Chapter 172 - Emperor Shitian's Methods, Rank 1? Ruthless or Sentimental

Bang!

A loud crash echoed as a powerful palm strike landed on Jiang Yuyan.

Her entire body was sent flying through the air.

She slammed hard onto the ground.

Han Imperial Harem, Consort Yu Palace.

Jiang Yuyan looked at the man in the ice mask in front of her with a face full of fear.

"I didn't expect you to have the guts to kill someone I sent!"

Di Shitian questioned coldly with a strange tone.

"God, it was not I who killed him. It was the work of the Han Dynasty's Stitched Cloth Guard."

"How amusing, how very amusing."

"They dare target me directly!"

"And still try to lie to me!"

"What a nerve. After so many years, I've finally met another one. Interesting!"

Though Di Shitian found it amusing, his tone was chilling.

Bang!

He struck out again, his palm slamming into her chest.

Blood spurted from her mouth.

Jiang Yuyan was already injured, and now she was hurt even more.

"I'll ask you one more time. Did you kill him?"

"God, it wasn't me. It was the Stitched Cloth Guard of the Han Dynasty."

Jiang Yuyan gritted her teeth, refusing to confess.

She firmly insisted it was the Stitched Cloth Guard.

Bang!

As soon as she finished speaking, another palm strike landed.

There was no mercy at all. Jiang Yuyan's face turned deathly pale.

"Was it you who killed him?"

"No, it was the Stitched Cloth Guard!"

Bang!

Another strike followed.

Every bone and meridian in Jiang Yuyan's body shattered completely.

In an instant, she became a cripple.

Her heart was filled with endless despair and unwillingness.

She had thought Di Shitian might show mercy, but he had actually formed the intent to kill her.

She was utterly unreconciled.

There were still so many things she hadn't accomplished!

She still wanted to unify the sixteen provinces and let the world know that Jiang Yuyan was no weaker than any man.

What a pity!

"This is your last chance. Did you kill him?"

"No. It was the Stitched Cloth Guard of the Han Dynasty!"

Bang!

The final palm strike landed on Jiang Yuyan's chest.

She felt a surge of unbearable pain, and darkness rushed in.

Was she really going to die just like this?

She felt so unwilling!

The next moment, she fell completely into darkness.

Di Shitian frowned slightly as he looked at Jiang Yuyan's lifeless body.

He began to doubt himself.

Could he have been wrong?

"God, Jiang Yuyan is dead!"

"Could it really be, as she said, that it was the Stitched Cloth Guard who did it?"

A member of Heaven Gate, who had been secretly watching Jiang Yuyan, stepped forward, examined her body, and spoke with some doubt.

"Hahaha, interesting!"

"This woman's cunning surpasses even my expectations."

"She is a rare talent!"

"A female warlord seen once in a century!"

"A fine chess piece."

"It's a pity she had to die just like that."

"Whether she did it or not no longer matters now."

Di Shitian laughed loudly, then in a flash appeared beside the corpse.

He reached out and gently tapped her.

A surge of immense power struck Jiang Yuyan's body.

In the next moment, to everyone's shock, Jiang Yuyan's once motionless heart began to beat again.

Not only that, Her shattered bones and meridians were rapidly restored by a mysterious energy.

Her pale face regained its color.

It was as if she had never been injured or died.

==========

"I'm still alive?"

Opening her eyes again, Jiang Yuyan saw the ice-masked man who filled her with fear and hatred.

She immediately knelt down and bowed in gratitude.

First, she had to preserve her life.

She knew when to bend and when to rise.

One day, when the time was right, she would repay this humiliation a hundredfold.

Though her heart burned with hatred, none of it showed on her face.

Instead, she wore a submissive and respectful expression.

"Thank you, God, for sparing my life!"

"Do you know why I didn't kill you?"

"You must have found out I was innocent, so you spared me!"

"Hmph!"

Di Shitian snorted coldly.

Even now, she was still lying to him.

However, she truly was a valuable piece.

"I will give you a mission. If you complete it well, you can live."

"If you fail, then there's no need for you to exist."

Di Shitian said.

==========

Ming Dynasty Territory.

Outside of Phoenix Nest.

Zhu Houzhao sat cross-legged on the peak of a nearby mountain.

He was meditating on the Myriad Dao Immortal Physique gifted by the Heaven Dao.

His comprehension of various profound arts had increased dozens of times over.

As always, the Heaven Dao Reward did not disappoint.

However, what puzzled him was that he hadn't obtained Rank 1.

Who was ranked number one on the Cultivation Technique Ranking?

Was there truly someone in Nine Provinces stronger than him?

Impossible!

Even those ancient monsters who had lived for thousands of years couldn't have a technique superior to his.

So who could it be?

While he was still wondering, the ranking in the sky began to refresh.

The final name was about to be revealed.

Zhu Houzhao's body trembled slightly.

His eyes were locked tightly on the sky.

Line by line, words appeared.

[Cultivation Technique Ranking – Rank 1]

[Heaven Emperor Scripture]

[Creator: Su Haotian]

[Cultivation: Great Perfection God Demon Realm]

[Description: The Heaven Emperor Scripture was created by Su Haotian, based on the core technique "Emperor God-Sealing Technique", integrating countless divine Martial Techniques with supreme talent and comprehension. Though unfinished and currently only a fragment, it is a Half-Step Supreme Venerable-Grade technique]

[Reward: Saint-Grade Divine Ability – Eyes of Heaven Emperor (one hundred percent compatibility with Heaven Emperor Scripture)]

Pfft!

Zhu Houzhao nearly choked!

What kind of joke was this?

Heaven Emperor Scripture?

Su Haotian?

Wasn't that his own avatar?

