Chapter 1221: "Big Brother (1)"
In a residential courtyard within the Condor Country, having just informed the Condor Country's officials, the delegation from the Buckwheat Kingdom were settling themselves down within.
The little Emperor was accompanied by Grand Tutor He as he stepped off the horse carriage, looking around at the spacious courtyard. But in those eyes, there wasn't the slightest bit of admiration but he was instead tugging at Grand Tutor He's sleeve as he asked with his head looking up at the elderly man: "Grand Tutor, when will we be able to see the Condor Country's Emperor?"
Grand Tutor He said: "They have already relayed the news back to the Condor Country's Imperial Palace and the Condor Country's Emperor will come out from the palace tomorrow, to hold a banquet for the rulers of the various countries. Your Majesty will then be able to see the Condor Country's Emperor at that time."
The little Emperor bit on his lip and nodded his head, but he did not smile.
"Is Your Majesty worried about something?" Grand Tutor He asked.
The little Emperor mulled on it a long moment before his gaze turned to look at the doorway. The Buckwheat Kingdom's soldiers were moving the things down from the horse carriages into the courtyard. Several soldiers were at the last carriage removing the heavy chains from it and the little Emperor's gaze staring right at that carriage singly.
After the chains were removed, two soldiers went into the carriage and carried out a young man from within.
The expression on that young man's face was rather strange. His features were highly outstanding looking but his skin was showing a strange dark purplish hue. His eyes were lifeless as he allowed himself to be carried off the carriage, his face not showing the slightest expression.
The little Emperor's heart felt like it had been stabbed. He said in a choked voice to Grand Tutor He: "Will the Condor Country's Emperor really agree to it?"
Grand Tutor He sighed slightly, his heart unsure as well. But as he did not want to further burden the child who should have been able to remain an innocent and happy boy, he forced himself to put on a smile and said: "He will. The Buckwheat Kingdom has always been highly respectful to the Condor Country. He will surely agree."
The little Emperor then lowered his head and bit upon his lips again.
Suddenly, the young man carried by the two soldiers let out a bestial roar, the deep purple hue skin bloating up in an instant, to turn a dark red shade. The seemingly frail body quickly swelled up with huge muscles and with a roar, he flung the two soldiers, sending them flying!
The two soldiers were tall and brawny figures themselves but they found themselves sailing through the air from being flung away, to crash heavily into a stone pillar at the side, to vomit out a mouthful of blood!
Grand Tutor He's face changed drastically. The other soldiers of the Buckwheat Kingdom immediately grabbed the chains from the horse carriages, over twenty men in total, throwing the lengths of chains around that young man, the soldiers spread out in a circle around him. The oppressive pressure from the twenty over men caused the young man to pause slightly, but the roars continued to explode from his mouth. He was just like a cornered beast, his mouth opened in a snarl, and roaring incessantly, thick veins bulging under that dark red skin one by one.
The little Emperor stared blankly, completely stunned, at the young man who was roaring in rage. Two tiny streams of clear tears fell from his eyes, completely shrugging off Grand Tutor He's tugs as the little Emperor opened his legs in a wide stride to rush to the young man's side, grabbing at the young man's constantly struggling hip.
"Royal Brother...... Royal Brother please don't..... They are all the soldiers of our Buckwheat Kingdom..... They are all Royal Guards personally selected by you..... Please stop Royal Brother..... Do not hurt people anymore....." The little Emperor's desperate cries sounded within the courtyard outside, the faces of the soldiers pulling back tightly onto the chains filled with pain and sadness.
Who would have thought, that the young man who seemed to have completely lost his mind would be the previous reigning Emperor of the Buckwheat Kingdom, the elder brother of the current little Emperor.....
Chapter 1222: "Big Brother (2)"
It might be due to the little Emperor's heartfelt cries that made the young man who had already lost his awareness recover that tiny sliver of self consciousness, or it might be that he was already tired from the struggling..... but the young man stopped his struggling, standing there unmoving in his spot, allowing the little Emperor's flowing tears to soak into his clothes.
Grand Tutor He wiped away at his tears and went over to pull the little Emperor away from the young man.
But the little Emperor showed an unusual instance of stubbornness, tightening his grip on the young man and unwilling to let go, his face red from crying as he buried his head into the young man's hip with choking cries, sobbing as he said:
"Royal Brother you promised Little Jue before, that you would bring Little Jue to see the sights, the magnificent mountains and wide rivers outside of the Buckwheat Kingdom. You promised to..... bring me to the Thousand Beast City as well..... Royal Brother..... you will definitely recover from this as you have never lied to me..... Little Jue will make sure you recover..... Definitely....." The little Emperor cried till he was gasping for air. Nobody could understand the kind of despair he was feeling at that moment, a kind of despair that he wasn't tasting for the first time.
Grand Tutor He wanted to say something, but his throat went dry, not knowing what he could say.
The little child's soft cries were like a sharp blade, pierced into the hearts of every soldier of the Buckwheat Kingdom. They lowered their heads, unable to make themselves to continue to look upon their once brilliant ruler's current state. They also could not bear to hear their little Emperor's heart rending sobbing cries.
