Chapter 370

Chapter 370: Like a Tiger Gaining Wings

With the moon-returning dragon smoothing things over, Zhang Yang suppressed his dissatisfaction. He reminded Yan Chihuo that if another ambush involving a sage occurred, the Crimson Flame Dynasty would bear full responsibility.

Yan Chihuo responded with utmost humility.

Before long, the atmosphere lightened, and the group began to laugh and chat as if nothing had happened.

Under the leadership of Prince Yan Chihuo, they departed Liu Town and entered the imperial capital.

The capital was vibrant and alive, brimming with prosperity.

In preparation for the Conference of the Peak of Power, the Crimson Flame Dynasty had made extensive arrangements. A brand-new residence had been constructed for them, not far from the palace.

The representatives from the Vast Forest and the Cold Moon Dynasty were situated on the same street, each occupying one of two luxurious buildings.

Zhang Yang’s group was assigned to Bi Tian Pavilion.

The moon-returning dragon and his companions were housed in Zi Tian Pavilion.

The two pavilions were separated by only a wall, an arrangement that spoke to the friendly relations between the two groups.

After escorting them, Yan Chihuo took his leave, explaining that he had many affairs to attend to. Before departing, he specifically reminded Zhang Yang and the moon-returning dragon of a treasure-seeking banquet that would be held that evening, inviting them to attend if they were interested.

With only the two groups remaining, they gathered inside Bi Tian Pavilion.

Everyone sat together in a circle.

“Yan Chihuo’s attitude was quite good,” Zhang Yang remarked.

The moon-returning dragon smiled and said, “Brother Yan has always been courteous. But to be honest, Brother Zhang, your youth makes it difficult for those saints, who have lived for hundreds or even thousands of years—to willingly bow their heads to you. It’s somewhat understandable.”

Zhang Yang frowned. “I suppose I haven’t slain enough saints yet. If I take down a few more, let’s see if they still cling to their pride.”

The members of the Cold Moon Dynasty, moon-returning dragon, Gu Qianmu, and Liu Yuewu were stunned by his words.

Was slaying saints a joke to him?

But then again, they vividly recalled the Battle at Heavenly Reaching Mountain, where nine saints had fallen to Zhang Yang’s hand. At the time, they had hidden at a distance, merely watching.

“By the way,” Zhang Yang continued, “the Crimson Flame Dynasty has someone named Night Jiuli. Do you know him, Brother Yue?”

The moon-returning dragon nodded. “Yes. Before you arrived, Yan Chihuo told me about Cold Thief Tian’s conflict with Night Jiuli. To prevent any clashes, they’ve arranged for Night Jiuli to enter secluded cultivation in the inner palace. He probably won’t emerge for three to five years.”

Demon Sword Yi’s eyes lit up. He slapped the table and burst into hearty laughter.

Did this mean he might finally be free of his identity as a lackey?

He had guessed right.

The Cold Moon Dynasty members stared at him like he was a madman, but Demon Sword Yi didn’t care. He continued laughing in excitement.

“Don’t mind him,” Zhang Yang said. “He’s half-crazy. If he doesn’t go mad at least once a day, he gets uncomfortable.” Then, switching topics, he asked, “Has anyone from the Taixu Dynasty arrived?”

Since entering the Western Desert, the Taixu Dynasty could not be ignored.

The two factions were sworn enemies, locked in a life-and-death struggle.

The moon-returning dragon answered, “Jin Liuli arrived with the Hunters’ Guild. This time, the Hunters’ Guild has officially aligned itself with the Taixu Dynasty. In the past, there were only suspicions, but this is the first time they’ve made it so explicit.”

“Just the Hunters’ Guild?” Zhang Yang asked.

“On the surface, yes,” the moon-returning dragon replied. “But in secret? Who knows. The Taixu Dynasty’s strength is vast. Even after suffering heavy losses, they still far surpass all the forces of the Sacred Dynasty.”

As he spoke, he suddenly thought of something and pulled two glowing beads from his pocket, one large and one small. He handed the smaller one to Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang looked at it, puzzled.

