Chapter 391: Chapter 291 The Fall of Houjin and Chaos Across the World Chapter 391: Chapter 291 The Fall of Houjin and Chaos Across the World This discourse had already stirred a huge uproar; everyone was primed to action by Wutu’s words, and a storm that would sweep across the world was brewing, with many already having fetched hawks and falcons to spread this shocking secret far and wide.

Xi Hafu’s face remained calm, betraying no emotion, while the eyes of King Xu grew increasingly icy.

“Let’s just wait and see then, I’m taking my leave.”

Wutu laughed loudly, then with a wave of his sleeve, a surge of Yin Evil Qi swept around, instantly hiding his form, and the great hall drifted off into the distance.

Xi Hafu stood unmovable like a boulder, and King Xu did not pursue to block him, after all, Wutu was also a Grandmaster, and with the Life and Death Hall, an exotic treasure in his possession, he was not someone easy to be dealt with.

The two of them just watched the Grandmaster depart with nonchalance.

An Jing did not make a move either, having just experienced a major battle, and although the “Nameless Heart Scripture” and the “Great Celestial Star Refining Body Technique” had strong recovery powers, he had inevitably expended too much energy and spirit facing Zongzheng Huachun, another Grandmaster.

As Wutu vanished, the crowd at the scene observed Zongzheng Huachun lying on the ground, knowing in their hearts that Houjin’s rule was probably over, and the great plains might experience the greatest catastrophe in thousands of years.

“Kill them all! Let none escape!”

Qiu Lun no longer hesitated and commanded the Pingyang Guard to charge toward the elite cavalry of Houjin.

Even Houjin’s most elite cavalry had lost their nerve at this moment, turning from fierce tigers descending the mountain into mere sheep, and even under the command of Jiren Tai, an army without spirit is useless even with the strongest leaders.

Then, the Demon Sect’s masters initiated their retaliation, seeing Li Fuzhou, Ouyang Ping, and Duanmu Xinghua joined forces to repel two Grandmasters from Great Snow Mountain, while Yi Daoyun pierced Jiren Tai’s throat with a single sword thrust.

The tragic deaths of Jiren Tai and Zongzheng Huachun also inspired some of Houjin’s cavalry, who bravely resisted against Pingyang Guard.

These elite cavalry of Houjin were indeed troublesome; Tie Futu and Guai Zi Ma totaled over fifteen thousand riders. Tie Futu was Houjin’s elite cavalry, both men and horses clad in thick armor, with every three riders making a group for the frontal assault, creating blockades behind them with obstacles allowing only advance, not retreat, showing their determination to fight to the death.

Guai Zi Ma referred to the two flanks of cavalry that coordinated with Tie Futu to envelop from both sides during combat. These cavalries were made up of the troops from Zongzheng Huachun’s own tribe, fighting fiercely like iron walls, extremely formidable and difficult to handle.

Qiu Lun had already studied Houjin’s cavalry thoroughly; although Tie Futu and Guai Zi Ma were formidable, they still had their weaknesses, so he had previously found a way to deal with them.

The heavy cavalry Tie Futu’s horses had no armor on their legs, and by cutting the legs, the riders would fall off, causing the soldiers mounted on horseback to fall; immediately, Qiu Lun hurriedly commanded his soldiers to wield polearms and battle axes against the enemy. Pingyang Guard chopped at the enemy soldiers above and at the horse legs below, throwing the elite cavalry of Houjin into disarray, and the scene became chaotic with fallen men and horses everywhere. Qiu Lun, riding his spear, immersed himself in battle. Seen charging through the enemy ranks, left and right, unstoppable, his soldiers were hugely inspired.

“This Qiu Lun really has some skill,”
Zhao Qingmei couldn’t help but exclaim watching this.

Qiu Lun, looking rugged with his vast build, seemed like a large water jar at first glance. However, he was sharp and extraordinarily brave; given time, he could surely become a renowned general.

The battle raged from morning till dusk, Houjin’s army being slain by Pingyang Guard or trampled into mud by horses, with corpses sprawled across the fields.

The surrounding Jianghu masters, seeing this, hurriedly left, eager to spread the news revealed by Wutu to let the whole world know, turning it into a topic of bragging and discussion.

