Chapter 1131: "Getting a Wife (1)"
How could a girl like her now have the cheek to even see Jun Xie?
Qu Ling Yue had cooped herself up within this tiny room because she had not wanted to see anyone, nor speak to anyone. The approach of any male would disgust her, even when Jun Xie had ordered for people to bring her to see her father just some time ago, her very spirit had involuntarily felt pangs of fear.
It could be said that Qu Ling Yue now, towards any male person, held a deep innate fear, a result from the horrendous ordeal that she had gone through.
Outside the room doors, Jun Wu Xie's voice continued on.
Qu Ling Yue listened quietly, the tiny face buried between her knees tear streaked.
"I am a girl."
In that moment, Jun Wu Xie stated a fact that shocked Qu Ling Yue right to the bones. Her head snapped up suddenly, and upon the tear streaked face, was an expression of pure incredulity.
"Back in the Fire Country's Capital City, the person who cured you then, was the real me. I am Jun Wu Xie."
[How can this be.....]
[How can this be.....]
Qu Ling Yue felt her whole body turn cold. The very "he" that she had been so crazy about, was in reality a "she"!
"I came here today, to tell you that three days from today, I will be taking you as my wife in the Thousand Beast City. But rest well assured. I am a girl just like you, and I will not be able to do anything disrespectful to you. Hence, three days later, I hope that you will be able to walk out from this room."
Standing outside the doors, Jun Wu Xie made all her intentions known, and was aware that all her words, would be hard for Qu Ling Yue to digest fully. Hence, she had not pushed for a reply from Qu Ling Yue immediately, but turned to leave after she said her piece.
Upon hearing the sound of steps gradually retreating outside, the tears Qu Ling Yue's wide incredulous eyes breached the dam once more.
The chaotic upheaval of emotions within her heart were impossible to capture. Despair, shock, pain..... All these highly conflicting emotions caused Qu Ling Yue to find it more and more difficult to breathe.....
After departing from where Qu Ling Yue's room was, Jun Wu Xie immediately went to the third floor where Hua Yao and the others were staying at.
On the third floor, Qiao Chu was holding Hua Yao by the shoulders and gasping loudly to take his breath. Fei Yan and the others were smiling widely to themselves at Qiao Chu's highly flustered self. When they suddenly saw Jun Wu Xie approaching them, the youths immediately went over to her.
"Our Dumb Qiao said you are going to marry Qu Ling Yue? Are you doing it for real?" Fei Yan asked smilingly as he came before Jun Wu Xie, the news having given all of them quite a shock.
It must be said, within their group of companions, there were two girls among them. One of them was Rong Ruo, graceful with highly handsome features, having won more girls' hearts than the pure and real boys among them, and the other one was Jun Wu Xie, who was always cold and indifferent, who in the end..... was about to take a little wife!
That had really crushed the little fragile hearts of the boys among them.
Having had to watch Rong Ruo who was always surrounded by a gaggle of girls, and now seeing Jun Wu Xie about to "take a wife", the swinging bachelors, suddenly found their lives a whole lot darker.
Jun Wu Xie shot the smiling Fei Yan a glance and then her gaze turned upon Qiao Chu and Hua Yao still clumped together and called out in a very calm voice: "Brother Hua."
"Hmm?" Hua Yao answered as he looked up.
"Three days later, you will marry Qu Ling Yue in my place." Jun Wu Xie's voice was as calm as could be.
"....." Hua Yao froze in place, unable to move.
Qiao Chu almost lost his balance in that most of shock and very nearly fell onto the ground right before Jun Wu Xie.
"What are you saying! ? You want Brother Hua to wed Qu Ling Yue! ! !" Qiao Chu was staring with his eyes so wide in utter disbelief. Did he really hear what he thought he just heard? He clearly remembered before he left earlier, he was very sure that his ears had definitely heard..... that Jun Wu Xie was going to marry Qu Ling Yue!
Chapter 1132: "Getting a Wife (2)"
How had it in such a short period of time, suddenly turned out that the person taking a wife was Hua Yao instead! ?
Qiao Chu was making a big show of how he was not able to accept it!
Everyone's gazes immediately fell onto the figure of Qiao Chu who was hopping with indignant fury.
"I say, for Brother Hua to be taking a wife, it's a happy occasion. Why are you getting so agitated?" Fei Yan asked, an eyebrow raised, staring at Qiao Chu with an evil glint in his eyes.
Qiao Chu's face immediately turned red, and quickly quipped: "Brother Hua and me are brothers through life and death. How can he marry a wife ahead of me? Wouldn't that leave me to become just a lonely shadow? How pitiful will I then become?"
"Oh! Now I see why." Fei Yan deliberately dragged out his voice over the words.
Qiao Chu became even more embarrassed.
Hua Yao cleared his throat and looked at Jun Wu Xie: "How do you intend to do it?"
Before Jun Wu Xie could speak, Qiao Chu butted right in and said anxiously: "Brother Hua, you wouldn't really go get yourself a wife right? Will you?"
Hua Yao shot him a scathing glance, looking exceptional cold and lofty.
