Chapter 478: Chapter 337: Nurturing the Enemy for Self-Importance

"Master, I do not ask you to do anything, I only ask that you turn a blind eye." Wuyouzi whispered.

Master Xu Tian remained silent for a long time and sighed once again, waving his hand, "Go!"

However, Wuyouzi took his master’s words as tacit approval and quickly knelt on the ground to kowtow deeply, "Master, your disciple is leaving!"

There was a hint of resolve in his voice, for he knew this venture might be a deadly one, and he might never see his master again in this lifetime.

Master Xu Tian closed his eyes, not wanting to look at his disciple anymore.

For he was well aware of what the other party was about to do, something the Heavenly Court would absolutely never allow.

Not until Wuyouzi’s figure had completely vanished from the Heavenly Court did he heave a deep sigh, "It seems the Heavenly Court is truly entering a troublesome season."

Although it appeared serene on the surface, there were undercurrents surging in secret, and Master Xu Tian could feel the terrifying nature of this storm.

Lin Fang was taking in all this information with keen ears, and countless thoughts suddenly flashed through his mind. He suddenly felt that the opportunity he had long anticipated might finally be approaching.

Quietly leaving the Immortal Transformation Pond, he flew towards the Heavenly Forge Bureau, where he would need to make some arrangements.

The Heavenly Forge Bureau was now the busiest department in the Heavenly Court; with the progression of the war, the demand for equipment was growing day by day, and even with the skilled artisans working day and night, the workload was piling up like a mountain.

Lu Shu rubbed his sore arms and took a slow, relieved breath as he looked at his handiwork, content that there were no problems.

Due to the urgent demands of the war, the requirements for equipment were increasing daily, which kept them extremely busy, with not a moment to spare.

With the intense workload, mistakes were inevitable, even for the top artisans of the Three Realms.

But a single mistake meant wasted efforts of half a day.

"I can finally take a break today," Lu Shu said to his friend Liu Ming while shaking his arm.

Liu Ming laughed at his look of utter exhaustion, "You better seize the time, you’ve got quite a backlog of tasks to finish."

Upon hearing this, Lu Shu’s face showed trouble. He was an unconventional man with a natural talent for craftsmanship, and would often have bursts of inspiration. However, the current job required methodical production of equipment, and his original ideas were of no use.

With pressing time and heavy tasks, the artisans were required to work in a mechanized fashion to craft the equipment because that minimized time consumption and yielded quick results.

However, this had made Lu Shu utterly miserable. He was restless by nature and felt uncomfortable after sitting for too long, which naturally decreased his work efficiency, leading to frequent and unnecessary mistakes and resulting in persistent task delays. Were it not for Liu Ming’s help behind the scenes, he would have been reprimanded long ago.

Thinking of this, he looked at Liu Ming with gratitude and then said with a bit of envy, "You are the patient one, methodical and orderly, not only completing your own tasks but also having the energy to help me."

"We are friends, it’s only right to help. But it is true that the tasks have become increasingly burdensome," Liu Ming said with a sigh.

He knew what this signified behind the scenes; it meant that the front-line battles were not going well; otherwise, there wouldn’t be a need for such a substantial replenishment of equipment.

At this moment, Lu Shu mysteriously lowered his voice and said, "I’ve heard that this batch of equipment is meant for the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas."

Liu Ming, upon hearing this, expressed his confusion, "The Dragon King is the wealthiest in the Three Realms, why would he need equipment forged by us?"

"That’s because you don’t know," Lu Shu explained eagerly, "I’ve heard that when the Dragon Palaces of the Four Seas dispatched troops to Luzhou in the North, at first they were utterly defeated, but then they turned the tide. However, after that, there was no further news; it was said that they lacked equipment and couldn’t sustain the fight."

"Isn’t this taking advantage of someone in dire straits!" Liu Ming complained with a furrowed brow.

He didn’t understand what the Dragon Palace was thinking; this was clearly provoking the Heavenly Court. If the Heavenly Court were victorious, wouldn’t they settle scores after the fall? When did the Dragon Palace become so bold?

"Exactly," Lu Shu continued, "I’ve heard that this incident has angered many Immortals, and they’re calling to teach the Dragon Clan a lesson. It’s only because it has been suppressed by His Majesty."

"Sigh, I really can’t comprehend the current situation anymore. When did the Dragon Palace become so defiant? Weren’t those Old Dragon Kings notoriously timid and afraid of trouble?" Lu Shu sighed.

When he first joined the Heavenly Court, it was the foremost power of the Three Realms, imposing its will across all, and everyone considered it an honor to join. How long has it been, yet now the Dragon Palace dares to challenge the Heavenly Court so openly.

While they were contemplating this, Ao Guang himself was also extremely troubled. He hadn’t expected that Ao Xing and the others would dare to be so audacious, making such bold demands directly to the Heavenly Court.

Watching the furiously approaching Immortal Officer, Ao Guang couldn’t help but reveal a bitter smile, "Immortal Officer, please, do not be angry. The Old Dragon King truly does not know. The matter at the front line has long been taken over by a few youngsters; they don’t even listen to me anymore."

The Immortal Officer, seeing Ao Guang’s sincere appearance, spoke with a frown, "If that is the case, why doesn’t the Dragon King strip them of their military power and hand them over to me for disposition?"

"Immortal Officer is not aware that the Dragon Clan currently does not have any capable generals at its disposal. If we recall them, then who will take care of things at the front line?" Ao Guang said with a face full of distress.

"Why not ask His Majesty for a favor, allowing us to temporarily cease fighting? The Old Dragon can take this opportunity to tidy up and will surely provide the Heavenly Court with a satisfactory answer."

Ao Guang spoke these words with righteous fervor and loyalty, but the Immortal Officer dared not agree. Nowadays, everyone knows that the Heavenly Court still needs the Dragon Clan to engage the Demon Clan’s forces. If he genuinely allows the troops at the front line to retreat, he, a mere Immortal Officer, would not be able to bear the responsibility.

"I will report this matter to His Majesty and let him decide. Given the situation, Old Dragon King, I will take my leave now."

After saying this, the Immortal Officer turned and left. Ao Guang, however, smiled and offered, "My lord, you have come from afar. Why not have a drink before you go?"

However, before he finished speaking, the figure of the Immortal Officer had disappeared without a trace.

When he was gone, Ao Guang returned to the Crystal Palace with a smile. The newly appointed Prime Minister Turtle anxiously asked, "Is it wise to handle it this way, Your Majesty? I’m afraid that Immortal Officer won’t speak well of us on his return."

Ao Guang narrowed his eyes and said, "With things as they are now, what difference does it make whether he speaks well of us or not? I’ve realized that it’s the younger ones who have greater courage; if it were up to me, I would never dare to do such a thing."

While he said this, he was actually very satisfied with Ao Xing’s handling of the situation. The Dragon Clan could no longer maintain a neutral stance; only by leveraging the clash of two great powers could they grow their own strength and prepare for future challenges.