Sword from the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 205 Maple Forest Supreme Wind Strikes Jiangnan
Inside the training ground, Shi Qingxuan sensed Zhou Yi's unusual behavior.

He remained in a meditative posture, yet suddenly expressed an extreme stillness, as if time had stopped flowing.

Looking closely at him, I didn't see any changes.

Even the aura of mental pressure that he occasionally exuded during his previous training has vanished without a trace.

As she was curiously observing, Zhou Yi suddenly opened his eyes.

His gaze was clear and bright, and a contented smile graced his handsome face, making one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze, even temporarily dispelling the chill of the harsh winter.

There are clear changes, yet no clues can be discerned.

Shi Qingxuan took a few steps closer and reached out to smooth his disheveled sideburns: "Is it just my imagination? Have you made great progress again?"

"Yes, it's an illusion."

Zhou Yi was quite modest: "I just opened up the ancestral aperture between my eyebrows, which had been unable to release energy for a long time. It's not a big improvement."

At first glance, this statement seems reasonable.

People in the martial arts world practice different methods, and many can be found who have opened their ancestral apertures.

But
After hearing what Zhou Yi said, she felt that it was more like he was joking with her than an 'illusion'.

Remembering that he had mentioned cultivating both body and spirit before, she asked, "How is it different from before?"

“Come on, let me show you around,” Zhou Yi got up from the futon and led her into the spacious courtyard.

"Look up."

Shi Qingxuan glanced at the gray sky that was about to darken, then turned her gaze back after a moment.

"The clouds are piled up, it will be a starless and moonless night, is there anything special about it?"

As she was speaking, she noticed Zhou Yi's smile and suddenly felt a chill.

Looking at the sky again
Snowing!
Snowflakes fluttered down, swirling like jade butterflies, settling on trees, tiles, and steps. Shi Qingxuan reached out and caught a few, watching the star-shaped snowflakes in her palm slowly melt, and couldn't help but look around.

It's snowing often at this time of year, but what's strange is that the snow doesn't fall around here, it only falls in this one place, as if it came specifically for them.

She let out a soft exclamation, her eyes filled with curiosity: "That's amazing. How did you do that? Is this what you meant by mobilizing the power of heaven and earth?"

"It is, but it didn't arise out of thin air; it's more of a response."

The three streams of true energy in Zhou Yi's orthodox and extraordinary meridians merged in the ancestral aperture through the dual cultivation of body and mind, and then returned to the origin from three parts, merging into one, becoming a special true energy.

This true energy can extend to various secret techniques and touch the power between heaven and earth.

However, it's not a true triumph yet.

He now has a clear goal and knows the method to gradually integrate the true energy within his body.

Therefore, there are almost no bottlenecks in the path of cultivation.

With a wave of his hand, Zhou Yi produced a strange, lifelike, and fluid true energy in his palm. In front of Shi Qingxuan, the true energy instantly dissipated, turning into a chilling frost. This chilling energy did not dissipate in the space but instead combined with the power of heaven and earth.

In an instant, the snow fell even heavier.

People around the Shilong Taoist temple in Jiangdu City noticed something unusual: snow was rapidly accumulating on the walls and roof tiles around the temple.

The noise from all around grew louder and louder.

This is so strange. It only snows here, and the snow is so heavy that everything turns white in an instant.

In other places, there wasn't even a snowflake the size of a grain of salt.

Those who witnessed this scene exclaimed that it was a strange and unusual occurrence, while others said that the snow covering Longchang was an auspicious sign.

"Hurry up and go."

Shi Qingxuan patted the snow off her body and pulled him outside.

As Zhou Yi walked, he said, "Don't you like it? This snow in Jiangdu is a gift for you."

"I like it, but I'm about to be surrounded by people watching me."

Hearing the commotion around them, the two leaped away from the courtyard.

Shortly after they left, the city's garrison was alerted.

A captain arrived at the Jiangdu camp, conducted an inspection, but found nothing, and the matter was dropped.

