In the 359th year of the Great Han, in October.
The first true battle between the Great Han Heavenly Court and the Gu Xinglu Imperial Ruins ended in the Imperial Ruins' defeat. Yang Hao gained no valuable benefit from this great war.
Although they blocked the Imperial Ruins' Immortal Emperor army and killed all invading Immortal Emperor beings, they would eventually reconvene and appear again within the Imperial Ruins. Under Zhang Liang's strategy, Huo Qubing and Luo Shixin bypassed the battlefield and directly attacked the Imperial Ruins, but they did not succeed and were intercepted by the Vermillion Bird First Emperor.
Huo Qubing and Luo Shixin, controlling ninety-nine threads of imperial destiny, were capable of killing and obliterating beings at the half-step detachment realm. However, this defeat left Yang Hao and the assembled heroes puzzled. Huo Qubing and Luo Shixin did not obliterate the Vermillion Bird First Emperor; instead, they were slightly short of the required combat power.
What exactly was within the Imperial Ruins remained unclear. However, they confirmed one thing: there were still living beings within the Imperial Ruins, namely the Three Elders of the Imperial Ruins mentioned by the Chaos Demonic Ape!
"Issue an imperial decree!"
"Confer upon Li Jing the title of Great Han First-Rank Marquis!"
"Confer upon Zhang Liang the title of Great Han First-Rank Marquis!"
After Li Jing led the Emperor Slaughter Army back to Chang'an, Wei Zhongxian announced the imperial decree previously written by Yang Hao. Upon the return of the Emperor Slaughter Army to Chang'an, Yang Hao also permitted Yuan Zu, Zhu Yan, Wan Ju, Shi Yuan, Tai Xu, Qi Zhen, Bai Lian, and Tian Yuan to be incorporated into the Emperor Slaughter Army!
"System, use Reincarnation Power to summon ancient heroes!"
"Ding! Host, the ninth level of the Reincarnation Xuanhuang Pagoda, where hero summoning is consumed, has undergone a slight change. The ninth level currently seals thirteen peerless heroes. Each hero's summoning requires the consumption of two billion Reincarnation Power!!"
"Ding! Host, do you wish to summon ancient heroes!"
"Summon!"
Yang Hao shook his head. However, with a current total of eight billion Reincarnation Power, it was a small matter!
"Ding! Host, two billion Reincarnation Power has been successfully deducted!"
"Ding! Commencing ancient hero summoning!"
"Weng~~"
"Weng~~"
At this location, Yang Hao's primordial spirit directly entered the ninth level of the Reincarnation Xuanhuang Pagoda from the depths of his soul sea. Stepping onto the rolling, churning Milky Way, the fifteen hero statues still stood there, gazing down at the vast expanse of the firmament. The golden light emanating from the statues of Zhang Liang and Li Jing added considerable color to this ninth level space, the golden radiance flashing with extreme brilliance!
With the deduction of two billion Reincarnation Power, countless rays of golden light condensed outside the Reincarnation Xuanhuang Pagoda, floating and converging towards the ninth level. They then surged into the boundless Milky Way within the ninth level. Among the thirteen hero statues, one statue vibrated, its surface covered in cracks, as if about to peel away. It suddenly absorbed myriad golden lights from the boundless Milky Way!
As the golden lights merged, layers of dust peeled off the surface of the statue. This statue began to flash with dazzling, supremely brilliant light!
Beneath this golden light, the hero appeared, his figure majestic, his back broad and his waist strong. In his hand, he held the double-edged spear, known as the thief of a hundred weapons.
At this moment, on the fourth level of the Reincarnation Xuanhuang Pagoda, a historical river roared open. A golden, radiant hero statue materialized, and a figure flashed out, rushing into the fourth level of the Reincarnation Xuanhuang Pagoda.
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully summoning forth a peerless fierce general from the river of history – the Heavenly King of Martial Mourning – Ran Min!!"
The Heavenly King of Martial Mourning!
Ran Min!
A hero who reached the pinnacle of combat power during the Sixteen Kingdoms period!
A highly controversial hero!
He issued the "Kill the Hu Order"!
Several Hu tribes were almost annihilated by him!
Some called him a hero, others a butcher.
