Chapter 336: Flames of war raging across the land
Chu Tian had been in a state of chaos for the past several days, constantly feeling like he was in an empty space with unclear voices sounding in his ears, which were sometimes close, sometimes far, sometimes strong, and sometimes weak. Chu Tian felt his body falling into chaos, like he was plunging into a bottomless abyss.
But at this time, a tall and dignified demon god appeared in the endless darkness. This demon god had nine eyes and each eye was a different colour. Each colour represented a different kind of profound power, as if each eye contained a great dao of the world.
The white was space, the silver was time, the green was life, the black was death, the purple was soul, the gold was Divine Sense…..Each of the nine eyes represented a rare and high class power.
The Nine Eyed Demon God, other than elemental energy, it was nine different powerful skills combined in one!
Chu Tian was very familiar with the powers of the Nine Eyed Demon God because he was Chu Tian and Chu Tian was him, however it was also related to his reincarnation. However, Chu Tian was very surprised that the Nine Eyed Demon God felt very unfamiliar to him in this moment. This was because there was an extra eye that appeared on the Nine Eyed Demon God. This eye had been closed the entire time, but it released an incredible energy.
“This eye is……”
Chu Tian felt like the tenth eye was about to open, but an irresistible energy enveloped it that suddenly made Chu Tian appear from the abyss of his consciousness.
That was just a dream?
Chu Tian was covered in sweat when he woke up. The tenth eye was the sealed power of the nameless ancient god. That ancient god had told Chu Tian that he shouldn’t try to open the eye at will, otherwise it would bring a consequence that would be hard to imagine. What kind of power did that eye represent?
Chu Tian felt a strong headache come over him.
Although he had rested for several days and his body did not get better yet, his spiritual energy had returned to normal, so at least he could get out of the bed.
“Yingying, why is it so loud outside?”
“Chu Tian, you’re finally awake!” Meng Yingying was looking out the window with an expression of distress. When she heard Chu Tian’s voice, she turned around in pleasant surprise before speaking in a worried and fearful voice, “The Southern Summer army has been defeated and the War Hounds are inside Imperial City. The soldiers and citizens have either surrendered or fought to the death, and the entire Imperial City is in chaos.”
“What? Defeated again!” Chu Tian immediately sat up, “What is the Southern Summer army eating? The front line was lost because of a sneak attack, that could not be guarded against, but how could Imperial City be lost?”
Meng Yingying let out a sigh, “I don’t know either, elder sister did not let me out. However, I heard elder sister Nangong say that it was the Departing Flame Marquis changing sides, allowing the War Hounds army enter through a secret passage, collaborating with the forces outside to bring down the city!”
It was another betrayal?
Chu Tian felt his head ache. If the enemy were to even take the Imperial City, wasn’t the Southern Summer Country done for? If it was like this, what had Chu Tian spent six months working hard to develop Miracle Commerce for?
“Where are we now?”
Chu Tian found that this place was not Miracle Commerce’s headquarters.
“The Imperial Palace. To be safe, elder sister ordered the destruction of Yun Sect’s research facility and burned down Miracle Commerce’s headquarters before bringing all of Miracle Commerce’s staff into the royal palace. The Burning Sun Ruler and the Refined Ruler have around a hundred thousand soldiers fighting to the death outside the royal palace, but there are too many enemies. I’m afraid that…..”
“Imperial City can’t be held. We need to discuss our escape plans, you should all quickly come with me…..” Before the words were finished, the door was opened and Meng Qingwu quickly ran in. When she saw Chu Tian sitting up, she revealed a surprised expression, “Chu Tian? You woke up just in time!”
Chu Tian knew nothing about recent matters, “Did you just say retreat? What do you mean!”
“There is no time to explain right now, every minute we stay here makes it more dangerous!” Meng Qingwu quickly said to Meng Yingying, “Quickly, we’re going to the main hall!”
In the main hall of the royal palace, it did not look as magnificent as usual. All the soldiers inside were currently wearing their armour. Looking at the city from within the hall, half of Imperial City was on fire, with thick smoke already covering the sky.
Chu Tian saw a few familiar faces, for example the Burning Sun Ruler, the Refined Ruler, Gu Qianqiu, the Divine Wind Marquis, the Golden Arrow Marquis, the Western Marquis, and others. Everyone was covered in blood and looked injured.
