Daqin Zhentiansi

"clang--!!!"

Dragon Sparrow and "Mad Butcher" clashed fiercely!
The deafening roar made the entire canyon tremble!
The shockwave exploded outwards in ripples visible to the naked eye!

"Crack!"

A teeth-grinding cracking sound echoed throughout the canyon!

Ba Dao Kuang Tu's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief!

The treasured sword "Mad Slaughter," which had been with him for a century, drunk countless lives, and was powerful enough to split mountains and shatter peaks, shattered inch by inch the moment it clashed with the Dragon Sparrow Blade!
An overwhelming and terrifying force, as if a thousand troops were trampling across his body, surged into his body through the hilt of the sword!

That was not only the immense power of Zhang Yuan's physical body becoming a saint, but also the impact of the iron-blooded and murderous aura condensed by the hundred riders behind him!
His arms twisted into a pretzel shape instantly, his chest caved in, and he spit out blood mixed with fragments of internal organs!

"No... I can't..." The last thought flashed through my mind.

The blade flashed again!
A line of blood appeared between his eyebrows and quickly spread down to his groin!

The Grandmaster of the Qi Kingdom's Heavenly Ranking, along with his mount, was neatly cleaved in two!
Blood gushed forth as the mangled body of Ba Dao Kuang Tu crashed to the ground, the splattered mud and blood mixed with shattered weapon fragments, announcing the fall of Qi's strongest grandmaster!
Fall!

The immortal cultivators were terrified!
Just as he was about to unleash the ultimate killing power of the great formation!

Zhang Yuan suddenly looked up!
His eyes shone with divine light, piercing straight to the center of the great formation!
The Qiongqi War Beast roared silently to the sky, carrying with it the blood and qi gathered from the burning life force of a hundred riders, and with Zhang Yuanlong Sparrow Blade, it slashed fiercely at the dome of the great formation from afar!
"break!!!"

A condensed crimson blade of energy, stretching a thousand feet across the canyon, shot into the sky!

Within this sword aura, there is not only the indestructible aura of a grandmaster, and the pure killing intent honed through countless battles, but also the iron-blooded will of the hundred Xuan Guards who were determined to die without hesitation!

“Crack!”

The "Ten Absolute Immortal Slaying Formation" light shield, supported by offerings from the Qi Kingdom and numerous talismans, shattered like fragile glass before this blade aura, which combined the ferocity of the Martial Saint with the murderous aura of a hundred battles. It let out a tooth-grinding groan and collapsed with a deafening roar!
The powerful cultivators who were in charge of the formation screamed in unison, as if they had been severely injured. They fell from the sky, spitting out blood. Some of them with weaker cultivation were even torn to pieces by the violent force in mid-air!
The great formation is broken!
The oppressive force of heaven and earth vanished instantly!

The Heavenly Abyss Cavalry ahead have lost all courage!

The hundred elite guards behind them were completely enraged by this strike!

Under Zhang Yuan's blade, like a tiger awakened, it roared and crashed into the scattered Qi army in front of it!
The canyon had become a one-sided slaughterhouse!

Two thousand of Qi's top heavy cavalry, in the terror of losing their commander, having their formation broken and their ranks scattered, fell in droves like stalks of wheat caught in a storm under the impact of the blood-red Qiongqi and a black lightning-like figure!

Severed limbs, broken armor, and shattered weapons, mixed with muddy flesh and blood, covered the narrow passage!

It only takes half an incense stick of time.

The deafening roar of the canyon was broken only by heavy breathing and the sound of blood trickling down.

Zhang Yuan reined in his horse and stopped at the canyon exit. Behind him, a hundred Xuan Guards, all wounded, stood tall and straight like javelins, their armor stained with blood, their killing intent still lingering.

In the canyon, not a single Qi soldier could stand!
The banner of the Tianyuan Heavy Cavalry had been trampled deep into the bloody mud.

On the hillside outside the formation, Sun Siqi, his face ashen, had been terrified by the earth-shattering scene when Zhang Yuan broke through the formation with a single strike and the Overlord Blade fell. He vomited blood and died, his eyes still staring at the sky, unable to close them in death.

Zhang Yuan slowly sheathed his sword, and drops of blood slid from the tip, seeping into the soil.

He didn't even glance at the magistrate's corpse, his gaze fixed on the official road faintly visible in the distance beyond the canyon.

