Chapter 1414: Chapter 1414 - 1399: Storming the Camp

Deep within the North Sea, amid the intertwining blue and golden lights of the Blue-scaled Dragon Palace, Prime Minister Gui Luan rushed into the depths of the Dragon Palace, panicked and stumbling.

"Your Majesty the Dragon King, Your Majesty the Dragon King, bad news, the Crown Prince is in trouble, His Highness the Crown Prince is in trouble!"

In the depths of the Blue-scaled Dragon Palace, two middle-aged men cultivating with water veins thousands of miles long suddenly opened their eyes, their foreheads adorned with two ferocious dragon horns that were particularly striking.

"Zheng’er is in trouble?"

Suddenly sitting upright, the two water veins gathered in his hands dissipated instantly. In a moment, undercurrents surged in the depths of the North Sea, the seabed trembled, and hundred-meter-high waves rose on the sea surface above.

"Your Majesty the Dragon King, we just received an urgent report sent by Yin Quan and the others using the Mother-child Magic Conch. His Highness the Crown Prince’s battle is unfavorable; not only has the 500,000-strong army been defeated by the Soldiers of North Sea County, but even His Highness himself was captured alive by Viscount Ye Zhen of North Sea County..."

Upon hearing the words ’captured alive,’ the Blue-scaled Dragon King’s long eyebrows immediately stood on end. He stepped forward and delivered a harsh kick to Prime Minister Gui Luan’s face.

"Zheng’er has been captured alive, and that waste Yin Quan, why doesn’t he just die!"

Having suffered a furious kick from the Blue-scaled Dragon King, Prime Minister Gui Luan climbed up as if nothing had happened. "Your Majesty the Dragon King, this matter is very strange. According to Yin Quan, even the four tributors you sent to protect His Highness were all slaughtered by that Ye Zhen."

Hearing this, the Blue-scaled Dragon King’s eyebrows knitted in surprise, "All four Realm King Realm tributors were killed? This....."

This matter indeed shocked the Blue-scaled Dragon King because even his own cultivation was at the Peak of Ninth Stage Realm King, just one step away from entering the Dao Realm.

But this step had trapped the Blue-scaled Dragon King for nearly a thousand years. Even though he feared no Dao Realm experts within the North Sea, he still couldn’t break through to the Dao Realm.

Having four Realm King Realm tributors killed, even if those four were only at the early stage, still affected him somewhat.

Of course, it was merely an affectation; among the Demon Race, differences in bloodlines led to vastly different strengths.

Although the four tributors he sent to Ao Zheng were also at the Realm King level, such beings could easily be crushed with a single finger!

"Sky-Breaking Dragon-Slaying Crossbows, Yin Quan mentioned that the number of Sky-Breaking Dragon-Slaying Crossbows possessed by the other side exceeded two thousand, and there might be traces of the Great Zhou Empire’s Imperial Guard behind this!" The Water Scorpion General exaggerated Ye Zhen’s side’s strength considerably in the urgent report to save his life.

"The Imperial Guard of Great Zhou? Could it be that the Great Zhou side hasn’t learned their lesson and plans to launch another attack on the North Sea?" The Blue-scaled Dragon King’s brows furrowed tightly.

Seeing that the Blue-scaled Dragon King’s anger had successfully been diverted, and his thoughts also swayed, Prime Minister Gui Luan hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, the urgent matter is to rescue His Highness the Crown Prince immediately; other issues can be slowly investigated!"

"Hmph, daring to capture this king’s Crown Prince alive, that Viscount of North Sea, has quite the gall! If even a single hair on my prince’s head is harmed, I will bathe the entire North Sea County in blood!"

With an angry roar, the Blue-scaled Dragon King had already rushed out of the Blue-scaled Dragon Palace. "Gui Xiang, stay and guard this palace; I will personally lead people to rescue the Crown Prince!"

The next moment, with a roar from the Blue-scaled Dragon King, hundreds of powerful Realm King Realm auras surged in rolling vortices, pursuing the direction in which the Blue-scaled Dragon King disappeared.

.....

Within the Pingyi Border Defense Camp, Grand Marshal Chen Keping had just returned to the camp and hadn’t even warmed his seat when he received a notification from his trusted aide!

"The Second Wind Patrol Envoy of the Western Patrol of the Heavenly Patrol Department, Ye Zhen, requests an audience!"

