“Looks like they’re going to attack my Fuyao,” Lu Xuan mused, a casual observation of cosmic events.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Above the void, a hundred Ancient Spirit Arks surged forward, their towering Dao Patterns illuminating the heavens and the Imperial Capital. A terrifying, boundless aura, like a vast ocean, swept across the land. The Ice Frost Empress stood majestically atop her Chariot, an ice-blue gown flowing around her, rich Dao Rhyme swirling about her form. She cast a cold gaze down upon the Imperial Capital before retreating into her Chariot.
Moments later, the Ancient Spirit Arks entered a colossal spatial teleportation array. Tremendous Spatial Power surged, their destination: the Yunhan Mountain Range.
Meanwhile, in Lu Xuan’s room, an Imperial Capital Waitress entered with his meal. Her eyes darted nervously outside, a flicker of Killing Intent barely concealed within their depths. “I wonder which faction is going to suffer this time?” she muttered under her breath.
“What did you say?” Lu Xuan asked, his tone even.
The waitress, startled, blurted out, “Which faction is the Imperial Court going to oppress next? Are they finally going to have a decisive battle with the Fire Alliance headquarters?”
“No,” Lu Xuan replied simply.
The waitress immediately snapped back to reality, her gaze fixed on Lu Xuan, utterly terrified. This was the Imperial Capital! Speaking ill of the Imperial Court was a crime punishable by the extermination of one’s entire clan. But her family had already been wiped out by the Imperial Court, leaving only her.
“Wuwuwu…” The waitress burst into tears, her knees buckling slightly. “You’re a good person, please don’t expose me!”
Lu Xuan deliberately put on a stern face. “How can you tell I’m a good person? I’m actually a killing maniac.”
“You spend all day lying in bed at this inn,” the waitress explained, “reading stories, writing poems, painting, and eating. You’re nothing like those other wastrels in the Imperial Capital who spend their days bullying men and women.”
Lu Xuan was speechless. How did I end up being called a wastrel?
“You misunderstand me,” Lu Xuan said mildly. “I’ve always worked very hard.”
“No, you look like the kind of person who gains without effort,” the waitress insisted, shaking her head.
Lu Xuan was speechless again.
After a brief silence, the waitress pleaded once more, “Good sir, please don’t expose me.”
“You hate the Northern Plains Imperial Court very much?” Lu Xuan asked, his voice calm.
The waitress gritted her teeth, hesitating before she spoke. “Every person in the Northern Plains hates the Imperial Court! They are sucking the blood out of our entire region. My clan was annihilated by them; I was the only one who escaped, hiding here as a waitress in the Imperial Capital.”
Lu Xuan simply uttered, “Oh.”
The waitress rolled up her sleeve, revealing a Dao Pattern imprint on her snow-white arm – a single character: “Huang.”
“What does this mean?” Lu Xuan frowned.
“This is the mark of Huang Chao, the Creation Supreme, the first powerful expert in the Northern Plains to resist the Imperial Court,” the waitress explained. “All subsequent resistance forces, like the current Fire Alliance, were built upon his legacy.”
“It was Huang Chao, the Creation Supreme, who left behind the prophecy of the Imperial Court’s destruction: ‘When the glaciers melt, fire will destroy the Imperial Court, and the Northern Plains will be reborn.’
‘Spirit Fire pierces the Imperial Capital, the city is filled with golden armor.’ ”
Lu Xuan smiled faintly. This Huang Chao, the Creation Supreme, certainly had some tricks up his sleeve. In the depths of destiny, some things were simply predetermined! The Imperial Dragon Guards all wore golden armor, after all. This prophecy was about to be fulfilled!
With that thought, Lu Xuan waved his hand. “You may go. I’m going to eat.”
The waitress placed the dishes down and slowly retreated.
***
Meanwhile, in another location, Su Yunxi, the last King General of the Fire Alliance, received orders from the Ice Frost Empress: use the Fire Alliance to lure Ji Fuyao into a trap!
