The Empress's First Running Dog

Chapter 663 Zhao Du'an Enters the Sea, Wu Xiankui Falls into the Trap

"So quick to understand?" Zhao Du'an was taken aback, looking at the beautiful woman who was bowing respectfully in surprise. He thought to himself, "If this were in a novel, readers would definitely comment:"
"You've broadened your path."

He thought to himself, but a smile spread across his face as he said:

"In that case, if it's convenient, let's set off immediately."

To avoid any unforeseen complications, he decided to act immediately. If news of Aoki's death spread and the local cultivators came knocking, while he wasn't afraid, it would still be a troublesome situation.

"So soon?" Island Master Hongshan paused, wanting to say something, but seeing that Zhao Du'an had already put down his silver teacup and stood up, she had no choice but to swallow her words and also stood up, saying:
"I am willing to serve you as a dog or horse."

……

Just as Zhao Du'an "subdued" Red Coral Island and, under the guidance of the island's lord, headed towards the Silent Sea...

Inside a magnificent palace-style building on Tianyuan Island, the largest island in the East China Sea in terms of both area and power.

With long, messy black and white hair, a maroon mark between his eyebrows, and a rugged appearance, Wu Xiankui, the leader of the Green Mountain Sect, dressed as a martial artist, sat in the "main seat".

He took the luminous jade glass cup from his lips and placed it heavily on the table in front of him.

Then, Wu Xiankui's sharp gaze swept over the local cultivators sitting in order on the large chairs on both sides of the hall.

According to their distance from him, from closest to farthest, they are:
An elderly man, around sixty years old, with a head of long, messy blue hair and light blue eyebrows.

A plain-looking woman dressed like a peasant woman, with a bamboo basket woven from bamboo strips at her feet.

A middle-aged man dressed as a fisherman by the sea, with a straw hat tied behind his back with straps and a tattered fishing net tied around his waist.

These three are the top three elders on the Thousand Islands.

He is also the "island lord" who governs the three largest islands.

At this moment, the old man with blue hair and beard humbly said:
"I was unaware of your arrival and had no time to prepare. Of the ten elders of the Thousand Islands, only the three of us are present. The other seven have each led a team to patrol the forbidden sea. I have sent someone to summon them, and they will return shortly."

Wu Xiankui remained calm, meeting the old man's gaze, and said indifferently:
"You're too kind, Lord Tianyuan. I didn't want to bother you, so there's no need for you to go to such lengths."

The Lord of Tianyuan Island smiled, but his heart was heavy.

Wu Xiankui's arrival was truly unexpected.

According to intelligence reports, Wu Xiankui lost a battle to the Empress of Dayu and lost an arm. He should have been hiding in the mountains to recuperate, but unexpectedly he suddenly came to the East Sea, which happened to be during the sea ban period.

Because Aoyama is located on the coastal road and borders the East China Sea, the connection between the Kuril Islands and Aoyama is much closer than that between other forces.

Well, to put it more bluntly, the powerful backer behind the Thousand Islands of the East China Sea is Wu Xiankui.

Because the Thousand Islands are surrounded by an entire ocean and are rich in resources, they would have been swallowed up by the imperial court, the Celestial Master's Mansion, or the Divine Dragon Temple long ago if they did not rely on the major powers.

One of the main reasons it has been able to maintain a relatively independent status is that it has devoted itself to the green mountains.

He was being cared for by Wu Xiankui.

Therefore, even though they were on the territory of the Sea God, the group did not dare to be careless when facing Wu Xiankui.

After all, the Sea God and the Great Laba are completely different, and the Sea God is far less "protective" of the Sea God than the Great Laba is of the Liao people.

Compared to the Thousand Islands, the sea god is more like a "landlord," and the residents of the Thousand Islands are merely tenants, rather than believers connected to the deity.

It makes sense when you think about it... The Great Laba Festival was created because the Liao people have believed in it for generations.

But the existence of the sea god has nothing to do with these cultivators...

