Yang Cheng said, "Objection is invalid."
Lin Xinglan didn't waste time arguing childishly with him.
Yang Cheng continued, "This place is called the Square Inch Mysterious Realm. It connects to all realms and opens once every month. From now on, you'll restore your soul here and also be responsible for presiding over the meetings."
He didn't plan to enter every month himself, so it was convenient to leave this matter to Lin Xinglan.
Lin Xinglan's wisdom was extraordinary.
In just a turn of thought, she had already realized more than Yang Cheng himself—the terrifying value of this place, and the immense benefits she could gain from the task handed to her.
"Alright."
She didn't refuse.
Yang Cheng had left Lin Xinglan inside the Square Inch Mysterious Realm precisely as a safeguard.
Even if she had some hidden means, inside this realm, Yang Cheng had no fear of her harming him.
With arrangements made, Yang Cheng's spirit returned to his body.
Buzz!
The surrounding space rippled.
In the next instant, Yang Cheng was transmitted out.
The Azure Emperor's Tomb slowly closed, sealing itself completely.
Yang Cheng landed outside the tomb.
At the same time, Chu Chen's corpse appeared beside him.
Chu Chen's body didn't belong to the tomb, yet it was also transmitted out.
Shua!
Almost instantly, countless gazes fell upon Yang Cheng.
Yang Xiu and the Tang family had all exited through other channels of the Azure Emperor's Tomb.
Only Yang Cheng and Chu Chen's corpse had been transmitted out through the normal exit.
In the next moment—
Everyone's pupils contracted.
Because they saw Chu Chen's body.
The outcome of the battle for the Azure Emperor's inheritance was now beyond doubt.
Yang Cheng was truly ruthless.
Even though Chu Chen had struggled his way into the tomb, he still couldn't escape Yang Cheng's grasp and was cut down in the end.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, divine might unmatched."
Bai Lifo said.
"The Azure Emperor's inheritance rightfully belongs to Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"Hahaha! What of a so-called genius from the Azure Jade Realm? He still couldn't avoid being slain by His Highness."
The crowd erupted in praise.
And their words weren't only flattery; much of it came sincerely from the heart.
Not far away, Ouyang Xue and Zhou Chong wore stunned expressions.
Jiang Hengwu's mind wavered.
Yang Cheng couldn't help but smile.
No wonder so many people loved flattery.
This feeling—
Tsk, tsk.
It really was pleasant.
But then—
"Crown Prince of Great Zhou, you've caused a disaster."
A grating voice rang out.
The speaker was Jiang Bingjun.
"Is that so?"
Yang Cheng replied calmly.
"Chu Chen wasn't just from the Chu clan of the Azure Jade Realm. He was also a disciple of Qingming Sect of the Azure Jade Realm."
Jiang Bingjun said, "Especially Qingming Sect's junior uncle—seventeen years ago, he killed the drunkard elder brother Feng Heling. That was Su Lingchen."
"He doted on Chu Chen immensely. Even though Chu Chen's name shared a character with his own, he didn't mind and even thought it showed fate between them."
"If he learns that Chu Chen was slain by you, he might descend upon the Wasteland Realm once more, and just like when he killed Feng Heling, he'll kill you."
The words froze the crowd.
Seventeen years ago, Su Lingchen had been able to kill three Martial Saints at once.
Seventeen years later, who knew how powerful he had become?
"Ridiculous."
Bai Lifo scoffed. "How old is Su Lingchen? and how old is His Highness the Crown Prince? He'd still have the face to bully the young? If he dares come, with so many senior experts of Great Zhou, there's no way they'd let him run wild."
"Even if Su Lingchen doesn't make a move, Qingming Sect doesn't lack younger generation geniuses."
Jiang Bingjun said, "Chu Chen was only an ordinary genius in Qingming Sect. The true peak geniuses of Qingming Sect are far more terrifying than him, no less than Su Lingchen seventeen years ago."
Yang Cheng's gaze was calm. "Qingming Sect's little uncle? This palace awaits him."
