The Peerless Emperor (TPE)

In the heart of Liujiang Prefecture, within Liujiang City—the largest city under the jurisdiction of the Double Extremes Hall—members of the three major forces had gathered to discuss the impending war with the Qin Dynasty.

The standoff between the two sides had reached a boiling point, especially after the recent return of both the former and current Qin Emperors, which had significantly accelerated the enemy's military preparations.

The city's central mansion, originally the residence of the city's lord, had now been requisitioned by the top leaders of the Double Extremes Hall, the Carefree Sect, and the Blood Spirit Valley.

At this moment, the mansion's council hall was packed with people, all of whom were powerful figures from the three forces—well-known and respected in their respective circles.

Three individuals occupied the seats of honor: Fang Shuiwen, Zhou Yian, and Yang Guixiang, the founders of the three major forces.

These three sat in their places, eyes closed, resting, while people continued to enter the hall, finding their seats.

The newcomers were all elders of the three forces, their presence exuding the unique aura of Awakened Realm powerhouses, filling the hall with pressure. If anyone with a weaker cultivation level were to step inside, they wouldn't be able to stand, let alone walk.

Next to the three founders sat three middle-aged men, engaged in discussions about the current situation.

Among them, a man in a black and white robe listened intently to another man who bore a striking resemblance to Li Yunfeng.

This man was none other than Li Xiaotian, the current Sect Master of the Carefree Sect and the father of Li Yunfeng, as well as the favored disciple of Zhou Yian.

The man speaking to him was Fang Yiping, the current Hall Master of the Double Extremes Hall and father of Fang Ziqian.

The third individual, dressed in a blood-red robe, was Yang Yifan, the current Valley Master of the Blood Spirit Valley and the adopted son of Yang Guixiang.

Both Fang Shuiwen, Zhou Yian, and Yang Guixiang had handed over the management of their forces to these three men, devoting themselves entirely to cultivation. If not for the gravity of the Qin Dynasty situation, the three elders would not have attended this gathering.

The former and current Qin Emperors of the Qin Dynasty were renowned for their power, and the three elders had heard of their formidable reputations. Their presence here was to counterbalance these two rulers. However, they could offer little assistance in the battles between the three forces and the Qin Dynasty's army.

The elders who entered the council hall were struck by the sight of the three founders sitting calmly, a stark contrast to their usual state. Over the past two years, the three elders had been consumed by rage, intent on wiping out the Qin Dynasty, their bodies emanating a constant killing intent.

It wasn't until news of Lin Qian reached them that the three elders finally regained their composure, confirming for the other elders that their desire to attack the Qin Dynasty was indeed motivated by the young man.

However, Lin Qian's recent exploits in the Two States Water Forest had firmly established his reputation, propelling him to the forefront of the Southern Region's younger generation.

If not for the disparity in their cultivation levels, some believed that Lin Qian might be the strongest among the Southern Region's young talents.

"To shatter Qin Lingtian's soul form and instantly slay the Qin Dynasty's Crown Prince, Qin Yunyu—Lin Qian's arrival has certainly stirred things up," remarked an elder of the Double Extremes Hall, unable to suppress his admiration. "His talent is truly extraordinary, unlike anything I've ever heard of."

With his twelve rounds of Nirvana, successfully passing his soul tribulation during battle, and his various other feats, Lin Qian had earned the respect of the elders from the three forces. Many were eager to meet this young emperor of the Huaxia Empire.

As for Fang Shuiwen, Zhou Yian, and Yang Guixiang, they were in high spirits. Although they didn't know how Lin Qian had managed to escape the small world of the relic, the result was undeniable—he had returned, and that was all they needed.

"Old Sect Master..." At that moment, a figure suddenly entered the hall, drawing the attention of everyone present, who looked on in surprise.

It wasn't the identity of the newcomer that shocked them—the person was merely the eighth elder of the Carefree Sect, and his status was no less than that of anyone else in the hall.

What truly surprised them was the elder's appearance. His aura was weak, and his body clearly bore significant injuries.

"Eighth Elder, weren't you sent to aid the Huaxia Empire in Linhai Prefecture? How did you end up so badly injured?" Li Xiaotian asked, clearly taken aback by the elder's condition.

A nearby elder with a bulbous nose couldn't help but chuckle. "Old Eight, could it be that the five small forces attacking Linhai Prefecture actually gave you trouble? What did you do to suffer such a defeat in such a small place?"

The others were equally curious, waiting for the eighth elder to explain what had happened.

The eighth elder clenched his fists and sighed deeply, at a loss for words.

"Eighth Elder, could it be that the five forces attacking Linhai Prefecture had Qin Dynasty troops among them?" Li Xiaotian speculated, his expression darkening. "What were the casualties?"

The eighth elder shook his head repeatedly and looked at Li Xiaotian. "It wasn't the Qin Dynasty that ambushed us. The one who injured me was a soldier in black dragon silver armor, and he was from the Huaxia Empire."

"What?" The eighth elder's words left everyone in the council hall wide-eyed, staring at him in disbelief. They could hardly comprehend what he was saying.

While Lin Qian had proven his formidable strength, earning their newfound respect, that didn't mean they regarded the Huaxia Empire with the same esteem.

After all, Linhai Prefecture was a remote place with limited spiritual energy and scarce cultivation resources. The highest strength one could achieve there would be the Life and Death Realm. The spiritual energy in that region simply couldn't support cultivators reaching higher realms.

Therefore, an Awakened Realm expert like the eighth elder would be virtually invincible in such a small place. Yet, here he was, telling them he had been wounded by someone from the Huaxia Empire?

And not only that—he had gone there to assist the Huaxia Empire. So how had he ended up getting hurt?

"What exactly happened? Tell us!" Zhou Yian, who had been sitting quietly, straightened up and fixed his gaze on the eighth elder, demanding an explanation.

With the old sect master asking, the eighth elder quickly recounted his experience. "When we arrived in Linhai Prefecture, the siege by the five prefectures had already ended."

"However, none of the invaders from Qizhou, Tiaoshunzhou, and Nanyingzhou survived. And as for those left in the three prefectures, anyone who didn't surrender immediately was executed."

"As for Fengzhou and Lianshanzhou, the two sect masters ruling those prefectures had long since submitted to the Huaxia Empire, bowing their heads in submission. Now, all six prefectures are under the Huaxia Empire's control. This news is already spreading like wildfire over there."

The eighth elder's revelation sent shockwaves through the entire hall.