As soon as Ying Zheng's voice fell, a chilling aura of slaughter enveloped the entire court.
"At your command!"
The imperial guards responded in unison, raising their swords high.
"Restoring our nation and seeking vengeance are nothing but empty dreams now."
"Qin is unshakable."
"Father, I cannot avenge you anymore," Zhang Liang thought bitterly as he closed his eyes.
"You damn Qin tyrants! If you're going to kill me, then do it! I fear you not!"
"Even if only three households of Chu remain, Chu will be the one to destroy Qin!"
"One day, your Qin Empire will fall by the hands of my great Chu!"
"Hahaha!"
Xiang Liang shouted at the top of his lungs as if making a final declaration before his death.
"Uncle, we shall meet again in our next life! And when we do, we will destroy Qin!"
Xiang Yu laughed wildly as well.
Of course, not all of the prisoners were fearless or defiant. Many of them cried out in terror, desperately begging for mercy.
But their pleas failed to move any of the Qin ministers.
"Execute them!"
Ren Xiao commanded loudly.
Hundreds of imperial guards swung their swords down.
Hundreds of heads fell to the ground.
Blood stained the vast courtyard of the imperial palace.
"Huh?"
Ying Zheng suddenly let out a surprised sound.
His sharp gaze landed on a peculiar scene.
A certain imperial guard had raised his sword, but no matter how hard he tried, he simply could not bring it down.
Beneath the frozen blade was none other than Xiang Yu.
"Your Majesty!"
"There is something strange about this man! I cannot strike him down!"
The imperial guard turned around, his face filled with shame.
"Hahaha!"
"Ying Zheng!"
"Kill me if you can!"
"I am protected by the heavens themselves you cannot slay me!"
Xiang Yu burst into laughter.
He had been ready to die, but now, seeing that the executioner's blade could not touch him, he was overcome with exhilaration and arrogance.
"Why is this happening?"
"He seems to be enveloped by some kind of protective force, similar to the power of fate itself…"
Ying Zheng narrowed his eyes.
This force was akin to Qin's national destiny, yet it was fundamentally different.
"Can't kill you?"
Ying Zheng sneered.
With a flick of his hand, the Imperial Jade Seal appeared in his palm.
Heaven grants the mandate; long may it endure!
Even if Xiang Yu was protected by fate, could his mere fragment of fortune possibly withstand the boundless might of Qin's imperial destiny?
"Father!"
A voice suddenly called out.
In the next instant
From the sky above, two figures descended gracefully, landing in the grand courtyard of the imperial court.
It was Zhao Feng and Ghost Valley Master.
Seeing Zhao Feng return, the ministers were momentarily stunned before immediately kneeling.
"Your subjects pay respects to the Crown Prince!"
"You may rise."
Zhao Feng smiled faintly.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" the ministers responded in unison.
"Is this the legendary Master of Ghost Valley?"
Ying Zheng's gaze turned to the elderly figure beside Zhao Feng.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty."
Ghost Valley Master smiled and bowed respectfully.
"Master, please dispense with the formalities!"
"I have long heard about you from Feng'er."
"Now that you are willing to serve Qin, it is a great blessing for our empire!"
"Ministers, pay respects to the Grand Master!"
Ying Zheng laughed heartily.
"Greetings, Grand Master!"
The ministers immediately bowed again, their eyes filled with reverence.
Ghost Valley Master!
They had long heard Zhao Feng speak of him as a true sage, an earthly immortal.
"Ministers, you may rise."
"I was once an outsider to the world, but now, having been recognized by His Majesty and the Crown Prince, I willingly join Great Qin. This is my fortune."
Ghost Valley Master smiled.
"Hahaha!"
"Master, you flatter me."
"With you by our side, Qin is as fierce as a tiger with wings!"
Ying Zheng laughed heartily.
Then, his gaze swept across the courtyard, lingering on the hundreds of lifeless bodies sprawled across the ground.
"This fallen star from the heavens stirred up these remnants, hoping to incite chaos within Qin."
"But I saw through their schemes long ago."
"Feng'er!"
"Today, the last remnants of the Six Kingdoms have been utterly eradicated!"
Ying Zheng sneered coldly.
"They never ceased plotting against our Qin…"
"They deserved to die." Zhao Feng chuckled.
"As for him…"
Zhao Feng's gaze fell upon Xiang Yu.
Then, he slowly walked forward.
"Father, ministers."
"Do you know why ordinary weapons cannot cut him?" Zhao Feng smiled and asked.
"Why?" Ying Zheng was also puzzled at this moment.
"There seems to be a force on his body, similar to national destiny, protecting him."
"Mundane weapons cannot harm him."
"But with the power of the nation's fortune, I can surely suppress and kill him." Ying Zheng said.
"Father, do you know about the Mandate of Heaven?" Zhao Feng smiled.
"Since the founding of Great Qin by our ancestors, we have been confined to a small western land. The reason we were able to establish the state of Qin and unify the world today has never been because of the Mandate of Heaven, but because of the bravery, determination, and unyielding spirit of the past kings, rulers, and generations of Qin people. That is how Great Qin stands today."
