Zepu Road.
Since leaving Youlan Prefecture, the Legitimate Emperor had headed north along Zepu Road, intending to cross the Luoxiao River and make straight for Yunzhou in the northern frontier.
Though he had twenty thousand elite troops along the way, there was only one Martial Saint and merely four Mysterious Phenomena cultivators. In the present Eastern Continent, where cultivators ran rampant, this could practically be called pitifully low Combat Power.
"Report!"
A deputy general rode up on a swift horse to catch the column. "Your Majesty, disaster! After Zhang Jingwu led Shengyun Sect cultivators and twenty thousand troops to seize Youlan Prefecture, he came straight after us!"
"Quick!"
Minister of War Ming Qingfeng said, "Take the eastern Qingteng Valley!"
The twenty thousand elite troops immediately changed direction.
Whenever they passed through a city along the way, they would also take the opportunity to eradicate spirit grain.
This had been Shangguan Haichang's idea.
"Traitorous ministers hold sway in Chang'an!"
"The Legitimate Emperor has suffered persecution at the hands of Rebellious Ministers and Traitors!"
"The King of Northern Liang, Chen Sanshi, had only slain immortals and eliminated traitors under the Legitimate Emperor's instructions!"
There were countless statements of this sort.
The intended meaning was nothing more than that His Majesty was wise and sagacious, that there had first been an emperor before there was the King of Northern Liang's uprising.
Furthermore, whenever they passed a place, the Legitimate Emperor personally killed a couple of local corrupt officials, then went into the fields to pull out spirit grain himself. The commotion became known to all, and later on, commoners even wept as they welcomed him. Quite a few also voluntarily joined the escort protecting the emperor.
"Lord Shangguan's move is truly brilliant!"
Minister of Works Fan Shikui praised him without end.
"His Majesty's