Heart Survey

Chapter 2809 Eating Beef
Darkness recedes like the tide, light surges like waves.

There is a clear division between light and darkness, which divides this immortal imperial palace time and time again.

Every step taken by the man in the blue robe was a reaffirmation of power.

The eternal imperial steps were not so far away after all; the silhouettes of the candlesticks' horizontal branches were jagged.

In Song Wanxi's crimson eyes, only the flickering candlelight was reflected... as if it too did not know which way to lean.

The only transcendent demon at that moment remained silent, watching the person enter the palace bathed in the light of heaven.

The overwhelming light of the heavens was like a brocade road leading to eternity. The faces of those entering the palace were blurred in the brilliance, but their elongated shadows... resembled a sword piercing the Emperor's Demon Palace.

It is a longsword, with light as its sheath.

The light is not his claws; rather, it conceals his sharpness.

Seven Hates finally laughed. He looked at this arrogant junior with a smile: "It seems you will give me a fair duel and grant me an honorable death."

The one who entered the hall stood in the center, also smiling, as if infected by the Demon Lord's smile: "We first met in the underground demon cave of the Wuyandu Mountains... Did you treat me fairly back then?"

"Tsk! They really hold grudges..." Qi Hen remarked casually, "At least it was one-on-one."

From their first meeting, He was certain that this young man was extraordinary. Even before his tiger's markings were fully formed and his head was fully erect, his unyielding ambition was already evident. At that time, He equated him with Lou Yue, but He had underestimated him.

“Yes,” the one who entered the hall said calmly, “He taught me one-on-one… that a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit.”

It's certainly not fair for the pinnacle to fight against the inner court. But to immediately obliterate someone whose demonic arts were rejected from afar is indeed the posture of a lion hunting a rabbit.

The old stories should have been just a wisp of dust in Wuyandu, but those dust motes are indeed too conspicuous in today's daylight.

Qihen smiled enigmatically and leaned back slightly. He raised his hand in a "please" gesture to indicate that he would not interfere with the changes in the Demon Realm.

"The Alliance of the Supreme Heavenly Emperor" is a sword hanging over the heads of all those who have transcended.

This uninvited guest, who trespassed into the Demon Emperor's Palace, not only presented the "Ancient Demon-Slaying Covenant," but also lent out the Immortal Palace and allowed Yu Xi to use his influence... He was practically ready to personally draw his sword and massacre the Demon Realm once again. By so actively pushing forward the war against demons, he had already lost the initiative in the face of Seven Hates.

Given this situation, it's fair to deal with the Seven Hates, who have been repeatedly stripped of their power. It cannot be said that the Seven Hates were not given a chance.

But Qihen remained unmoved.

Song Wanxi thought to herself: If the two immortals were to start a war right now, for the sake of the "Immortal Dynasty" which has already united most of the forces in the world, the Legalist Transcendent behind Ju Kui, the Historian Transcendent behind Zhong Xuanyin, and even the Jade Capital Daoist behind Yu Xi... probably would not stand idly by.

If Qihen truly intends to kill, the better time would likely be when this war against demons ends.

If the transformation of the Demon Realm into the Immortal Realm is successful today, what kind of leap will the current Immortal Emperor, who has promoted the revival of immortal arts, experience?
The choice facing Qi Hen probably has no right answer.

Advancing is difficult, retreating is difficult, killing is wrong, forbearance is wrong.

But she quickly dismissed those thoughts. To speculate about the struggle of the eternal beings with her current level of understanding was far too presumptuous.

"Senior Song."

Qi Hen raised his hand and remained silent, and those who entered the hall did not turn around.

The two immortals who were facing off here because of the Demon Realm seemed indifferent to the changes in the Demon Realm.

The one who entered the hall even turned his head, no longer focusing his attention on Seven Hates, but instead summoning the woman who was as still as a stone statue, and asked gently, "It's time to tell me the answer. Who are you today...?"

Upon hearing this question, Song Wanxi's heart stirred slightly. Her ruby-red eyes seemed to have been wiped clean of dust, finally no longer reflecting only the candlelight.

That unspeakable being, the supreme being who orchestrated the upheaval in the Demon Realm, and stood in confrontation with the Seven Hatreds—

Finally, it became clear and specific... "Jiang Wang".

The person who, by chance, became the puppet master and then gave her freedom.

She was still in the demon's lair at the bottom of the Qingjiang River, when she first awoke... that image was deeply imprinted in her mind.

They were all struggling at that time.

He struggles with the fate of being robbed, she struggles with the hatred of a blood puppet.

"I am the true demon Song Wanxi."

Song Wanxi concluded.

Her hairpins adorned her cloud-like hair, her hair was like peach blossoms reflected in autumn waters, and her palace attire seemed to transport her to the royal palace of old.

Her charm is a gift of time, and she possesses a supreme aura that makes her incomparably noble.

Judging solely from the concept of "ruling the world," her current status far surpasses that of Zhuang Chengqian, who founded the nation.

This was thanks to the black and gold bamboo scroll she was holding—the Supreme Emperor's Demonic Art.

