Chapter 293: Jingxin Calendar Year 36, Death of King Liang

"I'd only ever heard of Luck Coins, but never actually seen one," Ye Yukong said with emotion. "I never imagined it would be so magical. To receive the fortune of heaven, what a wonder!"

Zhao Xing weighed the Luck Coin in his hand and smiled. "It's not something just anyone can use. Brother Ye, you just happened to have perfect timing and location."

Unlike the Purple Gold Ancient Coins, which each have unique uses, Luck Coins only have two effects. First, they temporarily increase one's luck. Carrying a single coin is equivalent to possessing luck from Derivative Four to Derivative Six. The exact level depends on the conditions present when the Luck Coin was initially forged. Second, they gather the fortune of heaven and earth. The holder can absorb the power within the Luck Coin, drawing resonance from heaven and earth, thereby receiving heavenly fortune. Its most direct manifestation is its ability to help someone break through to the Second-rank Heavenly Fortune realm.

This function is powerful, but it also has significant limitations. It places demands on the user and also on the surrounding environment. For instance, Zhao Xing currently cannot absorb its power; only experts who are about to reach Second-rank or are already Second-rank can. Furthermore, there's the environmental factor. In the past, the national destiny of the Great Zhou Dynasty was a solid block, preventing the fortune of Pinghai Prefecture from flowing out. Forget a single Luck Coin; even a mountain of them couldn't be absorbed then. Now, it's because Prince Liang used a divine artifact to tear open a rift in the destiny dynasty system, causing a split that allowed Pinghai Prefecture's fortune to manifest. That's why Zhao Xing said Ye Yukong had perfect timing and location.

"We also need to add 'human harmony'," Ye Yukong said with a smile. "If it weren't for you, my friend, how could I have obtained this heavenly fortune? I'll remember this favor."

"Without you, I alone could never have killed the cunning and cautious Marquis Changwu and seized his treasure. Marquis Changwu stayed hidden in Dongze County; as long as he was with the three thousand Imperial Guards, even the current Ye Yukong couldn't kill him. Are battle formations a joke? If one could easily take an enemy's head from the midst of ten thousand soldiers, there would be no need to cultivate group forces. Just one powerful individual constantly engaging in guerrilla warfare could bring down a nation. It's precisely because of the existence of battle formations, magic arrays, the engineering sect's divine weapons, and the surveillance of Yin Gods that overwhelmingly powerful individuals dare not act recklessly.

Under normal circumstances, Ye Yukong and Zhao Xing would have been discovered by Marquis Changwu the moment they crossed Dongze County's border marker. Indeed, that was the case. However, Zhao Xing and Ye Yukong were constantly moving; the area was too vast and far from the county seat, making it difficult to surround them. They could retreat if the situation turned unfavorable. Yet, if the two of them had confronted Marquis Changwu and encountered a large army, it would have been very difficult to escape.

The reason Ye Yukong said Zhao Xing contributed greatly was because Zhao Xing possessed 'Sky's Edge Foot' and 'Myriad Law Clones'. The movements of large armies were detected by the clones, and 'Sky's Edge Foot' is a top-tier escape technique, making it hard to encircle them. During their combat, Ye Yukong's ability to instantly close in on Marquis Changwu and deliver a fatal blow was also due to 'Sky's Edge Foot' and the 'Midnight Seal Talisman'.

"Brother Ye, you flatter me," Zhao Xing said. "I merely did some insignificant things. The one who truly completed the kill was your Moonlight Sword Art, Brother."

His Supreme Dharma Body did many things, but it couldn't kill Marquis Changwu. "In just half an incense stick of time, if not for Brother Ye, all one hundred of my clones would have died once Marquis Changwu's reinforcements arrived. Ultimately, my top-tier art is only at the Third-Turn level, and when cast by clones, it's currently only at the Second-Turn level."

Zhao Xing's foundation was still too shallow. If his main body had mastered a top-tier perfected spell, his Supreme Dharma Body would surely be able to unleash the power of a top-tier Seventh Turn. When the number of Dharma Bodies reached ten thousand, and they were properly forged, that would be the truly terrifying time!

"It's already very impressive. You've only just mastered the Supreme Dharma Body, yet you can control so many, break through Marquis Changwu's defenses—even when he was leading two hundred Imperial Guards—and inflict minor injuries. If it were a one-on-one arena match, Marquis Changwu, even at Third-rank perfection, would be played to death by you."

Ye Yukong laughed. "If you were to compete for the Great Dao in a Daoist temple, you would be a god-like existence there! A god of the Daoist temple! Ye Yukong's evaluation was incredibly high! This was not without precedent; Liu Tianning's combat record was right there."

The two men exchanged compliments, eventually turning the conversation back to the Luck Coin.

"Brother Ye, there's only one Luck Coin. How should we divide it?"

"It's yours. I've already broken through, so its effect on me isn't that significant anymore. The sword in my hand is fortune, it is the rule," Ye Yukong said proudly. "My friend, you don't realize how terrifyingly strong I am now. I can completely take you—" "No good!"

