“Qi Hao?”

Long Chen couldn’t help being stunned. This person was precisely the guard he had seen the first time he had entered the Grand Xia Ancient Nation, Qi Hao. He had even treated Long Chen to some wine.

Back then, the two had ended up bonding over the Grand Han Ancient Nation’s despicable and shameless actions. It was because of that bonding that they had talked like old friends, and Long Chen had given him a few medicinal pills.

“Hahaha, so you still remember me. I’ll be able to brag about that in the future,” laughed Qi Hao. He jumped off the gates and ran over. He was originally going for a handshake, but Long Chen gave him a fierce hug.

“Even after all this time, you’re still guarding here? It seems you still haven’t gotten the hang of the Grand Xia’s bureaucratic culture,” teased Long Chen

Qi Hao was extremely moved that Long Chen still remembered him. Just what kind of figure was Long Chen? Even surrounded by enemies, he had slaughtered his way out. After his fight on Devil Spirit Mountain, his fight against three Empyreans, breaking out of a seal created by three divine items, destroying dozens of sects, he was the number one figure in the Eastern Xuan Region.

“Long Chen, you came here thanks to prince Yunchong’s invitation, right? Good, with you present, the Grand Han won’t dare to be arrogant,” cried Qi Hao excitedly.

“Invitation? The Grand Han? What’s going on?” Long Chen was startled.

“You weren’t invited to come and help?” Qi Hao was surprised.

“I came this time because I have some things to discuss with the Wine God Palace. Did something happen in the Grand Xia? Wasn’t the Grand Han on the verge of destruction?” asked Long Chen.

“This isn’t the place to talk. Come, let’s talk inside. These people are…?”

Long Chen hastily gave the introductions. When Qi Hao learned they were Long Chen’s parents, he hastily greeted them as a junior would to a senior. He then led them into the town and found them a place to rest before ordering some food.

Xiaoyu seemed to be addicted to playing, and Qi Hao called over four people to accompany her as she played on the town walls. Mrs. Long wasn’t at ease with just that and also went to accompany her.

Now only Long Chen, Long Tianxiao, and Qi Hao were present. They were drinking wine and eating. Qi Hao began to tell them of the recent changes in the Grand Xia Ancient Nation.

After the Four Nations Ancient Remnant closed last time, the Grand Han Ancient Nation’s capital had been essentially destroyed by a formation expert called Xia Chen. Everyone had thought that the Grand Han would quickly collapse and be consumed by the Grand Xia, Grand Zhou, and Grand Chu.

However, despite its core being destroyed, the Grand Han suddenly began to produce one expert after another. It was unknown where they were getting the support for this, but it was like these experts were sprouting out of the dirt. The Grand Han not only recovered, but their power became greater than ever.

Unfortunately, Qi Hao was not a core figure of the Grand Xia and didn’t know the inner workings behind this. But his guess was that there was some great force supporting the Grand Han from the shadows.

He guessed that these geniuses that were rising out of the Grand Han were not actually the Grand Han’s people. They were very likely people from various sects.

However, these geniuses all claimed to be from the Grand Han. They claimed that they were born and grew up there. It was just that they were secretly raised until this time, like a demon sword storing up energy until it broke out its seal in one blow.

The rate of the Grand Han’s growth could be described as monstrous. Rank seven Celestials were like dogs, rank eight Celestials were common, and even rank nine Celestials weren’t that rare.

The Grand Han had actually produced three rank nine Celestials. Most terrifying of all, half a year ago, the Grand Han announced that they had produced their first Empyrean.

“An Empyrean? How is that possible?” Now Long Chen jumped in shock.

Empyreans were geniuses born through karmic luck. They needed an incredible amount of karmic luck as a foundation to be born.

The Grand Han couldn’t possibly be in possession of that much karmic luck. Furthermore, even if they had given birth to an Empyrean, with their wealth, there was no way for them to raise one.

Phoenixes did not land in worthless places. There was no way to raise an Empyrean in a place as poor as the Grand Han.

Back then, Xia Yunchong’s father, Xia Yuyang, had told Long Chen about karmic luck. The four nations’ karmic luck was not enough to give birth to Empyreans. In that case, there was only one possibility, and that was someone was supporting them secretly.

With the Grand Han’s shameless methods, such a thing could definitely happen. They were using other people’s geniuses to put up a front.

“So that’s why it’s so exaggerated. We started getting suspicious as soon as they started producing that many rank seven and rank eight Celestials. Then let alone rank nine Celestials, they even produced an Empyrean. Don’t you think that’s too fake? Absolutely shameless,” cursed Qi Hao.

Qi Hao drank a mouthful of wine and continued, “Now the Grand Han is acting strangely. The Grand Xia, Grand Zhou, and Grand Chu are all a bit afraid. The main thing is that they don’t know just who is supporting the Grand Han. We’ve tried to investigate them, but we find that these geniuses have never appeared in the Eastern Xuan Region. It seems like they were really born in the Grand Han.”

