Chapter 146

At the border of Zhongzhou and Fengzhou, there is a maple forest. Every autumn, it is covered with red leaves, creating a stunningly beautiful scene. Every year, a large number of literati and poets come here to find inspiration and compose poems. Even ordinary people passing by cannot help but stop to admire the dazzling scenery.

At this moment, a young man dressed in dark brocade robes was strolling through the maple forest with a young woman in a pale yellow gauze dress. The two were Xia Yushu and Wang Wanru.

Xia Yushu pointed to the surrounding red leaves and said with a smile, “Princess, look, isn’t the scenery here beautiful?”

Looking at the mountains covered in red leaves, Wang Wanru’s usually cool and beautiful face broke into a happy smile. She said, “It’s really beautiful. I’ve heard about the red leaves of Yunzhou before. It’s said to be even more beautiful than the red leaves of Red Leaf Manor. It’s true. This place, along with the Qingzhou Flower Sea, is known as one of the two great scenic spots in Dagan. I’ve always wanted to come, but unfortunately, I never had the chance. Today, my wish has finally come true. Thank you for bringing me here.”

Xia Yushu said, “Wanru…Princess, as long as you like it, what does a mere beautiful view matter? I would even pluck the stars from the sky for you!”

Seeing him so openly express his feelings, Wang Wanru blushed slightly and changed the subject, saying, “Ah… that tree over there is so big, let’s go take a look.”

“Alright, I’ll keep you company to the end!” Xia Yushu chuckled, fanning himself with a folding fan, and strolled alongside Wang Wanru.

Looking at the pure and romantic Wang Wanru, Xia Yushu’s heart pounded wildly. He thought to himself, “Damn it, I have to get this beauty as soon as possible. If she still doesn’t comply, then I’ll have to force myself on her…”

Xia Yushu has already wasted a lot of time trying to win Wang Wanru’s heart.

In his quest to conquer the world and revive the Great Xia Dynasty, Xia Yushu was far from idle.

Besides the Four Elders of Qiankun, Yao Ye, Ye Taixuan, Ye Jingyun, and others, he also developed a large number of subordinates during this period. These were all experts from various sects recruited from the martial arts world with money, forming a very powerful force.

In addition, he dispatched a large number of people to be placed in the Da Gan Dynasty and the Kun Kingdom, so that he could receive news from the Da Gan Dynasty and the Kun Kingdom at any time. Xia Yushu was able to learn about the battles between the Da Gan Dynasty and the Kun Kingdom immediately.

His plan was to wait until Da Gan and Kun Guo were both severely weakened, and then reap the benefits—a shrewd scheme indeed.

While the forces of the Da Gan court and Ao Jian Manor were attacking Kun Kingdom, Xia Yushu arrived in the capital and orchestrated a chance encounter with Wang Wanru. With utmost sincerity, he used sweet words to invite Wang Wanru to leave the capital and come to Yunzhou to see the red leaves in the maple forest. He then planned to seize an opportunity to take Wang Wanru and make this top-tier young beauty, who was on par with Feng Jianqing, his slave!

This fulfilled one of his long-cherished wishes from the past two years.

Xia Yushu had two long-cherished wishes: one was to kill Qi Fei and Wang Hongyu, and the other was to capture Feng Jianqing and Wang Wanru.

“First, I’ll rape your older and younger sisters, and then I’ll kill you…” Xia Yushu glanced at Wang Wanru walking in front, a smile curving his lips, his eyes particularly wicked.

“Spring brings a hundred flowers, autumn brings red leaves; the cycle of the four seasons is truly wonderful,” Wang Wanru sighed, her eyes filled with poetic beauty.

Seeing that she was in high spirits, Xia Yushu quickly recited a poem he had prepared beforehand. Seeing Wang Wanru beaming with joy, he pressed his advantage, saying, “Princess, to be honest, I have long admired you. You are a fairy from heaven. My greatest wish in this life is to marry you. On Mount Shaoyue, it was a pity that I could not defeat that boy Qi Fei and become your consort. It is truly a great regret in my life!”

