CHAPTER 63: CHAPTER 63: REBELLION_1

From a mountain about a hundred miles away from Demonfire City, Qin Wudao, along with Jia Xu and Zhao Yun, witnessed the entire battle.

Without power, one doesn’t even qualify to join the fray!

Looking at the city reduced to ruins, Qin Wudao was overcome with emotion, realizing once again the importance of strength.

Is the Qin Empire strong? Not weak, exactly. But because of a single statement from the Changeable Mansion, they had to abandon the fruits of victory, leave tens of thousands of corpses behind, and retreat disgracefully. The root cause is still a lack of strength. The Holy Fire Sect is weak, which is why the Qin cavalry was able to march all the way to Demonfire City, resulting in the fall of their ancestor and the heavy sacrifice of their soldiers. Compared to the Changeable Mansion, however, the Qin Empire appears very weak.

"Your Highness, I have no doubt that you will lead the Qin Empire to greatness!" Jia Xu reassured him. He wasn’t greatly moved, having witnessed far too many instances of big fish eating small fish, and small fish eating shrimp. To survive in chaotic times, one must learn to adapt. The best solution is to become stronger.

Qin Wudao nodded. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a sound cutting through the air. A Luo Network Guard flew over and knelt on one knee, reporting, "Your Highness, the King of Gaoyang has revolted and seized control of the Imperial Capital! His Majesty summons you to return immediately to discuss pressing matters!"

"What?"

Three astonished exclamations sounded. Qin Wudao, Jia Xu, and Bai Qi all looked grave.

The King of Gaoyang!

His real name is Qin Zhuangze. He holds a high position in the Qin Family and is the Emperor’s uncle. His fief is Gaoyang. He usually keeps a low profile and has never been prominent. Why would he rebel?

Without time for further thought, Qin Wudao shot into the air, his heart filled with anxiety. His biological mother, Willow Orchid, was still in the Imperial Capital. If anything happened to her, he would never find peace.

Within an hour, he returned to the camp and entered the central tent.

As soon as he stepped inside, he felt a murderous aura. The Emperor sat in the main seat, his face as grim as still water. Civil and military officials stood on either side, their expressions revealing killing intent.

Seeing someone enter, the Emperor glanced up but remained silent.

"Father, what’s the situation?" Qin Wudao asked urgently.

"While we were attacking Demonfire City, Qin Zhuangze dispatched troops, occupied the Imperial Capital, and imprisoned all members of the royal family, including your mother!" the Emperor said coldly, his eyes blazing with intense hatred.

He hated Qin Zhuangze not only for rebelling but also for disregarding the nation’s interests for personal gain. Launching an uprising at such a time would directly impact the war on the front lines.

"That’s not right!" Qin Wudao furrowed his brow and asked in confusion. "The King of Gaoyang only has ten thousand guards. While the empire’s elite are fighting externally, the Imperial City still has one hundred thousand Imperial Guards. How could the King of Gaoyang have taken over?"

His question voiced the confusion of everyone present. It’s impossible that the Imperial Guards collaborated with him. For the Imperial Capital to fall, it must mean all one hundred thousand Imperial Guards perished in battle. This is clearly beyond the King of Gaoyang’s capabilities. Unless...

"To hell with how he took it over! When We return, We vow to give him death by a thousand cuts!" The Emperor slammed his palm on the table, making a heavy thud, and angrily commanded, "Crown Prince, hear Our command! Lead your subordinates, retake the Imperial Capital, and capture Qin Zhuangze alive!"

"I obey!" Qin Wudao accepted the decree and turned to leave the tent.

Soon, the thunder of hooves echoed as fifty thousand Qin heavy cavalry, like a swift arrow, disappeared into the horizon.

「The Imperial Capital!」

This once-thriving city was now deserted. Its streets and alleys were empty, and many buildings were damaged. The ruins and broken walls added to the grim atmosphere.

"Sir, I’ve done as you asked. Can you spare me now?"

