68: Chapter 67 A Lonely City in the Wasteland

Great Yan Imperial Calendar, the fifth day of the third month of yuanchun.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan and his party of seven turned north from the border of Great Qin and entered a wilderness. This was a blank zone at the intersection of the three nations: Great Xia, Great Qin, and Great Yan, with no signs of human life for a thousand miles. No grass grew on the ground, no birds flew in the sky, and even the wind felt dead. Legend has it that during the ancient era, the Heavenly Emperor and an Evil God fought a decisive battle here; the Evil God fell, and the Heavenly Emperor was gravely wounded. The Heavenly Emperor's blood spilled upon this land, and from then on, not a single blade of grass would grow. After that decisive battle, the Heavenly Emperor built an altar here to Seal the remnant soul of the Evil God. Later, the Heavenly Emperor fell, the altar was abandoned, and it was gradually forgotten by the world.

Prince Ying Zheng, 4th Prince of Daqin Empire reined in his horse and pointed ahead: "Your Highness, three hundred miles further north is the Great Xia Ancestral Land."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded and was about to speak when Jiang Ziya suddenly said: "Someone is coming."

Everyone looked up. On the northern horizon, a black shadow approached from afar at an astonishing speed. Moments later, the shadow landed before them—a white-haired old man with a lean, refined face and an unfathomable aura. True God Great Perfection. An Old Ancestor of Great Xia.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan's heart tightened. Why would one of the three Old Ancestors of Great Xia be here? Shouldn't they be in the Great Xia Imperial Capital?

The old man looked at Crown Prince Xiao Xuan, his gaze as calm as water: "The Crown Prince of Great Yan?"

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan nodded: "Indeed."

The old man said: "I am Ancestor Xia Yuan, an Old Ancestor of Great Xia. His Majesty sent me to invite Your Highness." He paused, "Not to invite you to the Great Xia Imperial Capital, but to invite you to go back."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan raised an eyebrow: "Go back? Back where?"

Ancestor Xia Yuan said: "Back to the Great Yan. This war must not be fought."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan looked at him and suddenly smiled: "Senior, what if I say no?"

Ancestor Xia Yuan remained silent for a moment before slowly saying: "Then I will have to offend you." He raised his hand, and a vast amount of spiritual energy condensed in his palm. A full-strength strike from a True God Great Perfection was enough to level a small mountain. But his hand did not descend. Because General Xiang Yu had acted.

The tiger-headed coiling dragon halberd was held across Ancestor Xia Yuan's front, the blade pressed against his throat. The icy touch of the metal made his entire body stiffen. General Xiang Yu stood behind him, expressionless.

"Try moving, just once," General Xiang Yu's voice was very calm.

Ancestor Xia Yuan was an established True God Great Perfection who had lived for eight thousand years. But he could feel—this person's aura was stronger than his. Not just a little stronger, but much stronger. Both were True God Great Perfection, yet this person stood there like a mountain, like the heavens themselves.

He slowly lowered his hand: "Crown Prince of Great Yan, you win."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan looked at him: "Senior, I do not wish to be an enemy of Great Xia. My target is the Heavenly God. He has taken a fragment of the heavenly emperor seal. Once he recovers his cultivation, the first he will destroy is Great Yan, and the second will be Great Xia. By attacking him, I am helping Great Xia."

Ancestor Xia Yuan was silent for a long time. Then he spoke: "I know. But His Majesty does not know. His Majesty only sees that you want to attack Great Xia; he does not see that you want to attack the Heavenly God."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan said: "Then Senior, go back and tell His Majesty—I am attacking the Heavenly God, not Great Xia. I will not kill a single soldier of Great Xia. I will not occupy an inch of Great Xia's land. I only want the Heavenly God's life."

Ancestor Xia Yuan looked at him for a long time. Then he nodded: "Fine. I will deliver the message." He turned to leave, but after a few steps, he suddenly stopped, "Your Highness, I have something to say, though I do not know if it is appropriate."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan said: "Senior, please speak."

Ancestor Xia Yuan said: "The Heavenly God is in the Heavenly God Realm; you are not his match. The one beside you—" He glanced at Jiang Ziya, "Though he is strong, he cannot kill the Heavenly God. The Heavenly God holds a fragment of the heavenly emperor seal, a relic of the Heavenly Emperor. On this land, no one can kill him."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan did not speak. After Ancestor Xia Yuan finished, his figure flickered and disappeared into the horizon.

