Chapter 731

Wu Tie is trying every means to delay the Snowy Plains tribe's offensive advance.

The Linghu Clan's ancestral land: a towering altar stands high, countless Linghu Clan members fully armed, elders and children in tow, encircle the altar.

Tushan Hall Master Linghu Jiu, face ashen, kneels on the altar; behind him kneel hundreds of Tushan Hall descendants who bear the legendary purest ten-tailed celestial fox bloodline.

Linghu Qingqing wears a green robe, embroidered with silver thread into an extremely divine and sinister ten-tailed celestial fox; she idly plays with an obsidian short dagger, standing silently before Linghu Jiu.

Earlier, Linghu Jiu and the Tushan Hall lineage were sent to Dai Wei, becoming the best pretext for Dai Wei's invasion of the Blue Hill Divine Kingdom.

After a bout of warfare, Linghu Jiu and part of the Tushan Hall clan fell into the hands of the Great Martial Divine Kingdom.

But Linghu Qingqing unified the three kingdoms, and Linghu Jiu et al. were sent back to the Blue Hill Divine Kingdom.

Linghu Qingqing has kept them imprisoned in the heavenly prison, doing nothing to them and continually ignoring them.

Only today, after a lengthy talk with You Ruo, Linghu Qingqing suddenly ordered that Linghu Jiu and the other Tushan Hall heirs be taken from the heavenly prison, secretly brought back to the Linghu Clan's ancestral land, and delivered to this makeshift altar.

"Linghu Qingqing... how dare you? I am the Master of Tushan Hall!" Linghu Jiu spat out each word, angrily rebuking Linghu Qingqing: "How dare you?"

"Master of Tushan Hall, yes, you are the Master of Tushan Hall, of noble bloodline and exalted status." Linghu Qingqing walked slowly up to Linghu Jiu and lifted his chin with the short dagger.

"But you haven't understood one thing, whereas I grasped this principle deeply many years ago."

"The one with the biggest fist is grandfather."

"Orders flow from the blade."

"Since you, Tushan Hall, have been nurtured in the ancestral land, lofty and drawing nourishment from all clansmen, receiving offerings from all branches, don't you feel that Tushan Hall has actually become a pig farm?"

"The pigs in a pig farm will eventually be slaughtered." Linghu Qingqing cruelly and clearly smiled: "This time, we need to sacrifice to the spirits, lacking a few plump, lively, adorable pig heads—you will, of course, make the contribution."

Linghu Jiu and the many Tushan Hall heirs struggled wildly, screaming hysterically.

But Linghu Qingqing gave them no chance; with a wave of his hand, a great host of Linghu Clan elites surged forward, pressing them firmly onto the altar, planting their necks onto one after another nodal point of the altar's formation.

"Lady You Ruo, please accept the Linghu Clan's offering." Linghu Qingqing gazed at Lady You Ruo standing beside the altar and said in a deep voice: "The Linghu Clan possesses the true primordial ten-tailed celestial fox bloodline... the ten-tailed celestial fox represents wisdom, represents change, represents the most agile power in the world."

"Believe, their souls and their power will be of great use to you."

Linghu Qingqing smiled cruelly.

You Ruo likewise smiled extremely cruelly.

"Your Majesty, I feel your piety, your reverence... so rest assured, the moment the offering is in hand, I will give you what I promised. You will enjoy safety for a long time to come."

After a slight pause, You Ruo cracked a smile: "I'm curious; I originally thought, as a martial clan, the Linghu Clan would choose to fight to the death."

Linghu Qingqing fell silent for a moment, then shook his head: "The Linghu Clan has never been a purely martial clan. A truly pure martial clan could not usurp a sovereign's realm... Don't you think the Linghu Clan is actually much like the Gongyang Clan? Scheming and fighting for power and profit."

After a sigh, Linghu Qingqing's gaze fell upon Yin Yu'er standing beside the altar.

"Especially, in the past I might have chosen to lead a small portion of the clan to fight to the death, as a final shedding of blood for this land and its people."