The final confrontation between Pingyang Guard and Houjin’s forces also put a perfect end to the battle at Ba Mountain.

Now, as long as they took down the Royal Court, the rule of Houjin would be officially over.

Nobody was worried about failing to take down Houjin’s Royal Court.

Without Zongzheng Huachun’s Royal Court, it was like a hedgehog without its spikes, essentially open to manipulation. Even if hundreds of thousands of Houjin’s elite protected the Royal Court, what use would it be?

“Master An, Master Zhao, I must be leaving due to some matters,”
Xi Hafu, seeing that the situation was set, stomped his foot and vanished from the spot.

Steps as distant as heaven!

This was a Grandmaster’s skill, implying that the distance of the ends of earth was merely a step away, showing how swift a Grandmaster’s steps could be.

An Jing watched as Xi Hafu’s figure disappeared and then turned to King Xu, “Thank you for your troubles.”

King Xu laughed, “There’s no need for such formalities between us.”

Looking at King Xu in front of him, for some reason, An Jing felt a trace of strangeness. He asked, “You’ve regained your memory, haven’t you?”

King Xu nodded, “Yes, I have.”

An Jing asked again, “You had already regained it the last time I saw you, hadn’t you?”

Upon hearing this, King Xu’s eyelids twitched and he replied, “Yes.”

An Jing looked deeply at King Xu; he wasn’t concerned about King Xu’s past dealings or even who it was ultimately, he just wanted to know King Xu’s purpose, “Are you also here for the Earth Vein Spirit?”

King Xu was silent for a long while before he finally answered, “Correct, this time I agreed to come mainly to seek cooperation with you.”

“Cooperate?”

An Jing asked, somewhat puzzled.

King Xu spoke seriously, “Jing’an, I hope you can help me obtain the Earth Vein Spirit. From the first time we met, I knew there was an inexplicable fate between us. I believe that joining forces would be the best choice given our strengths.”

An Jing muttered to himself, “The two of us, joining forces?”

“Together, this world could be ours.”

King Xu stretched out his hand, as if embracing the world. Looking at his pale side face and those pupils emitting a ghostly light, An Jing saw a trace of madness.

An Jing sighed deeply, “Whose world is it really? Why does everyone want it?”

King Xu turned around, stretching out his palm, and said, “The world can belong to anyone, but why not us?”

At that moment, King Xu carried an air of dominance, as if the world was already in his grasp.

An Jing looked at him, staying silent.

Seeing An Jing’s silence, King Xu asked, “Jing’an, don’t you want to cooperate with me?”

An Jing responded, “I am not interested in the world.”

King Xu inquired, “Are you also not interested in the Earth Vein Spirit?”

An Jing replied, “I have no choice but to be interested.”

At his level and status, many things were beyond his control; without great strength, one could only become a pawn for others.

Nowadays, An Jing could only be pushed forward by the great trends of the world, until he himself possessed enough power to fully break free from these shackles.

You might have power without using it, but you mustn’t be without it.

Zhao Qingmei was also frowning nearby — if this great grandmaster wanted the Earth Vein Spirit as well, there was an invisible conflict of interest.

After all, there was only one Earth Vein Spirit, and whoever obtained it could discover the secret to breaking the grandmaster’s shackles.

“I understand, I don’t want to force you or myself.”

King Xu laughed lightly and said, “My visit today also serves to repay a debt of gratitude from the past.”

King Xu, looking at the silent An Jing, took out a piece of silver.

This piece of silver was the very one An Jing had given him long ago, which he had never spent and instead always kept on him.

Looking at the silver, An Jing slowly said, “You have already repaid that debt of gratitude; keep the silver.”

Sometimes, people are strange; the feelings of the past have merged with the sensations of that time, when the two of them had no conflicts of interest between them, their relationship simple and pure.

King Xu put away the silver, saying, “If that’s the case, then take care.”

An Jing took a deep breath and said, “The mountains are high and the roads long, Jianghu, until next time.”

Having said this, An Jing and the always silent Zhao Qingmei walked towards the masters of the Demon Sect in the distance.

As the setting sun bled red and the cold wind cut like a knife, King Xu silently watched An Jing’s departing figure, seeming to have anticipated his refusal.

