Chapter 842

Ice-covered Bi Luo River surface trembled heavily.

But we need to translate exactly.

Let's translate each line.

We'll need to render numbers exactly as written.

We'll keep punctuation.

We'll translate meaningfully, not add extra.

Let's go line by line.

The ice-covered surface of the Green Snail River shuddered violently.

Translation: "The ice-covered Green Snail River surface shuddered violently."

Ice-covered Green Snail River surface shuddered violently.

Feng Xiao, together with more than twenty loyal warriors of the Yin Prince's Manor, as well as seven or eight youths, teenagers, and children, all fell heavily onto the ice.

Translation: "Feng Xiao, together with more than twenty loyal warriors of the Yin Prince's Mansion, as well as seven or eight youths, teenagers, and children, all fell heavily onto the ice."

More than twenty, seven or eight, all fell heavily onto the ice.

Feng Shang was the Second Imperial Prince of the Blaze Dynasty, and his father, Feng Zhen, had already sat on the imperial throne for nearly thirty-six thousand years.

Translation: "Feng Shang was the Second Imperial Prince of the Blaze Dynasty; his father, Feng Zhen, had already sat on the imperial throne for nearly thirty-six thousand years."

Feng Shang was the Second Imperial Prince of the Blaze Dynasty, and his father, Feng Zhen, had already sat on the imperial throne for nearly thirty-six thousand years.

Therefore, Feng Shang is not young either.

Translation: "Therefore, Feng Shang's age is not small either."

Even though he looks like a youth just past twenty, Feng Shang has many sons and grandsons.

Translation: "Even though he looks like a young man in his early twenties, Feng Shang himself has many sons and grandsons."

Feng Xiao is the eldest son of Feng Shang. Outwardly, Feng Shang claims that Feng Xiao's talent is mediocre, merely barely entering the Dao through one hundred and eight Great Daos. However, because Feng Shang greatly favors Feng Xiao's mother, he still appointed Feng Xiao as crown prince.

Translation: "Feng Xiao, the eldest son of Feng Shang. Outwardly, Feng Shang claimed that Feng Xiao's talent was mediocre, merely barely entering the Dao through one hundred and eight Great Daos. But because Feng Shang greatly favored Feng Xiao's birth mother, he still appointed Feng Xiao as heir apparent."

Merely barely entering the Dao through one hundred and eight Great Daos.

In fact, Feng Xiao's talent surpasses that of Feng Shang.

Translation: "In truth, Feng Xiao's talent surpasses that of Feng Shang."

With a full six hundred and sixty Great Dao principles as its foundation, he forcefully broke into the Divine Realm.

Translation: "With a full six hundred sixty Great Dao principles as foundation, he forcefully broke into the Divine Realm."

Unlike the arrogant and extravagant Feng Shang, Feng Xiao is very low-key and introverted, somewhat resembling the nature of Xi Wu Le, so reclusive as to be almost autistic. He spends years in silent cultivation, or appreciating music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, rarely going out, never causing trouble, and hardly ever associating with the sons of nobles and aristocrats.

Translation: "Unlike the arrogant and extravagant Feng Shang, Feng Xiao is low-key, introverted, and somewhat reminiscent of Xi Wu Le's disposition, low-key to the point of near reclusiveness. He spends years quietly cultivating, or appreciating music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, rarely going out, never causing trouble, and hardly ever mingling with the sons of nobles and aristocrats."

Sons of nobles and aristocrats.

Until this day, when the Blaze Dynasty's imperial guards suddenly surrounded the Yin Prince's Manor and Feng Rong personally ignited the Blaze Flame, burning the manor to a blank white expanse, Feng Xiao rose in rebellion.

Translation: "Until this day, the Blaze Dynasty's Imperial Guard suddenly surrounded the Yin Prince's Mansion, and Feng Rong personally activated Blaze Fire, burning the mansion to a blank white expanse when Feng Xiao rose in rebellion."

Burned to a blank white expanse.

One punch severely wounded Feng Rong, nearly killing him on the spot.

Translation: "One punch severely wounded Feng Rong, nearly killing him on the spot."

