Zi You, like a father, watched them grow up, inherit the legacy of their predecessors, take the Red Lotus Will as their mission, stir up the winds and clouds, and fight across the five continents.
But right now, Zi You is severely injured, mentally unstable, and erratic, with fewer and fewer periods of lucidity.
Mulan and others sought a cure for him, but the lucid Ziyou refused, prioritizing his ambition to achieve hegemony.
Not to mention, Ziyou is old and frail and has no energy to manage things, so she has already regarded Mulan as her successor.
"Oh, thank you for your hard work."
The old man smiled faintly, his eyes focusing on the battlefield, a glint of light flashing within them, radiating starlight.
He patted Fu Qing on the shoulder and gently pushed him away from the latter's joyful face.
The white mist surged, pushing Fu Qing back more than a hundred meters.
Then, a flash of purple light appeared in the old man's eyes.
His figure straightened up, his long, frosty white hair fluttered, and a wisp of smoke rose from his shoulders, neck, and head.
Wisps of smoke curled and swirled in the sky, covering hundreds of meters and engulfing the eerie blood-red glow.
Instantly, the blood and qi in this painted world dissipated, and the eerie and filthy feeling was completely swept away.
"Fortune!"
Fu Qing's eyes widened, and she exclaimed in surprise.
At the same time, his figure transformed into a gentle breeze, guided by a mysterious force.
The next moment, he was engulfed in white mist and teleported away.
At the top of the sea of clouds.
The soft clouds, with a thickness no less than that of the earth, made Fu Qing frown slightly.
But soon, after he entered this layer of the scene, he saw an old man with a sage-like appearance watering a tree.
The watering can sprayed out a pool of shimmering purple light, with misty water droplets rolling on the branches and leaves.
The tree has a thick trunk, dense branches, and lush green leaves. Its trunk is like a dragon taking root, and dozens of fruits grow among the abundant foliage.
However, these fruits come in all shapes and colors. Some are shaped like pink peaches, delicate and juicy, while others are as big as a washbasin, like watermelons entwined with vines and leaves. Some fruits are covered with sharp thorns and scales, shimmering with light. Some fruits have no flesh or skin, and you can see a jelly-like mass inside with a small seed.
Fu Qing confirmed that this was Zi You's true form and that she had regained some of her senses, so he immediately used a secret technique.
A scarecrow leaped out, surrounded by a dozen small whirlwinds, successfully unleashing its power with the help of three top-grade rare treasures on its body.
Secret technique: attracting friends.
"Bang!"
The whirlwind dissipated, and golden rays burst forth.
A golden road appeared, revealing the figures of Mulan, Xiang Yu, and the Cardinal.
The three of them had been cooperating outside and trusted Fu Qing completely. After Fu Qing checked Zi You's condition, he naturally teleported them over.
After all, only Fu Qing has the ability to explore paintings within paintings.
The more you enter the world within a painting, the greater the oppression you experience. If the master of the painting is willing, no matter how fierce you are outside, once inside, your life and death are in his hands.
This is merely half a step into the legendary realm.
Fu Qing, on the other hand, is incorruptible and unrestrained, able to retain his peak combat power within the painting.
Even if Fu Qing were to meet with misfortune, he could dissipate into the wind and be rescued by Mulan outside, who could then use a resurrection spell to finish him off.
"Oh, it's Xiaoqing."
Zi You looked up, as if recognizing the person who had come, her eyes gleaming with a crystalline purple: "Even Mulan has come. How was the Yangguan Road?"
"Lord Ziyou, fortunately, you created a new secret technique, which allowed us to successfully complete this mission."
Mulan smiled, her pretty face captivating, leaving Xiang Yu speechless.
But the fact that three sternum bones were broken suggests that this fierce woman is not someone to be trifled with.
"Yangguan Road is the most suitable movement technique for you, and it is also a trump card of the organization."
Zi You laughed and said, "If it weren't for the fact that the other part of this composite secret technique—the single-plank bridge—was taken away by the Hall of Heroes, your defensive weakness would have been filled."
"Thank you for the reminder, Lord Ziyou."
Mulan greeted her warmly, with the same respect one would show to an elder.
"No need to thank me, we are equals."
Zi You waved his hand, then suddenly his expression froze: "How long have I been unconscious this time?"
"No, why did my subconscious create a world within the painting after I went insane, imprisoning myself in it?"
Zi You asked herself again, her gaze falling once more on a tree beside her, wondering why she had taken a top-grade treasure to water this tree.
"If we look at it from last time, it's been half a year," Mulan said after calculating with her fingers.
"Six months... isn't that long."
"We still have tens of thousands of inheritors as our foundation, and the first test of the Crimson Lotus Trial should be about to be unleashed."
"The backup plan left in the far north will be triggered. It will take as little as one year or as long as three years for that destined nemesis to perish there, nipped in the bud."
Zi You's thinking was running at its peak, with hundreds of ideas popping into her mind, each containing a detailed strategic plan.
While he was still lucid, he used Qizhen to transmit his thoughts to Mulan and the others, instructing them to carry out the next step of the plan and launch the final operation.
"By the way, what changes have been made to the goddess's decree?"
After watering the plants, Ziyou paced back and forth and asked.
"One thing is certain: the goddess has opened up the trading authority, expanded the scope, allowed tens of thousands of inheritors to trade freely, and let us select the elite among them as fresh blood."
Mulan answered calmly, a hint of surprise flashing in her beautiful eyes, but she quickly concealed it.
Because their side's Zi You is not only the strongest fighter, but also able to deduce cause and effect and plan everything under heaven.
Zi You pondered for a moment, closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, a dazzling golden light burst forth.
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