Inside the majestic Imperial Palace, a portly, middle-aged man in royal robes knelt on the floor, shivering as he spoke. He was none other than the main figure of the rebellion, Qin Zhuangze.

However, at this moment, there was no trace of victorious joy on his face, only pallor and terror.

About five paces in front of him stood a figure entirely shrouded in a black cloak. Positioned in the shadows, this person seemed almost non-existent, idly toying with a piece of black jade in his hand.

"Spare you? Not just yet..." the black-cloaked man’s voice was somewhat hoarse, emotionless, and cold. "Follow my instructions. Build the blood pool, and then you’ll be free!"

Qin Zhuangze’s body trembled as if he had thought of something terrifying, and he shook his head relentlessly.

"Impossible! Constructing a blood pool is an act that offends Heaven and reason! I have already wronged His Majesty and the people of the nation by attacking the Imperial Capital. I will not help a tyrant commit further atrocities!" the seemingly cowardly Qin Zhuangze firmly refused.

"Have you thought it through? The consequence of refusal is that your entire family’s lives will not be guaranteed!" The black-cloaked man was in no hurry. He toyed with the black jade, which emitted faint wisps of black light that made one’s soul tremble.

"This King refuses!" Qin Zhuangze declared without a hint of hesitation.

"HAHA..." The black-cloaked man laughed loudly, the sound shaking the great hall. He slowly walked up to Qin Zhuangze, extended a withered hand, and patted the latter’s plump face twice. "I just love watching the weak offer futile resistance!"

"Did you think the blood pool wouldn’t be built just because you refuse?"

"Too naive!"

...

Qin Zhuangze gritted his teeth, overcame his fear of the black-cloaked man, and said resolutely, "Without a decree from the Imperial Court, don’t even think of sealing off the Imperial Capital to build a blood pool beneath it!"

"Who says there isn’t one?" The black-cloaked man’s tone turned icy. Losing his patience, he forcefully crushed the black jade. A shadowy specter wreathed in black mist flew out, emitting a piercing shriek as it shot into Qin Zhuangze’s body.

"AAH!"

Qin Zhuangze felt a chill spread throughout his body. The pain, so intense it seemed to pierce his very marrow, made him scream unceasingly. Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, his features contorted.

Pain! Excruciating, heart-rending pain!

"Kill me..."

In less than a minute, Qin Zhuangze could bear it no longer. He grabbed the black-cloaked man’s leg, the severe agony making him wish for death. His vision began to blur.

It grew dimmer and dimmer, until finally, everything went blank.

"Greetings, Master!" A few minutes later, Qin Zhuangze, having lost his sense of self, said respectfully.

"Go! Carry out this emissary’s will, build the blood pool, and complete the ancestor’s supreme hegemony! HAHA..." The black-cloaked man spread his arms, his voice filled with excitement. His figure flickered and vanished.

After the man left, Qin Zhuangze stood up, sat on the imperial throne, and began to write an imperial decree. Finally, he picked up the Jade Seal and pressed it down firmly, imbuing the decree with the Fortune of the Qin Empire. Its contents marked a key step in an earth-shattering conspiracy.

In the days that followed, the Imperial Capital was sealed. The court mobilized over a hundred thousand Martial Artists to begin excavating beneath the city. Massive amounts of earth were transported out daily, indicating a project of enormous scale.

Furthermore, Qin Zhuangze’s forged imperial decree was disseminated throughout the Qin Empire. Hundreds of thousands of death-row prisoners began their journey to the Imperial Capital, traveling day and night by fast horse, and arriving within five days.

Upon their arrival in the Imperial Capital, they vanished without a trace.

The Government Officials escorting them disappeared as well.

This revealed an even more bizarre situation: Qin Zhuangze’s conquest of the Imperial Capital seemed to be completely unknown to the various regions, as if a powerful force had severed all communication between the Imperial Capital and the rest of the Empire.

Although many civil and military ministers of the court had gone to the front lines to resist the Holy Fire Sect’s invasion, the forces remaining in the capital were still substantial.

Who could possess such heaven-defying abilities?