Late into the night.
In the capital city…
A horse carriage rode into the imperial city.
Although the chaos in the capital city had just passed, the dead bodies had not yet been taken care of, and blood was still dripping from the bodies, though they were covered in shroud sheets.
With a bamboo stick, Lv Mudui opened the curtain slightly and looked at the hellish scene in the imperial city, his face faintly trembling.
The coachman’s legs were already weak from fear.
Thankfully, the sights became less horrible as they rode along the long street.
Jiang Li had taken control of the capital city’s military power and was guarding the imperial city, so the rebel troops were once again under his command.
It has been said that Prime Minister Zhao Kuo’s hard work all those years had suddenly come to naught and instead made things so much easier for Jiang Li.
Even the Imperial Advisor’s ministers who had initially impeached Jiang Li were no longer saying anything. After all, the ministers who had voiced out their demands had already become cold, lifeless bodies.
The horse carriage arrived at a teahouse in the bustling downtown of the capital city.
Candle lights were burning inside the teahouse.
A little girl opened the door for Lv Mudui, her face filled with shock.
A beautiful woman with her hair tied in a knot came down from the stairs of the teahouse.
When she saw Lv Mudui, she could not help but raise her eyebrows and ask, “Why are you here again?”
Lv Mudui played with the turtle shell in his hands as he gave the beautiful woman a wide smile, exposing his yellow front teeth.
“Qianqian, can I borrow the messenger pigeons again?” Lv Mudui asked.
The beautiful Qianqian raised her eyebrows even higher. “What are you trying to do again?”
“Now that the young emperor has killed the rebel troops and is in a rage plus Jiang Li’s military troops, if we spread any ridiculous news at this time…”
“The young emperor might just give orders to tear down my teahouse!”
“Old man, can you afford to compensate for it?”
Lv Mudui was getting questioned relentlessly, but he continued to grin shamelessly, his yellow teeth showing.
“What are you scared of? I went to Beiluo City in person. Now, Tianji School has joined White Jade City and has become White Jade City’s Tianji Pavilion.”
“The young emperor wouldn’t dare mess with us.”
Lv Mudui smiled.
He was that confident… now that they had someone powerful to back them up.
After hearing those words, the beautiful woman was shocked. What exactly was going on?
Tianji School had a long history. Why would they suddenly join White Jade City?
Lv Mudui knew that this was a great shock to the woman, so he got the little girl to make some tea. After settling down, he continued his story as he slowly drank his hot tea.
After being convinced, the woman brought Lv Mudui to the secret chamber at the top of the teahouse.
Lv Mudui took out the Divine Paper, but then he hesitated for a short while. Finally, he gave his chest a slight tap with his fist and coughed up some blood.
He wiped away the bloodstains at the side of his mouth. “I think I better prepare some pig’s blood next time… My body won’t be able to take it if I have to cough up blood every time,” Lv Mudui mumbled to himself.
He soaked a brush in blood and ink and recalled what Lv Dongxuan had told him, and then he started writing.
“In the Royal Dragon Land, the Royal Dragon swims, searching for the distinguished and admirable in the eight Dragon Raising Sites.
Spirit Qi reawakens, and the world changes. Although it is troubling, that longevity is nowhere to be found.
******
“Written in blood by White Jade City’s Tianji Pavilion, Lv Mudui.”
Lv Mudui finished writing and let out a long breath.
“Eight Dragon Raising Sites?”
After reading this piece of information, the beautiful Qianqian was aghast.
“It was rumored that the young emperor received the Heavenly Dragon’s help to fight the rebels… Could this also be related to the Dragon Raising Sites?” the beautiful Qianqian asked.
Lv Mudui slightly nodded.
“Remember the Hidden Dragon Ridge? The Young Master said that… the Secret Realm this time would be even more massive than the Secret Realm of the Hidden Dragon Ridge, and there will also be more Immortal encounters in it,” Lv Mudui explained.
After that, he made a few more copies and rolled up the pieces of Divine Papers. Then he stuffed them into the messenger pigeon’s letter container.
With an open of the cage, flapping sounds could be heard as white feathers fell all over the city.
******
Beiluo Lake, second floor of White Jade City pavilion.
Lu Fan sat by the balcony and laid out the chessboard, preparing it for a game.
