Chapter 790
Chapter 790
Looking down from the sky, one could see an astronomical number of fleets forming an impenetrable blockade across the entire eastern sea. Compared to these fleets, the armadas of Qiu Tianwei or Xue Che seemed like child's play; this was a naval force of unprecedented scale. For months, the Empire had been gathering nearly half the world's fleets, even conscripting the naval forces of the northern tribes and the armed vessels of western merchants. Countless ships blanketed the sea, truly enough to obscure everything. There were so many fleets on the water that they couldn't all be taken in at once. Just like Earth, this world was round, so the visible expanse of the sea was limited to a few dozen miles at most. For hundreds of miles in every direction, there was nothing but the Empire's allied fleet.
"Shen Lang's" massive ship and its hundred-vessel escort fleet looked weak and insignificant before them. Princess Ji Xuan of the Great Yan Dynasty and Ying Han, the successor of the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion, exchanged glances, their eyes holding a hint of mockery.
‘Shen Lang is escaping? Will he flee beyond the sea? Or will he fly into the sky?’
"Surround Shen Lang's fleet and kill them all!"
At Princess Ji Xuan's command, the overwhelming fleet advanced on Shen Lang's small armada like a swarm of countless sharks. The six transcendent martial powers, their subordinate factions, and an innumerable host of peak martial arts masters closed in, tightly surrounding Shen Lang's ship to attack. An unprecedented slaughter was about to begin, the curtain rising on an unparalleled play of sacrifice.
***
Inside a secret underground chamber.
"Damn it, damn it!"
Shen Lang, who should have been unconscious for a month, shot up into a sitting position. What is the most tragic thing in the world? It's when countless people rush to their deaths for someone who never wanted their sacrifice. Right now, over a hundred thousand people were about to sacrifice themselves for him, like moths drawn to a flame. A hundred thousand sacrifices, three hundred thousand sacrifices, all to save one Shen Lang?
‘I've said it before: no one needs to sacrifice themselves for me. I will protect everyone. Xue Yin, who are you to make decisions for me? Damn it. I let you off easy because I thought of you as my aunt, but now that I think about it, I'll have to… *do that thing* to you until you die. You're not my real aunt anyway.’
Shen Lang stood up and ran frantically toward the outside.
‘It can't be too late. It's not too late! Come on, come on. Ji Xuan, Ying Han, you two wicked wretches. Shen Lang is here. Let's the three of us have some real fun!’
***
Shen Lang could figure out Xue Yin's plan without even thinking. But trying to reason with her now was useless; she wouldn't even give him a chance to speak. So, Shen Lang had postponed meeting with Xue Yin and the others, preparing several countermeasures in advance.
First, if Xue Yin used a drug to knock him out for a month or two, it would cause significant harm to his body. Besides, no gu-insects worked on Shen Lang, so she would likely use her internal energy to strike him unconscious and then hide him somewhere. If his prediction was correct, she would also send two people to look after him, ensuring he remained in a deep, unconscious sleep every day. Shen Lang's blood could ward off all gu-insects, but it couldn't block anesthetics.
However, the method to wake himself up at a specific time was very simple. The most direct way was to use the Nightmare Stone. The Nightmare Stone Shen Lang possessed had been personally modified by him, turning it into a healing-type Nightmare Stone. He had previously used it to awaken Ning Yuanxian from a vegetative state, so it would naturally be able to wake him up this time as well. All he needed to do was arrange for the Nightmare Stone to prick him at the desired time, releasing a wave of energy to awaken him. In addition to this, he had prepared another method: waking up with a potion. In any case, Shen Lang had prepared several contingencies, so thankfully he was able to wake up at the time he had set.
The moment the awakened Shen Lang burst out of the secret room, he saw a person staring at him blankly. It was Shen Lang's mother. Beside her was, as expected, a box of medicine and a coil of rope.
*Sigh!*
Shen Lang sighed inwardly. His mother was truly willing to do anything if it meant Shen Lang could live. Shen Lang spoke with a sense of resignation.
"Mother, you were just coaxed by Aunt Xue Yin. Don't move from here."
His mother rushed over and said in a trembling voice.
"My son, you, you..."
"Did Xue Yin tell you I was preparing to sacrifice myself to save everyone? That will never happen. I will be fine, and our entire family will be fine. Mother, you stay here quietly. I'm leaving!"
Shen Lang rushed out of the extremely secret underground chamber.
***
On the sea, an overwhelming fleet filled the waters, and for a hundred miles around, there was nothing but the Empire's allied ships. Among them, six ships looked particularly special. Of course, the most special ship was the smallest one.
"In Heaven's White Jade Capital, stand twelve towers and five cities. An immortal caressed my brow, and since my hair was bound, I've learned the art of longevity."
Wherever that ship passed, white snow fell relentlessly from the sky. Where it snowed was the territory of the White Jade Capital; what happened where there was no snow, the White Jade Capital would absolutely not interfere with. Was that why it snowed wherever they went? It was clearly a summer day in the sixth month, yet snow was falling from the sky. It was truly, truly a miraculous sight. Moreover, the snow was only fluttering in the sky above the White Jade Capital's ship, making the scene breathtakingly beautiful.
