Chapter 744: The Chen Decree of Great Xia: Summoning Ji Ling of Jizhou to Execution!

"Ancestors of Jizhou above, may the heroic spirits of the Five Clans shine bright!"

The high-pitched voice of the old crone resounded throughout the Wang Ting.

Today, the hundred officials of Jizhou gathered in the Wang Ting, and the masses stood in awe outside the sacrificial plaza.

In the center of the sacrificial plaza, the altar was built upon a foundation of profound black meteorite iron, with eight jade pillars carved with phoenixes supporting the dome.

An old crone, her face covered in pitch-black totems and wearing ceremonial robes embroidered with the twelve ornaments, stood in the center of the altar, holding a mysterious tortoise shell, and looked up to the sky:

"Today, there are treacherous rebels who have taken up arms to storm the palace, seeking to annihilate the Empress, overthrow the ancestral temple, and sever the ten-thousand-year national destiny of our Ji Clan."

Rumble!!!

Above the firmament, dark clouds instantly gathered, pressing down on the city as if to crush it.

The eight jade phoenix pillars surrounding the altar instantly shimmered with gilded radiance.

Screech!

A high, piercing phoenix cry resounded; the phoenixes atop those eight jade pillars suddenly came to life, spreading their wings over the altar, their phoenix eyes shedding fire, causing the entire sky to be occupied by red clouds.

Hum, hum, hum!!!

Streaks of golden radiance flickered.

Ji Yanqing and the other seven Marshals of Jizhou appeared in unison, appearing respectfully on both sides of the altar.

Their expressions were cold, and just by standing there silently, an endless pressure seemed to radiate from them.

The news that the Empress was dying had already spread throughout the court and the public of Jizhou.

The Heaven-Suspended Mirror would not be wrong.

Therefore, today, the Grand Overseer of Jizhou was to seek the protection of the Ji Clan's ancestors for the Empress.

"I beseech the ancestors to manifest their might from the Nine Springs, and the spirits of the Five Clans to reveal their divinity from the netherworld, to bestow the protection of the profound yellow, and to drape the protection of the Divine Phoenix!"

On the altar, the old crone raised her hands toward the vast sky, then knelt and bowed her head:

"Grant that the rebels be captured, the treacherous be executed, the Empress's phoenix body be kept in perfect safety, and the destiny of the Jizhou tripod be preserved forever!"

Screech!

Above the nine heavens, the True Phoenix shrieked, and phoenix fire descended like a waterfall, landing upon the altar.

The old crone's body began to catch fire, and she quickly retreated.

Watching the blazing phoenix fire, she wept with joy:

"The ancestors have manifested! I invite our Jizhou Empress, Ji Ling, to receive eternal protection!"

Her voice fell.

Before the altar, brilliant firelight flickered, transforming into a tall and majestic silhouette.

"Heaven protect the Empress!"

"Heaven protect the Empress!"

"Heaven protect the Empress!"

Voices of extreme reverence resounded.

The seven Marshals and the hundred officials knelt in unison, the masses bowed their heads, and they all spoke together.

Yet, among the hundred officials, one figure did not kneel.

That was Zhao Zhugui, who was watching the scenes unfolding before him with calm and helplessness.

He knew that he held a glimmer of the Empress's future survival, but this had nothing to do with him.

He did not want to care; he only wanted to leave.

Today, the Empress was not wearing armor, but a floor-length red-gold phoenix-embroidered gown, a nine-colored phoenix-crowned golden headpiece with dangling pearls, and a flowing cloud-patterned cape draped over her jade arms; every step made the golden threads of the phoenix feathers on her gown shimmer with brilliant light.

At this moment, she was so beautiful that heaven and earth lost their color.

She looked around, seeing the Eighth-Rankers of Jizhou kneeling before her, and seeing the kneeling officials and the masses.

Finally, her gaze met Zhao Zhugui's.

She did not feel any emotion because Zhao Zhugui did not kneel, but after gazing at him for a moment, she walked toward the center of the altar.

"If I, Ji Ling, do not die, then Jizhou shall not fall!" she murmured:

"The Master of Chen is likely eager for me to die early so he can control Jizhou; if I die, this vast Jizhou will become a tool for others."

Soon, the phoenix fire enveloped her, the surging, torrential flames burning with a roar; apart from the sound of the burning fire, there was nothing else.

The seven Marshals stood up, while the officials and the masses remained kneeling.

