Chapter 220 - Hongli's Madness, The Shaman Cult Annihilated, Sword Rain Massacre, A New Ranking Begins
Qing Imperial Palace.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, this is the head of the Third Prince Hongshi!"
"Moreover, all imperial members, ministers, and generals who took part in the rebellion alongside the Third Prince have been completely wiped out!"
The Flying Guillotine Division Leader knelt respectfully before Hongli, holding a wooden box.
"Good, good, very good. You truly didn't let me down!"
Hongli opened the box. Upon seeing Hongshi's severed head, he immediately burst into loud laughter.
From now on, no one would ever question the legitimacy of his imperial bloodline again.
These traitors got what they deserved.
Hmph, merely killing them was too merciful.
He might as well go all the way.
They must be uprooted and exterminated completely.
This time, the Qing Dynasty had suffered an unprecedented catastrophe.
If he failed, so be it. Let the Qing Dynasty be destroyed.
But if he succeeded, his authority would reach unimaginable heights. No one would dare defy him again.
Even if he indulged in reckless slaughter, no one would dare resist.
"All Flying Guillotine Division members, hear this command! Not only those who joined the rebellion, but their entire extended families must not be spared."
"Leave no one alive!"
"Do you understand?"
The Flying Guillotine Division Leader trembled upon hearing this.
How many people would that involve?
And many of them were members of the Imperial Family.
By the time this slaughter was over, there might not be many left in the imperial bloodline.
But he didn't object. His loyalty was to Hongli personally.
Whether or not Hongli was of pure Manchu lineage meant nothing to him.
Moreover, his power and status rose and fell with Hongli.
It was better that the enemies died than themselves.
"Heshen, how's the battlefront?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty's three armies have already broken through more than ten cities in the past few days."
"And that's not even the worst part."
"Within the Qing Dynasty, countless ambitious figures and rebellious forces have raised their flags in defiance."
"The Heaven Earth Association and the Red Flower Association have launched rebellions across various regions."
"Even many Chinese officials and generals have defected to the Ming Dynasty and are now acting as internal collaborators."
Heshen reported everything he had learned without holding anything back.
At this point, he dared not conceal anything.
He feared Hongli might go mad and kill him too.
However, a sense of dread crept into his heart.
It seemed this time, the Qing Dynasty was truly doomed.
He needed to find a way out. He absolutely couldn't die alongside Hongli.
Surprisingly, Hongli didn't react with the expected hysteria, but instead remained extremely calm.
His face was cold as ice.
"Hmph, I anticipated this. In the most critical moment, no one can be trusted."
"Fortunately, I wasn't unprepared."
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Wu Qi Military Tent.
Ge Nie and Wei Zhuang stood respectfully below.
"General Ge Nie, General Wei Zhuang, you two have done well these past days."
"You did not disappoint His Majesty. I will report your achievements to him in full."
"You flatter us, Marshal. No matter how much we accomplish, as long as the Qing Dynasty isn't destroyed, it will all be in vain."
"Good, then let us continue capturing cities. Let's strive to reach the Qing Capital and capture Hongli alive as soon as possible."
"Though our Third Army joined the war last, that doesn't mean we will lose to the First and Second Armies."
"Ge Nie, Wei Zhuang, hear this order. I'll grant you 10,000 more troops. Continue leading the vanguard and storm the cities ahead!"
"I will provide you with backup support!"
Wu Qi was growing impatient.
The armies led by Qi Jiguang and Hua Mulan were achieving victories just as rapidly as his.
In fact, since they had entered the battlefield earlier, they were slightly ahead.
If his army lagged any further, the other two might capture the capital first.
If that happened, he would lose face entirely.
==========
Not only Wu Qi, but Qi Jiguang and Hua Mulan also became highly motivated after hearing that the military sage Wu Qi had joined the war.
They dared not be careless in the slightest.
The pace of their conquests accelerated.
In just three months' time.
Over half of the Qing Dynasty Territory had fallen.
Next would be the core region centered around the capital.
At the same time, the Ming Dynasty's three armies began to encircle Qing Dynasty's remaining forces from all sides.
Their momentum was unstoppable.
The speed of the Qing Dynasty's collapse exceeded all expectations.
Emperors and powers from various nations closely watching the Ming-Qing War were all stunned.
The Ming Dynasty was simply too powerful.
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Besides the Ming Dynasty, another dynasty had drawn equal attention.
Their strength was in no way inferior.
In the past, Yuan Emperor Temujin had never lost a war. His armies were always victorious.
But ever since he encountered the Vast Sea Dynasty, he had never won a single battle.
Under the forces of Han Xin and Yue Fei, even Temujin had suffered repeated defeats.
He had even fled in disgrace.
His reputation built over years crumbled overnight.
This caused him to hate the Vast Sea Dynasty with burning fury.
