The roar of mountains and seas shook the clouds, reverberating through the centuries-old city.
Boundless killing intent swept through it, changing the expressions of the Mongol-Yuan cavalry and Western Xia experts within the ancient city. They struggled to rise and form defensive ranks, but could not muster even a trace of strength.
The Sorrowful, Crispy Breeze was one of the finest poisons of the age, colorless and odorless. Strictly speaking, it was on the same level as the Ten Fragrance Muscle-Softening Powder; the only difference lay in the symptoms after poisoning. The Ten Fragrance Muscle-Softening Powder merely left its victims weak and limp, their muscles and bones aching, whereas the Sorrowful, Crispy Breeze made their eyes sting and tears flow without end, numbing their entire bodies until they could not move. No one below the Great Grandmaster realm had any defense against it.
Yet the strongest among the Mongol-Yuan cavalry and the experts of the Western Xia First-Class Hall present were only Grandmasters. How could they withstand the Sorrowful, Crispy Breeze?
Within moments, more than half of the nearly thousand Mongol-Yuan cavalrymen and Western Xia First-Class Hall experts had collapsed. Though the remainder struggled to hold on with their powerful internal energy, tears streamed down their faces like rain, leaving them unable to see anything.
Of course, the West Depot forces were in much the same predicament.
There was no telling how much Ten Fragrance Muscle-Softening Powder Zhao Min had used. Every West Depot operative and Embroidered Uniform Guard had fallen victim to it, collapsing in swathes throughout Blackwater City's imperial palace, unable to move. Even the three stronger fighters, including Yan Shisan and Lu Xiaofeng, sat cross-legged, circulating their energy to expel the poison. White streams of vapor rose from their bodies as though they were about to catch fire.
Throughout Blackwater City, Yu Huatian alone could still stand unharmed.
Though Zhao Min could not see clearly, she could hear the dense footsteps and cries of battle outside. With her intelligence, she immediately realized that Yu Huatian had outmaneuvered her.
She had prided herself on her resourcefulness, believing herself the equal of any hero under heaven. Yet now she had fallen into Yu Huatian's trap. Alongside her panic came an overwhelming sense of defeat.
But one thing alone eluded her: everyone had been poisoned, so why was Yu Huatian the sole exception?
Wiping her tears, she looked toward the blurred figure in the silver-white python robe before her and voiced her confusion. She wanted to know why she had lost.
"You want to know why you lost?"
Yu Huatian said impassively, "I already warned you just now. In this life, there are two kinds of people I despise most. The first is the sort like you-arrogant and conceited, holding everyone under heaven in contempt."
"You fancy yourself unmatched in intellect, a woman who can toy with everyone in the palm of her hand, even stooping to such lowly methods as poison. But you never considered that you aren't the only one who knows how to poison people. I simply disdain using it. That does not mean I cannot!"
As he spoke, Yu Huatian walked toward Zhao Min. By the time he finished his final sentence, he stood before her, looking down at the lovely woman whose eyes were red and whose tears fell like rain.
It had to be said that, in looks alone, Zhao Min ranked among the finest beauties of the age. Even dressed as a man, few women could rival her. Now, with tears covering her face and that pitiful, vulnerable expression, she could not help but stir a sense of tenderness.
But at that moment, the only hard things about Yu Huatian were his fists and his heart.
With no woman in his heart, his sword would naturally strike like a god.
Zhao Min's appearance had no effect on him.
His eyes were indifferent as he stared coldly at her. "Do you know? That lofty attitude of yours just now, so certain of victory, so contemptuous of everyone-it truly... disgusted me!"
Sensing danger, Zhao Min said in a trembling voice, "You... what are you going to do?!"
"This desert belongs to our Great Yuan Dynasty. By deploying troops beyond the pass without authorization, you've already violated the pact between the great dynasties of the Divine Land. I am Prince Ruyang's daughter, Great Yuan's Commandery Princess Shaomin! If you dare harm me, my father will never let you off..."
Clang-
The sound of a sword leaving its sheath rang out.
Yu Huatian did not want to waste another word on such a spoiled, haughty, conceited woman. He drew the Heavenly Sword in an instant, killing intent raging in his eyes.
Zhao Min's delicate body shuddered. She immediately realized that Yu Huatian truly did not fear her status-he genuinely wanted to kill her!
At that moment, all her former noble bearing vanished. Terror filled her face as she stammered, "I... I'm sorry. I was wrong. Let me leave, and I promise I'll never appear before you again. I'll never..."
Slash!
Before she could finish, silver sword light flashed, and a breathtakingly beautiful head flew into the air.
In the final instant before her thoughts vanished, the face of that beautiful head still brimmed with terror and unwillingness, as though she regretted ignoring her father's warnings and leading troops into the desert alone to meddle in something she should never have approached...
"Go repent in hell!"
Yu Huatian's expression remained indifferent. He glanced at Zhao Min's corpse, his eyes filled with disgust.
