Book 10 - Chapter 45

B10C45: Countless casualties

Wu Kongxue is the leader, taking with him three 11th tribulation loose devils, consisting of Fire Devil, Wu Hei and Dame Lian Yue, and more than 10 other loose devils from the 8th tribulation up to the 10th tribulation. This 20-strong large group flies out from the bottom of the ocean in a majestic manner then goes straight towards the Qian Long continent in the north.

These 20 experts can be considered the top force of the devil path. Any of them can casually bring total destruction to the 3 big empires of mortals.

“Senior Wu Kongxue, that defensive formation of the Stellar Tower …” Dame Lian Yue says to Wu Kongxue frowningly.

Wu Kongxue is also shocked inside. This time they came to the Stellar Tower with the intention of catching that Qin Yu and snatching his treasure. But the defensive formation of the Stellar Tower is really too powerful. Even when Wu Kongxue and some other powerful experts launched a joint attack, they could not even shake the Great Heavenly Stellar Formation, which had been modified by Uncle Lan previously.

“Looks like the rumors are most probably true. That loose immortal behind this Stellar Tower is indeed very capable. At least I’ve never known anyone who can rival him in setting up formations.” Wu Kongxue says seriously.

The hearts of Fire Devil, Dame Lian Yue and Wu Hei also sink.

“But … though he’s formidable at setting up formations, this doesn’t necessarily mean he himself is very powerful. Even in the entire Chaotic Astral Ocean, there are very few who can defeat me. Unless his true form is a super divine beast, how can I possibly be afraid of him?” Wu Kongxue is full of confidence again.

The strained expressions of Dame Lian Yue and the other 2 relax. The 10 something loose devil experts behind them also relax.

If someone can set up formidable formations, does that necessarily mean their power is also formidable?

“According to our intelligence, that Qin Yu’s experiences are really legendary. But there’s one thing … He values his family a great deal. Now we’ll go to the Qin dynasty on the Qian Long continent, seize his relatives directly and use them to coerce Qin Yu into handing over his Heaven-Sundering Diagram. This will surely succeed, won’t it?” Dame Lian Yue says in a loud and clear voice.

This plan was drawn up by Dame Lian Yue. Given the influence of Xiumo experts, it was relatively easy for her to gather information about Qin Yu.

The Stellar Tower is several million li away from the Qian Long continent but these experts of the devil path need even less than a half day to cover this short distance and go into the territory of the Qian Long continent.

They then fly straight to — the capital of the Qin empire.

……

Not far behind Wu Kongxue, there is an indistinct pale silhouette, which is none other than Reverend Ming Liang.

Reverend Ming Liang’s Stellar Ignition Art is a formidable practice technique in the immortal world and is very special. After someone starts to practice it, the energy in their whole body becomes exceptionally refined and internally restrained. When they attack, their energy is also concentrated in one point, making their attacks extraordinarily powerful. Thanks to this technique, Reverend Ming Liang can match Wu Kongxue in fighting capability.

Moreover, because he practices this technique, generally experts of his level cannot detect his presence.

“Just as I expected, that senior Lan is indeed very powerful. In the past this defensive formation couldn’t even withstand the attack of the likes of Shan Qu, but now it can easily ward off the joint attack of 4 powerful loose devils including Wu Kongxue. Humph, humph, Wu Kongxue, keep attacking at will with your underlings. When that senior Lan comes out, you won’t even have enough time to cry.”

Reverend Ming Liang says with a calm, cold smile.

“Can that senior Lan … be an immortal who descended from the immortal world? Is he a golden immortal or a mystic one?” He thinks to himself, guessing in his mind.

At the same time, he takes out a transmitter: “Junior brother, you and the others lead everybody to the Qian Long continent quickly. Those Xiumo experts have already reached the Qian Long continent. In my estimation, they are probably going to the capital of that Qin dynasty to seize Qin Yu’s relatives.”

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Reverend Ming Liang and his subordinates want to be the oriole but can they really be the oriole?

……

The Wilderness is divided into the outer area, the inner area and the central area. The outer area only has some most basic Xiuyaoists. The Xiuyaoists of the inner area can be considered the backbone of the Wilderness, but only the central area is the greatest power on the Qian Long continent. In this place, loose demons are counted by the 10,000.

There is a huge, luxurious city in the central area of the Wilderness with quite a lot of loose demon experts living in it. The loose demon experts who can live in this city have all at least passed the 6th tribulation. The mansion right in the center of the city is the residence of the Wilderness’s central ruler.

The central ruler is a 12th tribulation loose demon called Yu Liang.

The servants in the mansion all know that not long ago Yu Liang left the Wilderness with the 3 big demons under him to handle some affair and that since his return, the temperament of this central ruler, who is also the real king of the whole Wilderness, has changed. Now he has become a silent individual, or … a gloomy one to be exact.

