The Great Xia Emperor fell silent for a few moments. Ignoring the Empress, he looked instead at Fang Chen.
"Fang Chen, do as Miss Xiao said."
The expressions of those present shifted repeatedly. The guards, palace maids, and eunuchs turned pale with horror, never expecting that even within the imperial palace, they would suffer slaughter at the hands of the people of Qingsong Country!
Clap, clap, clap—
Fang Chen gently applauded. "I finally understand why Commander Xiao let me leave alive back then."
Xiao Shennü narrowed her eyes slightly.
She recalled her father's parting instructions:
For the past five years, Fang Chen had suffered severe contempt and abuse in Great Xia. If he could be won over this time, even if he could no longer practice martial arts, his allegiance would still contribute to Qingsong Country's advancement to an eighth-grade empire. That was why her father had spared his life in the first place.
Whether it succeeded or failed depended on whether he made the right choice during the test. If he remained steadfast in serving Great Xia wholeheartedly, he was to be executed on the spot.
Conversely, if he complied, she was to bring him back to Qingsong Country, and along the way, she must no longer slight or humiliate him, for he would have already seen through her father's intentions.
"Military God Fang, the time has come for you to make your choice. Who shall die? The guards? The palace maids? Or these young eunuchs?"
Xiao Shennü said with a faint smile.
The expressions of all the civil and military officials were grave and solemn. Li Guozhu glanced at Fang Chen, then at the Great Xia Emperor, before finally letting out a soft sigh and remaining silent.
Even if they saw through the intentions of Qingsong Country, so what? The current Great Xia no longer had the capacity to prevent all this from happening.
Right now, Qingsong Country was forcing Fang Chen to murder the subjects of Great Xia, all to ensure that Fang Chen would become intolerable to Great Xia and completely lose his position as Military God!
"What if I say not a single one of them will die?"
Fang Chen said softly.
The Great Xia Emperor's expression changed slightly, and a look of astonishment crossed Li Guozhu and the others' faces. Logically speaking, Fang Chen ought to understand the stakes involved. Given the current situation, his only choice should have been to follow the wishes of Qingsong Country and prolong the national fortune of Great Xia for another five years!
Chapter 9: You Let Your Father Down
"You have disappointed Father."
Xiao Shennü's gaze turned abruptly cold as she glanced at the Wolf Army commander. Seeing this, the commander, who possessed Qi Control cultivation, immediately aimed his heavy bow at Fang Chen.
Yet the very next moment, Fang Chen raised his hand and swept it through the air. A Purple Lightning Talisman was activated by his spiritual energy, and a terrifying flash of lightning swept past everyone's eyes. With a deafening boom, the Wolf Army commander was instantly reduced to a pile of charcoal.
Not only that, but several Wolf Army soldiers beside him were also caught in the aftermath, blasted into ashes by the Purple Lightning Talisman!
A Qi Control Expert had perished, taking several Qi Burst masters down with him, and even the silver wolves they rode as mounts had not escaped unscathed!
This scene left everyone present utterly dumbfounded.
What kind of terrifying method was this?!
Wasn't it said that Fang Chen's cultivation had been crippled, reducing him to a useless cripple? Why did he still possess such a terrifying method, making even a Qi Control Expert seem utterly vulnerable?!
"Impossible..."
You Longchang muttered under his breath, looking at Fang Chen's eyes with sheer terror.
"M-Military God Fang's cultivation hasn't been crippled?!"
An official cried out in involuntary shock.
Immediately afterward, a glimmer of radiance suddenly appeared in the previously dimmed eyes of countless officials. They stared at each other in excitement, their shoulders trembling uncontrollably.
Li Guozhu's stalwart frame trembled violently. He stared at Fang Chen for a few moments before a tear suddenly slipped from his eye, and he muttered under his breath, "The national fortune of Great Xia is saved..."
The Great Xia Emperor stared fixedly at Fang Chen, his expression shifting uncertainly.
Meanwhile, the Empress covered her mouth, her eyes flushed red with emotion.
"Your cultivation..."
Xiao Shennü's face turned pale.
"I have disappointed your father; my cultivation is not crippled."
