"Ah!!"
A scream of agony instantly filled the entire guesthouse.
People gathered outside the hall one after another, looking in.
Onlookers, no matter where they are, are all the same.
Everyone watched the Second Prince of Great Qi struggling miserably in Jiang Yu's grasp, swallowing hard.
It was clear Jiang Yu was deliberately torturing him.
That strange, sinister flame flowed, burned, and corroded around Qi Deqiang's body.
Soon, his body gradually withered.
This ferocious flame could actually burn a person's bloodline and bones?
"Ah!! Kill me!!! Just kill me..." Qi Deqiang wailed in agony, his eyes filled with utter despair.
At this moment, death had become a luxury for him.
Xia Yanran watched Jiang Yu, who stood calmly in the hall, his expression remained consistently calm. Her gaze gradually became vacant, shocked, and finally held a trace of faint fear.
So, was this the true face of Great Xia's good-for-nothing son-in-law?
Decisive in killing, fierce and overbearing.
Quite inexplicably, Xia Yanran's heart, which had been cold for three years, suddenly felt a surge of warmth.
Everything he did was for me!
"Please... kill me..."
Thump.
Jiang Yu casually tossed Qi Deqiang to the ground. By now, the latter was no longer human-shaped, more like a writhing piece of dead meat, emitting a foul stench.
"From now on, anyone who dares insult this Emperor's wife will share his fate." Jiang Yu turned his head, his gaze calm as he looked at the envoys from various dynasties gathered outside the hall, his tone icy and resolute.
After all, he would soon return to Great Qin to inherit the throne.
What was there to fear from these petty dynasties?
Qi Deqiang stole his wife. For this hatred, Great Qin owed him an explanation.
Otherwise, the mighty army of Great Qin would arrive soon.
Since he was returning, it had to be... descending from the peak, demanding homage from the seven dynasties.
Pfft.
Only when Jiang Yu raised his foot and slammed it down hard on Qi Deqiang's head did the hall finally fall completely silent.
A wisp of demonic aura quietly dispersed, striking fear into hearts.
"Gulp."
"Since when... did Jiang Yu become so overbearing?"
"Who knows? But that flame seems to contain... demonic intent."
"Shut up! Do you want to die?!"
The crowd outside quickly dispersed, afraid that the Great Xia good-for-nothing might remember their earlier mockery and kill them too.
"Yanran! Let's return to the palace." Jiang Yu walked up to Xia Yanran, took off his outer robe, and draped it over the young woman's shoulders, a gentle smile curling on his lips.
"And... Yanran... shouldn't we also... perform our marital duties?"
"Wh... what?" Xia Yanran was stunned, especially seeing the desire on Jiang Yu's face, her heart skipped a beat.
Quite suddenly... she felt Jiang Yu had changed.
"Your health isn't good. For the past three years, I've been using medicinal baths to alter your physique. Now that my cultivation is restored, it's time to dissolve the Primordial Yin Essence within your body. When that's done... we can..." Jiang Yu's gaze drifted towards Xia Yanran's chest, his tone carrying an unconcealed heat.
"Me? Health isn't good? Alter my physique?" Xia Yanran's delicate brows furrowed slightly. In the past, if Jiang Yu had said such things, she wouldn't have believed a word of it.
But now, having witnessed the talent and dominance the young man displayed, she felt somewhat lost.
Who exactly... was he?
"Let's talk back at the palace." Jiang Yu smiled faintly, reached out to hold Xia Yanran's jade hand, and stepped towards the guesthouse exit.
But just as the two figures walked out of the hall, armored guards suddenly came running from the distant streets, surrounding them.
"Jiang Yu, how dare you commit murder in the guesthouse? Surrender now!" The leader was the Great Xia Forbidden Army Commander, Jiang Yan, whose cultivation had reached the first grade of the Divine Emperor realm.
"Commander Jiang, are you sure you want to arrest me?" Jiang Yu remained calm in the face of danger. Or rather, he was no longer the stray dog from three years ago.
