Chapter 910: Su Tianxin

"The Immortal Emperor of Dachi, Su Tianxin, is as cruel as a wolf and vile as a fiend. On a day of chaos, he bribed traitors and incited rebellion across the empire in an attempt to invade our lands and annihilate Dazheng. He is the sworn enemy of Dazheng! The divine empire of Dazheng hereby declares war against Su Tianxin to restore justice to the world!"

The declaration of war from Dazheng caused an uproar across the land.

In Dachi's imperial court, chaos reigned as ministers and officials angrily argued about the matter.

"Shameless! Xiao Nanfeng is utterly despicable and conniving!"

"Xiao Nanfeng was clearly the one who instigated the war. How dare he slander us!"

"A day of chaos? If Dachi really were going to carry out something like this, it would have succeeded easily!"

The officials were all incensed—the rebellions that had occurred all over Dazheng were no mystery to them.

The fact that Xiao Nanfeng had quelled them all within two hours clearly indicated that he knew about them in advance as well. Yet now, this declaration of war was portraying Dazheng as an innocent victim, infuriating the officials of Dachi.

What made matters worse was that Xiao Nanfeng had evidence that the traitors were being bribed by Dachi. That was an undeniable fact. Furthermore, similar uprisings had occurred in other empires, lending credence to Xiao Nanfeng's accusations.

This left the divine empire of Dachi in a precarious position and caused them to be the target of universal condemnation. Unable to refute the accusations, the officials grew increasingly agitated.

As they cursed and argued among themselves, they turned toward the throne.

Seated there was a man in a golden draconic robe—Su Tianxin, the Immortal Emperor of Dachi. A faint golden glow radiated from his dignified features. His calm gaze betrayed no emotion.

When the court finally quieted down, Su Tianxin asked, "Has Dazheng deployed its armies?"

An official stepped forward and replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. Dazheng's forces are commanded by Ye Sanshui, and have already been deployed."

"Where to?" Su Tianxin asked calmly.

"The army has entered the border regions between Dazheng and Dazhi," the official reported with a frown. "The empires there are currently in chaos. Some forces within the empires have declared allegiance to Dachi and risen in revolt to seize power."

The official avoided delving into specifics, as the situation was hardly flattering. The chaos in these regions was part of the same coordinated rebellion orchestrated by Dachi. While Dazheng had swiftly quelled its internal unrest, these smaller empires hadn't been as fortunate. They were now embroiled in turmoil.

"These empires were originally Immortal cities belonging to Dayin, weren't they?" Su Tianxian asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty. The forty Immortal cities of Dazheng used to belong to Dayin as well. However, the empires that eventually grew out of these other Immortal cities have proven incompetent. They were unable to suppress the chaos as quickly as Dazheng did. Dazheng's army has entered the empires and are now battling the rebels who claim to be loyal to Dachi."

"And who do you think are these so-called loyalists who have declared allegiance to Dachi?" Su Tianxin asked.

The officials frowned, deep in thought. They all knew that these so-called loyalists were the spies and insurgents that Dachi had planted itself. However, they had all been exposed by Xiao Nanfeng's maneuvering. Admitting to this would be tantamount to acknowledging fault. It would undermine the moral high ground necessary for rallying troops to war. After all, Dazheng had framed its war as a righteous quest for justice, while admitting guilt would cast Dachi as aggressors and invaders. Without the banner of righteousness, how could they inspire their soldiers to fight and die for their cause?

"Please enlighten us, Your Majesty," the official began.

Su Tianxin nodded. "Long ago, the Immortal Emperor of Dayin, Yin Shenhua, entrusted me with a decree. Bring it forth and read it to the court."

A nearby official stepped forward, holding an imperial edict in the style of Dayin. He unrolled it and began to read: "To my friend Su Tianxin: I, Yin Shenhua, have ruled the divine empire of Dayin for many years. Though I govern in peace, treacherous foes conspire against me, seeking my downfall. Today, I humbly beseech you to aid me in countering these vile enemies. Should I fall, I entrust the people of Dayin and its three hundred Immortal cities to your protection."

The proclamation left the officials stunned.

This was proof of Yin Shenhua's trust—proof that he had entrusted his empire to Dachi.

But was it fake? Many officials suspected that the document was a forgery, but that didn't matter.

Its symbolic value was of utmost importance.

If Dayin had truly been entrusted to Dachi, then the current revolts could be framed as acts of righteousness.

They weren't rebellions, but rather efforts to reclaim territories that rightfully belonged to Dachi in the first place. The empires that had divided Dayin's lands, including Dazheng, were the true usurpers and thieves. Dachi, in contrast, was the aggrieved party seeking to restore justice.

Upon realizing this, many ministers were awestruck by Su Tianxin's cunning. He had turned an act of aggression into a moral crusade, justifying the actions of the Dachi insurgents and legitimizing them.

