"Azure Jade Realm cultivators!"
Shen Muxue's heart trembled slightly.
She had followed the Crown Prince for many years and had access to information far beyond ordinary people, so of course she knew what the Azure Jade Realm was.
That was a great world far above the Wasteland Realm.
"Even cultivators from the Azure Jade Realm dare to come to my Wasteland Realm and act wildly."
Lin Shu said coldly, "Your Highness, why don't we just send someone to Chanzhou to find him and kill him?"
"It won't be that easy."
Hu Po shook her head. "This battle challenge has probably already spread throughout the world by now. If Your Highness doesn't accept it, or if someone else goes to deal with Chu Chen instead, people will definitely say Your Highness is afraid of him."
"This…"
Lin Shu's words faltered.
"I don't care about that kind of reputation," Yang Cheng said with a laugh. "But Chu Chen already calculated everything ahead of time. He chose Spring Lake as the battlefield because he's sure we won't be able to send troops there to kill him."
"Why?"
Hu Po and Shen Muxue looked confused.
Lin Shu's heart moved. "Your Highness, does it have something to do with the Tomb of the Azure Emperor you mentioned?"
"Exactly."
Yang Cheng nodded. "Three months from now, the Tomb of the Azure Emperor will appear. At that time it will be difficult to arrange an ambush."
"By the way, Hu Po, how has Consort Li been recently?"
Consort Li was once Noble Consort Zhuang.
Hu Po said disdainfully, "She has never behaved herself. She tried many times to plot against the Empress, but every time the Empress easily resolved it.
If not for the Zhuang clan backing her, with all the things she has done, the Empress would have abolished her long ago."
Yang Cheng's eyes grew deep. "Then let's set a trap for Consort Li and the Zhuang clan."
"A trap?"
Everyone looked at him.
"I plan to go to Chanzhou. Hu Po, you will deliberately leak this news and lure the Zhuang clan into sending people to assassinate me."
Yang Cheng said, "If everything goes smoothly, we might even catch an important figure from the Zhuang clan."
"Will they really take the bait?"
Shen Muxue asked.
"After I became Crown Prince, the Zhuang clan's hopes grew slimmer and slimmer."
Yang Cheng said, "Their killing intent toward me is a hundred times stronger than toward my uncle. As long as there is even the slightest chance, they won't let it slip."
"Your Highness wants to use yourself as bait? No, that's too dangerous!"
Hu Po immediately protested.
Yang Cheng suddenly pointed a finger at Hu Po.
Hu Po didn't resist.
His finger stopped right before her throat. Yang Cheng said helplessly, "Hu Po, why didn't you block it?"
"My life belongs to the Empress and Your Highness," Hu Po said. "If you want to take it, you can do so at any time."
Then she gave a bright smile. "Besides, this servant believes the Empress and Your Highness would never harm me."
Yang Cheng's gaze softened.
He didn't doubt her words at all.
Even five hundred years later, Hu Po never betrayed his mother, staying with her in the Cold Palace as an old servant.
It was precisely because he had people like this by his side that, even after five hundred years of torment, Yang Cheng's heart never twisted, and he still held onto his sense of righteousness.
He withdrew his finger and released his true qi.
Hu Po's eyes lit up in surprise. "Your Highness, you've already reached Martial Emperor?"
"That's right."
Yang Cheng smiled. "This is my greatest trump card and also the confidence that allows me to act as bait."
Zhuang Yi kept jumping around arrogantly, yet not even Mother Empress or Father Emperor could do anything about him.
Such a person was truly disgusting.
So Yang Cheng had to think of a way to deal the Zhuang clan a heavy blow.
The next day, Emperor Qian Yuan ordered Yun Jinghuai to prison, telling him to reflect in the Heavenly Prison.
Xu Hui, elder brother of Xu Yan, the current Grand Secretariat Head, and known as a martial fanatic of the Xu clan, arrived at Fengtian City.
Xu Hui had the greatest martial talent in the Xu clan and had already advanced to Martial Sovereign ten years ago.
