Yunji City was surrounded by mountains on three sides; only its main gate faced a winding road leading down.
At this moment, the night was deep and pitch-black, so dark one could not see their own hand in front of them.
Yet, a convoy was slowly approaching.
Illuminated by the firelight, two armored soldiers could be seen leading the way. They wore long swords at their waists and held up two gilded tokens to clear the path.
Behind them followed a carriage.
Drawn by four white horses, the carriage was painted jujube red, its cabin carved with patterns resembling flowing clouds.
A bright yellow phoenix emblem adorned the roof of the carriage.
Surrounding the carriage were twenty golden-armored soldiers holding torches.
This procession moved from far to near, drawing closer and closer to Yunji City. Before long, they arrived at the base of the city walls.
The convoy halted. Following Ren Tianye's instructions, Deputy General Wang Ming shouted at the top of his lungs toward the people on the city wall, "Her Majesty has issued a decree! Summon the defending general of Yunji City, Zhan Shubai, to receive the imperial decree!"
The city wall instantly erupted into a flurry of activity.
Someone could be heard shouting, "It is an imperial envoy sent by Her Majesty! Hurry and report to General Zhan!"
Soon after, a man on the gate tower called out, "Greetings, Lord Imperial Envoy. We pay our respects. However, it is currently curfew. We cannot allow you to enter the city immediately. Please wait a moment, my lords."
"Once we have General Zhan's orders, we will open the gates at once."
These words immediately drew a furious rebuke from Ren Tianye.
"Are you blind? Can you not see that we are imperial envoys sent by Her Majesty? How many lives do you have that you dare obstruct this official from delivering the imperial decree?"
"Open the city gates for this official immediately!"
The man shouting from the top of the wall replied submissively, "Please forgive us, Lord Imperial Envoy. The rules of Yunji City are exceedingly strict. We subordinates must seek the General's permission before we can open the city gates at night."
"We beg for your understanding, Lord Imperial Envoy!"
Ren Tianye was growing anxious.
What he needed was the element of surprise. If they waited for Zhan Shubai to be notified, the city's garrison would be awakened, which would be extremely disadvantageous for them.
He then reprimanded them even more sternly, "This official rode through the night to reach this place because the matter is of grave importance. Not a single moment can be delayed."
"How dare you lowly soldiers use the city gates to obstruct this official?"
"If you delay this crucial matter, are you not afraid that Her Majesty will execute your entire nine clans?"
This threat was ruthless enough.
Yet the defending soldiers of Yunji City, though submissive and too afraid to even show their heads under the scolding, absolutely refused to open the gates.
This completely stalled Ren Tianye and his party on the spot.
They were caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat.
He had not expected his carefully laid plans to instantly crumble before the extremely strict military discipline of Yunji City.
It also showed that Zhan Shubai was indeed a man of talent.
At the very least, he was highly skilled at managing his troops.
But right now, this skill of his left Ren Tianye burning with anxiety.
Eight hundred soldiers were ambushed not far away, waiting for the signal arrow.
He could not stay here for long.
Delay would invite disaster!
However, with Yunji City's defenses so tight, no matter how resourceful he was, he was completely at a loss right now.
He could only wait where he was.
Waiting in agonizing anxiety.
...
Inside Yunji City, in a simple, even shabby barrack not far from the General's Manor, only a single candle burned. Zhan Shubai was bent over his desk, writing tirelessly.
He had maintained this posture for a full two hours. His entire body was utterly exhausted, yet he still refused to relax even the slightest bit.
It wasn't until he had finished processing all the large and small affairs of Yunji City for the day that he finally stood up.
A satisfied smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
His eyes involuntarily glanced at a potted plant placed to the side. Its flowers and leaves were pure white and translucent, looking increasingly magnificent under the candlelight.
He had personally picked it from the mountain; it was called the Immortal Soul Epiphyllum.
Under his meticulous care, its petals were now fully blooming, looking especially moving in the night.
It was a gift he had prepared for the Empress.
The Empress's nation-toppling beauty involuntarily surfaced in his mind's eye. The smile on Zhan Shubai's lips turned gentle and infatuated.
"Your Majesty, you promised me..."
He murmured as if sleepwalking, "As long as your subject could defend Yunji City and make it as impregnable as a fortress, you would allow me to return to the capital and stay by your side."
"Over the years, your subject has worked conscientiously and diligently, not daring to slack off in the slightest. Fortifying the walls and training the soldiers has long yielded outstanding results."
"Although this Yunji City cannot compare to Shanhe City, and its garrison numbers only a few thousand, under your subject's management, it is enough to withstand a million-strong army."
"Your Majesty..."
"My achievements have been continuously reported back to you. It is time you let me return, isn't it?"
As he spoke, his emotions surged, and tear stains faintly appeared on his face. At the height of his deep longing, he blurted out, "Your Majesty, I miss you!"
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Heavy footsteps shattered the tranquility, disturbing Zhan Shubai's state of mind. He furrowed his brows, about to lose his temper, when a messenger soldier rushed in, panting heavily as he reported, "General, Her Majesty has sent someone to deliver an imperial decree!"