They wore golden armor, possessing endless majesty.

At this moment, the golden-armored elder at the head looked toward Zhao Zhugui in the distance:

"This is that Zhao Zhugui; he is indeed disrespectful to the Wang Ting."

Ji Yanqing, ranked third, swept a faint glance at Zhao Zhugui:

"I do not know why, but the Sovereign seems very interested in this person."

A faint, elusive smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"You had better behave yourself."

A cold voice rang out; it was the Second Marshal who spoke.

This person had an ordinary face but an extremely burly physique, with a head of red hair flowing from beneath a golden battle helmet, cascading down his back like a waterfall.

Cold light appeared in Ji Yanqing's eyes.

"Ji Yanqing, although your progress is extremely fast, even if you have become the Third Marshal, you are still far behind me."

The Second Marshal said indifferently, his powerful aura radiating outward.

Ji Yanqing was noncommittal and changed the subject:

"The Sovereign is now receiving the protection of the ancestors; if anyone truly dares to strike at the Sovereign, they will also be burdened with karma and suffer for eternity until they die."

The Grand Marshal nodded and said:

"The protection of our ancestors is surely powerful; even if it were Lord Chen who struck, he could not withstand it."

…………

Boom!!!

Above a distant expanse of sea, the firmament shattered, revealing purple mirror-like surfaces upon which cracks had already manifested.

A radiance flickered from one of the larger fissures, condensing above the sea surface and transforming into a spatial array disk.

Immediately following.

Hum, hum, hum!!!

One figure after another stepped out from the spatial array disk.

Splash, splash.

The azure sea surged with silver-scaled waves, giant whales turned over beneath the clear surface, and in the distance, a flock of gulls sheared through the shadows of the golden clouds.

"Finally..."

Lu Xunyang gazed at the surroundings and sighed aloud:

"We are out..."

A smile appeared at the corners of his mouth; it had been a long time since he had breathed such fresh air.

Chen Yan also revealed a smile.

Out.

Although there were still important matters to attend to, he felt extremely refreshed at this moment.

Soon, the group was divided into two.

Chen Yan and Lu Xunyang stood together, with Wu Song, Shen Yiwei, Xia Long, and over a dozen others standing behind them.

As for Zhang Ting, Ke Qingxuan, and the others, they stood opposite them.

"Take care, everyone," Chen Yan said:

"This trip to Ji Province requires at least the Eighth Realm; you may wait for our triumphant return in the Great Xia."

Some time ago, Lu Xunyang had created over a dozen artificial Eighth Realm cultivators.

Although Wu Song, Hong Mi, Zhang Chao, Xia Long, and others were at the peak of the Creation Realm, they were still far from reaching the Eighth Realm on their own, so they chose to first implant the Breath of Life and Death to gain the ability to contend with the Eighth Realm.

As for Ke Qingxuan and the others, their combat abilities were slightly inferior, so they were not chosen.

"Take care, Divine General!"

Yin Qingshuang spoke with a complex expression; she had wanted to be implanted with the Breath of Life and Death, but she had not been chosen by Lu Xunyang.

"Take care, Divine General!"

"Take care, Divine General!"

Jiang Yuan looked at Chen Yan with a complex expression and bowed to him.

He was extremely intelligent and always felt that Chen Yan seemed to have changed.

He did not know why.

Ke Qingxuan's expression was calm, but her eyes remained fixed on Chen Yan.

"Ke Qingxuan," Chen Yan said.

"I am here," Ke Qingxuan replied.

"I leave my younger sister in your care for the time being," Chen Yan said, stroking Chen Yu's head:

"Xiaoyu practices diligently; do not let her push herself too hard in the future. It is enough to have both hardship and joy."

Ke Qingxuan pursed her lips:

"Yes."

Chen Yan looked at the crowd and said:

"I hope you will all look after my sister in the future as well."

As his voice fell, the crowd was stunned; such words as entrusting a sister were definitely not something Chen Yan would say.

In an instant, it was as if thunder rumbled in everyone's hearts.

Chen Yu raised her head to look at Chen Yan's profile, speechless for a moment.

"Must you go?" a woman named Lu Jingqiu asked cautiously:

"With two Divine Generals entering the Xia, what matter cannot be settled?"

Lu Jianxia parted her red lips slightly and lowered her head.

"You will understand in the future," Chen Yan said.