Long Chen sank into thought. “If they haven’t appeared in the Eastern Xuan Region, what about the other regions?”

“The other regions? No way! Who would have the ability to draw over geniuses from the other regions?” gasped Qi Hao.

Long Chen smiled faintly and didn’t say anything. If his guess was accurate, then it probably was only them who had this ability.

It seemed their hands had stretched even deeper than he had thought. He felt like he had previously been thinking too simply about them.

After saying a few more things, he got up and called for Xiaoyu and Mrs. Long. Qi Hao personally sent them onto the transportation formation.

“Long Chen, this time, you must protect the face of the Grand Xia and give them a vicious slap,” called out Qi Hao.

Long Chen gave him a thumbs-up and activated the formation. He was sent straight outside the Grand Xia’s capital.

As soon as he arrived and before he could even see what was around him, the people in charge of registering the people arriving let out startled cries.

“You, report to Xia Yunchong that I’ve arrived, but don’t tell the others. Have Xia Yunchong come find me at the Wine God Palace,” said Long Chen to those people. Naturally, there was no one in the Grand Xia that didn’t recognize him.

He had a definite emotional connection to the Grand Xia, having once taken on the mantle of their general just for appearance’s sake.

The attendants hastily flew out. Long Chen took out a cloak and covered his face, not wanting to cause too great of a fuss.

He led his family into the city, and the capital was flourishing just as it had been. Xiaoyu was looking in every direction, soaking in the sights.

“Xiaoyu, I’m sorry I can’t accompany you to play in the streets. We have to do our work first before play, understand?” asked Long Chen as he held her hand.

“Yes.” Xiaoyu nodded obediently.

Long Chen led them forward. He saw many people wearing very conspicuous strange clothes on the streets.

“The robes of the Grand Han? Have they once more come to poison the Grand Xia’s youths?” sneered Long Chen.

Long Chen ignored them and continued on his way. But he just happened to bump shoulders with another group.

“Are you blind? Or did you not bring your eyes?!” cursed a woman wearing a large dress. Her dress now had part of a small footprint on it. But it was so small that it was impossible to see without looking closely.

“Sorry, I’m very sorry!” apologized Mrs. Long.

“You think it’s enough to apologize? Are all the Grand Xia’s people so rude and don’t even know how to walk? Considering our large group, don’t you think you should have walked to the side? Why did you have to get close to us? Were you trying to steal our things?” demanded the woman.

They had a total of fifty-six people wearing luxurious robes. They seemed to possess quite a high status.

As for Mrs. Long, she was wearing her ordinary clothes. In comparison, she naturally appeared lower in class.

In truth, Mrs. Long had been quite a rare beauty in her youth. Later, because the Long family had declined, she had worked so hard that she had ended up aging early.

Thanks to Long Chen, her beauty had been restored, and she looked to be no more than thirty, in the prime of her beauty. 

This woman clearly contained some envy toward her. Or perhaps she simply felt that Mrs. Long’s clothes were too low class so she could refuse to accept her apology.

“Cursing people is wrong! This footprint wasn’t made by my mom!” Xiaoyu was the first to interject to protect her mother.

“Where did this brat come from? You dare to randomly shout on the streets? Is the entire Grand Xia just like this-”

“Clean your mouth before you speak. My sister is correct. This footprint wasn’t done by my mother, as it doesn’t match her shoe. I’ll give you one chance to apologize to my mother and sister right now. Otherwise, you won’t even have a chance to regret it,” said Long Chen coldly.

“Brazen peasant, you dare? Today, if you don’t kowtow to me, this matter won’t end!” shouted a large man in their group.

His voice was extremely loud, frightening Xiaoyu. She hid behind Long Chen, and he hastily comforted her.

“Don’t be afraid. You’re a bit sleepy. Once you go to sleep, everything will be over.” Following Long Chen’s words, Xiaoyu suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion and fell asleep.

“Dad…” Long Chen looked at Long Tianxiao.

“Haha, calling for your father is useless. If you don’t kneel and beg for forgiveness, you can give up on leaving!” sneered the man.

At this time, there was already a large group of people watching. They were all infuriated by what they were seeing, but no one came up.

“I understand!” Long Tianxiao nodded and lightly patted Mrs. Long on the back. She immediately collapsed, and he carried her on his back.

Long Chen, while holding Xiaoyu, turned to those people. He coldly said, “As I said, I won’t give you a chance to regret it.”

He raised his finger and pointed at the sneering woman who had intentionally found trouble for them. A bolt of lightning flew out.

Blood splashed as the lightning pierced her head. The cold smile still hung on her face, but her eyes lost their light. With a thumping sound, she landed on the ground.