Chapter 291: Supreme Emperor

On the giant ship, the four Martial Warriors only felt that the black figure was as fast as lightning, drawing closer and closer.

Immediately following a blur before their eyes, a person had suddenly appeared on the deck, dressed in black with black hair, standing with hands behind his back, his posture as ethereal as an immortal.

And these four Martial Warriors, struck by the black-clad man's ethereal and transcendent aura, were actually rendered speechless for a moment.

"Is this ship the 'Dongming Ship'?"

Yu Liancheng shifted his gaze toward one of the warriors; upon seeing this giant ship, he had already formed a vague guess in his heart.

That warrior blurted out, "That's right, this is indeed the Dongming Ship."

"It really is the Dongming Ship." Yu Liancheng raised his eyebrows slightly and asked again, "What year of Daye is it now? Do you recognize Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling? Is Yang Guang dead yet?"

These three questions were stranger than the last, and the final question was even more treasonous.

Although the days of the Great Sui were numbered, having reached the end of the dynasty and teetering on the brink of collapse, Yang Guang was, after all, still the Sui Emperor in the eyes of the public, the master of the world. Apart from rebel armies and traitors, who would dare to openly ask such questions?

"The twelfth year of Daye."

"Never heard of them."

"Not dead."

But although the four Martial Warriors had wanted to keep their mouths shut, they had involuntarily answered the three questions. They revealed expressions of terror, looking at Yu Liancheng as if they had seen a ghost. They could not help but retreat two steps, pressing their hands against the long blades at their waists.

"The twelfth year of Daye, is it?" A look of contemplation appeared between Yu Liancheng's brows.

Yang Guang was not dead, and the Twin Dragons had not yet made a name for themselves.

It seemed the story had only just begun, and everything was still very much open to manipulation.

"Who exactly are you, sir?" a leading Martial Warrior finally could not help but ask.

"You may call me 'Supreme Emperor'." Yu Liancheng smiled slightly, looked around, and walked toward the main cabin.

"Stop!" the leader of the four warriors shouted, "One must not wander about the Dongming Ship at will. Please allow us to notify the Dharma Protectors and the Fairies."

"Tell them to come see me themselves; I am going into the main hall to have a cup of tea." Yu Liancheng did not stop his pace.

The four Martial Warriors looked at one another, feeling at a loss for a moment.

A moment later, the leading warrior stepped forward, his gaze slightly stern, and shouted again, "If you do not stop, sir, do not blame us brothers for being impolite."

Yu Liancheng, however, ignored them entirely, only walking further and further away, leaving his back exposed as if he had no defenses against the four men behind him.

With a "Clang!" sound, one warrior finally could not hold back; a long blade in his palm left its sheath and slashed toward Yu Liancheng's back.

The other three Martial Warriors, their expressions shifting, also drew their long blades one after another, and amidst the flashing blade light, they slashed toward Yu Liancheng in succession.

But before the blade light reached mid-air, a sudden breeze blew over.

The long blades in the four men's palms became uncontrollable, and they slashed at each other in pairs.

Only hearing two "Clang, clang" sounds, the four were sent stumbling backward by the force of their own blades, their faces revealing expressions of sheer terror. When they looked at Yu Liancheng's figure again, they no longer had the courage to make a move.

"Quick, let's split up. You go find the Dharma Protectors and Fairies. We will go find the Princess and the Ming Marshal."

……

The Dongming Sect is a sect isolated overseas.

Although the sect does not participate in the power struggles of the Central Plains, it has considerable influence through trading weapons with various major powers via its ships.

Especially now that there are signs of great chaos in the world, with rebel forces and noble families everywhere recruiting soldiers and buying horses, it has become even more sought after.

The four most famous Four Great Sects of the world all have dealings with the Dongming Sect to varying degrees, especially the Li Clan of Guandong, with whom they have the closest relationship.

The one who controls the Dongming Sect is the Dongming Lady, who possesses high martial arts and extraordinary methods; it is said she also has intricate ties to the rumored Demon Sect's Yin Empress.

Her daughter is called Dan Wanjing, the Dongming Princess; she is of exquisite beauty and her martial arts are among the best of the younger generation.

In the Dongming Sect, men all carry the surname Shang, while women carry the surname Dan. Among the female line, there are the Four Great Dharma Protector Fairies, and among the male line, there are also the Four Great Dharma Protectors, who are the pillars of the sect.

The one who arrived first was neither the Four Great Dharma Protectors nor the Four Great Fairies, but Shang Ming, who holds the title of "Ming Marshal".

Although this person is young, his status is quite high, his martial arts are not bad, and he has a marriage contract with the Dongming Princess Dan Wanjing.

"May I ask your name, sir? And what is your business coming aboard my 'Dongming Ship'?" Shang Ming strode into the main hall, his gaze coldly sizing up Yu Liancheng, his demeanor quite arrogant.

Behind him followed a crowd of Dongming Sect disciples, their gazes extremely vigilant, holding swords and blades, ready to strike at any moment.

"I am Yu Liancheng; you may call me 'Supreme Emperor'." Yu Liancheng sipped his tea leisurely and smiled slightly, carrying a strange charm.

"Supreme Emperor? I have never heard of this title. Are you trying to play a trick on me, Shang?" Shang Ming frowned slightly; clearly, he had never heard of this person, but since this man could sneak onto the Dongming Ship, he must have some ability.

"That's right, Supreme Emperor." Yu Liancheng smiled, "I have a nickname called 'Heavenly Father', and the Emperor Yang Guang is the 'Son of Heaven'. If you sort out the relationship, you will know that I am of the same generation as Yang Guang's grandfather, even higher than the Retired Emperor, so naturally, I am the Supreme Emperor."

The corner of Shang Ming's mouth twitched. He was considered somewhat knowledgeable, but after hearing this 'well-reasoned' deduction from Yu Liancheng, he felt speechless.

He was stunned for a long time before asking again, "You still haven't said why you came to my Dongming Ship."

"You really are a little fool." Yu Liancheng shook his head and laughed, "I am the Supreme Emperor, and I am of the Imperial Court... No! To be precise, the Imperial Court is mine. You Dongming Ship sell weapons to the sects and rebels, causing turmoil in the land; naturally, I am here to settle accounts with you."

This was the method Yu Liancheng had thought of on the sea to decipher the "Longevity Formula".

The "Longevity Formula" has been passed down to this day, and no one knows how many capable masters have exhausted themselves over it, yet over four thousand characters remain undeciphered.

Even someone as learned as Lu Miaozi would likely not be able to solve it entirely.

But if he were to unify the world and summon all the scholars and capable people of the world, perhaps he could decipher the "Longevity Formula". At the same time, he could further sense the Imperial Luck and create a supreme imperial art.

And this Dongming Sect would be his first stepping stone in this world.

Shang Ming's gaze grew cold; he could hear that the visitor was ill-intentioned: "What do you intend to do?"

Yu Liancheng said unhurriedly, "Simple. I give you two choices: either the Dongming Sect ceases to exist in the Edo from now on, or you submit to me."

"I choose the third: I'll have you die!"

Shang Ming let out a sharp shout, his murderous intent fully exposed. His palm suddenly reached out toward Yu Liancheng, the palm force fierce and overbearing. The Dongming Sect disciples in the hall, seeing the Ming Marshal display such might, immediately shouted their approval.

Yu Liancheng did not even move, only sweeping his gaze over them indifferently.

Shang Ming's Qi and Blood immediately surged as if struck by lightning, and he fell backward, looking up at the sky.

……

PS: Wishing everyone a Happy New Year. I've been too busy these past few days, so I've been a bit of a slacker!!