At the same time, in three months, the territory conquered by the Vast Sea Dynasty was fully under control.
It was fortified to the point of being impenetrable.
It became indistinguishable from the Vast Sea Dynasty's own land.
Even the local civilians, in a short time, changed their allegiance.
They now saw themselves as citizens of the Vast Sea Dynasty.
They had completely discarded their former identity with the Southern Song Dynasty.
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The vast grasslands.
A stretch of green as far as the eye could see.
Suddenly.
Two terrifying figures streaked across the sky.
"Your Majesty, this is the place!"
"When I spared the life of the Shaman Grand Priest of the Shaman Cult, it was precisely to use him to find the true headquarters of the cult."
"The headquarters of the Shaman Cult?"
"That's right. Even their Cult Master is here!"
"Oh? Is that so? Then let's go."
"This time, I will annihilate everything here."
"They dared use plague and pestilence, and that has crossed my bottom line."
"Others might hesitate, but for me, there is zero tolerance."
"No matter how useful they might be, I want none of it."
Zhu Houzhao's face was ice cold, his eyes full of disgust.
When he first met Wu Qi, he had disliked him too.
But in the end, he still brought him under his command as a general.
As for the Shaman Cult, all he felt was pure killing intent.
He had never considered recruiting them.
Even though the cult had many skilled members, including several at the Mythical Realm.
He wasn't interested.
==========
Heaven Wolf Mountain.
It was the headquarters of the Shaman Cult on the grasslands.
Almost all high-ranking members of the cult were present.
Many Shaman followers were patrolling the area.
On guard against unknown threats.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!!
But just then.
A violent storm of sword energy descended like a hurricane.
Nearly a hundred followers were slain instantly by the sword energy.
They didn't even have time to scream. One by one, they dropped dead.
These were merely ordinary members. Killing them was no different from crushing ants.
However, such a powerful attack, especially here at the cult's headquarters.
Immediately alerted the high-ranking members of the Shaman Cult.
One after another, they flew in from all directions.
"Who? Who dares kill members of my Shaman Cult?"
"Outrageous! You're dead! I will tear you to pieces a hundred times over!"
Several old men dressed in animal skins and bizarre clothing, radiating sinister energy, roared in fury.
Their eyes locked viciously onto Zhu Houzhao and Li Chunfeng in the sky.
They looked as if they wanted to rip them apart.
"Chunfeng, do you recognize them?"
"They should be elders of the Shaman Cult. Judging by the foul aura they give off, they've certainly taken many lives."
"Elders, huh? Then they can die."
"Chunfeng, kill them."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Li Chunfeng bowed respectfully and raised his divine sword.
A rain of swords descended.
His God Demon Realm power instantly erupted.
The Shaman elders turned pale, their eyes filled with fear.
That aura was no weaker than that of their Cult Master.
How could this be?
Was he a God Demon Realm cultivator?
Though they were also at the Heavenly Human Realm and considered Land Immortals, the difference between them was enormous.
"Stop! We are elders of the Shaman Cult! If you kill us, are you not afraid of a life-and-death grudge with our Cult Master?"
"Even if you defeat us, what about your family? Your loved ones?"
"Have you considered them?"
One of the elders threatened in a shrill voice, though he was clearly terrified.
Already disgusted by the Shaman Cult's ways, Li Chunfeng snorted coldly.
His sword movements grew even fiercer.
Violent sword energy swept across them.
They were instantly shredded into countless pieces, their bodies completely destroyed.
Even their blood was vaporized.
"Let's go, head in."
Zhu Houzhao walked forward with his hands behind his back, calmly stepping onto the ground.
Any follower they encountered along the way was immediately killed by Li Chunfeng.
He showed no mercy.
By the time the two reached the summit of Heaven Wolf Mountain, nearly all members of the Shaman Cult had been eradicated.
With their level of perception, not a single person had escaped.
Just as they reached the summit, a terrifying burst of fist energy surged violently toward them.
Its target was clearly Zhu Houzhao and Li Chunfeng.
Li Chunfeng's body paused slightly.
With a single slash of his sword, he met the oncoming force head-on.
A horrifying shockwave exploded on impact.
The residual force spread in all directions.
The surrounding environment was completely obliterated into nothingness.
"So it's true... the Shaman Cult Master really is a God Demon Realm cultivator!"
Li Chunfeng took a deep breath.
Fortunately, he had secretly contacted His Majesty beforehand to ensure safety.
Otherwise, if he had come alone, he would have had no chance of defeating this God Demon Realm Cult Master.
He never imagined that deep within the grasslands, such a terrifying being existed.
Even with Zhu Houzhao's vast experience, he had never heard of him before.
Zhu Houzhao's heart sank.
He wondered how many more such terrifying beings might still be hidden in the Nine Provinces.
"Who are you people?"
