211 Azure Verdant Plains

Along the eastern borders of the kingdom of Crawford, there was a notable region called Azure Verdant Plains. Azure Verdant Plains was the only region where the three kingdoms; Crawford, Durham, and Valaran intersects. The Azurely River that runs through Azure Verdant Plains serves as a natural borderline that separates the lands of the three kingdoms.

The region was cold all year round and filled with verdant green grass tinged with varying degree blue, silver and purple colors based on its proximity to the Azurely River, a great river that flows through Extreme Misty Forest from the Boundless Sea and splits at the intersection of Azure Verdant Plains with one run all the way to the southern wall and the other towards the kingdom of Geyser in the far east.

The cold waters of the Azurely River were what caused the region to be cold all year round. Sometimes, the water of the Azurely River reaches a frightening degree of coldness, but it will never freeze. This coldness seemed to have stemmed from Extreme Misty Forest.  

Crossing kingdoms from the Azure Verdant Plains requires crossing the tri-bridge in the center, followed by entry through the border checkpoint at each end of the tri-bridge that connected the three kingdoms.

In the past, security was very lax, and passing crossing kingdoms didn't require any extraneous procedures at the border checkpoint as the neighboring kingdoms were very harmonious and subservient to the Kingdom of Crawford's reign.

In recent days, however, the borders have been closed. Even if one wishes to enter the Crawford Kingdom now, they would be barred from entry. The only way they could enter now is illegally by crossing the river, whether by flight or by swimming.

If the latter was chosen, the person would either be considered tired of living or a madman. After all, the reason the Azure Verdant Plains was popular had to with the sea monsters inside the Azurely River. It was a popular fishing spot. As such, there was a populated fishing city located next to the border checkpoint of each kingdom in addition to several small fishing villages along the banks of the river.

In recent days, these fishing cities had been receiving an influx of soldiers passing through towards the border checkpoint. A military zone created, and the ever-growing camp could be seen very clearly from the city walls, making the liveliness of these fishing cities dampen as the tension grows.

Even if the people were idiots, they would still be aware that something was not right. The premonition of war filled them with dread and their instincts told them to escape the city.

At a certain location further east along the eastern Azurely River, there was another bridge that connected the Durham Kingdom and the Valaran Kingdom.

At this moment there were two groups of people meeting at this specific spot with an elderly man at the hem of both groups. The two groups wore two sets of uniforms that distinguish their groups apart from each other. One wore full white attires with butterfly patterns, while the other wore full black with a red lining and a fiendish mark.

"Look who is finally here, if it isn't our 'good friends' from the Illusory Butterfly Sect. Never thought there would be a time when our two sects would have to team up." The elder in black and red said in a snickering manner, revealing a set of disgusting black teeth that made him look especially vicious and frightening.

His eyes were cold and callous, and his wrinkly body exuded a malignant and terrific aura that could easily inspire fear and trepidation in the hearts of ordinary men, and the crushing pressure made it difficult even for the younger men behind the elder in white opposite him. It was clear that his welcoming words held zero sincerity and full of sarcasm.

"Hmph! If it weren't for our temporary alliance, I would have already cut off your head where you stand! Enough bullshit. How are the preparations on your end?" The elder in white darkened immediately. With a wave of his hand, he exuded his own towering pressure and aura, dispelling the other party's imposing aura on his sect members.

"Quite impatient, are we? It seems our 'friends' here are quite anxious and shaken by the two transcendent phenomena." The elder in black chuckled mockingly and sounded especially grating to the ears. He was unaffected by the naked threat. It was questionable whose head would fall if they fought. They were both inner sect elders of their respective sects.

"Don't forget it was your side that came begging us for this truce and temporary alliance after losing a few members in the Crawford Kingdom." Hasan, the elder in white ridiculed.

As one would expect of two rival sects that had always conflicts both in the dark and open, they did not get along well the moment they met. In the words of the Inner Sect Elder of the Illusory Butterfly Sect, a proposal of mutual interest from the Bloodfiend Sect had turned into pathetic begging.

The Inner Sect Elder of the Bloodfiend Sect, Griego was enraged. However, he did not erupt. Instead, his eyes flashed with a chilling light. He was not stupid. Right now, even if he hates their guts, they were allies. Fighting their allies wouldn't solve anything and would even help their enemy.

