Chapter Forty-One: Deliberations

After a short while, the dragon scales on Gongsun Yan’s body gradually faded, her aura subsiding as well, returning to the mid-stage Purple Mansion level.

“Wake up!”

As soon as she opened her eyes, she barked a cold command at Tu Lu.

Tu Lu shuddered violently, his body trembling as he snapped instantly to full awareness.

“What was that just now—?”

“That was the memory and insight of the Seven-Colored Dragon. It will be of great use to you when you break through to Purple Mansion or even Divine Transformation in the future. But now is not the time for you to slowly comprehend it!”

As she spoke, a golden radiance suddenly burst forth from Gongsun Yan. A suit of soft armor materialized upon her, giving her the appearance of a valkyrie.

“Well? How does it look?” Gongsun Yan spun in place, her head held high as she posed the question.

Tu Lu was momentarily stunned, but quickly regained his senses and hurriedly replied, “My lord, your martial bearing is unparalleled. This soft armor seems as though it was made just for you.”

“Haha!” Gongsun Yan laughed aloud, “Flattery is wasted on me, but you are quite right—this treasure was indeed made for me. Still, you have contributed, so I shall grant you a special favor: you and your shop’s people are allowed to leave Divine Wind City!”

Hearing these words, Tu Lu was overjoyed.

“But…” Gongsun Yan’s tone stretched out, “I permit you to leave, but not right now. From today on, you will follow me. When I decide it is time for you to go, I will open the gate of space myself and send you away!”

Tu Lu’s expression stiffened.

Yet he quickly understood. The inscription art of the Nine Dragon Mark was a spatial thrust. With Gongsun Yan’s cultivation and the combined effect of nineteen inscribed treasures, perhaps she truly could carry others through the void.

“Enough, it’s time for the counterattack. I’ve invited the chief stewards of Heavenly Dragon Pavilion, Trade Market, and Immortal Pavilion to discuss our plans. You’ll come with me.”

Without waiting for Tu Lu to reply, Gongsun Yan swept him out of the secret chamber with a wave of her hand. In an instant, they appeared in the grand hall of her residence.

Gongsun Yan walked directly to the central high seat and settled herself, while Tu Lu, still dizzy from the abrupt movement, found himself standing at her side.

The representatives of Heavenly Dragon Pavilion, Trade Market, and Immortal Pavilion had not yet arrived. Not even the Azure-Faced Tiger or Leopard were present. The hall was cold and empty, not a single servant in sight.

“This is my residence’s main hall,” Gongsun Yan remarked, unbothered. “The rockery you saw last time is my private quarters.”

“City Lord!” Tu Lu suddenly couldn’t help but speak.

“What is it you wish to say?” Gongsun Yan narrowed her eyes.

A chill ran down Tu Lu’s spine, but having started, he forced himself to continue, “City Lord, are we truly going to counterattack? If I may speak frankly, I believe… The front line is already exhausting all resources just to slow the beast tide. Even so, our checkpoints continue to fall. Even with your refining of nineteen inscribed treasures, the enemy still has a Primal Beast. And reinforcements from Azure Profundity Prefecture have not—”

“They will not come.”

Tu Lu froze as Gongsun Yan abruptly cut him off, a sudden chill seeping into his heart.

She glanced at him, then smiled lightly, “Divine Wind City has always been independent. Here, I am the sole ruler. Even Azure Profundity Prefecture cannot impose its will on me. So why should I invite them in?

Let me be honest: I did not send for Azure Profundity’s help, nor did I allow any messages to escape—I even activated the grand formation to ensure the news of the beast tide would not spread. At this point, not only Azure Profundity, but even the neighboring towns likely have no idea what’s happening.”

Hearing this, Tu Lu felt a coldness settle in his heart. He had thought he was beginning to understand Gongsun Yan, but now he realized he still could not fathom her.

Did she truly refuse to call for help simply to maintain her own absolute authority in Divine Wind City, unwilling to be subject to Azure Profundity Prefecture, and thus neither informed them nor abandoned the city?

