"Rumble—!"
Amid the earth-shaking tremors, the vast city of Kunyang found three sides completely encircled.
The court's army did not continue a direct assault. Instead, they hid behind the thick-earth barriers and unleashed relentless bombardment with all kinds of siege engines, turning it into a purely brutal contest of "financial endurance."
"This is bad," Qian Qiren said with a frown. "Once they seal the formation completely, Kunyang City will become a prison. We'll be trapped inside while the enemy can attack or withdraw at will. If we can't hold on, we won't even have a path of retreat."
"Catching turtles in a jar!"
Minister of Revenue Shangguan Haichang climbed onto the city wall and shouted loudly, "As expected—it's the strategy of catching turtles in a jar!"
"Exactly!"
"Your Majesty, look!"
"Lord Shangguan really hit the mark!"
"No wonder this battle has unfolded so methodically, like the Spring and Autumn era."
"The bandits from Chang'an are waiting for us to concentrate inside Kunyang City so they can wipe us out in one sweep!"
"What should we do now?"
"Rebel forces inside Kunyang City, listen up!"
Minister of War Zhu Ming rode forward once again, stopping beneath the city walls and shouting in a resounding voice, "After several engagements, you bandits have suffered grievous losses!"
"If you continue this futile resistance, you should know very well what awaits you!"
"But His Highness the Prince of Qin is benevolent. He knows that fighting on will only drain the Great Sheng Dynasty's own national strength, so he is granting you one final chance!"
"Within ten days!"
"As long as you hand over Chen Sanshi or abandon the defense of the city!"
"The court will allow you to withdraw north of the Fei River, and negotiations may follow!"
"But if you stubbornly persist, then after ten days, Immortal Master Shan Liangcheng will fully activate the grand formation and seal everything!"
"At that point, not a single one of you will be able to leave!"
With matters having escalated to this point, even if the court declared it would accept the rebels' surrender, no one inside Kunyang City would dare leave the gates.
The great clans and sect disciples all knew very clearly what fate awaited them once they fell into the court's hands.
However, if the conditions were loosened to merely allow withdrawal from Kunyang City, the situation became entirely different.
"I hope you will think this through carefully!"
After leaving those words behind, Zhu Ming reined in his horse and withdrew.
"This…"
Inside Kunyang City, civil and military officials began to debate heatedly.
At the same time.
Over the following days, the court's army did not cease its attrition against the Black-Armored Xunwind Formation. Day and night, they launched attacks, while also intermittently scaling the walls—sometimes at dawn between 5:00 and 7:00 a.m., sometimes near midnight between 11:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m..
The city's defenders were run ragged, never knowing a moment of peace.
The Battle of the Fei River.
Entered a tedious stalemate.
War itself.
Was cruel and monotonous.
The larger the campaign, the more it was often defined by long, grinding attrition. Not to mention two months—even two years or eight years was possible. Yet the moment that truly decided victory or defeat often came in a single, heart-stopping instant.
During this process, what both sides had to do was hold their breath, endure patiently, and wait for that fleeting opportunity—then seize it with everything they had.
But now…
The defenders inside Kunyang City were clearly growing restless.
With day after day of consumption.
The city's spirit stone reserves dwindled further and further.
Fear deepened daily in the hearts of the great clans and the civil and military officials within the city.
Handing over the white-robed man was impossible.
Within Kunyang City, there was likely no one capable of doing so.
Which meant there was only…
One remaining path.
Retreat.
Especially for people like Shangguan Haichang—their accumulated family wealth was shrinking by the day. Their hearts bled at the losses, and there was no way they would stay here to fight to the death.
"Your Majesty!"
Inside the city tower, after confirming that the white-robed man was not present, he spoke cautiously. "Your Majesty should withdraw first!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"Let us first dispatch a force to escort Your Majesty out of here."
"If we don't leave now, we truly won't be able to leave at all!"
"My ministers, wait a little longer."
Zhengtong Emperor Cao Huan stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing out at the wilderness beyond the window. His voice was filled with melancholy.
How could he not understand how dire the situation had become?
But this campaign had already consumed countless resources. If they withdrew now, reclaiming this ground later would require waiting who knew how long.
In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.
Morale inside the city wavered, yet they still held their ground.
