Chapter 399: The National Spirit
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
The National Advisor stood clad in a long, moon-white robe, holding a stone mirror in his hands.
His hair and beard were white as snow—it was none other than the fortune teller who once divined Lu Chao Chao’s fate.
“National Advisor, the Black Dragon has awakened and has broken free from the ancestors’ binding!”
“National Advisor, save the Southern Kingdom!”
“The Southern Kingdom and the Black Dragon share a deep blood feud. Once it escapes, it will undoubtedly seek vengeance upon the royal family!” The old emperor, stirred by emotion, had a rare flush of color in his aged face.
“Father Emperor, please do not worry. The National Advisor possesses vast divine abilities; he will surely find a way to resolve this crisis for the Southern Kingdom.”
Nan Feng Yu supported the emperor, her expression filled with concern.
Meanwhile, all the court officials had fled the Bright Light Hall in terror, staring up at the Black Dragon slithering across the grand plaque of the hall. Fear and unease clouded their faces.
Legends told of how, a thousand years ago, the royal ancestors of the Southern Kingdom had sealed away a Black Dragon in the Grievous Prison.
Could the legend truly be real?
The National Advisor stood solemnly before the grand hall, brows tightly furrowed as he calculated the fates.
“Can we use the Mirror of All Things to inspect the state of the Grievous Prison?”
“Strange occurrences have been frequent in the prison of late. We do not know what has transpired.” The old emperor’s voice was heavy with unease. Nightmares had plagued him for days—was it an omen?
The National Advisor pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement.
He placed the stone mirror on the offering table and channeled a wisp of spiritual energy into it with a hand seal.
General Lou pressed his lips together, hesitation evident in his heart. Yet, he ultimately stepped forward, bowing respectfully before the National Advisor.
“National Advisor, Princess Sunshine is still inside the Grievous Prison. Could you spare a moment to look into her safety?”
The moment his words fell, the empress, having rushed over in haste, snapped, “General Lou! Do not forget your place!”
“The Su Family’s corpses have not even turned cold. Today, I shall see who dares to release her!”
The empress wiped her tears and continued, “Even if the Su Family had erred, it was for His Majesty to pass judgment—not her place to slaughter them all! Does she think she can overrule the emperor?”
“This Southern Kingdom belongs to the Nan Family! It is not hers to command!”
“Besides, the Su Family has loyally served the Southern Kingdom for a millennium. Such a minor offense—did it truly warrant extermination?!”
“I will not allow it! Lu Chao Chao must perish in the Grievous Prison!”
Her heart was filled with pain—there was not a single survivor from the Su Family. Lu Chao Chao was simply too ruthless.
Official Sang tugged lightly at General Lou’s sleeve, shaking his head as a silent warning.
Reluctantly, General Lou withdrew.
The empress stood beside the emperor with a firm expression. Today, she would remain here and see for herself who dared to release Lu Chao Chao.
The old emperor remained silent.
When weighing matters of interest, though Lu Chao Chao was his granddaughter, she could never compare to his wife of many years and his legitimate daughter. Moreover, there was also the Little Goddess to consider.
“I recall that the stone mirror has the power of time reversal…”
The National Advisor nodded. “It can turn back a single day.”
With a wave of his sleeve, the mirror swiftly reversed time, showing collapsed ancient trees returning to their former standing positions. The vision rewound to the events of the previous night.
The crowd watched, wide-eyed, as thunderclouds loomed over Bone Mountain, as Nine Heavens Thunder Tribulation obliterated the mountaintop.
They saw a small black snake take on a new form.
Then, the image revealed a slender, snow-white wrist. The jade bracelet upon it crumbled into powder, drifting away into the void.
The more they watched, the darker their expressions became.
“The Black Dragon has indeed broken free from its bindings!” The old emperor shut his eyes in resignation. The very scene he feared most had come to pass.
“The Grievous Prison cannot contain it.”
Yet the National Advisor was transfixed by the stone mirror, his gaze lingering on something faint, something small—
Why did he seem to glimpse a tiny shadow within the image?
The Grievous Prison was impervious to external divinations, making the vision unclear.