It was too absurd.

The enemy had a Primal Beast! A Primal Beast was a being beyond Ancient Beasts, its intelligence equal to that of humans. The gap between it and the Purple Mansion Realm was as great as that between Purple Mansion and Body Tempering!

Even for someone like himself, who could fight at the peak of the Ocean-Filling stage and had many tricks up his sleeve, he doubted he could escape from a Purple Mansion cultivator, let alone confront one.

And Gongsun Yan was only at mid-stage Purple Mansion herself!

It would be like asking him, at the initial Ocean-Filling or even the peak Mountain-Moving stage, to challenge Gongsun Yan—it was sheer madness!

Before he could speak again, two men entered through the main doors.

One was tall, the other short, both dressed in luxurious robes. One had a long beard, the other a face thick with flesh, his eyes nearly swallowed by it so that his pupils were barely visible.

“So it’s Fellow Daoists Hua and Fang from the Trade Market! Please, please, have a seat!” Gongsun Yan’s eyes lit up as she laughed.

“Hmph! Thank you for your concern, City Lord. May I ask why you have summoned us? The Trade Market is but a humble bazaar, not fit for your machinations. We are preparing to withdraw,” Fang Zicheng replied peevishly.

“We’ll discuss that later. The representatives from Heavenly Dragon Pavilion and Immortal Pavilion haven’t arrived yet—there’s no rush.” Gongsun Yan waved a dismissive hand, unconcerned.

Though the two stewards from the Trade Market clearly looked displeased, they dared not protest openly. Silently, they found seats to the side of the hall.

Divine Wind City had been locked down for nearly a month now, with heavy casualties among cultivators each day. The Trade Market’s goods had long been in short supply with no way to replenish them. Resentment simmered among the people. If not for the overwhelming pressure of Gongsun Yan’s cultivation, a riot would likely have broken out already.

Tu Lu, however, felt extremely uneasy. The two stewards from the Trade Market had not taken their eyes off him since sitting down, their gazes heavy with pressure.

He was currently in the guise of Lu Tu, and the trouble he had stirred up in Divine Wind City made him a thorn in the side of the Trade Market.

Lost in anxious thought—

“Wang greets City Lord Gongsun. For what purpose have you called us together?”

“Haha, surely you’re not planning a real assault on the demon beasts?”

Two voices sounded from outside. One of them was so familiar to Tu Lu that he instantly recognized it as Wang Daozong. The other was less familiar.

“Heavenly Dragon Pavilion’s Wang Daozong and Immortal Pavilion’s Zhou Tianhua!” Fang Zicheng and Hua Tianxiong’s brows furrowed deeply when they saw the two men.

At this moment, they least wanted to see these two.

Though Immortal Pavilion, Trade Market, and Heavenly Dragon Pavilion were all major powers in Divine Wind City, there was a world of difference in the forces backing them. Heavenly Dragon Pavilion was backed by the continent’s premier merchant alliance, the Heavenly Dragon Society. Immortal Pavilion was supported by the South Heaven Kingdom’s top sect, the Immortal Dao Sect—a true giant. The Trade Market, by contrast, was merely a branch of the Banner Cloud Chamber of Commerce within Azure Profundity Prefecture.

Though the three held similar sway within Divine Wind City, their true resources were far from equal. Immortal Pavilion recruited talent but rarely clashed with them, while Heavenly Dragon Pavilion was a direct competitor. Yet, in this crisis, they had to admit: even if Divine Wind City fell, Heavenly Dragon Pavilion could still walk away with confidence, possibly even avoiding the Primal Beast. Immortal Pavilion had a fair chance as well. Only the Trade Market had no such assurance.

“Very well, now that everyone is present, let us begin our council.” Gongsun Yan rose and spoke in a clear voice:

“Trade Market, I want you to provide the Heavenly Dao Array. Immortal Pavilion, I want your Grand Ark. Heavenly Dragon Pavilion, I want you to deploy the Dragon Soul’s Lament. What say you, gentlemen?”