Here is the translated text:
**Chapter 340: Old Loli, Hegemony (5000)**
On both sides of the hundred steps leading to the Tian He Hall in the Imperial Palace, dozens of Imperial Guards stood solemnly, holding their spears.
Dressed in a golden robe and wearing a phoenix coronet, Tong Zilan straightened her chest and walked step by step towards the hall entrance above, following Eunuch Qi.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning flashed across the residual clouds for thousands of li in the sky. This caused her to stop and turn. Above the Xing Tian Pavilion, a golden dragon suddenly appeared, coiled and glaring, exuding heavenly might.
Eunuch Qi also stopped, glanced up, and narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Saint Emperor Dragon Body? It seems the rumors from the marketplace a few days ago were true. The Queen actually found a descendant of the Saint Emperor to help. No wonder the Queen has the confidence to commit such treasonous acts…”
“But does the Queen think that this descendant of the Saint Emperor and the Demon Emperor are enough to contend with His Majesty? This idea is still a bit too naive…”
Tong Zilan glared at him and said with a smile:
“Eunuch Qi, considering you’ve been in the Imperial Sect for seven hundred years, I’ll give you a suggestion. If you kowtow and apologize to the servants of Chang Le Palace now, at least you’ll leave a whole corpse.”
“Heh heh… Your Majesty, please wait until you return alive from His Majesty’s presence before you say that to this humble servant. Please—”
Eunuch Qi interrupted with a smile, walked to the entrance of the Tian He Hall, and lightly knocked twice. After the Imperial Guards inside opened the door, he then led Tong Zilan into the grand hall.
Two rows of Imperial Guards stood solemnly on both sides of the imperial path. After twenty steps along the carpet, they were separated by a gauze curtain. Through the gauze curtain, a dim yellow candlelight faintly revealed a man sitting at an angle on the dragon throne, supporting his face with his right hand. Two maids stood beside him, fanning him with large fans.
“Greetings, Your Majesty!!!”
Eunuch Qi shouted in his duck-like voice and then lifted the gauze curtain with his horsetail whisk.
For the first time in ten years, Tong Zilan finally stood before the King whom she had followed her entire life. However, the man before her now was a thousand miles away from the person in her memory, like two different people.
The man who had once been infinitely kind to her, promised to cherish her for eternity, and never betray her, was now staring at her with an extremely cold gaze.
However, it was not she who spoke first.
“Zitong, I remember the vows you and I made in front of the cultivators of the Three Domains on our wedding day. What made you become like this?”
“Nangong City, our marital bond was severed fourteen years ago.”
Nangong City heard this and slowly closed his eyes. He waved his hands, signaling the two maids beside him to retreat to the back hall, then asked:
“So, this is your reason for colluding with the Demon Race? Because you threw a tantrum, how many cultivators in the Central Domain have died at the hands of the Demon Race? How many Immortal Cities and passes has the Imperial Sect lost?”
Tong Zilan was silent for a moment, then retorted with a smile:
“Colluding with the Demon Race?”
“Isn’t it? The Demon Emperor unprecedentedly attacked the Central Domain and headed straight for Tianan City. Wasn’t this instigated by you?”
“Nangong City, I have my reasons for killing you. The Demon Emperor has his reasons for breaking through the Central Domain. I am an immortal cultivator, how could I associate with demons? Aren’t they simply enemies of my enemy?”
Nangong City frowned slightly. He had always thought that Tong Zilan had orchestrated this, and that she had secretly instigated the Demon Emperor to attack the Central Domain. But looking at Tong Zilan’s eyes now, he felt that there might be another story.
Someone wanted him dead and for that, they instigated the Demon Race, even turning his Queen into a pawn.
Who in these Four Domains could do such a thing?
“The Demon Emperor’s attack on the Central Domain has nothing to do with you?”
“Naturally, it has nothing to do with me. I am merely borrowing strength,” Tong Zilan said, narrowing her eyes and frowning. “Nangong City, the moment I entered this palace gate today, I never intended to leave alive. It’s either you die or I die. My two daughters, Yu’er and Shui’er, I, as their mother, will avenge them.”
With that, Tong Zilan formed a sword finger and flicked her hand. She took a dagger radiating golden spiritual light from her Storage Bag, gripped it with both hands, and then took a forceful step towards Nangong City, who was sitting on the dragon throne.
Her cultivation was only at the middle Core Formation stage, while the two present—one was the Emperor of the Central Domain and a cultivator of the Void Realm, and the other, Eunuch Qi, was also a Deity Transformation cultivator.
To deal with Tong Zilan, they wouldn’t even need to lift a finger; a slight twitch of a finger would suffice.
