The Heavens: A Qing, the Yue Girl at the beginning

The Daoist scrolling clouds not only use cloud energy as a symbol, but can also encompass the meaning of space; the tidal waves suddenly fall, and all sounds resonate in unison, not only concealing and releasing primordial energy, but also conveying the sorrow and longing of the heart, with remaining force capable of carrying the sea and sinking the mountains.

The straight blade marks, however, unleashed an unparalleled killing intent, severing the lingering longing sword intent. The pure and delicate nature of the city-guarding sword was shattered by the intense clash of yin and yang. Yuanwu met it with the Phoenix-Slaying Sword, but the Yutian Golden Body exceeded its limits and was destroyed, and the sword's essence shattered on the spot...

Although the Nether Dragon Scales manifested to protect his heart, his ribs were still broken, his meridians were injured, and he almost collapsed. Coupled with the heavy injuries suffered by the Qin army accompanying him, this greatly damaged his prestige in front of the other three emperors, and he inexplicably revealed his weakness.

A weakened lion or tiger is often targeted by packs of hyenas.

With Yuan Wu injured, this most powerful emperor in the history of Qin became the target of countless enemy dynasty masters who risked their lives to hunt him down.

Such a rare opportunity, where a seventh-realm cultivator can defeat an eighth-realm cultivator and make a name for themselves in history, is unlikely to come again if missed.

Even though Mo Shoucheng knew very well that Song Chaosheng and Guo Dongjiang had truly poured out all their true energy, causing their combat strength to fall below that of a Grandmaster for at least half a month, other Grandmasters were still a huge threat.

Such as Qi Siren, He Miejing, and Li Qinghou from Qi territory; the remnants of the Zhao, Han, and Wei dynasties who had long been enemies of Qin, such as Zhao Si and Bai Shanshui; and some masters and famous generals who were loyal to the Chu emperor.

Therefore, he and Yuanwu discussed the matter on their return journey. Mo Shoucheng would mimic the aura and impersonate Yuanwu, who was returning to the capital on an ironclad warship. Xu Hou, Huang Zhenwei, and others would accompany and protect him, thus deceiving the enemy.

The obvious is the bait, the hidden is the hook.

As a master of Yuanwu, Mo Shoucheng naturally possessed many unique techniques of the Qin royal family, enough to make most cultivators unable to distinguish the genuine from the fake. With his power at the half-step eighth realm, he could also suppress any troublemakers who tried to probe along the way.

With advanced age and declining vitality, he was unable to sustain himself for long, which perfectly portrayed his outward strength but inner weakness, and his fierce appearance but inner cowardice.

As he traveled, he indeed attracted seven or eight waves of spies and three groups of assassins, all of whom were annihilated by him from afar with the "Phoenix-Slaying Sword," leaving no survivors.

Those grandmasters who were watching from afar saw that "Yuanwu" was still ruthless despite being seriously injured, and they believed him even more—if he wasn't just putting on a brave face, why would he be in such a hurry to silence him?

Even though they were putting on a brave face, if the assassination were to actually succeed, it would cost at least a dozen grandmasters their lives, and that would be with perfect teamwork. So, no one made up their minds so quickly.

By the time they made up their minds to sacrifice themselves, the fleet had already sailed into Guanzhong, the heartland of the Qin Dynasty, where troops from all directions were gathering, leaving no further opportunity.

Mo Shoucheng returned safely to his usual corner tower.

Aside from a few more wrinkles around her eyes and a few more strands of gray hair at her temples, she was otherwise unharmed.

However, whenever he sat in meditation, the questions Yuanwu left behind before meeting Zheng Xiu, traveled light and met up with her, would repeatedly surface in his mind and linger.

"Master Mo," Yuan Wu said, handing over the intercepted Guo Dong's sword after revealing the plan to raid Yan territory. "I believe that Song and Guo should not have advanced to the eighth realm at all. According to the Lonely Mountain Sword Collection, they could not have done it so quickly... They must have relied on external forces."

"External force?" Like the Heaven-Stealing Pill of the Nanyang Dan Sect of the Han Dynasty.
"I can't explain it... It's probably a kind of inexplicable feeling. I think that part of their realm is attached to the vessel, and their understanding is somewhat illusory. They have never truly 'emptied' their minds. But after the two are separated, this deficiency seems to be filled in, and they become harmonious."

