Chapter 2735 - The Great Qin Empire Shall Meet Its End

The curtain had fallen on the battle in the imperial city.

When the power of the Golden Halo Dragon Formation receded, the streets were as lively and bustling as ever, and they showed no sign of damage or any other vestiges of battle.

This was the wondrous application of the formation.

When cultivators fought, they could easily burn mountains and boil seas. Cities were thus often protected by formations.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t matter how many cities there were; battles between cultivators would soon flatten them all.

...

Within the imperial palace, a banquet was underway in a splendid hall. The tables were laden with all manner of drinks and delicacies. Even the wine was from the emperor’s personal collection.

Both Su Yi and Pu Xuan were in attendance, accompanied by the emperor, Qin Suqing, Luan Yunzhong, and several old-timers from the imperial clan.

As they laughed and clinked glasses, Su Yi finally learned the full story.

Half a month ago, Qin Suqing and Luan Yunzhong returned to the Great Qin Empire safely. Most saw this as a perfectly ordinary occurrence, but it filled Yin Mu with unease.

This old man with practically no hope of ever reaching the Immeasurable Realm had secretly started colluding with Bluebird Palace, all for the sake of breaking through.

Bluebird Palace swore that so long as Yin Mu achieved great merit on their behalf, they’d do their utmost to assist him in breaking through.

Not long ago, Yin Mu finally found his opportunity.

Ol’ Devil Golden Spirit of the Golden Spirit Hidden Realm was hosting yet another wedding banquet. He’d sent invitations to the four top factions of the Blue Peak Continent, and all of them were sending their representatives to attend.

Bluebird Palace contacted Yin Mu, suggesting they do business at the banquet. He said that if all went well, they’d give Yin Mu the opportunity he was looking for.

And all they wanted from Yin Mu was a list of Sky Profound Court’s representatives at the banquet.

Yin Mu didn’t even hesitate to sell out Qin Suqing and Luan Yunzhong.

But he would never have guessed that not long after, Bluebird Palace would inform him that their operations in the Golden Spirit Hidden Realm had ended in failure.

The experts of Bluebird Palace, Fire Dragon Temple, and the Yu Family all died there. Not one made it back alive!

That wasn’t all. They suspected that even an expert of the Heart-Tempering Sword House had died there!

Bluebird Palace asked Yin Mu to investigate how Qin Suqing and Luan Yunzhong made it back alive.

Yin Mu naturally didn’t dare to slack off, but Qin Suqing and Luan Yunzhong’s lips were tightly sealed. They revealed nothing at all, so there was nothing Yin Mu could do.

In the end, Bluebird Palace requested that Yin Mu investigate “Su Xuanjun” and “Pu Xuan.”

But while Yin Mu was investigating, something unexpected happened.

Qin Suqing said that she already suspected that someone in the Great Qin Empire or Sky Profound Court was working for their enemies, and that whoever it was had divulged her and Luan Yunzhong’s location.

When Yin Mu heard that, he could no longer remain seated. He was terrified that if his actions came to light, he’d be the first to suffer. Thus, he went straight to the emperor and swore on his life that Su Xuanjun and Pu Xuan were malicious enemy spies.

His goal was to borrow the emperor’s hands to kill his enemies and to throw the whole situation into chaos, ruining Qin Suqing’s attempt to uncover the double agent who’d sold her out.

In truth, Yin Mu had come dangerously close to succeeding.

The emperor couldn't help but smile as he reached this point in the story. “Fortunately, Luan Yunzhong arrived to clear things up just in time! Only then could I turn course and avoid making the situation even worse.”

Luan Yunzhong instantly looked ashamed.

Earlier in the banquet, he told Su Yi and Pu Xuan that he’d had no choice but to reveal the full truth of what had happened in the Golden Spirit Hidden Realm to win the emperor’s trust.

It was for this reason that the emperor finally dared say with certainty that Su Yi and Pu Xuan really were Qin Suqing’s benefactors and not double agents.