"Why did you slaughter the members of my cult without reason?"
Surprisingly, the Shaman Cult Master spoke the language of the Nine Provinces.
His pronunciation was clear and precise.
He had clearly lived in the Nine Provinces for quite some time.
"We're the ones who came to kill you. Your Shaman Cult has crossed our bottom line!"
"We came today to claim your head."
"As for the Shaman Cult, there's no reason for it to exist anymore."
"Just the two of you? You really think that being in the God Demon Realm means you can do anything to me?"
"Hmph, today you killed my followers. One day, I will slaughter your families and friends one by one, and leave no one alive!"
"That depends on whether you can escape or not."
Li Chunfeng stared coldly at the man he considered the source of evil.
In the next instant.
He unleashed his strongest attack in an attempt to kill him on the spot.
Unfortunately.
The Shaman Cult Master was a cunning opponent. Realizing the danger.
He only clashed briefly before immediately fleeing into the distance.
"Hahaha! I am a God Demon Realm cultivator. Even if both of you are in the God Demon Realm as well, you still cannot kill me!"
"Just wait. I will have my revenge."
"I will make sure the two of you become completely alone in this world."
"I will make every day of your lives filled with fear."
His wild laughter echoed in the sky as his figure flew into the distance.
"Trying to run?"
Zhu Houzhao sneered.
With a flick of his right palm, a tiny azure lotus appeared.
With a single wave.
The lotus transformed into a streak of azure light, piercing the void at incredible speed.
In an instant, it reached the Shaman Cult Master's chest and shot directly into his body.
Boom!
A terrifying force rampaged through his body.
In the blink of an eye, all his internal organs were destroyed.
His inner energy was obliterated completely.
His body plummeted from the sky.
He crashed hard into the ground.
Creating a deep crater.
He coughed up blood violently, his body twitching uncontrollably.
"You... you... who are you really? A God Demon Realm cultivator shouldn't be able to kill me!"
The Shaman Cult Master was filled with despair.
He had lived for hundreds of years and never imagined he would die so suddenly.
He couldn't accept it.
He had dreamed of immortality!
How could he die here, so inexplicably?
But Zhu Houzhao didn't care what he thought. He struck again with another palm.
With a loud boom.
The palm force landed directly on him.
In an instant, he was reduced to ashes, not even a corpse left behind.
He was completely annihilated.
"Your Majesty, was he really at the God Demon Realm?"
Li Chunfeng swallowed hard, staring at Zhu Houzhao in disbelief.
He knew His Majesty was powerful, but he had never truly understood just how powerful.
This battle had completely changed his perception.
To be honest, he couldn't do anything against the Shaman Cult Master.
Not to mention killing him, he couldn't even land a blow.
But in Zhu Houzhao's hands?
One move.
Instant kill.
Terrifying beyond belief.
No wonder he had built such a vast dynasty.
On top of the Ming Dynasty.
He had even founded the Vast Sea Dynasty in the southern Nine Provinces, which was no less powerful.
Such ability was truly unmatched across the Nine Provinces.
"Let's go. Head to the Shaman Cult's headquarters and see if there's anything of value."
"Take everything."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The two of them began searching the entire Heaven Wolf Mountain and the cult's main stronghold.
They uncovered treasure after treasure, countless invaluable resources.
Li Chunfeng kept only a few of the most precious items.
The rest were collected by Zhu Houzhao into his system space.
They would later be used as rewards for his subordinates.
Once all the spoils were secured, they rose into the sky.
Looking down at the towering Heaven Wolf Mountain, Zhu Houzhao felt only disdain.
He raised a palm and struck down.
In an instant, Heaven Wolf Mountain, once a symbol of the grassland tribes, was wiped from history.
It was reduced to dust.
Swept away by the wind, it became drifting sand, vanishing into the distance.
"Chunfeng, from here on, I leave the remaining Shaman Cult survivors to you!"
"Remember, leave none alive."
"With your God Demon Realm cultivation, dealing with those ants should be effortless."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I understand."
"Good. I'm returning to the Ming Imperial Palace."
"Stay with Yue Fei and the others, and be on guard for ambushes by other God Demon Realm cultivators."
Leaving just those words, Zhu Houzhao turned into a streak of light and vanished.
Even with Li Chunfeng's eyesight, he couldn't see where he had gone.
He was filled with shock and awe at Zhu Houzhao's strength.
Any inappropriate thoughts he might have had vanished without a trace.
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Temujin Military Tent.
"Shaman Grand Priest, why are Yue Fei and Han Xin's armies still standing? Why haven't they been destroyed?"
"Did you not guarantee their defeat to me?"
"The deadline has passed, and nothing has happened!"
Temujin looked displeased at the Shaman Grand Priest.
This man was strong, yes, but even less reliable than Dong Tianbao.