Ye Yukong's expression suddenly changed. "My friend, run!"

"What's wrong?" Zhao Xing was startled; he didn't sense any danger. His clones were out on alert for over thirty miles.

"Quickly, leave Huangze County!" Ye Yukong's voice was anxious. "The Intelligence Bureau just issued a warning: because Marquis Changwu, who guarded the Dongze passage, suddenly died, Prince Huanyou has ordered Mechanist Qi Jun to conduct indiscriminate bombing of Huangze County! We need to evacuate immediately!"

Qi Jun was Prince Huanyou's chief mechanist, a Third-rank perfected expert who commanded a formidable mechanical army. Zhao Xing was deeply alarmed.

"How much time do we have to evacuate?"

Ye Yukong pulled out a geomantic mirror, projecting a map. A blinking red dot on it showed the approximate location of Ye Yukong and Zhao Xing.

"Fifteen large armies have been dispatched from Dongze County and Yuanming County's Tunnel Bureau and Warship Bureau! The bombing has already begun!"

"We'll withdraw in the direction of Yuanming County!" Zhao Xing pointed at the map, and two clones grabbed Ye Yukong's shoulders, one on each side. As soon as "Sky's Edge Foot" was activated, they immediately began fleeing with Ye Yukong.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh~"

Streaks of mist scattered in the low sky. Just half a quarter of an hour after leaving, Zhao Xing realized he couldn't fly very high. Beams of light had lit up from all directions around Huangze County, quickly bending and spreading like waves. In a very short time, Huangze County was sealed off. Zhao Xing activated "Sky's Edge Foot" but crashed head-first into the barrier.

"The sky has been sealed by the Boundary Marker Array."

"Break, break, break, break, break, break, break!" Ye Yukong drew his longsword and instantly thrust out hundreds of strikes. But the barrier remained unbroken!

"This is aimed at me!" Ye Yukong cursed. "This is a Ninth-tier Boundary Marker forming the Cease-fire Blockade Array! A martial artist's secret techniques will have 80% of their power weakened."

"Damn it!" Zhao Xing's face darkened as he saw the light blue array. It wasn't just because Ye Yukong's power was restricted by 80%. "The 'Entry-Allowed-No-Exit Boundary Marker Cease-fire Array' is preparing for the subsequent bombing. Go down!"

Zhao Xing grabbed Ye Yukong, and all his clones rapidly descended.

"Boom!"

Just then, the forest they had previously been in suddenly exploded, and a massive mushroom cloud rose. The forest became a sea of fire, and huge fiery shockwaves spread outwards. The sky was illuminated! One of Zhao Xing's clones, which was slightly behind, was instantly obliterated.

"What the hell, a Ninth-tier Fire Source Divine Cannon?" Ye Yukong cursed loudly. "Prince Huanyou, that bastard, is completely deranged!"

Although Huangze County didn't have many residents left, it still had some people. Bombing it with Fire Source Divine Cannons was utterly insane!

"Even at cost price, a single Fire Source Divine Crystal costs 800 million. Is killing one Marquis Changwu worth it?" Of course, it was. Ye Yukong had broken through to Second-rank, and Zhao Xing still had nearly two hundred Dharma Bodies there. The Military Realm Passage was a strategic military location; it wasn't about money. It was something that had to be defended at all costs!

Zhao Xing also exerted all his strength to escape. Now, they could only run. Because the Fire Source Divine Cannons were ultra-long-range heavy mechanical weapons, Mechanist Qi Jun might be firing them from a thousand miles away, making it impossible for them to find and kill him.

"Boom!"

A quarter of an hour later, another fiery red streak of light rapidly fell to the ground.

"Rumble~"

The second Fire Source Divine Cannon was unleashed! A true artillery barrage! Every profession had its insane aspects, and now Zhao Xing and Ye Yukong were experiencing absolute suppression from a mechanist!

"Tunnel and run!"

Zhao Xing's clones immediately burrowed underground, leaving only two on the surface to guide their direction and observe the situation. He traveled underground with Ye Yukong for a little less than an hour when the ground suddenly trembled. The earth veins abruptly became extremely weak, and Zhao Xing's speed greatly decreased.

"What's wrong?" Ye Yukong asked.

"We have to go up," Zhao Xing said gravely. "Mechanical God Needles have been inserted from the sky."

Upon hearing this, Ye Yukong immediately shook his head. "They truly think highly of me."

The reason the Mechanical God Needles were described that way was that they were relatively small among large-scale engineering heavy weapons. In reality, each one was a hundred meters tall and ten meters in diameter! Zhao Xing, observing from the ground, could see eighteen Mechanical God Needles descending from the sky.

"Pfft~"

The divine needles pierced into the mud as if it were tofu.

"Crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack~"

After penetrating one-third of their length, the black cylindrical bodies emitted dense yellow mist. Yellow light flowed within the secret runes on their surfaces, vibrating at a unique frequency.

