464 The Dragon Emperor
The anticipated great battle came to an abrupt end.
Relying on his unmatched strength, Qin Huai had annihilated all the leaders of the five-county alliance army, including the audacious visceral prefecture realm expert. He didnât stand a chance against Qin Huai, falling within a few breaths.
âLay down your weapons, and Iâll spare you,â Qin Huai announced calmly, surveying the seemingly endless army before him.
Faced with the terrifying carnage, the soldiers collectively disarmed. Qin Huai had single-handedly subdued an army of a hundred thousand.
âWeâ¦we won!â
The realization took a while to dawn on the White Dragon Army. Cheers echoed loudly as they swiftly surrounded the disarmed troops on Li Shaoxiangâs command. The armor was removed, and captives were taken. It was a victory of five thousand against a hundred thousand.
â¦
Back in Lingjiang City, Qin Huai, Li Shaoxiang, and the others gathered on Nine Dragons Peak.
âAll thanks to your timely return, husband. Otherwise, I donât know how we wouldâve managed,â Li Shaoxiang confessed, nestled in Qin Huaiâs arms, behaving like a young girl only when he was present.
Li Buhu looked on, gobsmacked, but a stern glance from Li Shaoxiang forced him to retreat to a corner, rendered silent.
âPerhaps this is the destiny my wife spoke of,â Qin Huai mused. âNow that Iâve eliminated the leaders of the five-county alliance army, you can take this chance to gradually take over these territories.â
âBut the prefecture overseerâ¦â Li Shaoxiang began, her voice filled with hesitation. âEven though the ten counties of East Qingzhou are far, such a significant event will surely draw the attention of the prefecture overseer. They canât just let us govern the ten counties.â
Their concerns were voiced one after another.
âDonât worry, the prefecture overseer is too preoccupied to bother about other counties,â Qin Huai assured confidently.
âOh?â Li Shaoxiang responded, her face revealing a hint of excitement. âMust be your handiwork causing the storm.â
Qin Huai shook his head. âI was merely defending myself. But the world is so unpredictable, itâs absurd.â
He smiled wryly. Who could have imagined that the Tang family, which had ruled Qingzhou for a millennium, would turn out to be a demonic force? Moreover, the key powers in Qingzhou City had long been under the sway of these demons. It was a truth too hard to believe.
âIn short, donât fret over ruling the ten counties. But be careful when recruiting. More power can lead to more issues, especially in the details.â Qin Huai offered his advice, âIf things donât work out, take it slow. Itâs all up to you.â
They then talked about the development of Lingjiang over the past two years.
When Qin Huai learned of the Tongduan Peak, established by the former Tong family patriarch, he was both startled and amazed. He hadnât expected that the Tong familyâs ancestral home would be Lingjiang. His unintentional actions in the past had laid a sturdy foundation for Lingjiang, providing a pillar of strength for its growth.
After many discussions, Qin Huai and Li Shaoxiang enjoyed some quiet time as a couple. After sharing a round of intimacy, Qin Huai sat up, his face serious. âI canât stay long this time. There are pressing matters waiting for me in Qingzhou City.â
His face was solemn, tinged with guilt. Though their marriage was born out of unusual circumstances, they had developed common interests and goals. Li Shaoxiang had contributed so much for him, yet he hadnât been able to spend much time with her.
âFrom the moment I first saw you, I was prepared for this,â Li Shaoxiang responded generously, not pretending to be upset. âIâll continue learning and striving to match you in other aspects.â
Qin Huai nodded, then spat out fragments of the Blood Puppet, a massive figure standing two meters tall, wrapped in a dense blood aura with a hint of bewitching malevolence. The puppet, although incomplete, was well-preserved inside.
Next, Qin Huai spat out fragments of the Thousand Viper King and Swordfeather Black Eagle. Once they left Qin Huaiâs dantian world, they transformed into a thick essence of blood and were absorbed by the blood puppet. The surge of blood essence turned Li Shaoxiangâs face rosy.
âThese are some spoils of war from Qingzhou,â Qin Huai explained. âThis blood essence can drive this incomplete blood puppet into battle. Though it may not match a visceral prefecture realm expert, it should handle those below that level without trouble.â
He further demonstrated how to use it. If the puppet were complete, it would rival a visceral prefecture realm expert. However, it was perfect for the Nine Dragons sect and Lingjiang.
âThank you, husband,â Li Shaoxiang said, pressing herself against Qin Huai.
Hours passed in what felt like seconds.
â¦
Qin Huai rose from bed and stepped out of the study. He headed to the back mountain, where the dragon corpse lay. Touching the corpse, he could still sense its astonishing power.
âThis dragon corpse is as valuable as a bronze realm.â He sighed. Only at his level could he truly comprehend its formidable power.
He then sat cross-legged on the dragon skull and activated the nine dragons true qi technique.
Buzzâ¦
At the same time, the dragon emperor inside his dantian world was awakened. The enormous dragon bone trembled and then slowly floated in the air, its supreme power merging with Qin Huai.
âJust as I thought,â Qin Huai said, a smile playing on his lips.
The dragon emperorâs power was the reason why Qin Huai had chosen the dragon bone as his second spirit treasure. His emperorâs force could suppress the boneâs dominance, and with this power, Qin Huaiâs lethal strength would surely soar.