Chapter 2734 - The Character of the Great Qin Empire

The voice of the man who referred to himself with the royal “we” was still echoing through the air when a man appeared on the battlefield. He was dignified, dressed simply, with his long hair hanging down to his waist.

The entire battlefield fell silent.

The black-robed old man who’d been staring Su Yi down turned to bow to this new arrival. “Your Majesty.”

The dozen or so old monsters who watched over the capital reined in their murderous intent. All of them bowed in unison.

Here in the imperial city, even Eternals had to bow upon seeing the emperor! The Great Qin Empire had always upheld this rule.

Qin Suqing watched from the roof of the pavilion, the rims of her eyes red with unshed tears.

That was her father, the current emperor of the Great Qin, Qin Cangtu!

In just a few years, he’d abdicate, leave the public sector, and go into seclusion.

It was just that even now that he’d arrived, Qin Suqing’s heart was full of resentment, like a bone stuck in her throat. She wasn’t at all happy to see him!

Why didn’t you show up early? Why wait all this time?

What if something had happened to Fellow Daoist Su and Senior Pu Xuan? It’d have been too late to fix things then!

But Qin Suqing could only bury these words deep within her heart.

Over on Heaven’s Viewpoint, Eldest Prince Qin Shangque froze, stunned, before rushing down the building. “Come on, come with me to greet Father.”

Yu Tong followed him.

Over by the lake, Second Prince Qin Liuhe cast aside his fishing rod and scampered off like mad.

His elderly attendant sighed, then followed him.

Su Yi glanced at Pu Xuan, who naturally understood what to do next. He asked, “I just wonder what kind of explanation you plan to offer us?”

Pu Xuan wasn’t a cultivator of the great Qin. He naturally had no intention of addressing the emperor as His Majesty.

The emperor solemnly clasped his fist, greeting Su Yi and Pu Xuan in turn. “The damage has been done, but better to change course later than never. Before I explain, please have a look at this.”

His modest, respectful bearing made the onlookers’ eyelids twitch. They could tell that something was amiss.

The emperor of the Great Qin looked over at Yin Mu, who was standing beside Qin Suqing, his hand still on her shoulder.

When Yin Mu sensed the emperor’s gaze, he was instantly solemn.

But before he could react, the power of a formation manifested golden light. It descended around him, binding him in place.

Moments later, he tumbled to the ground, landing before the emperor.

Everyone was stunned. Yim Mu was a retainer of the imperial family and an elder of Sky Profound Court. He was Qin Suqing’s martial uncle.

His aptitude was limited, and he’d fully tapped out his potential. He had no hope of reaching the Immeasurable Realm in this lifetime. Thus, he’d been sent to the imperial family to serve as Eldest Princess Qin Suqing’s Dao Protector.

Who could have imagined that the emperor would turn on Yin Mu as soon as he arrived?

“Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?” Yin Mu cried out in fury.

The emperor pointed at Yin Mu, then addressed Su Yi and Pu Xuan. “Earlier, he swore on his life that you two were spies harboring malicious intentions. I trusted him, so I believed it, too.”

An ashamed look appeared on his face. “Thus, I tacitly permitted this operation. It’s only now that I realize that he was lying through his teeth. He just wanted to borrow the Great Qin’s hands to get rid of you!”

The onlookers were in uproar. Startled cries arose on all sides.

No one could have anticipated that the eldest princess’s Dao Protector would frame her benefactors!

Yin Mu was still confined to the ground, trapped in place. He roared, “Your Majesty, I might be a retainer of the imperial family, but I’m also an elder of Sky Profound Court. How could I possibly conspire to kill two outsiders?”

The emperor’s gaze was cold and stern. “I have ample proof that you betrayed Sky Profound Court a long time ago. You’re colluding with Fire Dragon Temple, Bluebird Palace, and the Yu Family!”

Yin Mu’s expression shifted dramatically.

The crowd looked stunned and uncertain.

Yin Mu betrayed the sect?

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“Your Majesty, is this true?” The thin old man in black asked gravely.

“As the ruler of an empire, I would never joke about such a thing,” said the emperor. “Nor would I make such accusations without proof."

The old man in black pointed and roared at Yin Mu. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

Yin Mu’s expression shifted. “Where’s your proof? I want to see proof!”

The emperor waved his hand through the air, and a figure tumbled to the ground, a delicately handsome man in white. He was unconscious.

The crowd recognized him. This was Yin Mu’s closed-door disciple, Jing Yun.

This time, Yim Mu looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. He froze in place. It seemed he’d realized that the trend was no longer in his favor!

“Do I still need to explain?” the emperor said icily.

Yin Mu slumped despondently. “My cultivation base has stagnated in the Silence Realm for so long that I’ve lost track. Most of my disciples have joined me in the Silence Realm, and if all goes as I suspect, some of them will soon enter the Immeasurable Realm and surpass me, but I...”

He sprawled out limply on the ground, eyes reddening. “All I wanted was an opportunity to break through, but I couldn’t find one! Do any of you... understand that kind of agony?"

A strange, calamitous aura appeared on Yin Mu. His qi showed signs of disarray, and his eyes were bloodshot. His face was full of madness and viciousness.

But he didn’t even seem to notice. He just gnashed his teeth and said, “I finally understand. To those unable to achieve further breakthroughs, ‘Eternity’ is the cruelest torment of them all!”

The emperor furrowed his brow. It seemed he was about to intervene.

But then, the old man in black robes shook his head. “Negative karma has invaded his heart, and he’s plagued by a tribulation. There’s no saving him now.”

