Chapter 502 - 500: Just a Little Help

Chapter 502: Chapter 500: Just a Little Help

Zhu Yuan understood deeply that this matter would be anything but simple.

Once she gave up her own interests, she would be forced to give up much more in the future.

’The only chance of survival is to refuse to give an inch and resist to the very end.’

"We’re really going to fight?" Zhu Yin asked again.

Zhu Yuan nodded.

"There will likely be bloodshed."

"There will be casualties."

Zhu Yuan gritted her teeth. "I will bear what I can."

"Alright," Zhu Yin said in a low voice.

"The Ancestral Dragon Race is waiting outside. Your friends from the Taichu Daoist Palace might not come to your aid, Zhu Yuan."

"Since you’ve made your decision, you should inform your friends quickly."

Zhu Yin sighed. ’So what if she has friends in the Taichu Daoist Palace?’

’It’s not as if a Thirteenth Realm cultivator is going to show up. Any help they offer will be limited.’

’Most importantly, when it comes to something this critical, friends don’t always show up.’

’Let the blood of our people teach Zhu Yuan that her clan is who she can truly rely on.’

Zhu Yin had also made up his mind.

Then, he shouted to the entire Mountain Sea Realm, "Halt! Prepare for battle! A daughter of our Candle Dragon Race will not be a concubine to another clan!"

Those very words caused the atmosphere throughout the Mountain Sea Realm to grow heavy.

However, many Candle Dragons had already transformed into their true forms, swiftly making preparations.

The air crackled with the prelude to war.

Why would the Candle Dragons fear this?

...

...

Zhu Yuan had already gone to the Taichu Daoist Palace. She found the personal worlds of Yu Hu, Bai Di, and Su Qing, and knocked on each in turn.

But there was no response from any of them.

’Are they all in seclusion?’ Zhu Yuan felt a surge of anxiety.

In the end, Zhu Yuan did receive help.

Help from the Mechanical Race.

"Candle Dragon Race, you once showed favor to the Life God. We of the Mechanical Race will aid you."

Hong appeared at Zhu Yuan’s side.

Logically, helping the Candle Dragon Race was an absolutely irrational act for the Mechanical Race.

But it was due to the Life God’s directive.

From Hong’s perspective, for the Mechanical Race to handle this matter would only result in losses, with no positive impact.

Even so, the Mechanical Race made an irrational decision.

"We, the Mechanical Race, will help you negotiate."

"Thank you." Zhu Yuan’s heart grew heavy.

In truth, the person she most wanted to find was Su Qing.

Back when Su Qing had caused trouble for the Ancestral Dragon Race, he had been unimaginably powerful.

But now, Su Qing was in seclusion.

He hadn’t responded to Zhu Yuan at all.

She felt this was the fate of the Candle Dragon Race.

They had to endure this on their own.

Relying on others couldn’t solve anything.

’Rely on someone once, and you’ll have to rely on them a second time.’

"I’m returning. Thank you, members of the Mechanical Race."

"You are welcome. The Mechanical Race will stand shoulder to shoulder with you." Hong’s tone was as flat as ever.

He still did not understand why such an irrational decision had been made.

He attributed it all to the Life God’s directive.

——

——

"Master, Master." Xiaoqing had also made an Inference about this matter.

It concerned one of Su Qing’s close friends.

Su Qing stirred from his state.

"What is it?"

"Your friend’s race is about to go to war. There is an eighty percent probability that she will perish."

"Who?"

"Zhu Yuan."

"Oh?"

"That’s an exaggeration, isn’t it? An eighty percent chance of perishing?"

Su Qing was puzzled.

He began to run an Inference on Zhu Yuan’s recent circumstances.

After running the Inference, Su Qing’s brow furrowed.

’This is clearly a conflict between other clans. I don’t want to get involved at all.’

’If I get involved in the affairs of the Candle Dragon Race and the Ancestral Dragon Race, the one to ultimately benefit would be the Ancestral Dragon Race.’

’It would entangle me in their karma and weave my own fate into their conflict.’

’The correct course of action is to do nothing, to mind my own business.’

’Regardless of whether it’s the Ancestral Dragon Race or the Candle Dragon Race, I shouldn’t care.’

’Let them fight their own battles.’

’But Zhu Yuan is different.’

’She already has a connection with me.’

’I can’t just leave Zhu Yuan to her fate.’

This is a choice made by living beings.

This is their struggle, like a wolf hunting a sheep in the wild.

Neither side is in the wrong.

