26: Chapter 26 The Crisis of Great Xia, People from Qingyun Sect Arrive!

"Has Big Brother still not come out?"

Inside the Imperial Study, Emperor Xia Yu of the Great Xia Dynasty glared at Commander Qin Hu of the Imperial Guard kneeling below with an ashen face.

Commander Qin Hu knelt on one knee, shook his head, and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this subordinate just rushed back from the Imperial Mausoleum. The Prince... has indeed not yet exited seclusion."

Emperor Xia Yu slammed his fist heavily onto the dragon desk, causing the entire table to tremble.

"It's been two months..." He gritted his teeth. "Almost two whole months! Could it be that Big Brother encountered some difficulty inside? With Big Brother's strength, it shouldn't be..."

"Forget it." Emperor Xia Yu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "If Big Brother hasn't come out, we can only think of a way to stall those people from the Qingyun Sect first, and deal with them after Big Brother returns."

A glint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes: "These bastards, do they really think my Great Xia Dynasty is made of mud? To dare be so bold as to extort the Great Xia Dynasty for tribute!"

The Qingyun Sect, previously due to Xia Jin and the internal power struggle for the position of Sect Master, had no intention of interfering with the Great Xia Dynasty.

But this time, the Qingyun Sect specifically sent people to demand that the Great Xia Dynasty hand over sixty percent of the national treasury's income, and cede three prefectures as the Trial Grounds for the Qingyun Sect's Disciples.

This was not just extortion; this was an attempt to destroy the Foundation of the Great Xia Dynasty!

"Your Majesty," Commander Qin Hu hesitated for a moment before saying in a low voice, "The Elder Zhao Yuankui from the Qingyun Sect who came this time has the cultivation of a Great Grandmaster at the Second Stage, which is manageable. But the youth accompanying him... is very mysterious."

"Even Elder Zhao of the Qingyun Sect is respectful in front of him; I fear his background is not simple!"

"Hmph! So what? No matter who he is," a cold light flashed in Emperor Xia Yu's eyes, "On the land of my Great Xia Dynasty, if you are a Dragon, you must coil; if you are a Tiger, you must crouch! Since the founding of my Great Xia Dynasty, we have never retreated a single step!"

Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside the Imperial Study.

A head eunuch dressed in purple robes walked in hurriedly. Without bothering to salute, he leaned close to Emperor Xia Yu's ear and whispered a few words.

"Bang!"

Emperor Xia Yu stood up abruptly, smashing the teacup beside him into powder with one palm!

"Your Majesty, what happened?" Commander Qin Hu stood up suddenly, his right hand already pressing on the hilt of his Embroidered Spring Blade, waiting for Emperor Xia Yu's order at any moment.

Emperor Xia Yu's face was ashen. After taking a deep breath, he looked at Commander Qin Hu and said, "Those guys from the Qingyun Sect... they actually want me to personally sign the treaty! They even said, 'If you don't arrive before noon, the Great Xia Dynasty will be considered an enemy of the Qingyun Sect, and you will bear the consequences'!"

"Simply bullying us too much!"

A hint of anger also appeared on Commander Qin Hu's face. "Your Majesty, shall we mobilize the Capital Garrison directly! With thirty thousand troops from the Capital Garrison, plus three hundred heavy crossbows, even if that Zhao Yuankui is a Great Grandmaster, he may not be able to escape safely!"

The Capital Garrison was the strongest army guarding the capital of the Great Xia Dynasty, among which were many Martial Artists of the Innate Realm specifically trained by Xia Jin, and they were equipped with heavy crossbows.

With an army of thirty thousand surrounding them, there was indeed a chance to keep behind a Great Grandmaster of the Second Stage.

Emperor Xia Yu was silent for a moment, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes.

"Good! Commander Qin Hu, you immediately order someone to take my imperial decree and mobilize thirty thousand elite troops from the Capital Garrison to secretly surround the Jinghong Villa. Without my signal, do not act rashly."

"As you command!" Commander Qin Hu nodded and turned to leave the Imperial Study.

After Commander Qin Hu left, Emperor Xia Yu glanced at the Imperial Seal on the table and waved his hand at the eunuch beside him: "Prepare the carriage, go to the Jinghong Villa."

Soon, Emperor Xia Yu's dragon carriage stopped in front of the pavilion.

He got off the carriage and looked up at this mansion that originally belonged to the Great Xia Dynasty, but now had the green flag of the Qingyun Sect hanging on the lintel. His expression immediately darkened.