Opposite him sat Lv Dongxuan with a gold beaded necklace around his neck. He was making himself some hot tea.
Lu Fan rolled up his sleeves as he played his turn. In between the airs of leisure, Spirit Qi seemed to be surging.
Lv Dongxuan’s tea was ready. He poured Lu Fan a cup. The tea was crystal clear and without any impurities that it looked like a transparent gem.
“Young Master, please have a taste.”
Lv Dongxuan smiled.
“The first time tastes like water, the second like tea, and the third and fourth times are the essence…”
Lu Fan raised his eyebrows as he picked up the sapphire teacup and took a sip, the tea’s fragrance wafted in the air.
Lv Dongxuan watched Lu Fan drink the tea. He hesitated before he slowly said, “Young Master, I noticed that you’re quite concerned about the Overlord…”
“That day at the lakefront, the Overlord asked me to do a hexagram reading for him. I know about divination, so I did a reading for him…”
As Lu Fan listened to Lv Dongxuan speak, he stopped drinking his tea, his brows raised.
“How was his hexagram?”
Lu Fan was curious.
“His hexagram was… terrible,” Lv Dongxuan said, his hands gold beaded necklace.
Lu Fan nodded slightly, suddenly realizing something… No wonder the Overlord’s actions were so extreme.
Although Lv Dongxuan was not Mo Tianyu, it was highly unlikely that his readings would be inaccurate.
Of course… That was not a given.
Perhaps, the outcome of the reading was the Overlord’s original fate, but after pursuing demonification, his fate might have deviated from its original path.
“No wonder…”
Lu Fan laughed, something moving in his eyes.
He could faintly see the chaotic scene beyond the walls of Yuanchi City.
Under the moonlight stood a large yet aloof and obstinate figure.
******
The sound of the hooves was deafening.
With a spear in one hand and his axe and shield on his back, the Overlord charged toward the North County Army like a bolt of lightning in the eerie night.
In the North County Army, the drums of battle rang.
Soldiers lined up one after another as a horn sounded from far away, tearing through the silence of the night.
Tantai Xuan was dressed in full body armor, his red cape flowing as he stepped on his chariot. Pulled by a red horse, the chariot drove out of the camp.
In the night, he could faintly see the figure of the Overlord.
“How brazen!”
Tantai Xuan slapped a hand on the chariot.
“Overlord, you can defeat 5,000 people alone. I’ll acknowledge you for that.”
“But though not all of my North County Army troops are here, there are still 50,000 of them! To defeat 50,000 all by yourself… Xiang Shaoyun, do you really think you’re invincible?!”
Tantai Xuan’s eyes glared in anger.
He felt that Xiang Shaoyun was provoking him and looking down on him and did not regard him as an opponent at all.
“Kill!”
“Anyone who gets Xiang Shaoyun’s head will be rewarded with 50,000 gold!”
Tantai Xuan drew out his flag and waved it violently, a hoarse shout erupting from his throat.
Mo Beike and Mo Ju sat on their respective chariots as the wind howled, blowing their clothes.
“It’s hard to tell what the Overlord will do based on his actions.”
Mo Ju waved his feather fan gently, his eyebrows furrowed.
The Overlord was not stupid, so why would he ambush the camp and face 50,000 troops by himself?
It was a clear act of death. The Overlord had already nearly died when he faced 5,000 soldiers alone back then at the Hidden Dragon Ridge.
Now…
Mo Ju shook his head. He could not guess the outcome.
Mo Beike remained silent, his wrinkled face showing uncertainty.
Perhaps, the Overlord was trying to prove himself.
A chill went down Mo Beike’s spine. As he had expected, the Overlord was still the Overlord, who was as always unreasonable.
The defenses of the Mohist Tianji City had already been broken, but the Overlord was still charging toward the North County Army camp on horseback like he was doing it intentionally as a form of challenge against Mo Beike.
Mo Beike’s fists clenched tightly under his sleeves.
It was still hard to determine who would emerge victorious from this.
******
Tantai Xuan was also enraged.
Tens of thousands of soldiers were mobilized, and they brandished their swords as they rushed toward the Overlord.
No matter how strong the Overlord was, he was still a human who would bleed and become tired.
About 50,000 soldiers should be enough to bring down the Overlord!
