The burly man's words immediately made everyone think of Ye Han, as the Fengshuang Empire had been abuzz with news of Ye Han throughout the year.
Ye Han, seated at his spot, slowly sipped his wine, quietly waiting for the burly man's next words. Seeing that his words had captured everyone's attention, the burly man couldn't help but show a triumphant expression.
After taking a big gulp from his cup, he said with a chuckle, "Hehe, everyone must have thought of that person at first, but this time it has nothing to do with him. It's about our own Fengshuang Empire." His words resolved one mystery but raised another.
"Aha," everyone was curious at this point, wondering what it could be if not about that person.
"Alright, alright, I'll tell you." The burly man laughed heartily and then drained his cup in one gulp.
"It's about the royal family of our Fengshuang Empire. There are rumors that our emperor is not faring well, and the princes have already started fighting for the throne in secret," the burly man said, not yelling like before, but speaking while glancing around.
"That's impossible."
"It's definitely a rumor."
Voices of disbelief immediately rose in the tavern. The burly man became somewhat displeased upon hearing this. It was no joke, after all—if the city guards heard what he had just said, he could lose his head. How could he not be angry when people didn't believe him?
"Hmph, if you don't believe it, forget it," the burly man grunted angrily and returned to his sullen drinking.
"I kind of believe this might be true," the thoughtful swordsman from before spoke up. His cup hung in mid-air, unmoved for a while.
"My friend, why do you think it's true? Your reasoning?" There were mercenaries in the tavern with strengths reaching the eighth and ninth orders, naturally not fools. They had their suspicions, but they weren't sure.
"It's just a guess. Listen to this. According to what I've heard, our emperor of Fengshuang dispatched an army of a hundred thousand about six or seven months ago to capture that person in the destroyed city of Kelt, but they came back empty-handed. The emperor must have been furious. Then, a few months later, news came that Miya City was destroyed, also by that person. The emperor immediately mobilized the same army and even dispatched five thousand imperial guards and ten saint-level warriors, but they all perished at the hands of that person. And most recently, the emperor nearly sent out all the saint-level warriors of our Fengshuang royal family, but the result was the same. After several bouts of rage, I think the emperor must have been extremely angered," the swordsman explained, not needing to finish for anyone with a brain to guess the rest.
Hearing the swordsman's analysis, everyone fell into silence, clearly finding his words highly plausible.
The Emperor of the Fengshuang Empire, possessing only eighth-order strength, would undoubtedly be infuriated under such repeated failures, let alone being the ruler of an empire. Nearly all the saint-level warriors of the entire royal family had perished, along with millions of others.
"Sigh, our Fengshuang Empire is far from peaceful," someone lamented. Unresolved issues with that person and now internal problems within the empire itself—a case of troubles both within and without. Although these people were just commoners of the empire, having lived in Fengshuang all their lives, how could they not worry about their homeland?
A crisp "clang" resonated in the silent tavern, drawing everyone's attention.
"No need to look," Ye Han said as he dropped a purple crystal coin and led Huolis and others out. It was only after they had left that the people in the tavern snapped back to reality. The previously deathly atmosphere vanished in an instant. They could only worry about the empire, but they were powerless to do anything more; they still had their own lives to live.
Ye Han, walking neither fast nor slow, left Tisi City. Once he was about a hundred paces away, he suddenly stopped. "Huolis, go immediately to Fengyue City, the capital of Fengshuang Empire, and help Bernice ascend to the throne. Kill anyone who stands in your way."
"Yes, my King," Huolis answered and prepared to leave. Following Ye Han these days without killing anyone, Huolis was already growing impatient. But he dared not express this, as Ye Han's level was much higher than his. Now, given such a task, Huolis was naturally very pleased.
"Hold on," Ye Han called out to the departing Huolis.
"My King, is there anything else you wish to instruct?"
"Remember, apart from that Emperor himself dying, do not take any action without my command. As for the other princes, do as you see fit."
"Yes, my King, I understand how to proceed."
Ye Han nodded slightly and, with a wave of his right hand, a figure instantly appeared behind him. "Master," the figure addressed him. Ye Han, without paying heed to the person behind him, said, "Huolis, your strength is still low, so I'm sending Jiayila with you."
Jiayila, a late saint-level warrior of the Sword Sect, had been captured by Ye Han and was now under his control. Upon hearing Ye Han's words, a flash of anger momentarily appeared in Huolis's eyes, but it disappeared just as quickly.
"Thank you, my King."
"I will contact Bernice," Ye Han said and then walked towards the grasslands with Ivelin and Kapulos. Watching Ye Han leave, Huolis, without a word, headed towards Fengyue City.
"Huolis, remember your place, or else," Ye Han said softly, a hint of murderous intent gradually appearing in his eyes.
Ye Han stopped walking, raising his right hand to his chest. Slowly, a flickering shadow appeared in his hand. "Master," a faint voice came from the shadow.
"Yōu, follow Huolis and report any unusual activities to me."
"Yes, Master," the shadow said, then created a ripple in the air and disappeared from sight.
Between the Fengshuang and Yanlong Empires lies a vast grassland known as the Kran Grassland. This grassland, stretching far and wide, is not a barren expanse but is dotted with hills of moderate size. The flatlands and the hills alike are cloaked in greenery, and occasionally, lower-tier magical beasts can be seen roaming around. Ye Han paid no heed to these creatures, continuing his steady pace forward.
"Young Master, Miss, run! It's a sixth-order magical beast, a Wind Wolf!" One day, as Ye Han and his companions were progressing at their unhurried pace, they suddenly heard someone shouting and the roar of a magical beast.
Ye Han and his companions continued their steady advance. Kran Grassland was home not only to lower-tier magical beasts but also to some higher-tier ones, like the Wind Wolves they had just heard. These were pack-living, sixth-order magical beasts.
Gradually, the figures of several bloodied guards protecting a young man and a young woman came into Ye Han's view. They were frantically running towards Ye Han's direction, chased by no less than a hundred Wind Wolves a few dozen paces behind them.
Ye Han did not pay them any attention. In his view, the weak had no right to survival. Accompanied by his undead servants, he kept moving forward. When he got a clear view of the people approaching, Ye Han's soul flinched, particularly upon seeing the young woman.
At this point, the group was less than thirty paces away from Ye Han, with the wolf pack closing in. "Ivelin, kill them all," Ye Han commanded in a faint voice, yet clearly heard by the approaching group. Their faces immediately paled.
Kran Grassland was a frequent passage for the merchant caravans of both the Fengshuang and Yanlong Empires, and incidents of robbery and murder were common. Seeing Ye Han in his black robe, the color drained from their faces.
They all stopped in their tracks, gripping their weapons tightly, trembling as they looked at Ye Han and occasionally at the wolf pack behind them. To their surprise, the hundred Wind Wolves halted about twenty paces from the group, effectively surrounding them.
Hearing Ye Han's command, Ivelin's figure blurred into a shadow and in a moment, he was amidst the Wind Wolves. His body moved fluidly, his hands striking rapidly, and with each pass, a spray of blood followed.
"Big brother, who are you?" A clear, pleasant voice stood out amidst the howling of wolves. Ye Han slowly turned his head towards the fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl.
"I am called Blood."