Origin Paradise!

The heads of the various families lowered their heads and remained silent. The Da Shun army was jointly selected by all parties and had repeatedly defeated the second-line troops in Jiangnan. However, no one expected that the Prince of Yong would actually go out of the city to fight in the field and win seven battles in a row. As a result, the refugees are now clearly somewhat resistant to the Da Shun army, thinking that they are nothing more than grasshoppers in autumn.

The head of the Wen family said, "The growth rate of the Yong King's forces is not right. He is currently located in Ansai County and has a full 50,000 Ansai elite cavalry. I think it will be difficult for him to train ordinary refugees to a level comparable to the main force of the border army in a short period of time."

The head of the Wenren family nodded and said, "Moreover, the Prince of Yong has been fighting for eight hundred li without any sign of transporting grain and fodder, which is also suspicious."

One of the vice leaders of the Sun Moon Demonic Sect stood up and said solemnly, "The Holy Sect believes that the fundamental secret technique of Prince Yong is definitely related to military strength. He now possesses the legendary power of the Heavenly Dragon, and at the sixth level, which is probably the greatest divine power in the world."

Xie's eldest son resolutely said, "We cannot let him grow any stronger. Prince Yong is a member of the imperial clan and a major threat to us. The negotiations in the capital have reached a conclusion: the eldest prince's funeral will be postponed by half a month until things are settled here."

One of the family heads laughed and said, "It seems that even our Emperor doesn't trust this Prince Zong."

Someone scoffed, "Plundering Qingzhou and unilaterally quelling the Guo Huan case—if I were His Majesty, I would have executed him at all costs long ago. Why did things have to come to this?"

"Given Prince Yong's martial arts skills and military power, it wouldn't be surprising if he were to stage a coup one day. His Majesty still has half a century left to live, and the fact that he has been able to sit idly by until today is already a result of weighing the interests of the imperial clan."

"Unfortunately, in order to extricate themselves from the struggle for the throne, the Xie family had no choice but to kill the eldest prince. I think everyone should be understanding of this sacrifice."

Xie's eldest son waved his hand and said, "Now is not the time to divide the credit. Now that Father has returned safely, the bandits should be quelled. But even so, we still need the bandits' help to deal with Prince Yong. Everyone must be cautious recently, for the last step is the hardest."

"clear."

"clear."

The eldest son of the Xie family picked up his teacup, pondered for a while, and said, "Before the encirclement and suppression, we might ask someone to go. If it works, we can save a lot of money. Even if it doesn't work, there won't be any harm."

The heads of the families seemed to be deep in thought.

……

The capital city, the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.

In the study, the crown prince clutched his head tightly, his eyes bloodshot.

After a long pause, he suddenly turned around and said coldly, "Grand Secretary Pei, if one day I lose my value, will you do the same thing as Xie Anan and commit wicked acts?"

Grand Secretary Pei tucked his hands into his sleeves and laughed, “Your Highness, not everyone can rank sixth in the world. I am just a piece of rotten wood. I don’t have the qualifications to kill a member of the imperial family and get away with it. Besides, the Jiangbei aristocratic families have already suffered heavy losses in the previous dynasty. They can’t get along with those guys in Jiangnan.”

The crown prince breathed a long sigh of relief, his expression barely managing to calm down.

The rampage of hundreds of thousands of bandits in Jiangnan made Emperor Wu of Liang realize the power of aristocratic families. Considering the Northern Wei, the Western Barbarians, and the Prince of Pingxi of Yizhou, the emperor did not allow Xiao Qingzhi and the old monk Kuchan to take action, and chose to compromise.

In response, Xie Anan personally killed the eldest prince, representing the Jiangnan aristocratic families in withdrawing from the struggle for the throne, and the two sides reconciled.

But in the Crown Prince's eyes, the fact that his elder brother, whom he regarded as his sworn enemy, had been beheaded made him feel a sense of shared sorrow.

"Father wants to kill my brother Yong," the Crown Prince said.

Grand Secretary Pei said, "Prince Yong holds significant military power and is a pillar supporting Your Highness's position in the court. This matter must be handled with utmost care..."

“It is precisely at times like these that I must listen to my father.”

Grand Secretary Pei: "..."

Is the problem with you, or with me?

The Crown Prince solemnly said, "If I cannot sever ties with my brother Yong, my father will surely implicate me afterward. Now that the eldest prince has perished, I must persevere to the end."

Grand Secretary Pei was somewhat troubled. The Crown Prince's aptitude was not outstanding. Of course, Emperor Wu of Liang chose such an obedient Crown Prince precisely because of this. However, Prince Yong had reached the pinnacle of martial arts and held considerable military power. He could not accept abandoning such a pillar, because it meant that he might become the next one.

"Your Highness, what is your intention?"

The Crown Prince respectfully presented an imperial edict.

"On behalf of the Emperor, execute the Prince Zong."

"My father will not personally intervene, so I will be in charge of ordering and deploying the Dragon and Tiger Armies. However, the actual troop movements will still be entrusted to the generals at the front."

Grand Secretary Pei's eyes flickered.

……

December 1st, the 20th year of Yongqing.

