The Emperor of Daxia remained silent for a few moments. Ignoring the Empress, he looked toward Fang Chen.
"Fang Chen, do as Lady Xiao said."
The expressions of those present shifted repeatedly. The guards, palace maids, and eunuchs turned pale with terror, never having imagined that they would suffer slaughter at the hands of people from the Qingsong Kingdom within the very walls of the Imperial Palace!
*Clap, clap, clap.*
Fang Chen applauded softly. "I finally understand why Commander Xiao let me leave alive back then."
Goddess Xiao narrowed her eyes slightly.
She recalled her father’s parting instructions:
Fang Chen had spent the last five years in Daxia enduring contempt and abuse. If he could be won over, even if he were unable to practice martial arts, he could still contribute to the Qingsong Kingdom’s promotion to an Eighth-Rank Empire. That was why her father had spared his life.
Whether he succeeded or not depended on this test. If he remained committed to serving Daxia to the end, he was to be killed on the spot.
Conversely, if he turned, they were to bring him back to the Qingsong Kingdom, ensuring he was no longer treated with neglect or humiliation along the way, for he had already seen through her father's intentions.
"Military God Fang, it is time for you to make your choice. Shall the guards die? Or the maids? Or perhaps these young eunuchs?" Goddess Xiao asked with a faint smile.
The expressions of the civil and military officials in the court were somber and grave. Li Guozhu looked at Fang Chen, then at the Emperor of Daxia, and finally let out a soft sigh, remaining silent.
Even if they realized the Qingsong Kingdom’s true intentions, what did it matter? Daxia no longer possessed the power to prevent any of this.
Right now, the Qingsong Kingdom was forcing Fang Chen to slaughter the subjects of Daxia, all to ensure he would be cast out by Daxia and lose his status as Military God forever!
"What if I say that not one of them will die?" Fang Chen said quietly.
The Emperor of Daxia’s expression flickered. Li Guozhu and the others looked on in astonishment. Logically, Fang Chen should understand the stakes; given the current situation, he should choose to follow the Qingsong Kingdom's wishes to extend Daxia’s national fortune by another five years!
***
**Chapter 9: You Disappointed Your Father**
"You have disappointed your father."
Goddess Xiao’s eyes turned icy. She glanced at the leader of the Wolf Army. Seeing this, the leader, who possessed Qi Control cultivation, immediately aimed his heavy bow at Fang Chen.
But in the next moment, Fang Chen raised his hand and flicked his wrist. A Purple Lightning Talisman was ignited by his spiritual energy. A terrifying flash of lightning seared everyone’s vision, and with a booming crack, the Wolf Army leader was instantly reduced to a pile of charred remains.
Not only that, but the several Wolf Army soldiers beside him were also caught in the blast, incinerated into ashes by the Purple Lightning Talisman!
A master of Qi Control was dead, along with several Qi Burst experts, and even their silver wolf mounts had not been spared!
This sight left everyone present completely stunned.
What kind of terrifying method was this!?
Was it not said that Fang Chen’s cultivation had been crippled, making him a useless man? Why did he still possess such terrifying power, to the point where a Qi Control master was like a paper figure before him!?
"Impossible..." You Longchang muttered, his eyes filled with fear as he stared at Fang Chen.
"The, the Military God’s cultivation has not been crippled!?" an official exclaimed in shock.
Immediately following this, a glimmer of light returned to the dim eyes of countless officials. They looked at each other in excitement, their shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
Li Guozhu’s body jolted. He stared at Fang Chen for several seconds, and a tear slid down his cheek. "Daxia’s national fortune is preserved..."
The Emperor of Daxia stared fixedly at Fang Chen, his expression shifting uncertainly.
The Empress, however, covered her mouth, her eyes turning red with emotion.
"Your cultivation..." Goddess Xiao’s face was pale.
