Chapter 429: Chapter 424: A Time of Troubles, Yi Shuiyue, I Curse You
"When did this letter arrive?"
Yang Chan asked after finishing the letter.
Preparing for a war between two nations takes a long time, but the war itself can start in an instant.
"It arrived two days ago. The Han Family got the news two days after the two nations’ forces had assembled."
Han Bingyu naturally understood the meaning behind Yang Chan’s question.
"Four days... That’s a long time. The war could have already started!"
Yang Chan put down the envelope.
The situation on a battlefield can change in an instant. News you receive one day might be completely outdated by the next.
After all, this world had no method for instant communication. Most information was sent via tamed birds like carrier pigeons or Cloud Eagles. They were fast, but certainly no match for instantaneous transmission.
Of course, there were other channels, but they came at a much higher price.
"Keep bringing me any new information that comes in. And continue gathering intel on what’s happening within the Cyan Yuan Sect."
"I recall the Sect Leader has people monitoring the situation. He should have more detailed information."
Yang Chan instructed Han Bingyu.
This was an event that could potentially affect him.
Under normal circumstances, he—an Intermediate Pharmacist and the Cyan Yuan Sect’s Chief Pharmacist—wouldn’t be sent to the front lines. But it was highly likely he’d be ordered to the rear to help refine various healing elixirs.
According to the treaty between the Imperial Family and the major sects, all sects were required to contribute personnel and resources at a time like this. This was the price the ruling powers of each state had to pay to enjoy the region’s vast cultivation resources.
This was precisely why Yang Chan had paid close attention to the last war between the two nations.
However, the war never reached Qing State back then. A ceasefire was eventually called, and some sort of peace treaty was signed. Now, it seemed one party—or perhaps both—had broken it.
Yang Chan didn’t know the details, but it didn’t matter.
Once a war began, the reasons for it were no longer important. What he needed to focus on was how it would end.
Yang Chan wanted to develop discreetly within the Cyan Yuan Sect, which required the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty to remain relatively stable, not embroiled in one war after another.
In such a large-scale conflict, every region would be affected. If the war reached the borders of Qing State, the Cyan Yuan Sect would have no choice but to confront it directly.
"Alright!"
Han Bingyu wiped the sweat from Yang Chan’s forehead. She then rinsed the cloth, placed it beside the basin, and quickly departed.
The Han Family was also paying close attention to such a major event as a war between two nations. As one of the eight great merchant families of Qing State, they stood to gain significant profits. However, they had to be careful not to overstep. If they incited public anger and resentment, the Cyan Yuan Sect and the Court would undoubtedly make an example of them. For the authorities, it was a win-win: they could seize the merchants’ gains and win the people’s favor. Why wouldn’t they?
In the face of such powers, the great merchant families were insignificant. As for uniting in resistance, it was utterly useless. A few Inner Masters could dismantle any opposition.
Bloody lessons from the past were enough to suppress any thoughts of rebellion. Such was the disparity in power.
Thus, while the great merchant families reaped benefits, they had to exercise restraint. They were required to hand over a portion of their profits, constantly monitor the war, and contribute when a crisis loomed.
Just as the Great Zhou Imperial Dynasty would call upon the Cyan Yuan Sect for aid, the Cyan Yuan Sect would first send its Affiliated Forces into the fray before committing its own members. This was another reason the Han Family was monitoring the situation so closely.
Yang Chan knew all of this, which was why he had given her those instructions.
As a member of the Han Family, Han Bingyu naturally didn’t want anything to happen to them. If it did, the Cultivation Resources they supplied her would disappear, and that was no small loss.
Even the other Elite Disciples of the Han Family didn’t receive a tenth of the Cultivation Resources she did. For her, this was a major source of support.
’Troubled times.’
Yang Chan watched Han Bingyu leave and cleared his mind of distracting thoughts.
He resumed his Cultivation, circulating the Flood Dragon Demon Breath Method. ’Everything else is an illusion,’ he thought. ’Only strength is real—the power to handle whatever comes my way.’
...
「Jin Meng Empire.」
「Tai An City.」
「Within a courtyard.」
"Saintess, spare my life! I didn’t want to betray you, it was the Saint Son! He poisoned me and... and he violated me! I had no choice but to serve him! Saintess..."
A maid kowtowed repeatedly, begging for mercy, her voice laced with terror. Clearly, she had never expected the Saintess to return alive.