"What?" Zhan Shubai's anger turned to joy, his face filled with ecstasy. "Is it a convoy from the capital?"
"Yes, General. Your subordinates have already verified it. It is a convoy from the capital. There are armored soldiers clearing the way holding tokens, and a phoenix emblem on the carriage. It must be a convoy from the capital!"
"Hahaha..."
Zhan Shubai was overjoyed.
"It must be that Her Majesty has seen my achievements in guarding Yunji City and has come to bring me back. My immense efforts in Yunji City have not been in vain."
"Your Majesty, I will finally be able to see you again."
In his ecstasy, he didn't even have time to put on his armor. Wearing the shabby clothes that looked no different from those of an ordinary soldier, he strode out.
Grabbing his weapon and leading his guards, he rushed straight for the main gate of Yunji City.
With a creak.
He had the city gates opened. His gaze swept over the area and landed on the person who had come to deliver the decree. Suddenly, his body stiffened.
At the same moment, Ren Tianye also got a clear look at the newcomer.
The man leading them was tall and had fair skin. Though dressed plainly, he held a long spear and carried the distinct air of a scholar-general.
Behind him followed over a hundred soldiers, all possessing an extraordinary aura. At a glance, it was clear they were elite troops forged through years of rigorous training.
Although Ren Tianye had never seen Zhan Shubai before, with just this one look, he recognized him.
The man before him was Zhan Shubai, the defending general of Yunji City.
It was just...
He took a look.
"How does this person look anything like me?"
Since they were both body doubles kept by Empress Xiao Mingzhao, there had to be some resemblance, but Ren Tianye simply couldn't see it.
If he had to point out any similarity, their physical builds were somewhat alike.
However, such thoughts only flashed through Ren Tianye's mind for a brief moment. He couldn't be bothered to worry about these messy matters.
What mattered right now was how to seize Yunji City!
The current situation was extremely disadvantageous to him.
Now that the defending general Zhan Shubai had arrived, Yunji City was on guard. Even if he fired the signal arrow now, with just their twenty-odd men, they likely wouldn't survive until the eight hundred soldiers arrived.
Fortunately, Ren Tianye remained calm. At this moment, he could only adapt to the changing circumstances by remaining still.
"It's you?"
"Ren Tianye?"
What Ren Tianye didn't expect was that the moment Zhan Shubai saw his face, he completely lost his composure. He had been full of excitement, sitting steadily on his horse, but now he swayed so violently he nearly fell off.
"How could it be you?"
"How in the world could it be you?"
Zhan Shubai's face was full of disbelief. "Delivering an imperial decree is a matter of utmost importance. No one but the court eunuchs or Her Majesty's close confidants are granted such an honor. You are nothing but an abandoned body double of Her Majesty. What right do you have to deliver a decree on her behalf?"
"This is impossible!"
"Impossible!"
"Her Majesty didn't even grant me such an honor, so why would she give it to you?"
"On what grounds?"
"How are you better than me?"
He let out a long howl that tore through the sky, his face full of grief, looking more devastated than if his own mother had been killed.
Ren Tianye was stunned.
No, what the hell... did he run into another braindead fool?
How many of them had he encountered these past few days?
Why did he have to bump into another one right now?
Gathering his thoughts and sensing an opportunity to strike, Ren Tianye spoke in a leisurely tone, aiming right for Zhan Shubai's deepest fears and ruthlessly kicking him where it hurt most.
"Why is it impossible?"
"Could my imperial envoy procession be fake? Could my token be fake? Or... do you think the imperial decree in my hand is forged?"
"Heh, let me tell you the truth. Her Majesty and I are very close, far closer than you could ever compare..."
These words indeed stung Zhan Shubai. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he leaped straight off his horse and pointed accusingly at Ren Tianye. "You are lying! Her Majesty clearly does not like you."
"You do not listen to Her Majesty's orders at all. You just go through the motions with the tasks she assigns you, never considering her feelings. You are a useless piece of trash."
"Her Majesty gave up on you long ago."
"Otherwise, when you were kicked into the army by the Ren Duke's estate, how could Her Majesty not speak up for you?"
"You are so inconsiderate towards Her Majesty."
"How could Her Majesty possibly be close to you?"
"Closer than she is to me?"
"You are lying! You are lying! You are lying!"
Zhan Shubai's screams grew increasingly shrill and loud.
But the more he yelled, the more it revealed his inner fear and panic. Ren Tianye understood this perfectly, so he did not say a word, simply watching him with a cold sneer.
Sure enough, Zhan Shubai broke down even further.
Tears streamed down his face as he kept muttering, "Impossible, impossible..."
This vulnerable state made Ren Tianye feel he was definitely on the right track, so he provoked him even more sharply. "Still think it is impossible?!"
"Do you know what Her Majesty's decree is ordering you to do?"
"Her Majesty is sentencing you to death!"
As he spoke, Ren Tianye mentally praised his own brilliance.
The forged imperial decree was originally just for show.
But striving for authenticity, he had fabricated a lie that Zhan Shubai was colluding with the Chifeng Army and was to be executed.
