If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1041 Scared away

"Where is Mr. Wu?" Seeing that no more lightning bolts were falling, Xiang Liang leaped over to his nephew's side.

Xiang Ji pointed to the holes in the ground from which the Yin Sha energy was emerging, and said with a solemn expression, "I'm afraid there's no trace of the remains; they were completely blasted into dust by the heavenly lightning just now."

Xiang Liang's face was grim, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Why would heavenly lightning suddenly fall? Even if we are to be punished by heaven, there should be no warning at all."

Moreover, on what grounds does Lei Ji Wu have to do this?

Mr. Wu is a virtuous and true immortal of the Taoist temple~~

—It was at great cost and through personal favors that I asked them to come down the mountain and help our Xiang family succeed. Now, before we've even officially started our rebellion, their bodies have vanished without a trace.

Xiang Ji looked around, raised his chin towards the distance, and said, "Uncle doesn't know what happened. The three guests were also there. They are all great cultivators who have achieved Qi Refining. How could they not understand?"

Xiang Liang turned his head and saw that the three distinguished guests were still wailing in the courtyard!

He and Zhongli Mei were ultimately "mortals," burdened with destiny.

The three Qi cultivators, however, practiced unorthodox methods.

Having accumulated countless karmic debts, he plans to descend the mountain to support the Dragon Court and cleanse himself of his "account."

When the lightning struck, it was as if they had installed "lightning attractors" on their bodies; they didn't even have time to escape and truly suffered collateral damage.

The old man from Qinghai lost most of his face, leaving only a skull, and became known as "Uncle Fried Chicken".

Zuo Peng, known as "Ding Jiang Shan," has lost his left arm, and his body is covered in charred wounds, the extent of which is unknown.

Only Fu Mingzi, with his amiable face and longevity like an old man, was in the best condition. He only took a hit on the top of his head, his hair was disheveled and covered in blood, but he didn't lose any arms or legs.

Xiang Liang, holding his nephew's hand, quickly walked up to them, bowed deeply, first expressing his apologies and his willingness to offer spiritual medicine to help the three immortal guests heal their injuries, and finally asked, "Do the three immortal masters understand what happened just now with the heavenly lightning and the earth cracking?"

Fu Mingzi said irritably, "Shouldn't we be asking Lord Xiang Liang about this?"

"How many dragon veins have you and Fellow Daoist Wu severed together, and how many hidden dragons have you harmed?"

"Is it really because of digging up the dragon vein?" Xiang Liang asked with some doubt. "We all know about the despicable things the Great Qin Celestial Masters have done. Have they ever suffered such severe divine retribution?"

Emperor Qin Shi Huang built the Epang Palace not only for his own enjoyment, but also to house the royal families and nobles of the six kingdoms.

By relocating the nobles of the six states to Xianyang and placing them under his watchful eye, there would be no need to worry about the remaining descendants of the six states rebelling.

Xiang Liang's father was a general of the Chu state, and the Xiang family had naturally lived in Xianyang for a period of time.

During his time in Xianyang, Xiang Liang also secretly formed a society with the royal families of the six kingdoms and held a clandestine "anti-Qin alliance meeting".

He had a deep understanding of the matter of the Great Qin Celestial Master digging up the dragon vein.

"In the past, when the Celestial Master of the Great Qin Dynasty dug up the dragon veins, they were protected by the human fortune and naturally nothing happened. Lord Xiang Liang has not yet started his rebellion!"
Even if an uprising breaks out, a state must be established and a system implemented in order to unite the people and gather the spirit of humanity. "Fu Mingzi said.

Xiang Liang remained skeptical, saying, "Isn't it normal for those who haven't yet established their own kingdoms to dig into each other's dragon veins during the struggle for supremacy?"

"That's a question for Lord Xiang Liang." Fu Mingzi looked at Xiang Liang with a hint of awe and asked, "How many great dragons did Fellow Daoist Wu help the Xiang family unearth?"

"No." Xiang Liang said, then gave Xiang Sheng a wink.

Xiang Sheng pulled Xiang Ji away, and the remaining servants and assassins also left on their own.

Zhongli Mei wanted to stay and listen, but knew that the matter involved confidentiality and that she should leave.

Once everyone around was out of sight, Xiang Liang said with a sincere expression, "We really didn't dig up many dragon veins."

