Chapter 140: Drawing the Heavenly Tribulation

「Your Majesty, this is not allowed! 」

Upon hearing that Emperor Xin intended to attack the absent feudal lords, Bi Gan could no longer sit still.

You must know that, due to the North Sea affair, Yin Shang's expenditures over these years have been enormous, and its national strength is gradually unable to hold up.

Now, Emperor Xin has again decided to attack the absent feudal lords, which will undoubtedly worsen Great Shang's national strength.

「Royal Uncle! 」

Seeing Bi Gan stand up to oppose, Emperor Xin coldly said: "You couldn't possibly have not heard those rumors, could you? Those feudal lords have already decided not to attend court; I ordered their conquest—what's wrong with that?"

「Your Majesty, this matter... 」

Bi Gan was about to explain the present situation of Great Shang, but before he could speak, the Marquis of the West, who had always been on good terms with him, suddenly stood up.

"Your Majesty, I believe that to repel external threats we must first secure the interior; now, rumors are spreading, hearts are divided, and we indeed need to use iron-blooded methods to swiftly suppress disloyal hearts, only then can the fate of Great Shang be eternally secure!"

Ji Chang said.

「Marquis of the West, you! 」

Bi Gan never expected that Ji Chang, who had always been on the same side as him, would suddenly stand up and oppose him.

Moreover, ignoring Bi Gan's reaction, more and more feudal lords stood up, choosing to support Emperor Xin's decision.

「You, you all, with the North Sea conflict unresolved, causing the treasury to gradually empty, how can you support continued warfare? 」

Bi Gan anxiously said: "Your Majesty, I believe this matter still requires careful deliberation!"

Bi Gan's meaning is obvious: no money, what will you use to fight?

「Your Majesty, on this point, I actually have an idea! 」

At that moment, Ao Yifan, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke: "Why not distribute the conquest mission among the present feudal lords, each gathering their own strength to attack the disloyal, thus easing the treasury's burden and quickly ending the war?"

Upon hearing this, the faces of all the feudal lords changed.

They never expected someone would propose such a morally deficient idea.

It actually had these feudal lords, on Emperor Xin's behalf, conquer those feudal lords who harbored disloyal intentions.

They would spend money and effort, ultimately letting Emperor Xin reap the benefits—is that appropriate?

Ignoring the feudal lords' reaction, Emperor Xin showed great appreciation, giving Ao Yifan an approving glance.

Looking around, Emperor Xin said: "This decision aligns with my heart; lords, is there anything you need to add?"

「Your Majesty, I believe the Prince Consort's decision is excellent! 」

At this moment, the Marquis of the East stood up.

Although he did not know why his daughter and the princess's family were so close, the Marquis of the East remembered that the Queen had once said that the princess and the prince consort were the most steadfast supporters of his grandson.

Therefore, the Marquis of the East naturally ought to stand up now to support Ao Yifan.

「I second that! 」

The next moment, Shang Rong also stood up.

What could he do?

His daughter had become someone else's person; although he also thought Ao Yifan's proposal was somewhat lacking in virtue, he could only grit his teeth and support it.

「I second that! 」

Huang Feihu also directly stood up to support Ao Yifan, after all, his sister's children are all this prince consort's.

The three senior ministers endorsed Ao Yifan's decision, and their retinues likewise stood up in succession to show their approval.

「I also think the Prince Consort's proposal is not bad! 」

At that moment, a voice that surprised many in the hall sounded.

Everyone looked toward the source of the sound and, to their astonishment, discovered that the speaker was none other than the Marquis of the West, Ji Chang.

Emperor Xin also glanced at Ji Chang with some surprise, but, feeling in high spirits, he waved his hand and said: "Good, very good, eight hundred feudal lords, hear my order; tomorrow I will assign each of you your targets to attack, and you must complete them within a year, or else I will investigate your responsibilities."

As Emperor Xin's words fell, the eight hundred feudal lords responded in unison, and a chaos that swept across the entire Yin Shang thus erupted.

……

「How strange, that warfare has risen again among mortals—could it be that the Heaven's Mandate person has arrived early? 」

At the same time, atop the Thirty-Three Heavens, Yuanshi Tianzun suddenly opened his eyes.

However, at this moment the mortal world has been completely shrouded by calamitous energy; even with his sage's abilities, he cannot probe the heavenly secrets.

At the same time, within a mysterious palace atop Golden Turtle Island, the Sect Leader of the Way to Heaven suddenly opened his eyes.

「Pfft! 」

The next moment, a mouthful of golden blood spurted from the Sect Leader of the Way to Heaven's mouth.

Immediately thereafter, a 'Kill' character condensed with endless killing intent appeared before him.

"'I have expended 129,900 years of cultivation, forcefully seizing a thread of life from the Heavenly Way, yet I have only gained this single "Kill" character—could it be that I must inevitably clash arms with my two senior brothers?'"

The Sect Leader of the Way to Heaven's eyes were filled with complexity, after all, he shares endless ages of brotherly bond with his two senior brothers; if not unavoidable, he truly does not wish to turn against them.

Gazing at the 'Kill' character before him, the Sect Leader of the Way to Heaven remained silent for a long time, finally letting out a long sigh and waving his hand to dispel it.

……

「Boom—」

At the very moment Emperor Xin issued the royal command, heavenly thunder rolled in the sky, as if heaven itself sensed that a mortal calamity was about to begin.

「Huh? 」

Emperor Xin furrowed his brows, somewhat dissatisfied, gazing at the sky.

The next moment, Emperor Xin drew his long sword again and coldly said: "I have said before, my decision cannot be defied even by heaven!"

At this moment, Emperor Xin could be described as full of heroic vigor; even heaven, he wished to confront head‑on.

It seemed he sensed the mortal world's provocation, as the thunderclouds in the sky continually accumulated.

At the same time, the violet clouds of fortune likewise continually condensed.

The first direct confrontation between man and heaven is about to explode!

"Prince Consort, could this be?"

Beside Ao Yifan, Lady Yin asked softly.

"Mm."

She nodded, and Ao Yifan made a silencing gesture.

"It's indeed I who deliberately drew out the Heavenly Calamity Curse from within Zha'er's body, letting Zha'er's maternal uncle take the brunt first!"

As it turned out, the gathering storm clouds were not Heaven's dissatisfaction with Emperor Xin, but rather Ao Yifan had triggered the Heavenly Calamity Curse within the Demon Pill.

After all, since we're already here, with the atmosphere set like this, doing this wouldn't arouse suspicion.

Moreover, with the human emperor's imperial aura present, Ao Yifan could add an extra layer of insurance; even shameless individuals would wary of the human emperor's imperial aura and dare not act rashly.

"Boom—"

Just then, a heavenly thunderbolt fell straight down, but it was blocked by the purple clouds of imperial aura, causing hardly any ripple.

"How dare you attack me, the king! One day I will lead men and storm the Thirty‑three Heavens!"

Emperor Xin brandished his long sword.

The next moment, the purple clouds of imperial aura churned, forming a sword of imperial aura that slashed toward the thunderclouds in the sky.

"Boom—"

Thunderlight burst, and the sky‑filling thunderclouds were cleanly split in two—showing the might of the human emperor's imperial aura; even the heavenly calamity was cleaved by a single sword.