The Emperor Reigns Them All

Chapter 180 Losing to Prince An

The lazy voice had suddenly turned aggressive like rolling thunder. The Spiritual Master Realm’s power had covered them like a dark cloud.

Chu Nanhuai did not ease his tone. Yet Zhang Jiuling could do nothing because he realized that fact as soon as his own power had been blocked by Chu Nanhuai with just a small maneuver. He was just too proud to admit it.

Zhang Jiuling was now wearing a ghastly expression. There was too much hatred between them. Zhang had long thought that Chu Nanhuai’s cultivation had been ruptured, but now he couldn’t accept the fact that Chu Nanhuai had ascended to the Spiritual Master Realm. It was too sudden, he didn’t know what to do.

“Chu Nanhuai, are you sure you want to be the Taoist sect’s enemy?” asked Zhang Jiuling coldly.

“Don’t flatter yourself! What right do you have to represent the Taoist sect? As for Penglai, you’re right. As long as you are a part of Penglai, then I will be Penglai’s enemy until I die!” answered Chu Nanhuai sarcastically, “I just don’t understand what our sister sees in such a dirty dog?”

Zhang Jiuling was now sullen like cold water. “Chu Nanhuai, I knew you had a thing for Sister Zi Luoer, you’re just jealous! That is why you are always against me!”

“Get bent!” There was anger in Chu Nanhuai’s tone. “Grab your disciples and go back to Penglai! Now!”

Zhang Jiuling was now furious. “Chu Nanhuai, don’t get too cocky! You think you can beat me now that you’ve ascended to the Spiritual Master Realm?”

Chu Nanhuai sniggered. “I don’t need to beat you. I just need to hold you up. Do you think your disciples can match up against Prince An? I know you have many disciples, but only few are considered masters. Not to mention that Prince An has captured the Junior Priestess. Do you dare to allow your disciples to fight to the death? Do you dare?”

Zhang Jiuling’s face was now dark like ink. He knew Chu Nanhuai was right, even that they had both ascended to the Spiritual Master Realm, he was not confident that he could defeat Chu Nanhuai. He wasn’t even sure he could defeat Chu Nanhuai back in the day, much less now. At most they would offset each other.

As for his Penglai disciples, with the Junior Priestess captured, all that’s left of the ninth level masters were Zhang Yunhe, Senior Priestess. Yet on Li Ye’s side Su Emei, Wei Xiaozhuang and Song Jiao had all reached the ninth level. So their chances of winning were slim to none.”

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Though Penglai had numbers on their side, they were scattered. It was possible that they could come together to battle the Black Office, but the odds were against them as it pertained to defeating Li Ye. Not to mention the Prince An Manor’s eight hundred strong cavalries... Not to mention that Li Ye had captured the Junior Priestess, the fact that he could capture her proved that he was a formidable foe.

Zhang Jiuling had come to the realization that even with him ascending to the Spiritual Master Realm and that the Penglai Taoist sect was the biggest power in Pinglu Jianghu, he still could do no harm to Li Ye. He felt helpless and angry, which had ignited his fury.

Yet he could do nothing but to suppress that fury.

Zhang Jiuling clearly knew that when Li Ye captured the Junior Priestess, their power balance was broken. He knew that Li Ye now had the advantage. Add to that the annihilation Prince An Manor’s cavalry handed to the Pinglu cavalry. Penglai had lost any chance of winning when Wang Hanshan and Chen Beiwang were captured.

Zhang Jiuling could barely control his anger given his level of cultivation.

He had made plans for the conference for the Immortals and the Taoists right after he ascended to the Spiritual Master Realm. He wanted to take over Pinglu Jianghu before Li Ye could take the position. Then control the four head families, which would’ve given him rein over the entire Pinglu. By which time he could’ve overridden the commissioner position. “Alas, such a seamless plan. So close, Penglai would’ve seized control and be the true master of Pinglu.”

