Chapter 243: Chapter 240: Huo Qubing_1
Outside the Kylin Holy Land, within a rarely visited valley, Guan Yu and his three companions sat, a swirl of Spiritual Energy radiating from them as they awaited Qin Wudao’s summons.
BOOM!
Suddenly, the sky above the valley surged with wind and clouds, and a massive spatial rift appeared. Three auras emanated from within, one of them particularly terrifying.
The expressions of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, and Huang Zhong changed slightly. Had they not sensed a familiar aura, they would likely have attacked.
"How can I seek a home when the Xiongnu are not yet vanquished?"
The strong, resonant voice echoed through the valley, creating lingering reverberations that stirred the blood.
This sentence... it sounds so familiar!
Guan Yu and his three companions were stunned for a moment, then they realized. Wasn’t this phrase spoken by *that* man?
Thinking of that person, all four of them grew excited.
He was the Youthful War God!
He was a national hero!
He was the Champion Marquis who stood above all armies!
He was like a dazzling pearl that appeared in the Han Dynasty, defeated powerful enemies, and then vanished as swiftly as an epiphyllum flower.
"We pay our respects to the Champion Marquis!"
Guan Yu and his three companions clasped their hands and bowed. As military generals, none did not idolize Huo Qubing. In the history of Huaxia, Huo Qubing’s deeds and aspirations had become the goal for countless warriors.
The spatial rift slowly dissipated.
A robust youth, clad in armor, with a heroic and imposing bearing, holding a long spear, appeared before them. He possessed an overwhelming aura, like that of a tiger ready to devour thousands of miles.
Beside him stood two scholar-like figures: Sima Yi and Zhang Jiao!
...
Meanwhile, after confirming the summoning of the three individuals, Qin Wudao immediately checked their information.
Name: Zhang Jiao!
Cultivation Level: Fourth Revolution Saint King!
Cultivation Technique: Taiping Heart Sutra!
Introduction: The leader of the "Yellow Turban Army," a peasant rebel force in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. In the first year of Zhongping, Zhang Jiao adopted the slogan: "The Azure Heavens are dead, the Yellow Heavens shall rise; in this year of Jiazi, may the world achieve great peace!" He proclaimed himself the "General of Heaven" and led the masses in an uprising.
Name: Sima Yi!
Cultivation Level: Sixth Revolution Saint King!
Cultivation Technique: Tiger Tomb Secrets!
Introduction: A statesman, military strategist, and influential minister of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period, and one of the founders of the Western Jin Dynasty. Sima Yi was intelligent and possessed great strategic thinking from a young age. Dissatisfied with the Cao family’s control over the Han imperial court, he once refused an official position offered by Cao Cao. It was not until the thirteenth year of Jian’an, after Cao Cao became Prime Minister, that Sima Yi was forcibly appointed to an official post. Due to his support for Cao Cao’s claim to emperorship, Sima Yi gradually gained the trust of the Cao imperial family members. After Cao Fang ascended the throne, Sima Yi was marginalized by Cao Shuang and promoted to Grand Tutor, a position with no real authority. In the tenth year of Zhengshi, Sima Yi capitalized on Cao Shuang accompanying Cao Fang away from Luoyang to the Gaoping Tombs for ancestral worship. He launched a coup, seized control of the capital city Luoyang, and thereby obtained military and political power in Cao Wei...
Name: Huo Qubing!
Cultivation Level: Peak Semi-Emperor!
Cultivation Technique: Ten Thousand Miles Annihilation Art!
Introduction: A famous general, military strategist, and national hero of the Western Han Dynasty. At eighteen, Huo Qubing served as a Piaoyao Colonel, leading eight hundred cavalry deep into the desert. He twice achieved merits that outshone the entire army and was enfeoffed as the Champion Marquis. At nineteen, he was promoted to General of Agile Cavalry. He commanded two Hexi campaigns, annihilating and compelling the surrender of nearly one hundred thousand Xiongnu in the Hexi region, capturing the Xiongnu’s golden statues used for Heaven worship, and pushing directly to Qilian Mountain. In the fourth year of Yuanshou, Huo Qubing and Wei Qing led their forces deep into Mobei. During the Battle of Mobei, they wiped out over seventy thousand main troops of the Xiongnu’s Left Worthy King’s division. They pursued the Xiongnu forces all the way to Langjuxu Mountain and Guyan Mountain, where they performed sacrifices to Heaven and Earth before returning from the shores of the Han Sea. Henceforth, the achievement of "Feng Lang Ju Xu" (performing rites at Langjuxu Mountain) became the greatest honor for all military generals!
