46: Chapter 46 The Empress's Request

The main hall was not large, decorated simply yet solemnly. A complete map of the Zhongyuan Region hung on the wall, marked with red and blue arrows. Red represented the Tiandao Sect's forces, and blue represented the Three Imperial Dynasties Alliance. The red arrows pointed from all directions toward the blue area, which was compressed in the middle like a lion besieged by a pack of wolves.

Empress Yan Wuji stood before the map, her back to Chen Yuanji. She was not wearing her dragon robes, having changed into a plain-colored martial outfit with her hair tied high. She looked less like an emperor and more like a general about to set out on a campaign.

"The Tiandao Sect has operated in the Zhongyuan Region for over a thousand years; their roots are deep," she said, pointing to the red areas on the map. "Their influence spans the five great imperial dynasties, with informants and hidden agents in every single one. Although Great Yan, Great Chu, and Great Zhou have formed an alliance, our internal ranks are not clean."

Chen Yuanji stood behind her, looking at the map. "What do you want me to do?"

Empress Yan Wuji turned around and looked at him. "I want you to kill someone."

"Who?"

"The Tiandao Sect's Grand Elder, Sikong Sheng."

Chen Yuanji was silent for a moment. "What is Sikong Sheng's Realm?"

"The Tribulation Transformation Realm." Empress Yan Wuji's expression was calm, as if she were speaking of a trivial matter. "He is the Tiandao Sect's only Tribulation Transformation Realm expert and has lived for over a thousand years. He is the Tiandao Sect's stabilizing pillar; as long as he lives, the Tiandao Sect will not fall."

"You want me, a Half-Step Divine Realm, to kill someone in the Tribulation Transformation Realm?"

"Not right now," Empress Yan Wuji shook her head. "Going now would be certain death. But what about the future? Your rate of progress is the fastest I have ever seen. A year ago, you were a waste with a withered yuan pulse, and now you are already at the Half-Step Divine Realm, capable of defeating Zhou Xuanji of the Middle Stage Void-Piercing Realm. In another year, will you be able to defeat someone in the Tribulation Transformation Realm?"

Chen Yuanji did not answer, for he did not know himself. The God Realm was a threshold; crossing it led to a whole new world, while failing meant being stuck before the gates forever. And the Tribulation Transformation Realm was a major Realm higher than the Void-Piercing Realm; the gap was like a heavenly chasm.

"Are you confident?" Empress Yan Wuji asked.

"No," Chen Yuanji spoke truthfully, "but I will do my best."

Empress Yan Wuji nodded and pulled a Jade Slip from her robes, handing it to him. "This contains all of the Tiandao Sect's strongholds in the Zhongyuan Region, including their troop deployments, lists of experts, and defensive weaknesses. It took the Tianji Pavilion three years to gather this intelligence, at the cost of seventeen lives."

Chen Yuanji took the Jade Slip and tucked it away. "What do you need me to do?"

"Uproot these strongholds," Empress Yan Wuji pointed at the red marks on the map, "one by one, like pulling nails. The Tiandao Sect's influence in the Zhongyuan Region is too great; we cannot defeat them in a head-on battle, so we can only erode them from the flanks. Acting alone, your target profile is small and not easily discovered. Furthermore, your martial arts do not rely on Yuan Force, so the Tiandao Sect's Yuan Force Detection Formations will be ineffective against you."

Chen Yuanji looked at the red marks on the map; they were densely packed, at least a hundred of them. "How long will it take?"

"One year," Empress Yan Wuji said. "I will give you one year. After a year, regardless of how many you have uprooted, you must return. At that time, the Three Imperial Dynasties Alliance will launch a general offensive against the Tiandao Sect."

Chen Yuanji was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Fine."

Empress Yan Wuji breathed a sigh of relief. Although she appeared calm, she was actually uncertain. Chen Yuanji was her trump card; if he had not agreed, she wouldn't have even a ten percent chance of winning this war.

"What do you need?" she asked. "Weapons, Medicinal Pills, intelligence, manpower—whatever you say, I will give it to you."

