Yu Shangrong remained silent.
Ji Qingqing said, “Forget it. You won’t understand even if I tell you about it.”
Yu Shangrong only smiled faintly in response to her words.
“If it weren’t for him, do you think I’d leave Yu Province so easily? Don’t think I listened to you and left just because you resemble him. Yu Zhenghai is his Eldest Senior Brother, after all. If I kill Yu Zhenghai, he would hate me for life.”
“…” Ever since Yu Shangrong challenged the elites from the various paths with his sword, he had gained a strong following of admirers. His fan base consisted of Eight-leaf elites to common civilians of all gender and age. However, those who had seen his face were few and far in between. Those who were worthy of facing him in a battle usually did not live to tell the tale.
“Alright, I’ve said enough. I should get going now,” Ji Qingqing said.
“Wait,” Yu Shangrong said.
“What?” Ji Qingqing asked.
“You seem to have great taste in men. Because of that, I’ll give you one piece of advice.” Yu Shangrong paused for a beat before he pointed to one of the deputy generals on Ji Qingqing’s left with his scabbard and said, “Kill him.”
The deputy general trembled and took a step back.
Ji Qingqing frowned. She did not know what Yu Shangrong meant.
“Since you’re fleeing from the battlefield, the people around you should only be your trusted subordinates… In any case, that’s just my suggestion. It’s up to you to kill him or not.” Yu Shangrong smiled faintly.
In other words, this person next to Ji Qingqing was a mole?
Ji Qingqing looked at the indifferent expression on Yu Shangrong’s face and the deputy general who had been by her side for many years. Logically, she should trust her subordinate. However, for some unknown reason, she felt the green-robed swordsman standing before her was more trustworthy at this moment.
Zhou Huai, the deputy general bowed at once. “General, don’t listen to his lies! The sun and the moon can attest to my unwavering loyalty!”
Ji Qingqing frowned. Her energy surged from her body as she looked at Zhou Huai. She asked in a deep voice, “Zhou Huai… the Divine Capital are strangely privy to my movements. Did you leak the information to them?”
“General!”
“Give me a reason to believe you…”
There were many things in the world that could not be explained. Let alone a woman had spent much of her time on a battlefield, even spouses who lived together for decades would have trust issues if the tiniest hint of an affair reached their ears.
Swoosh!
Without a second word, Zhou Huai turned around and ran. Things might have turned out differently if he remained calm. Alas, as soon as he fled, it was as good as admitting his crimes.
Ji Qingqing shook her head with disappointment. She raised two fingers. Her sword was already unsheathed.
Dozens of energy swords formed a ring that converged before herself.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Zhou Huai was about to summon his avatar when the energy swords swept over him, piercing his chest! He did not even have a chance to defend himself. Soon enough, he dropped to the ground.
Ji Qingqing turned around. With an indifferent expression on her face, she cupped her fists together and said to Yu Shangrong, “Thank you for the advice.”
“It’s nothing,” Yu Shangrong replied.
Ji Qingqing took a liking to his polite and gentle manner so she asked, “I’m not sure that I’ve gotten your name.”
Yu Shangrong turned around. He pushed away from the ground lightly and leaped into the Purple Bamboo Forest. He projected his voice to her before vanishing in a blink of an eye. “My name’s not worth mentioning. Take care.”
“General?” A deputy general behind her bowed and said, “If I’m not mistaken… t-that person is the Evil Sky Pavilion’s Yu Shangrong.”
Ji Qingqing’s eyes widened immediately. She hurriedly followed in Yu Shangrong’s footsteps and searched the area. Alas, Yu Shangrong was nowhere to be found.
Although Yu Shangrong had promised to spare her life, Ji Qingqing knew it was not because he liked her. Whether it was Prince of Qi’s daughter, Qin Ruobing, Ji Qingqing, one of the eight great generals, or any of his beautiful admirers, Yu Shangrong had never placed them in his eyes. This was how it was, and this was how it would always be.
…
Half a month later.
All five cities of Yu Province were under the Nether Sect’s control.
At this moment, the major cultivation sects of Great Yan were in a period of absolute recuperation. Everyone was recultivating in earnest after severing their lotuses.
Under the double threat of the Evil Sky Pavilion and the Nether Sect, the cultivators from various sects refrained from taking part in the war.
…
A month later, Qing Province fell.
Three months later, Yang Province fell.
Currently, the Nether Sect had conquered seven provinces.
At the same time, the general public was sprouting leaves during their re-cultivation at an increasing speed.
…
Inside the southern pavilion, the Evil Sky Pavilion.
Mingshi Yin furtively climbed up a branch. He looked at Duanmu Sheng who was silently cultivating at the edge of the cliff.
“Third Senior Brother, from this day on, you’re my hero. You’ve severed your lotus, and I have nothing but respect for you.” Mingshi Yin gave Duanmu Sheng a thumbs-up.
