Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The College, entrance to the Ancient Barren World.
When Ye Futian and Yu Sheng got there, Ye Wuchen, Liu Chenyu, and the rest had already arrived and were waiting. “Where is His Majesty?” asked Ye Futian.
“Father returned to the Liu Kingdom right after escorting us here,” said Liu Feiyang. He was a little resentful about how things turned out but Emperor Liu was his father after all. He also understood that as the leader of an entire country, his father had to consider the citizens. He also had other children to think of as Liu Feiyang and Liu Chenyu weren’t his only offspring. But because of their relationship with Ye Futian, Emperor Liu only put the two of them under Ye Futian’s care. Everyone else was in much greater danger than they were.
Ye Futian nodded and sighed inwardly.
“Futian.” Just then, Ye Wuchen spoke up. Ye Futian looked over at him and heard him continue, “Take care of Chenyu for me.”
Ye Futian lifted his eyebrows in confusion and replied to Ye Wuchen, “You can’t go back to the Fuyun Sword Clan now.” If the Seventh Lord was in charge of the clan, perhaps nothing would happen. However, in the Liu palace, Zhe Song’s attitude was clear to see. It was dangerous for Ye Wuchen to return to Fuyun. In order to separate themselves from this situation, it was very possible that the clan would choose to sacrifice Ye Wuchen and hand him over to the Qin Dynasty.
Liu Chenyu also looked at Ye Wuchen. She pulled on his hand, not wanting him to leave.
“Swordmaster, you should stay at the College temporarily. We will head back to report to the summit lord first. If there is any news, we will come back and let you know,” said a fellow cultivator from the Fuyun Sword Clan’s seventh summit.
Ye Wuchen looked at him in silence and finally nodded his headed lightly. “Alright, if teacher has any orders for me, come let me know.” He had been the one who killed Qin Yuan. He had wanted to go back and personally report to his teacher.
“Okay.” The group bowed to Ye Futian before excusing themselves and leaving.
After watching everyone leave, Ye Futian turned to Ye Wuchen and the others. “Let’s head up the mountain.” They then made their way to the Cottage. All around them, many students of the College watched them. Some of them in confusion. Had something happened?
When the disciples of the Cottage saw Ye Futian and Yu Sheng return with Ye Wuchen, Liu Chenyu, and the rest in tow, they had a feeling that something had happened. Days ago, Ye Futian had left for the Liu Kingdom upon hearing of the Qin Dynasty’s proposal of a marriage alliance with them. If nothing happened, they wouldn’t be bringing Ye Wuchen and the others back here.
Ye Futian went directly to the second senior sister. Xue Ye, Luo Fan, and others came closer as well. Zhuge Hui stood in front of a small hut with her eyes on the group. She asked, “Little junior brother, are you in some trouble?”
“Senior Sister,” Ye Futian greeted before giving a summary of what had happened in the Liu Kingdom.
“So, this would mean that the Qin Dynasty came well-prepared and their true intention behind the proposed marriage alliance isn’t a marriage alliance at all.” Zhuge Hui was an intelligent person. She saw through things like this in seconds. Her beautiful eyes turned cold.
“Is the Qin Dynasty already operating so undisciplined?” After listening to everything that happened, Luo Fan looked pissed. They were deliberately trying to start a fight, making their moves on the Liu Kingdom. And to sacrifice a prince just for an excuse? What a pitiful prince. It seemed like he wasn’t as doted on by Emperor Qin as the rumors had it. He wasn’t of a particularly high status. Otherwise, not even Qin Yu and Qin Li would dare to orchestrate something like this.
“Senior Sister, is there still hope for the Liu Kingdom?” Although Ye Futian didn’t have high hopes, he still wanted to believe in a little luck.
Zhuge Hui shook her head. “The Qin Dynasty went as far as sacrificing a prince. It’s obvious that they are dead set on destroying the Liu Kingdom. If I’m not wrong, the Qin troops might already be in the Liu Kingdom.” They had already made all the preparations. So, it was obvious they weren’t going to get the Liu a fighting chance.
When Liu Feiyang and Liu Chenyu heard what Zhuge Hui said, they felt as if all hope was lost. Liu Feiyang’s hands curled into tight fists, his eyes red. Ye Wuchen could feel Liu Chenyu’s grip tightened on his own hand, her palm moist with perspiration.
“You guys can stay here at the College without a worry. No one can come here and take you away,” Zhuge Hui said to them. She sighed inwardly. This might very well be the end of the Liu Kingdom. The Qin Dynasty was starting a war in the Eastern Barren Territory. She clearly understood that the Qin’s final target was the College and the Cottage. Their existence was the biggest hurdle in the Qin Dynasty’s road to rule the entirety of the Eastern Barren Territory.
…
Just as Zhuge Hui had predicted, the Qin Dynasty was well-prepared and moved at the quickest speed. Qin Li and his people had also traveled through the Ancient Barren World to return. They broke through the entrance controlled by the Liu. This was a fact that Emperor Liu found out when he escorted Ye Futian’s group into the Ancient Barren World.
At this moment, a terrifying sight appeared in the skies above the Liu palace. Flood dragons circled the skies, growling and roaring. They gave off a frightening aura and on the backs of these demon beasts stood many people. The Qin Dynasty was here with an army of flood dragons. Right in the center of the army was a truly enormous dragon. The creature was the color of actual gold and had what looked to be the sharpest of all claws.