The Qin army remains powerful, and many potential leaders have chosen to lie low and hide.

Nobody knows who the dragon is or who the worm is.

"You immortal masters should know very well how difficult it is to find a dragon vein."

Zuo Peng stepped forward, supporting his severed arm, his face grim. "If Lord Xiang Liang is unwilling to tell the truth, we have no interest in inquiring. Farewell!"

"Hey, Master Zuo, don't be anxious!"

Xiang Liang quickly stepped forward, spreading his arms to stop him, his tone and expression becoming even more sincere, "I really didn't lie."

As you can see, I am currently in Kuaiji Commandery, a remote and desolate region of China, thousands of miles away from the Central Plains. It's impossible to find many dragon veins there!

However, Mr. Wu did tell me about his chance encounter with Qianlong when he came back this time.

He merely used a few tricks and teased them a bit, without actually digging up the dragon vein himself.

Is it really worth suffering such a great calamity over such a trivial matter?
Therefore, I suspect that the divine retribution did not occur naturally and has nothing to do with that dragon vein.

The three immortal masters are knowledgeable and experienced, and can they be sure that the lightning that just struck the sky was indeed a divine punishment?

Is this God punishing Mr. Wu?

"It's definitely divine retribution! I could also send down divine lightning. But do you know what kind of lightning that was just now? It was the Heavenly Dao Divine Firmament Lightning!"

The Qinghai Ancestor's skull face was very ferocious, and his tone was filled with obvious anger and resentment.

"Last year, I met Hu Laogui from the Shenxiao Sect. He killed one of my disciples with Shenxiao lightning."

"I can tell you definitively that compared to the heavenly lightning just now, Old Ghost Hu's Divine Firmament Thunder was nothing."

Fu Mingzi exclaimed in surprise, "Heavenly lightning only adds to the will of Heaven. In terms of power alone, the difference shouldn't be this great, right?"

Hu Zhenjun is the leader of the Shenxiao Sect, and his Shenxiao Thunder is famous throughout the land.

—Your apprentice was right beside you, and he was struck dead. Now you still dare to boast that his divine lightning is nothing?
The Qinghai Patriarch pointed at Zuo Peng and said, "Fellow Daoist Zuo was also present at the time. You can ask him."

When Old Ghost Hu's Divine Thunder struck, there were still traces to follow.

It can sense the fluctuations of the primordial energy of heaven and earth and the laws of thunder.

There's still a chance to dodge.

The lightning just now came without any warning; it was completely sudden.

Xiang Liang said, "It wasn't without warning. My nephew Xiang Yu saw it with his own eyes. Thunder came from the northwest, traversing hundreds of miles, winding its way in."

It was clear that it had already taken shape, which is why it did not cause any fluctuations in vital energy above our heads.

"Is that so?" The Qinghai Patriarch became doubtful. "If we cross more than a hundred miles, the fluctuations in aura should be even more obvious."

“If my nephew can see it, then others can definitely see it too.”

As the saying goes, it happens before you can even cover your ears with lightning speed.

"The lightning travels too fast; the fluctuations don't have time to be perceived before the heavenly lightning strikes, which is normal," Xiang Liang said.

“That divine lightning was ‘heavenly lightning,’ which cannot be cast by any Taoist magic,” Zuo Peng said with certainty.

The Qinghai Ancestor said, "Ordinary people cannot perform this, but the Heavenly Thunder God can do it on behalf of Heaven."

"If it were Thor's thunderbolt, it should have formed a calamity cloud above our heads. Why is it coming from the northwest?"

He cast a scrutinizing gaze at Xiang Liang and said in a deep voice, "Lord Xiang Liang, tell the truth, whose dragon vein did Fellow Daoist Wu dig up?"

Xiang Liang's eyes flickered, and he said vaguely, "Could the immortal masters summon Mr. Wu's soul?"

There are many things I don't know either; I'll have to ask him myself.

The three immortals arrived at the edge of the Earthly Fiend Pit, carefully sensed it for a while, and then performed a soul-summoning spell by making hand gestures and chanting incantations.

There was only a chilling wind and a surging aura, but no sign of any approaching ghosts.

