World's First Traitor System (406)

Chapter 406 - All Cards on the Table

Pfft!

Wu Gang spat out a mouthful of blood, but a relaxed expression spread across her face. She transformed back into her beautiful human form, her dark hair cascaded around her and a glowing orb floating beside her.

Fan Li had so many questions, he didn’t know which to ask first.

“Master, it’s the Bixi,” Wu Gang said, smiling with a rare hint of joy.

It was the first time Fan Li had seen her express interest in something other than her lifespan. But he didn't understand; how could this orb of light be the Bixi?

“Master, this is the soul of a young Bixi. Shi Jingtang used it as the core to create the mechanical Bixi.”

“During the battle with Yao Guang, the mechanical body was severely damaged, allowing the Bixi’s soul to escape and follow me.”

Fan Li was astonished.

The Bixi's soul?

So, Shi Jingtang had seen a real Bixi?

Not in the mortal realm, but in the heavens.

Fan Li instinctively looked up at the sky, filled with curiosity. But no matter how good his eyesight, he couldn't possibly see through to the immortal realm.

“Why did it follow you?” he asked.

Was it because of her intervention?

He thought so, after all, Wu Gang had fought fiercely to protect the Bixi. However, her answer was unexpected.

"It thinks of me as its mother."

As she spoke, a holy light seemed to emanate from her. Fan Li was reminded of classical Western paintings, images of the Madonna.

“So…” Fan Li pointed at the Bixi’s soul. “What are you going to do now?”

A rare look of shyness crossed Wu Gang’s face.

“Master, please don’t worry. I cultivate the Dao of the Dragon; I will find a way.”

As she spoke, the Bixi’s soul nuzzled against Wu Gang affectionately. The scene was both heartwarming and strangely bizarre.

…

“Where is the Bixi?”

“My Bixi, why have I lost contact with it?!”

In Xiongzhou, inside his temporary palace, Shi Jingtang was furious. He didn't care about the loss of ten thousand ordinary mechanical beasts. The materials required to create them were easy to obtain.

But the Bixi was different; it contained the soul of a young Bixi, something he had painstakingly acquired in the immortal realm!

For Shi Jingtang to lose the Bixi was like a cultivator losing a Heaven-grade spirit treasure. How could he not be heartbroken?!

“Who? Who could possibly take my Bixi?”

Shi Jingtang gritted his teeth. He had dared to send the Bixi out alone, not only because it was powerful, but because even if it were defeated, even if its mechanical body were destroyed, its soul would return to him.

But the outcome had been completely unexpected. The Bixi, known for its defenses, had not only been defeated, but its soul was also lost.

“My command was for the Bixi to cause chaos in Great Chu, not to attack Peng City directly. A mere mortal kingdom, among the weakest, who could possibly steal the Bixi’s soul?!”

He never imagined that because the Bixi had avoided conflict with Wu Gang, it had gone west towards Great Ci, leading to its battle with Yao Guang.

If he had known the enemy was Yao Guang, Shi Jingtang would have gone himself to retrieve the Bixi, and never let it face her alone.

A projection slowly materialized before Shi Jingtang.

"Oh?"

“Your Bixi was defeated?”

Shi Jingtang’s face darkened. He hated Li Yu’s unannounced appearances, especially at times when he’d lost face.

He was about to dismiss Li Yu’s projection when the Southern Tang Emperor’s next words stopped him.

“My Hundun was also defeated. Its ink body was reduced to dust, even its soul was destroyed.”

Shi Jingtang’s eye twitched.

“Its soul was destroyed? Are you certain?”

Neither Hundun nor Bixi belonged in the mortal realm.

They were beasts of the immortal realm. Even if it was just their souls, how could a mortal possibly destroy them completely?

Shi Jingtang fell silent. Li Yu, however, seemed unfazed.

“Alas… it seems we have underestimated the people of this world.”

Hearing those words, Shi Jingtang was instantly displeased.

“Underestimated? I made my name thousands of years ago, and I have fought countless battles in the immortal realm.”

“I received Heaven's grace and returned to the mortal realm to enjoy its riches. These youngsters of today, what makes them think they can compete with me?”

Unfortunately, Shi Jingtang was an Emperor, and Li Yu was also an Emperor; he had no need to flatter him.

“In any case, be careful. I’ve decided to stop hiding. I’ll use all my resources to defend Hongzhou.”

Hearing this, Shi Jingtang’s expression changed several times.

“You’ve summoned the other three fiends?”

Li Yu nodded.

The four fiends were Hundun, Taotie, Qiongqi, and Taowu.

Shi Jingtang imagined three terrifying ink beasts defending Hongzhou for Li Yu.

“You’re clearly afraid!” Shi Jingtang said viciously.

Li Yu, however, laughed. “I fought for thousands of years in the immortal realm, I wasn’t afraid then, what’s there to be afraid of now? We were simply wrong before. Even a lion uses its full strength against a rabbit. It’s not too late to realize this now.”

Shi Jingtang still believed Li Yu was afraid.

“A mere Great Chu, does it really require me to release all the dragon’s sons?”

“But your target isn’t just Great Chu, is it?”

Li Yu said, smiling. Shi Jingtang was once again speechless.

Their brief conversation ended.

Shi Jingtang left his ‘palace,’ walking towards the city gate of Xiongzhou.

"Long live His Majesty!"

The Later Jin soldiers knelt and cheered. Among the city’s people, some knelt, some trembled, and some simply observed silently. But not one dared to openly defy the man who claimed to be their new Emperor.

Later Jin had no support from the people; neither did the Southern Tang. If they couldn't be won over with kindness, they had to be subdued with power.

In truth, Shi Jingtang now believed Li Yu was right.

If from the beginning, he had released all nine of the dragon’s sons, rather than just the Bixi, perhaps the situation would be different.

“This world should witness my true power.”

The sky began to change. Giant, complex runes appeared, as if opening a passage between the mortal realm and another world.

The people of Xiongzhou looked up at the sky.

As they witnessed the arrival of unimaginable, terrifying monsters, some screamed, some wept, and some simply fainted.

…

Three days later, inside the Rivers and Mountains Pavilion.

On Fan Li’s desk lay eight drawings of monstrous beasts.

“Qiuniu, Yazi, Chaofeng, Pulao, Suanni, Bi’an, Fuxi, and Chiwen.”

“The dragon’s nine sons, he released all of them?”

The pressure was immense.

Assuming the eight mechanical beasts were as powerful as the Bixi, Great Chu alone was no match for Great Jin.

The only thing that reassured Fan Li was that, according to intelligence reports, the eight beasts were all guarding Xiongzhou and hadn’t left the city.

Meanwhile, Fan Li also received a report from Great Ming.

The three remaining fiends, Qiongqi, Taotie, and Taowu, had also been summoned by Li Yu to defend Hongzhou.

Strange.

If just their summons and mechanical beasts were this terrifying, why were Shi Jingtang and Li Yu staying within their cities and not actively conquering?