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Chapter 777: Ying\'s Invitation

"Emperor of the Great Zheng, Zhong Shan?"

A loud voice echoed from a distance, catching everyone off guard.

Hearing the voice, Zhong Shan\'s eyebrows raised, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He hadn\'t sensed anyone approaching. Who could it be?

Tianlai and his subordinates were equally astonished, turning to look.

On a distant mountain peak, formed from the filled-in space, two men suddenly appeared. They were peculiar, their entire bodies emitting a green glow, their faces slightly blurred, resembling ghosts.

No, they weren\'t ghosts; they were souls.

Yan Chongzhi had once said that after death, a soul could become a ghost, or it could return to its body, retaining its original form. A ghost, however, could only possess a body, even if it was freshly deceased. Souls were light green, while ghosts were dark green.

But generally, souls couldn\'t leave the body; leaving would either lead to their dispersal or their transformation into ghosts due to contamination by yin energy.

What was going on here? Two souls? They were clearly souls, not ghosts.

Each soul carried a sword on its back, sheathed so the blade wasn\'t visible. Souls that could remain intact? Were these two prepared to return to their bodies? But...

"Who are you?" Zhong Shan demanded.

"Great Qin, Wang Jian, greets the Emperor of Great Zheng!"

"Great Qin, Meng Tian, greets the Emperor of Great Zheng!"

The two men introduced themselves in turn.

"Wang Jian? Meng Tian?" Zhong Shan\'s pupils contracted.

"Indeed. We have just returned from the Grand Thousand World, commanded by our Emperor to assist the Emperor of Great Zheng!" Wang Jian performed a state salute.

"Just returned from the Grand Thousand World? You didn\'t need \'Soul Return\'?" Zhong Shan\'s eyebrows raised.

"The Emperor of Great Zheng knows much about our Great Qin. No wonder our Emperor asked us to treat you with a state salute! We returned on our own, without Xu Fu\'s rituals!" Wang Jian remarked.

"Ying? How did Ying know I was in danger?" Zhong Shan\'s eyebrows furrowed.

"Let\'s clear your enemies first, then we can discuss it in detail," Wang Jian said sternly.

Zhong Shan stared at the two souls and nodded.

"Hahaha! Boasting so shamelessly, two souls dare claim to have come from the Grand Thousand World?" Tianlai sneered coldly.

Looking at Tianlai and his companions, Wang Jian spoke, "Meng Tian, finish this quickly!"

"Yes!" Meng Tian nodded.

Wang Jian slowly drew his sword from its sheath. As soon as the blade was partially exposed, a blinding red light burst forth, scattering red rays in all directions. A powerful killing intent filled the air, making everyone\'s hearts tremble with a sense of slaughter. This feeling reminded Zhong Shan of the Slaughtering Immortal Sword.

The overwhelming killing aura emanating from Wang Jian\'s sword seemed to fill the entire sky, a palpable force that could be felt even at a distance. Tianlai\'s confidence wavered slightly, realizing the power he was up against.

"Is this the kind of power that souls from the Grand Thousand World possess?" Tianlai muttered, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

Wang Jian and Meng Tian, despite being mere souls, exuded a formidable presence that demanded respect and fear. The battlefield was set for an intense clash between the mighty warriors of Great Qin and the intruders challenging Zhong Shan\'s reign.

Unlike the Slaughtering Immortal Sword, Wang Jian\'s sword was filled with endless ferocity and the stench of blood. In a fleeting moment, Zhong Shan seemed to see countless malevolent ghosts wailing around Wang Jian\'s sword.

As for Meng Tian, he drew a wide, pitch-black sword. Although it didn\'t look as fierce as Wang Jian\'s, it was undoubtedly no ordinary sword.

"A blood sword? How many people have you killed with that sword?" Tianlai asked, showing fear for the first time.

"How many? I don\'t remember. Just recently, upon returning, we slaughtered two Heavenly Dynasties!" Wang Jian replied with a smile.

