Ironclad, but the dungeon is in Hell difficulty.

At this moment, on the Jidu Mirage, countless deep cracks spread across the earth, crisscrossing like a grid. These were the wounds left when it was slashed by the golden giant blade during its battle with the God Lord, each one thousands of feet deep.

At the bottom of the valley formed by the intersection of several slash marks, several golden branches converged from all directions, blooming like flowers and reconstructing the giant tree.

However, it was visibly that nearly half of the thousand faces on his body had disappeared in an instant. Pale golden flames were burning in the places where those faces had originally been, and although they seemed illusory, they were constantly making crackling sounds, preventing these faces from recovering.

"Unfortunately, I am still superior in skill. Now that the swordsman has passed away, you, as a general, have also died in battle. Once I have recovered from my injuries and completed the refining of that thing, it will be time to take away the Jianmu tree."

Hundreds of faces of different appearances uttered mocking words that echoed in the deep valley, sending chills down one's spine.

It then re-deepened its roots into the core of the Jidu Mirage, re-infusing its abundant power into its core to accelerate its recovery.

Before long, the ground, riddled with holes from being cleaved by the divine lord's blade, began to rumble. Crimson flames rose from the depths of these canyons, followed by countless streams of magma erupting from the planet's core, filling in all the fissures and reconstructing numerous twisted mountain peaks.

On one hand, as preparations were underway, the Abundant Alliance, led by the Buliren Great Hunting Group, began to assemble. Under the global scan of the Jade Palace Immortal Ship, it could be seen that in addition to the Buliren, there were also Winged Creators, Houyhnhnms, and other abominations.

They were all moving closer to Luofu's route, and because it was planned in advance, their speed was much faster than that of the sudden appearance of Shuhu.

According to the prediction of the Taibu Si, these prosperous people will initially form an alliance in about three days and then make contact with Luofu. Therefore, the other immortal ships also sent their respective cloud riders to support Luofu.

"The third war of abundance in this universe is about to begin. Has someone successfully broken free from the shackles of the dimensional system, or is it just another experiment by that guy?"

On a small island near the equator, a red-haired girl in a black trench coat suddenly frowned, as if she had sensed some kind of change happening in the shadows, and muttered something strange.

"However, with the protection of 'Heavenly Secrets,' this commotion couldn't possibly be the work of outsiders. Rather, it's that golden light that enveloped the entire timeline earlier..."

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PS:

Damn it, the humid weather in Guangxi is starting again. My house has turned into a water curtain cave in the Flower and Fruit Mountain, and you could skate on the floor.

Chapter 257 Undercurrent surging

It was already late at night in the Star Calendar, but the Shence Mansion was still brightly lit. At this time, Jing Yuan had not yet cultivated himself like he had in the original story seven hundred years later. He had long anticipated the impact of Jing Liu's passing, so he began preparations in advance.

It wasn't until his master passed away a week ago that Jing Yuan was able to systematically distribute the various tasks to the Six Departments. In the past few days, all matters, big and small, on Luofu have passed through his hands to ensure the internal planning and coordination before the battle.

His ability to do so naturally signifies Teng Xiao's complete delegation of power, allowing him to manage Luofu, while Teng Xiao merely acts as a stabilizing force.

If it weren't for the need for internal stability due to the impending war—after all, changing commanders on the eve of battle is a major taboo in military strategy—Teng Xiao would have planned to abdicate and hand over the position of general to Jing Yuan.

Jing Yuan truly lived up to his later title of "General with Blind Eyes," demonstrating a level of familiarity with the affairs of various departments that belied someone who had not yet officially assumed the position of general. It was fortunate that he was so knowledgeable; otherwise, with the sheer volume of paperwork over the past few days, even with the help of strategists and treasurers, most people would have been overwhelmed and unable to keep up.

Especially after losing Jingliu, the Yunqi Army's troop deployment has become even more crucial, leaving Jingyuan somewhat exhausted these past few days.

Of course, it cannot be ruled out that he was working so hard in order to suppress his sadness over his master's departure.

"Bai Heng seemed to have returned to normal on the surface after crying that day, but Jing Yuan's condition is making me a little worried."

However, what Jing Yuan didn't know was that not far behind him stood his master, Jing Liu, who had been 'dead' for a week.

Now, due to her breakthrough in realm, Jing Liu can easily use her domain to completely conceal her existence within space. In addition, since she is a path seeker of destiny, she has not attracted any attention at all.

"Tianyi went into seclusion, which made me seem rather idle. I can't easily come forward to explain the situation to them yet. Hmm, why don't I go back to the army and take a look? Maybe I can gain something from there."

Since being cured of the demonic possession by Yu Tianyi, Jing Liu has hardly ventured out to avoid any accidents. Now, seeing the scenery, he couldn't help but miss the old days.

Although she didn't have any particularly happy memories from her time in the military, it was there that she met friends like Jingyuan and Baiheng.

After observing for a while and confirming that Jing Yuan was unharmed, Jing Liu turned and left, heading towards the Yunqi Army's encampment.