They all revealed complicated gazes when they saw Chu Tian appear.
Chu Tian weakly said, “I’ve already heard the general situation. With the fall of Imperial City and only having two hundred thousand soldiers to defend the royal palace, I’m afraid we can’t hold the War Hounds Kingdom off for long. Doing anything now would be too late, have you thought of how to retreat yet?”
The Burning Sun Ruler stomped his foot in lamentation, “Imperial City’s fall is all this ruler’s fault. How could the Nangong Family give birth to such an evil seed!”
“We have already lost, it’s too late to lament!” The Refined Ruler also had a look of frustration at this time, “The Southern Summer’s north cannot be defended. The Imperial Region, Cang State, and Cauldron State controlled by the Departing Flame Marquis are all lost, but the Southern Summer Country had six other states and they all have several hundred thousand soldiers. There are also several tens of thousands of miles of mountain ranges, as well as the wide Four States Lake as a natural barrier, perhaps we can avoid being swallowed by the War Hounds. The thing we should do now and strive for is to preserve the Southern Summer Country’s strength, guarding the southern six states.
They could not turn the situation around right now.
The Fang King had experts like clouds, their army had an overwhelming advantage, and Imperial City was in chaos with serious damage. In this kind of situation, not to mention turning defeat into victory, even if they were to chase the War Hounds away by some miracle, what then?
The frontline forces had collapsed, Imperial City was destroyed, did this kind of Imperial Region have any meaning? It would be better to preserve their power down south and use the natural terrain advantage to stop the War Hounds invasion.
The problem was, how were they to get there?
The sounds of fighting outside became even more intense.
The Burning Sun Ruler said, “The Dongfang Family has a secret passage in the royal palace, crown prince Dongfang Haoran has the authorization to open it and knows how to do so. I ask the great scholar, the Country Guarding Ruler, and the vassals to bring the thousand royal knights and twenty three thousand elites away from the Imperial Region through this passage. Of the six other states, Central State has the best position and can become the new center of the Southern Summer Country, protecting the final bloodlines of the Southern Summer clans!”
Dongfang Haoran was also covered in blood, but he immediately came forward, “Understood!”
“If all these people leave, will the War Hounds let us go?”
The Burning Sun Ruler revealed a determined expression, “Be assured and leave. The Refined Ruler and I will lead the remaining Imperial City elites to fight the War Hounds to the final moment. With us stalling for time here, they will not be able to chase you!”
These words meant that the Burning Sun Ruler and the Refined Ruler were prepared to fight to their last drop of blood.
“Why do the two rulers cling to a broken city?” Gu Qianqiu immediately tried to convince them, “The remaining mountain may not have firewood!”
The Burning Sun Ruler said in a determined voice, “This ruler has the greatest fault in Imperial City’s fall. I have let down the Nangong Family ancestors and all the heroic spirits of the Southern Summer Country, so I can only fight to the end to repay them. This ruler has already decided to preserve the Nangong Family’s direct descendants and all the Nangong Family branch members who aren’t twenty yet, sending them to the south. They will all be managed by Nangong Yun who will be the Nangong Family’s new leader. I hope you can take care of the Nangong Family’s descendants and will let the phoenix be reborn!”
Because of the Departing Flame Marquis’ betrayal, the Burning Sun Ruler’s heart was filled with guilt, so he was determined to stay behind and buy everyone time. This was reasonable, but why would the Refined Ruler remain? The Southern Summer Country did not have many True Spirit Realm Experts in the first place!
“The Southern Summer’s intelligence system is managed by the Shangguan Family. The changes in the War Hound Plains and the War Hounds army’s sudden attack, this ruler did not notice, leading to a disaster for the Southern Summer Country. This is the crime of the Shangguan Family in the end.” The Refined Ruler said with a serious expression, “This ruler has lead the Shangguan Family for over a hundred years now, but I was only concerned with fighting political battles and forgot the principle of the family, this ruler has no virtue. The Shangguan Family’s foundation is in Imperial city, so how could a nest survive with no eggs? The Shangguan Family is at fault, so we’ll fight bravely to the last second!”
The display of these two people suddenly made Chu Tian realize something.
