The Wind and Thunder Divine Wings, a Supreme Grade Dao Artifact.
Even looking across the entire Sheng Zhou, it was a heaven-defying creation.
Moreover, Ling Xiao had long comprehended the Dao Principles of both Thunder and Wind. Using the power of Dao Principles to activate this treasure, that kind of speed...
Really gave a kind of... weightless thrill.
Speed a thousand miles per hour, mood is... riding the damn high?
Boom!!
The sky-covering spiritual palm descended, instantly crushing the mountains and rivers below.
But at this moment, the face of the fifth-grade Divine Emperor held a trace of shock and horror.
That golden ancient seal just now... seemed somewhat familiar?
"Did you see it?" His voice was somewhat soft. Behind him, the other Divine Emperor's expression was equally grim.
"Was that the Xia Clan's Heavenly Dragon True Seal?"
"Correct! I never expected that after the Great Xia's fake emperor just sat on the throne, he would dare to covet our Great Zhou's realm? Seeking death!!"
The group turned back and headed towards the imperial palace.
Ling Xiao, meanwhile, emerged from the distant mountains, mingled with the crowd, and calmly headed into the city.
This ancient seal was something he found in Xia Yong's divine consciousness, an inherited Dao Artifact of the Great Xia imperial clan, never taught to outsiders.
Only the most direct lineage of the Xia Clan could cultivate it.
The reason he revealed this small trick was naturally to... focus everyone's attention on the Xia Dynasty.
To start a war between empires, one must lay the groundwork in advance.
Zhou Minruo's death was no small matter, especially for Ning Tiance.
Even if the Zhou Emperor had suspicions and wouldn't act rashly, Ning Tiance's desire to go to war would at least be justified.
Of course, there was an even more important point...
Since the Holy Church's Divine Envoy had arrived in the four frontiers, he needed to find a few scapegoats to share the attention meant for him, the true demon.
Great Xia Imperial Clan, we haven't even met yet, but your ancestor sends you a big gift first. Happy?
Instantly, the entire Yunfang City fell into panic.
The common people discussed it endlessly; cultivators all felt apprehensive.
After all, demons had disappeared from the Western Frontier for a long time.
Although there were still some ancient sects in Sheng Zhou that cultivated demonic arts, it was due to their techniques, not them being true demonic entities.
But the figure shrouded in demonic energy just now... made everyone feel an inexplicable sense of oppression.
Great Zhou Imperial Palace, study in the rear hall.
A middle-aged man in a golden emperor's robe sat at a desk, carefully reviewing the memorial in his hand.
The man appeared to be only about forty years old, wearing a dragon crown, imposing even without anger.
This was the true dragon of Great Zhou, the Zhou Emperor, Zhou Qingcang.
It was said his cultivation was extremely high, yet no one had seen him make a move.
Others said he had a sixth-grade Divine Emperor guard standing behind him, never leaving his side day or night.
But regardless, this Zhou Emperor was known in the Western Frontier for his cunning and iron-fisted rule.
"You're saying a demon infiltrated our Yunfang City, killed the Eldest Princess, and stole our Great Zhou's heavy treasure, the Imperial Vein Spirit Jin?" The Zhou Emperor didn't even look up, his tone extremely calm.
As if... his daughter's death and the spirit jin's theft had nothing to do with him.
"Yes! Your Majesty... the son-in-law is severely injured, overwhelmed with grief." The one standing in the hall was the fifth-grade Divine Emperor who had chased after Ling Xiao.
He was also the Zhou Emperor's close attendant, Chu Dahai.
"Oh, you saw clearly? It was the Xia family's Heavenly Dragon True Seal?"
"This old servant saw it clearly. The Imperial Guard Commander Sun Quan was also there at the time. It was indeed the Xia family's inherited martial art, the Heavenly Dragon True Seal!" Chu Dahai's expression was grave, a trace of confusion flashing in his aged eyes.
"I suppressed him with my Ocean-Overturning Spiritual Palm. In his panic, he used the True Seal, but... in the end, he seemed to use an extremely terrifying demonic method, transforming demonic energy into a spatial door to escape. Your Majesty..."