"Then why not let us go to Ji Province?" Jiang Yuan asked with a bitter smile.

"Because this is an order," Chen Yan said indifferently.

"Brother, this is for you," Chen Yu said, handing over a spatial ring.

Chen Yan took the spatial ring and nodded.

Chen Yu had done what she promised.

Inside were ten thousand Sun-Level Grade B explosive array disks.

Ten thousand!

Without rest, day or night.

"Princess Jianxia, you do not need to come with us," Chen Yan said, looking at Lu Jianxia behind him.

Lu Jianxia was silent.

She had already chosen the Great Xia, but if she were to follow Chen Yan and the others to launch a surprise attack on Ji Province, it would only cause her pain.

"Go to Ten Thousand Appearances Island," Chen Yan said suddenly:

"Someone will come to find you."

Chen Yan's gaze softened:

"A princess being born in a small nation is not the princess's fault, but if you completely destroy the faith you once held, that is a suffering the human heart can hardly bear.

Why continue to suffer through this?"

Lu Jianxia and Lu Xunyang are different.

Lu Xunyang suffered torture in Lu Province; leaving Lu Province was no different from escaping a cage.

But Lu Jianxia had developed a faith to protect Lu Province since she was young.

Even if she has now discovered the conspiracies of the world and knows what the path is, pointing her sword at Lu Province is still painful for her.

Her pain exists because both beliefs are extremely powerful, and because she herself is a person who does not wish to forget.

Lu Jianxia trembled; Chen Yan was actually advising her to withdraw from the battlefield.

To withdraw from the conflict between Lu Province and the Great Xia...

She lowered her head.

Is this Chen Yan's consideration?

Perhaps this is the method that would bring her the most relief, but...

"Go to Ten Thousand Appearances Island," Chen Yan smiled:

"If you are still struggling, someone will tell you what to do."

Lu Jianxia gazed at Chen Yan and nodded quietly:

"I have always wanted to ask, do you know why I lost my memory?"

Lu Jianxia stared at Chen Yan.

Everyone looked at Chen Yan; anyone could see that there was something between Chen Yan and Lu Jianxia.

But the young man only smiled lightly:

"I do not know."

Because of the Heart-Questioning Stele, it was impossible for Chen Yan to reveal anything about what happened inside the Ancient War Palace.

That All-Talented One of the Six Paths seemed to have suddenly vanished; no one could find him.

Lu Xunyang looked at Chen Yan, then looked at Lu Jianxia and said:

"Jianxia."

"Divine General Xunyang," Lu Jianxia replied.

"Call me Uncle," Lu Xunyang said.

"Uncle..."

Lu Xunyang smiled. He looked at this junior who was suffering because of war and faith and said:

"You must remember, although I am a Divine General of the Great Xia, I am also a person of Lu Province."

His voice was calm, yet carried a trace of power.

If an ordinary person said this, it would surely cause friction in the Great Xia, but he was Lu Xunyang.

This was undoubtedly giving Lu Jianxia a promise.

Lu Jianxia's eyes flickered, and she nodded.

Soon, Chen Yu, Lu Jianxia, and the others left.

Above the Qiong Sea, only Chen Yan's dozen or so people remained.

Lu Xunyang looked at Chen Yan and said:

"Do you have any detailed plans?"

He actually had some plans, but at this moment, he wanted to hear Chen Yan's intentions.

"Plans?" Chen Yan smiled:

"Why have plans?"

He suddenly laughed freely, took a step forward, as if wandering between heaven and earth, his laughter echoing for a long time.

…………

Time passed slowly.

It was already night.

Ji Province, Wang Ting.

"The Lord suspects that the attacker is Chen Yan?"

Ji Yanqing's voice rose, carrying surprise:

"Even if Chen Yan possesses the ability to annihilate hundreds of thousands of troops in the future, he is only in the Creation Realm."

It was not just Ji Yanqing; the other marshals of Ji Province were also incomparably stunned.

The Lord of Ji was actually suspecting that he would die at the hands of Chen Yan in the future.

On the throne, the Lord of Ji supported his forehead:

"I am only guessing. Chen Yan must have experts helping him; it is also possible that the one who will kill me is that expert.

Him... Xia Hanzhou, Lu Xunyang?"

Lu Xunyang...

The entire palace went silent in an instant.

Could Lu Xunyang possibly have emerged?

