Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 151: Family

Time reversed back to over ten days ago.

After the imperial court’s bandit suppression team set out, the situation didn’t show any signs of improvement.

Luojiu’s forces were as fierce as wolves and tigers. Not long after they conquered Twin Rivers, they began to penetrate into the Central Plains. Soldiers from all over fought desperately, but they couldn’t withstand the terrifying momentum of the “Divine Saint”. This man could take on a thousand on his own; his magic was unparalleled, and he could easily take on a whole troop. With the emperor gravely ill and a shortage of generals, Great Yun seemed like a young beast bitten on the back of its neck by a poisonous insect, almost helpless.

The Divine Saint was extremely cunning. Unlike the barbarians of the past, he didn’t resort to massacring cities or villages. He only targeted those with the most spirit and capability, brutally executing them in public. The citizens of Great Yun, who hadn’t experienced war or disaster in three hundred years and without the protection of the imperial court, were now as quiet as cicadas in the cold, extremely submissive.

Under such an atmosphere, Luojiu used Twin Rivers as a base and quickly expanded its influence into the Central Plains.

Xu Jingxing’s health remained the same, neither improving nor worsening. Shen Zhu solved the problem of Seeking Immortals, and with the Yueshui Pavilion enshrined in the royal court, the emperor naturally learned about the news of the Hanging Tree.

Facing this demonic entity, Xu Jingxing seemed disheartened, not even wanting to hear the war reports anymore.

Lately, only maids and eunuchs visited him, and sounds of smashing could be heard from his room. In less than a year, the prosperous nation showed signs of impending doom.

One day, as medicine was just brought in, another bout of angry shouts and smashing echoed from the room. The servants outside the door, fearing the emperor’s wrath, stayed far away.

“I, a humble subject, pay my respects to Your Majesty.”

The maid who brought the medicine closed the door and immediately knelt on the ground. Not far away, shards of jade porcelain scattered on the floor, looking like petals knocked down by rain. The room was in a mess, and its bright colors couldn’t hide the overwhelming aura of decay.

Xu Jingxing’s face looked withered as he weakly leaned against his bed. “Get up.”

The maid smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Beside the maid, a eunuch with a hunched back finally looked up. He glanced at the broken porcelain, and his eyes were slightly red. “Emperor Brother, I have brought her.”

Judging by the eunuch’s features, it was clearly Xu Jingming in disguise.

Xu Jingming’s once dominant aura had faded. He used to be outwardly impressive but inwardly hollow, but now that façade was crumbling, revealing a more genuine vulnerability.

Xu Jingxing gave him a weak smile and then turned to the maid. “You must be Shen Zhu? I… cough… I heard that you’ve become the Minister of the Ministry of Heaven in the Yueshui Pavilion. Interesting. You hold a title there, and yet the Immortal Assembly didn’t target you…”

“Thanks to Sect Master Shi, who publicly ‘turned against’ me during the Chigou chaos, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief,” Shen Zhu said with a smirk.

“Now that you are the Minister of the Ministry of Heaven, even Jiang Youyue won’t be able to touch you. That’s good.”

Xu Jingxing looked at the dim ceiling and sighed deeply.

“Did Shi Jingzhi send you to tell me something?”

“You’re already aware of the situation with the demon tree. Now, I want to discuss with you the Hundred-Year Project of the Imperial Preceptor’s lineage and the phenomenon of ‘Heaven’s Displeasure’ in Great Yun…”

……

“What nonsense!”

After listening to Shen Zhu’s account, Xu Jingxing angrily shattered a vase by his bed. This time, it wasn’t for show—he was genuinely enraged.

“What kind of absurdity is this? It’s bad enough that the demon tree harms the people. This flesh idol gathers the energy of thousands to create a bloodthirsty tyrant! Wait, does Luojiu’s ‘Divine Saint’ also…”

Shen Zhu calmly replied, “Very likely. When He Cheng’an went to Luojiu, he already figured out the method of harnessing vital qi through the flesh idol. He had plenty of time to prepare before the real ‘seeding’. Luojiu isn’t large, and the population is concentrated, making it easier to create a ‘Child of Desire’.”

With the presence of a successor to the True Immortal, it was like a fruit that had fallen from a tree.

He Cheng’an, the old fruit, hit the ground and used the last bit of his value to leave the new Hanging Tree with favorable conditions. The Luojiu Hanging Tree was fortunate, growing quietly for three hundred years and getting a superior “puppet” first.