"Your Majesty..... Your Majesty..... We are in the Condor Country's Imperial Capital here. If others were to see this, it might not be that appropriate. Let's first..... first help the previous Emperor into the house." Grand Tutor He fought hard to suppress the tearful voice threatening to erupt, and went forward to slowly pry the little Emperor's arms from the young man's body.
The little Emperor was unwilling to let go as he wailed, but he had no choice but to release his grip, and made himself stand there to watch his elder brother being led into the house by the soldiers.
Upon that handsome face, there no longer was that bright smile, no longer showed that familiar expression of indulgence he knew so well.
Every time there was thunder at night, the person that would secretly come running into his palace and coax him to sleep, asking him not to be afraid..... would never come back again.....
"Grand Tutor..... Big Brother will recover..... right?" The little Emperor asked, his tiny face streaked with tears, looking pleadingly at Grand Tutor He.
Grand Tutor He had no choice but to nod his head.
"Your Majesty, please do not cry. After the Condor Country's Emperor agrees to treat the previous Emperor, your servant was then take you to go see Little One and Little Two alright? I have asked the Young Master before this and he said that he will be staying in the Condor Country's Imperial Capital for awhile. We'll just have to wait for some days to pass and your vassal will then bring Your Majesty to go find them alright?"
The little Emperor nodded still sniffling between sobs, the image of Jun Wu Xie's two adorable beasts appearing within his mind.
Although the little Big Brother seemed cold and highly unapproachable, but whenever he went near to them, little Big Brother would very naturally put Little One and Little Two down, and let them play with him. Although those eyes were also cold, but the innocent child was able to feel that those eyes held no animosity against him.
The feeling of both desperate longing and utter despair for his Royal Brother had caused the little Emperor to shift and transfer those feelings, and these days, he had almost seen Jun Wu Xie as his own elder brother.
If his Royal Brother had still been perfectly fine, would he be just like little Big Brother? Bringing him to go see adorable Spirit Beasts, and stroke the fur of Spirit Beasts together with him?
The little Emperor's emotions, gradually stabilized, and Grand Tutor He quickly sent him to his room to rest.
His eyes watching the little Emperor drift off into a deep sleep tired from crying earlier, Grand Tutor He finally got up and walked out of the room with a sigh, shutting the door tight behind him.
"Grand Tutor He." The Commander of the Royal Guards greeted, as he came walking over with red rimmed eyes.
Grand Tutor He took one look at him and patted the man on the shoulder with a sigh.
Chapter 1223: "Buckwheat Kingdom"
"We've already brought the previous Emperor to have some rest." The Commander said in a voice pretending to be calm, pushing down the sadness within his heart.
"That's good." Grand Tutor He said tiredly.
"Grand Tutor He..... Are you really confident, that the Condor Country will accede to our request?" The Commander asked rather worriedly.
Grand Tutor He's face then broke into a bitter smile.
"I have no confidence. Not even ten percent. Our previous Emperor had turned to become like this, isn't it all caused by the Condor Country? Those words I said earlier were merely to comfort His Majesty. Moreover..... with the previous Emperor in such a state, would he even be able to recover from it at all?"
The Commander lowered his head in silence. The truth was actually known by all of them, that Grand Tutor He's words throughout the entire journey were just to comfort the little Emperor, and they were just that, mere words of comfort. They knew it clearly in their hearts, to have the Condor Country lend a hand to treat the previous Emperor would be words only a lunatic would believe, but just that they did not dare say it, and could not say it out loud, or the little Emperor would surely crumble and collapse.
"Then for His Majesty..... it might be difficult to tell him in the days to come....." The Commander said after a long moment's hesitation.
Grand Tutor He sighed once more and said highly resigned: "We'll muddle through it somehow, dragging it out a single day would be another day gained. For the Condor Country to extend their invitation to the various rulers of all the different countries, I wonder what they have planned up their sleeves. We have to have our guard up and no matter what, we have to ensure His Majesty's well being."
The Commander nodded determinedly, but a trace of regret came onto his face.
"If it had not been to save us in the beginning, the previous Emperor would not have..... We were just useless, unable to protect the previous Emperor....."
"That was the previous Emperor's own choice. The previous Emperor used his life to save all of you and all the more the bunch of you should protect the little brother most precious to him now. Our Buckwheat Kingdom's Imperial Family's bloodline had withered to just one lone little sapling which is our current His Majesty, so no matter what happens, we cannot allow anything to happen to His Majesty." Grand Tutor He said to the Commander.
"Rest assured Grand Tutor He! Even if it costs all of us our very lives, we will not allow anyone from the Condor Country to touch a single hair on His Majesty! There is just one point your subordinate does not understand." The Commander said.
"What?"
"Since Grand Tutor He knows from the start that the Condor Country holds sinister intentions, then why..... must we accept their invitation to come here?"
Grand Tutor He gave a long helpless sigh before he said: Why not come? With the Buckwheat Kingdom's tiny might, how are we going to stand against the Condor Country? If we do not come here in response, the Condor Country would have a legitimate excuse to raise their army against us. Do you think the Buckwheat Kingdom's army would be able to hold them off? At that time, the kingdom would fall and our people would die....."
