Nine Realms Sword Emperor
Chapter 331 - 332: Shouzhou Ancient City (2nd Update) (Please Subscribe!!!)

Chapter 331: Chapter 332: Shouzhou Ancient City (2nd Update) (Please Subscribe!!!)

Several hours had passed.

Chu Fengmian passed through the majority of the Qin Emperor’s domain and finally arrived in front of a vast city, Shouzhou Ancient City.

This Shouzhou Ancient City was also one of the largest cities within the Qin Emperor’s domain. Although it was not as bustling as the Nine Cauldron Ancient City, it boasted a population of over a hundred million.

The Xue Sha Legion was located in Shouzhou Ancient City, seemingly having fashioned itself into its own little empire.

"Should we announce ourselves, Master Chu, and have the might of the Xue Sha Legion come out to greet us?"

Prince Xue Sha asked, standing outside the gates of Shouzhou Ancient City.

After all, the Xue Sha Legion wasn’t to be trifled with. His visit this time was largely to recruit, looking to avoid turning relations sour.

"Announce ourselves? There’s no need. The high echelons of the Xue Sha Legion are gathered together right now; let us go directly."

With a wave of his hand, Chu Fengmian took Prince Xue Sha and transformed into a flash of light, darting straight into Shouzhou Ancient City.

The endless Forbidden Array Formations of Shouzhou Ancient City appeared as nothing in front of Chu Fengmian.

"Master Chu, you can actually resolve the Array formations and restrictions of Shouzhou Ancient City?"

Prince Xue Sha had originally wanted to remind Chu Fengmian that Shouzhou Ancient City could absolutely not be entered forcefully.

Shouzhou Ancient City was the Xue Sha Legion’s stronghold, filled with endless, intricately placed Forbidden Array Formations. Even saints who rashly invaded would find themselves on a path to death.

Yet before he could even open his mouth, Chu Fengmian had already led him straight into Shouzhou Ancient City.

Countless Forbidden Array Formations were rendered meaningless in Chu Fengmian’s presence, unable to halt him in the slightest.

"These crude Array formations and restrictions thinking to stop me, Chu, are simply laughable."

Chu Fengmian spoke disdainfully.

He was intimately familiar with countless ancient Forbidden Array Formations. Those truly powerful ancient formations might merit his caution.

However, the minor ones within Shouzhou Ancient City were riddled with flaws in his eyes, hardly worth a second glance. He passed through them with ease, as if entering a realm devoid of people.

Hearing Chu Fengmian’s words, Prince Xue Sha felt a sense of helplessness.

The Array formations and restrictions of Shouzhou Ancient City were famously formidable throughout the Qin Emperor’s domain.

Now, they were dismissed as crude by Chu Fengmian’s standards.

But there was indeed no room for rebuttal, as the Array formations truly posed no obstacle to Chu Fengmian.

A streak of light passed unnoticed by anyone within Shouzhou Ancient City, flying towards its depths.

Meanwhile, Chu Fengmian’s Spiritual Sense silently penetrated deep into Shouzhou Ancient City, where in a grand palace—reminiscent of an imperial army’s barracks—numerous thrones were placed.

The highest-ranking throne, carved with countless true dragon patterns—symbols reserved for royalty alone—hinted at the Xue Sha Legion’s ambitions.

This topmost throne belonged to the number one of the Xue Sha Legion, Great Commander Ao Zhenyuan.

Below him were three slightly smaller thrones, representing the three Deputy Commanders of the Xue Sha Legion.

Previously, in Jiuding Ancient City, Yuan Chaoqun, whose arm Chu Fengmian had cut off, was unexpectedly seated amongst them. His arm had now reconstituted, but his strength had become much weaker.

He had the prowess of about the fifth level of the Realm of Divine Power, so losing an arm wasn’t important. However, the loss of the holy blood within that arm had caused him no small amount of trouble, causing his realm to regress.

Below the three smaller thrones, twelve even smaller thrones were arranged, and seated on these thrones were the generals of the Annihilation Army, who were all first-rate powerhouses in their own right.

The overall strength of everyone present was close to that of the Qin Emperor’s Army, but there was the Great Commander Ao Zhenyuan, who was at the seventh level of the Realm of Divine Power, making their total strength surpass that of the Qin Emperor’s Army.

Now all the thrones were filled with people, an indication that they were discussing a significant matter.

"What do you all think of the Zhao family’s proposal?"

The Great Commander Ao Zhenyuan, seated on the highest throne, suddenly spoke.

"The Zhao family has promised us benefits. As long as we are willing to help them overthrow the royal family, we will remain the southern hegemon and be granted kingship."

"Great Commander, I believe that we should form an alliance with the Zhao family. The Zhao family’s power is currently great, and Zhao Wudi is about to overcome a life-and-death calamity to become the first person in Qin Empire to reach the Life-Death Realm. Forming an alliance with the Zhao family would be greatly beneficial to us," Ao Zhenyuan concluded.

As soon as Ao Zhenyuan finished speaking, Yuan Chaoqun, who was seated below, immediately spoke up.

He had previously attempted to save Zhao Podi and had long been in contact with the Zhao family, and thus, he naturally supported them now.

"Hmph, what good would that do? We are already the southern hegemon, the uncrowned kings. To think that a mere kingship could buy us and make us oppose the royal family? What a joke."

Another Deputy Commander with red hair, seated beside Yuan Chaoqun, immediately spoke up when he heard Yuan speak.

"Yuan Chaoqun, don’t think that we don’t know you’ve accepted benefits from the Zhao family. It’s one thing to take benefits from the Zhao family, but it’s another to die for them!"

Not everyone in the Annihilation Army was willing to ally with the Zhao family, and this red-haired Deputy Commander was among those who supported neutrality.

"Moreover, the situation is unsettled; it is better to wait and see. A thin camel is still bigger than a horse; if the royal family were so easy to deal with, it wouldn’t have lasted for thousands of years!"

The red-haired Deputy Commander scoffed.

"Feng Yan! Don’t slander me! When have I ever accepted benefits from the Zhao family?" Yuan Chaoqun snapped angrily.

"Now Zhao Wudi is about to overcome the life-and-death calamity to become the first powerhouse in the Life-Death Realm of the Qin Empire. Are you all willing to be the ministers of a fallen country if we continue to stand with the royal family?"

"If we ally with the Zhao family now, each of us could be founding monarchs!"

"Forming an alliance with the Zhao family indeed should not be done rashly. However, it is said that recently there is new information. Yuan Chaoqun, who cut off your arm?"

The last of the Deputy Commanders also spoke up. He was an old man, very aged, looking nearly at the end of his lifespan, and his expression was exceedingly calm.

His tone was mild and seemed like that of a tranquil old man.

"Hmph, I haven’t found out who that person is yet. However, it’s said that they have some relationship with the Twilight Pavilion and sold quite a few Spiritual Artifacts there."

"It’s very likely that this person is a genius secretly cultivated by the royal family. But no matter how strong he is, his strength is only on par with mine and not something we need to be overly concerned about," Yuan Chaoqun said, especially when mentioning Chu Fengmian, his voice laced with deep resentment.

For such an established and powerful figure as himself to have had his arm severed by an unknown junior was both a tremendous humiliation and disgrace.

He could hardly wait to find Chu Fengmian and exact his revenge, to wash away the shame he had suffered.