"I disappointed your father; my cultivation was not crippled." Fang Chen slowly opened his eyes. His gray-white pupils looked toward Goddess Xiao. "Although these eyes of mine can no longer see, it is still no problem for me to lead troops to kill the enemy."
"You actually endured for five years... Why..." Goddess Xiao found it hard to believe.
After a pause, she commanded sharply: "Kill him!"
A portion of the Wolf Army immediately drew their bows to aim, while others urged their silver wolves to charge at Fang Chen. They could no longer hide their killing intent, and in an instant, a thick, suffocating malice filled the air.
Several more flashes of thunder illuminated the scene.
The Wolf Army soldiers charging toward Fang Chen were turned into ash. Those who had drawn their bows began to show signs of terror in their eyes, their arms trembling slightly.
"Goddess Xiao, your father did not kill me back then, so I will not kill you today. Take your men and leave." Fang Chen said calmly.
He had already used five Purple Lightning Talismans. He feared the remaining five would not be enough to wipe out this entire unit of the Wolf Army. If they insisted on fighting to the death, his trump cards would be exhausted.
However, the probability of that was low.
Goddess Xiao’s expression changed repeatedly. Finally, she gritted her teeth and signaled her subordinates: "We are leaving!"
She led the Wolf Army rapidly toward the palace exit.
Seeing this, the Emperor of Daxia remained silent for a few moments before saying to You Longchang, "General You, go and see Lady Xiao out."
You Longchang nodded hurriedly and led his men to follow.
"Many thanks to the Military God for saving our lives!" The guards, maids, and eunuchs threw themselves to their knees, kowtowing in immense gratitude, their expressions filled with agitation.
"Fang Chen, come to the Imperial Study!" The Emperor of Daxia dropped these words and turned to leave.
The officials looked at one another in confusion. They had not expected the day’s events to conclude this way, but the news that Fang Chen’s cultivation remained was indeed exhilarating!
Seeing this, the Empress hurried over to Fang Chen. "Chen'er, has your cultivation truly recovered?"
"Aunt, that is a long story. How have you been in the palace these years? I haven't seen you come back for a visit," Fang Chen said with a smile.
The Empress’s eyes dimmed, and she nodded gently. "Everything is fine. I have been so busy with official duties that I could not get away to visit."
At this, the gloom lifted from her heart, and a smile appeared on her face. "Now that I know your cultivation has recovered, I am greatly comforted. Once you finish at the Imperial Study, I will speak with His Majesty and return to the Fang family residence with you."
"Very well." Fang Chen nodded slightly.
***
"Lord Fang, please enter."
Eunuch You, who had been so arrogant before Fang Chen earlier, was now subservient, opening the Imperial Study with a face full of obsequiousness and bowing low for Fang Chen to enter.
Fang Chen glanced at him once before entering the study. Only then did Eunuch You gently close the door, letting out a long sigh and wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.
Inside the study, the Emperor of Daxia sat quietly, his gaze fixed intently on Fang Chen.
Fang Chen said nothing, and the two remained in the room in silence.
After more than a dozen seconds, the Emperor of Daxia finally spoke: "Fang Chen, when did your cultivation recover? The technique you just used does not seem to be your family’s ancestral 'Mystic Heaven Art'?"
"Last year, I encountered a Daoist who taught me a few methods for nourishing the body. I thought it was merely a simple health-cultivation technique, but to my surprise, it restored my cultivation and allowed me to grasp a unique martial skill, the Purple Lightning Palm." Fang Chen cupped his hands, his words a mixture of truth and lies.
"A Daoist!? Where is that Daoist now?!" The Emperor of Daxia suddenly stood up, his expression somewhat agitated.
"I only met him once; he must have gone on his travels," Fang Chen said.
"What a pity, what a pity. If you see that Daoist again, remember to introduce him to me. I have always been very interested in Daoist arts," the Emperor said.