It wasn't that the Buckwheat Kingdom did not want to resist, but it was just that they had no way of doing that.
The Qi Kingdom had their Rui Lin Army, with another army several hundred thousand strong willing to risk their lives, but what did the Buckwheat Kingdom have? The entire Buckwheat Kingdom's army from the top to the last man on the bottom, totaled up less than a hundred thousand. As the terrain was surrounded by mountains and had a lack of resources, their military budget within their kingdom would not be able to sustain a war. If an invasion really broke out, it would not even be three days before the Buckwheat Kingdom would definitely fall!
The tiny little kingdom that survived between the gaps, had no other choice, but to constantly be tolerant, and who would know of the hatred they hid deep within their hearts?
The Commander fell silent.
In the afternoon the next day, the Condor Country's Emperor came out from the Imperial Palace and he invited all the other rulers within the Condor Country's Imperial Capital to proceed to a particular courtyard for a little gathering.
The little Emperor was the youngest among them and Grand Tutor He had actually insisted to go with him but the Condor Country's soldiers had been highly aggressive and were highly adamant against it, bringing with them the Imperial Edict from the Condor Country's Emperor, that only the rulers of the respective countries were allowed to proceed on alone.
Grand Tutor He had resisted against it repeatedly but he was struck and wounded by the Condor Country's soldiers. The Buckwheat Kingdom's Royal Guards wanted to retaliate but were no match for the Condor Country's overwhelming numbers and were overwhelmed. Left helpless and given no other choice, the little Emperor was brought away by the Condor Country's soldiers and as he was taken away, the little Emperor kept turning his head back to look at them, not forgetting to try to reassure Grand Tutor He.
"Grand Tutor, when I see the Condor Country's Emperor, I will tell him about what happened to my Royal Brother. Grand Tutor, be at ease and wait here for my return."
Chapter 1224: "Courtyard"
As the little Emperor was led by the Condor Country's soldiers, he put on a brave front, not revealing a single trace of the fear he felt inside. But he was just merely between eight to nine years old and this was his first time stepping out of the Buckwheat Kingdom, his first time being separated from Grand Tutor He and those soldiers he was familiar with while these soldiers of the Condor Country were all fierce and murderous looking, which made the little Emperor's heart tremble involuntarily. However, he remembered that he was the Buckwheat Kingdom's Emperor and he must not bring any disgrace to the Buckwheat Kingdom, so, he could only hide his trembling little hands within his sleeves, and try his best to exhibit the calm composure that was what a ruler needed to possess.
The Grand Tutor had said it before. He was the Buckwheat Kingdom's Emperor, and no matter where he was, he must never bring shame to the Buckwheat Kingdom's dignity.
After walking for a long while, the little Emperor finally came to a courtyard of the Condor Country's. On the outside of the courtyard, a group of men dressed in lavish clothes with a crown upon their heads stood, having waited for a long while. The little Emperor remembered that Grand Tutor He had once told him, people who wore crowns on their heads were Emperors and he guessed in his heart that these men were all Emperors from different countries but he did not know why they were all standing here, like they were waiting for someone.
The little Emperor's appearance attracted the attention of the other rulers and when they saw that he was so young that he would be around the same age as their grandchildren, they could not help but show faces tinged with traces of pity.
The Buckwheat Kingdom.....
The smallest country under the Heavens, a country that was so petty that almost no one paid them any attention.
Even their ruler, was a child that was so young.
Although the several rulers' eyes were tinged with pity, but at that moment, they were unable to concern themselves with others, as they themselves were feeling highly nervous themselves.
The rulers of the various countries stood together in waiting, not even daring to carelessly talk with each other much. Although the Condor Country was not the topmost mightiest country, but their vicious and merciless ways were more greatly feared by people.
If it was said that the Fire Country made the four seas submit to them with their absolute and dominating might, then the Condor Country caused the five lakes to fear them through their ruthless and cold blooded methods.
After having waiting for a long time, the Condor Country's Emperor finally came sashaying in slowly with his guards escorting him. The Condor Country's Emperor was already past his fifties but he had maintained himself well looking like he was only in his early forties, his face rosy and filled with a smile, with an elderly man with a hunched back standing beside him, seemingly already in his eighties, the face wrinkled up and aged, but graced with a pair of eyes so sharp and penetrating that made people fear to look at.
"Has everyone already gathered?" The Condor Country's Emperor asked as he stood on the middle of the other rulers, not showing the slightest courtesy to anyone, but portraying himself with a mightier than thou kind of loftiness.
The group of rulers there could do nothing but nod smilingly.
"Since everybody is here, then let's go inside." The Condor Country's Emperor stepped inside the residence first, and the elderly man followed right behind him. But just as he strode inside the house, his gaze suddenly swept over the figure of the little Emperor hiding within the crowd of people.
That gaze was like one of a venomous snake, so insidious that it made the little Emperor felt a chill run through him. When the little Emperor saw everyone entering the residence, he followed them inside, not even daring to breathe too loudly, being highly docile and compliant.
