Immortal Martial Emperor

Time flew by in the blink of an eye.

Today was the day the Qin Kingdom’s contingent was to set out for the Yaoyue Kingdom.

The Qin Kingdom’s party consisted of more than five thousand people. About four thousand of them were experts who would actually be participating in the Southern Ten Nations Martial Tournament, while the rest were guards or family members.

The vast procession departed from the Qin Royal City, sent off by officials and cheered on by citizens lining the streets.

The Qin Kingdom truly lived up to its reputation as the wealthiest of the Southern Ten Nations. For this journey of over five thousand people, they had spent a fortune to build eight hundred Primordial Weapon War Chariots.

These Primordial Weapon War Chariots were not of a high grade—only Mortal Level, Lower Grade.

But...

Even the cheapest Mortal-Level Primordial Weapon was worth tens of millions of Gold Coins, and there were a full eight hundred of them here!

One could only imagine the staggering extent of the Qin Kingdom’s wealth.

Hong Yu rode a tall steed at the very front of the procession. He disliked riding in chariots, always feeling that the small, confined space was suffocating.

He much preferred galloping on horseback, enjoying the scenery along the way.

Beside Hong Yu was a cool-mannered young woman in a long azure gown. Her hair was casually tied back with a single, smooth silk ribbon. It was none other than Beichen Celestial Frost.

As his gaze swept over Beichen Celestial Frost’s serene and silent face, a flicker of emotion shone in Hong Yu’s eyes. He was rather touched.

Ever since that time he had helped her heal, and those... ripples had occurred between them, Beichen Celestial Frost had grown somewhat dependent on him.

This dependence wasn’t clinginess.

Strictly speaking, Beichen Celestial Frost had never once proactively asked for anything, nor had she ever made any demands.

All this time, she had simply been a quiet guardian at Hong Yu’s side.

She was quiet, almost taciturn.

But...

...whenever it concerned Hong Yu, her reactions were always incredibly swift. Often, with just a shift in his gaze or a slight frown, Beichen Celestial Frost could read his thoughts and prepare everything for him a step ahead.

Yet, this considerate and lovely young woman had never asked for anything in return.

This time, too, it was Hong Yu who had taken the initiative and asked her to accompany him to the Yaoyue Kingdom.

"Tianshuang, if it gets too hot, you should go rest in the chariot for a while," Hong Yu said with a smile.

Beichen Celestial Frost’s eyes curved into crescents as she squinted slightly, and she gently shook her head.

Hong Yu rubbed his nose and chuckled. "The Qin Kingdom isn’t too far from Yaoyue City. We should be there in about three days. If I get a chance on the road, I’ll catch some wild pheasants or rabbits and roast them for you. Heh, my grilling skills are top-notch!"

Beichen Celestial Frost nodded serenely, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. She seemed a little shy.

Hong Yu laughed heartily. "Tianshuang, when you blush, you look like a ripe peach!"

"..."

Beichen Celestial Frost lowered her head.

Watching the delicate, blushing face of the young woman, Hong Yu laughed without a care in the world.

He was completely unaware that behind him, a group of bachelors were collectively flipping him the bird. ’Damn it, showing off your love life in front of a bunch of single guys... Do you have any public decency?’

Little did they know...

...a guy like Hong was still a virgin himself!

"Senior Brother Zheng, the more I look at that kid, the more I can’t stand him," a Guiyuan Sect disciple at the back of the group said resentfully, glaring at Hong Yu.

Zheng Tian glanced at him but said nothing.

His complicated gaze swept toward Hong Yu, and a trace of helplessness and bitterness flickered across his expression.

His successive defeats at Hong Yu’s hands had already dulled much of his sharp edge.

What’s more, after waking up and learning that Hong Yu had even killed Xue De, Zheng Tian had lost all will to contend with him.

Seeing that he remained silent, the few others didn’t press the matter.

The schedule arranged by the Qin Kingdom was very relaxed, so no one was in a particular hurry. Even so, they arrived in the Yaoyue Kingdom by sunset on the third day.