One fighting against 50,000 armed soldiers, unless an Immortal arrived at the scene, how would it be possible for an individual to survive the attacks with his power alone?
It would be impossible even for Lu Ping’an of Beiluo!
Looking down from above, this was a shocking scene.
A lone individual riding a horse clashed against 50,000 armed troops who were yelling, “Kill!” at the top of their lungs.
It was like a stubborn drop of water had been dropped into the billowing waves…
And then got instantly overwhelmed.
However…
There was a loud scream.
Several North County soldiers were thrown off by a considerable force, thus clearing a path in the middle of the crowd of soldiers.
The Overlord wielded his spear and stabbed soldier after soldier as blood splattered all over his face and his surrounding. Yet he did not back down, making him more aggressive than ever.
Tantai Xuan was no ordinary person, either. He was, after all, the General Tantai who led the North County Army.
He waved his long flag and commanded his troops to stand in a snake formation and circle around Xiang Shaoyun so that they could crush him alive.
In the sea of men, the Overlord abandoned his long spear since it had broken in half from too many kills.
He drew his long axe from his back and heavily swung it, striking back tens of soldiers in the process.
The black horse neighed as it charged forward with the Overlord on its back.
The Overlord savagely broke the long snake formation, and everywhere his long axe struck, demonic Qi flowed, blood flying in all directions.
The Overlord’s blood was starting to boil the more soldiers he killed.
It was precisely this feeling.
That if he was powerful enough, all schemes and conspiracies would mean nothing.
He finally understood the meaning of Lu Fan’s words.
So what if Tantai Xuan had Mo Beike?
So what if Yuwen Xiu had Kong Xiu and Jiang Li?
The West County… had him, the Overlord Xiang Shaoyun, and that was enough!
Boom!
Dark demonic Qi swirled around the flowing blood and turned into a shadow around his long axe, sweeping across and knocking back several soldiers.
Tens of thousands of soldiers piled up densely toward Xiang Shaoyun to pen him inside, making it hard for him to even move.
However, Xiang Shaoyun paved a blood path with his brute force…
And rode in the direction of the North County camp.
The sound of horse’s hooves was deafening, as it trampled on the blood on the ground.
Warriors and generals charged forward like pouncing tigers, seething.
Xiang Shaoyun showed no signs of fear as his axe and shield danced in his hands.
A Grandmaster was struck by Xiang Shaoyun’s shield and was flung several miles away. He did not get up from the ground.
The soldiers’ formation had been broken.
Demonic Qi swirled around Xiang Shaoyun. It was like he had grabbed onto a wisp of Immortal encounter that was going to disappear at any moment. There was also a faint sound of shackles being broken.
There was more blood now, and they had been engulfed in a strong power that lingered around Xiang Shaoyun.
The Overlord’s eyes gradually turned crimson. He was venting about the calamity that had befallen Beiluo.
It was not just because of Lu Fan’s disappointment, but it was also because of the hexagram reading Lv Dongxuan did for him.
He did not believe in fate.
He, the Overlord, was going to die a tragic death? He was going to get schemed to death?
He believed none of those!
He was going to charge into the North County and challenge Mo Beike, to get him to play all his cards because he… was fearless!
The ground had been dyed crimson, and countless armors had been shattered.
An army of 50,000 armed soldiers could not stop the Overlord.
Xiang Shaoyun panted as his black horse whimpered.
Both human and horse were exhausted.
The Overlord performed the cultivation method in a frenzy.
The moon was red as blood.
The North County Army was frightened after so many of them had perished.
The soldiers held onto their weapons, afraid to step forward.
The burly man was moving forward on his black horse.
Out of fear, the North County soldiers had cleared a path for him.
Tantai Xuan stood atop his chariot with his eyes narrowed and fists clenched, his expression extremely awful.
His entire body drenched in blood and holding his long axe, the Overlord rode his horse in front of Tantai Xuan.
He glanced slightly at Tantai Xuan with his blood-covered eyes.
After that, his line of sight shifted, and then his oppressive and ferocious gaze landed on Mo Beike, who was seated on top of his chariot.
Xiang Shaoyun raised his long axe and pointed it toward Mo Beike. He raised his chin high as fresh blood dripped along his cheeks.
His look was filled with wildness and a sense of unyielding authority toward his fate…
As well as a sense of confidence that he could crush any kind of conspiracies.