The Cheat Arrived

Jiang Mingyang and Ma Hongjun were on their way back to the Heaven Dou Imperial Capital.

After a full day on the road, darkness gradually fell, and Ma Hongjun and Jiang Mingyang entered the Small Forest.

The area around them was open and showed no sign of anyone nearby, so Jiang Mingyang and Ma Hongjun decided to spend the night in the forest.

With Ma Hongjun's fire-attribute Phoenix Martial Soul, starting a fire was no problem. Jiang Mingyang and Ma Hongjun chatted and laughed as they roasted corn.

Jiang Mingyang already had a clear plan for Ma Hongjun's future. After all, Ma Hongjun possessed a top-tier fire-attribute Martial Soul. As long as he cultivated steadily, there was no telling how far he could go.

Suddenly, Jiang Mingyang frowned, and his Tianya Sword Martial Soul appeared in an instant.

"What is it, Brother Jiang?" Ma Hongjun asked hurriedly. Even as he spoke, he activated Martial Soul Possession.

"I sense an unfamiliar presence," Jiang Mingyang answered gravely. "It comes and goes. Another Soul Master must be nearby."

Jiang Mingyang frowned to himself. The enemy is hidden while we're out in the open. That puts us at too great a disadvantage.

He smiled and called into the darkness, "Friend, there's no need to hide. We're only passing through and mean no harm. Why not come warm yourself by the fire and have something to eat?"

But the dark, empty surroundings gave no response. It was as though nothing was there and Jiang Mingyang had imagined it.

A sharp look flashed through Jiang Mingyang's eyes. A chill crept over him.

He had taken the Immortal Herb Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew, strengthening both his mental power and his eyesight. Normally, he could see at night as clearly as by day.

Yet he still could not see the other person. This had to be a Soul Master with an invisibility ability, most likely of the agility-attack type.

Jiang Mingyang calmly sat back down by the campfire and ate his corn. He knew the other person could not be far from him and Ma Hongjun.

The person refused to show himself, yet his presence remained. He was hiding there, not merely passing by. That meant he was hostile; otherwise, if he did not want to come out, he would have left.

In this situation, they could either lure him out and make him strike first,

or wait until daybreak. Either way, they needed patience.

Jiang Mingyang ate his corn with an air of ease, though he remained intensely alert.

Suddenly, a shadow flashed toward Ma Hongjun, who was weaker and sat across from Jiang Mingyang. It attacked in an instant.

Jiang Mingyang activated his Second Soul Skill, moved in front of Ma Hongjun, and blocked the fatal blow for him.

Jiang Mingyang's Third Soul Skill and Ma Hongjun's First Soul Skill, Phoenix Fire Line, struck toward the figure ahead. The shadow hastily retreated, and five Soul Rings appeared around him.

The fourth Soul Ring lit up. A shield formed around the shadow, blocking most of the damage from Jiang Mingyang's Third Soul Skill and Ma Hongjun's First Soul Skill.

The shadow vanished into the night, but Jiang Mingyang could sense that he had not left.

Still, Jiang Mingyang felt considerably more at ease. A Soul King, huh... Tsk, tsk. That really is something. With invisibility this powerful, he'd be formidable even among his peers. Unfortunately...

Jiang Mingyang pulled Ma Hongjun to his side and slowly activated his First Soul Skill, Ten Thousand Swords Unsheathed.

Jiang Mingyang poured a tremendous amount of Soul Power into blazing-fast blades of light and sent them forward, then rapidly changed their direction again and again to attack on every side. Seeing this, Ma Hongjun used his First Soul Skill to launch an area attack as well.

When Jiang Mingyang had swept through about a third of the surrounding area, he clearly saw the blades of light stop at roughly four-fifths of their maximum range.

He instantly unleashed his fourth Soul Skill, Myriad Swords Return to the Sect, firing flying swords toward that spot without pause. Ma Hongjun attacked in the same direction. Together, their attacks blasted a huge hollow in the ground and filled the air with smoke and flames.

Yet there was no blood.

Jiang Mingyang hurriedly shaped Myriad Swords Return to the Sect into a cage around himself and Ma Hongjun.

Suddenly, a blade of light shot out behind Jiang Mingyang and struck the ribs on his left side.

Blood gushed from the wound, splashing unnoticed across the Bracelet Soul Tool on his left wrist.

Relying on his invisibility, the Soul King had passed straight through the cage formed by Jiang Mingyang's fourth Soul Skill, Myriad Swords Return to the Sect.

Jiang Mingyang hurriedly used his Third Soul Skill, relying on its one second of immunity to evade the man's attack.

Ma Hongjun quickly activated his Second Soul Skill, Bathing Fire Phoenix, to resist him. At that instant, Jiang Mingyang took medicine from his belt Soul Tool and swallowed it.

To his astonishment, the bracelet on Jiang Mingyang's left wrist kept absorbing the blood spilling from his wound.

Under the Bracelet Soul Tool's influence, the blood he had shed instantly turned gold and formed a golden blood dragon.

As it continued absorbing blood, the Bracelet Soul Tool seemed to melt into a liquid, then gathered into a neat cube that gave off a dazzling light.

