The Reversal of Heaven Begins with The Smiling, Proud Wanderer

Any force that attempted to stop him was instantly crushed into dust with overwhelming force, unable to slow the army's advance in the slightest.

Slaying generals, capturing flags, being the first to scale the walls, breaching city walls...

That godlike, demonic, and invincible figure, through countless charges and victories, was branded into the hearts of all the soldiers who followed him, transforming into fervent worship and awe.

Moreover, Lin Mu's army not only did not decrease in number due to the war, but actually increased in number as the fighting progressed.

Many former garrison troops and scattered soldiers of Nanqing, seeing that the situation was hopeless, took the initiative to join Lin Mu's army with the mentality of "if we can't beat them, we'll join them," causing the army to grow larger and larger like a snowball.

……

Inside the Imperial Study of the Northern Qi Dynasty Palace.

Zhan Doudou stared in disbelief at the frontline battle reports that were rapidly arriving through secret channels, her delicate fingers trembling slightly.

She initially only sent Lin Mu to resist the offensive of the Nanqing army, relieve the pressure on the border, and hopefully dampen Nanqing's morale.

But she never expected that Lin Mu could do such a thing!

Not only did they defeat the entire army of Nanqing in one battle, but they also gathered together hundreds of thousands of defeated troops. With the momentum of their great victory, they marched south at an astonishing speed, as if entering an empty land, and had already captured several cities in succession.

At this rate, it probably won't be long before he reaches the capital of Qing Kingdom!

This is beyond description; it's simply... defying the heavens!

A complex and indescribable emotion welled up in Zhan Doudou's heart.

There was a mixture of elation at the impending annihilation of their formidable enemy, Nanqing, and a deep chill and fear rising from the depths of their hearts.

Lin Mu's abilities far exceeded her imagination, even beyond her control.

She unconsciously stroked the cold armrest of the dragon throne beneath her.

At this moment, she felt that the throne, which represented the highest power in Northern Qi, had never felt so cold and unstable.

If Lin Mu can truly overthrow Nanqing, then the power he wields will be so vast that it can sweep across the world. What can Beiqi rely on to restrain him?

The proper roles of ruler and subject?

They appeared so pale and powerless in the face of his absolute power.

A thought began to frantically grow and swirl in her mind.

We must find a way to completely bind Lin Mu, the Zhan family, and Northern Qi together!

A hint of determination and calculation flashed in her beautiful eyes.

If... if I could conceive Lin Mu's child...

Zhan Doudou's cheeks flushed slightly, but her eyes were unusually firm.

[As long as there is a child with his bloodline, and that child inherits the throne of Northern Qi in the future, then the world will nominally still belong to the Zhan family! I can use this to firmly bind him to my side!]

……

Nanqing, Kyoto.

News of the frontline defeats flooded into Kyoto like snowflakes, each battle report sounding like a death knell, plunging the entire capital into unprecedented panic and despair.

With prices soaring, rumors spreading, and people in a state of panic, many wealthy individuals and high-ranking officials have begun secretly preparing for their future.

Inside the palace, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was suffocating.

As Emperor Qing looked at the urgent military reports, the muscles on his face contorted and twitched with extreme shock and anger.

He never imagined that gathering the nation's elite forces and even enlisting Ye Liuyun to set up what he considered a foolproof killing trap would not only fail to kill Lin Mu, but instead make him infamous and even cause a large-scale defection of the entire army!

Fan Xian, the illegitimate son whom he raised but was always wary of, has rebelled!

Ye Zhong, the military general he relied on, and Ye Liuyun, a pillar of the nation, have also surrendered!

"Damn it, they all deserve to die!"

Emperor Qing's eyes were bloodshot, and he frantically wanted to order the extermination of the entire Fan and Ye families to vent his hatred and serve as a warning to others.

However, Lin Mu had already spread the word: if anything happens to anyone in the Fan or Ye families, Lin Mu will exterminate the entire royal family of Nanqing and slaughter the entire capital!

When the news spread, the remaining ministers in the capital, for the sake of their own lives and the people of the city, knelt down and pleaded with Emperor Qing to be patient and not to touch the Fan and Ye families.

Emperor Qing slumped onto the dragon throne, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

He had never felt so powerless, filled with rage and immense power, yet his throat was held by a single sentence from the enemy, leaving him to hesitate and fear for consequences.

