"Wu Gang, open your mouth!" Fan Li did not hesitate at all and fiercely threw an Undying Pellet towards the black dragon. In the eyes of others, his actions seemed completely absurd.
What was this? The nation's destiny was used to invite Wu Gang, yet it still could not agree immediately. Now, just feeding it wants it to submit? Is he really treating it like a beast?
Wu Gang did not take Fan Li seriously either, since his cultivation was pathetically weak, almost the same as an ordinary mortal.
As for the pellet thrown over, Wu Gang casually swallowed it. With both countries courting it now, Wu Gang was not afraid they would dare to secretly poison it.
"Minister Fan, what are you doing?" Chen Gonggong asked, "If you wanted to act, you should have discussed it with His Majesty and I first. Otherwise, offending Wu Gang will ruin the big plan. Can Minister Fan compensate Great Chu for the loss of a guardian deity dragon?"
Fan Li only smiled without answering. Fortunately he had kept a few Undying Pellets. He did not expect they could actually be put to use today.
Xiang Ning's eyes were sharp and she immediately recognized it as the pellet Fan Li had secretly eaten during the court session.
"The treacherous minister is nicer to Wu Gang than to me!?" Previously, she had asked Fan Li for one to eat but was rejected. The more Xiang Ning thought about it, the angrier she became. She fiercely glared at Fan Li, leaving him confused.
On the other side of the shore, Lan Daoxing remained silent. If not for Chen Gonggong's presence, he might have immediately struck out and killed Great Chu's little emperor and minister on the spot.
But right now, he was more curious. Could it be that Wu Gang had a favorite type of pellet, and Great Chu's minister had managed to offer just the right kind?
In the end, Wu Gang was Great Chu's Founding Emperor Xiang Yu's steed. Such secrets would only be known to Great Chu.
'That pellet from before seemed ordinary, without any peculiar fragrance or phenomenon. I don't think it was anything special.' Just as Lan Daoxing was thinking this, he suddenly heard cries of delight coming from the dragon in the sky overhead.
His heart jolted. This was bad!
Everyone looked up. They saw Wu Gang's enormous dragon body transform into a phantom shadow that finally condensed into a human figure.
An additional woman now appeared in the sky. With black hair and black clothes, her aura was cold as ice, yet her skin was even whiter than snow.
This woman was Wu Gang's transformed human appearance! She descended from the sky and directly went before Fan Li.
"You..."
"Don't speak first, let's talk privately." Fan Li waved his hand interrupting her.
Wu Gang nodded almost without any hesitation. Her black sleeves fluttered gently as she wrapped up Fan Li and floated away together.
"Whoever dares follow, dies without mercy." Wu Gang suddenly stopped midair and coldly threatened while looking back.
At the same time, an overbearing pressure seemed to press down from the sky, locking onto the strongest people present, Lan Daoxing and Chen Gonggong!
The two had wanted to give chase, but immediately froze in place with cold sweat on their foreheads.
Both Lan Daoxing and Chen Gonggong were experts at the Unity Realm! Yet now, they clearly sensed an enormous pressure they knew they were no match for!
"The Greater Vehicle Realm!?"
Both of their hearts pounded rapidly, and they felt their mouths go dry, unable to speak a single word.
Xiang Ning was unaffected since she wasn't targeted. She only blankly watched the two people in the distance.
"What's going on? Could that treacherous minister have subdued Wu Gang? Wu Gang turns out to be female? What if that lecherous minister becomes infatuated with her beauty? That damned minister actually abandoned me for the sake of a dragon woman!"
Fan Li was wrapped up by Wu Gang's sleeves and rapidly flown over two to three li away, landing atop a barren mountain peak.
"Where did you obtain that divine medicine from earlier?" Wu Gang spoke extremely quickly, even carrying threatening overtones.
Fan Li repeatedly shook his head after hearing this. This mother dragon clearly needed his help, yet she still dared threaten him by immediately resorting to violence?
Fan Li immediately determined that Wu Gang had low intelligence. No wonder that thousands of years ago, Wu Gang was only Xiang Yu's mount and nothing more.