"The Ninth-tier Mechanical God Needles crafted by mechanists can suppress earth veins, making them hidden deep, and simultaneously cause the earth veins to vibrate at a unique rhythm, rendering all earth-burrowing techniques ineffective. They are like the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle, except the Mechanical God Needles stabilize the earth!"

Even if Ye Yukong had earth-burrowing treasures, they would all be nullified at this moment. If one was already burrowing, then there would be no other possibility than being crushed to death by the earth. Both men came from the military and understood such large heavy weapons very well.

The Boundary Marker Cease-fire Array blocked them, Fire Source Divine Cannons bombed them, and Mechanical God Needles prohibited burrowing. Truly, no way to heaven, no door to earth. The key point was that those trapped inside, even if they wanted to fight desperately, had no way to. The mechanist wasn't even here; how could they fight? Nor were they afraid of destruction, because both the boundary markers and the Mechanical God Needles were crafted from Ninth-tier materials. With Ye Yukong's strength restricted by 80%, he couldn't possibly break through!

*They seem to have overlooked my existence?* Zhao Xing couldn't help but think.

Rumble rumble~

The bombing continued. Ye Yukong gradually experienced despair. It felt similar to when Ji Xi faced the Myriad Mountains of Kunyuan Academy back then. Unable to escape, unable to resist!

"They really think highly of me," Ye Yukong said with a self-deprecating smile, shaking his head. "Too bad, I haven't killed an enemy since I entered Second-rank..." Ye Yukong believed he couldn't escape anymore. Fortunately, Zhao Xing only had clones here, so only two ancient coins would be lost.

"Brother, don't give up, there's always a way!" Zhao Xing encouraged. "Can they keep bombing forever?"

"But my strength is restricted," Ye Yukong shook his head. "It's hard for me to withstand the bombing, unless I repeatedly avoid the core areas and only resist the aftershocks."

"To cleanse an entire county with a saturation strike, nine cannons would be the limit," Zhao Xing said. "I can still take you and escape within Huangze County for a long time! Enough to hold out until reinforcements arrive."

"Alright, give it a try. At worst, it's just death anyway," Ye Yukong said with a laugh. In this level of battlefield, reinforcements would take at least an hour to arrive, but he was quite open-minded. Misfortune is what fortune leans on; fortune is what misfortune lurks within. He had broken through to the Heavenly Fortune realm, but he had also encountered an intense encirclement. Perhaps this was his destiny; Ye Yukong was fated to undergo this tribulation.

"Prince Shenluo is already on his way. Only a mechanist can counter a mechanist, but it will take him at least an hour to deal with Qi Jun."

"Follow me." Zhao Xing placed the Luck Coin, including another Mountain Sea Coin, into Ye Yukong's embrace. Then he continued to lead him through Huangze County, dodging attacks.

"Rumble~"

The third one fell! The landing points of the Fire Source Divine Cannons were very precisely chosen. Zhao Xing estimated that nine Fire Source Divine Cannons would be enough to turn the entire Huangze County into an inferno. In reality, it didn't even take nine. By the fourth cannon, Zhao Xing's "Sky's Edge Foot" could no longer be used! Because the fire elemental energy was chaotic to the extreme. At this point, the fiery red shockwaves and the violent earth fire alone were enough to burn a Second-rank expert to death! It was fortunate that "Sky's Edge Foot" was a divine teleportation-like technique; after four Fire Source Divine Cannons, the two of them were still alive!

"Found it!"

Zhao Xing quickly led Ye Yukong to one of the Mechanical God Needles. This particular Mechanical God Needle was purely earth-elemental, and it was currently emitting dense earth-attribute elemental energy.

"Although the earth veins of the Five Elements are suppressed, it only prevents the use of burrowing techniques; other geomancy-based spells are not affected. Next to this earth-attribute Mechanical God Needle, my spells can be greatly enhanced—"

"Earth Spirit Protection!"

Just before the shockwave arrived, Zhao Xing's remaining thirty-eight clones simultaneously cast the Supreme Earth Repository Art! Earth Spirit Protection was a move from the Earth Spirit Divine Repository Art, which originated from the ultimate art "Heaven and Earth Creation."

"Hum~"

The yellow mist emanating from the Mechanical God Needle's side immediately glowed brightly. The Earth Repository Art could be stacked; thirty-eight clones immediately erected an Earth Spirit Barrier.

"Boom, boom, boom~"

When the fiery red shockwave reached the Mechanical God Needle, its power had already significantly diminished. By the time it reached the Earth Spirit Barrier, it was even weaker.

"This is the only way out within the entire killing array; we must hold on!" Zhao Xing stared intently ahead. No sooner said than done, as soon as the Earth Spirit Barrier was erected, the shockwave arrived.

"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!"

