Chapter 0197: Beast Herd Crossing the River

Chapter 0197: Beast Herd Crossing the River

Qin Yun pointed to his arm and smiled, "During the duel with Yue Kai, I timely transferred my Inner Essence to the Heavenly Lion arm, so it wasn't destroyed."

Xiao Yuelan, seeing Qin Yun's Heavenly Lion arm, worriedly said, "The Heavenly Lion totem on your arm is dead. Is that alright? Elder Luo made it seem so serious, and I'm quite worried!"

"Don't worry! The Heavenly Lion arm has no soul, so I'll infuse it with a soul. I've mastered the Soul Refinement Technique, so it's not a problem for me." Qin Yun was completely unconcerned and smiled.

Hearing Qin Yun’s response, Xiao Yuelan felt much more at ease.

"Let's go, we should head out. The Emperor should have already handled things outside!" Qin Yun led Xiao Yuelan and walked through the secret passage, exiting from another outlet.

The people in the Tian Qin Hall had already left the Tian Qin Imperial Palace.

When Qin Yun and Xiao Yuelan arrived, only about ten people, including King of Suppressing Demons and Qin Long, were present, along with Shui Yihui.

"Xiao Yun, I've decided to hand over all the affairs of the Imperial Palace to King of Suppressing Demons. He's an old friend of mine," Qin Long looked at a grey-robed elder and smiled.

King of Suppressing Demons was Meng Feiling's grandfather, and Qin Yun also had a good relationship with her. Qin Long had secretly informed King of Suppressing Demons earlier, arranging for people to be there, which was why they were able to capture the Ye family members so quickly.

Qin Yun nodded and then bowed to King of Suppressing Demons and a few other elders.

Meng Feiling smiled charmingly, "Little Yun brother, congratulations on regaining your position as Crown Prince and marrying such a wonderful wife."

Xiao Yuelan gave Meng Feiling a slight smile and said, "Feiling, you’ll have to keep an eye on him for me in the future, so he doesn’t go chasing after girls in the Star Profound Martial Academy."

"Definitely!" Meng Feiling giggled.

"Yuelan, let's return to the Eastern Palace!" Shui Yihui said. He stayed to accompany Xiao Yuelan back to the Blue Spirit Star Palace.

Xiao Yuelan nodded, then bid farewell to Qin Yun and Qin Long before leaving the Imperial Palace.

Qin Long patted Qin Yun's shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of gravity, "You must be very tired today. Go and rest first. We'll handle things here! Once you've recovered, return to the Star Profound Martial Academy immediately. You need to become stronger quickly."

Qin Yun looked at King of Suppressing Demons and the others. They looked somewhat grave, as if something significant was about to occur.

"I'll return to the Star Profound Martial Academy first!" Meng Feiling's smile also vanished, indicating that she knew something was amiss.

After Meng Feiling left, Qin Yun also departed from the Imperial Palace.

Though the Imperial Palace was where Qin Yun grew up, it had been dominated by the Empress for so long that he couldn’t think of a peaceful place to rest, so he headed to the Rune Hall.

…

When Qin Yun arrived at the suite in the Rune Hall, he found Duan Qian and Xiao Yuemei discussing what had happened in the Tian Qin Hall.

"Brother!" Xiao Yuemei called out happily upon seeing Qin Yun.

Duan Qian chuckled and then left.

Qin Yun pinched her pretty face and smiled, "Yuemei, your sister is fine now! See, I've repaid the favor for her past help."

"That’s loyal of you!" Xiao Yuemei patted his shoulder like a buddy and laughed.

"How serious is your injury?" She asked with some concern.

Qin Yun had already changed into a white robe, with light-patterned gear underneath, quickly healing his injuries. He said, "It’s nothing serious. I’ll be good as new after a night’s rest."

"Once I’ve taken care of things here, I’ll take you to see Aunt Xiao."

Yuemei nodded, giggling coyly. "You'll be my brother-in-law in the future, but you're still my brother as well! You're so much better than that scoundrel Xiao Yanglong."

Qin Yun took out a sealed soul pearl containing the Golden Thunder Sword Martial Soul and told Xiao Yuemei that he had extracted it from Qin Zhengfeng’s body.

Xiao Yuemei, very happily, took out her small mirror and copied the Golden Thunder Sword Martial Soul into it.

Qin Yun grinned mischievously. "Tomorrow morning, you and I will enter the imperial palace. There are still many Martial Souls waiting for us to claim inside."

Xiao Yuemei also grinned wickedly. "How evil! But I like it!"

...

After resting for a night, Qin Yun had fully recovered. Before dawn, Xiao Yuemei woke him up, and they headed towards the Tian Qin Imperial Palace.

Upon arriving at the palace, the nine rising suns were just rising, bathing everything in a warm, golden morning light, making the entire imperial palace appear full of vitality.

In the Tian Qin Hall, Qin Long, dressed in black, gazed at the empty hall, lost in memories of the past.

Xiao Yuemei, upon seeing Qin Long, called out, "Uncle Long!"

"Little Yuemei!" Qin Long replied with a cheerful smile.

Xiao Yuemei asked softly, "Uncle Long, have you seen my father? Is there still hope for him?"

Qin Long's smile faded as he shook his head. "He’s nothing but a puppet now. I don't know what kind of black magic Xiao Yanglong and his mother used on him."

"Sigh, he pampered Xiao Yanglong and let his guard down." Xiao Yuemei lightly sighed.

Qin Long placed his hand on Qin Yun's shoulder and said, "Let's go deal with those traitors!"

