A sharp voice cut through the air. Han Yue smiled slightly and walked towards the hall, curious to see what merits the King of Han possessed that could make powerful figures like Xu Chu and Yuan Tiangang bow in submission.
The moment Han Yue's left foot stepped into the Xuanzheng Hall, a fierce sword energy permeated from all directions, locking onto her.
*Clang!*
Her heart trembled. She had encountered top-tier Guiyuan realm cultivators before, but at this moment, she was still shocked. She never expected that in this seemingly barren land, this newly established Great Han could produce a martial artist at the top Guiyuan realm.
In the next instant, her expression remained calm and unperturbed. She continued walking into the hall with a smile, all of which Yang Hao observed. This woman was not simple. To maintain her composure and remain so calm under Yaoli's oppressive aura, the hidden force behind Loulan must be immensely powerful! Sudansho.com
Furthermore, the moment Princess Han Yue of Loulan arrived in Chang'an, Yang Hao had ordered Yaoli to investigate her strength. Unfortunately, even the mighty Yaoli, a top-tier Guiyuan realm cultivator, could not discern this woman's true cultivation.
This news filled Yang Hao with deep apprehension regarding the Loulan Kingdom's power. However, with the Five Tiger Generals' illustrated record in hand, he felt reassured. Let them be strong, but could they surpass the ultimate powerhouses of the Three Kingdoms?
Han Yue gazed up at Yang Hao. Under the interference of the Nine Cauldrons of Fortune, she could not discern his cultivation. She saw him seated quietly on the throne, behind a cascade of bead curtains, obscuring his true face. Han Yue felt the Great Han becoming increasingly mysterious!
"Han Yue of the Loulan Kingdom, pays respects to the King of Han. May the King of Han live ten thousand years!!"
Her voice drifted, echoing through the Xuanzheng Hall.
"This King is well. May I ask, Princess of Loulan, what brings you to our Great Han on this journey?"
A deep voice reverberated from all directions, lingering in the hall.
"King of Han, as this Princess is aware, you have recently been collecting information about the Chu Kingdom. May I ask how much you have gathered and how much you understand?"
Yang Hao looked at Han Yue without a word. This woman could actually track the movements of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. It seemed his entire plan of infiltrating various kingdoms had been thoroughly uncovered by Loulan. If Loulan was like this, then the Chu Kingdom was likely not simple either.
"The Great Han has only recently been established, and this King has just ascended the throne. The previous dynasty was weak, and we know little even of neighboring Jin. Collecting information about Chu is merely to increase our understanding."
"Your Loulan Kingdom, situated in the west, is powerful. May I ask what lies to the west of Loulan?"
Han Yue looked at the figure seated high above, his stern expression concealing a burning ambition. This King of Han had appeared mysteriously, rising from this barren land in mere years, sweeping through the warlords of Wu, and possessing considerable strength.
Now, he had made the Jin Kingdom afraid to speak loudly and the Liao Kingdom in a state of panic. The demise of Jin and Liao, in her opinion, was merely a matter of King Yang Hao's word.
Sensing the primal energy of a top-tier Guiyuan realm cultivator within the hall, Han Yue couldn't help but conceive a plan. To align with the Great Han during its rise was an opportunity, perhaps even greater than Loulan itself, as the Great Han's mysterious emergence might be supported by powerful forces, similar to Loulan. This could be a rare chance for Loulan, whose millennia-old iron chains were perhaps ready to be broken.
Han Yue looked up. "King of Han, our Loulan Kingdom is indeed well-informed about the world, but why should this Princess tell you?"
"What do you desire?"
Yang Hao looked at the composed and calm woman before him. From Yuan Tiangang's analysis over the past few days, it was clear Princess Han Yue had matters to discuss. If he could glean worldly knowledge from Loulan, that would be ideal.
"I desire a promise from the King of Han."
Gazing into her serene eyes, Yang Hao couldn't help but frown. Loulan surpassed all other kingdoms, its national strength formidable, unlike Liao or Jin. And she sought a promise from him?
Was she joking? If an ancient existence from the Prisoner Spirit Abyss stood before Han Yue, then perhaps it would make sense. But to ask for a promise from him, had this girl lost her mind?
He couldn't even see through Han Yue's cultivation, let alone the Loulan behind her!
"Speak!"
Yang Hao said softly. While his thoughts raced, he could not show it externally. To lose face would be to lose the prestige of the Great Han!
"This Princess hopes that in the not-too-distant future, should Loulan face a catastrophe, we implore the King of Han to protect our royal lineage and safeguard Loulan's safety!!"
Han Yue said, bowing deeply.
"Princess, you jest. Loulan is a powerful nation. Which of the kingdoms in this world can match its might?"
Yang Hao said teasingly. What game was this Princess of Loulan playing? Asking for a promise, speaking of a catastrophe—Yang Hao could not disentangle useful information from Han Yue's words.
"We implore the King of Han to grant our request!!"
As Yang Hao analyzed, Han Yue's voice came again.
"Agreed!!"
To obtain useful information, he would agree for now. As for what would happen later, it would depend on the situation. He was no saint, Yang Hao thought with a sly smile.
"Thank you!!"
Han Yue bowed in thanks and rose. "King of Han, our Loulan is bordered by the sea to the west, with no other kingdoms or sects beyond!"
"What the--!"
She's playing a trick! This Cangyuan World is actually so small. Don't bully me for not having read much, Yang Hao's heart sank. Looking at the composed Princess Han Yue, he suspected this little girl was being deceptive.
"King of Han, the continent where our eight kingdoms are situated is, in reality, merely an island slightly larger than the Three Overseas Sects! This island is named – Tian Yue."
"What?!"
After fighting for so long, they hadn't even conquered an island. Yang Hao had assumed the eight kingdoms occupied a continent, but it turned out they were on a small island overseas!
An island of tens of thousands of li, with numerous kingdoms reigning supreme. Then, how powerful must the nations on the true continent be?
"Tens of thousands of years ago, on this Tian Yue island, a man with double pupils emerged. With iron-fisted means, he washed Tian Yue with blood and established a great nation – the Xuanyuan Kingdom!"
"Coincidentally, the capital of the Xuanyuan Kingdom at that time was in your Great Han's Liangzhou!"
"Thirty years later, the then King of Xuanyuan raised an army of a million and launched a campaign across the sea. A century passed. The kingdom at that time believed their King had perished. But unexpectedly, the Xuanyuan King, who had disappeared for a hundred years, returned to the kingdom with formidable cultivation, striking awe throughout Tian Yue!"
"The then Xuanyuan King, wielding a seven-foot long sword, performed a celestial sacrifice at the Prisoner Spirit Abyss and was crowned King. The Xuanyuan Kingdom, from then on, was elevated to the status of a Dynasty, ruling Tian Yue under the title of Human King!"
"At that time, people speculated that the Xuanyuan Human King must have crossed the sea and reached the legendary Imperial Dynasty, receiving their recognition and the secret art for his kingdom's elevation!"