Time rewound to June 2nd.
Midsummer.
Dragon Country, Feng Province, Ziyang County, oh, no, it was Ziyang City. After the Spring Festival, a red-lettered document came down, and Ziyang County was upgraded from a county to a city.
The summer wind was scorching, construction sites were bustling everywhere, with trucks, excavators, and countless workers coming and going.
Apartments, factories, hospitals, universities, vocational schools, primary schools, shopping malls, office buildings, and other structures were rising in a dense array.
The old government building in Ziyang County had its threshold almost worn down, with luxury cars of the powerful parked outside.
People wanted to settle here, start industries, buy property, and do all sorts of other things.
As the True Dragon rose, the world changed.
Everyone who came here would gaze from afar at the Qian Wang Mansion in the riverside village, their eyes filled with longing and reverence.
Entering Qingzhu Town, the air seemed sweeter. A continuous stream of people, nearly a hundred meters long, wanted to pay their respects to the people of the Qian Wang Mansion. Some were distant relatives of the Qian Wang Mansion, while others wanted to seek refuge or assistance.
The rise of Ziyang City was closely related to Chen Jiuyang, the Qian Wang, and his forty-six Marquises.
Ziyang County was originally a major grain-producing county with fertile land suitable for cultivation. Now, with various industries established, it was truly red-hot within Feng Province.
The medicinal herb cultivation, which had begun with significant investment last year, welcomed its first harvest this summer.
Staff members covered the mountains, picking medicinal plants. The massive investment of hundreds of billions from the Qian Wang, the Qian Wang's First Royal Consort, and her clan, the Yao family, was astonishing.
As far as the eye could see, industries related to the Qian Wang were everywhere.
Apart from the Qian Wang Mansion, the most respected status in Ziyang County belonged to the Yao family, the family of the Qian Wang's First Royal Consort.
When the Qian Wang was at his lowest, the Royal Consort had taken notice of the penniless Qian Wang, and the Yao family had invested heavily in him. Their related deeds had long been spread, becoming a beautiful story.
No matter who came, they would praise Yao Qianhe for her discerning eye.
Yao Qianhe was over eighty years old, but her complexion was ruddy, her body robust, her hair black, and her spirit full of energy.
As a merchant family, the Yao family could be considered to have reached its peak.
The blazing sun slowly set, and hundreds of construction sites stopped working at the same time, not daring to operate their machinery.
One reason was to observe labor laws, and another was that the Qian Wang's Consort was pregnant and habitually took walks by the river after dinner. They feared disturbing the noble lady and inadvertently inviting disaster.
As darkness fell, the sun set and the moon rose.
The river surface shimmered with silver phosphorescence, and the hot wind turned into a cool breeze.
Yao Zixuan, who was six or seven months pregnant, her belly protruding, set out from the Qian Wang Mansion with a grand entourage of dozens of people, including Chen Bian Dao, Granny Han, Yao Qianhe, Fang Bahua, and Deng Zun, for a stroll by the river.
In and around Qingzhu Town, there were at least hundreds of guards from various factions, making it as stable as a golden soup. No one could imagine anyone daring to cause trouble here.
After walking along the river and taking a stroll after dinner, Yao Zixuan began to show signs of fatigue and drowsiness.
Zhang Xiuzhen said, "Let's go home and rest."
Chen Jiuyang was fighting on behalf of the country, with news and glorious praise about him spreading everywhere. For his relatives, their duty was to protect the child and wife who carried Chen Jiuyang's bloodline.
Yao Qianhe chuckled and said, "Then everyone go home and rest."
Yao Zixuan asked, "Grandfather, aren't you coming back with us?"
Yao Qianhe smiled and said, "Your father is away handling business, and I have to go home to review documents."
Yao Qianhe instructed Yao Zixuan and her group to go their separate ways. The Yao family had built a separate residence near the Qian Wang Mansion. As he walked,
An invisible chill made Yao Qianhe's hair stand on end, and a sense of life-or-death crisis, unprecedented, surged into his heart.
