Chapter 280 Separation

"Thank you, Great Hero Yan!"

"Great Hero Yan, your great kindness and virtue will never be forgotten by me, Cui, for the rest of my life. I will surely repay you even if I have to tie grass and carry rings!"

Cui Yiting knelt on the ground, filled with sincere gratitude.

The help Yan Chu had given him was akin to the grace of a rebirth; no amount of repayment would be too much.

The other guards watched with some envy.

If only they had such a Meat Pellet as well; they would immediately be able to rank among the top of this world.

"Get up."

Yan Chu waved his hand, signaling that there was no need for such formalities.

"Great Hero Yan, which family are we heading to now?"

Everyone's demeanor was somewhat relaxed.

Now that Yan Chu's cultivation had greatly advanced and Cui Yiting had also opened his Physical Body Divine Treasury, they could move through these lands of Northern Mang with even greater ease.

Yan Chu shook his head and said:

"I can go on my own from here. You should all return to the Great Jin Dynasty."

"Ah? Why?!?"

Upon hearing this, everyone was suddenly bewildered.

The situation was currently excellent. They had just wiped out the Tuoba Clan, and the next clan shouldn't take much effort either. Why did Great Hero Yan want them to leave?

"Great Hero Yan, are you afraid that we will hold you back?"

"Don't worry, we can scatter to the surroundings to scout for enemies for you. If there is an opponent you truly cannot handle, you can leave on your own without worrying about us."

"That's right, Great Hero Yan. There are some small-fry you might not want to dirty your hands with; you can let us clean them up."

Everyone chimed in. Even Luo Jin and Princess Yunshu looked over curiously, unwilling to leave just like that.

Yan Chu raised his hand to press down, saying slowly:

"The current situation in the Great Jin Dynasty is unstable."

"Just now, I peered at the Qi from afar and saw that the Luck of the Imperial Court above the capital was unstable. In the Central Prefecture, battle Qi was soaring to the heavens. I estimate that the rebel army of Xue Bai has likely already reached the Central Prefecture. The situation for the Great Jin Imperial Court is not looking very good."

"You won't be of much use following me, so you might as well return first and see if you can assist the Imperial Court in resisting the rebel army."

That Heavenly King Xue had some grudges with him.

Back then, the Buddha Son of the Lantuo Temple died by his hand, so he would certainly not let the matter rest.

Yan Chu naturally did not want to see the other side win.

Moreover, it was indeed as he had said; these people were of no use following him.

On the contrary, he was more at ease alone, able to do whatever he wanted.

Being with them, he still had to be mindful of his image.

After all, he was an expert now, and these people called him Great Hero with every breath. Naturally, he felt embarrassed to do things that didn't befit his status.

As soon as Yan Chu said this, the expressions of the Prince of Zhenbei and the others changed slightly.

"Great Hero Yan, is this true? The rebel army of Xue Bai has reached the Central Prefecture? How is that possible?"

"The Imperial Court still has the experts from the Imperial Family, the two great noble families of the Yuwen Family and the Xiao Family, as well as the Qingyang Palace and the Hanging Temple. Xue Bai cannot possibly be a match for these two great Holy Lands of Buddhism and Daoism!"

Yan Chu shook his head and said:

"The Qi I observed is exactly as such. Moreover, the Buddhist Luck behind Xue Bai is incredibly prosperous. I estimate that there is a high probability that the Hanging Temple has sided with him."

"As for what exactly is happening, you will have to see for yourselves once you return."

The expressions of Li Shuoting and Pang Chong flickered uncertainly.

They did not doubt Yan Chu's words. With his cultivation, it was not impossible for him to see the changes in the Dynasty's Luck from over a hundred thousand miles away.

Seeing them hesitant, Yan Chu continued:

"Alright, no need to hesitate. Alone, I can advance or retreat freely in Northern Mang. If I want to leave, no one in this world can stop me."

"This..."

Li Shuoting hesitated for a moment, then nodded heavily and said:

"Alright!"