"Sect Leader Wu, what brings you here today? Please speak frankly."

The plain-looking woman spoke, her gaze briefly lingering on Wu Xiankui's empty sleeve, but quickly returning to it.

Wu Xiankui, who had transformed into the "One-Armed Hero," said calmly:

"I am injured and have come to the East Sea to borrow the Dragon God Grass to heal my wounds."

The three exchanged glances, showing no surprise whatsoever.

The Lord of Tianyuan Island said bitterly:
"Sect Leader Wu, since you have come in person, we have always been on good terms with Qingshan. We will certainly not be stingy with the mere Dragon God Grass."

However, there are no reserves on Thousand Islands right now. As you know, once the Dragon God Grass is harvested, it can only live for forty-nine days. If it is not consumed during this period, it will wither and lose its potency.

Therefore, they are usually ground into powder, at the cost of reduced efficacy, and then combined with other medicinal herbs to refine pills and medicines... Speaking of pills, our islands can still gather some..."

Wu Xiankui shook his head and said:

"The elixir is useless; I only need the complete Dragon God Grass."

He lost an arm in his battle with the Empress, and the internal injuries he suffered must have been considerable. With proper care, it could take a year or two to recover.

But Wu Xiankui felt a great sense of urgency.

He understood that after his battle with the Empress and the capture of the Green Mountain disciples, their relationship had completely broken down.

The reason the Empress hasn't pursued them is simply because Xuan Yin and the Dharma King are keeping them at bay in Xiping Road.

However, if the Empress quells the unrest in the west, she will eventually come to settle scores with Qingshan.

Even if the Empress fails, Wu Xiankui must be wary of the turbulent situation. In short, at this critical juncture, he cannot hide away to heal his wounds; he must recover as soon as possible.

The pills, which greatly diluted the medicinal power, were of limited help to him. Otherwise, given the resources of Qingshan, why would he have made the trip to Qiandao Island?
“This…” The middle-aged man dressed as a fisherman looked distressed.
"Sect Leader Wu, normally the Dragon God Grass matures before the Angry Moon each summer, so your arrival is quite timely. But as you've seen this year, for some reason, the Angry Moon has arrived early, and now the Sea God is restless, at this time..."

Wu Xiankui glanced at him and said:
"As believers of the Sea God, you should not say that there is no way to enter the Silent Sea to gather herbs."

After a pause, he said:

"If you dare not, then I, Wu, will go myself!"

The three of them were increasingly troubled, realizing that the so-called "going there in person" was just an angry remark. Not to mention that Wu Xiankui was injured now, even if he were in good health, it would be extremely difficult for him to force his way into the Silent Sea and face the Sea God directly.

Therefore, it is necessary for the cultivators from the Thousand Islands to help him obtain the medicine.

Refusing would be tantamount to completely offending this celestial warrior.

"Alright then," the Lord of Tianyuan Island gritted his teeth and said:
"For hundreds of years, Qingshan has taken great care of my Thousand Islands. How can we not help when Sect Leader Wu is asking for medicine? I will make a decision. In the next few days, we will select two women to sacrifice to the Sea God to appease his anger."

"Once the sacrificial ceremony is complete and the sea god's anger has subsided somewhat, shall we then assist our sect leader in obtaining the medicine?"

This is the safest method, and it won't offend Wu Xiankui.

Wu Xiankui finally smiled:
"In that case, I will trouble you for a few days."

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps approached from outside the hall. The group looked up and saw that several elders who had gone out on patrol were returning one after another.

Soon, along with the three already inside, a total of nine elder-level island lords gathered and exchanged pleasantries with Wu Xiankui.

"Huh, hasn't Aoki returned yet?" the Tianyuan Island Master wondered.

Just as he was about to send someone to urge them on, a cultivator rushed in from outside, his face grim.

"Something terrible has happened! Aoki is dead!"

What?! The elders were shocked, and even Wu Xiankui raised his eyebrows:

"what happened?"

