Sage Monarch

Proud Warpatience's forces rolled out from the west in seemingly endless waves. Despite their general disorder, they were still grouped into various divisions. And even the weakest members still had immortal bodies, unlike the cannon fodder from the fiendslave battalions.

In the end, Princess Jadefall's troops were the picture of military might and order, while Proud Warpatience's army was intimidating and fierce. Although the two armies had not made contact with each other, their killing auras had already clashed, creating a tempest within the middle of the vast open area.

This was definitely going to be a huge battle in which plenty of veins of steel were on display.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump! Thump-thump!!

Drums boomed and flags were unfurled. Everyone could feel their blood pumping, and the entire parade ground was like a cask of gunpowder just waiting for a spark to hit it.

RUMBLE!

Suddenly, a figure appeared, pulsing with a color of combined gold and jade. Multiple halos surrounded her, and her aura seemed eternal and ancient, almost deathless. She stood in a chariot pulled by four primeval godlings, who were attended by a host of expert cultivators.

It was Princess Jadefall.

'Those godlings, they're gobblewocks!'

It painted a very different picture from the last time Yang Qi had seen her in her mansion, back when he had been so worried about her seeing through to the truth of his power. And that was before he had acquired an additional six hundred and sixty-six imperial snakecharms or worked on his cultivation for half a year. Considering his current state, he could actually spy on Princess Jadefall now if he wanted, and in fact that was exactly what he planned to do.

'Lord's Eye. Furtive Scrutiny!'

He opened his third eye, and immediately saw the power flowing through Princess Jadefall. It was explosive, destructive, and overwhelming, almost as if a minor universe were forming inside her.

Furthermore, there was something ancient about that universe, something that was almost like godliness, and yet was not. It was something in her blood that seemed to reach out to Yang Qi and even formed a resonance with him.

'Incredible,' he thought. 'So this is what a Reincarnated One is like?' He was now convinced that she was indeed one of the fabled Reincarnated Ones. Unfortunately, although he could sense that there was something unique about her physique, unless he saw her in action he wouldn't be able to identify exactly what it was. That said, he was sure that if he, a Fateless One, practiced cultivation with Princess Jadefall, that they would complement each other perfectly and it would lead to immense benefits.

Long ago, before he heard of Fateless Ones, he had never gotten the sense that there was anything special about himself. But after acquiring so many imperial snakecharms, and also gaining enlightenment of godliness, he came to an understanding of fate, and what it meant to be fateless.

As Princess Jadefall's chariot slowly descended from above, the four gobblewocks leading it constantly devoured the true energy around them, causing black holes to spring up here and there. Virtually everyone had heard of the ancient gobblewocks—they were godlings that consumed anything they encountered.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Princess Jadefall said, her voice causing everything to tremble.

Her words were met with raucous laughter. The sky went dark and stars appeared above as a figure descended, wreathed in flame and looking like a god of fire. Yang Qi instantly recognized him as Generalissimo Proud Warpatience.

"I'm curious to see what you're capable of, Princess Jadefall," he said, his voice cold. "Do you really have what it takes to deal with my army? Over and over again in the imperial court, you lock horns with me. On this parade ground, you will lose all face. All branches of the military here today will witness your disgrace."

"Oh really?"

From the dialogue already, it was obvious that Princess Jadefall and Proud Warpatience were diametrically opposed to each other, even wishing they could kill one another.

Obviously, this was a conflict that had been brewing for a long time in the imperial court.

"Proud Warpatience, as generalissimo of the armed forces, you command all armies. Yet instead of trying to solve the problems the dynasty faces, you block my effort to invade the Hanging Heaven. And you even threaten me. What are you thinking? Could it be that you're planning a rebellion?"

Chuckling coldly, Proud Warpatience looked contemptuously at Princess Jadefall and said, "I couldn't think of a more foolish idea than invading the Hanging Heaven. It would be pure suicide! A complete waste of troops. Look, you bitchy cunt, I'm not interested in wasting words on someone as stupid as you. You'll find out soon enough that your troops can't stand up to a single charge of my army."

