Immortal Martial Emperor

Hong Yu followed Xu Wudi into Frozen City.

Along the way, wherever the girl in the fiery red leather armor passed, everyone from common citizens to the powerhouses of various factions subconsciously moved aside.

No one dared to provoke Xu Wudi again!

This terrifying, domineering, invincible woman...

Her every word and deed, her imperious temperament, were all deeply etched into their minds.

Crown Prince Landy glanced in the direction Xu Wudi had left, a hint of helplessness and bitterness flashing through his gem-like blue eyes.

With a quiet sigh, Landy looked toward Tang Rui and Patriarch Cheng, a resolute look flashing in his eyes.

Turning to the trembling General Huo, Landy said calmly, "General Huo, the Kingdom entrusted the City Guard Army to you so that you would uphold the law. But from the looks of it, these years of comfortable living have made you forget the very reason the City Guard Army was established."

"I plead guilty. Please, Your Highness, issue my punishment!"

General Huo hastily fell to his knees.

Inside, General Huo hated Tang Sanpang and Cheng Gong to the bone. ’If it weren’t for those two blind fools provoking that jinx, Hong Yu, how could things have possibly gotten this out of hand?’

General Huo knew full well that if Xu Wudi hadn’t been involved, even the Crown Prince would have just turned a blind eye.

But with Xu Wudi’s appearance, and the fact that this whole affair was ultimately tied to the Xu Family, Crown Prince Landy would find someone to be the scapegoat, if only to curry favor with her.

Obviously, Tang Sanpang didn’t have the status or importance. ’It can only be me. I’m the one who will have to take the fall.’

A blue light flickered in Landy’s eyes as he said indifferently, "I will report this matter to my Royal Father personally. As for your final punishment, that will naturally be his decision. However, I expect a full, written report of today’s events on my desk before nightfall."

"Hm?"

General Huo froze.

He had expected Landy to punish him on the spot.

But from the sound of it, Landy was in no hurry to sentence him. General Huo was a sharp man; he realized this meant Landy had no intention of making him the scapegoat.

In that case... ’Does His Highness the Crown Prince intend to move against the Tang and Cheng Families?’

General Huo’s heart leaped. He immediately added, "Rest assured, Your Highness, I will thoroughly investigate the cause and consequences of this incident! I will not allow anyone who deserves punishment to escape!"

"Good."

Landy nodded in satisfaction, glanced at the crowd, and then departed on a gust of icy wind.

After Landy left, General Huo immediately began directing the City Guard Army to clean up the area. The gates of Frozen City were in ruins and had to be repaired as quickly as possible.

Furthermore, General Huo’s gaze swept over the crowd before landing on Tang Sanpang and Cheng Gong. He waved a hand. "Men! Arrest Tang Sanpang and Cheng Gong!"

"How dare you!"

"General Huo, what is the meaning of this?"

Tang Rui and Patriarch Cheng both moved to intervene, their expressions grim.

General Huo sneered inwardly. ’A bunch of idiots. Your Tang and Cheng Families ganging up on the Xu Family has clearly infuriated His Highness the Crown Prince.’

Outwardly, however, he maintained a cold and impartial tone. "Gentlemen, no need to be alarmed. I am merely asking them to assist with an investigation." Before they could say more, General Huo’s expression hardened. "His Highness the Crown Prince personally ordered me to investigate this thoroughly. Do the two of you truly intend to interfere?"

"You..."

The two men exchanged a look.

Recalling Landy’s indifferent gaze before he left, their hearts pounded. They realized that their joint efforts to suppress the Xu Family had likely truly angered the Crown Prince.

With a cold snort, the two said nothing more and sped back toward their respective family compounds.

Dealing with the Xu Family was merely a matter of conflicting interests between the three families, a way to prevent the Xu Family from growing too powerful. The Royal Family had tacitly approved of this.

However, the Royal Family would clearly never permit the Xu Family’s complete annihilation.

Their suppression had reached a critical point; the Xu Family was just one step away from ruin. It was indeed time for the Royal Family to intervene.

The two patriarchs had to return to their clans to plan their next steps.

As for Cheng Gong and Tang Sanpang...

Both Tang Rui and Patriarch Cheng understood that the two would have to be abandoned as sacrificial pawns.

Tang Sanpang wailed, "Brother, save me, brother!"

But Tang Rui paid him no mind.

Cheng Gong stared in utter disbelief as his father turned and walked away. He was dragged off, wailing, by a squad of grim-faced City Guard soldiers.

The onlookers couldn’t help but sigh at the sight.

One of the Five Young Tyrants, the greedy Tang Sanpang from the city entrance registry, the second disciple of the Blood Demon Palace, Qi Feng...

These men represented more than half of the top powers in Icebound City.

The power behind any one of them was enough to make the entire Ice Kingdom tremble, yet today, because they had all provoked the same young man, they met such a miserable end.

How could this not leave everyone astonished?

In that moment, all eyes turned to the cold and silent Liang Hunran.

At this very moment, Liang Hunran stood without a word, his features contorted. A sinister light glinted in his seemingly murky eyes.

He let out a long breath. As his eyes opened and closed, a cold glint that seemed to originate from the Nine Netherworld Yellow Springs flashed past. Gazing at Qi Feng’s severed head and body, the Bloodthirsty Demon King, Liang Hunran, seemed to have aged considerably.

