Gao Wu Da Qin: You don't want your secret to be known, do you?

Chapter 140: That's all I have to say. Don't say I didn't warn you!

The third month of the lunar calendar marks the beginning of spring, a time of awakening and hibernation. 🎀♠ ➅❾𝐒нỮ𝔁.匚๏𝐦 👌♨

Taoist texts record that when the Jingzhe (Awakening of Insects) season arrives, the yang energy rises, the temperature warms up, spring thunder rumbles, and rainfall increases, bringing vitality to all things.

It is truly the spring of the year, the beginning of all things.

However, it seems that something is not quite right for humans, animals, or all things this year.

The two major families in Zhuolu, the Yang family and the Li family, have yet to issue a new declaration on spring plowing.

This year's weather is exceptionally cold. In March, two-thirds of Zhuolu was still frozen solid, and everything was silent.

The entertainment in the media has numbed people, and this numbness is mixed with a sense of silence. Some people with ulterior motives often look at the moon with fear. In their eyes, the moon is no longer the moon, but a time bomb.

It could drag hundreds of millions of lives in Zhuolu into a catastrophe at any time.

Although Chentang Pass and Guanjiangkou have nominally achieved an alliance, the two families have long been rivals on this land, and their mutual hatred is comparable to that between the six states and the Qin Dynasty.

In fact, the relationship between the six states and the Qin Dynasty was better than that between the Yang and Li families!

After all, the six states and the Qin Dynasty shared a common enemy: the Zhou emperor. Although the seven states were constantly at war, they were united in their resolve to fight the Zhou emperor.

However, in Zhuolu, the Zhou emperor was the mastermind behind everything. Both the Li and Yang families were his subjects. In fact, the reason they were able to put aside their differences and reach an alliance was primarily due to the Zhou emperor's instructions.

But can these two families, who are outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds, really withstand the foundation's offensive?

Chentang Pass, General's Mansion, outer hall of Li Family Ancestral Hall.

Outside the lobby, the snow howled and the cold wind whistled.

In the head seat, the head of the Li family sat in the middle with a cold expression, flanked by dozens of Li family elders dressed in long robes on each side.

The head of the Li family looked at the snow outside the foyer and asked in a calm voice, "What are your thoughts?"

The elder on the left stroked his long beard, his voice calm, "I stand by my previous opinion: our Li family can participate in the work, but we won't provide the physical strength. We can cheer and shout, but I won't send any of my Li family members to the front lines to fight the foundation!"

The Second Elder on the right said, "Since the First Elder speaks frankly, I won't beat around the bush either. It's like throwing an egg against a rock—it's not worth it. The Foundation is truly despicable, and Zhou Tianzi is a hypocrite. Not to mention Guanjiangkou, that's our enemy! Since the situation is so dire, we might as well surrender!"

The elder on the left slammed his fist on the table in anger, "I only said you weren't putting in the effort, I didn't say you were surrendering!"

The Second Elder stroked his black beard calmly, "Neither fighting nor retreating, do you think the Li family can maintain its status and power as before? Do you think the Seven Kingdoms are all fools?"

"This trip around the world is not the same as the last one."

"The last time Confucius traveled the world, it was out of necessity! If Confucius hadn't traveled the world, the human realm would have been in chaos."

"This time, Master Meng's journey across the world is voluntary! Originally, the gods did not have this plan, but Master Meng insisted on the journey, hijacking the will of the mortal world and forcibly making the journey. This journey will cause great chaos in the Earthly Immortal Realm and the Heavenly Realm."

"This is clearly a move to force the mortal realm to launch a full-scale attack on the celestial and earthly immortal realms. We, the remnants of the previous dynasty—bah! To put it bluntly, we are the remnants of the dynasty before that!"

"If we fight to the end, we'll get nothing in return!"

"Gentlemen, I hope you can all calm down and think about how our Li family rose to prominence!"

"In the Battle of Mingtiao, we decisively abandoned the Xia Dynasty and joined the Shang Dynasty."

"When King Wu attacked King Zhou, we decisively abandoned King Zhou and followed the Zhou Dynasty."

"Our family's greatest success lies in speculation and positioning!"

"Our family, from its rise to prominence until now, has never had any concept of loyalty! Even if there were any loyalty, it has an expiration date!"

"The tide is unstoppable; taking a stand is of paramount importance!"

"Standing on the side of the victors is our only option!"

"As for you saying I'm spineless and that surrendering is shameful, I admit it. But pointing fingers at me from your moral high ground comes at a price!"

The atmosphere in the outer hall of the ancestral hall cooled down even further after the Second Elder said this.

But the First Elder had no intention of giving the Second Elder any face and directly confronted him, "Surrender should be done at the right time. The Foundation has already listed us as enemies. Isn't it a bit too late for you to think about surrendering now?"