……

……

After leaving Red Coral Island, continuing south, you soon arrive at a desolate sea area.

Unlike the ocean shrouded in storms and dark clouds, this area of ​​the sea was covered in a white sea fog, with no strong winds, dark clouds, or torrential rain.

There wasn't even a ripple; the sea surface looked as if it had been poured with gray cement.

"Is this the Eye of the East China Sea? The place where the Sea God dwells?"

At the edge of the sea fog, a wooden sailboat slowly came to rest. On the deck, Zhao Du'an gazed at the lifeless sea shrouded in mist, marveling at its beauty.
"I've heard that there's no life in the Silent Sea, is that true?"

Beside him, besides Zhang Yanyi and a few others, were the Lord of Hongshan Island, Shui Bei, and several sorcerers from Hongshan Island.

There were only a dozen or so people in total.

The group left Red Coral Island and headed straight here. Perhaps because the local cultivators were out patrolling, or perhaps because the Lord of Red Coral Island deliberately avoided them, they had no trouble along the way.

The beautiful woman, wearing a red coral hairpin, shook her head and said:
"Not really. It should be said that only a very few special life forms can survive in the silent sea. For example, some corals, seaweed... As for living creatures, such as some intelligent fish, they rarely enter, and if they do, they leave very quickly."

Zhao Du'an asked in confusion:

"Intelligent marine life? Like monsters? What are they doing in the Silent Sea?"

"A sacrificial ceremony," the beautiful woman explained.
"They would collect treasures from the ocean and send them into the silent sea as an offering to the gods."

Over time, many treasures have accumulated on the seabed of the Silent Sea. This is considered the reason why people continue to search for treasure during the annual period when the gods are asleep.

Good heavens, this sea god is just like that greedy dragon who loves shiny treasures... Zhao Du'an exclaimed.

Jin Jian also perked up his ears, holding his staff, standing on the ship's side, staring at the lifeless sea ahead, his eyes filled with longing.

"Without further ado, I'll get into the water now."

Zhao Du'an looked at Old Zhang beside him:

"Master, is it still the same plan as last time?"

His idea was for Zhang Yan to actively attract the sea god's attention, and for him to lead his men to dive into the seabed.

This time, however, Zhang Yan shook his head. His eyes shone with a clear light as he gazed silently at the sky. Two beams of azure light shot out from his eyes and pierced into the sea mist.

A moment later, Zhang Yan withdrew his gaze, the blue light in his eyes extinguished, and he said with a strange expression:

"There is also a celestial being here."

"What?" Zhao Du'an was stunned.

Zhang Yan said with a solemn expression:
"I just calculated the fortune and misfortune, and I have a feeling that the danger of this trip lies on the sea. If I am not mistaken, I am afraid that Wu Xiankui is also here."

The leader of the Green Mountain Sect is here? Zhao Du'an was taken aback, then a flash of inspiration struck him:
"Could he be here to hide? Or to heal his wounds?"

This is a reasonable speculation.

He did not question Lao Zhang's judgment. This old idiot said that if he sensed the presence of the celestial beings, then it must exist.

"Very likely," Zhang Yan said after thinking for a moment.

"In short, it's impossible that the other party knew we were coming in advance. However, you killed that Aoki and visited Red Coral Island. This matter will spread quickly, which means that Wu Xiankui might come looking for trouble for you."

Zhao Du'an was stunned for a moment. He suddenly stared at the old Celestial Master and said quietly:
What bad idea are you having?

Zhang Yan glared at him irritably, but then a sly glint appeared in his eyes:

"Hehe, I am a righteous person, and I act with integrity. However, if that Wu Xiankui is willing to share the pressure of the Sea God with me, it would be a good thing."

Good heavens… Zhao Du'an understood instantly:

Wu Xiankui most likely doesn't know Zhang Yanyi is here, so he's very likely to come over. Old Zhang can give him a surprise then.

They pulled each other along to fight the sea god.