If it weren't for the intervention of a greater power that forced their heads to bow in servitude, the Crawford Kingdom would have already become history 17 years ago. Although they were forced to submit in the presence of absolute strength, they were unwilling to leave their business unfinished and continue to scheme in the dark to this day.

However, now that the Crawford Kingdom, who was without a single Transcendent, suddenly gained two Transcendent-realm experts, they began to panic and no longer cared about the warnings of the greater power.

The Crawford Kingdom was on the rise again and if left be, it would grow to the point where they would face sect extinction. They were like arrows shot from the bowstring. there's no turning back. They had to snap the problem in its bud and worry about the wrath of the greater power later.

"The plan to sow chaos in the kingdom with our spies and divert their attention from the borders no longer matters. It had backfired instead. The royal family already caught wind of our intention and strengthened their borders before we could launch our full force to destroy them in one fell swoop. We can only fight head-on now." Griego said seriously without understanding how the Crawford Kingdom found out so quickly.

Hasan nodded with equal sternness. The other party did not fall for his provocation and able to remain calm. He secretly admires the Griego's mentality, but all the more fears him as a terrifying opponent. "How much of your sect's forces did you bring?"

"Half."

"Half?" Hasan frowned. "We are now facing an impending battle that could decide the future survival of our sects and your side only brought half your forces?"

"You think our sect doesn't want to send more? We even have our great elder accompanying us on this trip! Unlike your sect, you don't have to worry about the Grand Ocean Palace making a move as they have always been neutral and never encroach on our territories." Griego said menacingly, before continuing.

"But what about us? Even if we don't have to worry about the Grand Ocean Palace either, we still have the Burning Heaven Sect behind our back. They have been silent in recent years, too silent in fact. Who knows if they would suddenly stab us in the back while we are fighting the Crawford kingdom all our forces?"

"Hmmm, your side should send in the cannon fodders to test the waters. Our side will do the same on our end. We can keep waiting. They will only grow stronger with time." Hasan hummed and said, making no comment on the previous matter.

In fact, they had also brought half their forces. Since the Bloodfiend Sect still has half their forces in reserve, they would do the same to guard against them. After all, the people in the Bloodfiend Sect were all unbridled, vicious and didn't adhere to any codes of morality. These were the type of people who would smile at you in one moment and stab you when you turn your back.

If they knew the Illusory Butterfly Sect sent all their forces and their territory was empty, it was quite possibly for their hands to get itchy and attack.  

…

Meanwhile, back in the underground where the elder tree was located, Leon had just finished a round of negotiation with the tree spirit and gotten it to flip the cube-like inheritance building back into position.

His heart ached at the tree spirits greed, but he had no choice but to give in to its demand for its service. He could still remember the tree spirit's satisfied grin as it gobbled all 30 tier-2 healing pills gluttonously and flipping the inheritance building back effortlessly, before flashing him a grin that seems to imply "Glad doing business with ya."

Leon shook his head as he believes he would be reward handsomely for the price he paid as he stared at the empty pendant-shaped socket on the new uncovered side. 

'The union of dragon and phoenix will change the fate of the human race?' Leon shook his head with a chuckled as he recalled the vague prophecy the Duchess recounted to him. He felt like the mysterious old man was a real prankster.

The union of dragon and phoenix was simply putting the two jades back together again. It couldn't be simpler, yet the mysterious old man-made others misinterpret it as the marriage between the two offspring of the Crawford royal family and Lancaster family.

Suddenly, he recalled that the mysterious old man disappeared into the sky and the mysterious diviner that also disappeared. Were they the same person? Why did the mysterious old man have the Dragon and Phoenix Jade? Where did it come from? Was he a descendent of the Nova Empire or a survivor of its time?

All he knew was the jade was filled with unfathomable secrets. This was especially so during the time the pale purple light was produced when the two jades became one again. After all, the pale purple light came from an energy even he could not distinguish.

With these thoughts circulating in his mind, Leon took off the Dragon and Phoenix Jade around his neck and slotted it in the empty socket perfectly with a click.

The jade soon began to shine brightly and instill life in the inheritance building as all the runic lines in the perimeter of the jade lit up with purple light. Leon clicked his tongue as he realized the building was missing a power source.

Perhaps, once he turns all the runic plates correctly to complete the runic line circuit and makes the entire inheritance building light up, it would be considered solving the puzzle. Life was full of unexpected twists and turns.

Who could have guessed the jade pendant he had worn since childhood was actually the power stone for the inheritance building?