"Huh? Master?"

Perhaps Jing Liu's emotions fluctuated slightly when he left, because Jing Yuan suddenly raised his head and looked at the exit of the Shence Mansion with some surprise, but all he saw were the strategists who had been working with him.

"It's nothing, you can continue working."

Seeing their surprised looks, Jing Yuan quickly waved his hand, telling them not to worry about what had just happened. But he couldn't help but keep glancing at the entrance of the Shence Mansion, and only after confirming it several times did he lower his head again, thinking that he was just imagining things due to being too tired these past few days.

"Looks like I'll have to rest for a bit. If I'm mentally exhausted and give incorrect instructions, the consequences could be even more fatal," Jing Yuan thought to himself as he rubbed his temples.

Jingliu, who had already left, was unaware that her actions had given Jingyuan the idea of ​​resting. In order to avoid being discovered, she did not take the Star Chariot, but instead flew to the Cloud Cavalry's base using her own abilities while operating her domain.

The once bustling garrison was now filled with a somber atmosphere. The Cloud Knights, led by the Valiant Guards, were practicing their military formations. The familiar feeling made Jingliu somewhat lost in thought. She bypassed the training ground and headed to the department where she had served as the Sword Master.

"Oh? It's been a while since I've been here. The house is quite clean, so someone must be taking care of it regularly. I wonder who ordered it."

As she walked to the office where she had worked for over a hundred years, Jingliu was slightly surprised. She did not open the door to enter, as that would require the identity verification of the jade talisman.

By then, the entire Cloud Cavalry Army would know that someone had come under the identity of Sword Master, and since she was officially dead, the consequences would be very serious. Therefore, she only used her divine sense to observe through the door for a while before preparing to go to the training ground to observe for a while.

Da da da.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps sounded from not far away and were rapidly approaching, making Jing Liu a little curious. He had already stepped down and a new sword master had not yet been chosen, so why would someone come here?

Thinking of this, she extended her divine sense, and immediately a familiar fox-woman appeared in Jingliu's perception. She had gray hair, long ears, wore square-framed glasses, and was dressed in a light blue combat uniform. Her tail swayed up and down with her steps. It was Zhuo Xian, the captain of the Tianbo Division at this moment.

It is said that she was once an ace pilot in the same team as Qingying, the current captain of the Sky Ship Bureau. However, she was injured in the head during the war with the Bountiful People. Although she saved her eyes, her vision and hearing were greatly impaired (compared to the keen senses of the fox people).

Unlike the people of the Immortal Ship, the fox people are difficult to heal once they are seriously injured. Therefore, they were withdrawn from the front line and transferred to Luofu to serve as helmsmen.

Her arrival was also a good thing for Luofu, because when she took up her post, Zhuo Xian, the captain, also brought many fox-people flying pilots from Yaoqing, Bai Heng being one of them.

Bai Heng also brought Ying Xing from Zhu Ming, which indirectly formed the legendary group of the Five Heroes of the Clouds, and thus he had a good relationship with Jing Liu and others.

"How could Zhuo Xian be here? Could it be...? No, that's impossible."

An unbelievable thought flashed through Jingliu's mind, but she quickly dismissed it. If even the captain of the Tianbo Company had become an inside agent for the people of Fengrao, it would undoubtedly be a huge blow to Luofu at present.

After all, although the Medicine King's Secret Teachings, which Yao Qing Siduo Yueyan established on the Immortal Ship thousands of years ago, seemed to have no problems in itself, its ideology led a group of people to join the Abundant People.

But things don't always go according to plan. Under Jingliu's watchful eye, the person she considered a friend opened the Sword Master's office, took out her identity jade talisman, opened the large jade tablet on Jingliu's desk, and intently searched for something.

As the door opened, Jingliu followed her into the room without making a sound. He stood behind her and watched as she opened the module related to troop deployment, closing his eyes in pain.

Logically, her identity on the jade tablet should have been cancelled when she 'passed away,' and she would no longer be able to receive reports about the deployment of the Cloud Cavalry.

However, it was clear that the captain had used his authority to secretly intercept it, thereby learning the true intentions of the Cloud Cavalry.

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PS:

Thank you Genyuan Taiyi for the monthly pass.

Chapter 258 Clash in the Shadows

"Why, why you?"

Even with Jingliu's extensive experience, she still couldn't calmly accept her friend's betrayal. She wanted to find some reasons, but the facts were right in front of her, leaving her no choice but to believe them.

She felt an unnamed fire surging within her body, as if it might burst forth at any moment; her internal organs were restless and almost unable to suppress their presence.

If Tianyi hadn't already eliminated the hidden danger, Jingliu felt that even without a demonic yin body, he would have been driven into one by anger.

"As expected, someone was sabotaging us in the dark. I had some suspicions when you were ambushed before. How could Bu Liren know your whereabouts so easily as the Sword Master?"

"Tianyi! You're not...?"

