Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 196 Nations Shaken, All for the Heavenly Sword

Just as Zhao Kuo had requested.

Faced with the Heavenly Sword, the Southern Song Dynasty had nowhere to retreat.

They either seize the Heavenly Sword and gain the power to conquer the world, or they will vanish into thin air under the crushing force of future events.

There is no third way.

In this great age, the nations of the world will either become strong or perish.

Unfortunately, from the very beginning of its founding, the Song Dynasty was divided into North and South. Although they relied on each other, they did not govern each other. Although they were strong, their foundation was inherently weaker than that of other unified dynasties.

In this incident, apart from many small countries such as Dali, Western Xia, and Tubo, only the Song Dynasty was in the most passive position.

"Master Huang, the fate of the Song Dynasty rests entirely on your shoulders." Zhao Kuang bowed deeply, placing all his hopes on his teacher, Huang Shang, their Southern Song Dynasty's celestial being.

This war, which concerns the entire world, is one in which even a nation's royal family is only qualified to participate.

To win, acquire the Heavenly Sword, and divide the First Emperor's Mausoleum, the participation of the world's top experts is essential.

This time, Huang Shang did not stop him and accepted Zhao Kuo's gift without hesitation.

Then he helped him up and earnestly assured him, "Your Majesty, rest assured, even if it costs me my life, I will fight for a chance of survival for our Great Song Dynasty."

"On behalf of the millions of people of the Great Song Dynasty, I thank Master Huang!" Zhao Kuo bowed again. He knew that this journey would be fraught with peril, but Huang Shang did not hesitate in the slightest. He admired Huang Shang's sense of responsibility.

However, even someone as strong as Huang Shang failed to see the fleeting glint of malice in Zhao Kuo's eyes when he lowered his head.

The importance of the Heavenly Sword surpassed everything else.

It even surpasses the lives of terrestrial immortals and several emperors.

The only concern is that Prince Su of the Ming Dynasty has completely torn off all pretenses and openly dispatched dozens of terrestrial immortals to hunt him down. Even Xie Xiaofeng, the sword god from the Ming Dynasty, has joined in and is eyeing the Heavenly Sword covetously.

The news that spread from the Ming Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty stirred up various forces, including Taoist sects, Buddhist sects, demonic sects, major martial arts families, and countless powerful clans throughout the land.

No matter how powerful Huang Shang is, even if he fights to the death, it's just a drop in the ocean.

Huang Shang helped Zhao Kuo up, his whole being exuding a sharpness different from his usual indifferent attitude: "Your Majesty, to seize the Heavenly Sword, I alone am not capable enough. I need a few helpers."

“Master Huang, please speak freely.” Zhao Kuo understood this and was not stingy with his words.

"Among the Five Greats of the Song Dynasty, Wang Chongyang is a thing of the past, Ouyang Feng, the Western Poison, has surrendered to the Jin Dynasty, and Duan Zhixing, the Southern Emperor, belongs to Dali. Therefore, we must do our best to win over Hong Qigong, the Northern Beggar, and Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic."

The combat power of two Grandmasters of Celestial Phenomena is definitely a tremendous help.

Zhao Kuo clearly understood as well: "Hong Qigong is easy to talk to, but Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic, is unorthodox, arrogant, and conceited. It would be difficult to win him over..."

"No! Your Majesty is mistaken."

Upon hearing this, Huang Shang quickly interrupted, smiling as he revealed a secret: "The easiest person to win over is actually Huang Yaoshi. He has a knot in his heart because of the death of his wife, Feng. If he learns about the Heavenly Sword and His Majesty makes him a promise, he will definitely help us without hesitation."

Zhao Kuo suddenly recalled how, during the reign of the late emperor, Huang Shang deliberately scattered the Nine Yin Manual, which pointed directly to the realm of immortals, throughout the martial arts world of the Southern Song Dynasty, causing a bloodbath and weakening the martial arts world's power.

"In that case, I will immediately send people to find Huang Yaoshi's whereabouts."

Time was of the essence, so Zhao Kuo immediately summoned the Imperial City Guard agents waiting outside to find Huang Yaoshi. Others might be hard to find, but Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic, was officially registered with the Imperial City Guard in the Southern Song Dynasty.

After giving the order, Zhao Kuo asked with unease, "Are the two of them enough?"

"That's not enough, so Your Majesty needs to appoint another person to accompany me."

"Who?"

“Zhuge Zhengwo of the Divine Marquis’s Mansion”.

“No problem.” Zhao Kuo agreed immediately. Even though Zhuge Zhengwo was a pillar of the Song Dynasty, what did he amount to in front of the Heavenly Sword?
As long as he can bring back the Heavenly Sword, Zhao Kuo would agree without hesitation, even if it were just Zhuge Zhengwo or Huang Shang leading an army of 200,000.

