Chapter 116 - Black Clouds from the South (Final) (Patreon)

The Feathered Serpent Castle was the first structure built in Three Feathers City.

Constructed more than two hundred years ago, it possessed an outer wall separating it from the noble district and an inner wall dividing the castle’s main buildings from the auxiliary complex.

Beyond the inner walls, the castle was arranged into courtyards filled with halls, offices, barracks, storage rooms, servant quarters, kitchens, stables, gardens, and temples, all separated by Qi-enhanced walls, guarded gates, and covered walkways.

Built in a squarish layout, no matter from which side one entered it, walking toward the center would eventually lead to the Feathered Serpent Pagoda.

The Pagoda was painted in red, green, and black colors, having a tiled structure with nine floors. Each floor had a specific purpose, and one floor each was reserved for the sleeping chambers of the City Lord and his Three Concubines, all separated from one another.

Besides these four floors, the remaining five were divided into meeting halls, cultivation chambers, offices, and special sealing rooms.

And inside one such office with greenish paper walls, a woman holding a verdant parasol sat on a white mattress, her knees curved beneath her.

Kneeling before her were four men and another woman, most wearing military robes while one wore simple cultivator attire.

Though much of her face remained hidden beneath the bamboo parasol, the beauty and elegance of the white-haired woman radiated throughout the room.

No one spoke, as she appeared lost in thought. After a few seconds, she sighed and said helplessly, “Wei Zhang. Go find our friend. Bring gifts and apologize.”

“Yes, Vice Lord,” Wei Zhang answered seriously and disappeared with a Qi technique.

“Councillor Mu,” Vice Lord Verdant Creek continued, glancing toward the oldest cultivator present. “You did great. I must thank you for cleansing those poor children of such a demonic technique. Could you please visit their families and show our concern?”

Nodding once, Councillor Mu, who had been present at the Tidal Church’s main branch during the massacre, dissolved into gray chains while answering, “As you command, Vice Lord.”

Everyone present could tell he was too ashamed to accept the praise.

Looking toward the silent trio that remained, Vice Lord Verdant Creek said softly, “Raise your heads. You did nothing wrong.”

None obeyed. Instead, they bowed lower and shouted together, “We ask for forgiveness, Vice Lord!”

Sighing, Verdant Creek turned toward the paper windows and remained silent for a moment.

“Wu Zhai, Wu Zong, could you please guard the gates? I believe Wei Zhang will remain occupied for quite some time and be unable to continue his usual duties,” she said to the two men.

The Wu brothers nodded before releasing their Foundation Establishment aura and dissipating into sand.

Soon, only a kneeling woman and Vice Lord Verdant Creek remained inside the room.

Groaning softly, Verdant Creek playfully scratched her cheek. “I’m sorry. Did I forget about you?”

Chuckling faintly at the teasing, the woman replied, “It seems so.”

Her tone carried the same sadness as those who had already departed.

Smiling gently, Verdant Creek said, “Tell me if your task is becoming too demanding. I know how exhausting and painful your technique is.”

The woman hurriedly shook her head while remaining bowed. “Not demanding at all, Vice Lord. I’m happy to serve.”

Giving a wry smile, Verdant Creek suppressed another sigh and said, “Inform me if anything new happens. And thank you for the resources you gathered. They greatly helped my situation.”

“I will do as you command—”

The woman suddenly flinched mid-sentence and closed her eyes.

Vice Lord Verdant Creek tilted her head slightly, slowly rotating her parasol as she waited.

A few moments later, the woman opened her eyes again.

“I have news, though it may not be very important,” she said. “Madame Ching is withholding information from the Shadow Alliance and has broken the rules by establishing a new Head without a vote. Venomous Shadow Mei Huo will represent them as they take over Prince Xuan’s guarding business.”

Nodding along, Verdant Creek smiled faintly.

“Every piece of information is important, whether good or bad,” she replied. “For example, you said Madame Ching is withholding information. Which information?”

“The Sect Tournament,” the woman answered with a frown. “There is no reason to conceal it, but she did so. In a few months, it will become the talk of the entire city.”

“You know Madame Ching better than I do,” Verdant Creek said while rotating the parasol. “Would she act without a reason?”

The woman frowned, shaking her head and narrowing her eyes. “I will investigate further, Vice Lord.”

“Be careful, Zou Si,” Verdant Creek said in a gentle tone. “Gathering information is good, but your life matters more. Please be careful not to suffer a backlash.”

Nodding, Zou Si stood up and cupped her hands respectfully.

“Thank you. I will remain outside so I do not disturb My Lady.”

Verdant Creek nodded, allowing her to leave.

After Zou Si bowed and vanished into black smoke, Verdant Creek stood and walked toward a corner of the room. There, a covered painting rested against the wall. She uncovered it, revealing a white-haired woman with a blank face, devoid of any features.

The faceless woman sat upon a rock beside a lake, gazing at her own reflection. Yet within the reflection, eight green dots stared back at her like eyes.

Caressing the painting gently, Verdant Creek clicked her tongue. Then, she walked toward another corner and opened a hidden compartment, retrieving a seashell. Placing it against her ear, she listened to a broken, androgynous voice singing a lullaby.

Verdant Creek sat down as the fractured melody played. She smiled faintly and swayed her head in time with the tune.

Lost in nostalgia, she turned her head slightly, allowing the room's light to fall upon the 'Shui' character carved into the shell.

While Lucian cultivated, chaos continued escalating throughout the Golden Peng Empire.

A newly discovered talent of the Ancient Golden Clan entered their Ancestral Grounds and reached the Qi Refining realm in merely three months, despite having cultivated for less than half a year. Now, all major forces were paying attention to him.

To the east, the Vast Sky Sect attempted to find and apprehend the Demonic Puppet Master, the title given to Liu Tian, a former Qi Condensation cultivator who had become infested with Heart Demons and advanced to the Foundation Establishment realm through an inheritance.

To the west, the murderers responsible for the death of the Crown Prince of the Twin-Neck Crane Kingdom remained unfound, yet the conflict between the kingdom’s minor forces escalated further, dragging the Twin-Neck Crane Kingdom into ruin and spreading destruction toward neighboring kingdoms.

To the north, sightings of a Core Formation artifact lost during the war were reported, prompting the Whispering Banyan Sect to dispatch two Grand Elders in pursuit. Rumors now claimed the artifact had developed self-awareness and was fleeing on its own.

Finally, at the heart of the Golden Peng Empire, calamity descended upon Peacock Mountain after Chief Huoxing was suddenly killed and dismembered by an unknown force, causing the detached clans of Peacock Mountain to begin fighting over the vacant Chief position.

Across the land, the major sects were forced to make larger moves as the arrival of a new era advanced faster than they had predicted.