Slaughtered two Heavenly Dynasties?

"Let\'s go!" Tianlai shouted to his two subordinates, turning and fleeing without hesitation.

Zhong Shan, fully aware of Tianlai\'s strength, was surprised to see him flee at the sight of Wang Jian\'s sword. What kind of power did Wang Jian possess?

Wang Jian and Meng Tian flashed after them, pursuing the fleeing enemies. In an instant, they all disappeared from sight.

Zhong Shan looked around coldly. Confirming that no one else was present, his body suddenly exploded and dissipated into smoke. This Zhong Shan was merely a shadow clone.

The real Zhong Shan was still in front of the Immortal Hall in Changjing.

Before the Immortal Hall, Zhong Shan waved his hand, dismissing his ministers.

"Nangong Sheng, dismantle the formation," Zhong Shan ordered.

"Yes!"

The Great Luo Zhou Heavenly Star Formation was dismantled. Zhong Shan stood outside the Immortal Hall, waiting.

Half an hour later, Wang Jian and Meng Tian returned.

"Generals, how did it go?" Zhong Shan asked.

"We killed both subordinates, but the leader escaped. However, he was struck by my sword and won\'t live long," Wang Jian assured.

Zhong Shan nodded, looking at Wang Jian. Yan Chongzhi and Nangong Sheng raised their eyebrows in surprise.

"Souls? You managed to kill them in soul form?" Yan Chongzhi asked in astonishment.

Zhong Shan also looked at Wang Jian.

"Being in soul form allowed us to enter this small thousand-world. Otherwise, using \'Soul Return\' would have significantly weakened us for a time," Wang Jian explained.

"General Wang Jian, you haven\'t answered my question. How did you know Changjing was in danger?" Zhong Shan asked seriously.

"It was deduced by Mr. Guiguzi. Although Mr. Guiguzi said that Great Zheng\'s Changjing could survive this crisis, the Emperor still had us pass through here to help you overcome this disaster and form a goodwill relationship," Wang Jian replied candidly.

Such directness! Preplanned kindness, and Wang Jian spoke of it so straightforwardly?

"Oh?" Zhong Shan felt a bit suspicious.

"The Emperor instructed us to be honest with the Emperor of Great Zheng, as there was no need to hide anything," Wang Jian said directly.

"Ying? He is indeed straightforward," Zhong Shan said with a peculiar expression.

Wang Jian smiled faintly.

"Guiguzi, is he the feng shui master of Great Qin? The founder of the Guigu lineage?" Zhong Shan asked.

"Yes, Guiguzi is the revered ancestor of the Guigu lineage and a renowned feng shui master of Great Qin. His insights and predictions are rarely wrong. It was through his calculations that the Emperor learned of your plight and sent us to assist you," Wang Jian confirmed.

Zhong Shan nodded, absorbing this new information. Guiguzi\'s reputation preceded him, and the intervention from such a figure indicated the seriousness of the situation.

"Then, please convey my gratitude to your Emperor. This assistance came at a critical moment," Zhong Shan said, bowing slightly.

Wang Jian and Meng Tian returned the bow respectfully.

"We are honored to be of assistance. If the Emperor of Great Zheng ever needs further help, know that Great Qin stands ready to aid a worthy ally," Wang Jian said.

With the immediate danger averted, Zhong Shan contemplated the broader implications of this newfound alliance. The intervention of Great Qin, spearheaded by the legendary Guiguzi, signaled a deeper connection and mutual respect between the two powerful dynasties.

"I\'m sorry, but this matter involves Mr. Guiguzi\'s calculations, and we cannot divulge more," Wang Jian shook his head.

Zhong Shan nodded and took a deep breath. "Did Ying have any message for me?"

"The Emperor invites your true self to visit the sacred capital of Xianyang in Great Qin to discuss matters regarding this small thousand-world," Wang Jian conveyed.