However, some strange stories have been circulating among the people.

Because two people were seen entering the Shilong Taoist temple before the snowfall, it was speculated that they were summoning wind and snow, and thus the strange tale began.
After leaving the Shilong Dojo, Zhou Yi headed straight for the Dugu Mansion.

"Since it can snow, can it also summon wind and rain?"

Zhou Yi carefully considered the martial arts he had practiced: "More or less."

"sharp."

Shi Qingxuan praised him and then joked, "It seems that in addition to emerging from darkness, you can also set up an altar to pray for rain in the future. You have entered the Heavenly Dao from the Yin and Yang realms."

"but."

"But what?"

She gestured with her hand:
"It's small, the area is relatively small. If it rains, you'll have to work in many places, and I'm afraid the whole prefecture will exhaust you. It's best not to let anyone know."

Before long, they arrived at the Dugu residence.

Upon seeing the plaque, Shi Qingxuan hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but then stopped.

Finally, he said, "Do I need to excuse myself?"

"Need not."

"What's there to hide when you're with me? Let's go."

Zhou Yi laughed and said, "Haven't you heard those rumors from the martial arts world?"

Seeing that he seemed quite proud of it, Shi Qingxuan rolled her eyes at him, somewhat speechless.

After meeting Zhou Yi, Dugu Sheng and Madam Zhang couldn't help but look at the girl beside him, each secretly praising her unparalleled beauty.

They didn't find it strange at all; on the contrary, they were friendly.

During the meeting in the inner hall, it was Madam Zhang who brought tea to Shi Qingxuan.

Zhou Yi had heard news about Jiangdu from Xu Xingzhi, but Dugu Sheng knew more about the city.

From the imperial court to the officials.

Zhou Yi had already gotten a general idea of ​​his attitude towards the imperial edict from his words.

Although some loyal ministers of the Sui Dynasty found it difficult to accept, firstly, it was the general trend, and secondly, it was an imperial edict personally written by Emperor Yang Guang. In the end, they all obeyed the edict.

Dugu Sheng had clearly done his work.

He could describe in great detail the officials from the Six Ministries to the various temples and academies.

After listening, Zhou Yi felt there wasn't a big problem, and then asked him to help find two more people.
……

The following day, inside the Taifu Temple in Jiangdu City.

Officials of all ranks were busy taking inventory of the palace treasury. Since the imperial edict was issued by Emperor Yang Guang, all officials knew that Jiangdu had changed hands.

Although this future emperor has not yet ascended the throne, he is by no means lacking in majesty.

Anyone with ears has heard how formidable this person is.

He is extremely sensitive to money and accounts.

Anyone who dares to owe him a debt would be in serious trouble.

Therefore, the imperial treasury must not be handled with the slightest error during future handover.

The two officials, the Minister of the Imperial Treasury and the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Treasury, have been working overtime for many nights, checking the situation again and again.

They didn't know when the new emperor would take the throne, so they could only be cautious and continue to maintain the status quo.

Everyone in the government offices performed their duties. Qiu Hui, the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, found an opportunity and, after reviewing the treasuries of the Huiliu Palace and Jiuli Palace with his superior, Fan Yibai, suddenly asked:
"Brother Fan, I've recently heard some very exciting news."

Qiu Hui lowered his voice, but before he could finish speaking, Fan Yibai interrupted him:

"You mean to talk about the relationship between His Majesty and the Dugu family, right?"

"That's right."

"I heard that too."

Seeing his reaction, Qiu Hui couldn't help but ask, "Do you think it's true or false?"

“It’s true, of course,” Fan Yibai gestured to the north, “and it matches the news from the Eastern Capital.”

Qiu Hui nodded repeatedly and breathed a sigh of relief: "So, the Mr. Zhou we took to Maple Forest Palace last time wasn't the same person?"

"Yes."

At this point, both of them had rather complicated feelings.

Compared to others, they had more dealings with the new emperor because of their position as librarians at Maple Forest Palace.