He had founded the Vast Sea Dynasty under the name Su Haotian.

The Heaven Emperor Scripture was a technique he had tried to create for Emperors.

Unfortunately, halfway through, he realized that the technique severely affected his mindset.

Ruthless, decisive, emotionless.

Even Zhu Houzhao himself found it terrifying.

It completely clashed with his nature.

He still wanted to enjoy a carefree life!

He had so many soulmates who needed his care and affection.

If he cultivated the Heaven Emperor Scripture, he would be consumed by ambition and conquest.

How would he be any different from Ying Zheng, Li Shimin, or Temujin then?

That was not what he wanted.

So when he sensed the "flaw" in the Heaven Emperor Scripture, he immediately abandoned it.

He never expected the Heaven Dao would rank it first.

The Azure Lotus Immortal Scripture was based on the Azure Lotus Sword Classic.

The Heaven Emperor Scripture was based on the Emperor God-Sealing Technique.

In Zhu Houzhao's heart, the potential of the Azure Lotus Immortal Scripture was no weaker than the Heaven Emperor Scripture.

In fact, it fully served his own will.

It did not alter his heart or nature.

In his judgment, the Azure Lotus Immortal Scripture was a sentimental technique, while the Heaven Emperor Scripture was a ruthless one.

The Azure Lotus Immortal Scripture was simply a better fit for him.

==========

Sui Imperial Palace.

"Su Haotian? Who is that?"

Yang Guang's eyes were full of confusion.

Another name he had never heard before.

And yet this person had surpassed that brat Zhu Houzhao?

Could he be that one and only Sage Realm being?

No, that couldn't be right.

The ranking showed his realm was Great Perfection God Demon Realm.

So he wasn't Sage Realm.

Then who exactly was he?

What was his background?

Could he possibly be used by me?

==========

Han Dynasty, Heaven Gate Headquarters.

"Damn it, another Great Perfection God Demon Realm cultivator has appeared?!"

"Who is it?"

"Why has this God never heard of him before?!"

Di Shitian was filled with unwillingness.

This won't do!

He must slay the dragon and seize the Dragon Essence as soon as possible to enhance his strength.

Otherwise, sooner or later, he would fall at the hands of these God Demon Realm cultivators.

Since the appearance of the Golden Ranking, this world has become more and more unfamiliar.

Now, even Sage Realm cultivators were emerging.

If one of them decided to deal with him, he would have no way to escape.

He had to reach the Sage Realm as soon as possible in order to protect himself, and to continue enjoying the mortal world as he pleased.

Inside the main hall, besides Luo Xian, Jiang Yuyan had also been brought here by Di Shitian.

It seemed he intended to make great use of her.

"Luo Xian, have you found out how the news about the Dragon Essence got leaked?"

"Now the entire Nine Provinces knows the Divine Dragon is about to appear."

"They also know about the Dragon Essence."

"This is outrageous."

"There must be a traitor within Heaven Gate!"

As he spoke, Di Shitian glared sharply at Luo Xian.

Luo Xian's expression changed slightly and she quickly replied.

"God, I swear I did not leak this. Please investigate clearly!"

"Hmph, of course you don't have the courage to reveal this God's secrets!"

"But that doesn't mean others wouldn't."

"Send out the order immediately. All Heaven Gate disciples who know about the Dragon Essence, kill them all, leave no one alive!"

Di Shitian gave the cold order.

"God, kill them all? Most of them must be innocent!"

Luo Xian was in disbelief.

There were at least a hundred people who knew this information.

Kill them all?

Those were loyal disciples cultivated by Heaven Gate over many years.

"It doesn't matter. Better to kill three thousand by mistake than to let one go!"

"The traitor is among those hundred."

"This god has no time to investigate one by one."

"Kill them all!"

"End it once and for all!"

For Di Shitian, killing a hundred or so people was as easy as crushing a nest of ants.

His tone was calm, without the slightest emotion.

"This..."

Luo Xian hesitated and wanted to persuade him, but knew it was useless.

Seeing her hesitation and reluctance, Di Shitian snorted coldly.

He didn't say anything more.

Instead, he turned his gaze to Jiang Yuyan beside her.

Then issued the command.

"You will handle this matter. Killing those hundred is the first task I give you."

Both Luo Xian and Jiang Yuyan were shocked.

"God!"

"God, I..."

Di Shitian immediately cut her off.

"What? You're not happy about it?"

"You cultivate the Spirit Devouring Demon Exercise. You can use them to increase your power. Take it as a reward for completing your task!"

Upon hearing this, Luo Xian's expression changed slightly.

She glanced deeply at Jiang Yuyan.

She said nothing more and fell silent.

Speak less, observe more.

She now felt some doubt about Di Shitian's behavior.

He was willing to sacrifice loyal subordinates cultivated for years just to train Jiang Yuyan.

That woman was clearly not someone easy to control.

If she ever turned on him in the future, Di Shitian would have nowhere to cry.

From her, Luo Xian sensed a strong threat.

Though her current strength was inferior to Luo Xian's, she dared not underestimate her.

She had to report this to her new master.

He needed to keep a close eye on this woman.

In the future, she might become a great disaster.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

List of Characters:

Number One Under Heaven ( 天下第一 )

・Zhu Houzhao ( 朱厚照 ) — Emperor of Ming Dynasty

Great Tang Twin Dragons Legend ( 大唐双龙传 )

・Yang Guang ( 杨广 ) — Emperor of Sui Dynasty

Xiao Yu'er and Hua Wuque ( 小鱼儿与花无缺 )

・Jiang Yuyan ( 江玉燕 ) — Illegitimate Daughter of Jiang Biehe

Wind and Cloud ( 风云 )

・Di Shitian ( 帝释天 ) — Master of Heaven Gate