"Hmph! This Qingyun Sect is truly domineering! Let you jump around a bit more; there will be a day when you will cry!"

Emperor Xia Yu took a deep breath, then changed to an indifferent expression before walking in.

At this time, in a gazebo in the Jinghong Villa, an old and a young figure were sitting in front of a stone table playing chess.

The Elder Zhao Yuankui of the Qingyun Sect on the left was just about to place the black piece in his hand. Seeming to sense Emperor Xia Yu entering, he paused slightly, then placed the piece, slowly raised his head, and looked at Emperor Xia Yu with a half-smile.

"Oh, our Emperor Xia has finally arrived? The two of us have been waiting here for half a day. It seems your Great Xia Dynasty still doesn't welcome our Qingyun Sect!"

Elder Zhao spoke with a Yin and Yang tone, not taking Emperor Xia Yu seriously at all.

"That's right, did you only just realize that now?" Emperor Xia Yu's eyes turned cold, and he stood with his hands behind his back.

"You... are you courting death?" Elder Zhao's face stiffened, and then he looked at Emperor Xia Yu with a face full of anger.

For so many years, no one had dared to speak to him like this. What was the emperor of a mere third-level Dynasty in the Eastern Region in front of his Qingyun Sect?

"Elder Zhao, it seems your Qingyun Sect's reputation isn't working very well!" The youth beside him glanced at the arrogant Emperor Xia Yu, then looked at Elder Zhao Yuankui with a hint of mockery on his face.

That's right, this mockery was directed at the Qingyun Sect Elder Zhao Yuankui.

Elder Zhao Yuankui's face instantly darkened to the point of dripping water, but he dared not get angry at the youth beside him; after all, he could not afford to offend the other party's status and position.

Since that was the case, he could only vent his stifled anger on Emperor Xia Yu.

"Good! A good Emperor Xia! If I don't teach you a lesson today, do you really take our Qingyun Sect for a paper tiger?!"

He crushed the black chess piece in his hand and walked towards Emperor Xia Yu step by step. The pressure of the Great Grandmaster even forced Emperor Xia Yu to take a few steps back.

Emperor Xia Yu withstood the pressure, stabilized his figure, and did not retreat an inch. "Is that so? Then I would like to try and see, here in the Great Xia Dynasty, what can you do to me? If you have the guts, kill me!! You old brute, do you dare?"

When Emperor Xia Yu's voice fell, one after another, Imperial Guards dressed in flying fish robes rushed in, instantly surrounding them.

And Commander Qin Hu, holding his Embroidered Spring Blade, blocked in front of Emperor Xia Yu with a lunge.

"Is it done!?" Emperor Xia Yu glanced at Commander Qin Hu.

"Rest assured, Your Majesty, everything is settled, just waiting for your order!" Commander Qin Hu nodded hurriedly.

"Is this your reliance? A bunch of Innate Realm and one Grandmaster Realm of the Second Stage!? Hahahaha, in front of this old man, how are these people any different from ants?"

The corners of Elder Zhao Yuankui's mouth rose slightly, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes seemed to become somewhat cold at this moment.

"Die!"

His figure turned into a gust of wind, the majestic True Qi of a Great Grandmaster of the Second Stage condensed on his right palm, and he was about to slap it towards Emperor Xia Yu's chest.

If this palm landed squarely, let alone Emperor Xia Yu, who only had the cultivation of the Innate Realm of the Second Stage, even an ordinary Grandmaster Realm would be seriously injured.

"Your Majesty, be careful!"

Commander Qin Hu gritted his molars, his eyelids twitching constantly, and he raised his Embroidered Spring Blade and slashed forward.

"Galloping Thunder Blade Technique! Old ghost, today I, Commander Qin Hu, will trade my life for yours!!"

Using the Grandmaster Realm of the Second Stage to hard-shake the Great Grandmaster of the Second Stage!

???

Everyone present was stunned for a moment, even the youth sitting opposite was instantly shocked, his pupils shrinking sharply!

Is there really such a ferocious person in the world?

"Mantis trying to stop a chariot, not knowing life from death!"

Elder Zhao Yuankui looked disdainful, just casually waving his left sleeve.

"Puff—!"

Commander Qin Hu was hit hard, his whole body flew backward uncontrollably, falling onto the rockery several feet away.

And the Qingyun Sect Elder Zhao Yuankui, after brushing Commander Qin Hu away with one palm, his momentum slowed only slightly, but that deadly right palm continued to press directly towards Emperor Xia Yu's chest with undiminished speed!

But just at this moment, a long sword unexpectedly lay between the two.