Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 217 Western Qiang (Part 2)

It should be noted that Emperor Renzong of Song, Zhao Zhen, was the reincarnation of a barefoot immortal from the celestial realm, and was also assisted by the two star deities Wenqu and Wuqu who descended to earth. The fact that Li Yuanhao of Western Xia could become his nemesis can only be attributed to his destiny and great fortune.

Inside the government office, the candlelight flickered, casting a faint glow on the maps hanging on the walls.

After entering the Guan Yamen, Lü Shang placed the bamboo whip at his waist on the side of the table, and his gaze first fell on the Longyou map on the wall.

The thirteen prefectures on the map—Qin, Wei, Min, Tao, Die, Wen, Wu, Cheng, Kang, Lan, Dang, and Fu—are marked with vermilion and belong to the Qin Prefecture General Administration.

After serving hot tea, Wang Lie noticed Lü Shang staring silently at the map. He stepped forward and said, "My lord, it is late. The side courtyard has been prepared. Why don't you rest first? We can discuss any military matters tomorrow."

Lü Shang shifted his gaze from the map of Longyou to Wang Lie, and said, "Very well, General Wang, we've troubled you to open the gates today. You should also go and get some rest."

"Yes,"

After Wang Lie bowed and withdrew, only the crackling of candlelight remained inside the gatehouse.

Lü Shang did not move to the side courtyard. He sat upright in the main hall, reached out and picked up the bamboo whip on the table, rubbing the raised edges of the whip with his palm.

This bamboo whip bears the inscription "The Way of the Mixture of Three Lights and Purple Script" by a Taoist master, and has become a spiritual weapon with astonishing power.

After Lü Shang attained the status of a martial arts immortal, the interaction of their energies made the bamboo whip even more extraordinary, with thunderous vibrations constantly emanating from its body.

So much so that this bamboo whip, though not forged by the Five Elements of True Gold and not a divine weapon of immortality, still possesses the power to ward off ghosts and spirits.

Lu Shang lightly gripped the bamboo whip, the whip emitting an almost inaudible hum that subtly resonated with the true energy flowing within his body.

At the same time, he turned his gaze back to the map on the wall and sighed softly, "The course of Heaven is constant; it does not exist for Yao, nor does it perish for Jie."

"It's destiny!"

Lü Shangke did not believe that the Qiang rebellion in Longyou could truly affect the unification of the Sui Dynasty.

After all, it is only the seventh year of the Kaihuang era, and the Sui Dynasty still has thirty-one years to go. With the blessing of the Mandate of Heaven, the Sui Dynasty, let alone the Qiang people of Longyou, even the Great Immortals of the Upper Realm cannot go against this trend.

Even if one were to rebel, it would have to wait until the Sui Dynasty fulfilled its mandate of heaven and Emperor Yang Jian passed away.

Before this, the Sui Dynasty was the one destined by Heaven and the one that the people desired; even gods and demons had to give way to it.

Mencius said, "Those who follow the will of Heaven shall live, and those who defy it shall perish," a sentiment deeply shared by Lü Shang.

Just as Lü Shang was lost in thought, the candlelight in the official residence flickered, and the whirring of the bamboo whip on the table gradually subsided.

"Ok?"

Lu Shang frowned slightly, noticing a cool, fishy smell seeping into the gatehouse, accompanied by the faint sound of waves.

clatter! clatter! clatter!
A soft sound came from below the steps. Lü Shang slowly turned his head and saw a figure standing under the eaves. The figure was dressed in a green robe with flowing water patterns. A palm-sized jade pendant hung at his waist. A faint light shimmered on the jade, making the person's face appear and disappear.

Seeing Lü Shang looking over, the man bowed respectfully and said in a clear, melodious voice, "Xuan Yuan, an envoy under the command of the Dragon Lord of the Wei River, has come to pay my respects to the envoy on the Lord's orders."

"The Dragon King of the Wei River, it turns out you're an old friend from the Wei River,"

Lu Shang's gaze swept over the water envoy, and under his divine eyes, its true appearance was revealed: a blue-scaled carp with a slight horn on its forehead, clearly a water spirit that had cultivated for a thousand years, and had entered the Wei River Dragon Palace under the protection of the Dragon Lord.