"Wrong!" the Second Elder laughed. "Surrender isn't about timing, it's about actions!"

"Qin Feng is a strategist. Strategists are a school of thought that has no bottom line and no principles. They don't believe people's words; they only believe people's actions."

"As long as we slack off enough during the war and miss every opportunity, wouldn't the Foundation know that we're surrendering? Wouldn't they then give us a break?"

"As for the decisive battle between the Foundation and the Ji family, we don't need to concern ourselves with that! The Ji family is a puppet of the gods, and the Foundation is a powerful enemy of humanity. They're just fighting like dogs! Whoever wins, we'll stand by their side!"

After saying this, the patriarch's voice was deep and solemn. "What the First Elder said was to preserve the family's power, and what the Second Elder said was to preserve the family's strength in the long term. Whether it is the First Elder or the Second Elder, they are both right. They are both trying to preserve the Li family."

"We are all descendants of the Li family. In the face of such a great calamity, we must cooperate sincerely and overcome this difficulty together. I believe that after this battle, the Li family will still be the same Li family!"

The elders all said in unison, "The patriarch is absolutely right!"

Compared to the Li family, the Yang family's actions were much more intense.

The crowd outside Erlang Temple at the mouth of the Guanjiang River had just dispersed, but the echoes still lingered in Yang Chan's heart.

"That Qin Feng killed the Meishan brothers and repeatedly humiliated the family head. With these two feuds compounded, how can we not avenge him! What can the Foundation do? As long as we work together, we can crush the Foundation even in this imperial graveyard of Zhuolu!"

"That's true, but in my opinion, the Eight Eccentrics of Meishan have committed numerous evils. In recent years, even the Yang family has actively distanced themselves from them. Their destruction by the Master is entirely their own fault. As for Qin Feng insulting the Patriarch, I think that's a misconception. The media has already clarified that the child is indeed not the Patriarch's child. It's just that there are rumors about Qin Feng and the Patriarch having an affair. But what is Qin Feng's status? He's ranked first on three lists, a powerful expert, the Master's coachman, and a disciple of the Strategists. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, his future achievements will not be lower than an eleventh-realm Saint. Coupled with his immense power, he is a match for the Patriarch. Even if Lord Yang Jian were here, he would acknowledge this marriage and say it's a good match! So, in my opinion, our Yang family doesn't need to fight to the death with the Foundation."

"What do you mean, Old Master Su! Do you think the head of the family must marry Qin Feng?"

"Old woman Feng, don't be so harsh. To put it bluntly, if we compare the patriarch to Qin Feng in the outer universe, many people would probably think the patriarch is not good enough for Qin Feng. If this is called marrying down, then what is called marrying up?"

"Enough! Can you two old hags stop arguing? This is a discussion about whether to fight, not whether to get married!"

"Whether I marry or not is a matter of fighting or not. If marriage can resolve all grudges, why fight? If we have to fight, then I can't get married!"

"So what exactly are you thinking?"

"In my opinion, a fight is inevitable. Let the Li family fight; our Yang family doesn't need to get involved. At most, we can cheer them on. If the Foundation is truly powerful and can take on a thousand men, then we'll grit our teeth, admit our mistake, marry the head of the family, and arrange a marriage alliance to maintain our family's status. But if the Foundation is a coward, then we'll fight alongside the Yang family and kill that brat Qin Feng! Wouldn't that be wonderful!"

"That's easy for you to say. You won't suffer any losses either way. Sacrificing the family head for everyone's benefit, is that it?"

"Oh, I almost forgot, the two proclamations the patriarch drafted last time to denounce Master Meng were all instigated by you, Granny Feng. You were worried that if you couldn't win, Master Meng would come to question you, and since you insulted him, he'd probably slap you to death!"

"Old Master Su, shut up! You, a descendant of the Su family, as a son-in-law, still have the nerve to talk nonsense in my Yang family!"

"Oh—you're getting angry now, aren't you! So what if I'm a live-in son-in-law? I'm proud of it! I only became a live-in son-in-law in your Yang family because Yang Jian's father and my Su family are of the same lineage! That's why I chose to be a live-in son-in-law in your Yang family, keeping the good stuff within the family. Who do you think you are!"

"Enough! Stop arguing, all of you, step back!"

Sitting alone in an empty room, a pair of delicate hands were intertwined in a tangled mess.

The fairy's silhouette was desolate and pitiful, her long hair reaching her waist, fluttering in the snowy wind.

The statue of Erlang Shen sat upright on the table, while the young girl knelt on the prayer mat, whispering, "Elder brother, what is the solution to this predicament? There is not a single good man in the entire family. I am truly no match for them."