"I, Li, will never forget the great kindness Great Hero Yan has shown to our Imperial Court and the fallen soldiers of Longsheng Pass!"

"My previous promise remains valid. Once the Imperial Court's crisis is resolved, I will come to find Great Hero Yan to serve as your servant, at your beck and call."

Cui Yiting took the opportunity to say:

"Great Hero Yan, let me follow you! Anything you find inconvenient to do, you can leave to me."

Yan Chu shook his head.

"I do have a task for you, but it requires you to return to Cangzhou Prefecture in the Great Jin Dynasty."

Based on what Yan Chu had seen, the situation of the Great Jin Imperial Court seemed grim. Not only was there the Buddhist influence behind Xue Bai, but an unusual aura had also risen from the south.

It seemed the Great Jin Dynasty was truly about to descend into chaos.

During such a time of disorder, although he had arranged for many Supreme Grandmasters of the Evil Path in the World Society, the lack of a Heavenly Human to sit in command still made him unable to feel at ease.

Yan Chu intended to have Cui Yiting go to the World Society to protect Su Zhirou and the others.

After hearing Yan Chu's arrangement, Cui Yiting nodded immediately.

"Alright! I will definitely guard the World Society well and never let the World Society suffer any harm!"

Yan Chu's kindness to him was too great; the grace of imparting the Dao was no less than the grace of being born and raised.

Although he was still a general of the Imperial Guard, at such a time, naturally, Yan Chu's matters took priority.

He alone could not change any aspect of the situation.

Yan Chu then looked at the other guards and said:

"If you all have extra strength, please go to the World Society to assist. I will definitely reward you generously in the future."

Upon hearing this, the other guards were delighted and cupped their hands one after another.

"We will definitely keep Great Hero Yan's order in mind!"

"Rest assured, Great Hero Yan, I, Old Liu, will never let a single hair on the people of the World Society be harmed!"

"You can rest easy, Great Hero Yan..."

"..."

They had all witnessed Yan Chu's methods. If they could obtain a Meat Pellet from him, there was a high probability they could also open their Divine Treasury and achieve the status of a Heavenly Human.

This was something countless people dreamed of.

Therefore, at this moment, they had cast the Imperial Court to the back of their minds.

Pang Chong's eyes flickered to the side, while Li Shuoting's expression remained unchanged.

Although the Great Jin Imperial Court was in crisis, at this moment, only Heavenly Humans could play a decisive role; Supreme Grandmasters were, conversely, not as important as they used to be.

This was the reason why Heavenly Humans were called the pillars of the nation.

Because they could truly influence the balance of power between nations, representing the absolute Peak combat strength of this world.

"Fellow Daoist Luo, what about you? Are you coming back with us?"

Li Shuoting looked at Luo Jin.

Although he was a rough man, he could still see that the atmosphere between Yan Chu and Luo Jin seemed somewhat subtle.

Luo Jin gently shook her head and said:

"I am under the orders of the Empress Dowager to follow by Yan Chu's side, so I will not be returning with you."

Li Shuoting raised an eyebrow. Was it really on the orders of the Empress Dowager? Not because of anything else?

However, he didn't say anything, as Yan Chu seemed to have no objection.

"What about you, Yunshu? Why don't you come back with me? In any case, the so-called marriage alliance is now a name without reality."

"Once you return to the Great Jin Dynasty, there will still be people to protect and take care of you."

Princess Yunshu's gem-like eyes scanned the two sides for a long while before she smiled and said:

"Imperial Uncle, I think I will stay by Aunt Luo's side."

"You are all grown men; it would be inconvenient for me to do anything. It is more comfortable following Aunt Luo."

"Besides, with Great Hero Yan here, who in the world could hurt me? Why would I need anyone else's protection?"

...

Watching the Prince of Zhenbei and the others disappear into the horizon, Yan Chu frowned and looked at Princess Yunshu.

"What are you staying for?"