But at this moment, neither Eunuch Qi nor Nangong City made any move.
The next moment.
Boom—
The moment Tong Zilan stepped onto the imperial platform, an invisible force directly struck her chest, sending her flying backward. It was only when Eunuch Qi dropped his horsetail whisk and caught her that she didn’t fly out of the Tian He Hall’s entrance.
Although it appeared as though she was merely hit by something, after Tong Zilan landed, she immediately knelt on the ground, clutching her chest, and spat out a large mouthful of blood.
The dagger radiating golden spiritual light also fell before her knees.
Nangong City glanced at the dagger and said calmly:
“Is this dagger the one I gave you back then?”
“Cough cough—Nangong City, you… cough cough—”
Seeing that Tong Zilan’s meridians were already damaged, Nangong City shook his head slightly and said:
“Indeed, I did promise that if I betrayed you in the future, you could use this dagger to stab me to death. But I never said this dagger could pierce the void.”
Threads of blood appeared in Tong Zilan’s eyes. She glared at Nangong City, and with trembling hands, gripped the dagger again, struggling to stand up. However, as soon as she stood up, she collapsed back to her knees.
Nangong City sighed and said:
“Zitong, to kill a Void Realm cultivator is not something that can be achieved with mere anger or petty cleverness. Moreover, this Tianan City is my territory. Even if you lead that Demon Emperor here, it will only increase the casualties of the cultivators within the city. I do not fear him.”
“…Then… cough cough—Are you afraid of Dan Yue Shang Xian?”
“Dan Yue?” Nangong City frowned slightly, but found it unlikely. “Dan Yue wouldn’t step out of her Xuan Xing Sect. Do you think she would help you kill me?”
“…”
“Never mind, you look so uncomfortable.”
Nangong City glanced at Qi Wuji beside him and gave him a look. Qi Wuji immediately nodded and gave an order. He formed a sword finger, took out a short dagger from his Storage Bag, and slowly walked towards Tong Zilan.
“Your Majesty, this old servant told you, if you had apologized to His Majesty just now, His Majesty might have let it go. Why did you have to do this?”
“Qi Wuji…”
“Your Majesty, this old servant is also acting under orders. Please forgive me.”
Qi Wuji’s lips curved slightly. He then raised the dagger in his hand, held it backward, aimed at Tong Zilan’s nape, and swung it down forcefully.
Seeing the descending dagger, Tong Zilan couldn’t help but close her eyes tightly: “I’m sorry, Yu’er…”
However, at this very moment.
Ding—
A sound like striking iron echoed in Tong Zilan’s ears, making her head buzz.
Qi Wuji’s previously smiling face now displayed a look of terror. A short girl, without any warning, appeared beside Tong Zilan and used a half-piece of sugar painting in her hand to steady his dagger just before Tong Zilan’s nape.
The girl wore a bamboo hat, so her face couldn’t be seen, but yet her fluttering black and white long hair could be seen as she flashed to her side.
“Who?”
Qi Wuji froze for a moment, sensing that the newcomer was extraordinary. He immediately twisted and swung his horsetail whisk, but the girl in the bamboo hat slightly swayed the sugar painting in her hand.
Boom—
A surge of energy erupted, and Qi Wuji lost control of his body, flying rapidly towards a pillar and embedding himself directly into it.
Tong Zilan looked up at the girl who had saved her with a face full of terror. Upon seeing her Yin-yang heteromorphic eyes, she widened her eyes in disbelief:
“Young Master Xuanji?”
“Uh-huh~” Si Xuanji covered her bamboo hat and smiled at her, narrowing her eyes. “Xuanji’s escort is late, Your Majesty. Please forgive me.”
“…”
Tong Zilan didn’t know what to say for a moment and stood frozen.
Si Xuanji, however, walked directly in front of her, waved the sugar painting in her hand to the side, and tossed her bamboo hat off her head with her left hand, saying: “Your Majesty, leave the rest to Sir Xuanji.”
The bamboo hat flew upwards vertically, stirring her black and white hair into a flutter.
Nangong City, who was leaning on the dragon throne, recognized Si Xuanji’s identity when he saw her heteromorphic eyes. For a moment, a hint of fear appeared on his face, but he quickly suppressed it.
He opened his mouth slightly and greeted:
“Fairy Dan Yue, it’s been twelve hundred years since we last met. You look much younger.”
Hearing Nangong City’s words, Tong Zilan’s eyes widened, and she looked at Si Xuanji in disbelief. However, Si Xuanji pouted, seemingly displeased.
“Youngster Nangong, are you undermining me?”