……

The same scene didn't just happen in the Southern Song Dynasty imperial palace.

This scene unfolded in various kingdoms, including the Sui, Liao, Northern Song, Mongol Yuan, and Ming dynasties. The earth-shattering explosion outside Jiayuguan and the ensuing uproar in the news terrified the rulers of these nations.

Among them, Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty and Temur of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty were the most shocked.

The Imperial Study in the Mongol Yuan Dynasty Palace.

Prince Ruyang was summoned overnight, and it was the Tantric master Tolosa who personally led the way to his door.

"Your subject, Chahantemur (Prince of Ruyang), pays his respects to Your Majesty."

"Give me a seat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"You've heard about what happened, haven't you?"

The Prince of Ruyang trembled violently, and fell to his knees with a thud from his chair, touching his head to the ground. He said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, I have indeed heard of it, but I cannot believe it. The rumors are simply too absurd."

Temur's gaze turned cold: "Is that so? Is it disbelief? Or is it that you dare not say it?"

The Prince of Ruyang touched the ground with his head, his body trembling.

He truly didn't know whether the Heavenly Sword and the First Emperor's Mausoleum were real or fake.

However, there was one thing that Prince Ruyang was very clear about: his daughter, Minmin Temur, had only just entered the Vajra Realm before she left Dadu by imperial decree. Even if she had some extraordinary encounters, it was impossible for her to ascend to heaven and become a terrestrial immortal in less than a month.

Something must have happened.

The most suspicious things are those news reports that shook the entire capital.

Temur took in Ruyang's reaction and shook his head inwardly. He knew that his suspicions had been unfounded. This Ruyang, who was loyal to the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, could not possibly be the mastermind behind the world-shaking "Secret of the Heavenly Sword," and was even very likely unaware of it.

Thinking of this, although he still had doubts, the murderous intent deep in Temur's eyes had disappeared, and a smile returned: "I summoned you here not to punish you."

"I'm just telling you that although Minmin is currently in the Sui Dynasty, she is imprisoned. I intend for you to lead troops to bypass the Liao Dynasty, cross the grasslands and go straight into the Turkic Khaganate, and prepare to meet Minmin there."

“Your Majesty…” Prince Ruyang raised his head, his face full of gratitude and disbelief.

Temur stared at the Prince of Ruyang, his ambition undisguised: "Because of the Heavenly Sword, the Prince of Ming sent dozens of terrestrial immortals and hundreds of celestial grandmasters to hunt him down. Fortunately, the bronze hall of the Jingnian Temple of the Great Sui Dynasty seems to have formed an unparalleled barrier for some reason, isolating everything, which even terrestrial immortals cannot shake."

"But according to the predictions of the Imperial Preceptor and the Imperial Uncle, the bronze hall of Jingnian Temple will be breached within two days at the latest."

"I order you to immediately lead troops to provide support, protect Minmin at all costs, and bring back the Heavenly Sword."

Although the Prince of Ruyang was eager to save his daughter, he was not blinded by greed and hesitated, saying, "But Your Majesty, what about the Ming Dynasty..."

You don't need to worry about that.

Temur interrupted him, knowing what he was going to say, and said decisively, "Although the threat of the Wandering Dragon Riders and the Great Snow Dragon Riders is great, even if all the men of the Mongol Yuan are wiped out, and I personally go to the battlefield, you must, together with the Grand Preceptor and others, bring the Heavenly Sword and the He Shi Bi back to the Mongol Yuan for me."

"As long as the Heavenly Sword exists, the Mongol Yuan Dynasty still has hope, and the grasslands will remain our pastures."

"But if the Heavenly Sword falls into the hands of Zhu Jinzhen of the Ming Dynasty again, the consequences will truly be irreversible. Do you understand?"

Temur wasn't exaggerating; he was genuinely caught off guard by the sudden news and nearly collapsed. Any discerning person would find it unacceptable to hear that dozens of terrestrial immortals and hundreds of celestial grandmasters came from a single power.

He is naturally the same.

But Temur understood a principle even better: a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Zhu Jinzhen was indeed capable of cultivating such a terrifying force with the Heavenly Sword, but now that the Heavenly Sword has fallen into the hands of their Mongol princess Minmin Temur, it has resonated with the He Shi Bi jade.

So, as long as the Heavenly Sword and the Jade Disc don't fall into Zhu Jinzhen's hands.

The Mongol Yuan and the Ming Dynasty were not necessarily unable to switch roles in offense and defense.

Therefore, no matter how dangerous the war with the Mongol Yuan Dynasty was, they had to give way on the matter of the Heavenly Sword.

(End of this chapter)