As Jiang Qing Luan looked at Shen Zhao, he was also watching her.
To others, the Empress of Yaochi, high above them all, might be an unattainable figure. However, Shen Zhao felt nothing special.
In his previous life, his Po Jun Manor had some dealings with Jiang Qing Luan's Yaochi Holy Land.
It started when Jiang Qing Luan was besieged by the Heavenly Demon Sect and was on the verge of collapse. She humbled herself and sought help from Shen Zhao, who had just returned victorious from the Northern Sea Dragon Clan.
The Heavenly Demon Sect also happened to be a target Shen Zhao needed to eliminate. He agreed without hesitation, and thus, Po Jun Manor and the Yaochi Holy Land formed a temporary alliance.
In less than a month, Shen Zhao devised a plan to destroy the Heavenly Demon Sect in one fell swoop. He personally beheaded the three supreme realm experts and the emperor-level sect master, presenting their heads to Jiang Qing Luan.
As promised, Jiang Qing Luan offered three Ten-Thousand-Year Flat Peaches, a bottle of Yaochi Spiritual Spring, and signed an alliance agreement with the Yin Tian Royal Dynasty. Thus, the two sides reached an agreement.
This battle... Shen Zhao alone contributed nine and a half tenths of the effort for the alliance. In truth, they could have destroyed the Heavenly Demon Sect even without Jiang Qing Luan.
The reason for allying with the Yaochi Holy Land was to find a strong and reliable ally for the Yin Tian Royal Dynasty, in anticipation of potential future crises.
However, Jiang Qing Luan had an additional requirement: the Yaochi Holy Land would only accept an alliance with the Yin Tian Royal Dynasty as long as Shen Zhao was present. If Shen Zhao were absent, the contract would automatically be terminated.
At the time, Shen Zhao hadn't thought much of it and agreed directly. Afterwards, he had no further contact with the Yaochi Holy Land, continuing to focus on pursuing Yu Xiyan.
As for what happened to the relationship between the Yaochi Holy Land and the Yin Tian Royal Dynasty after his death in his previous life, Shen Zhao had no idea.
"Bold!"
Seeing Shen Zhao unaffected by the Empress's pressure and even daring to look directly at Jiang Qing Luan, the female official couldn't help but rebuke him.
"It's alright."
Jiang Qing Luan stopped the female official with a word, rose, and walked to the front of the phoenix carriage, looking down at Shen Zhao.
After a long time, she said faintly, "Your demeanor is so calm, it makes this Empress take a second look."
Shen Zhao replied, "I've always heard that the Empress of Yaochi is wise and intelligent, able to see through all things in the world. I didn't expect that today you would be so inattentive, which makes me a little disappointed."
When he said this, Su Yunying's heart immediately leaped into her throat.
"Shen-laoda, can you please stop pretending for a while? Isn't living good?"
"Shut up. I told you, this situation isn't something you can handle with a three-thousand-a-month salary. Be a good girl and watch my performance from the side!"
Jiang Qing Luan's eyebrows slightly curved upon hearing this, but she didn't get angry because of Shen Zhao's questioning.
"Oh? Then this Empress would like to hear how the Yaochi Holy Land was inattentive."
Gu Tianhe, upon hearing this, hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please don't be swayed by his words. He..."
"Did I ask you a question!"
Under the pressure of the Empress's might, Gu Tianhe couldn't finish his sentence. His chest tightened, and he vomited a mouthful of blood. He felt immense pressure on his shoulders, making it hard to breathe.
"Continue," Shen Zhao said. "Three hundred years ago, Gu Hanshan fell in love with a saintess of the Yao Race, but he was ostracized by the entire Guhe Sect. Gu Qinghe, disregarding all dignity, severely injured the Yao Race saintess, leaving only a soul fragment to be kept within a soul-nurturing ring.
Now, Gu Hanshan is retrieving the remaining soul fragment for his lover to help her rebuild her body. What wrong is there in this?"
"Utter nonsense!" Gu Qinghe roared. "The Yao Race is cruel and irreconcilable with our human race. As the founding ancestor of the Guhe Sect, what wrong is there in preventing my disciples from interacting with the Yao Realm? Shen Zhao, you little brat, don't spout nonsense."
Chu Yang also chimed in, echoing, "Yes, Your Majesty. This Shen Zhao is full of schemes and has harmed many people. Please execute him swiftly to uphold the majesty of our righteous path."
"Did I give you permission to speak!"
The Empress's pressure descended, and Gu Qinghe and Chu Yang immediately fell to all fours, making intimate contact with the ground.
"Why is this happening?"
Chu Yang was on the verge of tears. He felt like he hadn't checked the almanac before leaving home. Why was he so unlucky after encountering Shen Zhao? He was clearly the one destined to reach the pinnacle of life with the protagonist's halo.
Shen Zhao crossed his arms, still calmly looking at Jiang Qing Luan in mid-air, quietly waiting for her reply.
Jiang Qing Luan looked at Gu Hanshan: "Is what he said true?"
Gu Hanshan replied: "Empress, your insight is clear. The Holy Maiden's remnant soul is about to dissipate. If we can't retrieve the remnant soul and merge it, it will surely vanish. I was truly left with no choice but to resort to this tactic."