It also benefited from the scroll lying horizontally on the black and gold bamboo slips—a rubbing of the conquest scenes of generations of demon emperors, surrounded by dragon energy from all realms… the unfinished product envisioned by Helian Hong… "The Record of the Pardon of the Demon Emperors of All Heavens".

Jiang Wang once slew the Demon Emperor with his sword, leaving the Demon Emperor's Palace empty to this day, and he left all of that to Song Wanxi. At that time, they made a pact to answer this question today.

The answer Song Wanxi is giving now is clearly not the one they initially expected.

But when she held the "Supreme Emperor's Demonic Art" and the "Record of Pardons of the Demon Emperors of All Heavens" in her hands, what she offered was a kind of loyalty, a loyalty not maintained by the puppet seal.

"I am not me."

"There is a force that has changed me forever."

She calmly dissected her inner self, and was also bewildered by the reality she faced: "If I take one more step forward, I will be unable to accept everything from my past... or even accept the hatred."

Having occupied the Emperor Demon Palace, wielding the "Record of Pardons of the Demon Emperors of All Heavens," surpassing the "Supreme Emperor Demon Art," and possessing the favor of the Demon Realm... she started as a true demon, and has a very good chance of becoming the next generation of Demon Lord.

Jiang Wang left her a way out at that time because he hoped that she could prove herself as the Heavenly Demon and still be "self-reliant".

To become possessed by a demon is to lose oneself.

That was a new beginning.

So far, Jiang Wang has only seen two beings who have become demons and "unchanged": one is the Immortal Demon Lord Tian Anping, and the other is the Ghost Dragon Demon Lord Ao Kui.

In Jiang Wang's view.

The former's human and demonic wills are both driven by a "desire for knowledge," or rather, Tian Anping doesn't possess any of those human or demonic wills at all; he is a prisoner of knowledge, captivated by his own curiosity about the world. Therefore, whether he is human or demonic makes no difference; it's just a matter of changing the place, the path, and the window.

The latter was based on a similar reason—the instinct for survival overwhelmed everything. He already perceived himself as a demon, but his survival strategy remained unchanged.

Song Wanxi is different from other demon-possessed individuals because from the moment she awakened, she was the true demon of the Blood Puppet, always "the puppet before the demon."

Their original plan was to have Song Wanxi, with her unprecedented demonic body, walk a path unlike any other in the world.

But Song Wanxi failed.

She clearly understood that if she took one step forward to become a demon, she would truly be born and her destiny would be completely altered. The power of the demon would then completely dominate her.

So she stopped there.

“Once a palace maid, later a resentful lover, parted from the clear river, forgotten the desolate tomb... no longer a person in the water, not yet a demon in the puppet.”

Song Wanxi bowed deeply, holding the letter, and cried out in sorrow: "In my life, I have accomplished nothing. I could not protect those below me when I was in a high position, I could not bless my children when I was a mother, and I only became a burden to my parents. I have obtained unprecedented resources, but I cannot prove myself as a demon—I have disappointed you!"

The blood dripping from the palace walls was as red as wax, a testament to her lifelong sorrow.

Jiang Wang raised his hand and pressed down on the two scrolls of demonic arts, stopping her from bowing further: "Isn't this the answer I've been waiting for?"

When they parted ways, he didn't say, "I wish you would witness me becoming the Demon Lord."

He said, "I hope that one day when I see you again, you will tell me that you are Song Wanxi."

Being able to recognize her own changes, being able to restrain the urge to reach the top, being able to break free from the temptation of these two supreme demonic arts... doesn't this prove that she is Song Wanxi, and not some real puppet or real demon?
Song Wanxi was stunned for a moment.

Living alone in the Emperor Demon Palace, she endured torment under the supreme demonic position day and night.

She wandered back and forth in the lonely imperial palace, deeply understanding the Demon Lord Helian Hong's wandering and melancholy—that kind of struggle that continues at all times but never sees any hope.

She desperately wanted to take that step! But she just couldn't. She couldn't reach the summit and be herself, constantly rebuilding and collapsing, even beginning to doubt the meaning of her existence.

But today she finally understood that Jiang Wang did not place his ideals of changing the world on her.

What Jiang Wang gave her was true freedom.

"He really knows how to win people's hearts." Qi Hen, who had been observing coldly, clapped his hands lightly: "If Daoist Jiang had been born 3,900 years earlier, he might have also undergone the transformation of the dragon and snake."

He laughed inexplicably: "Blood Puppet, Blood Puppet, what's with all the tears? Don't you see I'm giving you freedom too?"

Song Wanxi took a few steps back to the palace gate: "Song Wanxi is insignificant and useless. If I die, I die. I only fear that the Demon Lord will lose face because of this and will not be willing to accept it."

If Qihen wanted to do something to Song Wanxi, Song Wanxi would have no chance of resisting.

But Song Wanxi caught Jiang Wang's eye.

She was once a window through which Qihen observed Jiang Wang, and a point through which she marked Jiang Wang.

