Chapter 47

Before the words had even finished, dozens of hidden arrows flew out from the dense forest, all heading straight for Qin Sang.

Qin Sang grabbed the horse with one hand, and with the other, he swiftly reached out to catch the arrows. He easily knocked most of them away, catching a few in his hand. The few that missed and hit him fell to the ground, appearing quite strange.

Then he suddenly swung his hand back, and a few muffled sounds came from the forest, followed by a series of cries.

"Kill!"

Qin Sang lightly shouted, and his figure instantly disappeared from the horse. Shuim Houzi and the others also dismounted and charged into the dense forest together. Wu Chuanzong and a few others with slightly weaker martial arts skills surrounded the horses, forming a battle formation for defense and retaliating with crossbows.

In the darkness, Qin Sang summoned his ice crystal armor, his figure moving like lightning, fierce as a tiger. Yan Wang had already been summoned by him.

A mere few hidden arrows could not pose any threat to him.

In an instant, over a dozen assassins were killed by Qin Sang. All the assassins were terrified and fled deeper into the forest. Of course, their movements could not escape Qin Sang's ears. Just as he was about to pursue them, he suddenly felt a stirring in his heart and looked up at the mountain top.

The moonlight was dim, and a thin mist covered the mountain top. Just now, a figure flashed through the mist. If not for his keen eyesight, he might have thought he saw wrong.

Seeing the situation was not favorable, the person on the mountain top tried to escape. Qin Sang sneered and ordered Yan Wang to chase the enemy. He also used his body technique to leap toward the mountain top.

Upon reaching the mountain top, he saw a man in white lying dead on a rock. Qin Sang squatted down and flipped open the man's waist plate, recognizing him as a familiar face, one of the four protectors of the Blood Robe Tower—White Scholar!

This man's martial arts were no less powerful than Bai Jianglan, yet he died silently here.

Qin Sang pondered silently. The White Scholar's ambush might not have been orchestrated by the Prince of Dongyang, but rather by a greedy prince. However, since they dared to extend their claws, they must be prepared to suffer the pain of being chopped off.

Shuim Houzi quietly arrived at the mountain top. "General Qin, only one brother was slightly injured. The other two are still alive and have been captured."

"Send the signal. No need for live captives, kill them all!"

Qin Sang carried the White Scholar's body down the mountain and handed it to Shuim Houzi. "You and Wen Kui take half of the men back to Mingcheng and secretly hand over this body to the princess. Say no more."

...

In the sixth winter since he arrived in this world, Qin Sang, as the Left Inspector of the Brave Camp, entered the capital of the Great Sui for the first time.

The capital's three counties had fallen in succession, and the defending generals surrendered without a fight. The Prince of Dongyang, with the momentum of the entire nation, besieged the capital. The capital held out for three months until it ran out of ammunition and food. The false emperor, unwilling to flee north, hanged himself in the palace, and the defending generals surrendered.

The Prince of Dongyang did not enter the palace but first went to Mount Chaojing to pay respects to the previous emperor. The coronation ceremony was set for the first day of the new year, with less than two months to prepare. The generals and ministers were busy preparing for the ceremony on Mount Chaojing, while no one was in a hurry to pacify the northern rebels.

Qin Sang occupied the residence of a minister of the false emperor, leaving only a squad of personal guards to watch the door. Except for Wu Chuanzong and others, he refused to see anyone who came to visit.

Among the various generals, there were only a few Left Inspectors under the two Dukes, and Qin Sang, who commanded the Brave Camp, had achieved remarkable military feats in Guize County, working with the Victory Camp. Although his performance in the final attack on the capital was somewhat mediocre, it did not affect his status. Even if he was not granted the title of Duke, he would certainly be granted the title of Marquis.

This hotshot general, however, had such a peculiar temperament, leaving people puzzled.

Little did they know that after the battle at Deya Pass, Qin Sang rarely focused on military affairs, dedicating all his energy to cultivation, sometimes practicing for an entire day.