"But now I cannot; the woman I have truly loved in this life carries my flesh and blood in her womb. I must protect her, I must protect him... I now truly understand: this world is ruled by wolves, sheep survive by hiding... As an old sheep with a little resistance, I must protect my beloved."

"The gentle village wears away heroic fervor, cools heroic blood..." Linghu Qingqing sincerely lamented: "This year, this month, this day, this moment, I only wish to bring my family, my clan, to live in peace and tranquility."

You Ruo smiled until her eyes narrowed into slits: "That statement is shameless, but I like it... humans are base by nature, vile by nature; no matter how shameless the act, they always find a passable excuse for themselves."

"For love... abandoning the realm and its people... for kinship... sacrificing countless beings."

"Such a seemingly noble excuse is actually morally base... truly a delight."

You Ruo laughed loudly, her laughter revealing wild abandon: "So, in this short time, have you made preparations? Have you brought everything you need to take?"

Linghu Qingqing nodded firmly and said in a deep voice: "The treasury of the Blue Hill Divine Kingdom, the storehouses of over a thousand prefectures, and the private vaults of hundreds of thousands of noble houses have been completely looted; the accumulated wealth is enough for the entire Linghu Clan to endure tens of thousands of years."

With a cold smile, Linghu Qingqing said faintly: "Moreover, all the noble and talented daughters of those hundreds of thousands of aristocratic houses have also been seized clean. Even if Lady You Ruo sends us to a barren wasteland, these women are sufficient for the Linghu Clan to propagate its bloodline and ensure its descendants flourish for tens of thousands of years."

You Ruo couldn't help but sigh: "Well then, you humans... besides being base, your ruthlessness truly astonishes and frightens me."

Shaking his head, You Ruo murmured: "No wonder the ancients, when we stationed observation outposts, once said... you are the most terrifying enemies in the world; we must never let you regain the glory your ancestors once had."

Linghu Qingqing raised his eyebrows, astonished, looking at You Ruo: "What did you say?"

You Ruo, muttering indistinctly, laughed and spoke clearly and fluently: "I praise Your Majesty, you are a very decisive person."

Linghu Qingqing glanced at You Ruo, then shook his head: "Decisive? Heh, the title 'Your Majesty'—I dare not use it, nor do I have the face to... tsk, hope... everything will go smoothly from now on."

Below the altar, the Linghu Clan's divine-realm experts glanced at each other and simultaneously sighed.

They all knew the outcome of the talk between Linghu Qingqing and You Ruo; they have no confidence whatsoever in the future of the Blue Hill Divine Kingdom. The Snowy Plains tribe appears barbaric and backward, but they have the support of myriad gods...

Several of the Linghu Clan elders who survived the last battle of the three-kingdom struggle now feel utter despair about this war.

What terrifying martial power do those like Wuba, who are fully empowered by the myriad gods, possess?

And now, the eighteen Xuanming elders, without divine empowerment, have intrinsic strength comparable to that of Wuba back then.

This battle holds no hope.

Besides fleeing, what else can we do?

So, flee... abandon these riches and fleeting glory, flee.

But fleeing also requires capital.

The Linghu Clan has already unified the three kingdoms; to the north lies the Snowy Plains tribe's assault, east and west are endless oceans, south is barbaric wilderness—where could we escape to?

Of course, we can only rely on You Ruo for guidance.

And You Ruo's guidance comes at a price.

Linghu Qingqing placed a hand on Linghu Jiu's head, sighed heavily: "Speaking of which... me and your father... never mind."

Shaking his head, Linghu Qingqing lightly stabbed with the obsidian dagger, and Linghu Jiu's whole body began to tremble violently.

Other Linghu Clan elites moved in, hundreds of Tushan Hall heirs were cut down on the altar, their hot blood poured into the altar's formation nexus, streaks of Blood Light flashed rapidly across the altar, and an ice-crystal divine sigil representing You Ruo suddenly blazed upon the altar.

