C629 Troubled by the War!

Yuan Lianyao's face bore the marks of fatigue, her usually bright eyes now tinged with worry and a sense of helplessness.

Gliding down gracefully, she alighted between Yu Yuan and the elder Yu Cann, as delicate as a petal caught on the breeze.

"City Lord," Yu Cann greeted her with a warm smile.

During Yu Yuan's absence from Darkmoon City, Lianyao, like a fiery red lotus, had been a pillar of support for the Yu family, providing them with considerable assistance. The old man had taken note and held her in high regard.

"Those days are numbered," Lianyao sighed softly.

Yu Yuan, taken aback, asked, "Why is that?"

"I've been formally inducted into the Red Devil Sect. Under the tacit rules of the empires, I must relinquish my imperial office," Lianyao explained gently. "Sects stand above the empires. Once accepted by the sects of the Heavenly Source or Quietus Continents, one is no longer bound by the mortal realm of the Profound Sky Continent."

Yu Cann nodded in understanding. "Indeed."

Disciples from the empire's families, once chosen by sects from those continents, especially after crossing the Profound Break Stage, are often whisked away to cultivate on the Heavenly Source or Quietus Continents.

They become people of the sects.

Such individuals are forbidden from engaging in the empire's conflicts or holding significant positions within it.

Nurtured by the Red Devil Sect, Lianyao had manifested her Yin God. The moment Faang Yao declared her a member of their sect, she ascended to their ranks.

Rules dictated that Lianyao could no longer serve as the City Lord of Darkmoon.

Yet, rules often bend...

"Mo Yan of the Devil Palace has escorted Gao Zhengxing, the Gao family patriarch from Deermead, to Darkmoon. He is set to succeed me as the new City Lord," Lianyao said with a hint of resignation. "The Gao family's allegiance to the Devil Palace is a mystery, and Gao Zhengxing has only recently formed his Yin God."

"The Gao family..." Yu Cann's brow furrowed, his expression turning grave.

"Back in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, I encountered Gao Hong of the Gao family from Deermead. Tragically, he perished there. Could there be some old feud between the Gao family and our Yu clan?" Yu Yuan pondered aloud.

"When you were trapped in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area and didn't emerge for quite some time, it was Gao Zhengxing of the Gao family who was fiercely pressuring us, alongside the Fan and Lim families," Yu Cann reflected, then added, "If I recall correctly, didn't the Gao family have some connections with the Ancient Desolate Sect in the past?"

"It was merely a member of their clan who was taken in by the Ancient Desolate Sect for cultivation," Yuan Lianyao clarified, seeming well-informed. "That Gao family member didn't make much headway within the Ancient Desolate Sect and met an unexplained death during an external campaign. When Gao Zhengxing helped transition the empire to the Devil Moon Empire and the Yan family ascended to the throne, he covertly pledged himself to someone from the Devil Palace."

She paused, then mentioned, "That person appears to be associated with Mo Yan of the Devil Palace."

Yu Yuan's thoughts stirred, and he began piecing together the underlying story.

The Devil Palace boasted two Primordial Spirit Stage cultivators: the Devil Lord Tan Xiaotian and Mo Yan's father, Zhu Zhenxiang.

Tan Xiaotian, as the leader of the Devil Palace, was undeniably one of the most influential figures across the entire Quietus Continent and the Boundless Land.

Zhu Zhenxiang, although a newer addition, was a prodigy who had also reached the Primordial Spirit Stage.

With two Primordial Spirit entities in the Devil Palace, internal factions had naturally formed.

The Yan family's rise to power and the renaming of the Silvermoon Empire to the Devil Moon Empire were orchestrated by Tan Xiaotian's faction, whom they supported.

Zhu Zhenxiang represented an alternative power within the Devil Palace.

Gao Zhengxing had sworn fealty to Zhu Zhenxiang's faction. Given that Mo Yan was Zhu Zhenxiang's son, it took little effort for him to maneuver Gao Zhengxing into replacing Yuan Lianyao as the City Lord of Darkmoon City.

After all, the Devil Moon Empire was now firmly in the grasp of the Devil Palace and the Demon Palace.

Gao Zhengxing could assume the role of City Lord of Darkmoon City as a subordinate, provided he didn't openly align himself with the Devil Palace. This move could also pave the way for the Gao family to relocate from Deermead to Darkmoon City.

Thanks to the flourishing Absence Relic, Darkmoon City has leaped to the forefront of the Devil Moon Empire's seven major cities, second only in importance to Silvermoon City. As a coveted position within the empire, the City Lord of Darkmoon City could significantly bolster a family's influence.