After a long while, King Xu finally spoke softly, “Come out.”

As his words fell, the chief of the Southern Barbarians and Cong Yue stepped out.

The chief of the Southern Barbarians said slowly to King Xu, “This elder…”

Even though he was the chief of the Southern Barbarians, facing a present-day land immortal, he did not dare to presume his own greatness and had to humbly address himself as a junior.

King Xu glanced at the chief of the Southern Barbarians and asked, “You are from the Qianwu Tribe, right?”

“Correct.”

A gleam appeared in the eyes of the chief of the Southern Barbarians as he said, “If I am not mistaken, elder, you must also be an ancestor of our Qianwu Tribe?”

King Xu nodded slightly, “You do have some perceptiveness.”

Upon receiving confirmation, a trace of ecstasy appeared in the eyes of the chief of the Southern Barbarians; the man in front of him really was an ancestor of the Qianwu Tribe, a surprise akin to a windfall from the heavens.

If a Land Immortal were stationed in the Southern Barbarians at this time, they at least wouldn’t be as soft as persimmons for anyone to squeeze.

By his side, Cong Yue was overwhelmed with excitement, almost unable to believe as he looked at the King of Xu. The person before him was from the ancestors of the Qianwu Tribe of the Southern Barbarians, but there hadn’t been a Grandmaster in the Southern Barbarians for five hundred years. Could it be that this ancestor had lived for over five hundred years?

However, the lifespan of a Grandmaster is at most just over four hundred years. How could anyone exceed five hundred years?

Moreover, his body emitted an incredibly strong Corpse Qi. Could it be that….

Something crossed Cong Yue’s mind, sending a chill rushing from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

The leader of the Southern Barbarians took a deep breath and, clasping his fists, said, “This junior dares to ask a question….”

The King of Xu glanced at the leader of the Southern Barbarians, seemingly knowing what he wanted to ask, and indifferently said, “You’re better off not asking things you shouldn’t.”

At that gaze, the leader of the Southern Barbarians felt a chill in his heart and said, “This junior understands.”

This is the rule of the Jianghu; big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp. To ordinary people, the leader of the Southern Barbarians, akin to a Kunpeng, is just a slightly bigger fish in front of the King of Xu.

The King of Xu said, “Let’s go, I have some questions for both of you.”

With that, the King of Xu walked toward the distance.

“Alright.”

The leader of the Southern Barbarians and Cong Yue hurriedly followed him.

…..

Outside the Royal Court, at the foot of a snow mountain.

An Jing and Zhao Qingmei, along with several Demon Sect masters, stood not far away, looking at the now desolate Royal Court.

Qiu Lun, excited, pointed toward the distant Houjin Royal Court and exclaimed, “Big brother, the Royal Court is right before us. If we enter and kill through the court, the Houjin Dynasty will be destroyed.”

Just by leading his troops into it, he could destroy the Houjin Dynasty, earn eternal fame, and be remembered in history; even Qiu Lun was overwhelmingly excited at this moment.

“This matter of eternal renown, I’ll leave it to you.”

An Jing pondered for a moment and said, “Since Zongzheng Huachun is already dead, my grievance with Houjin has ended, and there’s no need to attack the Royal Court.”

“Big brother….”

At An Jing’s words, Qiu Lun slightly stiffened. He hadn’t expected An Jing to forsake such significant merit right in front of him. After all, killing the Holy Master of Houjin and conquering their Royal Court would be an immense achievement.

But then, Qiu Lun seemed to understand something. Could it be that An Jing was afraid the merit was so great it would alarm the sovereign?

Especially now that An Jing’s strength and the Demon Sect, as the foremost sect of the Great Yan, were backing him–how could the Emperor of Great Yan not worry?

Carefully watching An Jing, Qiu Lun said, “Big brother, the seventy thousand Pingyang Guards under my command are all elite forces, and if we take down the Houjin Royal Court and manage it well, we could even recruit hundreds of thousands of troops from Houjin, and because….

The various masters of the Demon Sect, seeming to sense the implication in those words, looked toward An Jing with a mix of expressions, intrigued, frowning, pleased, excited….

Zhao Qingmei, with her identity as the former Crown Prince’s orphan, already had ample justification. With quests of great merit and An Jing’s influence, they really could stir up a storm.