The next moment, Yao Qianhe smelled a strong scent of blood. The scene before him made his scalp crawl, and he couldn't believe it.
"How is this possible..."
"Boom!!!"
The luxurious and vast Yao family residence was razed to the ground. Hundreds of Yao family members, from top to bottom, lay dead on the spot, with bodies strewn everywhere!!!
"Master, hurry back to the Wang Mansion, there are enemies!!"
Guards hidden in the dark appeared, their faces extremely grave.
"Sizzle sizzle!!!"
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack! Enemy!"
Before the guard could finish speaking, his neck suddenly twisted, and he lost his life, falling to the ground.
The other guards' faces changed drastically. While escorting Yao Qianhe back to the Wang Mansion, they exclaimed in anger, "Why can't we contact the guard team? Could it be..."
His pupils widened: "Are they all dead!!"
"Chih!"
The next moment, dozens of guards protecting Yao Qianhe instantly died.
As Yao Qianhe was about to reach the entrance of the Qian Wang Mansion, he saw a dark figure rush out from within the mansion, carrying the unconscious Yao Zixuan, and tear through the air. His eyes widened, and he roared, "No!!!"
Then, a powerful force struck him, cutting off his life on the spot. He died with his eyes wide open, his body falling at the entrance of the Qian Wang Mansion.
Yao Qianhe's scream shook the guards of the Qian Wang Mansion. When they opened the door, their bodies trembled violently, and they immediately roared, "Something has happened!!!"
A few minutes later, everyone in Ziyang City knew that the sky had fallen!
...
June 10th.
Above the sea waters of the Southern Border of Dragon Country.
"Zhou Fangzun, get out here!!!"
It was a roar filled with killing intent, shaking the heavens and the sea.
Countless people's expressions suddenly changed drastically. The owner of this voice was very familiar to them.
It was the Qian Wang!!!
What had happened?
The Sword Bearer of Zhennan immediately appeared with his sword.
Looking at the Qian Wang in the sky, filled with killing intent and emitting golden light, he frowned, his eyes full of confusion.
Then, someone reported the matter to him, causing the Sword Bearer's face to change drastically, his anger and shock immense as he looked at Zhou Fangzun in disbelief.
A moment later, Zhou Fangzun, clad in a black-patterned python robe, with a noble and dignified bearing, appeared before Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang's eyes were bloodshot, and his body was filled with sky-high killing intent. He stared at Zhou Fangzun and said word by word:
"I will ask only once."
"Is this matter related to you?!"
The Sword Bearer immediately drew his sword and said solemnly, "Qian Wang, I know you are in pain, but you must calm down."
Times were different now. A month ago, the Qian Wang and the Zhennan King had fought to a draw. Now, Chen Jiuyang possessed the strength to kill the Zhennan King!
He knew the Qian Wang's temperament. If the Qian Wang intended to attack the Zhennan King, he had to stop him.
"Swish!"
Chen Fengge flashed and blocked the Zhennan Sword Bearer, his aura dangerous: "Sword Bearer, this is a private matter. If you intend to interfere, I will spar with you."
The Zhennan Sword Bearer's expression suddenly turned grim: "Chen Fengge."
The Sword Bearer had the right to wield a sword, and his strength was comparable to a Venerable. If Chen Fengge entangled him, he would not be able to protect the Zhennan King.
But if the right sword in his hand was given to the Zhennan King, then the Qian Wang would be the one to die.
Zhou Fangzun's expression was heavy, his gaze intense, and he said, "Qian Wang, I solemnly declare to you that this matter has nothing to do with me."
"How can you make me believe that this matter has nothing to do with you!"
Chen Jiuyang's voice, filled with grief and anger, roared from the sky, accompanied by a terrifying, peerless, and domineering saber strike!