Chapter 881

Sui Du, inside the Xin Huo Palace, the argument continues.

A few days' time is enough for Feng Xian and the other Sui Chao high officials to rally their spirits and steady their footing.

They frantically organized troops outside the city, drilled grand formations, and created psychological pressure on Pei Feng and the other Wuguo negotiators.

Moreover, they desperately summoned experts from all the fiefdoms and major prefectures surrounding Sui Chao, converging on Sui Du—including the Qinglian Guan, Honglian Si, and Bailian Gong, where reclusive elders kept arriving one after another.

Faced with Wuguo's pressure, no matter how many internal interest disputes Sui Chao had, at least for now they formed a united front.

Furthermore, Elder Feng of the Feng clan had reforged the Qianyuan Divine Bell; outside the Xin Huo Palace, the Qianyuan Divine Bell's light shot into the sky, exuding a majestic aura that sealed the void.

Zhu Ganglie and the Golden-Eye Demon Lord aided Wuguo, desperately trying to wrest more benefits.

To this end, Zhu Ganglie employed every threat and intimidation, every roar and insult, fully embodying the evil, tyrannical demeanor befitting a demon lord.

Meanwhile, these Sui Chao high officials put on a foolish face—stubborn and fearless, reckless and indifferent to death, foolishly daring—charging headlong, gritting their teeth, tensing their faces, and slamming the table to shout and curse at Zhu Ganglie and the others.

During the negotiations, the elite border troops that Sui Chao had sent as reinforcements had already clashed several times with the Giant Divine Soldier corps under Lao Tie's command.

Tens of thousands of Sui Chao soldiers were severely wounded, stripped clean, and dumped outside the four city gates of Sui Du.

The border troops' spoils were that over a thousand Giant Divine Soldiers were smashed to pieces; Lao Tie sent them back to Wuguo, where Da Tie remelted and reforged them, and not long after they returned to the battlefield.

Even the seven-colored crystal brains inside these Giant Divine Soldiers remained intact, preserving their memories and combat experience perfectly—suffice to say they suffered no damage at all.

Such results left the Sui Chao high officials both panicked and enraged.

Even Xiahou Wuming, who had ostensibly resigned but was still secretly advising Feng Xian, felt a wave of headache and helplessness.

Wuguo's demonstrated war potential was far from as feeble as they had estimated.

Xiahou Wuming even harbored resentment toward the disciples sent out by the Three Divine Sects—you didn't even ascertain Wuguo's true strength before letting Sui Chao recklessly provoke such a formidable foe……You lot are truly useless!

Another sleepless night passed, as Pei Feng and Xueyu, bit by bit, held the documents bearing Feng Shang's blood seal and continued to reiterate Sui Chao's compensation bottom line to Wuguo.

After a night of arguing, the Sui Chao high officials still refused to relent.

Feng Xian adopted a sufficiently hardline stance—even if Wu Tie were to hack Feng Shang to pieces, they would absolutely not accede to Pei Feng's lion's share extortion.

Xiahou Wuming did not appear; as an elder minister of comparable seniority, Sui Chao's Grand Tutor Yin Bu Po slammed the table and shouted at Zhu Ganglie: "We of Sui Chao, from top to bottom, fear no death……Zhu Ganglie, you may be a demon lord, but what of it? Demon lord—we have slain plenty before!"

Zhu Ganglie slammed the table and roared at the red-faced, white-haired, burly Yin Bu Po: "Then come on, draw up the troops—let's settle this with open swords and spears! Who's afraid of whom? Ah!"

The Golden-Eye Demon Lord coldly snorted from the side: "Without the Xin Huo Chuan Cheng Grand Formation, you Sui Chao are nothing but a fart!"

Yin Bu Po jumped up, veins bulging, and shouted: "Then come on—let's fight, let's fight, who's afraid of whom? My Sui Chao sons will never submit to you demons!"