“The ‘Child of Desire’ is simply raised and selected when young, fed with the Shirou when mature, and dedicated to the Hanging Tree until death,” Shen Zhu explained indifferently when she saw Xu Jingxing’s puzzled look.

He Cheng’an’s foresight was correct. If used properly, the ‘Child of Desire’ could be a natural-born ruler. Their desire was insatiable. Even if Great Yun offered territory and compensation, it couldn’t stop the march of the Divine Saint. Ordinary people could only suffer in front of this “top-tier monster material”.

Xu Jingxing grew more disheartened, clutching the blanket and scoffing, “So, ordinary people really can’t compete with immortals?”

“Not necessarily.”

Shen Zhu chuckled.

“Luojiu has vast lands with sparse populations and limited vital qi. In terms of ability, our ‘Child of Desire’ is indeed stronger.”

“So that’s how it is.” Xu Jingxing gave a bitter smile. “That being said, does Shi Jingzhi want military power or the throne?”

Shen Zhu slightly raised her fine eyebrows, somewhat surprised. Xu Jingming took a deep cold breath, but ultimately held back his urge to speak.

“Presumably, He Cheng’an chose the founder of the dynasty in these chaotic times, hoping that he would fight and establish the empire, expanding the territory for those behind him.”

Xu Jingxing coughed violently again; his face filled with gloom. He gritted his teeth, every word dripping with sorrow.

“A bunch of fanatics, wanting the prince to ascend to the throne and wage wars all over? Now that Luojiu is causing chaos everywhere, when the Imperial Preceptor pushes that puppet monster to the throne, it will be an opportunity to continue the war. Instead of complying with their wishes, why not…”

“Our Sect Master won’t do it.” Shen Zhu interrupted with a cheeky smile. “He guessed you would say these things and had already told me.”

“…What?”

“He said he’s had enough of staying in this palace. He just wants to be with his beloved and travel all over the country. He has a plan with only one condition: Once everything settles, he must have a royal title and an imperial silver badge—you’ll have to give him as much money as he wishes to play with.”

Xu Jingxing and Xu Jingming: “……”

This request wasn’t serious at all, and Xu Jingxing took a moment to process it.

“That’s all?” The emperor asked in disbelief.

Shen Zhu took out a long list from her chest. “Not only that, but everything else can be bought with money. He alone cannot empty the national treasury, so please rest assured, Your Majesty.”

Xu Jingxing, out of patience, said, “The capital is about to fall, yet that bastard… Never mind, I agree; I agree to everything.”

Shen Zhu took a deep breath. “Then, please avoid the Imperial Preceptor’s ears and eyes and surrender to that Divine Saint.”

“That damn thing will tarnish our reputation for eternity!” Xu Jingming’s head buzzed, and he suddenly jumped up. “We can’t burn our own house just to kill a few rats, right?! No matter how bad the Imperial Preceptor is, they are still our own!”

Xu Jingxing stood still, but unlike Xu Jingming, his eyes sparkled and slowly brightened.

“If you don’t have troops, turn your enemies into allies. If we can’t resist a strong enemy, then divert them… Good, tell me more in detail.”

Several days later, at that very moment.

Faced with this news, Jiang Youyue’s attack suddenly halted, and his calm expression faltered. His cheek muscles twitched, and his face turned pale. Whether from shock or anger, he wobbled on the spot, losing his breath for a moment.

Xu Jingxing surrendered? Jiang Youyue’s mind went numb.

Not long after the word cloth news came, the energy of the Hanging Tree began to waver. Just now, he was using its power to fight all over, but now he felt as if he was stripped naked in an icy world, feeling cold and empty.

The Hanging Tree didn’t have much intelligence and only expressed unease. The dark clouds in the sky were shredded by unseen branches, forming eerie shapes that made people shiver. The unease was transmitted through the roots, and Jiang Youyue struggled to control them. The roots on the ground lashed out indiscriminately, causing dust and leaves to fly everywhere. The translucent roots writhed like waves.

A thicker root swept past, nearly hitting Jiang Youyue’s nose.

The Hanging Tree was hurt, so the news of the surrender was probably true.

Upon the Emperor’s order, the soldiers of Great Yun stopped their attacks. With free time on his hands, the Divine Saint had important things to do—stabilizing the situation, he began the Invitation to God.