Fang Chen slowly opened his eyes, his grey-white pupils gazing at Xiao Shennü. "Although these eyes of mine can no longer see, leading troops into battle and killing the enemy remains no problem at all."
"You actually endured in silence for five years... Why..."
Xiao Shennü found it somewhat hard to believe.
After a pause, she ordered sharply, "Kill him!"
A portion of the Wolf Army immediately drew their bows and took aim, while another faction urged their silver wolves to charge toward Fang Chen. The killing intent within them could no longer be concealed, and in an instant, a dense murderous aura filled the surrounding space.
Several more flashes of lightning flickered.
The Wolf Army soldiers charging toward Fang Chen turned to ashes, while the archers aiming their bows gradually saw a hint of panic surface in their eyes, their arms trembling slightly.
"Xiao Shennü, your father did not kill me back then, and today I will not kill you either. Take your men and leave."
Fang Chen said indifferently.
Five Purple Lightning Talismans had already been used. The remaining five probably wouldn't be enough to wipe out all of these Wolf Army soldiers; if the enemy insisted on a desperate fight to the death, his trump cards would be completely exhausted.
However, that probability was not very high.
Xiao Shennü's expression shifted repeatedly until she finally gritted her teeth and ordered her subordinates, "Let's go!"
She led the Wolf Army in a rapid retreat toward the palace gates.
Seeing this, the Great Xia Emperor remained silent for a few moments before instructing You Longchang, "General You, go and see Miss Xiao off."
You Longchang hurriedly nodded and led some men to follow them out.
"Many thanks, Military God Fang, for saving our lives!"
Those guards, palace maids, and eunuchs threw themselves to the ground, kowtowing and expressing their gratitude to Fang Chen with overwhelming emotion.
"Fang Chen, come to the Imperial Study!"
The Great Xia Emperor dropped those words and turned to leave.
The civil and military officials looked at one another in dismay. They had never expected today's events to conclude with such an ending, but the news that Fang Chen's cultivation remained intact was truly exhilarating!
Upon seeing this, the Empress hurried over to Fang Chen with quick steps. "Chen'er, has your cultivation truly recovered?"
"Aunt, that is a long story. Have you been well in the palace these past few years? I haven't seen you come back to visit."
Fang Chen said with a smile.
The Empress's eyes dimmed as she nodded gently. "I've been well enough. Daily affairs are simply too busy to slip away, which is why I haven't been back to visit."
At this, the gloom in her heart vanished completely, and a smile bloomed on her face. "Now that I know your cultivation has recovered, your aunt's heart is 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 previously been so arrogant before Fang Chen, now lowered his head and behaved with absolute submissiveness. With an expression of utmost reverence, he opened the doors of the Imperial Study and bowed deeply, waiting for Fang Chen to step inside.
Fang Chen glanced at him and entered the study. Only then did Eunuch You gently close the door, letting out a long sigh of relief as he wiped his forehead, which was already slick with cold sweat.
Inside the Imperial Study, the Great Xia Emperor sat in stillness, his gaze fixed unblinkingly upon Fang Chen.
Fang Chen likewise remained silent. The two of them simply stayed quietly like that within the study.
After a dozen breaths had passed, the Great Xia Emperor finally spoke: "Fang Chen, when did your cultivation recover? The technique you just used doesn't look like the 'Huantian Art' passed down by your Fang family's ancestors."
"Last year, this subject encountered a Daoist priest who imparted a few health-cultivation techniques to me. I originally thought it was merely ordinary longevity arts, never expecting that it would actually restore my cultivation and allow me to comprehend a special martial skill called the Purple Lightning Palm."
Fang Chen cupped his fists, his words blending truth with falsehood.
"A Daoist priest?! Where is that Daoist priest now?!"
The Great Xia Emperor suddenly stood up, his expression somewhat agitated.
"This subject only met him once; he must have gone off to wander the world."
Fang Chen replied.
"What a pity, what a pity. If you happen to encounter that Daoist priest again, remember to introduce him to Us. We have always held a deep interest in the Daoist arts."
The Great Xia Emperor said.
