Chapter 232: Four Marching Before the Empress—Does She Want Me to Join In Too? (4)
In the army, discipline was everything.
If a leader couldn't set an example, others would start raising objections.
So he very sensibly passed the authority to Xuanxin, letting her take on the responsibility.
He, on the other hand, could reap the benefits without being bound by military rules.
And thanks to this move, he didn't even need to worry about disobedience from the troops.
It was a win-win—power and freedom all at once.
Noticing this, the Empress sank into deep thought.
Did she just create a peerless schemer?
He wanted to slack off but gave such a righteous-sounding reason!
Not only did it earn the soldiers' admiration, even Xuanxin was somewhat influenced.
Well damn—slacking off while farming favorability points?
This boy was something else!
And look at the women around him—former rebels, agents of other groups...
Shenyue... that girl was already completely under his thumb.
Oh, and wasn't there also a former Saintess of the Demonic Sect?
This whole lineup looked highly suspicious.
If it were anyone else, she'd think he was the mastermind behind some rebellion.
For a brief moment, the Empress even regretted her past decisions.
But her state of mind was too solid—she quickly dismissed the thought.
After so many years together, she knew how simple her rebellious brother used to be.
All of this had to be the fault of those bad women!
As the older sister, she'd clearly failed to give him the right guidance.
So... she had to take responsibility.
She needed to correct this unhealthy mindset and help him grow properly!
Su Qing was enjoying his pampering, when a sudden chill crept over him.
Why did it feel like something terrible was looming on the horizon?
Could there be some unforeseen twist ahead?
He'd better stay alert, just in case!
Linzhou, City of Fleeting Dreams.
The name of the city sounded dreamlike—and it fit the scenery perfectly.
Here, countless towering peaks stood side by side, creating a majestic landscape.
Not only that, but clouds and mist wrapped around the mountaintops all year round, blurring the line between real and unreal.
Living in such a place felt like living in a fantasy or dream.
City of Fleeting Dreams—named because life here felt like a dream.
After arriving and settling in, Su Qing gazed out at the endless mountains.
"Such grand design. No wonder no one's found their location all these years."
The Empress's eyes narrowed as she stared into the distance, clearly impressed.
These continuous peaks could easily hide the Heavenly Dao Sect's base.
"Sister Qinglan, what's going on exactly?"
Su Qing looked at the range in confusion, choosing to ask rather than guess.
As a completionist gamer, he wasn't interested in how the sect hid itself.
Just follow the main character and click through dialogue—who had time to investigate everything?
"The Heavenly Dao Sect's mountain gate doesn't stay in one place. It constantly shifts based on the Eight Trigrams."
"Every so often, it relocates—elusive and untraceable."
The Empress explained.
"So... they might be on that mountain one minute, and the next they're on another?"
"Listen carefully to what I said—I said every so often, not instantly."
"Do you think teleporting like that is easy? The Sect Master probably spent countless years perfecting it."
"To simplify: the sect is one entire entity. Each mountain has a coordinate."
"At intervals, the entire sect shifts to a new coordinate."
The Empress knocked him lightly on the head.
If they could really teleport at will, there'd be no way to catch them—just eating dust in their wake.
"I get it now. No wonder no one's found them all these years."
Su Qing stared at the mountain range, feeling a sense of awe.
If you didn't know the exact coordinates, even knowing the general region wouldn't help.
After all, who had the energy to search every single mountain?
And if anyone did try, the sect would be alerted long before they made any progress.
With some traps set, they could turn the tables easily.
"The army's already stationed at the nearby camp. Our job is to locate the exact spot."
"But it's certain the city has their spies. Our arrival is likely already exposed."
"So... we need to act fast. No giving them time to prepare."
The Empress spoke seriously.
"Sister Qinglan, with your level of strength, even you can't find the location?"
Su Qing asked curiously.
"Don't think it's that simple. The mountain range's energies are all interconnected. It's become one unified system."
"In this state, it's impossible to pinpoint anything."
"Now hurry and take your women to search. Once you find it, there'll be more to do."
The Empress knocked his head again.
Her task now was to check the city for hidden threats or backup plans.
Only once everything was confirmed safe could they move forward without worry.
A moment later—
Two figures moved swiftly through the misty mountains.
"It's been a long time since I returned here."
Yun Rong's gaze lingered on the fog, her voice filled with emotion.
"If everything goes smoothly, Aunt Yun, you'll be free to return anytime."
Su Qing spoke while checking the map in his hands.
The map was a royal treasure named "Seeker of Fate."
With a trace of Ye Xueyi's aura locked within, it could track her location.
He wasn't just being polite—if they conquered this place, it'd be his home.
And going home shouldn't be a problem, right?
"Life in the mountains is tough, but the changing scenery made it bearable."
"Getting to see something new every so often always lifted the mood..."
Yun Rong smiled gently as she reminisced.
She even pointed out a few peaks where she had once lived.
Su Qing found the idea of living here quite novel.
No wonder the Heavenly Dao Sect became the leader of the righteous path—just the idea of a mobile sect was impressive.
They chatted casually as the map began narrowing its range.
"Looks like... it's here?"
Su Qing stopped and looked at the mountain ahead.
The area was thick with fog, disorienting and impossible to see clearly.
An ordinary person could easily get lost here.
"This kind of mist... we're in the right place."
Yun Rong closed her eyes and concentrated, then spoke with certainty.
Though she had left the sect years ago, she still remembered this sensation.