Nangong City was stunned for a moment and quickly stood up from the dragon throne. He cupped his hands and said:
“I apologize to the Fairy for displeasing you, but it’s probably not appropriate for Fairy Dan Yue to interfere in my domestic affairs.”
Si Xuanji found this boring. She walked towards Nangong City with her bare feet, raised her hand slightly, and a five-colored ribbon appeared behind her shoulder.
“Youngster Nangong, no matter how great your wife’s mistake is, after a day as husband and wife, there are hundred days of grace. It seems a bit excessive to kill her, wouldn’t you agree?”
Hearing Si Xuanji’s intention to protect Tong Zilan, Nangong City paused. He no longer cared about Tong Zilan and had to figure out why Si Xuanji was here.
Earlier, Tong Zilan had asked him if he was afraid of Si Xuanji. Now, Si Xuanji had suddenly appeared before him, which almost confirmed that she was behind the Demon Emperor’s affair.
Nangong City was slightly apprehensive, but he didn’t believe Si Xuanji would act. This was his territory. Even if Si Xuanji wanted to kill him, she would at least lose a mouthful of teeth.
He paused, nodded with a smile, and then waved his sleeve, summoning a chessboard from his Storage Bag.
“Fairy Dan Yue seems to like playing chess. Why don’t I accompany the Fairy for a game?”
Si Xuanji scanned the chessboard. It was not yet time to act; she had to wait for Ye Anping to obtain the Nine Dragon Heavenly Seal. Otherwise, the cost of killing Nangong City would be too great. Thus, she nodded in agreement, jumped onto the dragon throne, sat cross-legged, and summoned the chessboard before her with her spiritual power.
Nangong City felt a little displeased seeing his dragon throne occupied, but he said nothing. He walked to the front of the dragon throne and summoned black and white chess pieces with his spiritual power, placing them on the board.
Tap—
“Fairy Dan Yue, why did you suddenly come to the Central Domain? Why didn’t you notify me in advance so I could send someone to welcome you?”
Si Xuanji replied with a single word and said with a smile:
“I brought my unaccomplished girl out for a tour, but along the way, I heard you were refining some strange pills, so I came to take a look.”
“Strange pills?”
“Reverse Star Pill… perhaps?” Si Xuanji narrowed her eyes and looked up at him. “Using a spiritual root as medicine, stealing the luck of heaven and earth, and even sacrificing one’s own flesh and blood. Aren’t you being a rather unseemly father?”
Is she here to seek retribution?… Nangong City maintained his smile and said:
“Fairy Dan Yue, that’s not well said. You are also a Void Realm cultivator, having lived for thousands of years. You should know a principle.”
“What principle?”
“The strong are respected.”
Nangong City squinted at Si Xuanji’s eyes:
“The Central Domain was originally mine. Everything within the Central Domain is mine. Refining pills with cultivators is merely me using my own things to refine pills. It doesn’t affect the Fairy, does it?”
“Indeed, whether you become a demon or refine humans into pills, it has nothing to do with me. If I were to intervene, it would be meddling. Having lived for thousands of years, I am long past the age of liking to meddle and proving the justice of the Dao.”
Nangong City’s hand paused as he was about to place a piece. “Then why did the Fairy mention this matter?”
“That is naturally because…”
Si Xuanji paused, skillfully flicking the white piece in her hand, and replied:
“The strong are respected.”
“Hmm?”
“These Southwestern and Central Three Domains are all my property. Youngster Nangong, the Central Domain is merely entrusted to you for safekeeping. Yet you are causing such messy affairs here. I am now preparing to take it back.”
“…The Three Domains are all the Fairy’s property? Entrusted to me for safekeeping?”
“What? Have your ears gone bad from living too long?!”
“…”
The suddenly amplified voice caused Nangong City to take a step back.
He quickly put his hands behind his back, concealed within his dragon robe’s golden sleeves, formed a sword finger, and stood alertly watching Si Xuanji’s every move.
“What?”
Si Xuanji’s Yin-yang heteromorphic eyes widened slightly. She stood up on the dragon throne, reaching the same height as Nangong City. She waved her sleeves and said with her hands on her hips:
“Do you need me to repeat myself? These Three Domains! Every blade of grass! Every stone! Every mountain! Belong to me.”
“Dan Yue, do you know what you are saying? In the Southwestern and Central Three Domains, there are five Return to Void stage cultivators, each established in their own area. You only control the Western Regions. This was an agreement made by the immortal families! And now you want to tear up the agreement and swallow the Three Domains for yourself?”