He attempted to mobilize the Kyoto garrison and the Imperial Guard, preparing to rely on the high walls and thick fortifications of Kyoto for a final stand, but Lin Mu's godlike achievements had already spread throughout the army, causing the morale of the garrison to plummet, with everyone feeling insecure and fearful before the battle even began, and the number of deserters increasing daily.

An atmosphere of despair spread through Kyoto like a plague.

Seven days later, on a gloomy afternoon.

Lin Mu's army has finally reached the city gates!

The dark, imposing army, like an endless tide, completely surrounded the magnificent Nanqing capital.

The soaring malevolent energy coalesced into clouds, making it difficult for the soldiers guarding the city walls to breathe and causing their hands and feet to turn icy cold.

All the soldiers' eyes were involuntarily drawn to the figure riding a magnificent warhorse at the very front of the army, filled with an overwhelming sense of fear.

"¨々Qing Emperor!"

Lin Mu's voice, like thunder from the heavens, contained immense spiritual pressure, piercing through the incredibly thick city walls and clearly reaching the city, echoing in everyone's ears: "Come out and face your death!"

In the palace, Emperor Qing, dressed in a dragon robe, had a terrifyingly ashen face.

Crown Prince Li Chengqian trembled violently, feeling that the bad news had come too quickly.

The Second Prince, Li Chengze, stood a little further away, his eyes flickering with complex emotions. He would sometimes look towards the army outside the city, and sometimes glance at Emperor Qing, seemingly plotting something.

Emperor Qing took a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly as he deliberately spoke to those around him: "Open...open the city gates! I...surrender!"

This order, like the final death knell, resounded in the hearts of all the former officials of Nanqing who were still stubbornly resisting.

The heavy gates of Kyoto were slowly pushed open with a teeth-grinding creak, revealing the empty and desolate streets inside the city.

The army, led by Lin Mu, entered the city in an orderly fashion, like a silent and cold torrent of steel.

The sounds of horses' hooves, clashing armor, and orderly footsteps blended into a chilling, ominous rhythm.

Lin Mu took the lead, followed closely by Fan Xian, Shangshan Hu, Wang Qinian, Gao Da, and others, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for any possible disturbances.

The army marched straight to the huge square in front of the palace. Lin Mu reined in his warhorse, raised his hand to signal, and the army stopped instantly, falling into complete silence.

He looked up and gazed at the main hall of the palace.

Emperor Qing stood outside the palace, looking dejected and defeated. Beside him were the trembling Crown Prince and the ashen-faced Second Prince, as well as a group of ministers who were kneeling on the ground with deathly pale faces.

The old eunuch Hong Sixiang stood beside Emperor Qing with his head bowed, as if he were a clay or wooden sculpture, his aura extremely restrained, as if he were just an ordinary old man.

"Emperor Qing, now that you have surrendered, why do you not kneel?"

Lin Mu's voice echoed in the empty square.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qing clenched his fists, exerted his utmost restraint, and finally knelt down: "I... am willing to surrender."

The kneeling Emperor Qing gave Hong Sixiang a subtle yet resolute look that was filled with murderous intent.

[Ding! You have come into contact with the destined figure Li Yunqian, triggering the side quest: Unify the World.]

[Mission Requirements: Within three years, assist Emperor Qing in unifying the world.]

[Task Reward: Randomly selected.]

Just as Lin Mu reached the summit, he received a new side quest, but unfortunately it did not suit his taste.

Just then, Hong Sixiang, who had been bowing his head and seemingly invisible, suddenly raised his head.

A dazzling, tangible light burst forth from his old eyes!

A terrifying, overwhelming aura suddenly erupted, causing the surrounding air currents to surge wildly!

His thin, hunched body seemed to be instantly filled with boundless power as he lunged towards Lin Mu.

"Lin Mu, you brat! Prepare to die!"

Hong Sixiang let out a sharp, piercing screech, like an eagle pouncing on a rabbit. His withered fingers curled into sharp claws, and true energy condensed at his fingertips, tearing through the air with a hissing sound, aiming straight for Lin Mu's crown!

The attack was fierce and decisive, containing enough power to pierce through metal and stone, and its power was no different from that of a grandmaster!

This earth-shattering change was beyond the expectations of the vast majority of people!

Many people speculate that the Grand Master in the palace is the old eunuch Hong Sixiang, but this has never been confirmed.

