189: Chapter 190 Those who surrender will not be killed; Western Expeditions and Eastern Conquests

Just as his voice fell, the previously clear sky suddenly became overcast with dark clouds, and a fierce gale began to blow.

"Rumble!"

A bolt of lightning tore across the sky, illuminating the terrified face of Prince Ruyang.

Lu Chen pointed his finger at the sky, his white robes fluttering, looking exactly like an Immortal descending to the world.

"I am originally an exiled Immortal from the heavens; slaughtering the nobles of the Yuan Court is but a trifling matter for me. However, considering the merit of your ancestor Ögedei in his western conquest, I shall spare your life for now."

This voice was not loud, yet it clearly entered the ears of everyone present.

"Whoosh—"

The gale whipped up the dust on the ground, forming a massive vortex that swirled around Lu Chen.

Prince Ruyang was stunned by this sudden supernatural phenomenon; his legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to his knees.

"This... this is..."

He spoke with a trembling voice, pointing at Lu Chen, but could not utter a complete sentence.

"This is the will of Heaven!"

Lu Chen's voice rang out once more, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

He secretly activated his Myriad elephant Treasure Codex to channel the spiritual energy within his body, used the Soul Shifting Great Method to control the minds of the people, and employed the Lion's Roar to shock the entire scene.

"Prince Ruyang has already been captured by me; those who surrender shall not be killed!"

This voice, like the divine sound from the Nine Heavens, accompanied by the thunder and lightning in the sky, exploded over Tongguan Pass.

"Rumble!"

Another bolt of lightning struck down.

"Oh my god!"

"This is Heaven's punishment!"

"Run!"

The Yuan Army soldiers, terrified by this sudden celestial phenomenon and Lu Chen's "Divine Might," were scared to the point of Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering. They threw down their weapons one after another and knelt to surrender.

"Hmph, mere motley crew. My husband is so majestic." Watching the Yuan Army kneeling all over the ground, Yin Susu curled her lip in disdain, her smile blooming like a flower, admiring Lu Chen with total devotion.

"Haha, what does this count for? It is merely a petty trick." Lu Chen waved his hand, his expression calm and indifferent.

"Pass down the order: collect their weapons, reorganize the surrendered troops, and do not disturb the common people!" Lu Chen commanded.

"Yes, Commander!" Yang Xiao, Fan Yao, and others accepted the order and left.

"Rumble!"

The final bolt of lightning struck down, as if it were divine thunder from the Nine Heavens, aiming to blast all evil spirits into dust.

Prince Ruyang felt a "buzz" in his brain, golden stars danced before his eyes, and his legs could no longer support him. With a thud, he collapsed to the ground.

Lu Chen slowly stepped forward and helped him up.

"I know your ancestor was Ögedei, a great ruler of his generation."

Lu Chen paused, his tone becoming meaningful, "It is just a pity that this Central Plains world, in the hands of descendants like Tolui, has become increasingly incompetent."

"Ever since entering the Central Plains, you have been dazzled by this flourishing world and have lost your drive to forge ahead."

"You reuse treacherous officials, and even rely on those semu people to maintain your rule, viewing my Han people as fourth-class citizens, imposing heavy taxes and levies—you have long since lost the hearts of the people!"

Lu Chen's voice was not loud, but every word was like a knife, scraping against Prince Ruyang's face with a burning pain.

He opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found no way to speak.

Because everything Lu Chen said was the truth.

Lu Chen continued: "My Jie Sect has always emphasized the cycle of the Heavenly Dao, where retribution is never missed, and there is always a glimmer of life in all things. Although the fortunes of your Yuan-Mongol are exhausted, there is not entirely no way out."

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of hope flashed in Prince Ruyang's eyes as he looked up at Lu Chen.

"I beg... I beg the Immortal to guide me!"

Once these words left his mouth, he had already acknowledged Lu Chen's identity as an "Immortal."

"You Yuan-Mongol were originally nomadic people from the northern desert, chasing water and grass, with no fixed abode."

Lu Chen said leisurely, "Now, this world is no longer a place for you to linger for long, but the far west has great potential."

"Back then, when Batu conquered the west, he was unstoppable, beating those barbarians until they fled in terror. Had it not been for the sudden death of Ögedei, I fear the entire Europe would have already been incorporated into your Yuan-Mongol territory."

"Now that you Yuan-Mongol have no foothold in the East, why not inherit the will of Batu and continue the western conquest?"

"If you can conquer a vast expanse of territory, the northern desert grasslands will still be the grazing land for your descendants."

"What I promise you, even if Jesus comes, it won't change a thing!"

