367: Chapter 90 A Condition 367: Chapter 90 A Condition The war between Emperor Qi and the True Dragon had already lasted far too long.
Both sides were at their limits, their resources drained dry.
Now…
the arrival of an outsider had become the greatest variable in this battle!
Emperor Qi materialized his Divine Thought in the midst of the sandstorm and showed great respect in his attitude toward Lu Yuzhen.
An existence capable of contending against the Ruyi Dao.
At a minimum, he was in the Yang God Realm.
And this “outsider” before him, able to repel the Ruyi Dao with his own Grotto Heaven…
Even among a host of Yang Gods, he would certainly count as a formidable presence!
Such a person must be recruited!
On the other side,
where the sandstorm whirled, and the True Dragon Dao settled, Qing Li also condensed a wisp of Divine Thought into form, but she remained silent, simply watching the direction where Lu Yuzhen stood.
She was not in a hurry to make a stance, silently observing the Lord.
“This one…
don’t you have anything to say?”
Lu Yuzhen asked with a smile as he turned his head.
He looked at Qing Li.
The latter still had no reaction, just persistently gazing into Lu Yuzhen’s eyes.
Their gazes held each other’s for a long time.
Qing Li slowly began to speak, “Help me kill him, and the Ruyi Dao will fall into your hands all the same.
I don’t want the spoils from Emperor Qi’s body, nor anything else here…
I only want to ‘return.'”
Return?
Xie Xuanyi found this puzzling, not understanding.
He didn’t understand what Qing Li’s desired “return” entailed.
“Fellow Daoist—”
Emperor Qi spoke in a heavy tone, “Since ancient times, humans and demons have been irreconcilable.
If you are unwilling to help, that’s alright, but by all means, do not aid this demonic being in her evil deeds!”
“What is a demon?
What is evil?”
Qing Li retorted with sarcasm, “Who is the one that sacrificed millions of lives, and who is the one who trapped me in this prison with his formation?
Before you started your formation for ascending realms, did I ever harm a blade of grass or a tree in the Great Yue Kingdom?”
Boom, rumble, rumble!
Above the sky, thunder boomed, the great battle still ongoing.
The two “Celestial Beings,” in their incarnations of Divine Thought, engaged in a heated debate before Lu Yuzhen.
This scene satisfied Lord Lu’s “guilty pleasure” as he watched Emperor Qi and Qing Li argue, waiting for the next round of their verbal clash.
“Look…
how interesting!”
Lu Yuzhen transmitted softly to Xie Xuanyi, “No matter who, as long as there is ‘desire’ in their heart, they have an unsightly side that they cannot bear to witness.
Does Emperor Qi now look like a Celestial Being one step away from Ascending?”
…
Xie Xuanyi fell silent for a moment before asking, “So, whom do you plan to help?”
At this question,
Lu Yuzhen was slightly taken aback.
“You brought me here to witness Celestial Beings clash head-on…
all for the so-called ‘battle of human hearts’.”
Xie Xuanyi asked in a deep voice, “But in the end, you must make a choice.
Whom will you choose?”
Although he posed the question,
Xie Xuanyi’s actions had already clarified his stance.
While he spoke, he stood up and approached the tumultuous three-inch-tall White Paper Cave Heaven, slowly extending his hand to touch the edge of the Grotto Heaven.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
Paper scraps fluttered, colliding with Sword Qi.
Although Lu Yuzhen had set up a barrier between heaven and earth to block external perceptions,
if Xie Xuanyi wished to leave of his own accord,
he would not be good to stop him.
The two Celestial Beings only refrained from probing into Lu Yuzhen’s Grotto Heaven out of “respect.”
“Ah, ah, ah…”
Lord Lu started with a headache and spoke helplessly, “We have been the last straw in the battle against the dragon.
Having finally made both Celestial Beings eagerly bid, we naturally have to wait a bit longer.”
“Wait…”
Xie Xuanyi spoke expressionlessly, “What are you waiting for?”
“Of course, we’re waiting for the price of the straw to go higher.”
Lord Lu explained earnestly, “The so-called ‘rare goods can command a high price.’ Whoever convinces me now can gain the upper hand.
Their battle to the death leaves no room for negotiation; both sides, to achieve victory, will stop at nothing.
Emperor Qi has already agreed to fulfill my desires with the Ruyi Dao; if we wait longer, he may be willing to ‘cut deeper into his flesh.'”
He paused slightly.
The Lord grinned, “Can you guess…
what price he’ll be willing to pay in the end?”
“What if he’s willing to give everything?”
Xie Xuanyi frowned as he asked.
Lord Lu countered without hesitation, “Then naturally, I will take everything.
Even a Celestial Being cannot break an oath of the Divine Soul.
If he dares to give, why would I not dare to take?”
“Leaving aside bargaining with a tiger for his skin, taking a step back, don’t you have your own ‘scale’ in your heart?”
Xie Xuanyi stared into the Lord’s eyes.
“You asked me earlier, if Emperor Qi saw me as a brother, what then…
That’s putting the cart before the horse.”
“First of all, when I entered the Great Yue Kingdom, it was not Emperor Qi I met, but Qing Li.”
“Secondly, if I truly had encountered Emperor Qi, there wouldn’t have been such a situation…
Given his cold nature, even to the four generals who served him for many years, he could ignore past affections and execute them, even using them as tools to bewitch others.
How could such a person form a heartfelt connection with a stranger?”
His words were cut off by Lu Yuzhen.
Lord Lu was also gazing into Xie Xuanyi’s eyes and asked with a light laugh, “So, just because you wish for Qing Li to win, you also hope I will join your side, forsaking those benefits I could have received, to help Qing Li win?”
Just one question,
and Xie Xuanyi was left speechless.
His silent gesture at the White Paper Cave Heaven was noticed by Lu Yuzhen, who, however, did not show any intention of stopping him.
“If you want to threaten me, you’re welcome to do so.”
Lu Yuzhen said with a smile, “You’re free to leave this Grotto Heaven and acknowledge Qing Li.
She indeed has passed the ‘Reincarnation Tribulation,’ but her True Body has decayed, the wounds are too severe, and she is too far gone to recover.
This battle is within the Ruyi Cave Heaven; Emperor Qi has all the advantages of the terrain.
You might as well help with your Sword Qi…
see if Qing Li’s odds of victory can increase by a substantial margin.”
Clearly, this was a taunt at Xie Xuanyi.