Based solely on my impressions of him during that time, he was not as bloodthirsty as the rumors in the martial arts world suggested.

But at Fenglin Palace, they were in a somber mood and discussed the Grand Commander of Jianghuai.

Unexpectedly, it was as if it happened right in front of them.

Will he hold a grudge?

Just thinking about it is terrifying.

The two from Taifu Temple didn't bring it up, but they could understand each other's concerns with just a glance.

Therefore, the period that followed was not only filled with the government's impeccable tasks, but also with the agonizing wait for an unknown trial.

Qiu Hui changed the subject:
"Shen Faxing was defeated by General You's troops. I estimate that this battle in Jiangnan will not last too long."

"Ah."

Fan Yibai shared what he knew: "The same is true in the Central Plains. Li Mi lost Yanshi and Hulao Pass and has been beaten so badly that he dares not show his face. Now, many cities near Yingchuan have also surrendered."

"Once the South is pacified, the Central Plains will soon be settled."

"The news about Bashu is from a long time ago, but now Xiangyang has also put up this person's name."

He clicked his tongue and said in a deeper tone, "The unification of the nine provinces is just around the corner."

Qiu Hui took a deep breath.

The two understood the profound significance of it.

There were many warlords in the chaotic times, and many declared themselves kings or emperors, but they only entertained themselves in their own territories.

What they will face is the universal respect of the world.

Moreover, he was an extraordinary emperor with exceptional martial prowess.

Such power and prestige are unprecedented in history.

I really can't imagine what changes the future will bring.

Fan Yibai patted Qiu Shaoqing on the shoulder: "Brother Qiu, don't worry too much. Thinking about it is useless. You might as well focus on your work."

Qiu Hui had no choice but to agree.

Just then, a voice called out from outside: "Steward!"

"Manager!"

In Jiangdu today, it's obvious which steward commands such respect.

The two men put down their inventory books and went to greet them.

Sure enough, the one who entered the government office was that thin, short old man.

Fan Yibo and Qiu Hui greeted each other with smiles and clasped hands.
"Chief Steward Dugu, what brings you to our humble temple today? Is there something you wish to tell us?"

"It wasn't me; someone is looking for you."

Dugu Sheng spoke quickly: "Come with me quickly."

Ok?
The two were startled, their first thought being whether Empress Xiao would inquire about the Ten Palaces of Shugang.

But if it were Empress Xiao, Dugu Sheng would definitely have spoken frankly.

Qiu Hui casually asked, "Sending us over could have been done by just anyone. Why did you have to go? What important matter could it be?"

Dugu Sheng smiled mysteriously: "Your Excellency, there's no need to ask any more questions. I don't know either. You'll understand when you get to Maple Forest Palace."

Fan Yibai and Qiu Hui are not fools.

Within Jiangdu City, who else could be summoned by Chief Steward Dugu on official business?
Only a handful of people remained in the palace.

Upon hearing the mention of Maple Forest Palace, the two men's expressions changed drastically.

Could it be!

The two exchanged a glance, casually informed their subordinates, straightened their expressions, and followed Dugu Sheng away.

They rode their horses to Maple Forest Palace.

Guided by Dugu Sheng, Fan Yibai and Qiu Hui arrived at the enormous library, which was where Yang Guang kept his books.

They composed themselves, exchanged a glance, and, finding nothing amiss, headed towards the library.

As per usual.

The person was supposed to be in the area where Taoist classics were kept, but unexpectedly, the sound of turning pages came from a more scattered area, such as astronomy, calendrical calculations, and medical notes.

Fifteen or sixteen feet away, upon seeing the white-clad figure, the two men's eyes lit up with understanding.

He paused for a moment, then quickly walked over.

It was obvious at a glance that the woman beside the man in white was not a young lady from the Dugu family.

Moreover, at this moment, she is mainly flipping through books.

Understanding dawned on them, and just as they were about to speak, Zhou Yi smiled and looked at them:

"Prefect Fan, Vice Minister Qiu, it's been a long time."

