CHAPTER 218: CHAPTER 215: XIANG YU’S AFTER FEAR_1

Once the minor affairs of the Black Serpent Tribe and Heavenly Wolf Tribe were settled, Xiang Yu bade farewell to Zhou Cang and Ding Feng. He then led 500,000 members of the Heavenly Wolf Tribe in a grand procession back to the Imperial Capital.

This Xiang Yu sure knows how to stir up trouble! Bringing 500,000 Heavenly Wolf Tribe members into the heartland of the Qin Dynasty... in the entire world, only Xiang Yu would have such audacity. After all, these alien tribes have only just surrendered; they aren’t trustworthy yet!

Upon receiving the intelligence, Zhuge Liang frowned.

"Attendant," Zhuge Liang thought for a moment then ordered in a deep voice, "go tell Xiang Yu to have his army encamp at ’Corpse Bone Mountain’ and to return alone!"

"As you command!"

From the empty Void, a cold voice sounded, then vanished without a trace, like ripples in the Void.

"Prime Minister, intelligence has arrived from the Langya Sect. The Kylin Sacred Land is going to hold the ’East Border Grand Ceremony’ and has invited all King-level factions from the Eastern Continent to participate!" Jia Xu pushed open the door, holding a confidential report, his face grave.

"A rare guest indeed. What have you discovered?" Zhuge Liang asked with a smile. He knew Jia Xu was a cautious man who typically stayed in the ’hidden cabinet’ and rarely ventured out. For Jia Xu to come to his Deliberative Pavilion, it definitely meant something important was afoot. While the East Border Grand Ceremony was a major event, it wasn’t significant enough to warrant Jia Xu coming in person.

"This concerns Xiang Yu. When he attacked the Heavenly Wolf Tribe and the Black Serpent Tribe, the Langya Sect’s Old Ancestor, Wen Chuanxue, stepped in, wanting to protect the Sky Wolf King and the Black Serpent King. However, Xiang Yu refused and decisively killed them both!"

"Intelligence obtained at great risk by our Hidden Guard reveals that Wen Chuanxue has already reported this to the Sacred Land!"

"Furthermore, Wen Chuanxue has also contacted the Thunder God Court and the Elegant God Court, preparing to impose sanctions on our Qin Divine Court!"

Jia Xu sat down on a nearby chair and handed the confidential report to Zhuge Liang, his expression solemn.

Zhuge Liang read through the confidential report, placed it on the table, and after a moment of silence, stated gravely, Xiang Yu’s actions upheld the national dignity of the Qin Country. I, the Prime Minister, support this! If a military general cannot defend the nation’s honor, what use is he? Xiang Yu is not at fault. So, who is? It can only be the Langya Sect!"

"I’m not worried about the Langya Sect, but the attitude of the Kylin Sacred Land..." Jia Xu trailed off.

In the East Border, the Kylin Sacred Land’s power was indisputable; they were the uncrowned kings. The Qin Divine Court’s strength was far from being a match for them.

Above the Divine Court was the Ancient Court, corresponding to Ancient-level powers, signifying the existence of immensely old and powerful figures—that is, Semi-Emperor experts!

Above the Ancient Court was the Saint’s Court, corresponding to Saint-level powers, which possessed Great Emperors!

"The ’East Border Grand Ceremony’ is usually held once every 10,000 years. For the Sacred Land to convene it hastily ahead of schedule, something major must have occurred. They will likely ignore conflicts between lower-ranking factions like ours!" Zhuge Liang said, his expression relaxing as he gently waved his feather fan.

The Kylin Sacred Land was the overlord of the East Border. With countless factions beneath it, if they were to meddle in everything, they might as well give up on cultivation.

"Then, should we attend the ’East Border Grand Ceremony’?" Jia Xu asked, sighing in relief.

"We must! If we don’t, the Qin Dynasty will be in peril!" Zhuge Liang’s tone turned somewhat grave. The Kylin Sacred Land had already issued the invitation. If they didn’t attend, and the Langya Sect continued to slander them, they would be forced into a completely passive position.

Jia Xu sighed. The Qin Dynasty is still too weak! In this pyramid-like primordial continent, the Qin Dynasty remains at the lower tiers. The road ahead is indeed long.