Standing on the back of this giant golden dragon was Qin Yu. His purple gold imperial robe danced in the wind along with strains of his long, jet-black hair. The look in his eyes was cold and chilling.
The Qin Yu right now was nothing like the gentle Crown Prince of Qin Dynasty seen in Chuge City. He dominated with his strong aura. He was the Crown Prince of the Qin Dynasty. The future Emperor Qin. And he was about to be the ruler of the Eastern Barren Territory.
Both inside and outside the imperial palace, countless pairs of eyes fell on the back of the golden dragon at Crown Prince Qin Yu.
Ages ago, after the battle of Gu Dongliu and Lu Nantian in Chuge City, the people had claimed that they had become the two top cultivators of the Eastern Barren Territory. They all talked about how powerful and mighty they were. At that time, Qin Yu didn’t make much of an impression to the people in Chaoge City. To others, he was a person who could easily be cast aside.
But presently, Qin Yu stood tall in the skies. It was only just then that people realized, Qin Yu was someone who could stand leveled with Lu Nantian and Gu Dongliu. He was one of the most powerful cultivators in the Eastern Barren Territory even years ago. Emperor Qin had even invited all the power clans in the territory to witness the ceremony that made Qin Yu the crown prince.
What did this mean? It meant that Emperor Qin had already acknowledged that Qin Yu had what it took to inherit the throne.
At this very moment, everyone finally realized that they were about to see a very different Qin Yu. The arrogant crown prince of Qin.
“Father,” Qin Li called out as he approached. “Emperor Liu has already sent everyone in the royal family away. He personally escorted Liu Chenyu, Ye Wuchen, and the lot out of the country. They’re probably at the College.”
“Qin Ge,” Qin Yu yelled out. A handsome figure came forward to stand beside Qin Yu. He was also a prince of the Qin Dynasty, third in line and highly gifted. “Bring some people to the College and ask them to hand over the person who killed our youngest brother along with the Liu spawns,” said Qin Yu.
“Okay.” Qin Ge nodded. He then led a group of people away, heading far away. Not even the College could meddle and protect the killer of a Qin prince, right?
“Uncle,” Qin Yu called out for yet another person. An elder stepped forward. “Crown Prince.”
“Go chase after the runaways from the royal Liu family—dead or alive,” said Qin Yu.
“Yes.” With a wave of the elder’s hand, the flood dragons roared loudly and one of them followed after him. They went in a different direction from the last group to chase after any royals who managed to escape from the Liu Kingdom.
Qin Yu’s eyes drifted to the space below him. He spoke coldly, “My youngest brother came to the Liu Kingdom to propose marriage and might a sad end in the palace. The Liu royals and their acquaintances joined hands in a scheme that killed him. Today, the Qin Dynasty officially declares war with the Liu Kingdom. With the exception of royal descendants, anyone who willing pledges alliance to my Qin Dynasty will be spared of death.
Qin Yu’s voice rumbled through the air. Everyone inside and outside the palace, people trembled in fear. He didn’t give the Liu any chance to explain their side of the story and directly declared war.
“I had long tried to persuade Emperor Liu but he refused to listen. Now he has made a terrible mistake.” From below, Lord Kang rose into the skies. “I am willing to pledge alliance to the Qin Dynasty.”
“Very good.” Qin Yu nodded. After that, more figures lifted into the air. Some of them were lords who supported the notion of marrying Liu Chenyu to the Qin.
“A bunch of cowards!” someone yelled furiously.
“Lord Kang, you shameless b*stard.”
“Activate the Xuanwu Matrix,” a voice ordered calmly. Then, a beautiful woman with a crown and a long robe stood in the air above the imperial palace. The look in her eyes was cold and cutting as she stared up at Qin Yu. As she finished speaking, the entire palace lit up bright. A terrifying force of Spiritual Qi climbed straight into the clouds. The world around filled with Spiritual Qi before it all rushed back down in the direction of the palace. An enormous image of a Xuanwu, the Black Turtle appeared over the large, stern structure.
This was the ultimate defense matrix. It absorbed all the Spiritual Qi around.
Empress Liu. Qin Yu looked down at the beautiful figure. Coldly, he spoke, “For his wives and children, Emperor Liu went as far as put the fate of his country on the line. And now you’re actually willing to fight in his name? Why don’t you return to the Qin Dynasty with me?”
“Qin Yu, although you are considered equal to Gu Dongliu, you will never be good enough to ever be compared to him with those morals of yours,” Empress Liu said, still staring at him.
“Is that so?” Qin Yu’s eyes frosted over. “His Majesty, Emperor Liu, should turn those people over if I take you back to the Qin palace with me, right?” Finishing his sentence, the dominating aura around him exploded. In his hand, appeared a long, golden dragon spear. A strong force of energy radiated from the weapon and when Qin Yu pointed the long spear into the sky, the skies and the clouds shifted. The spirits of dragons awakened and revolved around Qin Yu, growling with fury. With nine dragons circling him, he seemed invincible.
This… All around the palace, everyone looked up at Qin Yu. Right now, he looked like the mighty god of war.
I can’t compare to Gu Dongliu? Me? Qin Yu’s expression was cold. Today, with the weapon of his ancestors and the blood of the royal Liu family, he was going to let the world witness the revival of the Qin Dynasty. Today, he was going to show the people just how strong and powerful the Qin Dynasty was.
The Qin didn’t just need a victory. They needed a war that would astound the world to spread a message to all powers in the Eastern Barren Territory.
The Qin Dynasty that once ruled the world was back.