Su Yi naturally wasn’t bothered by this. In a time of crisis, it made sense to act quickly. Luan Yunzhong had done nothing wrong.

When the banquet ended, Su Yi and Pu Xuan left the palace and returned to their residence. Qin Suqing accompanied them.

When they reached the courtyard, the eldest princess of the Great Qin hesitated. It seemed she had something to say.

Su Yi laughed. “A trivial matter. No need to take it to heart. You weren’t in the wrong here, and neither were we.”

Qin Suqing instantly relaxed. She said softly, “Fellow Daoist Su, can we remain friends going forward?”

Su Yi blinked. “Do you plan to draw a line between us?”

“Of course not!” Qin Suqing said hurriedly.

Su Yi smiled. “Isn’t that good enough? Hurry and go back. You and your father have a lot to talk about.”

Qin Suqing nodded, bade farewell, and left.

Su Yi watched her leave, then whispered, “It’s in times of crisis that you can see someone’s character most clearly, and Miss Qin left me nothing to criticize. You really won’t think it over? Becoming the emperor’s son-in-law would be an absolutely wonderful thing. I could bask in your glory, too.”

Pu Xuan paused, then smiled. “Fellow Daoist Su, if you’re that eager for a daughter-in-law, I can agree to that.”

A daughter-in-law?

Su Yi froze, then quickly realized what he was getting at.

He smacked Pu Xuan on the shoulder. “Behave!”

He turned and entered the courtyard. Pu Xuan followed, laughing heartily.

Su Yi sat in his wicker chair, then took out a bag of holding. It contained the Great Qin Empire’s compensation, a full three thousand pieces of Eternal Essence Gold.

Pu Xuan had a bag just like it.

“I heard that the most valuable currency in the Eternal Heavens Domain is called Destiny Jade. It’s a jade essence naturally formed in the River of Destiny, imbued with traces of the power of destiny. It’s apparently extraordinarily mystical, and a single piece is worth a thousand pieces of Eternal Essence Gold. I wonder when I’ll get a chance to see it for myself,” murmured Su Yi.

The night winds blew past, and the sky was dotted with stars, while the city streets shone with lamplight. The courtyard was utterly tranquil and serene.

“I’m sure you’ll get plenty of opportunities later,” said Pu Xuan, sitting on the stone bench beside the pond, his white robes flowing around him. He was so elegant and handsome that he seemed extraordinary even just sitting there.

Su Yi put away his bag of holding, then took out a jug of wine. “You really aren’t at all interested in reclaiming your memories of the past?”

Pu Xuan nodded. “To me, the past has already gone up in a puff of smoke. I’ve received a second chance at life, so I naturally have no reason to cling to what was.”

“Aren’t you curious about who you were before?” asked Su Yi.

Pu Xuan fell briefly silent. “Should the opportunity arise, I’ll naturally find out, but for now, I’m not interested.”

“Mm,” said Su Yi. He gazed into the starry dome of heaven. “I plan to explore the Blue Peak Continent for a bit, taking measure of heaven and earth on foot. I want to see just what makes the Eternal Heavens Domain different.”

Pu Xuan laughed. “I’m willing to accompany you. I’ll work like a dog or horse on your behalf!

“I’m happy so long as you quit pretending I’m your father,” said Su Yi.

Pu Xuan mulled it over seriously, then said, “How about I take you as my grandfather instead?”

“I don’t have an unfilial grandson like you!” Su Yi flung his jug at Pu Xuan’s head.

Pu Xuan caught it, walked over, and proffered it to him. “Please don’t be angry, Grandfather!”

Su Yi was completely exasperated.

How could Pu Xuan be such a wiseass? Is there a hole in his skull? Or is something wrong with his brain?

“Get the hell away from me!” Su Yi waved him away disdainfully.

But Pu Xuan didn’t leave. After a moment’s silence, he said, “My memories of before are gone, but I remember all of my time as an inauspicious spirit, including the man who left me that calligraphic scroll. He was a sword cultivator just like you, Fellow Daoist.”

