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Walking out of the mist, an enormous city appear a hundred zhang away.
That city stood upon the overgrown wilderness, its walls towering a hundred zhang tall, majestic and spectacular. Its ramparts all were cast out of molten iron and copper melded together, showing a cold and bright bronze color. Even from a distance of several dozen li, one could clearly see the dragon reliefs carved along the bronze walls.
“Zhaoge?”
Shang Yangjun was dumbstruck. She originally thought they were too late to reach Zhaoge, but she never imagined that Prince Changqin would use magic to instantly transport them through mist over several thousand li right in front of Zhaoge. “As expected of a Divine Name.” The girl enviously sighed.
“Let’s hurry to Zhaoge, there shouldn’t be much time left.” Qi Lin urged.
Faraway, the sun gradually rose on a new day. It was none other than wake up time for Zhaoge, and according to the time limit, it was the final day as well.
The bell suddenly tolled.
It was the knell to gather at the Deer Terrace.
The two of them circulated their True Qi. The True Qi of the Heavenly Spirit meridians flooded their bodies, making their bodies nimble as swallows. One step covered several dozen meters, and the pair very quickly were below the city walls. As expected, only when they reached the foot of the wall did they discover that the Yin Shang capital city was far more magnificent and extraordinary than they had imagined.
The enormous walls simply could be described as a piece of art. A coiled dragon winding around, a vivid depiction seemingly about to spring to life at any moment.
The entire wall had been casted from Buzhou Mountain copper, pounded by thousands of hammers and smelted a hundred times. Even a Golden Core cultivator’s magical energy could not move the walls an inch. The walls were manned by golden armored guards who stood watch with their dagger-axes. Each guard was Qi Refinement Seventh Deva, and these golden armored guards’ eyes contained deeply hidden ruthlessness.
Zhaoge swarmed with guards. Practically every person who entered was subject to a thorough inspection, and there was a long line, the end of which could not be seen. Hearing the bell’s summons, Shang Yangjun was worried.
“Let’s go!” Qi Lin saw the officer currently overseeing the inspections, and he pulled Shang Yangjun by the hand over there.
“The Great King has ordered that all people must undergo inspection!! Hurry and get in line, otherwise, be killed without mercy!” The officer’s subordinates were also guards.
“Outrageous!! Get in line and be inspected!”
Several guards saw the two approach, and their killing intent surged while they drew their swords.
“Barbarians just do not understand rules. Arrest them and give them a lesson.” The officer said with contempt when he noticed Qi Lin and Shang Yangjun’s clothing.
The guards advanced.
Qi Lin calmly retrieved an Yin Shang generalissimo’s seal from his satchel. This seal had been Huang Feihu’s, but it lacked a name. Thus, whoever bore it was to be treated as a general.
All the officers and guards present changed expressions and immediately knelt. “Subordinate was blind and was unaware that the generalissimo was visiting. We ask for your forgiveness.”
“Slap yourself for your crime of impropriety!” Qi Lin coldly said.
The officer mercilessly whipped his own cheeks several times.
“The Great King has summoned the Ten Thousand Beasts Twelve Barbarian Tribes’ disciples. What is the situation?” Qi Lin maintained the air of an important general. He could not act friendly and welcoming to snobbish brutes. The more strict he was, the more compliant they would be.
“Answering to the generalissimo, the Great King is already convening those barbarian tribe disciples at the Deer Terrace. The time limit will have been reached once the bell stops.” The officer said.
“Good, prepare us a horse immediately. I must go see the Great King.”
“As you command.”
The officer slapped a subordinate’s face, “What are you still gawking there, hurry and give the generalissimo a horse.”
Very quickly, a magnificently adorned and armored Bronze Warhorse was led over.
Qi Lin mounted the horse and reached out his hand to pull Shang Yangjun up. The girl’s body was somewhat stiff, but she still wrapped her arms around Qi Lin’s waist without saying a word. Just as they were about to gallop to the Deer Terrace, a man and woman in the line suddenly shouted out urgently: “We are banner guardians of the Shang Wolf Tribe, we must see the Great King immediately. Please understand.”
Those tribe disciples were in a panic, but the officer was completely unmoved and shouted: “Silence, who cares what disciples you are. Everyone entering Zhaoge must follow the rules!!”
Shang Yangjun tugged Qi Lin’s clothes.
“Let them in. To have delayed the Great King’s matters, not even a hundred deaths can redeem an insignificant guard like you.” Qi Lin rebuked.