"Yin Shenhua and I were close allies," Su Tianxin said. "I assisted him in secret, but unfortunately, he fell victim to the wrath of the Imperial Court. Before his demise, he entrusted the three hundred Immortal cities of Dayin to me. Yet Xiao Nanfeng, abusing his position as a Martial Aspect of the Imperial Court, seized this territory for personal gain. I refrained from acting to prevent further suffering among the people. Now, however, I can stand by no longer while bloodsucking leeches occupy these lands and oppress the people. I hereby command my loyal subjects to reclaim what is rightfully ours."

"Your Majesty's benevolence is unparalleled," the ministers said, bowing deeply.

"These loyalists aren't rebels, but heroes reclaiming lands that belong to Dachi! I hereby order the formation of a leech-extermination army to eradicate the leeches who intend to drain our empire's resources! Let us restore our homeland!" Su Tianxin declared.

"Restore our homeland! Exterminate the leeches!" the court thundered in unison.

Dachi's declaration of war swiftly followed.

Across the world, people were stunned to learn of Dachi's side of the story.

In the imperial study in Yongding, Wen Zhong laughed at the declaration. "Your Majesty, I have never seen such a shameless Immortal Emperor in my life."

"Leech-extermination army? Very well. Let's see whose army will prevail," Xiao Nanfeng said.

Wen Zhong smiled. "Your Majesty, Su Tianxin's move might actually work to our advantage."

Xiao Nanfeng nodded, understanding what Wen Zhong meant. By framing the war as a conflict between Dazheng and Dachi, Su Tianxin had united the other empires that had divided Dayin's lands. These empires now had a common enemy in Dachi and would be less likely to turn against Dazheng.

"Those empires might not amount to much, but this development is still useful," Xiao Nanfeng agreed.

"However, I'm afraid that this might result in a prolonged war," Wen Zhong continued.

"Not necessarily," Xiao Nanfeng replied. "This might just be Su Tianxin's way of distracting us. He likely has other plans in motion."

"Oh?" Wen Zhong asked.

"This is a war between two empires, with the major factions of the wild wastes hidden realm watching from the shadows. Su Tianxin isn't going to waste the opportunity to exploit their presence. He's undoubtedly planning to use those wolves for his own benefit."

"Indeed. I've analyzed Su Tianxin's actions, Your Majesty. He's ruthless and calculating—a formidable adversary," Wen Zhong said.

"Worry not. He'll fall in due time," Xiao Nanfeng replied confidently.

"Understood!" Wen Zhong replied, nodding.

Just then, a powerful aura emanated from the back of the palace, accompanied by a huge gust of wind.

"A Boundless Immortal's aura? Has Blue Lantern broken through?" Wen Zhong exclaimed in excitement.

Xiao Nanfeng shook his head. "It's not Blue Lantern."

"What? Who is it?" Wen Zhong asked, puzzled.

In a garden surrounded by formations at the back of the palace, Xiao Nanfeng's main body stood guard around Yu'er. She had been the source of the disturbance.

Yu'er slowly opened her eyes and examined her body in surprise. "Nanfeng, I'm a Boundless Immortal now! Look!"

Xiao Nanfeng marveled at her rapid progress. How long had it been since she advanced to the Golden Immortal realm? He was overjoyed for her.

"If I'm not mistaken, the Boundless Immortal breakthrough requires comprehension of natural law. How did you do it?" Xiao Nanfeng asked curiously.

"The Yuqing Grandmaster's inheritance included a section on the corresponding natural laws. I've understood them for quite a while by now," Yu'er replied.

"Oh?" Xiao Nanfeng's eyes widened in surprise.

"Let's not talk about such matters right now, alright?" Yu'er said, blushing. "Do you remember what you said the other day?"

Xiao Nanfeng was momentarily stunned, but then broke into a smile. He stepped forward and swept Yu'er into his arms.

"Wow, I didn't think you'd be even more eager than me," Xiao Nanfeng teased.

"What do you mean, eager? You're such a bad person! I was the first to meet you, but I feel like I'm the one you care for the least," Yu'er pouted.

Xiao Nanfeng glanced at the beautiful woman in front of him, at her delicate face tinged with frustration and her enticing lips. He couldn't help leaning in and kissing her deeply.

Yu'er let out a soft sound as her face flushed crimson. She seemed to forget where she was. After a long while, when she was nearly out of breath, Xiao Nanfeng finally broke the kiss.

Yu'er's eyes were glistening, filled with overwhelming tenderness and emotion.

"Yu'er, will you be my empress, the empress of Dazheng? Don't leave me again," Xiao Nanfeng asked earnestly.

Yu'er smiled. "I will."

With a sudden motion, Xiao Nanfeng scooped her up and carried her into his private chambers.

In his arms, Yu'er seemed to sense what was about to happen. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her body trembling slightly. Her expression was filled with tenderness and anticipation.

Xiao Nanfeng kissed her lips again. The doors to the chamber closed with a bang, glowing with light as multiple formations activated and sealed the room from the outside world.

In the garden outside, a gentle breeze stirred. Flowers bloomed in abundance, releasing a sweet fragrance into the air. Their vibrant hues filled the scene with splendor.