World-Ending Demon Emperor
Chapter 469: Episode 248: Zhi Li Spits Blood! The King Bestows a Marriage! (Important)_2

Chapter 469: Episode 248: Zhi Li Spits Blood! The King Bestows a Marriage! (Important)_2

Turing Chen had not returned, which only meant two possible outcomes, either he was dead or captured.

...

By now, the great fire at Devil’s Bay had long been extinguished.

A full fleet of more than a thousand large ships had been buried beneath the sea.

And on the coastline, mountainous heaps of shipwrecks still held countless skeletons.

Truly countless skeletons, innumerable!

For a long time to come, it’s likely that no one would dare to approach this area.

In many ghost stories, this place would certainly become a classic scene.

Thousands of Tianshui City soldiers were desperately dealing with the aftermath, piling up all the shipwrecks and corpses together, and then burning them in a raging fire!

In a castle near Tianshui Wharf.

Suo Lun looked at his two prisoners, Lord Tuli Ming of Luan Yang City, and Turing Chen.

Count Tuli Ming had already woken up and said to Suo Lun, "Please state your terms for ransom. As long as they are not too excessive, I’ll agree."

According to the customs between nobles, a defeated and captured party could be ransomed by their family.

And Suo Lun, who was also a noble, could not break this custom, for if one day he himself were defeated and captured, others would not allow his family to ransom him either.

Suo Lun shook his head and said, "This war wasn’t a conflict between nobles. It was the complete annihilation of pirates attacking the Tianshui City Territory, wasn’t it? And we all know very well what nobles do once they’ve captured a pirate, don’t we Count Tuli Ming?"

Once a pirate was captured, there was only one outcome, hanging!

"So, rest easy in my dungeon," said Suo Lun. "Maybe one day I’ll release you, but certainly not now. Perhaps your families will assume you’re already dead."

Suo Lun waved his hand.

Several men immediately came forward and poured a potion prepared by the Sorcerer Yaomeng into the mouths of Tuli Ming and Turing Chen.

After drinking it, their bodies went limp, and they passed out.

After that, they were stuffed into sacks and, along with other cargo, transported to the Heavenly Water Main City.

...

When the news of the grand victory reached the Heavenly Water Main City, the entire City Lord’s mansion and the Main City plunged into a boiling sea of excitement.

Suo Ningbing left the Qian Tang Hall with a smile on her face.

Princess Zhuyan was at first stunned when she heard the news, then her transcendent and beautiful face relaxed.

And then, a look of amazement and joy appeared on her face.

She was genuinely shocked that Suo Lun had managed to do it, this talent was truly astonishing.

Meanwhile, over a dozen carrier pigeons were dispatched with messages flying in all directions, three of which were sent to Nu Lang Royal City Zhi Du to inform King Quo Bian of the news.

One day later!

Suo Lun returned to Heavenly Water Main City with Turing Chen and Tuli Ming in custody, then locked them away in a top-secret dungeon.

"Even though you told me you would win and how to fight, when the news arrived, I still couldn’t believe it, you... you truly leave people in awe," said Princess Zhuyan. "What are your plans for the next step?"

Suo Lun said, "Two goals, first, to expand the army by a hundred thousand! Second, Ashi Liren!"

Immediately, the silhouette of Ashi Liren flashed through Suo Lun’s mind, that cold, immensely powerful, and unparalleled beauty. Wherever she went, the air turned icy cold, surrounded by a hazy fragrance.

This woman’s martial skills were unfathomable.

This woman’s beauty was likely the only one that could eclipse Yan Nai’er, Gui Qinshao, and Queen Yan Chuo.

Suo Lun’s plan was to support Ashi Liren to become the Rouran City Lord and to annihilate Ashi Luo. Then, utilizing the natural identity of the female City Lord Ashi Liren, he would stand with Princess Zhuyan.

This war had dealt Zhi Li’s army of hundreds of thousands a catastrophic blow, severely wounding his strength.

However, it had not changed the balance of power between the two parties. Zhi Li still held the absolute advantage, with the nobles and lords of the land still on his side.

The forces standing with the King were still only the Royal Palace’s Forbidden Army, the Suo family’s army, and a few scattered military units led by civilian commanders.

The forces standing with Zhi Li, combined, still exceeded a million.

While those on the King’s side, when totaled, amounted to just over a hundred thousand. Moreover, the Royal Palace’s Forbidden Army could not be mobilized, as the palace was the foundation and absolutely must remain unchanged.