The moon-returning dragon explained, “This is a set of mother-and-child beads, a sacred treasure developed through three generations of our Cold Moon Dynasty’s saints. The child bead, when activated with true essence, can suppress any opponent below the saint level to the same realm as the holder. The mother bead can suppress opponents below saint level to two minor realms lower than the holder, within a ten-meter radius.”

“When used together, the beads can momentarily suppress even a saint, but if the saint’s strength is too overwhelming, even that may not be enough. In such a case, the effect lasts only for three breaths of time. This has been tested by our own saints.”

“This is the very first set we’ve completed. The materials are extremely rare, and we are still gathering resources for a second set, which we hope to create as a backup treasure for our dynasty.”

“I admit my strength is far below yours, Brother Zhang. I’ll keep the mother bead for myself. The child bead, I will give it to you for self-defense.”

Zhang Yang stared at the child bead in disbelief.

It was a priceless artifact.

The moon-returning dragon was right, this set could be considered a foundational treasure of a dynasty.

And he had given half of it to Zhang Yang.

The Cold Moon Dynasty had only this one set, and it wasn’t even certain they could make another.

“Brother Yue…” Zhang Yang began to speak, but the moon-returning dragon interrupted with a laugh.

“Brother Zhang, back on Star Tiger Mountain, you gave me three sacred weapons once wielded by the Golden Moon Saint, and you handed over the list of spies within the Hunters’ Guild. During the Battle at Heavenly Reaching Mountain, you alone helped the Cold Moon Dynasty escape a deadly situation. Such great kindness, I cannot repay. If I offer you just a single bead and you refuse it, then you clearly do not regard me, the moon-returning dragon, as a friend.”

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Zhang Yang nodded slightly.

Only then did the moon-returning dragon finally smile.

This one child bead, which could suppress others to Zhang Yang’s level, was in his hands, like giving wings to a tiger. He had yet to encounter a true opponent at his own level. Even the Seventh Prince had barely managed to hold his ground.

Afterward, they discussed many topics, focusing particularly on the current situation in the Western Desert. The moon-returning dragon had Gu Qianmu explain the details, allowing Zhang Yang to gain a clearer understanding.

In the end, both parties agreed to attend the treasure-seeking banquet that night, and the moon-returning dragon departed with his group.

In Bi Tian Pavilion, only the five of them remained, along with the Ironback Blue Bull.

The Ironback Blue Bull had already found a spot and settled down for a deep sleep.

With just the five of them left, Demon Sword Yi suddenly burst out, shouting with excitement, “Haha! I’m finally free! Zhang Yang, you didn’t see this coming, did you? Haha, I’m free! I want to celebrate I’m going to invite a whole crowd to congratulate me!”

Laughing hysterically, he bolted out of the pavilion.

Zhang Yang hadn’t expected the Crimson Flame Dynasty to hide away Night Jiuli. This move made it truly impossible for Cold Thief Tian to seek revenge.

However, Cold Thief Tian remained calm and said, “Lord of the Sacred Forest, there’s no rush for this matter.”

Zhang Yang nodded, knowing that patience was key.

Cold Thief Tian and Tiger Howl Wind had both traveled extensively through the Crimson Flame Dynasty and had some acquaintances there. They wanted to visit their friends, and before they left, Zhang Yang made sure to remind them to keep a low profile and avoid revealing their identities. This was a hard-learned lesson from having been ambushed by a sage shortly after their arrival.

Both men nodded in agreement and departed.

Back in the room, only Zhang Yang and Bing Yuyan remained.

Their gazes unconsciously drifted toward the mother-and-child bead once more.

Zhang Yang asked, “Do you still suspect him?”

“Since his arrival, I’ve been using a special secret technique to monitor him,” Bing Yuyan replied, shaking her head. “Even the slightest shift in emotion would trigger it. But I haven’t detected anything unusual. I can rule him out now.”

She paused, then continued, “But my deepest suspicions still lie with the Cold Moon Dynasty. The dark aura from the mine couldn’t have been produced without the presence of a saint from their side who possesses the ancestral bloodline. If we want to uncover the real culprit, the moon-returning dragon remains our most likely lead.”