No matter how beautiful and captivating she had been in life, without her head, she looked just as hideous as anyone else!
[Fortune from Zhao Min +7648.]
As the system's voice sounded, horrified cries erupted throughout the scene:
"Your Highness!"
"Damn you, eunuch scum! You dared kill Her Highness! His Highness will never let you off!"
"You're dead! You're dead!"
"When His Highness learns of this, our Great Yuan cavalry will smash through your Ming dynasty's northern passes and march south! Not only will you die, but countless Ming civilians will join Her Highness in the grave!"
The Mongolian experts glared as though their eyes would split, cursing in horror and fury. Some even ignored the poison ravaging them and forcibly mustered their last scraps of strength to lunge at Yu Huatian, determined to kill him and send him to the grave with their princess.
Clang, clang...
Expressionless, Yu Huatian casually swung the Heavenly Sword, taking their lives with ease.
[Fortune from Na Tulu +207.] [Fortune from Zhao Yishang +360.]
Ignoring the system notifications in his mind, Yu Huatian advanced at a leisurely pace, swinging his sword as he looked toward the densely packed army from Dragon Gate Pass outside and ordered:
"Get to work. Carry my people out first, then move the gold. Take everything you can carry. Don't waste time. The second storm will be here soon."
Jiang Yan, the commander of Dragon Gate Pass, grew solemn and immediately cupped his hands. "Your subordinate obeys."
With that, he waved his hand and issued orders, having the soldiers cover their mouths and noses with strips of cloth before entering the imperial palace to begin their work.
One group carried out the poisoned, immobilized members of the West Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, while another moved the gold.
As for the Mongolians and Western Xia experts at the entrance, Yu Huatian did not let the soldiers intervene. This was the perfect opportunity to farm fortune. How could he leave such a task to someone else?
Soon, the system notifications rang out one after another.
Against these so-called experts, poisoned and unable to move, Yu Huatian needed barely one stroke each. It took almost no effort.
[Fortune from Li Sicui +328.] [Fortune from Gangxiang +654.] [Fortune from Fan Yao +1496.] [Fortune from Cheng Kun +2082.] [Fortune from Crane-Pen Weng +1894.] [Fortune from Deer Staff Guest +1958.]
Yu Huatian's brows rose slightly. Had he just killed a few somewhat larger ants?
Then he shook his head and continued his "pig slaughter," ignoring the pleas and curses ringing in his ears.
Soon, every Mongolian expert Zhao Min had brought lay in a pool of blood at the entrance. Yu Huatian changed direction and approached Helian Tieshu and the other Western Xia experts.
By then, everyone from Western Xia, including Helian Tieshu, had been shocked speechless by Yu Huatian's ruthless methods. Their faces were deathly pale, their bodies shaking like sieves.
Hearing the approaching footsteps, Helian Tieshu turned ashen and hurriedly waved at Yu Huatian, his voice trembling. "Wait! Please, wait..."
Yu Huatian said calmly, "Any last words? I'll give you ten breaths. Speak."
Helian Tieshu swallowed hard, forcing himself to calm down. Raising his head to look at the blurred white figure before him, he spoke urgently:
"This general... I came here only because Commandery Princess Shaomin misled me. As you know, Western Xia is dependent on the Great Yuan Dynasty. I dared not disobey their orders."
"Besides, I never intended to compete with you for the treasure. I only wanted to recover the Imperial Jade Seal that Western Xia lost all those years ago. As long as you spare me, I guarantee Western Xia will never be an enemy of Ming for as long as I live!"
Yu Huatian's expression remained calm. "Those are your last words?"
Helian Tieshu's heart quaked. He was about to speak when a streak of cold light filled his entire field of vision...
"No!"
Helian Tieshu cried out in terror, overwhelming fear flooding his mind. He desperately wanted to flee, but could not escape at all.
Clink-
Just as the blade was about to strike his neck, a sudden whistle cut through the air, knocking the sword several inches aside. His life spared, Helian Tieshu froze on the spot.
Yu Huatian's expression shifted slightly. Frowning, he raised his head and looked up.
At some unknown moment, a woman of almost impossibly exquisite beauty had appeared atop the golden roof ahead. Her gaze was sharp as she stared coldly at him:
"Cure their poison and take your people out of the imperial palace. Otherwise, die!"
Her voice, cold as a blade, resounded through the ancient city. She held neither the tens of thousands of soldiers present nor Yu Huatian, whose martial cultivation had reached peak Grandmaster, in any regard.
Yet, sensing the terrifying aura emanating from her, Yu Huatian showed no anger whatsoever. Only gravity, uncertainty, and surprise filled his face.
"A Great Grandmaster..." he murmured, enunciating each word.
--
Can anyone guess this Great Grandmaster's identity?
Hint: she isn't from Western Xia, but she holds a position of great power there...
(End of chapter)
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