613 Emperor of East Qingzhou! The Returning Prodigies!
Outside Pingwang county.

The sprawling mountain ranges extended for miles, dotted with tents and bonfires, creating an ambiance of community and vibrancy. However, this was underscored by a lingering, potent scent of blood.

Down in the valleys towards Pingwang county, a river, deep-red with blood, wound its way. Vultures and crows perched on treetops, eyeing the unsettling sight below.

Inside the encampments, distinct groups formed. There were those in gray Daoist robes, bald figures exuding calm, and scholarly individuals radiating righteousness. While these three groups stood apart, various martial artists blended into the crowd. Their appearances and energies varied. Some hailed from lesser-known sects, while others were independent cultivators from renowned towns across Great You.

Pingwang county was surrounded by seven camps in total. The six clans and three sects each claimed their territory.

Amidst this bustling scene, a young man stood out. He emanated an air of righteousness, surrounded by older martial artists from the three sects, all wearing expressions of amicability.

“Elders, there are urgent matters that call me away. I must leave without delay,” the young man declared with conviction, his honesty shining through his gaze.

One of the elderly men, clad in a Daoist robe, offered with an unusual smile, “Would you like an escort from our sect?” Those familiar with the elder were taken aback, as he was known for his stern demeanor.

“No, thank you. Pingwang needs every available hand,” the young man responded firmly. “I will settle some matters at home.”

This was Xiang Mingfeng from Wuji Mountain, now the vice leader of the Qingzhou Alliance. After leaving Qingzhou, he ventured to Great You, passing through three prefectures. He had eventually joined the ongoing battle, carving a path through five states to this point. His experiences had evidently matured him.

“Well… Alright then.” Understanding Xiang Mingfeng’s resolute nature, the elders nodded, accepting his decision.

“I’ll definitely try my best to come back.” With a respectful bow, Mingfeng quickly made his exit. He refrained from mentioning his origin, Qingzhou, to prevent drawing any potential threats to his homeland. He even adopted an alias, leading many to speculate about his true identity.

Meanwhile, at three other locations, similarly significant young figures took their leave, disappearing from the periphery of Pingwang county.

…

Spirit Gate.

Qin Huai sat atop the city gate tower, recounting to Gou Jie the demise of the white-robed king.

“Did you really kill him? A king?!” Gou Jie’s astonishment was evident, and it took him a while to gather his thoughts. “Alliance Master, to take down a king while only in the visceral prefecture realm… This will be legendary. It’s like the Emperor of Qingzhou’s feats.”

Gou Jie’s excitement bubbled over, but Qin Huai steered the conversation back. “First, we need to address the remnants of the Sacred Heart Sect in Qingzhou. How many can we gather?”

Gou Jie reassured him, “The empress began preparations years ago.”

“Oh?” A quizzical look crossed Qin Huai’s face.

With a secretive grin, Gou Jie shared, “The empress once said, ‘How can a mere king realm expert resist my husband’s might?'”

A smile played on Qin Huai’s lips. “That puts a lot of pressure on me.”

Gou Jie chuckled. “That’s why I didn’t tell you back then” He had closely observed Qin Huai’s resilience over the years. Despite depleting his Zen energy in his fight against the white-robed king, Qin Huai’s resolve remained.

He continued, “The ten counties of East Qingzhou have assembled over a thousand bone pattern realm soldiers. They’re stationed in the Lower Zero Spirit City, led by those of the visceral prefecture realm. Additionally, the master of Wuji Mountain, Kong Binghuang, is at the helm.”

Gou Jie leaned in, lowering his voice, “Furthermore, the deputy alliance leader and Hua Yanli are on their way to Qingzhou and should arrive soon.”

Qin Huai let out a sigh of relief. “So, I don’t have to worry about Qingzhou for the time being?”

After defeating the white-robed king, Qin Huai had scoured the camps of the four major sects, only to find them deserted. Through the blood mirror, he saw they were nearing Qingzhou’s border, heading towards the Sacred Heart Sect’s domain. With formidable forces like Kong Binghuang, one of Qingzhou’s finest, defending it, the city seemed well-guarded.

Lost in thought, Qin Huai’s exhaustion overtook him, and he collapsed.

“Alliance Master!” Gou Jie’s panic was palpable as he immediately attended to Qin Huai. He checked for signs of life, relieved to find the alliance master merely asleep.

“The hope of hundreds of millions of people… You have done it.”

Looking into the horizon towards the Thousand Divination Tower, tears streamed down Gou Jie’s face. The elders there, who didn’t believe in fate, had even sacrificed their lives in the quest for solutions.

Gou Jie whispered to himself, “We did it. We really won.”

…

Ten days had passed. Qingzhou City, once eerily silent and drenched in blood, was now bustling with activity.

Martial artists stained in blood fled frantically. Their bloated forms moving so quickly, it looked like the very air took on the appearance of haunting human faces. The pungent stench of decay permeated the environment.

One such fleeing man kept glancing over his shoulder, seeing the unyielding pursuit of a group of armored soldiers. Cornered into an alley, the man pleaded, “Please don’t kill me! I really haven’t eaten many people!”

The lead soldier wasn’t convinced. “Really? Yet you’ve managed to master the blood heart technique to the bone pattern realm? We’ve heard these lies before.” He signaled, “Attack!”

Suddenly, the man’s demeanor changed instantaneously, transforming from fearful to menacing. “You want to hunt us… Have you ever thought you’re the prey?”

From the alley’s end, dozens emerged, their forms distorted from practicing the blood heart technique to extremes. The situation looked dire for the armored soldiers.

The lead soldier decided, “I’ll stay behind to provide cover! The rest of you escape!” But as he moved to act, the once-panicking man lunged at him, a bloody radiance emanating from his hand.

“Too late!”
Whoosh!

Suddenly, a mesmerizing blue flame appeared, consuming the blood-red light. A voice rang out, “It’s not too late.”

A young man in a red robe stood atop the city wall, surveying the scene below. With a snap of his fingers, blue flames engulfed the followers of the Sacred Heart Sect, reducing them to ashes in moments.

The soldiers, relieved and grateful, looked up. “Thank you for saving us. May we know your name? We’ve much to report.”

The young man, puzzled, asked, “Who are you?”

“We’re the Blood Slaying Guards, under the esteemed emperor of East Qingzhou.”

The young man, clearly Hua Yanli, returned from Pingwang county, was stunned. “Huh? Since when was there such a person in Qingzhou? Could it be Qin Huai?”

A soldier warned, “Sir, we mustn’t say the emperor’s name aloud!”

Hua Yanli mused, “Tsk tsk, emperor…This proves that the alliance master is not dead..”

Before getting rid of the white-robed king, he would definitely have to fight Qin Huai. The notion of confronting Qin Huai energized him, not out of spite but as a test of skills. Otherwise, why did he cultivate day and night all these years?