“National Advisor, what do you propose we do? The Black Dragon has been imprisoned for a thousand years. With its old and new grievances, it will not relent so easily,” the old emperor asked with deep concern. The enmity between the Southern Kingdom and the Black Dragon was long-standing—how could they possibly resolve it?
The National Advisor clearly understood the cause.
“I have studied the stars at night. The Southern Kingdom is destined to face this tribulation.”
“Yet within this calamity, there is also a sliver of opportunity. A chance to dissolve the animosity between the kingdom and the Black Dragon…”
The emperor’s eyes brightened slightly.
“The Black Dragon was sealed because it flooded the Southern Kingdom, and divine power suppressed it. Over the centuries, that divine energy has surely waned.”
“The ancestors who deceived it are long dead. Continuing its hatred serves no benefit to it.”
“If we offer terms that truly entice it, we may turn hostility into peace.”
Nan Feng Yu scoffed, disdain apparent in her gaze.
“The Southern Kingdom has countless Divine Attendant Clans. Do you mean to say we should still fear a mere beast? A beast remains a beast—does it think it can overturn the heavens?”
The National Advisor shook his head. “Divine Attendants are still mortals. The divine spirit that once suppressed the Black Dragon—is that someone you can summon today?”
Nan Feng Yu furrowed her brows. “Once Zhi Yi ascends, the Southern Kingdom will have a divine spirit of its own! What need have we for outside reliance?”
The old emperor waved his hand. “Let the National Advisor continue.”
The National Advisor clasped his hands behind his back and spoke calmly, “Dragons are naturally favored by the heavens. If one binds itself to the Southern Kingdom, it will bring great benefits. A symbiotic relationship, nothing more.”
“Furthermore, I have my own considerations.”
“The Black Dragon possesses immense strength. Though weakened from its imprisonment, its power remains formidable. If the Little Goddess can make it recognize her as its master, the advantages for her will be boundless.”
Nan Feng Yu’s eyes flared with intense interest.
“National Advisor, explain further!” she urged eagerly. Though her daughter was already an exceptional prodigy, having a Black Dragon as her protector would grant her unparalleled prestige even in the Celestial Realm.
“The only thing the Southern Kingdom can truly offer is National Fortune.”
“Grant it half the kingdom’s fortune and declare it the National Spirit, the divine protector of the Southern Kingdom. Once the Little Goddess claims dominion over it, the kingdom’s fortune will belong to its master. The Southern Kingdom will lose nothing.”
Nan Feng Yu was already nodding in excitement—excellent!
She could barely contain the joy in her eyes.
The old emperor hesitated. National Fortune was no trivial matter—it was the foundation of the entire kingdom…
Nan Feng Yu stepped forward and held the emperor’s arm.
“Father Emperor, sooner or later, it will all belong to Zhi Yi.”
“Can you not trust her? Can you not trust your own kingdom?”
“Zhi Yi is the reincarnation of a goddess, born into the Nan Family. When she ascends to the Nine Heavens, would she not remember where she came from?”
Suppressing her excitement, she coaxed him gently.
The court officials remained silent. If the National Fortune was granted to Nan Zhi Yi, then the throne would inevitably pass to her bloodline.
The old emperor pondered for a long time. “Very well. I shall agree.”
Nan Feng Yu’s lips curled into a smile, her heart thundering with anticipation.
“Send envoys to negotiate with the Black Dragon. If it accepts, prepare the offerings and rituals. We shall welcome the Black Dragon’s emergence from the Grievous Prison.”
“This is a grand event for the Southern Kingdom. Inform the people of the Southern Capital—everyone shall witness the rise of our National Spirit.”
As he finished speaking, the old emperor felt his strength drain, his body swaying backward.
Nan Feng Yu caught him in time, preventing a fall.
“Your Majesty, Xu Shi Yun seeks an audience outside the palace—likely on behalf of Princess Sunshine!” a eunuch whispered.
But the emperor was already slipping into sleep, exhaustion overtaking him.
The empress glanced at him coldly. “Do not grant her entry.”
“If she has the ability, let her escape on her own.”
“If she manages to survive, I shall pardon her crimes!” She sneered—no matter what tricks Lu Chao Chao had, she would never walk out of the Grievous Prison alive.