Jun Wu Xie then said: "You will only need to alter your looks to look like me, and carry out the rites for the wedding ceremony and that will do. In the eyes of everybody else, I will be the one marrying her."
Immediately after Jun Wu Xie said those words, Qiao Chu finally heaved a huge sigh of relief and the gaze that Fei Yan gave Qiao Chu became even stranger.
Hua Yao nodded and said: "Alright."
"Brother Hua, how unprincipled are you? Just have to ask you to marry and you are agreeing to it immediately?" Fei Yan said with a broad smile on his face.
Jun Wu Xie shot a glance at Fei Yan and Fei Yan immediately knew that it was time to shut up.
"I am thinking, Little Xie. You wouldn't be bringing Qu Ling Yue to tag along with us in future would you?" Qiao Chu had finally managed to revert to normal. He had a general idea of what Jun Wu Xie was planning and that was all merely done to protect Qu Ling Yue. But they had already found the human skin map and they would need to head off to other places, to continue searching for the rest of the maps. Based on the situations they had run into with the previous maps, what they would face next would not be something that Qu Ling Yue would be able to handle.
Qu Ling Yue's aptitude in her spirit powers might be considered to have been highly gifted for people in the Lower Realm, but in the eyes of this bunch with their demonic growth, she was still too weak. All the dangers that they would be facing, would not be suitable for Qu Ling Yue to be a part of at all.
Jun Wu Xie shook her head and said: "It depends on her choice. If she wants to remain here, she will just continue to stay within the Thousand Beast City. If not, I will have her go to the Qi Kingdom and seek out my Grandfather."
Qu Ling Yue was a really nice girl, and she shouldn't be made to suffer all this. And this was also a rare moment of compassion from Jun Wu Xie.
"Er....." Qiao Chu unconsciously imagined a strange image in his head. Qu Ling Yue goes to the Qi Kingdom, and kneels to greet the elderly Grandfather Jun, stately clearly "I am the granddaughter in law of your Jun Family", thinking rather accurately that Grandfather Jun might suddenly find himself so shocked to be completely covered in cold sweat.
Jun Wu Xie always liked to stuff people back to the Lin Palace whenever she felt like it. There were Mu Chen, Yin Yan, and then there was also Mu Qian Fan. Now Qu Ling Yue was going to be added on to the list..... Qiao Chu really had to take his hat off to Jun Wu Xie for this strange habit she had developed.
"That might work. Hope she makes a full recovery." Fan Zhuo nodded slightly, in agreement to how Jun Wu Xie was going to deal with the situation. They could see that Jun Wu Xie was giving Qu Ling Yue preferential treatment and that must have been due to the guilt Jun Wu Xie felt towards Qu Ling Yue.
For Qu Ling Yue to gain a good refuge, it would also take part of the worry and guilt off Jun Wu Xie's mind.
"Then just leave this matter in our hands to go handle it, I guarantee that we'll make it a grand affair, and it would not disgrace Qu Ling Yue in anyway." Fei Yan said confidently, thumping his chest in assurance.
Jun Wu Xie nodded. She hoped to give Qu Ling Yue a grand and magnificent wedding, one that would allow Qu Ling Yue to hold her head up before the people of the Thousand Beast City, to make every single one of them see, that Qu Ling Yue was a person Jun Xie stood behind, and no one was to bully her!
Chapter 1133: "Getting a Wife (3)"
Very soon, a heart inspiring piece of news spread very quickly throughout the Thousand Beast City. Jun Xie who pulled the Thousand Beast City out from the fiery pits of their certain demise was actually going to wed the Thousand Beast City's Young Miss, Qu Ling Yue!
Once the news spread, the waves swept through the city immediately!
If it had been before that incident had happened and Jun Wu Xie made such a decision, everyone in the Thousand Beast City would have raised both their hands in approval, but now, the ordeal that Qu Ling Yue had gone through had already reached everyone's ears, they had not even been agreeable for Qu Ling Yue to become the Grand Chieftain, so how would they be willing to see the saviour in their hearts wed a girl with a tainted past?
Soon after, the nosy parkers within the Thousand Beast City started gossiping about the matter with some of them even running to the Heavenly Cloud Chambers to ask Jun Xie to "think it over".
But regarding those words, Jun Wu Xie couldn't even be bothered to hear them.
When those voices of dissent reached a crescendo, an incident made those skeptical voices immediately disappear.
Among those favoured men who had run out from the Heavenly Cloud Chambers, a good half number of them had suddenly died within a night. The way those men had died were horrifying and those that died were those who had touched Qu Ling Yue. Beside the corpses of those men, were placed with a black jade badge carved with the character "Xie".
That was undeniably a warning to everyone.
Jun Wu Xie used the most direct approach and the most blood filled method, to quell all the doubts, and to let everyone know clearly what her stand was.
Qu Ling Yue, would definitely be Jun Xie's wife!
If anyone dared say one word otherwise, they would end up sharing the same fate as those favoured men who loved to wag their tongues so much!
In an instant, the sounds of gossip within the Thousand Beast City about Qu Ling Yue quickly dissipated a whole lot. Although there were still small tiny voices debating it in private, nobody dared come out in the open to say anything carelessly.