Pausing for a moment, he continued, "This time, Qingsong Country forced Us to have you marry into the Xiao family. For the sake of Great Xia's national fortune, We had no choice but to agree. But now that your cultivation has recovered, Commander Xiao will naturally have misgivings and won't dare to spark disputes with our Great Xia in the short term."
He looked at Fang Chen, his eyes flickering. "You... won't blame Us, will you?"
"How could this subject fail to understand Your Majesty's painstaking efforts? It was all for the hundreds of millions of subjects of Great Xia. Had this subject not recovered his cultivation, I would be heading to Qingsong Country with Xiao Shennü today."
Fang Chen cupped his fists and said.
"As long as you understand, as long as you understand. However, since your cultivation has just recovered, you undoubtedly need a period of recuperation. From now on, do not wander about aimlessly; stay properly at the Fang residence and rest your body."
The Great Xia Emperor instructed.
"I obey the Imperial will."
Fang Chen readily nodded in agreement.
The Great Xia Emperor, who had been observing his expression the entire time, suddenly smiled slightly. "Very well, you may leave first."
Fang Chen departed from the Imperial Study, and Eunuch You obsequiously stepped forward to escort him out.
As they walked halfway, they saw a group approaching from the opposite direction. The leader had a crown-like face of jade, wore purple robes, and exuded an unmistakable aura of imperial nobility.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?!"
Eunuch You was somewhat surprised and hurriedly stopped to bow.
The purple-robed youth was none other than the current Crown Prince, though he was not the Empress's son, having instead been born to Noble Consort Hua.
"I heard that Military God Fang's cultivation has fully recovered, and I am overjoyed. I specifically came to meet Military God Fang."
The Crown Prince paid no attention to Eunuch You, instead walking swiftly up to Fang Chen to cup his fists in a bow. Yet his gaze kept darting across Fang Chen's face, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes 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 indeed been a long time since we last met. However, I am tired today and wish to return to my estate to rest first. We shall converse another time."
Fang Chen smiled and brushed past the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince froze slightly, turning to watch Fang Chen's retreating back with a gloomy expression. After a moment, a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and he muttered in a low voice:
"Go and investigate. Who exactly has Fang Chen been in contact with over the past five years? I want to know how his cultivation recovered!"
"Understood."
Chapter 10: The First to Be Beheaded by You
When Fang Chen stepped out of the imperial palace, the Empress's ceremonial procession had already been waiting for quite some time. She called Fang Chen up into her carriage, and together they headed toward the Fang residence.
"Chen'er, has His Majesty restored you to your position as Marshal?"
The Empress asked softly.
Fang Chen smiled. "His Majesty told me to recuperate and build up my health at the Fang residence, saying that since my cultivation has just recovered, I need to rest my body."
"Is that so..."
The Empress looked somewhat disappointed.
"Aunt, is Noble Consort Hua still giving you trouble?"
Fang Chen asked.
"Although the Crown Prince now honors me as his mother, he was born to Noble Consort Hua after all. Relying on this connection, she stirs up trouble everywhere within the inner palace. While she doesn't dare to openly provoke me, she tests me time and time again—she likely has her eyes set on my position."
The Empress said with a smile.
Pausing, she added, "Listen to me babbling about this—what is the point? You have always disliked the schemes and deceit within the palace. Since His Majesty wants you to rest more at home, you should properly take care of your health."
Fang Chen smiled without a word.
He knew the Emperor's temperament all too well.
Once upon a time, his reputation had reached its peak, and he was revered as the Military God of Great Xia. His standing in the hearts of the common people was even higher than that of the Emperor himself, a fact that had already displeased the Emperor.
Yet Fang Chen had no choice; to defeat Qingsong Country and repel those hostile nations coveting Great Xia, he needed that exact prestige to ensure his orders were strictly followed by the army.
Now that his reputation had finally plummeted to freezing point, would the Emperor allow him to make a comeback? The position of Grand Marshal would likely never be given back to him.
Few people probably knew that the heavy defamation and malicious gossip targeting him over the past five years had all been orchestrated by the Emperor himself.
One day, while his spirit was wandering outside his body, Fang Chen had witnessed with his own eyes the Emperor instructing the Crown Prince to spread rumors in the streets of the Capital, claiming that the defeat at the Three Realms Mountain was caused by Fang Chen's vaingloriousness and his refusal to obey orders from the imperial palace.
