Book 3: Chapter 135: Pushed into a Corner
Book 3: Chapter 135: Pushed into a Corner
Boom!
Gu Hai’s heart aperture burst open. The five dragons promptly helped refine the fire deity’s surging energy. Then, his heart turned completely red.
After the heart aperture opened, a vast fire deity palace appeared slowly as the fire deity got refined.
Previously, half of the energy that the Life Ender Saber sent to Gu Hai had formed the earth-attributed dragon. The other half remained in his body. Now that it finally found a place to fill, it immediately rushed into the fire deity palace.
The red fire-attributed Veritable Essence quickly coalesced into a ball.
As Gu Hai circulated the True Dragon Golden Core Cultivation Technique, he split off a strand of his consciousness and formed a red dragon within the fire-attributed Veritable Essence.
“Roar!”
The red dragon roared, resonating with the other five dragons.
——
After two hours, the red light from Gu Hai’s body disappeared.
The Fire Locust Deity revealed an expression of despair as it roared, “No!”
Boom!
The group of Divine Foundation Royal Dynasty experts killed the Fire Locust Deity.
——
Gu Hai’s consciousness was still within his body.
After the fire deity palace appeared, fire-attributed Veritable Essence gathered. Then, the red dragon controlled the fire-attributed Veritable Essence to flow in the meridians.
The purple dantian, red heart, golden lungs, blue kidneys, green liver, and brown spleen shone. This was especially so for the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys. Now, this light seemed to form a cycle.
The red dragon swam around through the meridians before returning to the heart aperture.
Then, some fire-attributed energy slowly turned into earth-attributed energy and entered the earth deity palace; the earth-attributed energy from the earth deity palace turned into metal-attributed energy and entered the metal deity palace; and so on.
Metal birthed water, water birthed wood, wood birthed fire, fire birthed earth, and earth birthed metal. The five elements moved in a cycle. With each cycle, the energy’s purity increased, making the five elements’ Veritable Essence purer.
Boom!
The energy of the five elements cycled, and a shock wave came from Gu Hai’s body.
Gu Hai opened his eyes and took a deep breath.
“The Golden Core Realm’s tenth layer, the consummation of the Golden Core Realm.”
Gu Hai stood up slowly.
——
Ying Capital, Ying Royal Dynasty:
Lu Yang and his advisers traveled back to the capital. However, they did so in an extremely solemn manner, returning not in triumph but great defeat.
The army that followed was gloomy. Clearly, the defeat had dealt an immense blow to them.
Not only had they suffered a resounding defeat, but more importantly, after the souls appeared at the end, seventy percent of the surviving soldiers had defected.
Despair filled the minds of the remaining soldiers.
Lu Yang felt very upset along the way. He thought back to the past, to all the glory he had enjoyed.
“Your Majesty, thirty-six guest officials from the left camp sneaked away. Eighteen of the right camp’s guest officials left as well,” one of the officials reported bitterly to Lu Yang.
These guest officials were the strange talents Lu Yang had recruited, just like the Unborn Man, Mister Dongfang, and others. They all had strange and special abilities. He had treated them like esteemed guests, but they left him now that the army had lost.
“Ha! Hahaha!” Lu Yang laughed with a cold expression.
“Stop!” Lu Yang shouted suddenly.
The defeated army stopped. Lu Yang stood on the deck of his carriage and looked up at Ying Capital’s blessings.
“How could there be so little left of my Ying Royal Dynasty’s blessings?!” Lu Yang demanded while glaring angrily.
Everyone looked over. Indeed, not even one percent remained of the Ying Royal Dynasty’s blessings. The blessings now looked incredibly sparse.
Why did they diminish this way?
With so little, how can the blessings be used to block Prince Shenwu’s army?
In the distance, a group of officials stood at Ying Capital’s entrance to welcome Lu Yang.
“Where are the blessings? Where are my Ying Royal Dynasty’s blessings?” Lu Yang demanded with a furious glare.
“Your Majesty, some time ago, the various city lords, soldiers, and citizens defected, no longer acknowledging the Ying Royal Dynasty,” one of the officials replied bitterly.
“What?”
“When Your Majesty personally led the armies of the various cities, countless died on the battlefield. Initially, no one rebelled and defected. However, countless souls from the battlefield returned to their cities not long ago. They said that Your Majesty did not let off even the souls that died. Despite them working to the death for you, you sold them after they died. Furthermore, people were fanning the flames in secret. The citizens and the military lost their confidence in Your Majesty,” that official said softly.
“Souls? Sima Changkong? No, it’s Gu Hai! Gu Hai saved them!” Lu Yang said with a ferocious expression.
The officials did not dare to speak, but their hearts turned cold.
Even now, the emperor refuses to reflect on his actions and is blaming others?
“Hahahahaha! My nation’s blessings, all my nation’s blessings? Gu Hai made me lose them all. First, he forced me to establish my nation early. Then, he destroyed the Heptagold Sect. Then, he destroyed Ao Shun’s dragon army. Then, he destroyed Army Breaker, Mister Dongfang, and the one million zither puppets? Now, he destroyed my blessings? Hahaha! Do you think that these are all the blessings I have? Men! Send word to the Ravenous Wolf Sect and the Huang Royal Dynasty to merge with my Ying Royal Dynasty!” Lu Yang said with a cold expression.
