After the envoys left, the news asking for peace, from some channel or another, was found out by the people of the capital.
The people were instantly plunged into humongous rage.
There were millions upon millions of troops stationed in the capital, and they could be known as the elite of the empire. Why were troops not sent to strike at the Brute Race and the Demon Race?
……
“Why does the Capital not send troops to strike at the other races?"
As Wen Wan ate a bowl of noodles, he looked at the dark Ximen Yeshui in front of him with a cold laugh. "Those old figures of the empire, they care about balance the most when they do things. After the careful efforts of all the major factions, the military power is finally balanced. Sending troops? Send the troops of what faction? As long as troops are sent, this equilibrium will be broken. At that time, the weakened party will never be able to recover. Unless the time has gotten truly desperate, there will be no one that is truly willing to selflessly give over control of the military power they grasped to strike at the other races.”
Ximen Yeshui was made speechless.
He did not imagine that this was the true reason.
After being taken aback for a long time, Ximen Yeshui could only curse, “This… what kind of craziness is this? What times are these, that there still will be internal struggles."
"The current empire is completely deprecated from the outside to the inside," Wen Wan said calmly, and then gave a look of disdain towards Ximen Yeshui, "There's no point in speaking such to you, you won't understand.“
This made Ximen Yeshui so angry that his teeth hurt.
Thankfully, Li Changheng had come to pay a greeting, then dragged Ximen Yeshui to a brothel.
After Wen Wan finished his bowl of noodles, he went to find Yang Henshui to fight.
Only Dai Youmeng and Liu Jingyan were still waiting outside the fire forest, waiting for any signs of their Lord, expressing their loyalty.
……
Within the stone palace.
Ye Qingyu stood where he was, his consciousness immersed into the stone palace formation.
The little silver dragon had, time and time again, crawled out the path of the formation array. Because it had four little legs as well as it understanding Ye Qingyu's will and heart completely, so the speed it crawled could be fast or slow. It allowed Ye Qingyu to understand the formation within the stone palace to the greatest extent.
"No wonder that the Spirit Monkey had spoken so much, but I was still not able to completely comprehend it. That thing is someone who isn't even fully knowledgeable in it, so the things it says may not be entirely correct. He really is misleading others."
Ye Qingyu began to understand.
When the little silver dragon finally crawled out the last line of the formation array in the stone palace, Ye Qingyu's consciousness retreated like a flood. At that instant, the surrounding stars and starlight swirled around and suddenly disappeared.
A meshed map gradually unfurled infront of Ye Qingyu, spreading towards all corners.
"This is…"
He lowered his head, and discovered within him, himself being the center, the ground of the inside of the [Light Palace] as it began fluctuating like quicksilver. The ground within ten meters began changing and transforming, some places rose high, while others sunk down. It was as if there were countless invisible blades currently sculpting at something…
In but a few moments time.
A miniature sand sculpture map of the capital began appearing beside Ye Qingyu.
The silver light was like floating silver that flickered indistinctly, compeltely protecting and surrounding this map. Ye Qingyu carefully examined it, and was surprised to discover there was tight and clustered little figures, they were namely the shadows of the crowd.
It was not only on the streets. Even in some households, buildings, and restaurants, there were faint human shaped figures moving.
Ye Qingyu's gaze followed along some familiar buildings, and gradually discovered the location of the [Light Palace].
Within the City of Light, there were also figures moving.
The camp of the soldiers…
the third area…
the fire tree forest…
Were those the figures of Liu Jingyan and Dai Youmeng?
As well as the figures of Bai Yuanxing and the other three cultivating…
“This… is perhaps too miraculous?" Looking downwards, Ye Qingyu felt this was far too mysterious. Could it be these shadowy figures represented the people within the capital? In other words, this light projection that was like a sand sculpture was able to capture everyone within the capital in it?
Furthermore, Ye Qingyu very quickly discovered something peculiar—
The figures representing Dai Youmeng and Liu Jingyan, compared to Bai Yuanxing and the others were much more clearer, and there was faint light flickering around them. Did this represent…
Ye Qingyu instantly realized something.
The figures that were clearer were people with higher cultivation.
Like those normal people without much cultivation, they would not even have facial features, and were just faint shadows.
“Eh? You little brat, you've really managed to really make the [Universe Map] appear?” The voice of the Spirit Monkey that had disappeared once again appeared, his tone containing surprise, "Well done, you little brat, I really didn't misjudge you.”
Ye Qingyu grunted, cursing at the fact that someone who had mistaught him because he only knew a little bit was shameless enough to say such a thing. But of course, he could not really utter such words, but changed the subject instead, "Elder, just what is this [Universe Map]?"
"It is an absolute treasure. When it is activated, it can even reflect the sun, moon and stars within it. The formation sand sculpture in front of you is only one of the features of this [Universe Map]. On the formation map, every scenery within the capital, every building, every lifeform will be shown on it. The formation sand sculpture in front of you right now is exactly the same as the capital. You do not need to go everywhere, but it contains the whole universe. The thing that you are regarding is the [Universe Map]."
The voice of the Spirit Monkey sounded.
This confirmed Ye Qingyu's previous conjecture.