Looking at the name card, Chen Keping felt a sense of dread. The Heavenly Patrol Department was an entity in Great Zhou that everyone feared, especially with Ye Zhen using the title of the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy this time.

Without even thinking, Chen Keping knew what Ye Zhen had come for.

"How long before the people from the West Patrol Office arrive?" Chen Keping asked his close deputy general, Jin Wu.

"In reply to Grand Marshal, a day ago, Official Chi from the West Patrol personally led people and set off. They should be arriving soon." The deputy general replied.

"Go, tell that Ye fellow that the Grand Marshal is currently recovering from injuries and cannot be disturbed. They should wait a bit until the people from the West Patrol Office arrive, then we will let them in together!" Chen Keping instructed.

Deputy General Jin Wu was a bit apprehensive, as the fearsome reputation of the Heavenly Patrol Department was not just talk. "Sir, what if they attempt to force their way in?"

"Are you stupid? A general in the field has some discretionary power; if he dares to force his way into the camp, shoot him on the spot...."

"Grand Marshal Chen, if you intend to shoot an envoy on the spot, should I interpret this as your Pingyi Border Defense Camp rebelling against Great Zhou?" Ye Zhen’s mocking voice accompanied by the sound of kneeling now echoed beyond the camp gate.

In an instant, Chen Keping’s expression became extremely grim.

Before Chen Keping could react, the entire Commander’s Tent was abruptly overturned by a mighty force, exposing Chen Keping directly to the camp.

In the camp, soldiers of the Pingyi Border Defense Camp were all kneeling, while behind Ye Zhen, Liu Feng stood with both hands raised high, holding a seven-colored Imperial Decree that emanated a primordial aura.

Behind Ye Zhen, Feng Jiumo, the Heavenly Patrol Divine General, used his powerful spiritual power to resonate his voice repeatedly with one sentence, "Imperial Decree arrives, all officers of Pingyi Border Defense Camp receive the decree!"

In the face of this proclamation, even Grand Marshal Chen Keping couldn’t help but kneel to receive the decree.

It’s a joke; with Ye Zhen holding the Ren Venerate Emperor’s decree and possessing the identity of the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy of the Western Patrol of the Heavenly Patrol Department, if he couldn’t even enter the Pingyi Border Defense Camp, he might as well call it quits.

"Above holds the Primordial Era, below governs the Ten Thousand Worlds, the Heavenly Destiny Saint commands: Pingyi Border Defense Camp Commander Chen Keping neglected his duties, allowing the Demon Clan to take advantage, and further losing important military artifacts. He is to be immediately arrested and escorted to Luoyi for trial...."

As soon as Liu Feng finished announcing the Imperial Decree, Chen Keping cried out in grievance, "Your Excellency, please see clearly, after a day and night of fierce battle, we’ve already slain that Blood Demon and reclaimed the Sky-Breaking Dragon-Slaying Crossbow. The Blood Demon’s body is hanging on..."

"These matters, go explain them to His Majesty in Luoyi! As for evidence, this official will naturally present it as appropriate!" Ye Zhen waved his hand and sneered, "Take him down!"

Ye Zhen naturally understood that the evidence of reclaiming the Sky-Breaking Dragon-Slaying Crossbow that Chen Keping referred to was fake but likely exactly like the real thing.

However, since this thing has fallen into Ye Zhen’s hands, even if it were real, Ye Zhen could make it riddled with flaws and turn it into a fake.

Ye Zhen had already made up his mind to take advantage of this opportunity to kill Chen Keping and replace the Commander of the Pingyi Border Defense Camp!

Chen Keping was a seasoned player in the official circles, and he knew the methods of the Heavenly Patrol Department all too well. His so-called evidence was fabricated in the first place. If it fell into Ye Zhen’s hands, it might be real, but it would be turned into fakes.

Seeing the Heavenly Patrol Divine General Fengg Jiumo leading his men to rush in, Chen Keping immediately panicked and roared, "Stop!"

With a furious shout, more than ten trusted aides by Chen Keping’s side instantly stood up, instinctively wanting to protect Chen Keping.

"Such audacity, Chen Keping, are you trying to rebel?" Ye Zhen’s shout was like spring thunder, as his palm continuously released Evil Punishing Divine Thunder, directly bombarding several of the trusted aides in front of Chen Keping, causing them to scream miserably.

Taking advantage of Chen Keping’s moment of distraction, Fengg Jiumo rushed in and captured him on the spot!

In Great Zhou, especially within the direct army of Great Zhou, the words "rebel" were the highest taboo.

