Outside the Divine Temple was a stretch of wilderness. Breathing in the familiar yet subtly changed air of this world, Ian Song felt an inexplicable melancholy. He had left this world for over sixty years; the world itself was unchanged, but what about its people?
Are they all still here?
After a moment of reflection, Ian summoned his Bronze Flying Sword and stepped onto it, picking a direction at random to fly. Sixty years had passed—was the Qi Kingdom he had personally rebuilt still standing?
He hadn't flown for long before spotting a city up ahead.
The city was large, at least the size of a county seat.
However, when Ian saw the plaque above the city gate reading 'Eastvale County,' he immediately understood where he was—this was former Chu Kingdom territory.
Back when he first traversed to this world, the Shenzhou Continent was dominated by five great kingdoms: Qi, Chu, Yan, Zhao, and Qin. When he arrived, the Qi Kingdom had just been destroyed by an alliance of Yan and Zhao.
In just a few short years, he destroyed both Yan and Zhao, crippled Qin, and made the Qi Kingdom the hegemon of the continent.
If not for the accident at Mountain-Sea Divine Palace that forced his sudden return, he might have led the Qi Kingdom to destroy Qin and Chu as well. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but resent Vivian Gee, whose turmoil at the palace triggered it all.
Inside a restaurant in Eastvale County.
Ian Song went upstairs, found a window seat, ordered a few side dishes and a pot of wine, and ate quietly. All the while, his sharp ears caught every conversation in the restaurant.
But the more he listened, the darker Ian's expression became.
The Qi Kingdom was gone.
Thirty years ago, the Qin Kingdom unified the land. Now, the Shenzhou Continent is ruled by the Great Qin Empire.
He couldn't understand it—how could the Qi Kingdom, with his invention of gunpowder and personally trained Wolf Cavalry, be destroyed so easily?
Feeling quite foul, he walked straight over to a table loaded with food and liquor, sat down, and said to the middle-aged man, 'Tell me how the Qi Kingdom was destroyed.'
There were only two people at this table—a burly young man in his twenties and a lean, middle-aged man in his fifties.
Both seemed to be wandering swordsmen, as each had a long blade wrapped in black cloth at his side. They were also master and disciple.
'Who are you?' The lean middle-aged man frowned in displeasure.
'Kid, who told you to sit down? If you don't want a beating, get lost!' The burly young man was even more hostile, balling his fists, clearly ready to throw a punch if Ian didn't leave.
Tell me, these are all yours.
Ian Song took several gold leaves from his Storage Ring and placed them on the table, totaling at least ten taels.
At the sight of gold, the lean middle-aged man's eyes lit up with greed. He reached for the gold leaves, but as soon as his hand touched them, another hand pressed down on the back of his hand.
Tell me how the Qi Kingdom was destroyed, and these gold leaves are yours,' Ian said, looking at him.
Then... let go first!
The lean middle-aged man stammered. The moment that hand pressed down, his whole body froze. He realized that the unremarkable, seemingly frail young man before him was a master he could not afford to provoke.
Kid, let go!
The burly young man, unaware of his master's predicament, swung his fist at Ian Song.
Ian Song did not retaliate; he merely glanced at the burly man. Instantly, the man's whole body trembled as if struck by lightning, and he stood dazed on the spot.
Seeing this, the lean middle-aged man's heart filled with terror.
Though his disciple was not as strong as he, the difference was slight. With just a glance, the young man had rendered his disciple motionless. Was this person a demon or an immortal?
Don't be afraid. Answer my questions well and not only will you be fine, you'll get gold!' Ian Song said.
Y-yes!
The lean middle-aged man nodded repeatedly, and after a moment's thought, began to speak.
Half an hour later, Ian Song left the restaurant with a complicated expression.
He never imagined the Qi Kingdom he built with his own hands would be destroyed by a woman.
That woman was none other than Ji Yuxi, the female prime minister of the Qin Kingdom, who once fell for him at Mountain-Sea Divine Palace and caused his hasty return.
After he left, this woman spent thirty years destroying the Qi Kingdom he had founded.
Now, the Qin Kingdom has ruled the Shenzhou Continent for over thirty years, and everyone considers themselves Qin subjects.
As for Lily, Autumn, Princess Jade Fox, Qin Nongyu, and Lyra Hale, Ian Song did not know their whereabouts.