"Little Daoist Shan," Ling Kui urged, "we've done exactly as you said. Several days have passed with no movement. Wouldn't it be better to resume a full assault and avoid dragging this out?"
"Senior Ling, is it possible that your eagerness for revenge has caused you to overlook something important?" Shan Liangcheng said calmly. "The river of time has always stood on our side, not the rebels'. It is true that Chen Sanshi could break through at any moment.
"But don't forget.
"The Longqing Emperor of the Great Sheng Dynasty may also emerge from seclusion at any time.
"If he joins the battle, what then, even if Chen Sanshi breaks through?
"Moreover.
"I have not been deliberately delaying.
"The second step is about to begin.
"And this second step is called—sowing discord."
February 25.
Of the original two hundred thousand defenders in Kunyang City, only one hundred seventy thousand remained.
There were only five days left before the court's final ultimatum to completely seal Kunyang City.
Inside the city.
The temporary imperial palace.
"I have said it already—wait a little longer. Minister Chen may well have a plan to break the enemy; he is merely waiting for the right moment," Zhengtong Emperor Cao Huan said, hesitating in the face of his ministers' repeated calls for retreat, yet still choosing to refuse.
"Your Majesty," Shangguan Haichang said in a lowered voice. "This minister has just received a secret letter. Whether to retreat or not—Your Majesty should decide after reading it."
"A secret letter?"
Cao Huan, dressed in dragon robes, accepted the letter presented by a eunuch. As he read its contents, his expression grew increasingly strange.
"Your Majesty!
"That Chen Sanshi…
"He is from the Qing Kingdom!"
Shangguan Haichang accused loudly. "His original wife's name was Shen Xizhi. She is the eldest princess of the Qing Kingdom, and her full-blooded younger sister was the Qing Kingdom's former empress!
"And the Crown Prince of the Northern Liang King, Chen Duhe, was named heir by that empress several years ago!
"What kind of dealings lie behind this—one can easily imagine!"
The secret letter was revealed.
The hall erupted in an uproar.
The Great Sheng Dynasty's general who commanded all armies under heaven was an imperial relative of the Qing Kingdom, and the Crown Prince of the Northern Liang King was the heir of the Qing Kingdom—when these words were linked together, the more one looked at them, the more absurd they seemed!
No one could have imagined it.
That Chen Sanshi had such a layer of connections behind him.
What was a Crown Prince?!
The future emperor of the Qing Kingdom!
From a certain perspective, Chen Sanshi was practically the Qing Kingdom's retired emperor!
He hid this information, lying low within the Great Sheng's territory—what was he trying to do?
Usurp the state!
Among the civil and military officials, this was the only word they could think of.
"No wonder!"
Minister of Rites Liu Senyu exclaimed in sudden realization. "No wonder Chen Sanshi insisted on forcing all elite forces to fight a decisive battle at the Fei River—he was trying to make the Great Sheng Dynasty's internal strength consume itself!"
"Exactly, exactly!"
Everyone felt as though they had been struck with enlightenment.
"Look at that expression of his—wearing a deadpan face every day, never anxious, never hurried. Wasn't he just waiting for us to throw ourselves to our deaths?"
"First he uses us to exhaust Chang'an, then he joins forces with the Qing Kingdom to invade our territory and reap the benefits as the fisherman!"
"If that's the case."
"He probably doesn't just have ties with the Qing Kingdom—he likely has an enormous connection with the Yunding Palace behind the Qing Kingdom as well!"
Cao Huan repeatedly read the secret letter, truly never expecting that the white-robed man possessed such deep background.
How much more was this man still hiding?
"Your Majesty!"
Shangguan Haichang continued. "You are benevolent and treat the Northern Liang King as a brother, but the Northern Liang King may not think the same. To conceal such a major matter—there must be ulterior motives behind it.
"There is a saying: 'One should not harbor intent to harm others, but must guard against others harming oneself.'
"Even if Your Majesty still wishes to continue this battle, there is no need to wager everything and risk the annihilation of the entire army.
"It would be better to follow the previously discussed strategy.
"Find an opportunity to withdraw part of the forces, leaving the Northern Liang army and a small portion of the capital's troops to garrison Kunyang."
"I second this!"
Minister of War Ming Qingfeng followed up. "Given the current situation, keeping the entire army in the city shows no sign of breaking the enemy. It would be appropriate to withdraw a portion first!"