Wang Wanru raised her eyebrows slightly and said in a pleasant voice, “I don’t know how to explain this. I think a large part of it is God’s arrangement. As long as we go with the flow, what is meant to come will come.”

Xia Yushu thought to himself, “This woman has learned too much nonsense from the Snow Mountain Nun. She’s nothing like Wang Tianlong and Wang Hongyu. She’s too innocent. But that’s precisely why she fascinates me. I must turn this innocent maiden into a slut!”

The two walked through the maple forest, chatting happily. Just when everything seemed to be going well, a figure in blue suddenly flew down from above. It was a young man, a bit taller than Qi Fei, with a precious sword on his back. Upon seeing Xia Yushu, he exclaimed, “Brother, something terrible has happened in the martial world! Sword Saint Bai Xifeng is dead!”

“What?!” Xia Yushu was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. “That shouldn’t be the case. With His Majesty the Emperor and the Sword Saint, two powerful Heavenly Realm experts working together, even if Feng Liyao had three heads and six arms, she wouldn’t be a match. How could the Sword Saint be dead? Second Brother, is this news wrong?”

The young man was indeed Ye Jingyun. He said, “It’s absolutely true! Not long ago, Emperor Gan personally led his experts to the Kun Kingdom. They encountered Kun Kingdom’s experts at Banyue Pass, and a great battle ensued. Emperor Gan’s experts were defeated and retreated back to the capital…”

“Ah…” Wang Wanru, who was standing to the side, turned pale upon hearing this. “Are my father and the others alright?”

“His Majesty should be alright…” Ye Jingyun said.

“No, Kun Kingdom might press their advantage and attack. The Great Gan Kingdom is in danger. I must return to the capital immediately!” Wang Wanru turned to leave.

Xia Yushu quickly grabbed her hand and said, “Princess, please calm down. The situation may not be as bad as you think!” Xia Yushu tried to comfort her for a while, finally managing to calm Wang Wanru down, but she still insisted on returning to the capital as soon as possible. Xia Yushu had no choice but to comply.

Left with no other choice, he had to agree to send her back first thing tomorrow morning, and promised to help Da Gan resist the experts from Kun Kingdom.

There is a small town at the border of Zhongzhou and Yunzhou. Although the population is small, it is very lively. It is the intersection of the two states and a necessary route. Every day, you can see people from all walks of life.

Xia Yushu and Wang Wanru stayed at an inn in this small town. In order to have the best experience, Xia Yushu temporarily suppressed his desire and respected Wang Wanru’s wishes, spending the night in separate rooms.

That night, Xia Yushu left the inn and flew to the rooftop. Shadows lurked all around, and his subordinates were hidden everywhere.

The wind whistled, and several figures quickly appeared in front of Xia Yushu. Besides Ye Jingyun, Ye Taixuan and Yao Ye were also among them.

“Big Brother!” Ye Jingyun said.

“Jingyun,” Xia Yushu said with some displeasure, “remember not to say everything in front of Princess Wanru in the future, do you understand what I mean?”

Ye Jingyun scratched his head in confusion and said, “I don’t quite understand, but I’ll listen to my elder brother!”

“That’s fine then.” Xia Yushu’s expression softened slightly. He regarded Ye Jingyun as a capable assistant rather than a core strategist. Ye Jingyun had inherited Ye Hongyi’s skills and was highly skilled in martial arts. Few could match him when it came to running errands. However, Ye Jingyun’s report today almost ruined his plans.

Xia Yushu looked at Yao Ye and asked, “What exactly happened?”

Yao Ye and Ye Taixuan exchanged a glance, and then recounted in detail the recent events, from the conflict between the Gan Dynasty and the Kun Kingdom, to the death of Bai Xifeng, the disappearance of Bai Bufan, and Wang Tianlong’s defeat.

After listening, Xia Yushu said, “I really overestimated Bai Xifeng. I thought he was someone important, but I didn’t expect him to fall into Feng Liyao’s hands so quickly. Now, the Qian Dynasty only has Wang Tianlong as a Heavenly Realm expert. With his strength, it is almost impossible for him to deal with Feng Liyao. Wang Tianlong’s death is imminent!”

Ye Taixuan asked, “Young Master, what should we do?”

