CHAPTER 359: CHAPTER 369: BLOOD GOD GUARD

"My Esteemed Official Shangguan, please rise. I, too, am deeply saddened and outraged by what has befallen the Shangguan family. However, there are state rules to abide by, and that youth named Chu Feng is formidable indeed. It is with intention yet without power that I yearn to deal with him!"

"If it were a matter of a state oppressing the Shangguan family, then it would be a simple task. I would immediately mobilize troops and extinguish them. But now, the adversary is but a youth, what do you expect me to do?"

The Beixie Emperor showed a troubled expression, but his eyes betrayed a cunning glint.

His manner of speaking was not absolute, leaving no room for discussion.

Shangguan Yun, a creature who had lived for over a thousand years, saw right through the Beixie Emperor’s deeper intentions.

He simply wanted to coerce the Shangguan family into paying a corresponding price.

Forget about getting the Beixie Emperor to help the Shangguan family seek revenge without any catch.

"Should Your Majesty be willing to avenge the bloodshed suffered by our Shangguan family, this old official is prepared to serve as Your Majesty’s slave for a thousand years! My Shangguan family is also ready to volunteer to wipe out the ten Great Cave Masters of the Southern Barbarians. Thus expanding the Beixie Empire’s territory and also easing a troubling concern for Your Majesty!"

Shangguan Yun was truly making a hefty sacrifice to convince the Beixie Emperor to lend his aid.

To the south of the Beixie Empire lay a region of high mountains and perilous ridges inhabited by primitive Barbarian Tribes. These tribes, who lived off the land, were fierce in nature, and their Leopard Tiger Cavalry trained there had an intimidating presence in the countries of the Northern Territory.

The ten Great Cave Masters of the Southern Barbarians each ruled over a mountain area, claiming one hundred thousand mountains and a million barbarians.

Year after year, they invaded the border regions of the Beixie Empire, looting and plundering, bringing endless suffering to the people of the Beixie Empire, posing a significant security threat.

Unfortunately, the rulers of the Beixie Empire from past generations, busy with struggles against other powerful countries, had no capacity to address this.

Regarding the Southern Barbarians’ border incursions, they had no choice but to endure them.

Now, with the Beixie Empire enjoying powerful national strength and relatively peaceful and stable relations with neighboring major states, large-scale warfare was rare. At most, there were minor skirmishes.

The Beixie Emperor had dispatched troops seven times in succession, intending to subdue the ten caves of the Southern Barbarians.

Yet each attempt ended in dismal failure, with considerable loss of troops and generals, severely damaging the Beixie Empire’s national prestige.

Several times, the Beixie Emperor considered leading the campaign himself to squash the Southern Barbarian hazard. However, any hint of movement and the surrounding major states would immediately assemble heavy forces at the border.

Frightened by this, the Beixie Emperor dared not personally lead the campaign.

During the potential campaign against the Southern Barbarians, should the neighboring major states take the opportunity to invade, it could spell disaster for the nation—a loss outstripping the gains.

Thus, the matter was pressed down but remained a lingering concern for the Beixie Emperor.

Shangguan Yun not only offered himself as a slave to the Beixie Emperor for a thousand years, but to sweeten the deal, he took the initiative to propose that his family take significant action to subdue the Southern Barbarians.

Such a substantial temptation immediately brought a pleased smile to the Beixie Emperor’s face.

Old fox Shangguan Yun had offered a price even more generous than the Beixie Emperor had anticipated!

"Since my Esteemed Official Shangguan is so loyal to the Empire, I cannot stand idly by as your family faces adversity. Here, beneath the Emperor’s feet in our Imperial City of Beixie, this Chu Feng has dared to blatantly kill a high-ranking official of our Beixie Empire. He is far too arrogant! He utterly disregards the dignity and laws of our Beixie Empire. Issue the command, summon the soldiers from the Divine Martial Camp, and accompany me personally to execute the traitor Chu Feng."