“Here’s what we’ll do: you take Jin Jian and Tuoba Wei to sea first, but don’t go too deep. Explore the area around the bottom first. I’ll stay on the boat and wait until you sense a fight breaking out on the surface before we go deeper,” Zhang Yanyi suggested.

Zhao Du'an readily accepted the arrangement and had no objection to it.

The Golden Slip has built-in teleportation, which can save your life. Tuoba Wei's combat power is terrifying, making them a reasonable match.

“My lord, I’ll go with you too.” Upon hearing this, Ji Yue volunteered to step forward.

Zhao Du'an shook his head, ruffled her messy hair with his hand, and said with a smile:
“You cultivate to be a water god, not a sea god. It’s too dangerous for you to come in with us. You should stay on the ship and bring me back. That’s the decision.”

Jiyue had never entered the Silent Sea and had no role as a guide.

Fortunately, the Silent Sea is not very large, and Zhao Du'an had previously inquired about the approximate location of the "Dragon Remains".

He then gave Tuoba Weizhi and Jin Jian a look before leaping into the sea, with the two women following closely behind.

The three of them grabbed one another and quickly disappeared into the sea fog.

Jiyue was left on the boat, looking on with worry and resentment. She couldn't help but hang her head in frustration, secretly blaming herself for being useless and unable to help her master.

Meanwhile, the Lord of Red Coral Island and the sorcerers like Water Shell were still immersed in the shock of learning that "Martial Immortal King" was also there.

But now they're in a bind.

……

……

On Tianyuan Island.

"...That's roughly what happened. The people sent to find Elder Aoki only found the dead bone whale carcass and the bodies of the elders on the seabed."

Then, news came from Coral Island that Ji Yue, who had previously defected, had arrived at Red Coral Island with a man from the Kingdom of Yu and his guards.

The sorcerer who delivered the message explained.

The elders were both shocked and furious. On the one hand, they found it hard to accept Aoki's death, and on the other hand, they were stunned to learn that Jiyue had returned to seek revenge.

As for the news from Red Coral Island, it wasn't released by the island's owner, but rather because Red Coral Island already had spies bribed by other islands.

"What does the Jiyue you're talking about look like? And what does that man look like?" Wu Xiankui suddenly asked.

Everyone was taken aback, not expecting this powerful Celestial Being to take the initiative to ask.

The sorcerer couldn't explain it either, so he went outside and summoned a spy he had planted on Red Coral Island.

The latter immediately described in vivid detail the scene of the water clam reporting the news, and then the island owner leading people to the dock to welcome Zhao Du'an.

Upon hearing those few words, Wu Xiankui's expression changed drastically. He involuntarily stood up, his empty sleeves fluttering, his remaining hand clenching tightly, his eyes sharp as knives.

"Zhao! Du! An!"

He uttered the name coldly.

Ji Yue, Jin Jian, and others were also present at the battle on the coastal road that day.

Therefore, after hearing the description, Wu Xiankui easily realized that the man who landed on the island was very likely Zhao Du'an.

As for the other elderly priest and the dark-skinned girl in a cloak beside him, Wu Xiankui did not know who they were.

I subconsciously thought that they were the helpers and guards that Zhao Du'an had found... As for whether that priest could be Zhang Yanyi?

This absurd thought was dismissed in an instant, because the messenger monk had made it very clear:

The man was the main figure on the boat, while the old man stood to the left and right as a guard.

This definitely can't be Zhang Yanyi...

But why would Zhao Du'an appear in Qiandao?

Could it be... that they've come to hunt me down?

No, impossible. If they wanted to hunt them down, they should have done so in the first place, especially since the Empress has already returned to the capital.

Suddenly, Wu Xiankui's eyes brightened as he realized a possibility:
"I came here to heal my wounds and find the Dragon God Grass... The Empress also suffered internal injuries, so perhaps you, surnamed Zhao, have come in person to seek the medicine?"

(End of this chapter)