Fei Yan had together with the Fiery Blaze Clan, lit the streets and lined them with buntings, hanging up red lanterns, decorated everywhere with red silk and gauze, shrouding the entire Thousand Beast City, within a celebratory air.
Towards Jun Xie's decision, Xiong Ba was naturally highly comforted and he was only too happy to coordinate with Fei Yan. Even when the other Clan Chiefs did not help, Xiong Ba mobilised every single man within the Fiery Blaze Clan, working very hard to make it the grandest affair they could.
Three days passed in a blink and at dusk on that day, from outside the gates of the Thousand Beast City in a ten mile radius, it was completely filled with fiery red flowers.
Ten miles of a flowery sea, the grandiose setting to receive the bride, had sent many of the young girls' heart absolutely green with envy!
They wished so much that they would be able to take that place!
From within that golden dusk, "Jun Wu Xie" rode a magnificent white horse, stretching out behind him in a continuous long line the team who came to receive the bride, treading upon the sea of flowers, approaching against the breeze, welcomed under the rain of falling petals, as they slowly came into the Thousand Beast City!
On top of the Thousand Beast City's gates, Xiong Ba was highly moved as he stared at everything before him, and hot tears immediately filled his eyes. He knew why Jun Xie was doing all this, but he had not thought that Jun Xie would set it up in such a grand fashion. Throughout their entire past, the previous generations of all the Young Miss of the Thousand Beast City, when they had wed, which one among them had enjoyed such unmatched treatment!
A ten mile wide sea of flowers! It had filled the air within the Thousand Beast City with a sweet fragrance, that faint scent, tugging at the heartstrings of many a young girl's.
That was a dream wedding, that many young girls could only dream of!
The fiery colours of the flowers shone with the slanting golden rays of dusk, stretching from outside the city to the center of the city. The red lanterns hung high, waving within the fluttering shower of petals, beautiful as a painting. That scene, became what all the young girls within the Thousand Beast City yearned for forever after, what they dreamed of in their lives, wishing fervently to be treated the same way, even for just a small fraction of this.
Chapter 1134: "Getting a Wife (4)"
Before this, those who had still been secretly thinking whether Jun Xie would just wed Qu Ling Yue carelessly in haste to merely get it out of the way, had upon seeing the extremely grand and elaborate team for the reception, immediately shut their mouths.
They could only silently grit their teeth, and look upon the girl they held in shame, as she was given to enjoy the wedding that all the girls could only dream of!
Within the Heavenly Cloud Chambers, Qu Ling Yue was dressed in an intense, fiery red wedding dress, standing highly ill at ease by the window. Outside the tightly locked window, the celebratory sounds of gongs and cymbals floated in, as her nervous hands tugged hard at the elaborately and intricately embroidered wedding dress, her hands covered in cold sweat.
With visibly trembling hands, she finally summoned enough courage to push open the window!
In the instant the window was opened, bright red flower petals fluttered in with the incoming rush of the breeze onto her face, as she saw the Thousand Beast City covered in a sea of flowery red, an innumerable amount of flowers having lit up the city who had just come out from a terrifying crisis, the intoxicating fragrance of flowers seeping deep into her nose!
The breeze gently blew through her hair, and her eyes stared wide, as she took on the breathtakingly beautiful scene right before her eyes.
The enchanting flowery sea mesmerized her eyes, everything seemingly a dream to her, so beautiful she wouldn't be able to bear waking up from it.
"Like it?" A voice slightly tinged with a slight chill sounded out behind Qu Ling Yue suddenly.
Qu Ling Yue turned around in surprise, immediately seeing Jun Xie standing at the opened door, both arms crossed, looking calmly at her amidst the clamour.
Having avoided Jun Xie for so many days, but that very countenance that had been etched deep right into her heart and bones had not been wiped away in the slightest. In that moment that she saw Jun Wu Xie, her eyes suddenly shone with panic tinged with a sliver of bashfulness.
Even when she knew very well that the figure there was just like her, both of them girls, but without knowing why, Qu Ling Yue was still unable to quell that palpitation in her heart, as she looked upon the face of Jun Xie, her heart still beating madly as it always did when seeing "him", the surge of emotions quickly turning her face red.
"You..... you don't need to do this..... I know..... you are doing it for my own good....." Qu Ling Yue stumbled over her words, her head lowered, suddenly feeling she was rather despicable. She understood the reason why Jun Wu Xie was doing this, and knew that Jun Wu Xie was a girl, but deep down in her heart, she still could not eliminate that wishful longing.....
Just for that one moment would be enough, even if she had to die the next second, she only wished..... to let this dream, last that little longer.
She didn't want to wake, really..... don't want to wake.
Just her remain within her despicable greed for this bits of bliss..... just a little bit.....
"You look, really ravishing today." Jun Wu Xie said seriously, staring at Qu Ling Yue.
Qu Ling Yue's eyes stared widely, as a cool gust blew in from outside the window, bringing in with it a flurry of flower petals, that swirled between her and Jun Wu Xie, making it such an enchanting sight that made one just wish they could make time freeze at that moment.