After their master began to cultivate in seclusion, Duanmu Sheng decided to sever his lotus and recultivate. Moreover, he had personally severed his lotus.
“Old Fourth, get down here.”
“Just say what you want to say… I don’t have to go down,” Mingshi Yin said.
Duanmu Sheng shook his head with a sigh and said, “Why aren’t you severing your lotus?”
“Why should I? That’s only needed by someone who’s attempting the Nine-leaf stage… I’m not planning to become a Nine-leaf cultivator,” Mingshi Yin replied, “There are many who can’t even reach the Eight-leaf stage their whole lives, and yet, they’re severing their lotuses just because the others are doing it. They’re crazy.”
Duanmu Sheng scratched his head. Mingshi Yin’s words sounded reasonable. If one could not even reach the Eight-leaf stage, it was meaningless to sever the lotus, what was the point of severing one’s lotus to attempt to reach the Nine-leaf stage? Becoming a Six or Seven-leaf cultivator was difficult enough as it was, let alone an Eight-leaf cultivator. They could have easily become core elders of most sects. However, the more he thought about it, the more he felt that something was off. He looked at Mingshi Yin and asked, “Old Fourth, are you making fun of me?”
“No, no, no, I’m not! I’m complimenting you, Third Senior Brother! You can surely reach the Nine-leaf stage!” Mingshi Yin said.
Duanmu Sheng agreed with Mingshi Yin’s words. He looked forward to becoming a Nine-leaf cultivator. Then, he asked, “Why isn’t Ninth Junior Sister severing her lotus?”
Mingshi Yin spread his arms. “The little ancestor doesn’t want to. Who would dare to bother her about it?”
That was true.
“In any case, there might not necessarily be a disadvantage to sever the lotus after you’ve reached the Eight-leaf stage. The four elders are already on their way to sprouting the fourth leaf.”
Duanmu Sheng was shocked when he heard this. He asked, “So soon?”
Mingshi Yin shook his head and said, “Not really. When I wrote to Seventh Junior Brother three months ago to notify him about Conch being our new Little Junior Sister, Seventh Junior Brother sent me a reply… Guess what he said.”
When Duanmu Sheng heard this, he frowned at once. “Just tell me everything you know. It’s annoying when you leave me hanging.”
“Seventh Junior Brother said there’s a sword path elite who has already recultivated to the Five-leaf stage,” Mingshi Yin said.
“…” Duanmu Sheng was utterly shocked.
“That man must’ve been an Eight-leaf elite before he severed his lotus. It’s shocking that he managed to recultivate so quickly. In my opinion, he must have sprouted another leave during these three months. After all, it’s much faster to sprout leaves when you’re recultivating compared to when you’re first cultivating to sprout leaves. I don’t think the other sects are slow as well.” Mingshi Yin leaned on a tree trunk. He glanced out of the corner of his eyes. “Eh? Where are you going, Third Senior Brother?”
“I’m going to cultivate under the waterfall. Don’t disturb me if there’s nothing important.” Duanmu Sheng leaped in the air and vanished.
…
Meanwhile, at a door of an unknown and dark hidden chamber in the Imperial city, the Divine Capital.
“Greetings, grandfather. I’m Liu Zhi.” His voice sounded distant and deep.
However, the door of the hidden chamber did not open.
“The Imperial city is under threat! I sincerely request an audience, grandfather!”
A brief moment after Liu Zhi said this, the stone door made a noise before it slowly opened.
Creak!
Liu Zhi was delighted. He lifted his robes slightly and carefully stepped into the room.
The hidden chamber was huge. It seemed to be another world of its own. There was everything inside the hidden chamber, including tomes, ancient booklets, handbooks on cultivation, cultivation methods of the various sects, and an arsenal of weapons.
An old man dressed in long robes sat languidly above a dais; he was the only one in the chamber. The only source of light shone on him.
“Grandfather.” Liu Zhi kneeled respectfully.
The hidden chamber was extremely quiet.
Liu Zhi dared not speak recklessly.
After some time, the old man finally opened his eyes.
“The world thinks that I’ve passed, and I no longer have anything to do with the affairs of the world. You’re quite bold to do this.”
This old man was Liu Ge, Emperor Yong Shou. He was Emperor Yong Qing’s father who had passed away!
Liu Zhi remained kneeling as he said in a trembling voice, “It’s not my intention to disturb you, but… the empire is in chaos at this moment. The Evil Sky Pavilion’s first disciple, Yu Zhenghai, is rampaging through the lands and committing all sorts of crimes.”
“Where’s Liu Gu?”
“Father… Although he’s an Eight-leaf cultivator, there’s nothing he can do against the Nether Sect!” Liu Zhi said.
Liu Ge frowned slightly. Then, he said with a sigh, “I’m no better than your father. Besides, I’m only a bag of old bones.”