"Quickly summon the Prince of Yan, Immortal Master Cui, and the immortals of Guiyuan Sect here—do not alert the Northern Liang King!"
Cao Huan had cultivators summoned and repeated everything concerning the white-robed man's connection to the Qing Kingdom.
"What?"
Qian Qiren exclaimed in surprise. "That Brother Chen is someone from the Yunding Palace?"
"Tsk."
Cao Zhi also clicked his tongue, but still said, "When those two became husband and wife, they likely did not know my sister-in-law's true identity.
"Establishing ties with the Qing Kingdom probably happened after the battle of Hulao Pass.
"And judging from their later behavior, it doesn't seem like there was much contact between them.
"Of course, blood relations are there regardless.
"The Yunding Palace would find it easier than others to contact my elder brother. Whether there is cooperation between them is hard to say."
"That is very likely," Qian Qiren said, stroking the jade belt at his waist in thought. "The Qing Kingdom's empress Shen Guiyi seems to hold a high position within the Yunding Palace. She might be able to bring in considerable support."
"How about this," Shangguan Haichang said after some consideration. "Later, this old minister will personally go ask. If Lord Chen insists on holding this place, does he truly have a strategy to break the enemy?
"If he can present a plan convincing enough for everyone, then we will persist for a few more days. If he cannot, it will prove he truly intends to make the Great Sheng Dynasty tear itself apart and then help the Yunding Palace seize the ancestral veins. At that point, we will find an opportunity to retreat!"
"Alright," Cao Huan decided. "We'll do it that way!"
City tower.
After Chen Sanshi swallowed the last Taiqing Pill gifted by the Bai family, he picked up the Dragon Gall Bright Silver Spear and began cultivating, hoping to accelerate his breakthrough to the middle stage of the True Force Realm.
However, the Yingui Nether River Breathing Method was truly troublesome.
If there was no way to resolve the sealing of True Force, then even after breaking through, he would likely still be unable to cope.
But since matters had reached this point, there was only one way forward.
Moreover, he could sense that the situation on the Eastern Divine Continent was continuing to change. If he did not win this battle, the circumstances he would face in the future would only become more complex.
"My lord!"
"Lord Shangguan wishes to see you."
After cultivating for several hours, Chen Sanshi set down his spear to rest briefly, when a report sounded from outside the door.
"Let him in."
"Creak—"
The door opened, and Shangguan Haichang entered with a polite smile on his face.
"Please, have a seat."
Chen Sanshi did not waste words. "I wonder what business Lord Shangguan has?"
"To be frank," Shangguan Haichang went straight to the point. "I have a few questions. At present, our army's losses are worsening by the day. Dragging this out like this is not a solution.
"Yet Your Highness has made no move.
"Could it be that you have some strategy to break the enemy?
"May I ask you to share a bit, so that we may have clarity and stabilize morale within the army?"
"Fight," Chen Sanshi said calmly. "Fight, and we will win."
Hearing such an ambiguous answer, Shangguan Haichang's expression subtly changed as he probed again. "Your Highness speaks simply, but isn't it precisely how to win that this official is asking about?
"It's not that this official fears death.
"It's that the soldiers of the court see the city about to become a prison, and morale is clearly wavering. Your Highness should not keep things hidden."
"Lord Shangguan," Chen Sanshi still said no more. "You are the Minister of Revenue. Matters of marching to war and strategic planning are better left to us rough men."
"Heh."
Shangguan Haichang said with a smile that did not reach his eyes, "Your Highness is right. This official should not overstep his authority to meddle in military affairs. I shall take my leave."
With that, he turned and departed.
Chen Sanshi also put away his spear and came to the city wall, gazing into the distance.
Through the earthen-yellow light screens, he could see the enemy forces preparing for the next round of siege.
"My lord," Zhao Kang came forward to report. "There's bad news."
Chen Sanshi remained silent, signaling him to continue.
"Just now, while you were cultivating, the enemy fired many arrows into the city. These arrows carried paper slips that said…"
Zhao Kang paused for a moment, then continued, "They say the madam is the Qing Kingdom's eldest princess, the young lord is the Qing Kingdom's Crown Prince, and that my lord is using the brothers to help the Qing Kingdom conquer the world and the like.