Si Xuanji narrowed her left eye and smiled at him. “The Saint Emperor once unified the Zhou Xing Tian Yu into the immortal and demonic paths, but was killed by the leader of the immortal path. For over a thousand years since, the immortal path has been divided and has become the present state of myriad sects paying homage. The five great sects—Taibai Sect, Central Domain Imperial Sect, Wu Nian Sect, Northern Region Hantian Kingdom, and Xuan Xing Sect—along with myself, you, and the old ancestor of Taibai Sect, having the highest cultivation, formed the Immortal Alliance and established immortal rules, vowing that there would be no wars between the sects.”
“If the five great immortal sects were to initiate war, the Tian Yu would surely be devastated,” Nangong City took another step back. “Have you gone mad?”
“No… after staying in the Xuan Xing Sect for these thousands of years, I have come to understand one thing.”
“What?”
“My cultivation and yours, the old ancestor of Taibai Sect, and that bald donkey from Wu Nian Sect are not too far apart. If, in the future, you turn against me, wouldn’t I only be able to watch helplessly? Therefore, a very simple principle, I have decided…”
Si Xuanji raised the chess piece in her hand and said:
“To send you one by one into reincarnation, so that no one in this world will dare to challenge me again. The Four Domains of the immortal world, and even the demonic path of the Eastern Domain, will all be mine!!”
Her childish tone spread out. Si Xuanji raised the chess piece in her hand and drew a vertical line of light on the chessboard.
Dah—
The white piece landed on the “Star” position in the bottom right corner of the chessboard. A purple spiritual energy spread out from her, dispelling the surrounding residual clouds and sweeping across the thousand-li territory surrounding Tianan City.
“I have made my move. Youngster Nangong, it’s your turn.”
Nangong City looked at Si Xuanji, who stood on the dragon throne, only as tall as himself. His eyes were filled with anger, but his face showed apprehension. He advised:
“Dan Yue, you are seeking your own destruction. With just you and the Xuan Xing Sect, where do you have the foundation to oppose the five great immortal sects?”
Si Xuanji narrowed her heterochromic eyes slightly and retorted:
“Who said I am alone? Youngster Nangong, I did mention the Stellar Acting Art to you before. Do you know of the celestial pivot?”
“Dan Yue, you are not of the celestial pivot destiny.”
“I am not, but the celestial pivot is on my side.”
Hearing this, Nangong City finally understood the source of Si Xuanji’s confidence.
—She wanted to use destiny to achieve her desires.
In other words, Si Xuanji wanted to use “destiny” as her chess piece, to have “destiny” help her destroy the Void Realm cultivators of the other four sects.
Nangong City’s eyes widened and he said:
“Dan Yue, throughout history, those who have used ‘destiny’ as their chess piece have never had a good end. You cannot possibly not understand this principle.”
“Isn’t there still the Reverse Star?”
Si Xuanji’s slender fingers flicked lightly, and a crystal glaze bell appeared in her right hand. She smiled and said:
“That young boy is quite handsome, much more handsome than you. Would you like to meet him later?”
“Dan Yue…”
“Speak, I’m listening.”
“Tianan City is my territory. Even if you had immense power, you must not…”
Si Xuanji interrupted:
“The Nine Dragon Heavenly Seal?”
“…”
It was at this moment that a duck-like voice suddenly sounded from the side of the window.
“Everything is ready!! Everything is ready!!”
Nangong City’s gaze immediately turned alertly towards the source of the sound. Seeing a parrot, he felt a bit confused:
“Golden Feather Parrot?”
A’ying saw him staring at her and immediately puffed out her chest and raised her head, scolding:
“What are you looking at?! What are you looking at?!”
Si Xuanji shrugged slightly upon hearing this and lightly shook the bell in her hand:
“Let me translate that for you. ‘Everything is ready’ means that your Nine Dragon Heavenly Seal has already been stolen, and the Demon Emperor has arrived. So, will you surrender now and let me cripple your Void Spirit body, or will you struggle a bit? Since you’re going to die anyway, why involve the hundreds of thousands of rogue cultivators within Tianan City?”
Hearing this, Nangong City’s eyes widened in fury. He stopped speaking politely and immediately dispersed golden light all over his body. Clutching his spear, he instantly appeared before Si Xuanji.
Boom—!!
Beneath the silver moon, a golden spiritual light shot up into the sky from Tianan City. The thousands of li of mountains and rivers surrounding Tianan City also trembled. The night sky suddenly reversed from day to night, stained with a bloody hue, as if the sky was shattering and weeping.
…
—
Ps: I’m wondering if I should only release one chapter of 5000 or 6000 words per day in the future. This would be smoother than releasing two chapters of 2000 words, and one chapter could complete a segment of the plot. What do you think?
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