“Huh, yes, as you command. The generalissimo has ordered that they be let through.” The officer was in trepidation.
“Many thanks for accommodating us, general.” The Shang Wolf Tribe man and woman were moved to tears. After they were in the city, they immediately activated escape techniques. Out of the Twelve Tribes, the Shang Wolf Tribe’s escape technique was of outstanding speed. Very quickly, their figures faded from view.
“Let’s hurry, too.” Shang Yangjun said.
Qi Lin spurred the horse into a gallop.
This splendidly armored Bronze Warhorse was the symbol of a general. The patrolling guards along the way were all required to kneel in salute when they saw it.
As the Yin Shang’s national capital, “Zhaoge” was extremely grand. Row after row of pavilions filled the city, a picturesque chaos. The wide streets were all constructed of the best jade and stone. The Bronze Warhorse’s heavy hooves produced metallic clanging noises as it galloped over the street, but even its strength was unable to leave a blemish.
The Deer Terrace was located in a mountain area of the Zhaoge palace. It was a hundred li in size, more than a thousand chi in height. The landscape was like a beautiful portrait, towering peaks all around, white clouds drifting about, craggy rocks, elegant trees, luxuriant vines, thick bamboo, lofty pines and cypress trees. Willows similarly drooped down, wildflowers wafted their fragrance, peaches and plums were in abundance, butterflies flit about, fishes drifted, and the frogs sang.
In front of the terrace were several rows of boulders shaped like various beasts. Peaceful and calm, they were like the guardians of the Deer Terrace. Below the terrace was a pool, the surface of which was like a mirror. A gentle wind blew, creating blue waves.
The Deer Terrace’s surroundings at this time were already full of fluttering banners. Identically adorned black armor guards stood solemn watch, their formation impeccable.
Yin Shang held “black” in high esteem, so the capital’s guards, officers, and officials treated the color black as supreme.
Though, at first glance, the paint was smudged, like a black dragon rolling through clouds.
Below the Deer Terrace, countless people stood orderly.
In this convening of the Ten Thousand Beasts Barbarian Tribes by King Zhou Di Xin, other than the Twelve Tribes’ disciples, there were also some Foreign Tribes and Zhaoge’s noble cultivators mixed in.
There was no shortage of Golden Core Bagua Realm among the aristocratic cultivators of Zhaoge.
Their qi flooded the nine firmaments, shaking Heaven and Earth.
Qi Lin used the generalissimo plaque to very smoothly enter the Deer Terrace. Then, pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes, he fit in among the ranks of the Twelve Tribes. The Deer Terrace forbade troops and horses, and seeing someone surprisingly ride a Bronze Warhorse to Zhaoge, many people had thrown glances.
Seeing Qi Lin slip in among the barbarian tribes, some people were puzzled.
Chen Mo looked around. The tribal disciples all bowed their heads, their expressions extremely nervous. He looked up high and saw the grand and spectacular Deer Terrace. That Deer Terrace’s entire structure was like an enormous divine deer. It was completely dark, and on that platform, there were at least five woman dressed in black armor and black dragon capes. These women were arrogant, or silent, or apathetic, or seductive, but every one of the women innately exuded a divine aura. Their identities were clear.
“Zhaoge’s Five Generals?”
Qi Lin was aware that Zhaoge’s five country-protecting generals were all mighty Star Generals.
Below their seats were another row of seats.
Just as he thought this.
He suddenly heard a penetrating, resonant shout.
“The Great King has arrived!!!”
The five women on the Deer Terrace looked to the direction of Di Xin’s arrival, their gazes not daring to shift away, even a bit apologetic. The other nobles all hastily rose from their seats and bowed, lowering their heads to demonstrate humility.
On the other hand, the other women half-knelt, lowered their heads, and did not dare stare directly. According to Yin Shang criminal law, after Di Xin arrived, the people of Yin Shang were to kneel or be executed on the spot by bisection, cannon, or other extreme measures.
Qi Lin lowered his head and could sense a vast imperial aura overlook from the heavens. This air was boundless, infinite, shaking the whole world.
“Hm.”
King Zhou Di Xin’s dragon carriage arrived at the Deer Terrace. The woman apparently had no inclination to say “you may rise.” She did not utter a word, but Qi Lin could sense a strict and cruel gaze sweep over and past him.
For a while, no one let them rise.
No one dared to be careless. King Zhou’s temper was known to them all, unstable and murderous.
“This King has summoned the tribal banners of the Ten Thousand Beasts Barbarians. Have they all been assembled?” Di Xin asked. Her voice was far more penetrating than Qi Lin had imagined.