An Jing waved his hand, cutting off Qiu Lun, and said, “I know what you want to say, there’s no need for more.”

“Alright then.”

Following this, Qiu Lun dropped his head and said no more.

Zhao Qingmei glanced at Qiu Lun, then her eyes narrowed, knowing that Qiu Lun’s career was likely in danger. In such a public setting, Qiu Lun had spoken such words–even though all present were masters from the Demon Sect, secrets as such don’t remain so for long.

It was very likely that today’s events would reach the ears of the Eternal Emperor of Yong’an, and how could Qiu Lun end well then?

Some generals are brave and good at fighting, but ultimately, most don’t end well because they are too politically naive.

Clearly, Qiu Lun was one of them.

Zhao Qingmei looked toward the various masters of the Demon Sect, “Yi, Bai Mei, the two of you stay here, the rest shall return to the sub-branches as a precaution.”

“Yes!”

Upon hearing Zhao Qingmei’s command, the masters of the Demon Sect turned and departed.

Now that Zongzheng Huachun was dead, for the many masters of the Demon Sect, this was just the beginning.

Li Fuzhou and Yi Daoyun, along with Human Sect and White Tiger Sect’s masters, guarded Qiu Lun as he then led tens of thousands of Pingyang Guards majestically towards the Royal Court.

It was not until everyone had left that Zhao Qingmei looked at An Jing and asked, “My husband, are you alright?”

An Jing took a deep breath and said gravely, “I should be fine. The ‘Nameless Heart Scripture’ I practice should allow me to recover soon.”

At last, Zongzheng Huachun, with the cooperation of the Muddy Dust Pearl and a thread of intent from the Earth Vein Spirit, delivered a strike that was extremely powerful, causing him the most severe internal injury to date. However, for the sake of the bigger picture, he had forcefully suppressed his injuries at the time.

Even in front of King Xu, he had behaved exceptionally calm and normal, revealing not the slightest flaw.

Zhao Qingmei, holding An Jing’s arm, whispered, “You received a thread of Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence from Zongzheng Huachun. If you absorb it, perhaps you can recover quickly.”

Now, although Zongzheng Huachun had died, from Wutu’s words, it was known that the Earth Vein Spirit had been completely infiltrated by the evil spirits. Moreover, with this matter spreading far and wide, it was known everywhere, and a greater storm was brewing.

By then, not only would various Grandmasters appear, but other experts from around the world would also become disruptors.

An Jing nodded slightly, “Let’s go.”

Zhao Qingmei quickly summoned the Black Flood Dragon and Honghu, then helped An Jing onto the back of Honghu and headed towards You Mountain.

……

Yujing City, Dragon Locking Well.

Above the heavens, dark clouds churned wildly, sweeping across the skies with thunder trembling and sparks flying.

This battle had not yet ended, or rather, had not yet begun.

All the citizens of Yujing City raised their heads, staring at the scene above in the sky, eyes filled with astonishment.

Emperor Yan of Yong’an looked solemn, his Great Yan Emperor’s Sword emanating streams of Cultivation Qi, which was vast and mighty, clearly representing the great righteous path.

Next to him, Zhao Tianyi’s body became increasingly ethereal, as if he was about to become transparent.

Ritual sacrifice through one’s own body!

Zhao Tianyi shattered his own Literary Palace, turning all his Cultivation Qi into a thread of Vast Righteous Qi of the great righteous path, pouring it all onto the Great Yan Emperor’s Sword.

Wang Yangsheng saw this scene, his eyebrows furrowed as he coldly shouted, “You, a scholar, do not want to live, and yet you seek my death as well?”

Speaking thus, Wang Yangsheng entered a state of Heavenly Human Communication, leveraging the rolling power of heaven and earth, with the True Yuan within him surging mightily. His hands seemed to transform into a massive dragon claw, reaching out towards the front.

“Roar!”

Afterward, a heaven-shattering dragon roar resounded everywhere, stirring up everything around.

Wang Yangsheng was surrounded by golden light, almost appearing as if he had transformed into a massive Golden Dragon, imposing and full of dominance.

This was one of Wang Yangsheng’s trump cards, triggering the potential of acupuncture points within his body to temporarily transform into a dragon, gaining dragon-like formidable strength for a short period.

