Before Qin Sang could finish speaking, dozens of hidden arrows shot out from the dense forest, all aimed directly at him.

With one hand holding the reins, Qin Sang swiftly reached out with the other, effortlessly knocking down most of the arrows and catching a few in his grasp. The remaining arrows hit him but immediately fell to the ground, appearing quite strange.

Then, with a sudden flick of his wrist, a few dull thuds sounded from within the forest, followed by startled cries.

"Attack!"

Qin Sang gave a light shout, and his figure instantly vanished from his horse. Water Monkey and the others also dismounted, rushing into the dense forest together. Wu Chuanzong and a few others with slightly weaker martial arts skills formed a defensive formation around the horses, using crossbows to counterattack.

In the darkness, Qin Sang summoned his ice crystal armor, his movements swift as lightning, and ferocious like a tiger. King Yan had already been called out.

Such mere hidden arrows posed no threat to him whatsoever.

In an instant, more than a dozen assassins fell at Qin Sang's hands. The remaining assassins, terrified, fled deeper into the forest. Their movements, of course, did not escape Qin Sang’s keen hearing. He was about to pursue them when he suddenly sensed something, looking up toward the mountaintop.

In the dim moonlight of the night, the mountaintop was shrouded in a thin mist. Just moments ago, a figure had flashed through the mist. If not for Qin Sang’s sharp eyes, he might have thought he was seeing things.

The person spying from the mountaintop, sensing the situation turning unfavorable, attempted to flee. Qin Sang sneered and ordered King Yan to pursue the enemy, while he used his movement art to leap towards the mountaintop.

As soon as he reached the mountaintop, he saw a man dressed in white lying lifeless on a rock. Qin Sang crouched down, flipping over the man’s waist token—it turned out to be someone he knew: White-Robed Scholar, one of the four protectors of the Blood-Clad Tower!

This man’s martial arts skills were on par with Bai Jianglan, yet he had died here without a sound.

Qin Sang pondered quietly. White-Robed Scholar’s ambush was likely not orchestrated by the Dongyang King but more probably by the eldest prince, greedy for the treasure. However, if they dared to reach out, they should be prepared to have their hands chopped off.

Water Monkey quietly made his way to the mountaintop. "General Qin, only one of our brothers was slightly injured. We’ve captured two of the attackers alive and have them restrained."

"Send a signal. We don’t need any captives; kill them all!"

Qin Sang picked up White-Robed Scholar’s body and descended the mountain, tossing it to Water Monkey. "You and Wen Kui take half of the men and return to Ming City quietly. Hand this body over to the commandery lady without saying anything more."

…

In the sixth winter since coming to this world, Qin Sang, now holding the position of Left Military Commander of the Brave Regiment, walked into the imperial capital of the Great Sui for the first time.

After three commanderies near the imperial capital fell in quick succession, the defending generals surrendered without a fight. The Dongyang King, wielding the momentum of the entire nation, besieged the imperial capital. After three months of holding out, with supplies and food exhausted, the fake emperor refused to flee north and hanged himself in the palace, leading the defending generals to surrender.

The Dongyang King did not enter the palace immediately but first went to the Holy Mountain Zhao to pay homage to the late emperor. His coronation was set for the first day of the new year, leaving less than two months for the generals and ministers to prepare for the Fengshan ceremony on the Holy Mountain Zhao. The matter of pacifying the rebel forces in the north seemed to be of little urgency to anyone.

Qin Sang occupied the residence of a former minister of the fake emperor’s court, leaving only a small guard detail at the gate. Apart from Wu Chuanzong and a few others, he refused to see any visitors.

Among the various military leaders, below the two chief commanders[1], there were only a handful of left military commanders like Qin Sang. The Brave Regiment, under his command, had cooperated with the Victorious Regiment in Guize Commandery, earning distinguished battle achievements. Although their performance in the final assault on the imperial capital was somewhat lackluster, it didn’t affect Qin Sang's status. Even if he wasn’t granted the title of a commandery king, a marquisate was almost certain. Ȑ�

Despite being such a prominent figure, his peculiar temperament left many puzzled.

Little did they know that after the battle at Raven’s Mouth, Qin Sang had devoted much less energy to military affairs, focusing entirely on his cultivation. Sometimes, he would meditate for an entire day.