"You—such arrogance…"
Jiang Bingjun snapped angrily.
Buzz!
Before he could finish, Yang Cheng's eyes turned cold.
A terrifying wave of spiritual pressure burst from Yang Cheng's body and crashed down on Jiang Bingjun.
Though Jiang Bingjun was also a Martial Emperor, Yang Cheng's spiritual power had long reached the level of a Martial Saint.
Thud!
Jiang Bingjun fell to his knees uncontrollably.
"This palace does not tolerate offense."
Yang Cheng said, "This time is only a small punishment and warning. If there is a next time, I will not spare you."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Jiang Bingjun's face turned ugly, but he didn't dare utter another word.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is truly domineering."
On the boat, Ouyang Xue muttered blankly.
At this moment, she felt more than ever that her past self had been utterly foolish.
Half an hour later.
Yang Cheng returned to the former Southern Guardian Prince's estate.
When no one was around—
"Incarnation Outside the Body."
He stirred his mind, and in front of him appeared another version of himself, identical in every detail.
The two Yang Chengs locked eyes.
Then Yang Cheng handed a stone to his incarnation.
"From now on, you are called 'Asura.' You will preside over Divine Mountain."
Yang Cheng spoke.
The identity of Crown Prince of Great Zhou was both an advantage and a constraint.
There were many things he wasn't convenient to do personally.
The incarnation had come at the perfect time.
He planned to place Divine Mountain in Chanzhou, then let the incarnation, under the name of Asura, rebuild a force centered on Divine Mountain.
The little mudfish he had just obtained was also placed in Divine Mountain—it would become the guardian beast of the mountain.
It could be said that once Divine Mountain emerged in the future, it would already stand at an incredibly high starting point.
At the same time—
Great Zhou, Mozhou military camp.
Here was stationed the famed Dragon Spear Army of Great Zhou.
The Dragon Spear Army was the empire's most elite force, guarding the western frontier against the nations of the Western Wastes.
In terms of combat power, even the army under Yun Jinghuai could not compare.
Yun Jinghuai's army was elite, but relied heavily on Yun Jinghuai's personal reputation and strategy.
If separated from him, his army would be only slightly stronger than others.
The Dragon Spear Army was different.
It was truly the undisputed first army of Great Zhou.
Inside the camp, a severely injured young woman lay on a sickbed. Despite her wounds, her heroic bearing and beauty remained undimmed.
She was Qin Qiansheng, granddaughter of Qin Xuanjia, commander of the Dragon Spear Army.
Though a girl, Qin Qiansheng had followed Qin Xuanjia into battle since childhood.
Now, at only thirteen years old, she had already slain countless enemies on the battlefield.
Her current state came from a recent ambush by enemy troops. She barely survived after a desperate fight through death itself.
Her eyes were razor sharp.
The maidservant at her side, when meeting her gaze, couldn't help but hold her breath.
"So this is the Wasteland Realm? I've actually become Qin Qiansheng."
Qin Qiansheng found it unbelievable.
She too was called Qin Qiansheng—but she wasn't the original one.
To be precise, she had been the campus beauty of a university on Blue Star.
During a hiking trip, she entered a mountain cave and found an ancient book titled Book of Destiny.
The book recorded the life of Qin Qiansheng.
Unexpectedly, after finishing it, her soul was sucked inside and she woke up as the Qin Qiansheng from the book.
"Original owner, you were far too useless."
Her gaze turned cold.
According to the book, before long, the royal family would try to strengthen their hold over the Dragon Spear Army by arranging a marriage between Crown Prince Yang Cheng and Qin Qiansheng.
But Yang Cheng rejected the match.
At first, Qin Qiansheng was furious, but later, pathetically, she fell in love with him.
Yet Yang Cheng always treated her with complete indifference.
This left Qin Qiansheng in deep agony.
A hundred years later, though she became a powerful Martial True God, she still could not make Yang Cheng glance her way.
Disheartened, she led her troops to war against armies from other worlds, and perished on the battlefield.