Chapter 491 - 296: Turbulent Changes, Full-Scale War Preparations, the Wilderness Army Marches South

The Wang Mountain Sword Tomb of the Golden Crow Country was a world-renowned holy land for Sword Cultivators.

Amidst the rustling of a bamboo grove, the Sword Tomb was filled with a considerable commotion.

A boundless river of fire surged forth, enveloping a woman’s body.

Luo Qiufu’s face was flushed. Her long, dark hair fluttered, and her robes billowed as she sat cross-legged within a Nine-petaled Flame Lotus condensed from the river of fire.

Her aura steadily climbed.

That’s right.

She was breaking through to a new realm.

The Eleventh Realm of the Yin Spirit. She had failed to reach this realm for three years, yet after dual cultivating with Lu Mingyuan, she achieved it in just a single Hour!

A phantom Yin Spirit of a Three-legged Golden Crow floated above the flame lotus, letting out clear cries.

Lu Mingyuan hovered in the air, perched atop a hundred-meter-tall pine tree. With his arms crossed, he gazed into the distance, observing the new Golden Crow Queen’s breakthrough.

An unknown amount of time passed.

SKREEE!

A loud, clear cry of a Golden Crow rang out.

The Nine-petaled Flame Lotus bloomed, and a scorching wave of heat washed over everything as a tall figure slowly rose.

Through the river of fire, Lu Mingyuan vaguely glimpsed a snow-white, naked form.

A steady stream of flames gathered, materializing as clothing on the woman’s body.

A flowing, long Golden Crow gown covered her ankles.

Her arms, as fair as jade, and a pair of long, snow-white legs came into view.

Luo Qiufu’s eyelashes trembled. She snapped her eyes open, revealing a stunningly beautiful, rosy face.

She was as fresh as a spring rain, a flower on the verge of blooming.

Her beautiful, willow-leaf eyes were piercingly clear, and her vermilion lips were as vibrant as the sun. She possessed a noble, aloof temperament, like a towering iceberg.

Her eyes held the majesty of a queen on high, sacred and inviolable.

Luo Qiufu waved her hand.

All the golden flames from the river of fire around her poured into her body.

Finally, a three-petaled pattern appeared on her forehead, between her eyebrows.

Luo Qiufu felt the immense power coursing through her body.

Her power had entered the Eleventh Realm.

Moreover, her Yin Spirit was extremely powerful. The Yin Spirit nurtured in the center of her Sea of Consciousness was a Three-legged Golden Crow, symbolizing the ancient Celestial Mandate of the Golden Crow Country.

She looked at the smiling Lu Mingyuan nearby, but the words wouldn’t come.

’How should I face Lu Mingyuan now?’

But looking at Lu Mingyuan’s face, she felt her heart twist with conflict once more.

"Say what’s on your mind. I’m not Luo Lingxiao; I’m not going to bite your head off."

Seeing Luo Qiufu’s expression, Lu Mingyuan stood up and gave a faint smile.

"The war is over, so you’ll be returning to Great Yan, won’t you? What do you need me to do next?" Luo Qiufu finally asked.

"Or rather... what am I to you?"

Lu Mingyuan said calmly, "Naturally, you will help me guard this land and act as a barrier for Great Yan’s expansion to the west. It’s true that the Golden Crow Country is contested land, but if used correctly, it is also a valuable territory."

"You want me to guard the Western Border all by myself? You’re truly heartless."

Luo Qiufu didn’t get angry. In fact, her expression was placid and composed.

Evidently, she was quite satisfied with this outcome. It would be unwise to greedily ask for more.

She knew she couldn’t win any more of Lu Mingyuan’s heart.

"Thank you for the compliment."

Lu Mingyuan smiled, unconcerned, and then said,

"You seem reluctant. I suppose I have to give you something to look forward to. How about we make an agreement?"

Luo Qiufu said seriously, "I’m listening."

Having witnessed Lu Mingyuan’s methods, she wouldn’t be surprised by anything he said.

Lu Mingyuan’s expression turned solemn.

"Let’s get one thing straight. This is to ensure you won’t make my life difficult or stab me in the back."

"If one day I become the ruler of the Central Plains World, your title of Golden Crow Queen will be of little consequence. When that happens, I will bring you to the Imperial Capital."

"However, my condition is this: until that day comes, you must faithfully carry out your duties."

Luo Qiufu raised an eyebrow. "Are you dangling a carrot in front of me? So I’ll be completely devoted to you?"

"Exactly."

Lu Mingyuan gave a slight nod.

"I agree."

Without a trace of hesitation, Luo Qiufu readily agreed.

She believed that with Lu Mingyuan’s current power, it was only a matter of time before he became the ruler of the world.

After all,

Three years ago, he was just a wastrel that everyone despised.

Now, not only had he become the New Monarch of Great Yan, but he had also defeated the Seven Kingdoms Alliance Army. It was no exaggeration to call him the number one prodigy in the world.

She believed Lu Mingyuan could achieve it very soon.

She took the bait.

In less than ten years, she would be able to go to the Imperial Capital.

Lu Mingyuan smiled to himself when he saw how readily Luo Qiufu agreed.

’Ah, women.’

’Sometimes, they just need something to hope for.’

"Reporting, Holy Emperor! An urgent military dispatch!"

Just then, a hurried voice came from outside the Sword Tomb.

As soon as Lu Mingyuan heard it, he knew the Champion Marquis had arrived.