"The one thing I despise most is betrayal. While I was on the run, all I could think about was how I would deal with traitors like you... how I would make you all die a miserable death!"
"You want to live, don’t you? I’ll give you a chance. The Taihe Camp is in dire need of someone like you. How about this: if you can survive a thousand soldiers, I’ll let you live."
"What do you say? I’m only giving you this wonderful opportunity because you served me for so long. And let me tell you, the Saint Son... he can’t perform. He only lasts a moment with you. I’m so kind, I’ll do you a favor and let you experience what a real man can do. I guarantee you won’t be able to get enough of it. Well? Hahaha..."
The Taiyin Saintess’s fingers twitched against the maid’s body. One by one, she destroyed the threads of Power the maid had cultivated. With that, she utterly obliterated the maid’s Martial Arts Cultivation, turning her into a true cripple.
The maid’s body was now little different from that of a normal person, save for her tough skin. With her Power shattered, her Five Viscera and Six Viscera were severely damaged. Her physical condition was now even worse than an ordinary person’s. Without proper care, she would be hard-pressed to even survive, let alone endure what the Taiyin Saintess had planned for her. It was a death sentence.
’The word "violated" made the Taiyin Saintess recall the incident in the stone cave. Though she had been the one to initiate it, she had still endured an intense impact—the nearly shattered boulder was proof enough.’
’After leaving that day, she’d felt sore all over. While bathing, she had noticed the many bruises covering her body, a testament to just how fierce the "battle" had been.’
’She had gained significant benefits from it, but she had no desire to be the only one left in pain. Next time, she would definitely strike back, leaving even more bruises on his body and making him unable to get out of bed for days. How could she accept anything less?’
’At this thought, she couldn’t help but lick her lips. After Refining the essence within her, her Nine Nether Ancient Primordial Body had not only re-formed but was now even stronger than before. In conjunction with the Taiyin Nine Nether Holy Scripture, her power had risen another level. Her potential had seemingly increased by a full thirty percent out of thin air. This was an incredibly rare opportunity, as she had previously pushed her potential to its absolute limit, with no room left for improvement.’
’This made her even more determined to capture that man. His Physique was undoubtedly perfect for her Cultivation, far surpassing the Primordial Supreme Yang Body she had anticipated.’
’He had gone all night without rest, yet he was still in peak condition the next day. His body surely held an inexhaustible source of power. She would devour it all, leaving nothing behind.’
"Saintess, I was wrong, please spare me! Saintess, I beg you, don’t do this! Why don’t you just kill me instead! Saintess..."
The maid’s expression changed drastically at her words. Her face a mask of horror, she began to beg for her life again. But after what felt like an eternity, she realized the Taiyin Saintess was simply watching her, a smile on her face, completely unmoved.
It seemed listening to her pleas brought the Taiyin Saintess great pleasure, as she simply watched the maid sink into despair.
"Yi Shuiyue, you’re so vicious! After all the time I spent with you, how could you do this to me?! I’ll haunt you as a ghost! You venomous bitch! I hate that I failed to kill you!"
"Yi Shuiyue, I curse you! I curse you to be..."
The maid now knew begging was useless. She was trying to provoke the Taiyin Saintess into killing her.
She had once witnessed the ’prowess’ of a hundred soldiers. Even a man who had comprehended Power, when thrown to them, didn’t survive until the next day. The soldiers of the Taihe Camp were cultivated with the blood of a special Exotic Beast. It gave them immense strength, and another... part of their body was specially enhanced as well. Once their desires were stoked, their bestial blood would boil, and they would act like wild animals, devoid of all reason.
She had watched that person’s screams fade into silence, their body left incomplete in the end. It was a truly miserable sight.
Now, her own fate would be just as miserable, if not more so. Although her body was tough, she was already severely injured. She was destined to meet the most terrifying end, surely following the same path as that person before her.
She might last longer than he did, but that was hardly a blessing.
Compared to that fate, she wished for a quick death. To be killed directly by the Taiyin Saintess would be a mercy.
SWISH!
"You talk too much. I don’t like so much useless chatter!"
"Alright. Take her away to enjoy the ’glorious favor’ I have bestowed upon her."
With a flick of the Taiyin Saintess’s shortsword, a tongue went flying.
She loved the look of terror in the maid’s eyes. She then ordered her men to drag the maid away.
Watching the maid’s violent struggles, a flash of glee shot through her, and she felt a little better. ’But this isn’t over,’ she thought. ’The true culprit is still alive. How can I possibly be happy!’
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