Chapter 229：Retiring and Returning to Hometown

"Wait, what?" The Deer King exclaimed.

"Princess Qianyou was saved," the Radiant Arhat said angrily.

"You mean Princess Qianyou has recovered?" The Deer King asked worriedly.

"Recovered? Not necessarily. Even with the World-Purifying Snow Lotus, it takes a hundred days to fully recover, because you have to continuously expel the residual wicked energy. Right now, Princess Qianyou should be even weaker than an ordinary person, unable to perform any spells. She can only persist in using the World-Purifying Snow Lotus to gradually expel the wickedness and slowly restore her strength," the Radiant Arhat said coldly.

"A hundred days? Now they've escaped the heavy surveillance area. A hundred days is just a matter of time," the Deer King shook his head.

"No, Your Highness. Although the Wicked God Golden Silkworm has been purified, the residual poison on Princess Qianyou's body won't disappear within a hundred days," the Radiant Arhat said, smiling at the Deer King.

"What do you mean?" The Deer King frowned.

"Your Highness, use your divine sense to feel this poison," the Radiant Arhat handed the dark golden poison mist to the Deer King.

The Deer King probed with his divine sense and suddenly widened his eyes.

"This poison is so potent!" The Deer King exclaimed.

"Yes, I sealed this poison using a special method. Your Highness, do you know? Not only can this poison continue to harm Princess Qianyou for a hundred days, but also, as long as anyone's divine sense passes through her vicinity within ten meters, their divine sense will be contaminated. Although they won't be injured, at this moment, Princess Qianyou is like a huge pearl in the dark night, unique. If Your Highness wants to find Princess Qianyou, it will be extremely easy. And now with Princess Qianyou and Zhongshan as burdens, the four of them won't get far," the Radiant Arhat said.

Hearing what the Radiant Arhat said, the Deer King narrowed his eyes. He looked at the Radiant Arhat unexpectedly but seemed to have been hinted at and didn't say more.

At this time, another group of people rushed over from afar. It was the Grand Commander Yi Yan.

The Deer King immediately went forward and asked, "Grand Commander, did you get the Wan Cheng Treasure Mirror?"

Yi Yan looked at the Deer King and shook his head, "Master Shui Jing and Gu Lin were lucky. They managed to escape."

Hearing Yi Yan's words, the Deer King's heart moved, nodded without saying more, and looked back at the sky to watch the battle—

Three days later.

In a valley, Master Shui Jing and Gu Lin were waiting quietly.

"Prince, Princess Qianyou probably doesn't want to come," Master Shui Jing said, shaking his feather fan.

"Hehe, it's normal for girls to have a temper. Since Zhongshan is dead, she definitely won't come to join us. She'll go back on her own. Let's go. With Ah Da and Ah Er, we don't need to worry about them," Gu Lin said with a slight smile.

"Yes," Master Shui Jing nodded—

In the Heavenly City, inside the imperial palace, in a side hall.

Yi Yan, Emperor Narlan Piaoxue, and the Deer King gathered again.

"Your Majesty, why didn't you just kill the Great Strength Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva?" Yi Yan regretted.

"Kill? Didn't you see the seven words on the cliff?" Emperor Narlan Piaoxue said.

"Seven words? Those seven words must have been left by Zhongshan. Only he could do such shameless things," Yi Yan said anxiously.

The seven words left by Zhongshan were 'Shameless! Taking advantage of others' crisis.' Indeed, at the last moment, he saved the Great Strength Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva.

"Grand Commander, His Majesty defeated the Great Strength Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva. This is something worth celebrating. Why do you always look so grim?" the Deer King said from the side.

"Win? No, Your Majesty lost, the entire Great Yu Empire lost," Yi Yan shouted angrily.

"Yi Yan! What do you mean?" Emperor Narlan Piaoxue shouted angrily.

"Your Majesty, it's like this..." The Deer King recounted the events of Yi Yan poisoning the Radiant Arhat, seizing the Wan Cheng Treasure Mirror from Princess Qianyou.

"You, you actually disobeyed my orders again. No wonder the Great Strength Heavenly Dragon Bodhisattva couldn't fight with all his strength, it was because of you," Emperor Narlan Piaoxue was truly angry this time.

"Your Majesty, I have a plan to retrieve the Wan Cheng Treasure Mirror," the Deer King suddenly said.

"Oh?" Emperor Narlan Piaoxue suddenly looked at the Deer King. Yi Yan also looked at the Deer King.

"Princess Qianyou is definitely within the territory of the Great Yu Empire now, and she's like a bright pearl. As long as our divine sense covers her, we'll definitely find her. We just need to capture Princess Qianyou, and we can exchange her for the Wan Cheng Treasure Mirror, as well as the World-Purifying Snow Lotus with Princess Qianyou," the Deer King said excitedly.

"Right, as long as we capture Princess Qianyou, we'll get back the Wan Cheng Treasure Mirror," Emperor Narlan Piaoxue nodded.

"No, Your Majesty, absolutely not. Once our Great Yu Empire sends troops to search, it will definitely attract a large number of assassins to kill Princess Qianyou. We cannot bear this blame," Yi Yan once again advised.

"We're just searching for Princess Qianyou. Princess Qianyou has been tainted by the 'Wicked God Golden Silkworm'. Even if she dies in the end, it will be attributed to the Pure Land of Bliss," the Deer King immediately defended.

