"Your Majesty, what are your orders?"
Qian Cun stepped forward, his brow furrowed. "Unless you push this Sword God's Holy Land to the brink, he won't make a move. To truly sow chaos in the Eastern Desolation, we must target the Southern Heaven Family!"
"It's amusing, really. Of the myriad tribes in the Vast Source World, only humanity is a peculiar case, fond of infighting. They often treat their own kin more ruthlessly than outsiders!"
"If not for their internal conflicts, how could humanity have fallen from being a top overlord of Vast Source to a mere corner of the Eastern Desolation."
"How is the matter I entrusted to you progressing?"
Qian Xingsheng let out a cold laugh. Humanity was blessed with exceptional cultivation talent. Other tribes might take tens of thousands of years to reach a certain realm, while humans could achieve it in just a thousand.
But what of it? Without unity, they could only be divided and devoured by the myriad races!
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the individual has been detained in the great prison. However, that human cultivator possessed considerable fortitude and has already taken his own life!"
Qian Cun lowered his head.
"Taken his own life?"
"Does he think that by committing suicide, this matter will be swept under the rug?"
"Naive!"
"Prepare the primordial spirit, and have it inhabit that human body. Furthermore, forge an imperial decree from the Great Han Dynasty and send it to the Southern Heaven Family!"
"Since Yan Tiancheng of the Great Han Dynasty annihilated the Azure Azure Slumbering Dragon tribe, the Great Han Emperor must have made preparations. The Scarlet Night Imperial Dynasty will have to use the Southern Heaven Family's teleportation array to reach the Great Han."
"National Preceptor, you must understand the importance of this matter. There can be no delay!"
"Rest assured, Your Majesty, I will go personally!"
...
"Patriarch, Prince Yuwen Yongyan and Great General Xigong of the Scarlet Night Imperial Dynasty are here to visit!!"
Yan Tiancheng of the Great Han Dynasty suddenly appeared in the Scarlet Night Imperial Dynasty, and with a single hammer strike, the Dragon Palace was uprooted. This astonishing news had reached the ears of the major top powers within a single day.
The Eastern Desolation Continent was home to numerous forces, rife with friction and deep-seated grievances. They all maintained spies, constantly monitoring enemy factions.
Now, this news had reached the Southern Heaven Family of the Central Yuan Realm. The current Patriarch, Nan Tian Guan Yu, hastily convened the clan elders to discuss and analyze the Scarlet Night Imperial Dynasty's subsequent actions. After all, this would inevitably involve the Fire Cloud Cave, and with several top powers entangled, it would undoubtedly alter the landscape of the Eastern Desolation Continent to some degree.
This was equally important for the Southern Heaven Family.
"Hmm?"
Nan Tian Fei Zhang, the First Elder of the Southern Heaven Family, stroked his beard and looked at the disciple outside the hall. "It seems the Scarlet Night Imperial Dynasty is indeed intent on moving against the Great Han Imperial Dynasty, even dispatching Prince Yuwen Yongyan!"
"Yuwen Yongyan!"
Nan Tian Guan Yu spoke softly, "He is the twin brother of the Scarlet Night Emperor, the foremost figure beneath the Emperor in the current Scarlet Night Imperial Dynasty, a peak Venerable realm expert!"
"With the Scarlet Night Emperor sending this individual, he likely intends to decapitate the Great Han!"
"A peak Venerable realm… this Great Han Imperial Dynasty is doomed!"
"Patriarch, the Great Han Emperor is so reckless, daring to provoke a top overlord of the Eastern Desolation with such meager strength. Is he not courting death?"
The Second Elder, Nan Tian Pu He, was enraged. He had previously been ordered by the Patriarch to have the Great Han Imperial Dynasty join the Southern Heaven Family, thereby strengthening the human lineage. Unexpectedly, he had been met with a closed door, a humiliation he was determined to avenge.
"Patriarch, the Great Han Imperial Dynasty has only been established for a few years. First, they offended the West Ling Imperial Dynasty, then they disrespected our Southern Heaven Family, and now they have angered the Scarlet Night Imperial Dynasty. They have offended half of the Eastern Desolation Continent!"
"The Great Han Imperial Dynasty must be destroyed!"
"Pu He, do not be angry!"