He personally took charge of guarding the Heavenly Prison, keeping watch over Yun Jinghuai.
Two days later.
The delegation of the Divine Medicine Valley from Heavenly Heart Island arrived in Chanzhou.
Heavenly Heart Island was the largest overseas island.
And Divine Medicine Valley was the number one alchemy faction in the Wasteland Realm, founded by the ancient Pill Emperor Zuo Jurong.
The one leading the group was Divine Medicine Valley's Great Elder, Zhang Shifan.
Zhang Shifan was one of the rare Pill Emperors in the Wasteland Realm.
His arrival instantly shocked all major powers of Great Zhou.
Emperor Qian Yuan also took it extremely seriously.
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince should personally lead a team to Chanzhou to meet with the people of Divine Medicine Valley. Only then will it show our Great Zhou's respect."
Zhuang Yi said.
As soon as these words came out, many ministers agreed.
"Very well."
Emperor Qian Yuan also felt it was appropriate. "Pass down my decree. Crown Prince Yang Cheng will go to Chanzhou on behalf of Great Zhou to meet with Divine Medicine Valley."
He then looked at Zhuang Yi. "Minister Zhuang, this time the Crown Prince will serve as Chief Imperial Envoy, and you will serve as Deputy Imperial Envoy."
It was obvious he didn't trust the Zhuang clan. He worried they might send assassins against Yang Cheng.
So, he put Zhuang Yi together with Yang Cheng.
If the Zhuang clan tried to assassinate Yang Cheng, Zhuang Yi would also be implicated.
Not long after.
Yang Cheng received the imperial edict.
"Looks like I won't even need to bother finding an excuse," Yang Cheng said with a smile to Hu Po and the others after accepting the decree.
"Divine Medicine Valley."
Inside, his heart couldn't calm for a long time.
In his five hundred years of memory, there were two people in the Wasteland Realm who brought him the greatest pressure.
One was Yang Xiu, the other was the genius of Divine Medicine Valley, Zuo Qiuming.
Back then, he hadn't started out alone.
When he fled overseas to Heavenly Heart Island, he had met a woman, Jiang Hengwu.
But Jiang Hengwu was forcefully taken away by Zuo Qiuming. After that Yang Cheng was suppressed by Zuo Qiuming and forced to flee Heavenly Heart Island.
During that time, his hatred for Zuo Qiuming far surpassed even his hatred for Yang Xiu.
Now, after several hundred years, he had no more feelings for Jiang Hengwu. The memory had already grown faint.
But Zuo Qiuming was someone he could never forget.
And Zuo Qiuming was extraordinary.
In terms of martial cultivation, he was far inferior to Zhao Wuji, and couldn't even compare with Tian Congxuan or Yang Xiu.
However, his attainments in alchemy were terrifying.
With just his mastery of alchemy, he made Divine Medicine Valley into the wealthiest power in the Wasteland Realm.
Even many prodigies from across the myriad worlds befriended Zuo Qiuming and did business with him.
Yang Cheng had thought he had long forgotten this matter.
But the moment he heard the name Divine Medicine Valley, coldness spread from his heart.
It was clear he still held deep resentment toward Zuo Qiuming.
Yang Cheng was never someone who let himself suffer.
In the past he lacked strength, and there was nothing he could do.
But now that he had strength, he would never let Zuo Qiuming off easily.
"So this time it's Zhang Shifan who came to Chanzhou?"
Yang Cheng sneered inwardly. 'I can't touch Zuo Qiuming for now, so I'll start with this old dog Zhang Shifan.'
As Great Elder of Divine Medicine Valley, Zhang Shifan would later become one of Zuo Qiuming's most loyal dogs.
The next day.
Yang Cheng and the Great Zhou envoy set out for Chanzhou.
As Chief Imperial Envoy and Deputy Imperial Envoy, Yang Cheng and Zhuang Yi disliked each other and didn't even exchange words.
Things unfolded just as Yang Cheng expected.