Should Gao Zhengxing secure his seat as City Lord, the Gao family could rise to become the empire's second most powerful family, trailing only behind the Yan family.

With Zhu Zhenxiang and Mo Yan backing him, Gao Zhengxing has a distinct advantage. Mo Yan's history of conflict with Yu Yuan in the Ember Waters and his schemes against him in the Crack Archipelago are well known. Given Gao Zhengxing's existing animosity towards the Yu family, his leadership in Darkmoon City would likely mean trouble for them.

The Zhao family, however, with Zhao Yafu as a disciple of the White Divine Tiger and the Demon Palace's support, may not be so easily targeted by Gao Zhengxing's machinations.

Unlike the Zhao family, the Yu family lacks the backing of a powerful sect.

"The situation is somewhat troubling," Yuan Lianyao admitted with a furrowed brow. "The Red Devil Sect's Demonic Seed has already been dispatched with the Yang God's power to wage war in the Outland Star River, while his true form has been summoned to the Red Devil Sect for dedicated cultivation. Lord Faang Yao is also in seclusion, striving to reach the Yang God stage."

Within the Red Devil Sect, her strongest ties were to Faang Yao and Zhou Cangmin. Even her father, Yuan Qiufang, didn't hold as much sway as she did.

With Faang Yao in seclusion and Zhou Cangmin off fighting in the Outland Star River, Yuan Lianyao found herself without substantial support from the Red Devil Sect. They had even instructed her to use Spider City's teleportation array to train at the sect's branch on Quietus Continent, advising her to set aside the affairs of Darkmoon City and the Yuan family for now.

Confronted with the power that Mo Yan represented, it seemed the Red Devil Sect might have also retreated.

"It makes sense why Mo Yan would come to Darkmoon City," Yu Yuan mused. The external situation must be in turmoil due to a succession of major upheavals, prompting newly ascended Yang Gods like Zhou Cangmin to hastily embark on trials and battles in the Outland Star River. "If you're not pressed for time, consider staying in Absence Relic for a bit to gather some intelligence."

Spider City was a hub of information, with the Babel Chamber of Commerce's branch and the presence of the seven lower sects, as well as visitors from the Fiend Sect and Filthy Spirit Sect.

Yu Yuan believed Yuan Lianyao could benefit from spending some time in Spider City to assess the evolving situation before deciding on her next move.

As for himself, he intended to finalize his dealings with medicinal herbs in Elfview and wait for updates from the Desolate Swamp, all while remaining in Darkmoon City.

The Evil Cauldron, along with the sword sheath and sword soul, were safeguarded in the Great Swamp by the Desolate God.

He planned to discreetly return there once Tang Zheng, Ji Ningshuang, and the Golden Elephant Ancient God had departed, hoping to reclaim what was rightfully his from the Desolate God.

"We're on the brink of war," Yuan Lianyao announced abruptly.

The elder's face tensed. "I've heard the rumors! Lord City, are we truly gearing up for conflict with the Rainier Empire?"

"The Rainier Empire?" Yu Yuan echoed, taken aback.

"Both the former Silvermoon Queen and the current emperor were wary of the Demonic Seed from my Red Devil Sect. Our position was weaker when he was within the Rainier Empire, leading to our defeats in past battles. Now that he's gone, and with the empire in disarray, an opportunity presents itself."

Yuan Lianyao's gaze drifted toward the Rainier Empire as she spoke. "The new emperor must solidify his reign, and war is the means to do so."

"War!" Yu Yuan exclaimed under his breath, the image of the malevolent statue sculpted in the Sword Prison flashing through his mind, accompanied by Yan Qiling's words.

According to Yan Qiling, the Divine Soul Sect crafted the evil statue as a malevolent tool to manipulate the power dynamics of the Profound Sky Continent. With the statue, they could sway the decisions of the major empires.

Before the statue ended up in the Great Swamp, the empires engaged only in minor skirmishes, and the continent enjoyed relative peace.

Now, with the statue's return to the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, I had barely set foot back in Darkmoon City when I learned that the Devil Moon Empire was preparing for war against the Rainier Empire.

Could the statue's presence be the catalyst for this conflict?

If these two empires clash, what's to stop the conflict from spreading? Could this lead to the Profound Sky Continent descending into prolonged and widespread warfare?

The Boundless Land has been a hotbed of unrest, with deep-seated rivalries and conflicts erupting between sects, and anomalies emerging in once dormant lands.

If strife continues to consume the Profound Sky Continent, what fate awaits this place, known to the Galaxy Alien Race as the Central World?

Sensing the impending turmoil, Yu Yuan was filled with disquiet. He resolved to take action.

"I need to concoct some pills!"

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