Celestial Night Emperor

Chapter 12: Chapter 12: Yesterday’s Battlefield, Today’s Strong Liquor

Jiang Qianjun bowed his head and knelt on one knee, his left hand across his chest in salute!

It was the same salute he had given on the day they fought the Celestial Demons—the highest honor in the military!

And Qin Tianxuan was absolutely worthy of this life-and-death battlefield honor.

Because Qin Tianxuan had saved his life, pulling him from a pile of corpses.

That day, as sand and dust blotted out the sun, Jiang Qianjun, riddled with sixty-four wounds, was trapped by the six divisions of the Celestial Demons at Niu Shou Hill in the northern desert of Beimo.

He had already prepared to sacrifice his life for his country.

To die on the battlefield and be buried in a warrior’s shroud was the greatest end a soldier could hope for.

Yet, through the swirling dust, he saw a lone figure fighting his way toward them from miles away.

The six divisions of the Celestial Demons were annihilated in an instant.

Jiang Qianjun would never forget the sight of Qin Tianxuan walking out of the blood and gunpowder smoke.

That day, he sat with the Night Emperor on a pile of corpses, drinking fiery liquor and just talking.

”What’s your name?”

”This subordinate is Jiang Qianjun, a junior commander in the Skyless Battle Department!”

”Jiang Qianjun... Very good. Here’s to you. You’re a good soldier!”

A leather flask, potent white liquor... In that moment, tears streamed down Jiang Qianjun’s face.

The memories of the past flashed before his eyes.

Jiang Qianjun didn’t know if the Night Emperor still remembered the junior commander from that day, but he was too ashamed to lift his head.

But then...

Qin Tianxuan walked over to him.

In his hand was a familiar leather flask, filled with that same pungent liquor.

”Jiang Qianjun, raise your head!”

Choking back a sob, Jiang Qianjun grabbed the leather flask and shot to his feet, standing ramrod straight.

”To err is human. Admitting your mistakes and correcting them is what makes a man,” Qin Tianxuan said, patting his shoulder. ”As for that adopted son of yours, his crimes are unforgivable. I intend for him to die. You handle it.”

”Thank you, Sir!” Jiang Qianjun roared.

He turned, and with a sharp SHING, drew the military bayonet at his side.

It was the same blade he had carried on the battlefield.

Jiang Qianjun walked step by step toward his adopted son.

Young Master Jiang collapsed to his knees, trembling uncontrollably. He had already pissed his pants.

”Father, I... I was wrong!” Young Master Jiang wailed. ”I really didn’t know! I didn’t know who he was!”

He was still trying to make excuses. ”Dad! You don’t have any other sons! You’ll need me to take care of you when you’re old! I just made a little mistake. Please, talk to that Lord Qin for me. I’ll change, I swear! He even said it himself, about admitting your mistakes... something about being a real man...”

SWISH!

A flash of the blade, and a head tumbled to the ground.

Without a word, Jiang Qianjun wiped his blade clean and sheathed it.

Bending over the body of the bastard who hadn’t repented even at death’s door, Jiang Qianjun poured out some of the fiery liquor from his leather flask.

Tears dripped down, one by one.

”You damn bastard, your sins were unforgivable. In your next life... try to be a good man.”

With a wave of his hand, he ordered his men to place Young Master Jiang’s body in the large pit. He then bowed to Qin Tianxuan. ”He has paid for his crimes. Out of consideration for the years we spent together, I would like to hold a small memorial for him.”

Qin Tianxuan nodded solemnly. ”Go. This matter is never to be spoken of again.”

Peace returned to the orphanage once more.

Qin Tianxuan took out his phone. Niannian, back at the hotel, had been anxiously trying to video call him.

”Daddy, when are you coming back? I miss you.”

A warmth spread through Qin Tianxuan’s heart. ”Be a good girl, Niannian. Daddy still has a few things to do. When I get back, I’m going to take you somewhere to pay our respects to your mother.”

A pang of sorrow hit him as he said this.

Niannian’s eyes welled up. ”The mommy who gave birth to me?”

”Yes...” Qin Tianxuan nodded bitterly. He thought of his beloved wife’s mysterious death, a debt of vengeance still unpaid, yet here he was, bogged down by the insignificant Zhao Family.

Filled with anger, he offered a few more words of comfort to Niannian before hanging up and issuing a command: ”Find out everything about the Zhao Family’s dealings and clean it all up by sunset! I don’t have time to waste on them.”

Qin Tianxuan’s command was absolute. And at that very moment, the events unfolding in Jiangning were already sending shockwaves through Jinghua.

「In a top-secret location atop Divine Land Peak in the Imperial Capital.」

This peak stood guard over Jinghua and served as the headquarters for the Celestial Hall.

At this moment, the Elders of the Five Great Celestial Halls had suddenly gathered, canceling all other meetings and affairs.

They stood inside the grand hall on Divine Land Peak, looking at one another.

”We have to look into this matter concerning Tianxuan!”

”What in the world is happening over in Jiangning?”

”I’ve already notified the Battle Department. Their people should be arriving any moment!”

As they spoke, twelve men in full military dress, each bearing a Grand Marshal’s Sword, appeared from outside.

Behind each man stood an entire squad of elite guards.

The twelve Elders of the Da Xia Battle Department had arrived in an instant, converging from every corner of the nation.

Fighter jets had cleared their paths, and every military division had been placed on high alert for their journey.

After greeting the five Elders of the Great Celestial Halls, they asked anxiously, ”Is it really the Night Emperor Celestial Profound?”

Upon receiving confirmation, the twelve Elders grew even more frantic. ”At the victory banquet, the Emperor suddenly left without a word. And now, today, he’s in a thunderous rage, summoning the armies of the nine departments!”

”What on earth happened? What could make him so furious in Jiangning?”

The five Elders of the Great Celestial Halls frowned. ”The Night Emperor returned home to find his wife murdered and his daughter nearly dissected to have her organs sold!”

What?!

The twelve Elders were horrified.

They had followed Qin Tianxuan on campaigns in the outer realms; they knew better than anyone what this meant.

”Miss Shuanghua was the only light in Mr. Tianxuan’s life! Now she’s been murdered, and his daughter was nearly killed for her organs! Isn’t this going to turn the entire world upside down?”

An Elder from the Five Celestial Halls shook his head again. ”It’s not that simple. The primary suspects are the Qin Family—the head of all the great families in the Imperial Capital—and the Ye Family, the Divine Doctor Family!”

The hall fell silent.

One of the military Elders suddenly roared, ”I don’t care what family they are! The twelve of us revere the Night Emperor as our sovereign. We cannot stand by and do nothing!”

”That’s right! The battle in Beimo laid the foundation for generations of peace. Is there any need to even speak of his contributions?”

They were all deeply agitated.

The Elders of the Five Celestial Halls held up their hands. ”Let’s focus on Jiangning first. We are already preparing to go ourselves. Your identities are far too prominent, so we suggest you simply send a representative.”

The twelve military Elders exchanged a look, then bowed in unison and departed.

They left with a thunderous clamor. Twelve fighter jets roared into the sky, streaking away and leaving twelve sword-like white contrails in their wake.

Their destination: Jiangning!

The twelve Elders, the nine great Battle Departments!

The entire military might of Da Xia had all but converged on the small city of Jiangning.

The very heavens above Jiangning were about to shatter.

The Elders of the Five Celestial Halls could only smile wryly. ”Forget it. We’ll all go together. We just have to wonder who in Jiangning was so blind as to cross the Night Emperor. Do they have a death wish?”