"Our Northern Liang troops are fine.
"But the brothers from other regions have more or less begun to believe it."
"That is indeed true," Chen Sanshi admitted calmly.
"Huh?" Zhao Kang froze, not knowing how to respond.
"Xiao Duhe is the Qing Kingdom's Crown Prince?" Ninth Senior Sister Rong Yanqiu also smacked her lips in astonishment. Thinking back to the women who had once appeared at the Chen residence, one of them was very likely the Qing Kingdom's empress.
She did not pursue the matter further and instead said, "Junior Brother, what Zhao Kang said is true. Ever since Shan Liangcheng pulled that 'leave an opening when surrounding the army' trick, the soldiers' will to resist inside the city has weakened day by day. Now they are even using your wife's background to sow discord. This will only get more troublesome."
Chen Sanshi naturally understood.
This was precisely the drawback of a coalition force.
Their hearts were not united.
"Wait a little longer," he said in a deep voice. "The opportunity is coming soon."
"Speaking of that," Rong Yanqiu asked curiously, "Junior Brother, what exactly is your plan this time? If we just keep enduring inside Kunyang City like this, we'll really be exhausted to death."
Chen Sanshi fell silent.
Rong Yanqiu immediately understood. "Alright, Senior Sister won't ask further."
If a matter was not kept secret, it would leak.
Before the decisive battle, Chen Sanshi would absolutely not reveal the plan.
Even his senior brothers and sisters could not know.
It was not distrust, but concern that during battle, cultivators might use illusion-type spells to extract information.
Once leaked, all efforts would be wasted!
As for the others in the court, including the great clans, there was no need to mention it—there were certainly spies and internal agents among them.
Fortunately, if everything went smoothly, it should end soon.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
"Enemy attack!"
"Enemy attack!"
The war drums suddenly sounded as the rested imperial army launched a new round of siege.
"Senior Huang," Chen Sanshi went to the honest-faced old man's side. "Once the battle begins, please choose the right moment to activate the city-protecting formation for about half an hour."
"Half an hour?" Huang Laojiu hesitated briefly, then agreed. "Alright. This old man doesn't understand warfare anyway. I'll follow Daoist Chen's arrangements."
"Many thanks, Senior Huang," Chen Sanshi cupped his fists. "Please hold the line here. This junior is heading to the eastern city gate."
As the two spoke, the imperial army had already passed through the Heavenly Gate, deep blue lightning clinging to the pitch-black armor of the soldiers.
Amid the chaos, Chen Sanshi quietly retreated into the darkness. A clone replaced him as it moved toward the city wall, while he seized the moment to ride his flying sword. In an instant, he left Kunyang City, entered the pitch-black night sky, circled around widely, then suddenly accelerated southward. The battlefield below—where firelight mixed with spiritual radiance—grew farther and farther away, until he had flown more than fifty kilometers out.
On the dark wasteland far from the battlefield stood a small city with sparse lights.
Ba County!
The enemy's rear headquarters!
The Prince of Qin, the Prince of Qi, and the civil and military officials were all there!
He had to move fast.
A first-tier clone talisman was nothing more than a simple diversion. The other side would soon discover his true movements. Judging by the timing, they had likely already begun heading this way.
Ba County.
The county yamen.
After the Battle of the Fei River began, this place had become the gathering point for the officials.
"Your Highness!"
"The effectiveness of the siege is improving. The rebel forces inside the city are suffering heavier losses by the day."
"In recent days, Immortal Master Shan Liangcheng has used the 'leave an opening when surrounding the army' tactic and the 'discord sowing' strategy. According to information from our insiders in the city, the enemy's morale is on the verge of collapse!"
"Especially those sect and clan forces led by Shangguan Haichang—aside from the Northern Liang troops, they are already preparing to find an opportunity to withdraw."
Hearing the reports from the generals, the Prince of Qin excitedly slapped the table and stood up. "Good!
"As long as they withdraw part of their forces, it won't take long for us to grind down the remaining defenders. Kunyang City will fall naturally!
"Even if Chen the Hunter survives and escapes north of the Fei River, within a year he won't be able to muster troops to fight back again.
"What awaits him will be nothing but a dead end!"
"All thanks to Young Lord Zhou relying on Chibi to buy us precious time to redeploy our forces!"
