If a hundred and eight premium crystal veins were converted to their monetary value in purple crystal, it would be an astronomical sum.
However, they were unusable when sealed away. Lu Yun would have to undo the seal if he wanted to make use of them, but that would leak the presence of purple crystal and result in unwanted attention.
He still wanted to decline the gift, but accepted them when he took another look at the Redbud token in his hand. The Karmic Tree clearly sensed the Redbud King’s emotions—she bore him no ill will. On the contrary, there was an unspoken plea that lingered in her heart.
Lu Yun quickly understood what was on her mind when he gave it some thought.
“In that case, we’ll accept the crystal veins. Additionally, Miao and I will work together to set up a formation of time and illusion for the chrysalis. That’ll help it grow up faster,” Lu Yun said with a smile.
“Really?!” The Redbud King’s eyes lit up. “My greatest thanks to you both!”
The new Redbud Butterfly chrysalis from the mountain had become very near and dear to her heart. Her ultimate goal in bringing Lu Yun and the little fox here was to ask them to set up formations for the chrysalis. A supplemental grandmaster who specialized in time was simply too rare in the Hongmeng.
Lu Yun raising the idea of his own volition spared some awkwardness for the king. After all, it hadn’t been that long ago that she’d threatened to kill them both.
“It’s just a minor task.” Lu Yun waved a hand. “Miao, let’s work together.”
“Sensible enough of you.” The little fox rolled her eyes at him. She was quite satisfied that he’d used her real name instead of “little fox” in front of the Redbud King. An imprint of a silver moon crescent had appeared between her brows; a sign that the king-level Oddmoon had become one with its last wielder.
Lu Yun set up a formation of time in the spot where the chrysalis rested. Time was sped up there so the chrysalis would mature faster, and the little fox’s formation of illusion would provide it with ample protection. Her illusion was of the mind—the mental realm that’d surrounded the Tomb of Heaven and Earth in the chaos and the one around Qing Han’s zombified body had all been her work.
Even something like the Hongmeng Treasurehunter Rat would fall victim to her manipulation if it barged into the illusion. It would turn muddle-headed, completely forgetting its innate talents. A formation of illusion was the strangest of all formations and the most terrifying. It could both attack and defend, wordlessly reaping the lives of its victims.
Once the formation was set up, the Redbud King personally ventured into it and let the rat loose in it. The Treasurehunter Rat became thoroughly lost among illusions and ran in circles, whereas the Redbud King’s eyes widened when she almost lost herself in the formation.
Overjoyed, she opened the mountain treasury and dumped a plethora of treasures onto Lu Yun and the little fox.
Bowled over by the bounty, the two were so overwhelmed that they didn’t even know how they returned to Redbud City. The king had also restricted the rat’s true spirit and forced it to take Lu Yun for its master.
The Treasurehunter Rat was an inordinately terrifying creature in the Hongmeng. In the face of treasure, even kings were hard pressed to detect them. If it hadn’t been for Lu Yun saving the chrysalis and putting the Redbud King in his debt, she would’ve kept the rat for herself.
……
The ruined Redbud City lay in shambles and more than half of its cultivators were dead. This was a devastating blow to a city, but there was no resentment brewing within it.
Their city lord had offended a king and almost ended the king’s line. It was already the best possible outcome that three enforcers had prevented the entire city from being razed down to the foundations. How would the people dare voice any complaints?
Not to mention, the Redbud King was the ruler of the entire Redbud Region. The territory and the city they lived in were named after that king, and that was the personage their city lord had offended.
The current atmosphere within the city was still extremely gloomy, like a layer of heavy clouds blanketed it. No one dared say anything and repairs to the destroyed walls, architecture, and formations were carried out in complete silence.
Zhuo Bufan displayed his authority as an executive enforcer at this time. He commandeered a team of enforcers from other cities and stabilized the situation in Redbud, then also joined the reconstruction efforts.
Redbud City selected a new lord—a confidante that Zhuo Bufan redeployed from Starcloud City. Though Redbud City wasn’t a major metropolis, it was still situated on the fringes of the Redbud Plains and was the only city for cultivators in the plains. Controlling the city meant occupying first mover advantage in the area.
In addition, it was an obvious sign of favor that the Redbud King had invited Lu Yun and the little fox to the Redbud Mountain. Zhuo Bufan was deeply entrenched with the two and if he didn’t use the opportunity to make the city his, he wouldn’t just be a buffoon. He’d be a complete idiot.
……
When Lu Yun and the little fox returned, heaven-shaking cheers rose from Redbud City and the grave atmosphere over the city instantly evaporated.
The little fox was in a fresh enforcer uniform and had hidden her stunning countenance behind long black robes, but that did nothing to stop the Redbud cultivators from sending ardent gazes her way.
Uncomfortable with the attention, she hid behind Lu Yun. Zhuo Bufan had to emerge to chase away the gawking spectators.
“Zhuo Yu greets the two lords!” The new city lord Zhuo Yu knelt in front of the two and kowtowed respectfully. He was one of Zhuo Bufan’s trusted men and not an enforcer. Now that Redbud City lacked people and the position of city lord sat empty, someone from Zhuo Bufan’s faction immediately came by to fill the void of authority.
The various kings of the Hongmeng were on equal footing with each other and there were no signs of them coming together to share power. Most cities fell under a king’s domain, such as Starcloud City under the Scorch King’s.
Redbud City, however, was an exception. Since it was on the fringes of Redbud Plains, it should’ve come under the Redbud King’s purview. But since she was an arcane beast king, she wasn’t very interested in a city for cultivators.
Thus, Redbud City remained an independent city as no other kings dared set sights on something that should belong to the Redbud King. That was how Jian Wenhe had slipped through the cracks and become city lord.
Cities varied in size throughout the Hongmeng and each possessed its own core essence. Refining that made one the city lord. Zhuo Yu had refined Redbud’s core essence and he was uncommonly strong, a solid powerhouse in the superior realm.
“Alright, you are dismissed.” Lu Yun waved his hand.
“Understood.” Zhuo Yu quickly backed out of the residence they were meeting in.
“Now you can tell me what you wanted to say when we left the alliance headquarters,” Lu Yun turned to Zhuo Bufan.