"I have never believed in the so-called Mandate of Heaven." Ying Zheng chuckled, exuding the pride of an emperor.
"If we say that your achievements as King of Qin and your unification of the world are due not only to Qin's strength but also to the Mandate of Heaven, then under this so-called fate, Qin is destined to perish after the second generation."
"This is the original destiny."
"In the past, I showed you and the ministers a vision of the future."
"That was the original fate," Zhao Feng said slowly.
"What does that have to do with this man?" Ying Zheng pointed at Xiang Yu.
"He is the one destined to destroy Qin under the original Mandate of Heaven," Zhao Feng said, staring coldly at Xiang Yu.
"Him?"
Ying Zheng looked at Xiang Yu with a hint of ridicule.
"Just like another person."
"I have already slain one so-called 'fated' person years ago."
"It was a coincidence."
"That time, when Father went to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony and passed through Pei County, I discovered that 'fated' person."
"I killed him right then and there."
"When I killed him, it was the same ordinary weapons that could not harm him. Even a martial grandmaster's power could do nothing."
"In the end, I took action to suppress and kill him," Zhao Feng said slowly.
"Feng'er, you mean that these so-called 'fated' people are preordained to destroy Great Qin?"
"Under this predetermined fate, Great Qin is doomed to perish after the second generation, and these people are the instruments of Qin's downfall?" Ying Zheng's voice grew serious, his expression turning solemn.
"Exactly."
Zhao Feng nodded.
His gaze returned to Xiang Yu.
"However..."
"With me here, everything about Great Qin has already changed."
"If Heaven decrees the fall of Qin, I will not allow it."
"I will fight against it to the very end."
Zhao Feng sneered coldly.
Raising a hand, he pointed directly at Xiang Yu.
A surge of true essence shot forth.
With Zhao Feng's immense true essence at the Void-Shattering Realm
It was enough to annihilate an immortal with a single strike.
Under the force of this attack
The fortune surrounding Xiang Yu emerged, trying to shield him. But under this one strike, Xiang Yu's body jerked as his heart was instantly pierced through.
He lost all signs of life and collapsed to the ground.
"In the end..."
"You were not truly chosen by fate. You lacked divine artifacts to protect you."
"When I killed Liu Ji before, he had the Yu Province Cauldron shielding him."
Zhao Feng looked at Xiang Yu's corpse and sneered.
"[Killed the future Western Chu Overlord Xiang Yu, altered the trajectory of the Heavenly Dao, gained +300 to all attributes, +300 days of lifespan, and obtained a Tier-5 treasure chest.]"
The system panel displayed a notification.
"Your spirits shall also be completely extinguished."
"I will not allow any mistakes."
Zhao Feng lifted his head, staring at the wandering souls of the fallen Qin enemies, including Xiang Yu.
Raising a hand
The Netherworld Flames surged forth.
The floating souls in the void were incinerated instantly.
"[Killed soul, gained +1 Primordial Spirit Power.]"
"[Killed soul, gained +1 Primordial Spirit Power.]"
"[Killed the fated one's primordial spirit, gained +300 Primordial Spirit Power.]"
...
The system notifications continued.
"A so-called fated one, how laughable."
"And now, you have perished within my Great Qin."
Ying Zheng sneered.
"Father."
"The Mandate of Heaven dooms Qin to destruction."
"Then you and I shall defy it to the end."
Zhao Feng laughed.
"Indeed."
"You and I, father and son, fear no so-called fate."
"Moreover, is this truly fate?"
"Heaven is just and impartial why would it interfere in worldly matters?"
"To me, this so-called destiny is surely the work of the immortals and gods." Ying Zheng sneered.
With those words, he uncovered the true nature of the so-called Mandate of Heaven.
"Father, you are right."
Zhao Feng smiled.
Then, he asked, "Father, where is the fallen star?"
"I have already secured it."
"Since you have returned, you may examine its material."
Ying Zheng smiled.
With a thought
The Celestial Mirror appeared.
As a glow of light flickered
Nine massive meteorites appeared in the square.
Each meteorite was as large as a small mountain, its entire surface pitch black.
On each meteorite, words foretelling Qin's downfall were inscribed.
Zhao Feng stepped forward.
Taking a closer look
[Extraterrestrial Meteorite]: A fragment from the shattered void of the Ninth Heaven. It can isolate spiritual energy, resist immortal power, and pierce through ordinary immortal defenses.
"Hahaha."
"Father."
"The immortals and gods have gifted Great Qin with a present."
"These meteorites are top-tier refining materials."
"If we forge weapons using this, even if we do not use it entirely but merely incorporate it into the forging process, our weapons will become even sharper and gain the ability to break through spiritual energy defenses." Zhao Feng laughed.
"Truly?"
Ying Zheng's face brightened with joy.
"Absolutely," Zhao Feng nodded.
