Chapter Sixty-Seven: The Omen Before the Great Turmoil, Part One

"You? You? This—this—impossible..." When Hao Dan and Su Su laid eyes on the woman's stunningly beautiful face, they were unable to conceal their shock. That visage was all too familiar to them.

The sight of an enemy stirred intense emotions; Su Su's eyes reddened instantly. Gritting her teeth, she spoke each word with deliberate hatred: "Seven Star Tower! Third Master, Duna!"

This accusation caught Hao Dan's curiosity as well. He had witnessed the witch's demise with his own eyes—she had been utterly annihilated by the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade, her body and soul destroyed, her spirit trapped inside the Heavenly Eight Trigram Gourd. How could she appear before them now?

As Su Su locked eyes with her, she sensed a surge of intent invading her mind; had she not possessed five centuries of cultivation, she would have been overwhelmed once more. Thankfully, Su Su had mastered the Nine Tails Veiling Heaven technique within the White Emperor's tomb. Her aura shifted dramatically, an emerald glow enveloped her, and a powerful force swept outward.

In that moment, the army below the cliff was battered by the surge of energy, their ranks thrown into chaos, soldiers stumbling and falling. Lion King He Qilie barely managed to stay astride his mount, staring in disbelief. With his century of cultivation, he could sense Su Su's explosive power was far beyond his own.

The witch in black robes, unmoved by Su Su's display, abandoned her disguise. Seeing her ploy had failed, she revealed her own peerless beauty, not inferior to Su Su's; she was, without doubt, the Sixth Master of Seven Star Tower, the witch "Profiled Face Jialuo."

It turned out the woman had merely employed a common disguise technique, but her scheme had failed, instead provoking Su Su's hidden emotions. Hao Dan, suspended in midair, was awestruck by the witch's appearance—her beauty rivaled Bai Ling's, though in Hao Dan's heart, Bai Ling remained the most beautiful woman in the world.

"I have long heard the witches of Seven Star Tower are full of cunning. Today, I see their reputation is well deserved."

Seeing the witch drop her pretense, Su Su's towering hatred abated somewhat.

"I have always heard of the illustrious and solitary Empress Su Thirteen of the Nine Yi, whose enchanting beauty is unrivaled! Alas, it is a pity! Had I managed to control Your Majesty completely in the past, things would not have led to today's predicament. You truly surprise me again and again!"

Jialuo, proud and cold, looked down on all, her face turned away, like a solitary lotus blooming in frozen earth.

"I wish to know how you regained your senses and advanced your cultivation so rapidly. Compared to before, you are entirely transformed."

Su Su smiled humbly. "I must thank you for that, truly—it was your gift that granted me such fortune."

Witch Jialuo smiled indifferently. "How so?"

Hao Dan, watching from above, called out a warning: "Su Su, beware! This woman is unfathomable—do not engage her!"

During their exchange, Lion King He Qilie had vanished, and the army surrounding the mountain belonged to the Dog Yi clan. If Su Su vented her wrath upon them, it would mean the destruction of her own Qingqiu lineage. Hao Dan's words implied they could not act rashly.

"It seems there is more than one witch among these troops—likely another master is hidden, casting illusions from the start."

Had Hao Dan not possessed the skills of the Eastern Lord, he would never have realized that all these soldiers were Dog Yi wolf warriors disguised in the uniforms of the Lion King's cavalry, most of them foxes from Qingqiu, not the Lion King's army.

Among the squadron, the officers' eyes were vacant, their will drained.

"What a stratagem—let the fox return to the mountain, lure the snake from its den, use force against force, trap the prey in the jar! Using my own tribe's people against me—had I fallen for this, when the slaughter ended and I found all the dead were my own, I would be consumed by remorse. You would win without a fight—a truly clever calculation!"

Suddenly, two figures burst forth.

From the shadows emerged Su Moran and the Grand Elder.

"Seven Star Tower, Sixth Master 'Profiled Face Jialuo!'"

Su Moran stood with hands behind his back, mimicking Jialuo's profile, addressing her.

Clearly, this was intentional.

"I've heard you never look people in the eye—today, I see it's true!"

Jialuo smiled elegantly, a smile as unforgettable as spring wind awakening a hundred flowers.

"I have heard, beneath the Nine Heavens, only two pillars reign: Qingqiu and the Omniscient. You are 'Su Moran of Qingqiu,' and your reputation precedes you. Such extraordinary beauty—why must it appear on a man's face? What a pity!"