Genwu said, "It conceals some kind of trickery."

Before reaching the eighth realm, one cannot enter the realm of divine bewilderment, and words cannot adequately describe that subtle feeling. Therefore, Yuanwu left the sword behind, allowing Mo Shoucheng to study it on his own, hoping that he could also comprehend this extraordinary method of breaking through realms, so that he could advance further and share the burden for the Great Qin.

Even if it fails, the subtle primordial energy laws unique to the eighth realm contained within the blade can still greatly benefit a Grandmaster, allowing them to see the path ahead clearly and making the City Guardian Sword even more perfect.

"From now on, there will likely be more and more Eighth Realm experts in the world... The era of the Bashan Sword Field is truly over."

Yuan Wu consumed the spiritual lotus seed cultivated by Zheng Xiu, and his injuries were instantly healed. However, he remained deeply worried, lacking the domineering spirit he had displayed over the past decade or so, and even revealing a hint of bewilderment—a sense of uncertainty and helplessness regarding himself and the future of the Qin Dynasty.

Mo Shoucheng sat listlessly in his rattan chair, pondering the words over and over, and even detected a hint of the desolation of an aging emperor.

"Is it really over? Perhaps not..."

The shadow of the Nine Deaths Silkworm, the reappearance of the Grinding Stone Sword Technique, the unusual rise of the Great Chu Dynasty, and the surge in the popularization of cultivation brought about by that ten-thousand-word letter all depict the outline of a magnificent force that is re-forming and about to return.

Who knows if this incredible breakthrough technique is related to that person, or the new leader of the Bashan Sword Sect?
The latter is undoubtedly a genius with a personality completely different from Wang Jingmeng's, yet possessing similar talents and the ambition to change the world!

Several months ago, the other party was still in the seventh realm.

But what about now? Figures like Song Chaosheng and Guo Dongjiang have already risen to great heights. If you were to say that this elusive figure is still standing still, Mo Shoucheng would be the first to disbelieve it.

Even someone as old and frail as Guo Dongjiang, who has mastered the profound mysteries of the secret technique, can still break through realms and advance to higher levels. There's no reason why I can't.

All you need to do is explore and grasp the hidden secrets of this knife.

……

Mo Shoucheng closed his eyes and concentrated, his consciousness sinking into the gap opened by Yuanwu, seeping in and evolving, mutually confirming the meaning within the blade.

A condensed burst of energy emanated from his body, transforming into dozens of strands that drifted into the wind, rising extremely high, where countless silver specks suddenly appeared, growing brighter and brighter.

Star-like points of light moved across the sky like engravings.

They slowly formed an invisible giant wall.

The sword intent, though seemingly weak, spread throughout the space.

It seemed to quietly melt into the night breeze and moonlight.

Mo Shoucheng's palm was shrouded in a light, cloud-like purple aura.

The deep blue longsword was bathed in a mysterious silver light, and then the entire blade disappeared into the halo.

It was completely enveloped by the sword intent of the city defense.

This allows his divine sense to penetrate to the most minute details.

The city wall is a majestic solid built of blue bricks and stone blocks. Therefore, the city guards are meticulous about structure and rules, just like a ruler and compass, and are extremely good at measuring.

The silver starlight moved inch by inch, carrying with it the sword intent that was still suspended in mid-air, constantly traversing the internal structure of the blade, which was magnified a thousand times in perception, and tracing countless invisible and mysterious runes.

Such delicate and slow movements naturally require immense patience and cannot tolerate any mistakes, otherwise one has to start all over again.

Patience is the most precious quality of an old man like Mo Shoucheng, which allows him to become a city wall for decades, protecting the peace of Changling and the foundation of the Qin Dynasty.

"How strange..."

With the perspective of someone at the half-step eighth realm, it is easy to deduce deeper layers of laws and patterns from the runes. Guo Dong's past cultivation paths—which are like ripples left on the beach after the tide recedes, naturally retain the shape and rhythm of the tide when it came in.

The deep abyss, the underwater volcano, the roaming whale shark...

