The guards around him were at a loss, but in the end, they too knelt on the ground with lowered heads, awaiting the verdict from Fang Chen.
"Perhaps you would rather be a citizen of Qingsong. In your next life, remember to be reincarnated properly and do not come to Daxia again."
Fang Chen smiled faintly.
Li Huang suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with malice: "Fang Chen, do you really intend to kill me? If you kill me, my aunt will not let you go! Do not think that being the Military God gives you the right to act recklessly. The Emperor has long regarded you as a thorn in his side!"
Slash!
Tiema swept out with a single sword stroke. This strike instantly cut Li Huang in half at the waist. He did not die on the spot, but the bone-piercing agony and the certainty of his impending death were to Li Huang a torture akin to descending into the purgatory!
"Ah, ah, ah!"
Li Huang wailed in agony.
The few guards beside him stood motionless, cold sweat dripping from their foreheads.
"You served as jackals to the tiger, you cannot be spared either."
Tiema sneered and lopped off the heads of those guards.
"Fang Chen! The Emperor was not wrong about you! You harbored rebellious intentions long ago and secretly trained a band of loyal partisans. Hahaha, even as a ghost, I will not let you go!
If the Emperor learns of this, you will soon be coming to keep me company, coming to keep me company! You will never know how terrifying the Emperor truly is, hahaha!"
Like a madman, Li Huang laughed wildly, his eyes fixed on Fang Chen with utter derision.
Moments later, his laughter grew fainter, and a layer of lifeless gray gradually clouded his eyes.
Li Huang was dead.
"Have you arranged an identity for yourself within the Capital?"
Fang Chen looked at Tiema.
"Not yet."
Tiema said in a low voice.
"Very well, go to my Fang family's private school."
Fang Chen said calmly.
"Thank you, Heir!"
Tiema was somewhat excited. This way, he would be able to see the Heir often!
Fang Chen walked out of the Qingsong First-Class House alone. At that moment, the place was already surrounded by countless commoners and Daxia martial artists, who were questioning one another, eager to know what had happened inside.
"You still do not know? The Military God Fang led men and charged right in! I hear the master of the Qingsong First-Class House has already been beheaded!"
"There is such a thing!?"
"It is 100 percent true!"
"Then what are we waiting for!"
A scholar rolled up his sleeves and charged into the Qingsong First-Class House with a wild roar.
Immediately following him, a peddler handed his child to his wife, his eyes reddening as he grabbed a carrying pole and rushed toward the Qingsong First-Class House.
More and more people surged inside. Among them were ordinary Daxia commoners, soldiers clad in leather armor, and martial artists who roamed the pugilistic world with swords at their sides.
Their backgrounds varied, but at that exact moment, they all shared one and the same identity.
Subjects of Daxia!
Before long, a fire was set inside the Qingsong First-Class House. The flames blazed fiercely, and everyone retreated outside, leaving not a single Qingsong Kingdom martial artist in sight.
"Military God Fang, the Qingsong Kingdom martial artists inside are all dead, but some managed to escape."
You Longchang looked at the raging flames consuming the Qingsong First-Class House and spoke in a low voice.
"Tonight is a sleepless night."
Fang Chen said softly with a smile.
Chapter 14: Too Far Behind to Catch Up
The night in the Daxia Capital was exceptionally lively and bustling. Although the defeat five years ago had dealt a heavy blow to Daxia's vitality, the extravagant and decadent lifestyle had instead grown even more intense.
When night fell, rows of charming, dazzling lanterns would light up along the banks of Daxia's largest river, the Daxia River, and the sweet singing of courtesans drifted from the multi-story pleasure boats and pavilions.
This was the favorite haunt of the Qingsong Kingdom martial artists, but tonight's patrons discovered that the usually lavish and overbearing Qingsong Kingdom martial artists had all vanished without a trace.
Just as people were wondering, someone brought news that the Qingsong First-Class House had been raided and wiped out by Fang Chen and his men. This piece of news instantly made tonight in the Capital anything but ordinary!
Where did news spread the fastest? Naturally, in taverns and teahouses, but none of those places could compare to the pleasure quarters.