"Compared to killing Qin Feng, I'd rather slaughter the Yang family!"

"These traitors within our own ranks are worse than foreign bandits!"

At this moment, ripples appeared in the offering basin in front of the statue, and within the ripples, a dazzling, alluring crimson flower bloomed.

The girl's beautiful eyes lit up with a hint of surprise. "It's you!"

Laughter rang out from among the crimson spider lilies, "Sister, it's been a long time."

Yang Chan stared at the spider lily, "Come down from my brother's divine position!"

"What's all the fuss about!" the enchantress laughed leisurely. "I'm here to save you, don't harbor such hatred towards me!"

Yang Chan said, "You'll save me? You're imprisoned and can barely save yourself, yet you say you'll save me!"

The enchantress laughed, "I have a sword here. Take it with you. If you run into Qi Tian from that foundation—oops, I mean Qin Feng, that bastard has too many aliases!—show him the sword, and even if that kid had the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard, he wouldn't dare to do anything to you!"

Yang Chan said irritably, "When did you become so kind?"

The enchantress's voice was playful, "If it weren't for the fact that you disguised yourself as a man and stole my marriage certificate back then, I wouldn't care whether you live or die!"

"The Foundation's army is pressing in, Qin Feng's momentum is unstoppable, and the tide is in his favor. This time, you are doomed to defeat!"

"With this sword in hand, even if those good-for-nothing traitors in your family wanted to sell you out for peace, they probably wouldn't be able to do it."

"Qin Feng is terrified of this sword; he will obey your every command!"

Before Erlang Shen's shrine, an antique-style longsword with a scabbard woven from red spider lilies appeared. The sword was square and upright, exuding a majestic and awe-inspiring presence, with the faint aura of a white dragon swirling around it, suggesting that it was a rare and mysterious weapon.

However, this still cannot hide the fact that the sword is of low grade, only a high-grade Xuan-level sword.

Yang Chan picked up the sword, held it in her palm, and was about to draw it.

The enchantress's voice continued, "Don't draw it, little sister. This sword is only at its greatest power when it's in its sheath!"

Yang Chan held the sword. "I owe you a favor, and I'll repay you later!"

The enchantress chuckled eerily, "You're about to be sold out by your own family, and you're still here claiming you're repaying my favor? How laughable!"

"These stupid lackeys in your household are spoiled rotten by you. If your brother were alive, they wouldn't dare to be so arrogant! Or rather, if they dared to work under Qin Feng, that kid would skin them alive eight times a day!"

"Only you are truly all looks and no substance. You're so beautiful, but your abilities are utterly terrible. You didn't even use the Lotus Lantern your brother gave you. You ruined a perfectly good game of chess!"

"A woman like you, all looks and no brains, is only fit to have children for men."

Yang Chan snapped angrily, "You vixen, shut up!"

The red spider lilies bloomed vibrantly, and the enchantress's laughter echoed softly.

"My dear sister, I'll tell you another secret for free. Actually, Qin Feng also has a marriage certificate with me, and I like him a lot! We're destined to get married!"

"Now that your affair with Qin Feng has become known throughout the Three Realms, it's very difficult for me, as the eldest son's wife, to handle this."

"But I can't refuse! The men in my family are promiscuous, and as the first wife, I have a responsibility to help him find a concubine!"

"Of course, sister, don't misunderstand. I'm not saying this because I object to your marriage with Qin Feng. In fact, I quite approve of it."

"After all, a beauty like you, with all looks and no brains, would never be able to threaten my position as the head of the family if you married Qin Feng!"

"Instead of waiting for Qin Feng to propose on his own, I, as the first wife, will give you a betrothal letter first. This betrothal letter is the sword in your hand."

"The opportunity is yours; it's up to you to seize it!"

"Goodbye, my dear sister! We'll have plenty of time to spend together in the future, so you'd better start thinking about how to get along with me, the first wife! Otherwise, your position in the family might be in jeopardy!"

"This fickle man definitely won't just take you as a concubine; who knows how many other innocent girls he plans to ruin..."

The spider lily disappeared, but the demoness's laughter lingered on Yang Chan's forehead, making her extremely embarrassed and annoyed.

As the wind and snow fell, a knock came at the temple door. "Master, there's news! The Foundation has declared war!"

Yang Chan hurriedly put the sword back into her spatial ring, went outside, and said, "Let's go take a look!"

At this moment, in the Yang family's council hall, on a 3D projection screen, Qi Tian, ​​the foundation's president dressed in a black robe, is holding a press conference.

The entire Yang family watched the screen intently, their tension palpable.

Qin Feng was unusually solemn and stern, his voice authoritative.

