In the end, driven by interests, they seemed to have reached some consensus. A new storm surrounding the north-south situation and Court power, like the dark clouds before a storm, was quietly brewing.

…

…

At the Old Port in the south, the sea breeze, carrying a salty and humid scent, blew into Xu Qing's face, ruffling his hair.

He stood at a high point in the port, gazing afar at the endless horizon. His deep gaze seemed to penetrate the vast ocean and see the boundless distance. The night wind gently swept past, rustling his robes, yet his eyes remained profoundly mysterious, as if harboring endless secrets.

Su Lianqing stood quietly beside him, like an orchid blossoming in the night, emitting a faint fragrance. She softly asked, "Young Master, what do you plan to do next?"

Her voice was gentle, like a nightingale.

Xu Qing's lips curved into a slight smile, a composed smile that seemed to dispel all the world's gloom. He said calmly, "Although the Black Mountain demon has temporarily retreated, he will not give up so easily. We must make thorough preparations next."

Su Lianqing nodded, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes, like dark clouds covering her heart: "The Black Mountain demon's strength is unfathomable. Are you confident in dealing with him when he returns?"

Xu Qing gently shook his head, saying lightly, "The Black Mountain demon is indeed powerful, but he is not invincible. As long as we can find his weakness, we have a chance to defeat him."

At these words, Su Lianqing's eyes flickered with doubt, like stars twinkling in the night sky: "Have you already found his weakness, Young Master?"

Xu Qing smiled slightly, a mysterious and profound light flickering in his eyes, like a meteor streaking across the night sky: "Though the Black Mountain demon is strong, he has a fatal flaw — he is too arrogant. He thinks he controls everything, yet he is unaware that there are many forces in this world that he cannot control."

Su Lianqing nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "What do you mean, Young Master?"

Xu Qing did not answer directly but looked up at the night sky, where stars twinkled like countless eyes watching the world. He said lightly, "Heavenly secrets cannot be divulged."

Within him, in the bronze mirror, a barely perceptible flame flickered, but Xu Qing had already seen through it.

He knew deeply that it was something left on him by the Black Mountain demon.

Xu Qing did not rush to eliminate this hidden danger.

Heavenly Demon Transformation is Xu Qing's greatest trump card.

The old demon came to him willingly, and naturally, Xu Qing wanted to seize this rare opportunity.

Of course, perhaps this was also bait deliberately left by the old demon.

But who is the one fishing, only the outcome will reveal.

The struggle with such an existence as the Black Mountain demon gave Xu Qing enormous motivation to move forward.

Of course, there is another deep, unfathomable opponent in this cosmic game, one that is both an enemy and a friend, and that is...

…

…

While Xu Qing and Su Lianqing were talking, at the Palace in Yingtian Prefecture — Yannian Palace.

The main hall was brightly lit. The old Emperor was sitting on a dragon-carved, phoenix-painted jade bed, gently playing with a simple jade pendant in his hand.

This jade pendant seemed ordinary, yet it seemed to carry the rise and fall of the Dynasty.

His gaze was deep and distant, as if seeing through the jade pendant into a far-off future, to the shifting dynamics of the Court.

"Your Majesty, Prince Yu has been active recently. Should we impose some restrictions?" Chen Zhong knelt down below, his figure appearing particularly fierce in the dim light.

Since taking on the task of suppressing the Crown Prince, Chen Zhong knew he had no way out.

Now that it was a situation of do or die, he could only act against reason.

Currently, in South Zhili, Chen Zhong struck fear in the entire Court.

He knew that only by doing so could he have a slim chance of survival.

He never thought of betraying Your Majesty, because now he had seen just the tip of Your Majesty's power, and just this was enough to be terrifying.

No matter what, Your Majesty, who holds the supreme throne, is the one most likely to laugh last.

The old Emperor's lips curved into a slight smile, like a crescent moon in the night, carrying endless meaning. He said indifferently, "No need. Though he's impatient, in the end, he's my son. I want to see what waves he can stir."

Hearing this, Chen Zhong dared not say more, only bowing his head and responding, "Yes, Your Majesty."

His voice was low, as if afraid to disturb the peaceful night.

The old Emperor waved his hand, indicating for Chen Zhong to withdraw. Once Chen Zhong left, the old Emperor slowly stood, walked to the front of the steps, and gazed into the distant night sky. The moon cast a cold light, illuminating the entire Imperial Palace.

A complex expression flitted across his eyes, as if contemplating the chessboard of the world.

"Royal Brother, there's no need to appear in my dreams anymore. Rest assured, this world will always belong to our family."

Long after, the old Emperor murmured softly.

It was as if filled with endless lament, yet also with the apathy and heartlessness of an Emperor.

More like a deep, unfathomable chess master, watching everything unfold.

…

…

Underneath Changbai Mountain, on the magma.

A dark figure slowly emerged, like a supreme Demon Lord born from dark nothingness.

The lava beneath him calmed and submitted.

"Xu Qing..."

The Black Mountain demon muttered, chilling to the bone.

He then waved his hand, and a black flame ignited in his palm, like a Karmic Fire from Hell, filled with boundless destructive aura.

"The Innate Divine Fire Spell has been planted, you will help me capture 'Him', won't you?"

The Black Mountain demon's voice echoed in the cave, cold and eerie, as if to freeze everything in the world.

In his eyes, countless heavenly secrets seemed to flash by.

This top-tier expert standing at humanity's peak appeared to know everything deeply.

He knew well that this cosmic game was gradually reaching its climax.

Whether it was Xu Qing, or the old Emperor, both were carefully plotting in the shadows.

…

…

On the Northern Grassland, the wind howling and yellow sand filling the sky, Murong Grandmaster rode a tall black warhorse, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's, coldly watching the Nine Border Defense Line ahead.

Behind him, the endless grassland cavalry, their warhorses neighing, long knives glinting coldly in the sunlight, their morale high, like a pack of beasts about to pounce.

"Men, today we break through the Central Plains and raise the might of our grassland!" Murong Grandmaster raised his arm, his voice like a mighty bell echoing through the sky.

With his command, the grassland army surged forward like a tide, the hoofbeats shaking the earth.

The defenders of the Nine Border Towns hastily responded, yet faced with the grassland army's frenzied attack, they gradually grew weary. Arrows rained down from the walls, but the grassland cavalry, with their agile tactics and fearless bravery, swiftly broke through one defense line after another.

"What is going on? Why is the defense line so easily breached?" General Yu roared in anxious anger. He vaguely sensed that there might be forces in the Capital secretly colluding with the grassland, dealing a fatal blow to the defenders for their own interests at this critical moment.

News spread like lightning to the Capital that in just a few days, the grassland army had broken through Yunzhou's defenses and was charging towards the Capital at full speed.

The news hit the Capital like lightning, making Prince Yu's expression extremely ugly.

He had originally thought he could use the grassland army to pressure the old Emperor and consolidate his position, but now Murong Grandmaster's ambitions were so grand that he directly approached the Capital.

"How dare Murong Grandmaster do this!" Prince Yu roared in fury.

He knew well that once the Capital was breached, the consequences would be dire.

"No need to panic, Your Highness," Teacher said calmly, as if he had long foreseen everything unfolding now.

Prince Yu: "Teacher, what should we do now?"

Teacher: "Your Highness, this is a great opportunity to win people's hearts."

"I'm all over the place, please instruct me, Teacher."

"There's no other option but to guard the nation's gates as Regent, to die for the land; it depends on Your Highness."

…

…

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