Once news appeared here, it would spread like the plague, reaching the nobility at the very top down to the common laborers at the bottom—everyone knew of it!
Inside the most famous flower boat on the Daxia River, the "Yuxianzhou," seven or eight young masters were currently gathered. They had booked the entire pleasure boat, spending lavishly, all because their family backgrounds were quite extraordinary.
"Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on Fang Chen's actions today?"
A handsome young man opened his folding fan and waved it gently. While enjoying the sight of over a dozen courtesans dancing gracefully before him, he calmly asked the others.
This handsome young man was Ye Qinghe, the son of the Minister of War, and he held the highest paternal official rank among the young masters present, which was why he occupied the seat of honor.
"I say his move was utterly reckless. Although I heard from my family that today in the imperial palace, Fang Chen displayed extraordinary methods, slaying a Wolf Army chieftain with a single blow, and even driving Goddess Xiao out of the Capital, he should consider this: for all his past peak glory, he was still defeated by Wolf Commander Xiao!"
"Indeed, and now he goes so far as to slaughter the Qingsong Kingdom martial artists in the Capital. If word reaches the Qingsong Kingdom, I am afraid Wolf Commander Xiao will take action immediately, and who knows how much Daxia will have to pay in compensation to appease his wrath."
"You Longchang of the West Tiger Camp is truly insane to join forces with him. Did he never stop to think that if those Qingsong Kingdom martial artists could be killed, the Emperor would have acted long ago? Come to think of it, why is there not the slightest reaction from the Emperor's side?"
"Not only is there no reaction from the Emperor, but all the various factions also seem to be watching the show. But if they watch until the end, I'm afraid it will only invite disaster upon themselves. Brother Ye, what did Minister Ye say?"
"My father said only one thing: wait and see how the situation develops."
Ye Qinghe said calmly.
"It seems... Fang Chen's former prestige still deeply terrifies many people. It would be one thing if he truly became a cripple, but now his cultivation has actually recovered..."
"I believe Daxia's biggest mistake in the past was allowing Fang Chen to place himself above the Ministry of War, and even above the Emperor! That is what led to his hubris and ultimately doomed our six hundred thousand Daxia soldiers!"
"Brother Ye, I hear your martial arts have greatly progressed recently, and the soldiers of all the Capital's camps hold you in high regard. Why don't you step forward and take Fang Chen's place!?"
Someone looked at Ye Qinghe with expectant eyes.
"My cultivation has indeed improved. I was fortunate enough to encounter a wandering Daoist priest on the road who bestowed upon me a Golden Core. After swallowing it, my cultivation increased quite a bit."
Ye Qinghe chuckled lightly: "Compared to Fang Chen, however, I am still too far behind to catch up."
"Too far behind to catch up..."
Hearing this phrase, everyone's memories instantly flashed back to five years ago. At that time, the most popular saying in the Capital was: "Look at Fang Chen; truly, we are left so far behind we cannot even see his dust!"
"However... Fang Chen's actions today indeed run counter to the current political landscape. Therefore, I ask you all to speak with your families and help me spare one person's life.
As long as he lives, there remains room for maneuver regarding Fang Chen's actions today."
Ye Qinghe smiled.
Everyone was slightly startled, a look of curiosity dawning on their faces. Whose life was so momentous that it could alter the events of today?
Ye Qinghe stood up and looked out toward the hall: "Brother Xiao, please come in. These brothers of mine will not betray you."
A gloomy-looking young man walked into the hall from outside, and at the sight of him, everyone's expressions shifted.
The newcomer was none other than Xiao Tianci's son, Xiao En!
They never expected that Xiao En was still alive and had actually appeared on the Yuxianzhou. Connecting this to Ye Qinghe's earlier words, everyone immediately understood what Ye Qinghe was up to.
"Brother Ye, I am grateful for your assistance. If not for you, I am afraid I would have died on the streets of the Daxia Capital today."
Xiao En cupped his fists, a self-deprecating smile on his face: "When I return to Qingsong, I will remember this kindness."
