In the night of the Imperial City, the sky was as clear as jade, devoid of stars and moon.
On the ground, myriad lights glimmered, their brilliance rivaling the heavens, as if no one had noticed the anomaly in the celestial phenomena tonight. The vast expanse of the sky seemed veiled by a deep, dark curtain.
On the roof of the Qingyang Mansion’s main hall, a man sat in half-lotus posture, one hand lifting a wine jar to his lips.
This way of drinking was exceptionally exhilarating, with the aroma of the wine spreading through the air, thick, crude, and spicy. This was a northern homemade brew, commonly known as “throat-burner,” made from coarse ingredients with an intensely strong flavor. It could ignite when lit and was often used by soldiers to ward off the cold and clean wounds.
A figure silently appeared on the opposite eave, not causing even the slightest disturbance in this imperial residence.
Zhang Boqian, after the last drop of wine was drained, casually threw the wine jar to the ground, then lifted his eyes to look at the visitor.
He had discovered that Lin Xitang was no longer in the mansion upon his return that afternoon and immediately spread his consciousness to search the entire city. The powerful will of the Heavenly King swept through the entire capital without restraint. Others might not have felt it, but the emperor, who now controlled the capital, could not have failed to notice. Afterwards, Zhang Boqian did not offer any explanation to the Weiyang Palace, and the emperor did not send anyone to inquire.
But now, the emperor himself had come.
For a moment, both men were silent.
Zhang Boqian’s face was as still as an ancient well, his aura no different from an ordinary person, with none of the usual sharp presence. The emperor, however, radiated a grand and obscure aura, blending seamlessly with the boundless mountains and rivers. After the battle in the Small Tibetan Palace, both had made significant progress.
The emperor suddenly let out a breath, sitting down on the spot, “Teacher has left.”
When Zhang Boqian’s Heavenly King will suddenly expanded in the capital, the emperor, knowing Lin Xitang well, guessed what had happened without needing to ask. The emperor’s oversight of the officials, while not flawless, definitely covered key individuals and points. However, when he discovered something was amiss, he immediately ordered spies to report, but found nothing unusual.
“He didn’t go anywhere, didn’t leave any instructions, just left directly,” the emperor’s voice carried a hint of bewilderment, like a lost child, unsure of what to do.
At this point, both of them understood why Lin Xitang had come directly to the Qingyang Mansion after leaving the Tianji Pavilion. If Lin Xitang’s disappearance was confirmed, the place where he was last seen would be interrogated severely, but the Qingyang Mansion would not implicate anyone.
Zhang Boqian said nothing, simply listening quietly, showing no reaction to being used as a shield.
The emperor raised a hand to cover his eyes, a bitter smile on his face, “Teacher has always done what he wants, and nothing can change his mind.”
His voice gradually grew heavy, becoming hoarse, “In the face of the future of humanity, all interests are too insignificant. Even this empire is not necessary to exist. But among billions of people, so many Tianji practitioners, so many strong individuals, if anyone can be sacrificed, why must it be him?”
“Teacher has saved countless orphans, discovered innumerable talents, but was there ever a trace of sincerity? Otherwise, using himself as a pawn in every game, stepping into a fatal trap each time, how can those watching bear it?”
By the end, the emperor was speaking to himself. Zhang Boqian, one hand on the ground and the other on his knee, looked up into the distance, it was unclear how much he had heard.
After the emperor finished, a moment of silence fell over the rooftop, and suddenly Zhang Boqian scoffed, “Why so many whys? Being unable to set the rules is simply a sign of not being strong enough; there is no other reason.”
Zhang Boqian rose to his feet, gazing into the deep night, “Qinland’s outer void has been sealed?”
Looking up at the sky, one could see neither the asteroid belt nor the two moons, not due to changes in orbit or thick clouds, but because of the visual distortion caused by the Evernight fleet and the dark forces’ interference with the primal force field.
The emperor also stood up, saying, “Yes, Uncle Jiangwang has just returned.” At this point, he had concealed all his emotions, showing no more hesitation or confusion.
“What about the other continents?”
“They encountered probing attacks at dusk, and several Heavenly Kings are already in place to defend.”
Without further words, both knew that Qinland was only experiencing a temporary calm, and the real battle of the “Bloody Funeral” was yet to come.
The emperor thought for a moment and couldn’t help saying, “The Great Derivation Tianji Mantra can evade armies below the rank of Dark Monarch…”
The void, though vast, isn’t entirely impenetrable. The Evernight blockade could block the entire airborne fleet of Jiangwang, but not necessarily a small boat. If the outer space blockade was truly watertight, there would be no talk of wartime smuggling.
But Zhang Boqian turned his head, adding coolly, “Evasion from the Dark Monarchs is also possible, except for the Dark Sacred Mountain.”
Their eyes met, and despite Zhang Boqian’s calm expression, the emperor felt a chill. Clearly, Zhang Boqian was not referring to the projection of the Spider Queen he had encountered.
Zhang Boqian continued, “With unwelcome guests at the door, will His Majesty not order the start of the war?”
The emperor was slightly startled. Despite the seemingly normal life in the capital, Qinland had already completed the highest level of mobilization, ready for war at any moment. But was Zhang Boqian suggesting an offensive?