Now she is Jiang Wang's other pair of eyes observing the Demon Realm.

Indeed, as she said, the Seven Hates cause one to lose the initiative if acted upon.

Jiang Wang, however, was thinking about something else entirely.

Song Wanxi's clear understanding of the future is an important supplement to "the devil," greatly enriching Jiang Wang's knowledge.

If Song Wanxi cannot change her ways because of her consistent "puppet" nature, she will be unable to change her ways.

So the reason why Tian Anping and Ao Kui "did not change" was probably not for the reasons he imagined. No matter how strong their thirst for knowledge and their will to survive were, they were still just desires, and no more stubborn than Song Wanxi's puppet-like nature.

What's so special about these two?

Is it because Tian Anping essentially has no racial identity, and whether he is human or demon, it will not change his attitude towards things? Or is it because he is so eager to seek the truth of the universe that he has indeed seen some kind of truth, so he has broken through the distinction between "demon" and "human"?
As for Ao Kui... is he involved in the Dragon Buddha's scheme, or is he related to Wu Han Gong?
Qi Hen smiled slightly, indeed not caring about Song Wanxi who was as insignificant as dust. He simply looked at the increasingly brilliant celestial light outside the hall and waited for the result casually.

Jiang Wang stood there quietly, holding two scrolls of demonic arts, reading them slowly.

He was serene and composed, his expression peaceful. He seemed like an ordinary student from an ordinary family.

……

……

As the bright yellow phoenix flew across the gloomy sky of the Demon Realm, it unveiled the endless celestial light after the rain.

The dark, corpse-like phoenix, Jia Xuan, also brought a continuous black rain to the sky of the Li Kingdom.

The rustling sounds startled me from my restless, fragmented dreams. The summer soil was pushed aside by a force similar to that of spring grass, revealing bare, pale fingers that had never seen the light of day.

Grasses grow all over the world.

In order to change the current situation of being "top-heavy and bottom-light", but unable to force the neighbors to increase their population and lacking the reserves of Hong Junyan to "support the future", Ji Boyong chose to "borrow troops" from the past.

The State of Li had been weak for many years, and indeed, many bones lay buried there throughout history. Whether it was the Xia army, the Chu army, or even the Yan army of the past, they all took away the resources and wealth of the State of Li, leaving behind only corpses.

In the ordinary sense, those who died within the last ten years are naturally top-tier recruits for the zombie army. But with the Zombie Ancestor Qingyan around, time can be moved forward even further... Even a broken skeleton can be re-armored and wielded. Even if the coffin is mixed with yellow mud and the bones are decaying in the rotten soil, the remaining corpse energy can still coalesce into the body of a new zombie.

The Corpse Phoenix awakens these "sleepers," and Qingyan grants them a longer "life."

The Bodhisattva Yu Qiongzhi of Anguo enlightened the group of corpses with joy, increasing their "vitality." If one can apply this skill to reason, there will naturally be a day when Yin and Yang harmonize, transforming death into life.

The Kingdom of Li is small and poor, but after several years of rapid development, it has managed to train two capable armies in the Demon Realm and the Divine Firmament World.

While far from being a "world-class military power," their ability to conquer territories beyond the heavens suggests they are not without fighting ability. At this moment, they are withdrawing all forces to prepare for war against the Jing Kingdom.

Now, with the rain of the Jade Emperor awakening a million corpse soldiers, the borders of the Li Kingdom are almost overflowing... Emperor Yuanyang had no choice but to personally intervene and expand the border space.

These undead soldiers are naturally no match for a well-trained army, but they are fierce and fearless, making them excellent filler troops.

Those who are ignorant are soldiers, while those who are wise are generals. The latter are the true corpse race and have the potential to cultivate further and advance.

This is very similar to the demon race. The difference is that the corpse race is a completely new will born from an existing corpse, and does not retain the memories of its previous life.

Compared to the demon army that truly confronts the human race in the present world, these corpse armies lack only the accumulation of history and the various evolutionary sparks that ignited during the self-evolution of the corpse race—after all, there was a period of interruption.

The appearance of the zombie army greatly affected morale.

However, as a country that has enjoyed happiness in recent years, the people of Li Kingdom are of goodwill, and Ji Boyong is also very skilled and pays great attention to comforting people's hearts... Under the enormous pressure from the Central Empire, the soldiers can basically understand the necessity of summoning corpses.

In the latest propaganda, it is now portrayed that the martyrs of the Kingdom of Li and their descendants are fighting side by side against the enemy, to defend the homeland of the people of Li, and to spread the virtuous light of their ideals throughout the entire divine continent.

In a sense, this is indeed true, after all, every native of Liguo today has had their ancestral graves dug up.

Fan Wushu even saw his father, Fan Tao, the former Tiger General, in it!
Of course, the other person was no longer the dying father cursing his son, nor the general who died for his country. Within this corpse, a completely new will was born. He didn't recognize Fan Wushu.