Xia Yushu said, “No rush. We need to accumulate strength now. It’s not too late to surface after Wang Tianlong dies. It would be best if the strength of Kun Kingdom was also weakened by then. My master once said that there are many hidden extraordinary people in the world, and they are all our people. You should continue to send people to various places to find them. They all have common characteristics, so they shouldn’t be hard to find.”

“Don’t worry, Master, I’ve been handling this matter all along,” Yao Ye said with a smile.

Looking at the tranquil night sky, Xia Yushu sneered, “How could that little trash Wang Hongyu possibly fight me? And Qi Fei, I’ll kill him sooner or later!”

Yao Ye said, “Master, is it really necessary to waste your energy on that woman Wang Wanru? Just one packet of ‘Yin Yang Powder’ will guarantee her unwavering loyalty to you…”

Xia Yushu said with some displeasure, “If I, the monarch of the mere Great Xia Dynasty, can’t even handle a weak woman and have to rely on external forces, wouldn’t it make me a laughing stock in the world? Hmph, even without the ‘Yin-Yang Powder,’ I can still make her devoted to me and train her into a slut. That would be more interesting, wouldn’t it?”

“Yes, yes…” Yao Ye agreed verbally, but his eyes showed some dissatisfaction.

“Alright, and you must also hurry up and inquire about the ‘Holy Mother of Yaochi’ that my master is looking for!” Xia Yushu didn’t explain too much, but continued to arrange various matters.

“Understood,” Ye Taixuan said. “However, if I may be frank, whether the ‘Holy Mother of Yaochi’ that Senior Jiang Yuangong is looking for truly exists… is really hard to say. It’s just a name, without any other information. Our search…”

Xia Yushu hurriedly said, “What are you saying, Uncle? If Master says it’s true, then it must be true!” “Yes, yes, this subordinate knows his mistake.” Ye Taixuan lowered his head.

“Alright, everyone get some rest. We’ll set off for the capital early tomorrow morning.” With that, Xia Yushu leaped off the roof. Yao Ye, Ye Taixuan, and Ye Jingyun also departed one after another.

…………

The capital city, the Great Gan Palace.

Inside the main hall, the body of a middle-aged man dressed in white lay on the ground. The body was stiff, his clothes were covered with black bloodstains, his chest was sunken, and his face and lips were pale and bloodless.

It was the corpse of “Sword Saint” Bai Xifeng.

Standing beside him were Wang Tianlong, Wang Hongyu, and Wei Dongxiang, as well as several newly promoted leaders of the Imperial Guards.

Wang Tianlong examined Bai Xifeng’s body, sighed, and asked, “Where was the body found?”

A leader of the Dragon Guards, clad in golden armor, said, “It’s in a canyon thirty miles south of Fengzhou City.”

“I never imagined Feng Liyao could be so treacherous!” Wang Tianlong clenched his fist, his face filled with grief and indignation. “Brother Bai, rest assured, I will definitely take Feng Liyao’s head to appease your spirit in heaven!”

Wang Hongyu had Bai Xifeng’s body taken away, then stepped forward and said to Wang Tianlong, “Father, it’s not that we couldn’t defeat Kun Kingdom; we were completely fooled by Feng Liyao. We never imagined she would use a decoy to mislead us and secretly go to intercept and kill the Sword Saint. Alas, we should have set off together. The Sword Saint insisted on recruiting martial artists, which gave Kun Kingdom the opportunity. It’s all his fault…”

Wang Tianlong waved his hand to stop him from continuing. He glanced at everyone and said, “Now that the Sword Saint has been killed, none of the four great masters in the world have survived. Although I am not afraid of Feng Liyao, I am not entirely confident in defeating her… Now, in addition to the Shaoyue Sect and the Dachan Temple, we need to recruit some more experts.”

Wei Dongxiang said, “Your Majesty, these past few days, the experts from Shaoyue Sect and Dachan Temple seem to have quite a few complaints. They have heard some news from somewhere and have begun to suspect the deaths of Xuantian Daoist and Kongming Zen Master. They have all expressed their desire to go back and investigate again. I wonder how this matter should be handled?”