When offering to the myriad gods, if a personal divine sigil of a particular deity appears on the altar, it signifies a private offering; the offering is wholly received by that deity alone, and even the other gods cannot perceive any fluctuation from this offering.

"Then come. Use your offerings to please me, and then... you may go to a place of safety." You Ruo laughed extraordinarily brightly: "I have selected for you an excellent hiding place, rich in resources, with safe surroundings all around, and... absolutely not on the future upheaval's front line."

"My character, you can rest assured; I said I would protect the Linghu Clan's safety, so your safety is guaranteed."

Linghu Qingqing gritted his teeth, then nodded firmly.

On the warships, masses of unconscious people were thrown overboard; the Linghu Clan's masters, faces grim, gripped various weapons and walked toward them.

These people: some were ordinary commoners on the Linghu clan's private lands, but many more were the direct descendants of hundreds of thousands of aristocratic nobles whose homes were raided by the Linghu clan in just a single day.

Translation: These people, part of them are ordinary subjects on the Linghu clan's private territories, while more are the direct descendants of the hundreds of thousands of noble families that the Linghu clan raided in just a single day.

hundreds of thousands of direct descendants that the Linghu clan raided in just a single day.

Compared to ordinary commoners, these aristocratic nobles each had a certain cultivation; they cultivated various techniques, and their soul and bloodline power were far stronger than those of ordinary commoners. As sacrificial offerings, they were of a higher grade.

Translation: Compared to ordinary commoners, these noble clansmen all possess some cultivation, they practice various techniques, and their souls and bloodline strength are far greater than that of ordinary commoners; as sacrificial offerings, they are of a higher grade.

We need to keep "cultivation" as cultivation. "they cultivate various techniques" = they cultivate various techniques. "soul and bloodline power" = soul and bloodline power. "much stronger" = much stronger. "As sacrificial offerings, they are of a higher grade." = As sacrificial offerings, they are of a higher grade.

Almost all members of the Linghu clan sprang into action.

Translation: Almost all members of the Linghu clan have begun to be busy.

Including those youths who could barely lift a sword or spear, they all fought until covered in blood.

Translation: Including those youths who have just become able to lift a sword or spear, they have all killed until their bodies are covered in blood.

The thick smell of blood spread through the void, and the Linghu ancestral land was gradually covered by a layer of viscous plasma. Then bright plasma strands sprayed from the plasma, continuously sucked into the altar.

Translation: A rich bloody smell spreads in the void, the Linghu clan's ancestral land is gradually covered by a layer of viscous plasma; then strands of bright plasma shoot out from the plasma, continuously being sucked into the altar.

Plasma, bright plasma strands, continuously sucked into the altar.

You Ruo closed his eyes in intoxication.

Translation: You Ruo closed his eyes in intoxication.

You Ruo, Linghu Qingqing, Gongyang Sanlü, Wu Tie.

Thus line 【66】: "You Ruo closed his eyes in intoxication."

He sighed deeply: "I feel your sincerity and reverence... Hurry, I will open a spatial gate leading straight to a safe haven for you, members of the Linghu clan; you have only one shichen to escape."

Translation: He said in a low voice: "I sense your devotion, your reverence… hurry up, I will open a spatial gate leading directly to a safe place for you, members of the Linghu clan, you have only one shichen to escape."

I, one shichen.

Thus translation: He said in a low voice: "I sense your devotion, your reverence… hurry up, I will open a spatial gate leading directly to a safe place for you, members of the Linghu clan, you have only one shichen to escape."

"After all, the one in charge now is You Zu... I can, out of our past friendship, let you escape... but You Zu truly wants you dead." You Ruo's gaze swept over the many Divine Realm experts of the Linghu clan, and he sighed lightly: "In his eyes, you are all slabs of fat meat... how could he let you escape easily?"

Translation: "After all, the one in charge now is You Zu… I can, out of our past friendship, let you escape… but You Zu, he truly wants you dead." You Ruo's gaze swept over the many Divine Realm experts of the Linghu clan, and he let out a light sigh: "In his eyes, you are all chunks of fat meat… how could he let you escape easily?"

