Daqin Zhentiansi

Chen Wu and his Xuanjia soldiers stood silently in front of the carriage, letting the blood flow at their feet.

This kind of slaughter is like child's play compared to the battle to slay demons on the East Sea.

In the dead silence, only the crackling of the burning flames could be heard.

Inside the car, Zhang Yuan slowly lowered the slightly raised car curtain, blocking out the bloody and gruesome scene outside.

He finally turned his head and looked at Wang Qinian, whose face was pale and who was still trembling slightly.

His eyes remained calm, deep as the ocean, as if what he had just crushed was nothing more than an insignificant fallen leaf.

He spoke, his voice low and clear, each word like a shard of ice falling in the deathly silence of the carriage filled with the stench of blood and burnt flesh:

"Brother Wang."

"The soldiers of Qin are in this perilous place..."

"I only recognize the knife in my hand."

"The armor on Xin's body."

"Relying on my comrades behind me."

"besides……"

"Any form of 'friend,' 'helper,' or 'sleeper agent,' as long as they are not on the list and their fate is not in my control..."

"It is a burden, but also... a threat."

"Since it is a threat..."

"Whether friend or foe, or... innocent."

“They can all be killed.”

……

A deathly silence filled the carriage.

Jiang Zhengcheng slumped onto the brocade cushion, his fingertips digging deep into the carved rosewood window frame, leaving ten twisted white marks, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

The hellish scene outside the window was deeply imprinted in his mind—dismembered limbs, dark red flowing like rivers, and the sound of flames greedily licking the ruins.

Those three thousand Xuanjia soldiers were like iron demons crawling out of the deepest hell. Their ruthless efficiency in crushing everything was a hundred times more terrifying than the most horrifying nightmare!
Only one thought remained in his mind: This isn't an escort... this is a complete sweep!
Any obstacle that stands in the way of Marquis Qingyang, whether friend or foe, innocent or innocent, will be mercilessly crushed by this iron torrent!
"Your...Your Highness..." Zhou Jinzhong, the trusted advisor accompanying him, trembled uncontrollably, his face ashen.

Looking at the Xuanjia Army soldiers outside, still silently clearing the battlefield, was like looking at the Grim Reaper walking around.

"This...this is...the might of the Qin army..." He suddenly felt a strong urge to urinate, almost uncontrollable.

Inside the carriage behind, a maid dressed in a tight-fitting black outfit was breathing heavily, her fingers resting on a dagger hidden in her sleeve, which was icy cold.

But the emotionless slaughter just now, the brutality of crushing even local snakeheads in order to "indiscriminately eliminate potential threats," sent chills down her spine.

She had worried that this might be a trap, and now it seems like a trap?
In the face of absolute power, all calculations are as fragile as paper!

Princess Yunqin pressed her pale lips together tightly, her slender fingers gripping the hem of her dress.

She was not a delicate young lady, but the impact of the view outside the window was far beyond her imagination.

The image of Meng Jiuyang dying with his eyes wide open was so clear; he was pierced through the chest simply because he was too close!
At this moment, she truly understood the meaning of the emperor's words, "Rest assured, the Marquis of Qingyang will protect you."

Safety?

Yes, provided that... absolute obedience is achieved!
Any unusual activity could result in annihilation.

……

The tragedy in Tianyu Town spread like a plague through the no-man's-land.

Within hours, the Zhenyue Sword Sect and the Qianggong Society disintegrated. The remaining members either knelt before the ruins, weeping and burning incense to pray for the dead, or fled for their lives with their valuables.

The sects and gangs, large and small, that once held sway over the border region are now silent and have closed their gates.

Their informants were frantically sending back messages, all with the same message: Demons are crossing the border!

Meng Jiuyang and Guo Wei, who tried to defect, did not escape death!
Everyone carries an iceberg in their hearts.

No one dared to entertain the slightest thought of "profiting" or "selling information," fearing that they would be the next to be crushed by that dark torrent.