These images overlapped in Mo Shoucheng's mind, outlining the figure of a powerful figure born on an island, raised amidst waves, and ultimately forged in the way of the sword by storms and underwater volcanoes.

Beneath the heavy layers of sword intent, a crack appeared faintly, an extremely fine fissure whose length and depth were unknown. It lay between reality and illusion, seemingly leading to the other side.

After several confirmations, Mo Shoucheng finally realized that this was actually a sword mark, a profound sword mark carved deep within the essence of sword intent.

It can contain Mount Sumeru within a mustard seed, and the universe within a speck of dust.

A dim, ethereal figure gradually faded and vanished at the other end of the rift, yet strangely exuded a sense of contentment.

What's going on here? Who did this?

To be able to carve out such a path connecting to the void within the core of another's life-bound artifact—what incredible level of cultivation must that person possess? Peak of the Eighth Realm? Or perhaps…

Mo Shoucheng's heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, he felt the long sword in his hand ring out, and some white dust appeared on the blade. It was extremely fine dust falling down. It seemed ordinary, but it shocked him so much that he was speechless. The entire sword was destroyed in an instant.

After countless days and nights, perhaps after a few months of rest, the sword mark, which had resided within the sword intent, suddenly unleashed its power, silently dissolving a divine weapon that could be considered a rare treasure into the finest dust.

Mo Shoucheng stared blankly at his empty hands. The silver light was still slowly rotating in the night sky, but the knife was gone.

But the sword marks did not disappear with the destruction of the blade.

It actually became clearer.

Like the moon emerging from the clouds, its radiance shines even brighter.

It hovered in its original position, its meaning as subtle as a spider's thread yet as heavy as a mountain, like a silent invitation.

Mo Shoucheng suddenly understood a lot.

He recalled Yuan Wu's desolate figure as he left, the countless people holding swords in the streets and alleys of Changling before and after the alliance meeting, the giant ball that rolled down from Shimen Mountain, the night of mountains of corpses and seas of blood more than ten years ago, and the look of joy in his eyes as Wang Jingmeng competed with the young swordsmen.

These fleeting thoughts, though numerous, seemed to be drawn in by some force, as if they were all being absorbed into the sword mark.

"I see!"

The old man whispered, his mind no longer wavering.

The space defined by the sword intent of the city defense trembled. He condensed all his divine sense into a single beam, just as he had done when he first held the sword, pure, focused, and without reservation, and threw it at the rift.

Then, the surrounding scenery began to collapse.

The beams, pillars, window frames, and rattan chairs of the corner tower, the myriad lights of Changling, and the lonely, cold moon hanging in the night sky—all of them were like thin paper thrown into a raging fire, their edges curled, charred, and turned to ashes.

Instead, there was only boundless gray.

Gray sky, gray earth, gray wind, gray fog.

……

Wancheng Imperial Palace.

The Chu Emperor's voice echoed in the hall.

"more than?!"

"What else?" Zhao Xiangfei asked.

“The essence blood spilled by Yuanwu,” Zhao Qing replied.

The Chu Emperor was somewhat surprised.

He witnessed the assassination firsthand. Yuanwu did indeed exude a bloody aura, but if someone had secretly gathered it away, how could he have been completely unaware?
The remnants of the You Dynasty actually possess such bizarre and insidious methods?!

"Actually, there should be a coffin of the Nether Emperor buried inside Lushan Mountain. The dozen or so fragments of the Nether Emperor's remains that Dongfang Xunwang and others obtained were later divided and buried by the remnants of the clan, who believed that the soul of the Nether Emperor might be revived in one of his coffins."

“Each coffin containing the true flesh and blood of the Nether Emperor possesses extraordinary characteristics beyond the ordinary eighth realm. Perhaps its power is not particularly outstanding, but it can naturally utilize some of his methods from his lifetime, although they are only weakened versions and cannot be perceived by the seventh realm.”

"There are more than a dozen such imperial coffins?" Emperor Chu asked.

"There should only be a few left now."

Zhao Qing explained calmly: "The world is unpredictable. Some descendants of the remnants of the dynasty, greedy for power, destroyed the tombs they were guarding and took out the burial objects buried there by their ancestors. Some tombs had been lost for a long time and were accidentally discovered by outsiders such as the Zheng family. Meanwhile, the Sword Tomb's continued pursuit of the remnants of the You Dynasty also destroyed many imperial coffins."