The person in charge now is You Zu; You Zu truly wants you dead, and You Ruo's gaze sweeps over.

Divine Realm experts.

"So, for one shichen, I can only guarantee your safety for that one shichen... and now the power I hold is only this much."

Translation: "Therefore, for one shichen, I can only guarantee your safety for one shichen… now the power I hold in my hands is only this much."

You Ruo sighed, shaking his head and lightly waving his hand.

Translation: You Ruo sighed, shaking his head slightly and waving his hand lightly.

The efficiency of slaughter increased, the bloody smell grew stronger, and countless innocent souls and essence blood were sucked into the altar, directly transmitted before You Ruo's true form.

Translation: The efficiency of the slaughter kept increasing, the bloody smell grew stronger, countless innocent souls and essence blood were sucked into the altar and directly transmitted before the true form of You Ruo.

You Ruo's true form.

You Ruo's smile grew wider; he suddenly called out: "Enough, the number of sacrifices is sufficient... I am quite satisfied."

Translation: You Ruo's smile grew wider, and he suddenly called out softly: "Enough, the number of sacrifices is sufficient… I… am satisfied."

He shouted sternly: "Get ready, take all your belongings and people, and flee as quickly as possible..."

Translation: He shouted sternly: "Get ready, take all the wealth and people you wish to bring, and flee at the fastest speed……"

Linghu Qingqing roared loudly as Linghu clan members hurriedly boarded refitted fast warships; all the warships quickly formed an extremely long line in the sky.

Translation: Linghu Qingqing roared loudly, and the members of the Linghu clan successively boarded the modified fast warships; all the warships quickly formed an extremely long line in the air.

A huge spatial gate, prepared long ago, slowly opened in the void; a beam of azure divine light shot from You Ruo's glabella, quickly imprinting a spatial coordinate onto the gate; simultaneously, a ray of cold light fell from the void, and a divine artifact of the Ice Spirit God Clan descended its power, providing the gate with enough energy to tear open space and lock the coordinates.

Translation: A huge spatial gate that had long been prepared slowly opened in the void; a beam of azure divine light shot from the glabella of You Ruo, quickly imprinting a spatial coordinate into the gate, while at the same time a ray of cold light fell in the void, a divine artifact of the Ice Spirit God Clan descended its power, providing the spatial gate with enough energy to tear open the void and lock the coordinates.

The divine artifact of the Ice Spirit God Clan descended its power onto You Ruo's glabella.

Linghu Qingqing, along with the Linghu Divine Realm experts and their closest kin aboard a massive flagship, led the charge into the spatial gate.

Translation: Linghu Qingqing, together with the many Divine Realm experts of the Linghu clan and their closest kin aboard a huge flagship, charged ahead into the spatial gate.

Subsequently, the warships surged like a disturbed school of sardines, rushing through the gate to flee to an unknown safe haven.

Translation: Afterwards, the warships surged forward like a disturbed school of sardines, quickly passing through the spatial gate to flee to an unknown safe place.

Looking down from above, centered on the Linghu ancestral land, within a radius of thousands of li, the ground lay littered with countless corpses scattered in disarray; all of these were sacrifices offered by the Linghu clan to You Ruo in order to preserve their own lives.

Translation: Looking down from high above, with the Linghu clan's ancestral land as the center, within a radius of thousands of li, corpses lay scattered across the ground in disarray; all of these are sacrifices offered by the Linghu clan to You Ruo in order to preserve their own lives.

Thousands of li scattered in disarray.

The next day, early morning.

Translation: The next day, at dawn.

Gongyang Sanlü coughed while holding a urinal, tightly gripping the urgent military intelligence sent overnight by Wu Tie, as he led the civil and military officials into Green Hill Palace.

Translation: Gongyang Sanlü coughed while holding a urinal, tightly gripping the urgent military intelligence sent overnight by Wu Tie, and together with the civil and military officials he entered the Qingqiu Palace.

Holding a urinal, civil and military officials of Green Hill Palace.