The Prince of Qi recalled the scene of the red flames of the Battle of Chibi burning dry the Eastern Han Lake, and even now felt lingering fear. "We must not let any new complications arise at this moment."
"This farce is also about time to end," Lü Ji slowly rose to his feet. "Your Highness, once the city is breached, this subordinate requests permission to fight my traitorous junior brother again!"
"Heh," the Prince of Qin said coolly. "General Lü, rest assured. I understand your feelings. You may rest easy— the court will only kill Chen the Hunter. The rest of the old Grand Commander's disciples will be spared death."
Lü Ji cupped his fists. "Your Highness's great kindness will never be forgotten by Lü."
"Report—"
"A secret letter from the capital!"
A scout rushed into the hall.
"A secret letter?" The Prince of Qin nodded slightly.
At a time like this, what secret letter could come from the capital?
He picked up the letter and was about to open it when a thunderous boom suddenly erupted outside the county yamen, mixed with wails of agony.
Immediately after came waves of panicked shouts.
"Assassin!"
"There's an assassin!"
"Chen Sanshi has killed his way here!"
"Protect His Highness!"
Who?!
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Qin, the Prince of Qi, and all the civil and military officials in the hall felt their hearts jolt.
Kunyang City.
Just as the imperial army surged to the thick earthen barriers outside the city walls.
The Black-Armor Xunwind Formation was driven to full power. A jade-green, glass-like light dome inverted downward, blocking all enemy forces outside and sheltering the entire city.
"So early, and they've already activated full power?"
According to previous patterns, Kunyang City would only activate full power when it was on the verge of collapse.
Ling Kui flew around the city and found that the white-robed man was not drawing his bow to shoot as before, but was instead lurking in the shadows, waiting to act.
He frowned and muttered to himself, "What scheme is this little bastard plotting now?"
"Senior Ling!"
From the rear came Shan Liangcheng's sudden voice.
"The one on the city wall is a clone!"
"Chen Sanshi himself has gone to Ba County!"
"Senior Ling, hurry and save them!"
"Just petty tricks," Ling Kui sneered. Relying on the streaming light wings behind him, he flew straight toward Ba County.
The county yamen.
"Rumble—!"
Under blazing firelight.
The tightly shut gates burst open with a thunderous crash under tremendous force.
A figure in white robes, spear in hand, slowly appeared within sight.
"Protect His Highness!"
"Protect His Highness!"
Inside the main hall.
The Prince of Qin, the Prince of Qi, and the civil and military officials were already curled up in terror in the corners.
"Boom—!"
Black armor covered his entire body, flames bursting from the pupils beneath his mask. Chen Sanshi raised the Silver Dragon Spear, carrying scorching true force as he charged forward to kill.
"Junior Brother, how dare you!"
"Buzz!"
Layers of hazy purple qi instantly wrapped around the mountain-like Lü Ji. His eyes were sinister and oppressive. With a lift of his hand, the Fangtian halberd transformed into a dragon-elephant giant beast of vast divine might, smashing down toward Chen Sanshi.
"Boom!"
The two collided.
Each retreated several steps.
"Traitor who served three masters!" Chen Sanshi spat. "Why block my path?!"
"Junior Brother, this farce should end. Do you only feel satisfied if you drag the rest of our fellow disciples to their deaths? As your senior brother, I cannot allow you to continue this madness!"
As Lü Ji spoke, the wondrous incense-fire divine power hummed as it was fully unleashed, and he once again fought Chen Sanshi head-on.
"Traitor who served three masters! You cultivate heretical arts and have slaughtered countless people, yet you still dare call yourself Senior Brother?! Today, I will clean house for our departed master!"
Chen Sanshi fought him fiercely.
During the clash.
Third Senior Brother Nie Yuan drew his sword and attempted a sneak attack.
But he was only at Mortal Shedding Perfection. How could he possibly take part in a battle of this level?
Chen Sanshi leapt and kicked out, wrapping endless fire-element true force in his strike as it slammed brutally into Nie Yuan's chest.
Nie Yuan flew backward, smashing heavily into the wall before collapsing onto the ground. His clothes on his chest turned to ash, revealing a bloody, mangled torso beneath. He spat out a mouthful of blood and immediately lost consciousness.
After five or six exchanges.