Another punch severely wounded Qi Qinglan, knocking her unconscious with serious injuries, and she has not awakened to this day.

Translation: "Another punch severely wounded Wa Qinglan, knocking her unconscious with serious injuries; she has not awakened to this day."

The third punch killed the close attendant Qing Wu beside Qi Qinglan, shattering his body and annihilating his soul.

Translation: "The third punch killed the personal attendant eunuch Qing Wu beside Wa Qinglan, shattering him to pieces and annihilating his body and soul."

Feng Xiao alone commanded the three-thousand-strong Prince's Manor Guard, fought his way out a bloody path through the encirclement of a million imperial guards, and protected his three younger brothers and five nephews as they escaped Sui Du.

Translation: "Feng Xiao alone commanded the three-thousand-strong Prince's Manor Guard, and amidst the encirclement of a million Imperial Guard, he fought his way out a bloody path, protecting his three younger brothers and five nephews as they escaped Sui Du."

He commanded the three-thousand-strong Prince's Manor Guard, faced an encirclement of a million imperial guards, fought his way out a bloody path, and protected his three younger brothers and five nephews as they escaped Sui Du.

Feng Xiao couldn't even save his own son in time; he only managed to protect his three younger brothers and five nephews as they escaped.

Translation: "Feng Xiao couldn't even save his own son in time; he only managed to escort his three younger brothers and five nephews to safety."

The severely wounded Feng Rong, furious, with the support of several imperial clan elders, barely activated the Heavenly Origin Divine Bell and struck Feng Xiao from afar.

Translation: "Severely wounded, Feng Rong flew into a rage; with the support of several Imperial Clan Elders, he barely activated the Heavenly Origin Divine Bell, striking Feng Xiao from afar."

Several imperial clan elders, barely activating the Heavenly Origin Divine Bell, struck Feng Xiao from afar.

Feng Xiao was severely wounded, his divine body nearly shattered, and his soul also suffered grave harm.

Translation: "Feng Xiao was severely wounded; his divine body nearly shattered, and his divine soul also suffered grave harm."

He led more than twenty loyal warriors, along with his three younger brothers and five nephews, fleeing all the way.

Translation: "He led more than twenty loyal warriors, along with his three younger brothers and five nephews, fleeing all the way."

They chased and fought all the way, fleeing to the banks of the Green Snail River, where Feng Xiao's strength had dwindled to less than one percent, leaving him no strength to continue escaping. They found an ordinary small village, posed as traveling merchants, and barely managed to hide.

Translation: "All the way pursued and fighting, they fled to the banks of the Green Snail River; Feng Xiao's strength was reduced to less than one percent, and he had no strength left to continue fleeing. They found an ordinary small village, posing as traveling merchants, and barely managed to hide there."

His strength was reduced to less than one percent, he posed as a traveling merchant, and barely managed to hide.

As a result, the pursuers still arrived.

Translation: "As a result, the pursuers still arrived."

From all directions, over thirty thousand elite imperial guards closed in, and additionally, hundreds of thousands of provincial troops from the four prefectural seats along the Green Snail River surrounded them.

Translation: "From all directions, over thirty thousand elite Imperial Guard closed in, and furthermore, hundreds of thousands of provincial troops from the four prefectural seats along the Green Snail River joined the encirclement."

Over thirty thousand elite imperial guards, and hundreds of

In the void, twelve azure‑blue banners fluttered and rolled, wave after wave of flight‑prohibiting seals spread out, leaving nothing able to fly.

Translation: "In the void, twelve azure-blue banners rolled and surged, wave after wave of flight prohibition seals spread out, leaving nothing able to fly."

Twelve azure‑blue banners fluttered, wave after wave of flight‑prohibiting seals spread out, and nothing could fly.

The Green Snail River, spanning a hundred li, was sealed and frozen; faintly beneath the ice, huge azure runes flickered, and a giant prohibition was likewise laid beneath the ice—escaping along the river was clearly impossible.