Upon hearing just this one sentence, and the rather friendly tone of the words, Fan Yibai and Qiu Hui felt a surge of excitement, followed by expressions of fear.

They even forgot what they wanted to say.

They all knelt down and cried out in unison, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

Zhou Yi shook his head slightly: "I haven't become emperor yet."

Qiu Hui said, "You are the ruler of Jiangdu, and therefore the supreme ruler in the hearts of all officials."

Fan Yibai said, "The people of the world have already turned their hearts to him, and we all look forward to the day when the Supreme One will establish his rule over the world."

"Alright, alright," Zhou Yi said, not wanting to argue with them, and told them to go find books related to medical techniques.

This map book is numerous and extremely difficult to find.

It mainly consists of directories; those who aren't experts need to look through them one by one to understand their contents.

With their help, efficiency was greatly improved.

Before long, the books were found as Zhou Yi had requested.

"When you have time, go to Luoyang and organize the Taoist scriptures there. Some books were taken by monks from the Western Regions. Can you figure out which ones were lost?"

The two immediately nodded: "Yes."

According to Yang Tong, the Western Region monk was brought in by Wang Shichong. Although the Nine-Headed Insect himself was dead, the matter was not over.

The things of the Eastern Capital are not something that a foreign monk can take as he pleases.

Having learned from their previous experience, Fan Yibo and Qiu Hui immediately understood what to do when they learned that Zhou Yi would be staying there for a while.

After leaving the library.

The two felt relieved, their worries turning into excitement and joy.

When the topic of the Grand Commander of Jianghuai came up, he clearly didn't hold a grudge.

Moreover, he was quite impressed with them and had them continue to carry out the tasks assigned to him by Yang Guang back then.

A bad thing turned into a great thing.

"Brother Fan, I have a feeling that we've hit the jackpot this time, as if we've encountered a benevolent ruler."

"I feel the same way."

Fan Yibai nodded repeatedly, and then, just like last time, started gossiping with Qiu Shaoqing, guessing which family's daughter it was.
After hearing the two people's footsteps fade into the distance, Shi Qingxuan asked Zhou Yi, "Are you planning to stay here?"

“Yes, Maple Forest Palace is one of the Ten Palaces of Shugang, and it is especially quiet. I need to stabilize my cultivation. There are books here that you like, so I won’t feel bored. Old Yang gave Jiangdu to me, and Maple Forest Palace has been empty. It’s not unreasonable for me to stay here.”

"You don't like it here?"

She looked around at the exquisite layout: "No, everything is fine, it's just that I've never been to a royal palace before, and..."

Her cheeks were slightly flushed: "I'm not used to hearing them address me that way."

Zhou Yi waved his hand: "Don't even mention you, I'm not used to it myself."

Shi Qingxuan turned her head to the side, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, her eyes sparkling with a lively light, carrying a hint of curiosity and slyness, and said with a smile, "Aren't you enjoying it?"

"Awake, I hold power over the world; drunk, I rest my head on the lap of a beautiful woman. What man in this world wouldn't want to be emperor?"

Zhou Yi smiled confidently: "I didn't say I wouldn't be emperor, but it's not because of what you said."

Shi Qingxuan was well aware of his feelings, but she was just joking with him and of course wouldn't take it too seriously.

Zhou Yi meditated, refining the three streams of true energy from the orthodox and extraordinary meridians, allowing them to continuously merge in his ancestral aperture.

For some reason, he always felt that time passed very quickly when he was cultivating.

During this time, Zhou Yi also instructed Shi Qingxuan in martial arts training. Days passed by in Maple Forest Palace, one after another, as the year-end approached.

And at this moment.
The war in Jiangnan is unfolding at an unimaginable speed.

Xu Shiji's army arrived on the west side. Feng Ge, a veteran general of Jingling County, and Feima Ranch of Nan County each sent a large number of troops to join Xu Shiji, totaling 90,000 men.