Even when captured, he uttered that domineering sentence: "The world is in great chaos, and you barbarians, with human faces and beastly hearts, still wish to usurp the throne and rebel. I am a hero of my generation, why can I not be an emperor?"
In the eighth year of Yonghe, Ran Min was defeated and captured, sent to Longcheng, and executed at Exing Mountain. After Ran Min's death, the grass and trees for seven li on both sides of the mountain withered, locusts appeared in large numbers, and there was a drought from May to December. Murong Jun sent an envoy to offer sacrifices to Ran Min, bestowing upon him the posthumous title of Heavenly King of Martial Mourning. That day, heavy snow fell.
"View detailed information for the Heavenly King of Martial Mourning – Ran Min!"
"Name: Ran Min"
"Courtesy Name: Yongzeng"
"Nickname: Jinu"
"Dynasty: Sixteen Kingdoms"
"Cultivation: Half-step detachment!"
"Cultivation Method: Rebellious Heaven's Wrath Battle Technique"
"Attached Troop Type: Peerless Troop Type – One hundred thousand elite soldiers!"
Experience: Ran Min's family had served as general of the 'ya men' for generations. Ran Min's father, Ran Liang, was adopted by Shi Hu at the age of twelve and renamed Shi Zhan. Ran Min was decisive and sharp-witted from a young age. Shi Hu doted on him. After growing up, Ran Min was eight feet tall, brave, and exceptionally strong.
In the fourth year of Xiankang, Shi Hu suffered a major defeat in the Battle of Changli. Only the army led by Ran Min remained unscathed, and thus Ran Min's fame greatly increased. In August of the fifth year of Xiankang of the Eastern Jin dynasty, the Eastern Jin stationed troops at Zhucheng. Shi Hu was angered and attacked Zhucheng. In September, Ran Min defeated the Jin army in Miannan, killing the Eastern Jin general Cai Huai, and later defeated Liang Du, further enhancing his prestige. Generals of both Hu and Han ethnicities feared him.
In the fifth year of Yonghe, Shi Hu died, and Crown Prince Shi Shi ascended the throne. Ran Min and others advised Shi Zun to return to Ye City and inherit the imperial throne. Shi Zun agreed and thus marched to Ye City. Shi Zun deposed Shi Shi and ascended the throne as emperor. Upon Shi Zun's enthronement, he appointed Ran Min as Commander of All Military Affairs, General of Fu Guo, and Minister of Works, assisting in governing the country, and also promised Ran Min that he would be made crown prince.
However, not long after, Shi Zun appointed Shi Yan as the Crown Prince. Ran Min was greatly disappointed and plotted a deposition. He killed Shi Zun in Kunhua Hall. After Shi Zun's death, Shi Hu's third son, the King of Yiyang, Shi Jian, ascended the throne. In January of the sixth year of Yonghe, Ran Min intended to completely eliminate the Shi clan. Citing a prophecy that read "Successor Zhao Li," he changed the national title to Wei, changed his surname to Li, issued a general amnesty, and changed the reign title to Qinglong.
At that time, Shi Kun, Zhang Ju, and Wang Lang led seventy thousand troops to attack Ye City. Ran Min led over a thousand cavalry to resist them north of the city. Ran Min, wielding his double-edged spear, charged forward at full speed. His opponents broke upon his assault, beheading three thousand enemies and killing thirty-eight of Shi Hu's grandsons, completely eradicating the Shi family.
In the same year, after assassinating Shi Jian, Ran Min usurped the throne in the southern suburbs, changing the reign title to Yongxing and the national title to Great Wei, historically known as Ran Wei, and restored his surname to Ran.
In 352 AD, he was defeated during a breakout attempt and captured by Murong Ke, the Prince of Taiyuan of Former Yan. Later, he was captured by Murong Jun, the King of Yan. After being captured, Murong Jun stood before Ran Min and asked him, "You, a mere servant, why did you presume to call yourself Son of Heaven?" Ran Min replied, "The world is in great chaos, and you barbarians, with human faces and beastly hearts, still wish to usurp the throne and rebel. I am a hero of my generation, why can I not be an emperor?" Murong Jun was enraged, had Ran Min whipped three hundred times, sent him to Longcheng, and had him executed at Exing Mountain, posthumously bestowing upon him the title of Heavenly King of Martial Mourning.