Under that brilliant light, the invisible Soul King's outline was exposed. His invisibility Soul Skill had stopped working.

Jiang Mingyang seized the chance to use the Divine Sword Lightning-Controlling True Art. Stepping backward through the Seven-Star Steps, he chanted, "Nine Heavens Profound Fiend, become Divine Thunder. By the sword, I call upon heaven's blazing might!"

Just as the Divine Thunder formed, the cube made from the Bracelet Soul Tool fired a beam of golden light into it. The Divine Thunder instantly turned gold.

Jiang Mingyang had no time to dwell on it. He immediately aimed the Divine Thunder at the Soul King.

When it struck, the Soul King crumbled like a sheet of scorched paper, turning bit by bit to ash. Jiang Mingyang was shaken to his core.

Ma Hongjun rushed over. "Holy shit, Brother Jiang! That was incredible!"

Jiang Mingyang smiled at Ma Hongjun. Meanwhile, the golden dragon formed from his blood continued merging with the cube formed from the Bracelet Soul Tool. It became... an Imperial Jade Seal.

Jiang Mingyang and Ma Hongjun stared in astonishment. The Imperial Jade Seal turned its base toward Jiang Mingyang and shone with golden light.

Jiang Mingyang could not dodge it, even with speed surpassing that of a Soul Ancestor. Eight large characters gradually appeared on the seal's golden base: "Mandated by Heaven, long life and lasting prosperity."

It slowly flew before Jiang Mingyang. Trembling with excitement, he tentatively held out both hands, and the Imperial Jade Seal descended into them.

At the sight of it, Jiang Mingyang's eyes gradually reddened. He stared fixedly at the Imperial Jade Seal and murmured the eight characters: "Mandated by Heaven, long life and lasting prosperity."

Beside him, Ma Hongjun was too stunned to speak.

Ma Hongjun was no fool. Of course he recognized the object. He knew all too well what the words engraved on the Imperial Jade Seal meant.

He had also traveled with Jiang Mingyang to Moon-Gazing City and witnessed the corrupt rule of the two Empires firsthand. Inwardly, he cried, A son of destiny! This is Heaven's mandate!

Ma Hongjun promptly dropped to one knee.

Jiang Mingyang reached out with both hands to help him up. "Hongjun, what are you doing? Get up."

But Ma Hongjun remained firmly on his knee and said with barely contained excitement, "You are of noble birth and have Heaven's will on your side. The Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire are rotten to the core. Surely the time has come to end this age of chaos! I, Ma Hongjun, pledge to follow Your Majesty in uniting the realm and ending the turmoil."

It was no wonder Ma Hongjun was so excited and so quick to pledge his loyalty.

For one thing, the ancestors of the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire were said to have received Heaven's mandate early in their lives. Only then had they gone on to unite the realm.

For another, those ancestors had founded their Empires when other Empires had grown corrupt. Now the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire had become corrupt themselves. How strikingly similar it was!

Third, Ma Hongjun had seen the Imperial Jade Seal take shape and the characters appear on it with his own eyes. None of it had been faked. It truly was Heaven's will!

Fourth, he could become a Dragon-Following Minister! No, if he joined Jiang Mingyang now, he would also be a Former Retainer of the Crown Prince's Residence.

Whatever changes lay ahead, as long as Ma Hongjun stayed loyal and followed him steadfastly, even if his abilities fell short, success would make him one of the most prominent men in the realm.

Besides, Ma Hongjun considered his Phoenix Martial Soul quite impressive. Would that not make his prospects better still?

Jiang Mingyang soon understood. Suppressing his own excitement, he said to Ma Hongjun, "Hongjun, while my birth is better than most people's, it is hardly that exalted.

"Now that the two Empires have grown corrupt, if... if there really is a chance...

"If I am Emperor De, then you will be Zhongti..." He extended his right hand to help Ma Hongjun up.

At those words, Ma Hongjun's face lit up with excitement. With Jiang Mingyang's help, he quickly rose.

Emperor De was the ancestor who had founded the Heaven Dou Empire.

According to legend, before Emperor De had achieved success, people had made similar claims that he bore Heaven's mandate.

Most thought the claims were false. Only Zhongti had remained steadfast, working tirelessly as Emperor De's follower without complaint.

After Emperor De achieved his great undertaking, Zhongti became the person he trusted most.

Emperor De had not cast him aside once he was no longer needed. He entrusted Zhongti with important duties until his death. After Zhongti died, imperial princes carried his coffin. He was, beyond dispute, the foremost founding minister.

In later generations, so long as Zhongti's descendants did not involve themselves in struggles over the position of Crown Prince, a member of his family held one of the highest offices. The family's fortunes were bound to the Empire's own.

Jiang Mingyang slowly looked down at the Imperial Jade Seal in his left hand and fell into thought. I... am the one Heaven has chosen!

The Grand Ancestor traveled the land and met King Wen, and thus received Heaven's mandate. King Wen bowed to him and, whenever danger arose, went forth first. Favored by the emperor, he was granted a place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Since the founding of the dynasty, only nine men had received that honor. The Grand Ancestor had said, "Nine is the highest number. If another is to enter, one must leave, so that the supreme number of nine remains unbroken."

"Imperial Ancestral Temple"