A mere Forbidden Army Commander dared to act fiercely before him?
Once I reveal my identity as the Great Qin Emperor, you will all have to kneel before me!
"Jiang Yu, you killed an envoy to our Great Xia. The Emperor is furious and has strictly ordered us to capture you to give Great Qi an explanation. You'd better not resist, otherwise... don't blame us for being ruthless." Jiang Yan coldly stared at the composed young man, also feeling somewhat puzzled inside.
Had Jiang Yu eaten the heart of a bear or the gall of a leopard?
Daring to kill someone in the Great Xia guesthouse?
And right in front of envoys from various dynasties, killing the Second Prince of the Great Qi Imperial Dynasty?
But... this kid was deeply hidden.
Third-grade Divine General. Such talent was enough to rival the top prodigies of the Western Frontier.
"Hehehe..." Jiang Yu shook his head with a cold laugh. But just as he was about to open his mouth and reveal his identity, a voice suddenly came from the void.
"Grandson!!"
"Huh? Grandpa!" Quite inexplicably, Jiang Yu's face changed, a trace of unease suddenly arising in his heart.
Grandpa's voice right now... seemed... somewhat... anxious and downcast?
"Wh... what happened?"
"I just received news. The supreme Dao tradition I prepared for you was annihilated by Xiao Beifa and his men! That traitor! So he has already defected to the new Great Qin Emperor!!!"
"What!!!!" Jiang Yu's eyes widened. A mouthful of heart's blood directly spilled from his lips, and he nearly fainted on the spot.
Fck me... Damn it!!*
So, old man, you mean... I can't return to Great Qin?
My empire, my throne... gone, just like that?
Pfft!
In the end, he still couldn't hold it back.
Ding! The Son of Fate feels despair. Congratulations, Host, on plundering 300 Luck Points and 3000 Villain Points.
"Grandson, don't panic! No one else knew about my trip to Great Xia this time, so... your identity hasn't been exposed yet. You just need to endure for another three years. Grandpa will definitely help you establish another Dao tradition and reclaim the empire! I can't say more, a powerful expert in Great Xia has noticed me. I'm making a run for it first!!"
"Grandpa!! Grandpa!!!" Jiang Yu roared inwardly, tears welling in his eyes.
Holy shit!!
This life... truly has the highest highs and the lowest lows?
Isn't this the definition of 'extreme joy begets sorrow'!
You should have said so earlier... I've already killed the guy, finished showing off, got trapped, and now you run off by yourself?
No, couldn't you at least pull me out of this mess?!
Now I've lost my identity, killed Qi Deqiang, exposed my trump card... guess if Emperor Xia will let me go?
Dammit!!
"Jiang Yu... what's wrong with you?" Sensing the despair and cold intent emanating from Jiang Yu, a look of astonishment instantly flashed in Xia Yanran's beautiful eyes.
"Yan... Yanran, do you believe me?" Jiang Yu forced a bitter smile, a shadow seeming to flash in his eyes. "I might be temporarily... not up to it. But... can you help me escape Dragon Fortune City? I will definitely come back for you."
"Jiang Yu, what do you mean? Aren't you... an Emperor? Don't worry, Father won't be too hard on you. I'll just say you did it to save me." Xia Yanran's brows carried a trace of confusion, a sense of disappointment seeming to stir in her heart.
This Jiang Yu... why is he so erratic?
Could it be that everything he said earlier was a lie?
"No, Yanran, I can't stay in Dragon Fortune City, or my life will be in danger. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. You just need to cooperate with me in putting on an act. I'll let you return as soon as I'm out of the city!"
Just kidding!
I've even exposed my Spirit Flame trump card. If Emperor Xia becomes greedy, do I have any chance of survival?
If I were the Emperor, Emperor Xia would have to consider the consequences.
But now...
Time to slip away.
If I don't leave now, I'm afraid this dog's life won't be safe!