"I am Qi Tian, ​​president of the World Travel Foundation, and a disciple of the School of Diplomacy."

"We hereby issue to the public a proclamation condemning the traitors and a letter to the authorities in Zhuolu."

"We, the Xuanyuan, are the great human race. We have stood tall on the supercontinent for countless millennia, a land of civilization and etiquette."

"As times change and years pass, the seven nations of the outer universe, prosperous and powerful, stand tall among the nations of the world; their industries flourish, shining brightly like a beacon!"

"Alas, the Nine Tripods of King Yu were incomplete; though the Seven Kingdoms were powerful, they lacked one leader. The unification of the nine provinces and all regions is the tradition of my Xuanyuan."

"You have been living in Zhuolu for over six thousand years, in a corner of the land. The people of the mainland, out of pity for you, are descendants of the Yellow Emperor and Yan Emperor, children of the human race, bound by blood thicker than water. We cannot bear to turn against you with weapons, and for decades we have tolerated and protected you."

"You should have followed the trend, honored your ancestors, and brought peace to the people. Instead, you colluded with barbarians, attempting to seize territory for your own gain; you even submitted to demons, hoping to betray your ancestors for personal glory!"

"Such hatred disgraces the glory of our ancestors and plunges the common people into misery! To recognize a thief as one's father, to forget one's roots and ancestors, is utterly shameless!"

"You petty scoundrels, knowing only small courtesies but lacking in righteousness, fearing only power but not virtue! Now, I have led a million mighty soldiers, armed and ready, to hunt you down at Zhuolu!"

"You should all surrender, offer food and drink, and welcome the royal army. Have pity on the people of the world, and do not let them suffer and the land be ravaged!"

"If they resist stubbornly and refuse to surrender, then with the might of our great army, wherever our might leads, we will surely crush them all, and the earth will shake!"

"At that time, will you have a foolproof way out? Will your heads still be on your necks?!"

"This is the will of Heaven! This is the will of the people! This is the general trend! I have said all I need to say; do not say you were not warned!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Feng's portrait on the screen suddenly enlarged, his murderous aura undisguised.

The issuance of the proclamation of war signifies a formal declaration of war!

Any future actions of war by the Foundation will not be considered unjust acts of surprise attacks, but rather legitimate acts of war, morally impeccable.

A single proclamation stirred up a thousand waves.

The name Qi Tian was also remembered by everyone.

Within the territory of Aolai Kingdom, almost all war machines have been put in place, and wartime control has been implemented in Jianye City. Spaceships are constantly visible in the sky above the streets.

"This proclamation is beautifully written!" Liu Bang exclaimed to his brothers as he watched the proclamation against the rebels on television. "Watch it, everyone! Learn from it! This is true skill! No matter what you do, you must have a just cause! You must be morally upright!"

"President Qi's literary talent is probably comparable to Qin Feng, who ranked first in all three categories!"

Inside the Qin King's Palace in Xianyang City.

Ying Zheng looked at Qin Feng's proclamation against the traitors. Although he did not speak, the curtains swayed gently, indicating that the king was in a good mood.

Li Si chuckled and said, "As expected of the top scholar in all three categories, this proclamation is truly magnificent. Not only is it well-founded, but it also delivers a counterattack! The other side has no way to refute it!"

Ying Kui laughed, "The son of a strategist, his ability to manipulate and negotiate is among the best in the world, it's not just talk."

In Linzi, the capital of Qi, within the royal palace.

King Qi sat upright in his royal carriage, watching the projection. "He speaks very fluently, but I wonder how capable he is in actual combat!"

An old minister under the Qi King said, "Zhao Kuo, Meng Yi and other disciples of the military strategist are all present. The people of Zhuolu are in a state of panic. Even if the foundation is not good, it can't be too bad."

Another minister said, "In my opinion, the real mastermind behind the Battle of Zhuolu is the Zhou emperor. The Zhou emperor has many capable people, and the situation of the foundation is not optimistic."

In the royal palace of Handan, the capital of Zhao.

King Zhao looked around and said, "In this foundation, among the seven states, apart from Qin, Zhao has placed the largest bet, and has even sent General Zhao Kuo, the son of General Zhao She! If we win, we will take the second largest territory in Zhuolu!"

General Zhao She bowed and said, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. Whoever bets the most will win the most. This is the rule of the seven kingdoms! Even Ying Zheng must abide by it."

Another general said, "Your Majesty's decisive investment in the Foundation truly demonstrates your courage. If we can anchor a piece of land in the Immortal Realm, we can connect the inner and outer universes, and the population and national strength of Zhao could potentially surpass that of Qin!"

King Zhao laughed heartily and said, "Zhuolu will be a good show! Let's all wait and see!"

(End of this chapter)

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