The Dragon Lord's messenger bowed deeply and said, "My Dragon Lord is overjoyed to learn of your return to the Wei River and has sent this humble deity to invite you to a banquet in the Dragon Palace to fulfill your duties as host." As a martial arts immortal, his supernatural powers are comparable to those of Taoist earth immortals and Buddhist arhats. Although the Dragon Lord of the Wei River is one of the Eight Rivers and of divine status, he must still be treated with the utmost courtesy.

If the Dragon King of the Wei River wanted to forge a good relationship with Lü Shang during their previous encounter at the Wei River, then inviting Lü Shang to the Dragon Palace for a banquet this time truly meant he wanted to become friends with him.

Facing the Water Envoy, Lü Shang pondered for a moment and said, "I appreciate the Dragon Lord's kindness, but I am preoccupied with military affairs and fear I cannot attend the banquet."

Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan remained calm, took out a lustrous jade talisman from his sleeve, presented it with both hands, and said, "Your Excellency is overthinking this. My Dragon Lord is well aware of the urgency of military affairs, hence the simple banquet."

"This jade talisman can protect the lord from getting wet when he enters the water; the round trip will take no more than three or four hours, and will certainly not delay military operations,"

Lü Shang's gaze fell on the jade talisman, which shimmered with a faint watery light. After a moment's thought, he said, "In that case, it would be impolite to refuse."

With that, Lü Shang stood up, tied the bamboo whip back to his waist, took the jade talisman, and said, "Please, envoy, lead the way."

"promise,"

Xuan Yuan bowed in response. As he turned around, his blue robe fluttered slightly, and a ripple of water appeared out of thin air under the eaves, with a water path spreading from the bottom of the steps.

As Lü Shang stepped onto it, he felt a slight chill beneath his feet. In the hazy light, Lü Shang followed Xuan Yuan out of the government office. Night fog had somehow enveloped the city gate, and the light shone through the fog in a hazy hue.

As the fog thickened, faint lights began to appear on both sides of the waterway. Upon closer inspection, these were countless shrimp breathing out pearly light, illuminating the path ahead.

Xuan Yuan led the way, his green robe fluttering. Occasionally, silver carp would leap out from under the waterway, their tail fins sweeping across the halo of light, splashing up tiny rainbows.

As Lü Shang walked on the water, he could no longer hear the clanging of armor plates from the fortress; only the gentle murmur of the water, like the sound of silk and bamboo instruments, mingled with the faint cry of whales in the distance, making him feel as if he were at the bottom of a thousand-foot pool.

Before long, an archway appeared in the mist. Xuan Yuan stepped aside and said, "My lord, this is the 'Boundary Gate.' Beyond this gate lies the Dragon Palace of the Wei River."

"This is the entrance to the water realm,"

Lu Shang examined the archway for a while, then followed Xuan Yuan through the boundary gate, whereupon the fog suddenly dissipated.

Before my eyes stretched a body of water as clear as crystal. The bottom of the water was not silt, but fine sand as white as jade. On the sand grew coral jade trees that were ten feet tall, with pale blue algae hanging from their branches, swaying gently with the water, like weeping willows in a garden.

In the distance, a magnificent palace stands, its walls seemingly cast from moonlight, its beams and pillars made of deep-sea black iron, upon which coil giant silver-scaled pythons, their eyes like lamps, silently gazing at the approaching figures.

"Please, Your Excellency,"

Xuan Yuan led the way, his green robe brushing against the water's surface, stirring up a string of tiny bubbles that swirled around Lü Shang.

Upon arriving at the palace gate, two rows of aquatic attendants bowed to greet them.

On the left is the Blue-Armored Crab General, his claws resting on the long sword at his waist. A layer of water condenses on his shell, making his armor look like a mirror. On the right is the Mermaid, wearing a short shirt adorned with pearls and a black conch shell tucked into her hair. When she sees Lü Shang approaching, she slightly opens her red lips, her voice as clear as a spring.

After passing through three water gates, you finally arrive at the main hall of the Dragon Palace. The hall is pillarless, and a luminous pearl the size of a millstone is embedded in the dome, its light flowing and illuminating the interior as if it were daytime.

A man in black robes leaned against the throne in the hall. He wore a crown, had a face like jade, slightly raised brow bones, eyes that shone with golden light, a high nose, lips that seemed to be stained with cinnabar, and dragon whiskers hanging down his temples.

Upon seeing Lü Shang enter the hall, the man in black slowly rose, his figure as upright as a pine tree, a gentle smile on his face, and said, "Lord Lü, how have you been?"

(End of this chapter)