The Earth Spirit Barrier continuously shattered, but there were thirty-eight layers of Earth Spirit Barriers here! The Earth Spirit Barrier next to the Mechanical God Needle kept breaking layer by layer. It looked like all thirty-eight layers were about to shatter completely, and Zhao Xing's casting speed couldn't keep up with the rate of destruction— Suddenly, the surging impact force, due to interference from multiple Fire Source Divine Cannons, experienced a significant weakening at this specific Mechanical God Needle! This was a completely random event! Even the mechanist himself couldn't determine where a weak point would appear. But it happened! Good luck descended!

"Boom, boom~"

The Earth Spirit Barrier stood like a bedrock in a raging river, unmoved by how the flame currents impacted it. The flame flow was split into two. Since the Mechanical God Needle continuously provided earth vein power, the power of this Earth Repository Art was maximized by Zhao Xing!

"Awesome!" Even Ye Yukong exclaimed in awe.

"Hahahaha, destiny is on my side! That son of a bitch can't break through my last layer of defense!" Zhao Xing also shouted excitedly.

A moment later, the shockwave dissipated. The ground was now a desolate expanse. After multiple rounds of bombing, the entire Huangze County was devoid of life, nothing but scorched earth! The former towns had mostly disappeared, leaving only eighteen Mechanical God Needles standing.

However, there was no chance to rest.

"Click, click, click~"

The smooth cylindrical upper half of the Mechanical God Needle suddenly cracked open, revealing ten mechanical puppets.

"Hmm?" Zhao Xing and Ye Yukong immediately looked up.

"Eighth-tier mechanical puppets, Great Sun Vajra!"

These mechanical puppets were depicted as bald, muscular men, entirely dark gold in color. They had dark gold spikes on their shoulders, and their eyes glowed with fire, capable of spewing true solar flames.

"They're not dead?" Qi Jun's puzzled voice came. "Is that the Earth Repository Art? What good luck—Ye Yukong actually has a treasure that can erect an Earth Spirit Barrier."

"Ye Yukong!"

The ten mechanical puppets spoke in unison, Qi Jun's hoarse voice emanating from them. "Surrender now. It would be a pity for you to die like this. If you are willing to serve my King, you can not only live but also have a chance to become a First-rank expert."

Qi Jun's voice came through the mechanical puppets. He couldn't see inside the barrier, only observe from the outside. He was constantly analyzing how much longer this treasure of Ye Yukong's could last. At this moment, he had no idea Zhao Xing was here, because Zhao Xing's main body was in the Star Palace and hadn't appeared in his calculations. He thought it was a treasure Ye Yukong had activated.

"Qi Jun, why are you attacking me? Didn't I already pledge allegiance to Prince Liang?"

Qi Jun couldn't see inside, but Ye Yukong, within the Earth Spirit Barrier, could see outside. Hearing this, Qi Jun was taken aback.

"What do you mean? You pledged allegiance to my King?"

Ye Yukong said, "Why else do you think I would be here?"

Qi Jun was stunned, then sneered. "Alright! Stop stalling for time. I won't fall for your trick. Pledge your loyalty with your life-soul immediately, and I will withdraw the array and let you live. You have ten breaths of time to consider!"

Seeing that Ye Yukong couldn't stall much longer, Zhao Xing couldn't help but speak. "Qi Jun, you truly are useless. Who told you to deploy troops without authorization? You've utterly ruined His Majesty's grand plan!"

"Hmm? There's another expert?" Qi Jun was greatly surprised. He had thought there was no one left inside. Then he remembered Ye Yukong's earlier words and heard Zhao Xing refer to himself in such a manner. Qi Jun suspiciously asked, "Who is Your Excellency?"

"You fool! Ye Yukong sincerely pledged his allegiance! I ask you, who ordered you to deploy troops?!" Zhao Xing immediately took the initiative.

"It was naturally Prince Huanyou—who exactly are you, Your Excellency!" Qi Jun demanded. "Stop acting mysterious. Ye Yukong killed Marquis Changwu; my deployment was personally ordered by Prince Huanyou! What's wrong with that?"

"Who exactly are you, Your Excellency? If what you say is true, inform me at once, otherwise I will immediately launch an attack!"

"Qi Jun, what a grand air you put on. When I was calling Prince Liang 'brother,' you were probably still somewhere nailing rivets. Is this how you recruit talents for him? My identity is top secret, and this operation is also top secret. Do you really want to know? Hmph, how many heads do you have to chop off? You should also have heard of Ye Yukong's reputation. If he wanted to break through to Second-rank, he only needed to tell the court, and it would be a certainty. Why would he come here to break through? Use your brain and think! Why is this happening?!"

Ye Yukong looked at Zhao Xing, surprised. *My friend, you're really good at putting on an act.*

And surprisingly, Qi Jun was actually bluffed. Ten breaths had passed, but he still hadn't made a move. The main reason was that Zhao Xing and Ye Yukong's impromptu coordination was too perfect. Ye Yukong appearing here to break through to Second-rank was inherently strange. Dongze County was a military passage, a strategic location. Why would he come here for no reason? And how could he suddenly kill Marquis Changwu—and who was this mysterious expert who could keep Ye Yukong alive in such a large array?