Seated beside Pei Feng, holding a teacup, Huang Lang chuckled lightly and said: "Well, well, well, Grand Tutor, we of Wuguo, top to bottom, are pure-blooded humans……You lot can't just spout blood and slander."

Huang Lang felt smug, his whole body light as air, every hair trembling with smugness.

Back then, he was merely a convicted official exiled to the border of Da Ze Prefecture in the Da Jin Shen Kingdom, sent to die at the frontier. But after clinging to Wu Tie's thigh, in just a few years his status rose meteoricly and his family flourished.

Originally, when he became Wuguo's civil minister overseeing daily affairs, Huang Lang already thought this was the pinnacle of his lifetime's achievements.

He never imagined that Wu Tie's thick thigh would actually cross the boundless sea and come to Sui Chao to wreak havoc.

Being able to sit steadily in Sui Chao's imperial palace, gazing at Yin Bu Po and others whose cultivation, strength, and clan foundations dwarfed his own by a hundredfold as they seethed with repressed rage……while he, as long as he held steady on the fishing terrace, could expand territory and carve out a vast new domain at least comparable to today's Wuguo's borders……

Tsk tsk, life has reached a new height!

His name will be etched in history!

He will shade posterity!

Had he not feared losing composure and inviting ridicule, Huang Lang would have laughed so hard his big teeth could have flown out of his mouth.

"You lot are a den of snakes and rats……Even if you have human bodies, your hearts are those of demons and devils!" Yin Bu Po frothed at the mouth, yelling at Huang Lang: "You wolf-hearted, dog-gutted scum—truly spawn of demons and devils……Huang Lang, you brat, if not……if not……this old man would poke you to death with a single finger!"

Huang Lang's face twitched violently, then twitched again.

He was somewhat incensed by the abuse, yet frankly, facing Yin Bu Po head‑on, Huang Lang still felt guilty.

Relying on Wu Tie's influence, Huang Lang has now reached the threshold of the Divine Realm, but according to Sui Chao's classification he is merely a run‑of‑the‑place "Earth God," having entered the Dao through only two or three grand laws.

Whereas Yin Bu Po is a peak Sovereign God—truly, a single finger poke could kill Huang Lang, no exaggeration.

Xueyu exploded in anger, a "bang" shattering the long table before her, she rose and shouted sternly: "Enough—what more is there to say with you shameless Sui Chao folk?"

Her eyes spewed scarlet flames as Xueyu let out a fierce, long howl: "War it is!"

Pei Feng, too, had been driven to excess inner heat by the past few days' fierce negotiations with the Sui Chao high officials; she slowly rose, coldly gazing at Feng Xian: "Your Highness, since you disregard your father's life or death……then tomorrow at noon, outside the western gate of Sui Du, our Wuguo will publicly subject you to death by a thousand cuts……"

"With your father's head as the sacrificial offering for the three livestock……then let Wuguo and your Sui Chao decide who is superior." Black demonic flames erupted from Pei Feng's body, shooting skyward and directly burning a huge hole in the roof of the Xin Huo Palace.

Copious black sparks rained down from the burning roof; Pei Feng stared at the stunned Feng Xian and said coldly: "All of this is your Sui Chao's own doing. You invaded Wuguo's territory, slaughtered our innocent civilians, and dreamed of conquering all of Wuguo."

"You lit the war, then lost—you must pay the price." Pei Feng said bluntly: "If you don't give us satisfactory compensation, then it's war."

Feng Xian's body trembled.

He is the sort who would kneel and beg for mercy for his brother and nephew……How could he possibly sit by and watch his father be executed by a thousand cuts?

He shot to his feet, wanting to say something.

Yin Bu Po and the ever‑silent Sui Chao Grand Protector Yan Zhengxing simultaneously pressed down on Feng Xian's shoulders, and with a joint effort forced him back into his seat.

His face ashen, his hair silver‑gray, his whole body exuding a deep, solemn aura, Yan Zhengxing said coldly: "If that's the case, then let war commence……Sui Chao will fight to the last person and never yield……King Yin, you want to kill? Then kill……From today onward, we uphold Crown Prince Yin as the next Divine Emperor; Sui Chao will absolutely fight you to the bitter end."