"Go back to camp."

The voice was as calm as if nothing had happened.

The black horse strode forward, carrying the Qin Qingyang Marquis who had returned bathed in enemy blood and crushed thousands of troops, leading his battle-hardened cavalry that seemed to have been carved out of hell, and calmly drove out of the blood-soaked Jue Long Gorge.

But on the more distant hills...

The secret envoy sent by King Jiang Yuanliang of Qi saw from afar the phantom of Qiongqi, which moved like a mountain and exuded a fierce aura, gradually dissipating in the gorge, as well as the figure of a person leading the way, emerging from the blood like a demon or a god.

He trembled violently, turned his horse around in terror, and fled for his life!

He slaughtered thousands of soldiers, and his name resounded among immortals and demons!
The might of the Marquis of Qingyang will, from this day forward, be etched into the very marrow of the State of Qi.

……

Three days later.

Yongning City of the State of Qi.

Along both sides of the avenue, kneeling people stretched out in a long line, and officials bowed one after another.

Inside the carriage, Jiang Zhengcheng silently lowered the curtain, shutting out the deafening cheers from outside.

His face was blank, as if the blood-red light soaring into the sky from the entrance of Jue Long Gorge and the body of Ba Dao Kuang Tu torn in two were still flashing before his eyes.

Zhou Jinzhong carefully observed his master's expression, took a deep breath, and tried to break the suffocating silence: "Your Highness, the people lined the streets to welcome you, and officials were vying to surrender... Such a scene has not been seen in more than ten years."

Jiang Zhengcheng's Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes filled with complex emotions, before he finally uttered only a very soft "Mm."

Zhou Jinzhong leaned forward, his voice lowered, trembling slightly with lingering fear: "Everyone talks about seeking profit and avoiding harm, but what 'profit' to seek? What 'harm' to avoid? To put it bluntly, it all comes down to who has the strongest fist and who can provide more 'safety'!"

"When I first met the personal guards of Marquis Qingyang at Luanshi Valley, I knew that this young man was extraordinary and beyond human control..."

His gaze seemed to drift back to many years ago, filled with nostalgic emotion: "Your Highness, do you still remember when this old minister accompanied the delegation to Northern Yan? It was outside Pingfeng Town that, by chance, I saw Zhang Qingyang, who was then the camp leader, from afar!"

Jiang Zhengcheng suddenly turned to look at him, his eyes filled with surprise: "You saw him back then?"

"Yes!" Zhou Jinzhong nodded heavily, his facial muscles twitching from the shocking memory of that time. "What a magnificent sight that was! At that time, he was just a mere camp commander, leading a lone army to break through the enemy lines, causing a change in the celestial phenomena, with the roar of dragons and the howl of tigers accompanying him!"

"That fierce and menacing aura, seemingly capable of tearing the heavens apart, was enough to send chills down one's spine even from hundreds of feet away! I told the envoy at the time, 'If this fiend survives, it will surely become a pillar and a deadly weapon of the Great Qin!'"

Zhou Jinzhong's tone became incredibly sincere, even tinged with relief: "Your Highness, not opposing the Great Qin, not attempting to challenge the might of this powerful dragon crossing the river, is probably... the wisest and most correct choice you have made in your life for the sake of Qi, and for yourself!"

"The Marquis of Qingyang alone is enough to shake the foundation of the nation, let alone the powerful and ruthless Qin Dynasty standing behind him?"

Jiang Zhengcheng closed his eyes briefly. Outside the carriage, the enthusiastic cheers of the people, "Your Highness is benevolent!" and "Qi Kingdom is fortunate!" mingled with Zhou Jinzhong's resolute words.

He recalled Sun Siqi's scheme that had been crushed under the wheels of a car, and the horrific scene of two thousand Tianyuan heavy cavalry being slaughtered by a single rider in a narrow canyon. He felt a complex mix of emotions.

After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes, and with a heavy sense of understanding and relief, he nodded gently to Zhou Jinzhong, and also to himself.

Ten days later.

Outside Wan'an Gate, the capital of the Qi Kingdom.

The convoy drove into the towering city gate, casting a huge shadow, but the expected desolation and resistance did not materialize.

On both sides of the wide imperial road, tens of thousands of Kyoto imperial guards stood in neat rows, their helmets and armor gleaming.

