Chapter 109: Undercurrents
Chapter 109: Undercurrents
With Diwu Qianqian’s departure, the brief chaos on this side quickly subsided.
Everyone was very angry, but what everyone was more concerned about was what exactly happened?
Diwu Qianqian ran over to Ling Yi’s place in the middle of the night to chat? And they chatted all night?
First thing in the morning, people from the State Preceptor’s Mansion and the secret agency of Great Chu barged in for no reason… Someone who didn’t know better might think they were there to catch someone having an affair.
Even though Qin State’s intelligence capabilities here were limited, Qin Hao, Gu Tong, chief envoy Qi Gaofeng, and others still received news that something had happened in the royal capital of Chu State.
Stringing all these together, things became rather complicated.
It was likely related to Ling Yi.
Everyone was smart; no one asked too many questions.
During breakfast, someone came to Qi Gaofeng’s side to report.
Qi Gaofeng pondered thoughtfully for a moment.
Then he looked at Ling Yi and said, “Tonight, Lu Qingming will host a banquet at his residence, inviting all the diplomatic missions. It’s said the Monarch of Chu State will also attend. They specifically requested to invite you and Luo Xue, saying it’s because of the previous misunderstanding that caused Miss Luo Xue grievance, and they want to apologize to her in person.”
“Apologize in person? How absurd, are they really shameless?”
A member of the mission said indignantly.
“What face do they have left to care about? From the moment we arrived, less than a day, look at all these incidents… Can’t you see?”
“Yes, they lost their face long ago!”
“We shouldn’t go along with their wishes. Ling Yi isn’t even an important member of the mission, why should he go just because they called for him?”
“Right, we can’t go so easily!”
Several mission members spoke up one after another.
Everyone knew this was no ordinary feast, not to mention that from the very beginning, Ling Yi had been a target.
As comrades on the same side, naturally no one wanted anything bad to happen to Ling Yi.
Qi Gaofeng looked at Ling Yi, seeking his opinion.
Ling Yi smiled: “The host is warm and hospitable; as guests, we should naturally follow the host’s lead. Otherwise, wouldn’t we be wasting their good intentions?”
The group of mission members all looked speechless; this guy truly had no fear of death!
Actually, if it were an ordinary person, they wouldn’t have dared to come from Qin State in the first place.
Knowing full well that a powerful, high-ranking mortal enemy was here, who would dare come so easily?
But this guy not only came, but also stirred up trouble in the royal capital of Chu State as soon as he arrived. Truly worthy of being the fierce warrior who dared to kill Zhao Tianping in public.
As for the bloody night in the Imperial Garden, those without sufficient status or position didn’t know the inside story.
Otherwise, they would only be even more shocked.
Qi Gaofeng thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
In some ways, he and Lu Qingming had similar speculations.
That wave of Beast Tide caused immeasurable losses across the seven nations of the continent. Even with sect experts intervening, the losses everywhere were still severe.
Only Spring City!
That not-so-large city in Qin State not only emerged unscathed, but the demon beast army that rushed through the Spatial Rift was almost completely wiped out!
That dazzling Blue Light had already spread throughout the world, becoming the biggest mystery in the hearts of countless people.
Although Qi Gaofeng held a high position of power, he too was deeply curious about this matter.
And he sincerely hoped it was related to Ling Yi.
From all indications, it really did seem to be connected to Ling Yi.
So, perhaps Heaven was protecting Great Qin…
It was fated that Great Qin’s national fortune would persist, and eventually turn from misfortune to blessing!
Lu Qingming’s residence.
Diwu Qianqian looked furious, like a irritable little leopard: “What’s the meaning of this? Is it fun to watch me make a fool of myself? You’ve been avoiding me since I came back this morning. Now you must explain yourself clearly to me!”
Lu Qingming looked tired and somewhat helplessly at his willful junior sister. In a serious tone, he said, “It’s not about watching you make a fool of yourself; it’s because something major happened. And I wasn’t avoiding you; it’s just that from last night until now, I’ve been constantly busy.”