In fact, he didn't even want to bring Luo Jin along, but since she had spoken, Yan Chu had no suitable reason to refuse.

Moreover... he had switched to practicing the new Nine Yang Divine Art, and now his internal heat was very intense. He had to admit that he needed to cool down his internal heat recently.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be very healthy for his body and mind.

Princess Yunshu staying behind—wasn't that just being a third wheel?

Furthermore, even if she wasn't a third wheel but rather a good sister to Luo Jin, this would only increase the difficulty of things and wouldn't be good for either side.

The previous examples of Zheng Wan and She Manman were cases in point.

She Manman had been watched over by Zheng Wan while growing up, so their relationship was needless to say—it was no exaggeration to say they were as close as mother and daughter.

But during those few days in Tongzhou Prefecture, the two women who had intimate relationships with him were constantly jealous and competing in front of him, arguing from the room to the courtyard, and from the window to the dressing table, giving him a massive headache.

When there are many women, that's just the kind of trouble it brings!

Seeing that Yan Chu's tone was unpleasant, Princess Yunshu's eyes immediately turned red. Her large, black-gem-like eyes filled with tears, and she looked as if she were about to cry, saying:

"W-what's wrong? Yunshu just wants to stay with Aunt Luo. Does this bother Great Hero Yan in any way?"

"If you find it inconvenient, why not just throw Yunshu here on the Northern Mang wilderness and let Yunshu fend for herself?"

Yan Chu glanced at her sideways.

This woman was indeed peerlessly beautiful, possessing a face that could captivate anyone. Crying like this, she truly stirred pity in one's heart.

But Yan Chu knew that this princess, while looking gentle and obedient, was actually full of little schemes.

Being able to grow up in the deep palace and, relying on beauty that far surpassed others, winning the praise of so many court officials—how could she be as she appeared?

Seeing that her tears had already soaked her sleeves yet Yan Chu remained unmoved, Princess Yunshu couldn't help but grit her teeth in secret.

"Damn Yan Chu, he doesn't know how to cherish the fairer sex at all."

She simply hugged Luo Jin's arm and began to cry softly.

"Alright, alright!"

Luo Jin stroked her soft and smooth long hair and comforted her softly:

"With me here, how could I let you fend for yourself?"

"No matter when, I will take you with me. Be good, stop crying, okay?"

Hearing Luo Jin's comfort, Princess Yunshu finally stopped crying with a sob.

Her skin, as tender and white as mutton-fat jade, took on a hint of a flush due to her emotional agitation, making her truly stunningly beautiful.

A national beauty, truly well-deserved.

Even Luo Jin, as a woman, felt endless pity and tightly held her delicate hand, comforting her incessantly.

She took the opportunity to blame Yan Chu:

"What does it matter to bring the Princess along? You don't have to take care of her; I will take care of her myself."

"Do as you please!"

Yan Chu shook his head, flew directly into the air, and vanished into the clouds.

Seeing this, Luo Jin hurriedly took Princess Yunshu into the air and followed Yan Chu, asking:

"Where are we going now?"

"To the Murong Clan!"

Yan Chu said indifferently:

"Someone is waiting for us there. It's perfect to solve everything once and for all and take complete control of Northern Mang!"

"It saves the trouble of having to visit each family one by one; it's too much of a waste of time!"

Just now, besides the High Priest and the Great Black Heavenly Demon Cult, another aura was right there at the Murong Clan.

If Yan Chu's guess was correct, that should be the Khan of Beiman, Luan Di Tianye.

He was not at the Imperial Court now, but had instead gone to the territory of the Murong Clan. The result was self-evident: he had likely anticipated that Yan Chu would head to the five great clans.

In fact, the second family they had initially chosen was indeed the Murong Clan.

Since that was the case, Yan Chu would take the initiative to visit and see how much skill this Khan of Beiman possessed!

...

On the eighteenth of the second month, the Southern Wei general Lu Beixiao led his army across the Xuan River, occupied the entire Southern Prefecture, and then marched north.