"Oh?" Zhong Shan\'s pupils contracted. Xianyang Sacred Capital? Ying wanted to meet him there? Why Xianyang?

"Whether you go or not is entirely up to you, Emperor of Great Zheng. We are merely messengers. Farewell," Wang Jian said.

With that, Wang Jian and Meng Tian performed a formal salute and then swiftly departed from Changjing.

Watching the two souls leave, Zhong Shan took a deep breath.

"Your Majesty, if these two souls were to reunite with their bodies, their power might surpass that of an immortal!" Yan Chongzhi commented.

"Oh?"

"A soul is the weakest form of a being, the weakest. Yet, in this form, they slew those powerful foes as if they were mere insects. What would happen once they return to their bodies? I dare not imagine!" Yan Chongzhi said, deeply inhaling.

"Great Qin, an unimaginable Great Qin!" Nangong Sheng exclaimed.

In the Yang World, Lingxiao Heavenly Court, Tianyuan Pavilion

Zhong Shan did not hide the events of the netherworld from his high-ranking officials.

"Wang Jian? A soul form that strong?" Emperor Xuan Sha frowned.

"The strength of Great Qin far surpasses that of a Heavenly Dynasty. Why does such a powerful force remain hidden in this small thousand-world?" Zhao Suo questioned with a frown.

Zhong Shan tapped the table, deep in thought.

"Your Majesty, what should we do about Ying\'s invitation?" Shui Wuhen asked Zhong Shan.

All the ministers looked at Zhong Shan. An invitation to Xianyang? Ying had actually invited the Emperor to Xianyang?

"Your Majesty, I have a suspicion," Yi Yan suddenly said.

"Oh?"

"Are Wang Jian and Meng Tian truly from Great Qin? Did Ying really send that message?" Yi Yan questioned.

The ministers nodded; this matter required careful consideration.

"Rest assured, those two are definitely from Great Qin and are fiercely loyal to Ying," Zhong Shan confirmed.

"Very well, then how does Your Majesty plan to respond? Ying\'s intentions are difficult to fathom. What exactly does Great Qin intend to do?" Yi Yan pondered.

"Could Ying have any ill intentions towards you, Your Majesty?" Shui Wuhen asked worriedly.

Zhong Shan thought for a moment and shook his head.

"Yi Yan, you will accompany me to Great Qin tomorrow," Zhong Shan decided.

"Yes!" Yi Yan nodded.

Zhong Shan wasn\'t concerned about safety because he felt there was no danger. The Red Phoenix Plum Blossom hadn\'t changed color. On the contrary, Zhong Shan sensed that Great Qin, which had been lying dormant for so long, was about to make a significant move.

The Next Day

Zhong Shan, accompanied by Yi Yan, set out for Great Qin.

"Your Majesty, what should I do during this trip?" Yi Yan asked.

"I will meet Ying, and you will visit Guiguzi," Zhong Shan instructed.

"Understood!"

Ten days later, Zhong Shan and Yi Yan arrived at the sacred capital of Xianyang in Great Qin. From a distance, they saw a procession waiting, led by Great Qin\'s Prime Minister, Lü Buwei.

"Emperor of Great Zheng, it has been a long time!" Lü Buwei greeted with a smile.

"Prime Minister Lü? How did you know I would arrive in Xianyang today?" Zhong Shan asked with a frown.

"Mr. Guiguzi predicted it. The Emperor specifically sent me to welcome you," Lü Buwei replied with a smile.

Guiguzi again? He predicted my arrival today? How powerful was Guiguzi? Was he just a feng shui master?

"Please, this way," Lü Buwei invited.

"Hmm," Zhong Shan nodded.

The procession escorted Zhong Shan and his party swiftly into the depths of Xianyang.

Yi Yan remained outside the palace, using the Da Rong Commerce to gather the information he sought.

Inside the palace, they were not led to the main hall but to another grand hall.

"The Emperor is waiting inside. You may enter to meet him," Lü Buwei said.