Chapter 374: Dragon Bone… Once Again Appears!
“Who is behind all of this?”
Although Lin Beifan did indeed do these things.
However, only a few people know about these things, and they are all high-ranking members of the Great Yan. To protect their interests, they surely won’t leak this matter. After all, Lin Beifan, alive and in a high position, is more useful to them, while a dead man is of no use at all. But now, something like this has happened, and it’s highly likely that an internal problem has arisen.
Someone holds a grudge against him and wants to eliminate him. “Who could it be?” Lin Beifan’s mind flashed with the shadows of dozens of people. Regardless of whether they had a grudge or not, he considered everyone.
But in the end, he couldn’t determine the culprit.
“Alright, whoever it is, I’ll hold Great Yan accountable!” Lin Beifan wasn’t one to swallow his pride. Even if you can’t harm me, you’ve caused me trouble, and I will surely repay it. Unable to find the mastermind, I’ll hold the entire Great Yan accountable.
Lin Beifan brought in Bai Guanyin. “Help me with something!”
Bai Guanyin agreed readily. “No problem, what is it?”
“You’ve probably heard the recent rumors. Someone is accusing me of treason, saying that I sold the manufacturing methods of two great artifacts and the dragon bone to Great Yan. It’s absolutely absurd! I am loyal; how could I commit such a heinous act?”
Bai Guanyin smirked. “This doesn’t sound like an accusation!” Lin Beifan said firmly, “Without evidence, it’s an accusation!”
“Well then, are you planning to expose the real culprit behind the scenes?”
Lin Beifan shook his head. “No! The other party is cunning. I’ve already mobilized the imperial power, but I couldn’t find the true culprit behind the scenes. So, there’s no need to waste any more time.”
Bai Guanyin’s eyes sharpened. “What is your plan…?”
“This matter leaked from the Great Yan capital. It’s an internal problem that has surfaced, so I plan to retaliate against Great Yan. An eye for an eye. I won’t let them off!” Bai Guanyin asked, “What’s your plan?”
Lin Beifan grinned. “The Great Yan Emperor is currently collecting rare materials from all over the world to refine the elixir of immortality, right? I’ll give him a chance. It’s time to make a move on the dragon bone. Let’s see if they can handle it!”
After learning of Lin Beifan’s plan, Bai Guanyin immediately reported it to the Empress. The Empress was resolute. “Lin Beifan wants to retaliate against Great Yan?”
“Your Majesty, what is your opinion?”
“Is that even a question?” The Empress became determined. “In recent years, the Great Yan Dynasty has caused us a lot of trouble. I’ve wanted to deal with them for a long time! Since Lin Beifan is willing, we must fully support him!”
So, the Empress’s hidden forces began to mobilize. The news quickly spread far and wide.
“It is said that someone on the eastern coast, near the southern sea, has seen the dragon bone! At that time, the dragon bone was hovering above the sea, commanding thunder and lightning, swallowing clouds and spitting mist. The sight was spectacular!”
“At that time, several fishermen saw it and prostrated themselves, praying to be favored by the dragon!”
“The dragon bone? Didn’t it already fly away?”
“It did, but it can fly back!”
“The dragon bone is a recognized treasure of the world! It is said that wherever the dragon bone resides, there will be abundant rainfall, gushing springs, and celestial flowers. It’s a blessed land! Meditating near the dragon bone can lead to profound martial arts insights and rapid cultivation progress! If one can obtain the dragon bone, they might even refine various elixirs and miraculous medicines, making it the most extraordinary medicine in the world!”
“We missed the chance last time; this time, we must go and see!”
“You’re right; we can’t miss this opportunity!”
This news quickly alarmed various forces, and everyone was very excited.
Because the dragon bone is not a mythical thing, but a real treasure. It once appeared in the capital of Great Wu and caused many miracles, witnessed by countless people. Unfortunately, it eventually flew away, leaving behind endless regrets.
Now, a year later, it has unexpectedly reappeared! “This is a heaven-sent opportunity! We mustn’t miss it. We need to send people to investigate! If there’s truly a dragon bone, we must retrieve it, even if we can’t, we can’t let others get it!”
“If we can obtain the martial arts secrets from the dragon bone, our entire sect will undoubtedly rise and be unstoppable!”
“The dragon bone can also be used to refine divine elixirs and even the elixir of immortality! No matter the cost, we must secure it and prevent others from touching it!”
“Obtaining the dragon bone also offers a chance to become immortal, overlooking the mortal world!”
“He who obtains the dragon bone obtains the world!”
Many factions have sent experts to the eastern coast to investigate. In the great court of Great Wu, Lin Beifan, known for his dramatic speeches, was extremely excited.
“Your Majesty, there are rumors among the people that the dragon bone has reappeared on the eastern coast, near the southern sea! The dragon bone holds great opportunities, and we must secure it!”
The Empress, equally dramatic, nodded repeatedly and said, “What you say is true! The dragon bone originally belongs to our Great Wu. We should welcome it back and entrust this matter to you. Who do you think should be responsible?”