Previously, three Great Grandmasters and several Grandmasters from the Great Qin Dynasty, along with hundreds of thousands of troops, had jointly acted but only managed to kill that True Dragon, demonstrating just how formidable a True Dragon could be.

However, using the Dragon Transformation Technique would also result in severe repercussions, but at that moment, Wang Yangsheng, feeling a sense of danger, couldn’t care less and deployed the technique.

A wild wind swept through, thunder and lightning intertwined, a dragon’s roar resounded, shaking the heavens.

“A dragon! It’s a dragon!”

“Look, there’s a dragon in the sky!”

“My goodness! I never thought I’d see a True Dragon in my lifetime.”

…..

Seeing this scene, the citizens of Yujing City were all startled and deeply shaken.

Originally, with thunder and lightning already astonishing everyone in the skies, the sudden appearance of a True Dragon was truly shocking and alarming.

Emperor Yan of Yong’an, looking at Wang Yangsheng who had transformed into a True Dragon in front of him, grew even colder.

“Today, even if a True Dragon descends, I shall kill you!”

Whoosh!

Emperor Yan stepped on the void, his robes fluttering, like an arrow released from a bowstring, breaking through the air resistance, his hair flying back and robes sweeping up as he rapidly approached Wang Yangsheng.

“Then it depends on your strength.”

The True Dragon trembled, its roar echoing through the skies as its claw reached forward.

Boom! Boom!

The very void shattered and twisted as the dragon claw forcefully probed toward the Great Yan Emperor Yong’an.

So powerful!

This terrifying scene caused the faces of the royal experts present to change drastically.

In the hands of Emperor Yong’an, the Emperor’s Sword hung like a ribbon, slanted towards the ground, its blade reflecting the blinding brilliance of the sun. The fierce headwind tousled her hair and fluttered her dragon robe.

The dragon claw tore through the void, bringing with it an unstoppable heavenly might.

Emperor Yong’an’s expression remained calm, a trace of cold light appearing in her eyes.

A glaring cold gleam burst forth from her hands, and the Great Yan Emperor’s Sword emitted trembling sounds, like a wandering dragon’s long chant, causing the air itself to tremble.

At the same time, a powerful aura emanated from the body of Emperor Yong’an.

The air became instantly filled with killing intent.

This Wang Yangsheng was a Great Grandmaster and top expert in history, and now he had even transformed into a True Dragon. Was Emperor Yong’an his match?

The royal experts also felt extremely tense, their eyes fixed on the scene ahead, holding their breath.

The next instant, in that lightning-fast moment.

Emperor Yong’an struck forward with her sword. This strike seemed plain, but the overwhelming Vast Righteous Qi seemed poised to split heaven and earth, to cleave through everything in the world.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for allowing me to fulfill my lifelong wish…”,
At that moment, Zhao Tianyi’s body completely dispersed, turning into a stream of white smoke that merged into the sword.

This great scholar of the present day, Grandmaster Zhao Tianyi of the Great Yan Dynasty, had sacrificed his life in steadfast service to the Great Yan Royal Family.

Purple radiance flickered in Emperor Yong’an’s eyes, and the majestic True Dragon Qi in Yujing City was also gathered into her body.

True Dragon Qi, representing the fortune of a dynasty, was always stored in the royal ancestral temple, but now it was directly carried out by Emperor Yong’an and gathered into her own body.

Boom!

With the slash of the sword, a tumultuous torrent burst forth, and the heavens and earth trembled as if within a blazing furnace.

This sword displayed the domineering essence of royal authority to the fullest, and its charm felt mysteriously profound, and indescribably awe-inspiring.

From afar, everyone was petrified, shocked by the spectacle.

A massive sound echoed in all directions, resounding across the heavens and earth.

Loud as a great bell!

Deafening!

The sword light, like a torrent from chaotic times, fell and directly severed the dragon claw of the True Dragon before completely bisecting the dragon itself.

Irresistible, nothing could block the elegance of that sword, not even a Land Immortal of this era.

The True Dragon split in two, emitting no groan, its Qi Mechanism spilling out and turning into streams of white smoke, like waves of Qi tide.

