The land of Northern Liang was garrisoned by an imposing army of a million soldiers.
This caused Emperor Qinwu endless apprehension.
In the past, Qin Xiao had listened to him, completely obedient to him as his father. Everything had been under his control.
But now, Qin Xiao seemed like a completely different person.
This sense of unease grew increasingly profound.
He had to eliminate this threat!
"Qin Xiao, you have committed a grave mistake. Acknowledging your errors and making amends is the greatest virtue. Do you truly wish to rebel against your own father?"
Emperor Qinwu's gaze was icy. He stared intently at Qin Xiao, waiting for his answer.
Amidst the oppressive atmosphere,
ten thousand imperial guards raised their sharp blades, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
The gleaming swords and sabers reflected a cold, harsh light under the night sky.
A chilling aura of death swept over them.
Seeing this, the hearts of the people from Northern Liang leaped into their throats.
Yet even so, facing a desperate situation of certain death, they still did not lay down their weapons.
Everyone looked at Qin Xiao.
As long as he was there, he was their pillar of strength.
Lu Fengxian's face was filled with fury, his teeth grinding audibly.
"On what grounds?!"
"Northern Liang used to be nothing but a desolate land, constantly oppressed by the Xiongnu barbarians year after year. If it weren't for you, General, there wouldn't be this million-strong army, let alone the prestige that shakes the northern desert steppes!"
He had witnessed Qin Xiao's rise with his own eyes.
He also knew exactly what price Qin Xiao had paid for the million-strong army of Northern Liang.
The rich foundation Northern Liang possessed today was entirely earned through the blood, sweat, and tears of all the brothers-in-arms.
To ask Qin Xiao to hand it over on a silver platter now—what would that make of their fallen brothers?!
Just as Lu Fengxian was consumed by rage, a cold glint flashed in Jia Xu's eyes.
"Your Majesty, we only have two paths before us now, though both would tarnish your reputation."
Jia Xu lowered his voice and whispered into Qin Xiao's ear.
"The first path is to take Emperor Qinwu hostage, forcing the imperial guards to hold back for fear of harming him. We can fight our way out of the imperial city, return to Northern Liang, and then use the emperor to command the nobles, eventually bringing the entire world under your control."
"The second path is to feign surrender to show weakness. Then, when they are off guard, we first assassinate your parents and frame someone else, followed by massacring the entire imperial family. That way, you will become the rightful and legitimate emperor."
Qin Xiao: "???"
Lu Fengxian: "???"
"As expected of our military strategist, what a venomous scheme!"
Lu Fengxian gasped, subconsciously taking three steps back. The way he looked at Jia Xu was as if he were looking at a demon.
To ask His Majesty to commit patricide and matricide.
No sane human being would even dare to think of such a thing!
This completely bypassed all moral and ethical boundaries—it was a beastly act that would be spat upon by the entire world!
Jia Xu waved his feather fan, his smile as warm as a spring breeze.
"This plan goes against the harmony of heaven, but it does not harm us. It only requires Your Majesty to disregard your reputation."
Qin Xiao looked at Jia Xu's seemingly noble and righteous demeanor.
Anyone who didn't know better would think he was a great scholar of renown.
In reality, this guy was full of malicious schemes to his core.
"No wonder the original owner of this body didn't dare to use him but still forced him to stay by his side. It turns out he was afraid that letting him go would bring disaster to the world."
For the first time, Qin Xiao gained a completely new understanding of the people around him.
However, just because others didn't dare to use him didn't mean he wouldn't.
"There is no need for such trouble."
Qin Xiao waved his hand, his eyes deep and dark, as if everything was perfectly under his control.
"I have my own way."
His words piqued Jia Xu's curiosity.
Facing this certain-death situation, what other way could there be to survive?
Qin Xiao took a step forward, his black and gold dragon robe fluttering loudly. An aura of a king looking down upon the world spontaneously emerged from him.
"You want the military power of Northern Liang?"
He took the tiger tally from his chest and played with it in his hand, his tone incredibly frivolous.
The moment Emperor Qinwu saw the tiger tally, his eyes became extremely fervent and greedy. He wished he could snatch it away immediately.
Although he was known to the world as the Martial Emperor.
Only he knew that this title was entirely unearned.
The world only knew that after he ascended the throne as emperor, he turned the tide and pushed the weak Qin State to its peak.
Ranking it among the Seven Great Powers.
Crowned with the title of Emperor Qinwu, looking down proudly upon all heroes!
But they didn't know that two-thirds of the entire country's military force was completely under Qin Xiao's control.
In the past, Qin Xiao had obeyed him like a dog, without the slightest thought of resistance.
Now, everything had changed!
Whether for power or prestige, he had to hold it tightly in his own hands!
He needed to firmly control Qin Xiao; he absolutely could not let the other party slip from his grasp!
At this moment, Qin Rushuang spoke with disdain.
"Qin Xiao, don't think that bringing out the tiger tally to curry favor will make us forgive you. The wrongs you have committed are too numerous to record."
"Once our younger brother Qin Yu returns, you will pass the throne to him, and we will consider letting you stay by Imperial Father and Mother's side to serve them."
Her tone was incredibly condescending.
As if letting Qin Xiao wait upon them was some sort of grand blessing bestowed upon him.
Empress Dowager Wen also chimed in.
"Letting this little bastard serve us? I'd be worried he's plotting something!"
"He should be made to toil like a beast of burden, just like those lowly eunuchs!"
Her voice was shrill, and the look she gave Qin Xiao was full of venomous resentment.
At this moment, she didn't look like a mother at all.
Instead, she looked more like Qin Xiao's mortal enemy.
Everyone looked at Qin Xiao with mockery in their eyes.
It seemed they were just waiting to see Qin Xiao grovel in the dust.
