On the 29th day of the fifth month of the Empire Calendar, thousands of miles to the east of the Shattered Cauldron Realm, the three great empires stood on a huge territory. The balance of power between the Tianji Empire, the Celestial Empire, and the Blackstone Empire was slowly collapsing. The people in the central city of the Blackstone Empire, Mount Qianshan City, were in a state of panic. Over the past few days, Dragon Riders had been constantly descending upon the city, bringing bad news one after another.
In the resplendent and resplendent palace hall, Emperor Shi Yuan had a worried frown on his face. The faces of the ministers were also pale. The voice of a royal guard came from outside the door, "Dragon Rider General Fu Yun requests an audience!"
"Summon him!" Shi Yuan said in a low voice.
Amidst the heavy footsteps, Fu Yun, dressed in military attire, walked into the hall. There were even some bloodstains on his body. His expression was very grave as he knelt on one knee, "Fu Yun greets Your Majesty!"
"Get up, Fu Yun. You've finally returned. What news did you bring?" Shi Yuan said with his eyes narrowed.
Fu Yun said in a deep voice, "I've found out that Feng Jixing is already training the navy on the Daojiang River. The Qin Empire has forged at least hundreds of fortress ships, barges, and barges. The entire Daojiang River of the Cangnan Province is filled with traces of the navy. I think Feng Jixing's intentions are already very clear. It won't be long before they invade the east with the entire nation's military strength."
"Hmph, invade the east?!"
Shi Yuan's eyes were filled with coldness as he said, "My Blackstone Empire will definitely not sit and wait for death. A mere Shattered Cauldron Realm wants to destroy my Blackstone Empire? Dream on!"
At this moment, the young man sitting on the golden chair beside Shi Yuan stood up and said with an extremely pleasant voice, "Your Majesty, you don't have to worry too much. I don't think that Feng Jixing's training of the navy means that they're going on an expedition to the east. After all, the Shattered Cauldron Realm has been at war for many years and has long exhausted their savings. Feng Jixing's training of the navy is just to protect himself."
The one who spoke was none other than Longxi of the Thunder Flame Sect, a peerless expert with the Immortal Character of Ice and Fire and a 92-fold Grotto-Heaven. Moreover, Longxi was talented and had entered the Divine State a long time ago. He retained the appearance of a 26-year-old and looked very young. However, who would have thought that such a young man would have thousands of troops and more than 50,000 cultivators of the Thunder Flame Sect under his command?
Shi Yuan nodded. "Sect Master Long is right, but … the Empire's westward expedition is imminent. We have no choice but to fight."
Longxi smiled faintly. "It seems that Your Majesty has made up your mind."
"Yes."
Shi Yuan smiled calmly and explained, "Firstly, the northern border of the Empire is no longer safe. The Bai Ze Mercenaries led by Si Kongyao and Liu Buyi already have hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Coupled with the help of the Demonic Spirit Race from the Forest of No Return, a few counties in the north have fallen one after another. The Empire has no strength to tangle with Si Kongyao in the north. Secondly, the young Emperor of the Celestial Empire, Chen Yu, was defeated in the battle of Eastcalm City, losing more than a million troops. Now, he has regrouped hundreds of thousands of troops and is constantly attacking the cities on the eastern border of the Blackstone Empire. The fortresses that we have spent hundreds of years building are falling one after another. We have no strength to contend against the Celestial Empire. As such, what other choice do we have apart from an expedition to the west?"
Longxi smiled and lowered his head to look at the person on the other side of Shi Yuan. He said, "His Majesty said that the Blackstone Empire now has a right-hand man. Why don't we ask the right-hand man when we are in such a predicament?"
On the other side was a middle-aged man with restrained divine light. He was wearing armor, and there was even a piece of wolf skin on his shoulder armor. He looked extremely capable and experienced.
He was none other than the Valley Master of the Wolf Valley, He Song, the clan leader of the two great reclusive tribes in the Celestial Pole Continent. He Song cultivated the laws of wind and had long advanced to the Great Perfection Divine Emperor realm. The tribe under his command even had a hundred thousand troops. It was just that he stood aloof from worldly affairs. Otherwise, he would be able to set off huge waves in the Celestial Pole Continent.