"But if you are obstinate and attempt to compete with my Han people for this Chinese Celestial Dynasty, that would be seeking your own destruction; you will be wiped out in the blink of an eye."

After Lu Chen finished speaking, he said nothing more, just quietly looking at Prince Ruyang.

A stormy sea was churning in Prince Ruyang's heart.

He had previously witnessed Lu Chen's "Immortal" methods with his own eyes and had long since concluded that this person was definitely no ordinary mortal.

The strength of one person could topple a nation.

His own army of three hundred thousand, in front of this person, was nothing but a motley crew, unable to withstand a single blow.

Furthermore, Lu Chen could summon heavenly thunder; this was clearly the legendary method of an Immortal!

Could it be... that the Great Yuan Dynasty really had exhausted its fortunes and there was no possibility of a comeback?

It was laughable that he had attempted to turn the tide and make an enemy of such an "Immortal"—it was simply like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, overestimating his own strength!

However, what Prince Ruyang never expected was that the glimmer of life left for the Yuan-Mongol by this Lu Chen, who called himself an "exiled Immortal," was actually—a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood!

"Western conquest..."

Prince Ruyang muttered to himself, a trace of confusion flashing in his eyes.

This road of western conquest is not an easy one to walk!

Back then, when Batu conquered the west, although the results were glorious, a huge price was paid.

The current Yuan Dynasty no longer possesses the valor of the past; can it still recreate the glories of those years?

He looked up at Lu Chen, his eyes filled with a trace of uncertainty.

"Immortal... you said the western conquest is the hope for the Yuan-Mongol, then... what about the eastern expedition?"

Prince Ruyang asked cautiously, fearing he might offend this Immortal.

Upon hearing this, the corners of Lu Chen's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a playful smile.

"Eastern expedition?"

He paused, seemingly thinking about how to explain it.

"Prince Ruyang, do you know that in this world, there is something called historical inertia?"

Lu Chen did not answer directly but instead threw out a question.

Prince Ruyang was stunned, obviously not understanding this new term.

"Historical... inertia?" He frowned and repeated it.

"That's right." Lu Chen nodded. "Simply put, it means that things that happened in the past will have an impact on the future."

He pointed to the east. "Your ancestors once destroyed the Jin Dynasty established by the Jurchen Wanyan Aguda, right?"

Prince Ruyang nodded; he certainly knew about this.

"However, you did not destroy them thoroughly." Lu Chen changed the subject. "The remnants of the Jurchen still harbor evil intentions."

He sneered. "These Jurchen are like weeds; they grow again after the spring breeze blows. If not strictly controlled, they will surely become a disaster in the future!"

Prince Ruyang felt a chill in his heart. Although he did not fully understand Lu Chen's meaning, he knew that these Jurchen remnants were indeed a problem.

"As for this second matter..."

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Japanese pirates!"

Lu Chen's voice suddenly rose. "These little dwarves repeatedly invade our Chinese maritime borders, burning, killing, and looting—they commit every evil!"

"Back then, your ancestors twice launched an eastern expedition against the Japanese pirates, but unfortunately, both failed."

He shook his head. "That was because the time was not right."

"And now, the time has come!" Lu Chen's voice was sonorous and powerful, carrying an unquestionable majesty.

"Lead your troops eastward, wipe out the Japanese pirates in one fell swoop, and eliminate future troubles forever!"

He pointed to the distant sea. "This is the true hope for your Yuan-Mongol!"

"If this battle is won, you can not only wash away the shame of the failed eastern expedition of the past, but also secure a glimmer of life for your descendants!"

Lu Chen's words exploded in Prince Ruyang's ears like thunder.

He stood there blankly, his mind in chaos.

Destroy the Jurchen?

Conquer the Japanese pirates?

This... this is simply a fantasy!

But looking at Lu Chen's confident appearance, Prince Ruyang was wavering again.

This "Immortal" seemed truly omnipotent...

"Of course, this road of eastern expedition is not a smooth one either."

Lu Chen seemed to see through Prince Ruyang's thoughts, his tone softening a bit.

"Although the Japanese pirates are a tiny nation, their folk customs are fierce, and they have many warriors; they cannot be underestimated."

"Moreover, this vast ocean is unpredictable; a moment of carelessness could lead to the destruction of ships and loss of lives."

He patted Prince Ruyang on the shoulder. "Therefore, you must make full preparations; you must not underestimate the enemy or advance rashly."

"However..."

Lu Chen changed the subject, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.

"Since I, this Immortal, have said that this is your hope, I will naturally lend you a helping hand."

"As for how to help and when to help, that will depend on your performance."

He stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky, appearing unfathomable.

"Whatever choice you make, it all depends on your single thought!"