The roots of the Luojiu’s Hanging Tree were summoned, immediately entangling and fighting with the Great Yun’s Hanging Tree. There wasn’t enough vital qi for two powerful entities. The Luojiu’s Hanging Tree was still “young” and very hungry, growing especially ferocious.

Twin Rivers, being a borderland, was just a minor issue for the Great Yun’s Hanging Tree. The problem was that Xu Jingxing had already surrendered, and more such incidents would happen in the future. If this continued, their Hanging Tree would be suffocated first. What would they rely on for prosperity and unification?

In the end, Xu Jingxing shouldn’t have been this weak—Luojiu hadn’t even reached the Central Plains yet, so why surrender so readily?!

“It was you.”

Jiang Youyue looked at Yin Ci and Shi Jingzhi in front of him, his eyes cold and piercing. The bruise on his cheek was evident.

Both knew from the beginning that they were no match for the power of the Hanging Tree, so they deliberately led the wolf into the room. They let the Hanging Trees fight against each other, using one to kill the other.

“Very well! Yin Zizhu, I never expected that the founding general of the past would now disregard the rise and fall of the nation. The Hanging Tree isn’t that weak. With these tricks, how many days can you delay?”

Jiang Youyue no longer pretended to be calm, anger evident in his voice. He raised his hands, barely controlling the chaotic roots. Those roots once again formed into spears, ready to strike.

“Founding general? I was a general for less than ten years, and then became the leader of the demonic sect for decades.”

Yin Ci held his black sword, its blade gaining a deeper hue from the fresh blood. Facing the spear in front of him, he didn’t even blink. Blood flung into the air, reflecting specks of golden fire and looking very much like the torn beads of a red necklace in the sky.

“Lord Jiang, this is indeed just the appetizer. Please, enjoy.” Shi Jingzhi wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his smile cunning.

Just then, a distant group finally charged to the front line—these people were all exuding fierce hostility and murderous intent, all remnants of the Ling Sect. They ignored the Taiheng Sect and charged directly at the soldiers. The soldiers, who had just had a gentle fight with the orthodox sect for hours, were suddenly faced with a group of mad dogs, causing their formation to become chaotic and lose momentum.

Blood splattered everywhere, screams echoed. Every few steps in the wasteland, people were intertwined in combat. Dark weapons and poisons confronted spells. Both sides seemed evenly matched, plummeting the world into darkness.

Monk Juehui and Hua Jingchun saw their chance and were whisked away from the wasteland by the Taiheng Sect members. The imperial soldiers, with renewed vigor, pursued them. But they hadn’t gone far when they ran headlong into Su Si, riding a black horse—

Dressed in dark red with neatly tied hair, Su Si wore a sinister smile. Behind him were a group of assassins with the mark of the red scorpion, clearly not intending to let anyone pass.

“Why the rush? Chasing those orthodox sects, especially the older ones, is so boring.”

Su Si caressed the butcher knife in his hand. The blade nicked his thumb, and a few drops of blood oozed out. He sucked the blood from his thumb, and his smile grew colder.

“Why not play a game with me? I guarantee it’ll be enjoyable.”

With a flash of the blade, the Red Scorpion Feet assassins silently lunged forward. Unlike the straightforward Taiheng, their blades aimed for lethal spots. Blood sprayed from necks, dispersed by the wind.

A splash of blood landed on Su Si’s face, almost covering a mole near his eye. Wiping the blood off, he pointed his knife towards Qu Duanyun.

This was a clear provocation.

A vein popped on Qu Duanyun’s forehead. He wanted to help but was intercepted by the Sword of Compassion.

Without the interference of the imperial soldiers, Shi Zhongyu quickly gathered the Taiheng members. She and Yan Qing, together, firmly trapped Qu Duanyun, preventing him from returning to the imperial soldiers’ side.

Jiang Youyue looked displeased.

Before him, Qu Duanyun was suppressed by the orthodox alliance, and the soldiers were entangled by the demonic sect. Yin Zizhu never showed any signs of panic, while Shi Jingzhi, as if under some spell, willingly caused chaos with him. It seemed that the rumor of “The Immortal Assembly is causing chaos in the martial world” spreading was imminent—this was much more real than any illusory tales of the Hanging Tree and was bound to cause countless troubles.

Far away, the emperor lowered his head. In a few days, the Luojiu army would be here. They needed to form an Invitation to God again or the Hanging Tree would be further damaged. They needed to make Shi Jingzhi the new True Immortal, driving away the Divine Saint.