This sword light pierced the True Dragon, naturally including Wang Yangsheng at the heart of the dragon. His pupils dilated, then his body fell straight down to the ground with a loud ‘bang’, raising a cloud of dust.

“Wow!”

Emperor Yong’an spat out a stream of blood, then her body began to sway, nearly collapsing to the ground.

“Your Majesty!”

The royal experts, seeing this, hurried forward, apparently wanting to support Emperor Yong’an.

“No need!”

Emperor Yong’an waved her hand.

Just then, a stream of white Qi issued from the body of Wang Yangsheng. This white Qi was very pure, containing an extremely refined essence.

Tianpeng Ancestor inhaled sharply, “Could this possibly be the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence?”

It had been rumored that in ancient times, the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence existed within the world, but these substances were non-renewable. Once absorbed by someone, they would disappear forever. Thus, the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence became increasingly scarce, only emerging within the bodies of Great Grandmasters after their deaths. Nowadays, as Great Grandmasters became few, so too had the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence become as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

The appearance of the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence now indicated that the Grandmaster Wang Yangsheng had died; this was the reason for Tianpeng Ancestor’s astonishment.

Wang Yangsheng had died!

This master of the Land Immortal realm had actually died!

This unparalleled expert, who once had not faced death even in the Great Qin Dynasty, had now perished in front of the Dragon Locking Well.

The white-browed eunuch couldn’t help but exclaim, “His Majesty is mighty!”

To have slain a Land Immortal, such a feat was enough to shake the entire world. Other than that immortal from Qianqiu, who else could slay a Great Grandmaster?

Moreover, this Grandmaster was a widely known figure, not to be underestimated.

Emperor Yong’an, looking at the Great Yan Emperor’s Sword in his hands, murmured quietly, “It has nothing to do with me, all credit goes to the Grandmaster.”

Hearing this, everyone present couldn’t help but sigh.

If it were not for Zhao Tianyi shattering his own Literary Palace, sacrificing himself and transforming into a surge of Vast Righteous Qi, slaying Wang Yangsheng would have been nearly impossible.

Emperor Yong’an, looking at the clear sky, said, “Posthumously appoint State Preceptor Zhao Tianyi as the Duke of the Nation, with the honorary title ‘Duke Zhao Zhongyi.’
That pure and flawless sky, much like Zhao Xuening’s heart at the moment, she understood that beneath a strong, peaceful, powerful dynasty, how many people had given much, here were their efforts, their ideals, their striving lives and journeys.

She must not only protect the living citizens but also guard the deceased’s hard work and last wishes.

Because they were still watching over this world.

……

Lv Mansion, the back courtyard.

Lv Guoyong was lying on a rocking chair, resting with his eyes closed, somewhat drowsy.

Jing Chun opened his mouth wide, looking at the thunder and lightning in the sky, “Grandfather… Grandfather, what on earth is happening?”

With his eyes still closed, Lv Guoyong said, “It’s nothing; you are a short man, even if the sky falls, there will be taller men to bear it.”

Boom!

A bolt of lightning struck down like a sword, followed by a tremendous sound from the direction of the Dragon Locking Well, even startling Lv Guoyong, who then slowly opened his eyes.

At this moment, his cloudy eyes were somewhat complicated.

The stubborn, mischievous, and even most infuriating student of his had finally left this world for good– in the eyes of outsiders, Zhao Tianyi was the biggest disgrace of his life.

A man of Confucianism who had become an eunuch, becoming the most loyal dog of Zhao Zhiwu, it was unknown how many young Confucianism and Daoism masters he had slaughtered.

But Lv Guoyong had never complained about this obstinate and always disobedient student.

Even, Lv Guoyong often felt that he himself had wronged this student.

Jing Chun’s knees went weak, saying, “Grandfather, that’s really scary.”

Lv Guoyong heaved a sigh, wanting to say something but found himself unable to speak a word.

……

Yujing City, Imperial Palace.

Zuo Linglong lay on the beauty couch, dressed in a bright red, charmingly attractive outfit, revealing a pair of pure white jade feet. At the moment, she was looking at a jade talisman in her hand. Suddenly sensing the interweaving flashes of lightning outside, she hurriedly put on her shoes and walked out of the hall.

“Empress, the wind is strong outside!”

