Chapter 945

With that, Lord Donglin raised his hand and instantly summoned a jade token, hovering midair, radiating flowing light.

He looked at Yuwen Feng and said gravely: "Your partial true spirit resides within it—Yuwen Feng, are you truly seeking your own death?"

After the ancestors of Great Qin noticed Yuwen Feng's exceptional talent.

To better control him, while his cultivation base was still at the Primordial Realm, they used techniques to seize part of his true spirit and forged it into a magic treasure.

Once the secret art is activated, it causes the target unbearable agony, as if being sliced by a thousand knives; if the jade token is destroyed, it can obliterate the target's true spirit, leading to death and the dissolution of the Dao.

Precisely because of this, the ancestors of Great Qin could truly trust Yuwen Feng and entrust him to assist successive Qin Wangs.

Now, gazing at the jade token before him, Yuwen Feng's expression softened into reminiscence, as if recalling something long past.

But soon, he calmed himself: "My current achievements are indeed closely tied to the ancestors of Great Qin, yet I have labored diligently for over a thousand years to aid Great Qin's development—I have repaid that debt."

"Now, even if I leave, without forcing Your Majesty to abdicate, how can Great Qin, already beset by internal strife and external threats, possibly stand against Great Qian? It will not be long before it meets its end..."

Yuwen Feng glanced at the crowd: "Today's surrender is not only to obey my new lord's command, but also to repay the final favor—to give Great Qin a bright future!"

"My lord has said that if Great Qin surrenders, he will treat the royal family kindly and not kill a single soul without cause!"

Lord Donglin's brows shot up: "Surrender Great Qin? Treat the royal family kindly? Hah! How bold your words are!"

"The people of Great Qin die standing, never kneel to live—we would rather fight to the death than yield an inch!"

No sooner had he spoken than Lord Donglin instinctively moved to activate the jade token.

But at that moment, Qin Wang's arm suddenly blocked him.

Then Qin Wang's voice, thick with fury, rang out: "I only wish to ask—whom do you mean by this 'new lord'?"

He was deeply curious—who could this so-called new lord be, to dare speak so presumptuously of giving Great Qin a bright future!

Under the gaze of all present.

Yuwen Feng spoke in an utterly calm tone: "The master of the Cangwu Merchant Guild... Jiang Shan..."

Boom—

A thunderclap erupted from nowhere!

Everyone present froze in shock.

A year ago, perhaps no one had heard the name Cangwu Merchant Guild.

But now, with the Cangwu Jiang family's growing strength, the Cangwu Merchant Guild was known to all.

Even more terrifying was the family behind it—the Cangwu Jiang clan, led by the peerless Jiang Clan Chief who dominated the age.

In recent days, many heavenly realm factions had sent envoys from Yuehua to Great Qin, spreading word of this Jiang Clan Chief's glorious deeds!

"The Jiang Clan Chief... has taken an interest in Great Qin?"

The crowd exchanged glances, all filled with disbelief.

In their view, since rising to power, the Cangwu Jiang family had never meddled in worldly affairs.

Yet now, why had they changed their minds?

Everyone was baffled.

Lord Donglin and Qin Wang, who had been furious moments before, felt as if doused in icy water—their rage extinguished, their hearts cold.

Qin Wang's legs went weak; he staggered several steps and, before all eyes, collapsed onto the ground.

His face was filled with horror as he muttered repeatedly: "Cangwu Merchant Guild... Cangwu Jiang family... How is this possible?"

"How could they possibly intervene? This shouldn't happen!"

Qin Wang's mind buzzed, plunged into existential doubt.

Meanwhile.

Lord Donglin lowered his hand; the jade token hovering above instantly dimmed, fell to the ground, and clattered with a sharp "bang."

His expression was complex, his gaze fixed on Yuwen Feng as if seeing a ghost.

"You... how did you manage to forge a connection with the Jiang family?"

At last, he understood the source of Yuwen Feng's confidence!

That was the Cangwu Jiang family—the clan guarded by the strongest being of this age!

With such a power as their backing, not even Great Qin and Great Qian combined, nor all nine nations bound together, could possibly stand against them!

He realized that before absolute power, all resistance was futile.

Slowly, Lord Donglin rose, picked up the token, and clenched it in his hand.

He took a deep breath and addressed Yuwen Feng: "Is this true?"

Even though he had already heard it once from his lips.

He still needed to confirm it again.

After all, this matter was far too critical.

Yuwen Feng nodded, reached into his sleeve, and pulled out the Cangwu Token, holding it before him for all to see.

"This is the Cangwu Token—surely enough to prove every word I spoke is true, without a single falsehood..."

Lord Donglin studied it closely.

He secretly commanded the Xuan Shui Guard and, through his intelligence network, was intimately familiar with the Cangwu Token's design.

After careful examination and comparison, he found no irregularities.

Clearly, this Cangwu Token was genuine.

And given the Cangwu Jiang family's soaring prestige, no faction would be foolish enough to forge it and impersonate their identity.

Thus, like one resigned to fate, Lord Donglin slowly closed his eyes, raised his hand, and hurled the jade token containing the true spirit away.

"Enough. Please convey this: may Jiang Shan, the Guild Master, treat the people of Great Qin kindly..."

The fall of Great Qin was now inevitable—this was the tide of destiny, unchangeable by any mortal.

To ensure the safety of the royal family, only by yielding to the tide remained.

Yuwen Feng nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "The Great Qin is, after all, a realm I have watched grow step by step. Naturally, I cannot sit idly by while its people perish. Guild Leader Jiang Shan carries the common folk in his heart and aspires to unify the realm — the people here are not only the people of Great Qin, they are also his people."

"He will, of course, treat them well, put an end to the war as soon as possible, and let them live the good life they have long dreamed of…"

Upon hearing this, Duke Donglin's expression grew dim. He said no more, silently turned, and left.