"We’re just over ten kilometers from Yaoyue City. If we speed up, we should be able to make it there in time!" an expert from the Iron Soldier Pavilion explained.

Hong Yu nodded.

The vast procession of over five thousand people picked up its pace, and a little over ten minutes later, they arrived right outside Yaoyue City.

But the group couldn’t enter immediately.

Several other parties were blocking the way ahead. Powerful waves of energy pulsed from the front, suggesting that experts were clashing.

"I’ll go take a look!"

The expert from the Iron Soldier Pavilion said, and ran over.

A short while later, he ran back, covered in sweat. His expression was a mixture of excitement and exasperation. "It seems a beggar offended Prince Zhui Yue of the Wind Chasing Kingdom. Now, the prince has his men tying the beggar to the city gate and flogging him with an Elemental Power Long Whip!"

"A beggar?"

Hong Yu raised his eyebrows. "This is the Yaoyue Kingdom’s territory, after all. It’s not our place to interfere. Let’s just wait out here."

"Alright!"

The expert from the Iron Soldier Pavilion agreed.

It wasn’t that they lacked sympathy. In this world where the strong were revered and the weak were prey, showing compassion to others was often a form of cruelty to oneself.

But sometimes, even when you deliberately tried to avoid trouble, trouble had a way of finding you.

Just as Hong Yu was thinking they should wait for the matter to be resolved before entering Yaoyue City, an object suddenly came flying from the front, heading straight for Beichen Celestial Frost.

"Hm?"

Hong Yu’s Heart Spirit stirred. He turned and gently slapped a palm forward.

His power wasn’t violent; he only intended to knock the incoming object aside.

But when he saw what it was, Hong Yu’s expression instantly turned ugly.

It was a bloody, severed head.

With a flick of his fingers, he exquisitely controlled his Elemental Power, forming a hand of energy that enveloped the head and gently placed it on the ground.

The head belonged to a man with disheveled hair and a grimy face. His eyes were wide with a mixture of confusion, terror, unwillingness, and indignation at the world.

He didn’t understand. Why, for simply begging on the street and picking up half a steamed bun to eat, was he tied up and brutally beaten under the sun?

He didn’t understand. Why, for merely explaining where the bun came from, was he accused of defying royal authority?

He didn’t understand. Why, when they were all human, was it a crime for him to eat a bun that had fallen on the ground, while others could treat human life as if it were worthless grass?

Filled with indignation and confusion, he had drawn his last breath.

"Damn it, still running around after you’re dead?"

A burly, thuggish-looking man suddenly charged out of the crowd. He rushed up to the bloody head and raised his foot, about to stomp it into a pulp.

"The man’s already dead. Is it necessary to be so cruel?"

Hong Yu simply couldn’t stand by and watch such a brutal act.

When a person dies, it’s like a lamp going out.

No matter what sins he had committed, one shouldn’t vent their anger on a corpse after death.

Hearing Hong Yu, the burly man’s expression turned cold. He reflexively barked, "Where did this blind fool come from? You dare meddle in my business? You don’t want to live... uh..."

The man’s words caught in his throat as he finally saw Hong Yu and the vast procession of five thousand people behind him.

His throat seemed to be caught in a vice, and he couldn’t speak. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead.

"Make way, make way! Our Prince Zhui Yue is here!"

A clamor arose from the back of the crowd.

A handsome young man in a magnificent brocade robe and a jade crown stepped forward.

He first glanced at the head on the ground and frowned, then looked at the burly man with displeasure. "What are you doing? Didn’t I tell you to stomp this head to a pulp? Why is it still here?"

"Y-Your Highness, i-it was them..." the burly man stammered, pointing at Hong Yu.

Prince Zhui Yue looked at Hong Yu and his group in confusion.

’So they’re from the Qin Kingdom.’

Prince Zhui Yue thought to himself. As his gaze swept over the group, it suddenly froze, landing on Beichen Celestial Frost.

