Chapter 3162: Chapter 3162: A Conspiracy
Letitia fixed Zen with a look.
Margaret looked up at the newly arrived Elvinia as she placed a hand instinctively on her belly.
The old Margaret would have already shown some hostility to Elvinia, jealous of any woman who got close to Zen.
But now she was pregnant, she kept a level head. It hadn't been easy to bear this child. She didn't want her emotions to fluctuate too much and endanger the pregnancy.
Elvinia's face was surprisingly calm, but there was stubbornness in her delicate eyes.
Zen's reaction at the Supreme Dragon Hall to their proposed marriage had subjected Elvinia to embarrassment, but she didn't care. The only thing she wanted to know now was how Zen really felt about her.
Elvinia's lips trembled as she struggled to keep her chin up. She admitted she had a rough relationship with Zen in the beginning, but since their journey to the Dark Region, she had been infatuated with the sense of security she had when she was with him.
She also knew that Zen trusted Dorothy more than her, so she had to be aggressive in making her feelings known.
Zen turned to Elvinia. “Even if I like you, it doesn't mean that you can do this to Tia, manipulating her into doing what you want.”
This caused a small smile to play on Letitia's lips. Despite it all, she had still hoped she was the most special one in Zen's heart.
Meanwhile, Margaret pursed her lips. That was just like Zen to say that. This was why she had spent almost a lifetime at odds with Letitia.
Elvinia, meanwhile, was just happy she finally got her answer. The nervous look in her eyes was replaced almost immediately by relief. “Alright then. It will not happen again.”
Smiling to herself, she swept out of the Fire Bearing Hall.
As Zen puzzled over Elvinia's reaction, Letitia, who was next to him, beamed up at him. “That was amazing diplomacy, darling! You made Princess Elvinia compromise.”
“Compromise?” Zen blinked in confusion.
“She got the answer she wanted. The least she could do is compromise,” Margaret muttered.
Zen walked over to Margaret and gently crouched beside her. “Now, don't be like that. Be mindful of your condition. Anyway, the Fire Bearing Hall is not suitable for you. We need to get you out of here as soon as possible.”
Zen turned to look at Letitia. “I know you want me to use the Oneness Sky Palace to revive the Nine Li race, but the situation in the Source World has become extremely complicated.” ＲÀ𐌽ỐʙЕS
After his visit to the Pear Hill, Zen had come to realize it was meaningless to simply gather the remaining members of the Nine Li race and just start over with so few of them. He needed to complete a more important mission for the Nine Li race's revival.
After he returned to the Oneness Sky Palace from the Pear Hill, he went to the Land of Sword Grief, so he was not able to explain the situation in detail to Letitia then.
Zen was now keeping her up to speed, but only broadly, as he lectured her intermittently on her recent reckless decisions. Although she was being scolded, Letitia had a faint smile on her face all throughout. Zen's concern for her made her happy deep inside.
Through all this, Lavender, Laquisha, and Nelly had been preoccupied cultivating under the Soul Fire Swirl. Zen thought it best not to interrupt their meditation.
Even before arriving here at the Phoenix Palace, Zen had already planned to bring Letitia and Margaret back to the Flow Sword Sect. All the more he wasn't hurrying to return to the Land of Sword Grief now. He gave Carrie some divine crystals and asked her to go to the Dragon City to buy some prenatal healthcare treatments for Margaret.
When Letitia was pregnant with Geoffrey, Zen hadn't been there for her because he had been preoccupied with things in the Upper World. This time, Zen vowed he would fulfill his responsibility as a father.
In the Vastness Mountain, some important people had gathered behind closed doors of the Mighty Sword Hall.
Natasha, Holden, and the two leaders of the intelligence agency of the Vastness Mountain were waiting on their leader.
Wearing a pair of delicate shoes and her red garments, Natasha paced back and forth, a slight frown marring her features.
On the throne at the top of the Mighty Sword Hall, Gethin sat cross-legged, his eyes closed. He was roaming on the Other Shore.
He opened his eyes shortly. They flashed like lightning on his unreadable face. It was obvious he had returned.
“Emperor Gethin!”
The two leaders of the intelligence agency walked forward and bowed to him.
Gethin stroked his beard and frowned. “They will be making a preemptive strike.”
Hearing this, Holden and Natasha exchanged a look.
“A preemptive strike? Under present conditions? Wouldn't that just put us at risk?” Natasha asked pointedly.
Although the Vastness Mountain was one of the top three forces in the Oneness Sky Palace, it was far from being as strong as the Oneness Mountain or the Origin Mountain. Moreover, with Eastern Emperor Taiyi and Yasamin guarding the two mountains, respectively, making a move against them would mean certain death.
Holden nodded in agreement. “A preemptive strike would only put us at a disadvantage.”
“Emperor Charm is ready,” Gethin pointed out.
The Sun Crow race was adjacent to the territory of the Oneness Sky Palace. They would be the first to attack in a war.
“There is only the Sun Crow race that will take them on?” Natasha only became more hesitant about the idea.
The Vastness Mountain was turning against the Oneness Sky Palace because of Gethin's personal ambition, and on the other hand, he had also lost his faith in them.
But the Oneness Sky Palace was more established, having accumulated resources and allies for countless years. The Sun Crow race would find it hard to destroy them alone. And if the Vastness Mountain acted rashly and was found to be actually behind this conspiracy, they would be put in a precarious situation.
Gethin stared at the door of the Mighty Sword Hall with a faraway look in his eyes. “Their plan is to trap Eastern Emperor Taiyi and Yasamin on the Other Shore!”
The two strongest forces of the Oneness Sky Palace were Yasamin and Eastern Emperor Taiyi. If they were trapped on the Other Shore, the strength of the Oneness Sky Palace would indeed be greatly diminished.
Natasha nodded slowly as she started to understand the strategy. Her eyes flashed hungrily.
“They have supposedly already begun work on Yasamin, though I don't know if they have succeeded or not,” Gethin continued. “But someone's name kept coming up.”
“Who?” Natasha asked.
“Zen,” Gethin replied.
It was true that Zen was a talented warrior, but he held no threat to the Bearing race.
“Do you want us to kill him?” A trace of excitement lit up Natasha's face. Things didn't end well the last time they kidnapped Zen and took him to the Vastness Mountain. All the trouble hadn't been worth it. What was worse, the Vastness Mountain actually didn't dare do anything to him.
“We need to capture him alive. Zen seems quite important to them.” Even Gethin seemed torn about this. Everyone knew Zen was an outstanding talent, but what was the point of keeping him alive?
“That's good enough,” Natasha sneered, a glint of malice in her eyes.
On the Origin Mountain, a forest of emerald-green trees surrounded a small lake.
Countless arrays had been engraved around these trees.
All together, they formed the Spirit-shaking Array, which protected the small lake and its immediate surroundings.
It was also fully activated whenever Yasamin entered the Other Shore. It was risky, after all, for a powerful being like her to just leave her physical body behind, which was vulnerable to any attack.
Anyone who crossed the Spirit-shaking Array when it was activated would immediately be killed, except for a select few of the Origin Mountain who were allowed to enter it.
Presently, Dorothy stood outside the forest. She paused for a moment before smoothly entering the threshold.
The Spirit-shaking Array released a rune to cover the surface of Dorothy's body. The surrounding trees flashed with a red light.
The light died down as the rune apparently verified Dorothy's identity and allowed her through.