Chapter 340: Strike!

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“Are you mad?!”

Feng Zhi’s angry voice echoes throughout the Storm Dragon Palace. Despite its mighty size, the place is nearly empty. Only those who were absolutely essential were allowed to remain before the structure took flight.

Like Qing Guo.

The young man stumbles back in fear as Feng Zhi shouts, almost tripping and falling on his ass. The display is so pathetic that Feng Zhi once again finds himself doubting whether this man is related to Qing Jin.

“It wasn’t my idea,” Qing Guo says, hurrying to get his words out. “This is all him. I’m just doing what I was told.”

Beside him, the ugliest dog Feng Zhi has ever seen nods in agreement and barks a few times in what seems to be an attempt at an explanation. Alas, Feng Zhi does not speak dog, and he does not care to.

“It is as the Young Prince says,” Ye Zheyu says. “We are merely enacting Emperor Qing Jin’s plan… a plan which, admittedly, had to be changed several times over the course of the tournament.”

Much like Shi Qingxia, Ye Zheyu is someone who is supposed to be dead, but by now, Feng Zhi is not even a little surprised that Qing Jin has been keeping secrets. What is surprising is the way Ye Zheyu stands next to Qing Guo. Far, but not too far. Ready to act in case Feng Zhi tries anything, not that Feng Zhi would ever do so.

He’d be a fool to try anything against a Qing inside the Storm Dragon Palace.

“That doesn’t make things better!” Feng Zhi snaps at him. “If anything, it makes them worse!”

“Will you stop your bellyaching already?” Shi Qingxia asks him. The young woman looks bored as she leans against a pillar. “We saved your brother, didn’t we? Look how happy he is! Why can’t you Fengs be more like him?”

Feng Zhi’s eyebrow twitches. It is not the first time he has been unfavorably compared to his brother, but the context makes it uniquely irritating this time. What’s worse is that Feng Hao does seem to be enjoying himself. His brother is running around the throne room with eyes shining with excitement.

“I always wanted to come here!” Feng Zhi hears him say. “Look at these murals! Look at that throne! It’s so much more menacing than cousin Feng Zhuo made it sound!”

Why is it a good thing that it is menacing? No, that’s not the point!

However, before Feng Zhi can say anything, a low cackle breaks into the throne room.

“So this is the place, eh?” an old woman says as she enters. The tap of her cane accompanies her every step. “They say the palace of the Storm Dragon matches the current Emperor. I wonder. What does such a menacing visage say about him?”

“I assure you that he means no harm,” Yong Zhunyi says, walking beside her. The traitorous disciple seems to be the one who brought her here.

“Oh, he certainly means harm,” the old woman says. “This would not be happening otherwise.”

Yong Zhunyi inclines his head in acknowledgement.

“As you say, Lady Zhao.”

“Huh, a proper one, aren’t you?” the old lady says before tapping her cane against the floor thrice. Each tap sends a light tremor through the throne room. “What a pity that there is nothing proper about what is happening. I stand here to bring you the words of the Crimson Cloud.”

She clears her throat.

“You are trespassers on the territory of the Crimson Cloud. Worse still, you are thieves that have taken that which belongs to the Crimson Cloud.”

She lifts her cane and points it at Feng Hao. Feng Zhi immediately places himself between his brother and the old lady. To his surprise, so does Shi Qingxia.

“The child has been chosen. The Crimson Cloud wants him back.”

Because the Crimson Cloud cannot take him here, Feng Zhi realizes. The Storm Dragon Palace is the domain of the Storm Dragon. Even though the Crimson Cloud wants Feng Hao, its influence cannot enter this territory. As long as Feng Hao is here, neither the Crimson Cloud nor the Eternal Flame can use him for their own ends.

“It is not the wish of the Emperor to offend the Crimson Cloud,” Qing Guo says. It surprises Feng Zhi that it is he who does instead of the three disciples, but it really shouldn’t have.

Qing Guo is the prince. The other three are lackeys.

Even if Qing Jin’s cousin has very little presence.

“Nevertheless, the Emperor is in trouble, and the Storm Dragon Palace has been summoned to protect him. Should the Crimson Cloud pass its power to someone, it would only add needless chaos to an already chaotic situation. We cannot possibly allow that,” Qing Guo says in a contrite voice before adding, “Of course, if the Crimson Cloud would help us ensure the safety of the Emperor, the delivery of its successor could be arranged.”

The old lady cackles, but Feng Zhi sees red.

“This is exactly what I mean!” His voice has become an angry growl that makes Qing Guo flinch. He points his finger at them all. “You say you are saving my brother, but you’re just using him as a hostage against the Crimson Cloud!”

In the aftermath of his words, a small silence falls over the throne room. Feng Hao looks more uncertain than before.

Shi Qingxia breaks it.

“Would you rather your brother be outside and already in the Crimson Cloud’s clutches? That’s what would have happened if not for us.”

“I’d rather my brother not be used at all!”

“Foreign as this might sound to a Feng, we cannot always have what we want,” Shi Qingxia replies. “The original plan did not involve saving your brother. He tried to find a way to make it work.”

In the most maddening and annoying way possible, naturally. Because Qing Jin cannot do things in any other way.

“The angry child does bring a good point. You are using the Cloud’s chosen as a hostage,” Old Lady Zhao says. “In that case, would the Young Emperor not count as a hostage against you? If you do not return the child at once, who knows what might happen to the Young Emperor? After all, he is in the Crimson Cloud’s territory right now.”

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Feng Zhi and Feng Hao’s faces darken at the threat, but the other people in the throne room are not moved.

“Lady Zhao, it is as you said before. The state of the Storm Dragon Palace reflects the current Emperor. Neither I nor my father can make the palace fly,” Qing Guo explains with a solemn face. “Should the Emperor die, the Storm Dragon Palace will return to its previous state.”

Feng Zhi pales.

If the Storm Dragon Palace becomes an old, decrepit building that cannot fly at all…

“We are currently above the capital,” Qing Guo continued. “We will not stop until we are directly above the arena. Should we fall, the crash will unleash the energy of the Storm Dragon on this land. We may lose it forever, but I do not believe the Crimson Cloud will survive either.”

And neither would the people in the city or even those in neighboring cities. At best, the Emperors would get away in time and take their disciples with them.

“Why?” It is not Feng Zhi but Feng Hao who asks the question. “Why are you going this far?”

No one answers him, yet the way they trade looks immediately tells Feng Zhi they all know something.

“Why don’t you ask him that next time you see him?” Shi Qingxia suggests, before her gaze shifts to Old Lady Zhao. “If there is a next time.”

The old lady chuckles.

“I do not decide what the Crimson Cloud does. I merely act as an intermediary. Your arguments are certainly… persuasive, and I will be sure to relay them to the Crimson Cloud. However, I cannot guarantee its reaction,” Old Lady Zhao says. “An offense like this will not be easily forgotten.”