"So, the two of you hid in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to confront me. If the Lion King clashed with your Empress, you would ambush me without mercy—cruel hands to destroy a delicate flower?"

"Haha! To defuse crisis in such unfavorable circumstances—I sincerely admire you!"

Meanwhile, a barely perceptible message drifted to Jialuo's ear from afar, unnoticed by all. Her expression betrayed nothing, leaving everyone in ignorance.

Jialuo stepped forward languidly, as if strolling aimlessly. When she reached the edge of the cliff below Su Su, she lifted her cold, peerless face and smiled seductively.

"Today's defeat is sealed. I shall await Your Majesty's arrival in Yangyi!"

"When the time comes, we will face each other in battle—fair and square!"

Below, ten thousand troops still stood, but as Jialuo finished speaking, she vanished without a trace. Before Su Su, Hao Dan, and the others, she disappeared—her mastery was beyond imagination, even the gods would envy such ability. To her, coming and going was as easy as thought.

"Demoness, stop!"

Grand Elder Su Qianshu, seeing the vanishing figure, was powerless—it was simply too arrogant.

Watching the disappearance, Su Su felt a chill. The woman's methods were terrifying; the memory of her past psychic invasion lingered, a contest in which Su Su had been utterly helpless.

Su Moran returned to the cliff's edge and solemnly advised: "Her cultivation is fearsome. If you face her again, avoid direct confrontation whenever possible."

As they spoke, the troops below suddenly collapsed, as if their souls had been sucked away, left weak and limp.

Hao Dan, recalling something, said, "In the past, Old Black told me that a witch of Seven Star Tower can wield illusions. Just now, Jialuo was controlling ten thousand troops mentally—once she leaves, they are freed, but without sufficient strength, they suffer greatly: at best, they become mindless, at worst, they die. Mindlessness can be cured with time, but from the moment they arrived, we were already trapped in the witch's illusion. I only realized it later!"

"We underestimated the witches' cunning. In future dealings, utmost caution is essential, or we risk falling into their traps," said Grand Elder Su Qianshu, still shaken.

Su Su nodded gravely. "For some reason, I feel there is more to this. Why did the Lion King and the witches avoid direct confrontation? Given the situation, our chances of victory are slim—even if we managed to kill He Qilie, it wouldn't quell the unrest quickly. Their actions suggest they anticipated everything, as if all our moves are under their control. It's truly frightening!"

Hao Dan stroked his chin, pondering, "Earlier, I sensed a subtle message passed through, but I couldn't catch it. If we had acted rashly, it would have played into their hands. I wonder, had Jialuo stayed, how would she have faced the four of us?"

Su Moran responded, "You are right. I believe Jialuo could match us all—and her departure seemed a sudden change of plan, as her demeanor indicated."

"She clearly does not fear us," Su Moran concluded with solemnity.

Su Su seemed struck by realization. "That's it!"

"She said she'd wait in Yangyi. That implies the army will withdraw from Qingqiu and the conflict will pause!"

Su Qianshu forced a bitter smile. "Perhaps we cannot rely on our own tribe alone to confront them. We must return to Qingqiu quickly, reorganize the troops, investigate the situation, and learn about the current status of the White Yi and Phoenix Yi tribes. Only by securing their support might we have strength for a battle in Yangyi."

Su Moran continued, "We may not have enough time to prepare."

Hao Dan and Su Su, puzzled, asked in unison, "Why do you say so?"

Su Moran smiled lightly. "You may not know the situation across the Nine Provinces. The Seven Star Tower's actions may have deeper motives, perhaps to resolve the crisis for Great Xia. In Shang, the various lords are gathering to revolt against Xia. King Wu of Shang has proclaimed his rule and summoned the lords; this news has spread everywhere. The nine sacred cauldrons of the Xia dynasty, symbols left by Yu the Great to suppress demons, have been overturned. With the cauldrons lost, chaos is coming!"

Hao Dan, startled, asked, "You mean soon the lords will launch a war, with my adoptive father leading the charge?"

Su Moran smiled, "Precisely. We have spent nearly half a month in the Nine Yi, and much has happened. Though we live in the mountains, our information is reliable. As descendants of the demon clan, our methods of gathering news cannot be matched by ordinary mortals."

"Indeed! Any creature with demon blood is a channel for our messages," Su Su explained, smiling.

"I see," Hao Dan said, suddenly understanding. He still felt unfamiliar with the demon clan.

Su Moran continued, "There is another piece of news—I am unsure if I should share it with Your Majesty."