A thousand miles away, Qi Jun couldn't help but rub his bald head, his eyes momentarily confused. Could this really be some secret operation? So high-level that even he wasn't allowed to know? No, if he didn't know, couldn't he just ask Prince Huanyou? Surely, Prince Huanyou wouldn't be unaware either?

Zhao Xing struck while the iron was hot, his tone softening. "Qi Jun, you almost ruined His Majesty's grand plan, but there's still a chance for remedy. I'll give you a string of confidential codes; report them to Prince Huanyou immediately. If you don't recognize them, he surely will."

"But—"

"Less talk, remember them quickly!" Zhao Xing commanded.

"Yes, yes."

On Zhao Xing's Earth Spirit Barrier, earth elemental power pulsed, slowly displaying a series of symbols and patterns.

"Did you memorize them?" Zhao Xing asked nonchalantly.

"Yes, I have memorized them," Qi Jun's tone unconsciously became respectful.

"Report them to Prince Huanyou immediately!"

"Yes."

In Yuanming County, within an underground mechanical city, Qi Jun immediately found a basin of water. An shadowy face instantly appeared in the water.

"Qi Jun, is the target dead?" Prince Huanyou asked.

"Your Highness, circumstances have changed," Qi Jun said. "Ye Yukong seems to have pledged allegiance to us, and a mysterious expert is with him."

"Oh?" Prince Huanyou asked, puzzled. "A mysterious expert?"

"Yes, he said his identity was top secret, and the operation was also top secret. He even claimed to be on familiar terms with the King."

"Fake!" Prince Huanyou sneered. "I've never heard of this operation. Quickly eliminate Ye Yukong and return to Seven Souls Pass. The imperial reinforcements are about to arrive; they are just stalling for time!"

"Your Highness, he truly seems to be one of us. That mysterious person gave me a string of confidential codes, saying that you, my lord, would understand them at a glance."

Qi Jun then released his elemental energy, replicating the original codes displayed by Zhao Xing. Prince Huanyou initially didn't believe it, but as he continued to watch, he fell silent. Because the confidential codes Zhao Xing provided were not fake! In his previous life, Zhao Xing had been involved with Prince Liang's faction. After Prince Liang's defeat, Zhao Xing unlocked many of those confidential files years later. Naturally, he knew about some of the secret activities that Prince Liang's faction had engaged in. After reading them, Prince Huanyou couldn't help but feel a little shocked. Because these were indeed the starting codes for the top-secret "Stealing Heaven Project." This plan was a defection scheme, sending certain experts into the imperial faction to act as internal informants. Prince Huanyou himself was a beneficiary of this very plan! And this current string of information, aside from the different executor and target, had significant similarities in its other secret codes!

Of course, there were also many discrepancies. The other party had used some outdated secret codes. But the problem was, Prince Huanyou didn't know if they had been re-activated. Because he wasn't qualified to know the full contents; this was planned by the Xuantian Sect's high-ranking masters near the King.

Prince Huanyou was silent for a moment. "You shall do this—" After listening, Qi Jun was startled, then bowed and said, "Understood."

Inside the Earth Spirit Barrier, Ye Yukong's heart pounded slightly as he saw no further movement from above. He hadn't expected that an impromptu act with Zhao Xing would actually work. A moment later, Qi Jun's voice resonated again.

"Bastard, how dare you deceive me!"

Ye Yukong shook his head slightly. As expected, such a trick could only buy a little time. However, even buying a little time was a miracle. Normally, the opponent should have already attacked. Zhao Xing thought the same, as he wasn't sure if this would work. He couldn't recall the exact timing either, and those codes and symbols were haphazardly put together by him. Whether it would work or not was entirely up to luck.

Just when he was about to give up, there was no follow-up from Qi Jun above. After a moment of silence, Qi Jun's voice transmitted to the Earth Spirit Barrier: "Sir, please instruct me. How should I cooperate to remedy this?"

Ye Yukong's eyes almost popped out! Zhao Xing was also somewhat surprised. *This actually worked?*

"Qi Jun, the imperial reinforcements are about to arrive. If you let us leave directly, there will be problems. You should continue to fire a few more Fire Source Divine Cannons, aiming south," Zhao Xing said. "When the imperial forces are nearly here, you can withdraw."

Zhao Xing's current position was in the north, so firing Fire Source Divine Cannons to the south would significantly weaken their power by the time it reached them.

"As for how to act when you leave, I shouldn't need to say more, right?"

"Yes, subordinate understands," Qi Jun respectfully said. "I will find a courtesy cultivator to cast a forgetfulness spell on me; I will not remember your voice, nor will I remember Master Ye joining us."

"Hmm, go ahead," Zhao Xing nodded.

"Yes."

A moment later, an air explosion sounded from above. The ten mechanical puppets self-destructed. Inside the Earth Spirit Barrier, Ye Yukong was utterly stunned.

"This worked too? My friend—do you really know Prince Liang's secrets?"