After stepping into the residence, the little Emperor could immediately smell a nauseating stench of rot, the putrid smell mixed together with a scent of herbs, the stench pungent, which made the little Emperor's brows crease up together.
When they entered the courtyard, they saw the many large urns arrange neatly within the wide and spacious yard. The little Emperor stretched out his neck to look at them, and with just one look, it frightened him so badly that he almost fell backwards to sit upon the floor!
Within those large urns, each contained a human being!
There was a completely black liquid inside the urns that those people were soaked in, where only their heads were showing. The people who were soaked inside those urns, he saw that their faces were tinged with purple, but not moving the slightest inch.
Chapter 1225: "Malevolent"
The little Emperor was shocked and frightened. He had never seen such a scene before.
The Buckwheat Kingdom's people were simple and guileless, everyone throughout the kingdom harmonious. Such a thing about soaking people in urns of poisonous liquid was something completely unheard of by the little Emperor.
"How have the considerations from you gentlemen been coming along after the past few days?" The Condor Country's Emperor asked as he led the group of rulers into the courtyard, his hands behind his back, his chin lifted slightly while he stared at the men.
The bunch of rulers lowered their heads, not speaking a word, none of them willing to be the one to say it.
The Condor Country's Emperor gave a cold chilling laugh and said: "There is no need for all of you to be so nervous. I have merely invited all of you here to plan something big. This thing here will enable your country to be able to develop an army of merciless soldiers, where you will soon reign dominance in your area easily in the future. All of you gentlemen must surely know, in terms of pure battle prowess, the most powerful force will be the Qi Kingdom's Rui Lin Army. It is said that the soldiers of the Rui Lin Army are able to take on ten men to their one, all of them of exceptional ferocity. You gentlemen must have also heard, that just some time ago, I allied the Condor Country with the Prosper Country and two others to attack the Qi Kingdom together. In the end, an humongous army four million strong was completely annihilated within the Qi Kingdom's soil. The number of men the Qi Kingdom has in their army is known to all of you. If not for the Rui Lin Army holding the fort, how could they possibly achieve victory?"
The various rulers became even more quiet. They had heard about the Condor Country's alliance with three other countries to invade the Qi Kingdom previously and the alliance had thought that they would win without a doubt but were held to drag the war out for an entire fortnight by the Qi Kingdom's army and the Rui Lin Army, and nobody knew what happened with the Fire Country then as in the end, they mobilized their army to come rescue the Qi Kingdom, pulling them out from the quandary.
The Condor Country had lost shamefully, but the Condor Country's Emperor was bringing up the matter before everyone there like he was completely unbothered by it where he even blatantly extolled the bravery and might of the Rui Lin Army. Singing such praises of the enemy so unabashedly, really didn't seem like what the malicious and often merciless Emperor of the Condor Country would do.
"A pity, but the Rui Lin Army only is loyal to only the Lin Palace under the Heavens while the Lin Palace pledged their loyalty to the Qi Kingdom. Don't you gentlemen wish to possess a force that could compare to the Rui Lin Army's most ferocious fighting force?" The Qi Kingdom's Emperor did not seem to feel that his defeat was shameful in anyway and he instead became more excited as he spoke.
Unfortunately, among the many rulers there, not a single one among them dared to speak.
A trace of displeasure showed upon the Condor Country's Emperor's face as he cast a glance at the old man at his side, and the old man signaled to him with his eyes.
The Condor Country's Emperor then cleared his throat and said: "Looks like you gentlemen are still not satisfied with this. Why not I do this? I have just thought of a new idea. What all of you have seen is just child's play. Let me show you all something real. Guards!"
A group of the Condor Country's soldiers quickly came in carrying a large urn. But the liquid within that urn was not black, but red, a bright red that looked almost like blood.
"What you gentlemen have seen previously was just how we can turn people in soldiers as ferocious as the men in the Rui Lin Army. And what I have here, is something that will be able to create something that will be able to obliterate the entire Rui Lin Army with one man alone..... and even their entire kingdom, a maniacal man purely created for war!" As he spoke, the Condor Country's Emperor's eyes narrowed up, filling with a vicious and malevolent glint.
After the group of rulers saw that urn filled with that blood red liquid, they all subconsciously took a step back.
An ominous feeling of dread suddenly rising within their hearts.
"But it's just that, if something so good, is used on common and ordinary people, it will be such a waste. For such extraordinary might that will be able to crush even a Purple Spirit, in the end, we will have to carefully choose someone worthy enough, before we can put it to use." The Condor Country's Emperor said, his gaze flashing with a malevolent chill.
The old man beside the Emperor, suddenly whispered something into the Emperor's ears, and the Emperor's eyes narrowed slightly, slowly turning to fix onto the little Emperor standing among the group of men before him!
Chapter 1226: "Malevolent (2)"
The little Emperor trembled under that gaze, subconsciously driven back a step.
But the Condor Country's Emperor suddenly said.
"You, come here before me."
He pointed at the little Emperor who was retreating backwards before everyone.
All the eyes that turned to look at the little Emperor were filled with sympathy.
Having been pointed out, the little Emperor could do nothing but to step forward, his little body shaking.