"Alas, Fellow Daoist Wu is pitiful. Not only has his cultivation of tens of millions of years vanished in an instant, but he has also lost the chance to be reincarnated and start over."

"The Fulong Court is truly extremely dangerous! The slightest carelessness will lead to utter destruction." Fu Mingzi looked fearful, and the thought of retreating was already in his mind.

Xiang Liang's expression changed several times, and he said in a hoarse voice, "Mr. Wu did indeed dig up a large dragon in a certain place located in the northwest of Wu County."

He didn't tell me exactly where it was or whose dragon vein it was, and told me not to ask any more questions.

But he didn't do it himself.

The dragon wasn't hidden deep; it was only covered by a shallow layer of soil, and its dragon aura was almost bursting out.

He found it after only a few casual glances.

He said it was fate, and that even if he didn't take action, someone else would find out sooner or later.

Moreover, he merely used a few tricks to get others to dig up the dragon vein.

He was insightful and discerning, yet remained incorruptible and untainted by worldly affairs.

They shouldn't have been tainted by major karmic consequences or heavy negative karma.

"We won't ask whose dragon vein it is. Lord Xiang Liang will only ask how big the dragon vein is and how noble its owner is," the Qinghai Patriarch asked, staring into Xiang Liang's eyes.

He didn't believe that Wu Daoren hadn't revealed crucial information to Xiang Liang, such as where the dragon vein was located and whose dragon vein it was.

If you've already dug up someone else's dragon vein, how can you not be wary of them?
Xiang Liang hesitated.

When he said, "Mr. Wu told me not to ask any more questions," he was actually referring to them, telling them not to ask any more questions.

Mr. Wu once solemnly warned him: "Dalong belongs to Han Xin of Huaiyin. Han Xin is a man of great talent, and we may be able to recruit him for our own use in the future."

Even if you don't use it yourself, you should keep it by your side and not let others use it, and you should not give it a chance to flourish.

You must keep the matter of the Han family's Great Azure Dragon a closely guarded secret, and don't even reveal it to Xiang Yu or Xiang Sheng.

As for plotting against Han Xin, I did so in accordance with the will of Heaven, and in an extremely secretive manner. It is likely that apart from myself, even the "Heaven, Earth, and the Gods" did not notice anything.

As long as you and I don't tell anyone, this matter will never be known to a third party.

Xiang Liang also asked Mr. Wu why he didn't just eliminate the problem completely.

Mr. Wu said, "Han Xin has great talent and is destined for greatness; he can be used. Killing him would be a great misfortune."

At this time, Xiang Liang had not yet declared himself king and established a state, so he was unable to avert the backlash.

If one tries to compete with other potential dragons, one will inevitably be at a disadvantage.

Finally, he bluntly stated his position: his support for the Dragon Court was for two reasons: first, to overthrow the Qin Dynasty and restore the Chu Dynasty; and second, to gain some good fortune in human affairs so that he could cultivate himself. He did not want to be tainted by great karma or karmic burdens.

Therefore, Xiang Liang said to the three immortal masters with great certainty: Mr. Wu has very little karma or karmic burden on him.

After hesitating for a long time, Xiang Liang, under the intense gazes of the three, revealed a bit of information: "The dragon vein is quite large, a top-grade dragon vein, capable of supporting the emperor's status, but its owner is just a nobody."

“Those who frequent the countryside.”

Fu Mingzi's expression suddenly changed drastically, and he exclaimed in horror, "Could it be that Taoist Wu dug up the dragon veins of Chen Sheng and Wu Guang?"
No wonder he suffered such divine retribution!
Chen Sheng was destined to be the 'grave digger of the Qin Dynasty'.

You are too bold and reckless. How dare you even dig up his dragon vein?

"The Qin Dynasty isn't finished yet. If you ruin its fortune, who will defend you against the Marquis of Lieyang's 100,000-strong army?"

"No, it's not Chen Sheng's dragon vein." Xiang Liang waved his hands repeatedly and said with a wry smile, "I heard from Mr. Wu that there are dozens of immortals protecting Chen Sheng. How dare I, how could I, dig up Chen Sheng's dragon vein?"

"If it wasn't Chen Sheng, which other commoner could possibly have the status of an emperor?" Fu Mingzi asked doubtfully.

Xiang Liang said vaguely, "Mr. Wu didn't say, and I didn't ask."

