Yun Ya smiled without warmth: “If someone were willing to directly inherit the throne, I could allocate elemental power, and the royal army wouldn’t struggle so much against Xiao Jing’s northeastern forces. Unfortunately—” he shook his head, “this time we need a swift victory. If we wait for outside forces to intervene, the Great Wei will face the danger of fragmentation.” With so many neighboring countries watching like tigers eyeing their prey, this fellow could still eat and sleep well—his heart was truly too big. Not to mention, the Yao Kingdom had just been bullied terribly by Wei not long ago; wouldn’t they want revenge now? If the Yao King supported Xiao Jing, this rebellion suppression would drag on indefinitely.
Then the years of effort by the Wei King and himself would likely be wasted in an instant.
There was rare severity in his gaze. Xiao Yan chuckled nervously: “If I hadn’t stated in the royal court that we would discuss succession only after suppressing the rebellion, how would I have gained the support of so many people?”
The boast he had made, he had to fulfill even through tears.
“Besides, don’t we still have another plan?” He looked expectantly at Yun Ya, who scoffed and turned to leave.
“Hey…” Xiao Yan called out to him, “You’ve sent people to the Yao Kingdom again. Is there any unusual activity there?”
Yun Ya stopped but didn’t turn his head: “The source of the Dragon Assassination Plot has been found. Don’t you want to send people to investigate thoroughly?”
Xiao Yan’s smile faded, his expression darkening: “Where?” The father-son bond was deep; the Wei King’s revenge must be taken.
“Luofu,” Yun Ya said calmly. “The Dragon Assassination Plot last appeared thirty years ago, in that place.”
Xiao Yan nodded: “Thank you for your efforts.”
Yun Ya smiled faintly: “You must act quickly. If Xiao Jing moves before you, he might clear himself of suspicion.” With that, he walked away.
This was indeed the last hidden danger. Xiao Yan shrugged, lamenting his misfortune—wounded in the shoulder yet still busy with military affairs and family matters.
By the time the old manager of Feng’s shop delivered the longevity lock to Princess Hanyue, Feng Miaojun and her group had already left Yao Capital, heading toward Shunquan Bay on the southern coast of the Yao Kingdom.
Feng’s shop had operated well these years with substantial profits. Madam Xu and Feng Miaojun managed to sell it, using the funds for their future settlement in the Peach Blossom Realm. They hired eight large carts, and a group of over thirty people set off toward the southeast coast.
There were only three ports connecting the Peach Blossom Realm to the Northern Continent, and the Yao Kingdom’s Shunquan Bay was the closest to them. Though the long journey was arduous, and they encountered two groups of bandits along the way, these were mere lambs before Peng Bai and his twenty subordinates.
After more than two months of travel, the caravan finally reached the sea. From here, they would board a large ship to cross the Forbidden Sea. As long as the weather was favorable and they didn’t encounter fierce storms, they could reach the Peach Blossom Realm on the Southern Continent directly.
The shape of the Forbidden Sea was very strange as if someone had dug a massive hole across the waist of the continent and filled it with seawater, creating the Forbidden Sea. This sea area wasn’t as boundless as a true ocean, but it was sufficient to divide the entire continent into northern and southern portions. Moreover, the sea was fraught with strange winds, huge waves, fog, and unknowable monsters lurking in its depths. In terms of vessel accident rates, it was much higher than the open ocean.
Regarding the origin of the Forbidden Sea, Feng Miaojun had read relevant records in the Smoky Sea Tower. Legend had it that this area was once the most prosperous and developed central region of the pan-continent before the current era, but it sank beneath the water after an ancient cataclysm. Even now, sea spirits and humans with profound cultivation could find vast prehistoric remains on the seabed.
The Forbidden Sea was full of bewildering obstacles because many relics existed there. These were mansions left by ancient immortals, often protected by cloud and mist arrays. Those who accidentally entered might be trapped within, unable to escape until death.
Before natural disasters, human strength cannot prevail. But Feng Miaojun understood that this journey was unavoidable.
Fortunately, after thousands of years of trial voyages, predecessors had summarized several sea routes with their blood and tears, which were relatively safe under normal circumstances. Additionally, powerful fleets had made pacts with sea spirits, requesting their escort during voyages to ensure passenger safety.
With these measures in place, the north-south sea route had now become the busiest waterway between the northern and southern continents. Even envoys from the Peach Blossom Realm like Tan Qingshuang traveled between the two continents via such routes when attending ceremonies in the Yao Kingdom.
All Feng Miaojun could do was spend heavily on safety, choosing the largest and most luxurious fleet. Their escort sea beasts were reportedly a nest of sea eels.
These were not the ordinary eels that could dive underwater or be served on dining tables. Standing at the stern, Feng Miaojun had seen one of them. Sea spirits were generally large; this eel spirit had a body as thick as two water vats, black and round with bulging muscles.
Encountering such an enemy in the sea would terrify anyone to the core. However, as friendly escorts, they provided a sense of security.
So when Feng Miaojun spotted several such robust eel spirits in the water, she gladly paid the fee and brought all her companions aboard.
The fleet consisted of seven ships.
This route was particularly busy. Despite Feng’s shop spending a large sum, they only secured two first-class cabins on the large ship, accommodating Feng Miaojun and Madam Xu in one, and Lu Chuanying and Peng Bai in the other.
Feng Miaojun overheard other wealthy merchants clutching their silver, trying to persuade the captain to book more cabins: “Those two rooms at the tight corner are empty, and the view outside is quite nice.”
The captain shook his head vigorously like a wave drum: “No more, truly no more. Some distinguished guests reserved them early on.”
After waiting for two days without seeing any sign of these “distinguished guests,” the captain felt immense pressure.
Fortunately, at the final moment before setting sail, a group of people finally arrived at the dock, all with sharp gazes. Having spent several months in military camps, Feng Miaojun immediately recognized they were from military backgrounds, and among them were even two cultivators.
Leading them were a man and a woman, both as stunning as immortals.
Coincidentally, they were old acquaintances of Feng Miaojun:
Fu Lingchuan and the false Princess Changle.
Fu Lingchuan remained elegant and handsome, while Princess Changle, who was about the same age as Feng Miaojun, had matured a bit more over the past half year, appearing even more beautiful.
This group boarded the ship with poise, and only then did the fleet weigh anchor and begin the voyage.
Fu Lingchuan and his companion attracted attention wherever they went. Feng Miaojun also stared at them openly, commenting with Madam Xu as she watched.
Madam Xu exclaimed, “I never expected to encounter such figures on the road.” After a few more glances, she whispered to Feng Miaojun, “But looking back and forth, they’re still not as beautiful as our Anan.”
Before she finished speaking, Fu Lingchuan turned and glanced at Madam Xu, apparently having heard her words. His gaze then swept over Feng Miaojun, noting her ordinary appearance, which made him smile slightly before turning away.
Madam Xu was embarrassed, but Feng Miaojun felt a subtle shock. They were separated by more than three zhang, with howling sea winds between them, yet Fu Lingchuan could hear Madam Xu’s whisper, showing his truly profound cultivation. Fu Lingchuan had never displayed his skills before her, and previously, having been beside a high-level figure like Yun Ya, she hadn’t found others particularly impressive.
Now, however, it was different.