Chapter 70: Blood Debts Must Be Paid
The thunder of horse hooves shook the earth.
Dust surged skyward like dark smoke, forming a massive black torrent that surged with murderous intent—it was the border army of the Xingluo Empire.
A full 100,000 troops!
Following the golden imperial decree, the entirety of the border forces mobilized, abandoning their posts along the frontier to reclaim lost territory. Now, they had crushed everything in their path and pursued with unrelenting force.
When this scene came into view, everyone—even Zhu Zhuqing—turned pale.
The hundred or so armored soldiers around Qin Chuan were ashen-faced.
Even old Marshal Ge Long, who had just occupied a city and basked in victory, felt his heart plunge into a deep abyss.
It's over.
His body trembled uncontrollably.
To facilitate rapid advancement and handle diversions, Ge Long's original force of 20,000 had been split repeatedly, leaving him with barely 6,000 now.
What could they possibly do against 100,000 border troops?
"Your Majesty, enter the city quickly!" Ge Long roared hoarsely, ordering his men to open the gates for Qin Chuan.
"I'm sorry…" Zhu Zhuqing whispered, despairing. "You can't get out anymore."
The sheer pressure exuding from the 100,000 elite soldiers was suffocating. Even a Titled Douluo couldn't force a path through such a force.
They turned to look at Qin Chuan—only to see that he too had furrowed brows and remained silent.
Their hearts sank.
They assumed even Qin Chuan had found the situation intractable.
Little did they know—
Qin Chuan wasn't daunted by the enemy.
He was simply troubled by one thing: how to avoid killing them all.
Because once the killing started, the bodies of 100,000 would pile up like mountains.
And as King of Men, if he casually butchered 100,000 lives, how would he be any different from the Asura God?
At that moment—
From the direction Zhu Zhuqing and her people had come, a new group approached swiftly.
This time, the movement was far less than the thunderous advance of 100,000 troops, but the momentum they carried…
Was no less overwhelming.
Leading them was a man cloaked in black, exuding power and majesty. His eyes were sharp and filled with cold disdain.
"Heh. Of course, you can't leave," he said with a sneer.
"Netherworld Zhu Clan dares to commit treason, trying to deliver messages to the empire? Bold indeed."
The speaker was Duanmu Luo, one of the imperial priests of Xingluo.
He had brought with him two hundred Xingluo Guards.
The battlefield now saw three parties present: the 100,000 border troops, the two hundred elite royal guards, and the Tiandou expeditionary force, vastly outnumbered and outmatched.
"The one who came… is Duanmu Luo," Zhu Zhuqing said pale-faced.
"A level 94 Agility-Type Titled Douluo. And behind him—"
"—Are two hundred Xingluo Guards," she added with a trembling voice.
"The Xingluo Guards?" the commander of the Ironclad Army repeated grimly.
"They're the emperor's personal elite. Every one of them is Soul King or stronger…"
Zhu Zhuqing's Deacon, Liu, stepped forward.
"Duanmu Priest," he said with a frown, "we came only to retrieve the Second Prince."
Duanmu Luo pulled his reins and smirked. His gaze lingered on Qin Chuan for but a moment.
"And where is the second prince?" he asked mockingly.
Although he recognized Qin Chuan from portraits he'd seen, he didn't consider him a threat. Too young. Perhaps a freakish prodigy, yes, but still only a fledgling Titled Douluo. His success, Duanmu believed, came only from ambushes and overwhelming weaker enemies.
After all, the strongest defenders in those cities were just Soul Douluo—and the gap between Soul Douluo and Titled Douluo was immense.
At the mention of the Second Prince, Deacon Liu blinked. Only now did he realize—they hadn't seen Dai Mubai this entire time.
He turned to Zhu Zhuqing. "Miss, we should at least take the Second Prince out—"
But Zhu Zhuqing hesitated. Her eyes landed on Qin Chuan, lips slightly parted, unsure what to say.
"Let's go," Qin Chuan said with a smile.
"I'm already surprised you came here at all."
Zhu Zhuqing's body trembled.
Still, she didn't leave.
Then Qin Chuan seemed to remember something. Turning to Ye Lingling, he smiled:
"Oh right. Bring Dai Mubai out for her."
Bring him out?
Zhu Zhuqing froze.
Shouldn't it be 'escort him out'?
What did he mean by 'bring him out'?
She soon understood.
Ye Lingling gave Qin Chuan a look of concern, but then nodded. She lifted the carriage curtain and stepped inside.
Moments later—
She emerged holding a small square wooden box.
"Miss Zhu Zhuqing," she said calmly.
"This is the Second Prince of the Xingluo Empire that they're looking for."
Silence.
Everyone froze.
Even Duanmu Luo was dumbfounded.
Then came the explosion.
"Bastard! You killed the Second Prince?!"
Duanmu Luo roared with fury.
Behind him, the two hundred Xingluo Guards bristled with killing intent.
Even the 100,000 troops, upon hearing the command, raised their spears and weapons, roaring in unison:
"Blood debts must be paid with blood!"
"Blood debts must be paid with blood!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!!!"
Their murderous aura surged so strongly that it became nearly tangible. Even the warhorses beneath the hundred Tiandou cavalrymen began to panic and neigh.
On the city wall, Marshal Ge Long's face turned deathly pale.
So that's why they'd never seen the Second Prince!
No one expected that such a big figure… was stuffed in such a small box.
Insane!
But then again—without such madness, who would dare lead only a hundred men deep into enemy territory, cutting through city after city?
Ge Long looked up at the sky and laughed bitterly.
But then his gaze hardened.
If death is certain, then let it be glorious.
Ge Long drew his long sword and shouted at the remaining six thousand troops,
"Draw your swords! Prepare to meet the enemy!"
"Men of Tiandou only die standing!"
"Never live on your knees!!!"
"Never live on your knees!!!"
"Never live on your knees!!!"
Their battle cries rang out in unison, mournful yet unyielding.
Back at the battlefield, Qin Chuan looked at Zhu Zhuqing's stunned face. She hadn't taken the box from Ye Lingling yet.
Smiling, he said casually:
"Your Second Prince said he'd never return to the Xingluo Empire."
"What could I do?"
"I was ordered to bring him back to your emperor…"
"But if he'd rather die than return—"
"I had no choice but to fulfill his wish, and…"
"Bring his head back instead."