Longxi said with a smile, "Valley Master He Song has a hundred thousand troops under his command. Why would he be afraid of Chen Yu and Si Kongyao? Your Majesty must know that … Among the ten Sacred Martial Gods in the Wolf Valley alone, there are several tens of Sacred Martial Kings and several hundred Sacred Martial Venerables. As long as Valley Master He Song decides to send out his troops, I dare say that Chen Yu will definitely stop the war and Si Kongyao will also carefully consider it. "
However, He Song did not say anything. Shi Yuan could not help but turn around and ask in a gentle voice, "Valley Master, what do you think …?"
He Song stroked his short beard and said with a smile, "I really don't deserve such high praise from Sect Master Long. However … I also don't agree with the plan to send troops to the Shattered Cauldron Realm. The land of the Blackstone Empire is a treasure passed down from our ancestors. How can we hand it over to others? Your Majesty, if it's for the sake of defending the Blackstone Empire, Wolf Valley is willing to send troops. Otherwise … the disciples of Wolf Valley are really not willing to stain the yellow sands of other countries with their blood. "
Shi Yuan could not help but frown and said, "It seems that the two of you don't agree with the matter of going on an expedition …"
"Yes." He Song said, "If the Blackstone Empire gives in and leaves the Celestial Continent, it will only make the Tianji Empire and the Celestial Empire stronger and stronger. Even if Your Majesty manages to take over the Shattered Cauldron Realm, the Blackstone Empire will also suffer a great blow. At that time, the Tianji Empire and the Celestial Empire will join hands and go on an expedition to the west. What will we rely on to protect the Shattered Cauldron Realm that we have just obtained?"
Shi Yuan muttered, "Valley Master is right."
He Song smiled. "If it's just to protect the Celestial Empire, Wolf Valley is willing to send troops. However … since Wolf Valley has decided to be loyal to Your Majesty, I hope that Your Majesty can give me some promises."
"Oh? What promises? "
"Confer a city to Wolf Valley so that my troops can have a place to stay. This city must be large, have a large population, and be sufficiently prosperous."
Shi Yuan's eyes flickered, but he did not say anything.
Longxi, who was at the side, smiled and said, "With the reward of a city, you can get 100,000 soldiers. Why not, Your Majesty? Red Rock City in Red Rock Province can be used as a reward. Red Rock City is strong and prosperous, with a population of more than a million. Adding the dozens of counties in the surroundings, it has a total population of more than a thousand people. I think it should be enough for Wolf Valley to station troops. "
Shi Yuan looked at He Song with a stern gaze and said, "Then … We will now confer Valley Master the Consul of Red Rock Province. You will be in charge of all the important military and political affairs in the province. I will send three generals to assist Valley Master in resisting the Celestial Empire and recovering the lost land."
"Many thanks for Your Majesty's great kindness!"
He Song took a few steps back and knelt on one knee, his face full of joy.
"Men, seal and ribbon."
Shi Yuan personally handed the seal and axe to He Song and said, "Red Rock City is in imminent danger. I hope Valley Master can send reinforcements as soon as possible."
"Yes, your subordinate will return to Wolf Valley and give the order to set out."
As soon as he finished speaking, He Song had already shattered the void and disappeared from the great hall, leaving behind only a strong gust of wind.
Shi Yuan glanced at the crowd of officials and said, "Disperse … Sect Leader Long, please follow me to the rear hall for a chat."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
… …
In the rear hall, two palace maids lit up an incense burner and respectfully waited on the side.
Shi Yuan helplessly sat in front of a table filled with memorials to the throne and said, "Sect Leader Long, what do you think of He Song?"
Although they were called his left and right arms, the person Shi Yuan truly valued was Longxi alone. After all, Longxi was the strongest expert of the Blackstone Empire, while He Song was merely the leader of two great secluded tribes in the outlands. They were just using each other.