Despite playing with a goblet in his hands, Yu Liang is replaying that frightening scene in his mind.

He and the 3 big demons under him executed a joint attack. This attack was so terrifyingly powerful that he believed even the no. 1 expert of the Chaotic Astral Ocean, Zong Jue, would not necessarily be able to take it. But that kind-looking middle-aged man took it with ease and then sent the 4 of them falling face down to the ground with a wave of his hand.

Too strong!

He is simply on a whole different level.

“An all-out joint attack by three 11th tribulation divine beasts and me unexpectedly couldn’t hurt him one bit. Luckily the demon emperor in the demon world is still reasonable enough not to force my hand.” Yu Liang lets out a sigh.

He simply does not know that before he led his subordinates to the Stellar Tower to snatch its ink-wash painting according to an order by the demon emperor last time, Shan Qu and 3 other Shan-generation experts of the Qingxu Temple had just attacked the Stellar Tower, and so when he and his subordinates arrived, Uncle Lan was still in the Stellar Tower.

With a wave of Uncle Lan’s hand, the 4 experts immediately fell flat on their faces. Despite being the venerable ruler of the Wilderness, Yu Liang immediately ran back in shame and no longer dared to aim for that ink-wash painting again at all.

“Oh?”

He turns his hand over. A transmitter appears.

“Xiumo experts have arrived in the capital of the Qin dynasty?” His eyes brighten. The sender of the information he just received is one of the 3 big demons under him — divine beast hydra Kong Cao, who is his no. 1 subordinate. Even though Kong Cao is an 11th tribulation expert, his soul level is about the same as that of Yu Liang.

In the past, after failing to snatch the ink-wash painting, Yu Liang drew a lesson from this painful experience and dispatched Kong Cao to the Qin dynasty to keep watch on everything.

He does not dare to go and snatch the ink-wash painting under coercion from Uncle Lan, but if the loose immortals or loose devils can obtain the painting by force, he and the other experts of the Wilderness will fight them for the painting in their hands, in which case that mysterious senior Lan most probably will not be able to blame the experts of the Wilderness.

“Kong Cao, you must remember not to get into action or hurt anyone of the Qin clan. Even if those fellas from the Teng Long continent kill people, it will be none of our concern. What we have to do is … wait for them to get the ink-wash painting and snatch it from their hands.”

Yu Liang immediately gives his subordinate an order.

They are totally scared of that mysterious senior Lan but they are not afraid of facing the loose practitioners from the Teng Long continent at all. In this world, perhaps only the dragon clan leader and the no. 1 expert of the Chaotic Astral Ocean, Zong Jue, can make Yu Liang flinch.

“Yes, my lord.” Kong Cao is keeping watch in the capital.

Given the distance between the central area of the Wilderness and the Qin dynasty’s capital, an expert from the central Wilderness can reach the capital just by teleporting several times. Therefore, Yu Liang simply does not have to worry that his forces will arrive late.

……

Qin Zheng is amending memorials to the throne in the imperial study. Even though Qin Yu ordered guardian Yang to inform Qin Zheng about matters concerning the Heaven-Sundering Diagram, he is not worried in the least. He thinks that if he gives the Heaven-Sundering Diagram to the enemies and frightens them a bit by mentioning Uncle Lan, they most probably will take the diagram without doing anything to him.

“Phew …” Qin Zheng gives his sluggish waist a stretch.

All those thick memorials to the throne have finally been amended. Luckily, Qin Yu has Base-Building Pills so even someone with little talent for cultivation like Qin Zheng was able to reach the Xiantian level. As a Xiantian expert, not sleeping for several days and nights is just a small matter to him.

“Big brother already reached the Jindan stage earlier. 3rd brother has even reached an amazing level in power. I’m the only one who had to rely on 3rd brother’s Base-Building Pills to reach the Xiantian level. But there’ll still be a lot of time later. When Guan’er has matured, I’ll pass the imperial throne to him. At that time, I’ll be able to focus on practicing too.”

Thinking about Qin Guan, his son and also the current crown prince, Qin Zheng feels very happy in his heart.

Qin Guan is very merciful and, unlike rigid people, has an extremely flexible mind. Qin Zheng believes that after the Qin empire has unified the whole Qian Long continent, if he lets his son rule such a big empire, his son will definitely make it reach new heights and even surpass the Qin empire established by Qin Shi Huang 1000 years ago.

“Are you the Qin dynasty’s emperor, Qin Yu’s 2nd brother?”

A voice comes in from outside the door of the imperial study.

Shocked, Qin Zheng raises his head to take a look.

The imperial palace is heavily guarded and the imperial study in it is even much more so. But now nearly 20 people are unexpectedly standing outside the imperial study without waking up any of the guards. They each have an aura which is so terrifying it is suffocating about them.