Su Yunxi’s delicate brows furrowed. “I can’t believe someone still dares to defy Her Majesty the Empress,” she said coldly. “Ji Fuyao, you are courting death!” What if Ji Fuyao had already killed one of the Five Tiger Generals and an Ice Flame Army commander? It was nothing compared to the Northern Plains Imperial Court! The Imperial Court still had Supreme Old Ancestors!
With that in mind, Su Yunxi immediately sent a voice transmission to Chen Yan and the others.
Upon learning that Ji Fuyao was already leading her forces towards the Yunhan Mountain Range, Su Yunxi burst into laughter. “Then I shall step over your corpses to become a member of the Imperial Court!”
She then activated a supreme secret art of the Fire Alliance, sending a message to the remaining cultivators at the Fire Alliance headquarters. “I have obtained the inheritance of Huang Chao, the Creation Supreme! All members of the Fire Alliance headquarters, proceed to the Yunhan Mountain Range and fight a decisive battle against the Imperial Court!”
Soon, the Fire Alliance headquarters erupted in a frenzy. With a grim resolve, everyone marched towards the Yunhan Mountain Range. Su Yunxi’s lips curved into a slight smile, and she turned to leave.
The City Lord bowed respectfully. “Congratulations, Lord Su! You have rendered a great service this time and will surely be recruited by our Imperial Court!”
Su Yunxi smiled. “We’ll be colleagues from now on!”
“Thank you, Lord Su, for this opportunity to be introduced!” the City Lord said.
Su Yunxi nodded and departed.
***
At the same time, Ji Fuyao was leading her vast army towards the Yunhan Mountain Range. Along the way, they swept through several cities, all of which had already submitted to her. Her forces had grown even stronger!
As Ji Fuyao’s army advanced, the entire Northern Plains was shaken. Numerous factions discussed the unfolding events.
“This newly emerged force is too powerful!”
“Ji Fuyao wields the power of Spirit Fire. Could she truly be the destiny of our Northern Plains, its only hope?”
“Now, even the Ice Frost Empress has left the Imperial Court with her army. This must be the most terrifying battle the Northern Plains has seen in tens of thousands of years!”
The Northern Plains was practically boiling with anticipation.
Two and a half days later, Ji Fuyao arrived near the Yunhan Mountain Range with her massive army. Dressed in a fiery red gown, divine radiance swirling around her, she surveyed her surroundings.
Beside her, Chen Yan said, “Your Majesty, please be careful. The Imperial Court has surely made its move, and King General Su Yunxi may have already betrayed us.”
Wang Man frowned. “Betrayal?”
Chen Yan’s expression was grave. “My father always looked down on King General Su Yunxi, simply because she…”
“Because she what?” Wang Man pressed.
Chen Yan hesitated. “My father said she used her charms to advance, becoming one of the Seven King Generals.”
Everyone fell silent.
Ji Fuyao’s divine sense swept through the Yunhan Mountain Range. The Heaven and Earth Momentum here exuded an ominous aura, frigid power condensing, and Dao Patterns flickering in the shadows. This moment felt eerily similar to the incident at Qingcheng. The signs of danger were clear! However, the difference was that now, she was invincible below the Supreme Realm! In the face of her absolute power, the Imperial Court’s eight-epoch foundation would be unable to defeat her.
At this very moment, deep within the void, the Ice Frost Empress and several Old Ancestors looked down, their eyes fixed on Ji Fuyao. A Grey-robed Old Ancestor sneered, “Is this the woman who calls herself Empress Fuyao? Nothing special.”
“She must have someone backing her!” the Ice Frost Empress said coldly. “Otherwise, how could these rabble have caused my Imperial Court so many losses?”
Wang Chen, one of the Five Tiger Generals, glared at the defected soldiers who had joined Ji Fuyao’s forces. “Damn it! These traitors have actually sided with Ji Fuyao!”
“Kill them all later!” the Ice Frost Empress commanded ruthlessly. “We have laid a Heaven and Earth Net here. Even a Supreme would fall!”
“Our Imperial Court’s four Supreme Old Ancestors are on their way. The advantage is ours!”