Zhaoyang was also very helpless. No matter how powerful her brother Li Yuanqing was, he was still a mortal even if he was an expert who could kill a Martial Saint.
The Ba-Serpent was a vicious beast. Moreover, the clansmen of the Ba-Serpent clan relied on worshiping a Ba-Serpent to cause fear in all directions. Many places became vassals of the Ba-Serpent Clan. They relied on the sacrifice of a large number of commoners every year to obtain the protection of the Ba-Serpent.
However, the matter was getting more and more intense. There were already commoners who had heard the news and began to flee everywhere. They had left the Northern Kingdom, especially the commoners in the Imperial City. For a moment, they were all worried and wanted to escape.
The Northern Kingdom were originally peaceful, but they were threatened by the Ba-Serpent Clan. They would probably suffer a calamity at any time.
When Li Yuanqing heard Wang Shun mention the Ba-Serpent, he fell into deep thought. In fact, he had not seen many vicious beasts in the Northern Kingdom. He had only heard of this Ba-Serpent, but he had never seen it before.
He had to plan how to deal with this Ba-Serpent so that the commoners would be unscathed.
Less than two days later, Princess Zhaoyang quietly came to the Wilderness Valley and saw Li Yuanqing under the big pine tree by the Clearwater Lake.
It had been five years since they last met. Princess Zhaoyang’s cultivation level had already reached the intermediate ninth-grade martial artist, which was even higher than the current Emperor of the Northern Kingdom.
Moreover, she became very beautiful because of her cultivation. Her eyebrows were similar to Li Yuanqing, with a hint of arrogance. When she didn’t smile, she had a natural noble aura that made people afraid to approach her. When she smiled, it was like a beautiful flower blooming, making people feel the aura of spring.
However, Princess Zhaoyang no longer had a smile on her face after the Ba-Serpent incident. Even when she saw Li Yuanqing, she forced a smile.
“Big Brother, the meritorious families are in cahoots with the Ba-Serpent Clan. Although we’ve exposed them, the Ba-Serpent Clan has taken a fancy to the Imperial City of the Northern Kingdom. They said that they want to move to the Imperial City and ask for a million people every year for that Ba-Serpent to enjoy…
“Although there were many intermediate martial artists in the Northern Kingdom, there are only you and Hu Jiujiu as Martial Saints. I have a chance to break through to the Martial Saint realm, but many Martial Saints have died in the past thousand years. However, the Ba-Serpent has always been alive and no one has been able to subdue it. Father and I discussed that if it doesn’t work, we can give up the Imperial City and escape with the commoners. But where can we go in this vast world?
“If the royal family of the Northern Kingdom is unable to protect these commoners and let them suffer the pain of the Ba-Serpent, I won’t have the face to ascend the throne!”
…
The Ba-Serpent was the biggest problem Zhaoyang had encountered so far.
This was not like the Old Ancestors of the Wind Thunder Sect and the seven great clans in the past. No matter how powerful they were, they were still humans. If they were humans, they would have a way to deal with them.
This Ba-Serpent was a vicious beast.
Moreover, she felt that there was no way out for them to deal with a vicious beast that had lived for countless years and had been raised by the Ba-Serpent clan.
At this point, she did not dare to beg her brother to do anything.
She only wanted to talk to her brother and help her come up with an idea. According to her father, if it was for the sake of the Northern Kingdom, they could endure the humiliation and agreed to the Ba-Serpent Clan’s conditions. Every year, they would sacrifice a million people to the Ba-Serpent clan and give up the Imperial City for the Ba-Serpent Clan to live in. They would choose another Imperial City and retain the title of the Northern Kingdom.
Li Yuanqing had been quietly listening to Princess Zhaoyang’s words. He poured her a cup of tea and stood up to look at the surface of the Clearwater lake.
The lake water was sparkling, and the willow branches by the lake swayed in the wind. It was a beautiful scenery in the springtime. If they really let the Ba-Serpent Clan enter the Imperial City, this scene would probably become hell on earth. Everyone would be terrified because they were in danger of being devoured by the Ba-Serpent at any time.
At that time, the Northern Kingdom would become the accomplice of the Ba-Serpent. Such a country was destined to not last long.
“Zhaoyang, you’ve forgotten what I told you. A little girl like you should be happy and don’t think too much. I’ll give you a list later. Prepare those things according to the list. The sooner the better. Try your best to stall for time and bargain with the Ba-Serpent Clan. Wait for me to enter the Imperial City…”
For five years, Li Yuanqing had been cultivating in this Wilderness valley. Although he was still in the Grotto-Heaven Realm, he had a few trump cards in his hands. It was self-evident, be it the Manipulation Art, the Saint Extermination Stone, or even the Great Heavenly Cycle Demon Extinguishing Array.
Therefore, he decided to leave the valley for the Imperial City this time.
“Big Brother, do you have a way to deal with the Ba-Serpent? Is it dangerous? Although the commoners are important, I’m not Father who thinks that the country is the most important. I’m Zhaoyang, your sister. You’re the most important person in my heart…
“If it’s really too dangerous and even threatens your life, don’t go to the Imperial City. This Wilderness Valley is much safer than the Imperial City. Moreover, Father asked me to send Fourth Brother to the Wilderness Martial Arts Academy this time. He said that in the entire Northern Kingdom, the Wilderness is the safest…”
Zhaoyang smiled bitterly. The Fourth Prince had once been the Crown Prince, but he had lost his cultivation and had been raised in the Imperial City like a cripple. However, her father was still thinking about him the most during the Ba-Serpent disaster. He pitied his life and sent him over according to Li Huanjun’s wishes.
Even if the Fourth Prince was a cripple and could no longer cultivate, he could still be considered a member of the Li Dynasty if he lived well.
Li Huanjun prioritized the country. Whether it was Princess Zhaoyang or Li Yuanqing, he had once abandoned them. Li Huanjun did not have any fatherly love for Zhaoyang and Li Yuanqing, but he had a lot of pity for the Fourth Prince, who seemed to have become a cripple and doted on him very much.
“Yes, the dean of the Martial Arts Academy in the Wilderness is Wang Xian. He can be considered a great scholar. He is an upright and knowledgeable person. He has also submitted to you. He’s very suitable to educate Fourth Brother. You need to tell someone to keep an eye on Fourth Brother and not let his old habit repeat itself…”
When the Fourth Prince was the Crown Prince, he had done many things like snatching women because of his lust. When Li Yuanqing reminded her, Zhaoyang quickly nodded and said that she would get someone to keep an eye on him.
Moreover, she would get Wang Xian to personally teach the Fourth Prince. Even if he could not cultivate and was a profligate, he had to be a human.
Then, Li Yuanqing gave Zhaoyang a list of what he needed. Zhaoyang took the list and left quickly. When she left, her brows finally relaxed. She was much more relaxed than when she came.
Although she didn’t know how her brother would resolve the Ba-Serpent disaster, her brother’s words made her feel extremely relaxed, and a huge burden was lifted from her heart.
For the rest of the time, she did not care about anything. She only cared about stalling for time with the Ba-Serpent Clan and preparing the things according to the list!
On Li Yuanqing’s side, he patted Cow and jumped onto its back. He planned to go to another place before going to Imperial City.