The emperor sighed, then swung his sleeve. A rain of golden light fell, killing Yin Mu on the spot. All that remained was his Eternal Source, but even that was covered in wisps of strange, inauspicious power.

When the crowd saw this, they couldn’t help but sympathize with Yin Mu. After all, all of them were Eternals. They were naturally keenly aware of what happened to those afflicted by Karmic Tribulations.

Although it was Su Yi’s first time seeing something like this, he naturally realized what was happening.

There was no denying that Karmic Tribulations were terrifying. The slightest problem with one’s Dao Heart could give these terrifying tribulations an opening. If they succeeded, you were doomed!

“Do you think killing him means this is over?” asked Pu Xuan.

The emperor shook his head. “The one I killed was the primary culprit behind today’s conflict. Now, I’ll provide you both with a satisfactory explanation.”

His brow was instantly solemn. “Qin Shangque, Qin Liuhe, come here and kneel!”

Qin Shangque walked over and lowered his head to the ground.

But Qin Liuhe refused. He cried out, “Father, why should I have to kneel? All I did was watch. I wasn’t involved in any way...”

The emperor raised his hand and pressed down. Qin Liuhe felt as if a divine mountain were bearing down on his head. His knees thudded to the ground, and his face reddened, but in the end, he didn’t say a word.

When the crowd gathered nearby saw this, they exchanged glances. All of them were stunned.

He forced his own flesh and blood to their knees just to apologize to two outsiders. Why go to such lengths?

But no one dared to say anything.

“Qin Shangque, do you understand what you did wrong?” the emperor asked calmly.

Qin Shangque said gravely, “I understand. I shouldn’t have tried to watch a fire burn from the safety of the far side of the river. However, I swear that I did nothing to fan the flames of this conflict, nor was I involved in any way.”

The emperor said coldly, “You wish to become my heir, but you lack the spirit and courage of a crown prince. In the face of disaster, you chose to remain a bystander. You’re far too selfish. How could you possibly be an emperor?”

Qin Shangque instantly broke out in cold sweats.

The emperor roared, “If I pass my throne onto you, what will happen if the Great Qin Empire faces disaster? Will you remain a bystander even then?”

Qin Shangque lowered his head to the ground once more and said with fright, “I understand what I did wrong!”

The emperor then turned his attention to his second son. “You thought you could just sit back and watch tigers fight. You figured that the bigger the spectacle, the greater your chances of becoming my heir. You

wanted

the entire capital turned on its head. Your schemes are narrow-minded and despicable!”

Qin Liuhe struggled as if trying to say something, but he couldn’t get the words out. Bitterness was written all over his face.

The emperor gazed at him coldly. “If you weren’t my son, I’d have killed you for your schemes many times over!”

Then, he disregarded his kneeling sons and clasped his fist at Su Yi and Pu Xuan once more. “Everyone who fought here today did so on my orders. They are not at fault. Ultimately, this was my mistake. If you’re displeased, please state any requests you might have. I’ll take responsibility and do my utmost to make it up to you!”

With that, he bowed at the waist.

The crowd was stunned. This was the ruler of an empire. How vast was his authority? How great was his prestige? Even the leader of Sky Profound Court had to treat him with respect.

Yet now, he’d forced his sons to kneel, then taken responsibility for everything. This was completely outside of the crowd’s expectations.

Over on the roof of the pavilion, Qin Suqing watched her father bow, her face wet with tears. All of her accumulated resentment had vanished.

In her heart, her father was like a mountain, or like the heavens themselves. He bore responsibility for the entire Great Qin Empire on his back.

He’d never apologized or bent at the waist like this before!

Pu Xuan looked at Su Yi, who inclined his head. “I’ve finally seen the character of the Great Qin for myself. This ends here.”

The emperor ruled an entire empire, and he had numerous Eternals under his banner, as well as Sky Profound Court to back him up.

Did he really have to bow and apologize to two outsiders of unknown origins because of their earlier misunderstanding?

He didn’t!

That’s what made it so impressive!

The emperor rose, then shook his head. “We were in the wrong, so we naturally ought to compensate you and not simply wave everything away. The Great Qin will show you its sincerity to make amends for our mistakes!”

He spoke with staunch conviction.

Meanwhile, Qin Suqing rushed over, the rims of her eyes red with tears as she thanked Su Yi and Pu Xuan, weeping tears of gratitude.

Su Yi smiled. “When it comes to fixing mistakes, late is better than never. With someone like your father in charge, the Great Qin is sure to prosper.”

Pu Xuan smiled. “Well said!”

Qin Suqing felt a massive weight lift from her shoulders. Her face was full of delight.

Her benefactors had ultimately avoided a lasting grudge with the Great Qin Empire. This was unquestionably the best possible outcome.

A smile rose on the emperor’s lips. “Seeing your unparalleled bearing was a blessing amidst misfortune, Fellow Daoists. If you aren’t averse, I’d like to welcome you to the palace and show you my hospitality!”

Qin Suqing looked at them eagerly.

Su Yi thought it over briefly, then accepted the invitation. He knew that if he refused, both the emperor and Qin Suqing would believe he still held a grudge.

“What about you?” Su Yi looked at Pu Xuan.

“If you’re going, I’m going,” Pu Xuan said with a laugh.

When the other Eternals saw this, all of them sighed with relief.

Pu Xuan was an Immeasurable Realm Dao Lord. It would naturally be best if they could avoid a falling out with him.