He paused. "This time, the Qingsong Kingdom forced my hand to have you marry into the Xiao family. I had no choice but to agree for the sake of Daxia’s national fortune. But now, it is well. Your cultivation has returned, and Commander Xiao will surely be wary. They will not dare to stir up trouble with Daxia for some time."
He looked at Fang Chen, his eyes flickering. "You... you don't blame me, do you?"
"How could your subject not understand your well-intentioned efforts? It was all for the billions of people in Daxia. If my cultivation had not recovered, I would have gone with Goddess Xiao to the Qingsong Kingdom today," Fang Chen said, cupping his hands.
"As long as you understand, as long as you understand. However, since your cultivation has just recovered, you must certainly need time to recuperate. Do not go wandering about for now; stay at the Fang residence and focus on your health," the Emperor said.
"I shall follow the Imperial decree." Fang Chen nodded readily.
The Emperor, who had been observing his expression the entire time, suddenly smiled. "Very well, you may leave now."
Fang Chen left the Imperial Study, and Eunuch You obsequiously came forward to lead him away.
Halfway there, he saw a group approaching from the opposite direction. The person in the lead had a face like jade, dressed in purple, displaying a noble and imperial air.
"His Highness the Crown Prince!?" Eunuch You looked surprised and quickly stopped to pay his respects.
The youth in purple was the current Crown Prince, but he was not the son of the Empress; he was born of Noble Consort Hua.
"I heard that the Military God’s cultivation has been fully restored and was overjoyed, so I came specifically to meet with him." The Crown Prince ignored Eunuch You and walked quickly to Fang Chen, cupping his hands in a salute. However, his eyes wandered constantly over Fang Chen’s face, a glint of malice flashing through them from time to time.
He made no attempt to conceal it, knowing that Fang Chen was blind and could not see his expression.
"Your Highness, it has been a long time since we last met. However, I am tired today and wish to return to my residence to rest. We shall talk another time." Fang Chen smiled and brushed past the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince froze for a moment, then turned to look at Fang Chen’s retreating back with a gloomy expression. After a long while, a vicious look crossed his eyes, and he whispered:
"Go and investigate who Fang Chen has been in contact with over the past five years. I must know how his cultivation was restored!"
"Yes."
***
**Chapter 10: The First to Be Executed Shall Be You**
Fang Chen walked out of the palace. The Empress’s carriage had been waiting for some time. Once she called Fang Chen up into the carriage, they headed toward the Fang family residence together.
"Chen'er, did His Majesty restore your rank as Marshal?" the Empress asked softly.
Fang Chen smiled. "His Majesty told me to recuperate at the Fang residence, saying that since my cultivation has just recovered, I must take care of my health."
"I see..." The Empress looked disappointed.
"Aunt, is Noble Consort Hua still causing you trouble?" Fang Chen asked.
"Although the Crown Prince now honors me as his mother, he was born of Noble Consort Hua after all. Relying on this connection, she stirs up trouble everywhere in the inner palace. While she doesn't dare provoke me openly, she tests me time and again. I fear she has her eyes on this position of mine," the Empress said with a smile.
She paused. "Look at me, why am I telling you these things? You have never liked the scheming of the palace. Since His Majesty wants you to rest at home, you should take good care of yourself."
Fang Chen smiled and said nothing.
He knew the Emperor’s temperament clearly.
Once, his reputation was at its peak, and he was revered as the Military God of Daxia—his status in the hearts of the people was even higher than that of the Emperor. This had already made the Emperor unhappy.
But Fang Chen had had no choice. To defeat the Qingsong Kingdom and the other enemy states coveting Daxia, he had to maintain that reputation to ensure the military obeyed his commands.
Now that his reputation had finally fallen to the freezing point, would the Emperor ever let him rise again? He likely would not give him the title of Grand Marshal ever again.
It was likely few people knew that the many slanders and rumors against him over the past five years were all arranged by the Emperor himself.
