Chapter 219: Chapter 143: Royal Authority, Heavenly Law, Death Underfoot

「Inside the military camp.」

Wang Xiao summoned Xu Zhenshu and his other trusted subordinates to make arrangements for what was to come.

He naturally wouldn’t be taking these men with him on his return to the Capital City.

Just as Liu Yuzhen had said, an army of a million was, in the end, nothing more than ordinary people.

It would only take three or four True Form Realm Cultivators wielding Dharma Artifacts to annihilate them all.

For Xu Zhenshu and the others, temporarily remaining in the Witchcraft Gu Country was the best choice.

Although the Vast Immortal Sect was high and mighty, it couldn’t possibly manage every single detail.

The Immortal Kings needed mortals to manage the realm for them and maintain worldly stability.

Otherwise, how could they so frequently instigate wars for the sake of their Enlightenment?!

Every war was a severe drain on the nation’s strength.

And that strength, ultimately, had to be restored by mortals like them.

So, as long as Xu Zhenshu and the others remained here after Wang Xiao’s departure, they would be safe from the impending purge for the time being.

"Ninth Prince, His Majesty summoned you back to court with twelve Gold Medals. But then, after we conquered the Witchcraft Gu Country, he issued another decree ordering you to return without a single soldier. His intentions are clear as day! Your Highness, you can’t just walk into a trap!"

"That’s right! If worst comes to worst, we just stay here in the Witchcraft Gu Country and don’t go back. The heavens are high and the emperor is far away—what can he do to us?!"

"Hmph, this might not even be His Majesty’s true intention. It must be the Third Prince, scheming in the shadows to harm Your Highness."

"Who’s behind it doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that His Majesty listened to them. That alone is enough to sentence Your Highness to death."

"If you ask me, the Ninth Prince should just take our million-strong army and march back to court! If he dares to move against Your Highness, we’ll immediately split our forces into eight columns and counter-attack the cities. No matter how many Cultivators they have, they can’t possibly kill every last one of us!"

The trusted generals gathered together, each offering strategies and advice to Wang Xiao.

Having defended the borders and fought the Witchcraft Gu Country for years on end, they naturally felt little loyalty toward the Emperor of Wenchang Country.

Wang Xiao said calmly,

"You will all stay here and handle the aftermath."

"I will go back alone. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine."

"Once things in the Capital City are settled, I will contact you."

What he had to face next was no longer something mortals could interfere in.

Even though his trusted generals were Peak Body Cultivators, capable of exchanging a few blows with those in the Spirit Embryo Realm, they would ultimately be of little help to him.

From the side, Shangguan Xiyue quickly said, "Young Master, I’ll go back with you."

Wang Xiao glanced at Shangguan Xiyue, and after a moment’s thought, he nodded.

"Alright. When the time comes, you’ll have to take care of yourself. I might not be able to look out for you."

’He knew that even if he forbade her, Shangguan Xiyue would just sneak off to the Capital City on her own. If something happened to her along the way, it would be even more trouble.’

Shangguan Xiyue spoke up, "Young Master, don’t underestimate me. Right now, as long as a Human Immortal doesn’t intervene, I’m not afraid of any True Form Realm Cultivator."

Wang Xiao smiled. "It’s a good thing you have that confidence. There’s no time to waste. Let’s get going."

’He was worried that if he delayed too long, something might happen to Chen Fang.’

’After all, Chen Fang’s imprisonment was, in all likelihood, his fault.’

’That Liu Yongxiao was clearly using Chen Fang as a hostage to lure him back.’

’Chen Fang had saved his life; he couldn’t just stand by and watch them die.’

Seeing Wang Xiao’s firm resolve, the other generals said no more and simply watched him leave the camp.

Wang Xiao and Shangguan Xiyue had not gone far when they saw Liu Yuzhen walking toward them.

Liu Yuzhen looked at Wang Xiao with a complex expression and sighed.

"Let me take you back."

Wang Xiao said nothing more, simply nodding. "Then I’ll have to trouble you, Sixth Sister."

...

「Wenchang Country. The Capital City.」

As the capital of Wenchang Country, the city was a vibrant metropolis, a paradise on earth.

Towering buildings rose up, seeming to pierce the very clouds.

Restaurants, shops, brothels, and gambling dens were packed tightly together, crisscrossing the city in a dense network.

Each street was dozens of yards wide, bustling with pedestrians coming and going.

Today, the liveliest street of all was undoubtedly the Ten-Mile Long Street.

It was a commercial street that stretched a full ten miles from north to south.

People from all walks of life gathered here, creating a motley crowd where saints and sinners rubbed shoulders.

At this moment, the city’s many restaurants were filled to capacity, with not an empty seat to be found.

Their patrons included scholars, wandering heroes, sons of nobles and princes, and sheltered young ladies from prominent families.

There were even Cultivators, their presence betrayed by faint fluctuations of Spiritual Power.

The scholar acting as a storyteller was particularly energetic today. With a sharp rap of his Awakening Divine Wood, he launched into a ceaseless tale of the major and minor events that had recently shaken Wenchang Country.

He told his tale with vivid animation, his expression full of life.

"When we speak of the great events that have recently occurred in our Wenchang Country, we must, of course, talk about the battle at Witchcraft Gu Pass against the Witchcraft Gu Country!"

"For a hundred years, our Wenchang Country has fought the Witchcraft Gu Country, suffering more losses than victories. But not long ago, we finally had our moment of glory! We broke through the Witchcraft Gu Pass, charged into their very capital, and captured countless imperial relatives and nobles!"

"And do you know who was responsible for this decisive victory? It was none other than our very own Ninth Prince of Wenchang Country!"

"Speaking of the Ninth Prince, his life is truly the stuff of legend! Thrown into the Imperial Harem at birth, he laid low for seven years before breaking free of his cage. In the ten years that followed, his rise has been nothing short of meteoric!"

"But what a pity... what a true pity..."

At this, the storyteller shook his head, his expression full of regret.

The guests below played their part, calling out questions.

"A pity for what?"

"Old man, stop leaving us in suspense! Spit it out!"

"You just want a reward, don’t you? Here you go..."

Receiving the tip, the storyteller’s face broke into a wide, joyful grin. He chuckled and said,

"My thanks for your patronage, good sir! Now, back to the story. As I was saying, the Ninth Prince is truly a heaven-sent genius, but alas... his accomplishments have overshadowed his master..."