Anse County, on the southern edge of Yangzhou Prefecture.

Inside the county government office, Jiang He sat in the main hall, surrounded by six lifelike celestial dragons.

[Hint: You have completed main quest ②]

[Note: You have obtained an Immortal-grade Skill Enhancement Scroll (Due to significant overflow from completing the Executor's quest, this scroll can enhance the Hunter's core abilities)]

"Ok?"

Jiang He opened his eyes. He hadn't originally planned to improve his core abilities, since his animal companions and heroic spirits were enough for the time being. However, normally, ordinary upgrade scrolls would hardly strengthen core abilities, so this was considered overpriced.

"Then let's go with the former."

[Name: Animal Companion (3/4)]

[Category: Active Skill]

[Quality: Immortal]

[Effect ①: Hunters and animals form a partnership contract, enjoying long-range communication and location sensing within the same world group, regardless of distance]

[Effect ②: Provides one opportunity to swap locations/spaces every half hour, with a maximum cumulative number of times: 300]

[Effect 3: Animal companions can participate in derivative and world quests with hunters. Their deployment locations are safe and random, and they gain a certain status boost based on the hunter's initial status strength.]

[Effect 4: Hunters will gain Life Essence from hunting creatures, which can be used to increase the attribute values ​​of their animal companions (hunting a Hero or higher-level creature = 1 unit of Super Life Essence, each unit of Super Life Essence increases the attribute value by 1 point) (This effect has a maximum value of 81)]

[Effect 5: Backing - Within the Golden Heart of the Animal Companion, two attacks from the hunter can be stored, collected in the form of an alchemical matrix. Activation of this matrix requires the hunter's permission.]

[Note: Hunter's core class abilities]

"Boss, there's a letter from Grand Secretary Pei, and another from Si Ning." Wu He brought over two secret letters.

Jiang He took them to look at; the two letters were about the same thing.

"The Yangzhou soldiers, the Dragon and Tiger Imperial Guards, the Da Shun army, and the elite troops of the Baima Border Garrison of the Prince of Ruyang of Xuzhou who are marching south."

Jiang He frowned. As expected of the Southern Liang regime that crossed the Yangtze River, it watched the Battle of Qingzhou from the sidelines, but it didn't hesitate to launch a heavy attack against him.

"If that's the case, there should be some attractive bait, otherwise I have no reason to risk my life."

Chapter 579 The Birth of a Celestial Being

The next day, dark clouds filled the sky.

A message spread rapidly across the country.

A celestial being was born in Changling County, Yangzhou, and was recognized as the master of the Azure Sky Sword, which ranked second on the Divine Weapon Ranking.

The news shocked the world.

Meanwhile, someone in Anse County also received the news.

Standing in front of the city wall pavilion, Jiang He gazed at the plains outside the city, the sound of Origin's notification ringing in his ears.

[Hint: Main quest ③ has been released]

[Task Name: The World and the Mortal Realm]

[Mission Brief: For the beings of the Zhu Lu World, the Divine Court World is undoubtedly the highest heaven. Some powerful beings (peak heroes) from the Divine Court World occasionally reincarnate into the Zhu Lu World through the channels of the Divine Court Sect to cultivate a second life, solidify their Dao power, and accumulate fortune.]

[This is a dangerous move, because the death of reincarnation is real, yet the rewards are immense. If one returns to their peak state with a newly cultivated body, there is hope of gaining a second power or authority through secret techniques.]

[These powerful beings who secretly descend to earth have been traditionally referred to as "Celestial Beings" by the beings of Zhulu since ancient times. Celestial Beings inevitably possess legendary fundamental techniques, and once their identities are exposed, they often attract a siege by numerous powerful figures. The Celestial Beings who died as a result in history gave rise to major sects such as the Moral Sect, Tianchan Temple, and Xuanjin Manor, and directly led to the birth of the lineage of military strategists and sorcerers.]

[This celestial being, having fallen to the battlefield in the struggle for supremacy, unknowingly lost the protection promised by the Divine Court Sect. After the Sun Moon Demonic Sect discovered this through divination, they sent two holy maidens to secretly approach and steal the fundamental technique. One of the holy maidens succeeded, but because she fell in love with him, she kept quiet about it.]

For unknown reasons, the Sun Moon Demonic Cult publicly revealed the existence of Celestial Beings.

[Mission Requirement: Defeat the Celestial Being (Normal Gold)]

[Quest Reward: Immortal-grade Skill Enhancement Scroll (Gives your animal companion an Epic-grade targeted skill)]

[Task Time Limit: 30 calendar days]

[Task Penalty: None]

[Note: Changling County is backed by a narrow gorge and surrounded by mountains on three sides, making it a strategically important location. It was the fiefdom of the twelfth prince of the imperial family, the Prince of Fu. General Cao of the Southern Liang Dynasty led his 30,000 troops to defend the county, intending to relieve the siege of Yangzhou. Tianren, a son-in-law of the local prominent Yan family, possessed great fortune. Around Changling County, the battle for Yangzhou had quietly begun.]

Not long after, Wuhe came to report.