Nowadays, the Four Clans and the Great Xia have all headed to the Forbidden Land of the Ancient Gods, all to see if Lu Xunyang survived.

"If it was Lu Xunyang who killed her, it would not be entirely impossible..."

The Grand Marshal pondered and said:

"Lu Xunyang has this ability, but Your Lordship, please rest assured; now that you have received the protection of the ancestors, we have long been prepared to welcome a powerful enemy."

The Sovereign Ji nodded.

Ji Yanqing's gaze finally looked toward the other side of the great hall, where a man was sitting quietly, as if everything had nothing to do with him.

Furthermore, Ji Yanqing saw it clearly: Zhao Zhugui displayed impatience and did not care at all whether the Sovereign Ji would die.

"Your Lordship, what exactly is this Zhao Zhugui's background?" the red-haired Second Marshal spoke up.

"You do not need to concern yourselves with him," the Sovereign Ji said airily:

"Just let him sit over there."

The Sovereign Ji was also helpless.

Zhao Zhugui should have fundamentally not cared about her life or death, yet the Hanging Heaven Mirror had long since clearly indicated it.

Why could Zhao Zhugui save her?

The Sovereign Ji felt she needed to change her way of thinking.

Zhao Zhugui had no intention of saving her.

But if, in the future, Ji Province encountered a disaster, everyone would die, but someone could survive.

And that person was Zhao Zhugui!

Precisely because Zhao Zhugui would not die, the only person the Sovereign Ji could turn to for help was Zhao Zhugui.

She leaned idly against the throne, head drooping, but something was flickering within those beautiful eyes.

Otherwise, how else could it be explained?

This was just a guess, but the Sovereign Ji felt this guess was becoming increasingly reliable.

Zhao Zhugui was special, too special.

Who exactly was he?

What other secrets did he have?

She was very curious.

Yet, at this moment.

Zhao Zhugui, who had been sitting lazily in his seat, suddenly stood up, as if he had sensed something, and walked toward the outside of the great hall.

"This brat, he has no sense of propriety!"

The Grand Marshal snorted coldly.

The Sovereign Ji waved her hand:

"Do not pay him any mind; let him do whatever he wants to do."

She felt somewhat mentally exhausted.

Ji Yanqing looked at the weary Sovereign Ji and smiled:

"Your Lordship need not care about a Chen Yan; he is merely a lucky brat from a backwater, coincidentally chosen by the Lord of Will.

Our enemy is the Great Xia, not Chen Yan."

She said indifferently:

"If Your Lordship is worried, if that Chen Yan emerges from the Five Clans Struggle, I will go and kill him directly."

The Sovereign Ji looked at Ji Yanqing, knowing the other party was relieving her worries, and nodded.

Yet at this moment, the Sovereign Ji's expression changed slightly.

She slowly walked down from the throne, passed through the group of marshals, and came to Zhao Zhugui's side.

"Your Lordship..."

Ji Yanqing and the others did not know what the Sovereign Ji was going to do.

The Sovereign Ji and Zhao Zhugui stood side by side at the entrance of the great hall, looking toward the distant sky.

There, the moonlight was ethereal, and clouds were wreathed like gauze.

How beautiful.

Only, the Sovereign Ji's expression was changing, and gradually, it became ugly.

"Do you feel it?" she asked with suspicion.

"Such a strange feeling," Zhao Zhugui said:

"I don't know why..."

The Sovereign Ji closed her eyes slightly, and when she opened them the next moment, endless coldness appeared in her eyes.

Crack, crack, crack...

The phoenix robes on her body changed, transforming into a suit of pitch-black battle armor.

"Or rather..."

Her vermilion lips parted slightly, carrying a trace of disbelief:

"It has come..."

She had thought it would be in the coming months, or next year, or the year after.

But she had not expected it to be tonight.

Is it this fast?

Ji Ling gritted her teeth.

Are they in such a rush to kill her?!

Can they kill her?!

Ji Ling's silver teeth chattered.

Yet, it was also at this moment.

"Heaven's mandate is manifest; those who defy it must be slaughtered!"

A grand voice resounded from the other side of heaven and earth, infinitely distant, echoing leisurely, reverberating across the entire Ji Province.

Upon the earth, countless people were startled from their sleep by this voice.

This voice was like divine punishment, carrying boundless power, using the unstoppable True Martial power as a medium, echoing and transmitting from afar.

It was about to ring out across the entire human world.