Diwu Qianqian sneered: “I didn’t want to say anything before, but don’t think I don’t understand anything. You’re at the Peak Dao-Entry level, incredibly powerful. Ling Yi is just a young man who just graduated from college. What threat could he possibly pose to you?”
“You already killed his Adoptive Father, and the means you used weren’t honorable either. Don’t lecture me about nations or the grand situation of the world. I don’t understand those things. When I act, I only question my own heart! I just know that what you did was dishonorable and immoral.”
“You killed his father, and you still aren’t satisfied, you want to kill his son too. Even if you think he might threaten you in the future and want to wipe out the root, then just do it!”
“Who can defeat you, Grand State Preceptor Lu? You could very well kill him openly and aboveboard; he couldn’t resist anyway. Why use such methods to humiliate him?”
Lu Qingming frowned slightly. If anyone else spoke to him like this, he would have already lost his temper. But this junior sister… truly made him somewhat helpless.
“Qianqian, there are many things you don’t understand. That Ling Yi… he isn’t an ordinary worldly youth.”
Diwu Qianqian sneered coldly again: “Of course I don’t understand. I’m just a willful, ignorant child.”
“Listening to you, I went to see a man in the middle of the night, chatted with him all night, slept drooling using his leg as a pillow, and then had your people rush in to catch us! Such inscrutable, mysterious operations, how could a little child like me understand them?”
Lu Qingming remained silent for a moment, looking at Diwu Qianqian. He sighed softly and said, “Beneath the Royal Capital, there exists a massive Spirit Stone Vein.”
Diwu Qianqian stared at him coldly: “What’s that got to do with me?”
“That Spirit Stone Vein is also the Royal Capital’s Dragon Vein. One end is in the Imperial Palace; the other is right beneath our feet.”
Diwu Qianqian said flatly: “So what?”
“Listen to me,” Lu Qingming looked helplessly at the furious Diwu Qianqian. “Last night, this Spirit Stone Vein was completely drained.”
Diwu Qianqian was stunned for a moment, looking surprised: “How is that possible?”
Lu Qingming continued: “Yesterday afternoon, Ling Yi took Luo Xue shopping around a mall, acting suspiciously. When we searched there this morning, we found a hundred-meter-deep hole in the underground parking garage where Ling Yi and Luo Xue had been. After investigation, we found that’s where the culprit acted.”
Diwu Qianqian’s lips twitched slightly as she looked at Lu Qingming: “You’re saying… beneath the Royal Capital, there was a massive, enormous Spirit Stone Vein, also the Royal Capital’s Dragon Vein, and then someone completely drained its energy in a single night… and this matter… was Ling Yi’s doing?”
Lu Qingming shook his head: “The person who did it definitely couldn’t be him; he doesn’t have that capability. But this matter is absolutely related to him. The world doesn’t have that many coincidences.”
“So you had me go last night because you wanted to see if Ling Yi was in the hotel?” Diwu Qianqian looked at Lu Qingming, speechless.
Lu Qingming nodded frankly.
Diwu Qianqian broke out in a cold sweat. Whether it was the Spirit Stone Vein being drained in a night or the Royal Capital’s Dragon Vein being severed, these were undoubtedly major events.
But the problem was, trying to pin this squarely on Ling Yi was just too far-fetched, wasn’t it?
“So? You want to move against Ling Yi now, is that it?” She asked with a cold laugh.
What’s the use of all that high-sounding talk?
In the end, aren’t you still going to take action against him?
Lu Qingming shook his head: “Something like this, without solid evidence, isn’t easy to act on directly.”
Diwu Qianqian said: “You’re afraid of the terrifying entity hidden behind him, right?”
Lu Qingming glanced at her: “Qianqian, you cultivate the Dao of Supreme Detachment!”
Diwu Qianqian’s face remained expressionless: “Correct. But to do that, I must first understand what sentiment is. The person I’ve chosen is him.”