“Keep them calm for now. If we really can’t calm them down, then so be it.” Wang Tianlong knew that although the people from Dachan Temple and Shaoyue Sect were honest, they were not stupid. When Shen Xiangxiang made him swear to clarify things at Banyue Pass, they had already begun to suspect something. However, they had no evidence, and since he still held the power of the dragon, they couldn’t openly confront him.

However, secrets can’t stay hidden forever, and they will find out the truth sooner or later. Until then, we should use them for as long as we can, and it would be best if they all died in the process of fighting against the experts from Kun Kingdom. That would be the best outcome.

Wei Dongxiang said, “In my opinion, the people from Dachan Temple and Shaoyue Sect can hardly be used by us for long. We need more experts to join us.”

Wang Hongyu frowned and said, “I went to various places to invite experts some time ago, but most of the martial arts families and sects are feigning illness and unwilling to get involved in the conflict between the Qian and Kun kingdoms. In addition, our national treasury has been severely depleted in recent years, and we don’t have much money left to invite people…”

Wang Tianlong patted his forehead and said, “There are at least three experts we can invite. The Snow Mountain Nun of the Thousand Mountains Sect is Wanru’s master, she can’t just sit idly by. There’s also Granny Honglian of the Phantom Shadow Sect, Zuo Meihong has been captured, she should come out of seclusion, right? And then there’s Abbess Suyin of the Cuiwei Nunnery…”

Wang Hongyu said, “Master Suyin seems to have quite a temper. I’ve tried to see her several times but have been turned away each time. She’s really not easy to get her to come.” Wang Tianlong sneered, “Back then, she killed someone in the capital, and I made an exception and didn’t pursue the matter. If she doesn’t come, don’t blame me for turning against her! Hongyu, tell her that as long as she helps me repel the enemy this time, the matter from back then will be wiped clean, otherwise…”

Upon hearing this, Wang Hongyu immediately perked up: “Okay, I’ll go and invite them right away!” With that, he strode out of the main hall.

Whether it’s the Snow Mountain Nun, Granny Red Lotus, or Abbess Suyin, they are all among the top ten masters of their time, grandmasters of their respective schools. With their addition, the strength of the Great Annihilation Court will definitely increase significantly.

Wang Tianlong exhaled a breath of stale air, then looked at Wei Dongxiang. Seeing that he showed no intention of leaving, he frowned and said, “Eunuch Wei, is there anything else?”

Wei Dongxiang bowed his head and said, “Your Majesty, now that the Sword Saint has been killed, it will be very difficult to defeat the Kun Kingdom. This is all because this old minister is too weak to be of any help.”

Wang Tianlong’s eyes flashed, and he asked, “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Wei Dongxiang lowered his head even further: “His Majesty once said that he would bestow the ‘Dragon God Skill’ upon this old minister to cultivate. Now, so many years have passed, and His Majesty has already mastered the martial arts in the ‘Wuwei Dao Scroll.’ If this old minister could also master the ‘Dragon God Skill,’ I suppose I wouldn’t be a burden to His Majesty…”

“What? I promised to let you cultivate the Dragon God Technique? Is that true?” Wang Tianlong looked puzzled. “I don’t remember that.”

Wei Dongxiang’s expression stiffened slightly.

Wang Tianlong said, “What you said makes sense, but unfortunately the Dragon God Technique is a unique skill of my Long family. According to our ancestral teachings, it cannot be passed on to outsiders. If it is learned by wicked people and causes trouble in the area, then it will all be attributed to my Long family. That would be terrible!”

Seeing that Wei Dongxiang remained silent, Wang Tianlong continued, “Old Wei, I know you have been loyal all these years. I hope you can continue to be so. Whatever kind of wealthy life you want, I will provide it for you. I will even arrange for the royal family to take care of you in your old age. We are family. You don’t need to have any worries!”

Wei Dongxiang’s expression softened slightly, and he straightened up, saying excitedly, “Your Majesty, with Your Majesty’s words, this old servant will give his life, even unto death!”

Wang Tianlong stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and said, “Go.” “Yes!”

Wei Dongxiang slowly retreated to the outside of the hall, then turned around and walked forward.