"Even without thousands of troops under my command, with the abilities of a cultivator, protecting Great Xia from the encroachment of the likes of Qingsong Country is still a simple matter.
As for the affairs of the imperial court, they will have nothing to do with me from now on. Once I advance to Foundation Establishment, I will head to the Three Thousand Dao Sects in Central Continent to enroll."
Fang Chen pondered inwardly.
The might of the Purple Lightning Talisman had manifested. Though he was currently only at the 1st Level Qi Refining, the talismans he crafted could effortlessly strike down a Qi Control Expert. Such methods were simply beyond the comparison of ordinary martial artists.
He eagerly anticipated what kind of abilities he would possess once his cultivation increased, and he deeply yearned for the carefree days of wandering freely across ten thousand li with an out-of-body Nascent Soul, much like Senior Yunhe.
"This humble person was wrong, this humble person was wrong! I beg the lord to spare us! It was just that I failed to watch the child properly—please beat me instead, but don't beat my child!"
A commotion suddenly erupted from outside, accompanied by bitter, pleading cries.
The Empress frowned slightly. "What is happening outside?"
A palace maid lifted the carriage curtain and said in a low voice, "It's a martial artist from Qingsong Country beating a peddler in the street."
A trace of terror flickered in her eyes.
"A Qingsong Country martial artist?"
The Empress's expression grew somewhat solemn.
"Aunt, I'll go down and take a look."
Fang Chen rose and got down from the carriage.
The Empress was slightly startled, but instantly remembering that Fang Chen's cultivation had recovered, her heart relaxed. She lifted the curtain to look outside.
She saw a peddler clutching the leg of a Qingsong Country martial artist and begging bitterly for mercy. Sitting beside the peddler was a three-year-old child whose cheek was bright red, howling with grief as if having been slapped heavily across the face.
A crowd of onlookers had formed a circle, glaring resentfully at the scene yet lacking the courage to step forward and intervene.
"Your brat soiled my boots. How about this—I'll just take one of your legs. Fair enough, right?"
"Spare my life, my lord, spare my life! If this humble person loses a leg, there will be no one to support the family, and all my old and young dependents will starve to death."
"I couldn't care less about that. What does it matter if a few more of you Great Xia lowly commoners die?"
Hearing the contemptuous words of the Qingsong Country martial artist, the crowd's anger surged straight to their heads.
The guards of the ceremonial procession clenched their fists tightly, their eyes filled with murderous intent.
"Military God Fang."
Seeing Fang Chen appear, the commander of the ceremonial guard hurriedly cupped his fists in salute.
Fang Chen nodded indifferently and walked up to the Qingsong Country martial artist. "I remember you. Your name is He Longsheng, right?"
"It's Military God Fang!"
The spirits of the crowd lifted.
Though they might have uttered a word or two against Fang Chen over the years to varying degrees, the fact that Fang Chen appeared here today meant this was definitely no small matter!
"Yo, isn't this our big son-in-law of the Xiao family? Has the marriage between you and young miss been finalized? When are you marrying over?"
Seeing Fang Chen, He Longsheng immediately grinned broadly.
Fang Chen ignored him and instead looked down at the peddler kneeling on the ground. "Why aren't you leaving yet?"
"Thank you, thank you!"
The peddler expressed his gratitude repeatedly, immediately picking up the child and fleeing the scene in a staggered rush.
He Longsheng instantly grew furious, wanting to step forward and stop them, but sensing that Fang Chen was staring at him unblinkingly—giving him a persistent chill down his spine—he ultimately held back.
He looked coldly at Fang Chen. "Big son-in-law, aren't you sticking your nose into other people's business a bit too much? Remember, from now on you're a man of our Qingsong Country, so don't be a traitor!"
"Hahaha, you lot probably don't know yet, but Fang Chen is about to become the Xiao family's matrilocal son-in-law. Soon enough, he'll have to call Commander Xiao 'Father'!"
"And you thought he could stand up for you? Your Military God Fang died five years ago!"
Several Qingsong Country martial artists in the crowd jeered tauntingly.
