"Is that so?"
Shen Shiyi and the others were taken aback, because the disheveled appearance of Shen Laowu that they had just seen through the Thousand-Eye Technique was nothing like what they expected.
Shen Qi wasn't surprised. The Laowu and Laoliu brothers had been planning for years, so how could they not have any trump cards? Putting aside everything else, their ancient identities alone made them extraordinary. The reason the Laoliu was captured was because the scheme was too clever, giving him almost no chance to reveal his trump cards. The Laowu was different; he clearly had enough time to unleash his trump cards.
But Shen Laoqi was also very curious: what was Laowu's trump card?
"I've heard of a forbidden technique," Chen Qing said calmly. "It's called Two Aspects Spacetime."
" The Two Aspects Spacetime?"
"Hmm." Chen Qing nodded. "A technique that can unleash the potential of an organism for decades or even centuries to come. In other words, it allows the person who signs the contract to borrow power from the future."
"Huh, such a technique exists?" Laoshiyi and the others stared wide-eyed. Shen Laoqi and Laosi were also somewhat astonished. This technique... sounded a bit too heaven-defying.
Borrowing the future
Does this mean that if the other party finds some promising talents, they can directly use this technique to turn them into skilled fighters?
"It's exactly what you're thinking," Chen Qing said with a wry smile. "But the side effects are enormous, and the burden on the caster is immense. This kind of technique that borrows power from the future is too contrary to the laws of nature, so the backlash is quite significant. Generally, it's useless because no one would be willing to destroy a promising talent like that. But your Laowu is different; he has no shortage of subordinates willing to die for him!"
Everyone: "."
"Can you imagine?" Chen Qing sighed softly, "What would happen if his dozen or so top-ranking subordinates borrowed the power of the next hundred years? They would all be at least at the level of princesses, or even stronger!"
"Then why doesn't he use it?" Shen Laosi couldn't help but ask.
According to Chen Qing, if they really had that kind of heaven-defying ability, they used it just now, and their entire army was wiped out!
"Because the cost is too high." Chen Qing laughed, "Unless they want to attack us and then abandon Nanming Prefecture, but that's obviously unrealistic. Nanming Prefecture is the gateway to Jiangnan. Once it's occupied by someone else, and with their high-ranking relatives being rendered combat-ineffective by the Two Aspects Spacetime, they will completely lose their ability to fight against Shen Laoda. So they can't use it. But if they're pushed to the limit, it'll be a different story."
"I see." Shen Laoqi nodded upon hearing this, then looked at Chen Qing with a curious smile and asked, "Where did you hear about this?"
"Development log for version 2.0 Dragon Palace."
"Ah?"
"Ahem, an ancient book."
"Is that so?" Shen Laoqi said with a smile, "I hope I will have the opportunity to read the book that Lord Chen mentioned."
"Hehe."
Chen Qing laughed heartily. This book is not for NPCs to read; if they do, they'll become incredibly powerful.
" Seventh Master, I have now fulfilled our original agreement and recovered most of the countryside Nanyang. We have also driven back the enemy. How about it? Would you be willing to join my crew?"
Finally, Chen Qing spoke, revealing her ultimate request.
Seventh Master Shen glanced at the other Shen Family, then at Tian Heng, in the distance, and finally said, "Let's go into the city to discuss this in detail. I'm sure Lord Duke of Qi has already considered this, hasn't he?"
Tian Heng looked at Chen Qing with a complicated expression.
To be honest, he didn't think highly of Chen Qing at all a few days ago, even though Chen Qing had devised a plan to save all his plans, and even though Chen Qing had shown him his amazing Fighter Army.
However, he still didn't believe that Chen Qing could hold out in this chaotic battle, since the opponent was clearly someone he couldn't handle.
But the other party actually proved that he could fight on equal terms with someone like Xiao Mingyue, and even forced her to guard the gates of Jiangnan!
With such capabilities, let alone himself, even if Duke of Qin Lu Ming of Qin were still alive, the other party would be qualified to negotiate!
"Let's go into town and talk, Lord Chen."
Chen Qing smiled immediately. Finally, after taking so many risks, there was finally going to be some reward!
--
"Speak, Lord Chen!" In the main hall of the Nanyang City government, Tian Heng sat imposingly in one of the seats. "What are your plans for the future?"
Seventh Master Shen sat quietly to the side, also eager to know Chen Qing's next move.
The situation is currently volatile and unpredictable. The court has suffered such heavy losses that it certainly won't remain silent. They have no intelligence whatsoever about the capital and have no idea what the other side will do. No one knows the current situation of the Xiao Household emperor either. After all, the strongest power on the surface is still the legitimate emperor of the Great Jin.
The eldest princess absorbed both the Golden Dragon Guard and the Black Dragon Guard, two major bloodline forces, and now commands over 400,000 undead at the level of bloodline disciples. Combined with her own accumulated power, she is now a warlord whose strength even the imperial court might not be able to afford to offend.
That one in the West Sea has been plotting for many years, swallowing up the seventy-two kingdoms of the West Sea, with hundreds of millions of living corpses under his command. He has also seized a large amount of the Duke of Qin's arrangements in the West Sea. No one knows what stage he has reached now, not to mention the Cloud Capital forces that have been silent all along.
The Jiangnan and West Sea regions are destined to become the main battleground of this incident. Chen Qing, who is developing his business here, will never be able to remain uninvolved.
This time, Chen Qing's scheme, using the prevailing circumstances to force the Princess to back down and leverage her help in guarding the gateway to Jiangnan, was indeed a brilliant move. But what about the future?
We can't rely on shortcuts every time.
"My plan is simple." Chen Qing stood up. "I want to gain the support of the imperial court, rightfully seize control of Jiangnan, and take the title of king or nobleman of Jiangnan!"
"Oh?" Tian Heng chuckled. "Why should I?"
"The imperial court can't solve what's happening in the West Sea right now!" Chen Qing said coldly. "The ancient times aren't that simple. These Ancient Insect Ancient Insect just haven't unleashed their power yet. Give them some more time, and their families will fully recover. Their strength will be no less than the imperial court's. The Xiao Household emperor doesn't dare to act now because he doesn't dare to mobilize troops from the north and Cloud Capital. The eldest princess's current actions are treason, and the imperial court will never admit it. As for that one in the West Sea..."
"Ha, that one's plan is to sweep across the world by force; there's no way he'd cooperate with the imperial court. If the court doesn't want the current prosperous situation of the Great Jin to collapse, then I am his best choice, the Xiao Household!"
The Shen Family Tian Heng exchanged glances. If the other party had said this before, both sides would probably have taken it as a joke, but now...
"But can you handle it?" Tian Heng asked doubtfully. "You said it yourself, the Eldest Princess's strength is no less than that of the imperial court, and the one in the West Sea is even more so. Do you have a chance of winning against these two?"
"Yes!" Chen Qing nodded, "But I need time!"
"How long will it take you?" Tian Heng asked, frowning.
"Six months!" Chen Qing said firmly, "In six months, I will have the strength to fight. Of course, that is, provided that you, Duke, are willing to join me."
"Me?" Tian Heng frowned. "What do you want me to do?"
"Your Excellency, Duke," Chen Qing looked at the other person earnestly, "Would you be willing to become a god?"