“Your Majesty…” Fan Wushu stood on the not-so-imposing city wall, facing the howling wind and the continuous black rain, his voice complex: “We don’t need to defeat the Jing Kingdom, we just need to hold out for a while. There are many in the world eyeing the Jing Kingdom, and once the stalemate is reached, they will surely rise up together.”

"With the Divine Firmament's returning army [Li Jian], the Demon Realm's returning army [Gong Yue], plus Wei's armor, Yong's puppet soldiers, and Song's elixirs, we are not without the possibility of resistance—"

He couldn't help but ask, "Do we really have to go this far?"

At the same time as the war against the demons began, the war between the central government and Yuan Yang also broke out.

Ji Fengzhou did not react much from beginning to end; the turmoil and storms that the world witnessed seemed to have never reached the Xuanlu Palace.

It seems he doesn't take Ji Boyong, his great-uncle, seriously, nor does he see the hesitation of the Daoist lineages, nor does he care about the self-importance of the three Daoist holy sites.

Upon hearing that Boyong had declared himself emperor and established the Yuanyang Dali, he said only one sentence in the central hall where the high-ranking officials of Tiandu had gathered: "The evil spirits of the past and present are nothing more than the Heavenly Emperor's failure to observe and the thunder being silent. The one who oversees the heavens is Ying Jianghong - this matter shall be entrusted to the Heavenly Master Ying. All the necessary matters shall be discussed with the Minister of Literature."

Next, they discussed the various national policies of the Central Empire, from Jing Kingdom's support for the war against demons to the annual fortune of the elderly in Jing Kingdom... and even inquired about the new compilation of the "Agricultural Classic".

The Yuan dynasty's wavering in its belief in the legitimacy of the central government was clearly a real phenomenon.

While the people of Daoguo were not exactly filled with anxiety, there were indeed many who felt uneasy.

But the central emperor said he would hand it over to Ying Jianghong, and then he truly ignored it. It was as if ignoring it meant it didn't exist.

Ji Boyong ridiculed it as "burying one's head in the sand while stealing a bell."

Ying Jianghong and Luqiu Wenyue, however, acted very quickly.

The army from Yujing Mountain had barely entered the Demon Realm when the Jing Army marched south.

The shadow of the phoenix spreading its wings and the tassels of the Qiankun Youlong Banner crossed the long river almost simultaneously!
Jingguo appointed Ying Jianghong as commander-in-chief and Xian Nankui as deputy commander-in-chief, with the strongest army in the world, Shence, as the main force, and led 600,000 central troops, totaling one million, to march on Yuanyang Dali.

He also appointed Ji Yumin, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs, and Ji Xuanzhen, the Prince of Jin, as the strongmen of the garrison to accompany him.

This is a force powerful enough to destroy a country, but for Yuanyang Dali today, the gap doesn't seem so vast.

In Fan Wushu's view, regardless of the reason for Jing's contempt, with Qi, Chu and Wei in the surrounding areas, and with the current morale of the army and people in Li, it is entirely possible to "stop the central army from advancing for a time".

That is the true army that will revive the kingdom and fight a war to establish a nation. Reborn from the ashes, they will carve out a bright future for the country.

If things really escalated to the point where corpses litter the ground and every household is opening up their ancestral graves...

Even if we win, the future is uncertain.

The simplest question is enough to shatter the self-perception of the people of Li Kingdom—is Li Kingdom a kingdom of the living or a kingdom of the dead?

External pressure has temporarily rallied public support. But wars always end, and people will stop to reflect!
Desecrating the dead is by no means a good reputation, and the attitude of various parties in the world towards the path of the dead has always been clear—the experience of the path of the dead once disappearing is the answer of history.

How many years has it been since the Corpse Phoenix Jiaxuan flew out of the Mountain and Sea Realm? When has it ever been seen calling for corpses in the Chu Kingdom?

“What Chief Steward Fan said is exactly what I know.” Ji Boyong stood with his hands behind his back against the high wall, gazing at the Central Plains: “But the wind and rain have obscured the Yuanyang Palace, and we cannot see the sunrise. We have no choice but to take action.”

Fan Wushu immediately understood, and gazed wistfully towards the direction of Nanxia, ​​remaining silent for a moment.

During this period, as the most prominent figure in the Li Kingdom, he was nominally the Grand General of the Armed Forces, but in reality, he was a special envoy of the Li Kingdom. He frequently visited surrounding forces and had been trying to gain the support of the Sword Pavilion and the Twilight Drum Academy.

But Si Yu'an, that so-called grandmaster of swordsmanship, spoke faster than he drew his sword, giving him no chance to offer any good advice. He immediately started talking about his master's master's master, who had suffered injustice in the Jing Kingdom—a dispute where he won a sword duel but was hung upside down at the city gates for a long time… therefore, he absolutely refused to support the Jing Kingdom. Since Yuan Yang was the legitimate heir of the Jing Kingdom, he certainly couldn't be associated with him either.

Chen Pu's attitude has always been clear: he neither forbids academy disciples from serving in the government, nor will he support the government in the name of the academy.

Fan Wushu knew in his heart that since Yuanyang Dali had always claimed to be the orthodox sect of the Daoist Kingdom and sought the support of the Daoist sect, then the major sects of the world would never come to meddle with it.

