Chapter 261: Chapter 176: The World’s Reaction

I have already begun requisitioning Sumeru Rings within Great Qin. We’ve amassed quite a few, but it’s still not enough to fully supply the army on the front lines.

However, if we add ground transportation into the mix, there will be no issues.

As for food, we have an abundance right now. For the past two years, we’ve been purchasing it from various regions, and upon occupying the Northern Border, we discovered their granaries were completely full.

Dayong must have requisitioned it from all over to supply their front lines for the war against us, but now it all belongs to us.

Without even touching the imperial granaries, we can support the front lines for an entire year.

It would be more than enough, even if we conquer a few more prefectures."

After he finished speaking, the Empress nodded in satisfaction, "Very good. Have your people deliver the supplies as soon as possible."

Then, her gaze turned to Xiao Gu at her side. "Grand Minister of Rites, I have a feeling that after this war, the other dynasties will see Prince Qin as a thorn in their side. We will need to dispatch men from the Ministry of Rites to protect him.

No matter what, we must guarantee Prince Qin’s safety."

Lu Yuan shone far too brightly in this battle.

He was bound to become a thorn in the side of every court, and Xiao Ku alone might not be enough to stop what’s coming.

The battle last night, for instance, had made the Empress’s heart pound in terror. Thankfully, Lu Yuan was powerful enough to defeat Prince Ze. If something had actually happened...

She feared she would have regretted it for the rest of her life.

Xiao Gu immediately said, "Rest assured, Your Majesty. I will dispatch top experts to his side."

However, just as he finished speaking, National Preceptor Xiao Mie stepped forward and said calmly, "I will go myself. Xiao Li will accompany me."

Xiao Mie and Xiao Li could be described as the two pillars of Great Qin.

Neither of them knew the art of war, but their strength was immense, and their methods were vicious.

Xiao Mie was relatively normal, whereas Xiao Li could be described as brutal.

For this reason, he had been kept in Prajna Temple for the past several decades and was generally not permitted to leave.

The fact that Xiao Mie wanted to bring Xiao Li to protect Lu Yuan showed just how grave they considered the situation.

Hearing his words, the Empress nodded. "Very well. Then the National Preceptor shall go."

She was aware of Xiao Li’s temperament and had certainly heard of his reputation.

But she didn’t care. As long as Lu Yuan’s safety could be guaranteed, it didn’t matter how many people were killed. It was a battlefield, after all.

After acknowledging the order, Xiao Mie prepared to depart.

But just then, Xiao Hua looked at her mother. "I want to go too."

Hearing this, the Empress shook her head. "You should just stay home and behave. If you’re bored, you can go into seclusion to cultivate. The gap in cultivation level between you and Yuan is getting wider and wider.

Besides, this mission is critical. No one is to distract Yuan."

"But Hongling..."

"Hongling and Yuan have been apart for a long time. Besides, she is a general in command of her own troops; she knows how to conduct herself. You are different. Yuan won’t have time to entertain you on the battlefield.

Just focus on your cultivation." Though displeased by her mother’s words, Xiao Hua knew there was nothing she could do.

With her mother’s refusal, she didn’t dare act recklessly.

After speaking to her daughter, the Empress waved her hand. "Court is dismissed."

With that, she pulled Xiao Hua along and departed.

The other ministers, for their part, went to attend to their respective duties.

With the war at the front growing intense, the officials at the capital were equally swamped.

Gaining the territory of several prefectures was no small matter. Although troops were now stationed there to guard them, they could only maintain basic order.

They still needed to dispatch officials, reassure the populace within the cities, and handle countless other tasks.

All of these tasks had to be done.

And each one was incredibly complex.

「In the Great Yu Imperial Palace.」

The Yu Emperor’s face was grim. Great Qin’s power had far exceeded his predictions. Now that several prefectures of the Yong Dynasty had fallen into Great Qin’s hands, the latter would no longer lack for grain-producing lands.

At the very least, they would have no problem supplying their own dynasty.

They had grain, land for raising horses, and a Lu Yuan who could single-handedly cut down two Renowned Generals in their Military Array.

Great Qin’s momentum was now unstoppable.

After a moment of grim contemplation, he ordered, "Relay my command: recall the armies from their standoff with Dayong. Suzhou Prefecture is likely as good as lost.

But it cannot fall into our hands, otherwise we will become true mortal enemies with Dayong.

Immediately send missives to the Eastern Barbarians and the Xirong. Tell them to join me in warning Great Qin to agree to a ceasefire. Otherwise, the three of us will aid the Yong Dynasty.

Make the stakes perfectly clear to them."

"As you command!" the Minister of Rites replied, stepping forward.

The Yu Emperor continued, "This Prince Qin of Great Qin is a formidable figure. It seems only the one who reached the summit of Heaven-Ascending Cliff can contend with him.

Send men to find him immediately. He must be found.

