Chapter 630 353: Irresistible Momentum

「Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty. Capital City.」

Within the magnificent, solemn, and majestic Inner Study of the Palace City's inner court, over a dozen high-ranking ministers sat in silence, each with a grave expression on their face.

In a corner of the hall, a golden cauldron burned with Top Grade Incense, sending faint wisps of smoke into the air.

The Emperor, Shangguan Yuchu, was a handsome middle-aged man. He wore a purple gold crown and a luxurious Embroidered Golden Dragon Pattern Purple Robe. With a deep gaze and a ramrod-straight back, he sat upon his throne, frowning as he scrutinized a Jade Scroll in his hands.

The Jade Scroll contained the latest intelligence gathered by the Immortal Dynasty's network concerning the recent activities of the Ling Family, located off the coast of Yuzhou.

To maintain his grip on power, the monarch's Cultivation remained at the Divinity Transformation Peak, even though his foundation had reached Great Perfection and he could break through to the Void Refining Realm at any moment.

According to the Royal Family's rules, a powerhouse at the Void Refinement Realm cannot be the Lord of the Immortal Dynasty. Once he made a Realm Breakthrough, he would have to abdicate the throne and become a Supreme Elder.

Therefore, Shangguan Yuchu clung to power, refusing to let go. Coupled with his considerable political skill, the ambitious Princes and Princesses were left with no recourse but to bide their time.

But now, His Majesty the Emperor was starting to feel that the throne beneath him was growing uncomfortably hot.

"…So the Qiu Family is… just gone? Like that?"

After a long moment, Shangguan Yuchu finally lowered the Jade Scroll and asked, his expression unreadable.

The minister seated first on his left, a man with sharp features and a righteous air, replied:

"Your Majesty, that is correct. Elder Feng personally led the reinforcements, but in less than an hour, they…"

The light in Shangguan Yuchu's eyes dimmed. His voice was low as he said,

"Three Divinity Transformation Powerhouses and more than a dozen Nascent Soul Cultivators… all wiped out, just like that? Not a single one escaped to report back?

The Ling Family is supposed to be a newly ascended Divinity Transformation Level power. Do they truly possess such strength?"

"…"

The high-ranking ministers exchanged glances, but no one spoke.

The Ling Family was located far off the coast of Yuzhou and had always kept a low profile, developing quietly. A major power like the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty had never paid them any mind.

Who would have thought that this very family had recently taught the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty a lesson it would never forget.

The Qiu Family was a vassal of the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty and had a relatively close relationship with the Emperor himself; the Patriarch's two daughters were among Shangguan Yuchu's consorts. As such, the family was considered one of his Direct Lineage forces.

In truth, the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty was situated deep in the heartlands of Yuzhou, quite a distance from the Qiu Family's territory. The main reason for accepting them as a vassal had been to counterbalance the influence of Lu Hua Palace.

When the Ling Family's army of Female Cultivators landed on the coast and launched a full-scale invasion, the Qiu Family's Patriarch knew he was outmatched and immediately sent a request for aid to his suzerain.

Upon receiving the message, Shangguan Yuchu didn't give it much thought and immediately dispatched Supreme Elder Shangguan Feng with reinforcements.

Shangguan Feng was a powerhouse at the Divinity Transformation Peak himself. He also brought two other Divinity Transformation Elders and over a dozen Nascent Soul Cultivators. Under normal circumstances, such a force should have been more than sufficient.

But more than ten days later, the intelligence network reported that the Qiu Family's main compound had been breached. All members of their Direct Lineage had been captured or killed, with none escaping. Even their subordinate Nascent Soul powers had met the same fate.

As for Elder Shangguan Feng and his relief force, they were completely annihilated. Not a single person survived.

For the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty, Divinity Transformation Cultivators weren't a dime a dozen. The loss of even one was significant. To have three perish at once was enough to send shockwaves through the Royal Family.

As the Emperor's dark gaze swept across the room, Su Wending, the minister in charge of intelligence, felt his scalp prickle. He hurriedly spoke up to explain,

"Your Majesty, based on the intelligence we've gathered, we can confirm the Ling Family is a vassal of Lu Hua Palace. The number of Middle to High Rank Female Cultivators in their army is unnaturally large. It's obvious Lu Hua Palace is backing them…"

"And?"

