57: Beiyuan Crisis, Snow Dragon Army Destroyed

Changsun Manor, study room.

The atmosphere was so heavy it could almost drip water.

The Prime Minister, Prime Minister Changsun Wuji, who wielded immense power over the court, sat like a stone statue in the main seat, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table.

Each soft tap sent shivers down the spines of the servants standing outside the door.

On the ground, his sister-in-law, Changsun Hao’s mother, had long since cried herself out, slumping there, only to continue sobbing intermittently.

“Big Brother… please avenge Hao’er…” the woman’s voice was hoarse, her breath faint.

Prime Minister Changsun Wuji didn’t even lift an eyelid.

He didn’t care about the death of a nephew.

Especially a good-for-nothing nephew who only knew how to cause trouble; his death was actually a cleaner outcome.

What he cared about was the face of the Changsun family! It was his, Prime Minister Changsun Wuji’s, prestige!

In broad daylight, under the clear sky, on the land of Great Tang, a direct descendant of his Changsun family was stabbed to death just like that!

This wasn’t just murder; this was a slap in Prime Minister Changsun Wuji’s face!

“Get out.”

Prime Minister Changsun Wuji finally spoke, his voice devoid of any warmth.

The woman jolted, terrified by the chilling coldness, and scrambled away.

Inside the study, there was dead silence.

Prime Minister Changsun Wuji picked up a piece of paper from the table; on it, there was only a portrait of a woman, with no other useful information.

Name unknown, origin unknown.

As if she had appeared out of thin air.

A young woman who could stab an Innate Martial Artist to death with a single finger…

This matter was deeper than he imagined.

“Someone.”

“Prime Minister.” From the shadows outside the door, a dark figure appeared silently.

“Send the portrait to the ‘Tian Ce Manor’ and have them investigate.

Additionally, notify the border army commander and the Nine Great Dynasties camps to intensify their search efforts.

Within three days, I want to see results.”

“Understood!”

“This matter must be reported to Your Majesty.”

…

Daming Palace.

Emperor Li Shiming, the iron-blooded monarch who founded the prosperous Great Tang Dynasty, showed no anger after hearing Prime Minister Changsun Wuji’s report; instead, a strong interest emerged on his face.

“Oh? One finger to kill an Innate?”

He stepped down from the Dragon Throne, took the portrait, and marveled.

“Your Majesty.” Prime Minister Changsun Wuji said in a deep voice, “This subject believes this matter is no small feat.

This woman’s origin is unknown, and her strength is unfathomable.

If she is allowed to roam freely within our Great Tang territory, she could become a major hidden danger!”

“No matter.” Li Shiming waved his hand.

“Pass down my imperial decree: for the crime of murdering a close relative of a court official, circulate this woman’s portrait throughout the thirteen prefectures of Great Tang, with a three-thousand-li urgent dispatch, and issue a nationwide warrant for her arrest!”

“I want to see who she truly is!”

“As you command!”

…

Time flew by, and five days had passed since the Tai Xuan Immortal Sect Disciples descended the mountain.

Tianzhu Peak, Tai Xuan Immortal Sect.

Lu Yuchen lay on a rocking chair at the entrance of the Sect Master’s grand hall, humming a tune.

Ever since those trouble-making Disciples went down the mountain for experience, his life had been unprecedentedly comfortable.

No one to quarrel with, no one to make a fuss; waking up naturally every day was simply a life like an Immortal.

During this time, as he drifted in and out of sleep, his Disciples’ training also showed significant results: Lin Fan ventured alone into the Great Chu Shaolin Temple, encountered a Celestial, and at a critical moment, awakened his latent Physique, the Ancient Desolate Body.

His cultivation broke through two layers, reaching Foundation Establishment fourth layer.

Later, he killed the Great Chu Emperor in the imperial city.

Xiao Huohuo, within the Great Ming Dynasty, by chance found the second type of Heaven and Earth Strange Flame, “Bone Chilling Flame,” and successfully refined it.

His Flame Mantra evolved, and his cultivation broke through to Foundation Establishment seventh layer.

Ling Ke’er, pursued by Great Tang, fled to the extremely cold northern region of the Great Tang Dynasty, where she found the supreme ice-attribute spiritual object, “Ice Soul Immortal Marrow,” and entered the Foundation Establishment realm.

She alone could break through ten thousand armored soldiers.

Nanny, however, was more interested in playing and eating, so her improvements weren’t as significant.

Lu Yuchen stretched lazily, feeling the improvements returned by the System during this period.

His cultivation still hadn’t broken through; Golden Core Breakthrough wasn’t something that ten times the Foundation Establishment energy could support.

His Physique had already transformed into the Grandmist Chaos Body (evolved from the original Nine Yang Chaos Body after absorbing and fusing the ten times Ancient Desolate Body returned by the System, now fixed as this Physique).

“It’s about time to prepare.

It’s time for these Nine Great Dynasties to come to an end.”

He was happily calculating.

…

Northern Yuan Dynasty border, Snow Dragon Army station, was now strewn with corpses.

“Where did you get the Martial Emperor Cultivation Technique you Cultivate? Hand it over, and I can give you a complete corpse.” At this moment, Tang Xiaoshan looked indifferently at an elegant and heroic female general whose legs were already broken at the Northern Yuan Dynasty border.

“Pah! Kill me then.

No one in the Snow Dragon Army is a coward, and even less a traitor!

My Northern Yuan Dynasty will one day avenge my Snow Dragon Army!”

Tang Xiaoshan didn’t get angry; instead, he smiled.

“Interesting, interesting.

This mere abandoned land, besides the Legacy I already know of, actually has a Martial Emperor Legacy.

It even seems to be standardized; an army of three thousand people all Cultivate Martial Emperor-level Cultivation Techniques.

Your imperial family is not simple.”

One of the Tang Sect Elders behind him frowned and said, “Young Lord, do not be careless.

The Cultivation Techniques of this army come from the same source and are quite powerful.

What if this Northern Yuan Dynasty truly has a Martial Emperor overseeing it…”

The others also chimed in, “Young Lord, we are just afraid that this Northern Yuan Dynasty truly has a Martial Emperor.

If we encounter a Martial Emperor, the three of us might not be able to protect you.”

Tang Xiaoshan heard this and said, “Don’t worry, we’ve generally understood this place.

It’s impossible for there to be anyone above the Void Realm here.

Even if there were, they would have long since left for Tianwu Continent.”

“Alright, since we can’t dig out information here, let’s go to the source.

Crippled her, strip her bare.

Two months at sea have really made me frustrated.

If the Elders are interested, they can join as well.”

Seeing the overly confident Tang Xiaoshan, the others couldn’t say much, because what he said was indeed true.

In this desolate place, where the Origin Qi needed for Martial Artists to Cultivate Internal Energy is so scarce that even the roads are not visible, how could a Martial Emperor be willing to stay here? They would have long since fled.

“Cough, cough, cough, the three of us are old and have long lost our former vigor, so we won’t disturb Young Lord’s enjoyment,” one Elder said.

The other two expressed the same sentiment.

“Alright then.

This time, when we return to the Tang Sect with our gains, the rewards for the three Elders will not be small.”

Subsequently, Tang Xiaoshan impatiently picked up the crippled and grief-stricken female general and headed towards the large tent in the military camp.

And at the very same time.

Far away, within the Great Tang Dynasty, Ling Ke’er, who was consolidating her cultivation, suddenly opened her eyes!

A tear unknowingly streamed down her face.

An inexplicable sense of sorrow arose in her heart.

“This is? Why do I have a bad premonition?”