Longxi smiled faintly. "He Song has a request for the Empire, and Your Majesty also needs He Song's troops to resist the Celestial Empire's Chen Yu. Therefore … this subject believes that Your Majesty conferring the title of Red Rock Province to He Song is a dangerous move, but also a clever one."
"Is that so?" Shi Yuan said dejectedly, "We feel as if we are ceding the territory of our ancestors. To think that someone like He Song, who wields such a powerful army, waits his tail and begs for pity, is truly a disgrace to the sovereign of an empire!"
"A lack of forbearance in small matters will spoil great plans. Since ancient times, heroes have always sought victory on the precipice of life and death. Your Majesty is no different. All we need is He Song's hundred thousand elite troops from Wolf Valley to help us defeat Chen Yu. Once we defeat Chen Yu, Wolf Valley's troops will definitely suffer heavy losses. At that time, it will be as easy as turning over our hands for us to take back He Song's military power and political power."
"Sect Leader Long, do you know why He Song must go to Red Rock City?" Shi Yuan asked.
Longxi was startled, but he did not speak.
"Sect Leader is unwilling to say?"
Longxi shook his head. "It's not that I'm unwilling, but that I don't want to say."
"Why?"
Longxi smiled. "It seems that Your Majesty really doesn't know much about Wolf Valley. The people of Wolf Valley have the nature of wolves, and the cultivation technique they cultivate is called the 'Blood Wolf Art'. It is abnormally tyrannical, and the only way to awaken the Blood Wolf Art is through blood sacrifice!"
"Blood sacrifice?" Shi Yuan was slightly stunned.
"Yes, blood sacrifice. Using the blood of living people as a guide, one can obtain a powerful bloodline awakening power. Wolf Valley has nearly fifty thousand cultivators who have awakened the Blood Wolf Art, and they have devoured the lives of fifty thousand innocent people. This is also the reason why people have been disappearing at the borders of the Blackstone Empire for so many years. Didn't Your Majesty order us not to investigate this matter in order to avoid conflict with Wolf Valley?"
Shi Yuan sighed. "So … He Song wants Red Rock City because he covets the flesh and blood of the empire's citizens?"
"Yes, the purer the bloodline of the person used for the blood sacrifice, the stronger the power of the blood sacrifice. It is best to use virgin boys and girls, which is why He Song wants Red Rock City."
"Aren't we handing over the lives of our citizens to a bunch of demons …"
Shi Yuan slammed his fist on the table, instantly shattering the memorial and splitting the table into two. The veins on his face bulged, and beads of sweat seeped out. His entire body trembled as he said, "From today onwards, I will be reviled by the people of the world, and my name will be infamous for ten thousand years … I …"
"Your Majesty!"
Longxi's voice became heavier. "Those who want to achieve great things don't bother with trifles. Your Majesty, please do not hesitate. Once the Blackstone Empire's predicament is resolved, I will do my best to help Your Majesty eliminate He Song and the others!"
"Then … I will depend on Sect Leader …"
Shi Yuan nodded and did not say anything else.
…
High up in the sky, far to the north, the pure land in the horizon started to snow heavily. This place was cold all year round, but the spiritual energy was dense and the life force was exuberant. Under the cover of the snow, a lush green forest covered the land. Even in the northern Heaven Realm, even if it was snowing non-stop, the flowers here would always bloom.
"Rustle, rustle, rustle …"
Amidst the sound of stepping on the snow, two people in white robes walked in a zigzag manner in the mountains. Their target was a sturdy city in the Northern Heaven Realm's snowy region. It was a city that stood tall in the sky, connected to the earth by iron chains. The entire city seemed to be floating in the air. This was the center of the Northern Heaven Realm — Black Rock City.
When the two stopped at the foot of Black Rock City, heavenly soldiers and generals holding weapons appeared above them. They shouted loudly, "Who goes there?"
"Swoosh!"
A petite person walked forward and lifted her cloak, revealing a beautiful face. She said, "Western Divine Realm's Blazing Angel Eva seeks an audience with Northern Region's King of Gods, Dong Ming!"
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