The flags were like a forest, but the most eye-catching were not the dragon flag with the character "Jiang" symbolizing imperial power, but the three thousand Xuanjia soldiers who silently guarded the central carriage like black clouds.

The chilling aura emanating from them made even the most elite imperial guards appear pale in comparison.

When the gates of the capital city opened, Jiang Zhengcheng and Ying Biqin were thrilled to see that more than half of the civil and military officials of Qi, led by the chief minister and the privy councilor, were dressed in court robes and stood respectfully by the roadside with their hands at their sides!
This is no longer just a polite greeting forced by power; it is a silent gesture and choice!

Jiang Yuanliang did not personally come out to greet them, but the scene of more than half of the officials bowing their heads spoke volumes more than any ceremony.

They were welcoming not only exiled princes and princesses returning home, but also Zhang Yuan, the Marquis of Qingyang, who represented the unparalleled power of the Qin Dynasty!

Security leads to dependence, dependence leads to order, and order leads to choice.

The rules that Marquis Qingyang had demonstrated with iron and blood were now clearly reflected in the silent ranks beneath the imperial city. Meanwhile, in the Imperial Study of the Great Qin Imperial City...

The Grand Eunuch Yu Kuizhen bowed respectfully, his voice steady: "Your Majesty, the Zhen Tian Division has secretly reported that Marquis Qingyang and his entourage have safely arrived outside Wan'an Gate in the capital of Qi."

Emperor Yuankang of Qin, who was reviewing memorials at his desk, did not pause his writing at all. He merely waved his hand very slightly and made no other indication.

It was as if he had expected this all along, and there was no need for any further attention.

A tiger has reached its destination; all that remains is to observe and wait.

However, beneath this calm, the entire Yongtian Continent was suddenly on edge.

Eastern Frontier Camp.

The long-dormant war machine roared to life.

Tens of millions of Qin soldiers, having undergone the rigorous training of Zhang Yuan's methods, broke camp and set up camp!
The vast and boundless army, like a slowly rising torrent of steel, pressed forward along the border of Dongqi!

Banners blotted out the sky, and war drums shook the mountains and rivers.

Every step taken carries an imposing and awe-inspiring weight.

The Zhao troops stationed on the border retreated in panic like a receding tide, not daring to even provoke them.

The border of the State of Wei.

Yuwen Tuo's madness was also reflected in his actions.

The Eastern Wei army mobilized rapidly, like hungry wolves smelling blood, and was also gathering on the border of Qi!

Clearly, the Eastern Wei was unwilling to sit idly by and watch the Qin Dynasty easily swallow up the Qi State, and instead attempted to profit from the chaos!

Northwest border, towards the Northern Yan.

A sharper, cold glint suddenly appeared!

The 300,000 elite Heavenly Guards, who had already entered the heart of Liangyuan Domain and were preparing to manage newly expanded territories, suddenly descended like divine soldiers.

With astonishing speed, they turned their troops around and, like a sharp knife, suddenly stabbed into the territory of Yan from the northwest!

On the blade stood the newly appointed Marquis of Zhenxi—Ouyang Shucai!
Behind him, the banners fluttered, and his gaze was as cold as the frost of the western frontier, pointing directly to his former homeland.

Princess Ying Ruolan of Fengming accompanied him in full military attire, her eyes burning with the flames of revenge and reconstruction.

Prince Ying Liang of King Zhao followed closely behind, carrying on his father's legacy.

At the same time, the main force of the 200,000-strong Red Scale Army, led by Yuchi Feng, marched out of Fengtian County!

This battle-hardened army, which had experienced the bloody battle of Linghe, was imbued with the fierce killing intent unique to the northern border, and its target was the vanguard of the Heavenly Demon Palace's demon army!
The brothers Ouyang Xu and Ouyang Ming, caught in a web of fate, are about to face their father on the battlefield!
At almost the same time, the Qin Empire launched a massive campaign of conquest with iron and blood on the eastern, southern, and northwestern fronts!
The sky above Yongtian Continent was torn apart by an invisible killing intent, and the vast land trembled under the iron hooves.

The fragile balance that had been maintained for a century among the five kingdoms and three regions was shattered the moment Marquis Qingyang entered the capital of Qi.

This is no ordinary attack; it is a massive upheaval that began with the State of Qi, swept across the entire Yongtian Continent, and set off a massive wave toward the ultimate unification of the continent!