The battle raged from Jiangxia County to Mianyang County, with both sides engaging in a battle of wits and courage.

Xiao Xian suddenly realized that the strategists and generals he relied on were usually brave and resourceful, but when they encountered Zhou Yi's generals, the more ideas they had, the faster they were defeated.

King Lei Shimeng of Qin and King Zheng Wenxiu of Chu were both killed in succession!

Li Jing launched a fierce attack on Lin Shihong from Jiankang, capturing Xuancheng in one day. Three days later, he ambushed Lin Shihong's army in the open fields north of Xin'an County, defeating most of Lin Shihong's forces.

King Zhao Futingbai and King Yue Qiu Qiqi were killed by a hail of spears and trampled by a horse.

Upon seeing this, the troops stationed in Xin'an County surrendered immediately.

This news terrified Shen Faxing, who was in Yuhang.

If Li Jing gains a foothold in Xin'an County, his western flank will be cut off, and he will be besieged immediately.

At this time, Zhang Xutuo had led a large army from Jiangdu to Wujun.

In Shen Faxing's camp in Yuhang County, a man dressed in an ochre-yellow round-necked dragon robe and a jade belt sat upright in front of the Hangzhou hydrological map.

This man looked to be in his fifties, with small eyes, a broad face, thick lips, and a short beard.

He was quite imposing, and the military generals who were stared at by him dared not meet his gaze.

It was none other than Emperor Shen Faxing of Wu.

Sensing that something was amiss in the military, Shen Faxing frowned.

“Zhang Xutuo brought only 60,000 troops from Jiangdu. Even without mobilizing troops from Dongyang and Kuaiji, we still have 80,000.”

"In the upcoming battle of Wucheng, our forces are 80,000 to 60,000, so the advantage lies with us."

He prepared to continue speaking.

Unexpectedly.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps came rushing in: "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened!"

The scout who brought the news changed his expression drastically.

Shen Faxing angrily rebuked, "What's the panic?! Is Zhang Xutuo here?"

The messenger spoke quickly, yet his voice reached everyone's ears clearly:

"The Lingnan Song Clan wiped out the South China Sea Faction and came from the sea!"

"what?!"

Shen Faxing was taken aback, because his escape route was at sea. If the anti-Zhou alliance suffered a crushing defeat, he would sail east and occupy Japan.

Unexpectedly, Song Que blocked his path in life.

This was even harder to accept than hearing the news that Li Jing had captured Xin'an County to the west.

Doesn't this mean we're now facing a pincer attack from both the Jiangdu army and the Song warlords?!

Shen Faxing broke out in a cold sweat.

"Report! Report! Report!"

Outside the tent, another urgent cry rang out: "Qian Chenfeng, the garrison commander of Wucheng, has abandoned the city and surrendered. You Hongda is on his way to Yuhang. He says...he has something to say."

"What did you say?" Shen Faxing stared at the messenger.

The man lowered his head, his voice timid:

He said he would first behead the crown prince of Wu, and then behead the emperor of Wu.

By the end, his voice had become so low it was barely audible.

"Yeah~!"

Enraged, Shen Faxing overturned the table in front of him.

"Your Majesty, this man has gone too far! I am willing to lead the army to fight him!"

The speaker was a general in his forties named Yu Boling, who was a subordinate whom Shen Faxing relied heavily on.

"Alright, immediately dispatch 15,000 troops to the north city to prepare to meet You Hongda."

"Leader!"

Yu Boling spoke crisply and turned to leave.

Then someone asked, "Your Majesty, what should we do?"

Shen Faxing said without hesitation, "Turn around! Turn west immediately!"

If he stayed in Yuhang, he would be caught in a pincer movement, and the sea would be occupied by the Song clan. Naturally, he would head towards Poyang Lake to join Lin Shihong.

Based on Lin Shih-hung's recent reactions and my understanding of him...

Shen Faxing could easily conclude that Lin Shihong was absolutely confident in dealing with his opponent.