One day, while Fang Chen was practicing his 'Spirit Severing,' he had personally watched as the Emperor sent the Crown Prince into the streets of the Capital to spread rumors that the defeat at the Battle of the Three Realms Mountain was because Fang Chen was hungry for glory and had disobeyed Imperial orders.
*Even if I do not have a thousand-strong army under my command, with the abilities of a cultivator, it is simple enough to protect Daxia from intrusions by the likes of the Qingsong Kingdom.*
*As for court affairs, I will have nothing more to do with them in the future. Once I reach Foundation Establishment, I will head to the Zhongzhou and enroll in the Three Thousand Dao Gates.*
Fang Chen pondered in his heart.
The power of the Purple Lightning Talisman had just been revealed; he was now merely at the 1st Layer of Qi Refining, yet the talismans he created could easily slay a Qi Control master. Such methods were simply incomparable to those of a mere martial artist.
He looked forward to what capabilities he would possess as his cultivation increased, and he yearned for the carefree life of an Nascent Soul cultivator like Senior Yunhe, roaming the world at will.
"This little one was wrong! This little one was wrong! Please, my lord, show mercy! It was this little one who failed to watch the child well. Please whip me instead, but do not hit my child!"
A ruckus suddenly broke out outside, accompanied by cries for mercy.
The Empress’s brows furrowed. "What is happening outside?"
A palace maid lifted the curtain and said in a low voice: "It is a Qingsong Kingdom martial artist beating a peddler in the street."
There was a hint of terror in her eyes.
"A Qingsong Kingdom martial artist?" The Empress’s expression turned grave.
"Aunt, I will go down and take a look." Fang Chen got up and stepped out of the carriage.
The Empress was slightly startled, but she immediately remembered that Fang Chen’s cultivation had recovered, and her heart relaxed. She lifted the curtain to look outside.
She saw a peddler clutching the leg of a Qingsong Kingdom martial artist, begging for mercy. Beside the peddler, a three-year-old child sat on the ground, his cheeks flushed red, crying loudly as if he had been slapped hard.
A crowd of onlookers surrounded them, watching this scene with bitter hatred, yet none dared to step forward to stop it.
"Your brat dirtied my boots. How about this: I’ll just take one of your legs. That’s fair, right?"
"My lord, spare me! If I lose a leg, there will be no one to support my family, and everyone will starve to death!"
"That is none of my concern. What does it matter if a few more low-born Daxia subjects die?"
Hearing the contemptuous words of the Qingsong martial artist, the crowd’s fury reached a boiling point. The guards of the Empress’s procession clenched their fists so hard they turned white, their eyes filled with killing intent.
"Military God Fang." The captain of the guards saw Fang Chen appear and hurried forward to salute.
Fang Chen nodded faintly and walked toward the Qingsong martial artist. "I remember you; your name is He Longsheng, right?"
"It’s Military God Fang!" The crowd’s spirits lifted.
Although they had all, more or less, spoken ill of Fang Chen over the years, his appearance here today was definitely not simple!
"Yo, isn't this our great son-in-law-to-be of the Xiao family? Has the marriage between you and the Young Lady been settled? When are you being married off?" He Longsheng saw Fang Chen and immediately sneered.
Fang Chen ignored him and looked at the peddler kneeling on the ground. "Are you not leaving yet?"
"Thank you, thank you!" The peddler thanked him repeatedly and immediately picked up the child, stumbling away from the scene.
He Longsheng was instantly enraged and wanted to stop him, but he felt Fang Chen’s eyes fixed unblinkingly on him. He felt a chill running down his spine and ultimately did not dare to move.
He looked coldly at Fang Chen: "Great son-in-law, you are meddling in things a bit too much, aren't you? Remember, you are a person of our Qingsong Kingdom now—don't bite the hand that feeds you!"
"Hahaha! You lot probably don't know yet, but Fang Chen is about to become a live-in son-in-law of the Xiao family. Soon he'll have to call Commander Xiao 'Father'!"
"Still think he can stand up for you? Your Military God Fang died five years ago!"
