Chapter 907: Motive

Chapter 907: Motivation

The moment Li Sui embraced Li Huowang, his body turned ethereal, passing straight through the Xuanpin robes to stand before Huangfu Tiangang.

The room fell into a tense silence, yet this time, Li Huowang did not strike, standing less than three inches away, merely watching.

Huangfu Tiangang’s eyes were sightless, but he could clearly sense the killing intent radiating from Li Huowang. His beard twitched slightly as he spoke, neither servile nor overbearing: "Li Huowang, think carefully. Which weighs heavier: the White Lotus Society, or the lives of the people in Great Qi and Great Liang?"

"Great Qi has only suffered a few famines, and you find that intolerable. But if a war truly breaks out, regardless of who wins, at least half of Great Liang will perish. Can you stomach that?"

The killing intent vanished from Li Huowang’s body in an instant. He looked at Huangfu Tiangang and spoke, word by word: "Use your brain. Do they want the White Lotus Society? They want the Unborn Mother dead!"

"And don't forget, they stole the Heavenly Dao of the Unborn Mother once before! Have you forgotten what it was like when Death vanished? Do you wish to experience that nightmare again?"

"If they truly seize the Unborn Mother’s Heavenly Dao, it will not just be Death that vanishes, but Compassion as well!"

At the mere thought of a world devoid of death and mercy, Gao Zhijian felt a chill run through his marrow.

"If it means preventing the death of half the population, a temporary loss of the Heavenly Daos of Death and Compassion is a price worth paying," the State Preceptor insisted, refusing to yield.

"How many believers does the White Lotus Society have? You would send them all to their deaths? How is that any different from losing half the population? You place your life in the hands of others and expect them to show you mercy?"

"Enough." With Gao Zhijian’s final word, the heavy atmosphere dissipated.

"Send word to the Later Shu, the Four Qi, Qingqiu, Nanping, and Anxi. Tell their emperors and the Ministry of Heaven-Watching to prepare for a war to the death."

"If it is a blessing, it cannot be avoided; if it is a curse, it cannot be escaped. Since they seek our very lifeblood, there is no point in further negotiation."

Li Huowang stepped toward Gao Zhijian. "Gao Zhijian, in truth, these people are of little use. If you truly wish to help, I need dragon qi."

If there was even a sliver of a chance for victory, it lay in his journey to the White Jade Capital, approaching the problem from the perspective of a Siding.

Hearing this, Gao Zhijian looked troubled for a moment before replying: "Very well. I will consult with the other dragon veins. Once they respond, I will give you my answer."

"Do it quickly, if we are to save any more lives." Li Huowang, not caring whether Gao Zhijian was truly consulting them or merely stalling, turned and left the dungeon.

Only after emerging from that oppressive prison could Li Huowang finally catch his breath.

Po Da'er had indeed known much, revealing many secrets of the Heavenly Chen Kingdom, but the more he learned, the lower his odds of victory seemed—a grim development.

"Fifteen," a familiar voice echoed behind him.

Li Huowang turned to look at the Xuanpin behind him, seeing her tentacles wrapped around the vase containing Po Da'er’s head. "What?"

"The Heavenly Chen Kingdom has fifteen hours in a day."

Information he had once desperately craved now failed to stir the slightest ripple in his heart.

"Understood. If we win this fight, Great Qi’s time will be settled as well. Tell me, is the dragon vein of Heavenly Chen alive?"

"Yes, but Po Da'er never touched it. He only knew that the golden dragon was the dragon vein, and the mount of Zuo Qiu Yong."

"Heh, using fifteen hours as a mount—what a grand display of arrogance."

"Father, what do you intend to do next?"

"What else is there to do? In their eyes, Great Qi is riddled with holes; they come and go as they please. Since we cannot defend, we must attack to survive. I only hope to buy us some time."

"When you have a moment, help me persuade the other emperors. Don't be so stingy. If the critical moment truly arrives, I won't be as reasonable as I am now."

"Father, don't you think something is wrong?"

"Hmm? In what way?" Li Huowang reviewed the situation, finding nothing amiss.

"It’s too fast. The timing doesn't align. According to Po Da'er’s memories, they began their preparations the moment the Unborn Mother returned to her throne." Xuanpin brought Po Da'er’s head before her, examining it closely.

"I don't see anything strange about that. They might have a way to keep the Unborn Mother under constant surveillance."

Xuanpin shook her head, seven or eight tentacles emerging from her red robes to drag the head inside. "The Unborn Mother would certainly have taken precautions; she wouldn't have sat idle. She possesses the Heavenly Dao of Death—if she wanted to feign death, no one would notice, and she did exactly that."

"Even if the Heavenly Chen Kingdom possesses vast supernatural powers, to see through the Unborn Mother’s methods across two worlds so quickly is impossible."

Li Huowang thought carefully and realized she was right. His focus had been entirely on the might of the Heavenly Chen Kingdom, missing this detail. "Are you suggesting there is a traitor among us feeding them information?"

At this thought, Li Huowang’s pupils constricted. "Is it Dice?!"

"It is not him. He is currently helping you."

Li Huowang pondered this seriously. "True. Playing such games would be meaningless—not the style of the Zuo Wang Dao."

"Father, I don't think it's a traitor. I think someone else is feeding information to the Heavenly Chen Kingdom." Xuanpin paused briefly. "If they want the Heavenly Chen Kingdom and this world to fight to the death, it must benefit them somehow."

"Someone else? Besides Great Qi and Great Liang, there are others? Could it be people from another layer of history?" Hearing Li Sui’s words, the situation became increasingly labyrinthine.

"I have noted this point. When I return and catch a new tongue from Heavenly Chen, I will interrogate them thoroughly." With that, Li Huowang drew his spine-sword, preparing to return to Great Qi.

But as the rift reopened, a flash of red within it made Li Huowang realize something was terribly wrong. "What is happening!"

Li Huowang flashed into the rift, and was immediately stunned by the sounds of slaughter before him.

The Youdu, built only recently, had already fallen; everywhere was the red of fire and the red of blood.

Li Huowang leaped onto the city wall in a few strides, and there he witnessed a scene of utter devastation: a dense, endless tide of bandits surging toward them.

The Heavenly Chen Kingdom had invaded! They intended to occupy Great Qi entirely!

Li Huowang drew his spine-sword and swung it back violently. "Li Sui! Come and help!"

A black shadow instantly darted from the rift, tearing open Li Huowang’s stomach to slip inside.

"Li Sui! That’s not enough! There are too many of them! Use your illusions to notify the others in Great Liang! Tell them all to come and help!"