When the army neared Chanzhou, an assassination struck.
This imperial envoy delegation was escorted by 3,000 elite troops.
The moment the assassins appeared, the escort army immediately moved with sharp efficiency.
"There are assassins!"
"Be careful!"
The soldiers acted decisively.
Buzz!
A sword qi tore through the air.
"A Martial Saint!"
The surrounding soldiers' faces grew grim. They never imagined the assassin team would include such a powerhouse.
At once, Hu Po flew out and clashed with the masked Martial Saint.
With Hu Po dragged away, the defenses around Yang Cheng suddenly had a gap.
"Your Highness, come to me. I will protect you."
For the first time, Zhuang Yi spoke to Yang Cheng.
Yang Cheng looked at him indifferently.
Zhuang Yi said, "Your Highness is guarding against me? You overthink. If something happens to you, I'll be held responsible too. Even if I bear hostility toward you, right now I truly want to protect you."
Yang Cheng said calmly, "Zhuang Yi, stay far from me. That's the best protection."
Zhuang Yi sighed helplessly. "You really are too cautious."
The next instant, Zhuang Yi suddenly shot toward Yang Cheng like lightning.
In a blink, killing intent burst out.
Not far away, Hu Po's face changed drastically. "Zhuang Yi, you've gone mad!"
All the Great Zhou soldiers nearby were stunned with disbelief.
But Yang Cheng had already been guarding against Zhuang Yi. He dodged without hesitation.
Zhuang Yi clung to him like a bone maggot, relentlessly pressing in.
"Such boldness," Yang Cheng said coldly. "I didn't think the Zhuang clan would be so ruthless, willing to sacrifice you—their most promising successor—just to kill me."
He instantly understood the Zhuang clan's plan.
Clearly, they intended to sacrifice Zhuang Yi, using him as a chess piece to take down the Crown Prince.
Zhuang Yi was only thirty years old, already at the fifth stage of Martial Emperor. His potential was endless.
If he lived, the Zhuang clan might well have a Martial Sovereign in the future.
But in their eyes, killing the Crown Prince was more important than anything else.
And this decision was indeed shrewd.
If Yang Cheng died, the most outstanding prince left would be Yang Xiu.
Even if Emperor Qian Yuan was displeased with the Zhuang clan, for Yang Xiu's sake he would have to tolerate their move.
In the end, only Zhuang Yi would be punished.
"This has nothing to do with the Zhuang clan."
Zhuang Yi didn't fall for Yang Cheng's words. "Yang Cheng, your talent may be strong, but you've been cruel since childhood. By the age of 10, who knows how many you had already killed."
"If someone like you becomes Emperor of Great Zhou, the people will suffer endlessly."
"Today, I, Zhuang Yi, will act for Heaven."
He unleashed his full strength and struck at Yang Cheng.
But this time Yang Cheng didn't dodge. He waited until Zhuang Yi was right in front of him.
Zhuang Yi hesitated slightly but didn't stop. A dagger appeared in his hand, stabbing toward Yang Cheng's throat.
A fog burst out from Yang Cheng's body, covering both of them.
In that instant, Yang Cheng decisively reached out.
Before Zhuang Yi could react, Yang Cheng seized his wrist.
Zhuang Yi's pupils contracted sharply. He had never dreamed that Yang Cheng could catch his wrist.
What shocked him even more—
When he tried to break free, he found Yang Cheng's fingers were like divine iron from beyond the heavens.
No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't shake him off.
"You…"
Zhuang Yi stared at Yang Cheng in horror.
At that moment, Yang Cheng unavoidably released a trace of his cultivation aura.
Zhuang Yi finally realized Yang Cheng was a Martial Emperor, and not weaker than himself.
As for strength, Yang Cheng's power completely crushed him.
Yang Cheng slid his hand along Zhuang Yi's arm and easily snatched the dagger.
Then…
With a simple movement forward, the dagger sliced across Zhuang Yi's throat.
Zhuang Yi clutched his neck, wanting to speak, but no words came out.