But actively intervening would create a huge problem.

The karma would then become tied to the third party.

In this case, me.

"Still, I have to help with Zhu Yuan’s situation."

"I wonder if Yu Hu and Bai Di went to help." Su Qing began making calculations with his fingers again.

After a moment, Su Qing let out a breath. "They’re all in seclusion?"

"It seems Zhu Yuan came looking for us."

"..."

Su Qing thought back to his time in the Spirit Realm.

Gradually, Su Qing fell silent.

To help or not was a critical question. He was no longer the person he used to be, helping whenever he felt like it, doing whatever he pleased.

He had to weigh the pros and cons of every action.

He had to prevent the worst possible outcome.

...

「After a long while.」

Su Qing smiled faintly. "I will only help Zhu Yuan."

"As for the Candle Dragon Race, their fate is their own."

Su Qing glanced at Xiaoqing beside him.

Then, after a moment of thought, he took out his Profound Immortal Sword.

"Xiaoqing, take this sword to Zhu Yuan. It will protect her."

"Tell her that I don’t want to get involved in the affairs of the Candle Dragon Race, but as for her life, I, Su Qing, will ensure it is safe."

"Oh, and tell her to keep some life-saving tricks up her sleeve. Otherwise, what happens if she actually dies? A Tenth Realm Cultivator with no escape plan... that kind of arrogance is not a good thing."

"Yes, Master."

"But how do I take the sword there?"

"It will follow you."

"Just hand it to Zhu Yuan when you get there," Su Qing said with a smile.

"Understood, Master. I’ll be on my way."

"Mm."

Su Qing nodded.

There were still a few jars of Poisoned Wine nearby. He might as well keep drinking.

——

——

「In the Mountain Sea Realm.」

Zhu Yin was negotiating with Yan Tianao of the Ancestral Dragon Race.

Both were at the Twelfth Realm.

Yan Tianao, however, was furious.

"Zhu Yin, why are you calling off the wedding at the last minute? This is a slap in the face to our Ancestral Dragon Race!"

Yan Tianao was extremely displeased. His tone was laced with hostility, ready to explode at the slightest provocation.

"We of the Candle Dragon Race have suddenly decided against giving our daughter to the Ancestral Dragon Race as a concubine," Zhu Yin stated flatly.

He appeared completely confident.

This left Yan Tianao somewhat puzzled.

’Could it be that Zhu Fangce has returned?’

’Impossible.’

’Zhu Fangce disappeared long ago.’

’The Ancestral Dragon Race has searched for him numerous times. He’s not in the Mountain Sea Realm, nor is he anywhere in the Four Domains of the Star Sea.’

’He’s effectively vanished.’

Yan Tianao suppressed his anger, but said through gritted teeth, "If the Candle Dragon Race proceeds with the wedding as planned, our Ancestral Dragon Race will not pursue this matter."

"But if you Candle Dragons insist on humiliating our Ancestral Dragon Race..."

"...then don’t blame us for what comes next."

"So be it."

"If you have the guts, then let’s start the war right now. The Candle Dragon Race will not be intimidated."

"Don’t even think about touching a single thing within the Mountain Sea Realm." Zhu Yin’s stance was unyielding. Around him, other Twelfth-Realm Candle Dragons appeared.

They were all Zhu Yin’s siblings.

Including Zhu Yin, there were four Twelfth-Realm Candle Dragons in total.

Yan Tianao couldn’t possibly fight them all.

The Candle Dragon Race specialized in the control of Time, making a fight against them disadvantageous to begin with, let alone in the current situation.

After a long silence, he snorted coldly, turned with a flick of his sleeve, and vanished.

Immediately after, the entire wedding procession from the Ancestral Dragon Race withdrew from the outskirts of the Mountain Sea Realm.

"It seems war is truly inevitable," Zhu Yin sighed.

"Yin, don’t panic. If they want war, they’ll get one," a female Candle Dragon at his side comforted him. She was also at the Twelfth Realm.

"That’s right, don’t panic. With us here, nothing will go wrong."

"Candle Spirit, Zhu Ye, and Zhu Ting."

"Let’s prepare for war."

"Sounds good. If they want a war, we’ll give them one."

...

By the time Zhu Yuan returned to the Mountain Sea Realm, the area outside was already surrounded by a great number of Ancestral Dragon Race members, with some from the Candle Dragon Race having gone out to parley.

Yet the instant she returned, before even a second had passed, the two negotiating parties began to fight.

...