Zhao Xing shook his head. "It was just a lucky guess. Prince Tianyan and I once raided an important strongpoint of the Xuantian Sect, and it recorded some of their secret communication methods. I assumed Prince Huanyou also only had a partial understanding of it."

This statement was half-true, half-false. When he raided Blood Spirit Venerable's stronghold at sea, Zhao Xing was the first to discover it, and there were indeed some communication secrets inside. However, what Zhao Xing provided was relatively accurate. Zhao Xing hadn't expected it to work. Because there were too many loopholes; if Prince Huanyou had been fully aware or completely unaware, it wouldn't have worked. As luck would have it, Prince Huanyou happened to be someone with a partial understanding.

So why didn't Prince Huanyou report and inquire? Firstly, he couldn't ask. Just as Prince Tianyan asked Prince Luo to deploy troops, Prince Luo asked Prince Tianyan what was happening, but Prince Tianyan didn't tell Prince Luo. For Prince Huanyou, he didn't even know whom to ask about such a secret. Prince Liang was no longer in Pinghai Prefecture, and the person in charge of this plan was likely from an external sect, which Prince Huanyou didn't want to provoke. Although the three major armies under Prince Liang served him, they didn't get along with the other two foreign armies. If given more time, Prince Huanyou might have figured it out, but there wasn't that much time. The imperial reinforcements were already on their way. Killing Ye Yukong might not have brought much credit, but messing up a secret operation would certainly cause trouble. Ultimately, his mission was merely to guard the military passage; better to avoid complications. Thus, a flawed response allowed Zhao Xing to successfully bluff his way through.

"Boundless luck indeed," Ye Yukong marveled. "To actually manage to fool them like that."

"It's not entirely luck," Zhao Xing shook his head. "The forces under Prince Liang's command are fraught with contradictions. He's only subdued these forces for a few years; it's impossible for them to be as united as the Great Zhou. The Southern Barbarians, the sects, and the rebel princes of the Great Zhou—these three forces cannot coexist harmoniously. Prince Liang is currently leaving Pinghai Prefecture. Even a slight setback will lead to internal chaos and self-collapse."

Ye Yukong nodded. "Indeed, this is the Prince Liang faction's last desperate act." He had also commanded troops before, so he knew what it was like when subordinate factions weren't harmonious.

Just then, a Fire Source Divine Cannon fell. Since the bombing was in the south, it was easier for Zhao Xing and Ye Yukong to defend themselves this time. They endured for an hour with almost no effort.

An hour later, reinforcements arrived. Prince Shenluo, also a mechanist, arrived at Huangze County with a hundred warships. Breakthrough Ships easily passed through the Boundary Marker Cease-fire Array, while many shimmering blue markers were scattered from the ships, dropped across various locations in Huangze County.

"'Town Origin' has arrived," Ye Yukong said, looking at the fleet of warships in the sky. "The elemental energy chaos has decreased. We survived."

Zhao Xing also breathed a sigh of relief. This time, the cost was significant; he almost lost the Moonlight Blade and money. But the final outcome was good; he obtained a Luck Coin.

"Brother Ye, I'm late," Prince Shenluo flew down from the sky on a bamboo horse. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Ye Yukong's voice came from inside the Earth Spirit Barrier.

"Hmm?" Prince Shenluo looked at the dozens of figures slowly revealing themselves within the barrier. "Zhao Xing is here too? This Earth Spirit Barrier, was it cast by you?"

"Greetings, Prince Shenluo," Zhao Xing cupped his hands. "It was I."

Prince Shenluo examined the Mechanical God Needles, then glanced at Zhao Xing, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. "Impressive. Using the earth-elemental Mechanical God Needle to cast the Earth Repository Art—no wonder you could hold out for so long. Zhao Xing, this is already your Supreme Dharma Body, isn't it?"

"Yes," Zhao Xing didn't hide it.

"Impressive," Prince Shenluo couldn't help but praise. "Without you, Yukong would have gone to the Underworld this time."

Ye Yukong said, "Shenluo, let's talk on the ship."

"Alright," Prince Shenluo nodded. "Let's go aboard."

After inviting Ye Yukong and Zhao Xing onto the ship, Prince Shenluo's body manifested over a dozen dark golden runic chains, wrapping around the Mechanical God Needle in circles. Each chain had spikes piercing into the needle's patterns.

"Rise!"

Rumble~

The Mechanical God Needle was pulled out. Since the Mechanical God Needle was launched from a long distance, it couldn't be retrieved so quickly without first gaining control of the battlefield. Of the eighteen Mechanical God Needles, Qi Jun only retrieved fifteen, leaving three in Huangze County. These three Mechanical God Needles were thus captured by Prince Shenluo.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~"

After clearing the battlefield, Prince Shenluo led his men to withdraw, returning to his stronghold—Shenluo County. This was Prince Shenluo's fief and his defensive zone.

Upon returning to the city, Ye Yukong and Prince Shenluo began discussing the events.

"What? Brother Ye, you broke through?" Prince Shenluo asked, surprised.