The only coffin shop open in town was crowded with people, but there was no noise, only suppressed weeping and suffocating fear.

……

Half a day later.

Heavy plumes of smoke appeared on the horizon.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The rhythmic and heavy footsteps, like the heartbeat of the earth, approached from afar, crushing the remaining deathly silence of Tianyu Town.

Thirty thousand troops from the Eastern Frontier have arrived!

Banners fluttered in the wind, bearing a huge "Qin" character, as fierce as the northern winds.

At the forefront were elite infantrymen, heavily armored and wielding spears and halberds, their armor dark and their shoulder armor etched with the ferocious blood-stained dark patterns unique to the Demon Slayer of the East Sea.

Next came the cavalry, their faces covered by heavy rune-inscribed armor, revealing only their fierce eyes, and the demon-slaying crossbows in the hands of the mounted knights gleamed with a chilling light.

Finally, there were the massive engineering machines: towering battering rams and gleaming ballistae, like moving mountains, exuding a silent, oppressive aura.

There were no orders, no shouts.

The 30,000 soldiers marched in perfect unison, their armor clashing and producing a deep, resounding metallic clang.

Their gaze swept over the ravaged town entrance, the piles of corpses, and the still-burning embers, their eyes indifferent as if they were sweeping a training ground stained with filth.

The leading general reined in his horse outside the town, his gaze sweeping over the silent, trembling crowd. His voice was like the clash of cold iron: "By order of Marquis Qingyang! Effective immediately, the Eastern Border Camp will take over the defense of the area within three hundred li from Tianyu Town to the border between Qi and Wei!"

"Any group of martial artists, gangs, or sects gathering in groups must immediately disband on the spot, and all weapons and armor must be collected and handed over! Anyone who disobeys this order will be treated as a spy from an enemy country and will be killed without exception!"

"All merchants and commoners, close your doors and windows. Anyone who makes a disturbance or wanders around without cause will be shot!"

The command fell like ice water poured over one's head.

The once arrogant people from all walks of life dared not even breathe loudly in the face of this terrifying force, born purely for war.

Several squads of elite armored soldiers silently marched into the town, their heavy footsteps and the cold echoes of their armor clashing echoing everywhere they went.

No one dared to resist anymore, and no one even dared to look directly at the torrent of steel.

The takeover by the Eastern Army silently heralded the complete end of this lawless land.

Fear has become the only law here.

……

The Great Qin Imperial City.

The Censorate.

"Brutal! Disregard for human life! What have the thousands of innocent people of Tianyu Town done? Even if there are enemies mixed in, how can they be slaughtered indiscriminately?! Do they treat the people of my Great Qin like dirt?!"

An old imperial censor, speaking hoarsely during the morning court session, slammed his memorial impeaching the Marquis of Qingyang for "unauthorized provocation of border conflicts and excessive slaughter" onto the imperial desk.

However, Emperor Yuankang on the dragon throne calmly accepted it.

He glanced at the indignant or silent ministers in the hall and spoke calmly: "Marquis Qingyang was entrusted with an imperial mission to escort the Princess of Daqin and the Duke of Qi back to their country. At that time, the situation was extremely dangerous. Evil cultivators and demons attacked and mingled among the crowd, and there were also desperate criminals mixed in with them, intending to harm us."

"At this critical moment, should we be lenient and watch as a nobleman of Qin is murdered in another country, or should we take swift and decisive action to sweep away the evil influence and ensure that our banners are not lost?" The emperor's voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable power.

"I know Minister Zhang! He shed blood in the East Sea, slaughtering millions of demons to protect the peace of my Yongtian Continent! His soldiers are all loyal and brave, forged in blood and fire! They carry out my will and are the sharp swords that protect the majesty of my Great Qin!"

"Merit is merit, and faults... I am the general who vanquishes demons in the East Sea, and I will not tolerate your reckless remarks!"