Jun Wu Xie touched her nose and coughed lightly to say: "Today the person going through the rites for the ceremony will be Hua Yao, as I..... do not know anything about all these. But rest assured, that I am still the one marrying you."
Qu Ling Yue's eyes flashed briefly, her face red as the night's banquet hall. She lowered her head, and nodded obediently.
"If you are ready, then go downstairs first." Jun Wu Xie said.
"Alright." Qu Ling Yue's head was still lowered, not daring to lift it up to look at Jun Wu Xie.
Jun Wu Xie did not have much more to say anyway and turned to walk out from the room. But she had just barely gone out Qu Ling Yue's sight when she was wrapped up into a familiar embrace.
"I had not known that Little Xie could coax people so well." Jun Wu Yao said through narrowed eyes, as he smiled at Jun Wu Xie.
Chapter 1135: "Getting a Wife (5)"
Jun Wu Xie calmly picked up the little black cat upon her shoulder and brought it before Jun Wu Yao's eyes.
"It taught me." Jun Wu Xie said expressionlessly.
The little black cat immediately cringed up into a helpless ball, trying its hardest to put on a most innocent looking pair of eyes it could before Jun Wu Yao, but deep within its heart, it was scolding its Mistress a million times for having betrayed it.
[Does she want it to really die! ?]
[She must have wanted it to be slaughtered! !]
Jun Wu Yao's eyes narrowed, as it eyed the little black cat that was trembling so hard it almost fainted. Lifting one hand, he picked up the little black cat by its soft furry skin, and tossed it away carelessly.....
The little black cat made like a black shooting star, flying through the air, the corners of its eyes shimmering with sorrowful tears.
Fortunately Ye Mei at the side caught it in his arms, preventing the little black cat from getting its mouth filled with mud.
"Don't learn such things from it, you might just pick up those bad traits." Jun Wu Yao said with a laugh as he held Jun Wu Xie in his arms.
The little black cat within Ye Mei arms already had its face filled with tear streaks.
[How was that picking up bad traits! !]
Jun Wu Xie looked at Jun Wu Yao, and after ascertaining that he was "being normal" today, she heaved a quiet sigh of relief inside. She had no doubt, that if Jun Wu Yao was feeling just like he had three days ago, what would have painted the Thousand Beast City red today, would not be a sea of flowers, but a sea of blood instead.
"Want to go watch?" Jun Wu Xie asked.
Jun Wu Yao shook his head.
"With such a noisy and boisterous affair, Little Xie wouldn't enjoy it would you?" Asking him to go watch Hua Yao carrying Jun Xie's face to go get married with Qu Ling Yue, he really wasn't patient enough to put up with that, even though..... that face wasn't Jun Wu Xie's true countenance.
The little black cat secretly watched Jun Wu Yao and Jun Wu Xie in terror.
[Mistress, please don't give him any silly ideas. Don't you see that this demonic lord becomes insanely terrifying when he becomes overtaken by jealousy?]
[If he really went, the banquet will be awashed in blood!]
In the end, Jun Wu Xie wasn't able to go witness "her" wedding with Qu Ling Yue, but had gone back to her room with Jun Wu Yao, to discuss about the hopelessly dry topic of her recent progress in spirit powers.
Meanwhile, in the other area of the Heavenly Cloud Chambers, it was highly joyous and festive, Qu Ling Yue came in wearing a big red veil, the red silk covering over her head, as she carried out the ceremonial rites, "to be wedded" to Hua Yao disguised as Jun Xie.
For this wedding, Jun Wu Xie had even employed a highly energy taxing skill with her silver needles, that would allow Qu Wen Hao to temporarily revert back to normal, letting him personally witness his daughter having found her own place she "belonged and had settled into."
After the rites were finished, Qu Ling Yue was sent into the newlyweds' conjugal chambers.
Hua Yao was dragged by Xiong Ba and his men to drink with them and as the drinks went on for the third round, Xiong Ba and his men were already mighty tipsy and the large towering man fell sobbing loudly right upon Hua Yao's shoulder, bemoaning how he had let down Jun Xie and done her wrong, heaping high praise upon Jun Xie's ancestors of eight generations above, thanking Jun Xie for saving the Thousand Beast City, and for having rescued Qu Ling Yue.....
However, all this was received on Jun Xie's behalf by Hua Yao, and fortunately Hua Yao could hold his liquor rather well, so he had not been driven into incoherent drunkenness by the round after round of toast proffered up to him.
As the Thousand Beast City revelled under that highly festive and joyous atmosphere, outside their gates, a team of soldiers clad in light armour had suddenly arrived. They rode upon tall war horses, standing within the sea of flowers that filled the outside of the Thousand Beast City's gates.
The youth at the forefront was handsome as he stared in puzzlement at the celebratory atmosphere within the Thousand Beast City, his eyes looking rather surprised, as the other youth atop another horse at his shoulder similarly had shocked eyes as he stared inside the Thousand Beast City.
"Royal Brother, could the Thousand Beast City be celebrating a happy occasion?"
