Chapter Eighty-Five: A World in Chaos

  Seeing Ye Chen's expression, Yin Mung-tian sighed with regret, wanting Ye Chen to make a contribution to the country, but it was not very realistic.

  Ye Chen had never been outside of Donglin County, and he didn't know what the world was like outside. He only heard some news from his clansmen. Since Yin Mengtian was a prince, Ye Chen thought that he should have some understanding of the overall situation in the country, so he asked: "I've heard that the world outside is very chaotic, with rebel armies and vassal kings rebelling against the emperor everywhere?"

  As soon as the rebel army and the rebellious vassal kings were mentioned, Yin Mung-tian's eyebrows furrowed together in pain, and he sighed gloomily: "The world is not good, even food and clothing have become a problem, ordinary people want to revolt, that is also helpless. As for those rebellious vassal kings, they all deserve to be killed!"

  When Ye Chen heard Yin Mung-tian's remarks, he was somewhat puzzled. Isn't Yin Mung-tian supposed to be talking about loyalty to the king and the country? If a vassal king rebels and should be killed, why is it right for ordinary people to rebel?

  Seeing Ye Chen's puzzled look, Yin Mung-tian sighed and explained: "Little friend doesn't know that the Western Wu Empire is now plagued by internal troubles and external threats. The most pressing issue isn't internal troubles, but external threats. The Southern Barbarian Nation has invaded seven neighboring small countries and has long been eyeing my prosperous Western Wu Empire covetously."

  "What's that supposed to mean? The Southern Barbarian State hasn't attacked the Western Wu Empire, and the Western Wu Empire has a large population. As long as they don't have internal conflicts, how can they possibly invade?" Ye Chen asked curiously, this was still the first time someone had talked to him about national affairs, and he was quite interested in listening.

  "The Xī Wǔ Empire is located on the Eastern Continent, which has a vast territory with over 300 countries. Due to the overwhelming strength of top-level powerhouses among humans, in order to avoid these powerhouses from massacring civilians, since ancient times, when resolving conflicts, these countries would engage in battles at specific locations. That place is an isolated island in the North Sea, known as the Forbidden Land. The Nán Màn Kingdom and Xī Wǔ Empire send 20 warriors above the 10th rank to duel on the Forbidden Land every two years. Those who survive can return, while those who die will have their corpses remain forever on the Forbidden Land. If a country cannot gather 20 warriors above the 10th rank in a given year, the other nation will declare war on them. The duel between Nán Màn Kingdom and Xī Wǔ Empire has lasted for over 300 years." Yīn Méng Tián explained.

  Upon hearing Yin Mongtian's words, many of Ye Chen's doubts were cleared up. So that's how it was - the conflicts between nations were resolved in such a manner. No wonder there were so few 10th-stage experts in the Western Wu Empire; they had almost all died out.

  "The elite of the country, in these three hundred years, has been almost exhausted. The empire's deterrent power over the lower classes has become weaker and weaker. Each vassal king has established himself as a king, occupying one side, with harsh punishments and heavy taxes. The common people have been forced to rebel, and those vassal kings, knowing that the empire is at war with the southern barbarian country, still dare to rebel. Knowing that they will not be able to enjoy their power for long after usurping the throne, they still dare to commit treason. They are all wolves with a wild heart!" Yin Mung-t'ien said, "This explains why the rebellion of the common people is inevitable, and the rebellion of the vassal kings should be punished. If it were not for the wise and powerful Emperor Wu, who was victorious in every battle, sweeping away the armies of the three great vassal kings, intimidating those vassal kings, I'm afraid the Western Wu Empire would have perished long ago."

  Ye Chen sighed softly. Such a situation would be difficult for any monarch to maintain their family business. It seems that Ming Wu the Great Emperor still has some skills after all.

  "The ruler of the southern barbarian country is born with a cruel nature, killing people like flies. Every time they occupy a country, they enslave its people and slaughter them at will. If the Western Wu Empire were to be destroyed, I fear that its people would suffer even more hardships. 'If the skin is gone, where can the hair attach itself?'"

  Yin Mungtian glanced at Ye Chen, and his words had a hidden meaning. He thought Ye Chen was a good person, "Alas, my cultivation is too lowly, coming to this underground Jade Pavilion, I am looking for ways to advance ten levels, if I can rush to the aid of the country in times of need, even if it means sacrificing myself, what's the harm?"

  Yin Mungtian spoke with passion and fervor.