Cold Fox also said: "Empress, I swear on the White Fox Clan's reputation, what the Consort and Young Hero Shen said is absolutely true. We came to the human territory only to retrieve the Holy Maiden's soul, and we have absolutely no intention of becoming enemies with the human race."
"Originally, things here were concluded, and we intended to return to the Yao Realm, but we were harassed by the people of the Guhe Sect until now."
Jiang Qing Luan nodded, her gaze turning to Shen Zhao again: "What do you think should be done about this?"
Shen Zhao frowned, always feeling that something was amiss.
This Jiang Qing Luan seemed to have been on his side since the beginning, which didn't make sense.
But he still said, "The Empress of Yaochi governs the order and laws of the Immortal Martial Continent, so it should be decided by you."
Jiang Qing Luan: "Alright, in that case, this Palace will make the decision."
As soon as the words fell, Jiang Qing Luan regained her composure and concentrated. The ancient jade qin placed before the incense table immediately emitted a clear sound.
The next moment, sound waves surged, transforming into two sharp sword qi that directly attacked the masses below.
"Pfft, pfft."
Only two soft sounds were heard. Gu Tianhe and Gu Qinghe's eyebrows were instantly split open by the sword qi, turning into flower petals that scattered and vanished between heaven and earth.
"This…"
The Guhe Sect disciples never expected this outcome.
The external aid their sect master invited had actually instantly killed the sect master and the ancestor?
What the hell was going on?
Chu Yang was also dumbfounded, too scared to even breathe. He kept muttering in his heart, "Amitabha, Wuliang Tianzun, Amen."
The strength of the Great Emperor realm was actually so terrifying.
As everyone was still in shock, Jiang Qing Luan turned around and slowly said, "Gu Tianhe and Gu Qinghe instigated the war between humans and the Yao race. This Empress knew about it before coming here.
The Guhe Sect's recent actions are no longer worthy of being a member of the immortal sects. From today on, the Guhe Sect is officially dissolved. The sect disciples are to leave within three days."
"Yes! Thank you, Empress."
Under the Empress's might, the Guhe Sect disciples were all grateful and tearful, constantly kowtowing to express their gratitude before quickly leaving to pack their belongings.
The Guhe Sect, which had stood on the Immortal Martial Continent for over a thousand years, became history because of Jiang Qing Luan's single sentence.
Then, Jiang Qing Luan said to Gu Hanshan, "Gu Hanshan, you guarded the soul of the Yao race's Holy Maiden and helped her reshape her body. Your actions are understandable. However, you rashly led the Yao race army into the human sect, causing unnecessary panic.
According to the Nine Realms regulations of the Immortal Martial Continent, this Empress should have executed you. However, fortunately, no major mistakes were made. I will not hold you accountable for now. I order you to return to the Yao race immediately. After the Holy Maiden's body is reshaped, you are to go to the Yaochi Holy Land to plead guilty."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The three thousand elite members of the Yao Race all knelt, bowing towards Jiang Qing Luan.
Then, everyone rose and departed.
Before leaving, Cold Fox gave Shen Zhao a look of gratitude.
"Chu Yang, you are a prince of the Great Xia, yet you have none of the dignity of the royal family. You even assisted the wicked and nearly caused a great mistake. Considering your father's merits in governing Great Xia, I will not hold this against you this time. But if there is a next time, I will not be lenient. Go back now."
"Thank… thank you… Your Majesty…"
Chu Yang was as if granted amnesty, thanking her profusely as he left this place of conflict.
Soon, only Shen Zhao and Su Yunying were left on the land, along with Jiang Qing Luan and her entourage in the air.
After a long while, Jiang Qing Luan gently opened her lips and softly asked, "Are you satisfied with what I did?"
"Empress of Yaochi, you are awesome!"
Shen Zhao unreservedly gave her a thumbs up in the air, giving her a big thumbs up.
Seeing this scene, Jiang Qing Luan couldn't help but lightly touch her lips under the veil with the back of her jade hand, muttering to herself, "Still the same, hasn't changed at all."
"Alright, today's handling of the Guhe Sect can be considered as the Yaochi Holy Land owing you a favor. If you need my help in the future, just come to the Yaochi Holy Land to find me. Whatever your request, I will definitely not refuse."
"It's my great fortune to receive a favor from the Empress of Yaochi. Alright, I will definitely trouble the Empress in the future."
"However, if the Yaochi Holy Land has any trouble in the future and I need you to take action, I hope you can help me as well."
"This, the Yaochi Holy Land is so ethereal and transcendent, how can I be of any help?"
"You'll know when the time comes. Remember this agreement, or I don't know how disappointed I'll be."
"I..."
Before Shen Zhao could protest, Jiang Qing Luan, accompanied by auspicious clouds, had already departed on a phoenix, leaving a bewildered Shen Zhao and Su Yunying behind.
After a long while, Su Yunying asked, "Shen-laoda, what's going on?"
"Don't bother me, my brain's crashed. Let me think for a moment."
"What exactly happened?"
"I also want to know what the hell happened."
Su Yunying frowned slightly and looked at Shen Zhao, who was lost in thought. "Shen-laoda, I feel like this Empress seems very familiar with you. You two know each other?"
Shen Zhao: "What's there to know? Don't ask so many questions, kid. Let's go meet up with Ding Buer. We'll go to the Public Arbitration Association to handle the paperwork, and then head back to Qingyang City to live a life of ease."
-----------------------
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