Rumble—!!!

Heavenly thunder roared like an ancient divine drum, heaven and earth brightened, and wild winds spilled everywhere.

Within the distant Great Xia territory.

Above all cities in the eighteen provinces.

Suddenly, screens emerged, appearing in the sky above every city.

Within Qin Province, inside a courtyard in Xiaoyang City.

The sleepless Li Zhiyi was drenched in sweat, holding a kitchen knife and hacking away.

Anger always brewed in his eyes; he was unwilling to accept this, he wanted to fight for his life, he wanted to live!

Even if this world wanted him dead, he would still live on.

He was a madman.

To fight for a courtyard, he would even take a kitchen knife to hack at others.

Others feared him, and that was exactly right!

He wanted everyone to fear him.

He was a madman!

Yet, it was also at this moment.

A flash of light appeared overhead; Li Zhiyi raised his arm to shield his eyes and looked up at the sky.

It was a screen, a screen that had suddenly appeared in the sky above Xiaoyang City.

Inside that screen, golden light flickered, incomparably blinding.

"Heaven's mandate is manifest; those who defy it must be slaughtered!"

The grand and clear voice resounded in Li Zhiyi's ears, incomparably deep and resonant.

Li Zhiyi's eyes widened.

Then he saw.

Inside that screen, a golden-red Dharma Form rose from the earth, standing tall between heaven and earth, spanning the center of the world.

Majestic, overbearing, indescribable.

Outside the courtyard, boiling shouts instantly erupted.

"The Heavenly God General!"

"He has returned!"

"Our Great Xia's Heavenly God General!!!"

Excited and agitated, the entire Xiaoyang became noisy and began to celebrate.

Li Zhiyi opened his mouth, looking at the giant Dharma Form inside the screen; that vast and powerful strength seemed to crash right into his face.

That was Chen Yan!

So this was Chen Yan!

What was he going to do?

Then he heard.

"Ji Ling of Ji Province!

You privately usurped the imperial title, disrupting the constant laws of Heaven—this is your first crime!

You incited war in Tie Province, plunging the common people into misery—this is your second crime!"

Li Zhiyi was stunned.

What was Chen Yan doing?

The entire Great Xia was stunned.

The people of the world watched the screen, watching the world where that giant Dharma Form resided.

That was Ji Province!

Then they saw, the giant Dharma Form continued to speak:

"Even with the five clans conspiring to destroy the Great Xia dynasty—this is your third crime!"

"Today, I judge you for these three crimes combined!"

The grand voice exploded through the layers of clouds, suppressing the bright moon.

Carrying an indescribable majesty, as if bearing the mandate of the Heavenly Dao, it sought to act on behalf of Heaven to enforce the way of humanity!

Terrifying, horrifying, unbelievable.

Countless emotions exploded in the hearts of the people.

Only the eyes of that Dharma Form flickered like scorching suns, burning the sky and scorching the earth!

"Chen Yan of Great Xia summons Ji Ling of Ji Province to submit to execution!"

That voice, filled with endless killing intent, vibrated downward, shattering people's hearts.

Inside the Wang Ting of Ji Province.

Streaks of light instantly ascended into the firmament, facing that massive Dharma Image as if it were a world.

The expression of the Ji Lord turned ugly to the extreme.

So it really is Chen Yan.

He actually came just like this, directly declaring war?

Is he insane?

At the same time, the entire Ji Province fell into endless panic; countless people opened their mouths wide, unable to speak.

That Great Xia Heavenly God General who entered the Five Clans Struggle has come to Ji Province to crusade against the Ji Lord.

Such immense audacity!!!

Her teeth chattered as she bit down, her beautiful face turning incomparably icy.

Just how much do you hate me?

Why is the first person you chose, me?

Why?!

Behind her, the Seven Great Marshals also had ashen faces, yet there was a faint sense of panic within them.

Chen Yan has really come.

Will the thing that was predicted happen?

Even they were terrified.

Within Qin Province.

Li Zhiyi stared fixedly at the giant screen; he felt his breathing stall, as if a stone were lodged in his chest.

It was as if something were bombarding his divine sense.

He suddenly understood why he was treated this way just for stealing a piece of clothing.

Looking at that massive Dharma Image.

His body began to tremble, his face flushed red, and he stared fixedly at that massive Dharma Image, roaring out:

"A real man...

should be just like this!!!"