Otherwise, with the fire raging at the door, he wouldn't have been able to maintain the mindset of seclusion.

Shen Faxing first brought over the troops from Yuhang, then led the majority of Wu's forces westward to Dongyang, and then took the Dongyang troops to Poyang County, which was right next to it to the west.

then
Although the Wu Kingdom still seemed to have a vast territory that it hadn't lost, it was actually just an empty shell.

Yu Boling, the garrison commander of Yuhang, was directly sold out.

To You Hongda's surprise, he had only just arrived in Yuhang and had just sounded the war drums and shouted the slogan of killing Shen Faxing when...

Before Cheng Yaojin, Luo Shixin, and Qin Shubao could even make a move, Yu Boling raised a banner with the character "Zhou" on it, then opened the city gates and surrendered.

I thought there would be a fierce battle in Yuhang, but it went so smoothly.

After learning the news from Yu Boling, You Hongda made a bold move.

He abandoned most of his troops, taking only two thousand elite cavalrymen with minimal equipment, and marched east and south, shouting slogans to kill Shen Faxing.

really
The cities along the way, upon seeing him, all surrendered without hesitation.

After occupying the entire Yuhang and Kuaiji prefectures, they also took Yongjia prefecture. Further south, people had already begun to speak the Min dialect.

Yu Hongda didn't care whether he could understand or not, and planted flags all over Shen Faxing's territory.

In a short period of time, the Kingdom of Wu was destroyed.

On the day of the Great Cold, the chill truly gripped the hearts of the anti-Zhou alliance.

The Song army launched a blitzkrieg against Luling. Tian Dao himself appeared on the battlefield. He did not take any action, but his mere presence terrified many of the defending soldiers.

In just four days, Yichun County and Changsha County disappeared from the territory of the Liang-Chu alliance.

Neither county offered any resistance.

When Xu Shiji captured Dongting Lake, Emperor Xiao Xian of Liang abandoned Baling and went east to Jiujiang.

Near Dongting Lake, many gangs were oppressed by Xiao Xian. Now that he has escaped, these Jianghu forces have instantly revived.

For example, a gang called the Angry Dragon Gang revived after changing its name to the Angry Flood Dragon Gang.

Of course, some gangs were also completely destroyed.

The headquarters of the Baling Gang was completely destroyed.

Meanwhile, Shen Faxing, who had entered Poyang, made a discovery.

Emperor Lin Shihong of Chu was not in the palace.

His heart sank, and he almost thought that Lin Shihong had run away.

The people from Poyang told him that the Chu Emperor was in Jiujiang.

Shen Faxing left Wu territory faster than Xiao Xian, but his journey was longer.

Coincidentally, the two arrived in Jiujiang three days before the end of the year. There was an imperial city in the city, which was not very large. It was built by Lin Shihong in imitation of Yang Guang's Shugang Ten Palaces.

It was called Xunyang Palace.

At the top of the palace, one can enjoy a panoramic view of the river, watching the mighty Yangtze flow eastward and hundreds of boats racing along – it is an excellent spot.

Unfortunately, neither Shen Faxing nor Xiao Xian were in the mood for it.

In a short period of time, the vast territory of the Three Kingdoms was reduced to only three places: Jiujiang, Poyang, and Yuzhang.

The army collapsed like a house of cards, the speed of which was simply unimaginable.

Xu Shiji, Li Jing, Zhang Xutuo, You Hongda, and the Song army were surrounding them.

If they hadn't escaped quickly enough, they might have been betrayed and killed by their own men.

"Brother Shen, what are your plans?"

Shen Faxing gazed at the man before him, who was about the same age as him, also dressed in a dragon robe, but even taller and more robust, and fell into deep thought.

He frowned, and after a long while, he said to Xiao Xian:
"I'd like to ask the Emperor of Chu first. At this point, he is still so calm. He must have a plan in mind."

Xiao Xian looked at the brightly lit Xunyang Palace with a look of doubt in his eyes.