Zhang Boqian’s next words confirmed the emperor’s understanding. “Since the Bloody Funeral is ultimately a Heavenly King’s battle, let us fight, no need to start with cannon fodder.”
Zhang Boqian’s tone remained calm, but his fierce will to battle was rising steadily.
The emperor asked, surprised, “Now?”
“Do you need to choose a time to fight?”
The emperor paused, then smiled, “King Zhang is right.” His face relaxed, no longer burdened, revealing a true king’s transcendent and noble demeanor.
“If King Zhang is to go, I will support you.”
“Your Majesty’s effort is appreciated.”
The emperor swept his robe, rising into the air. As he moved, the entire Tianqi City seemed to come alive, with tendrils of green energy rising.
This time, the Unyielding Palace at the center of the capital was shrouded in a layer of green mist. The mist quickly thickened and condensed, eventually forming a giant spear illusion. The spear, like a real object, slowly rose, its tip lifting, its hilt pressing down, turning to a suitable angle for firing. In silence, it spewed a long green flame, shooting straight into the sky.
The dark, heavy sky cleared, like curtains drawn on a stage, revealing a faintly glowing void and a black sun!
Zhang Boqian, unperturbed, gave a low laugh and shot upwards, the swirling clouds around him straight as banners, pointing to the void.
In the White City of Floating Land, the sound of gunfire never ceased.
Zhao Jundu, seemingly oblivious to the depletion of the Zangxin, was focused on harvesting one sword bearer after another. The immense power of the Zangxin, combined with his accuracy, made each shot deadly, rendering him unstoppable on the battlefield. Even a Marquis could be killed with a single shot.
In a short while, almost all the high-star sword bearers were eradicated, leaving only a few. The remaining five-star sword bearers were all Counts.
The sound of gunfire pounded against the hearts of these Evernight strongmen. The sword bearers, though not afraid of death, were certainly not eager to die. With their superior strength and promising future, none wished to perish. When the seventh high-star sword bearer fell, their morale shattered, and they scattered in panic.
Zhao Jundu, however, did not stop, continuing to shoot, killing a Count who had fled a kilometer away with a single shot!
In the end, only a handful of sword bearers managed to escape. The once grand army, nearly wiped out by Zhao Jundu.
Zhao Jundu stood with his gun, looking around, and declared, “To exchange the lives of all sword bearers for my Zhao Jundu’s, you’ve finally shown some intelligence.”
The battlefield was silent, everyone still reeling from the intense and swift battle.
The sword bearers were the core and backbone of the young generation of Evernight. Though none could match Zhao Jundu, most were from renowned families, like Aiden. Now, with the sword bearers all deployed, only to be almost annihilated by Zhao Jundu, it was a severe blow to the entire Evernight Parliament.
Zhao Jundu had not just taken out the current Counts and Marquises, but potential future Dukes, members of the Parliament, and even possibly Princes or Speakers.
No one, even those who wanted Zhao Jundu’s life, would be willing to make such an exchange.
Currently, the Evernight side was leaderless, with Doyle heavily injured and far away. The only one capable of holding the line was Tigris. But seeing Doyle’s condition, it was clear that Tigris was in no better shape, even if he could still fight, he could not defeat a strong opponent.
Tigris, feeling a mix of emotions, watched Zhao Jundu standing in the air like a god, overlooking all. Even knowing Zhao Jundu could fall at any moment, no one dared to approach.
Tigris sighed inwardly. The human race, when cornered, always unleashed incredible power. For thousands of years, countless martyrs had burned themselves to take the enemy with them, cultivating the land that nurtured the human race in the dark territories. Every inch of land of the Great Qin was built on their blood and flesh.
Now, Zhao Jundu had joined their ranks.
Zhao Jundu, young and handsome, with an impeccable background and extraordinary talent, could easily conquer the divine generals and even ascend to the realm of Heavenly King like Zhang Boqian.
Such a young man, with such a bright future, never thought of escaping in this critical battle. He fought to the end, burning his life calmly, using the best young talents of Evernight as decorations for his tombstone.
But, a bright future, how could it be so easily given up?
Evernight had the absolute advantage, and the sword bearers, proud and confident in their strength and prospects, would not risk their lives. If half of them had formed an array to charge at Zhao Jundu at the start, the outcome would have been different. But Zhao Jundu’s instant slaughter of half the high-star sword bearers had terrified them, making them scatter, becoming easy targets for the Zangxin.
In the end, no one expected Zhao Jundu to make such a resolute decision, to sacrifice himself to break the deadlock.
Tigris was bewildered. What was in this young man’s heart? How could he make such a decision so easily?
The blood race, calling themselves the Immortal Race, indeed had a long life, but the longer they lived, the more they feared death. Tigris, having experienced it, knew the great fear between life and death.
Zhao Jundu, seeing no more opponents, landed gracefully beside Qian Ye.
Now, without struggling, the eight-direction seal on Qian Ye automatically released, but Qian Ye remained statue-like, motionless. He opened his mouth, struggling to say, “You…” before falling silent.
Zhao Jundu laughed, “With me, Zhao Jundu, here, how can I let my younger brothers and sisters risk their lives on the battlefield?”
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