"Yuanwu's essence blood must have something special about it?" Zhao Xiangfei asked again, "It's not just because he entered the eighth realm, is it?"

"Simply put, the Qin royal family belongs to the descendants of the You Dynasty in a broad sense," Zhao Qing said. "Although they are not the same as those descendants who miss Emperor You and identify with and only identify with the You Dynasty in a narrow sense, they do indeed have the hidden bloodline passed down from their ancestors, which has never changed."

"Times have changed, and they themselves may have long forgotten this origin, or even be ashamed of it. After all, the ancestors of the Qin royal family did not hold core positions such as patrol king or divine general during the height of the You Dynasty, but were merely governors. This matter is not particularly glorious."

"The territory of one province is far less than the current borders of the Great Qin."

Having established their own dynasty and possessing the glory unique to their ancestors, those seemingly plausible old marks are naturally not worth clinging to and have no real significance.

In fact, the ancient histories of most aristocratic families in the world today cannot be separated from the unified You Dynasty. They must have been subjects under its rule, and more than half of them held high-ranking official positions, which is why they have continued to prosper.

Those who can be called descendants of the fallen dynasty should at least possess the cultivation techniques personally bestowed by Emperor You and specially created for his former subordinates.

Yuanwu's current strength has definitely surpassed that of his ancestors.

However, his various changes in cultivation still did not truly break free from the constraints of the ancient methods, and were still basically covered by them.

"In any case, the first person born from the 'remnant race' in recent times has played a special role at this time."

"His main cultivation technique can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty, the Lonely Mountain Sword Sect, and even the early years of the You Dynasty. After advancing to the Qitian realm, he even refined a Youlong Pearl, which is why he was able to enter the middle level of the eighth realm so quickly. The common origin of his Qi is even more profound than bloodline."

"The Nether Dragon Pearl?" Emperor Chu exclaimed.

This is absolutely a treasure no less valuable than the jade disc of the King of Chu.

The true dragon raised by Emperor You did not actually advance to the eighth realm, but it was refined into a second host body for a long time and nurtured by a huge amount of true essence for hundreds of years, making it almost like an avatar.

Therefore, the scales and inner core of the Nether Dragon are of higher quality than the natal artifacts of ordinary eighth-realm cultivators, and can be considered as a prototype of a half-imperial artifact. Zhao Xiangfei recalled Yuan Wu's methods in dealing with the assassination attempt. At the most critical moment, Huang Zhenwei's true essence seemed to be guided by Yuan Wu's will and was used for other purposes, making up for the previous losses.

This bears a striking resemblance to Emperor You's network of debt contracts.

However, the former should be limited to cultivation methods of the same origin, and the distance should be very close, requiring the person whose true essence is being borrowed to not resist.

"Quite an ingenious scheme," she sighed softly.

"Just going with the flow."

Zhao Qing sneered: "The assassination was a scheme set up by Yuan Wu himself. It was spearheaded by a traitor from Bashan who contacted Song Guo and others, and also secretly colluded with Qi and Yan to kill any Grandmasters who posed a threat to the world."

"Unexpectedly, things took an unexpected turn. The opponent's strength far exceeded expectations. The arrow was already on the bowstring and had to be released, but there was no way to stop it. We had no choice but to abandon Ye Xinhe as a pawn to protect her and personally risk our lives to fight her."

"The Yan clan knew about this in advance, seized the opportunity to collect Yuanwu's essence blood, and added several batches of offerings from their own clan's seventh realm cultivators, thus successfully awakening the remaining will in the coffin and resonating with the heavens."

Emperor You has been resurrected. With anchor points on the ground to guide him, he can project his power and throw down the "Golden Armored God".

"Alas," Emperor Chu shook his head, "Please enlighten me, senior, what is the purpose of Emperor You's visit? Is it to rebuild the Divine Dynasty, revive the Great You, and implement the True Essence Tax throughout the world, or is there another motive?"

"How should we respond?"

Did Emperor You have any direct descendants left? Was there truly no affection left at all? He wanted to ask this, but he didn't voice it.