Nan Tian Guan Yu glanced at Nan Tian Pu He and said coldly, "While the Great Han Emperor has made mistakes, his transgressions are not directed at humanity!"
"The Great Han Imperial Dynasty must be destroyed, but humanity must be brought under our banner!"
Nan Tian Guan Yu looked at the assembled high-ranking officials, his tone filled with sorrow. "Humanity is weak. The Demon race and the Barbarian race possess formidable military strength. For our Southern Heaven Family to seize opportunities for millions of years, the humans of the Savage Realm cannot be allowed to be exterminated by the Scarlet Night tribe!"
"Remember, when Yuwen Yongyan arrives later, do not speak carelessly, or you will face the family's judgment!"
Not long after, two figures appeared within the ancestral grounds of the Southern Heaven Family. From a distance, Yuwen Yongyan smiled heartily, "Brother Guan Yu, Brother Guan Yu!"
"It has been some time. Please forgive this abrupt visit today!"
"Brother Yongyan, you are too kind. Our friendship requires no pleasantries. May I inquire about the purpose of your visit today?"
Nan Tian Guan Yu, with a smile, bowed slightly towards Yuwen Yongyan.
"Alas!"
"Brother Guan Yu, you, Hahaha!"
Yuwen Yongyan let out a cold laugh. "Let's dispense with the pretense. Yan Tiancheng of the Great Han Imperial Dynasty annihilated the Azure Azure Slumbering Dragon tribe of my Scarlet Night Imperial Dynasty. I presume this news has already reached Brother Guan Yu."
"The Great Han Imperial Dynasty acted in advance, shattering all their teleportation arrays. To reach the Great Han quickly, we could only make this impolite visit. I hope Brother Guan Yu can grant us some convenience!" – Sudan Novel Network
"Oh?"
Upon hearing this, Nan Tian Guan Yu frowned. He looked at Yuwen Yongyan several times, but each time Yuwen Yongyan seemed to have words on the tip of his tongue, which he swallowed back.
Yuwen Yongyan watched coldly, a faint sneer on his lips. He knew that Nan Tian Guan Yu was merely feigning ignorance, all for the sake of the humans of the Great Han Imperial Dynasty!
"Brother Guan Yu, this King is only here for the Great Han Emperor. I will not hold others accountable. I hope..."
"So be it!"
Nan Tian Guan Yu suddenly changed his demeanor, though a hint of difficulty remained. "Brother Yongyan, please enter!"
"Patriarch, Qian Cun, National Preceptor of the West Ling Imperial Dynasty, requests an audience!"
"What does he want?"
Nan Tian Guan Yu frowned, his expression instantly turning cold.
...
"Qian Cun, National Preceptor of the West Ling Imperial Dynasty, pays his respects to Patriarch Nan Tian and Prince!"
As Qian Cun entered the hall and saw Yuwen Yongyan, the stone he had been holding in his heart finally dropped. He had rushed here and arrived at a most opportune moment.
"Patriarch Nan Tian, a few days ago, an envoy from the Great Han Imperial Dynasty, bearing the Great Han Emperor's command, presented a national letter to His Majesty in my presence, before the entire court."
"In that national letter, they spoke with disdain for the human lineage of the Southern Heaven Family!"
"You insolent fool!"
"Qian Cun, this is the Central Yuan Realm, not the West Niu Realm!"
Nan Tian Pu He immediately flew into a rage, pointing at Qian Cun and berating him.
"Second Elder, it was the Great Han who provoked your Southern Heaven Family, it was the Great Han who disrespected your Southern Heaven Family, and it is the Great Han who sought to ally with my Emperor to destroy your Southern Heaven Family!"
"Why does the Second Elder harbor such anger towards my West Ling Imperial Dynasty?"
Qian Cun flicked his sleeve, coldly looking at Nan Tian Pu He.
"Mere words. Do you have any evidence?"
Nan Tian Fei Zhang spoke indifferently.
"Evidence will naturally be provided. May I ask, Patriarch Nan Tian, if the evidence is conclusive, what will you do?"
"If all that you speak of is true, then this old man will surely seek an explanation for the Southern Heaven Family!"
"Furthermore, the Southern Heaven Family is willing to form an alliance with the West Ling Imperial Dynasty and advance and retreat together!"