"I don't need anything," Chen Yuanji said. "Just give me a detailed route map."

Empress Yan Wuji took the map down from the wall, spread it on the table, and marked a route with a red pen. "This is the route I drafted after consulting with the Tianji Pavilion. Starting from the Great Yan border, move from south to north, taking them down one by one. There is detailed intelligence on every stronghold. Memorize it, then destroy the Jade Slip; do not keep it on your person."

Chen Yuanji committed the route on the map to memory and then returned the map to Empress Yan Wuji.

"When do I set out?"

"The sooner the better."

"Then tomorrow."

Empress Yan Wuji looked at him, appearing as if she wanted to say more but hesitated.

"Is there something else?" Chen Yuanji asked.

"Yes." Empress Yan Wuji hesitated for a moment. "Beware of the Jiang Clan."

Chen Yuanji frowned. "Does the Jiang Clan have a connection with the Tiandao Sect?"

"Yes," Empress Yan Wuji said. "The Jiang Clan is the most mysterious branch of the Seven Ancient Clans. They never participate in the struggles between Imperial Dynasties, but they have been secretly supporting the Tiandao Sect. The Jiang Clan contributed greatly to the Tiandao Sect's ability to overthrow the Martial Dao Divine Court."

Chen Yuanji's fist tightened slightly. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because the blood of the Jiang Clan flows through your veins." Empress Yan Wuji looked at him. "Your yuan pulse was not withered; it was sealed by the Jiang Clan. This Seal is both a shackle and a protection. Once it is undone, the Jiang Clan will be able to sense your location, and then they will stop at nothing to capture you."

"Capture me for what?"

"The Ancestor of the Jiang Clan's life is coming to an end, and she needs a Bloodline successor to inherit her power." Empress Yan Wuji paused. "As a direct descendant of the Jiang Clan's Bloodline, you are the most suitable successor. But the process of inheritance will cost you your life."

Chen Yuanji was silent for a long time. "I understand."

Empress Yan Wuji said nothing more. She turned and walked out of the main hall. When she reached the door, she stopped without looking back. "Chen Yuanji, come back alive."

"I will."

Empress Yan Wuji walked out of the manor and boarded her carriage. The carriage slowly drove away, disappearing at the end of the long street. Chen Yuanji stood at the entrance of the main hall, watching the direction the carriage had gone for a long time. The Jiang Clan, the Tiandao Sect, the Tribulation Transformation Realm, the God Realm—these terms swirled in his mind like a tangled mess. He took a deep breath, suppressed these distracting thoughts, and went back to his room to begin preparing for tomorrow's journey.

The next morning, before dawn, Chen Yuanji led his Wuzhui Horse out of the city gates. Elder Xuan stood on the city wall, watching his back disappear into the morning mist. "This kid is looking more and more like I did back then," he murmured.

Beside him, Shen Wuchang took a sip of wine and rolled his eyes at him. "You weren't nearly as good at fighting as he is back then."

"That's true." Elder Xuan uncharacteristically did not argue. "He is the most talented Martial Artist I have ever seen, without exception."

"Compared to those Martial Gods of the Martial Dao Divine Court?"

"I don't know." Elder Xuan shook his head. "But the path he is walking is exactly the same as the Martial Dao Divine Court's. Perhaps he is the Reincarnation of a Martial God."

Shen Wuchang did not respond and continued drinking. Outside the city gates, Chen Yuanji rode the Wuzhui Horse southward along the official road. The first stop was a small town on the border of Great Yan, where there was a Tiandao Sect stronghold guarded by two experts in the Shentong Realm and over a dozen in the Guiyuan Realm.

"Two in the Shentong Realm, over a dozen in the Guiyuan Realm," Chen Yuanji calculated mentally. "It shouldn't be difficult."

He touched the martial gods heart in his chest; the heart was beating, steady and powerful. The Wuzhui Horse let out a neigh, its four hooves flying as it galloped away, leaving a trail of dust.