"Brother Xiao is too polite. None of us agree with Fang Chen's actions. Today, Daxia and Qingsong ought to unite like friends, rather than resorting to endless slaughter; that benefits neither side."
With that, Ye Qinghe let out a loud laugh: "Why hasn't Fairy Yu come on stage to dance yet? I am hosting distinguished guests today, do not neglect them!"
While welcoming Xiao En to a seat and introducing him to the young men at the same table, a woman in white with bare feet slowly entered the hall and began to dance gracefully on the stage.
The woman in white possessed exquisite features, skin whiter than snow, and eyes like stars. Every subtle expression was intoxicating, and every movement carried an ethereal, celestial aura.
A look of infatuation appeared in Ye Qinghe's eyes as his gaze closely followed the white-clad woman's movements.
"She is truly worthy of being the Daxia River's most famous courtesan, Fairy Yu. This dancing posture is indeed as ethereal as an immortal."
Xiao En's gaze was ice-cold. The beauty before him not only failed to wash away the exhaustion of his day, but instead reminded him of the sight of the Qingsong First-Class House engulfed in raging flames.
His fists clenched slightly. This debt—Qingsong would certainly exact vengeance!
While the Daxia River was filled with song and dance, a series of bloody battles was unfolding across the Daxia Capital. One by one, Qingsong Kingdom martial artists found themselves with nowhere to run, perishing beneath a flurry of blades.
As morning light began to break, Fang Chen sat quietly atop an unburned stone stool amidst the ruins of the Qingsong First-Class House, a stack of talisman papers placed before him.
Over the course of the night, he had produced quite a few Purple Lightning Talismans, bringing his total to sixteen.
Aside from the Purple Lightning Talismans, he had also experimented with the Swiftness Talisman, Vajra Talisman, and Mighty Strength Talisman, making three of each. Their manufacturing difficulty was far lower than that of the Purple Lightning Talisman.
"My spiritual Qi is about twice as thick as before. It seems tomorrow I can attempt to condense the second immortal meridian and advance to the 2nd Layer of Qi Refining."
Putting away the talisman papers on the table, a figure hurried over from afar—it was You Longchang, covered in blood.
He felt as though he were dreaming that one day he would actually be able to receive orders directly from Fang Chen and personally execute Qingsong Kingdom martial artists one by one.
"Military God Fang, we can no longer find any trace of Qingsong Kingdom martial artists. Counting the numbers, we are short of the two you mentioned."
You Longchang said in a low voice: "One is Tiema, a Qingsong Kingdom Qi Control expert, and the other is Xiao En, son of Xiao Tianci. These two seem to have vanished into thin air; no matter how we search, we cannot find them."
"I already know where they are, so leave them to me. General You must be tired, go back and rest."
Fang Chen said with a faint smile.
Chapter 15: Mere Mortals, How Can They Compare to the Heir?
You Longchang was indeed exhausted. Without saying anything further, he bowed respectfully and turned to leave.
Silently, a figure appeared by Fang Chen's side.
Looking at Fang Chen with a hint of heartache, she slowly stepped forward and stood behind him, gently massaging his shoulders.
"Heir, Ye Qinghe has taken in Xiao En, seemingly wishing to use him to curry favor with the Qingsong Kingdom and incidentally deal with you."
"You didn't need to come here personally. I've already received the news. If someone were to see you here, wouldn't the commoners of Daxia tear me apart alive?"
Fang Chen smiled.
A blush appeared on the woman's face: "What are you saying, Heir..."
"You are Fairy Yu, after all. The men who adore you could form a queue stretching from the Daxia Capital all the way to the gates of the Qingsong Xiao family."
Fang Chen said.
"Those mere mortals, how can they compare to the Heir?"
Fairy Yu snorted softly. "Heir, Tiema has already rejoined the ranks. When can I complete my mission and return to your side?
Even being a maid by your side, beating your back, massaging your shoulders, and washing your feet would be better than putting on a forced smile in front of that group of nauseating fellows."
"That day won't be long now."
Fang Chen smiled, then took out one Swiftness Talisman, one Vajra Talisman, and one Mighty Strength Talisman, handing them to Fairy Yu: "Your cultivation has not yet reached the Qi Burst realm, and these are troubled times. If you encounter any danger, activate them with your inner Qi, and they can help you."
