Just as Song Tianxing had said, a thousand things were waiting for Long Zhaofeng when he ascended to his throne. He didnât have the time to immediately make trouble for the Hall of Healing.
Long Zhaofeng gave a command the first day he took his throne and gathered all the dukes on an expedition into the south to march on the Jiang Han territory, and punish the traitorous Jiang Feng father and son.
In addition, Long Zhaofeng would personally join this expedition.
Everyone knew that Long Zhaofengâs hatred of the Jiang family ran as deep as the ocean. Jiang Chen had shot his most beloved son, Long Yinye, to death with one arrow. The pain of losing his son caused Long Zhaofeng to be unable to be happy, even after taking the throne.
It was like the brightest jewel on the crown had been taken away by someone.
The army, in full battle array, awaited its commands, ready to set out at any given time.
Long Zhaofeng wore a full length cape and looked quite majestic. Handpicked elites were beneath his command and he walked to the front of the great army surrounded by the soldiers of the various dukes.
âWe have just ascended the throne, but unfortunately the traitorous Jiang family are succoring the leftover evil of the Eastern clan. They are attempting to defy my royal Long family and in doing so, they are defying the entire kingdom. The kingdom will not know peace until the Jiang family is annihilated and the Eastern clan exterminated. We have the feud of losing a son to the Jiang family as well. We are personally taking the field today, are you all willing to punish traitors with Us?â
âMay Your Majesty live ten thousand years, may the Long family live ten thousand years!â
âSuppress the Jiang family, annihilate the Jiang clan!â
âSuppress the Jiang family, annihilate the Jiang clan!â
The army called out in unison, their spirits soaring to the firmaments, rocking the heavens and moving the earth.
âForward!â Long Zhaofeng waved his long whip as the great army moved forward. It was an army of a million strong as it split into three armies, making their way south to the southern borders and Jiang Han territory.
âJiang Chen, Jiang Feng, I swear that I will not return to the capital if I donât fill up and level out the Jiang Han territory and slaughter all of your Jiang family, young and old.â Long Zhaofeng swore a blood oath.
Astonishing killing intent also emanated from Long Juxue, her features like icy frost. With regards to Jiang Chen, her hatred of him was bone deep.
This kind of hatred was not simply because Jiang Chen had killed her elder brother Long Yinye, but the kind of hatred that also stemmed from other emotions, such as jealousy.
Logically speaking, she, Long Juxue, had an azure phoenix constitution and had attracted the attentions of a heavyweight in a hidden sect. She was the golden girl.
And true, she had enjoyed a smooth, easy life for more than ten years in her path as a genius. She had suffered no setbacks and had always occupied the spot at the top, lauded by tens of thousands, pursued by tens of thousands, and adored by tens of thousands.
But, this situation had changed because of Jiang Chenâs appearance.
Bai Zhanyun, Yi Taichu, these heirs of the four great dukes had originally been followers kneeling at her feet, but had started keeping their distance from her with Jiang Chenâs appearance.
This could have been forgiven, but Jiang Chen had actually publicly refused her request of the Dragonbone Sun Grass in the Hall of Healing, and hadnât left her any face at all.
If it was said that these were just matters of face, then the issue of Jiang Chen winning out over her in the Hidden Dragon Trials, when his eight personal guards were the first to complete the exam, had been an act of seizing with one stroke the superiority that the Long family had preserved for hundreds of years.
And in the Boundless Catacombs, under that careful and intricate planning along with two spirit weapons, as well as four killers of a true qi master level, it still hadnât been enough to kill Jiang Chen.
All of these things added together were enough to stoke Long Juxueâs killing intent towards Jiang Chen to its peak.
She had been foiled time and time again when she went up against Jiang Chen, even with her azure phoenix constitution. This made her jealous and gave her a sense of danger.
Her exceptional advantages would be further nibbled away at if this Jiang Chen was permitted to live and continue to grow.
Even if Jiang Chen was inferior to her and hadnât attracted the attentions of the heavyweight of any sect, Long Juxue was absolutely unwilling to see the halo of another genius exist next to her own halo within the bounds of the kingdom.