They had no time to waste.

Though the True Immortal was busy controlling natural disasters and couldn’t move, given the situation, it was best to ask him to take action.

Jiang Youyue made a decision, summoning the roots around him, lifting his head, and praying loudly to the sky.

His words were obscure, like a song. As the prayer continued, a luminescence began to emerge from the roots around the Imperial Preceptor, verdant and full of vitality.

Disgusting.

Yin Ci gritted his teeth, charging at Jiang Youyue with golden fire, slashing at the roots, trying to interrupt the strange call for help. But it was too late. Drops of flesh began to fall from the sky. The sky darkened as thunder roared and lightning flashed. A downpour, thick with a fishy smell, fell as the flesh droplets continued to pour.

The translucent roots quickly dispersed, leaving a clear space. The roots, now glowing, detached from the Imperial Preceptor, forming a dazzling magic formation on the ground. Amid the blinding green light, the flesh droplets hovered above the formation, boiling and writhing.

As when the True Immortal last appeared, the droplets slowly took shape, resembling Sun Wang.

The Hanging Tree was damaged, and the True Immortal no longer bothered to appear human. Expressionless, he made a gesture. The edges of his white robe instantly stretched out, transforming into countless threads, entangling both the imperial soldiers and Ling Sect followers.

In Yin Ci’s eyes, those white threads enveloped each person, draining them. They entered armor and clothes, softening flesh and bone. The once lively people now seemed boneless, collapsing to the ground like bags of cloth.

Yin Ci stared intently at “Sun Wang” not far away, his breathing growing slightly more rapid. The Threads of Worries were like the tide, trapping him in it and making it hard for him to even wield his sword. Shi Jingzhi became enraged and his golden flame engulfed a small acre, sparing a small space for him.

Within these pervasive Threads of Worries, there were quite a few sharp, thick roots mixed in. If it hadn’t been for Yin Ci’s timely defense, Shi Jingzhi would have almost been hooked through and gruesomely dragged to the True Immortal’s side.

Yin Ci immediately abandoned the offense, guarding Shi Jingzhi closely. The True Immortal approached step by step, not uttering a word.

The heavy rain continued to pour, accumulating and flowing on the invisible Threads of Worries. Under the flickering lightning, the accumulated water seemed to float in the air. Raindrops, heavy as stones, pelted their skin, making it hard to breathe. Kushan in the distance was obscured by the rain curtain, its silhouette consumed by the dim mist. Between heaven and earth, there seemed to be only this vast wasteland stained with blood.

At last, the True Immortal stopped in front of the master and disciple, raising a hand high. The earth emitted a rumbling noise, with nearby sounds of collapsing and breaking.

The downpour was causing landslides; this time, it was mudslides!

Natural disasters approached, yet the movements of the Thread of Worries and the tree roots didn’t pause. People looked around, only seeing a bleak scene. Even if the mortals could dodge the Thread of Worries, they couldn’t avoid the occasional attacking roots. Even if they managed to survive, they were bound to be buried by the mudslide.

The chaotic battle came to a standstill.

For the True Immortal to deal with mortals, it was even simpler than crushing ants. In less than half an incense stick’s time, the chaotic and bloody battlefield turned into a floating hell.

Most of the imperial soldiers and followers of the Ling Sect had perished, with only a few struggling on the spot. Qu Duanyun, recognized by the True Immortal, had a moment’s respite. He easily dispersed the Threads of Worries and directed his sword wind at Yan Qing. Jiang Youyue focused and continuously used his magic to trap the master and disciple of the Kushan Sect. The True Immortal reached out to grab Shi Jingzhi, who was still emitting golden flames—

A soft laugh echoed in the rain, followed by the sound of a long sword colliding with the Threads of Worries.

Clink.

Yin Ci released his Hanging Shadow Sword, letting it fall to the ground. With a flip of his right hand, he firmly grasped the True Immortal’s wrist.

“Elder Brother Sun.”

He curled up the corners of his mouth, his eyes as black as ancient ink. The downpour had wet Yin Ci’s long hair, the damp strands clinging to his cheeks. His complexion was pale, with only his lips retaining some color. However, his voice was clear and bright, showing no signs of panic or weakness.

“Don’t touch my family.”

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The author has something to say:

Demonic Lord Yin: Elder Brother Sun, you once said I would marry the most beautiful woman in the world. Look who I brought.

Fox Shi: ?

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