’Tian’Er... Feng’er... rest easy,’

Liang Hunran thought, his eyes narrowed to slits. The corners of his mouth lifted into a smile filled with chilling venom and hatred. ’Your master will make Hong Yu and Xu Wudi pay. I will make them wish they were dead. After they have savored every torture this world has to offer, I will send them to the Nine Netherworld Hell.’

’Hong Yu... the Xu Family...’

"Heheheheheh..."

A sinister rasp rumbled from deep in Liang Hunran’s throat. ’My disciples wanted to kill you. You should have just stuck your necks out and obediently accepted your deaths! But you resisted... Heh heh... just you wait. I will make you wish you had never been born!’

Liang Hunran’s heart seethed with irrepressible killing intent and venomous hatred.

As a glint flashed in his eyes, another plan for revenge had already taken shape in his mind.

A plan that would push both the Xu Family and Hong Yu into an abyss from which they could never return...

...

「The Xu Family Estate」

Xu Wudi had shed her domineering and invincible demeanor. Now, she was like the big sister next door, holding Xiaohua’s hand as she led some thirty-odd children to the Xu Family’s main gate.

Two guards spotted Xu Wudi’s return from a distance, their eyes filled with fervent admiration.

Of course, it wasn’t the heat of desire, but a heartfelt respect and awe. "Second Miss, you’re back!"

"Yes."

Xu Wudi nodded. "Xu Da, Xu Chu, is Father in the compound?"

"The Patriarch is in the main hall holding a clan meeting with several Elders," Xu Da replied.

Xu Wudi grunted in acknowledgment, then instructed, "These children are survivors from our Xu Family’s Exile Town. Take them and see that they are well cared for."

"Survivors from Exile Town?" Xu Chu paused, stunned.

Xu Wudi shot him a glance and said flatly, "All twenty thousand members of the Xu Family in Exile Town are dead. These are the only ones who survived."

"What?"

The two guards were aghast.

Their gazes toward Xiaohua and the other children softened with pity and genuine warmth. Patting their chests in assurance, they led the children away.

Xiaohua reluctantly said goodbye to Hong Yu and Xu Wudi.

Once everyone had left, Xu Wudi turned to Hong Yu, studying him intently. She then held out a fair, slender hand. "Hand it over."

"What?"

Hong Yu blinked.

Xu Wudi pursed her lips. "You have my sister’s hairpin. Where did you get it? What’s your relationship with that bastard?" As she spoke, she shook her fist threateningly. "You’d better come clean. If I’m not satisfied with your answer, I’ll beat you until you can’t sit down for a week!"

The corner of Hong Yu’s mouth twitched. "..."

He didn’t doubt for a second that she would follow through on her threat.

’Considering how decisively she’d lopped off Qi Feng’s head right in front of Liang Hunran, I wouldn’t dare underestimate her,’ Hong Yu thought.

He rubbed his nose and took the hairpin Xiahuang Shang had given him out of his Storage Ring.

SWISH!

Xu Wudi’s figure blurred, and the hairpin was in her hand.

Examining it, she then pulled out a similar hairpin from her robes. One depicted a dragon, the other a phoenix—a matching pair. No wonder she knew he had it.

"What’s your relationship to him?" Xu Wudi asked, looking at Hong Yu.

Hong Yu gave a wry smile. "We’re friends... He asked me to come to the Ice Kingdom to find the hairpin’s owner."

"Hmph. Then why didn’t he come himself?" Xu Wudi demanded.

She seemed to utterly despise Xiahuang Shang.

Hong Yu was puzzled. ’Does she not know Xiahuang Shang’s identity? Or is she just so audacious that she doesn’t give a damn about a Prince of the Xiahuang Ancient Kingdom?’

While he was mulling it over, Xu Wudi’s deep voice cut in. "Since you know him, you must know who he is, right? Tell me."

Xu Wudi’s eyes were actually turning slightly red. "That son of a bitch, that heartless bastard... He used this hairpin to pledge himself to my sister, then he just left. We haven’t heard from him in five years. For five years, my sister has been sick with longing. She’s been bedridden for the last three, unable to even get up. I’m going to find that bastard and tear him to shreds."

Hong Yu’s expression was complicated. "..." ’No wonder Xiahuang Shang looked so awkward when he gave me this hairpin!’

’So that’s the story behind it.’

However, Hong Yu had never been one to meddle in others’ affairs, especially not matters of the heart.

He rubbed his nose. "I only met him by chance. We fought alongside each other once, and when he heard I was coming to the Ice Kingdom, he gave me this hairpin so I could seek help from its owner."

"Help? Bullshit."

Xu Wudi cursed under her breath, then said coldly, "I was going to help you out since you saved Xiaohua and the others. But since you’re connected to *him*... Get out. Get the hell out of my sight, and don’t let me see you again. If I do, I’ll beat you every single time!"

"Hey, come on, you can’t be serious," Hong Yu said in frustration.

Xu Wudi’s eyebrows shot up. "What? You got a problem with that? Fine. If you’ve got a problem, you can take it up with my fists. You win, and I’ll help you with whatever you want!"

Hong Yu’s eye twitched. "..."

He was completely at a loss with the formidable Xu Wudi.

Frustrated, he rubbed his nose. Just as he was about to leave, he heard a cry of alarm from within the estate gates...

"Second Miss, it’s bad! The El-Eldest Miss... she’s not going to make it!"