His reasoning was that the Daoist sect had only nominally supported Yuanyang Dali so far, and Chen Cuo alone could not represent Penglai Island's stance. Moreover, could Chen Cuo truly represent Penglai Island?
In the foreseeable future, the interests of the Daoist sect and the Jing Kingdom are inseparable. Currently, they are mostly using Yuanyang Dali to negotiate prices, and the Li Kingdom is happy to still have such political significance.

But we must still consider the long-term interests of the nation...

The Kingdom of Li has reached this point; it can no longer be feared as it once was, able to rise again despite the tacit disregard of the powerful. This ending is a permanent one.

In fact, today's Li State is adjacent to Wei, overlooks Qi, and serves as the rear guard of Chu.

It's not easy to gain a foothold.

The best outcome would be for Li Kingdom to withstand Jing Kingdom's first offensive, and then for the world to hunt down Jing.

Fan Wushu was thinking about the challenges that followed.

By then, the country will no longer hold the strategic significance it does today, the assistance from other nations will cease, but their envoyship will remain for a long time.

The support of Jian Ge and Mu Gu Academy is essential. With their support, Liang Kingdom can be won without a fight... The entire southeastern region can then be connected, which will truly lay the foundation for a kingdom.

Taking the responsibility of flood control as a major power, and relying on Jian Ge and Mu Gu Academy as a forest of talents, the position of Sanxing Palace is also worth looking forward to. It occupies a corner of the southeast, and can advance to see the world, retreat to lock the sea of ​​suffering, and also look out to the East China Sea.

Unfortunately, he did not get it.

Neither Jiange nor Mugu Academy had confidence in the Li Kingdom; they preferred to support the hopeless Liang Kingdom.

What truly disheartened him was that Ji Boyong seemed to lack confidence in governing the country as well…

What are you doing standing up if you don't have confidence? Fighting for the world, my foot!

Do you hate the Ji family that much? Is it just because they blocked your way?
Such a great figure, recorded in history, acted on a single thought, yet squandered the entire legacy of the Li Kingdom. Millions of Li Kingdom citizens, even the bones of their ancestors... would become footnotes to his heroic deeds.

Countless tears of the common people have been shed to forge the cauldron of heroes!
Standing to the side, Shen Ci, due to his exceptional talent, was able to represent the future of the country and was also able to participate in national affairs. He didn't quite understand, so he followed Fan Wushu's gaze to Nanxia and carefully spoke: "Nanxia has the world's strongest army, [Dongji], stationed there, as well as 600,000 Nanxia local troops, which have been reorganized in recent years with the old Xia army as the backbone... The Lingzu army, [Shiniu], which has risen to fame, has also arrived in great style under the leadership of Junyi Earl Wang Yiwu, and is about to be stationed in Nanxia."

"Even if the Southern Celestial Master is the greatest warrior in the world, His Majesty is no less capable than him. And isn't Shi Mingcheng a renowned general? The Chu Kingdom will certainly not stand idly by..."

He asked, puzzled, "What do you mean by 'wind and rain obscuring the central plains'?"

As a member of the new generation following the establishment of Fengze Kingdom, he has witnessed the country's vigorous development and benefited greatly from the rise of the nation. Even today, he can be considered a hero of the world. He has full confidence in the country.

"Qi has nine old troops, all of which are the strongest in the world. This time, they have transferred new troops to Xia. New troops are fine, but as for that ghost army, Chen Zeqing has personally trained them for many years and they have made a name for themselves in the underworld." Xie Guiwan, who was also listening in, also looked like a scholar, but compared to Shen Ci's delicate and romantic manner, he was more calm and dignified.

While pondering this, he spoke, his voice tinged with coldness: "How long has this Spirit Clan army been trained? Qi's move to bring it here this time is less about containing Jing and more about training troops, or perhaps it's more accurate to say they're watching from the sidelines... If it's just to prevent the city gates from catching fire, then bringing in such a new army is understandable."

Fan Wushu sighed inwardly.

Shen Ci and Xie Guiwan are indeed the pride of the nation, their talent in cultivation is undeniable. However, being born in the Li Kingdom, their perspective is certainly limited. They need to experience some worldly affairs to grow. He had genuinely considered sending them to the Central Dao Academy for a while—but who knows if there will be time for them to grow up in that unknowable future.

"Though the tiger and leopard steeds are not yet fully formed, they already possess the spirit to devour cattle." Ji Boyong looked at the fine steeds of his own country and sighed: "The name of Qi's 'Cattle-Eating Army' comes from this. It refers to the new army's momentum in devouring cattle, and also to the fact that although the Tiger Tai Sui has not yet been formed, Qi will surely succeed... The new ruler of Qi has great ambitions."

Shen Ci finally discerned a different meaning in those words.

The Qi state has only recently changed its ruling power, and the Southern Xia, the Eastern Sea, the Underworld, and the Spirit Clan all need time to further digest this situation. This point is so clear that discerning people can see it for themselves.