The Huzhou Prefecture's Office of the Grand Commander Suppressing the South opened its gates and surrendered.

The Grand Commander Suppressing the South, Xiao Youqi, and the Prime Minister, Xiao Hanwen, changed their allegiances and became core figures of the Southern Wei army.

The army marched under the banner of assisting the Great Jin Dynasty in suppressing the rebellion and protecting the people of the Central Plains, encountering almost no decent resistance, with the prefectures and counties along the way surrendering upon hearing of their approach.

With the Xiao brothers stepping forward, whether it was their past connections in the officialdom or their powerful cultivation at the Heavenly Human realm, no one dared to resist.

Local government offices, like grass on a wall, all surrendered to the Wei army.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the Great Jin Dynasty's fate was exhausted.

As for some powerful Jianghu forces, most were watching coldly, wanting to choose the right moment to enter the fray.

Within just a few days, the army had driven deep into the territory and had already entered Tongzhou Prefecture.

News spread, and the world was shaken.

Although it was expected that Southern Wei would not let go of such a good opportunity and would definitely take action while the Imperial Court was at war with Xue Bai's rebel army, no one expected them to be so fast.

The main reason was that the Office of the Grand Commander Suppressing the South, which served as the southern barrier, surrendered directly, which caught everyone off guard.

After all, the Xiao Family had existed since the founding of the Great Jin Dynasty.

The Old Ancestor of the Xiao Family and the Great Ancestor of the Great Jin Dynasty were as close as brothers back then, and their descendants had all held high positions of power and enjoyed immense favor.

Their betrayal at such a time was tantamount to dealing another heavy blow to the already rotting situation of the Great Jin Dynasty, triggering a chain reaction.

Local governments and Sects everywhere began to unite, raising banners and starting rebellions.

Some did so to settle private scores in the name of assisting the Imperial Court in suppressing the rebellion, attacking everywhere in their respective prefectures and counties. Others, in the name of mourning the people and punishing crimes, denounced the Imperial Court's harsh governance and harm to the people.

In short, the nineteen prefectures of the Great Jin Dynasty had now truly reached the end of the Dynasty; there was war everywhere, and everywhere there were displaced people.

Outside Tongzhou Prefecture, at the She Family's villa.

A standoff was taking place here.

The Governor, She Zhijiu, had eyes as gloomy as water, harboring Killing Intent.

Behind him were a group of officials from the Prefectural Governors Mansion and members of the She Family.

"Wan'er, must we really go to such lengths?"

"That Blade Demon Yan Chu is currently in Northern Mang. What kind of place is Northern Mang? It is a dragon's den and a tiger's lair. Even if he is a Heavenly Human, he cannot expect to gain any advantage in Northern Mang; he might even have already died at the hands of the five great clans."

"If you insist on going down this path to the dark, don't blame me for not considering our past relationship!"

Opposite him, Zheng Wan, dressed in a purple palace gown, stood alone. Her skin was as white and lustrous as jade, and her eyes held a watery glint.

She sighed and said slowly:

"My Lord, you also know that we still have our past relationship, so why must we resort to weapons?"

"You want to go and defect to the Southern Wei army, and I am heading to the World Society in Cangzhou Prefecture. Wouldn't it be better to part on good terms?"

She Zhijiu was silent for a moment.

If he wanted to defect to Southern Wei, he naturally needed capital.

Zheng Wan was a Supreme Grandmaster, and she also had some members of the Shadow Moon Sect behind her. He intended to bring all of them into the Southern Wei army.

"I am doing this for your own good!"

After the silence, She Zhijiu said:

"Now is the main stage for Heavenly Humans. Many Heavenly Humans with two Divine Treasuries are engaged in great battles. A single great battle could cause millions of casualties."

"In the near future, even Peak Heavenly Humans who have opened three Divine Treasuries and achieved the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown may enter the fray."

"Even if Yan Chu is also a Heavenly Human, what role can he play in the current situation?"

"He might even find it hard to protect himself!"