Translation: "The Green Snail River, spanning a hundred li, was sealed and frozen; faintly beneath the ice, huge azure-colored runes flickered, and similarly beneath the ice lay a giant prohibition—clearly, attempting to escape along the river was impossible."

The Green Snail River, stretching a hundred li, was sealed and frozen; faintly beneath the ice, huge azure runes flickered, and a giant prohibition was likewise laid beneath the ice—escaping along the river was clearly impossible.

His face was white as jade, handsome and refined, with a faint scholarly air; Feng Yin slowly rose from the ice.

Translation: "With a face as white as jade, handsome and refined, faintly bearing an air of scholarship, Feng Xiao slowly crawled up from the ice."

His body was riddled left and right with fine, spider‑web‑like blood‑red cracks, like a porcelain doll dropped and smashed by a mischievous child, barely holding together only by sheer force of his powerful cultivation.

Translation: "On his body, left and right, were nothing but fine, spiderweb-like blood-red cracks. He resembled a porcelain doll that a mischievous child had thrown to the ground and slapped about, merely relying on his formidable cultivation to barely hold his form together."

If his breath faltered even slightly, Feng Yin's body would collapse instantly.

Translation: "As soon as his breath slackens, Feng Xiao's body will collapse instantly."

Gripping a crimson dragon‑engraved longsword, Feng Yin looked around, his gaze settling on the eight towering figures in golden armor standing in the void, each bearing a crimson jade seal at his waist.

Translation: "Holding a crimson dragon-carved long sword, Feng Xiao glanced around, focusing on the eight burly men standing in the void, wearing gold armor and bearing crimson jade seals."

"Do you dare stain your blades with the blood of the Feng clan?" Feng Yin smiled, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and spat it onto the ice: "Believe it or not, the one now on the throne will surely settle accounts with you all individually for this."

Translation: "\"Do you dare stain your blades with the blood of the Feng clan? \" Feng Xiao smiled, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and spat heavily onto the ice: \"Believe it or not, the one now sitting on the imperial throne will surely settle accounts with you individually afterward. \""

"Is the royal house of Suichao also something you can strike?" Feng Yin said coldly: "We are the sovereign, you are the subjects; for a subject's weapon to dare stain the sovereign's blood is a grave disrespect and an ill omen. You, dare to strike?"

Translation: "\"Is the imperial clan of the Blaze Dynasty also something you can lay hands on? \" Feng Xiao said coldly: \"We are the sovereign, you are the subjects……subjects' weapons daring to stain the sovereign's blood is a grave disrespect, also an ill omen. You, dare to strike? \""

The faces of the eight golden‑armored men twitched; they exchanged glances, and one with a purple‑tinged visage gave a dry laugh: "The prince is quite eloquent—I never realized he could speak so well before."

Translation: "The faces of the eight gold-armored burly men twitched; they looked at each other, and one with a purple complexion chuckled dryly: \"Heir apparent, you're quite eloquent—I never realized you could speak so well before. \""

After a few dry chuckles, the purple‑faced man produced a jade scroll, holding it respectfully: "However, we bear the divine emperor's edict, ordered to capture the prince and the other princes…"

Translation: "After a few dry chuckles, the purple-complexioned man produced a jade scroll, holding it respectfully: \"However, we bear an imperial edict from the Divine Emperor, ordered to capture the heir apparent and the various princes……\""

"Why not let me bind myself and surrender, and you release my three brothers and five nephews?" Feng Yin laughed as he dropped his longsword: "Leave a token of incense affection… otherwise, when my father king takes revenge on you, how will you die?"

Translation: "\"How about I bind myself and surrender, and you let my three brothers and five nephews go? \" Feng Xiao laughed as he tossed aside his long sword: \"Leave a token of incense affinity……otherwise, when my father king takes revenge on you later, you'll say, how will you die? \""

The faces of the eight golden‑armored men twitched again.

Translation: "The faces of the eight gold-armored burly men twitched again."

A white‑faced man gave a dry laugh: "Prince, you're joking… at this point, whatever you say is useless. You and the other princes are the ones the emperor has ordered to be captured alive."

