The Capital of Jiang Country

A few days later, at the grand entrance of the Royal Capital of Jiang Country.

“Wow! This is the capital city of our Jiang Country! It’s truly magnificent!”

Several individuals, clad in black cloaks, their faces obscured by veils and masks, emerged at the grand entrance.

There was no need for a second glance; these were, of course, Yan Yun and her companions, who had departed from Mount Liuyang.

She had declared that before she departed, she must thoroughly deal with the Lin family; otherwise, she would find no peace of mind.

“Pavilion Master, surely now you can tell us the purpose of our visit to the Royal Capital?”

One of the masked youths inquired, his voice tinged with curiosity.

From the sound, it was likely Mu Wenjie.

“We’re undertaking a significant endeavor, one that might startle you all,” Yan Yun replied. “However, this matter is purely personal, so you need only observe.”

After their brief exchange, the group strolled leisurely into the city.

The prosperity of this Royal Capital far surpassed that of Qifeng City, by countless magnitudes; the two were simply not in the same league.

Upon entering the Royal Capital, Yan Yun and her four companions did not wander aimlessly but instead proceeded directly to the Purple Abyss Pavilion’s branch office.

“Welcome to Purple Abyss Pavilion. How may I assist you?” Many cultivators moved in and out of the Purple Abyss Pavilion, with quite a few among them having successfully cultivated poison techniques.

As the five entered, they cast a glance at the busy Purple Abyss Pavilion disciples.

This branch of the Purple Abyss Pavilion in the Royal Capital was personally managed by disciples of the Yunhua Sect’s Purple Abyss Pavilion.

Yan Yun and her companions approached the counter, where she subtly lifted her veil and offered a greeting.

“It’s me.”

The female disciple, recognizing Yan Yun, nearly cried out in surprise, but Yan Yun promptly silenced her.

“Oh, esteemed guests, please follow me this way.” The disciple instantly understood Yan Yun’s unspoken meaning and swiftly led her to a private room.

Once inside, Yan Yun and her group finally removed their masks, veils, and hats.

“Greetings, Pavilion Master! How—how did you come in person? Weren’t you participating in an event on Mount Liuyang?” the female disciple asked, her voice trembling with excitement.

This female disciple, responsible for the Royal Capital’s Purple Abyss Pavilion, was named Mei Xuan.

“Mei Xuan,” Yan Yun stated simply, “our plan has begun.”

Upon hearing this, Mei Xuan’s face instantly lit up with surprise and delight.

“Is that so? Pavilion Master, that’s wonderful! We can finally stop enduring such humiliation and disdain.”

Yan Yun had long contemplated establishing a force composed solely of poison cultivators, a matter she had previously discussed with her trusted confidants in the Purple Abyss Pavilion.

She had instructed them to be prepared at all times.

Yan Yun harbored no fears of their betrayal, for their path to advancement—their very lifelines—lay entirely within her grasp.

These were individuals who had struggled to master poison cultivation, only recently stepping into the world of cultivation. They understood implicitly that in this realm, only Yan Yun could lead them further. To betray her, even if Yan Yun did not kill them, would condemn them to a lifetime of stagnation.

“For now, you cannot come with me,” she explained. “I will lead Sister Wen Meng and the others as pioneers. Once we’ve established a foothold, I will notify you, and those who wish to join can come at any time.”

These words momentarily brought disappointment to Mei Xuan, yet she understood.

“Understood, Pavilion Master. These are the items prepared according to your instructions.”

Mei Xuan promptly retrieved a storage ring from her person.

Yan Yun took the ring from Mei Xuan and glanced inside, finding mountains of medicinal ingredients and an immense quantity of spirit stones.

The spirit stones alone likely numbered in the tens of millions, having been drawn from various Purple Abyss Pavilion branches over the years—funds that could be understood as not part of the overt revenue sharing.

“And one more thing,” Yan Yun added, “you were tasked with monitoring the Lin family in the Royal Capital. What is their current situation?”

Mei Xuan responded, “A few days ago, Family Head Lin Xiong returned from Mount Liuyang with their family disciples. Since their return, the entire family has been under a virtual lockdown.”

Yan Yun surmised that the incident orchestrated by Lieyang Gate had likely terrified them.

She had a premonition that the Lin family would soon put their plan into action, and Yan Yun had no intention of letting them succeed.

“I understand, Mei Xuan. Can you contact King Jiang? I need to see him, and it’s imperative that no one else knows of our meeting.”

Mei Xuan was momentarily stunned. Although she didn’t know why Yan Yun wished to see King Jiang, given their Yunhua Sect’s connections, arranging an audience with him would not be difficult.

“Immediately?” Mei Xuan inquired.

“Yes, the sooner the better—ideally today,” Yan Yun replied. “We cannot linger in the Royal Capital for too long; I will depart immediately after completing my tasks.”

Mei Xuan then gestured for Yan Yun to wait, and she promptly went to make the arrangements.

Approximately a few minutes later, Mei Xuan returned.

“Pavilion Master, the arrangements have been made. You may take this pass token to the palace gates at any time, and someone will lead you to His Majesty.”

Yan Yun accepted the token from Mei Xuan, then addressed Wen Meng and the others.

“Wait for me here; do not wander about, lest you draw unwanted attention.”

Wen Meng and her companions nodded repeatedly.

Yan Yun, clutching the token, donned her veil once more and, guided by Mei Xuan, proceeded to the palace gates.

The Jiang Country’s royal palace was, in essence, a city within a city, and equally magnificent.

Within the gates, over twenty Cavern Heaven Realm soldiers stood guard, while a Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator patrolled back and forth at the entrance.

As the black-robed figure approached, the cultivator immediately raised a hand.