A martial artist's inner Qi could not directly activate talismans, but Fang Chen had already embedded his own spiritual power within them beforehand; it only required inner Qi to stir that spiritual power for activation.
"This is!?"
A look of profound curiosity appeared in Fairy Yu's eyes.
"Talismans. Having achieved success in my Daoist cultivation, I suppose I have carved out a different path."
Fang Chen said calmly.
Pausing for a moment, he added: "Someone is coming, you should go."
"Then I shall take my leave."
Fairy Yu put away the talismans and quietly departed. Although her cultivation was not high, her lightness skill was exceedingly marvelous.
In the distance, Xu Ge pushed a wheelchair as he slowly approached.
As the sun gradually rose, the surrounding onlookers and busybodies slowly multiplied. Seeing that Fang Chen was still amidst the ruins, a hint of confusion arose in their hearts.
"Chen'er, who are you waiting for here?"
In the wheelchair, Fang Chen's second uncle, Fang Cangyou, wore a half-smile.
Yesterday, the Empress dowager arrived at the Fang residence, and everyone in the Fang family had already learned that Fang Chen's cultivation had recovered and that he had driven Goddess Xiao out of the Capital.
Afterward, they learned that Fang Chen was leading men to hunt down and kill the Qingsong Kingdom martial artists in the Capital, causing the entire Fang household to bustle about for the entire night.
Fang Cangyou had not yet returned home. Once things wrapped up, he had Xu Ge bring him to find Fang Chen.
"Xu Ge, why did you bring Second Uncle to this place?"
Fang Chen frowned slightly. "Send Second Uncle back to the estate."
"Yes."
Without a second word, Xu Ge pushed Fang Cangyou and turned to leave.
"Hey, wait!"
Fang Cangyou hurriedly protested.
Yet Xu Ge only obeyed Fang Chen's commands and completely ignored Fang Cangyou's words.
"Chen'er, let me finish speaking before leaving."
Fang Cangyou said angrily.
"Second Uncle, go ahead."
Fang Chen nodded slightly toward Xu Ge, and Xu Ge immediately halted his steps.
"I have some connections at Dahua Temple. Regardless of anything, I used to hold an office there myself. I will stay here with you and wait for the people from Dahua Temple."
Fang Cangyou said in a deep voice: "With me here, they will not dare to act presumptuously."
He had already guessed who Fang Chen was waiting for here.
Despite the lack of any reaction from the palace or various factions regarding yesterday's events, once daylight broke, a silent slaughter was bound to unfold—and Fang Chen was at the very core of it!
"Xu Ge, send Second Uncle back to the estate."
Fang Chen said with a faint smile.
Fang Cangyou flew into a rage, but no matter how he cursed, Xu Ge turned a deaf ear, quickly pushing him away from the scene.
Scarcely had they vanished around the street corner when, from the other direction, Dahua Temple troops surrounded the burned-out ruins of the Qingsong First-Class House.
Black-clad constables holding steel sabers maintained a vigilant stance. Among them, a Dahua Temple official of noticeably higher rank approached Fang Chen with a few constables in tow.
"Military God Fang."
The Dahua Temple official cupped his fists in salute.
"Here is a list. Keep it. Those whose names are checked off on it are already dead, so you can match them up one by one."
Fang Chen handed the other man a piece of paper covered in handwriting.
He had taken the time to write this while making talismans.
Tiema's name was also prominently featured among them, already checked off.
The Dahua Temple official took the list and glanced at it, his complexion gradually turning somewhat pale. The few constables beside him exchanged glances, looking at Fang Chen with a trace of awe.
"Over a thousand Qingsong Kingdom martial artists... and only one remains alive..."
The Dahua Temple official forced a bitter smile: "Military God Fang, you are making things very difficult for us. I received orders to come and take you to Dahua Temple for detention, pending trial."
Dahua Temple was Daxia's judicial institution. Unlike the Ministry of Punishments, Dahua Temple only dealt with high-ranking officials, and its temple master was invariably held by a direct member of the imperial family.