The other youth narrowed his eyes slightly and said: "Regardless of whatever is happening, we must definitely deliver the news into Jun Xie's hands. I hope he..... has not yet left the Thousand Beast City."
Chapter 1136: "Flames of War Rise (1)"
Just as the night merriment was well underway, a team of people silently entered the city.
The guards from the gates immediately made their way towards the Heavenly Cloud Chambers to inform the various Clan Chiefs but as the wedding banquet was already more than halfway through, the Clan Chiefs had already fallen unconscious with drink and with no other choice left, they could only deliver the news to Qu Ling Yue who was sitting within the newlyweds' conjugal room.
With Jun Xie's grand reception of Qu Ling Yue as his bride, no one within the Thousand Beast City now dared to disrespect her.
Qu Ling Yue who was sitting alone within the room had immediately pulled her red veil off her head upon receiving the news and went nervously towards Jun Wu Xie's room.
"Jun Xie! People from the Fire Country have arrived!" Qu Ling Yue shouted anxiously, as she stood outside the door.
The room door was opened and Jun Wu Xie appeared before Qu Ling Yue.
"Fire Country?" Jun Wu Xie was slightly surprised.
Qu Ling Yue nodded. "It seems to be Lei Chen and Lei Xi and they have brought their men as well. They said they need to see you for something urgent."
Jun Wu Xie raised up an eyebrow and went silent for a moment before she said: "Got it. I'll go see them now."
It was a day of joyous celebration for the Thousand Beast City and she did not want the Fire Country's military to come into the city. She immediately made her way towards the Thousand Beast City's gates and Jun Wu Yao accompanied her.
Outside the city's gates, Lei Chen was seated atop his tall horse, his good looking face traced with anxiety. He peered anxiously inside through the gates when finally, he saw the figure of Jun Xie appear!
"Royal Brother! It's His Majesty!" Lei Xi exclaimed excitedly, as Lei Chen quickly jumped off his horse and without waiting for Jun Xie to come near, he hurried forward instead.
"Your humble vassal pays his respects to Your Majesty!" Lei Chen came before Jun Xie, and immediately fell to his knees to pay his respects.
Jun Wu Xie was already aware that after she left, the Fire Country had actually unilaterally plunked the crown upon her head but towards a throne forced upon her like this, she wasn't the least bit interested.
"I am not your Majesty, and you do not have to pay respects to me." Jun Wu Xie said coldly.
Lei Chen stood up, not bothered by Jun Xie's cold indifference.
"Before Your Majesty refuses us, there is one matter I would like Your Majesty to understand first before deciding whether to be the Fire Country's Emperor."
"What is it?" Jun Wu Xie asked looking at Lei Chen.
Lei Chen explained: "Some days ago, we received news that four countries led by the Condor Country had officially initiated an invasion upon the Qi Kingdom!"
The moment Lei Chen's words came out, Jun Wu Xie's eyes immediately grew wide.
The Condor Country's might in the Lower Realm, was inferior only to the Fire Country, recognized as the second mightiest country within the Lower Realm. But it was different from the Fire Country who was firmly entrenched as the supreme force. The Condor Country had always been working to annex its neighbouring smaller countries at its borders and they were very high handed in their ways, always showing their fondness to initiate a war. If not for the Fire Country stable and resilient might, the Condor Country would surely have already stretched their claws upon the lands of the Fire Country.
Just some time ago, the Condor Country had once again gathered together an allied army, to combine forces with the three other country neighbouring the Qi Kingdom, to invade into the Qi Kingdom from four different directions!
Jun Wu Xie's head suddenly spun. The Rui Lin Army were undeniably strong, but faced with an attack from four separate armies, and their borders being invaded from four different sides, the impossibly steep and arduous predicament they were in was blatantly obvious!
"I remember that the Young Miss Jun you invited to our country from before was from the Lin Palace of the Qi Kingdom. The Rui Lin Army under the Lin Palace's command is the Qi Kingdom's primary force and I thought..... that you should know about this." Lei Chen said as he looked at Jun Xie. He had travelled day and night with Lei Xi without stopping to rest, just to deliver this piece of news in the shortest time possible into the hands of Jun Xie, because he believed that the relationship between Jun Xie and Jun Wu Xie was not just one between mere acquaintances.
Knowing that the Lin Palace was in trouble, Jun Xie would definitely not just sit back and watch.
Chapter 1137: "Flames of War Rise (2)"
"Why would the Condor Country mobilize their military against the Qi Kingdom?" Jun Wu Xie asked with her eyes narrowed as the blood within her body felt as if they were about to congeal. Although the Qi Kingdom is strong and the Rui Lin Army a highly ferocious force, but to face against an attack on four fronts in a situation where the enemy soldiers from each country numbering more than the Qi Kingdom's, Jun Wu Xie could not convince herself that the Qi Kingdom would be able to withstand such a maniacal invasion.
Lei Chen shook his head. "The reason for the Condor Country's invasion is not known."
"How is the situation in the Qi Kingdom now?" Jun Wu Xie asked, her words coming out in a torrent.