Later, it was only after the Left Inspector of the Brave Camp committed a major mistake and the princess personally came to the camp to see Qin Sang that he was forced to take on the position.

This was also why the Brave Camp did not shine in the subsequent battle for the capital. However, due to Qin Sang's delegation of authority, Wu Chuanzong, Shuim Houzi, and others received sufficient training and could handle matters independently.

Qin Sang also made significant progress, successfully breaking through to the fifth level of the *Yinming Scripture* not long ago.

The long-awaited ceremony on Mount Chaojing was approaching, and Qin Sang was increasingly looking forward to it, wondering what kind of surprise the young man surnamed Han would bring him.

Before the New Year, it snowed for three days.

But this New Year was the most reassuring one for the people of the Great Sui in recent years. What would have been considered a snow disaster in the past was now praised as a sign of a bountiful year, a good omen.

The clouds cleared, and the snow stopped, revealing a clear sky.

It was still dark, but the snow on the mountain path of Mount Chaojing had been cleared overnight, and straw and ashes were spread to prevent slipping. Qin Sang, along with Governor Feng and Governor Mu, chatted and climbed the mountain step by step. They were surrounded by other military leaders and meritorious subjects.

In front were the inner guards, followed by the Prince of Dongyang, then the prince, the princess, and several other princes.

At the back were the officials and guards, as well as the sacrificial offerings of jade, silk, and various other items.

Everyone walked, leaving the carriages at the foot of the mountain as a sign of respect.

It took an hour and a half to climb to the top of the mountain and see the Chaojing Palace. The strong and robust generals were fine, but the weak officials were almost exhausted. The prince was drenched in sweat and panting, performing even worse than the Prince of Dongyang, while the princess remained calm as ever.

The officials of the Sacred Supervision Office stood at the entrance of the Chaojing Palace, kneeling and bowing to the Prince of Dongyang. After a series of rituals, the palace master brought out a new imperial robe, and the Prince of Dongyang went inside to change. The people below began to get busy.

Countless offerings flowed into the Chaojing Palace, and the monks and Taoists chanted. Qin Sang watched with joy, and his inner anxiety diminished.

At noon, an official from the Sacred Supervision Office read out the names, and those called were visibly excited but tried to remain composed, stepping into the Chaojing Palace amidst countless envious and reverent gazes.

When Qin Sang heard his name, he walked in as if nothing had happened.

Inside the Chaojing Palace, giant incense sticks were burning, and there were countless offerings. In the center, a jade tablet and a jade book were placed, and the Prince of Dongyang stood with his hands clasped, clearly not calm, as evidenced by his tightly clenched fists.

In the end, only thirty-one people were qualified to enter the Chaojing Palace!

"The auspicious time has arrived, the Holy Emperor is being consecrated!"

The palace master shouted, raising his arm and striking the ancient bell. The bell's sound echoed far and wide.

The Prince of Dongyang recited the sacrificial text.

The bell sounded ninety-nine times, and Qin Sang grew impatient, thinking these immortals were really putting on a show.

The last bell sound gradually faded.

*Screech!*

A loud crane call echoed through the sky, and everyone looked up in shock.

The clear sky, which had been cloudless, was suddenly filled with layers of mist. The mist swirled and quickly covered the sky. In the depths of the mist, it seemed as if a heavenly gate existed, mysterious and strange.

*Whoosh!*

A giant immortal crane broke through the mist and flew toward the Chaojing Palace. In an instant, it was above the palace, opened its beak, and a jade seal, trailing a stream of light, fell into the hands of the Prince of Dongyang. The crane's figure gradually disappeared.

"Please, immortal, rest in the palace," the princess of Dongyang said, bowing to the altar. Just as everyone was puzzled, a figure materialized from the mist, and a plump young man appeared out of nowhere.

Qin Sang's heart sank. It wasn't the young man surnamed Han!