"Is Dafu Kingdom really that powerful?"
Ji Xia sat on the throne, with Prime Ministers Qing and Ze at his side, along with other high-ranking officials, such as Lu Yu, Zhao Qu, Meng Gui, Chang Feng, and Ji Qianqing.
"The Dafu Kingdom is to Tai Cang as a vast lake is to a small pond," Lu Yu said. "Their territory is dozens of times larger than ours, and their military strength is beyond our comprehension. Among them are countless powerful cultivators, truly a land of talent."
Zhao Qu seemed to recall something from the past, his eyes clouded with distant memories. After a long pause, he spoke. "When I was young, I went to Dafu to study ritual duties. Their totem, like Tai Cang's, is the Great Wind."
"The people of Dafu look like us, but they are born with runes that accompany them, their blood black as ink, distinctly different from the human race. To them, we are either ignored or viewed as lesser beings, to be killed without a second thought."
Ji Xia furrowed his brow. "The Zhou Qing Kingdom can mine the remaining 10,000 pounds of Chi Yan Stone in just three months. When Dafu sends their powerful cultivators, will we still have a chance?"
Zhao Qu shook his head with a bitter smile. "If Dafu sends their experts, Tai Cang will have no chance of survival."
"In the boundless wilderness, the strong eradicate the weak. For the weak, there is not just no hope of survival, but no reason to survive," Ji Qianqing added.
Ji Xia suddenly slapped his forehead and stood up. "I am the Great Wind's envoy in this boundless land. Since they believe in the Great Wind, surely they will show me some respect!"
Lu Yu, Meng Gui, and the others looked at each other with brightened eyes. Zhao Qu and Ji Qianqing exchanged a knowing glance, as though to say, Dafu is the source of the Great Wind faith. With your level of cultivation, who do you think you can fool?
Ji Xia awkwardly laughed twice before sitting back down.
As the officials discussed countermeasures, a guard entered the palace and reported, "Your Majesty, the officers and the people of the city have been summoned to the palace."
Ji Xia took a deep breath, walked down from his throne, and headed toward the palace tower.
In the tower, Qing Fu Ren was bound tightly with large metal chains. Shadowy soldiers stood behind him, holding long swords, facing the densely packed crowd below. Among them were Tai Cang officials, Ji's royal soldiers, and ordinary citizens.
Ji Xia spread his arms, and two maidservants immediately approached to adjust his clothing.
He walked to the edge of the tower and looked down at the endless sea of people.
The people of Tai Cang gazed up at him, their eyes filled with doubt, confusion, and despair.
"People of Tai Cang!" Ji Xia's voice rang out across the crowd, amplified by Meng Gui's magic. "I am the son of Shang, Xia! Since the passing of King Shang, I have inherited the throne of Tai Cang. From this moment on, I am your king under the banner of Tai Cang's righteousness, our ancestral laws, and the will of the Great Wind!"
The crowd fell silent, as the people's understanding of Ji Xia still rested on idle gossip and quiet curses.
"A few days ago, the vicious Jiu Quan Kingdom took advantage of Tai Cang's disaster and the death of our king to launch a massive invasion of Tai City. The defenders fought valiantly, and thanks to the divine intervention of the Great Wind, Tai Cang survived this catastrophe."
Whispers spread among the crowd. Some soldiers returning from the frontlines had mentioned the Great Wind sending its envoy to save Tai Cang, but many were still unclear on the details.
"Yet today, we face an even greater tragedy. Eighty-six innocent children of Tai Cang were slaughtered by evil-doers!"
The crowd erupted into a frenzy. The air was thick with shouting, cursing, and crying. The noise was deafening. Ji Xia stood silently, letting the people vent their anger.
After a long while, he raised his hand, and the tens of thousands of people gradually fell silent. The palace grounds once again became still.
"The one who committed this atrocity was Qing Fu Ren, the National Master of Zhou Qing. After slaughtering innocent children, he attempted to assassinate me, but he was bravely captured by our soldiers!"
