Eastern: I love doing good things-Chapter 184 : foolish monarch

Then, an even stranger occurrence took place. Qi Yuan's body slowly swayed and stood up. His movements were stiff and slow, as though he had just learned how to walk, stumbling as if he might fall at any moment.

But just a few steps later, his steps became steadier, the speed increasing, and his facial expressions grew more vivid. In the end, even the subtle movement of gripping his sword handle seemed indistinguishable from his living self.

A new Deputy General of the Zhenfu Division was born, and the subordinate beside him was the same.

The "fungal spores" Fang Yuan released into the target's body would grow and reproduce continuously. This process generated vast amounts of fungal threads, resembling tiny tentacles. After devouring the target's brain, they would form similar structures to replace it.

From now on, Qi Yuan no longer existed. Instead, he was replaced by a fungal puppet named Qi Yuan, who would act according to the original Qi Yuan's thinking patterns, fully obeying Fang Yuan's commands.

This "corrupt fungi" was an eerie and terrifying divine ability. Previously, Fang Yuan had criticized the strange "Void Sword Pestilence." Now, he had mastered a similarly bizarre divine art.

However, this greatly benefited him... In the future, whenever he encountered someone like Qi Yuan, who was efficient but needed to be eliminated, he could conveniently use this ability.

With the "Crimson Decay" now fully mastered and the affairs of the Hanhai Province temporarily concluded, it was time for him to return to the capital to report.

He imagined that his return would bring an unexpected "surprise" to the old emperor.

With this thought in mind, Fang Yuan suddenly shot up into the air, flying rapidly toward the capital.

A blurry figure had already reached above the capital city.

Chong Wu Hou, dragging his weary body, gazed down at the bustling capital. Despite being an invisible soul, he felt a sense of heaviness.

Chong Wu Hou was aware that this weight came from the aftereffects of losing his physical body, and this heaviness was not only physical but pressed down on his heart.

He had been surrounded by three masters and had no choice but to return to the capital in this pathetic state. It was not to survive, but to send a message:

The North had completely fallen, and the country was on the brink of destruction.

Although he despised the Emperor Yan Wen deep in his heart, in this critical moment for the country's fate, he had no choice but to put aside personal grudges and urgently deliver this bad news to the Emperor, hoping to buy the country a slim chance of survival.

As he arrived, the mist above the imperial palace suddenly began to boil, as if mountains were rising, blocking his path.

This was the capital's protective array, which had a history of over a thousand years. Since the establishment of the Yan Dynasty, successive emperors had been constantly perfecting it.

By today, the defense of the protective array had become incredibly formidable.

Even when Chong Wu Hou still had his physical body, it would take him several days and nights to tear a small hole in this array. Let alone now, with only his soul remaining.

Realizing this, Chong Wu Hou could only wander outside the array and shouted, "Your Majesty, the Zuo Yang Hou has rebelled, the frontier has been breached, and the strong from the Ice Plains Kingdom could invade at any moment. Please prepare!"

He knew how serious the situation was and deliberately controlled the range of his voice, allowing his urgent call to only echo around the capital, fearing to cause panic among the citizens and worsen the chaos.

He anxiously awaited a response, one moment, two moments, three moments... until his patience was almost exhausted. Finally, a sharp, delicate voice drifted from the palace:

"Chong Wu Hou, His Majesty entrusted you to defend the frontier with great expectation, yet you return in such a pitiful state?"

"Is this how you repay His Majesty? The frontier has fallen, and you, Chong Wu Hou, cannot escape blame!"

"You mute dog, shut up!" Chong Wu Hou's ethereal form expanded, sending ripples through the protective array, "Do you need to remind me of this? The situation is urgent, the Ice Plains invaders could attack at any moment, yet you still cling to my mistakes, what use is talking about such nonsense?!"

He was frantic, and his voice trembled uncontrollably: "The most important thing now is to immediately assemble the remaining forces of the country and resist the enemy. Otherwise, the country will be doomed!"

"Enough."

Two light words crushed the immense pressure that Chong Wu Hou had been carrying, and he immediately fell silent.

The ruler, who had been hiding within the palace, was finally willing to respond to him.

"Chong Wu Hou, is this the report you have for me?" The voice of Emperor Yan Wen remained calm, without a trace of emotion.

"Indeed!" Chong Wu Hou hurriedly answered, still holding a glimmer of hope. Although the Emperor had neglected state affairs in recent years, surely, when the country's fate was at stake, he would take action?

However, the next words from Emperor Yan Wen shattered Chong Wu Hou's hope completely: "I am already aware. The frontier has fallen due to your dereliction of duty. According to the law, you should be severely punished, but..."

Emperor Yan Wen's tone suddenly shifted, becoming light and playful: "Seeing you in such a miserable state, with only a wisp of your soul left, I will show mercy and forgive you, no further investigation will be made."

"Your Majesty, this is not the time to be talking like this!" Chong Wu Hou quickly responded. "The country is on the brink of destruction, and as the ruler, you must..."

"My chessboard is not something a defeated general like you can comment on!" Emperor Yan Wen interrupted him.

"With only your soul remaining, you are of no use to me... Get lost, and don't bother me again!"

Emperor Yan Wen's words were like a sharp knife to Chong Wu Hou's heart. By now, the Emperor's malice towards him was completely unmasked.

But what bothered Chong Wu Hou was not his personal disgrace, but the Emperor's indifference towards the fate of the country.

Why? Why did Emperor Yan Wen remain so calm, as though nothing had happened, so at ease?

"Foolish Emperor! Yan Wen, you are a complete fool!" Chong Wu Hou could no longer suppress his rage. He shouted toward the imperial palace, "The empire of the Ji family, passed down for thousands of years, is about to be ruined under your hands!"

"When you go to the underworld, how will you face your ancestors!"

However, no matter how he cursed, there was no further response. The capital was silent, like a coffin.