The surrounding palace maids and eunuchs quickly shouted.

But Zuo Linglong still ran out of the grand hall, standing now outside the balustrade, watching the turbulent sky.

Just then, her jade talisman emitted dazzling rays of light.

It seemed like a silent signal.

Zuo Linglong, as if her heart had been gouged, spoke with a pale face, “Tianyi, are you also leaving….”

Suddenly, she remembered the words Zhao Tianyi had said to her not long before. At that time, she did not understand their meaning, but now, recalling them, she suddenly awakened.

Death is not actually terrifying, but merely a passage through a period of time.

Zuo Linglong watched as one person after another vanished, left one after another; standing now in the vast Imperial Palace, at the peak of power in the Great Yan, she couldn’t help but sigh deeply.

She felt surrounded by an endless loneliness.

……

Houjin Royal Court.

As the news of Zongzheng Huachun’s death spread, the entire Royal Court was thrown into chaos, yet many still refused to surrender, determined to resist the Great Yan’s army.

Within the Royal Court, there were still hundreds of thousands of Houjin troops, including Houjin’s elite forces.

However, for some unknown reason, a mutiny suddenly broke out among these troops, and the ringleader of the mutiny was none other than Wanyan Yue, the former deputy flag bearer of the Golden Eagle Banner, along with the chief of the Taluo Tribe and other members of the Houjin army.

The mutiny was so sudden, so swift, that it caught all the Houjin tribes and troops off guard.

Before the Great Yan army could even arrive, internal chaos had already engulfed the Houjin army, with soldiers fighting each other within the city, and the conflict escalating so violently that different forces ended up indiscriminately killing anyone they encountered, uncertain of which units were actually the mutineers.

In a moment, the entire Royal Court was in turmoil, everywhere was smoke of signals and the sounds of fierce fighting shaking the heavens and earth. Wanyan Yue even took it upon himself to open the gates of the Royal Court, allowing Qiu Lun and the Pingyang Guard to march directly into the Houjin Royal Court.

Inside the Houjin Royal Palace, there was silence.

At that moment, Zongzheng Yue stood atop the great hall, gazing at the throne with a slight daze.

“Your Highness!”

Just then, a voice came from behind her.

This voice was very familiar; Zongzheng Yue did not even need to turn around to know who it was.

Without turning her head, Zongzheng Yue asked, “What is the situation now?”

Wanyan Lin bowed and said, “The city gates have been opened, Qiu Lun has killed his way into the Royal Court and is heading towards the Royal Palace.”

“Has he entered?”

Zongzheng Yue laughed out loud, then stepping on the steps up to the throne, she said lightly, “I never thought I, Zongzheng Yue of Houjin, would see such a day.”

Two years ago, Houjin had been rapidly developing into a top contemporary power, boasting masters like Zongzheng Huachun and Taiyin Kui, both Five Qi Grandmasters, commanding over a million troops menacing Yan Country, proclaiming a march southward. In less than two years, both Five Qi Grandmasters had died, and the Great Yan army was now at our gates.

Wanyan Lin, watching her back, spoke softly, “Your Highness…”

Zongzheng Yue turned around and asked, “What is it?”

Wanyan Lin said earnestly, “Let’s run. The world is vast; there will surely be a place for us to find refuge.”

Zongzheng Yue replied, “Run? Where would we go?”

Wanyan Lin took a deep breath and said, “Beyond the Snow Mountain Tribe to the north, the vast Snow Mountain, or perhaps Guishuang, even to the south of Outer Heaven Island. We could change our names and live in hiding; the world is so vast, could the Great Yan Court really find us?”

Zongzheng Yue shook her head and said, “No, I will not leave. I, Zongzheng Yue, am the rightful ruler of the Houjin Royal Family; I will share the fate of Houjin. If Houjin exists, so do I; if Houjin falls, I fall as well.”

Wanyan Lin clenched his teeth and said, “Your Highness!”

Zongzheng Yue replied, “No need to say more, I won’t leave.”

Neither spoke again. Meanwhile, the sounds of fighting outside the Royal Court grew louder, while within the palace, a brief calm ensued.

“Your Highness, there is something I need to tell you.”