"Kill him!
Kill him!
Kill him!"
The crowd roared in anger, and Ji Xia paused again, allowing the storm of fury to subside.
After a while, the clamor died down. Ji Xia raised his voice again, "These children were the hope of Tai Cang! The National Master of Zhou Qing's actions, killing our children, are unforgivable. As the king of Tai Cang, I hereby sentence Qing Fu Ren to death!"
The crowd cheered wildly.
Behind him, Zhao Qu spoke with concern. "Killing the National Master of Zhou Qing could provoke a fierce reaction. If they send soldiers in revenge, Tai Cang could be caught between enemies on both fronts. It's too dangerous."
"Indeed!" Qing Fu Ren shouted, "If you dare kill me, Zhou Qing will never forgive you. All of Tai Cang's people will die without a place to be buried!"
Sweat poured down Qing Fu Ren's face, but his defiant threats fell on deaf ears as Ji Xia stared coldly at him.
Ji Xia explained to Zhao Qu, "The current ruler of Zhou Qing isn't a fool. Since Dafu has promised to destroy Tai Cang, killing Qing Fu Ren now will only spur them to mine more Chi Yan Stones. There won't be any serious consequences."
He chuckled darkly. "What's even more ridiculous is that Qing Fu Ren, in his greed, came to Tai Cang alone to steal the Tianwu Seed from the previous king. He thought no one would find out. Now, Zhou Qing will never even know he's dead."
Zhao Qu nodded and then suggested, "Perhaps we should keep him as a hostage. If we fight Zhou Qing in the future, he could be useful as leverage."
Before Ji Xia could respond, Lu Yu shook his head. "If Dafu's experts come, even a hostage like Qing Fu Ren will be of no use."
Qing Fu Ren finally understood how naive his earlier thoughts had been. He had relied on his status as a National Master, thinking Ji Xia, the young king, would hesitate to kill him. But now, the fear was palpable. This young king was not as inexperienced as he had believed. Everything Ji Xia said was true. Zhou Qing wouldn't send an army in revenge immediately. What, then, was there for Tai Cang to fear?
Qing Fu Ren trembled uncontrollably, his spirit still sealed by Meng Gui's strange potion. He could feel the chains loosening, but it wasn't enough for him to escape.
"Some ministers advised me to keep this criminal as a hostage, to trade him for supplies from Zhou Qing, but I refuse!" Ji Xia's voice rang with finality.
"These children are Tai Cang's future! No amount of grain or treasure can make up for their loss. Only by severing the head of the murderer can we appease their souls!"
The people roared in agreement, their chants echoing, "Tai Cang's King! Tai Cang's King! Tai Cang's King!"
Ji Xia raised his hand, the Sword of Vengeance appearing in his grasp.
He stepped forward and faced Qing Fu Ren, who looked up at him in terror.
"You cannot kill me! You cannot kill me!" Qing Fu Ren screamed, his voice growing frantic. "I just reached the Divine Power realm. I am destined for greatness!"
His voice broke off in a scream as Ji Xia lifted his sword, severing Qing Fu Ren's head with a swift blow. The crowd went wild with ecstatic cheers.
For the people of Tai Cang, this was not just the death of a traitor—it was the execution of a tyrant who had killed their children. The new king had proven that, for Tai Cang, no amount of power or wealth could ever outweigh the lives of its people.
In the crowd, voices began to chant, "The new king is the walking will of the Great Wind!"
"Yes! The war against Jiu Quan was won with the help of the Great Wind's thousand strong soldiers!"
A voice rose from the crowd, and it spread like wildfire. People fell to their knees in reverence, shouting praises for the Great Wind and their king. The sight was awe-inspiring.
Ji Xia stood, his heart filled with pride and excitement. But inside, a thought lingered: By gaining the emotions of the people, I can acquire spiritual essence. Recognition must be one of those emotions, and this... this is recognition from thousands of people.