Chapter 0010: The Haotian Empire

"Killing you not only puts my mind at ease, but also saves me trouble," Tang Yin said expressionlessly

He tightly grasped the young man's neck and asked sternly, "You are not deceiving me, are you?"

It is truly hard to imagine that Yan Lie has been dead for a full five hundred years. Five hundred years is a long enough time to change many things; even the magnificent Moon Spirit City has turned into ruins

The Imperial Calendar is the chronological system of the Haotian Empire, with the founding of the Haotian Empire designated as the first year of the Imperial Calendar

What?" Tang Yin was astonished. The Moon Spirit City has turned into ruins? How could that be possible? When Yan Lie left Moon Spirit City to challenge Gu Zhen, the city was still thriving. How could it have become ruins, and moreover, it had turned into ruins hundreds of years ago? Could it be that Yan Lie has seen a ghost? He knew this was absolutely impossible

This is the truth; the Wind Nation also has a tradition of valuing martial prowess. During times of war, military achievements have traditionally been measured by the number of enemy heads taken as trophies. The more enemy heads one brings back, the greater the merit, and upon accumulating a certain amount, one may be granted a noble title as a reward

Tang Yin looked at the young man with amusement and said, "It seems that you have not practiced spiritual martial arts before"

What are your plans? Are you still preparing to go to Moonlight City?

Tang Yin shook his head, wondering what significance there was in going to Moon Spirit City now

He now has only one thought: to go to Moon Spirit City at the foot of Sunset Peak, to find the Crystal and Xuan Zhenzi, and to seek revenge for the blood feud.

Tang Yin shook his head. He had originally thought that there were still people, matters, and places in this world that he and books cared about, but now all of it had turned to ashes. He murmured, "I do not know where I should go, nor do I know what I should do"

The young man said with a serious expression: "I am a scholar"

Tang Yin

Tang Yin cast a strange glance at him and said, "Do you want to follow me?"

Through intense memory, Tang Yin knew that the states of Feng and Ning were neighboring countries, yet their conflicts had never ceased. Ultimately, the root cause was the competition between the two states for the Hedong region, which is known for its fertile soil and rich mineral resources. Originally, the Hedong region was divided equally between Feng and Ning. However, when the state of Ning faced difficulties and sought assistance from Feng, the ruler of Ning promised to cede their half of the Hedong region to Feng. Yet, after Feng accepted Ning's conditions, they did not provide full support to Ning, leading to dissatisfaction on the latter's part. Subsequently, when Ning attempted to reclaim their half of the Hedong region, they were met with refusal from Feng, resulting in a deterioration of relations between the two states and the outbreak of war. During this period, both Feng and Ning occupied the entire Hedong region at different times, and both declared the Hedong region as their own territory. The war continued, with losses on both sides accumulating to an unquantifiable extent, leaving it unclear in the end to whom the Hedong region truly belonged, whether to Feng or to Ning.

The young man looked at Tang Yin in bewilderment and said: "It is now the 805th year of the Imperial Calendar, are you... are you alright?"

Seeing the expression on his face suddenly turn cold, the young man cautiously asked, "Where are you going?"

Tang Yin was taken aback, silently searching through his memories. Indeed, in the Haotian Empire, commoners cannot hold official positions; only after obtaining a noble title do they have the qualification and opportunity to attain an official rank. The same is true for the Feng Kingdom.

Moon Spirit City? The young man was taken aback and asked, "Is it the Moon Spirit City located beneath Sunset Peak?"

He nodded slightly and asked leisurely, "So you chose to enlist in the military, intending to earn a title through killing enemies?"

Why would I deceive you? Moreover, such matters cannot be concealed from others. You may inquire around; who still remembers the name of Moon Spirit City? It has long since become a part of history.

The young man smiled, a mischievous grin on his face, and said: "So I have been looking for someone who can work with me. I had not found anyone before, but..." He looked at Tang Yin with sparkling eyes and said with a smile: "Now, I have found that person."

Seeing the young man's demeanor did not seem like that of a liar, Tang Yin's originally firm confidence began to waver. A sudden flash of insight struck him; he recalled that when he had seen Yan Lie's corpse, it was already a skeleton. Could it be... He dared not think further and softly asked, "What year is it in the imperial calendar now?"