Now, it actually came in handy.
He tossed the decree to Zhan Shubai. "See for yourself. I am sure you recognize Her Majesty's handwriting."
Zhan Shubai was in no state of mind to verify the handwriting. Grabbing the decree, he immediately unrolled it, and upon seeing the words "sentenced to death," his vision went dark.
Then, he began to scream even more frantically.
"Impossible!"
"Absolutely impossible!"
"Her Majesty slaughtered the Chifeng Army because their commander, Lin Yi, opposed her marriage and stood in the way of her love! That is why she ordered the kill!"
"Although I love Her Majesty deeply, I would never oppose her."
"I only want to stay by her side as a quiet, undemanding lover in the shadows. Her Majesty knows my heart, so how could she ever think I would collude with the Chifeng Army?"
"This is impossible!"
...
y came from. The chests contained supplies, currency, class-change scrolls, skills, talents… and even godhood! The laws of the world were completely rewritten. This became a world where everyone gambled with their fate! Some people, despite having nothing, opened a divine artifact and rose to the top, eventually ruling the world. Others went bankrupt, opened nothing but worthless junk, and leaped from skyscrapers in despair. Lin Ye arrived in this world from another reality, utterly bewildered. “What is going on? Why is everyone a gambling addict?!” “Opening chests? No way. I refuse to gamble. I’ll start with myself!” Until— On his first chest, he obtained a Mythic Talent: Void Incarnation! He could become completely intangible, pass through all things, and reduce everything to nothingness! … On his fiftieth chest, he obtained a Mythic Weapon: Blade of Karma! With a single slash, karma shattered, twisting the universe and overturning the myriad phenomena of creation! … On his ninety-ninth chest, he obtained a Mythic Divine Treasure: Primordial Purple Energy! It could split open the heavens and earth, create all things, and evolve countless worlds with a single thought! Lin Ye: “Now that I think about it… shouldn’t someone have told me that every chest is guaranteed to contain something Mythic?!”
e vast world of cultivation, where he becomes the master of the Heavenly Ruins Sacred Hall, a dying old man with barely a tenth of his former cultivation remaining. He is immediately confronted with a deadly crisis: his subordinates have rebelled, and his protectors are forcing him to abdicate. At the critical moment, the system descends from the heavens: [Ding! The host has been detected facing a life-or-death crisis. The system is now officially activated!] [As a gift, you have received the Supreme Beginner’s Pack and awakened the ultimate cheat: ten thousand years of pure cultivation essence every second!] Yin Tianjue: “Wait… ten thousand years of cultivation every second? That’s six hundred thousand years a minute, and in one day… I can’t even calculate it. Either way, I’m already invincible!” You’re a peerless prodigy rarely seen in ten thousand years? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re an undying ancestor who has guarded a sacred land for countless ages? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. You’re the strongest chosen one, blessed with heaven-defying destiny? Sorry, I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. From this day forth, I have only one thing to say: “I gain ten thousand years of cultivation every second. Now, how exactly are you supposed to deal with that?”
agon king storylines. At the start, I obtained the "Ultimate Lackey System" - the more I act as a lackey, the stronger I become. What else could I do? I chose to become the personal henchman of the ultimate villain, Su Muwan. I provoke all sorts of chosen ones, snatch away their opportunities, and commit every evil deed imaginable. You ask who's behind me? Hmph! You're not worthy of knowing my lady's name! ...... ....... I am Su Muwan, the eldest daughter of the Su family. Since childhood, I've possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts, which led to my arrogant and domineering personality in my past life. I was even foolish enough to repeatedly challenge those favored by heaven, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. In this life, I must behave and absolutely cannot walk the same path again!! However... SLAP!! "So you're the Dragon King, huh?!" When I saw my little lackey swagger over and viciously slap the Dragon King who was hiding his identity, I felt my heart sink. Su Muwan's suspended heart finally died as she watched Qin Luo, her utterly loyal lackey, standing before her. She fainted on the spot from shock. Heaven is determined to destroy me!! (Pure love 1v1, light-hearted, no angst, single female lead, villain, reincarnation, lackey)
s the Eldest Princess, renowned for her cold and aloof detachment, became the most docile of lambs, obeying his every command without question. But when the final move was played on the chessboard, as Gu Chenghan seized everything and ascended on the verge of apotheosis, that very Princess suddenly embraced him from behind, her tone carrying a dependence never heard before: "Wait... you haven't yet... commanded me to love you forever." Gu Chenghan froze abruptly. She... hadn't been hypnotized?! ... [The Eldest Princess's Diary] [When my soul was extracted, becoming the sole spectator outside my own shell] [At first, there was overwhelming fury, until I saw] [How he used my sword to effortlessly shatter my inescapable doom] [How he wielded my authority to eradicate fatal conspiracies I had never even detected] [Like a deity, he rescued me from the deep mire I was trapped in] [If not for those annoying vixens, he and I would be a match made in heaven] [I think I am ill, gravely ill] [My deity should belong to me alone] ... "Hypnosis? Oh, it succeeded, my dear Master." "Only this time, it's my turn to hypnotize you."