"Very pessimistic. The Condor Country had secretly liaised with the other three countries and the invasion had happened suddenly and they had attacked on the same day. Although the Qi Kingdom's Emperor had tried hard to resist the onslaught, wanting to suppress the ferocious attack from the four countries, as they say two fists can't defend against four hands, being surrounded on four sides, many have fallen and the much of their borders have been swallowed up by half. The Qi Kingdom now intends to pull back their forces to forgo parts of their borders and consolidate their strength, to retain power for a final battle. But from what I had seen, for the Qi Kingdom to push back the four country allied army this time, would be quite impossible." Lei Chen said with a heavy sigh. With the Qi Kingdom, he respected their Rui Lin Army the most. But with just a hundred thousand Rui Lin Army soldiers, how could they possibly overcome the oppression from a enormous million soldier army?
The hand hidden within Jun Wu Xie's sleeves were tightly clenched into fists, her nails digging deeply into the soft flesh of her palms. Her eyes were not flashing with icy frost and every single muscle on her was tensed up.
Lei Chen quietly observed Jun Xie's reaction and what he saw surprised him. Jun Xie had always been calm and immovable but today, he saw that his eyes had changed completely.
"You came here to find me just to tell me this?" Jun Wu Xie turned to Lei Chen and asked with her eyes narrowed.
Lei Chen replied: "That is not the case. Your humble vassal has just one question. Would Your Majesty want us to rescue the Qi Kingdom from its quandary?"
Jun Wu Xie looked at Lei Chen coldly.
"What if I do."
Lei Chen then said grandly: "The Qi Kingdom and the Fire Country had no dealings between them before. With the Qi Kingdom facing its calamity, the Fire Country has no reason to interfere. But if our ruler wants to mobilize our military to lend assistance, then our million strong army in the Fire Country awaits Your Majesty's orders! As long as you are willing to rule! The Fire Country's army will be yours to control!"
Lei Chen was taking a gamble. The Heavens have presented him with such a perfect opportunity, a chance to make Jun Xie accept the Fire Country's throne willingly. Although Jun Xie held great power, but to fight against an army with a million soldiers, with just one person's power and his several companions, would still be impossible.
Under these Heavens, the only thing that could resolve the desperate crisis of the Qi Kingdom, would only be the highly prosperous and mighty Fire Country with their ever ready million lions!
Jun Wu Xie stared at Lei Chen silently, and did not immediately respond. Her icy gaze swept over Lei Chen's face. She understood that Lei Chen had tirelessly rushed all the way here personally to come to the Thousand Beast City, just to deliver this piece of news and present this exchange of conditions right before her, to have her choose.
To save the Qi Kingdom, she had to hold the might of the powerful military in her hands, and what she lacked most now, had been delivered to her by Lei Chen personally right before her eyes now.
Lei Xi and Lei Chen were kneeling side by side before Jun Xie and towards Lei Chen's determination to stake everything on this one bet, Lei Xi was feeling highly nervous about it. He wasn't too familiar with Jun Xie, and did not know the slightest about any relationship that Jun Xie would have with the Qi Kingdom. Why was his Royal Brother so certain that Jun Xie would agree to take on the mantle and become their Emperor because of the Qi Kingdom's crisis?
Jun Wu Xie drew in a deep breath. "All of you would truly be willing to become the sword for me to hold in my hand?"
Upon hearing that, Lei Chen's face immediately lit up with delight.
"YES!"
Chapter 1138: "Flames of War Rise (3)"
"Alright!" Jun Wu Xie said suddenly: "I am willing to claim the throne."
Lei Chen and Lei Xi were ecstatic and they immediately paid their respects in a grand voice.
"Your loyal vassals welcomes Your Majesty!"
The frosty chill deep within Jun Wu Xie's eyes had not melted away as she turned and looked at the Thousand Beast City covered with the sea of flowers.
She had just rescued the Thousand Beast City out of the abyss and now, she must definitely liberate her hometown from the flames of war!
[Nobody, is allowed to harm her family in the slightest!]
[Or else, even if she had to die for it, she would still make them pay for it with their blood!]
"Your Majesty! While your humble servant was making his way here, I have already readied the army. All that is needed now is for Your Majesty to return to the Imperial Capital with your loyal vassal to hold the ceremony for the ascension to the throne and we'll be able to mobilize the army to go to the Qi Kingdom the very next day!" Lei Chen went on to say. He had placed his stakes right! Jun Xie really did value the Qi Kingdom highly.
"Alright." Jun Wu Xie nodded. The Qi Kingdom was facing a huge crisis and Grandfather and Uncle were trapped within the smoke over the flames of war. She will not sit back and watch the fire burn!
That very night, on his very own big day, Jun Xie announced that he was returning to the Fire Country and Qu Ling Yue who was still dressed in her wedding dress expressed her willingness to accompany him and then delegated to Xiong Ba to take charge of all affairs, big and small within the Thousand Beast City temporarily. Thereafter, disappearing into the night, Jun Wu Xie, Jun Wu Yao, Qiao Chu and the rest of the companions stepped forth on their way, to go back to the Fire Country.