Therefore, it is generally agreed that the State of Qi is unwilling to get involved in the war against the Six Kingdoms right now. They need to prolong the battle and consolidate their gains into solid strength. They will only enter the final arena when they are strong enough.

This is also why Qi would support Li in Nanxia and hinder Jing's progress.

But there was one question he hadn't considered before—if the conquest of the Six Kingdoms was inevitable, how would the people of Qi choose to proceed? The Great Qi Emperor Shengwen had advanced all the way to this day, and even the Crown Prince Qing Shi, who was defined as a "usurper," considered the conquest of the Six Kingdoms a must-have crown... Would the current Emperor of Qi truly only know how to endure and wait?
A terrifying possibility flashed through Shen Ci's mind, and her face turned pale: "Jing Qi has already reached an agreement in private?!"

If that's the case, the Southern Xia Governor's Office will no longer be a shield for the Li Kingdom, but rather a spear pointing at the door of the Li Kingdom!

Only in this way can the emperor's words, "The wind and rain obscure the sky, and the fullness of the sun is nowhere to be seen," be understood.

"What kind of conditions would the State of Jing have to offer for the State of Qi to give up such a good opportunity?!" Xie Guiwan looked surprised, but subconsciously looked at the person next to her... Chen Cuo.

Yes... Penglai Island.

Only Penglai Island has such a significant weight.

The State of Qi had already gained secular power over the East Sea, but failed to achieve absolute control over it. This was because of Penglai Island!
Today, it is not just Penglai Island that is a unilateral supporter of Jing Kingdom; Jing Kingdom is also supporting Penglai Island.

The long-term influence they both left in the East China Sea is proof of this mutual reliance—although it largely dissipated with the failure of the Jinghai Plan.

Today, on Penglai Island, with the Eastern Celestial Master Song Huai in charge, they have unequivocally supported Yuan Yang and raised the banner of Ji Boyong.

Jingguo certainly wouldn't do anything to Song Huai, much less touch Penglai Island. All they needed to do was... "let it go."

The State of Qi naturally has a need to thoroughly integrate the East China Sea, and the State of Qi will naturally give Song Huai a lesson he will never forget.

Chen Cuo's expression was indifferent, as if he was not concerned about the dangers that Penglai Island was about to face. This young Dali national teacher had extraordinary cultivation and was already a hot favorite to win the next Yellow River Assembly before he even entered officialdom.

In the end, he did not enter the central hall, but instead went to the Yuanyang court.

“My teacher once taught me that arrogance is an obstacle to survival, and tension is the beginning of failure.” He said gently, “There are many possibilities in this world. If you are preoccupied with gains and losses, you will lose everything.”

"So."

He asked, "Since Jing and Qi have already secretly reached an agreement, why were the Qi people so careless as to let us find out?"

Ji Boyong looked at Chen Cuo with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. He didn't let the young man answer the question.

"Qi has many famous generals. If they want to avoid being detected by us, they have their own ways of fighting."

"Once Jingjun arrives, Shi Mingcheng will lead [Dongji] to charge into the enemy lines, and the border defenses will surely be breached."

"The fact that they deployed the [Cattle-Eating] Army to warn us shows that they don't really want to contribute to this battlefield."

The Emperor of Li Kingdom's gaze was deep and unfathomable: "Cao Jie should have already gone to Penglai Island. I've heard that he's best at fighting wars that are almost certain to succeed. The Duke of Jingguo and the Spirit Saint King should have already returned to the mortal world."

He smiled again: "Of course, Wang Yiwu is a young and vigorous general, and he also has the need to make achievements by eating cattle—if Li Guo loses his horns and hooves, he can also be the beef cattle that Qi will eat."

Even though the State of Qi annexed the East Sea, it didn't affect their appetite for consuming the southern regions.

However, if Qi's focus is on Penglai Island, Li will face much less pressure in the direction of Nanxia.

"I'm afraid their teeth aren't that good!" Xie Guiwan said resentfully.

Ji Boyong remained noncommittal, only looking at the young prodigy: "Xie Guiwan, you go to Chu with the imperial insignia and tell them the current situation. Bluster is no longer valid. One of the six Chu armies should come!"

There are no permanent enemies or friends between nations.

Qi and Chu can cooperate in the demon realm, but Chu Liezong's enormous "contribution" in the "Qingshi Incident" cannot be truly erased.

The Spirit Clan's territory has already been divided up, so there's no harm in redistributing it in the Southern Region.

The State of Qi has already occupied all of Xia territory and intends to fully inherit the former Xia's influence in the southern region.

The State of Chu certainly couldn't just stand by and watch.

They have to step up!

Otherwise, once the State of Li is destroyed and the states of Jing and Qi are divided amicably, the State of Chu will be in an even more precarious situation than the State of Li.

"Such a matter can be handled by sending a mere soldier," Xie Guiwan said solemnly. "Now that a great war is about to break out, I will stay here and live or die with the Li Kingdom."

Ji Boyong waved his hand, not allowing him to refuse: "This is also a matter of great importance to the country! You are more familiar with the State of Chu, so I will entrust this matter to you."