The great army advanced forward with great strength and vigor.
The road from the capital to the southern border was long. Many territories, cities, mountain passes, and dangerous areas would be passed.
The Second Crossing was one of those mountain passes.
Tall and rugged mountains bordered both sides of this mountain pass. The pass was built according to the mountain, easy to defend and difficult to attack.
The Second Crossing was located in the land of the Duke of Yanmen, Yan Jiuzhuangâs territory.
The general in charge of this pass was Yan Jiuzhuangâs beloved confidante. Except, the head of this beloved confidante had long since been separated from its body.
Last night, when it was dark and the winds strong.
Countless numbers of fierce fowl flew in from an unknown origin under the cover of night, assailing the mountain pass.
In almost less than fifteen minutes, the mountain pass had fallen to the endless numbers of violent fowl. All of the defending soldiers had been turned into food for these wild birds.
âChenâer, is Eastern Lu truly dead?â
Above the mountain pass, Jiang Feng, having broken through to eleven meridians true qi, still found it hard to accept this reality.
âHeâs dead and has reaped what he sowed. No one can be blamed for his downfall.â Jiang Chen didnât have much sympathy for Eastern Lu.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
It wasnât that Jiang Feng felt sorrowful, it was just that the Eastern Kingdom had been under the rule of the Eastern clan for far too long. Eastern Luâs sudden death, the collapse of the Eastern clan, power transferred to someone else -- this caused Jiang Feng to have some problems adjusting.
âLong Zhaofeng is committing many sins.â Jiang Feng had also seen much these days. The turmoil in the capital and endless slaughter had truly created rivers of blood in the capital in just a few days.
âHe wonât prance around for much longer.â Jiang Chenâs tone was remote. âAccording to the calculations, the great army that heâs personally leading should be arriving soon?â
Jiang Chen hadnât chosen the Second Crossing without reason.
This place was easy to defend and hard to attack. The terrain was advantageous in concealing his great Swordbird army. He would ambush Long Zhaofengâs great army here and thus chose this place to be Long Zhaofengâs resting ground.
Jiang Chen knew clearly that the first thing Long Zhaofeng would do after taking his throne would be to conquer the Jiang Han territory, fight against the Jiang clan, and exterminate the Jiang clan.
Jiang Chenâs aim was equally clear, and that was to kill Long Zhaofeng, kill Long Juxue, and exterminate the Long family.
This wasnât a personal grudge, but a battle in which both families wouldnât rest until one side was dead.
This battle must end in the complete annihilation of one side. Otherwise, if one side didnât fall, the other would never have peace.
âJiang Chen, are you truly certain that our small amount of people will be enough to fight in this pass against Long Zhaofengâs great army that has turned out in full force?â Princess Gouyu was thoroughly weary after the past couple of days, but she cared even more about the situation at hand.
âGouyu, when have you ever thought that I, Jiang Chen, have done something without assurance of success?â Jiang Chen smiled faintly and asked in response.
âBut, Long Zhaofeng pulled off a successful coup and the various dukes have acceded to his rule. If heâs gathered together the various armies of the dukes, he will have roughly one million troops. Although this pass is easy to defend and hard to attack, if everyone in the million strong army charges forward, it will more than enough to overwhelm this pass ten times.â
Princess Gouyu wasnât a brainless person, she still had some knowledge of the matters of war.
âCharge?â Jiang Chen smiled leisurely. âThey wonât have the chance to charge. Theyâll only have one choice. If they can escape, that will be their fate. If they canât, theyâll die.â
Jiang Chenâs tone suddenly descended as killing intent exploded in his eyes.
Soldier and small pawns can run away.
None of the Long family would be allowed to go.
He wouldnât forget the scene of the Duke of Soaring Dragon sending people to assassinate his father Jiang Feng. He wouldnât forget the scene of his fatherâs face black with poison. Likewise, he also wouldnât forget the scene in which Long San tried to kill him when he was executing a mission. It was even more so impossible for him to forget the scene of Long Yinye and Long Juxue partnering with four great killers in the Boundless Catacombs, forcing himself into desperate circumstances.