On this journey, once the first step was taken, they would not have any opportunity to turn back again.
The companions who set out that night, had absolutely no idea of the kind of terrifying change, that going into this war, would bring about to their future.
Jun Xie returned to the Fire Country under a lot of fanfare and the ceremony for the ascension was held the very same day. The Empress Dowager made an appearance personally and before all the kneeling officials who bowed to pay their respects, Jun Wu Xie, resplendent in a golden dragon robe, stepped up onto the throne in the Fire Country which symbolized supreme and unparalleled authority!
And on the very same afternoon that the newly minted Emperor ascended to the throne, as their ruler, the first decree that was handed down.....
Was to mobilize the army to save the Qi Kingdom!
.....
Inside the Qi Kingdom's borders, beacons of war burned everywhere. The sounds of blades clashing continued non stop, and under the spreading fires of war, the lands lay charred and ravaged, with bodies burnt black everywhere. Upon these bodies, were black coloured armour, who still gripped their weapons in their hands upon death, who fought the enemy to a bloody end, never admitting defeat!
"Hurry! Send the injured into the city!"
"Where's the physician! Physicians! Send someone over here! The people here are not going to last much longer!"
"Who can save my son! Please save him!"
"Father!"
The pitiful cry of despair howled into the skies in a city somewhere in the central region. Soldiers who had just pulled back from the frontlines were wounded and weary, the ground they stepped upon leaving trails of blood imprinted from under their feet, dragging their broken arms and some with missing limbs, the stench of blood hanging so heavily around them that it was nauseating.
Several cities at the borders of the Qi Kingdom had been breached consecutively in the past few days and the enemy had their morale boosted as they rode the momentum, striking hard at the Qi Kingdom's forces in a mad rush in several battlefields. At that time, the entire Qi Kingdom had been washed in blood by the rushing tide.
Mu Chen stood within the city, his hands fully stained with blood. The blood had all come from the wounded soldiers he had treated. The horrors of war had opened the eyes and shocked the heart of this man who had spent half his life as a youth within the Qing Yun Clan. His pair of hands had been soaked in blood for several days on end, the soldiers who had struggled so hard to live under them, the writhing citizens who had been dragged into the merciless ravages of war, the incessant and unending cries and and screams, crept into his mind like the demon of his dreams.
Mu Chen had thought that in the Qing Yun Clan, he had seen the most horrifying side of the world, till the Qi Kingdom was invaded on four sides, he realized that he had been wrong.
Under the Heavens, there wasn't nothing more cruel than war!
Chapter 1139: "Flames of War Rise (4)"
"Master! You have not even shut your eyes for several days and nights! Leave this to us and go get some rest first." The disciples who have followed Mu Chen to come to the Qi Kingdom said worriedly as they looked at the pale faced Mu Chen.
With the Qi Kingdom under attack, the Lin Palace had become the main force to bear the brunt of the attacks and the entire Lin Palace, from Duke Lin Jun Xian, to the last soldier in the Rui Lin Army, they had all rushed at the first instance to the various battlefronts. Mu Chen had not forgotten what he promised Jun Xie. For three years, he was willing to serve under the Lin Palace and hence, when Jun Xian and Jun Qing had set forth, he had volunteered his services and gone to the battlefields where the fighting was most intense.
Although he did not possess much fighting prowess, but he possessed the ability to heal. He seeked not to kill a hundred of the enemies, but merely to save as many lives as he could, to allow the Qi Kingdom to have a chance to breathe a little, faced with the oppression of the enemy's enormous army.
Even if he ended up just a cup of water before a burning ox cart, he was willing to take on the highly arduous task.
"No need." Mu Chen waved his hand dismissively. The cries of the injured rang out all around him and the blood that stained his hands had turned cold, causing his hands to shiver uncontrollably. He could no longer remember how many people's wounds he had treated in this period. He had always prided himself on his excellent knowledge in Medicine but in these past few days, right before his eyes and under his hands, the number of people dying was growing more and more. The warriors who returned from the battlefields presenting harrowing scenes of heinous wounds and spilled guts had made his heart rise into his throat.
He was here because of his promise to Jun Xie but when he saw the soldiers of the Qi Kingdom still charging onto the battlefield without the slightest hesitation even when they knew they were outmatched by the enemy, engaging the enemy soldiers that outnumbered them more than ten to one ferociously, Mu Chen's heart was completely astounded!
He vividly remembered, on the first day that the battles had started, the allied army of the four countries had appeared with no prior signs. The Qi Kingdom's borders were hit hard and it was very late in the night, under a torrential downpour. He had been sitting within the Lin Palace and chatting with Jun Xian when Long Qi suddenly rushed in anxiously.
[Duke Lin! The eastern region is under attack by a large army from the Crescent Country!]
[The southern border is being invaded by the Prosper Country!]
[In our northern border, the Shire Country have mobilized their army!]
[From the west, the Condor Country has initiated an attack against us!]
It had been four sentences, but it was like four bolts of lightning, that tore the peace in the Qi Kingdom into shreds!