The current temple master was none other than the reigning Daxia Emperor's own younger brother, the Fifth Prince.
"There is still one who hasn't been killed yet."
Fang Chen smiled faintly. "Once he is dead, how about I go with you to Dahua Temple?"
The Dahua Temple official smiled bitterly: "Military God Fang, please do not make things hard for this subordinate. If I fail to take you in today, I am bound to be held accountable."
"Did the Temple Master specify what time I should be brought back?"
Fang Chen smiled.
"Uh..."
The Dahua Temple official was momentarily stunned, seeming to recall that the Temple Master had given no such instructions.
"He didn't say? That's good then. I will go back with you today. If you are worried, you can just come along with me."
Fang Chen rose and walked away.
"My lord, what are we doing now?"
A constable asked in a low voice.
"I wouldn't dare to take him by force, but since Military God Fang said he would return with us once matters are settled, let's just exercise a bit of patience."
The Dahua Temple official muttered in a low voice.
Just then, a constable hurried over and whispered:
"My lord, Li Guojiu's son Li Huang was also at the Qingsong First-Class House, and he has already been cut in half at the waist..."
"This has become troublesome."
The Dahua Temple official muttered to himself, then quickly led his men to follow Fang Chen.
As they walked along, they suddenly found the surroundings somewhat familiar, and Fang Chen stopped in front of a grand residence.
"Isn't this... the Minister of War's mansion?!"
The Dahua Temple official was completely dumbfounded.
At that moment, Fang Chen had already knocked on the front gates of the Minister of War's mansion.
Inside the Minister of War's mansion, the family was partaking in breakfast. The Minister of War, Ye Dongming, occupied the seat of honor. Adhering to the rule of silence during meals, the entire household remained quiet.
"Master... Military, Military God Fang is at the door knocking..."
An old servant rushed over, looking somewhat flustered.
Clatter.
Rice bowls slipped from the hands of several people and crashed onto the table, but they immediately snapped to their senses, steadied themselves, and then cast their gazes unanimously toward Ye Dongming.
Why had Fang Chen come here? Wasn't this god of slaughter busy killing Qingsong Kingdom martial artists last night? Why come to the Minister of War's mansion? Could it be because of that incident from years ago?
Feigning calmness, Ye Qinghe looked toward Ye Dongming: "Father, should we see him or not?"
"What business does Fang Chen have coming to find old me?"
Ye Dongming frowned slightly. After pondering for a few moments, he slowly stood up: "Let us go out and meet him. I want to see what he has up his sleeve."
Chapter 16: Obstruction of Every Kind
"Fang Chen went running to the Minister of War's mansion?"
"Could it be that he still holds a grudge over that affair? One can hardly blame Ye Dongming for that; it was a subordinate's blunder that caused the rations meant for Fang Chen to be shipped elsewhere..."
"Is there any news from the Emperor's side yet? Why haven't the men from Dahua Temple arrested Fang Chen? How can they just let him run around as he pleases?"
At that moment, the upper echelons of the Daxia Capital kept their eyes firmly fixed on Fang Chen's movements, each dispatching operatives to investigate so they could receive news at the earliest possible moment.
The main gates of the Minister of War's mansion slowly opened, and Ye Dongming, leading his household, met Fang Chen's gaze in silence.
"Does the Military God Fang suppose that Xiao En is hiding in the Minister of War's mansion?"
A trace of shock flashed in the eyes of the Dahua Temple official.
Logically speaking, the Minister of War had no reason whatsoever to harbor remnant Qingsong Kingdom martial artists, especially since Fang Chen was the one hunting them down. To hide someone would be equivalent to making an enemy of Fang Chen, would it not?
"Military God Fang, it has been a long time. Ever since you stopped attending court audiences, arranging a meeting between us has been as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
However, before long, we will be able to see each other in the imperial court once again. I wonder what brings Military God Fang here today?"
After falling silent for a few moments, Ye Dongming slowly spoke.
The members of the Ye family were also sizing up Fang Chen. Compared to five years ago, Fang Chen seemed to have shed much of his sharp edge, no longer looking as youthful as he once had.