He appears kind and generous on the surface, but is actually very jealous and will stop at nothing to achieve his goals.

Therefore, gangs like Baling that trafficked women were also targets for his recruitment.

Another thing is that he is afraid of dying.

Therefore, they dared not place all their hopes on Lin Shih-hung.

"Brother Shen, what if Brother Lin's prediction is as we expect?"

Shen Faxing asked, "What's your idea?"

Xiao Xian said with a stern face: "I've heard that Zhou Yi is a man of his word and has a compassionate heart."

“We have concentrated our forces here, along with the Chu garrison, totaling nearly 150,000 men. Since he doesn’t want to cause more bloodshed, we will exchange our military power for our lives. He wants to maintain a good reputation, so he shouldn’t refuse.”

Shen Faxing sneered: "I'm afraid it's not that simple."

Before the two even stepped into Xunyang Palace, they heard someone deliver a message.

Poyang County, Lin Shihong's stronghold, has fallen!

Now, will Lin Shihong still be able to sit still?
"Gentlemen, His Majesty requests your presence!"

A high-pitched eunuch's voice rang out; it was none other than Eunuch Wei, who had served Yang Guang in the past.

"Has the Chu Emperor already emerged from seclusion?"

"Yes, you two are lucky, it happened just as you entered the city."

After speaking, Eunuch Wei flicked his whisk and led the way.

Xiao Xian and Shen Faxing frowned, their eyes filled with anger as they stared at Eunuch Wei's retreating figure.

This old eunuch is so disrespectful to them.

The two men did not remove their dragon robes because they did not want to be inferior to Lin Shihong in this place. Everyone had declared themselves emperors, so there was no distinction between them.

The old eunuch's attitude was clearly aimed at suppressing them.

Once he became emperor and enjoyed the feeling of being worshipped by all his officials, he could never go back to that state.

Xiao Xian and Shen Faxing were immersed in their dream of being the supreme rulers of the world, and even though they were down on their luck, they were unwilling to wake up from the dream.

Instead of taking them to the most magnificent palace in the center, Eunuch Wei led them to the tallest eight-story tower in Xunyang Palace.

The northwest wind made the iron gates on the eaves clang loudly.

Every now and then, an icicle would fall to the ground.

After the two ascended the tower, a breathtaking scene unfolded on the top floor of the river-viewing tower.

Three people dressed in dragon robes sat together.

The Emperors of Chu, Wu, and Liang stood to the side, while Eunuch Wei secretly felt a sense of absurdity, finding it both laughable and ridiculous.

Compared to Shen Faxing and Xiao Xian, Lin Shihong was younger, and his face was covered with a layer of purple light, which corresponded to the auspicious purple aura coming from the east, indicating that he was of extremely high status, as if he were the true emperor favored by heaven.

In terms of temperament, there has been a complete transformation.

When Shen Faxing talked about the capture of Poyang County, Lin Shihong was indifferent and showed no sign of caring.

However, as if his bloodlust had been aroused, a cruel and sinister smile appeared on his purplish lips.

"Today Poyang, tomorrow Yuzhang."

"On the day of the New Year, they will attack Jiujiang."

Lin Shihong's words enraged Shen Faxing: "How dare you! Do you think we're made of clay?"

"They won't let us live to see next year?"

Xiao Xian asked with a grim face, "Brother Lin, what is your plan?"

Lin Shihong smiled arrogantly: "Naturally, it will be a great battle."

Shen Faxing and Xiao Xian looked over and saw Lin Shihong with long hair flowing down his shoulders, his eyes like lightning, charming and domineering, as if any words he uttered could be believed.

Do you know why I'm in Jiujiang?

"Why?"

“This man surnamed Zhou once came to Jiujiang and boasted that he would kill me. I want to see if he has the guts. If he dares to come, I will kill him and his army will fall apart and collapse in an instant.”

Lin Shih-hung seems like a stranger.