The surrounding citizens wore expressions of bewilderment, fury, or sheer despair.
At that very moment, You Longchang returned with his troop. Catching sight of Fang Chen, he stepped forward with a mixture of doubt and anxiety. "Military God Fang, what is going on here?"
"Has Xiao Shennü been seen off safely out of the Capital?"
Fang Chen asked with a faint smile.
"She has been sent off."
You Longchang nodded.
Xiao Shennü had left? Then why hadn't Fang Chen gone with her? But wasn't Xiao Shennü supposed to have arrived in the Great Xia Capital just today? Why was she leaving already?
He Longsheng and the others felt a sense of puzzlement.
"You keep calling me son-in-law left and right; you've made me rather embarrassed. Unfortunately, however, I have no fate to marry into the Xiao family, so I am still myself."
Fang Chen looked at He Longsheng and smiled faintly.
"How could that be..."
He Longsheng froze slightly.
"You Longchang, lend me your sword."
Fang Chen extended his hand.
You Longchang was stunned. Subconsciously, he glanced at He Longsheng, the Qingsong Country martial artist, and a sudden look of shock flashed through his eyes.
"Military God Fang..."
"Stop wasting words."
"Yes!"
You Longchang immediately unhooked the sword from his waist and handed it over to Fang Chen.
"I once said that when I draw my sword again, the very first person I execute will be you, He Longsheng."
Fang Chen gripped the hilt, slowly drawing the fine-quality longsword.
The Military God was going to execute a Qingsong Country martial artist?!
At that moment, all the surrounding Great Xia citizens revealed looks of utter shock, watching Fang Chen in disbelief, while the Empress in her carriage gently widened her eyes.
He Longsheng was briefly stunned, then burst out in a laugh. "You're going to execute me? My backing is Qingsong Country!"
"Hahaha!"
After a momentary daze, the surrounding Qingsong Country martial artists burst into laughter as well. This felt like the biggest joke they had heard in five years.
Seeing this, He Longsheng couldn't help but stretch out his neck. "Come on, Military God Fang, chop right here. If I even make a sound, I'll..."
Slash!
A flash of sword light.
He Longsheng's head parted from his body, tumbling heavily to the ground and rolling several feet away, blood gushing like a fountain from his severed neck.
Chapter 11: After Today, the Heavens Will Change
Silence descended upon the surroundings.
The Qingsong Country martial artists, who had been laughing uproariously, saw their smiles gradually freeze. A look of disbelief appeared in their eyes, as if they had never imagined that Fang Chen would dare to truly kill someone from Qingsong Country.
You Longchang and his subordinates were completely dumbfounded.
The members of the Empress's ceremonial guard were rooted to the spot like wooden chickens.
The surrounding Great Xia citizens covered their mouths, their eyes wide open.
Over the years, Qingsong Country martial artists had run amok in the Capital, acting with unbridled arrogance. The locals had witnessed such scenes countless times. While they had often imagined tearing the perpetrators to pieces in their hearts, they knew such a thing was impossible.
Killing someone from Qingsong Country would invite a ferocious retaliation from them, something the present Great Xia simply could not endure!
Yet before their very eyes, a Qingsong Country martial artist had just died at the hands of Fang Chen.
Shock and bewilderment were quickly swept away by an overwhelming surge of joy—it was deeply gratifying!
"Fang Chen, how dare you!"
A Qingsong Country martial artist cried out in furious alarm.
Fang Chen strode toward him with sword in hand, and the surrounding citizens instinctively cleared a path.
Slash!
Another head hit the ground. This Qingsong Country martial artist, possessing only Qi Condensation cultivation, had no power to resist in Fang Chen's hands.
"You have some nerve, truly some nerve! Aren't you afraid that our Qingsong Country will wipe out your Great Xia's nation and annihilate your bloodline?!"
The Qingsong Country martial artists shouted in furious panic, their voices hoarse and shrill.
"Starting today, I do not wish to see a single Qingsong Country martial artist in the Capital of Great Xia."
Fang Chen said indifferently.
Within the crowd, several figures nodded softly upon hearing his words, moving like phantoms as they quietly slit the throats of the nearby Qingsong Country martial artists.