If it wasnât for the fact that he was lucky and had all sorts of trump cards, he wouldâve died an unknown numbers of times already.
Jiang Chen wasnât someone who treasured and nursed grudges, but he also wasnât a living Buddha, able to meekly let the saliva dry when someone spat in his face. It wasnât the simple matter of a grudge between him and the Long family now, but a matter of who lived and who died.
âTheyâre here.â
Jiang Chenâs ears moved slightly as his Ear of the Zephyr picked up the sounds of the great army marching, fifteen kilometers out.
âTheyâre here?â Princess Gouyuâs feminine features changed slightly as she listened intently, but couldnât hear anything.
Jiang Feng also perked up his ears but similarly didnât hear anything.
Standing like a sculpture on the top of the mountain pass, Jiang Chen remained silent without speaking. His gaze was resolute and full of killing intent, silently awaiting the moment of slaughter.
âLong Zhaofeng, I hope youâre already wearing the royal robes. Otherwise, youâll never have a chance to wear them again in this lifetime.â
The thought flashed through Jiang Chenâs mind.
After a short while, Princess Gouyu and Jiang Feng finally heard the disturbance. The aura and killing intent of a million strong army proceeded forward, that suffocating feeling of oppression caused Princess Gouyuâs heart to involuntarily contract as she looked uncontrollably in Jiang Chenâs direction.
He was as steady as ever, almost as if he was sitting quietly and meditating, but with the small smile on his face slowly spreading out.
âIs... is he really this assured of victory?â Princess Gouyuâs heart was in a disarray. This suddenly appeared youth had completely upended and redefined all her knowledge and the barriers to her heart in a few short months.
The great army had finally arrived.
Long Zhaofeng wore durable armor over his royal robes and turned to the Duke of Yanmen by his side, âDuke Yan, the Second Crossing is just ahead right? Why do they still not respond after your intelligence has been delivered?â
Yan Jiuzhuang was also a bit surprised. The defending general of the Second Crossing was his beloved general. Logically speaking, he wouldnât shirk his duties so.
âShall your old subject send someone to scout ahead?â Yan Jiuzhuang asked weakly.
âNo need. The army will proceed forward. Tell him to open the pass. Duke Yan, you should be more cautious in using someone who neglects his position so.â Long Zhaofeng said faintly.
Sweat poured down Yan Jiuzhuangâs back. How could he not discern his kingâs notes of displeasure from these words?
At this moment, a figure suddenly appeared above the mountain pass like a divine entity descending and looking down upon mortals, as it flicked a glance at the great army beneath.
âLong Zhaofeng, Iâve waited a long time for you.â
Jiang Chenâs voice was as calm as water, but also came surging towards the great army like great waves of the vast ocean crashing down one after another.
âItâs Jiang Chen.â Many immediately recognized him.
âJiang Chen.â Long Zhaofengâs eyes immediately became bloodshot as endless rays of hatred shot towards the sky over the mountain pass when he saw his enemy.
âLittle petty villain Jiang Chen, why are you here? Where are the defending soldiers and general?â The Duke of Yanmen called out.
âDefending soldiers and general? Those worthless things are only good for feasting and drinking just like you, Yan Jiuzhuang. Theyâve already reported to the underworld. Yan Jiuzhuang, the road to the underworld isnât far. You should still be able to meet up with them if you hurry on your way now.â
Jiang Chenâs cold voice traveled down from the top of the mountain pass.
âJiang Chen, do you think that seizing one mountain pass is enough to obstruct the southern momentum of my great army?â Long Zhaofeng smiled coldly as he called out.
âObstruct?â Jiang Chenâs tone was filled with disdain. âLong Zhaofeng, you think too much. I chose this pass only because I thought this area was more suitable to be your resting place.â
What?
Resting place? The million strong army almost laughed. Was Jiang Chen crazy? Even if he had a few troops with him, he dared to voice such lofty words of taking the life of a king with just one mountain pass?
Was this the daydreams of an idiot?