Suddenly, a deep male voice rang in Jing Liu's ear. She turned her head in surprise and saw Yu Tianyi quietly appear beside her, his right hand fingers twitching as if he were deducing something.

“I am indeed in seclusion, but I am not foolish enough to completely cut off contact with the outside world. Your emotions are fluctuating so much, so as your husband, I naturally have to come and see you.”

Yu Tianyi said with a smile, while casting his gaze at Zhuo Xian, who was completely unaware of what was happening. Although he was somewhat surprised, it was within his expectations, but he just didn't expect it to be her.

Based on his memories before his transmigration, he strongly suspected that there was a high-ranking informant among the people of Fengrao in Luofu at that time; otherwise, how could Shuhu have directly arrived in Luofu later?

It should be noted that the Cloud-Gazing Mirror of the Jade Palace Immortal Ship regularly scans and explores the star field. Ordinary prosperous people are one thing, but a life form like Shu Hu, who is at the level of an envoy, is as conspicuous as a candle in the dark. How could it be possible for him to pass through the Jade Realm Gate and enter the interior of Luofu so easily?

Furthermore, the fact that Jing Yuan later had to personally promote Yu Kong to become the captain of the Sky Ship Division clearly indicates that there were significant problems with the previous leader.

Whether the original plot is as it is, let's leave aside for now. But in the universe where Tianyi is currently located, the actions of this Zhuo Xian Sihou undoubtedly confirm his guess.

"However, it doesn't seem like she intentionally wanted to do it."

Jing Liu was preoccupied with the emotions of his friend's betrayal and did not observe carefully, but Yu Tianyi was different; he quickly noticed the other's unnaturalness.

Upon hearing this, Jing Liu calmed down and focused his attention. Sure enough, he discovered something amiss. Zhuo Xian's eyes were flashing with a struggling expression. However, once something like this happens, it will happen again. She had already done it before, and after her bottom line was broken, her struggle was almost nonexistent.

"I reckon there's been a problem on Yaoqing's side. The people of Fengrao have found some leverage or weakness in him, which is why he has no choice but to do things for them."

Thinking back to the mysterious wing builder he had met before, Yu Tianyi had a general idea.

"Liu, do you know if this captain has any important people or matters to do?"

His interactions with the captain of the Imperial Ship were limited to verbal exchanges, and there was no deep relationship between them. Therefore, he could calmly analyze the reasons behind it.

"Yes, if that's the case, I once heard Bai Heng mention in her spare time that she and this captain talked about her mentor when they were in Yaoqing."

Without having to worry about the consequences, Jingliu easily found a conversation he had with Baiheng over drinks in his vast memory.

"However, these are just snippets of conversation made while drunk, and the whole story cannot be known."

Jingliu shook her head again as she spoke. As for her conversation with Zhuo Xian, the latter never mentioned her experience in Yaoqing, so it was naturally fruitless.

However, after realizing that the other party was likely forced into this situation, Jingliu's anger subsided considerably. As for the people of abundance behind the scenes, she and those monstrous creatures of abundance had long been sworn enemies since the destruction of her homeland, and adding another layer of conflict would not affect her mind.

Now that we know the truth, a further investigation will naturally reveal the real story.

Yu Tianyi nodded, his right hand still twitching. He raised his left hand and pointed at the premonition that Zhuo Xian had stored information, and something seemed to be split open in the darkness.

"Alright, the intelligence issue is resolved. As for how to deal with her, we can discuss that after we've investigated the details."

Now that he knew of the existence of this inside man, he naturally gave him a 'gaze'. After that, Zhuo Xian's every move was under Tian Yi's perception and could no longer cause any waves.

They then followed Zhuo Xian, who had finished copying the data, walked out of the room with a nervous expression, and then hurriedly left with a calm and expressionless demeanor. They traveled all the way from the Cloud Cavalry's camp to the Nightless Marquis of Xingcha Sea.

"The patrols in the Star Chariot Sea are already very tight, but this way of transmitting information is indeed hard to guard against."

"What did you just do to that storage device?"

Seeing that Yu Tianyi simply let the other party pass the storage device containing the troop deployment information to the receiver without any reaction, Jingliu immediately realized that her husband's behavior was strange.

"It's nothing, it's just that the information in it has been made fake."

Even if the content remains unchanged, the authenticity of that document has been erased by Yu Tianyi's fate, so even if the Fengrao Alliance sees it, there will be no problem.

"Liu, I'm just coming out temporarily. I'll be going back to continue my seclusion. If anything unusual happens during this time, such as the sudden appearance of an unknown person, please use this to notify me immediately."

As for Zhuo Xian's situation, Yu Tianyi believed that Jing Liu would handle it himself, and their tacit understanding did not require further explanation.

He then took out an earring infused with his own power and handed it to Jingliu before leaving again. He had a feeling that he was close to finding the key to unifying his talent and destiny, but he still needed some inspiration.

"Besides Tianyi, the only people who know my true situation right now are the two judges of the Ten Kings Division. I need to seek their help."