Chapter 77 Chip~
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Li Jinyu leaped onto the head of the Jiao god statue and started absorbing the Jiao Kingdom’s qi fortune, following the method taught by the Daoist Elder.
Originally, Li Jinyu couldn’t directly absorb the qi fortune that belonged to others, otherwise, the Di Dynasty would have been drained long ago, considering their dominant position in the central plains.
However, the Jiao King, driven mad and desperate for power, continuously sacrificed qi fortune in a futile attempt to boost the national fortune. The Jiao god’s bones seemed to have sinister intentions. Now, the Jiao Kingdom’s qi fortune was fragmented, almost resembling ownerlessness.
The Daoist’s method of absorbing qi fortune proved effective, and Li Jinyu could feel a strong surge of spiritual power in his body.
At the same time, he could also sense something else absorbing the qi fortune.
The skeletal remains of the Jiao god.
In close proximity, Li Jinyu could feel the bone’s chilling aura, as if a fierce beast lay dormant inside, waiting to awaken.
This caused him to tremble momentarily. The ancient divine beast, Jiao… It couldn’t be on the verge of resurrection, could it?
Although unsure of what kind of divine beast Jiao was, Li Jinyu could confidently conclude that Jiao would not support the Di Dynasty.
He struggled to suppress his fear of the Jiao god and desperately accelerated the absorption of qi fortune.
The Jiao god seemed to sense someone competing for its “food” and let out a roar, also increasing the speed of qi fortune absorption.
The Jiao King, closely tied to the Jiao Kingdom’s qi fortune, couldn’t help but spit out blood, looking somewhat horrified at the purple halo in the air. “What is that?”
Huo Caiyu focused his gaze and felt slightly relieved. It seemed that His Majesty was unharmed.
Amidst the rivalry between Li Jinyu and the Jiao god, the qi fortune of the Jiao Kingdom quickly dissipated completely.
The Jiao Kingdom was established hundreds of years ago, even older than the Di Dynasty and its previous dynasties. It was said to be a major threat to the central plains during the Mang Dynasty.
The qi fortune that had lasted for centuries was completely annihilated today.
The Jiao King coughed up blood repeatedly, disregarding the curved blade on his forehead and his severed limbs. He struggled to crawl a few steps towards the statue of the Jiao god, blood streaming down his face. He murmured, “Jiao god! Jiao god! Won’t you bless the sons and daughters of the grasslands anymore!”
The purple halo above the Jiao god’s head dissipated, revealing a handsome young man standing before him.
The Jiao King widened his eyes in surprise, thinking it was the true form of the Jiao god manifested. However, in the next second, the “Jiao god” leaped into the arms of the Regent Prince of the Di Dynasty, and the two embraced tightly.
Even with blood obscuring his vision, one could still see the profound emotions and longing between the two.
The Jiao King was momentarily confused, feeling lost. “God?”
“I am not your Jiao god,” Li Jinyu turned his head and looked at him with a hint of sympathy. “And… your Jiao god doesn’t wish to protect you either.
“It has been continuously dividing and absorbing the national fortune of the Jiao Kingdom. Even if Great Di doesn’t counterattack, once it drains your national fortune, the Jiao Kingdom will be on the brink of destruction.”
Perhaps the self-destruction of the national fortune was also a hint from the Jiao god to the Jiao King.
Li Jinyu sighed softly in his heart.
The Jiao King remained motionless on the ground, his pupils suddenly contracted. He abruptly turned his head to look at the statue of the Jiao god. “I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it!”
Ignoring his broken leg, he struggled to get up, his face covered in blood stains, his hair disheveled, resembling a madman.
Li Jinyu glanced at the silent side profile of Huo Caiyu and gently held his hand. “Do you want to seek revenge for your father?”
Huo Caiyu clenched his lips tightly, gripping the curved blade in his other hand.
The accumulation of national hatred and personal vendetta almost overflowed with his inner resentment and anger.
