People all laughed at them for courting death like moths darting into the fire.
But who knew that moths had never seen light in their lives? When they felt the slightest bit of warmth, they would throw themselves at it and embrace the light, even if the light would burn their bodies.
They knew it meant death.
But they also knew something that people didn't. That was, although the fire could burn their bodies, it could also purify their souls.
Living in darkness, they yearned for the light.
Even if they died, they would not regret it.
The Heaven Inspire Army, which was regarded as inferior creatures, sinners, and slaves, as well as some old sects that had survived by hiding in the deep mountains and forests, were like moths hiding in the dark purgatory. When they saw the crown prince of the Great Moon Empire rise up, they saw the glimmer of light and followed him without complaint, even if their final fate was to be destroyed.
Yu Hualong tried his best to suppress his internal injuries, but his face remained calm.
He was holding a piece of jade in his palm.
That was the communication object Li Mu gave him when he left Longcheng Pass. Li Mu once said that as long as he activated that piece of jade, he would come to the battle as soon as possible, no matter how far he had to go.
These days, Yu Hualong had been hesitating whether he should activate that piece of jade.
That was not because he was worried that Li Mu would go back on his word.
Instead, he was weighing whether Li Mu could turn the situation around if he really came.
He had fought with Emperor Qin Ming once.
To be exact, he had taken a blow from Emperor Qin Ming.
He was defeated in one move.
Emperor Qin Ming's power was really terrifying.
Years ago, Yu Hualong followed his master, Li Bai, and others on the Path. Therefore, he learned about some realms and powers that the martial arts experts in that world didn't. That blow from Emperor Qin Ming already contained a kind of aura that did not belong to that world.
Yu Hualong didn't expect that Emperor Qin Ming would be so terrifying after he came out of closed-door training for 60 years.
In his opinion, even if Li Mu came, he would not be a match for such a power. Instead, he would get Li Mu killed.
If he really activated that jade piece, he might end up harming Li Mu and making him walk right into the trap, sending him to his death.
However, in Yu Hualong's heart, there was still a glimmer of hope.
After all, that was Li Mu.
Since Li Mu's debut, he had been dancing on the edge of a knife in every battle. He had defeated the strong with the weak and created one miracle after another. What if he could really fight against Emperor Qin Ming?
However, he did not dare to take the risk.
After all, Li Mu came from Earth, and he really had the bloodline of the ancestors. Perhaps, he represented hope. With Li Mu's aptitude, it would not be difficult for him to step out of this planet and follow in the footsteps of the ancestors on Earth in the future.
This seedling of hope could not be cut off at this time.
"Your highness, why don't we fight to the death?"
Beside him was a blind old man. He paused the Wrought Iron Staff in his hand and said in a sonorous tone.
"That's right. I, Old Zhang, have been struggling at death's door for such a long time. I don't want to hide anymore. I'll fight to the death with these bastards who bite the hand that feeds them." A fat man with a bare chest and a sharp knife hanging from his waist said through gritted teeth.
Both of them were Yu Hualong's trusted subordinates. The old man was called Mu Qing, the Heavenly Blind Crazy Wand. The fat man, who looked like a butcher, was called Zhang San, the Half-step Wrong Broadsword. He used to hide in the streets, but in fact, he was an expert half a step to the Sage Realm.
He was also the strongest expert in the Great Moon Empire, second only to Yu Hualong.
The two of them were the only two people who knew the origin and function of the piece of jade in Yu Hualong's hand. But at this time, they expressed their stance in such a way that they did not want Li Mu to get involved.
Yu Hualong looked at the two, and then at the wounded soldiers on the wall of Longcheng Pass. He did not know what to say.
A general died in a hundred battles, and a hero returned after ten years.
Before, every time the Western Qin's army broke into a city, it was a bloodbath. Neither the civilians nor the fowls were spared. Except for Longcheng Pass that had not been breached yet, the other 18 cities were all completely wiped out …
"That's a great sacrifice!"
Gradually, Yu Hualong came up with a plan.
He exerted force in his palm and directly shattered the jade into powder.
"Li Mu cannot come."
"If today, after a thousand years, the glory of the Great Moon Empire is destined to be extinguished again, I'd better keep Li Mu, the last and most promising flame, alive."
That was Yu Hualong's final decision.
"Tell the people in the city to go out and surrender. Back then, Longcheng Pass held out until the end because the Western Qin did not organize a counterattack and rescue them. Today, let them go. I hope the Western Qin can let these people go."
Yu Hualong gave the order.
"Well … the Western Qin's army is brutal. I'm afraid they won't accept it." Zhang San said worriedly.
Mu Qing said, "There's no other way. If we don't let the people go out, once the city is breached, the people in the city can only face a massacre."
The order was passed down.
The people in the city began to mobilize.
…
…
On the flagship of the Flying Whale Shuttle.
Under the main flag, a burly figure in a black imperial robe stood majestically. His face was solemn, without joy or sorrow. His eyes were calm and composed, with a kind of domineering aura that made people submit and tremble in silence. His body was as straight as a sharp sword stuck in the bow of the shuttle.
The people around dared not to look up at that figure.
He was Emperor Qin Ming, the most powerful man in the world.
After 60 years of closed-door training, the whole world thought that he had become a devil. But no one expected that as soon as he broke out of the closed-door training, he killed the pope of the Magic Sun Temple, one of the Nine Superbs, and made the million troops of the Sand Clan flee.