Upon hearing this
Ying Zheng burst into laughter.
"Ministers, did you hear that? These fallen stars are treasures that will strengthen our Qin army."
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Highness!" the ministers said in unison.
The ministers all shouted in unison.
"These meteorites are celestial objects from the Nine Heavens."
"Mortal fire cannot refine them."
"However, I happen to possess a spiritual flame that can melt these meteorites."
Zhao Feng smiled.
Then, he called out, "Chen Ping."
"Ouqizi."
"Present!"
Chen Ping and a burly man quickly stepped forward.
One was the grand overseer of Qin's military armory, while the other was responsible for forging weapons.
"Move all nine meteorites into the forging hall."
"I shall grant the forging hall nine fire seeds to merge into the refining furnace and melt the meteorites."
As he spoke, Zhao Feng summoned nine strands of Blazing Blood Flame. This fire was no ordinary flame but a spiritual fire, capable of melting these celestial meteorites.
Then, he took out an array artifact designed to contain fire seeds and infused all nine strands of spiritual fire into it.
"We obey the order!"
Chen Ping and Ouqizi immediately acknowledged the command.
"Ministers."
"Are there any other state matters to be presented?"
Zhao Feng looked toward the court officials.
"We have no further petitions."
The ministers responded in unison.
"In that case, the court is dismissed."
Zhao Feng waved his hand.
With this return, Zhao Feng intended not only to reveal the truth about the celestial beings but also to formally initiate the martial cultivation of the Qin Dynasty.
This was necessary to better prepare for the threats that celestial beings might pose in the future.
"We take our leave."
The ministers bowed and withdrew.
Inside the grand assembly hall...
"Feng'er."
"What did you find?"
Ying Zheng looked at Zhao Feng and asked.
In the days Zhao Feng had been away, he had been searching for the legendary Penglai Immortal Island, trying to locate the celestial who had attempted to take his life.
Now that he had returned, he surely had answers.
"Father."
"See for yourself what this so-called Penglai Immortal Island looks like."
As Zhao Feng spoke, he summoned the Celestial Profound Mirror.
A light screen appeared before Ying Zheng.
The scene of Penglai Immortal Island unfolded.
Blood mist and resentment filled the air.
The island itself exuded a sinister demonic aura.
Countless corpses and skeletal remains lay scattered about.
Inside the great hall, a pool of blood was present, along with the bodies of young children. Their hearts and livers had been removed, a gruesome sight akin to a scene from hell.
"This... is Penglai?"
"The so-called land of immortals?"
Even Ying Zheng, upon witnessing the sight, furrowed his brows deeply.
"So-called immortals are, in truth, demons."
"They feast upon humans, consuming human spiritual essence to cultivate."
"They use human blood as a spiritual medium to forge their immortal foundations."
"And this is just one Penglai Island, home to just one celestial."
Zhao Feng spoke in a grave tone, his expression serious.
"Why would celestials act this way?"
"They are no different from beasts."
Ying Zheng asked in shock.
"To us humans, wild beasts are nothing more than food because we are stronger than them."
"To these celestials, humanity is the wild beast."
"They can devour us at will, slaughtering us as they please."
Zhao Feng said solemnly.
"The falling meteorites… aside from attempting to destroy my Great Qin, what else do they intend?" Ying Zheng asked.
His keen instincts told him that the celestial meteorites must carry a deeper purpose beyond what they seemed.
"They seek to sever the fate of the Divine Continent and pull it into the celestial realm, turning the entire continent's inhabitants into livestock for consumption."
"If they succeed, the infernal scene of Penglai Island will be recreated across the Divine Continent."
"The entire continent will become a living hell, and all its people will be reduced to caged livestock for the celestials to feed on."
Zhao Feng spoke with a heavy voice.
"Celestials…"
"I never imagined that the immortals who dwell in the heavens would be such vile creatures."
Ying Zheng's expression turned solemn, and a sense of urgency filled his heart.
"Feng'er."
"What should we do?"
Ying Zheng turned to Zhao Feng.
"Father."
"A mere commoner, when angered, can spill blood within five steps."
"But our Great Qin, a mighty empire should we fear these so-called celestials?"
"What we must do now is strengthen our military and cultivate martial power."
"These celestials seek to seize the Divine Continent's fate and turn it into their feeding ground."
"But must we simply submit?"
"If the celestials reign supreme in the Nine Heavens, treating us as livestock, then can we not launch an invasion of the celestial realm ourselves?"
"Can we not reshape the heavens, and slaughter every last one of these demons disguised as celestials?"
Zhao Feng sneered his words brimming with boundless ambition and dominance.
Hearing this, Guiguzi, who stood nearby, was visibly shaken.
Even he had never considered such an audacious ambition.
His own goal had been merely to live peacefully for as long as the Divine Continent remained.
Celestials...
Could they truly be defeated?
Could Great Qin launch a counterattack against the celestial realm?
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Guiguzi found himself trembling with excitement.
For the first time, a spark of anticipation ignited in his heart.
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