The roof of the Xin Huo Palace burned fiercely, and cries of alarm rose from soldiers of both Wuguo and Sui Chao from all directions.

The continual shriek of weapons tearing through the air rang out; outside the Xin Huo Palace, troops began to ignite, the formed battle arrays erupting with a tremendous roar that shook heaven and earth, surging waves of magical force battered the palace, causing the Xin Huo Palace to shudder violently in the frenzied magical tide, its upper half engulfed in black demonic flames.

With a resounding "dong," the Qianyuan Divine Sect was finally struck by Elder Feng of the Feng clan; a single bell toll shook the nine heavens, and great numbers of Wuguo soldiers collapsed in a faint.

Countless Giant Divine Soldiers surged forward, unmoved by the Qianyuan Divine Bell's toll; they brandished their long spears like a black torrent, slamming into the Sui Chao battle lines and instantly overturning masses of Sui Chao troops.

High above, Wuguo's massive warships and the much smaller Sui Chao warships faced off at a distance, both sides forming wall‑like broadside arrays; gun barrels of varying thickness protruded from the bows, their incandescent light gathering at the muzzles and growing ever more blinding.

Zhu Ganglie furrowed his brow, drew a deep, low breath, and a surge of demonic energy shot up from his head, blasting a huge hole in the clouds over the imperial city.

As Zhu Ganglie released his demonic aura, the Golden-Eye Demon Lord, together with the Six Desires Demon Lord, the Sharira Bone Lord, the Three Lords of the Yellow Springs, and the distant Netherworld Peng Lord, Ten Thousand Poisons Lord, and Dragon Vein Crocodile Lord—who had been waiting outside the Xin Huo Palace, all subdued by Wu Tie—simultaneously unleashed their full aura.

Demonic, magical, and ghostly qi shot into the heavens, the grim evil qi coalescing into columns of wolf‑smoke that stood between heaven and earth; piercing howls echoed from the depths of the sky, and within Sui Du countless citizens froze rigid, curled on the ground, unable to move.

This is a suppression of life itself.

Like a lamb confronting a ferocious tiger.

Just like a grass fish facing a flood dragon.

Outside Sui Du, the roaring cries of countless Sui Dynasty soldiers echoed through heaven and earth. Facing the terrifying aura emitted by these demon venerables, ghost venerables, and magic venerables, the auras of countless Sui Dynasty soldiers merged into one, relying on the vast military formation, the killing aura and military spirit coalesced, and yet in momentum they were only slightly weaker by one rank.

From all directions, traces of half-step venerable-level aura appeared.

With over a thousand half-step venerable-level auras so conspicuous and astonishing, the auras of Zhu Ganglie and others involuntarily stalled, their killing intent instantly suppressed considerably.

"Cunning, cunning, you showed weakness and softened, gathered men, then immediately turned face and denied debts……You Sui Dynasty, cunning, cunning……Do you still have any reputation to speak of?" Zhu Ganglie lightly patted his big belly, his whole body's flesh rippling.

Yin Bu Po and Yan Zheng Xing stood one on the left, one on the right beside Feng Xiao, their gazes icy cold as they looked at Pei Feng, Blood Prison, and the many Wuguo people beside them.

"Reputation?"

Such a thing……In the interest disputes between states, 'reputation' is just a fart.

However, although the fact is thus, we still need to save face……Yin Bu Po spoke righteously and sternly: "We are all humans; we do not discuss reputation with demons, monsters, and ghosts."

A crisp applause sounded.

Wu Tie clapped while walking into the blazing Xin Fire Palace.

Large patches of Cold Qi sprayed from his body, and Pei Feng cooperated by restraining the demonic flames he had released; soon the Xin Fire Palace was devoid of any smoke or fire, and through the burnt-open roof one could see the night sky thick with black clouds.