Who knew that Li Ye, the Grand Prince was not willing to stay behind at Qi Prefecture but sneak into the Qing Prefecture, alone! Even with the conference plans at hand, he still couldn’t get ahead of Li Ye. If only Li Ye arrived a little later, then the powers of the four families and Jianghu would’ve joined Penglai, and the plan would have been executed.

If only he arrived a few days later...

Zhang Jiuling had to be angry now that Penglai’s future had all but disappeared. Li Ye on the other hand, was now sitting firm in his commissioner position, you could imagine his revenge on Penglai. That was not something Penglai wanted to witness.

It was not an exaggeration to say that if Penglai lost on this night, then Penglai would’ve lost their future. They could have easily taken over Pinglu, but all they could do now was watch Li Ye seize everything.

Zhang Jiuling couldn’t help turning his eyes towards Li Ye.

His eyes twitched as he wondered why such a young commissioner would carry the Junior Priestess on his shoulders...

Sharp as Zhang Jiuling was, he still couldn’t see anything special in Li Ye. Yet such a young man had destroyed Penglai’s future. His anger suddenly turned to laughter and yelled the word ‘Great’ three times. “The Junior Priestess, a level nine master, was captured by a young man who had only reached the seventh level. If I didn’t know the Junior Priestess, I would’ve suspected that she was a spy!”

Lastly, he threw a murderous look in Boji Mountain’s direction and said word by word, “Just remember Chu Nanhuai, I did not lose to you, neither did my Penglai sect. We just lost, unexpectedly, to Your Highness Prince An!”

Upon finishing those words, Zhang Jiuling flew away immediately, leaving behind a rainbow trail.

The Senior Priestess and Zhang Yunhe saw the helplessness in each other’s eyes, so they too left swiftly to catch up to Zhang Jiuling.

Before the Senior Priestess left, she glanced at Li Ye and said with clenched teeth, “Your Highness, do take good care of the Junior Priestess. Otherwise I will come after you until the day I die!”

Li Ye waved his arm and answered with a laugh, “Don’t worry!”

The Senior Priestess was in such disbelief of Li Ye’s impudence that she almost stumbled and fell off the treetop.

Li Ye then put the Junior Priestess down, clasped his fist in his hand facing Boji Mountain and said, “Respected elder, I cannot fully express my gratitude for your assistance.”

Chu Nanhuai answered with a laugh, “Think nothing of it, Prince An. I’m nothing but a savage, but do take good care of my two disciples. Tell them to take their time and don’t rush back.”

Li Ye stopped smiling suddenly; he could not believe such a master existed in the world.

Then Wei Xiaozhuang yelled at the night sky, “Aren’t you going to come down the mountain? Your Highness has a lot of good wine!”

Wei Xiaozhuang truly knew his master’s thoughts for he could hear his master salivating, which had made everyone laugh. Chu Nanhuai then answered embarrassedly, “Ah... I won’t be joining you, take good care of yourselves. I’m off to sleep now.”

The night sky was quiet again, which marked an end to the battle. The stars were now twinkling brightly. Li Ye heaved a sigh and said, “From hereon in, Penglai is no longer a threat to Pinglu.”

He clasped his fist in his hand and turned to the masses. “Thank you, my comrades.”

The people returned the salute while answering, “Think nothing of it.”

Li Ye had intended on keeping the Senior Priestess as well. But he knew that Zhang Jiuling would fight to the death, he had, after all, ascended to the Spiritual Master Realm. He didn’t want to anger Zhang Jiuling too much.

“The Spiritual Master Realm...” Li Ye suddenly remembered that after arriving in Pinglu, his cultivation had not improved at all. Now the most pressing matter had been solved, his next plan was to govern Pinglu properly to earn the trust and support from the people. With millions of Pinglu citizens, his cultivation would definitely reach new heights once he provided Pinglu with peace. Then he would not be worried even when facing someone of the Spiritual Master Realm.