“Ah?” The surrounding officials appeared shocked.
The Ravenous Wolf Sect? The Huang Royal Dynasty? Merge with the Ying Royal Dynasty? Are the Ravenous Wolf Sect and the Huang Royal Dynasty factions that His Majesty secretly groomed?
If so, my Ying Royal Dynasty has endless blessings!
Many officials became excited.
——
Foundation Deity City:
Gu Hai had reached the consummation of the Golden Core Realm. After Huangfu Chaoge grieved and suppressed his fluctuating emotions, the two started discussing again.
As Huangfu Chaoge looked at the map, his eyes turned bloodshot, and his complexion ashen. He revealed a bitter smile and said, “The Grave Valley of Death? Does it matter whether it can save me or not? My heart is already dead?”
“You still have not taken revenge for the Foundation Rock Deity. How can your heart be dead already?” Gu Hai coaxed.
Huangfu Chaoge said bitterly, “You take revenge for the Foundation Rock Deity. He gave you his earth deity; you are obligated to take revenge for him. The Huang Royal Dynasty and the Ravenous Wolf Sect? Haha! The Huang Royal Dynasty is still alright. The stronger one is the Ravenous Wolf Sect. You have to be careful. The Ravenous Wolf Sect Master is a Heavenly Palace Realm expert, about as strong as Ao Shun.”
“Oh?” Gu Hai felt some misgivings.
Suddenly, a guard rushed into the palace hall.
“I have a report!”
“What is it now?” Huangfu Chaoge asked.
“Your Majesty, there is an urgent report from the Ravenous Wolf Sect!” that guard said respectfully.
“Oh?”
“Just ten days ago, the Qian Heavenly Dynasty’s Li Shenji led the Divine Strategy Battalion to the Ravenous Wolf Sect and destroyed it. The Ravenous Wolf Sect no longer exists!” that guard reported respectfully.
“The Divine Strategy Battalion destroyed the Ravenous Wolf Sect?” Huangfu Chaoge exclaimed in shock.
“Yes!”
Divine Strategy Battalion? Li Shenji? Gu Hai frowned slightly. He still remembered the scene of Li Shenji coming to Nine-Five Island. Back then, Li Shenji gave Gu Hai a fragment of the Black Tortoise Prime, intending to lure Miao Chen over to get him to destroy Nine-Five Island, leaving the dirty work to someone else. However, Gu Hai resolved the problem in the end.
Li Shenji destroyed the Ravenous Wolf Sect, which had a Heavenly Palace Realm expert?
Gu Hai immediately gained a good understanding of Li Shenji’s strength.
——
Ying Capital:
Lu Yang had only just issued the order and had yet to enter the city.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, sonic booms rang out in the distance. It was a flying ship rushing over.
The flying ship stopped before Lu Yang. “Your…Your Majesty!”
“Huh? Why are you here?” Lu Yang looked at the imperial guard on the ship, feeling bewildered.
“I have a report for Your Majesty. The Divine Strategy Battalion destroyed the Ravenous Wolf Sect!” that guard said bitterly.
“What? The Divine Strategy Battalion? Li Shenji?” Lu Yang’s expression changed.
“Yes. The sect got wiped out. Li Shenji even pinned the sect master to Ravenous Wolf Peak with an arrow,” that guard said sorrowfully.
“The Ravenous Wolf Sect got wiped out? The Ravenous Wolf Sect got wiped out? The Qian Nation arranged for it? Hahaha! Old thing, you arranged for that long ago? You took away my Ravenous Wolf Sect?” Lu Yang glared to the north in rage.
“Your…Your Majesty!” that guard interjected bitterly.
“Huh?” Lu Yang said coldly as he turned his head.
“Although the Divine Strategy Battalion destroyed the Ravenous Wolf Sect, the Divine Strategy Battalion did not benefit from it. The Yuan Imperial Dynasty took over all of the Ravenous Wolf Sect’s cities within a day,” that guard said bitterly.
“What did you say?” Lu Yang raised his eyebrows.
“The Yuan Imperial Dynasty took over the twenty cities the Ravenous Wolf Sect controlled. More accurately, the twenty cities betrayed the Ravenous Wolf Sect simultaneously and defected to the Yuan Imperial Dynasty,” that guard said bitterly.
“That’s impossible. We are the one who sent all the city lords working for the Ravenous Wolf Sect.” Lu Yang glared.
That guard did not dare to speak.
“Mo Yike? Is it Mo Yike? Those were the people he arranged? Mo Yike had discussed with me whom to send there as city lords. Could Mo Yike be the Yuan Imperial Dynasty’s man?” Lu Yang’s expression changed as he staggered.