"These words were spoken splendidly……tsk, General Xiahou is not upright; he threw down his post and ran off, leaving you lot who refuse to acknowledge debts." Wu Tie let out a light sigh: "He is confident I won't wantonly slaughter in Sui Du……tsk, I am just too sentimental, too benevolent and righteous."

"Boom," Wu Tie slapped the scarlet-red scroll sent by the old woman onto Feng Xiao's face, looking half-smiling at the full hall of Sui Dynasty high officials: "However, I have an interesting item here; will you accept it or not?"

Feng Xiao and the others stared at the scroll, their hearts pounding violently.

This scroll is in the Sui Dynasty's imperial edict style, something they are extremely familiar with, so they naturally would not mistake it.

According to Sui Dynasty regulations, an imperial edict must retain a trace of the contemporary divine emperor's aura to ensure its authenticity and to ensure it represents the emperor's true intent.

Yet this scroll actually has thirty-six different auras.

Moreover, these thirty-six distinct auras clearly originate from the same source, each containing an intensely strong Sui fire intent.

"This is……" the facial muscles of Feng Xiao, Yin Bu Po, Yan Zheng Xing, and others twitched violently.

They simultaneously felt a great unease.

This scroll was like a flood of ferocious beasts, making their hearts and livers tremble, their five viscera and six bowels all shuddering.

"Take a look? This is something sent by your ancestors. Well, thirty-six generations of divine emperors jointly issued this edict……Actually, I too was stunned speechless by it——tsk tsk, I never imagined your Sui Dynasty's foundation would be so profound."

Wu Tie stood with hands behind his back and exclaimed: "Thirty-six generations of divine emperors——tsk, they really lived long enough……How did they manage to live so long?"

Compared to what the Black Stone Daoist said earlier, Wu Tie was genuinely curious—could it be that the Sui Dynasty's thirty-six divine emperors had all self-secluded themselves on Wa Island?

Otherwise, how could such a terrifying edict possibly appear?

Feng Xiao stared for a moment, then trembling, he untied the red silk binding the scroll.

Vast clouds of fire burst from the scroll, a solemn voice rang out, and within the fire clouds, as the voice sounded, large patches of clear, visible characters emerged.

The western territories of the Sui Dynasty were to be ceded, one-third of its land, and given to Wuguo.

Wu Tie was ennobled as "One-Character Side-by-Side King", also bearing the responsibility of supervising the state.

The Feng clan, lacking virtue to match their position, the state's divine artifact Qian Yuan Divine Bell was handed over to the One-Character Side-by-Side King "Martial King" to manage.

Azure Lotus Observatory, White Lotus Palace, and Red Lotus Temple, having gone against their original intentions, hearts corrupted by profit and resorting to any means, unworthy of being the three divine sects protecting the state; thus the three great sects were ordered to close their mountain gates, undergo internal rectification, and without the Martial King's edict, they were not permitted to leave the mountains.

All the outer disciples of the various branches of the three divine sects were wholly recalled to the mountain gates to cultivate their minds and nurture their natures; anyone who dared defy the edict, privately retaining disciples outside, once discovered, would be utterly exterminated.

Clause after clause, item after item listed on the edict left Feng Xiao and the others dumbfounded.

Several old officials stared for a while, then suddenly knelt on the ground and burst into hysterical wailing: "Former emperor……"

Wu Tie's mouth twitched, suppressing a laugh as he said: "Everyone, the edict is here; let us solemnly sign the alliance between Wuguo and Sui Dynasty. Tsk, how much time have we wasted?"

Pointing at Feng Xiao, Wu Tie laughed: "Feng Xiao, you little rascal are sentimental and righteous, far better than your reckless, unorthodox father……As for the Sui Dynasty's divine emperor, you might as well be him."

Scanning the crowd, Wu Tie asked with a smile: "Who agrees with my words, who opposes?"

After a quarter hour, the formal alliance between Wuguo and Sui Dynasty, or the "Treaty Under the City," was officially signed, both parties affixing their seals and signatures, thus settled.