Not only was it vividly realistic, but it was also particularly logical, making it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood.
Consecutive explosion sounds came from outside the temple doors.
The invaders were using Mountain-Shaking Poison Bugs, and more than one! Their power was several times greater than Explosive Poison Bugs. Ordinary palace gates would have yielded immediately, yet the fact that these temple doors had endured for so long was already quite astonishing.
However, they too had indeed been pushed to their limits.
If they were breached, probably everyone inside would meet with disaster.
At this moment, she saw the commoners below turning back to rush into the great hall, crying and bowing before the deity statue.
At first, only seven or eight people did so, but emotions of grief and fear are most contagious, attracting numerous imitators.
Within a dozen breaths, the entire Boundary God Temple was filled with kneeling civilians, many of whom had knocked their heads until they bled.
It was probably around this time that Feng Miao Jun noticed a layer of black light covering the temple doors. This light was dim, and the doors themselves were black; if not for her exceptional eyesight, she would have missed it.
But the soldiers and civilians below let out a cheer!
“The deity has shown his divine power!”
Feng Miao Jun murmured: “Is that faith power?”
The combined power of the people’s faith and prayers—isn’t that faith power?
“It is faith power and also elemental power,” Yun Ya held her hand. “Do you still want to stay and watch until the end? You already know the outcome.”
Feng Miao Jun’s gaze swept across the various parts of the hall before she finally shook her head.
The fate of Ying Shui City was known to all in later generations and would not be changed by this small moment of inspiration. If she stayed, she would only witness the tragic darkest hour.
Since it was already past events that she could not change, it was better not to see it.
“I told you, tonight’s dream of mine is not suitable for viewing. Let’s return to your place,” he said, then leaped down from the beam with her.
The surroundings blurred, and when she blinked, she found them standing by White Horse Lake again, just two zhang away from the water.
She greatly envied this ability to traverse dreams.
Yun Ya was saying to her: “Dawn is approaching. Tomorrow, shall I come to find you?” She was living more freely here, making it much easier to meet him.
“Yun Ya—” she hesitated.
“Hmm?” This sound was deep and pleasant, especially when heard by the lakeside with gentle rippling waves.
“My grievances with Fu Ling Chuan are also New Xia’s internal affairs.” After a slight pause, she finally said, “It’s best if you don’t get involved.” She had thought about his suggestion for a long time but decided not to accept it. Yet this fellow had taken matters into his own hands and seriously injured Yu Lin Lang, intensifying the conflict at once.
The most important thing she needed to do was to have him withdraw.
Yun Ya was slightly surprised, then his face filled with displeasure: “You want to fight alone?” The kitten didn’t trust him! This thought truly displeased him.
“Don’t underestimate me, I have enough manpower here,” Feng Miao Jun chose her words carefully, trying not to touch his sensitive pride. “You are Mo Tizhun of Wei Kingdom, you shouldn’t wade into these troubled waters.”
For both public and private reasons, she shouldn’t let the State Preceptor of Wei interfere in New Xia’s internal affairs. The current situation in Wu Se’er was already very complex, and she didn’t want to deal with another troublesome Yun Ya.
What troubled her even more was their future relationship.
This time, without consulting her, he had orchestrated the Yu Lin Lang assassination attempt; heaven knows what storms he could stir up next! This was New Xia, not his Wei Kingdom, not his experimental field.
Feng Miao Jun hated this feeling of being kept in the dark. She disliked being led by the nose, even if he was considering her interests.
Thinking more deeply, he might be acting in her interest now, but what about later? How could she know when Yun Ya would start plotting against her or scheming against New Xia?
Moreover, this person never easily revealed his full hand. Who knew if his current actions had other motives? Was he trying to deepen their relationship to manipulate New Xia by controlling her?
If so, how was he any different from Hu Yan Bei or Fu Ling Chuan, except that his methods were more sophisticated?
“What’s this?” He was ice-cold clever, and quick to understand. No matter how tactfully she spoke, he saw through to her true intentions at a glance. Yun Ya coldly smiled, using his finger to lift her delicate chin. “Before the great matter is accomplished, you want to cast me aside? This is not wise!”
Anger rose from the depths of his eyes. Regardless of what Feng Miao Jun thought inwardly, verbally she could only softly appease him: “Who wants to cast you aside? New Xia is my responsibility. These matters should originally be completed by me; I shouldn’t drag you down.”
“Fine, fine!” Yun Ya repeated the word “fine” twice, slowly straightening his posture, looking down at her from his height: “The Queen has spoken, how dare I disobey? I shall take my leave. May the Queen take care of herself!”
His face was frozen with frost, his heart surging with an inexplicable rage even to himself, as he turned to leave.
But he hadn’t taken two steps when Feng Miao Jun suddenly called out to him again: “Yun Ya!”
He didn’t look back, but his feet stopped.
“This time, why did you come to Wu Se’er?”
He turned his head slightly, allowing Feng Miao Jun to see his perfect profile.
“For you.”
With that said, he disappeared into the wind and shadows among the trees.
All around returned to complete silence, with only the crickets chirping by the lake.
Feng Miao Jun felt unsettled, a hollow emptiness within, quite uncomfortable.
She stood motionless by the lake for a long while before sitting back on the large rock, slowly closing her eyes.
From tomorrow onward, things will not be so peaceful.
Fu Ling Chuan paid high attention to the Yu Lin Lang case, not overlooking any minor detail. This was the most powerful weapon the noble families had against him. Only by clearing Shi Zhang Qing’s name and having him recant his confession could Fu Ling Chuan regain the initiative.
The court situation over the next few days could be described as a tempest, making the previous undercurrents seem incomparable. Feng Miao Jun sat high in court, her previous sharpness now withdrawn, often allowing the two factions below to argue passionately. In her view, the royal court was divided into two opposing camps: one led by Fu Ling Chuan comprised of local officials, and the other formed by noble families, basically following Hu Yan Bei’s lead.
The various noble families had not gathered in Wu Se’er for long and had a sense of “being in a foreign land,” banding together due to unfamiliarity and anxiety, with the strongest centripetal force. Meanwhile, Fu Ling Chuan’s faction was striving to suppress them, not allowing them to compete for power and favor.
The vast Wu Se’er was stirred into waves and winds, quite lively.
Within a few days, news of brawls and incidents between lower-ranking officers and noble family members from both sides had spread several times, clearly showing that the conflicts from upstream had flowed downstream.
On this day, Fu Ling Chuan’s confidant delivered the usual report, with one piece of information particularly eye-catching:
After verification, this information is accurate—
After leaving Wu Se’er City, Zhao Yun did not immediately return to the Southern Continent but made a trip to Yao Kingdom territory, and shortly afterward returned to New Xia, heading to the Northwest!
Fu Ling Chuan let out a cold laugh: “Heh, Yan Kingdom is playing a good game.”