Even though the Great Zhou Empire was divided into several factions, the authority of Great Zhou was not to be touched by anyone, like the West Patrol Qiangu Xio and his Xio Family behind him, even the Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long feared them and couldn’t deal with them.

But the word "rebel" was absolutely unmentionable!

Because as soon as these two words are mentioned, close followers might follow them, but among regular soldiers, nine out of ten would not follow.

They are like this, let alone the small Pingyi Border Defense Camp Commander Chen Keping?

When the Imperial Decree arrives, wouldn’t he obediently submit to capture!

Otherwise, Ye Zhen wouldn’t have dared to bring just a few dozen people to storm the Pingyi Border Defense Camp and capture its commander.

"Grand Marshal Chen, where is the evidence you speak of? Hand it over, this Wind Patrol Envoy will send it to Luoyi together!" Ye Zhen shouted.

The captured Chen Keping gave Ye Zhen a sidelong glance and said, "Don’t bother yourself with that, when the time comes, I will personally present it to His Majesty!"

"Audacious!" Ye Zhen suddenly shouted angrily, pointing at Chen Keping and said, "Search!"

With a command, the Heavenly Patrol Divine Hunters behind Ye Zhen rushed up, and in the blink of an eye, stripped Chen Keping down to his underclothes.

Since Chen Keping said he would present it to the Emperor, he would likely carry it with him.

"Sir, we found nothing, but he has two storage rings on him that we can’t open!" reported one Heavenly Patrol Divine Hunter.

"Open it and take everything inside!" shouted a Heavenly Patrol Divine Hunter at Chen Keping.

Chen Keping stubbornly bit his lips and turned his head; that evidence, even if fabricated, could save his life and greatly lessen his punishment, so how could he hand it over?

Seeing this, that Heavenly Patrol Divine Hunter got angry and dealt several punches to Chen Keping, but Chen Keping just gritted his teeth and stayed silent.

Chen Keping was a designated criminal by the Ren Venerate Emperor, and as long as he didn’t speak, Ye Zhen couldn’t do anything to him.

"Bring the storage rings!"

Ye Zhen took the storage rings, activated his Divine Sense, and a solid-like Divine Soul Power blasted towards the storage rings. Ye Zhen wanted to forcibly open Chen Keping’s storage rings.

A sneer suddenly appeared on the corner of Chen Keping’s mouth.

With his Late-stage Dark Palace Realm cultivation, even a tiny shrimp like Ye Zhen in the Peak of Ninth-Stageed Dao Entrance Realm, or a Martial Artist in the Peak of Ninth Stage Dark Palace Realm couldn’t forcibly open his storage rings while he was alive.

As long as he was alive, opening his storage rings by force required at least someone in the Realm King Realm to act.

However, just as the sneer appeared, Chen Keping’s Innate Divine Soul suddenly twitched violently in pain.

Pfft!

A mouthful of blood sprayed out wildly, Chen Keping convulsed on the ground due to his injured Divine Soul, his eyes filled with a dazed shock!

How is this possible?

Yet the various items within his storage rings spilled out into Ye Zhen’s hands, proving that it wasn’t an illusion!

Casually picking up a pile of Sky-Breaking Dragon-Slaying Crossbow debris, Ye Zhen tossed it to Fengg Jiumo and said in a strange tone, "Wind God General, this is Grand Marshal Chen’s evidence. His Majesty will authenticate its authenticity; make sure to ’properly preserve’ it!"

Ye Zhen’s shady instructions were transparent; Fengg Jiumo stepped forward and laughed coldly, "Don’t worry, sir, I’ll deliver it completely to Luoyi!"

However, from the tone, anyone but a fool would know Fengg Jiumo was planning to tamper with it.

Lying on the ground convulsing, Chen Keping was utterly desperate.

Even a fool would know that the evidence he fabricated wouldn’t remain intact after going through Ye Zhen’s hands.

In that moment, Chen Keping stared at Ye Zhen with extreme hatred, wishing he could strangle Ye Zhen at that exact moment, though in his heart a pang of regret flashed by, blaming it all on his excessive greed.

"Take him away!"

When Chen Keping was dragged up like a dead dog by Fengg Jiumo, Chen Keping’s eyes were already filled with despair, devoid of any spirit!

"Stop!"

But right at that moment, a fierce shout descended from the sky, instantly reigniting spirit in Chen Keping’s desperate eyes!