He then instructed, "The current situation is turbulent and the journey is fraught with difficulties. The Imperial Preceptor should escort him."

Chen Cuo didn't say much, gave a slight bow, and then left with Xie Guiwan.

“Song Huai is no pushover. He might be a bolt from the blue that Jing Kingdom deliberately threw away. When it really explodes... it will be very dangerous.”

Seeing that Chen Cuo had already walked far away, Fan Wushu spoke up, "Have the Qi people realized this?"

That's a very courageous question.

Ji Boyong looked at him intently.

Regardless of who came or went, or who tried to exploit Liguo, only Fan Wushu remained steadfast in his loyalty to Liguo. In the difficult times of different periods, he was helpless yet did his utmost to fight for Liguo.

If Yuan Yang can truly replace the central government, then ministers like Fan Wushu are the true backbone of the future.

The king's gaze shifted slightly, finally settling on Yu Qiongzhi: "What does Bodhisattva Anguo think?"

"How could I, a woman, possibly understand these important military and national affairs?"

Yu Qiongzhi looked at the emperor with a bewildered yet shy expression: "In short, whatever Your Majesty arranges, I will do..."

She wasn't afraid of the emperor killing her; Ji Boyong was very tolerant.

Of course, she never thinks things are the best. Her so-called "tolerance" might simply be a lack of concern.

"Hahaha." Ji Boyong laughed three times, casually took off the imperial crown, placed it on the city wall, and then went downstairs.

"I will temporarily remove this crown. From this day forward, I will never be without armor."

"Since the descendants of the Ji family are so shy, I, as their great-uncle, have no choice but to invite them again and again!"

Xie Guiwan recently visited the Shizizaiwang Buddhist Temple to expose Chu's power and gain influence... He also witnessed Chu's strength and, under Gu Chi's guidance, secretly allied himself with Chu.

It is common for a good bird to choose a good tree to perch on, especially when the country is in such a precarious state.

However, while Chu was cooperating with Li to put Ji Boyong in the spotlight, it was also planting spies in Li. This was indeed a common tactic of a hegemonic state, and it was quite watertight. But it was different from what Xiong Yizhen had done back then.

Ultimately, times have changed.

All the kings in the world, including the later Chu king, highlighted Xiong Yizhen's eccentricity.

He doesn't think there's anything wrong with the world.

There's just... a little bit of a regret.

One year spent similar, each year is different.

……

……

The Demon-Slaying Heavenly Lord only dared to launch the long-planned Demon-Slaying War after Emperor Wen of the Great Jing Dynasty played against the Lord of the Mountain and Sea. The plot regarding the Seven Hatreds in the "Great Void Yin-Yang Realm" had been going on for many years.

But while he was trying to escape the variables, he himself became a variable that all parties wanted to avoid.

He waited for his opportunity, and at the moment he stood in opposition to Qihen, others also waited for theirs.

Jing's army marched south, Qi's army came east, Li Guo summoned the corpse, Chu's army marched north, and Qin's cavalry marched west out of Hangu Pass...

"At this critical moment!"

Clad in heavy armor, Wei Qingpeng resembled a moving mountain; his enormous bald head reflected a cold, snow-like light.

"A dream of ice coffins has lasted for thousands of years, and decades of timidity have followed. It's time for a real war to stretch my muscles and bones!"

"Charge with me! We will surely capture the flag today!"

Behind him stretched an endless army, having crossed the sea and spread across the Golden Universe Continent. Banners fluttered in the wind, embroidered with the words "Enlightenment."

In the past, the Snow Kingdom had two powerful armies: the Snowblade and the Frostblade. Their names carried the chill of the icy plains, and although they exuded a strong killing intent, they also indicated a non-aggressive attitude.

It is itself like a curled-up hedgehog, covered in cold quills.

When Hong Junyan returned and established the country, he greatly expanded the army, and to this day, there are the [Qiming], [Xianwu], and [Shenwei].

They have completely laid their ambitions out in the open.

So many people accompanied the emperor through thousands of years of frozen time, harboring ideals that transcended time, and were absolutely unwilling to be content with merely occupying a small territory.

Even if Hong Junyan wanted to enjoy his power behind closed doors, the burning expectations of so many people would inevitably melt away the ice and snow, and break through that formidable barrier that "locks the moon and grieves the golden crow."

In the eyes of the people of the countries beyond the snowfield, the Le Kingdom has failed to live up to the prestige it had when it was founded. Over the years, it has seized every visible opportunity and desperately tried to break through to the left and right, but it has never been able to break out of the northwest corner... It has already trapped itself in a dead end.

But in the eyes of the people of Li, Li is growing stronger every day than the day before. In Yuyuan, it is building the Great Wall with Qin and taking on the responsibilities of a great power similar to that of Jingmu. When it moves south, Moyong trembles, and when it moves east, Jing closes its doors.

Even those who despise the "northwestern barbarians" must admit that the Li Kingdom was the strongest among the powerful states.