"But the Radiant Arhat has already publicly announced that Princess Qianyou has the World-Purifying Snow Lotus," Yi Yan said immediately.

"Does she? The Radiant Arhat was 'talking nonsense'. Who will people believe at that time? How could Princess Qianyou possibly have the World-Purifying Snow Lotus? If the Great Yu Empire wants to become strong, we must obtain the Wan Cheng Treasure Mirror to make our cities powerful and naturally strengthen our national power. Your Majesty, please give the order!" the Deer King said, then looked at Emperor Narlan Piaoxue.

"Okay, as you said," Emperor Narlan Piaoxue nodded.

The Deer King looked triumphant, but Yi Yan knelt down suddenly and said, "Your Majesty, absolutely not, this will lead the Great Yu Empire to irreparable disaster."

Giving Yi Yan a cold look, Emperor Narlan Piaoxue said, "Grand Commander, I have made up my mind. There's no need to say more."

Grand Commander? Yi Yan suddenly raised his head. Emperor Narlan Piaoxue actually called him 'Grand Commander'? He used to call himself Yi Yan or a beloved minister, but 'Grand Commander'? Was he ordering himself? Was he doubting himself?

Suddenly, Yi Yan felt a sense of desolation. For the sake of the Great Yu Empire, for a lifetime of labor, what was it all for?

Looking at Emperor Narlan Piaoxue, who looked extremely desolate, Yi Yan said with a heavy heart, "Your Majesty, I have been feeling unwell recently. I request to resign from the position of Grand Commander and retire."

Looking at Yi Yan, Emperor Narlan Piaoxue narrowed his eyes and said, "Granted!"

Granted!

Yi Yan bowed three times to Emperor Narlan Piaoxue, gently took out the seal of the Grand Commander, and placed it on the desk in front of Emperor Narlan Piaoxue. Then he slowly left the hall, feeling extremely lonely and desolate.

After Yi Yan left, Emperor Narlan Piaoxue let out a dry laugh and said, "Grand Commander? From now on, the Great Yu Empire is under my sole control."

Emperor Narlan Piaoxue's expression was extremely strange, and it was impossible to tell if he was angry, happy, sad, or joyful. Then he fell into a long silence.

The Deer King was now filled with excitement. Yi Yan had left? Then who would take over as Grand Commander in the future? Me?

Looking at Emperor Narlan Piaoxue, who was drinking alone, the Deer King plucked up his courage and said, "Your Majesty, now that Yi Yan has resigned from the position of Grand Commander, who will take over? Your Majesty, please make a decision as soon as possible."

Turning his head to look at the Deer King, Emperor Narlan Piaoxue said coldly, "You go and coordinate the pursuit of Princess Qianyou."

"Yes, but..." The Deer King seemed reluctant to let go of the position of Grand Commander.

"Go!" Emperor Narlan Piaoxue said.

"Yes," the Deer King nodded and then left the hall. At the same time, doubts arose in his mind. Now that the position of Grand Commander was vacant, did His Majesty still intend to leave it vacant?

At the summit of the high mountain, Great Vajra Dragon Bodhisattva looked at the Enlightened Arhat before him, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Bodhisattva, Princess Qianyou also has the Clean World Snow Lotus," the Enlightened Arhat said.

Great Vajra Dragon Bodhisattva took a deep breath and shook his head, "Enlightened One, you have caused a great trouble this time."

"Bodhisattva, didn't you say that to fight fire with fire? Princess Qianyou poisoned me, why can't I poison her in return?" The Enlightened Arhat said stubbornly.

"I have told you, the poison may not necessarily be from Princess Qianyou. On that day, the seven words on the mountain wall saved my life, and it may not be the poison from Princess Qianyou," Great Vajra Dragon Bodhisattva shook his head.

"But it's still possible, possible that Princess Qianyou poisoned me. Bodhisattva, on the day of the poisoning, I have no regrets," the Enlightened Arhat shook his head.

"Sigh, what's done is done. Enlightened One, from now on, you should cultivate on your own and stop following me," Great Vajra Dragon Bodhisattva sighed.

The Enlightened Arhat immediately knelt down, "Bodhisattva, Enlightened One knows his mistake."

"Let's go, our fate has come to an end. You always follow me, but you will never become a true Bodhisattva. Go and temper yourself, and change your impatient temper," Great Vajra Dragon Bodhisattva said, shaking his head.

The Enlightened Arhat kowtowed nine times to the Bodhisattva, "Bodhisattva, I have no regrets about poisoning that day. Bodhisattva, take care, I will definitely become a new Bodhisattva." With that, the Enlightened Arhat stood up firmly and flew away.

Watching the Enlightened Arhat's figure disappear, Great Vajra Dragon Bodhisattva sighed.

Three days later, inside the sedan chair. Zhongshan once again used the Clean World Snow Lotus to detoxify.

During the detoxification process, Princess Qianyou's eyelashes twitched, but Zhongshan did not put away the Clean World Snow Lotus, as there were still many toxins to deal with.

Slowly, Princess Qianyou opened her eyes.

She happened to see a pure white light enveloping Zhongshan, making him appear divine and ethereal.

Thinking she was dreaming, she closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly, then opened them again.

This time, she indeed saw Zhongshan, holding a pure white lotus flower in his hand.

"Sir, is this... the Clean World Snow Lotus?" Princess Qianyou stared in disbelief.