Although the long days of travel had left Beichen Celestial Frost a bit travel-worn, it could hardly conceal her stunning beauty and cold, proud temperament.

The fatigue from the journey added a touch of fragility to her cold pride.

It created a pitifully lovely sight, stirring an irresistible desire in others to cherish and protect her.

Prince Zhui Yue considered himself a connoisseur of women, but he had rarely seen such a flawless specimen.

Gulping audibly, Prince Zhui Yue cupped his hands in a salute toward Beichen Celestial Frost. "I am Zhui Yue, the second prince of the Wind Chasing Kingdom. It is a pleasure to meet you. Miss, you are truly a heavenly beauty. Might I ask for your name?"

Beichen Celestial Frost glanced at him as if he were thin air.

She turned to Hong Yu. "Brother Yu, I’m a bit tired. I’m going to the chariot to rest for a while."

"Alright."

Hong Yu nodded.

A muscle in Prince Zhui Yue’s eye twitched. "..."

Never in his entire life had he been so completely ignored.

Beyond his disappointment, a venomous glare fell upon Hong Yu. Prince Zhui Yue said coldly, "Kid, what’s that young lady’s name?"

"Are you talking to me?"

Hong Yu pointed to himself.

Zhui Yue snorted. "Who else would I be talking to?"

Hong Yu chuckled and spread his hands. "If you want to know her name, ask her yourself!" He waved a hand to the people behind him. "Let’s move out!"

The experts of the Qin Kingdom began to move forward.

Being ignored time and again had thoroughly enraged Prince Zhui Yue.

He snorted coldly. "Damn you, bastard! Stop right there!"

The thirty or forty guards under Prince Zhui Yue immediately rushed forward to block Hong Yu’s path. "Our prince told you to stop! Are you deaf?"

"Get out of the way!"

Hong Yu frowned. He really didn’t want to stir up trouble right after arriving.

But from the look of things, it was unavoidable.

Under the oppressive Momentum of a cultivator at the Peak of the Celestial Soul Realm, the guards’ faces paled slightly, and they took several steps back.

Seeing this, Prince Zhui Yue flew into a rage. He kicked the severed head, sending it flying toward Hong Yu.

Hong Yu’s expression grew stern. With a wave of his hand, he formed a palm of Elemental Power to catch the head and set it aside. His gaze, now even colder, fell on Prince Zhui Yue. "Don’t force me to strike you."

"Strike me?"

Prince Zhui Yue was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing as if he’d heard the funniest joke in the world. "Kid, let this prince tell you something... Forget a mere Celestial Soul Realm cultivator like you, not even your Qin Kingdom’s number one genius, Zheng Tian, would dare to strike me! My big brother is Prince Zhui Ri, one of the Four True Dragons! If you dare to touch me, my brother will make you wish you were dead!"

"Prince Zhui Ri?"

Hong Yu raised his eyebrows. He had, of course, heard that name before.

Ranked second on the Dragon and Tiger List, the second strongest of the previous generation’s Four True Dragons, and hailed as the strongest Spirit Cultivator in the Southern Ten Nations!

Seeing Hong Yu hesitate, Prince Zhui Yue sneered. "Scared now, kid? Well, I’m telling you, it’s too late! If you don’t want to be killed by my brother on the tournament stage, you’d better get on your knees and apologize to me right now. Also, bring that girl out here and let this prince get to know her properly."

"Do that, and this prince might spare your life. Otherwise, you’re a dead man!"

Prince Zhui Yue rambled on smugly.

He failed to notice that Hong Yu’s face had already turned as black as charcoal, his furious gaze fixed on him.

Prince Zhui Yue’s heart seized. He saw that Hong Yu had somehow appeared in front of him. A hand descended from above and viciously slapped him across the face, stunning him completely.

But that wasn’t all. Hong Yu then raised his leg and delivered a savage kick.

Prince Zhui Yue’s body shot backward like a falling star...

"I don’t care if you’re a prince or an emperor’s son! Piss me off, and I’ll still slap you into next week!"