Peak Semi-Emperor!
Qin Wudao was ecstatic. He had thought Huo Qubing would be a Semi-Emperor expert, but he hadn’t imagined he would reach the peak stage, just one step away from the Great Emperor Realm.
The Semi-Emperor realm is divided into four stages: early, middle, late, and peak!
Among the thirty-two ancient-level powers in the East Border, most possessed early-stage Semi-Emperors. Only the Purple Cloud Sect, the Overbearing Saber Ancient Court, the Ice Emperor Bear Clan, and the Qionghua Sect possessed peak Semi-Emperor martial artists.
This meant that the Qin Divine Court had no reason to fear the other twenty-eight ancient-level powers!
"Someone, summon Li Ru here!"
After a long while, Qin Wudao finally calmed down and commanded in a deep voice.
"Understood!"
Dian Wei, who was standing at the door, responded and went to fetch Li Ru.
Xu Chu remained at his side, standing guard vigilantly like a door deity.
Before long, Li Ru walked in and bowed respectfully.
"You are to proceed immediately to a valley ten thousand li west of the Kylin Holy Land. Find Huo Qubing, Guan Yu, and the others. I have a premonition that there will be unexpected changes after we return from the Kunlun Secret Realm!" Qin Wudao instructed directly.
After his victory over Shen Youlin, he felt increasingly uneasy, a persistent feeling that some upheaval was about to occur.
"Your Majesty, rest assured. I know what to do!"
Li Ru clasped his hands, then turned and departed, disappearing into the night.
Kylin Holy Land, I’d like to see what tricks you have up your sleeves! Qin Wudao rose to his feet and said coldly.
「Night!」
It was profoundly dark. The next day’s sunlight slowly ascended, heralding a new day. The top thousand talents from the "Eastern Grand Ceremony" gathered at Qilin Square, all in high spirits.
Within the stone house atop Emperor Qilin Peak, Shen Youlin’s eyes flew open, emitting two rays of golden light. His cultivation had successfully broken through to the peak of the Saint Realm, and there were faint signs that he was about to advance to the true Saint stage.
Qin Wudao, this Saint Heir is here for revenge! Shen Youlin stood up, grabbed the nearby Kylin Sword, and flew towards Qilin Square.
A dense murderous aura permeated the sky!
...
"Your Majesty, Wu Ming, you must be careful when you enter the secret realm. Aside from demonic beasts, hidden weapons, and puppets, you must also be wary of the other talents who enter with you..."
On Qilin Square, Yuan Tiangang followed behind Qin Wudao, speaking in a low voice.
Qin Wudao listened intently. The only people from the Qin Dynasty entering the secret realm were himself and Wu Ming. Neither had been to a secret realm before, so they committed Yuan Tiangang’s words firmly to memory.
After Yuan Tiangang finished speaking, a young man with a conspicuously shiny scalp shouted loudly as he jogged over, "Brother Qin, so you’re here!"
Qin Wudao looked up. Seeing it was Feng Yangzhi, whom he had previously defeated, he asked with a smile, "Brother Yang, are you alone?"
"They’re resting in the spectator stands. We’ll be entering the rift through the spatial passage later. Do you have anyone chosen for a team?" Feng Yangzhi asked with an air of easy familiarity.
"What team?" Qin Wudao inquired.
"Your team for the secret realm! It’s fraught with danger, and an extra person means extra strength. So, are you interested in teaming up with me?" Feng Yangzhi asked.
Qin Wudao was somewhat tempted. He had never ventured out for training. Since becoming Emperor, he had seldom even engaged in combat. Teaming up with someone seemed like a good option.
Wu Ming asked via voice transmission, "Your Majesty, what do you think?" In Qin Wudao’s presence, he had no authority to make decisions.
"Alright!" Qin Wudao nodded with a smile.
"Fantastic! Following Brother Qin, I’m sure to eat well and drink heartily!" Feng Yangzhi was overjoyed. Being able to team up with the foremost talent of the East Border meant his safety factor and potential gains from the secret realm would significantly increase.
Yuan Tiangang, Xiang Yu, and the others remained silent. Qin Wudao needed experience, and he also needed to make his own choices.
They could not interfere, nor would they.