The two discussed for a while longer, then went together to the imperial palace to report to Qin Wudao about the ’East Border Grand Ceremony’ and to discuss how to deal with the Langya Sect’s anticipated suppression.

Small matters, big meetings! Big matters, small meetings! This saying was indeed true.

The three of them then formulated a series of strategies against the Langya Sect.

...

I’ve been careless! Xiang Yu, who was rapidly marching towards the Imperial Capital, slapped his forehead in vexation upon receiving Zhuge Liang’s order.

"What’s wrong, General?" his adjutant asked curiously.

Having spent a long time with Xiang Yu, he understood his character: domineering, unscrupulous in achieving his goals, ruthless towards enemies, but quite tolerant towards his own men.

"I’ve brought 500,000 Heavenly Wolf Tribe members back to the Imperial Capital without authorization, violating a court taboo!" Xiang Yu said with a grimace.

It’s my own fault for being so focused on forming the ’Wolf Cavalry’ that I overlooked how sensitive military matters are. I nearly made a huge blunder. Just imagine, if I showed up outside the Imperial Capital with 500,000 Heavenly Wolf Tribe members, I truly wouldn’t be able to clear my name even if I jumped into the Yellow River!

"G-General, you brought 500,000 Heavenly Wolf Tribe members back to the capital without the Imperial Court’s permission?" The adjutant almost leaped to his feet, a cold sweat breaking out all over his body.

This is too terrifying!

The Heavenly Wolf Tribe was an alien race. They couldn’t be simply equated to mounts; they were a powerful fighting force!

To secretly bring back an army of 500,000... putting it severely, that was rebellion!

In any country, rebellion was a word that made people turn pale with fright! Even the slightest suspicion could lead to death at the Yellow Spring and bring disaster upon one’s family.

"No, I didn’t get permission!" Xiang Yu said, somewhat ashamed. "Fortunately, the Prime Minister reminded me in time. You are to station yourselves at ’Corpse Bone Mountain.’ I will return to the Imperial Capital to explain the situation. Whatever happens, you will not be implicated!"

"General, we’ll go back with you!" the surrounding generals declared in unison.

This war had made them completely submit to Xiang Yu’s charisma. They vowed to share weal and woe, never to give up.

The camaraderie of soldiers is probably just like this!

"There’s no need! The Prime Minister emphasized that only I am allowed to return!" Xiang Yu shook his head, declining his generals’ kind intentions, and commanded solemnly, "Relay my order! The army is to advance to ’Corpse Bone Mountain’! Do not leave without an order from the Imperial Court!"

"Yes, General!"

A military order was absolute. No matter how unwilling the generals were, they had to obey.

Xiang Yu heaved a sigh of relief, wheeled his horse around, and galloped towards the Imperial Capital. Soon, he became a black speck in the distance and disappeared from sight.

Realizing he had made a grave mistake, Xiang Yu dared not delay for a moment. Traveling day and night, he finally arrived outside the Imperial Capital by the time of the early morning court session on the second day.

In truth, both Zhuge Liang and Xiang Yu had taken the matter too seriously.

Qin Wudao, who controlled both the ’Hidden Guard’ and ’Abyss Guard’ intelligence agencies, had long known about the 500,000 Heavenly Wolf Tribe members and hadn’t paid it much mind.

Of course, Qin Wudao didn’t suspect Xiang Yu because Xiang Yu was a general summoned by the system and thus incapable of betrayal.

Therefore, when Xiang Yu knelt in the Imperial Court to formally ask for punishment, Qin Wudao was stunned for a moment.

In the end, at Xiang Yu’s insistence, he was punished with thirty strokes of the military rod!

Xiang Yu’s return also marked a temporary conclusion to the matters concerning the alien tribes. Another important agenda was now brought to the forefront.

In just fifteen days, the East Border Grand Ceremony would officially commence!

Qin Wudao, as the leader of a King-level faction, would lead the prodigies of the Great Qin to the Kylin Sacred Land.

The selection of prodigies!

The selection of guards!

The accompanying personnel!

And so on!

All these matters needed to be discussed by the Imperial Court. After a round of heated debate, the final list of attendees was selected, totaling twenty-six people.

Of these, eleven were prodigies, six were guards, and nine were attendants.