"Fine. Let the war games begin. For the sake of the emperor, I won't fight you personally, although the day will come when I cut you down."

"Enough bullshit!" Proud Warpatience growled. "Sooner or later, I'm going to crush you and force you to acknowledge allegiance to me. Then I'll make you my maidservant. Ninja Division! Go cut the Special Reconnaissance Division down to size!"

"Yes sir!"

Swish! Whoosh!

A host of black-clad figures sped out from within the army, only their eyes visible as they took places on the battlefield.

They were elite experts from Proud Warpatience's Ninja Division, masters of covert intelligence and assassination operations. Generally speaking, they occupied a very high position within the army.

"Princess Jadefall, your Special Reconnaissance Division and my Ninja Division specialize in the same thing. Why not let them fight it out a bit and see which army is superior?" As he spoke, he looked over at Yang Qi with eyes that seemed capable of piercing into him.

Yang Qi felt like he was suddenly being overwhelmed with fire, and that his true energy might explode at any moment. He quickly drew on an energy art to stifle the effects.

'Proud Warpatience already knows about my mechas, and is still challenging me. Well, little do you know that this is all going according to plan. Without you to call me out, how could I make a big scene and rise to the top?'

Yang Qi chuckled coldly in his heart.

Looking over at Princess Jadefall, he said, "Princess, I am Titan Dragonguard from the imperial house. I've heard of the insulting and vicious behavior of this Proud Warpatience. Despite how generously the emperor has treated him, he acts with treachery, and even seeks to extort the imperial clan. Princess, allow me to be the first to fight for your honor today!"

Looking over in surprise at Yang Qi, Princess Jadefall said, "Impressive! Most imperial clansmen nowadays are lazy and weak, so it's good to see a genius like you volunteering for military service. Go ahead and fight. If you win, you'll earn a much higher rank!"

"Yes ma'am!" Yang Qi replied. It was obvious he had made an impression on Princess Jadefall, and now he just needed to follow through and win a big victory. If he did, he would get the promotion he needed to further his plans. Not only would he be in a position to deal directly with Proud Warpatience, but he would also be able to seek information on Proud Heaven.

Swish!

He blurred into motion, heading right out into the middle of the parade ground.

'He's so fast!' many people were thinking. 'It looks like he just stepped into Demolishing and formed his immortal body, and he's already this strong? Incredible!'

Of course, Yang Qi wasn't a Demolisher; he was releasing some of the aura of his godworms to make it seem like he was.

"Windblast Ninja, you handle this!" Proud Warpatience said. "Capture him alive and bring him to me. I'm curious to see what the hell imperial clansmen are like nowadays."

"Yes sir!" said one of the ninjas, whose chest was embroidered with the character 'wind'. He also blurred into motion, and in the blink of an eye he was only nine meters away from Yang Qi.

"I'm Windblast Ninja, vice-commander of the Ninja Battalion," he said. "Considering you're an imperial clansman, I won't kill you. But I will capture you and hand you over to the exalted Proud Warpatience. I'll give you one chance to strike at me, and one chance alone."

From the aura of this black-clad 'Windblast Ninja', it seemed he was a fourth stage Thought-Demolisher.

In response to the introductory words uttered by Windblast Ninja, Yang Qi actually didn't move a muscle. He spoke. One word.

"Die."

Windblast Ninja's true energy started fading away.

"What's going on here? Grand Lightning Mecha!"

RUMBLE!

Lightning suddenly swirled around him, forming into a sonic-class mecha. Specifically, it was a Grand Lightning Mecha, and it crackled with what looked like lightning dragons and worlds made of lightning.

Again, Yang Qi didn't do a single thing. He just said, "Detonate!"

Pop. Crack.

All of a sudden, booms rang out from inside the mecha, accompanied by blood-curdling screams that raised the hackles of everyone who heard it.

Then, a moment later, the Grand Lightning Mecha shrank down into a metallic plate the size of a coin, which landed on Yang Qi's palm. Vice-commander Windblast Ninja, a top expert, was no more.