The Peerless Emperor

Minghu State, under the jurisdiction of the Carefree Sect, was most famous for its Ming Lake.

The meat of the Aquatic Soul Beasts in Ming Lake was succulent. After special cooking, it benefitted the cultivation realm of Soul Martial Artists, replenishing energy and clearing vision, making it well-known.

However, bordering Minghu State was Wei Guo, an ally of the Qin Dynasty. At this moment, Wei Guo's army had quietly infiltrated the border of Minghu State.

Red Maple State, governed by the Blood Spirit Valley, was known for its production of Red Maple Wood. The freshly sprouted maple leaves were a vivid red, resembling a sea of blood from afar.

Yet, in just two or three months, they turned to a pale orange hue, pleasing to the eye.

Similarly to Minghu State, Red Maple State bordered Qiu Country. As previously discussed between the Qin Dynasty and these two countries, they too were secretly assembling troops, preparing to attack Blood Spirit Valley.

Initially, both countries were very confident, believing that this surprise attack would definitely be a complete victory, catching Ming Lake State and Red Maple State off-guard and causing major disruption for the Carefree Sect and Blood Spirit Valley front lines.

Minghu State and Red Maple State, being adjacent, were targeted by both Qiu Country and Wei Guo for a simultaneous attack, swiftly capturing them to form a base for mutual support, continuing to erode the opponents' power.

By the time the Carefree Sect and Blood Spirit Valley were forced to defend, the Qin Dynasty would increase the intensity of their attack.

Everything was perfectly planned, though this was just the plan negotiated between Wei Guo, Qiu Country, and the Qin Dynasty. In the southern part of the Red Maple Ridge in Red Maple State, a soldier from Qiu Country, panting, hid under a Spirit Wood tree, his eyes filled with terror, remembering the promise made by the general before they set off.

"This operation will ensure everyone's rapid rise. The ruler has already decreed that everyone will share in the spoils once Red Maple State is taken."

"Hehe... share among everyone?" The soldier, face smeared with blood, leaned back against the trunk of the Spirit Wood tree, muttering confusedly, "The more one commits injustices, the more one seals their own doom. Have the domestic atrocities been avenged?"

In fact, both Qiu Country and Wei Guo, influenced by their ally, the Qin Dynasty, treated ordinary people very harshly.

And they never worried about the people rebelling, for they couldn't.

Whether it was the Marquis of the Qin Dynasty, the generals, or the regular or city guard armies, all were inherited by their own descendants, enslaving the populace with absolute martial prowess.

These ordinary people had no sufficient strength, unable to break through the Shape Origin Realm—what could they use to resist?

Even if a genius emerged by chance, they were abducted, brainwashed, and trained from the moment they were discovered, becoming the next city guard or regular army soldier.

Even the Qin Dynasty's famous Marquises originated from common people, but they had long forgotten their origins, now enjoying the benefits of their current status and position.

If such a genius refused, showing even the slightest stubbornness, they would be eliminated directly.

Even if the enslaved populace wanted to rebel, they barely had the capacity to do so.

Lin Qian had once wondered why people, subjected to enslavement, did not resist. It was only later that he realized he was no longer on the Blue Planet of his past life, but in a different world.

The vastness of the Soul Martial Continent surpassed Lin Qian's imagination; even the size of the Coastal State alone was equivalent to the entirety of the Blue Planet's landmass in his previous life.

Snap!

At this moment in Red Maple State, this resting soldier slapped the Red Maple tree beside him, pushing against the trunk to stand up with difficulty.

Crack!

Just then, the trunk behind this soldier suddenly split apart. A sharp-edged metallic whip pierced through the tree and subsequently his chest.

This soldier from Qiu Country looked down at the triangular blade piercing his chest, his eyes wide open, "Have I still... been found?"

Spurt!

Blood splattered. The metal whip connected to the triangular blade retracted, hanging from a giant wolf that had moved around from behind the trunk to the front. The whip was indeed attached to its tail.

This giant wolf was clad in armor, even its eyes covered by thin crystals. When it approached the soldier, it spoke in human language from its wolfish mouth, "Those who offend Huaxia, though far away, will be annihilated!"

As the words fell, the wolf flicked its metal-blade-equipped tail, flinging blood onto the ground before dashing toward the Red Maple Forest ahead.

This soldier from Qiu Country futilely covered his chest and staggered back two steps, falling to the ground. Still clinging to life, he felt the ground tremble as more giant wolves, each adorned with Soul Devices as armor, howled and charged into the dense Spirit Wood of the Red Maple Forest.

"How could there be such... monsters?" Blood constantly flowed from the mouth of this soldier from Qiu Country. His head leaned against the trunk, gazing up at the bright red maple leaves.

After their country, Qiu, initiated the attack and penetrated deep into Red Maple State, they encountered no resistance whatsoever, not even seeing anyone from Blood Spirit Valley until they reached the heart of Red Maple State, where the nightmare began.

Out of nowhere, twenty formidable fighters from Blood Spirit Valley at the Awakening Realm directly engaged with their leading general, escalating the battle into the sky.

Soon after, the Silver Moon Giant Wolves that shattered their understanding appeared.

They were many times more refined in their Soul Device armor, and terrifyingly, they even spoke human language as they fiercely glared at them, which left them utterly dumbfounded.

The situation was completely one-sided. In the dense Red Maple Forest, they were simply no match for the agile Silver Moon Giant Wolves.

If anyone thought to flee by flying, they would be struck down by a thick Soul Power arrow shot from an unknown distant place, unfailingly hitting airborne targets.

Moreover, an even more terrifying fact was that they never saw who was shooting the arrows!

No one dared venture high into the sky, as any who recklessly attempted to escape upwards were immediately met with those heavy arrows shooting from afar, piercing them through.

However, as they were forced to flee within the Red Maple Forest, those Silver Moon Giant Wolves prowled around them like hunters in the jungle.

The soldier slumped under the Red Maple tree, feeling his consciousness steadily fade, as visions of his past misdeeds flashed before him.

Women he had violated, children he had slaughtered, and an old woman he had trampled to death seemed to appear before him, laughing gleefully as if to mock his current plight.

"Retribution?" The soldier from Qiu Country gave a self-mocking laugh, slowly closing his eyes. His hands slipped from his blood-drained chest, and a faint whisper echoed last in the world,

"I was wrong…"