Thus line: Gongyang Sanlü coughed while holding a urinal, tightly gripping the urgent military intelligence sent overnight by Wu Tie, and together with the civil and military officials he entered the Green Hill Palace.

Inside Green Hill Palace, it was empty and deserted.

Translation: Inside the Green Hill Palace, it was empty and vacant.

Palace maids, eunuchs, and even the Celestial Fox Guard—all had vanished without a trace.

Translation: Palace maids, eunuchs, and even the Celestial Fox Guard—all had vanished without a trace.

Celestial Fox Guard.

Before the supreme throne of the Divine Emperor, upon the huge dragon table floated a jade seal, beside which hovered silently an imperial decree.

Translation: Before the throne of the supreme divine emperor, on the huge dragon table, a jade seal hovered there, beside it a decree floated silently.

The divine emperor's throne, supreme, with a huge dragon table, jade seal, and decree.

Gongyang Sanlü stood stunned, then strode purposefully toward the dragon table.

Translation: Gongyang Sanlü stared blankly, then strode with big steps toward the dragon table.

The decree suddenly burst into a mass of azure light, from which Linghu Qingqing's voice, tinged with teasing, rang out: "Officer Gongyang, I deeply feel my talent is shallow and my virtue does not match my position; I am truly not a worthy ruler of the world... In this time of national crisis, heroes and champions should step forward, stem the tide, and save the myriad common folk."

Translation: The decree suddenly exploded into a mass of azure light, and from within the light came the voice of Linghu Qingqing, tinged with a hint of teasing: "Officer Gongyang, I deeply feel that my talent is shallow and my virtue does not match my position; I am truly not a worthy ruler of the world… At this time of national crisis, heroes and champions should step forward, stem the tide, and save the myriad common folk."

Officer Gongyang, I, my talent is shallow and my virtue does not match my position; I am truly not a worthy ruler of the world. At this time of national crisis, heroes and champions should step forward to stem the tide and save the myriad common folk.

"I... cannot!"

Translation: "I…… cannot!"

"Officer, you can!"

Translation: "Officer, you can!"

"I have faith in you!"

Translation: "I, I have high hopes for you!"

"Therefore, according to ancient law, I abdicate the throne of the Divine Emperor of the Green Hill Divine State to you, Officer; I ask you, for the sake of the realm and the myriad common folk, to exhaust your wisdom and spill your heart's blood, devising a path of survival for all humanity."

Translation: "Therefore, according to the ancient law, I will abdicate the throne of the Divine Emperor of the Green Hill Divine State to you, Officer; I also ask you, for the sake of the realm and the myriad common folk, to exhaust your wisdom and spill your heart's blood, to devise a path of survival for the world's common folk."

The throne of the Divine Emperor of the Green Hill Divine State; abdicate for the sake of the realm and the myriad common folk, exhaust your wisdom and spill your heart's blood to devise a path of survival.

"I cannot face the world; ashamed, I can only retreat into seclusion and never appear before people again."

Translation: "I have no face to meet the people of the world; ashamed, ashamed, I can only retreat into seclusion and never appear before others again."

"I hope... Officer, I hope Your Majesty can stem the tide... For it is said that only when vast seas surge does true heroism show... I... no, old man, await Your Majesty's good news."

Translation: "I hope… oh, I hope Your Majesty can stem the tide… as the saying goes, only when the vast seas surge does true heroism show… I… oh, no, old man, I await Your Majesty's good news."

Officer, Your Majesty, old man—when the vast seas surge, only then does true heroism show.

With a "pa", the decree shattered into scattering azure light.

Translation: With a "pa" sound, the decree shattered into scattered azure light filling the sky.

pa

Strands of azure light fell into the hands of the civil and military officials filling the hall, transforming into exquisite scrolls, light as air, without any weight.

Translation: Strands of azure light fell into the hands of the civil and military officials filling the hall, transforming into volumes of exquisite documents, light and weightless.

Gongyang Sanlü stood in the main hall with a disheveled face, subconsciously roared: "Linghu Qingqing, I enter—your—mother!"