"Kneel and take me as your master." Fan Li lightly said.
"You're rude!" Wu Gang's face revealed anger and her eyes emanated cold light.
But Fan Li was completely unafraid. He calmly said, "Undying Pellets are my exclusive secret recipe. There is no second family under heaven that can produce it. If you want to prolong your lifespan, you can only swear to the Heavenly Dao to take me as your master."
"With just your Body Refinement Realm cultivation, how can you possibly refine such a pellet? Even if it's real, I can just forcefully extract the recipe from you with Soul Search!" Wu Gang's words were blunt, but she did not actually make a move. She did not dare to act rashly, and Fan Li grew even more nonchalant because of it.
Casually taking out an Undying Pellet, Fan Li threw it into his mouth like eating peanuts. Wu Gang watched with envy, repeatedly swallowing saliva.
"In your thousands of years of life, when have you ever seen such a wondrous pellet? Soul Search? Go ahead and try as you like. But I guarantee you will obtain nothing, and also lose this one chance to take a master." Fan Li smiled radiantly and ate another Undying Pellet.
***
On the shore of Black Dragon Pool, Xiang Ning, Chen Gonggong, and Lan Daoxing faced each other from across the pool.
"Chu Emperor, meeting today is fate. This poor Daoist has a few words to give, I wonder if Your Majesty is interested in listening?" Lan Daoxing suddenly spoke.
Xiang Ning was somewhat at a loss. She lowered her voice and said, "Eunuch Chen, We remember Lan Daoxing is adept at the secret arts Spirit Writing and Planchette. He is especially skilled at bewitching hearts and minds. It's best if we do not interact with him."
She had assumed Chen Gonggong would agree with her view, but unexpectedly, he said something completely different.
The old eunuch murmured, "Your Majesty, you might as well hear what he has to say. Just treat it as chatting to pass the time. With this old servant here, We will definitely return safely to Peng City."
"This is..."
Xiang Ning had no backbone and could only nod in response towards Lan Daoxing in the distance.
"On this poor Daoist's way here, I became interested and performed Spirit Writing for Your Majesty. By the merciful will of the Heavens, I was actually told an important matter."
Lan Daoxing's intonation was extremely enticing, actually arousing a trace of Xiang Ning's curiosity.
She could not help but ask, "What important matter?"
"Your Majesty has a treacherous minister by your side."
Huh?
Hearing Lan Daoxing's words actually disappointed Xiang Ning instead.
A treacherous minister?
Fan Li?
We already know that well and have deeply experienced it.
"Does the National Teacher have anything else to say?" Xiang Ning asked.
Just as Lan Daoxing was about to answer, two people suddenly descended from the sky. Wu Gang had returned with Fan Li.
"Daoist friend, are you willing to join my Great Ming? This poor Daoist can guarantee your status will be even higher than mine in Great Ming!" Lan Daoxing loudly shouted.
Xiang Ning also wanted to recruit Wu Gang, but did not know how to bring it up for now. Being too humble would damage her imperial dignity. But being too forceful might also provoke Wu Gang's antipathy, considering its display of strength from before that surpassed even Lan Daoxing and Chen Gonggong.
"Ahem!"
Fan Li suddenly gave a light cough.
Wu Gang glanced at him, seemingly reluctant, but suddenly knelt down before Xiang Ning.
"Wu Gang is willing to continue serving Great Chu, pledging allegiance to Your Majesty."
Emperor Xiangning was dumbfounded.
Chen Gonggong's old face showed an expression of disbelief!
On the opposite side of the Black Dragon Pool, Lian Daoxing also fell into instant silence.
Everyone couldn't accept the reality before their eyes, but Emperor Xiang Ning hadn't promised anything, and Wu Gang suddenly pledged allegiance!
"Um... Alright, I appoint you as the Guardian Beast of Great Chu, blessed by the nation's fortune..." Emperor Xiang Ning's mind went blank, and she mechanically uttered these words.
As soon as she heard the words, Wu Gang immediately stood up, as if unwilling to kneel for even a second longer.