Prince Ying Zheng, 4th Prince of Daqin Empire walked to Crown Prince Xiao Xuan's side: "Your Highness, his words—"

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan interrupted him: "I know. He can't be killed. But I can drive him away. Drive him away so he has no place for closed-door cultivation. Then he will forever remain at the Heavenly God Realm Early Stage. Against a Heavenly God at the Heavenly God Realm Early Stage, Master Jiang can suppress him with one hand."

Prince Ying Zheng, 4th Prince of Daqin Empire was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Your Highness, you are truly bold."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan also laughed: "If I weren't bold, how could I be the Crown Prince?"

Three hundred miles away, at the Great Xia Ancestral Land. The Heavenly God sat cross-legged in the center of the altar, the fragment of the heavenly emperor seal floating before him, glowing with golden light. He suddenly opened his eyes and looked south. He felt it—in that direction, there were two fragments of the heavenly emperor Seal. They were together, getting closer and closer.

"They've come," he murmured to himself, a cold sneer appearing on his lips. He stood up, and the fragment of the heavenly emperor seal fell into his hand. The golden light flared intensely, illuminating the entire altar.

His cultivation was rising—Heavenly God Realm Early Stage Peak. He was just one step away from the Heavenly God Realm Middle Stage. But he could not take that step. Because time had run out. He needed two months, but Crown Prince Xiao Xuan had given him less than one.

He put away the fragment and walked out of the altar. Outside was the wilderness. Standing on the wilderness was one person—Jiang Ziya. With white hair and a white beard, his Daoist robes fluttering, a fishing rod held horizontally in his hand. He just stood there like an ancient pine tree.

The Heavenly God looked at him, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "You've come to seek death?"

Jiang Ziya shook his head: "I have come to see you off."

The Heavenly God sneered, and the fragment of the heavenly emperor seal lit up in his hand. The golden light transformed into a sharp sword, stabbing toward Jiang Ziya. A full-strength strike from the Heavenly God Realm Early Stage Peak was enough to tear through space. Jiang Ziya did not dodge; with a gentle flick of his fishing rod, the golden sword of light was deflected, shooting into the sky and disappearing.

The Heavenly God's expression changed. He was at the Heavenly God Realm Early Stage Peak, while Jiang Ziya was at the Heavenly God Realm Perfection. A difference of three minor Realms was like the distance between heaven and earth.

"You—" Just as he spoke, Jiang Ziya had already moved. The fishing rod swept across, and an invisible force struck the Heavenly God, sending him flying and crashing into the altar. Half of the altar collapsed, sending stone fragments flying. The Heavenly God crawled out from the rubble, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth, but he still held the fragment of the heavenly emperor seal. With the golden light protecting his body, he would not die.

"An unkillable cockroach," Jiang Ziya said indifferently, swinging his fishing rod once more.

The Heavenly God did not dare to take another hit and turned to flee. He transformed into a streak of golden light, racing toward the north. Jiang Ziya did not pursue, simply watching the golden light disappear into the horizon.

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan walked over from a distance: "Master Jiang, he escaped."

Jiang Ziya nodded: "He escaped. But his path has been blocked."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan was stunned.

Jiang Ziya said: "Three thousand miles to the north, there is an Ancient Teleportation Array. That is his only retreat. I have already sent General Xiang Yu and General Li Yuanba there. They are guarding it; he won't be able to pass."

Crown Prince Xiao Xuan's eyes lit up: "Master Jiang, you had this arranged all along?"

Jiang Ziya smiled slightly: "Your Highness, I have lived for over three thousand years; those years were not spent in vain."

Three thousand miles north of the wilderness. The Ancient Teleportation Array. This was a massive stone platform carved with runes that had already grown dim. Surrounding the stone platform was an ice field. The wind was strong, the snow was thick, and the world was a vast expanse of white.

General Xiang Yu and General Li Yuanba stood beside the stone platform—two men, two weapons. They had already been standing here for three days.

General Li Yuanba rubbed his hands together: "General Xiang, do you think that Heavenly God will come?"

General Xiang Yu looked toward the south: "He will. He has nowhere else to go."

General Li Yuanba grinned: "That's good. I haven't fought a Heavenly God yet."

General Xiang Yu glanced at him: "You aren't his match."

General Li Yuanba was indignant: "How do you know?"

General Xiang Yu said: "The Heavenly God is in the Heavenly God Realm, while you are at the True God Great Perfection. With a difference of a major Realm, you cannot win. But you can stall him. Stall him until Master Jiang arrives, and he won't be able to escape."

General Li Yuanba thought about it and nodded: "Fine. I'll stall him."

General Xiang Yu said nothing more. He gazed toward the south, his eyes deep. In the distance, a golden light flickered across the snowfield, drawing closer and closer.