“I misunderstood Mister Mo. He isn’t the Qian Nation’s spy. He is not. The Yuan Imperial Dynasty sent him here? It was the Yuan Imperial Dynasty who sent him here? They wanted to use me to cause trouble in the Qian Heavenly Dynasty? Mo Yike? If Mo Yike is the Yuan Imperial Dynasty’s spy, then…” Lu Yang’s expression changed again.
“Your Majesty!” a man in the distance suddenly called out.
“Huh?” Lu Yang turned his head to look.
That man immediately knelt and said, “This subordinate is a citizen of the Huang Royal Dynasty. I remained by Your Majesty’s side so that I could report any major matters to Your Majesty. However…however…”
“What is it? Speak!” Lu Yang glared.
“The Huang Emperor used the sea of blessings to announce to the world that he is surrendering to the Yuan Imperial Dynasty. All his territory would belong to the Yuan Imperial Dynasty, and the Huang Royal Dynasty would be subordinate to the Yuan Imperial Dynasty. From then on, there would not be a Huang Royal Dynasty but the Yuan Imperial Dynasty’s Huang Province,” that man said bitterly while kneeling.
“Mo Yike! Mo Yike! Hah!” Lu Yang suddenly roared, feeling depressed.
“Oh no! Your Majesty, if everything Mo Yike did was for the Yuan Imperial Dynasty, then my Ying Royal Dynasty is in trouble. Many of the city lords of Ying Province were recommended by Mo Yike. Could those people be subordinate to the Yuan Imperial Dynasty as well?” one of the officials said with an unsightly expression.
Boom!
The cloud sea of blessings above Ying Capital gave off loud sounds, and blessings immediately flowed away again.
Lu Yang looked at the sky with an unsightly expression.
One day later, more news arrived.
“Your Majesty, Northern Ying City’s city lord surrendered to the Yuan Imperial Dynasty with the entire city!”
“Your Majesty, Lower Southern City’s city lord surrendered to the Yuan Imperial Dynasty with the entire city!”
The Yuan Imperial Dynasty had instantly taken over not only the Ravenous Wolf Sect but also the Huang Royal Dynasty’s territory. Furthermore, it even quickly took half of Ying Province for itself.
The Yuan Imperial Dynasty was like a ravenous tiger, swallowing vast territories in one go.
——
Such a pace shocked not only Lu Yang. When news reached the Divine Foundation Royal Dynasty, Huangfu Chaoge inhaled sharply.
“The Yuan Imperial Dynasty finally bared its fangs?” Gu Hai said with a sullen expression.
——
In the Southern Suppression Army’s camp:
Prince Shenwu quickly received news from the frontlines.
“The Yuan Imperial Dynasty? They finally made their move,” Prince Shenwu said with slightly narrowed eyes.
——
Ying Capital:
Lu Yang stared at the blessings in the sky. With less than one-ten-thousandth of the blessings in the past, they appeared extremely sparse. Now, he had a crazed look on his face.
Less than a tenth of the civil and military officials in the royal court remained; many of the officials had slipped away. The Ying Royal Dynasty was pushed into a corner.
Previously, Lu Yang had his adviser, Mo Yike, Ao Shun and the dragon army, the Heptagold Sect, the Ravenous Wolf Sect, the Huang Royal Dynasty, Army Breaker, Mister Dongfang, one million zither puppets, and the blessings from the past Ying Imperial Dynasty—an undefeatable force.
However, everything was gone now.
All gone.
Half of Ying Province’s territories defected to the Yuan Imperial Dynasty, and the other half surrendered to the Qian Heavenly Dynasty. Even within his Ying Capital, countless officials had surrendered.
“Ha! Hahahaha!” Lu Yang guffawed in bleak despair.
Suddenly, a flying ship flew over from a distance.
The imperial guards on the flying ship rushed into the palace. They looked at the extremely solemn Ying Capital in shock but did not dare comment on it. Instead, they dropped to one knee before Lu Yang.
“Reporting to Your Majesty, we found traces of Gu Hai outside Foundation Deity City. At that time, the Fire Locust Deity had led the fire locusts in surrounding Foundation Deity City. Then, Gu Hai rushed to Foundation Deity City in a flying ship. When this subordinate discovered Gu Hai, I did not wait for the conclusion before immediately coming here to report!” that guard said respectfully.
“Gu Hai was in Foundation Deity City?” A thought suddenly occurred to Lu Yang. Then, he showed a ferocious expression.
“Yes!” that guard said respectfully.
Lu Yang’s sorrow passed, leaving only boundless hatred on his face. Hatred consumed him as rage overwhelmed him.
“It is all your fault, Gu Hai! If not for you, we would not have been pushed into a corner. We will kill you! Kill! Hah!” Lu Yang suddenly roared.
As Lu Yang roared, the ground under him shook.
Rumble…
The entire Ying Capital shook.
Countless citizens revealed horrified expressions as they looked in the direction of the palace.
“Roar!”
A dragon-head-shaped mountain suddenly erupted from the ground.
“Dragon vein, come with me to Foundation Deity City. We are going to cut him up alive! Hah!” Lu Yang roared.
Rumble…!
The dragon-head mountain rushed out of the city, instantly going far away.