  "Prince Wang." Zhang Hu and others looked at Yin Mung-tian, with tears welling up in their eyes.

  Ye Chen looked at Yin Mung-tian, his spiritual sense perceived the fluctuations in Yin Mung-tian's emotions. This time, Yin Mung-tian's words were surprisingly genuine, without any pretence. Although he scorned the idea of loyalty to the monarch, Ye Chen was deeply moved by Yin Mung-tian's fervent patriotism. This Yin Mung-tian must be a loyal minister in the Western Wu Empire, worthy of respect regardless of whether his loyalty was blind or not.

  "The world is in decline, people's hearts are no longer ancient, apart from the vassal kings, those three major sects are also extremely detestable. They clearly know that the country is in trouble, many righteous scholars are generously offering their help, but these three major sects, although they have many high-ranking experts, always refuse to lend a hand, and even want to coerce the imperial court, recruiting talented young men from all over the provinces, causing the imperial court to be unable to find suitable successors. Sometimes they even manipulate state politics for personal gain, worse than many vassal kings!" Yin Móng Tián said indignantly, someone with talent like Yè Chén, Yin Móng Tián naturally did not want him to enter the three major sects.

  In Yin Mung-tian's words, the three major sects that ordinary people yearn for have become a place of shame. Thinking about it, this involves the struggle between the imperial court and the three major sects. Yin Mung-tian is speaking from the perspective of someone in the imperial court after all. Ye Chen also can't completely believe one side of the story. However, thinking about it, the war between the Western Wu Empire and the Southern Barbarian Country has lasted for over 300 years. The loss of talent is inevitable. High-level experts above the tenth level are already extremely rare, and every two years, so many high-level experts die. Even a large empire can't withstand such losses!

  After chatting with Yin Mongtian for a while, Ye Chen finally gained some understanding of the Xiwu Empire. The empire's territory was vast, covering tens of millions of square kilometers of land, and had more than 70 counties, with Donglin County being just one of them. There were over 20 vassal kings who ruled their respective domains, and three major sects stood in a delicate balance of power. Moreover, human activity only accounted for a small proportion of the empire's territory, while more than 70% of the land was actually areas where demons and beasts roamed frequently.

  A single country, with such a vast territory, it is said that the southern barbarian state, its land area is three times that of the Western Wu Empire, and there are more than 300 large and small countries on the entire Eastern Continent, and the Southern Barbarian State is not the largest.

  Even Ye Chen couldn't help but feel a little shocked upon learning this news.

  "What other realms are there above the tenth level, and what level has Ming Wu Da Emperor reached?" Ye Chen asked, finally finding someone in a high position, he wanted to ask about all the unknown information.

  "On the tenth level, it is known as the Honorable Level, which is further divided into five stages: Earthly Honorable, Heavenly Honorable, Mysterious Honorable, Divine Honorable, and the Unparalleled Strong. Ming Wu Da Di's innate talent was extraordinary, now he has reached the pinnacle of the Heavenly Honorable."

  "Repel the external must first stabilize the internal, since Mingwu Emperor's strength is so extraordinary, why not unify the country first?" Ye Chen said, this Tianzun and Yao Wang, the gap is still very large, Yao Wang should be about the same as the strong ones in the Shen Zun realm.

  "Can you stabilize the internal situation before dealing with external threats?" Yin Mengtian looked at Ye Chen in surprise, such insightful words came from a young man's mouth, this young man must also be familiar with military affairs. "Wanting to stabilize the internal situation is not that simple, each of the three major sects has a Heavenly Master-level expert, and under them are hundreds of millions of disciples, they are like states within a state. Although the various vassal kings do not have any super high-ranking experts, they also have their own armies, once this war starts, I'm afraid the country will be in chaos."

  In this case, Mingwu Dadi also had no choice but to make a decision and go to war with all the sects and vassal kings.

  "The ruler of the Southern Barbarian Country, Tuoba Hongye, is now a powerful being at the Xuanzun level. He has several Tianzun and Dizun-level powerhouses under his command. As for the Western Wu Empire, many strong warriors have gone to the forbidden lands over the years, but none have returned. It's really hard to find even ten tenth-stage powerhouses now. If we can't gather twenty tenth-stage experts in another year, the Southern Barbarian Country will declare war on the Western Wu Empire. With the military strength of the Western Wu Empire, it is absolutely impossible for them to resist the Southern Barbarian Country." Yin Mungtien said with a tone of despair.

  Today there will be four updates, with one chapter at 5:50 pm and the fourth update at midnight.