"Yes," Ye Yukong nodded. "By chance, Brother Zhao discovered a Luck Coin, and he let me use it, allowing me to break through to the Heavenly Fortune realm."

"Chen An actually knows how to use a Luck Coin?" Prince Shenluo's gaze towards Zhao Xing changed, as if he were looking at a treasure. Zhao Xing felt uncomfortable under Prince Shenluo's fervent gaze. Prince Shenluo also had a bald appearance and was very burly. Who could endure being stared at so intensely by such a strong man?

"Brother Ye is being modest. Actually, this Luck Coin was already unsealed," Zhao Xing said. "It's not that I know any secret arts."

"Whose ownership is the Luck Coin?"

"His," Ye Yukong pointed to Zhao Xing.

"Brother Zhao," Prince Shenluo immediately turned to Zhao Xing. "I have an impolite request."

"Please speak, Prince Shenluo."

"Could you let me use it as well?" Prince Shenluo asked. Anyone who could break through to the Heavenly Fortune realm on their own would be unwilling to be promoted by the court, as doing so would mean being constrained by the court. A single imperial decree could revoke it.

"This is a bit taboo—" Zhao Xing hesitated. It was one thing for Ye Yukong to accidentally discover it and gain an opportunity. If they actively seized Pinghai Prefecture's fortune, it would be equivalent to devouring fortune themselves. Pinghai Prefecture's fortune belonged to the imperial court; how could it be arbitrarily seized? How would that be any different from Prince Liang? The imperial court could bestow it upon you, but if not, you couldn't seize it! Unless this fortune didn't originally belong to the Great Zhou.

Prince Shenluo naturally knew this and immediately smiled. "Chen An, don't worry about that. What I wish to take is not the fortune of the Nineteen Prefectures. If it doesn't belong to the Great Zhou, then it naturally isn't taboo."

"Oh?" Zhao Xing vaguely guessed something.

Prince Shenluo said, "Now Prince Liang has completely gone mad, seeking to defy heaven. He has invited wolves into the house, allowing many Southern Barbarians and outsider demonic figures to enter Pinghai Prefecture. The fortune carried by these experts does not belong to the Great Zhou. As long as I kill these people," Prince Shenluo said, "and with the Luck Coin by my side, I can absorb the fortune attached to them. I will not be taking the original fortune of the Great Zhou; this way, no one can say anything."

Zhao Xing already knew Prince Shenluo would say this. In fact, his previous hesitant expression was just an act. He already knew this trick, but agreeing too easily wouldn't earn him any favors. Moreover, he was worried Prince Shenluo might act recklessly. Absorbing fortune through the Luck Coin—whether it was from the Great Zhou or not—was difficult to distinguish in this period.

Prince Shenluo seemed to sense Zhao Xing's concern and immediately said, "Chen An, if you're worried, the Luck Coin can remain in your possession, controlled by you. You are Prince Tianyan's man; you can directly clarify this matter with Prince Tianyan. I believe he will not object."

"Good, please allow me to inquire," Zhao Xing nodded.

At the Star Palace, Zhao Xing's main body immediately contacted Prince Tianyan.

"You obtained a Luck Coin? And it's unsealed?" Prince Tianyan was surprised. "You're quite lucky, kid."

"It's not just my luck; it's also Prefect Moonlight's. But now Prince Shenluo has made a request to me, which I haven't agreed to, and I wanted to ask your opinion, Your Highness."

Prince Tianyan smiled. "As long as you're genuinely killing outsider demonic figures or Southern Barbarian experts, there's no problem with this. Of course, you need to report your actions."

"No problem, really?" Zhao Xing confirmed.

"Of course," Prince Tianyan said. "In fact, Pinghai Prefecture now has a large number of demonic figures and Southern Barbarian experts. Even without a Luck Coin, killing them would result in a partial transfer of their fortune. The imperial experts are also part of the Great Zhou; their growth in fortune is equivalent to the growth of the national destiny. Actually, the imperial court is about to issue this very policy as a benefit for powerful individuals."

Emperor Jing truly didn't spend his own money; even this could be considered a benefit. Zhao Xing didn't know what to say, only nodding. "I understand."

After receiving confirmation from Prince Tianyan, the high-ranking official, Zhao Xing agreed to Prince Shenluo's request. Prince Shenluo, a Third-rank mechanist, although not an absolute genius, was still a second-tier expert. Crucially, Prince Shenluo was still young, only a little over three hundred years old, with several hundred years of life left. Earning his favor was entirely worthwhile. Just that the targets had to be chosen carefully.

Unexpectedly, Prince Shenluo already had targets in mind.

"Under Prince Liang's command, there are four demonic envoys of Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Cloud, all outsider demonic figures."

