CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 54: TERRIFYING

"So vicious!"

Just hearing the old man talk about this, Chen Xuan couldn’t help but feel a bit terrified.

Three years of killing!

And all records were erased.

This clearly tells the world there’s something suspicious about the late emperor’s death.

Yet they’re unafraid!

If you dare to speak, he’ll dare to kill.

He’ll kill until you’re too afraid to speak.

This new emperor...

He seems a bit like Qin Ershi of Blue Star.

"Vicious? Haha!"

The old man sneered and continued, "You don’t know the things this emperor did afterward; those are truly vicious!"

"There’s something even more vicious?"

Chen Xuan couldn’t help but ask.

"Of course, after that incident ended, the emperor issued another decree. All sects within Great Xia, regardless of size, must submit to the court and hand over all their cultivation techniques. Those who dare defy will be exterminated!"

"Do you know how many sects there are in Great Xia? At least a few thousand."

"At that time, the whole of Great Xia was in chaos."

"You must understand, some sects have had millennia of heritage and immense strength; they wouldn’t submit or hand over their techniques just like that."

"But what was the result? The military was dispatched to suppress them! No matter what sect, or what connections they had in court, they were directly exterminated, and all techniques were seized by force!"

"In an instant, countless legacies were destroyed. Even within the court, many were implicated, with some even losing nine generations of their family."

"This killing went on for twenty years! Only a few sects managed to escape Great Xia, but they were very few!"

During this period,

For Martial Artists, it was simply dark.

Everyone lived with their tails between their legs; those with sects never mentioned them.

Fearing for their lives.

"Twenty years!"

Chen Xuan murmured to himself.

How many people were killed!

This isn’t an emperor; it’s a butcher, a tyrant.

"What’s more, the emperor ordered all books recording Martial Dao cultivation to be altered, and any records about the Breaking Realm Upper Three Grades were not allowed."

"That’s why you can’t find records about them."

"Furthermore, for some reason, in recent years, apart from court people, very few outsiders reach the Breaking Realm Upper Three Grades."

It’s not just few,

Even in the few years after twenty years, only a sparse number broke through to the Upper Three Grades.

In recent years,

It’s not heard of at all.

And those lucky enough to break through, many disappeared without a trace.

Who knows if they hid knowing something, or... died!

Every time he thinks of this, his heart fills with inexplicable fear.

"Luckily, in recent years, this emperor hasn’t caused trouble again. Not sure if he killed too many and felt a pang of conscience. Haha!"

The old man sneered.

"However, since then, nearly all top-tier cultivation techniques have been confiscated and stored in the Imperial Palace. Those that managed to remain outside are very few."

"So now, except for those in the court, other martial artists cultivate very ordinary techniques."

"Of course, many martial artists, wanting to progress further, eventually joined the court."

"The Nine Revolutions Secret Technique I have, would have been considered upper-middle in the past, but now it’s definitely top-tier."

That’s why he risked his life to seize this technique.

But though he succeeded, he was severely injured, and because of this injury, his Martial Dao not only didn’t progress, it regressed a realm.

Sometimes now he wonders if he regrets it?

A little!

"Then what about the natural disaster you mentioned? How is it related to this!"

Chen Xuan was still puzzled.

Even if this emperor exterminated so many sects and seized so many techniques, what does that have to do with a natural disaster?

"Specifically, the old man doesn’t know much, but observing the 5,000 years of Great Xia’s history, there’s never been such a severe drought followed by heavy snow for almost six months. If the heavy rains hadn’t stopped, who knows how long it would have lasted. It’s too bizarre."

"Moreover, the old man vaguely remembers, long ago in ancient times, there were means to control the weather."

....

The old man left.

As he left, he told him that he’d arrange some work for him in the black market, but didn’t specify what.

In the study.

Chen Xuan sat in an armchair, silent for a long time.

Today,

He feels truly enlightened.

If the old man hadn’t told him, these things would be hard to know.

The books have even been altered by the emperor; truly ruthless.

Though not as extreme as the Blue Star First Emperor’s burning books and burying scholars alive, it’s not far off.

Leaning back in the armchair, Chen Xuan repeatedly pondered over what the old man said with his eyes tightly shut.

The new emperor ascends!

Three years of killing!

This should be to conceal the cause of the late emperor’s death.

Exterminate sects!

Twenty years!

Though the real focus was on the martial artists.

After all,

This is a Martial Arts World, and martial artists are supreme.

For ordinary people, if a martial arts expert goes on a killing spree, the consequences are severe.

From an emperor’s perspective, it’s hard to say he was wrong.

Of course, this is merely his own speculation.

But,

According to the old man’s last words, if this disaster was indeed man-made, then the emperor’s intentions are terrifying.

After all,

The ones most harmed by such a disaster are ordinary people.

That... would be truly dreadful.

Thinking of this, Chen Xuan suddenly opened his eyes, a look of fear in them.

His breathing became slightly rapid.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

Also,

Although the old man didn’t explicitly say, from his expression, breaking into the Upper Three Grades doesn’t seem like a good thing.

Does the court not allow high-grade martial artists outside their control?

"Hope it’s not true."

Chen Xuan murmured to himself, looking worried.

....

For several days,

Chen Xuan was not in good spirits.

Even Su Yun, who usually doesn’t care much, noticed.

Both women asked him, but he only shrugged it off by saying it was something related to cultivation.

Night!

Tonight, it was Su Wanqiu with him.

Since taking her in, apart from the first few days, the two sisters have also made clear divisions of labor. Each takes turns, one day each, quite fair.

At this moment,

Just after an intense session.

Su Wanqiu lay in his arms, her breathing a bit unsteady.

Although possessing beautiful talents and unparalleled battle strength, she was ultimately just an ordinary woman, and obviously couldn’t compare to Chen Xuan, a Sixth Grade martial artist, in stamina.

Moreover,

Chen Xuan had just engaged her in some playful antics.

Initially shy and wanting to refuse, Su Wanqiu, thinking about his recent foul mood, complied.

But...

Thinking about that posture,

Lying down, kneeling, hands tied back tightly with clothes.

Lifted high from behind!

Now she’s blushing all over.

She slightly raised her head, sneaking a peek at Chen Xuan leaning against the headboard.

She couldn’t comprehend how someone who usually seemed so honest had such thoughts running in his mind.

"Peeking at me! What, haven’t had enough just now?"

"No, no, I had enough!"

Su Wanqiu hastily surrendered.

In truth, she was a bit scared he’d start all over again.

"Haha, just kidding, look how scared you are."

Chen Xuan chuckled, pulling her closer. Today, he felt somewhat relieved.

Feeling his mood significantly improved.