Escape?" Tang Yin raised his head

Tang Yin squinted his eyes, pointed to his own nose, and said: "You wouldn't be referring to me, would you?"

The young man nodded eagerly and said, "You have martial skills, I have literary talents; if we collaborate, it will surely be seamless. Before long, we will both be able to attain nobility."

Tang Yin's lips twitched slightly, but he said nothing more. Since its founding, the Kingdom of Wind has never ceased to be at war. The people of Wind are martial by nature and inherently fierce, having long been accustomed to sustaining war through war. However, the catastrophic defeat of two hundred thousand troops is still a rare occurrence in the history of the Kingdom of Wind

In my opinion, you should stay in the military. With your skills, you will surely be able to rise in rank, and I will also have a reliable support. The young man, who called himself Qiu Zhen, chuckled ingratiatingly. Although he found Tang Yin to be quite peculiar, speaking in a baffling manner as if there were something wrong with his mind, his intuition told him that following Tang Yin would be of no detriment to himself; at the very least, it ensured his survival.

Tang Yin shrugged and said, "It is difficult to even wield a weapon, how can one kill the enemy? Without killing the enemy, how can one obtain the enemy's head? Without a head, how can you gain a title?"

The young man, with a face full of confusion, asked suspiciously: "What are you going there for? Moreover, Moon Spirit City has been in ruins for hundreds of years; I doubt there are many people who still remember the name Moon Spirit City."

The young man said softly: "This expedition to Ningguo is fundamentally a war waged at the wrong time and in the wrong place. A full two hundred thousand people have been scattered, and only a few can truly escape back to Fengdi. Now, there are at least several hundred thousand people from Ningguo pursuing us, these defeated soldiers. Are we to stay here and wait for death instead of fleeing for our lives?"

Indeed, Tang Yin responded straightforwardly

Tang Yin's head buzzed with a sound; he clearly remembered that Yan Lie had challenged Gu Zhen to a duel in the year 305 of the Imperial Calendar, and now it was the year 805. This meant that it was five hundred years after the time of Yan Lie.

How could there possibly be no problem

Tang Yin slowly released his grip, and in an instant, he seemed like a deflated balloon, his legs giving way as he gradually sank to the ground

I do not belong to this world; now even the intensity of my union with myself no longer belongs to this world. Tang Yin closed his eyes, pondering what significance my existence in this world holds.

Qiu Zhen nodded with a smile and said, "You could say that. Moreover, now that I know your secret, you should feel more at ease having me by your side!" He was referring to the fact that Tang Yin was a dark cultivator.

"This war was still triggered by the events in Hedong?" Although five hundred years have passed, Tang Yin's speculation was not incorrect

By the way, my name is Qiu Zhen, what is your name

Crystals cannot possibly live for five hundred years, nor can Xuan Zhenzi. The questions and hatred that originally belonged to him have faded into nonexistence over the course of five hundred years. Tang Yin, who had just found his target, seemed to be suddenly emptied out, unsure of where to go next

He let out a cold laugh and said in an icy tone: "You are deceiving me https://www.hetushucom.com."

"You... what exactly is wrong with you?" The young man asked softly, unsure of what issue had arisen with Tang Yin.

The young man was startled by his appearance and stammered, "This... how could this be a deception? It is indeed the year 805 of the Empire's calendar!"

The youth did not shy away and replied: "Yes. It is indeed easiest to obtain a title in the military."

Tang Yin coldly laughed with disinterest and said, "I will not carry a burden by my side." To him, a young man who had not cultivated spiritual martial arts was simply useless. "Moreover, I have no interest in titles; this war has nothing to do with me. I must first resolve my own matters."

The young man nodded and said: "Indeed. There is nothing wrong with reclaiming the Hedong region, but over the years we have fought too many battles. We have fought against Ningguo, Yuguo, and Anguo, and our country is already riddled with wounds. Meanwhile, Ningguo has strengthened significantly through recuperation, making our defense difficult. How can we expect to have any chance of victory if we take the initiative? The monarch is too hasty; after this defeat, who knows how long it will take to reclaim the Hedong region"

Moon Spirit City

The young man was taken aback for a moment, then exclaimed loudly: "What is there to consider? We are currently in chaotic times, so we must accomplish something earth-shattering..." Upon saying this, he felt that he was being overly grandiose, and quickly changed his tone: "However, at this moment, the most important matter is how we can save our lives"