"Wait, you're not talking about First-rank, are you?" Zhao Xing was startled. *Are mechanists all this bold? Daring to target First-rank experts.*

"Of course, I'm not trying to kill First-rank experts," Prince Shenluo laughed. "I don't have that ability, unless I find an excellent opportunity, like Prince Huanyou and Qi Jun setting up a grand array. But where would such an opportunity come from? I'm referring to the twelve standard-bearers of Wind, Rain, Thunder, and Cloud. Besides them, the princes of the Four Great Southern Barbarian Royal Courts are also my top priority targets. They are all individuals bearing great fortune! If I were to kill them normally, it would be impossible," Prince Shenluo said. "Individuals with great fortune are certainly protected by heaven, making them very hard to kill. However, with the Luck Coin, it's different. With a clash of fortunes, no strange incidents will allow them to escape," Prince Shenluo said. "As long as I can kill any one of this level, I can achieve a breakthrough. The second tier consists of the Southern Barbarian generals, and the protectors and elders among the outsider demonic figures. These individuals also carry the fortune of a sect or an army. However, among this group, Second-rank and Third-rank are roughly fifty-fifty, and a single one might not be enough for me to break through."

Ye Yukong looked at the list and intelligence, then chuckled. "Good for you, Prince Shenluo, you've been watching for a long time. You've figured out which heads are easy to chop and which are not."

Prince Shenluo said, "Brother Ye, you know my situation. If I can't break through this time, I don't know how long it will be before I can reach Second-rank. In this current era, relying on simply doing things won't get you promoted easily."

Prince Shenluo was referring to Emperor Jing, and everyone was well aware of the Emperor's temperament. He was completely different from Emperor Wen. Emperor Jing's two new reforms mainly accomplished two things: first, weakening the power of the feudal princes and seizing their authority; second, cutting into the flesh of aristocratic families and powerful individuals, lowering the treatment for meritorious ranks and rewards again and again. Of course, his brothers and sisters were killed by Prince Liang, and the policies were implemented by Prime Minister Liu Si. What did any of that have to do with the wise and mighty Emperor Jing? Now Prince Liang had rebelled, and Liu Si was dead. Everyone felt even more reverence for Emperor Jing. They had little confidence in serving as officials under him. It wasn't that they couldn't do it; if they did, they had to be mentally prepared to be used until death.

Zhao Xing understood Prince Shenluo perfectly! He knew that after the Jingxin Era ended, it would be very difficult to get promoted or ennobled. Emperor Jing was preoccupied with producing heirs during his two reigns, rarely promoting high-rank officials.

"Since Prince Shenluo has arrangements, I will say no more. Whenever you need me, just give the order," Zhao Xing said.

"Good, well said!" Prince Shenluo clapped his hands. "Brother Zhao, I see you don't need money or treasures. In the future, if you have any needs, as long as they don't violate imperial laws, I can help you with three things."

"It's a deal," Zhao Xing cupped his hands.

In a few words, cause and effect were established. A powerful individual like Prince Shenluo would find ways to repay Zhao Xing's favor in the future; no contract was needed to bind them.

In July of the 36th year of Jingxin, Zhao Xing's clone, carrying the Luck Coin, stayed in Shenluo County, awaiting Prince Shenluo's orders. Meanwhile, his other clones continued with two tasks: raiding homes and rescuing people. However, Pinghai Prefecture was now in such turmoil that even with his Derivative Six luck, Zhao Xing didn't find many good things. High-rank experts were everywhere, and they also had considerable luck. Without his main body present and without using his other two ancient coins, it was difficult for Zhao Xing to encounter any more fortuitous events.

In July of the 36th year of Jingxin, Zhao Xing had no new fortuitous encounters, and his focus shifted towards rescuing people.

On July 15th, the battle in Anping Prefecture became intense, even threatening the prefectural capital. Zhao Xing's clone in Anping Prefecture immediately covered the retreat of the future Prime Minister, then merely a Fifth-rank official, Wei Xuancheng, and his elder brother.

On July 26th, in Jingfeng Prefecture, the Divine Weaver Dao Academy was ambushed by the Corpse Ghost Sect, an external sect. Zhao Xing's clone in Jingfeng Prefecture rescued the Weaving Maiden Official, Xia Caiwei, transferring her to a safe location.

Zhao Xing had clones in virtually every one of Pinghai Prefecture's forty-five prefectures. The network of contacts organized by the "Rescue the People" plan also provided Zhao Xing with great convenience. Even if he couldn't personally rescue someone in time, he could arrange for them to be placed in the first wave of evacuees. A few low-level individuals being placed in evacuation teams went unnoticed.

On August 3rd, Tianyuan Prefecture. Seventh-rank Physician Wang Zhongjing contacted the head of Shelter No. 45 through a friend, requesting an emergency batch of medical supplies, but was refused. Upon learning this, Zhao Xing severely reprimanded the person in charge and personally delivered the supplies to Wang Zhongjing.

On August 14th of the 36th year of Jingxin, the wandering mystic "Xun" was rescued. On the same day, the Five Elements sorcerer Mofifa was rescued.

On September 3rd, Prince Shenluo and Prefect Moonlight joined forces, targeting Prince Yanda, the young prince of the Golden Feather