The Calm Martial Ruler had said that the Burning Sun Ruler and the Refined Ruler were not like the other families he had met before. Chu Tian had not understood what he meant then, but now he understood everything. From the two rulers, Chu Tian sensed something the local tyrants did not have, honour and dignity!
They were rulers of the Southern Summer Country, they had to fight to the last second even if they knew they would die!
“Chu Tian!” A low and deep voice entered his ear. The Western Marquis holding a blood soaked pen looked at him, “I’ll be honest, even now, my hatred for you is still soaked into my bones, but it’s a pity we don’t have a chance to solve this grudge. If you are a son of the Southern Summer Country, then you will shoulder this responsibility. Otherwise, even if I become a ghost in hell, I will not let you off!”
Hong!
The sound of collapsing came from the royal palace’s outer wall.
The Burning Sun Ruler shouted at everyone, “Retreat, otherwise it’ll be too late!”
“The situation is tense!” The Refined Ruler also said, “Go!”
Chu Tian cupped his hands to the two of them, “Today is not only your shame, but also my, Chu Tian’s shame. Today I, Chu Tian swear that I will one day trample the War Hound Plains!”
The Burning Sun Ruler gave a laugh, “This is enough for me, the War Hounds Country’s destruction is right around the corner!”
“My king titled you the Country Guarding Ruler at his death because he clearly has high expectations of you. Now that the Southern Summer Country is facing its end, it’ll all depend on the ruler to preserve the final territory of the Southern Summer Country.” The Refined Ruler walked in front Chu Tian, “The grudges between you and the Shangguan Family will all be written off by this ruler now. Please treat the Shangguan Family’s descendants kindly!”
“Go!”
“It’ll be too late if you don’t leave now!”
Gu Qianqiu said to Dongfang Haoran, “Quickly, open the secret passage!”
The youths and branch members of the Three Great Clans, the griffin knights, and the important scholars and talents made up a total of over twenty thousand people. They first went to the treasury to take some easy to move items and burned everything else down. Finally they followed Dongfang Haoran and escaped in the secret passage.
Hong, dong, dong…..
The royal palace’s gates slowly opened.
The Burning Sun Ruler and the Refined Ruler faced a burning Imperial City as well as a dense War Hounds army, feeling sad and emotional in their hearts.
They never thought that the lively city of a few days ago would encounter such an earth shattering change in just a few days. The strength that the Southern Summer Country built over several dozen years had all been burnt down by these flames.
The Southern Summer King and the frontline marshal Dongfang Zhan were both dead, now there was just the Burning Sun Ruler and the Refined Ruler.
“Old man Nangong, our end in this manner, I’m actually a bit unwilling!”
“That’s right, it’s too unsatisfying. However, we’re old and have to give the future to the young people!”
“At least we’ll go out in a brilliant manner, not living our lives in vain!”
“Let’s go!”
The two True Spirit Realm Experts jumped out at the same time. They lead the final experts and troops of the Three Great Clans to fight a final battle with the War Hounds army.
Fighting these beasts, everyone had the determination to die.
The War Hounds suffered this fierce attack and this tragic fight lasted for an entire half a day.
Early next morning, the flames finally subsided. The Fang King stood in the devastated royal palace and swept across the entire Imperial City. From this day forth, these lands could be considered conquered by him.
“Reporting to the Fang King, Dongfang Zhan, Shangguan Cangfeng, and Nangong Yan’s corpses have already been been buried in Imperial City by my clan’s warriors.”
“Good!”
Wang Tianlong anxiously rushed in and said, “The corpses of Chu Tian’s group hasn’t been found yet!”
“What are you nervous for?” A War Hounds chief said in an uncaring voice, “In this kind of large battle, it is very likely for a corpse to be destroyed.”
“Impossible!” Wang Tianlong had a premonition, “He’s most likely still alive!”
The War Hounds warriors did not care, so what if he was alive? Imperial City had been captured and all the elite warriors had been killed, how could they rise again?
The Fang King thought about it and said, “I’ll give you the vulture unit, search for their whereabouts!”
It was too late.
The escape route Meng Qingwu had prepared played a role this time.
At this moment, in the Cang State port, the Giant Shark Gang she had prepared were already waiting there. The youths of the Three Great Clans and the talents of Imperial City were orderly boarding the ships. Meng Qingwu looked at the hazy sky and her heart sunk. She never thought that she would be leaving Imperial City like this in the end.