Shangguan Yuchu's gaze was chilling. 'So those women from Lu Hua Palace believe they're strong enough to swallow our Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty whole?'

A graceful Female Cultivator dressed in a cyan Magical Robe spoke in a low voice,

"We cannot rule out that possibility. Therefore, we must now… prepare for all-out war."

The Ling Family—or rather, Lu Hua Palace—had ill intentions. They wouldn't be content with just swallowing a few vassal territories. Their true target was most likely the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty itself.

Shangguan Yuchu nodded silently. 'Whether we can win is one thing,' he thought, 'but there is no reason to simply hand over our ancestral foundation.'

A burly, dark-faced minister frowned, rising to his feet.

"The disaster stirred up by the Primordial Demon Palace hasn't even been resolved. We've already lost a significant amount of our High Grade fighting strength in recent years. Is it truly wise to start an all-out war with Lu Hua Palace now?

It's just one vassal. What's lost is lost. In these troubled times, it would be best for us not to act rashly."

The Immortal Dynasty's resources were already stretched thin. The sudden loss of three Divinity Transformation Stage Cultivators was a painful blow to these high-ranking ministers. If that were to happen a few more times, the consequences would be…

Lu Hua Palace was already stronger than the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty to begin with, and now the Dynasty was in a weakened state. If they truly came to blows, the Dynasty would most likely be on the losing end.

Shangguan Yuchu fell silent for a moment before finally giving a slight nod. "We must still make the necessary preparations. Of course, it would be best if we can settle this peacefully.

Send an Envoy to negotiate with Lu Hua Palace. As long as they're willing to quit while they're ahead, we can consider the matter of the Qiu Family closed."

From the Immortal Dynasty's perspective, sacrificing one vassal was no great loss. It certainly wouldn't be the first time.

The opinions of their other vassals were simply unimportant.

The Immortal Dynasty's remaining High Grade forces were primarily stationed to guard against the Primordial Demon Palace. That horde of the Outer Heaven Exotic clan was still on a rampage, and no one dared to let their guard down.

...

「The former headquarters of the Qiu Family.」

Inside the Secret Hall, where the former Patriarch once held council, the furnishings were exquisite. A brilliant, rosy light filled the room, which was thick with Spiritual Qi.

Ling Changqing leaned back on the ornate throne, casually flipping through a pile of Jade Scrolls at his side. Guarding him was Luo Binghu, clad in exquisite golden Armor, whose youthful face was contrasted by her impressively ample chest.

Below the jade steps, a large crowd of the Qiu Family's collateral clan members huddled together—men and women, old and young, all of them pale with fear.

The Direct Lineage members had all been wiped out in the recent battle. The people gathered here were the last of the Qiu Family's bloodline.

"…So this is the great foundation of an old Divinity Transformation power? It's nothing special!"

A moment later, Ling Changqing tossed aside the Jade Scroll he was holding, muttering in dissatisfaction.

Luo Binghu smiled. "You've seen so many treasures, Husband, so of course you'd look down on what a power like this has accumulated. But this Grade Five Spirit Vein Cave Mansion will be very useful to the family."

Ling Changqing grunted in agreement. "Fair enough. The combined territories of these five powers are still quite large. Let's consolidate our control over them first, then we can plan our next move."

With more and more Divinity Transformation and Nascent Soul Cultivators in the family, the demand for Rank Four and Rank Five Spirit Vein Cave Mansions was naturally on the rise. This newly conquered territory would do much to alleviate that pressure.

Beside him, Qin Yun—dressed in an ink-black palace gown, her demeanor gentle and serene, her beauty as captivating as a fox—spoke in a soft voice:

"Husband, the captives from the five powers have all been accounted for, their identities and origins confirmed. What are your orders for how to handle them?"

The Qiu Family, the Songhe Sword Sect, the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, the Cloud Transformation Sect, and the Wind Thunder Palace, along with their various vassals... Excluding those who died on the battlefield, the total number of captured Cultivators still exceeded forty thousand.

Among the captives, the highest Cultivation belonged to two Nascent Soul Cultivators. There were also just over three hundred Core Formation Cultivators, spanning the full range from Pseudo Core to True Pill and Golden Core.