“This is a vital area of the royal palace; unauthorized entry is forbidden.”

Yan Yun immediately produced the token, prompting the Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator to quickly adopt a respectful demeanor.

“Ah, a distinguished guest has arrived. I have been expecting you.”

Following his words, Yan Yun entered the palace with the cultivator. The royal complex was exceptionally austere and remarkably quiet, with only a few palace maids and imperial concubines occasionally seen moving about.

The two proceeded directly, eventually arriving at the entrance of the grand hall where King Jiang conducted his affairs.

“Your Majesty, the guest has arrived,” the Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator announced respectfully from the hall’s entrance.

King Jiang, who was in the midst of handling state affairs, immediately looked towards the entrance.

“Yes, let them enter.”

Only then did Yan Yun slowly step inside.

Upon entering, she observed King Jiang; he was undoubtedly a very busy man, with several thick stacks of memorials covering his desk.

This clearly indicated that being a king was by no means an easy task.

“Greetings, Your Majesty,” Yan Yun said, offering a respectful bow to King Jiang.

King Jiang glanced at Yan Yun, then casually inquired, “Might I ask what urgent matter brings your esteemed sect to seek an audience with this sovereign, and with such secrecy?”

Yan Yun did not waste words; instead, she raised her hand and produced the scroll that Bai Zhihua had given her.

“Your Majesty, once you peruse this item, you will understand my purpose.”

King Jiang paused for a moment, then, with a wave of his hand, drew the scroll from Yan Yun’s grasp, unfurled it, and cast his eyes upon it.

With that single glance, King Jiang’s expression instantly darkened. The temperature within the grand hall seemed to plunge to zero degrees, and a heavy, oppressive aura diffused from the King’s person, causing Yan Yun herself to feel a constriction in her breath.

“All of you, withdraw,” King Jiang commanded, taking a deep breath to stabilize his emotions, while simultaneously dismissing all the female officials attending him.

Once they had exited, the heavy doors of the grand hall slammed shut with a resounding thud.

This scene immediately piqued the suspicion of a guard stationed outside.

However, the moment the doors closed, even a Great Perfection Divine Venerable cultivator would find it impossible to penetrate the hall and discern what was happening within.

“Young lady, where did you obtain this information? This is no trifling matter,” King Jiang questioned.

Yan Yun removed her hat and veil, then looked towards King Jiang.

Upon seeing Yan Yun’s face, King Jiang was greatly surprised.

“It’s you? The successor of the Heavenly Poison Maiden?” King Jiang recognized Yan Yun with a single glance.

Yan Yun bowed once more to King Jiang.

“Yan Yun greets Your Majesty. This junior must express her gratitude for your assistance in the past; otherwise, I fear I would not be able to stand before you today.”

King Jiang shook his head.

“There’s no need for such elaborate courtesy; this sovereign merely acted for the stability of Jiang Country. Young Lady Yan,” King Jiang said calmly, “I truly did not anticipate that after your disappearance from Mount Liuyang, you would resurface here, bringing such weighty news. Tell me, where did this information come from?”

Yan Yun did not conceal anything.

“Your Majesty, as you know, I harbor an irreconcilable enmity with the Lin family,” she explained. “Naturally, I must constantly observe them and secretly gather intelligence. This particular piece of information was acquired at a high price from the Qianjin Pavilion, through the Hundred Scholars.”

King Jiang immediately examined the scroll. It bore a distinctive mark that he recognized; this indeed originated from the Hundred Scholars.

Given this, the contents of the scroll could not possibly be false.

For the intelligence sold by the Hundred Scholars had never once proven erroneous.

“Alas!” King Jiang sighed heavily, profound disappointment etched on his face. “This sovereign has tolerated the Lin family on numerous occasions, yet I never imagined they would ultimately betray my trust.”

“Your Majesty, the cancerous growth that is the Lin family cannot simply vanish on its own,” Yan Yun added. “Were it not for their machinations, I would not be where I am today. I would have long since left Jiang Country to pursue my development within the Dao Alliance, thereby avoiding any further disturbances here.”

To King Jiang, Yan Yun was indeed a source of trouble; as long as she remained in Jiang Country, it would never know peace.

“This sovereign understands your meaning now,” King Jiang responded. “You have been wronged, and I know that this ‘merit’ was not your original intention. Tell me, then: you have presented this great gift to me, so what assistance do you require from this sovereign?” King Jiang, naturally, could discern that Yan Yun harbored her own objectives.

Upon hearing these words, Yan Yun’s gaze instantly turned sharp and cold, her eyes brimming with killing intent.

“Your Majesty, this junior has no other demands,” she stated. “I only wish for Your Majesty to allow me to personally conclude my vendetta with the Lin family. Until the Lin family is eradicated, I cannot find peace.”

The Lin family was already doomed; even if Yan Yun did not act, King Jiang would undoubtedly uproot them.

“Very well, this sovereign agrees to your request. Do you require my assistance?” King Jiang assented after only a slight hesitation.

“Your Majesty, I only require your help in sealing off the Lin family,” Yan Yun declared. “The rest, I shall handle myself.”

Yan Yun’s own strength might not be sufficient to annihilate the Lin family, but the potent treasures she possessed certainly were.

“Understood.”

King Jiang agreed.

After speaking, Yan Yun turned and departed.

The moment she left, King Jiang’s face contorted into an expression of ruthless resolve.

“Consort Lin, oh, Consort Lin,” he murmured, “the bond between this sovereign and you ultimately ends here.”

King Jiang would certainly need to verify the truth of Yan Yun’s words. The doors of the grand hall opened once more, but simultaneously, King Jiang vanished from his throne.

When he reappeared, he was already at the entrance of Consort Lin’s bedchambers.