That night, the area around He Yan Mountain was unusually bright with flames. Everywhere, white-clad figures knelt before the tombs. These were the former lords and generals of Ma Sui—once figures of immense power, now driven to disturb the resting places of their ancestors. Their fate was to sleep among the dead. How grave their sins must have been.
Three thousand people, dressed in mourning clothes, knelt before their family tombs, bowing and weeping, pleading for forgiveness from their ancestors.
The night was bitterly cold, and the air was filled with the heart-wrenching cries of those grieving their fate, calling for the return of their ancestors’ spirits.
“Fire! There’s a fire!”
In the depths of their sorrow, a sharp cry suddenly rang out from the edge of the forest.
The white-clad figures sprang to their feet, frantically looking around. It became immediately clear—the tomb grounds had been surrounded. The attackers held torches and fire arrows, their eyes filled with malice. The mourners huddled together in fear, a thousand pairs of eyes staring at the enemy. Mang Hu, sitting atop his horse, grinned in the flickering light of the flames.
“Burn them!” he commanded.
In an instant, thousands of arrows ignited the sky, and the entire area was engulfed in a raging inferno.
Screams filled the air as the descendants of Ma Sui’s royal family, trapped in the ring of fire, cried out in agony.
“Ruo Wen! Ruo Wen! You broke your promise! You will die a terrible death!”
The old ministers, their bodies consumed by the flames, had lost all hope. They shouted in desperation at Mang Hu.
“Ruo Wen! You treacherous scum! Heaven and earth will curse you, and your body will be destroyed!”
“Yellow plague spawn! Even in the underworld, I will keep my eyes open and watch your flesh turn to pulp and your bones to ash! You may destroy our tribe today, but another will destroy yours tomorrow! Such is the cycle of the world! You cannot escape it!”
“Hahaha! Ruo Wen without question! Ruo Wen without return! I’ll be waiting...”
Their voices rang out, but Mang Hu remained cold and unbothered, his expression dark. “Shoot them!”
With his command, every one of the cursing nobles was struck by arrows, their hearts pierced, their deaths gruesome.
The fire and blood that followed seemed like the smoke of wars past, returning to the world through Ruo Wen’s ruthless ambition.
Mang Hu, watching the scene of destruction, was visibly pleased, satisfied by the carnage.
As the fiery forest turned to ashes and the cries of the dying were silenced, there was nothing left but a grim, charred wasteland.
He casually remarked,
“Come back as a ghost if you’ve got the guts! If I’m scared of you, I’ll wear my pants backward! Damn it! From the gods above to the ghosts below, who can do anything to our chief? There are no promises in this world, so why should I keep any? If I want something, I’ll take it! What good is your imperial seal? Can the seal stop my bloodthirsty cavalry? Can it stop me from breaking through the gates and storming the palace? Hah! Know your place!”
The next day, back at He Yan Palace, the seat of power had changed hands.
Ruo Wen sat on the throne with a mocking expression as he glanced at the courtiers bowing before him. With a cold smile, his eyes narrowed as he signaled Cheng Xiang to read out the decree.
Cheng Xiang cleared his throat, as though preparing his voice, and then began to read aloud:
“Ma Sui is no more, and the new king has taken the throne! The Mad Yellow Army of Heaven is hereby established as the national army, and the new kingdom shall be called Fen Tian. He Yan Palace shall serve as the seat of government. The following decree of nine pardons and one execution is the law of the land—
- Murder is not a crime.
- Brawling is not a crime.
- Ambush is not a crime.
- Robbery is not a crime.
- Fraud is not a crime.
- Rape is not a crime.
- Extortion is not a crime.
- Framing others is not a crime.
- Theft is not a crime. These are the nine pardons!
But anyone without desire shall be executed! This is the one execution!
From this day forth, the orders of the new king, Ruo Wen, are absolute! If anyone has objections, step forward now and challenge him!”
When he finished, the court erupted in cheers—who would dare oppose him?
Ruo Wen stood abruptly, exuding an indescribable aura of power and charisma, and continued,
“The decree of Fen Tian does not align with the world of Zhou. It spins on its own axis, self-sustaining. He Yan shall be a city of desire, where nothing is forbidden from now on!”
Under the vast sky, a wave of wild energy surged.
The grand palace, now filled with tumultuous voices, echoed the unstoppable power that followed chaos and destruction.
Fen Tian stood defiantly, like an unyielding force at the heart of the dark desert!
Meanwhile, in the palace of Gu He, only anxiety remained, day and night. Ma Sui had fallen, and Ruo Wen showed no signs of seeking peace. With an imminent threat looming, the people’s hearts were restless.
At that moment, border general Luo Ji Ke Da returned with urgent news, appearing particularly excited.
“Your Majesty! I’ve already sent for reinforcements from Mi Zan, and our defenses are fully prepared. Seventy thousand soldiers will keep those madmen at bay beyond the gates! Moreover, we’ve received news that Tian Du has sent reinforcements—five thousand troops in total. Gu He will surely survive this crisis. Your Majesty can rest easy tonight!”
His words brought a collective sigh of relief from everyone present. The king, Gu Cha, couldn’t help but press a hand to his chest, murmuring,
“Ah... Heaven helps me... Heaven helps me... Only one more day, and Zhan Bie will reach Yun Pei. Gu He will come through this unscathed. Too bad for Ma Sui; they couldn’t hold out till the end.”
That night, the palace stood quietly, awaiting the mercy of the heavens.
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