"Which country are you the ruler of?" The Condor Country's Emperor asked him.
Although his little heart was filled with endless fear, the little Emperor however still articulated clearly as he said: "The Buckwheat Kingdom!"
An eyebrow on the Condor Country's Emperor face arched up and he suddenly laughed out loud.
"So it's the Buckwheat Kingdom. Ha ha..... Isn't that the place where the idiot Emperor who was willing to take the place of his own guards to become a test subject was from? Ha ha..... How interesting."
That laugh was filled with so much malice it made the little Emperor shiver. But he had heard the Emperor of the Condor Country mention his elder brother in his words.
"My Royal Brother is not an idiot! He is the best Big Brother in the whole wide world!" The little Emperor retorted.
The Condor Country's Emperor was laughing so hard he was tearing up and he looked at the little Emperor with disdain as he said: "The best Big Brother? Ha ha, then tell me, which country's ruler under the Heavens will be willing to offer himself up in sacrifice for a group of his guards? If that doesn't qualify him as a idiot, what would? Be it guards or even an army, they are just pawns held in an Emperor's hands. If the Emperor let them live, they will live, and when he wants them dead, they will then die. Their lives are all held in the our palms but your elder brother had actually been willing to go into the poison urn in order to save those lowly people, doesn't that make him the biggest idiot under the Heavens?"
The little Emperor chest heaved, feeling highly indignant as his tiny hands clenched into fists, his eyes glaring at the Condor Country's Emperor.
"My Royal Brother is not an idiot! My Royal Brother is the best ruler there is!"
The Emperor of the Condor Country just laughed and ignored him.
Despite the rage that filled him, the little Emperor suddenly remembered the reason he had come to the Condor Country and he swallowed the rage back down his throat, looking at the Condor Country's Emperor with a slightly conflicted gaze.
"Your Majesty of the Condor Country, I have a matter I would like to beg you for help in."
The Emperor of the Condor Country stared at the little Emperor with an incredulous look in his eyes, as if he had just heard an unbelievably hilarious joke.
"You want me to help you?" That was really too hilarious for words.
The little Emperor nodded as he lifted his head, his face highly innocent as he looked at the Condor Country's Emperor.
"Can you save my Royal Brother? Since you know what happened to him, then you must know of a way to save him right? I beg you, will you please save him....."
The Condor Country's Emperor suddenly burst out in a fit of laughter, laughing so hard his entire body shook.
While the other rulers were all looking at the clueless and highly flustered little Emperor with pity in their eyes.
The little Emperor did not know what was happening, not knowing why the Condor Country's Emperor was laughing so hard.
"I beg you. Cure my Royal Brother....." He attempted to further plead, not knowing what a ruler must do in such a situation, but he was just being the younger brother who only wanted to save his elder brother.
The Condor Country's Emperor's laughter suddenly stopped and he immediately lowered his gaze to stare at the flustered little Emperor.
"You want me to save your elder brother?"
"Yes." The little Emperor nodded determinedly.
A malevolent glint flashed within the eyes of the Emperor of the Condor Country.
"Alright. It is not difficult for me to save your elder brother, but..... why would I want to save a person who has nothing to do with me?"
"What do you want? I can give it to you, I'll give it all to you!" The little Emperor said, feeling highly anxious.
One of the other rulers at the side really could not bear to continue to watch and he was just about to open his mouth to persuade the little Emperor to not say anything more when the Condor Country's Emperor raised his head and glared at him in warning, immediately shutting him up completely.
Chapter 1227: "Malevolent (3)"
The ruler who had wanted to stand up for the little Emperor retreated.
The little Emperor continued to stare with his wide and innocent eyes, completely oblivious to the evils of the world.
The Condor Country's Emperor looked at the little Emperor through two crescent eyes smilingly as he said: "What you can give, I do not care for. But if you truly want to save your elder brother, do you see the large urn filled with that red water over there?"
The little Emperor turned to look at the urn and with a tremble, he turned back and nodded to the Condor Country's Emperor.
"You just have to go sit inside there, and I will save your elder brother." The Condor Country's Emperor said with a disarming laugh.
The little Emperor was stunned.
The other rulers at the side really couldn't bear to watch on. They wanted to ask the little Emperor to leave but the Condor Country's soldiers standing behind them had all already placed their hands upon the hilt of the swords they wore at their hips, and once anyone of them said a word, blood would immediately be spilled on the spot.
Holding back against their will, they wanted to help the little Emperor, but their hearts were not strong enough to do it.
They could only pray within their hearts, that the little Emperor would not really believe the lies spewed by that venomous snake.
The little Emperor was silent for a long while, as he stared at the large urn filled with that red liquid with stiffened lips.
"Is what you told me really the truth?" The little Emperor finally said after a long while.
The Condor Country's Emperor gave him a wide smile and said: "A man does not give his word in jest, haven't you heard that before?"
"Alright! I agree to it!" The little Emperor drew in a deep breath, and made that deadly decision.
The Condor Country's Emperor's smile grew even wider. "That's great. Then hurry and go. You sit yourself in there, and I will save your elder brother."
