Chapter 766: A Black Pot

The Snowy Plains Tribe is collapsing.

The cursing voices in the reclaimed lands of the Northern Border are fading.

Everything that is unfolding is developing exactly as Wu Tie had anticipated.

Gradually, small and medium-sized tribes of the Snowy Plains slipped away under cover of night to surrender to the Wuguo army. Under Wu Tie's direction, these tribespeople had all their weapons confiscated, their cultivation sealed, and were then confined in separate camps according to age and gender.

Once the entire Snowy Plains Tribe has submitted, Wu Tie will naturally resort to thunderous measures.

That day, Wu Tie was reading a message from Pei Feng sent from the rear in the commander's tent when a sudden breeze swept through; the flames of nearly a thousand large candles on the dozens of mountain-shaped candlesticks flickered, and an extra person had already appeared in the tent.

He wore a black robe, a black bamboo hat, had a sturdy build and deep aura, and held a wooden staff taller than him by over three feet; the staff's tip was a gold ring the size of a head, atop which perched a golden eagle about three feet in size.

What stature does Wu Tie hold now?

Although Wu Tie had granted the original lands of the Great Jin Divine State to the Fuxi Divine State in exchange for their military aid to jointly resist the northern Snowy Plains Tribe,

but this was a secret pact, not made public; in name, Wu Tie remains the Sovereign of the Three Kingdoms.

Under his command are millions of troops, fierce generals as numerous as clouds, valiant soldiers as plentiful as rain; alone, the experts at the Divine Manifestation Realm number over twenty thousand. Moreover, the Great Wei aristocracy contributes many extraordinary individuals versed in formations, talismans, prohibitions, and mechanisms.

Wu Tie's commander's tent has defenses surpassing the imperial capital of the Three Kingdoms by a third; outside, three hundred Divine Manifestation Realm experts stand guard at all times, and dozens of secret treasures monitor the skies and the earth, such that not a speck of dust can penetrate.

With such defenses, how did this person get in?

The tent's various formations and prohibitions are as if blank; could those Divine Manifestation Realm experts outside all be dead?

Wu Tie set down Pei Feng's message, sat behind the massive dragon desk, and calmly regarded the intruder.

"Entering without invitation is a breach of etiquette." Wu Tie lightly tapped the dragon desk with his right index finger.

"Etiquette?" the man stood ten or so zhang before Wu Tie's dragon desk, suddenly sneering: "Your Majesty King Wu, you order the army to forcibly relocate the able-bodied yet leave the women in the Northern Border to be abused by the Snowy Plains barbarians—does such conduct conform to etiquette?"

Wu Tie narrowed his eyes, huh, had he run into a nitpicker?

After a moment's thought, Wu Tie slowly nodded: "My actions are indeed improper; those women who suffered are indeed pitiful. But I have done what I could to let more people survive."

He let out a soft sigh and said in a low voice: "What I have done may lack benevolence, may lack propriety, but it is sufficient reason."

Fearing he might confuse 'ritual' with 'reason', Wu Tie raised his hand; a point of spiritual light flashed from his fingertip, tracing a strong and forceful 'reason' character in the air.

Wu Tie had never seriously practiced calligraphy; this character could only be called proper, not beautiful. Yet each stroke was immensely powerful, like a blade cleaving or an axe chopping, revealing an unyielding, firm strength.

The man gave a cold chuckle: "So you're saying it's just that you're not strong enough."

Wu Tie fell silent for a while, then nodded in acknowledgment of the man's words: "Yes, I am not strong enough… Is that why you sneaked into my commander's tent in the dead of night?"

The man laughed: "Wrong, wrong, King Wu, don't misunderstand; my late-night visit is not to bully you and your subordinates for their lack of strength, but merely out of a bit of curiosity about you."

He lifted his eagle-headed staff three inches, struck the ground with a muffled 'thud', and laughed: "I have watched the Snowy Plains Tribe's full-scale assault and all its causes and effects."

"In my view, if I were in King Wu's position, I would make the same decision. Those Snowy Plains barbarians habitually slaughter all captive men; to preserve their vitality, they prioritize withdrawing the able-bodied males—this decision is correct."

Wu Tie stared at him coldly, calculating his origins.

"I'm merely curious what mood King Wu was in when he made that decision," the man chuckled. "Was it frustration? anger? hysteria? resentment? Or some other feeling?"

Wu Tie's complexion turned somewhat unsightly.

"Sir, did you come deliberately to provoke my anger?" Wu Tie rose, placed both hands on the dragon desk, and fixed his gaze on the man: "Your ability to enter silently, without alerting any of my subordinates, shows your cultivation is extraordinary."

"With such cultivation, even the Eighteen Xuanming Elders would be no match for you."