Translation: "A pale-faced man chuckled dryly: \"Heir apparent, you're joking……at this point, whatever you say is useless. You and the various princes are the targets the His Majesty has expressly ordered to be captured alive. \""

The purple‑faced man put away the scroll and spoke softly: "Prince, don't make things difficult for us, your subjects… we dare not meddle in royal affairs… why not come with us back to Suicheng?"

Translation: "The purple-faced man put away the scroll, speaking softly: \"Heir apparent, don't make things difficult for us, your subjects……imperial affairs are not for us to meddle in……how about you come with us back to Sui Du? \""

The white‑faced man chuckled "hehe": "Yes, yes, the emperor is after all your great‑uncle; we're all one family—what's there to disagree about?"

Translation: "The pale-faced man chuckled 'hehe': \"Yes, yes, the His Majesty is after all your great-uncle; we're all one family—what's there to disagree about? \""

Feng Yin let out a deep sigh: "Ah, are you trying to fool me as if I were a fool? My great‑uncle personally set fire to the Yin prince's mansion; my only son, who is also my father's eldest grandson, his close elder nephew—all were burned to ashes by his fire."

Translation: "Feng Xiao let out a weary sigh: \"Ah, are you trying to fool me as a fool? My great-uncle personally set fire to burn the Yin Prince's Mansion; my only son, that is, my father king's eldest grandson, his legitimate eldest nephew—all were turned to green smoke by his blaze. \""

Shaking his head firmly, Feng Yin murmured: "I can't go back; if I did, I'd surely die. You lot—are you trying to get me killed?"

Translation: "Shaking his head firmly, Feng Xiao murmured: \"I can't go back; going back would mean certain death. You all—are you trying to get me killed? \""

Before the burly men could speak, Feng Yin shouted loudly to the surrounding guards and troops: "Listen well and remember clearly—when my father king leads his army back to Suichao to investigate my death, you must remember that it was these four provincial lords and four state lords who forced me!"

Translation: "Before the burly men could speak, Feng Xiao loudly laughed toward the surrounding Imperial Guard and provincial troops: \"Take note, remember clearly—when my father king leads troops back to the Blaze Dynasty to investigate my cause of death, be sure to remember that it was these four prefectural lords and four state lords who forced this! \""

You must make my father king slaughter them, exterminate their nine clans, leave not a chicken or dog, and uproot them completely!

Translation: "\"Make sure he exterminates their whole clan, annihilates their nine relations, leaves not a chicken or dog, and eradicates them root and branch! \""

Feng Yin stirred a thread of magical power; his voice carried far on the wind, making the faces of the nearby guards and troops turn eerily strange; on the ice‑bound Green Snail River, the countless travelers and merchants aboard the ice‑locked ships turned deathly pale, as if they were dead.

Translation: "Feng Xiao stirred a thread of mana; his voice carried far downwind, and the faces of nearby and distant Imperial Guard and provincial troops simultaneously turned eerily strange—on the ice-locked Green Snail River, the countless travelers and merchants aboard the frozen, immobile boats turned deathly pale, truly like corpses."

The domain of Suichao is too vast; the Feng Rong's ruthless purge of the Feng Entropy forces is also a royal secret—who would dare spread it recklessly across the world?

Translation: "The Blaze Dynasty's territory is too vast; Feng Rong's ruthless purge of Feng Shang's forces, being a royal secret, who would dare spread it recklessly across the world?"

Thus, while the Suichao court is awash with severed heads and rivers of blood, the common folk still have no knowledge of this affair.

Translation: "Thus, in the Blaze Dynasty's court, heads rolled and blood flowed like rivers, yet the common folk truly had no knowledge of this matter."

Even in many places, the people of Suichao have only just learned that their divine emperor has changed, yet they hardly care—who sits on the throne makes no difference to their taxes, grain, labor, or meals.

Translation: "Even in many places, the Blaze Dynasty's populace had just learned that their divine emperor had changed, yet they didn't particularly care—does it matter who sits on the treasure seat, whether they pay taxes and grain differently, or work and eat differently?"

Therefore, Feng Yin brought this matter to light, exposed it, and anyone who heard it felt a pang in their heart.

