Island.
He, Duke of the East, would remember this karma!
You are merely a mid-stage Daluo; you're only standing invincible by relying on the power of top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasures.
Once this Emperor proves his Dao as a Quasi-Saint, I will surely make you repay today's karma!
In Duke of the East's mind, Xuanjian had already been classified as his number one nemesis.
A score he was determined to settle the moment he attained Quasi-Saint!
After the Immortal Court host departed, the Four Seas Dragon Kings stepped forward before Xuanjian and bowed deeply with utmost respect.
Ao Yin said gratefully, “Many thanks for your assistance, Fellow Daoist. Ao Yin is endlessly indebted to you.
“If you do not disdain them, Fellow Daoist, my Dragon Clan can gift you the treasuries of two seas.”
The two seas' treasuries that Duke of the East failed to obtain were now offered by Ao Yin to Xuanjian as a token of gratitude.
Hearing this, Xuanjian was taken aback. Recalling the scale of the Eastern Sea Dragon Clan's treasury he had seen before, he couldn't help but feel a flicker of temptation.
Ao Yin, you rascal, testing a seasoned cadre like this? What cadre could withstand such a test?
Xuanjian chuckled and shook his head. “There is no need for this, Fellow Daoist. Back then, you and I made an agreement.
“Consider this one fulfillment of that promise.”
Back when Xuanjian had visited the Eastern Sea Dragon Clan searching for the Money-Shaking Gold Tree, he was still a Taiyi Golden Immortal. Ao Yin had promised him that if Xuanjian helped the Dragon Clan overcome three tribulations in the future, he would give Xuanjian the Money-Shaking Gold Tree.
Xuanjian had agreed.
Thus came about Xuanjian's intervention to aid the Dragon Clan today.
Ao Yin sighed with deep emotion upon hearing this. “Back then, this humble king was merely gambling on a possibility. I never imagined that in such a short span of time, you would not only prove your Dao as a Daluo Golden Immortal, Fellow Daoist, but even break through to the mid-stage Daluo realm in one fell swoop.”
Mid-stage Daluo.
Ao Yin himself was only at this realm.
His three younger brothers only possessed early-stage Daluo cultivations.
Furthermore, compared to a flawless Daluo like Xuanjian, both he and the other three Dragon Kings suffered from the erosion of racial karmic burden, causing their Daluo Dao Flowers to slowly wither, leaving their futures bleak.
“Facts have proven that you won the bet.”
“The God of Gamblers of the Dragon Clan,” Xuanjian teased.
Hearing this, the other three Dragon Kings exchanged glances, looking between Xuanjian and Ao Yin, realizing that it truly was the case.
Without Ao Yin's miraculous gamble back then, the Dragon Clan likely would have faced dire peril today.
It seemed they would have to let their Eldest Brother gamble more in the future.
Regardless, the Dragon Clan was not lacking in treasures.
Losing a bet mattered little.
If he won, each victory gained them a powerful connection.
“Since the Dragon Clan is now out of danger, this poor Daoist will take his leave.”
Seeing that the Dragon Clan was safe, Xuanjian prepared to depart.
He still had a mountain of things to do.
For instance... finding Fangzhang Immortal Island!
And afterward... establishing the first merchant guild of Honghuang!
“Thank you, Fellow Daoist. Safe travels.”
Having failed to give away his gift of gratitude, Ao Yin felt a bit preoccupied.
With the Immortal Court retreating in disgrace and Duke of the East suffering a humiliating setback, Xuanjian's name spread far and wide, officially entering the sights of the myriad races of Honghuang and numerous Innate Sacred Beings.
It could be said that in this campaign against the Dragon Clan, the Immortal Court gained nothing at all, lost all face, and nearly lost five Daluo Golden Immortals.
From the perspective of the Dao of Commerce, the Immortal Court took an utterly devastating loss.
...
After leaving, Xuanjian opened the system panel immediately to check the current location of Fangzhang Immortal Island.
“It really has entered Honghuang already?”
The corners of Xuanjian's lips curled up in an ‘as expected’ expression. “What a coincidence—Fangzhang Immortal Island happens to be right here in the Eastern Sea.”
Without hesitation, Xuanjian immediately followed the coordinates provided by the system and flew toward it.
Even without using space-time leaping, the flight speed of a Daluo Golden Immortal was astonishingly fast.
Before long, Xuanjian arrived at the depths of the Eastern Sea, nearing the convergence of the Four Seas.
“This is the place.
“Yet I cannot see it. It must be concealed by an Innate Formation,” Xuanjian murmured. After glancing at the system panel, his gaze locked onto a specific direction.
“Phoenix Feather Hairpin, go!”
Xuanjian removed the top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure worn in his hair—the Phoenix Feather Hairpin—infused it with Dharmic powers, and hurled it fiercely toward the direction where the system panel indicated Fangzhang Immortal Island lay.
The Phoenix Feather Hairpin shot forth. With a clear phoenix cry reverberating through heaven and earth, Nanming Li Fire swept across all directions. The Phoenix Feather Hairpin transformed into a sky-blotting phantom of a fire phoenix blazing with Nanming Li Fire, crashing toward that position!
Boom!
As the Li Fire swept through, the temperature in this domain surged to a terrifying degree. The blazing fire and heat evaporated seawater across hundreds of millions of li, exposing the seabed below, while even space itself twisted and warped under the searing heat.
Yet the area struck by the Phoenix Feather Hairpin remained completely undamaged, merely revealing the faint outline of a grand formation.
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