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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 1 Exploration Four-Star Umbrella
"Do you know how to get into the Grand Palace Kingdom? I've heard that place is quite secretive," Yang Guizhi tightened her coat and looked at Yuanming with her usual gaze.
Yuanming smiled lightly. "I know how. In fact, I've been there once."
Yang Guizhi looked at Yuanming in surprise, but she said nothing. They had been apart for several years, and Yuanming indeed had the time to come here. Yang Guizhi's expression momentarily appeared haggard. "So, you had it all planned out."
Yuanming sighed with a wry smile. "I didn't plan anything; it was a coincidence. But now is not the time for that. How are you feeling? Is it very cold?"
Yang Guizhi was freezing, but she understood the importance of this journey. "I can still hold on."
"Just hang in there a little longer; we’re almost there," Yuanming reassured her.
A bird flew over a high mountain range, and Yang Guizhi bent down, watching as the bird disappeared into the clouds.
The bird glided over a cliff, and Yang Guizhi was astonished by the vast mountainous terrain below. The bird lowered its altitude slightly, emerging from the clouds, soaring gracefully with its wings spread wide, leaping over numerous mountain ranges and through thick layers of clouds covering the mountain peaks.
After skillfully avoiding a steep peak, the bird descended into a broad Mountain Valley.
Yang Guizhi's eyes darted around, searching for something, but she found nothing.
"Hold on tight!" Yuanming shouted.
The bird plummeted rapidly, causing the air to ripple as if a stone had been thrown into a pond. Below the bird, Yang Guizhi saw towering city walls. She clutched tightly to the feathers of the bird to avoid falling and managed to maintain her balance.
The bird circled above a magnificent palace complex. The space below was exceptionally vast, featuring a gigantic palace that now appeared smaller than an insect. The entire palace complex was built upon various terrains.
The Bird descended lower and lower, the surrounding walls smooth and curved, with the ground being the only flat area. The ancient palace was a marvel, and Yang Guizhi couldn't fathom how they had nurtured and shaped this magnificent place.
A bright golden light enveloped the entire palace, and Yang Guizhi felt warmth, no longer feeling cold.
The Bird landed on the rocky ground, looking around. Yang Guizhi wondered, "Since we came here so abruptly, will they be displeased?"
Yuanming replied, "We're not sneaking in; what could they possibly be upset about?"
Yang Guizhi nodded, thinking, "With such a large figure soaring in the sky, they must have already seen us."
At that moment, not far from them, a faint emerald figure appeared in the thin air. The figure was not fully visible yet, but Yuanming could already discern many details to identify who it was.
The figure was slender and graceful, similar in stature to Yang Guizhi, shrouded in a thin mist. Soon after, three more faint figures emerged beside her.
There were four visitors: one woman and three men. They all nodded in greeting to Yang Guizhi. She felt flattered; she was merely the leader of a village and couldn't bear such grand courtesy. Yang Guizhi quickly returned the gesture.
The woman spoke, "I am glad you arrived so quickly."
Yuanming introduced her, "She is Four Palace Master Ying Fei."
The two dismounted from the Bird. Yuanming greeted each of the visitors in turn. He glanced at the guards accompanying Ying Fei; although they remained silent, Yuanming sensed their keen gazes.
Yang Guizhi looked at Ying Fei and asked, "Did you know we were coming?"
Ying Fei smiled gracefully and replied, "Yes."
"Shall we go meet the Great Palace King now?" Yuanming asked.
"Not yet, but you won't have to wait long," Ying Fei replied.
Yuanming nodded, though he couldn't hide his disappointment at the news. "So how long do we have to wait?"
"There's no need to rush. If you truly come with sincerity for an alliance, time is not an issue. Follow me," Ying Fei said as she led the two of them to the main hall, where the tea was still steaming when the Great Palace King entered from outside.
"Welcome to both of you," the Great Palace King greeted Yang Guizhi and Yuanming politely.
"It’s so good to see you, High Priestess," Yuanming said with genuine joy.
The High Priestess nodded silently, a faint smile appearing on her face.
"How have you been lately?" the Great Palace King inquired.
Yuanming forced a smile. "Same as always; it’s quite nice in Spring Valley without any disturbances."
The High Priestess smiled slightly. "Contentment brings happiness, something I find hard to achieve."
Yuanming responded politely, "You flatter me, Great Palace King."
Yang Guizhi's eyes were fixed on the Great Palace King, who smiled and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Yang Guizhi calmly said, "I don't understand. We are just a village. Why would your Great Palace Kingdom be willing to unite with us?"
"Unity, not submission. I hope you understand this point. Although this place is far from your village, it still belongs to the Opening of the Zhou Wasteland. We gather together for the Evil God. Of course, this is looking at the bigger picture. If we become allies, there are things we can help each other with," the Great Palace King said, his gaze flickering over Yang Guizhi.
"Exactly!" Yuanming replied solemnly.
Yang Guizhi asked, "After uniting, what do we need to do for you?"
