Remembering You For Eternity

2.28 Royalties' Feud

"I am asking you, not as an Emperor, but as on older generation of Daoist to a younger one," His voice was strong and calm, carrying the might and authority of a monarch, "You seem to be the only one capable to see this malice. I implore you to visit the capital and use your gift to help the citizens."

"Enlightened Zuo," CaoLu stepped forward, still clasping her fists in a respectful gesture towards the Emperor. However, her cold voice was anything but, especially with her addressing her own father as such, "My shimei is truly incapable of making this big decision. In fact, not even I can make the decision on her behalf without consulting with our elders. Her Shifu, Sage Zhu Hong, would be displeased if we did anything out of turn of the sect's rules."

The Hui Lin's Sages also exchanged looks towards each other. Although Sage Zhu Hong was more than a few decades younger than them, the woman was a peerless genius of her generation. With YuLan as her succeeding disciple, her innate talent and also her ability to sense malice, they could not afford to be in the female Sage's bad books.

However, malice had clearly started to affect the cultivation world, and they could not just sit and wait for another Long TianShan to appear. The ex-cultivator was only at Martial-Artist level. What happened if a higher ranked cultivator turned into a Daemon? Fire Phoenixes could purify malice, but to locate one was a different matter.

In the capital city, it was pretty easy to observe animals and plants that had been possessed by malice, as it had altered the creatures' physical appearances. However, in humans, it was clearly a different case. At least outwardly, Long TianShan looked very much normal.

Another issue was, Chun Ping Gu Sect was always detached to the rest of the world. They merely did their part by accepting females of Imperial Lineage to be their disciples every appointed number of years, but the sect hardly participated in the happenings of the world. The sect's female cultivators were highly self-sufficient and also had never sought to socialize with other sects.

"Time is of essence," Zuo JinLong frostily stated, "The esteemed Sages of Hui Lin sect have consented to send their senior disciples as well as their most talented beastmaster," He paused to glance at Ao Xiang, who was still standing in a respectful stance behind Sage Guang Wu,

"My own sons are under tutelage of both Hui Lin sect and Wu Shan sect and they would not idly stand by while our city is being ravaged by this menace. Needless to say, I also hailed from Wu Shan sect, and the esteemed Sages would not object to lending a hand."

Not far from Ao Xiang, Zuo BingTan bowed slightly as his sign of acquiescence. The Hui Lin sect's Sages stayed silent, which was as good as their support towards the Emperor.

Zuo JinHai and Zuo ZhouLei stood in silence as well, especially when Shen Wei had not said anything to rebuke the Emperor. In absence of their elders, Shen Wei held the highest authority to make decisions.

Zuo JinLong paused and fixated his gaze towards the still unyielding Cao Lu. If anyone were nearby the young woman, they would be able to feel the rigidly cold temperature that seemed to emanate pure pressure. This powerful aura did not come from Cao Lu. Instead it was aimed towards her, by the Emperor himself - her Imperial Father,

"So don't tell Zhen that as an Imperial Princess and a representative of the powerful Chun Ping Gu sect, you would just watch from a safe distance?"

Cao Lu was not a frail female. She was an Enlightened and took pride as the senior disciple of her sect. But at the moment, under the heavily probing gaze of Emperor Zuo JinLong, who was an Enlightened bordering his break-through to Sageism, she felt like an ant about to be trampled on by a giant. Her neck began to emit cold sweat. The pressure of the man's qi bore heavily on her dantians.