Chapter 258: Chapter 223: The Nation Falls, But the Mountains and Rivers Endure

The figure of Xu Mujun emerged from behind the numerous Dragon-soaring Army, his one-armed silhouette appearing extremely desolate.

After enduring extensive slaughter, there wasn’t a trace of the smell of blood on him, like a ranger strolling through the city.

"Grand General...!"

A soldier said, trembling: "They, they are all, all civilians. I, I can’t bring myself to do it..."

"Civilians?"

Looking at the frenzied and chaotic crowd, Xu Mujun slowly closed his eyes: "Indeed they are civilians, but now they are more of a rebel army beguiled by the White Lotus Sect!"

"Only by killing them can we save more civilians!" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"Kill...!"

"General!"

Xu Mujun stepped forward, and waves of Blood Evil Qi suddenly appeared out of the void, transforming into countless blood-colored blades that slashed forward.

"Puff!"

"Puff puff!"

In an instant, dozens of elderly people and women fell into pools of blood.

Even... several children.

"Wuwuwu..."

"Wawawawa..."

Some children burst into tears of fright, but even more people remained frantically fervent.

"Mother of Non-birth, Hometown of the True Void!"

"Mother of Non-birth, Hometown of the True Void!"

"Mother of Non-birth, Hometown of the True Void..."

"Civilians, civilians..."

Xu Mujun continued forward, boundless Blood Evil Qi emanating from his body, slashing in all directions.

Any White Lotus Sect believer daring to approach him was slaughtered!

Even elders, women, and children were not spared!

"Kill...!"

"Brothers, follow the Grand General!"

Many Dragon-soaring Army were shocked by Xu Mujun’s actions, roaring angrily as they followed closely behind him, charging at the White Lotus Sect rebel army.

As time passed, more and more elderly, women, and children had died by Xu Mujun’s hands.

Even the Dragon-soaring Army under him joined the slaughter.

No one knows how long it has been, Xu Mujun’s figure had already stopped in place.

All around were the corpses of the elderly, women, and children.

Yet for some reason, blood tears trickled slowly from Xu Mujun’s tightly closed eyes.

"Civilians, civilians... slaughtering civilians, what is it all for?"

"Is it a general’s success at the cost of countless bones?"

"Or is it... the prosperity that follows slaughter for the stability of the state?"

He slowly opened his eyes again, the blood tears ceasing.

Wherever his eyes looked, all was slaughter.

Ferocious Dragon-soaring Army charging alone among the White Lotus Sect members, invincible.

An old man with a cane was beheaded with a single slash.

A skinny woman knocked down by an elbow, then trampled into mash.

Further away, ruins scattered everywhere.

Countless adult men, elderly, women, and children shouting frenzied and maniacally, wielding sickles, cleavers, even scissors as makeshift weapons, fearlessly blocking the Dragon-soaring Army’s charge.

Their frail forms couldn’t stop the Dragon-soaring Army.

But even so, they persisted.

Using crude weapons, even teeth, they sought to pull down Dragon-soaring soldiers, then swarming to kill.

Smoke rose, the cries of killing, wailing, furious roars, and chewing sounds faintly heard.

Or maybe growing distant.

In the end, no sound remained by Xu Mujun’s ears.

Only the sound of wind, rain, and faintly, the sound of reading.

"In past times, the prosperity of the three dynasties loved what benefited the state, abhorred what harmed it. Thus the worthy were many, and the perverse extinguished, leading to peace, and people’s harmony."

"How could you say no clothing? With you, I share the robes. The king wages war, repairs my spear and shield, with you share the same enemy!"

"Though my body is dead, my spirit remains, my soul and courage, becoming a heroic ghost..."

In the haze, he seemed to see a dozen children sitting in a school, shaking their heads reciting ancient texts.

In the haze, he seemed to see Your Majesty sitting in the temple, issuing policies for the nation’s establishment.

In the haze, his figure rising thousands of meters high, overlooking the land and rivers.

In the Northern Lands, enemies besieged the borders, riding freely in the Central Plains, wantonly slaughtering civilians.

In the south, ambitious renegades collected extensive taxes, incited rebellion, aiming for Great Yu World.

The entire Great Yu Realm, smoke and fire everywhere, Rebel Kings emerging, people suffering unbearably.

Calling for heaven in vain, calling for the earth hearing none.

"Great Yu, realm... nation, land..."

Xu Mujun murmured, a sudden epiphany rising in his heart.

He recalled a conversation with Emperor Zhengyong years ago.

"I also wish for enjoyment, but more for world peace."

Noble Clans deeply entrenched, officials exploiting ruthlessly, Sects abusing the good people.

Thus the country verges on ruin, how to enjoy?

Only by forcing them into rebellion, exposing all schemers, then deploying troops to exterminate them, sweeping the universe.

This is called... destruction preceding construction!

Building water conservancy, constructing the Grand Canal, relieving disaster victims, work-for-relief, building schools, Ban Martial Order, Military Merit System...

Each of Your Majesty’s policies was indeed for the stability of Great Yu.

But...

This group of dissenters, schemers, Dukes, Noble Clans, Sects, for personal gain inciting rebellion, beguiling refugees.

Deserve to be damned!!!

The entire Great Yu World, smoke and fire everywhere, people displaced, suffering unbearably.

But... fortunately.