It was only after the left military commander of the Brave Regiment made a grave error that the commandery lady personally came to the camp and forcibly assigned the position to Qin Sang.

This explained why the Brave Regiment didn’t shine in the subsequent battle for the imperial capital. However, because Qin Sang delegated his authority, Wu Chuanzong, Water Monkey, and others had ample opportunity to grow and were now capable of leading on their own.

Qin Sang also reaped significant rewards, having just recently succeeded in breaking through to the fifth stage of the

Netherworld Scripture

.

With the long-awaited Fengshan ceremony on Holy Mountain Zhao fast approaching, Qin Sang’s anticipation grew. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of surprise that young man with the surname Han would eventually bring him.

Before the New Year arrived, heavy snow fell for three days straight.

𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

However, this New Year was the most reassuring one the people of the Great Sui had experienced in recent years. What would have been considered a snow disaster in the past was now praised as an auspicious snow, heralding a bountiful year.

The clouds dispersed, the snow ceased, and the sky cleared.

Although it was still dark, the snow on the path up Holy Mountain Zhao had been thoroughly cleared overnight. Straw and ash were spread on the ground to prevent slipping. Qin Sang, along with Chief Commander Feng and Chief Commander Mu, laughed and chatted as they steadily climbed the mountain. Surrounding them were other military leaders and meritorious officials.

At the front, the internal guards cleared the way, followed by the Dongyang King, then the eldest prince, the commandery lady, and a few other princes.

At the rear were the officials, guards, and the sacrificial offerings of jade, silk, and grains.

Everyone ascended on foot, leaving the carriages at the foot of the mountain as a sign of respect.

It took an hour and a half to reach the mountaintop, where they were greeted by the sight of the Sacred Palace. The generals, strong and vigorous, showed little fatigue, but among the officials, the weaker ones nearly fainted from exhaustion. The eldest prince was drenched in sweat, gasping for breath, not faring as well as the Dongyang King, while the Dongyang Lady remained as composed as ever.

The officials from the Ministry of Rites stood at the entrance of the Sacred Palace. Upon seeing the Dongyang King, they knelt and saluted. After a series of rituals, the palace master of the Sacred Palace presented a new dragon robe, and the Dongyang King entered to change into it. Meanwhile, the others busied themselves with the preparations.

Countless offerings flowed into the Sacred Palace like a stream, while monks and Daoists chanted prayers. Qin Sang watched with amusement, feeling some of his anxiety dissipate.

At noon, an official from the Ministry of Rites came forward holding a silk scroll. Those whose names were called could hardly conceal their excitement, though they tried to appear composed as they stepped into the Sacred Palace under countless envious and reverent gazes.

When Qin Sang heard his name, he too walked in as if nothing were amiss.

Inside the Sacred Palace, large incense burners were lit, and countless offerings were laid out. In the center, jade tablets and books were displayed. The Dongyang King stood silently with his hands clasped, his tightly clenched fists revealing his inner tension.

In the end, only thirty-one people were qualified to enter the Sacred Palace!

"The auspicious hour has arrived! The Holy Emperor shall be enfeoffed!"

The palace master shouted, raising his arm high and striking an ancient bell. The melodious bell rang out, echoing across the land.

The Dongyang King recited the sacrificial text in person.

The bell rang a total of eighty-one times. Qin Sang grew impatient, thinking these immortal masters really knew how to put on a show.

As the final bell echoed and faded away...

Gawk!

A loud, clear crane cry resounded across the sky, causing everyone to look up in shock.

In the cloudless sky, layers of radiant clouds had somehow risen, their glow spreading rapidly until they covered the entire sky. Deep within this glow, a mysterious heavenly gate seemed to exist.

Whoosh!

A massive celestial crane broke through the radiant clouds, soaring through the sky. In an instant, it hovered above the Sacred Palace. With a snap of its beak, a jade seal, trailing streams of light, descended into the Dongyang King’s hands.

The celestial crane’s figure gradually faded away.

"Please invite the immortal to rest in the palace," the Dongyang Lady said, bowing towards the offering table after the celestial crane disappeared. Just as everyone was wondering who she was addressing, a figure shifted from illusion to reality—a chubby young man appeared out of thin air.

Qin Sang’s heart sank.

It isn't the young man with the surname Han!

1. This is an ancient military rank in China; it is the highest ranking military officer, above the military commander. ☜