Lu Qingming immediately felt a deep headache. His junior sister was too special; he couldn’t hit or scold her. If he had known things would turn out like this, he would never have let her meet Ling Yi.
But now that things had come to this, there was no way to forcibly make her stay away from Ling Yi anymore.
Now he could only use someone else’s hand to kill.
He looked at Diwu Qianqian and said, “Senior brother told you all this with no other meaning. I just wanted to tell you that this morning’s incident wasn’t aimed at you. It disturbed you, and senior brother apologizes for that.”
Saying this, he gave a slight bow.
Diwu Qianqian pursed her lips, looking at him: “Do as you please. Master also told me that you walk the path of trickery. But I hope there won’t be a next time for something like this! What you do has nothing to do with me. But don’t use me again.”
Lu Qingming smiled: “Don’t worry, I definitely won’t. Also… regarding the Royal Capital’s Dragon Vein matter…”
Diwu Qianqian said: “I won’t speak of it.”
Lu Qingming nodded: “Tonight, I will host a banquet here, inviting the other six nations’ diplomatic missions and some good friends. Ling Yi will also bring Luo Xue then. You…”
Diwu Qianqian shot him a glance: “I’ll attend!”
Lu Qingming laughed bitterly in his heart. He thought, I’d rather you didn’t attend, okay?
…
In a villa in the Royal Capital’s top-tier villa area, a few people sat quietly. The atmosphere in the room was somewhat oppressive.
“What happened last night?” A lean, elderly man who looked to be around fifty, with a goatee, asked in a deep voice.
“Young Master, our people couldn’t find out much information, but we feel the matter won’t be small. Chu State’s people also barged into the Qin State Diplomatic Mission’s hotel this morning,” a man in his thirties said respectfully to the elder.
“The Qin State Diplomatic Mission?” The lean elder stroked the goatee on his chin, a cold, sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
“Yes, but Chu State’s people withdrew very quickly. It’s said that Ling Yi was involved in some improper relations with a girl from Grand Tutor Lu’s side over there…” the man in his thirties said.
“That’s a bit strange. Logically, Grand Tutor Lu is his greatest mortal enemy…” another person nearby mused.
“Hah, what’s strange about it? Things like recognizing a villain as one’s father have existed since ancient times,” someone sneered.
“Ling Yi doesn’t seem like the type to recognize a villain as his father. In Qin State, he dared to kill someone of much higher status and position than him in public. He has a fierce temperament.”
The old man with the goatee spoke: “Whoever he is, this time, he is definitely going to die.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the room immediately fell silent.
The old man with the goatee picked up a cigar, lit it, took a puff, and said calmly, “Daring to touch my woman, daring to kill our people—no matter who stands behind him, he can’t protect his life.”
The man in his thirties hesitated for a moment, then still said, “Young Master, I heard the Spring City Beast Tide incident… might be related to him.”
The goatee elder blew out a puff of smoke, a trace of disdain flashing in his eyes: “Haven’t you seen enough of this kind of thing where people desperately try to glorify themselves? A mere ordinary mortal, what qualification does he have to have any connection with such an existence? Many people guess the person in the Blue Light is a Primordial Spirit Realm great master. But in my opinion, even a Primordial Spirit Realm great master… might not have that kind of capability!”
The faces of the other few people all showed some surprise. They hadn’t expected their Young Master to hold the person in the Blue Light in such high regard.
“So, use your brains and think carefully. With such a huge gap, what possible connection could there be between them? It was just a coincidence, that’s all,” the goatee elder sneered. “But this guy is clever; he knows how to ride on someone else’s coattails. And he dares to come to Chu State, actually managing to intimidate even someone like Grand Tutor Lu. Haha, it’s really laughable.”
“Young Master makes sense. Even if Ling Yi has a few sect people protecting him from behind, so what? Would they dare challenge our Qingshan Sect?”
“Tonight at the banquet, we’ll bring back that Luo Xue woman who doesn’t know her place directly for Young Master.”
“Right, she really doesn’t know what’s good for her!”
“When the banquet ends, we’ll just take her away.”