The number of Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining Cultivators was too large to even mention.

Ling Changqing mused for a moment. "There's nothing to discuss. Handle them according to precedent. All future captives can be dealt with in the same manner."

When a Cultivator power was annihilated, any defeated Cultivators who surrendered were typically enslaved. Their Divine Souls would be shackled, and they would be forced into a lifetime of hard labor with no hope of escape.

And that was a relatively merciful fate. Had they been captured by demonic or heretical powers, they would have been directly taken to be refined into Daoist Soldier Puppets, or had their flesh, blood, and souls used to forge profane Magical Treasures. A fate worse than death.

Ling Changqing, of course, wasn't so depraved. The family was currently short on manpower in all areas, so these Cultivators could be put to good use.

Qin Yun blinked her lovely eyes, a radiant smile on her face. She said,

"But I was looking through them earlier, and there's a group of Female Cultivators who are quite exceptional. Their talent and looks are both top-notch. Why don't you summon them, Husband? If any catch your eye, you can take them as a bed-warming maid."

By convention, these captives were spoils of war. The distribution principle was simple: the Patriarch chose first, then the high-level Elders, followed by other figures of authority.

After several rounds of selection, anyone who remained unclaimed would be treated as a common slave Cultivator and sent to do manual labor.

Ling Changqing paused, then shook his head with a wry smile. "I think I'll pass. I wouldn't be able to look after them all. Or perhaps if one of you fancies someone, you could take her on as a Maid."

Beside him, Zhao Wanyi—dressed in a tight, fiery-red leather outfit that showcased her explosive, enchanting curves—leaned in to massage his shoulders and said with a charming pout,

"If you, the Patriarch, don't choose, Husband, won't that just be a freebie for everyone else? The very best should be kept by your side, shouldn't they?"

In the Ling Family of today, Ling Changqing was, of course, the absolute master. The few other male Elders stood no chance of competing with him; after all, nearly every Middle to High Rank Female Cultivator belonged to him.

Even so, Qin Yun and the others didn't want the Elders to receive too many of the spoils. After all, the family owed its current prosperity entirely to Ling Changqing.

"Fine, we'll do it that way."

Ling Changqing didn't feign reluctance any longer. He waved his hand, dismissing the collateral members of the Qiu Family. From now on, they would serve as laborers for the Ling Family for the rest of their lives.

Qin Yun rose gracefully and, with a sway of her hips, exited the hall. She returned a moment later, leading in over a hundred Female Cultivators, their Cultivation ranging from Qi Refining to the Golden Core Level. They were a flock of beauties, all bowing and offering their greetings to Ling Changqing.

They had all clearly been carefully groomed, and their large, beautiful eyes stared nervously at the purple-robed young man on the throne.

Their Sects and families had been reduced to dust. Whether they could have a decent future now depended entirely on the disposition of the man before them.

Ling Changqing's gaze swept over them. He noted that the Female Cultivators were all quite attractive, clearly the result of a preliminary screening by Qin Yun and the others.

"Alright. Take them back and hand them over to Sister Yue. Let her make the arrangements."

As Ling Changqing spoke, the crowd of Female Cultivators let out a collective sigh of relief, bowing one after another in gratitude.

Meanwhile, a high-ranking Envoy from the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty paid a visit to Lu Hua Palace. However, he was not granted an audience with the Grand Palace Master, Qin Mengxuan. Only two Core Elders received him.

The Envoy relayed Shangguan Yuchu's message but did not receive the expected response. The Lu Hua Palace Elders were dismissive, offering only a few perfunctory words before sending him away.

With that, the high council of the Saint Yu Immortal Dynasty could no longer sit idle. Whether they liked it or not, they had no choice but to open their vaults and mobilize resources to prepare for all-out war.

Over the next six months, once the Ling Family finished consolidating its spoils of war, they immediately went on the offensive again.

This time, their targets were several vassal powers belonging to Lu Hua Palace. With instructions from their own high command, these powers offered only token resistance before announcing their unconditional surrender to the Ling Family.

As news of this spread, several nearby vassal powers of the Cui Family grew extremely nervous. In addition to pleading with their own masters for aid, they secretly dispatched envoys to contact the Ling Family's leadership, probing the possibility of surrendering.