“Reporting to the Great King, the Shang Moose Tribe’s disciples have yet to arrive.” A woman answered.
“Hmph.”
All of a sudden, there was a racket from within the crowd. Several men rushed into the Deer Terrace.
“Great King, the Shang Moose Tribe was delayed in order prepare a unique treasure fruit as a gift to the Great King. Please forgive us.”
The men immediately lowered their heads. Among them, a robust man presented a fruit platter, upon which was the pulp of something akin to pomegranate. The fruit’s aroma pervaded the entire area.
“Drag them out, death by dismemberment.”1 Di Xin lazily waved her hand.
Immediately, several guards seized and restrained the group.
“Great King, forgive us, ah!!! We were late because we were ambushed by agents from Ancient Qin.”
“Great King, we were late only because we protected the banner on threat of death. Please, Great King, show mercy!!”
“Great King, mercy!!!”
They cried with all their strength, a gut-wrenching scene.
Di Xin sneered: “Let the people see the end of those who disobey This King’s words!”
“The Great King has ordered that everyone raise their heads.”
“Many thanks, Great King!”
Everyone answered in unison. Only then did they dare rise. Chen Mo glanced to look at the gorgeous woman on the imperial carriage parked atop the Deer Terrace. How best to describe her glamor and extravagance; a wide blackbird skirt spread over the platform, and its train was carried like feathers by maids. She wore a crown of black gems, and her skin was white as snow.
The woman leaned lazily against her imperial carriage. Her eyes were particularly frightening, pitch-black without any glimmer of light. Her eyes seemed to be the very depths of the nine hells, able to ensnare a person with no hope of recovery.
Even Qi Lin did not dare look much longer.
The tribal disciples turned around, grouping together at an enormous open space. Then, the Shang Moose Tribe’s men were escorted in. Ropes of green sinew refined from large pythons had been fastened around their limbs and necks while the other ends of the ropes were gripped by five sturdy cultivators. These cultivators wore executioner masks, and their bodies were like stupas. Astonishingly, they were Qi Refinement Ninth Deva Realm.
“Great King, Great King, forgive us, our Yin Shang Moose Tribe was late protecting the banner with our lives.”
The man was still pleading for leniency, bitter tears streaming down his face.
“Then die for Yin Shang.” Di Xin bit into the fruit.
“Carry out the sentence!!”
Following the order, the five Qi Refinement Ninth Deva warriors tugged the ropes in five different directions.2 All over, their muscles and veins bulged, and Fiend Qi erupted. These dismemberment executioners practiced a unique cultivation method suited for this sentence. The ropes used were all also carefully crafted magic treasures, and even Golden Core cultivators could not escape.
The restrained Shang Moose tribesman struggled with all his might, circulating True Qi, but the more he used his True Qi, the more pain he felt. The five large men walked forth step by step. The sound of skin and tissue pulling apart filled the air as the man screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Ah…No!!!” The Shang Moose tribesman bitterly struggled. As his True Qi waned, enormous pain wracked his limbs and bones, and his meridians were about to break.
Rip.
The man’s four limbs and head were fiercely torn asunder by the men’s brute force. Blood filled the grounds, and the man’s head rolled to the feet of a girl. That girl nearly screamed from fright, but Qi Lin immediately pushed her acupuncture point. If the girl had screamed, there would have been an even worse scene.
Then, the other Shang Moose tribesmen were subjected to the execution one after another. Their miserable screams filled the air.
“Ha, ha, ha, ha.”
Di Xin happily laughed as she watched this wretched sight.3
“This is the only use for disobedient ants.” Di Xin retracted her smile, her expression cold and apathetic. “Everyone must understand that they are to behave themselves in This King’s Zhaoge. Any who dare to act of their own accord will face this fate. All of you are dismissed, await This King’s summons.”
“We respectfully see off the Great King!!”
The voices were ear-splitting, louder than before.
The grounds were filled with dismembered limbs, blood-gushing innards, and the despair of the weak.
Thus, this bloodshed pulled back the curtain on the prologue to Qi Lin’s first day of life in Zhaoge.
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[Chen Mo* looked around.]
-> Qi Lin* looked around.
[Chen Mo* glanced…]
-> Qi Lin* glanced…
Qi Lin, like Su Xing, lies as easily as hebreathes… but is still not quite as interesting to me
Boo… no harem….
Very brutal scene, ngl. Good thing Qi Lin stopped that girl from screaming or oof.