Xiao Yuemei's watery bright eyes glittered. The Martial Souls of those traitors will surely be valuable. She urged, smiling, "Hurry up! We need to make the most of our time!"

Qin Long led Qin Yun and Xiao Yuemei to the Forbidden Palace inside the imperial palace, entering a dungeon.

The guards in the dungeon were all dismissed by Qin Long, leaving only Qin Yun, Xiao Yuemei, and Qin Long with the people like Empress Ye, who were captured.

When Empress Ye and the others were captured, they were bound by special chains that prevented them from using their inner strength and were imprisoned, unable to escape.

"This is Empress Ye!" Xiao Yuemei said playfully after entering.

"Xiao Yuemei!" Empress Ye exclaimed in shock.

Empress Ye and the others thought Xiao Yuemei had been rescued by Xiao Xuanqin, but they didn't expect her to be with Qin Yun.

"You know me? We've never met before!" Xiao Yuemei said as she forcefully slapped her several times, smiling. "You're as detestable as the empress of our Tian Xiao Empire. Despite being at the Martial Realm, she met her end sooner than you."

Qin Yun walked over and, without saying a word, placed his hand on Empress Ye’s abdomen, then grunted and began extracting her Martial Soul. Following that, Empress Ye let out a scream of extreme pain.

Standing nearby, Duke Yan was stunned with fear as he realized Qin Yun was extracting Empress Ye’s Martial Soul!

"The Golden Thunder Martial Soul, quite impressive." Qin Yun said with a smile, then sealed it inside a soul pearl.

"You... you're extracting Martial Souls, this is black magic!" Duke Yan exclaimed in horror, then looked towards Qin Long standing at the door, pleading sorrowfully, "Your Majesty, this old minister knows his mistakes. I shouldn't have extracted the spiritual veins of the Crown Prince. Please lock me away for life!"

Qin Long stood expressionless, silent.

"Ah!" Duke Yan screamed in excruciating pain as Qin Yun began extracting his Martial Soul.

Empress Ye let out a loud cry. Her Martial Soul was gone, she was completely ruined, and the Ye family was utterly destroyed.

"Qin Long coldly snorted.

Xiao Yuemei held a mirror and shone it on Duke Yan’s Martial Soul, a faint smile appearing on her face as she said, 'This is a Platinum Wind Martial Soul. It’s quite excellent. I’ve always wanted a Wind Martial Soul, and now I finally do.'

Although she couldn’t use it herself, she copied it anyway, thinking she might find a use for it in the future.

As for the Martial Souls of those old ministers, most of them were Silver Martial Souls, not particularly valuable, and Xiao Yuemei found them unimpressive, so she didn’t bother using the mirror on them.

After their Martial Souls were extracted, they were left with half their lives.

Now, they finally understood the pain and helpless despair that Qin Yun had experienced when his spiritual meridians were extracted, especially since he was only a ten-year-old child at the time!

'Qin Yun, you devil who devours souls!' Duke Yan’s weak voice was full of despair and fear.

'Even if I am a devil, it’s you who cultivated me! To thank you, I’ll send you off!' Qin Yun said, taking out a ghost-head blade.

'Wait, let me do it! Let me!' Xiao Yuemei giggled and took out a few poisoned needles, baring her small, jade-like teeth as she said, 'These poison needles were given to me by Qin Feng. They were supposedly for self-defense, given to him by Empress Ye.'

Seeing the poison needles, Empress Ye wailed in distress and fainted from sheer fright!

It was clear that she feared these poison needles greatly.

Xiao Yuelan used her mental control to direct the poison needles, jabbing everyone there, and then said, 'Qin Feng once said that Empress Ye often used these poison needles to torture palace maids and her enemies. Now, I’ll use them against her.'

After being poisoned, there was no visible change, but the pain was excruciating.

The fainted Empress was awakened by the pain.

'This is retribution for evil deeds!' Qin Long said coldly. If he hadn’t escaped through the secret passage, he might have been tortured by the Empress with these poison needles.

Qin Yun obtained many Martial Souls, but few were good. The inferior ones could be used for practice. The most powerful aspect of soul refinement is the engraving of runes to enhance Martial Souls, making them stronger upon fusion.

'The palace matters have been handed over to the King of Suppressing Demons to handle. Now I can focus on cultivation. Honestly, even though I’m the emperor, I rarely manage the palace’s internal affairs.' Qin Long said, taking out a few fire talismans and burning them after Duke Yan and the others had died.

'Father, is something big about to happen?' Qin Yun asked.

'Yes! The King of Suppressing Demons discovered in the Cloud Dragon Mountains that a large number of ferocious and ghost beasts will cross the Cloud Dragon River, threatening to overwhelm our three empires and other smaller countries.'

Qin Long’s expression turned serious as he sighed, 'I have already approved the use of all crystal coins from the national treasury to protect our ten major cities and fifty smaller cities in the Tian Qin Empire. Once a large number of ferocious and ghost beasts invade, it will be extremely dangerous outside the city walls!'

Qin Yun and Xiao Yuemei exchanged a surprised glance, asking, 'When will the beast horde arrive approximately?'

In the Runes Hall, Qin Yun told Xiao Yuemei that Xiao Xuanqin, hiding in the Cloud Dragon Mountains, would be in danger if a beast horde appeared.

That’s why Qin Yun and Xiao Yuemei were so anxious to know the timing of the beast horde’s arrival.

This would allow them to quickly go and rescue Xiao Xuanqin."