This was clearly directed at Hao Dan, who immediately sensed it concerned Bai Ling.

"Please speak."

"Your cherished friend has awakened. I left a Phoenix Yi golden finch at your residence—it communicates through spiritual connection with other finches. Through this, I learned your friend has recovered fully and left Shangqiu, destination unknown."

Hearing her whereabouts were unknown, Hao Dan was momentarily lost. He asked urgently, "Is this true?"

Su Moran replied with certainty, "Absolutely."

Before telling Hao Dan, Su Moran had prepared himself, though he withheld another matter, perhaps for selfish reasons or perhaps out of concern for Su Su.

Su Su gently comforted Hao Dan, "If Your Majesty is worried, I am willing to accompany you in search of your Bai Ling fairy."

Thinking of how Hao Dan had protected her in the Southern Forest, Su Su did not wish to see him distressed. Though her heart was devoted to him, Su Su was wise and knew feelings could not be forced. Moreover, Hao Dan was the reincarnation of Taiyi, the Eastern Emperor. Even if he never awakened, Su Su feared they could never be together.

Hao Dan, still reluctant, replied, "No need. Once we quell the unrest in Yangyi, I will handle it myself."

"What matters now is restoring order. When war erupts, the Nine Yi can aid my father. Though I am not in Shangqiu, once Xia and Shang clash, my father's side will be weak and need your support."

Grand Elder Su Qianshu agreed, "Indeed! Our greatest enemy is Great Xia, our common foe. For centuries, the feud between witches and demons has been irreconcilable. If Xia wins, the Nine Yi will be swallowed whole. We have never submitted, and Xia has used every means to subdue us, even bringing in the witches. We cannot sit and wait for destruction!"

"Grand Elder speaks wisely. I have a plan, but I need your cooperation," Su Su said.

Su Moran and the Grand Elder nodded.

"My plan requires you to go separately to the White Yi and Phoenix Yi, deliver my orders, and gather all available forces at Tongxia Peak. Qingqiu needs no immediate attention; the witches are too cunning. To avoid traps, we will assemble all troops here and, in three days, march together to Yangyi to confront Lion King He Qilie and Witch Jialuo."

"For now, this is all we can do. No matter how we scheme, Jialuo may already anticipate everything. Sometimes, facing the challenge head-on is best. Also, please release more Phoenix Yi golden finches—they are invaluable for intelligence gathering."

Su Moran agreed.

Su Su then instructed Su Qianshu, "Grand Elder, do not clash with the White Yi Monkey King. I ask you to put aside past grievances and persuade him to aid us, for the sake of our tribes' long history."

"I understand! Rest assured, Empress," Su Qianshu replied.

Su Su's decisive manner showed her true imperial bearing. Seeing her clarity and foresight, Hao Dan was impressed. Su Su continued, "Among the nine tribes, only Phoenix Yi are closely allied with us—they will be our strongest support, though they are weakest in strength, they are unmatched in intelligence gathering."

"Furthermore, the White Yi Monkey King is among the strongest. He has cultivated his power for many years and will not want the Nine Yi thrown into chaos. Please, Grand Elder, temporarily set aside your status and approach him with humility. I beg you!"

Su Qianshu was deeply moved by Su Su's leadership and knelt, "Empress, rest assured! I will not disappoint you on this mission!"

Su Su smiled, helping him up.

"Time is of the essence—please depart at once!"

Su Moran approached Su Qianshu, saluted Su Su, and said, "Three days hence, we meet here."

...

After the two departed, Su Su lingered, unwilling to look away. Below the cliff, the Dog Yi tribe had been organized by the Grand Elder before his departure; nearly ten thousand soldiers, most wounded, left supporting one another.

Such was the aftermath—the ten thousand wolf warriors needed rest to recover. Though controlled by Jialuo, the situation was not dire; after some recuperation, they would regain their strength and camp here.

Hao Dan noticed Su Su was showing signs of fatigue and asked with concern, "You seem tired—are you unwell, or did the witch disturb your mind?"

"It's not that. Since leaving the White Emperor's tomb, I have not fully absorbed his legacy or my nine centuries of cultivation. I am still digesting it, so I have been suppressing my power. Had I fought the Lion King, I might have won, but it would have left lasting harm. If I do not absorb it soon, it will become a problem."

"I see. Then meditate in the cave—I will guard you outside."

Hao Dan promptly escorted Su Su inside.

Su Su smiled modestly. "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern."

...

What happens next? See the following chapter for the rest of the story.