The people of Le have long regarded themselves as the "seventh hegemon".

Thanks to Hong Junyan's superb governance skills, coupled with the soothing of the people by the religious sect, the Li Kingdom has now basically solved the problem of coexistence between "distant people" and "modern people," rewritten the perceptions of the Icefield Warriors of different eras, and unified everyone's self-identity as "Li people."

The former "Winter Cult" and the present "Dawn Cult" have indeed painted a beautiful picture for the snowfield warriors. And Hong Junyan had long ago sketched out an infinitely brilliant "Dawn".

Over the years, they have fought against Asuras, demons, and gods, and the Great Li army is of high morale, but they have not yet truly encountered any powerful nations in the modern world.

There are only two paths to conquer Fangyuan City.

One path leads directly from the mortal realm through the Heavenly Realm to the Golden Universe Yu Continent.

One route starts from Qiantian Yaozhou, which has always been managed by the Li Kingdom, and crosses the inland sea "Huangze".

Today, all parties have established their own private Heavenly Paths in the Divine Firmament World, as well as public Heavenly Paths open to all. However, no matter which way one goes, the movements of the Heavenly Paths cannot be kept secret, making it impossible to launch a surprise attack.

Therefore, the choice of the Lebanese state is obvious.

Currently, in Qian Tian Yao Zhou, the Qing Qiong Divine Sect of the Mu Kingdom is the most powerful, followed by the Chu Kingdom, and then the Li Sect.

In order to counter the pressure from both Mu and Chu, it was only natural for the Li Kingdom to repeatedly reinforce its troops in Shenxiao.

With a turn of the military flag, they immediately crossed the sea and landed, heading towards Fangyuan City in Jinzhou Yuzhou!

The Li Kingdom had long since taken over the Blissful County that Bei Gongke had managed in Qian Tian Yao Zhou, and had completely devoured the Mohist institutions and facilities left there by the Yong Kingdom. Having tasted the benefits, they had long coveted Yong! They were starving.

Now, with Wei Qingpeng leading the entire army of [Qiming] in the front, Guan Daoquan leading the entire army of [Xianwu] in the rear, and Hong Xingjian leading the teaching army of [Shenwei], they have exhausted all the resources accumulated in Qian Tian Yao Zhou... and are launching a full-scale attack!

The people of Lebanon consider themselves the "seventh hegemon," but the Lebanese leadership remains clear-headed, understanding that Lebanon is not yet qualified to covet complete dominance.

No matter how much effort one puts into Shenxiao, holding onto a single territory is the limit.

Now that the decision has been made to switch the battleground to Jinzhou Yuzhou, it is only a good idea to abandon everything in Qiantian Yaozhou. This will not only allow Mu Chu to seize the meat, but also further reduce the variables.

This is a do-or-die battle!
Hong Junyan could no longer wait before Ji Fengzhou initiated the Six Directions campaign.

Divine Firmament, the mortal world, the demon realm, the demon land... winds and clouds rise everywhere.

Mount Saint Winter, which seems eternally steadfast, is shaking today.

Fu Huan, who seemed to have no intention of ever leaving, looked up today.

He flicked his long robe and stood up from the high cliff where he had been sitting for so long.

In a flash, the wind and snow transformed into a dragon, and then the sunlight pierced the clouds like a golden crow taking flight!

Thousands of years of perseverance and waiting seem to have been for the sake of this one moment of rising up.

But then a bright moon suddenly rose, soaring over the polar sky.

The Crown Prince of the Great Jing Empire, Leng Yue Cai Qiu Tang Wen Xue, arrived through the wind and snow. Brilliant sunlight draped her over, as if crowning her.

The State of Jing may not care about the life or death of Yongmo.

But we absolutely do not want to see it swallowed up by Lebanon!
She remained silent, yet everything she saw was dissected. The cold moon also cut through the snow, and the knife that sculpts autumn also cuts through winter.

At this point, there is truly no room for negotiation between Jing and Li. Either completely sever Li's hope of escape, or release this beast into its cage for a life-or-death struggle.

The glint of the blade is colder than the snow.

The army of Jing has already arrayed itself on the border, and another westward expansion war is imminent!

However, snow was falling ahead, and suddenly the world became strange and bizarre.

The snowflake has six petals, each as smooth as a mirror.

Amidst the rapidly shifting interplay of light and shadow, Xu Wang, clad in the robes of a Qin dynasty marquis, walks out.

"It's quite a coincidence."

He raised his sword and asked with a smile, "Does Your Highness also come to admire the snow?"

Thank you to reader "Mancheng" for becoming the leader of this book! This is the 1058th leader of the Red Heart Patrol!
……

See you next Monday.

Readers have been asking about the ending, saying they'd rather it be slower than rushed.

I certainly don't want to complete this hundred-mile journey only to end at ninety.

Well, people always have overly high expectations of themselves. I thought that by the time the story ended, I would be unstoppable, a fountain of inspiration, bursting forth every day.

In fact, I lose hair every day.

I've moved the completion date to April, and I'm informing all readers. Please be aware.