If not for his fear of the Shaman Cult Master behind the Shaman Grand Priest, Temujin would have had him executed already.
Was he being played?
So many resources wasted, and not a single result.
He deserved to die!
"Khan, do not worry. Everything is ready."
"With a single command from me, all the territory occupied by the Vast Sea Dynasty will erupt in plague."
"When that happens, they will collapse without a fight!"
"Is that so?" Temujin asked, half-convinced.
Just as the Shaman Grand Priest was about to respond proudly, a cry came from outside the tent.
A Shaman Cult follower rushed in.
He whispered urgently into the Shaman Grand Priest's ear.
"What? Impossible! How could the Shaman Cult be destroyed?"
"Our Cult Master is a God Demon Realm cultivator! How could he be killed?"
"Heaven Wolf Mountain vanished? Nonsense! Who is spreading such absurd lies?"
The Shaman Grand Priest was enraged.
He wanted to kill the messenger on the spot.
Just then.
From the far horizon.
A wave of golden sword rain swept down.
Its targets were the Shaman followers and the Shaman Grand Priest within the camp.
The sword rain's power was mysterious and unmatched.
Not a single Mongol soldier was harmed.
But not one Shaman follower survived.
They were all killed beneath the sword rain.
The most tragic of all was the Shaman Grand Priest.
He was sliced into pieces by a thousand blades, screaming in agony.
Even Temujin felt a shiver of fear at the sound.
He trembled uncontrollably.
If not for the protection of the National Master Phagpa, he might have fainted from terror.
Once the sword rain ended, the camp returned to normal.
As for the mysterious attacker, no one had any clue who it was.
Everyone was left in silent shock.
"National Master, what just happened?"
"The attacker seemed focused solely on the Shaman Grand Priest and didn't harm a single Mongol soldier."
"Every Shaman Cult follower was killed."
"Could it be that the Shaman Cult provoked some terrifying enemy and was wiped out?"
"Khan, we must send someone to investigate Heaven Wolf Mountain immediately."
"Then we'll know the truth soon."
"Very well. You handle it."
"Yes, Khan. Also, there is something I must say."
"Go ahead, National Master."
"I suspect that the plague plan triggered the wrath of this mysterious force."
"To avoid any further danger, we should abandon the use of plague altogether."
"If we provoke a righteous God Demon Realm cultivator, we will be in great trouble."
"Of course. If not for the Shaman Grand Priest insisting on it, I never would have approved such a cruel tactic."
"From now on, the use of plague is forbidden. Anyone who brings it up again will be executed on the spot!"
"You are wise, Khan. I will send someone to Heaven Wolf Mountain right away!"
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The incident at Temujin's camp caused a major uproar.
News spread quickly across the Nine Provinces.
The Emperors of various nations took the matter seriously.
They immediately ordered their generals.
Plague and other similar methods were strictly forbidden in warfare.
Anyone who disobeyed would be executed on the spot.
Even other grassland nations didn't dare cross that line.
Whether Liao Kingdom, Jin Kingdom, Turkic Kingdom, or Xiongnu Kingdom, they all refrained.
After all, the consequences of using plague were far too serious.
No one wanted to be targeted by a terrifying God Demon Realm cultivator.
Had they not seen the Shaman Cult, despite having a God Demon Realm Cult Master, be destroyed in an instant?
Some taboos were better left untouched.
Warfare should be fought with honor.
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, three months had passed.
During this time.
The central conflict across the continent remained the warring dynasties.
Though martial arts circles had their disputes, compared to battles that claimed tens of thousands of lives in a single day, they were insignificant.
Every day, the balance of power in the Nine Provinces shifted.
No one knew what the future held.
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On this day.
A sudden anomaly appeared in the skies. Purple light surged, thunder roared.
Golden radiance spread across every corner of the Nine Provinces.
A new ranking had begun.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
List of Characters:
Number One Under Heaven ( 天下第一 )
・Zhu Houzhao ( 朱厚照 ) — Emperor of Ming Dynasty
Painting Jianghu ( 画江湖 )
・Li Chunfeng ( 李淳风 ) — Imperial Observatory of Vast Sea Dynasty
The Book and The Sword ( 书剑恩仇录 )
・Aisin Gioro Hongli ( 弘历 ) — Emperor of Qing Dynasty
・Heshen ( 和珅 ) — Corrupt Minister of Qing Dynasty
Qin's Moon ( 秦时明月 )
・Wei Zhuang ( 卫庄 ) — Master of Quicksand
・Ge Nie ( 盖聂 ) — Imperial Bodyguard of Qin Dynasty
Chronicle of Eastern Zhou ( 东周列国志 )
・Wu Qi ( 吴起 ) — Prime Minister of Chu Kingdom
Legend of the Condor Heroes ( 射雕英雄传 )
・Temujin ( 铁木真 ) — Emperor of Yuan Dynasty