The little Emperor clenched up his fists tightly, and he looked at the Condor Country's Emperor's face which had creased up heinously from his smile, before stepping forward towards the large urn.
When he got closer to the urn, he could smell a highly pungent stench coming out from it. That smell nauseated him but he hold only hold it in. The Condor Country's soldiers had already brought a little stool over, for him to use to climb into the urn.
Stepping upon the stool, the little Emperor turned his little head around under the sun to look at the Condor Country's Emperor.
"You've said it. A man's word is never in jest."
The Emperor of the Condor Country nodded.
"That's right. A man's word is never in jest."
With the affirmation, the little Emperor did not hesitate any longer. He tugged tightly on his clothes, and with a splash, he leapt into the blood coloured water within the urn!
The red coloured water splashed up, looking just like blood, sparkling under the sun's rays, a brilliant scintillation of devilish cruelty.
The little Emperor had only just jumped into the the urn and the red liquid covered over his entire body fully. He immediately felt a heart rending pain surging into his body and in an instant, he felt his consciousness immediately smashed into smithereens!
[ARGH! PAIN! IT'S REALLY EXCRUCIATINGLY PAINFUL!]
The little Emperor had never thought, that under these Heavens, such agony existed.
Pitiful cries tore out from the little Emperor's mouth, as he struggled incessantly within the urn, but that unimaginably excruciating pain was pushing him deeper into that deep abyss!
Under the sobbing and agonizing wails of the child, the Emperor of the Condor Country laughed hysterically.
"Your elder brother was an idiot and you are one as well! Didn't your idiotic brother tell you? The one responsible for turning him into that monstrous state was me in the first place? HA HA HA! !"
When the Emperor of the Condor Country had enough of laughing as he stared at the little Emperor being swallowed up by the blood red water, his eyes were filled with unbridled malevolence. He then turned around and stared at the group of terrified rulers frightened out of their wits.
"It will only need half a day, and all of you will be able to see, what supreme power is. All of you here should really congratulate this little idiot of the Buckwheat Kingdom, to have gained such a rare and opportune chance. Afterall, being a powerful entity, would be more meaningful than continuing to be an idiot."
Those words of the Condor Country's Emperor, sent chills through everyone present standing under the sun. They all stared at the urn of blood red water, their ears, filled with the little Emperor's gradually weakening and highly pitiful cries.
Chapter 1228: "To be Slayed (1)"
"Little Big Brother!"
Jun Wu Xie suddenly woke up in shock, her ears seemingly still echoing with the little Emperor's wail of "Little Big Brother".
Outside the window, the moon hung like a hook in the sky. It was deep in the night and the Condor Country was dead quiet everywhere. Jun Wu Xie climbed down from her bed, a feeling of unease growing in her heart that made her unable to go back to sleep. She walked over to the window and gazed into the night sky, the little jade pendant the little Emperor had given to her clutched in her hand.
[Wonder how that little one is doing now.]
Unable to sleep the entire night, Jun Wu Xie stayed up in her room planning how she was going to deal with the situation in the Condor Country's Imperial Capital. In order for them to successfully take the map from the Condor Country's Emperor's hands, they would need to avoid getting into any conflict with the people from the All Dragons Palace.
The sky turned from night to light, and when the first rays from the sun spilled into the room through the inn's windows, an anxious rapping suddenly sounded upon her door.
Jun Wu Xie got up to open the door, and saw Qiao Chu standing out outside.
"Little Xie, an incident occurred!" Qiao Chu said.
"What is it?" Jun Wu Xie asked, an eyebrow lifting on her face.
"Rong Ruo has been constantly sending her Hell Butterflies to observe that courtyard secretly but early this morning, something happened there." Qiao Chu said excitedly. When chaos erupt within Condor Country's Imperial Capital, they would then have an opportunity to strike.
"It was said that a group of people had tried to charge in there for reasons unknown and they are now fighting with the soldiers from the Condor Country. Should we go take a look to see what's happening to get a better grasp of the situation?"
Jun Wu Xie's eyebrow lifted slightly. To think that someone dared to get into a confrontation with the Condor Country's soldiers in the Condor Country's Imperial Capital. No matter who that was, it definitely wouldn't end well for them.
"Do you know the identity of those people?"
Qiao Chu thought about it a moment and said: "That..... I'm not very sure. But I heard that it was a group from a small country, and its..... its name was rather familiar sounding..... That's right! I remember it now, it's called the Buckwheat Kingdom."
Jun Wu Xie's eyes flashed in sudden surprise, an image of the face of the naive and innocent looking little Emperor immediately surfacing in her mind!
All of a sudden, her mind could not speak another word Qiao Chu any longer and she immediately turned to grab up Lord Meh Meh and the Sacrificial Blood Rabbit before charging straight out!
Seeing Jun Wu Xie suddenly leaving in such a anxious hurry, Qiao Chu's face filled up with surprise. Deeply worried that something would happen to Jun Wu Xie, he quickly hollered for the other companions to gather together and went charging outside, chasing after Jun Wu Xie.
The sun was blocked out by a mass of dark clouds, the sky a dark grey, the gusts of wind blowing highly chilly.