Cold sweat is coming out nonstop on the foreheads of all the guards at the door of the imperial study.

This is too terrifying.

Those auras alone make these guards feel as if doomsday has come. They feel as if dark clouds have blotted out the sky and enveloped the imperial palace, leaving them no way out, and are terrified by this. None of the guards can utter a sound. Guardian Yang has reached the late Dongxu stage and is the emperor’s secret protector, but even he has been scared stiff too.

“You are …” Qin Zheng says.

Fortunately, these experts are not suppressing him with their auras. After all, they still have to question him.

Dame Lian Yue says coldly: “Don’t ask. I only want to ask you where your 3rd brother Qin Yu went.”

Wu Kongxue also says: “His Heaven-Sundering Diagram is the only thing we want. Tell me where your 3rd brother is.” He does not care at all about keeping this information secret. Given his status, why should he be afraid of letting this mortal emperor know about the Heaven-Sundering Diagrams?

“Heaven-Sundering Diagram? So it’s them.” Qin Zheng calms down inside.

He was informed of this beforehand by Qin Yu so naturally he already has a well-thought-out plan.

“Seniors, I am Qin Zheng, the emperor of the Qin dynasty. Senior Lan entrusted me …”

Hearing Qin Zheng introduce himself, the impatient people such as Fire Devil want to shout abuse at him, but when they hear the words ‘senior Lan’, they immediately keep listening to him.

“Senior Lan entrusted me with the task of handing this Heaven-Sundering Diagram over to those who come to look for me. You are most probably the people mentioned by senior Lan. He really has wonderful foresight.” Qin Zheng says with a smile, his words containing respect for Uncle Lan.

Wu Kongxue is startled.

Dame Lian Yue, Fire Devil, Wu Hei and the other 10 something loose devils are all astounded inwardly.

That mysterious senior Lan unexpectedly wants to give them the Heaven-Sundering Diagram submissively?

Not only them, even Reverend Ming Liang, who is already hiding behind a wall of the imperial study, is also astonished.

“What’s going on? Why doesn’t this senior Lan get into action and teach these loose devils a lesson? Why does he give them the Heaven-Sundering Diagram instead?” Reverend Ming Liang simply cannot believe this. From the sentence ‘but I know the little golden Peng’, he has speculated that this Uncle Lan is a super expert.

However, now everything seems to be wrong.

“I don’t care. It doesn’t matter what’s going on. Senior Lan said to give this Heaven-Sundering Diagram to those who came to look for Qin Zheng, but he didn’t say clearly to give it to Wu Kongxue. Looks like anyone can seize it, so why should I keep being timid?” Reverend Ming Liang suppresses his aura completely and prepares to spring into action.

At this moment, Qin Zheng takes the Heaven-Sundering Diagram out from his bosom.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Heaven-Sundering Diagram left behind by senior Lan.”

Wu Kongxue and the other loose devils exchange a look. The Heaven-Sundering Diagram in Qin Zheng’s hands looks very similar to the one obtained by Dame Yan Ji. Perhaps it is the real thing.

Dame Lian Yue says clearly: “Senior Lan is really high-minded. I admire him for that. Since he doesn’t care about the location of that immortal mansion, we’ll take this Heaven-Sundering Diagram with us. When we have a chance later, we’ll definitely return this great debt of gratitude.” Right after saying those superficial words, she wants to go and receive the diagram.

However, at this last moment —

A blur appears beside Qin Zheng.

Teleportation!

After taking hold of the Heaven-Sundering Diagram with a grab, the blur disappears immediately. But when the blur is about to escape, Wu Kongxue is the first to get into action.

Who among the loose devils at the scene is not an expert?

In the blink of an eye following Reverend Ming Liang’s appearance, they come to realize that — someone has snatched their treasure. The Heaven-Sundering Diagram was snatched when it was about to fall into their hands. This is unacceptable.

But they are simply not powerful enough to intercept Reverend Ming Liang in time. Wu Kongxue has the quickest reaction. With a deep roar, he immediately makes the space around him shake for a short time. Reverend Ming Liang, who originally wanted to teleport away, no longer dares to use teleportation.

One must not teleport in an unstable area of space or else they will very likely go into a spatial rift and get twisted to pieces.

This deep roar alone spreads out from Wu Kongxue in all directions like a ripple. It has such a large range that it covers most of the imperial palace, whose structures, flowers, grasses, trees, artificial mountains and decorative rocks are immediately reduced to powder. Many people, including ladies-in-waiting, princes, princesses and imperial concubines, are also smashed to pieces right away, dyeing the imperial palace of the Qin dynasty red with their blood.

This being the starting point, a bloodbath has finally begun …

End of b10c45.