"His scheme?" Zhao Qing said calmly, "Didn't I already say that—have you forgotten that conversation between Dou Yifu and his father 'before his death'?"

Tracing the source, searching for the remains, tracking the rebellious traces, and bringing down calamity to cleanse... the target is the so-called "anomaly" and its accomplices.

"They boast so much, but they're really just eyeing me and want to test their skills." She added, "First, they'll make a big show of themselves to establish their authority, figure out the true strength of this world, and then they'll negotiate terms, either to subdue me or to fight back."

"Negotiation?" Negotiate with a ninth-realm immortal? Who has the qualifications? Even if the Sword Tomb Ancestor, who was once an enemy of the Nether Emperor, were to be resurrected, he would be annihilated in the face of such a difference in the essence of life. The size of a ninth-realm being is more than ten thousand times that of an eighth-realm being.

These are all values ​​that Zhao Qing recently estimated, combined with the overall strength of the extraterrestrial life forms, which he then shared with the trusting group.

Although it was hard to understand and hard to believe, Emperor Chu and the others eventually realized that compared to the powerful races that roamed the starry sky, the cultivators in the human world were like a small village in the deep mountains encountering a vast empire, or a peerless divine dynasty where cultivation was at its peak.

One side is only a few thousand miles in size, while the other is a vast and boundless star field spanning trillions of miles.

“He has no choice but to talk.” Zhao Qing seemed unconcerned, not taking the propaganda about “disobeying orders will be punished” to heart: “If he’s unwilling to talk properly, then just kick him out.”

"In just over four months, I have reached the half-step ninth realm. If I wait a little longer, the balance of power will be completely reversed."

After these words were spoken, the hall fell silent for a few breaths.

Emperor Chu and Consort Zhao exchanged a glance, both seeing a mixture of shock and realization in each other's eyes.

What's shocking is that Zhao Qing had only recently broken through to the eighth realm, yet he not only ascended directly to the peak of the eighth realm, but he had also taken a half-step across the threshold of the ninth realm? This completely distorted the common understanding in the cultivation world!

Advancing a major realm in just a few months is incredibly difficult, even reaching the Qi Refining stage from the Profound Realm... Those who can achieve this are truly exceptional geniuses...

Suddenly, it dawned on me why she remained calm and composed, treating even a being like the Nether Emperor with equality; she clearly had a strong foundation.

In fact, in the eyes of Emperor Chu and others, Zhao Qing's current cultivation level, which was revealed on the surface, seemed extremely absurd. It would be more in line with conventional understanding if she had been hiding a lot of foundation beforehand.

She simply returned to where she was rightfully in the place.

They knew very well that Zhao Qing not only had the ability to realize all the supernatural powers that the Nether Emperor had once displayed, but also created many new and more profound methods. For example, the golden-armored god only enabled Dou Yifu to break through to the seventh realm of Mountain Moving, but Song Chaosheng and Guo Dongjiang reached the eighth realm under her guidance.

While it's not fair to say they're completely inferior, there's at least no significant difference between them.

Compared to the former Emperor You, who had not yet broken through and was still stuck before achieving "immortality," Zhao Qing is probably much stronger.

What's even more terrifying and unbelievable is that she is much younger than Emperor You. Compared to the latter, who is around a thousand years old, her potential for growth and her upper limit are undoubtedly far superior, and her future prospects are immeasurable.

"So, it seems that Emperor You's journey here is destined to end in defeat? Senior, is your intention..." Emperor Chu carefully chose his words, "...to observe for the time being, and then settle things with him once you have achieved your goal?"

"Let's play two matches first," Zhao Qing replied.

She wasn't as optimistic as others imagined.

Underestimating a strong enemy is a bad idea.

Youth has never been an advantage.

He himself only managed to quickly digest the essence and mysteries of countless cultivation techniques from ancient times in this world, which allowed him to glimpse the wonders below the ninth realm in a short time, and to fuse them into one furnace to forge a stepping stone to heaven.

Emperor You had actually been communicating with the Nine Realms Beyond the Realm for a long time. Now that he has returned, he may have received assistance from these forces. In addition, his advantage in cultivation level is enough to make up for the gap in talent.