Shen Faxing and Xiao Xian both thought he was making a boastful claim and talking nonsense.

Their suspicious looks finally surfaced.

Suddenly, a wave of killing intent engulfed the two of them.

Lin Shihong's cold, beast-like eyes gleamed with a purple light, sending chills down their spines; the coldness seemed to emanate from the depths of their souls.

Xiao Xian shuddered slightly and quickly tried to salvage the situation: "Although we are allies, Jiujiang is Brother Lin's territory, so we will naturally arrange things according to Brother Lin's plan."

Shen Faxing immediately agreed.

"very good."

The killing intent receded like a tide, and Lin Shihong crossed his arms. "With the two of you working together with my men to control the military formation, I am confident in my ability to do so."

"it is good!"

The two men were extremely dissatisfied with Lin Shihong, but at this moment, they also felt a bit of anticipation.

Could it be that Lin Shihong really can deal with that guy surnamed Zhou?

Killing the guy surnamed Zhou will naturally resolve the crisis. Ideally, they'd both die together; that would be a grand celebration.

After Xiao Xian and Shen Faxing left, a slender black figure fell from the top of the tower; it was none other than Xinnaya, the Poisonous Water of the Great Ming Sect.

"Emperor Chu, it is not a safe course of action for you to fight him now."

"What, are you trying to persuade me to go to Chang'an?"

"Exactly."

Cinnaya advised:
"Rather than being exposed here, we should stay in Chang'an and wait for the decisive blow. When everyone works together, this Taoist master will surely die. We'll give him Jiangnan, and we'll leave Xiao Xian and Shen Faxing's heads to him as well. We'll use this great victory to cloud his judgment."

“Your plan sounds good,” Lin Shihong said arrogantly, “but why should I listen to you?”

Xinnaya's expression froze.

The man surnamed Lin had changed his temperament drastically. He was displeased, but he went along with what the other man said: "Although the Chu Emperor obtained the secret method, it is not perfect. He will definitely be able to make further progress after coming to Chang'an."

"No need."

As he spoke, an extremely powerful and chilling aura erupted from his body: "Whether it is perfect or not does not depend on you, but on me."

Xinnaya quickly cupped her hands in farewell and said, "Farewell."

She vanished in a flash, and Lin Shihong smiled arrogantly, ignoring her.

Eunuch Wei said, "It is not difficult to see from the battle at Jingnian Temple and the battle at Hulao Pass where he killed Fu Nanda that he is already one of the most powerful martial arts grandmasters of our time."

Lin Shihong revealed a hint of caution:
"I might not be very confident elsewhere, but as long as he dares to come here, whether it's one of the three grandmasters or anyone else, I will make him regret it."

As for that group of people in Chang'an

He said with a sneer, "I only agreed to their request because I wanted to see the secret technique. As for trusting them, that's absolutely impossible."

……

Lin Shihong's prediction was entirely correct. After Poyang Commandery fell, Yuzhang Commandery followed suit.

Upon hearing the news of the surrender of the garrison in Yuzhang County, Xiao Xian and Shen Faxing were extremely anxious, but Lin Shihong remained unmoved.

He recuperated and waited silently at Wangjiang Tower in Xunyang.

Armies from all directions have already swept towards Jiujiang.

It seemed that by the end of this year, the entire south would be pacified.

The atmosphere in Jiujiang City has changed. Hundreds of thousands of troops have gathered here, but the enemy outnumbers them by more than double.

A sense of tension and panic continued to spread.

But
Unlike the surrounding prefectures that surrendered decisively, this place was home to three emperors and many loyal subordinates.

Taking down a fortified city is no easy task.

The day before the end of the year.

After the army had surrounded Jiujiang, a wooden boat sailed down from Jiankang. It was clearly going against the current, but no one was rowing; the boat was propelled only by a gust of wind, yet it moved with extraordinary speed. A figure in white at the bow, with great interest, gazed towards the headwaters of the Xunyang River.
……

(End of this chapter)