Translation: "Therefore, Feng Xiao brought this matter to light, exposed it; anyone who heard it felt a pang in their heart."

Sitting indoors, disaster comes from the heavens… hearing this brings great calamity.

Translation: "Sitting indoors, disaster comes from the heavens……this saying, one cannot bear to hear it; hearing it brings great calamity."

On many huge ships, the crowd began to stir, some wanting to abandon ship and flee, but the surrounding provincial troops had already closed in, leaving no chance to escape.

Translation: "On many huge ships, the crowds stirred; someone wanted to abandon ship and flee, but the surrounding provincial troops had already closed in—where was there any chance to escape?"

"Your conduct, Prince, really puts us in a difficult position." The eight golden‑armored men exchanged glances and sighed together.

Translation: "\"Heir apparent, you really put us in a difficult position. \" The eight gold-armored burly men glanced at each other and sighed simultaneously."

Feng Yin continued to smile: "Making things difficult for you is far better—about a hundred times better—than making things difficult for us."

Translation: "Feng Xiao continued to smile: \"Making things difficult for you is a hundred times better than making them difficult for us. \""

After a smile, Feng Yin said softly: "You must also remember that my maternal great‑uncle—my father's own maternal uncle—is the Faceless Buddha, the foremost of the three living Buddhas of the present Red Lotus Temple… after this, if the Red Lotus Temple seeks revenge on you……"

Translation: "He smiled lightly and said: \"You also need to remember, my maternal great-uncle—that is, my father king's maternal uncle—is none other than the Faceless Buddha, the foremost of the three present Buddhas at the Red Lotus Temple……after this, if the Red Lotus Temple seeks revenge on you……\""

Feng Yin leisurely raised both hands, carefully examining the fine blood‑red cracks on his palms, and said calmly: "The senior monks of the Red Lotus Temple have never been vegetarians; they eat meat even more voraciously than I do… and they kill people without ever showing mercy."

Translation: "Feng Xiao leisurely raised both hands, carefully examining the fine blood-red cracks on his palms, and said languidly: \"The great monks of the Red Lotus Temple have never been vegetarians; they eat meat more

Feng Xiao, together with more than twenty loyal death warriors of the Yin Prince's mansion, along with seven or eight youths, teenagers, and children, all heavily fell onto the ice.

Feng Shang is the second prince of the Sui Dynasty; his father Feng Zhen has already sat on the throne for nearly thirty‑six thousand years.

So Feng Shang's age is not small either.

Even though he looks like a youth in his early twenties, Feng Shang's own son, and his son's son, are many.

Feng Xiao, Feng Shang's eldest son. Externally, Feng Shang claimed that Feng Xiao's talent was not good, merely barely entering the Dao via one hundred and eight Great Daos. But because Feng Shang loved Feng Xiao's birth mother too much, he still made Feng Xiao the crown prince.

Actually, Feng Xiao's talent is stronger than Feng Shang's.

With a full six hundred and sixty Great Dao principles as the foundation, he forcefully broke into the Divine Sovereign Realm.

Unlike the arrogant and wild Feng Shang, Feng Xiao is low‑key, introverted, even somewhat like the character of Xi Wu Le, low‑key to the point of near autism. He constantly trains in silence, or appreciates music, chess, calligraphy, painting, etc., rarely goes out, never causes trouble, and hardly ever associates with the spoiled sons of nobles and aristocrats.

Until this day, the Sui Dynasty's imperial guards suddenly surrounded the Yin Prince's mansion, and Feng Rong personally activated the Sui fire, directly burning the Yin Prince's mansion to a blank white expanse, when Feng Xiao rose in rebellion.

One punch heavily injured Feng Rong, almost killing him on the spot.

Another punch heavily injured Wa Qingluan, directly knocking her into severe injury and unconsciousness, and she has not awakened to this day.

The third punch killed the personal little eunuch Qing Wu beside Wa Qingluan, directly smashing him to pieces and annihilating his body and soul.