There was dead silence in the hall.

The emperor's attitude has already made everything clear. This impeachment is destined to be lost forever.

On the main hall, the military officers wore smiles on their faces.

Finally, the military merits of the Qin Dynasty can hold their heads high.

……

Qi State.

Golden Palace.

Deathly silence.

Jiang Yuanliang sat listlessly on the dragon throne, with the intelligence report about Tianyu Town that had just been delivered by express courier.

The text describes in detail the bloody massacre that lasted less than half a cup of tea, and how 30,000 Qin soldiers took over the defenses half a day later, crushing ants like ants.

He dug his fingers deep into the crimson gold dragon head pattern on the armrest of the dragon throne, his knuckles turning white from the force.

"Your Majesty...?" The chief eunuch stepped forward cautiously.

Jiang Yuanliang suddenly raised his hand and slammed a priceless jade pen holder with a dragon and cloud carving on the table next to him onto the ground, smashing it to pieces!

Debris flew everywhere.

His chest heaved violently, his face was ashen, and his lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

All sorts of backup plans, ambushes, assassinations planned...

Compared to that man's iron fist and the terrifying force behind him that crawled out of the mountains of corpses and seas of blood in the East China Sea, it was all just child's play!
He felt like an insect trapped in a spider web, which was the will of the Marquis of Qingyang and the iron cavalry of the Great Qin!

Several trusted ministers stood with their heads bowed, not daring to utter a sound, their faces showing the same ashen complexion and deep-seated fear.

……

The Heavenly Mystery Hall in the State of Wei.

"Boom!"

Yuwentuo kicked over the heavy alchemy furnace, causing flames to scatter and the molten gold bricks on the floor to sizzle.

His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like a madman, pointing at the scout kneeling before His Highness, who had just fled back from the border in shock.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash! Five thousand...five thousand Heartfire Beasts!! And they were all killed by three thousand...three thousand people?!" His voice was sharp and distorted, filled with unbelievable rage and a kind of shame and indignation at having his dignity completely trampled.

"Where's the biting? Where's the demonic poison?! You're just like a chicken or a dog in front of him?! Zhang Qingyang! Is he... is he human or a demon?!"

The hall was eerily silent.

Yu Yangzi stood in the corner, his face ashen. The "Heartfire Beast," which the Tiandan Sect had carefully nurtured, had been so mercilessly crushed, a huge blow to him.

He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to explain something, but looking at the mess on the ground and the furious Yuwen Tuo, he ultimately just swallowed hard, a trace of fear and frustration spreading deep in his eyes.

His powerful pills, capable of driving people into a frenzy, were nothing but a pathetic joke in the face of the impenetrable iron wall of the Qin army.

From the shadows, a figure shrouded in a black cloak appeared silently, exuding a cold and gloomy aura. His voice was like sandpaper scraping: "Your Majesty, please calm down. The art of alchemy has its limits. Our sect's secret technique... may be worth a try."

Upon hearing this, Yu Yangzi's body trembled almost imperceptibly, and a deeper sense of apprehension flashed in his eyes.

……

The caravan traveled to the border of the State of Qi.

A huge stone boundary marker came into view, with two large characters engraved on it – “Qi”!
A border army of about 10,000 men from the State of Qi blocked the chariots on the border.

The leading border general was a burly man, clad in heavy armor, and sat calmly on his horse.

He was Jiang Yuanliang's confidant and received a strict order to do everything in his power to obstruct, inspect, and even humiliate this team that was returning under the banner of Princess Yunqin, especially to suppress Jiang Zhengcheng's arrogance.

He took a deep breath, spurred his horse forward, and announced loudly, "Halt! This is the border of the Great Qi Kingdom! According to the law, all vehicles and personnel entering the country must dismount and be questioned..."

The words have not yet been spoken!