Seeing their attack now has confirmed this idea for some people.

But Lin Mu knew that Hong Sixiang was just a decoy. The power he was unleashing now was the result of Emperor Qing injecting domineering true energy into him in advance, forcibly enhancing his strength.

If Lin Mu's prediction is correct, Hong Sixiang's role is to attract his attention; the real killing move comes from Emperor Qing, Li Yunqian.

Chapter 100: Slaying Emperor Qing

A mere pseudo-Grandmaster is nothing but a showy facade!

Lin Mu didn't even bother to use the fearsome halberd. He simply raised his left hand casually, his fingers slightly spread, and pressed it lightly into the air towards Hong Sixiang, who was charging at him with immense force.

That press, seemingly slow, was actually faster than lightning.

A visible ripple spread through the air, and an invisible, immense force instantly coalesced, as if an invisible mountain had suddenly pressed down.

"Boom—Crack!"

A deafening explosion and a tooth-grinding sound of bones shattering rang out simultaneously.

The steps cracked instantly, and spiderweb-like fissures spread wildly.

Hong Sixiang's frenzied charge came to an abrupt halt. As if struck hard on the top of his head by an invisible giant hammer, he slammed headfirst into the hard stone steps in an extremely humiliating and tragic manner.

His back of the head and neck were still exposed in a disheveled state, while the front half of his head had been fused together with the broken stones in a bloody mess, with red blood and white brain matter slowly overflowing, a horrifying sight.

In the blink of an eye, just as Hong Sixiang was easily killed by Lin Mu, Emperor Qing, Li Yunqian, who had previously appeared dejected and resigned to his fate, suddenly unleashed a ferocious and almost insane glint of light from beneath his lowered eyelids.

After more than twenty years of arduous training, his powerful and domineering "Overbearing True Qi" circulated wildly at an unprecedented speed, and all his power was concentrated in his right fist without reservation.

The dragon robe, a symbol of imperial power, billowed and fluttered even without wind due to the sudden surge of true energy!

On the surface of his exposed skin, countless fine, eerie bloodstains, like cracked porcelain, appeared, a sign that his meridians were overloaded!

"Traitor, prepare to die!"

Emperor Qing let out a hysterical roar from deep in his throat, transforming into a dazzling streak of light. The speed at which he launched his attack was even faster than that of Hong Sixiang, who had just launched a surprise attack.

That punch, which embodied all his life's work, contained terrifying power enough to collapse a small mountain, and it struck Lin Mu's vital point, which seemed wide open because of the attack he had just made.

However, Lin Mu seemed to have already seen through all his intentions.

Faced with this earth-shattering punch, Lin Mu remained calm and casually unleashed a palm strike.

This palm strike, though launched later, arrived first. It appeared peaceful, but deep within the palm, a chaotic vortex flowed, making it incredibly profound.

"Boom!!!"

A dull, deafening roar erupted, and a terrifying shockwave spread out in a circular pattern. Some officials who were nearby were directly shocked, their ears and noses bleeding, and they staggered backward, feeling as if their hearts and lungs were about to tear apart and leap out of their chests.

Emperor Qing's deadly punch, which contained all his life's power, was effortlessly caught by Lin Mu.

All the destructive energy, the moment it touched Lin Mu's palm, seemed to vanish like mud into the sea. Under the skillful deflection and guidance of the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, it rushed down Lin Mu's body and poured into the earth!

"Crack... Boom!"

Beneath their feet, the solid plaza ground, strong enough to withstand the trampling of thousands of troops, was as if crushed by an invisible giant hand, suddenly collapsing downwards to form a pit more than ten meters in diameter and two zhang deep.

Smoke and dust rise into the sky!

The madness and determination on Emperor Qing's face froze instantly, then turned into disbelief and astonishment, and finally evolved into a bone-chilling despair!

"This is impossible!"

He screamed, unable to accept that his all-out, decisive strike hadn't even managed to make his opponent take a single step back.

"How can a frog at the bottom of a well know the vastness of the Milky Way?"

Lin Mu said coldly.

Before he finished speaking, he slightly twisted the hand that was gripping Emperor Qing's fist, and the "Absorption Technique" was activated.

A huge, illusory vortex that seemed capable of swallowing everything suddenly appeared in Lin Mu's palm.

"Ugh—!"