Great Yu has Your Majesty, and also a group of loyal and righteous people, striving for Great Yu and the populace.

Absent-minded for a moment, Xu Mujun’s eyes suddenly opened, an inexplicable divine light flashed past.

He stepped out, and in an instant... the wind ceased.

The endless will of heaven and earth began to surge towards Xu Mujun.

Endless clouds, fierce winds, and even lightning erupted all at once.

The fierce wind attacked, all rushing towards Xu Mujun.

He took a step forward, and suddenly a violent thunderclap echoed in the void.

"Rumble...!"

In an instant, the frenzied White Lotus Sect followers who were slaughtering in the crowd froze.

The teachings of the Mother of Non-birth and Holy Mothers, which had originally reverberated in their minds, along with their fervent devotion to the White Lotus Sect, were slowly disappearing.

Some lowered their heads to look at the weapons in their hands, their eyes filled with panic.

While some who had been severely injured, the elderly, weak women, and children lying on the ground, began to scream even louder.

"Ah! Why, why am I here?"

"Help! Someone save me, sob, sob..."

"Dad, mom, where are you? Sob, sob..."

"Run, run! So many soldiers..."

"Officer, please don’t kill me, I...I have nothing left!"

"White, White Lotus Sect? Where, where is the Mother of Non-birth? Why, why did I believe them..."

Countless panicked discussions erupted from the crowd, some clever ones had already turned their heads and fled.

The ruins of Guangqing City were even more chaotic at this moment.

Amidst the chaos, Xu Mujun walked forward step by step.

"General!"

"Grand General!"

"Marshal Xu...!"

Amidst the cries from the Dragon-soaring Army, Xu Mujun seemed not to hear and continued walking forward step by step.

An indescribable aura emanated from his body, making him seem somewhat ethereal.

At this moment, an old man with a broken leg crawled on the ground, frantically trying to escape.

But with a broken leg and severely injured, how could he escape?

Xu Mujun stopped in front of him and softly asked, "Uncle, are you alright?"

"Bah! You dog official!"

Unexpectedly, the old man spat at him, then cursed, "It’s all you, you took my land, killed my old wife, and my grandson..."

"I’m not afraid of you! Kill me now!"

"Kill me!"

"I’m sorry, uncle."

"What, what did you say?"

"I said... I’m sorry."

Xu Mujun calmly said, "Protecting the nation is the mission of soldiers, but I have failed in this duty."

"But rest assured, from now on, this will never happen again."

The old man was startled, hesitatingly asked, "What, what did you say, who, who are you?"

"Me?"

Xu Mujun smiled lightly, "Just an ordinary soldier of Great Yu."

"But now, I, have ascended to Martial God."

"What?"

The old man looked up to see that the burly man who was just standing before him had already walked past him.

Behind him were countless civilians frantically fleeing in panic, deluded by the White Lotus Sect.

And behind them were the extremely fierce White Lotus Sect followers.

They were the true followers of the White Lotus Sect.

They had carved a path through the civilians to viciously charge towards Xu Mujun and the Dragon-soaring Army.

The Holy Mother’s strategy worked!

Using divine art to confuse civilians into charging at the Dragon-soaring Army formation, it was ideal to kill them all.

Even if not all could be killed, they should suffer heavy losses.

It seems very effective now.

As long as they eliminate the remaining Dragon-soaring Army...

"Mother of Non-birth, Hometown of the True Void!"

"Kill!"

Amidst the shouts, Xu Mujun had collided head-on with a White Lotus Sect follower.

"Bang!"

A slight collision sound suddenly erupted, yet several White Lotus Sect followers were inexplicably sent flying, screaming as they fell onto the ground.

"Kill!"

The remaining Dragon-soaring Army initiated a charge, the two sides battling fiercely once more.

Despite the situation, Xu Mujun continued forward.

In the void, boundless Blood Evil Qi suddenly surged from the fighting masses, transforming into wisps of green smoke enveloping Xu Mujun.

"What, what is that...?"

Not far away, Xie Jiuque’s pupils shrank sharply, already sensing the strange changes in the surrounding Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

Now, as he looked at Xu Mujun, he discovered that Xu Mujun was actually enveloped by endless Blood Evil Qi, slowly forming a blood-colored armor!

Accompanied by the increasing amount of Blood Evil Qi, the blood-colored armor condensing on Xu Mujun’s body became more solid.

Soon, a crimson blood-colored armor was fully formed.

Upon closer inspection, the armor appeared to be the most ordinary Fish Scale Armor but was not made of steel; rather, it was formed from mysterious crimson essence.

On closer look, the surface of the armor seemed to flow slowly with images.

They were... rivers, mountains, common people, smoke rising from kitchens, along with wind, rain, thunder, and lightning.

On an exquisite armor had been engraved indistinct and fragmented images of the Map of the Realm.

"Grand General... What, what realm is this?"

Xie Jiuque was shocked, "Innate? Or is it the Spirit Communication that the Grand General once mentioned?"

"No, no, no..."

He shook his head quickly, shocked, "Not Spirit Communication!"

"This, this is Martial God!"

"Grand General Xu has advanced to Martial God!"

Xu Mujun continued forward, and the images on the armor became increasingly clear.

The layers of fractures gradually filled up at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Even if the nation falls, the mountains and rivers endure, I wish... to patch the sky single-handedly!"