Chen Sanshi seized an opening and forced Lü Ji back. With no more obstacles, he rushed straight toward the Prince of Qin and the others.
At the critical moment.
The only remaining cultivator spared no expense, burning lifespan essence blood to forcefully activate a second-tier low-grade talisman far beyond his own realm, summoning a golden light barrier.
"Thud!"
The Dragon-Gall Bright Silver Spear was finally stopped.
Just as Chen Sanshi was about to continue attacking the barrier, Lü Ji again entangled him in a fight to the death, forcing him to focus fully on defense.
As the two exchanged blows.
An icy, bone-chilling, sinister aura suddenly descended from above the rafters.
The next instant.
The entire building collapsed with a deafening crash.
An endless black waterfall poured down from the sky.
The Ling family's old ancestor, Ling Kui, arrived just in time.
"Boom!"
While forcing Lü Ji back, Chen Sanshi crossed his spear to block. Knowing he could not linger any longer, he consecutively used the Thick Earth Art, the Sword Qi Technique, and activated every talisman he had to buy himself a brief window of time. Then, stepping onto his flying artifact, he rapidly fled and soon vanished without a trace.
Only after he had been gone for a long while.
Did the Prince of Qin and the others finally let out long breaths of relief.
The physically frail civil officials, after extreme terror, all collapsed to the ground, faces ashen white, gasping for breath as if they had just walked through the gates of the underworld.
"Old Ancestor Ling!" The Prince of Qi's voice trembled. "Thankfully you arrived in time!"
"That little bastard only knows how to flee with his tail tucked!" Ling Kui said. As a martial cultivator, he truly was not proficient in escape techniques and could only let the other party get away.
"Quick!"
"Is General Nie alright?!"
The Prince of Qin hurriedly called for the imperial physicians.
Several cultivators also stepped forward to feed him pills.
Only after the time it took to brew a cup of tea did Nie Yuan recover from the brink of death.
"Just now, it was also thanks to General Lü!" The Prince of Qin sighed with emotion. "Fortunately, I kept an extra precaution and had General Lü stay behind to protect us!"
"Is General Lü alright?" the officials asked.
"I'm fine," Lü Ji replied. The hazy purple qi around his body gradually dissipated, though his face was somewhat pale.
"Sigh," the Prince of Qi shook his head and lamented, "Clearly from the same sect—how can the gap be so great?"
"Indeed!"
"Those of the Grand Commander's residence should be like General Lü and General Nie. Only then would they not disgrace Grand Commander Sun Xiangzong's loyal and righteous legacy!"
An assassination attempt.
Full of danger, yet without mishap.
Chen Sanshi also successfully escaped to a safe area.
As long as the Ling family's old ancestor was not present, even if one or two cultivators occasionally caught up, they would never dare make a move against him.
Clearly, the assassination had failed.
Yet there was no dejection on his face.
Unnoticed by anyone, the Mystic Pearl in his bosom had already left enough mystic qi on the Prince of Qin and the others.
Next.
All that remained was to wait for the decisive opportunity to arrive!
Inside the county yamen.
Only after the time it took to brew a cup of tea did the Prince of Qi and the others gradually recover.
The Prince of Qin snorted coldly and cursed in rage, "Chen the Hunter, that dog of a man. It seems he's truly reached the end of his road, forced to resort to such despicable tricks!"
The Prince of Qi said with lingering fear, "Fourth Brother, s-shouldn't we stay in Ba County any longer?"
"Yes!"
"This time, Old Ancestor Ling returned in time. What about next time?!"
"Pack up!"
With a sweep of his hand, the Prince of Qin commanded, "All civil and military officials, pack up your essential items and move immediately to the central command of the million-strong army!"
Though the million-strong army was on the battlefield, being within the Six Ding Six Jia Golden Radiance Formation actually made it a safer place.
The group began packing up.
But since most of them were civil officials, there was little to bring—nothing more than some administrative documents that had not yet been handled.
"Your Highness, the secret letter!"
A eunuch found the earlier secret letter from the capital amid the shattered ruins.
"I nearly forgot about it!" The Prince of Qin said. Seeing the golden seal on the letter and knowing it was of great importance, he wasted no time and opened it on the spot.
On the pale yellow paper.
There were only four characters.
"The Emperor has emerged from seclusion!"