Several Qingsong martial artists in the crowd jeered.
The surrounding citizens looked on—some with confusion, some with fury, others with absolute despair.
Just then, You Longchang returned with his troops. Seeing Fang Chen, he approached in shock and hesitation. "Military God Fang, what is going on here?"
"Has Goddess Xiao been seen out of the Capital?" Fang Chen asked with a faint smile.
"She has been sent away," You Longchang nodded.
*Goddess Xiao has left? Then why didn't Fang Chen go with her? Didn't Goddess Xiao just arrive in the Daxia Capital today? Why would she leave the same day?*
He Longsheng and the others were somewhat puzzled.
"You keep calling me 'son-in-law,' and you’ve made me feel quite embarrassed. However, it is a pity—I have no fate to marry into the Xiao family, so I am still just myself." Fang Chen looked at He Longsheng and smiled faintly.
"How could that be..." He Longsheng froze.
"You Longchang, lend me your sword." Fang Chen reached out.
You Longchang hesitated. He subconsciously glanced at He Longsheng, the Qingsong martial artist, and a look of horror flashed in his eyes.
"Military God..."
"Don't talk nonsense."
"Yes!"
You Longchang immediately unbuckled his sword and handed it to Fang Chen.
"I once said that when I lifted my sword again, the first person I would execute would be you, He Longsheng." Fang Chen gripped the hilt and slowly drew the high-quality longsword.
*The Military God is going to execute a Qingsong martial artist!?*
At this moment, the surrounding Daxia citizens all showed expressions of shock, looking at Fang Chen in disbelief, while the Empress in the carriage gently widened her eyes.
He Longsheng was stunned, and then he burst into a laugh: "You want to execute me? I have the Qingsong Kingdom behind me!"
"Hahaha!" The surrounding Qingsong martial artists also laughed after a moment of stunned silence. It was as if this was the funniest joke they had heard in five years.
He Longsheng stretched out his neck: "Come on, Military God, chop right here. If I make even a single sound, then I will..."
*Slash!*
A sword flash flickered.
He Longsheng’s head was severed from his body and fell heavily to the ground, rolling a dozen feet away, while blood gushed from his neck like a fountain.
***
**Chapter 11: After Today, the Heavens Will Change**
Silence fell over the scene.
The Qingsong martial artists, who had been laughing, saw their smiles freeze. Their eyes revealed a look of disbelief; it seemed they had never imagined Fang Chen would dare to truly take the life of a Qingsong subject.
You Longchang and his men were all stunned. The members of the Empress’s honor guard were also rooted to the spot.
The surrounding Daxia citizens covered their mouths, their eyes wide.
Over the years, the Qingsong martial artists had rampaged through the Capital, doing as they pleased. They had seen this countless times, and although they had imagined tearing them to pieces, they knew it was an impossible feat.
Killing someone from the Qingsong Kingdom would lead to a brutal retaliation that the current Daxia could not withstand!
Yet, right before their eyes, they had seen a Qingsong martial artist die at Fang Chen's hands.
Shock, confusion, but following that was an overwhelming sense of joy—it was a cathartic victory!
"Fang Chen, how dare you!" a Qingsong martial artist shouted in shock and fury.
Fang Chen walked toward him, sword in hand, and the surrounding citizens instinctively cleared a path.
*Slash!*
Another head hit the ground. This Qingsong martial artist, who only had Qi Condensation cultivation, had no power to resist in Fang Chen’s hands.
"You have such nerve, such nerve! Are you not afraid that my Qingsong Kingdom will annihilate your Daxia and wipe out your bloodline!!" the Qingsong martial artist roared in a shrill, furious voice.
"From today on, I do not wish to see a single Qingsong Kingdom martial artist in the Daxia Capital." Fang Chen said calmly.
Within the crowd, several figures nodded lightly upon hearing his words, and like ghosts, they moved to quietly slit the throats of the Qingsong martial artists nearby.