Feng Xiao alone, commanding the three thousand palace guards of the mansion, amidst the encirclement of a million imperial guards, forcibly carved out a blood path, protecting his three brothers and five nephews as they escaped from Sui Du.

Feng Xiao couldn't even save his own son in time; he only managed to protect his three brothers and five nephews as they escaped.

The heavily injured Feng Rong, furious, with the protection of several imperial family Elders, barely activated the Qian Yuan Divine Bell, dealing Feng Xiao a blow from afar.

Feng Xiao was heavily injured, his divine body nearly shattered, and his soul also suffered grave damage.

He led more than twenty loyal death warriors, along with his three brothers and five nephews, fleeing all the way.

All the way pursued and fighting, they fled to the banks of the Bi Luo River; Feng Xiao's strength was down to one in a hundred, and he had completely lost the strength to continue fleeing. They found an ordinary small village, posing as traveling merchants, and barely hid there.

As a result, the pursuers still arrived.

From all directions, over thirty thousand elite imperial guards surrounded them, and additionally, hundreds of thousands of provincial troops from the four provincial capitals along the Bi Luo River joined the encirclement.

In the void, twelve azure‑green banners rolled and surged, wave after wave of flight‑restricting seals spread out, so that nothing could fly.

The Bi Luo River, spanning a hundred li, was sealed and frozen; beneath the ice surface faintly glimmered a huge azure‑blue rune, and similarly a massive seal was laid beneath the ice, making escape along the river obviously impossible.

Pale as jade, handsome and refined, with a faint scholarly air, Feng Xiao slowly crawled up from the ice.

On his body, left and right, were nothing but fine blood‑red cracks like spiderwebs. He resembled a porcelain doll that a mischievous child had thrown to the ground and slapped around, merely barely relying on his powerful cultivation to forcibly hold his body together.

As soon as his breath slackens, Feng Xiao's body will instantly collapse.

Holding a crimson dragon‑engraved longsword, Feng Xiao glanced around, focusing on the eight stalwart men clad in golden armor, wearing crimson jade seals at their waists, standing in the void.

"Do your swords dare to stain the blood of the Feng clan?" Feng Xiao smiled, coughed up a mouthful of blood, and heavily spat it onto the ice: "Believe it or not, the one now sitting on the throne will surely settle accounts with you individually afterward."

"Is the imperial family of the Sui Dynasty also something you can strike?" Feng Xiao said coldly: "We are the ruler, you are the subjects... for a subject's weapon to dare stain the ruler's blood is a grave disrespect, also most inauspicious. You, dare to strike?"

The faces of the eight golden‑armored sturdy men twitched; they looked at each other, and a purple‑faced man let out a dry laugh: "The crown prince is quite eloquent; I really didn't know before that the crown prince could speak like this."

After a few dry laughs, the purple‑faced man produced a jade scroll, holding it respectfully: "However, we have an edict from the Divine Emperor, ordering us to capture the crown prince and the various princes..."

"How about I bind myself and surrender, and you let my three brothers and five nephews go?" Feng Xiao laughed as he threw down his longsword: "Leave a bit of familial affection... otherwise, when my father king later takes revenge on you, you'll say, how will you die?"

The faces of the eight golden‑armored sturdy men twitched again.

A pale‑faced man let out a dry laugh: "Crown prince, you're joking... at this point, whatever you say is useless. You and the various princes are exactly whom His Majesty has ordered to be captured alive."

The purple‑faced man put away the scroll, speaking softly: "Crown prince, don't make things difficult for us subjects... imperial affairs, we dare not meddle... how about you just come with us back to Sui Du?"

The pale‑faced man chuckled "hehe": "Yeah, yeah, His Majesty is after all your great‑uncle; we're all one family, what's there to not understand?"

Feng Xiao let out a faint sigh: "Ah, you're treating me like a fool to deceive? My great‑uncle personally set fire to burn the Yin Prince's mansion; my only son, that is, my father king's eldest grandson, his direct eldest nephew, were all burned to blue smoke by his fire..."

Shaking his head firmly, Feng Xiao muttered: "I can't go back; if I go back, I'll surely die. You all, are you trying to get me killed?"