Jun Wu Xie sprinted the entire way, towards the place Fei Yan had told her about before. Although Lord Meh and the Sacrificial Blood Rabbit did not know why their Mistress was so nervous, they nevertheless followed closely behind her doggedly.
Gradually nearing the target destination, Jun Wu Xie detected the stench of blood in the wind blowing past her, the smell causing the feeling of unease in her heart to grow more and more intense.
In the area demarcated by the Condor Country's soldiers, many dead bodies lay scattered upon the floor. They were all dressed in armour that was uniform throughout, spilled blood staining their clothes and armour red, garish wounds all over their entire bodies. The bloodstains spread over their blood soaked clothes, fallen onto the floor, but their hands still gripped around their sword hilts, with several of the Condor Country's soldiers lying around their bodies.
The citizens of the Condor Country had stayed away from that highly bloody and gory scene and the Condor Country's soldiers were not grabbing onto a wretched looking elderly man. That elderly man's face was covered in blood, held down forcibly against his will. Despite his highly bloodied face, the elderly man was still shouting in a loud roar against them.
"The Condor Country are just completely venomous and foul hearted! Intolerable by the Heavens! Heaven is definitely watching! One fine day, you will all suffer retribution for what you have done! All of you will definitely suffer retribution!"
That sound of that voice greatly startled Jun Wu Xie who had just arrived at the place.
[That elderly man covered all over with wounds right in front. Wasn't that the person who had previously invited her to travel together with them, the Buckwheat Kingdom's Grand Tutor He! ?]
Chapter 1229: "To be Slayed (2)"
The previously steady and dignified Grand Tutor He had now fallen into such a wretched state!
The soldiers from the Condor Country completely disregarded Grand Tutor He's curse. They had already raised up their sharp swords high, and were about to thrust them towards Grand Tutor He!
However, just at the very first instant that the swords pierced through Grand Tutor He's skin on his chest!
A humongous black shadow barreled right into the group of soldiers from the Condor Country!
"Roar!"
The massive black beast was like a black bolt of lightning, tearing the soldiers grabbing onto Grand Tutor He into shreds in an instant. Quickly throwing the severely weakened and completely limp Grand Tutor He onto its back, the black beast leapt up at an extremely fast speed onto a rooftop at the side, speedily disappearing from sight before the soldiers' eyes, and the soldiers flew into a sudden panic as they searched all over the place in a fluster.
However, a tall figure appeared soundlessly and unnoticed under that chaos among a pile of dead bodies.
The young man's seemingly detached and completely expressionless face showed not a single trace of emotion. His head was lowered as he looked at the fallen soldiers of the Buckwheat Kingdom, those eyes looking like dried up wells seemed like something was struggling to break out within them. He raised his head up slowly, the dark purple skin on him suddenly turning into a shade of blood!
The black beast carried the weak Grand Tutor He on its back and threw off the pursuit of the Condor Country's soldiers and gently slipped the Grand Tutor off its back onto the ground within a dark alley. Having fallen under the merciless grip and given in to throes of hopeless despair, Grand Tutor He stared in surprise at the seemingly spirit inclined and highly intelligent black beast. His entire body was covered in wounds, the heavy loss of blood causing him to be unable to do anything but lean helplessly against the wall.
A petite figure then appeared beside the black beast and Grand Tutor He struggled to raise his head to look, and he saw that familiar face looking straight at him.
"It's you!" Grand Tutor He's eyes went wide as he stared at the delicate youth before him, a glimmer of hope suddenly shining within his eyes.
"What happened back there?" Jun Wu Xie asked, her face in a frown as she looked at Grand Tutor He. Before Qiao Chu came bearing the news, she had already been feeling uneasy and when she got to the place, she saw the tragedy where all the soldiers of the Buckwheat Kingdom lay dead upon the ground. If she had not gotten there in the nick of time, even Grand Tutor He's head would have been separated from his body!
The Buckwheat Kingdom's delegation had come into the Condor Country's Imperial Capital for barely three days and what could have actually happened that would make all of them suddenly become so reckless to clash in an armed conflict with the Condor Country?
"Save His Majesty! Save His Majesty!" Grand Tutor He pleaded, his face filled with despair. He could not be bothered with the pain wrecking at him from the wounds but fell at the feet of Jun Wu Xie, tugging at the hem of her robe.
"Save His Majesty..... Save His Majesty....." The voice so devoid of hope spilled out from Grand Tutor He's mouth, tears flowing down his wrinkled and aged face, almost having given up on it all.
Jun Wu Xie's heart jumped and she immediately squatted down, popping a life saving elixir into Grand Tutor He's mouth.
"What actually happened? Where is he?" Jun Wu Xie's asked, her words subconsciously speeding up.
Grand Tutor He said in a wail: "His Majesty was taken away by the Condor Country's soldiers that day, to go to a particular courtyard, but he had still not returned till now....."