Previously, Li Yuanba, the Domineering Demon Halberd, led the Heaven Inspire Army to counterattack the ten cities and nine counties, but they failed. Emperor Qin Ming led the army in person, and with only one move, he severely injured the crown prince of the Great Moon Empire and conquered the 18 cities.
Nowadays, Emperor Qin Ming's prestige in the Western Qin Empire was like the sun in the sky. No one dared to question or disobey him. He made the decision with one word, like a god.
"Your Majesty, Longcheng Taoist Temple has sent messengers here, hoping that the army can accept the people in the city," a guard came over and said respectfully.
Emperor Qin Ming looked at the ministers around him.
A white-haired minister took a step forward and said, "Your Majesty, back then, Longcheng Pass resisted the evil remnants of the Great Moon Empire for the longest time. The city held on for a year, and in the end, it ran out of ammunition and food. It had no choice but to surrender. These people are loyal. Unlike the other 18 cities, they may be acceptable."
"Yes," Emperor Qin Ming said expressionlessly.
The guard turned back to pass down the order.
A moment later, Emperor Qin Ming opened his mouth again and said, "Yuanba, you lead the elites of the Heavenly Strategy Army around you to intercept and kill all the people who go out of the city, old or young. Spare no one."
Li Yuanba's face changed dramatically.
As for the old official who had spoken earlier, he looked as if he had been slapped in the face. His face was deathly pale as he said, "Your Majesty, this … this … killing those who are loyal is against the heavens' virtue of cherishing life."
No one had expected that the supreme emperor, whose words carried enormous weight, was going to kill all the people in the blink of an eye after he had just agreed to the request of the Great Moon Empire. That … was not what a wise emperor would do.
"Once a thief, always a thief." Emperor Qin Ming said blandly, "Who can guarantee that among the people, how many are real people and how many are the evil remnants of the Great Moon Empire?"
No one dared to look into his eyes.
A flash of broadsword light flashed.
The head of the old minister with white hair and beard flew up.
"From now on, if there are any such muddle-headed people in the Western Qin Empire who harm the country, kill them." Emperor Qin Ming's voice was filled with indisputable majesty and cruelty. "Take this man away, give him a grand funeral, and promote his son."
The guard put the old minister's body back together with his head and then left.
The other ministers kept quiet out of fear.
Li Yuanba bowed and left.
…
…
"What?" Yu Hualong's face turned pale. "Kill them all? Leave no one alive?"
"Your Highness, the people who were sent out of the city are all dead … They were slaughtered by Li Yuanba and his personal guards. They didn't even have time to escape," said the guard, tears streaming down his face.
"Emperor Qin Ming … is a butcher!" Yu Hualong was extremely furious.
That little girl named Caicai, Granny Cai, and the others were also among the people. But they were all dead.
If they stayed in the city, once the city was breached, they would definitely die. Sending them out of the city was the last resort. Yu Hualong hoped that it could save their lives. But … he felt sorry for Li Mu.
Yu Hualong was well aware of Li Mu's affection for Caicai and her granddaughter.
Back then, he had waited in Granny Cai's house for several months before Li Mu showed up. When Li Mu left, he also asked him to take care of Caicai and her granddaughter. But … things were always changing. What could he do?
"Get ready to break out of the encirclement," said Yu Hualong as he slowly closed his eyes.
"Where are we going?" asked Zhang San.
Yu Hualong answered, "To the Yue Mountain Faction."
Two hours later, the last army of the Great Moon Empire in the Longcheng Taoist Temple broke out of the encirclement through the west gate. They fearlessly broke through the encirclement of the army of the Western Qin and fled northwest.
The army of indignant soldiers burst out a terrifying combat capability.
On the Flying Whale Shuttle, Emperor Qin Ming looked down and revealed a contemptuous smile.
"Qin Twenty-one, you lead the third team to hunt them down. Leave no one alive. And bring back their bodies for me," he said flatly.
"Yes, Your Highness." A guard who had been standing behind Emperor Qin Ming all the time spoke. His voice sounded like rusty iron rubbing against each other, which made people's hearts palpitate.
When he and the other nine guards in black armor stood behind Emperor Qin Ming, they did not move at all, as if they were iron statues. Their aura was extremely cold and gloomy.
Then, clouds of black mist swirled around them. Then, the ten people disappeared.
The ministers were puzzled.
"Are they going to hunt down the crown prince of the Great Moon Empire with these ten people?"
The Flying Whale Shuttle broke through the air and slowly followed the fleeing army of the Great Moon Empire. Like a blood shark following its prey, the Flying Whale Shuttle spied on its prey. Hundreds of miles away, there was a bloody road below.
Soon, a mountain range appeared in front of them.
The fleeing army of the Great Moon Empire had lost more than 3,000 people and entered the mountains.
However, the real crisis had just arrived.
Ten columns of black clouds suddenly swooped down from the sky and split the sky. With a destructive aura, they seemed to be demons that could destroy the world. The army of the Great Moon Empire that had fled into the mountains was suddenly faced with the danger of being wiped out.
It was as if the previous chase was just a game of cat and mouse.
Yue Hualong, the crown prince of the Great Moon Empire, turned around.
"You take your men and retreat. I'll stop him."
He slowly unsheathed the long sword hanging at his waist.
Of course, the "him" referred to Emperor Qin Ming.
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