"Since you have witnessed the entire process of the Snowy Plains Tribe's southern invasion yet did not lift a hand to help those pitiful subjects, instead standing by, and now you sneak in at night to provoke me… may I deem you an enemy rather than a friend?"

The man gave a 'hehe' laugh: "What makes someone an enemy? What makes someone a friend? I am curious—could Your Majesty King Wu clarify my doubts? What makes someone an enemy? What makes someone a friend?"

Wu Tie simply stared at him, word by word, saying: "First answer me: you possess such cultivation, such strength… why did you stand by and watch?"

The man laughed again: "Your Majesty King Wu, that's an amusing remark; those who were killed have nothing to do with me at all—why should I intervene to save them?"

Wu Tie remained silent.

After a long pause, Wu Tie laughed: "You're quite right; they are my subjects, I failed to protect them—that's my fault. It actually has nothing to do with you."

The man was clearly taken aback by Wu Tie's attitude.

His bamboo hat twitched slightly, as if he were earnestly looking at Wu Tie from beneath it: "I never expected Your Majesty King Wu to have such composure… how wonderful; in my opinion, your standing could rise even higher."

Wu Tie's eye corner twitched.

"Evaluation?"

"You give Wu Tie an evaluation in your heart?"

That remark reeks of a lofty, condescending attitude; frankly, Wu Tie doesn't like to hear it.

That fellow, merely standing by and not rescuing people is forgivable; Wu Tie agrees with his words—the citizens of Wuguo slaughtered by the Snowy Plains Tribe are Wu Tie's people, and they have nothing to do with this fellow; even if he does nothing, Wu Tie cannot blame him.

But he sneaked in at midnight, his attitude carrying a hint of provocative mockery, and now he exudes this lofty, looking-down feeling…

Wu Tie felt a surge of wariness.

The man chuckled a few more times, about to speak, when a voice came from outside the commander's tent: Li Guang said, "Your Majesty, someone requests an audience."

As Li Guang spoke, a palm-sized hexagonal ice crystal flew in from outside the tent; streams of rosy qi inside the tent poured downward, forming a barrier that blocked the crystal outside, yet a wisp of its aura penetrated the barrier and reached Wu Tie.

Feeling the unique divine power fluctuation on the ice crystal, Wu Tie immediately understood who the visitor was.

Wu Tie looked at the person standing before him.

The man laughed a few times, stepped a few paces to the side, and said: "Your Majesty King Wu has a guest; you don't mind if I stay to the side, do you?"

Wu Tie really wanted to tell this fellow that he actually minded his presence.

But considering how this fellow had ghost‑like infiltrated the commander's tent, and then thinking about who was seeking an audience outside, Wu Tie suddenly laughed: "Of course I don't mind… Li Guang, please invite the honored guest in; moreover, have someone bring three servings of drink."

Li Guang stared in astonishment: "Three servings? Oh, is that…"

The rosy‑qi barrier at the tent entrance silently dissipated; that blue ice crystal turned into threads of cold light that merged into the void. Soon after, You Ruo, clad in finery and radiating an aura several times stronger than before, walked in with a sullen face.

"True self, should I call you Huo Xiong or Wu Tie?" As soon as You Ruo entered the commander's tent, he fixed a fierce glare on Wu Tie.

Prior to the Snowy Plains Tribe's southern invasion, You Ruo had been devoted to closed‑door cultivation, using the power of soul crystals and blood‑essence to frenziedly boost the strength of his true self and his myriad avatars.

Had it not been for a member of the Ice Spirit Divine Clan, tasked with monitoring the Three Kingdoms' movements, who suddenly struck the prohibition to inform You Ruo, he would not have known that Wu Tie had actually done such a thing.

He slew Gongyang Sanlü and usurped the throne of the Three Kingdoms.

That would have been fine, but Wu Tie actually said, he is not 'Huo Xiong', but rather some sort of nonsense 'Wu Tie'!!!

You Ruo is not stupid, ah; on the contrary, he is quite shrewd.

He immediately knew there was something strange in there, something extremely strange.

Especially, after he hurriedly rushed out from the secluded place, he discovered that, within today's Tianwu City, which used to be Qingqiu City, there were now quite a few people with a 'gloomy' aura.

This kind of aura, You Ruo would never forget it, even in death!

Underground world, native tribes!

Hordes of underground natives with extremely high cultivation and exceptionally pure bloodlines openly appeared on the streets and alleys of Tianwu City, brazenly parading about.

Even among the street‑patrolling constables and soldiers, large numbers of native tribespeople filled the ranks!