Furthermore, according to her deduction, the fact that the Nether Emperor, who should have been trapped in the Northern Dark Abyss, was able to airdrop such a battle puppet is very likely related to the fact that the other party analyzed the residual Qi of her.

Perhaps it was because of the inspiration and benefits that his strength suddenly increased.

It wasn't just her who could continuously comprehend the profound mysteries of others' techniques; the Nether Emperor could as well. The "myriad transformations" characteristic of the Ninth Realm was no joke; it could simulate all kinds of laws.

Although even a seasoned ninth-level expert like Black King had been overwhelmed by him, if it weren't for his overwhelming speed advantage, superior mobility, and the first-strike advantage, his chances of winning would have been slim.

Among cultivators with a comprehensive and systematic approach to cultivation, it is easier for the latter to achieve a reversal of fortune than for those who are purely powerful and skilled in the art of destiny.

In general, you only know the true extent of something after you've experienced it.

Although she had already completed the transformation of the fifth stage of Dharma Form, growth, transformation, and storage two months ago, the six energies had not yet been fully refined and filled. The order of the "Heavenly Chapter" was only roughly formed, the root was initially met, and the spirit was just beginning to be correct. In fact, she was still a few points away from the final mastery of the lower six energies on this path.

However, compared to when he first broke through to the next level, he is still much stronger.

It was precisely because of this that he suffered greatly from heavenly tribulations.

"Get ready," Zhao Qing paused, then reminded him, "I'll make my move in about fifteen minutes. Prepare for evacuation and other necessary procedures..."

"understand!"

Consort Zhao obtained several imperial edicts and began to write rapidly, her handwriting sharp as a sword; they were orders and decrees:

"Order three thousand imperial guards to launch a hundred carts of 'Spirit-Blocking Bombs' from fifty miles outside of Deer Mountain... Deploy all range-extending talismans and Burning Yuan Powder!"

At the same time, the natal soul lamp in the hidden compartment trembled slightly with its blue flame. Apart from the purple tinge, it also developed several strands of clear, spiraling, seven-colored glass lines, which gradually solidified into the shape of cracks.

……

The territory of Yan is north of the Yi River and east of the Dai region.

A vast mansion, its grandeur hidden deep within.

The rafters spread out like wings, like a black bird spreading its wings across the clouds; the rafts and beams support the saddle as it soars high, like a giant turtle carrying an island on the sea.

Jade ornaments adorn the pillars, and gold pendants decorate the eaves. Five colors flow between the flying eaves and double roofs, their brilliance shining brightly, their beauty extending for miles.

Left and right sides level, three-tiered double-height pavilions, vermilion doors and ornate windows, reaching to the clouds and the heavens. The boudoir is interconnected, with winding corridors and wide-open doors.

This is the residence of the Marquis of Zhongshu, the fiefdom of the youngest brother of the Yan Emperor.

It is luxurious and magnificent, even surpassing the royal palace.

main hall.

Dozens of concubines, dressed in light gauze, lay languidly, some playing the zither and plucking the ruan, others pouring wine. Their voices, like nightingales and swallows, mingled with the fragrance of wine and perfume, almost making the gilded incense burner hanging from the beams sway with a sweet, intoxicating aroma.

The armored guards outside the door kept their eyes straight ahead, their ears filled with soft, sweet laughter, but their faces showed a habitual indifference.

Zhongshu Hou was known to be lustful and indulge in pleasure.

However, inside the "Lifeng Hall" at the deepest part of the mansion, there was not a trace of romance.

The lights were so bright that the walls were as bright as day.

There were no tables or chairs in the hall, only a square black jade platform, about three zhang in size, in the center. On it, bamboo slips, silk scrolls, and animal hide scrolls were piled up to a small mountain half a person's height. Beside the platform, a middle-aged man dressed in heavy black armor stood with his hands behind his back, his eyebrows sharply defined, and his eyes cold and indifferent.

It was Yu Qi, the Grand Marshal of the Great Yan Dynasty who guarded the border.

He was not only one of the most valued generals of the Yan Emperor, but also a direct descendant of the Purgatory God General, and the highest-ranking official of this generation of the remnant clan in the Yan territory.

"Have they all been explained to?" he asked. "Which batch is this?"

