Chapter 19 – There must be a demon pointing the way

Chapter 19 – There must be a demon pointing the way

Northwest, Shu Region.

Perennially plagued by war and extreme weather, the Shu Region remains desolate year-round. The parched land yields no crops, and in winter, thick snow blankets the earth like a heavy quilt.

At a cliff bordering the Great Jin Dynasty, King of Shu, Zhao Yuhuan, clad in a black velvet cloak, gazes deeply into the distance with sunken eyes:

"Soldiers!"

"The Great Jin Dynasty is so prosperous, its people live in peace and contentment, free from the cold and hunger. Do you envy them?"

Behind him, the setting sun reflects off the black armor of hundreds of thousands, creating a shimmering wave. In the sky, hidden deep within the clouds, countless cultivators can be faintly seen floating.

"Envy!"

All the hot-blooded men of Shu roared, their voices piercing the heavens, their momentum unstoppable.

Their fervent gazes converged on the upright figure of the King of Shu, as if they were admiring the heroic posture of a deity.

Each of them knew exactly what they were doing—defying the Empress, committing an act of rebellion that would be condemned for generations.

But no one regretted it. For their homeland, for the countless lights behind them that must not be extinguished by the storm, they were willing to bear eternal infamy!

"Do you want to conquer the Great Jin, to gain food and beauties?"

"Yes!"

"But the Empress is indifferent to the people of Shu, letting us fend for ourselves here. Tell me, should I rebel?"

"Yes!"

A smile appeared on Zhao Yuhuan's weathered, furrowed face.

Stirring the people's hearts, performing righteous acts, and advocating for the people's welfare under the banner of justice is an eternal tactic, but also the most effective.

In fact, the Empress had never abandoned the people of Shu. She had been tirelessly helping them, with a quarter of the national budget flowing into the Shu Region. Even knowing Zhao Yuhuan's treacherous ambitions, her response was always the same: the people are innocent, if the King of Shu dares to rebel, I will dare to kill!

But the foolish people did not know. They did not know that the Empress was about to forge an immortal-grade spiritual treasure that could change the climate, driving away the harsh winter and revitalizing the soil of the Shu Region.

It was because of this that Zhao Yuhuan felt a sense of crisis. He feared that the Empress would completely win over the hearts of the people of Shu, leaving him with no opportunity. Thus, he launched his plan prematurely.

Zhao Yuhuan glanced at the fervent soldiers, sneering inwardly:

Foolish people, thinking that I am the savior sent by the heavens to rescue them, not knowing that I am the demon leading them into the abyss, and they have mistakenly turned their blades against the true deity.

"Report! Urgent news from a thousand miles away!"

Suddenly, a cultivator of the Mountain Moving Realm shattered the void, expending his energy to rush over, shouting:

"Your Majesty, most of the county officials we secretly turned have been killed! It was General Qin Fenghuo who personally took action. The bandit troubles across the Great Jin have also been quelled by the army!"

This man was more threatening than the Empress.

No wonder!

I wondered why the Empress suddenly became so clever. It turns out there was a demon advising her! Damn Meng Qingzhou, ruining my plans time and again!

"I want you to silence Meng Qingzhou within three days. Can you do it?" Zhao Yuhuan demanded.

Zhao Gou solemnly replied: "I will not fail you!"

After hanging up the jade slip, Zhao Gou's expression grew serious. He hadn't expected that in just one week, a plan that had been in the works for years would be completely overturned by a blind Empress's husband who appeared out of nowhere.

"Half-step Mountain Moving Realm Wu Die can change her appearance and simulate others' auras at will. Assassinating a mere mortal shouldn't be difficult."

Zhao Gou had great confidence in Wu Die and believed in her loyalty, especially since her supposed brother was still in his hands.

With this in mind, Zhao Gou took out a strange eyeball emitting a powerful and supreme aura from his storage ring.

This eyeball was the remnant of a Great Being of the Morning Glow Realm, once known as the invincible double-pupil.

Anyone marked by this eyeball could be monitored from a distance, regardless of the distance or the strength of the surrounding restrictions.

Wu Die had naturally been marked by him.

Zhao Gou activated the eyeball, and the dark cave was instantly illuminated with dazzling light.

Then, a light screen projected from the eyeball.

Zhao Gou looked over expectantly, and then he saw...

In a courtyard filled with various exotic spiritual plants, under a peach blossom tree, a handsome young man in a blue robe with a black silk band covering his eyes sat opposite Wu Die, who had changed her appearance and aura.

"Sir, what gift are you preparing for the Empress's birthday banquet?" Wu Die asked, resting her chin on her hands, gazing at Meng Qingzhou.

Meng Qingzhou smiled and replied:

"I haven't decided yet."

Wu Die asked again: "Then, sir, how do you train the Big Yellow Dog?"

Meng Qingzhou answered seriously: "If it doesn't listen, I hit it. If it listens, I feed it!"

...

The two of them asked and answered, peach blossoms falling around them, creating a picturesque scene.

A handsome man and a beautiful woman, the atmosphere harmonious, like a couple flirting.

"Damn it!!" Zhao Gou saw this scene, his vision went black, and he fell straight backward.