The White Jade Capital's ship was as white as snow, seeming to become one with the falling flakes, and it was much, much smaller than the other ships. Furthermore, the ship appeared to be empty; at least, there was no one on the deck. Shen Lang had never truly seen anyone from the White Jade Capital. The ship from the Hanging Temple was also here, but its deck was empty as well. On the large ships of the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion, Mount Futu, Sky-Gazing Pavilion, and Tongtian Temple, countless warriors stood packed together, followed by dozens or even hundreds of ships belonging to their respective subordinate martial factions.
How many Grandmasters had the six transcendent powers sent? The number was simply impossible to count. The reason the State of Yue had only six Grandmasters was that the six transcendent powers were the ones who conferred the title. The six powers, along with the Empire, had suppressed the world's civilization, allowing only themselves to grow powerful while never permitting the secular world to do the same. Therefore, only heaven and His Supreme Majesty the Emperor knew how many Grandmasters they possessed.
Princess Ji Xuan served as the liaison between the Great Yan Dynasty and the six transcendent powers, and she stood on the ship of the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion. The ship of the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion was much faster than an ordinary vessel. All the other ships maintained their encirclement, while Ji Xuan rode the Ends of the Earth Sea Pavilion's ship, approaching "Shen Lang's" vessel.
"Shen Lang, halt your ship!"
Princess Ji Xuan spoke calmly, but Shen Lang's fleet continued to advance at full speed.
"Attack!"
As soon as Princess Ji Xuan's command was given, an incredibly spectacular scene unfolded.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.*
Countless peak masters leaped from their various ships like soaring birds, landing on the surface of the sea and advancing toward Shen Lang's ship, treading on the waves.
‘Is there a martial art in this world that allows one to walk on water?’
Mulan couldn't believe what she was seeing right before her eyes. She was incredibly agile, but she couldn't walk on water. Even Li Qianqiu, a peak Grandmaster, couldn't walk on water over such a long distance. Yet, before her eyes, hundreds, perhaps even a thousand, martial arts masters were running across the water. Are they that strong? Has the martial arts of the transcendent powers reached such a level?
Xue Yin shouted.
"Protect Prince Jiang! Fire!"
Instantly, the Nirvana Army aboard Shen Lang's ships unleashed a frantic volley of arrows. On the battlefield, the arrows of the Nirvana Army were nearly invincible. But now, they were completely ineffective. The martial arts masters of the transcendent powers swung their swords, effortlessly turning the incoming arrows to dust. The strongest among them even let the Nirvana Army's arrows strike their bodies, paying them no mind at all. The arrows shattered the moment they hit their clothes. Princess Ji Xuan, leading a thousand peak masters, easily surrounded Shen Lang's massive ship.
Why hadn't she attacked Shen Lang's clan on land? Because on land, some fish might slip through the net. Out on the sea, unless they had wings, there was no escape. They could be cleanly wiped out. The Emperor's will was crystal clear. He found them an eyesore, so there was no need to capture them alive. Shen Lang and his entire family were to be annihilated, and the most important objective of this operation was to strike fear into the hearts of the world. Grandmaster Xue Yin drew her sharp sword and said to Jin Mulan.
"We are going to our deaths. Your turn will be soon. You've never acted before, but this time, you must act well."
Xue Yin mouthed the words without making a sound. Then, Divine Maiden Xue Yin looked at the Double and smiled. The Double was truly identical to Shen Lang. Even his laugh, his expressions, his gaze—they were all the same.
"Auntie!"
Even the voice calling her was identical, and Divine Maiden Xue Yin's heart softened.
‘My child, you've never seen the outside world your whole life, and now you finally have.’
But soon, Divine Maiden Xue Yin raised her voice and shouted.
"Protect His Highness! Kill the enemy!"
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.*
Divine Maiden Xue Yin, Li Qianqiu and his wife, Banya, Zhong Chuke, Lin Shang, Big Dummy, and even Grandmaster Nandu, who had just recovered his ability to move, leaped out like great birds, landing on the deck. The Double's gaze turned to Mulan.
"Sister-in-law, will it be my turn to go up soon?"
Jin Mulan forced a smile for him.
"I'm not scared. My whole life has been for this moment. I've read every book he wrote, I've read so many books. I'm not afraid of dying. I'm only afraid my death will be worthless. I've never met Shen Lang, but I know him well. I'd never seen the outside world before, but now I finally have, and I'm deeply moved."
The Double was truly not afraid in the slightest. He knew he was a stand-in, and he knew he was about to die. But he was as happy to face death as if he were taking flight. Because for him, living was the real suffering.
***
Outside Shen Lang's ship, on the sea, Princess Ji Xuan led a thousand peak masters, continuing to tread the waves as they tightly surrounded the large vessel. She watched as Grandmaster Xue Yin and the other masters from Shen Lang's side appeared.
‘A praying mantis trying to stop a chariot with its forelegs.’
Ji Xuan's gaze remained on the scene as she gave a calm command.
"Kill them all, regardless of age or gender. Do it!"
At her command, another incredibly grand scene unfolded.
*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.*
The thousand peak martial arts masters on the sea leaped into the air, preparing to land directly on the Jin Clan's ship. In a quarter of an hour at most, they would be able to wipe out everyone on that ship.
‘Let's kill the entire Shen Lang family and the Jin Clan. You wanted to fight a glorious battle? That won't happen. You will meet your end in an instant. Shen Lang, including you, everyone's head will be severed in a flash. Shen Lang, you're not even a big shot. You don't deserve to say a single heroic word before you die.’