Stronger by Killing

The ninth year of Qingli, January.

The end-of-year celebrations had just passed, and the Capital City was still enveloped in the New Year’s atmosphere when two major events were announced, once again plunging the city into a frenzy.

The first piece of news was that both Beiwei and Southern Jin dispatched envoys to Xia Kingdom simultaneously.

This was news worthy of celebration for everyone in the Capital City.

Compared to other places, the Capital City, as the political power center of Xia Kingdom, had people whose knowledge and political awareness regarding national affairs far surpassed those in other areas. It gathered talents from all over the kingdom, so even ordinary citizens could engage in sophisticated discussions about national situations.

Beiwei and Southern Jin simultaneously sending envoys to Xia Kingdom,

was a very strong signal.

In the past, Xia Kingdom had paid an annual tribute to Beiwei and Southern Jin for fifteen years, a figure so astronomical that it exerted a heavy burden on the kingdom’s taxes.

It was not until fifteen years ago, when the current Emperor Ji Yi ascended the throne, that he abolished the tribute system, leading to a four-year war with Beiwei and Southern Jin, which finally ended in the sixth year of Zhidao with a truce of three countries without a decisive victory.

The same year, Ji Yi changed the era name to Qingli.

From the first year of Qingli to the fifth year of Qingli, Beiwei and Southern Jin were still waging border wars against Xia Kingdom over the tribute issue, and both nations outright refused diplomatic relations with Xia Kingdom.

In the fifth year of Qingli, the relationship between Beiwei and Southern Jin suddenly deteriorated, leading to frequent clashes, which halted their harassment of Xia Kingdom until the beginning of the eighth year of Qingli when their conflicts escalated into a national war.

During the war between these two nations,

Xia Kingdom also faced the Marquis Chengyang’s rebellion.

Now, with Beiwei and Southern Jin suddenly reaching out to Xia Kingdom,

many sensed a different undertone,

and the issue became a hot topic in the Capital City, from the court to the streets. Most speculated that since the war between Beiwei and Southern Jin was not yet over, and Xia Kingdom had swiftly resolved its internal issues, there was worry that Xia Kingdom might join the war.

Both Beiwei and Southern Jin were concerned that Xia Kingdom might ally with their opponent, which is why they chose to send envoys to Xia Kingdom at the beginning of the year.

This envoy mission,

signified that Xia Kingdom had finally seized the initiative among the three nations, which greatly boosted the morale of the people.

However, regarding this issue,

there were other speculations as well. Many suspected that it was because Marquis Yun, Gu Zhan of Xia Kingdom, had developed a Method of Divine Sight that could possibly rewrite the Martial Arts rules, and the other two countries couldn’t sit still, choosing to jointly pressure Xia Kingdom into revealing the Method of Divine Sight.

These two speculations caused a great stir throughout Xia Kingdom.

Soon after,

another significant piece of news emerged,

Marquis Yun, Gu Zhan, set out for the Capital City for the first time.

The name of Marquis Yun, Gu Zhan, had become almost universally known in Xia Kingdom during the eighth year of Qingli. His sudden enfeoffment and appointment as the Grand General of Yunzhou created an uproar in the court, but the most sensational impact was in the Martial World.

According to the adage "In literature, there is no number one; in martial arts, there is no number two," since Gu Zhan was hailed as the undefeated Grandmaster beneath the Land Immortal throughout Xia Kingdom’s Martial World, and after his development of the Method of Divine Sight, cutting down Land Immortals caused quite a stir in the Martial World. The battle at Dao Ma Pass at the end of the eighth year of Qingli directly cemented his reputation, making him the number one in the world and causing upheaval across the Martial World.

The Battle of Dao Ma Pass was no longer confined to the Martial World; it spread among the populace.

The battlefields of the Three States gripped the entire nation,

The suppression of the White Lotus Sect in Yunzhou was the conclusive battle of the Three-States Rebellion, causing ongoing heated discussions. Gu Zhan, having ended the war by himself, was revered by countless commoners as the War God.

Now, with Gu Zhan heading to the Capital City,

naturally caused a massive sensation, especially since he might be one of the reasons behind Beiwei and Southern Jin’s visit to Xia Kingdom.

As the news of Gu Zhan entering the Capital City spread, it grew more intense, and even before he arrived, all eyes were on him.

...

February 2nd, the day the dragon raises its head, the chill of spring was in the air.

When Gu Zhan was still over a hundred miles outside the Capital City, the Jingzhao Prefecture Government Office deployed all constables and government officials to maintain order in the city, and six thousand Yulin Army troops were dispatched from the Imperial City to greet him.

When Gu Zhan’s carriage, escorted by several thousand Yulin Army soldiers, headed to Honglu Temple, it was surrounded by bustling crowds, and due to the generally open social atmosphere in Xia Kingdom, many women were openly calling out to see if Marquis Yun was as handsome as the rumors claimed.

Inside the carriage,

hearing the voices from outside, Gu Zhan couldn’t help but smile.

All along, the rumors portrayed him as a towering figure with a height of three meters, with a ferocious appearance and supernatural abilities, capable of stopping children from crying at night. However, after the Battle of Dao Ma Pass, his public image completely changed.

Especially since the Court publicized him as the youngest marquis in nearly a century, earning him the title of the foremost young talent of the day, garnering widespread admiration. Eventually, the rumors shaped his image into one of elegance and grandeur.

On his journey, Gu Zhan even heard rumors claiming that one of the top ten beauties in the Martial World had fallen in love with him at first sight, refusing to marry anyone else, or that he was destined to spend his life with a renowned heroine. The most outrageous rumor was that, originally a figure from the Martial World, he chose to become an official all to overcome barriers of status due to mutual affection with Gai Qingcheng, the foremost talented woman of the Capital City.