Remembering the little Emperor's knitted brows and that reassuring smile to him, Grand Tutor He felt as if his heart had been cut by a knife. The little Emperor did not return that day and he had gone to ask the Condor Country for a reason. But the Condor Country had not even given him a single explanation which made him feel that the little Emperor had fallen to disaster. After trying to discuss it with the Condor Country but getting no results from it, they had then charged into the place, hoping to be able to rescue the little Emperor out from there safely!
"I was useless! If only I had insisted on that day, even at the cost of my own life, to refuse to let the little Emperor leave with those venomous vermin! I was the one who got His Majesty into this..... I got His Majesty into this....." Grand Tutor He's hopeless despair and utter remorse pushed him over a deep cliff. How he wished everything could revert to the way it was. He had thought no matter how maniacal and vicious the Condor Country could be, they would not dare to so blatantly inflict harm upon the rulers of the various countries they had invited to their Imperial Capital, but he realized he had overestimated the character of the Condor Country.
Chapter 1230: "To be Slayed (3)"
He had thought no matter how maniacal and vicious the Condor Country could be, they would not dare to so blatantly inflict harm upon the rulers of the various countries they had invited to their Imperial Capital, but he realized he had overestimated the character of the Condor Country.
Grand Tutor He had never expected the Condor Country to be so flagrantly impudent as to even dare to lay their hands upon the little Emperor when all the rulers of the various countries were also present.
"Young Master! I beg you! Save His Majesty! This old man will kneel and kowtow to you!" Grand Tutor He forced himself up and knelt before Jun Wu Xie to kowtow before her, his head thudding loudly upon the ground.
"I beg you! Save His Majesty! Save him please! He is still only a child!"
Jun Wu Xie heart felt as if something was stifling it, highly suffocating. She helped Grand Tutor He up as an inexplicable fire spread within her chest.
The Condor Country's impudence was far from only in this incident. She had still not settled the scores with them for the invasion of the Qi Kingdom and they had just added another instance to the debt owed today!
Although Jun Wu Xie had not interacted with the little Emperor all that much, but she did not deny that anyone would like such a sensible and lovable little child that he was. Every time the little Emperor had addressed her as "Little Big Brother" in his clear childish voice, she had not been able to help herself but think, if she were to have a little brother, she would have hoped that he would be as innocent and as adorable as the little Emperor.
"I will save him. Rest assured." Jun Wu Xie said as her eyes narrowed up, the murder in her heart already coming to a silent boil.
She had initially intended to strike only after she had everything planned out, but now, she was about to make an exception!
"Thank you! Thank you!" Grand Tutor He was shedding tears of gratitude as he continued to kowtow to Jun Wu Xie.
Jun Wu Xie left some elixirs with Grand Tutor He and then turned to depart.
The petite little back, flaring with unbridled murderous rage under the dark grey clouds.
"Meh?" Lord Meh Meh followed closely behind Jun Wu Xie, its hooves tapping crisply upon the ground. It could feel Jun Wu Xie's rage clearly.
The Sacrificial Blood Rabbit remained obediently silent.
"Having received someone's favours, it must be repaid in folds. Still remember the little one? Now is the moment for both of you to return the favour." Jun Wu Xie's eyes narrowed up almost to a deadly slit, as she said in a highly chilling voice.
Lord Meh Meh and the Sacrificial Blood Rabbit looked at each other and although they did not fully understand what Jun Wu Xie meant with those words, they had a rather good idea of what Jun Wu Xie wanted them to do.
The Condor Country's Imperial Capital was covered by the dark grey clouds hanging low overhead, as cracks of thunder sounded within everyone's ears. The people walking on the streets raised their heads and looked up, watching the pitter patter of little raindrops falling, wetting the clothes upon them.
A sudden blinding bolt of lightning lit up the entire sky!
A gigantic figure suddenly materialized from within that brilliant flash of light!
It was a pure and snowy white Spirit Beast of immense proportions. It descended from the skies, appearing soundlessly and unnoticed in a corner of the Imperial Capital!
The soldiers guarding that area of the Condor Country's Imperial Capital stared in flummoxed shock when the gigantic beast had appeared so suddenly, their mouths agape like someone had taken all their voices as they fell back onto the ground in terror!
A red flash of lightning then tore through the soldiers of the Condor Country! Before they could see what that red flash really was, their heads had already been lopped off from their bodies!
Bright red blood spurted everywhere!
On the back of the immense sized Spirit Beast and the red lightning flash, the soldiers of the Condor Country suddenly felt the consuming flames of despair quickly rising within their hearts!
Howls of dismay erupted immediately at that moment!
The men who had wilfully slaughtered every one of the Buckwheat Kingdom's soldiers saw their retribution coming to claim as the nightmarish scene appeared before their eyes!
Blood and the falling rain mixed together. Jun Wu Xie stepped over the flowing blood coloured stream, upon the blood path Lord Meh Meh opened up, every spot she passed, the bodies of the Condor Country's soldiers lay, their souls departed.
She was a demon who climbed up from the fiery depths of Hell, her fiery flame of vengeance ignited!
The helpless cries of anguish screeched under the booming rumble of thunder, sounding like a discordant cacophony of a tune to send the departed off, delivering the souls of the Buckwheat Kingdom's soldiers who had died there trying to save a live, to finally rest in peace!