The moment he turned around, Wei Dongxiang’s face turned ashen, and a sharp, cold glint shot from each of his eyes.

Wang Tianlong watched Wei Dongxiang leave, then summoned a palace maid and asked, “Is Consort Qi in the palace?”

The palace maid bowed and said, “Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine has been in the palace. Would Your Majesty like to go there now?” “Hmm, I’ll go take a look.” Wang Tianlong straightened his dragon robe and walked towards the inner palace.

…………

Beijing City.

Qi Fei had been waiting at the City Lord’s Mansion for several days. According to the estimated time, today should be the day Feng Liyao emerged from seclusion. Qi Fei headed towards the meditation room early, intending to personally escort Feng Liyao to her chambers.

Halfway there, he saw Yan Youruo blocking his way, grabbing him and leading him directly into the room.

“What’s wrong, Second Aunt?” Qi Fei asked curiously, seeing Yan Youruo’s mysterious demeanor.

Yan Youruo coughed, turned her back, and said calmly, “Qi Fei, I need your help with a small matter. Did you bring the Panlong Sword?”

“I brought it.” Qi Fei patted the sword on his back. “Turn around,” Yan Youruo said.

“Oh.” Qi Fei turned around as instructed.

He heard sparse sounds coming from behind. Qi Fei was curious but dared not peek, afraid that Yan Youruo would give him a hard time. Soon, Yan Youruo’s voice rang out again: “You can turn around now.”

The moment Qi Fei turned around, he was struck by a sudden brightness and stared in disbelief.

Yan Youruo’s upper body was still covered by a black gauze, but her lower body was completely naked. Her pair of snow-white jade legs were smooth and lustrous, but the triangle area on the inside of her thighs was wrapped with a silver chastity belt. It was unclear what material it was made of, and it was even locked. The mysterious valley inside was completely invisible.

Yan Youruo shouted, “Stop looking! Quickly use the Panlong Sword to cut this piece of junk in half!” “Oh, oh…” Qi Fei immediately took action.

With a clang, the Panlong Sword was drawn from behind. A flash of cold light and a “ding” sound followed as the sword’s blade pierced through Yan Youruo’s body. The meteorite iron chastity belt between her legs shattered into pieces and fell off her body, finally revealing the mysterious valley inside!

With Qi Fei’s current skill and swordsmanship, coupled with the sharpness of the Panlong Sword, cutting off this mere chastity belt would be a piece of cake. Moreover, his strength was superb, precise to the millimeter, without harming Yan Youruo’s skin or hair in the slightest. Even with Yan Youruo’s knowledge, she couldn’t help but secretly admire him.

Qi Fei sheathed his divine weapon, eager to admire Yan Youruo’s mysterious valley. At first glance, he saw that her genitals were pink and tender, with plump flesh resembling a large steamed bun, very similar to Feng Liyao’s genitals, except that she lacked two labia. Just as he was about to take a closer look, Yan Youruo quickly grabbed her dress to cover her genitals, and they could no longer be seen.

“Don’t look around, get out!” Yan Youruo frowned slightly and said softly.

“Second Aunt, let me take a look, just one look…” Qi Fei rushed forward with shining eyes, as if he had discovered a new continent.

Yan Youruo kicked him, hitting him squarely in the stomach, and said, “Get out!”

Qi Fei cried out “Ouch!” and rolled outside the door. When he looked up, the door had already been closed by his beautiful aunt.

Qi Fei left reluctantly, but then he remembered that Feng Liyao was about to emerge from seclusion, and his mood brightened again. He quickly walked towards the quiet room.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the quiet room, Qi Fei saw Yao Youwei and Feng Jianqing already waiting there, and hurriedly went forward.

Not long after, the door to the quiet room was opened from the inside, and a stunningly beautiful woman with a graceful figure slowly walked out. It was none other than Empress Feng Liyao.

“Mother!” Qi Fei’s eyes lit up, and he quickly stepped forward to hug her.

“Mm.” Feng Liyao responded, gently pushing him away. Seeing his eager and ready expression, she chuckled to herself. “Pass the word that everyone will have dinner together tonight,” Feng Liyao said.