The Beixie Emperor, a master in manipulating people, never failed to couch his speech in righteousness, fully justifying his position.

The troops of uprightness, mustering with good reason.

He had indeed grasped the essence of such tactics.

The Divine Martial Camp was an elite army organized by the Beixie Empire, forming its vanguard.

The soldiers of this ace force were at minimum at the Early Stage Great Sword Master in cultivation. They also wielded high-grade equipment, all brandishing Divine Weapon Level Treasure Swords and donning Divine Martial Battle Armors.

After rigorous training, the combined attack techniques of this elite army were extremely powerful.

"Furthermore, to be on the safe side, let the Beixie Blood God Guards accompany Us as well!" The Beixie Emperor always acted prudently, without leaving any loopholes.

Ever since he ascended to the throne at the age of sixteen, he has never miscalculated.

This time, taking action to avenge the Shangguan family, even though he was dealing only with a mere young Great Sword Master, the Beixie Emperor did not take the situation lightly.

A lion, when hunting a rabbit, strikes with all its might—such is the most prudent approach.

If the Divine Martial Camp is considered the trump card of the Northern Beixie Empire’s army, then the Beixie Blood God Guards are its special forces.

Each one is an extraordinary existence. It is said that to become a Beixie Blood God Guard, one must at least be at the Early Stage Sword Saint level in cultivation. Furthermore, they must pass a skill assessment, possess powerful combat abilities, and be unwaveringly loyal to the Beixie Emperor to be enlisted.

The majority of the Beixie Blood God Guards are selected from the Divine Martial Camp.

They also have another title, Imperial Guards.

After mustering the troops, the Beixie Emperor rode on a jujube-red dragon horse and galloped forward.

The power of the nation’s machinery was fully revealed at this moment. The intelligence organization, in the shortest time, pinpointed the whereabouts of Chu Feng and the others. And at the first opportunity, troops were mobilized for interception.

By the time the Beixie Emperor arrived, Chu Feng and his companions had already clashed with the troops of the Northern Beixie Empire.

Almost a hundred corpses were scattered on the ground.

On Chu Feng’s side, Chen Daoqi and Li Shishi were both injured. Their strengths were the weakest.

Against tens of thousands of soldiers, even someone of Sword Saint level would not dare to confront them lightly.

"Who here is Chu Feng?"

Mounted on his dragon horse, with the Beixie Blood God Guards around protecting him, the Beixie Emperor was imposing. He raised his voice and shouted loudly at the nine people in front of him.

"I am!" Chu Feng straightened up, looking indifferently at the lofty Beixie Emperor. "This matter doesn’t seem serious enough to warrant the Northern Beixie Empire’s army coming after me to kill, does it?"

Anger resonated in Chu Feng’s voice.

He harbored no grievances or enmity with the Northern Beixie Empire. It was the Shangguan family who ambushed him first, seeking his life. Now that the Shangguan family had met their superior and suffered heavy casualties, the Beixie Emperor had come with his troops to besiege Chu Feng and his companions.

This was truly an excessive bullying.

"To kill a senior official of my Empire in the Northern Beixie, isn’t that serious enough?"

"Surround them!"

After his gaze swept over Chu Feng, the Beixie Emperor’s eyes landed on the faces of Li Shishi, Han Xiaoying, and Qin Keren.

Nine out of ten Emperors are lecherous, and the one remaining is a eunuch.

As the monarch of a country, high above others, having seen countless beauties. Never worrying about food or drink, everything is attended to by others. No matter what it is, only the best is chosen for use.

This holds true for both food and goods.

In the prime of his life, the Beixie Emperor was vigorous and had a strong fondness for beauties.

Without a doubt, Han Xiaoying, Li Shishi, and Qin Keren, each a top-tier beauty with their own traits. Their fairy-like temperament and beauty particularly moved the Beixie Emperor’s heart.

He simply couldn’t take his eyes off them.