Chapter 497: The Dragon Qi.
Chapter 497: Chapter 497: The Dragon Qi.
Fen Ling’s smile deepened slightly, a mysterious glint flashing in her crimson eyes.
But instead of answering immediately, she tilted her head slightly and looked at him with a meaningful gaze.
"But before I show you... I have a question of my own, Envoy Li."
She leaned forward a little, her voice soft yet direct.
"You seem to have other goals for coming to the capital besides investigating the plague. Am I wrong?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly, carrying both curiosity and sharpness.
"...Is there something else you’re also not telling me?"
The atmosphere in the side hall grew tense once again as the Regent Empress stared at him, waiting for his answer.
Yue Lan and Lan Suyao glanced at Li Feng.
But Li Feng remained calm, his expression unchanging.
"What are you talking about, Your Majesty? I came here to investigate the plague as requested by the Azure Moon Sect."
He paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing.
"...And I didn’t come here to get questioned."
Empress Fen Ling let out a soft, understanding chuckle.
She leaned back in her seat gracefully, her phoenix robe shifting elegantly.
"I understand your caution, Envoy Li. It is only natural for you not to reveal your true intentions to someone like me... someone who is still under heavy suspicion."
Then she looked at him with calm, sincere eyes.
"How about we make a deal?"
The Regent Empress paused briefly, letting her words sink in.
Seeing that Li Feng was listening quietly and didn’t object, she smiled before continuing.
"I will prove my innocence to you right here and now. In exchange... after I prove my innocence, you will tell me your true motive for coming to the capital."
Fen Ling leaned forward slightly, resting both of her delicate hands under her chin and locking eyes with him with clear intent.
"If we are to work together against whoever is behind this chaos, there must be some level of honesty between us. What do you say, Envoy Li?"
"..."
Li Feng stared at the Regent Empress for a long moment, his expression unreadable.
He slowly tapped his finger on the armrest of the chair, seemingly deep in thought.
But there wasn’t really much to think about.
His true goals weren’t anything heaven-shattering... it was simply rescuing Fen Ziyan.
And if Fen Ling really was innocent, then her help as the Regent Empress could prove extremely useful in searching for his senior sister within the palace.
So no matter how he looked at it, there was no loss for him in this deal.
Finally, he let out a soft breath and spoke in a calm but firm voice.
"...Fine. I accept your deal."
Empress Fen Ling’s smile brightened.
Her dignified beauty momentarily dazed Li Feng.
"I’m glad Envoy Li accepts the condition."
Then she stood up gracefully from her seat, her phoenix robe flowing elegantly around her mature figure.
"Come, follow me. I will prove my innocence."
Without waiting for a reply, Empress Fen Ling turned and walked toward the back of the side hall.
Then a hidden formation glowed faintly as she pressed her palm against the wall.
A secret passage opened silently, revealing a long, dimly lit corridor leading downward.
Yue Lan and Lan Suyao glanced at Li Feng.
He gave a slight nod, and the three of them followed the Regent Empress into the passage.
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The corridor was quiet, illuminated only by soft glowing runes on the walls.
Their footsteps echoed gently as they walked deeper underground.
And after walking for a few minutes, Empress Fen Ling suddenly spoke without turning her head.
"Envoy Li... how much do you know about the Long Dynasty?"
Li Feng’s steps paused for a brief moment.
He had only heard that there were four great dynasties under the rule and protection of the Azure Moon Sect, the Fen Dynasty being one of them.
But he had never actually visited any of the other three, nor did he know much about their internal affairs.
"...Not much," Li Feng answered honestly, his voice calm.
"I only know that the Azure Moon Sect oversees four major dynasties in this region. The Long Dynasty is one of them, but I have never been there."
He looked at the Empress’s back.
"Why do you suddenly ask about the Long Dynasty?"
Empress Fen Ling didn’t reply right away.
She turned to look at Li Feng and smiled.
"Then let me tell you a bit about the history of the Long Dynasty."
She continued walking slowly as she spoke, her voice echoing softly in the dimly lit corridor.
