Book 07 Chapter 050: Southern Sea Dragon King, Ao Sihai
Such a devoted and loyal official got forced into betraying his nation?
Yes, forced. All the soldiers and officials felt certain he had been forced, as there was no hiding what had happened in Martial Heaven City.
Suspecting Sima Changkong, the emperor wanted to turn him into a zombie progeny and had even been willing to use his wife and son to coerce him.
How chilling was that?
While it was true that Long Shenwu was previously the Qian Nation’s crown prince, such actions were far from what Long Zhanguo would do.
The Wu Imperial Dynasty turned deadly silent. Many soldiers and officials were on edge.
Will His Reverence turn me into a zombie?
The people with the most authority in the imperial court have already become zombies. What’s next?
The unrest spread throughout the Wu Imperial Dynasty. There was worry and fear.
It was as Sima Changkong previously said. The ability to make zombies could only be auxiliary, not be the primary means, as the more zombies Long Shenwu made, the more people would fear him. The Wu Nation would only find it harder to recruit talents. The talents would flee.
One month later, the emperor’s study, Martial Heaven City:
Long Shenwu listened to an official’s reports.
“The Han Imperial Dynasty captured another twenty cities? They captured Silver Moon City too?” Long Shenwu said coldly.
“Yes, Your Reverence! After Lord Sima defected, many officials put up a passive resistance, so…so…,” that official said softly while on his knees.
“Hah! Hahahahaha! Passive resistance? Sima Changkong? You truly are capable of disrupting the military’s morale. Do you think we cannot do anything without Sima Changkong? You captured nearly two hundred of my cities already, right? Han Imperial Dynasty! Han Imperial Dynasty!” Long Shenwu said coldly.
“This official can’t accept this, either. However, rumors unfavorable to Your Reverence are floating around various places. Furthermore, the large clans are strangely cooperating with the Han Imperial Dynasty,” that official said.
“Humph! We got it. Go out!” Long Shenwu said coldly.
“Yes!” That official left the study.
Only Long Shenwu and Ao Sheng remained in the study.
“Ao Sheng, do you think the same as them?” Long Shenwu looked at Ao Sheng.
“Your Reverence, rest assured. My interests were tied to Your Reverence’s long ago. There’s no need to doubt me.” Ao Sheng nodded.
“The Han Imperial Dynasty has the Divine Demon Army. We have one million zither puppets, an army of one million bronze soldiers! Initially, we thought we wouldn’t have to reveal them so early. Humph!” Long Shenwu said coldly.
“Those one million bronze statues from the Silver Moon Sea back then? Aren’t they immobile?” Ao Sheng said in shock.
“We say they can, so they can,” Long Shenwu said coldly.
“Yes!”
“They killed Six Fingers? Hah! We can fix him!” Long Shenwu said coldly.
A man walked in slowly from outside. It was Six Fingers, but his expression seemed somewhat stiff.
“Salutations, Master!” Six Fingers said respectfully.
“Oh? Your Reverence, you restored Six Fingers over the past month?” Ao Sheng said in shock.
“Unfortunately, the world no longer has the music Dao laws. Restoring Six Fingers resulted in decreased intelligence,” Long Shenwu said with a frown.
Ao Sheng appeared confused.
The music Dao? Besides the crown prince, His Reverence is skilled at it too?
“With Six Fingers leading the Silver Moon Army, we can block the Han Imperial Dynasty’s Divine Demon Army!” Long Shenwu said, his voice sinking.
“However, Your Reverence, I recall those one million bronze soldiers were only at the peak Nascent Soul Realm. The Divine Demon Army soldiers are all in the Heavenly Palace Realm?” Ao Sheng said worriedly.
“Peak Nascent Soul Realm? That’s only because they did not have a battle piece playing. Six Fingers received the Silver Moon Battle Piece from us. This battle piece will raise the bronze soldiers’ strength tenfold!” Long Shenwu said coldly.
“Oh?” Ao Sheng’s eyes lit up.
A tenfold increase? With that, they will not be weaker than Gu Hai’s Divine Demon Army. Furthermore, there are one million of them, a numerical advantage.
“Without Sima Changkong, there’s no need for schemes anymore. Since the Han Imperial Dynasty is fighting with overt strength, we will give them overt strength! Humph!” Long Shenwu said coldly.
“Your Reverence, the Han Imperial Dynasty split into eighteen divisions. The one million bronze puppet soldiers can sweep their way through ordinary soldiers. However, Kong Xuan is also on the front lines. The Han Imperial Dynasty has too many peak experts. This official is worried that…,” Ao Sheng said with a frown.
The one million bronze soldiers were powerful, no weaker than the Divine Demon Army. However, these were just the midlevel soldiers; none of the higher-level soldiers could compare with Kong Xuan. When Kong Xuan showed his might, he could consume everything. The one million bronze soldiers would be nothing before him, right?
“That does not matter. This is good timing. I’ll introduce someone to you!” Long Shenwu smiled.
“Ao Sihai, please!” Long Shenwu called out.
“Ao Sihai? The Southern Sea Dragon King?” Ao Sheng’s expression changed.
A blue-clad man sauntered into the study. This man looked handsome, but his eyes appeared shady.
“Long Shenwu, how are the preparations?” Ao Sihai said coldly.
“Prime Ao Sihai, the battle will begin immediately. Don’t be impatient. This is good timing. Let me make introductions!” Long Shenwu smiled.
“This is the commander of the one million bronze soldiers, Six Fingers.” Long Shenwu looked at Six Fingers.
Six Fingers said respectfully, “Greetings, Prime Ao Sihai.”