Fu Mingzi gave him a deep look and said, "Today's thunder must be related to that hidden dragon."

The strange dragon that had been biting Wu Daoyou earlier was the soul of a dead dragon vein.

According to Xiang Liang Gong, Fellow Daoist Wu was very cautious. He did not personally excavate the dragon vein, but only used a small trick to indirectly cause the dragon vein to be destroyed. He would never suffer the divine punishment of having his soul scattered.

This is absolutely certain.

Now, Fellow Daoist Wu has indeed been utterly destroyed.

The power of the heavenly thunder is almost comparable to the divine thunder of the Nine-Nine Great Heavenly Tribulation.

This doesn't make sense.

Therefore, there must be human factors involved.

"Lord Xiang Liang, be careful! This humble Taoist priest takes his leave."

Leaving behind a final warning, without giving Xiang Liang another chance to persuade him, Fu Mingzi shrank into the ground and disappeared without a trace.

The old ancestor of Qinghai also wanted to leave.

He glanced at Zuo Peng.

Zuo Peng looked conflicted.

He came to Kuaiji to see Xiang Liang because he had received instructions from the elder Fan.

On the day of the Mangdang Incident, he met the old master Fan again and asked him to give him guidance and help him find the true emperor.

After waiting for several months, until Wu Daoren went to Jiujiang to find the "Hidden Dragon of Chaohu", Senior Fan finally asked him to go to Jiangdong to scout ahead.

It's obvious that Elder Fan has a very high opinion of the Xiang family.

He came first today; Xiang Liang will visit again another day, and Senior Fan should be persuaded.

But I just arrived today, and before the banquet was even over, this happened.
Too bad.

"Master Zuo, Ancestor Qinghai, your injuries are quite severe. Please come to the other courtyard to rest. I will fetch you some spiritual medicine right away. I have thousand-year-old ginseng and ten-thousand-year-old stone marrow!" Xiang Liang invited earnestly, his eyes filled with both hope and trepidation.

Zuo Peng let out a soft sigh and turned to the Qinghai Ancestor, saying, "Since Lord Xiang Liang has extended such a generous invitation, we humbly accept. Let us stay in Wu County for a few days!"

The old ancestor from Qinghai nodded reluctantly.

Xiang Liang was overjoyed and quickly arranged a secluded and elegant courtyard for them, and promptly sent over a large quantity of rare and precious medicines.

"Fellow Daoist Zuo, do you still intend to join Xiang Liang?" After the Xiang family left, the Qinghai Patriarch asked in a low voice.

His face was covered with a thick layer of plaster, obscuring his skull, making it impossible for him to speak normally; he could only transmit his voice using "internal energy."

"Since we're here, let's observe. There's no need to rush," Zuo Peng said.

"Alas, what's there to look at? They can't even bear the karma of severing a dragon vein. The Xiang family's fortune is lacking!" sighed the Qinghai Ancestor.

“That’s no ordinary dragon vein, it’s the Emperor’s Great Dragon,” Zuo Peng said.

"Which of the heroes who are qualified to compete for the dragon does not have the emperor's dragon? If you want to sweep across the six directions, how many dragons must you kill?"
"If he can't even withstand the backlash of a great dragon, how can he be a chosen one?" the Qinghai Ancestor said dismissively.

“The thunder today was clearly strange. It’s probably not that Lord Xiang Liang is not destined for greatness, but that someone is plotting against the Xiang family. Just like how the Xiang family plotted against others in advance, even digging up the dragon’s lair,” Zuo Peng said.

The old patriarch of Qinghai's eyes flickered as he said, "I had already considered what you said, fellow Daoist. With a powerful figure eyeing the Xiang family, staying here is more of a curse than a blessing!"

I suspect that the floating eel left directly because it was concerned about this.

"Let's wait and see. We shouldn't follow Wu Daoren's example of just watching without doing anything. Marquis Lieyang has already led the Marquis of Donghai back to Guanzhong. With the Central Plains war about to break out, let's see how this battle goes first."

Only those who survive are qualified to compete for the dragon. If Xiang Liang dies, we'll leave," Zuo Peng said.

“Very well, since you have made this decision, I will gladly accompany you, even at the cost of my life!” Ancestor Qinghai nodded.

(End of this chapter)