“I’ll immediately tell them to prepare a good meal,” Yao Youwei said.

During dinner, Feng Liyao gathered everyone together to eat and discuss the next steps.

Besides Qi Fei, Yan Youruo, Yao Youwei, Fang Huaxian, Feng Jianqing, Ye Ruiyun and others were also present. Each of these beauties was more charming than the last, with graceful figures, vying for attention and blooming like a hundred flowers in full bloom. Just looking at them was a pleasure in itself.

The atmosphere was warm and harmonious. Qi Fei sat beside Feng Liyao, not even in the mood to eat. He just looked at Feng Liyao and said, “Mom, you promised me… um…”

Before he could finish speaking, Feng Liyao had already stuffed a piece of pork belly into his mouth. She said, “The Great Gan’s fate is sealed. It’s time for us to launch an attack. Also, bring along the Soft Touch and Refined Steel.”

Yao Youwei said, “I’ve already sent a message to them by carrier pigeon, and I believe they’ll arrive soon.”

After finishing a piece of pork belly, Qi Fei said, “Mom, Bai Xifeng is dead, I… um…”

Feng Liyao picked up a piece of meat roll and put it into his mouth, silencing him, and continued, “Once the ‘Soft Touch’ and ‘Refined Steel’ arrive, we’ll set off together to conquer the capital. I want to see what other tricks Wang Tianlong has up his sleeve.”

Yan Youruo said, “Wang Tianlong is doomed this time, but… we still have sisters in the Da Gan Palace, hopefully nothing unexpected will happen.”

Yao Youwei said, “Sister Qi has kept it well hidden, so there shouldn’t be any problems, right?”

Yan Youruo shook her head and said, “It’s hard to say. What we said to Bai Xifeng at the cliff that day was very likely overheard. Although I didn’t explicitly say who was lurking around Wang Tianlong, it shouldn’t be hard for them to guess. If Bai Bufan tells Wang Tianlong about this, the consequences are unpredictable.”

Feng Liyao’s phoenix eyes flashed, and she said, “Find a way to contact Tingqin and have her withdraw. Now that we are powerful, we no longer need to remain in hiding.”

Fang Huaxian stood up and said, “I will give the order now.”

After the battle outside Fengzhou City, Aojian Manor was destroyed, and the overall strength of the Dagan Dynasty was no longer as great as that of the Kun Kingdom. Therefore, it was no longer meaningful for Qi Tingqin to remain in hiding. She could return, but she had to ensure her safety and not reveal her identity before returning to the Kun Kingdom.

“You Ruo, welcome back.” Feng Liyao stood up and raised her wine glass to Yan Youruo. Everyone else also stood up, paying the highest tribute to Yan Youruo.

Looking at the beautiful and gentle faces around her, Yan Youruo felt a lump in her throat, and two streams of tears rolled down her face. Heaven knows how she has survived all these years!

After the meal, everyone dispersed.

Qi Fei followed closely behind Feng Liyao, afraid that she might disappear without him noticing.

Back inside, Feng Liyao glanced at him and said, “Son, I’m sleeping with your second aunt tonight. You can sleep by yourself.”

Qi Fei panicked upon hearing this: “No…you promised me that as long as Bai Xifeng is killed, then, then…”

Feng Liyao sat on the bed, swaying her plump hips and crossing her legs. She said, “We’ll talk about this later. There’s plenty of time. Your second aunt has been lurking by Bai Xifeng’s side for so many years. Do you know how hard she’s worked? I want to have a good talk with her and tell her what’s on my mind.”

Just then, Yan Youruo walked in from outside. Seeing Qi Fei there, she raised an eyebrow and said, “Qi Fei, what are you doing here? Why don’t you go back to your room and sleep?”

Seeing her icy, stern expression, Qi Fei felt a little scared and lowered his head, saying, “Oh, I see… then I’ll come again tomorrow night…”

Yan Youruo raised an eyebrow: “You’re not allowed to come tomorrow night either. How old are you? Still sleeping with your mother? It’s outrageous!” “No, I…”

“go out!”

With a loud bang, the door slammed shut, and Qi Fei was kicked out.