"The Long Dynasty is the oldest among the four. Their founding ancestor was said to be a powerful True Dragon who took human form and fell in love with a mortal woman... and from that union, the imperial bloodline of the Long Dynasty was born."
She paused for a moment, her tone carrying a trace of respect.
"...That dragon ancestor didn’t just leave behind descendants. He blessed the entire royal family with a portion of his dragon bloodline. Even now, the emperors and many members of the Long imperial clan possess faint dragon blood, granting them stronger bodies, longer lifespans, and an innate affinity for powerful dragon-type techniques... and even dragon qi."
"Dragon qi?"
Li Feng murmured softly, a hint of genuine interest appearing in his eyes.
He knew there were many kinds of energy in this world, with spiritual qi being the most abundant and the foundation of all things.
But "dragon qi" was something he had never heard before.
The term alone carried a heavy, ancient, and domineering feeling.
Empress Fen Ling nodded slightly without turning around.
"Yes, dragon qi is not ordinary spiritual energy. It is a special type of qi that carries the majesty and destructive power of a True Dragon. Those who possess it can suppress weaker cultivators with their aura alone, strengthen their bodies to an extreme degree, and even use dragon-type techniques that far surpass normal martial skills."
She paused slightly, her voice becoming more serious as she continued.
"However... there are also significant drawbacks."
Fen Ling’s tone carried a trace of pity.
"The dragon bloodline is extremely overbearing. The stronger the bloodline, the more we humans will start to become like them... not just in appearance, but in temperament and instinct."
"Many members of the Long imperial clan suffer from ’Dragon Rage’ a condition where the dragon qi goes out of control, causing them to lose their minds and turn into violent, bloodthirsty beasts. Some even permanently lose their sanity and have to be sealed away by the royal family."
She looked down at her hand before continuing softly.
"Furthermore, the purer the dragon blood, the harder it is to advance in cultivation normally. Many geniuses of the Long Dynasty reach a certain realm and then find themselves stuck for decades, or even centuries, because their bodies reject normal spiritual energy during their breakthroughs."
"So they can only rely on special treasures to progress... but many spend their entire lives searching and still fail to advance because each member of the Long Imperial Family’s dragon bloodline requires different, often exceedingly rare, treasures unique to the individual."
"..."
Li Feng narrowed his eyes and listened in silence.
And at the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder why this woman was suddenly telling him all of this.
Was she trying to build trust? Or was there a deeper meaning behind her words?
But behind him, Yue Lan and Lan Suyao were beginning to understand what Fen Ling was trying to get at.
As disciples of the Azure Moon Sect, both of them knew very well what it meant to wield dragon qi.
As tyrannical and powerful as it was compared to normal spiritual qi... there was a heavy price that came with it.
After walking for several more minutes through the winding underground corridor, they arrived at a vast, hidden training area beneath the palace.
The space was enormous, easily the size of several training fields combined.
Powerful isolation formations covered the walls and ceiling, preventing any spiritual fluctuations from leaking out.
Ancient runes glowed softly along the floor, and the air was thick with dense spiritual energy.
Empress Fen Ling stopped in the center of the training ground and turned to face Li Feng.
"Here, no one will disturb us."
Li Feng looked around the spacious area that looked like a training ground, and couldn’t help but ask in confusion.
"Why are we here—"
He paused mid-sentence... as he suddenly saw Fen Ling begin to remove the outer layer of her phoenix robe.
The luxurious outer robe slipped off her shoulders, revealing a more practical, form-fitting combat attire underneath.
The tight-fitting black and gold robes hugged her mature, voluptuous figure perfectly... accentuating her full, heavy breasts that strained against the fabric, her narrow waist, and her wide, shapely hips.
The outfit was designed for movement, yet it still carried an elegant and seductive charm, especially with how the fabric clung to her smooth, pale skin and the faint, alluring curves of her body.
Even her long, slender legs were partially revealed through the high slits of the combat skirt, showing toned yet soft thighs that spoke of both grace and hidden power.
A confident, slightly playful smile appeared on Empress Fen Ling’s beautiful and mature face, as she looked at Li Feng’s confused expression.
"This is how I will prove my innocence... Through strength."
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[Here an illustration of Fen Ling taking off her outer robe:]