Wanyan Lin clenched his fists, his voice strained as he said, “Actually, I am a spy for Great Yan.”

But the next words from Zongzheng Yue shocked him profoundly.

“I know.”

Zongzheng Yue smiled and said, “I have known this for a long time.”

“What!?”

Hearing Zongzheng Yue’s words, Wanyan Lin felt as if he had been struck by lightning and murmured in disbelief, “Your Highness, you knew!?”

Zongzheng Yue walked to Wanyan Lin’s side and whispered, “That’s right, I know you are a spy, you are an agent of the Great Yan Emperor, a chess piece placed by my side.”

At this moment, Wanyan Lin’s mind went blank. “Why?”

Since Zongzheng Yue knew he was a spy, she should have also been the one inciting the civil strife within the royal court, but why did Zongzheng Yue simply let him be?

Zongzheng Yue’s lips curled into a faint smile and said, “You cannot influence the overall situation; if my father wins this time, what waves can you possibly create?”

Wanyan Lin said, “But…”

Zongzheng Yue looked into Wanyan Lin’s eyes and said earnestly, “I love you, I truly love you.”

Wanyan Lin’s lips parted, and he wanted to utter the same words, but he found that no matter what, he could not speak them.

He did not deserve to say those three words to Zongzheng Yue.

Zongzheng Yue rested her arm on Wanyan Lin’s shoulder and gently said, “I just want you to be by my side, no matter who you were.”

As she spoke, Zongzheng Yue tightly grasped Wanyan Lin’s hand, gently caressing it.

Her actions were so tender, just like the glimmer in her eyes, almost melting Wanyan Lin completely.

Wanyan Lin couldn’t understand why Zongzheng Yue, knowing he was a spy, didn’t expose him, didn’t kill him, but acted as if she knew nothing.

Just then, the sounds of slaughter outside grew louder, seeming to have reached inside the palace.

“They are here!”

The soft light in Zongzheng Yue’s eyes gradually faded, then she drew out the long blade sheathed at her waist.

Wanyan Lin grabbed the blade of the sword, “Princess! Don’t!”

The sharp edge cut through the skin of his hand, instantly blood gushed out, but at this moment, he seemed to feel no pain.

Zongzheng Yue looked at Wanyan Lin and said, “I will not survive this, you should know that well.”

Seeing her determined eyes, Wanyan Lin’s stance softened, his grasp unintentionally loosened.

Zongzheng Yue smiled and then placed the blade against her neck, “Live well!”

As her words fell, Zongzheng Yue slid the blade across, and a trail of hot, searing blood splattered onto Wanyan Lin’s face.

At that moment, Wanyan Lin seemed to become stupefied, standing still, his eyes hollow and spiritless.

Just then, several figures rushed into the palace hurriedly, led by Qiu Lun, Li Fuzhou, and Yi Daoyun.

Seeing Zongzheng Yue lying on the ground, the three of them gasped in shock.

Qiu Lun took a closer look, then joyfully exclaimed, “Zongzheng Yue, is it?”

Zongzheng Yue was not only of the Houjin royal family, but she was also the rightful heir of Houjin.

Li Fuzhou looked at the stupified Wanyan Lin and inquired, “Are you Wanyan Lin?”

It was confirmed that Wanyan Yue had defected, indeed a Great Yan spy implaced within Houjin, and Wanyan Lin was also Zongzheng Yue’s spy, that is, a person from Great Yan.

Both were the greatest heroes of this Houjin rebellion.

Wanyan Lin did not respond to Li Fuzhou’s words but picked up the blade from the ground and placed it against his neck, “Princess, I am coming to join you.”

“What are you doing!?”

Seeing this, Qiu Lun instinctively stepped back several paces.

Li Fuzhou wanted to stop him but it was too late, as Wanyan Lin slashed with the curved blade, blood spurting out, then he heavily fell to the ground.

With Zongzheng Yue dead, Wanyan Lin did not choose to live alone but followed her in death.

The three stared at the two corpses silently for a long time, none of them had expected that Wanyan Lin would express such devotion to Zongzheng Yue.

Yi Daoyun sighed deeply and said, “What a pity, this Wanyan Lin really was a man of profound affection.”

Qiu Lun sheathed his weapon and proposed, “Let’s bury them together.”

…..