Every living being clearly sensed that Yongtian Continent was about to change!
----------------

Incense and candles swirl around, and bells and chimes ring softly.

In front of the Great Qi Imperial Mausoleum, the new emperor Jiang Zhengcheng was dressed in a black robe, with Princess Yunqin Ying Bichi of the Great Qin in full regalia beside him.

All civil and military officials, members of the imperial family, and even some of the capital's guards stood solemnly before the steps.

Jiang Zhengcheng's gaze swept over the ancestral tablets and finally landed on the kneeling former officials of Jiang Yuanliang, his eyes cold and sharp.

He slowly took out a bright yellow silk scroll with worn edges from his sleeve and held it high above his head.

"Ancestors above!" Jiang Zhengcheng's voice was not loud, but it clearly prevailed over the wind and echoed in the silent mausoleum. "This unworthy descendant, Jiang Zhengcheng, brings the Princess of Qin here today to comfort the spirits of our ancestors!"

He suddenly unfolded the silk scroll, revealing powerful and vigorous characters—it was indeed the handwriting of the late Emperor Huan of Qi!

"This is the imperial edict that Father Emperor secretly kept on my person on the eve of his collapse!" Jiang Zhengcheng's voice was filled with suppressed grief and indignation as he read out each word: "If anything happens to me, I will pass the throne to my eldest son, Jiang Zhengcheng!"

"King Yongping, Jiang Yuanliang, harbors treacherous intentions and colludes with foreign powers. If he oversteps his bounds in governing, he will be regarded as a traitor who has usurped the country, and the whole world shall condemn him!"

"boom!"

The contents of the will were like a thunderclap!

Countless shocked, bewildered, and even fearful gazes were cast upon Jiang Yuanliang's confidants below the steps.

Hope was instantly rekindled in the eyes of some officials who had already wavered.

"Jiang Yuanliang!" Jiang Zhengcheng pointed his halberd towards the imperial city and shouted sternly, "You forged an imperial edict to usurp the throne, imprisoned your elder brother, disrupted the court, and allowed wolves to vie for the nation's interests! Furthermore, you colluded with demons and evil cultivators, undermining the very foundation of our Great Qi dynasty!"

"Today, before the spirits of our ancestors, do you still have the nerve to argue?!"

He turned abruptly to face the officials and generals, his voice booming through the heavens: "What should be done with these traitors and rebels?!"

After a brief silence, a thunderous roar erupted from the crowd!
"The traitor must be executed!"

"If the traitors are not eliminated, Heaven and Earth will not tolerate them!"

"Your Highness, please obey the will of Heaven, inherit the throne, and restore our Great Qi!"

"Your Highness, please ascend the throne! Long live the Emperor!!"

The calls grew louder and louder, sweeping from the imperial mausoleum to the entire capital, symbolizing a complete shift in the morale of the people and the army of Qi.

Standing at the pinnacle of public opinion, Jiang Zhengcheng felt the long-awaited power, but there was no joy in his eyes, only a heavy responsibility and a cold determination.

He glanced sideways at the composed Princess Qin beside him, and they exchanged a knowing look.

The glory of the Qin Dynasty has been deeply imprinted on this land that is about to be transformed.

The Imperial Palace of the Great Qi Dynasty.

Zhengyuan Hall.

The Zhengyuan Hall, which once symbolized supreme power, is now eerily empty.

The gilded dragon pillar, bathed in the setting sun, cast long, twisted shadows.

Jiang Yuanliang, dressed in a disheveled dragon robe, sat alone on the cold dragon throne.

On the table in front of him lay several crooked, empty wine jugs, and he held a half-full jade cup in his hand.

The palace doors were tightly shut, cutting off the faint sounds of bustling crowds that could be heard outside.

He knew that Jiang Zhengcheng's army and those defecting officials would soon break through this last barrier.

"Heh, heh heh..." Jiang Yuanliang suddenly chuckled, his voice hoarse, as if someone were sitting on the empty steps below. "Brother, do you see? What you entrusted to me, I've lost it all, completely lost..."

He took a large gulp of wine, his cloudy eyes filled with endless weariness and resentment: "Do you think being an emperor is easy? Do you think resisting the Qin is as simple as shouting a few curses at the border back then?"

"Zhang Qingyang! Is that a human? It's a ferocious beast from the primordial era, wearing human skin!" (End of Chapter)