Before the burly men could speak, Feng Xiao loudly laughed toward the surrounding imperial guards and provincial troops: "All of you, look well, remember clearly: when my father king later leads troops back to the Sui Dynasty to investigate my cause of death, you must remember that it was these four provincial lords and four state lords who forced me!"

"You must make my father king slaughter them to the last, exterminate their nine clans, leave no chicken or dog, uproot them completely!"

Feng Xiao exerted a thread of magical power; his voice carried far on the wind, and the faces of the nearby and far‑off imperial guards and provincial troops simultaneously turned extremely strange; on the ice‑sealed Bi Luo River, the ice‑locked boats unable to move bore countless travelers and merchants whose faces turned deathly pale, truly like corpses.

The Sui Dynasty's territory is too vast; Feng Rong's ruthless purge of the Feng Shang faction is also a state secret—who would dare to spread it recklessly across the world?

Thus, in the Sui Dynasty court, heads rolled and blood flowed like rivers, yet the common folk really didn't know about this.

Even in many places, the Sui Dynasty's commoners had just learned that their divine emperor had changed, but they didn't care much—does it matter who sits on the throne? They pay taxes and grain the same, work and eat the same, right?

So, Feng Xiao brought this up, exposed it; anyone who heard it felt a pang in their heart.

Sitting indoors with the door shut, misfortune comes from the sky... hearing this brings disaster; hearing it invites great calamity.

On many large ships, the crowd became restless; someone wanted to abandon ship and flee, but the surrounding provincial troops had already closed in—where could there be any chance to escape?

"Crown prince, you really make it difficult for us subjects." The eight golden‑armored sturdy men glanced at each other and simultaneously sighed.

Feng Xiao continued to laugh: "Making things difficult for you is surely a hundred times better than making things difficult for us."

He chuckled, then Feng Xiao said softly: "You should also remember that my maternal great‑uncle, that is, my father king's maternal uncle, is none other than the present Faceless Buddha, the foremost of the three living Buddhas of the Red Lotus Temple... after this, if the Red Lotus Temple seeks revenge on you..."

Feng Xiao leisurely raised both hands, carefully examining the fine blood‑red cracks on his palms, and said calmly: "The senior monks of the Red Lotus Temple have never been vegetarians; they eat meat even more voraciously than I do... and they kill people, never showing mercy."

Shaking his head, Feng Xiao hastily laughed: "My apologies, my apologies; the great masters of the Red Lotus Temple aren't killing people—they are subduing demons and eliminating evil, accumulating blessings and virtue for the world's common folk."

The four provincial lords and four state lords, sent to pursue and kill Feng Xiao, the eight Sui Dynasty heavy ministers' faces grew ever uglier.

What Feng Xiao said is indeed true.

The Red Lotus Temple's fearsome reputation spreads abroad; among the three divine sects protecting the state, it is actually those monks who constantly chant "compassion as their creed" who have the fiercest killing nature.

The Faceless Buddha is Feng Shang's maternal uncle, and Feng Xiao's maternal great‑uncle.

If those eight were to publicly seize Feng Shang's four sons and five grandsons and drag them back to Sui Du, then when the Faceless Buddha recovers his strength, leading the Red Lotus Temple's senior monks in a desperate revenge...

Feng Rong surely doesn't fear the Red Lotus Temple's revenge, for he has the White Lotus Palace at his back.

But they... they just can't...

The four state lords still have a trace of resistance, but the four provincial lords, facing the Red Lotus Temple such a colossal entity, are like lambs before a ferocious dragon, utterly unable to fight back.

But, hearing Feng Xiao's words, should we let Feng Xiao go?

An affected cough came from afar; several old eunuchs in big red robes, sleeves and hems embroidered with intricate flame patterns, stepped on fire clouds, followed by tens of thousands of elite imperial guards walking step by step toward us.

Yo, what are you all hesitating for? Quickly, please have the heir apparent and the princes return to Sui Du… Your Majesty, I'm almost dying of longing for them.