The Champion Marquis, followed by a group of Golden Crow Country soldiers, arrived at the Sword Tomb with a very grave expression.

Lu Mingyuan had never seen such an expression on the man, not even when facing the Seven Kingdoms Alliance Army.

"There are no outsiders here. Father-in-law, speak freely."

Lu Mingyuan gestured with his hand.

Huo Qing flicked his cape, cupped his fist, and said in a solemn voice, "Something is wrong at the Great Wall on Great Yan’s northern border. There’s no sign of the Demon Race. Three days ago, a Human Race Cultivator discovered that the Demon Race army is gathering toward the Nanli and Song Dynasties!"

Hearing this news, Lu Mingyuan said reassuringly, "Calm down. If that’s the case, even if the Desolate Demons move south, the Nanli Dynasty will be there to block them. Great Yan is not in much danger for now."

Huo Qing shook his head. "Your Majesty, we cannot see it that way. The Human Race stands as one against outside threats. This has been the tradition throughout the world’s history. I fear the Central Plains World won’t be able to withstand an invasion from the Wilderness!"

"How could that be?" Lu Mingyuan couldn’t help but frown.

Huo Qing said with extreme gravity, "The strength of the Wilderness World is in no way inferior to the Holy Netherworld, and the Central Plains World has only just finished the Seven Kingdoms War. I worry the Nanli Dynasty won’t be able to hold back the Demon Race."

Suddenly, he noticed something was off. He saw Luo Qiufu to the side, her face flushed and looking alluringly beautiful.

She had the look of a woman who had just been thoroughly... satisfied.

Meanwhile, Luo Qiufu had been staring at him for a while, her gaze deep and inscrutable.

’So this is the famous Champion Marquis.’

’I finally get to meet him in person.’

"Greetings, Golden Crow Queen."

The Champion Marquis understood the situation implicitly; he already knew what had happened.

But it wasn’t his place to question Lu Mingyuan.

As long as Lu Mingyuan didn’t neglect Huo Hongling, everything would be fine.

WHOOSH!

Suddenly, a beam of iridescent light shot through the Sword Tomb and flew to Lu Mingyuan, who caught it in his hand.

"Hm? This is... a Communication Light Talisman."

He opened his palm, read the contents, and realization dawned on him.

"It’s just one thing after another."

Not only had Huo Qing brought news, but Yun Qinghe had also sent a Communication Light Talisman.

"What is it?"

Huo Qing couldn’t help but ask.

Lu Mingyuan said with a calm gaze, "The Ascension Platform is about to appear."

His gaze was impossibly deep, his thoughts unreadable.

"Father-in-law, your news is a little behind. Three days ago, the Desolate Demon army captured the Song Dynasty’s Ganzhou, Yan State, and Yunzhou. Now, they have bypassed the major border towns of the Nanli Dynasty, pushed deep in a swift assault, and invaded the heartland of the Nanli Dynasty!"

"That fast?"

The Champion Marquis’s brow furrowed.

Now he understood. The Demon Race hadn’t been idle; they were just waiting for an opportunity to make a huge play.

The intelligence from the Great Yan Army was nowhere near as fast as the Dao Alliance’s predictions.

Luo Qiufu couldn’t help but analyze, "The war between the Human and Demon Races is a long-standing conflict. They attacked the Song Dynasty first this time, likely because they felt the Immortal Influences in the Nanli Dynasty would be a tough nut to crack. Their plan was to strike the Song Dynasty first and only turn on the Nanli Dynasty after breaking through their lines."

Clearly, she was already honoring her promise. She had said she would help Lu Mingyuan, and she would not go back on her word.

"But the Song Dynasty’s border fell far too quickly, didn’t it? Under normal circumstances, there’s no way they couldn’t have held out for even half a month."

Lu Mingyuan said, perplexed.

Luo Qiufu guessed, "I suspect it’s because those factions sent their forces to deal with us, leaving their own borders undefended."

In fact, Luo Qiufu’s guess was correct.

The Demon Race’s original plan was to feign an attack on the Song Dynasty’s Great Wall Fortress, then use it as bait to ambush and wipe out the human reinforcements en route.

But not even the Demon Race had expected things to go so smoothly.

The vanguard, originally meant to be bait, ended up capturing a huge swath of the border region themselves!

And the human reinforcements they had been waiting for never arrived.

So the Demon Race army simply changed its target. Forgetting the Song Dynasty, they went straight for the Nanli Dynasty.

They bypassed the core territories defended by the Northern Great Wall, avoiding a head-on clash with the Immortal Influences that had powerful ancestors, and decided to conquer the softer targets first.

"Damned infighting," Lu Mingyuan said, exasperated.

He had originally been thinking of letting the Nanli Dynasty resist the Demon Race so that Great Yan could have some time to rest and recuperate.

So much for that. The game was over.

Now everyone’s homes were on the line.

"We can’t wait any longer. We’re returning to Great Yan now," Lu Mingyuan said immediately.

He thought of something else, immediately turned his head, and said in a grave voice,

"Spread the word. Say that the Great Yan army has moved into Golden Crow territory and is preparing to attack the Song Dynasty. When the Demon Race gets this news, they’re bound to pull back. Meanwhile, the Golden Crow Country will send troops to reinforce the Nanli Dynasty. That should buy us some time."

"Understood."

The Champion Marquis agreed, his eyes blazing with the will to fight.

Clearly, a great battle was about to begin!

...