They surrendered just like that?

The people around Huang Ya were all stunned. They’d been tossing about for so long, wasn’t it all just to make their own lives a bit easier? But now that he surrendered like this, as for the surrendered troops...

What kind of end would they meet?

No one knew, and no one dared think about it. After all, the outcome was too terrifying. Throughout history, when have those who surrendered ever had a good end?

If they weren’t dragged off for corvée labor to build palaces, they were sent to build roads, their heads practically tied to their belts at all times. Days like that were really unbearable.

"Good."

Li Qingmu said lightly. Since they were willing to surrender, that spared him from having to act himself. Everything was now perfectly settled.

"In a while, submit a memorial to the court and write a letter of surrender."

Li Qingmu tossed down these words and left.

The barbarians all looked at one another. He just... left like that? Wasn’t he afraid they would rebel again?

However, when they thought of the methods that man and woman had displayed just now, all the barbarians felt a chill in their hearts.

People are always filled with awe toward the unknown. That ball of light condensed from True Qi in Li Qingmu’s hand, and Long Yue’s spiritual shroud that left them unable to move, had completely shattered these barbarians’ confidence. They didn’t dare act rashly.

"Boss..."

A Little Leader walked forward, legs trembling. Long Yue’s spiritual oppression just now still left some residual impact on them; even walking, he swayed unsteadily.

He came to stand before Huang Ya, his expression full of fear and dread. "Boss, all these years we’ve been in the Southern Territory, you could say we’ve been conscientious and diligent. So why does the Great Zhou Court have to treat us like this? Isn’t this forcing us to rebel?"

"Yeah, before they at least allowed us to farm by the borders, but these last few years they’ve confiscated all our fields. If we don’t go out burning, killing, and looting, are we supposed to starve to death?"

"Exactly, with old folks above and kids below to feed. Hah, those Dazhou people think they’re the Heavenly Dynasty, so they look down on us barbarians and bully us all the time. Last time a few even came to bully our women—damn them, pah!"

A burly man cursed in a stream of crude words. As he spoke, there was a sharp clang as he drew a long blade. "I just want to butcher that pack of dog-bred bastards!"

"Da Bai, enough! We’ve lost. We can only let others slaughter us now." Huang Ya shook his head, signaling him to stop. Saying these things would only worsen the brothers’ mood and might even draw unnecessary trouble.

For example, what if someone went off to rebel again? That man...

Facing Li Qingmu, Huang Ya truly felt a kind of powerlessness.

Can a person really be that strong? Is that even a human anymore? How is that any different from gods or demons?

So he really didn’t dare let his men keep talking. If that man heard, they’d be in trouble.

Li Qingmu couldn’t hear them, but Long Yue could.

The two of them had left a full three li away, but Long Yue’s hearing was very sharp; she could hear what they were saying.

"A Mu, this rebellion really was man-made. Would Empress Dowager Li really have the guts to pull this off?!"

Long Yue was astonished. This country now belonged to Qi Junlian—it was her son’s. Empress Dowager Li had no need to toss the world into chaos like this, did she?

Li Qingmu thought for a moment, then said, "There may be more to it. That You Su is adept at manipulating hearts. Perhaps Empress Dowager Li is being controlled by him as well."

Long Yue was taken aback. "You mean Empress Dowager Li bears a grudge against you, and that became the crack through which You Su invaded her mind?"

"Yes. Because she harbors doubts about me, You Su found an opening. Everything that is happening now springs from this man. If we can find him and eliminate him, I imagine there won’t be any more trouble."

"But we don’t even know where You Su is. How are we supposed to drag him out?"

Li Qingmu’s gaze grew deep as he stared toward the distant encampment, then suddenly smiled. "Perhaps we can just wait and see."

The man was handsome to begin with; when he smiled like this, it was almost enough to turn the world upside down. Long Yue couldn’t help staring blankly. She swayed slightly and fell into his arms. "Mm."

Her head burrowed into the man’s chest. It felt really good.

"Swoosh!"

Li Qingmu leapt up, landing on the highest tree branch, holding Long Yue in his arms as he quietly watched the camp in the distance.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

He flicked his fingertips, shooting out True Qi that knocked down all the fruit on the nearby trees and wrapped them in True Qi, bringing them over and piling them on Long Yue’s body.

"Eat."

The man’s voice carried a hint of enchantment. Long Yue nodded lightly.

The young couple ate fruit as they watched the distant camp. Dusk gradually deepened, and lamps and candles were lit one by one out ahead.

Suddenly, Li Qingmu narrowed his eyes. He saw a black shadow dart out of the camp and head quickly off to one side.

The man’s manner was furtive, the very picture of someone terrified of being seen.

Li Qingmu hurriedly stood. "He’s out. Let’s go!"

Long Yue had seen it as well, so she and Li Qingmu hastened to give chase.

The black figure sneaked southward all the way. Was he planning to cross the border?

Just as they were wondering, the man stopped.

He had arrived at a dense primeval forest. There were many poisonous miasmas in the area; one careless step and you could be poisoned to death.

He entered the forest and glanced around. Suddenly, a dark shadow appeared behind him.

"You failed?"

It was actually a woman’s voice.

And it sounded somewhat familiar?

"Yes. That Regent King is too formidable. His martial arts are too high; none of us are his match. He even walked right into our camp of two hundred thousand as if it were nothing, and casually killed several thousand in one go."

As the man spoke, he recalled Li Qingmu’s stunning strike from before and felt truly terrified.

With one light ball smashing down, everyone directly under it and nearby had been blasted to death, their deaths horribly gruesome.

Faced with such terrifying power, he was utterly helpless to resist.

"Oh." The woman responded, then chuckled softly. "So this is what they call, ’with a laugh and a jest, fleets and strongholds turn to dust’? Impressive."

The black-clad man was speechless. They’d failed, yet she could still laugh?

"It’s fine. That man is indeed formidable. Your failure is only to be expected. Winning would have been the real surprise."

"Huh?"

The shadowy man was puzzled. What was that supposed to mean?

So she’d known all along they were bound to lose to that man? Losing was normal?

While he was still confused, the woman said blandly, "Your task is already complete. Take this and go enjoy a carefree life."

The woman took a bundle off her back. It was filled entirely with gold!

"Take this money and run far away. You don’t need to worry about the rest."

"Ah—yes, yes, I’ll get the hell out of here right now!"

The black-clad man chuckled twice and slipped away nimbly.

The veiled woman watched the direction in which he disappeared, the corner of her mouth curling into a cold smile, then she leapt and vanished into the night.

"A Mu?"

Long Yue made a small sound and glanced at the man beside her.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

The other side had plotted for so long to spark a rebellion in the Southern Territory, all just for Li Qingmu to come and crush it?

To make everyone fear him for a bit?

Wasn’t that a little too generous to them?

Li Qingmu also felt that something about this whole matter didn’t quite add up.

But what exactly was it?