"It really is an absolute treasure…" Ye Qingyu sighed in admiration. However, when he carefully inspected, he discovered some areas of the [Universe Map] were completely dim, with no shadows at all. And there was not just one of such areas. When one carefully compared it, one could already determine that these dim and dark areas were namely the great building of the military, the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Ancestral Land, the Residence of the Right Minister and others of such."
"Your strength is still far too low. Even if you have such a sacred treasure, you cannot observe everything within the capital. Those places where it is tightly guarded, with great formations protecting it, it is hard for outside power to penetrate. And there are also some places with terrifyingly strong experts that you cannot view…" The spirit monkey said, demeaning Ye Qingyu's strength at the same time as explaining it to him. "This [Universe Map] is such a treasure, it can enwrap the entire world, even if it is the entire domain, it can receive it. Furthermore it has other mysteries that can shock the very heavens. Such an absolute treasure can show the entire world. But in the hands of a little brat, it can only show a tiny little Snow Capital. It really is a bright pearl wasted in darkness."
Upon hearing this, Ye Qingyu, did not get angry. "Then can I please ask Elder, apart from the [Universe Map] being able to show the terrain and where people are, what other abilities and functions does it have?"
"Fine, seeing as you are sincerely asking questions, then I will show mercy and tell you. This [Universe Map] can also project a shade. As long as it is a location where the map shows, you can send one of your projections to that location…" the Spirit Monkey said lazily.
"A projection?" Ye Qingyu was taken aback.
"That's right. A clone with divided battle power, without any difference from your own body. You can use it to kill enemies, or use it to enjoy yourself… the main thing is that it must be an area that the [Universe Map] shines on, everything that is on the map you can go. And you can do whatever you like… hehe, but if your projection dies in battle, then this is no different from your own true body from dying in battle. If you want to depart from the Light Palace, you can do so right now. But you had best think it over. Going outside right now is no different from going out to die." As the Spirit Monkey spoke to the end, he did not seem to be willing to let Ye Qingyu depart and face danger.
"So it's like this… a projection? That's somewhat interesting. This way, I can disguise myself. Since it is a projection, it can naturally change its appearance. others will not know it is me, and those that want to kill me should not know it is me either?" Ye Qingyu asked probingly.
"You can try this yourself, I don't know." The Spirit Monkey evidently was not willing to discuss further details of this. "Furthermore, with your current strength, your projection will not be able to maintain for too long…"
"I know… then how do I control it?" Ye Qingyu was already somewhat impatient.
In truth, after being trapped in this stone palace for half a year, he was about to go crazy.
“How would I know?" The Spirit Monkey said matter of factly. "You try it yourself. I already said so much, I've already spoken all I know…"
Ye Qingyu: "…"
……
In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed.
The weather was colder day by day.
There was finally news that the envoys of peace sent out by the empire, had finally stabilized the Vanguards of the Demon Race and the Brute Race after painstaking efforts. The Brute Race of the desert and the Brute Race of the White Mountain Black Water agreed to discuss things with the Human Race. As for the Snow Ground Demon Court and the Hurricane Wave Demon Court, they also temporarily halted in battle.
After the passing of another few days, all sorts of news arrived.
There were ambassadors from the other races, that requested to see the Snow Emperor.
There were also people saying that the King of the Brute Race had sent people to ask for the Princess of the Empire for marriage. They wanted to firm up their agreement with a marriage, only if they did so would they agree to retreat their troops…
There was also news that the Demon Race asked for territory to be seceded to them. They wanted some gentle and wealthy territories for them to live in and nourish, becoming the territories of the Demon Race. They did not want to live and struggle in such bitter lands anymore.
The battle temporarily stopped.
But for Snow Empire, the situation did not turn around for the better much.
That was because such a situation did not truly represent that all the barriers towards peace had been destroyed. It furthermore did not signify, that the Human Race of Heaven Wasteland Domain, would once again return to the flourishing state of their peak. This was more like wild beasts fighting and tearing each other apart. After it was tired from biting at each other, it needed to rest and store energy for the next time it hunted and killed.
Finally, on the first day that winter descended of this year, the ambassador from the North West Desert Brute Race arrived outside Snow Capital. After many layers of inspection, on the day that the last shred of sunlight shone down, they entered through the massive gate into the capital.
The descendant of the King of the Desert Brute Race, known as the [Little Brute King], rode a brute beast tha the desert specially had. After a hundred years, he became the first Brute Race that entered into the Snow Capital that belonged to the humans. The arrogant look of disdain and contempt was instantly imprinted upon all the Forbidden Army experts that were on duty.
The Brute Race, used such a haughty and arrogant attitude to enter into Snow Capital.
And the second day after the [Little Brute King] came to the capital, the Jin San, the genius expert of the White Mountain Black Water Brute Race, also brought a group from the North East Brute Race, and strode into Snow Capital.
Then it was the [Little Demon Saint] that came from the Hurricane Wave Demon Court from the south…
Then it was the group that represented the Snow Ground Demon Court. And the person that led this group was the greatest traitor of the Human Race in a hundred years— the great villain of this generation, Yan Buhui.
"When I was human, I had never entered into the capital. Who would have thought that today, I would come here under the escort of the Imperial Guard, under another identity…”
When Yan Buhui stepped past the main South gate, he could not help but say such words with sentiment.