"bass--"

A sharp metallic scraping sound and the heavy thud of combat boots on the ground rang out!
The three thousand Xuanjia guards moved as one, their giant shields at the front advancing three steps with a thunderous roar.

The halberds in the back row thrust forward in unison, and the crossbowmen behind them instantly leveled their drawn crossbows.

All bowstrings were drawn to their fullest extent, and the cold arrows precisely locked onto the nearly ten thousand Qi soldiers!

The terrifying killing intent instantly materialized, surging in like a tsunami and tearing the feigned composure to shreds!
The horses in the front ranks of the Qi army on the border felt the almost tangible pressure of bloodshed, and were so frightened that they reared up and neighed incessantly, causing the formation to become turbulent.

All the Qi soldiers were pale-faced, and their hands holding their weapons were trembling slightly. Only now did they truly understand what the "Hellish Asura" described in the intelligence was like!

The burly border guard at the head of the group felt a sudden tightness in his chest, as if countless ice needles were piercing his skin, and the words "inspection" were stuck in his throat.

He stared in horror at the black main frame of the carriage, which remained motionless behind the curtain, as if sitting not as a person, but as a ferocious beast that could tear everything apart at any moment!

Chen Wu stepped out from in front of the chariot formation, his eyes beneath the black iron mask like two icy pools.

He didn't even look at the border general who was suppressed to the point of death; he simply slowly raised his right hand.

"Om-"

Nearly a thousand crossbows, their strings trembling slightly, emitted a low groan of death.

Chen Wu's voice seemed to come from the deepest hell, icy cold and devoid of any human warmth: "Lord Marquis's order—"

"Those who are within a hundred paces of the vehicle frame..."

"cut!"

The word "slay" was uttered, accompanied by the muffled sound of the front-row black-armored guards taking a heavy step forward in unison, like a war drum!

"boom!"

This step felt like stepping on the hearts of thousands of Qi soldiers!

The burly border general's face instantly turned from white to green, and large beads of sweat rolled down his cheeks.

Looking at the dense cluster of arrows gleaming coldly and the ruthless eyes behind the giant shield, all his ambitions and the inviolability of the emperor's command were crushed into dust at this moment.

He could even clearly feel the breath of death clinging to his neck.

"Let...let them go!" he almost shouted, his voice trembling with intense fear and humiliation, but more so with the gasps of relief after surviving a close call.

He turned his horse around and almost roared the order: "Make way! Make way now! Make way for Princess Yunqin, for Prince Cheng, for... the carriage of the Great Qin envoy... make way!"

"Crash!"

The thousands of Qi soldiers, as if granted a pardon, hurriedly scrambled to both sides at ten times the speed they had when they were in formation, creating an extremely wide passage that was at least a hundred paces wide. Every face was filled with fear and lingering dread.

Some soldiers in the back rows couldn't help but retreat repeatedly until they bumped into the shields of their comrades behind them, creating a chaotic scene.

The three thousand Xuanjia soldiers remained motionless, their ranks perfectly orderly. Only their chilling, murderous aura, like an invisible giant hand, gripped the throats of everyone present.

Cars rattled and horses rustled.

Under the watchful eyes of thousands of Qi soldiers who seemed to fear ghosts and gods, and protected by the unstoppable sharpness of three thousand Xuanjia soldiers, Zhang Yuan's chariot steadily and without hindrance crossed the boundary marker engraved with the character "Qi" and officially entered the territory of Qi.

As the wheels rolled across the border, the dust they kicked up seemed to carry a hint of dark iron.

The black curtains remained drawn, and the person behind them remained silent.

However, everyone knows that Yong Tianzhou's sharpest blade is already at the throat of Dong Qi.

……

The caravan traveled to the outskirts of Linfeng City within the territory of the State of Qi.

With the city gate in sight, Sun Siqi, the magistrate of Linfeng County, dressed in the official robes of the State of Qi, stood respectfully by the roadside with a retinue of officials and servants to greet them. (End of Chapter)