After a moment, he suddenly took a step forward, infusing the curved blade with his powerful inner energy and fiercely threw it forward!
The curved blade narrowly missed the Jiao King’s shoulder and flew towards the statue of the Jiao god, striking it forcefully. The enormous statue, constructed with yellow clay and bones, was heavily damaged!
“Boom!”
An ear-shattering explosion resounded as the curved blade, infused with all of Huo Caiyu’s inner energy, embedded itself into the statue and exploded, shattering the entire Jiao god statue into pieces!
The shattered clay pieces and broken bones scattered all over the ground, some even falling into the deep pit where the Jiao King disposed of bodies.
In the moment the curved blade struck the statue, Li Jinyu faintly heard an angry roar emanating from inside the statue.
However, in an instant, complete silence ensued.
The Jiao King, barely kneeling, stared at the statue of the Jiao god, which he had revered his entire life, easily destroyed by that person from the Di Dynasty with a single strike. He felt his rage reaching its peak. “No—!”
“Just a puppet,” Huo Caiyu walked up to his side, a gentle smile suddenly appearing on her face, her voice becoming lighter. “Is it that easy for the Jiao King to have your country destroyed, guided by such a thing?”
The Jiao King gazed at the scattered pieces of the statue, almost in despair, as if he was looking at the future, no, the already destined destruction of the Jiao Kingdom. He suddenly spat out blood and fell unconscious on the ground.
Huo Caiyu showed no mercy as he looked at the shattered pieces of the statue scattered all around, sighing softly.
Li Jinyu approached and gently held his hand.
Huo Caiyu slightly tilted his head, catching the concern in his eyes. He took a deep breath and a warm smile curved his lips. “Many thanks, Your Majesty.”
The obsession he had held since his youth, seeking vengeance for his father’s death on the battlefield, was finally completely extinguished.
He still remembered his first meeting with His Majesty, the first time he was allowed to attend court when His Majesty entrusted him with implementing new policies.
At that time, officials appointed by the Prime Minister took advantage of his father’s death on the border to mock him recklessly, even suggesting that his father might have defected and been killed… But His Majesty stood by his side without hesitation, vindicating his father’s name.
Time flew by, and in just a year and a half like flowing water, he stood before the murderer who killed his father, destroyed the Jiao King’s beliefs, and made this paranoid and foolish king witness the destruction of the Jiao Kingdom by his own hands.
Huo Caiyu’s gaze became somewhat absent-minded, instinctively embracing the person beside him.
A warmth that was real and belonged to him.
The two embraced for a moment, but then noticed faint sounds of commotion.
“Ah, the Jiao god’s statue has been destroyed. Those who were under its control should regain their senses,” Li Jinyu finally realized, his gaze falling on the unconscious Jiao King. “What should we do now?”
Reluctantly releasing Li Jinyu, Huo Caiyu said, “Let’s go back first.”
“What about the Jiao King? Just leave him here like this?”
“Let the people of the Jiao Kingdom see what their king has done.” Huo Caiyu tightened his grip on Li Jinyu’s hand. “Now is a good opportunity to break into the royal city. We’ll find Geyang’er Orchid first and then return to the Di Dynasty’s army.”
………
On the third of the fifth lunar month, in the seventh year of the Jingchang era, Beiyue Army of the Di Dynasty captured the Jiao Kingdom’s royal city, marking the demise of the Jiao Kingdom.
The blood altar and the pit for disposing of bodies were completely exposed.
The people who were previously bound by the Jiao god’s power at the palace gate regained consciousness and found their missing loved ones and the unconscious Jiao King on the blood altar, along with the deep pit where countless friends and relatives were buried.
Guided by the surviving maids in the palace, they discovered the Jiao King’s act of sacrificing his own subjects in the name of the Jiao god.
The Jiao god had always been the faith of the Jiao Kingdom people, but it never included sacrificing their own lives to the deity.