Rouran City being the largest noble territory, if it decided to declare loyalty to Princess Zhuyan, it would serve as a tremendous deterrent to the entire world and completely reverse Princess Zhuyan’s utterly passive situation.

Suo Lun’s triumphant victory in this great battle had firmly established the security situation for Tianshui City. It made Zhi Li’s military solution to deal with Tianshui City impossible.

And the Ashi Liren plan was Suo Lun’s way of completely switching from defense to offense!

As long as Suo Lun could successfully conquer Ashi Liren, then Zhi Yan Princess’s accession to the throne would be halfway to success.

...

In the royal palace!

Though paralyzed and showing no change in expression, King Zibian’s inner turmoil was fully palpable to Grand Eunuch Gao Yin, the palace’s chief eunuch.

The great battle at Tianshui City should have been raging for several days by now. If nothing unexpected happened, a result would come within these few days.

This battle, with its vastly unequal powers on both sides, yet was decisive for the fate of both the Suo and Zhi Yan.

Should Suo Lun be defeated, Tianshui City would fall into ruins, and the Suo would be wiped out.

Then, Zhi Yan’s accession would become a mere mirage, and King Zibian’s schemes would be thoroughly extinguished.

For the sake of secrecy, the secret letters sent to the palace by Zhi Yan did not detail Suo Lun’s tactical plans. But it vaguely mentioned that Suo Lun had a clever strategy, with great prospects for victory.

Therefore, King Zibian spent nearly every moment wide-eyed, waiting for the falcon’s message.

Despite his confidence in Suo Lun, the reality was that they only had one-tenth of the enemy’s strength—the disparity in power was simply too great.

Hence, King Zibian lived as though each day was an eternity, filled with utter anxiety.

And just at that moment!

"Awooo..." A cry from a falcon came from outside.

The paralyzed King Zibian almost jolted upright, saying, "Gao Yin, go, quickly..."

A falcon swooped down from the sky, landing on Gao Yin’s hand.

Gao Yin’s hand, taking the secret letter, trembled slightly. He opened it to read.

Though it was all in codes and ciphers, Gao Yin immediately deciphered the missive’s message.

"Suo Lun is victorious, Zhi Li’s thirteen thousand Allied Army, completely annihilated!"

Gao Yin opened his mouth in astonishment, suddenly feeling an intense thirst in his throat.

"What is it, speak up..." King Zibian rasped, his voice pitch changing.

Gao Yin hoarsely said, "Suo Lun is victorious, Zhi Li’s thirteen thousand Allied Army, completely annihilated!"

Suddenly, King Zibian felt waves of dizziness.

The immense joy, the profound happiness surged overwhelmingly, almost too much for him to bear, forcing him to close his eyes slowly, else he truly felt he might faint.

Suo Lun had actually done it.

In a staggering one to ten ratio of military power, not only had Suo Lun won, but he had also obliterated the entire opposing army.

King Zibian couldn’t imagine how Suo Lun had achieved it, but he had.

This meant that neither Suo Lun nor Zhi Yan was in peril anymore, their future was no longer hanging by a thread.

Although the power disparity between Zhi Yan and Zhi Li remained vast, it had now become impossible for Zhi Li to resolve Tianshui City through military and forceful means.

This Suo Lun, he turned out to be such an extraordinary talent, a genius of stunning brilliance.

From his graduation exams at Royal City Academy until now, how many miracles had he created?

Compared to his father, Suo Lun was far superior in all but martial prowess.

A supreme talent, a true supreme talent, fully capable of determining the destiny of the realm in one stroke.

When King Zibian once again opened his eyes, he immediately said, "Quickly, let Gao Yu ride the griffon to Tianshui City, and pass my royal decree."

"What decree?" asked Gao Yin.

King Zibian said, "Bestow marriage upon Suo Lun, betroth Princess Zhi Yan to him, and the moment Marquis Suo Long’s mourning period is over, proceed with the wedding."

Gao Yin said, "There might be a problem, because Suo Lun already has a fiancée. This woman has done a great service for him, and moreover, she is highly skilled in martial arts, extremely beautiful, named Yan Nai’er."

King Zibian said, "I’m aware of this child. I can take her as my foster daughter, let her serve as Zhi Yan’s attendant, and then send her along with Zhi Yan when she marries over."

Gao Yin was taken aback, then nodded and said, "Yes!"

King Zibian added, "Also include a verbal decree, after Zhi Yan ascends the throne, to appoint Suo Lun as the Regent King!"

Gao Yin’s expression changed slightly, then he bowed and said, "Yes!"

The King was not only intending to make Suo Lun the queen’s husband but also to make him the Regent King?

...

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