"I heard a few days ago that Xia Yong died." The Zhou Emperor asked calmly as before, his eyes deep and unruffled.
"This old servant heard that too. It's said he wanted to go to the Xia Clan's ancestral land to open some inheritance, but then... the ancestral land exploded... Xia Yong, along with the young masters of several great families and that... Ninth Prince, all perished."
"Perished? Were the bodies found?"
"This... It's said that ancestral land directly collapsed. A very strong smell of blood came from within. Your Majesty, do you mean..."
"If Great Zhou and Great Xia, two great imperial dynasties, went to war, who would benefit?" The Zhou Emperor put down the memorial and looked at Chu Dahai.
"Benefit? The surrounding dynasties would all benefit. But the one to benefit the most would be... Xia Yong... after all..." Chu Dahai seemed to grasp something. "Your Majesty means that Xia Yong cultivated demonic methods?!"
"Whether he did or not is not worrisome. I am just very curious about how the son-in-law survived. And... how the demon managed to infiltrate the city." A cold glint flashed in the Zhou Emperor's eyes, and Chu Dahai immediately bowed and knelt on the ground.
"Your Majesty..."
"Pass down the order. Execute all the city guards stationed at the imperial capital yesterday. Exterminate their three clans. You personally keep an eye on the son-in-law. See if he is very... eager to request to campaign against Xia."
"Yes!" Only after Chu Dahai withdrew from the hall did a cold smile finally appear on the Zhou Emperor's face.
"Ning Tiance, do you very much want my Great Zhou to be beset by war on all sides, so you have an excuse to lead troops again? You think too simply. But that's fine. If you are truly colluding with Xia Yong, I will also have a chance to justifiably execute you."
The Great Xia Imperial Dynasty bordered Great Zhou, with the Northern Frontier as the boundary.
The Xia Emperor Xia Yong; Zhou Qingcang had clashed with him for decades.
Based on his understanding of that person, even if he was now driven to the small city of Xuyun, he would never easily perish.
So, all of this might be a conspiracy.
To recapture the realm, given Xia Yong's current strength, was clearly far from enough.
So...
Ning Tiance—it wasn't that he didn't want to kill him. A third-grade Divine Emperor was somewhat troublesome but not a major concern.
But once he did that, the Northern Frontier would certainly rebel!
He kept Ning Tiance trapped in the imperial capital, firstly for that immortal art of military strategy, and secondly to imperceptibly reduce Ning Tiance's influence in the Northern Frontier.
As for Zhou Minruo...
My child died for a righteous cause, and shall be remembered in history!
Above a magnificent restaurant in Yunfang City.
Ling Xiao coldly watched the soldiers rushing through the streets below, sensing the vast, majestic pressure surging above the city, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Clearly, Great Zhou was about to fall into chaos!
As long as he delivered Ning'er to Ning Tiance tomorrow, this chess game would be completely set.
Would the Zhou Emperor suspect Ning Tiance?
Of course he would. He would not only suspect Ning Tiance; he would suspect everyone who posed a threat to the Zhou family's royal power.
But so what?
The Northern Frontier was the border between Great Zhou and Great Xia. Once war broke out, this place would bear the brunt.
As long as Great Xia dispatched troops, the Zhou Emperor would have to send a great general to resist.
But over the past ten-plus years, the generals of the Northern Frontier had been frequently targeted by the court, even having their military pay and supplies withheld, all to dampen the Northern Frontier's morale.
Thus, once war came, who would remain loyal to the court?
Or rather, who was qualified to lead this iron-blooded army that had grown cold towards the court?
The answer was only one: the Northern Frontier's War God, Ning Tiance!
Of course, the Zhou Emperor probably never dreamed that the Great Xia Imperial Dynasty, currently in chaos itself, would dare to send troops against Great Zhou?
Heh.
They certainly didn't dare now.
But I dare!
Just a bunch of unfilial descendants. Your ancestor has returned. If you don't act tough now, then when?