At any cost."

The Yu Emperor’s voice was steady. After all, the flames of war had not yet reached Great Yu, so he remained relatively composed.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

The ministers bowed.

Then, at a wave of the Yu Emperor’s hand, they withdrew from the grand hall.

Alone in the empty hall, the Yu Emperor’s face couldn’t help but flush crimson.

’To think I was so triumphant, believing I had outsmarted both Great Qin and Dayong. Now I just look like a pathetic clown.

Great Qin placated me with a single pasture.

And now they’ve seized Dayong’s entire Northern Border.

They have their own granaries now.

I hate this! If only I had known, I would have joined forces with Dayong to deal with Great Qin from the start.

Maybe things wouldn’t have ended up like this. Lu Yuan is only one man, after all; he can’t be in two places at once. If we had attacked from both sides...

Great Qin would have been forced to pay a steep price.

And so what if Lu Yuan can defeat a Military Array formed by two Renowned Generals? What about four? Or five?

But alas, it’s too late for any of that now.

Dayong’s defeat is certain. They’ve been completely crushed.

If Lu Yuan continues his southern campaign, there’s even a risk of their entire dynasty being wiped out. That is absolutely not something I want to see.’

「Land of the Eastern Barbarians.」

The Cyan Emperor watched everything in the Profound Light Mirror, his expression frigid. He then spoke to his ministers in an unhurried tone, "Search the four corners of the earth, but you must find the one who reached the summit of Celestial Ladder Cliff.

If the Eastern Barbarians wish for peace, we have no choice but to rely on this person."

He now had to admit that, aside from the one who ascended the Celestial Ladder, there was likely no one left who could restrain Lu Yuan.

While the various courts were beginning to fear Great Qin as they would a tiger...

At that moment, within the territory of Great Yu, atop a majestic mountain peak, stood a complex of pavilions, terraces, and towers—a world unto itself.

A young man stood in the main hall.

His face was filled with arrogance, and his white robes were immaculate.

He looked up at an old man with white hair and a youthful complexion and said, "Master, when I returned from the summit of Celestial Ladder Cliff, you said it was not yet time for me to descend the mountain, that I had to wait for an opportunity. Now that Dayong is suffering one defeat after another, has my opportunity arrived?"

This young man was Zhang Fan, from the Guxiao Sect, a premier sect within Dayong’s territory.

The year he reached the summit, Lu Yuan had already descended, but the celestial light had yet to dissipate.

The power that came from touching the true pinnacle had already been absorbed by Lu Yuan.

Thus, the pressure had lessened somewhat, giving a genius like Zhang Fan, who had reached over nine thousand steps, the chance to climb to the very top.

He had just managed to catch the last wisp of the fading light.

Upon returning, he had told his master, the Gu Xiao Sect Leader, everything.

From that day on, the entire sect began to pour all its resources into cultivating Zhang Fan.

Moreover, the Gu Xiao Sect Leader had subtly instilled an idea in Zhang Fan: that he was a man blessed by the fortune of heaven and earth, destined to unite all under heaven.

This led Zhang Fan to firmly believe that he was the future master of the world.

Now that his cultivation had greatly increased, he was more impatient than ever to descend the mountain.

"My disciple," the Gu Xiao Sect Leader said, looking at him, "descending the mountain now might earn you some attention, but it is far from enough.

Great Qin’s rise, Prince Qin’s appearance—this is heaven arranging for someone to build up your momentum. Wait a little longer.

When the entire world finds itself powerless against this Prince Qin, that is when you will make your move.

At that time, you can settle the fate of the world in a single battle."

Hearing his master’s words, Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow, and the corners of his mouth curled into a smile.

He then said, "Yes, Master."

"Mm, go back and cultivate. Settle your mind and do not be hasty," the Gu Xiao Sect Leader said indifferently.

As the Sect Leader of a top-tier sect in Great Yu, he was naturally privy to some of the imperial court’s internal news.

He also knew that the other dynasties were all searching for his disciple.

But he understood better than anyone that if he didn’t let these courts grow anxious for a time, those high and mighty Celestial Emperor’s Nobles would never truly entrust his disciple with great authority.

The right time to descend would be when the envoys from those courts came to Ancient Cloud Peak to plead for his disciple to come down.

As for Lu Yuan and Great Qin, he had already decided in his heart that they were nothing more than a whetstone, arranged by the heavens to sharpen his disciple.

After all, according to the ancient records, the appearance of one who carried great destiny was often accompanied by the arrival of a rival to throw the world into turmoil.

Even the legendary Emperor Zhou of the past could not avoid it.

His own disciple would undoubtedly have to face such a trial as well.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan was unconcerned with the attitudes and actions of the various powers. After entering the City Lord’s Mansion in Qingjiang Prefecture, he immediately found a quiet courtyard, eager to see just how much his cultivation had increased this time.

His heart filled with anticipation.

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