Li Ye first sent Manor’s eight hundred strong cavalries to rest, and then went up to Qingshui Villa with his people. Now that the dust was settled, they had no reason to camp outdoors. As for clearing the Pinglu cavalry corpses, he handed that duty to the people of Qingshui Villa.

Song Jiao then said to Li Ye with a wink, “Little Goat, you plan to carry such a beauty on your shoulders all night?”

Li Ye answered seriously, “You think I enjoy carrying a body? I have no choice, unless you have a solution?”

Song Jiao then left while shaking her hips, and she answered without looking back, “I don’t.”

Before he reached the villa’s front steps, Li Ye put the Junior Priestess down and waved away his people. He looked at Junior Priestess’ eyes and said seriously, “I know your Spiritual Qi had recovered quite a bit, so I’m not going to carry you anymore. Just don’t do anything irrational, okay?”

The Junior Priestess swiftly got on her feet. Though her face was hidden behind a scarf, the murderous look in her eyes was apparent. It looked like she still had a grudge for her painful experience of being carried on his shoulders. And that grudge would not be offset by a few comforting words from Li Ye.

Li Ye then added respectfully, “I know you wouldn’t do anything irrational. You are, after all, the Junior Priestess.”

He then stepped inside while laughing. The Junior Priestess followed behind him like a shadow without hesitation.

Wei Xiaozhuang, who was following them at a distance, saw what happened and whispered to Su Emei, “Sister, it looks like the Junior Priestess is taking your place. What are you going to do?”

Su Emei glared at him angrily and said, “Stop talking nonsense!”

Wei Xiaozhuang was now anxious. “If such a beauty like the Junior Priestess keeps following Your Highness around, how could he not fall for her. If they become an item, what are you going to do?”

Su Emei’s eyes could murder; she then said with clenched teeth, “Shut up!”

Li Ye sat down in the guest room and asked to let Wang Hanshan and Chen Beiwang in. Song Jiao also dropped herself casually on a chair and glanced at the Junior Priestess behind him. The Junior Priestess stood there like a lady with those calm, watery eyes.

With Song Jiao’s wits, she knew that the Junior Priestess was not intent on being Li Ye’s guard. Song Jiao knew that she hated Li Ye, which was why she was following him closely. It wouldn’t surprise her if the Junior Priestess made a move to kill him the moment an opportunity presents itself—But none of this was apparent on her expression. She was calm.

After Wang Hanshan and Chen Beiwang had been let in, they were on their knees, tied up. It was sad to see two of Pinglu’s high-ranking generals in such positions. Their armor had been peeled off and hair was hanging loose. All left on them were their white under robes. Even their wounds had not been attended to, blood was still pouring out and their faces were full of mud. They looked no different than a couple of street beggars.

Seeing Li Ye at the Host’s Seat, Wang Hanshan’s body shook, and said while bowing, “I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness! I had no idea of who you are, so please forgive me! I deserve to die. I had no idea that Your Highness had landed in Pinglu otherwise I would not have been hoodwinked by the Penglai Taoists. Again, I beg for your forgiveness!”

Wang Hanshan was crying while kowtowing, and blood was still spilling out from his wounds, which had now covered the floor.

Wang Hanshan knew that he had offended Li Ye. He was doomed since he accepted the hero’s invitation first and then fought against him in battle. Now that Penglai had been defeated, none in Jianghu could match up against Li Ye. Though Wang Hanshan was the commissioner of Pinglu, his life was in Li Ye’s hands as well.

The way Wang Hanshan acted was hard to behold. By contrast, old general Chen Beiwang was above kissing ass. After his initial shock, Chen Beiwang got himself together. Having seen Wang Hanshan beg for his life, he said indignantly with his head high, “General Wang, are you forgetting that you are Pinglu’s commander and also the head of one of the four major families of Qing Prefecture? Don’t stoop so low. Everyone is laughing at you!”