Even, in the imperial palace of Tianwu City, the civil and military officials that You Ruo knew had all vanished, and the grand mansions of Tianwu City had changed owners. The Zhao, Xiang, Wu, Wu, Li and other military clans that You Ruo knew had all disappeared, no one knowing where they had gone.

You Ruo immediately understood that something major had happened.

And Wu Tie publicly proclaimed his true name to be 'Wu Tie'…… You Ruo immediately set off with a heart full of anxiety and anger, traveling overnight to find Wu Tie's central command tent.

You Ruo, after all, had his means; he also possessed a token given by Wu Tie, so he smoothly entered the Wuguo army camp and found Wu Tie's central command tent.

Upon meeting, You Ruo got straight to the point, questioning Wu Tie's identity.

"That's right, I am a traitor." Wu Tie sat back on his throne, crossed his legs, his right foot twitching, smiling at You Ruo: "My true name is Wu Tie, surname Wu, given name Tie…… Actually, You Ruo, you should know me; back in the direction of Zhenmo City, I ruined your business deal, didn't I? That was me, your humble servant, your king…… me!"

Wu Tie wiped his face, revealing his true appearance, then flicked his head and returned to his current guise.

You Ruo immediately recalled Wu Tie's face.

He pointed at Wu Tie, trembling, shouting in disbelief: "How dare you…… how dare you…… you, you, you aren't afraid of the gods' wrath…… to annihilate you……"

Wu Tie slapped the dragon table before him, producing a tremendous 'Boom'.

He pointed at You Ruo and shouted angrily: "Anger? Do I fear your anger? Ha, ha, ha…… Whether you are angry or not, you will slaughter my Wuguo people…… Since that's the case, you do the first, I'll do the fifteenth…… who fears whom?"

"Anyway, whether I follow the rules or not, my people will still be cut down like leeks by you…… Whether I reveal my identity or not, it's just the same—being cut like leeks by you!"

He gave a grin and chuckled softly: "Rather than be cut like tender, tasty leeks by you, I'd rather be a bundle of rough, savage grass—at least I could slash a few cuts on your fingers."

You Ruo closed his mouth.

You know their action plan—how could You Ruo not know?

That's right, regardless of whether Wu Tie reveals his identity or what he does, the vast majority of Wuguo's people are destined to be harvested like leeks.

The Snow Plains tribe's invasion is exactly that principle.

Wu Tie looked coldly at You Ruo: "A one‑in‑a‑million survival chance…… one in a million…… You Ruo, if it were one‑in‑ten, even just one‑in‑ten, I……"

He raised his head and murmured: "I might not even take such a decisive action."

"But a one‑in‑a‑million survival chance…… you've gone too far, you really shouldn't do this." Wu Tie smiled at You Ruo: "Since the time at Iron Cauldron Mountain City—oh, now I've renamed it Divine Martial City."

"Since then, at Divine Martial City, after you, Sir You Ruo, brought up that matter to me, I've been unable to rest or eat."

"Only one in a million can survive…… heh, how many cities with over a million people does my Wuguo territory have? Isn't it that each city can only have one survivor?" Wu Tie's smile gradually turned ferocious, his tone becoming unusually icy and biting.

"If that's the case…… you've already placed the knife at your throats, yet I still have a bit of ability to resist…… then…… let's rebel?"

Wu Tie crossed his legs, smiling at You Ruo: "I've rebelled—what can you do to me?"

You Ruo stared blankly at Wu Tie.

In the depths of his eyes, faint blue glimmers flickered; it was obvious he was using divine powers to communicate with his true self. However, being in Mu Dalu, his true self resides in the Ice Spirit Divine Clan's Ice Glacier Divine Palace, and this blood‑essence avatar of his wanting to link with his true self would require great effort, and it certainly couldn't be done easily.

He had been standing silently at the side, so much so that even You Ruo unconsciously overlooked his presence—until he suddenly moved.

When he moved, it was like heaven collapsing and earth splitting, like Stone Breaking Heaven shocking; he took a step behind You Ruo and punched his back.

With a tremendous bang, You Ruo's body exploded entirely.

Such an overbearing punch left Wu Tie startled, jumping to his feet, eyes wide as he stared in horror at the one who struck.

You Ruo's cultivation has been rising extremely fast these days, and he still possesses the innate spiritual treasure that Linghu Qingqing once flattered him with, sent to protect his body.

Even so, You Ruo was shattered by that person's punch, instantly reduced to threads of the purest heavenly‑earth primordial energy, leaving not a speck of broken flesh or bloody residue.

Such an utterly domineering punch, Wu Tie reckoned that his present self could absolutely not throw it out so casually, without any buildup of power.

"Sir, who exactly are you?"

Wu Tie was a bit annoyed, You Ruo had been beaten to death in his central command tent…… isn't this black pot firmly stuck on his head?