"Boss, the main force of the Da Shun army has left Yangzhou for Changling. The Yangzhou soldiers and the allied forces of the aristocratic families intend to leave the city, seemingly to provide support. The Northern Dragon and Tiger Guards have joined forces with the Ruyang army, totaling 100,000 men, and are being led by the Prince of Ruyang himself, heading straight for Changling County."

Jiang He remained calm; this was a trap.

If it weren't for the letters from Grand Secretary Pei and Si Ning, and the quest prompts from Origin, he would definitely have gone there.

Of course, I would still go now.

"Wuhe, send a message to Si Ning: there's a high probability that a small group of elite troops are lying in ambush at Yixian Gorge behind Changling County. Tell her to find a way to deal with them, and the treatment fee for her injured leg will be halved."

"clear."

"Inform Lao Hei again that Pei Yuye's second daughter, the one who is skilled in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, should be married into the Prince's mansion. There's no need for a formal meeting; just find a courtyard in the mansion and raise her according to the proper standards."

"clear."

"Tell Ah San to prepare to defend the city. Whether he can achieve great things depends on his own abilities."

"clear."

Jiang He pondered to himself that because of the existence of martial arts masters, the longest siege battle in the history of the Battle of the World, which involved tens of thousands of people, lasted for a full five months. The feat of being the best siege defender in history was not enough to promote a sub-hero to a hero, but he had his own means to make it happen.

call!

In Anse County, a roar of flames soaring into the sky echoed.

The displaced people who had gathered there fled in droves, the granary and armory in the south of the city caught fire, and the streets were in chaos.

Jiang He stepped down from the city wall and flashed forward. The divine speed granted by the Heavenly Hunter made him like a streak of light. Even as he brushed past the fleeing refugees on the street, they were completely unaware of him.

The south side of the city is now engulfed in flames.

A sub-hero with a rat mask on his face stood there, laughing loudly: "Your Highness, you're a step too late. The Anse Iron Cavalry is renowned throughout the world, but without weapons, they must be finding it difficult to roam freely."

Jiang He snapped his fingers.

The rat's laughter abruptly stopped. He turned to watch the flames die down, his face gradually turning blank. The granary and armory were restored one by one. The power of time was like a miracle, beyond comprehension.

"Illusion, huh?" Zishu murmured in a low voice.

The heatwave was intense, and fine rain fell from the dark clouds, weaving a curtain in the air.

Jiang He turned his head to look at the official road outside the south gate. A middle-aged man rode a yellow ox closer, carrying a ten-foot-long bright red hollyhock in his hand and a long sword on his back.

Fourth in the world, the sword immortal of Shu, Zhao Shu Kui.

"The Southern Liang Dynasty is weak, and the rampant bandits in Jiangnan are a fatal blow. Your Highness, you occupy Qingzhou alone and are in fact a prince. Why do you need to sweep away the bandits? As far as I know, the Liang Emperor is not a magnanimous person."

Zhao Shukui smiled, his appearance particularly handsome. It is said that he was a romantic figure in his youth, a frequent visitor to brothels all over the world. However, after taking charge of the Sword Pavilion and becoming its leader, he clearly restrained himself, and his face gained a touch of majesty.

"Are you here to die?" Jiang He said calmly.

"That question," Zhao Shukui chuckled, "is less interesting to me than to the sword."

Swish!

Zhao Shukui flung out the ten-foot-long hollyhock in his hand, and the raindrops falling from the sky seemed to stop, each drop forming a line, thousands of rain swords traversing the sky, and then falling down with a rustling sound. The sword light converged towards Anse County, as if the rainstorm had come to life.

Without hesitation, Jiang He stepped forward.

With a single punch, six celestial dragons coiled around his arm, causing the stone bricks on the street to crack and the houses and restaurants on both sides to explode, as a raging torrent of brute force roared wildly.

boom!

Zhao Shukui drew his sword, named "Shuxian," and held it horizontally in front of him. When he punched the sword with his fist, the unexpected yet immense force caused his expression to change slightly. The Shuxian sword made a cracking sound, but instead of shattering, it was trembling violently.

Long!

Zhao Shukui retreated a hundred feet, his back slamming into the city wall. His fine Shu brocade robe shattered, and the entire Ansai South City Wall shook violently, sending steel and stone flying. His body crashed through the wall, his legs tearing through the ground, and he retreated another hundred feet.

One punch sent the guest out of the city.

Swish swish!

Swords rained down, shimmering with light and color. The buzzing of the blades cutting through the air sounded like the sharp chirping of countless birds. When the defenses were worn away, thousands of wounds appeared. A delicate little sword, which served as the main sword, was hidden very well and quietly severed Jiang He's left arm, but failed to behead him because of "Watching the Sea and Listening to the Waves".

—Sword Immortal Technique: Night Rain in Bashan.

Jiang He tore off his tattered white fairy robe and casually stuffed it into the Gluttony Blessed Land. The upper limit of the Chasing Deer World meant that no matter how talented the Shu sword immortal was, he could not go any further. However, the other party's sword cultivation had indeed reached the Grandmaster level, but just like himself, he had barely stepped over the threshold.

With one step, the divine will move with the heavens.