Several old eunuchs laughed smugly and proudly; their well‑maintained, baby‑soft cheeks, as smooth as a peeled egg, broke into wrinkles from grinning.

They were the trusted eunuchs who had served Feng Rong all his life; after Feng Rong ascended the throne, they became the Grand Manager of the imperial city, overseeing its affairs. This time they led troops to hunt down Feng Xiao and his entourage; along the way countless civil and military officials fawned over them and offered tribute, making them feel they had reached the pinnacle of life, almost elated enough to take flight.

Unsurprisingly, they grew a bit more arrogant, loudly berating the four state lords and four prefect lords who were commanding the troops in pursuit.

"What are you standing around for? Could it be you sympathize with this rebel son? You, colluding with the Yin King, plotting rebellion?" Seeing that these few still hesitated, the old eunuchs immediately slapped a big hat on them.

The faces of the four state lords and four prefect lords suddenly changed.

Not capturing Feng Xiao is clearly impossible…… Whether Feng Shang can bring troops back is unknown, but if they don't seize Feng Xiao now, Feng Rong can directly take their families' lives.

Colluding with rebels, plotting revolt…… this crime warrants confiscation of property and extermination of the clan.

"Heir apparent, I offend you!" the purple‑faced burly man shouted, slapped downward with his right hand, and a huge hand hundreds of zhang across, wrapped in swirling purple mist and faint thunder, grabbed down at Feng Xiao and the others.

Feng Xiao's eye‑corner crack suddenly burst; he fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing heavily to the eight figures in the air. Feng Rong's calm and composure vanished completely; fissures split his face, and blood kept seeping out.

"Officials, Feng Rong is tyrannical and seized the throne illegitimately… you all know this in your hearts."

"Feng Xiao can return with you to Sui Du… please, for the sake of our father king, spare them…"

Feng Xiao's eyes streamed blood and tears; cracks spread over his body, instantly turning him into a bloody figure. Seeing his three brothers and five nephews lying beside him, he hoarsely screamed: "I will have them abolish their cultivation foundations, send them to the enemy kingdoms in all four directions, ruin their reputation and status, and never allow them to return to the Sui Dynasty in this life or the next…"

"I only beg that they stay alive, I only beg that they leave a thread of bloodline for our father king…"

The purple hand slowly descended; the purple‑faced man said in a deep voice: "Heir apparent, you know it's impossible… we can only follow the Emperor's orders."

An old eunuch standing far away laughed with a sinister tone: "Isn't that so? If you don't pull the weed by the root, it will grow again when the spring wind blows… keeping you few troublemakers would be a great disaster."

Another old eunuch laughed loudly: "Isn't that right? After rushing this way, we're finally about to succeed… hurry and seize them back to Sui Du; the Emperor wants to personally…"

After a few dry coughs, that old eunuch said leisurely: "Your Majesty, you want to meet the heir apparent and several princes to exchange familial affection, right?"

The purple hand slowly descended; Feng Xiao coughed up a mouthful of blood and shouted sternly: "Listen to me—my Yin King's Manor has stockpiles piled high across the Sui Dynasty… if you just, just spare one, just spare one… all the Yin King's Manor's reserves will be yours."

The purple hand continued to descend slowly; the purple‑faced burly man, together with the other seven strong men, gently shook their heads at Feng Xiao.

Ah, the Yin King's Manor's stockpiles—they really wanted them, but… is wealth more important than life?

Immense pressure weighed on Feng Xiao; his bodily cracks burst open, and blood kept gushing out.

Feng Xiao's three brothers and five nephews beside him simultaneously lifted their heads to watch the huge hand falling from the sky, their bodies involuntarily swaying.

After all, they are Feng Shang's descendants, their veins carrying the legendary blood of the Human Emperor Sui Ren.

Although they were afraid in their hearts, not one of them cried out.

Only Feng Xiao, like a madman, kept kowtowing and begging the eight gold‑armored strong men standing in the air; the blood flowing from him stained a vast expanse of ice bright red.

Wu Tie let out a soft sigh and shouted loudly: "Heir Apparent Feng Xiao, if I save you, will you be willing to heed my words?"