Seeing that Qin Xiao didn't utter a word, Emperor Qinwu nodded in satisfaction and walked briskly toward him.
The distance between the two was no more than ten paces.
"Qin Xiao, as your father, I have the right to discipline you. Since ancient times, the father has been paramount!"
"As long as you hand over the tiger tally, as your father, I can allow you to make amends for the mistakes you've made!"
"Although you are incredibly stubborn and of base character, we are, after all, father and son."
"When Yu'er inherits the throne in the future, I will allow you to serve as an attendant by his side. This is your chance to redeem yourself; I hope you won't be ungrateful!"
He spoke slowly, pausing after every word, yet his voice was sonorous and forceful, echoing clearly.
His attitude was extremely arrogant.
It was as if forgiving Qin Xiao and letting him become an attendant was already a tremendous favor.
Such a humiliating scene made the soldiers of Northern Liang grind their teeth in pure fury!
"An attendant! How the hell is that any different from being a slave?!"
Lu Fengxian clenched his fists tightly, his eyes radiating an intense murderous intent.
He was on the verge of being unable to suppress the rage in his heart.
The Sky-Piercing Halberd in his hand hummed with power. He only needed a single command from Qin Xiao to charge straight into the imperial guards!
However, Qin Xiao just laughed.
"You want to plunder everything that is mine, and then make me serve as an attendant to a fake prince?"
"Hahaha! How ridiculous. I don't give a damn about your forgiveness!"
"You old fool! Have you forgotten the taste of the beating you received a few days ago?!"
Qin Xiao's eyes gleamed with ferocity, his tone chilling to the bone.
"Today, I am going to let you, you old fool, taste my iron fist!"
Without another word, Qin Xiao vanished in a flash and appeared directly in front of Emperor Qinwu.
He raised his fist high, smashing it toward Emperor Qinwu's head accompanied by a howling gale!
"Qin Xiao, you wouldn't dare!"
Emperor Qinwu had been on guard, but Qin Xiao's speed was pushed to the absolute limit. He could only see a blur of afterimages and had absolutely no time to dodge!
Watching the massive fist draw closer and closer, Emperor Qinwu's expression drastically changed.
In his haste, he channeled his protective astral energy, but it was shattered to pieces by the punch as if it were made of paper!
The fist pressed forward with unstoppable momentum!
"Ahhh!"
"Bang!"
A heavy punch landed ruthlessly right on Emperor Qinwu's cheek.
It was visibly apparent that Emperor Qinwu's facial features had caved in.
Blood splattered through the air.
Emperor Qinwu let out a tragic scream as his entire body was sent flying. He traced a perfect arc through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground.
Everyone present was struck dumb!
They watched helplessly as Emperor Qinwu was sent flying like a dead dog.
Their minds went completely blank!
How could this be possible!
Qin Xiao actually dared to beat his own father!
Where on earth did he get the audacity and courage!
"The... the Supreme Emperor!"
Screams accompanied by wailing suddenly erupted!
Empress Dowager Wen threw herself at Emperor Qinwu in a panic, crying out as she helped him up from the ground.
"Emperor Qinwu, are you alright?"
Emperor Qinwu's face was covered in blood, bruised and swollen, with blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. It felt as if every bone in his body had shattered.
Yet, the look in his eyes as he glared at Qin Xiao was filled with unparalleled fury!
This was the rage of having his power and dignity provoked and trampled upon!
"Qin Xiao, how dare you... how dare you strike me..."
Emperor Qinwu struggled to his feet and pointed at Qin Xiao. His eyes were wide open, practically shooting flames!
He roared, enunciating every single word, "Men, seize Qin Xiao! Dead or alive!"
Ten thousand imperial guards instantly raised their swords and charged at Qin Xiao!
"Kill!"
Lu Fengxian and the other military generals hastily rushed to guard Qin Xiao's sides.
"Protect His Majesty!"
Facing the enemies swarming from all directions, Qin Xiao showed no trace of fear. He merely snapped his fingers calmly.
"Great Snow Dragon Cavalry, come forth!"
The crowd was taken aback.
They looked around in all directions.
"Qin Xiao! Death is at your door, yet you are still spouting nonsense! The palace is swarming with imperial guards; how could your army possibly be here!"
Emperor Qinwu's face was full of disdain as he shouted, "Men! Capture Qin Xiao!"
But the very moment his words fell.
"Rumble! Rumble!"
The earth shook, and warhorses neighed!
"The Great Snow Dragon Cavalry is here! Kneel and accept your deaths!"
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
ap a wealthy young lady? Or else I'll be eliminated by the system? Ye Feng, who awakened the Kidnapper System, originally wanted to live a peaceful life but never imagined he would become a kidnapper of young women. However, after some time, he discovered that all the girls the system ordered him to kidnap were far from ordinary. "Big brother Ye Feng~ You've kidnapped my heart, and now you're not allowed to leave me ever again~" "Ye Feng~ You kidnapped me back then, now it's my turn to capture you♡" "Little Feng, you're mine! You can only be mine!" "Ye Feng, none of them deserve you. Only I love you the most♡" ... This is madness, they've all gone mad! Wait, what? Why are all the girls I kidnapped yanderes?!
lities. One day, Qi Yuan was buying groceries when he unfortunately came face-to-face with a monster. Just when he thought he was going to die on the spot, he suddenly heard the monster's thoughts... "This aura, he's definitely not an ordinary master!" "So terrifying, so terrifying." "A fight with my back against the wall, I can't take it anymore." Qi Yuan: Ah, no one told me that my awakened ability isn't telepathy, but rather the stronger my enemies imagine me to be, the stronger I truly become. PS: Zhou Hai in the first chapter is not the protagonist.