The Great Palace King walked over and sat down formally. "It's not time to discuss that now. We should wait until the other palace masters arrive before we talk."
Four Palace Master Ying Fei entered. "Great Palace King."
The Great Palace King nodded. "Four Palace Master has arrived."
Ying Fei respectfully said, "Great Palace King."
Yang Guizhi wondered if what she was doing was right. Uniting with the Great Palace Kingdom seemed somewhat crazy. How could the Great Palace King care about her village? The Great Palace King must need something; regardless, when it came to the Evil God, their village indeed needed the protection of the Great Palace King.
Yang Guizhi did not understand the Great Palace King's thoughts, but Yuanming was very clear. The Great Palace King actually did not care about the survival of their village; his only concern was his Great Palace Kingdom. The Great Palace King had one goal: to unify the Opening of the Zhou Wasteland. This was the wish of his ancestors, and he had to do it. Unification meant that the Great Palace King would have to commit countless dark deeds that were little known.
In fact, Yuanming's alliance with Yang Guizhi was undoubtedly a huge risk, but it was a risk they had to take. The Great Palace King was actually very pleased with their arrival because if one village was willing to unite, it meant that there could be a second village willing to do so as well. The matter of the Evil God was a disaster but also an opportunity.
Yang Guizhi asked, "Great Palace King, after we unite, what plans do you have to combat the Evil God?"
"The Evil God is merely a provocation," the Great Palace King scoffed. "There are many terrifying legends about the Evil God, but I believe we can deal with him as long as he dares to come."
Yang Guizhi felt that the Great Palace King was quite arrogant. She said, "Great Palace King, I think it's better not to look at the Evil God."
Yuanming agreed with her and added, "Great Palace King, this matter needs to be planned carefully."
The Great Palace King glanced at them and finally smiled lightly. "Being cautious is a good thing. If there is an opportunity in the future, I will share my plans with you."
Yuanming and Yang Guizhi exchanged glances, and in that moment of eye contact, Yang Guizhi understood that to know the Great Palace King's plans, they needed to unite wholeheartedly.
In fact, the Great Palace King indeed had the means to confront the Evil God, as he possessed a powerful artifact known as the Exploration Four-Star Umbrella. This artifact had the power to open up land and was the trump card of the High Priestess. If the High Priestess could use it at the right moment, she would be able to reunite the Opening of the Zhou Wasteland.
The Great Palace King had long anticipated the arrival of the Evil God into the Opening of the Zhou Wasteland, as it would allow him to fulfill his ambitions sooner.
---
Lin Chuyu asked Zang Da outside the Grass Hut, "Do you know where Brother Ji has gone?"
Zang Da nodded and then shook his head. "I don't know where they went, but I do know that the Saint King is fulfilling your purpose for coming here."
Such wording made Lin Chuyu feel uncomfortable. She tried to ignore it and said, "Then Brother Ji must have gone to learn Sealing Technique at school. But when will he come back?"
Zang Da replied, "Why think about it? He will return once he learns it well. Actually, I've heard about the Evil God too."
Lin Chuyu asked, "Since you Saint Kings know Sealing Technique, has anyone among you learned it?"
Zang Da said, "No, in our Guzhao Clan, no one has learned any Sealing Technique. I haven't seen the Evil God myself, but I've heard about him. The Evil God once tried to rule over the Desolate Central Plain, but that was hundreds of years ago. Whether that history is true or not is uncertain."
Although Lin Chuyu had never encountered the Evil God, she firmly stated, "That part of history is true," regarding Xia Lian's experiences with the Evil God.
Cang Da looked into Lin Chuyu's eyes, and her conviction was evident. He knew that a person's eyes could not lie. With a flick of his claw, he declared, "Since this Evil God is so despicable, once he masters the Sealing Technique, I will join you all in taking him down!"
Lin Chuyu smiled and replied, "It's great that you want to go, but we need to see what Brother Ji thinks."
Although the Evil God had no direct conflict with the Guzhao Clan, Gu Diao's judgment of good and evil was quite straightforward. Anyone who attempted to deceive others with lies was undoubtedly a villain in Gu Diao's eyes; it was not a complicated matter for him.
When danger exists, it must be suppressed. Only the cowardly and foolish would allow danger to run its course. However, whether Cang Da could go with Ji Zichen depended on whether the Saint King would agree.
Cang Da felt sympathy for humanity's plight centuries ago. He said, "We cannot allow history to repeat itself; we must not let the Evil God occupy the Desolate Central Plain."
The thought of confronting the Evil God filled Lin Chuyu with anxiety. She expressed her hope, saying, "I wish there were a way to resolve this without conflict."
Her simple desire made Cang Da chuckle suddenly. "If it's a conflict, then we must take action. How can a conflict be resolved without fighting?"
Cang Da was naive about worldly matters; his perspective was understandable given his nature.
But was facing the Evil God head-on truly the right choice?
Though Lin Chuyu could not think of any other solution, she still hoped for a peaceful resolution.
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