“Your Majesty, the dragon bone is of utmost importance, and I am willing to go.” Lin Beifan said firmly, “If there truly is a dragon bone, I will do everything in my power to retrieve it.”
The Empress exclaimed, “Good! Your loyalty is commendable. This matter is now entrusted to you!” And so, the matter was settled without any interference from the court officials.
Upon receiving the imperial command, Lin Beifan immediately set out. After all, he was the mastermind behind the scenes, and without him, many things wouldn’t be properly arranged.
It took about four days of travel. He traveled swiftly, finally arriving at the eastern coast near the southern sea.
By this time, many people had already gathered here. There were martial artists, officials from various countries, and even some adventurers—all coming to this place in search of the dragon bone.
Among them, the largest group was the soldiers and cavalry of the Great Yan Dynasty. This was because the southern sea fell under the jurisdiction of Great Yan. According to rumors, the dragon bone had appeared on the eastern coast near the southern sea, which was located within Great Yan’s territory. Therefore, they had the advantage of geography and could dispatch more people.
The sea was filled with ships. However, since no one had yet seen the dragon bone, everyone was cautious and there were no conflicts.
At this moment, someone was reporting to Lin Beifan.
“Prime Minister, ever since the news of the dragon bone spread, tens of thousands of martial artists have come here in search of treasures! The Great Yan Dynasty, leveraging its geographical advantage, has dispatched 200,000 troops—100,000 infantry and 100,000 navy. Great Xia is somewhat far away, but they’ve also sent 50,000 naval troops. There are also troops from other smaller nations, totaling around 50,000.”
Lin Beifan nodded slightly.
“Prime Minister, should we also send some troops and cavalry?”
Lin Beifan waved his hand and said, “No need. The news about the dragon bone is still unconfirmed, so there’s no need to mobilize the military. Besides, quality is more important than quantity. The 18 experts I brought with me should be sufficient for now.”
These 18 experts were the same ones who had accompanied Lin Beifan to defeat Darro previously. After the last battle, they had gained many benefits and were excited to follow Lin Beifan again.
“Supreme Commander, are you sure we shouldn’t send more troops? With just us, facing experts from all over the world, we might be at a disadvantage,” one of the generals said, feeling the pressure.
“Yes, Supreme Commander, you should send more people just in case,” another general chimed in.
Lin Beifan shook his head. “Really, there’s no need! What do you think our main goal for this journey is?”
“To find the dragon bone!” everyone replied in unison.
“Wrong! Completely wrong!” Lin Beifan exclaimed. The crowd looked puzzled.
Lin Beifan smiled and said, “If there truly is a dragon bone, we’ll naturally do our best to bring it back. However, considering the competition from so many people, how much of a chance do we really have? Even if we send our troops and cavalry from Great Wu, it probably won’t make much of a difference!”
The crowd nodded in agreement.
“So, we should have a backup plan!”
Lin Beifan waved his hand and continued, “Look around, there are so many factions here, including our arch-enemies, the Great Yan and Great Xia armies. Our goal should be to take advantage of this opportunity to weaken them and reduce the threat. Once that’s done, we’ll have our accomplishments!”
The crowd’s eyes lit up. “Supreme Commander, you are wise!”
As they watched the ships sailing on the sea, Lin Beifan squinted his eyes and thought to himself, “Tonight, let the dragon bone reveal itself!”
“Let other factions handle the search for the dragon bone; we’ll rest and prepare ourselves. When the dragon bone appears, we’ll seize the opportunity!”
“Yes, Supreme Commander!”
As the night grew darker, the waves rhythmically crashed on the shore, and some dark clouds gathered in the sky. A bright moon hung high above. This scene reminded Lin Beifan of a poetic verse: “The rising moon over the sea, together at this moment!”
The people searching for the dragon bone had all retreated to the shore to rest, and the night grew quiet. However, at this moment, Lin Beifan entered his tent, and a glimmer of purple light appeared in his deep, dark eyes.
The wind howled, and the waves surged, hitting the shore and the anchored ships. The dark clouds in the sky gathered, forming a menacing storm.
“Pitter-patter.”
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
Everyone was awakened by the commotion outside.
“What’s going on? It’s going to rain?”
“Just a moment ago, everything was fine!”
“I hope the wind and rain aren’t too strong; my tent can’t withstand it!”
“This darn weather!”
Just then, a bolt of lightning tore through the sky and struck the sea in the distance. Then, with a loud crash, a torrential downpour began. Under the strong winds, the waves surged and roared as if they could devour everything.
At this moment, a gap suddenly appeared in the distant dark clouds, and a gigantic, snake-like creature slowly descended amidst the wind, rain, and lightning, creating a terrifying scene.
Everyone was stunned when they saw the monstrous creature.
“It’s the dragon bone!”
“There’s really a dragon bone here!”
“The dragon bone has appeared!!!”