“One million bronze soldiers? Hah! That is Teacher Yinyue’s lifetime accumulation. This king is filled with anticipation for them!” Ao Sihai’s eyes brightened slightly.
“I believe there is no need to introduce this person. He is the prime of my Wu Imperial Dynasty’s national beast, Ao Sheng!” Long Shenwu introduced.
“Ao Sheng?” Ao Sihai narrowed his eyes at Ao Sheng.
Ao Sheng said with a frown, “The Southern Sea Dragon King from eight hundred thousand years ago was not you.”
“It has been eight hundred thousand years; many things can change. Isn’t that so, Prime Ao Sheng? I heard the Western Sea Dragon King had a drop of the ancestor dragon’s essence blood, which he gave you?” A faint gleam flashed in Ao Sihai’s eyes.
“I obtained it by chance.” Ao Sheng nodded with a frown.
“By chance? Haha! Why doesn’t this king have that chance?” Ao Sihai laughed.
“Southern Sea Dragon King, this humble one is curious. Why did you travel billions of kilometers from the Southern Sea to help my Wu Imperial Dynasty?” Ao Sheng frowned.
“Why? Hah! This king has an irreconcilable grudge against the Han Imperial Dynasty!” Ao Sihai’s expression turned cold.
“Oh?”
Long Shenwu said indifferently, “Gu Hai’s men recently killed Bodhisattva Nan Longnu in the Silver Moon Sea. Did you know that?”
“Bodhisattva Nan Longnu?” Ao Sheng’s expression changed.
“She is my little daughter. Although my little girl’s souls returned to the Southern Sea’s Purple Bamboo Forest, I must avenge the grudge of killing my daughter. Hahahaha! How bold of the Han Imperial Dynasty!” Ao Sihai said ferociously.
Ao Sheng’s expression changed. “Bodhisattva Nan Longnu commanded all the bodhisattvas and arhats of the Spirit Mountain Holy Land back then. Since she is your daughter, won’t all the bodhisattvas and arhats in the Wu Imperial Dynasty heed your command?”
“That’s right. This king has already gathered them. Furthermore, I only brought dragons with me. While your Northern Sea Dragon Palace is in decline, there’s still a group of undying elders. That is also a powerful army. We are not weaker than the Han Imperial Dynasty. If we work together, we can annihilate the Han Imperial Dynasty,” Ao Sihai said coldly.
“That’s right. We have to work together!” Long Shenwu said ferociously.
“Given this, I can rest assured. As long as we work together, we will defeat the Han Imperial Dynasty!” Ao Sheng smiled.
------
The emperor’s study, Borderless Heavenly Capital:
“Your Reverence, our spies sent in a report. The Southern King Dragon King appeared in Martial Heaven City. He might be working with the Wu Imperial Dynasty to deal with us,” Mo Yike said with a frown.
“Working together? Hah! Do you believe that?” Gu Hai asked with a smile, between sips of tea.
“This official does not believe it.”
“Oh?”
“The Southern Sea Dragon King must have a deep connection with the Spirit Mountain Holy Land. The Spirit Mountain Holy Land had little reaction to Bodhisattva Nan Longnu’s death? Also, Yun Mo mentioned that the Spirit Mountain Holy Land came for some purpose other than dealing with the Han Nation. The Southern Sea Dragon King must be there for the same purpose. Working with the Wu Imperial Dynasty is just an excuse to use the Wu Imperial Dynasty,” Mo Yike said.
Gu Hai nodded.
“Without a wise adviser like Sima Changkong, Teacher Yinyue can only see superficially. He is not like Long Shenwu. He does not even know he is being used as cannon fodder.” Mo Yike smiled.
“Quickly find out the Spirit Mountain Holy Land’s purpose. Also, inform Gao Xianzhi and Kong Xuan to be careful of the Southern Sea Dragon King!” Gu Hai instructed.
“Yes!” Mo Yike nodded.
“By the way, Your Reverence, we just received word today. Long Sanqian appeared in the Ying Imperial Dynasty.” Mo Yike frowned slightly.
“We got it. Hah! He went to Long Shenying for help! This conflict between father and son is getting more interesting!” Gu Hai smiled.
“Indeed. It would take a lot of effort to capture the Wu Imperial Dynasty if the real Long Shenwu were there. However, Teacher Yinyue does not understand the ways of a sovereign and how to run a nation. He is just speeding up the destruction of the Wu Nation. Even if Long Shenwu takes his body back, it will be too late.” Mo Yike smiled.
------
A palace hall in Ying Divine City, Ying Imperial Dynasty:
Bang!
Long Sanqian smashed the table before him.
“Unfilial son! Unfilial son! You fool! To think you turned our sovereign land so chaotic! Sima Changkong? Hahahahaha! To think you forced Sima Changkong into Gu Hai’s arms! Fool!” Long Sanqian roared in depression.
The documents on the smashed table fluttered to the floor.
Just then, Long Shenying strolled into the palace hall. He glanced at the somewhat frenzied Long Sanqian and picked up a battlefield report.
“Third Younger Brother, there’s no need to get angry. You lost the Wu Imperial Dynasty the moment you lost your body. Even if you get angry, so what? That is no longer your nation,” Long Shenying said indifferently.
Long Sanqian looked at Long Shenying. “You promised to help me get my body back. When? That unfilial son is wasting the foundation I laid. I cannot keep watching. I want to go back! I want to regain control of the Wu Imperial Dynasty!”
“Don’t be impatient. It is almost time. Soon!” Long Shenying said while shaking his head.
“Soon? What do you mean, soon?” Long Sanqian asked, feeling depressed.