With the clever guidance of Di Dynasty spies, the anger of the Jiao Kingdom people was directed solely at the Jiao King. After all, how could the benevolent Jiao god demand their blood as sacrifices? It must have been their king’s own decision, practicing dark arts!
Otherwise, how could the Jiao god’s statue have exploded!
The Jiao King suffered a broken arm and leg, and the enraged Jiao Kingdom people left him in the pit where bodies were thrown—luckily for him, there were so many corpses piled up that he didn’t fall to his death. He only broke another leg and a few ribs.
When the soldiers of the Di Dynasty rescued him from the deep pit, he was barely clinging to life, with only one breath remaining.
Huo Caijin wanted nothing more than to kill this bastard who murdered her father, but in the end, she reluctantly suppressed his anger.
The heinous Jiao King embodied the hatred of the Jiao Kingdom people, and his survival played an important role in their subsequent division of the Jiao Kingdom’s territory. It would be a waste to let him die too easily.
Since the beginning of the year, the Jiao King had been killing people every day for sacrifices, starting with slaves and later escalating to the murder of civilians.
Later, Li Jinyu managed to stop the locust plague, but the Jiao King, in his impatience, started killing his own children, believing that the noble bloodline of the Golden Wolf Head was more valuable.
As the massive army of the Di Dynasty approached the city, the Jiao King grew anxious and used dark magic to control the entire city. He planned to sacrifice everyone within the city to eliminate the Beiyue Army and secure the Jiao god’s favor.
However, the more sacrifices he made, the faster the Jiao god consumed the fortune of Jiao Kingdom, leading to its early collapse.
It could only be said that those who attempted to use such dark and divine methods would eventually suffer the consequences.
Li Jinyu lay on Huo Caiyu’s head, munching on roasted melon seeds, reflecting on the lesson learned.
Even though he was a supernatural being, he realized that he couldn’t rely on spiritual power alone when governing the Di Dynasty.
A nation was formed by millions of people and the land beneath their feet. Even if he had a sight beyond ordinary mortals, he could never surpass the power of the masses.
Huo Caijin pushed aside the curtain of the tent and saw Huo Caiyu sitting in front of the table, patiently peeling melon seeds and feeding one to the hamster on his head.
Huo Caijin’s lips twitched. “You actually brought His Majesty’s pet along?”
She remembered that the Emperor had a pet hamster that was this big. It was spoiled for a while, always wanting to be carried around and even had an hourglass attached to its cage.
Huo Caiyu smiled without explaining. “Is the royal city taken care of?”
“That Bake seems to know his place,” Huo Caijin huffed. “I hope he continues to behave.”
“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Find the remaining children of the Jiao King,” Huo Caiyu reminded, “Send a carrier pigeon message to the capital and have Sangtuo and Tama brought over.”
After detaining, persuading, and intimidating the siblings for so long in the capital, it was time to put them to good use.
Huo Caijin nodded. “I understand.”
“Once the appointments from the capital arrive in Jiao Kingdom, you can go back,” Huo Caiyu sincerely said, “Thank you for your hard work, Sister.”
“No need. I am content to showcase my skills and seek vengeance for our father. I am truly satisfied,” Huo Caijin smiled and gently touched the light armor in her hands. “I never expected that His Majesty would have the courage to appoint a woman like me as a general.”
Huo Caiyu chuckled. “His Majesty has a broad vision and cannot be compared to ordinary people.”
“You and His Majesty…” Huo Caijin started to say but gave up halfway, weakly waving her hand. “You should consider it yourself. Both of you hold the highest positions in the Di Dynasty, so don’t let any discord arise.”
“Rest assured,” Huo Caiyu stood up. “I should take my leave.”
Huo Caijin nodded. “You should have returned long ago. What’s a Regent Prince like you doing at the front lines? Give my regards to Mother.”
Huo Caiyu smiled and agreed, carefully picking up the small hamster from his head and placing it in a pouch attached to his collar. Then, he mounted her horse and departed from the Beiyue Army.
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