The oppressive strength of a four country allied army, a million lions rushing in like a tide that crashed against the Qi Kingdom's borders on multiple sides, on that cold and wet night, catching the Qi Kingdom unawares.
Emergency reports came in from all sides! The Qi Kingdom had within one night, lost seventeen cities, and one hundred thousand soldiers had been mercilessly killed in battle!
That night, the Qi Kingdom's borders had blood mixed into the torrential rain, forming into blood red streams, spreading over the lands and into the soil along the Qi Kingdom's borders!
On that night, the Rui Lin Army had equipped themselves overnight and Jun Xian had gone into the Palace to request for a decree to mobilize the army. One hundred thousand Rui Lin Army soldiers, led by Jun Xian, Jun Qing, Long Qi, and another general to lead their men to go in the four compass directions in the Qi Kingdom, to ride their horses through the night, swiftly rushing towards the different battlefronts!
Without the slightest and most minute hesitation, the Rui Lin Army had moved out that very night. Mu Chen still remembered, when Long Qi had brought in the report on the estimated number of the enemy soldiers, Jun Qing's eyes had flashed with shock.
An enemy army more than ten times the size of theirs.
A million lions!
With one hundred thousand Rui Lin Army, how were they going to push them back!
This battle, if they went, would result in certain death with no chance to live!
However!
From the top all the way down to the last man at the bottom of the Rui Lin Army, not a single man backed out. They slipped into the black metal light armour, swords gripped in their hands, and rode into the rain straight towards the various battlefields!
Mu Chen could still remember. On the night, when the one hundred thousand Rui Lin Army Soldiers had moved out from their army barracks, just how straight and stalwart their backs had been. He had been standing within the icy cold rain as he watched these men famed as the most ferocious strike force, masters of blood and iron, a prologue to their return to the battlefield!
Chapter 1140: "Flames of War Rise (5)"
A hundred thousand Rui Lin Army soldiers threw themselves into the battlefield. Mu Chen did not know how many among them would be able to return alive, or should it be said..... among them, would anyone even return.....
"The Condor Country's army is charging in! Everyone abandon the city! Move back immediately!" His entire figure covered in blood, the general shouted as he rushed to the city's gates. One of his arms had been cut off and he gripped a long spear in the other. His face was filled with gory slash wounds and he was shouting for everyone within the city to immediately evacuate.
Everyone within the city were stunned. They had not expected that the Condor Country's army would reach here in such a short period of time.
"Do not bring anything with you! Just leave immediately! Hurry! Ready the horses! Bring out all the war horses within the city and hand them all over to the children and elderly!" The soldiers within the city quickly responded, immediately arranging for the citizens to retreat.
Mu Chen heard their words and he was shocked, causing him to abandon all concerns to run hurriedly to come before the soldiers.
"Why are you giving up the horses? What are you really trying to do! ?" Mu Chen asked, his eyes staring widely, an ominous feeling beginning to spread within his heart.
The soldier looked at Mu Chen blankly and then said in a hostile voice: "Why are you asking so much nonsense! Scram now if you don't want to die! We don't need people who are weaklings just like you here to drag us down! Guards! Send this doctor here away! Don't let him stay here and shoot his mouth off non stop!"
Immediately, several soldiers chased Mu Chen to the city gates at the back. Many citizens had already gathered there and the younger children and weaker elderly were pushed up onto the armoured warhorses as the soldiers within the city pulled the gates open, ushering them out hastily, to leave this doomed place far behind.
Mu Chen had adamantly refused to leave, but he was forcefully dragged away by his disciples.
"Master! For them, you have toiled and tolled so hard but they are being so unappreciative now. Why do you still want to bother about them? The Condor Country's army is coming and we should go now!" The frightened disciples were dragging Mu Chen, as they followed the escaping refugees.
As they saw the last batch of common citizens leaving the city, the soldier who had chased Mu Chen away gave a heavy sigh. He stood by the city's gates and towards the direction where Mu Chen and the others had left, he solemnly gave a low bow.
"Hey! Why are you still standing around!" A soldier then shouted anxiously.
The soldier immediately replied: "I scolded a benefactor earlier, and was feeling guilty."
"Moron, what you did was right. If he had not left, do you want him to die here together with us! ? Hurry up! The signal has been raised! Seal the city's gates and prepare for battle!"
"Let's move!"
Mu Chen was dragged along as they made their escape, but there was still a persistent nagging feeling that remained in his heart. He kept glancing back in the direction of the city they had just left from and then he suddenly seemed to realize something as his gaze swung around to look at all the common citizens all around him.
And among all the people he saw, there were only common citizens, without a single armoured soldier among them.
"Wait a minute! All the injured soldiers!"
Mu Chen suddenly shouted out in shock. Among the entire group of people, there wasn't a single soldier among them, not even the injured ones who had been treated by him were there with them.
Mu Chen's shout in shock suddenly made everyone freeze.
At the moment that Mu Chen voice fell, a loud crash suddenly sounded from a far distance away!
The city that they had just walked out from not long ago, was suddenly blown up into smithereens right before their eyes. The flames surged towards the sky, painting the dim horizon in a red glow!