"Reporting to the Commander, this is the fourth batch. Over 27,200 people from the five prefectures of Shanggu, Yuyang, Youbeiping, etc., have all mastered the Emperor You's grace and the essentials of the 'Loan Law'," the speaker replied. The man was a dwarf, but his eyes were piercing, and a holy light seemed to emanate from his tight-fitting clothes, clearly indicating he was also a seventh-realm grandmaster.

"However, the majority of the latest batch are outsiders."

"As the commander-in-chief instructed, they have each prepared a contract, in triplicate: one for their own records, one for filing, and one... to be presented when the God Emperor returns."

"Is this the batch?"

Yu Qi's gaze swept over the books piled up at the edge of the platform. Several eerie flames coalesced into claw shapes, and he pulled out several scrolls, suspending them in front of him and slowly unfurling them. He glanced at the dwarf and noticed that the corners of the other man's mouth were constantly turning upwards.

"Song Dan! What are you laughing at!"

The dwarf quickly composed himself, cupped his hands in a solemn gesture, and said, "General, please forgive me, I was just..."

"Just what?"

"...I couldn't help but think about what those people wanted."

"Oh?" Yu Qi frowned slightly, his expression darkening as soon as his eyes fell on the first page of the first volume: "What is this?"

The booklet was filled with Yan seal script, and the handwriting was quite neat. After all, no matter what kind of person you hire, you wouldn't hire an illiterate person.

But the content was really... unbelievable, almost absurd.

"I, Qian Tianfu, a resident of Zaoyang County, Shanggu Prefecture, bow my head twice in reverence. I humbly beseech His Majesty the Divine Emperor to bestow upon me a new thumb beside the little finger of each of my hands. This is because I practice dual swordsmanship, and now when I hold the sword, I always feel that my strength is unstable and my palms feel empty. If I had six fingers, perhaps I would be like a tiger with wings, as stable as a rock!"

"I am willing to offer two-tenths of the true essence I have gained through my cultivation in this life, hoping that the Divine Emperor will show his divine power and grant my request!"

The second page on the back also includes a poorly drawn illustration of a hand, with twelve fingers outstretched and somewhat comical.

Yu Qi's gaze froze for a moment, then he looked again, making sure he wasn't mistaken. He raised his eyelids and looked at Song Dan: "How old is this person this year?"

"Reporting to the Commander, I am twenty-three years old and have reached the lower level of the third realm."

Song Dan suppressed a laugh: "Qian Tianfu practices with two swords."

“…Ridiculous! True essence is released outwards, sword energy is ever-changing, what difference does it make if there is an extra finger?” Yu Qi threw the book back onto the table and picked up the second volume.

"I, Zhou Zhuangniu, a resident of Hunu County, Yuyang Prefecture, sincerely beg you to lend me the divine power of the Emperor You to bring shame upon my father's adversary—that hypocrite Yan Ping—so that he may be condemned by all and despised by the world!"

"This person appears humble and kind, but is in reality a despicable villain who has usurped the title of a local worthy and has long tarnished the reputation of my Zhou family! This disciple is willing to offer thirty percent of my true essence to humbly request the Divine Emperor to grant his request..."

Yu Qi's eyebrows twitched again, and he patiently looked down.

Zhou Zhuangniu also attached six or seven pages of densely packed paper, detailing how Yan Ping bullied men and women, was hypocritical and stole fame, and even committed many other "crimes," speaking with absolute certainty and his hatred permeating every page.

Volume 3.

"Du Dahuang, a resident of Juyang County, Shanggu Prefecture, beseeches His Majesty the Divine Emperor to bestow upon me the power of hypnosis, which can change my junior sister's mind, making her forget that pretty boy and fall for me instead. I am willing to offer forty percent of my true essence, plus..." What followed was a string of nauseating vows, which Yu Qi did not continue reading.

Next up is Volume Four.

"I, a military officer in Changcheng County, Zhuojun, with a fief of over ten thousand, have heard of the boundless divine power of the Divine Emperor and wish to request: 'To verify whether my son is my biological son. If not, I beg the Divine Emperor to use his magic to make his appearance gradually resemble mine.' The former will be rewarded with one-tenth of the salary..."

Yu Qi closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

Next volume.

...(End of this chapter)