Su Yi froze, then quickly understood.

Pu Xuan must have guessed something.

Pu Xuan then returned to his room, while Su Yi remained in the courtyard, drinking and gazing up at the night sky.

The Eternal Heavens Domain was enormous, and the Path of Eternity was long, but none of that bothered Su Yi.

He’d witnessed the bearing of Heavenly Sovereigns for himself back in the God Domain. He’d watched Heavenly Monarchs fall like rain, and he’d seen the abilities of Old Lord Gouchen, a mysterious expert from the Far Shore of Destiny.

None of them seemed lofty and unattainable. In Su Yi’s heart, the Grand Dao was even greater and loftier than them!

The Blue Peak Continent might have been the lowliest of the Eternal Heavens Domain’s continents, but it was still part of the Eternal Heavens Domain, with Immeasurable Realm experts in residence.

Immeasurable Realm Dao Lords were in the fourth of the Five Realms of Eternity. To Su Yi, a newbie from a lower realm, that was plenty.

Thus, he’d decided to stay here in the Blue Peak Continent, survey its mountains and rivers, and get acquainted with its populace.

......

The following day, the emperor publicly decreed that Qin Suqing was to be his heir!

This development caused a commotion in the imperial city, then quickly spread to the rest of the empire.

Later that very day, the eldest prince, Qin Shangque, announced that he was willing to serve the new crown princess.

Second Prince Qin Liuhe was apparently still not convinced. He rolled and screamed and threw a tantrum in his chambers.

Not long after, the emperor ordered Qin Liuhe to be confined to the palace.

Unless anything unexpected happened, when Qin Cangtu abdicated the throne, his daughter, Qin Suqing, would become the first empress in the history of the Great Qin Empire!

Yet something unexpected did happen, just three days later.

It was dawn, and the skies were overcast. A massive downpour was imminent.

A middle-aged man in fiery Daoist robes appeared outside the imperial city, approaching on the back of a ten-thousand-foot flood dragon.

Along the way, he made absolutely no attempt to disguise the characteristic imposing pressure of an Immeasurable Realm expert.

The Eternals gathered in the imperial city sensed him immediately and looked over. Then, they recognized him.

This was the grand elder of Fire Dragon Temple, Lu Yun!

Lu Yun hovered above the city’s eastern gate, the flood dragon circling in midair.

“Senior, welcome to our city. Forgive us for not welcoming you earlier. Might I ask what business you have in the Great Qin Empire’s imperial city?” asked the old man tasked with defending the eastern gate. He rose into the air and clasped his fist.

Lu Yun of Fire Dragon Temple was fierce, and he killed decisively. He was an old monster famed throughout the Blue Peak Continent, but it had been a long time since he’d last appeared in public.

His appearance put enormous pressure on the old man guarding the gates.

Lu Yun disregarded the old man completely, instead gazing deeper into the city.

“Where is Qin Cangtu?” he asked, his voice booming like a thunderclap throughout the sky.

Streaks of radiant light shot out of the city. All were old monsters tasked with watching over the capital.

All of them looked solemn. Lu Yun had arrived and, shockingly, he’d called their emperor directly by name. It seemed obvious that he was here with ill intentions.

“What can I do for you, Fellow Daoist Lu?” The emperor appeared out of nowhere above the palace, dressed in plain robes, long hair hanging loose. He seemed calm and composed.

Lu Yun’s eyes blazed like the sun. He said gravely, “This old man has come here on behalf of Fire Dragon Temple, Bluebird Palace, and the Yu Family to issue the Great Qin Empire a decree!”

The emperor narrowed his eyes, then said calmly, “Please explain in further detail.”

Lu Yun said slowly and clearly, “Give up Qin Suqing, Su Xuanjun, and Pu Xuan immediately. I’ll take them into custody. Refuse, and the entire Great Qin Empire shall meet its end!”