We Agreed On Experiencing Life, So Why Did You Immortals Become Real?

Chapter 379: Is That Position Really So Important?

Huaishan Pass, Black Beast Forest.

Rather than calling it a forest, it would be better to say it was a sea of trees.

This sea of trees stretched for dozens of li and even contained terrain like valleys.

Legend had it that this sea of trees was the battlefield where human cultivators fought the ”Poison God” during the great war of ancient times.

After the Poison God died, the remaining spiritual energy contaminated this place, even changing the laws here, forming a natural no-fly formation. Any tangible existence could not fly.

Legend said that at the beginning, the miasma of the Black Beast Forest was so toxic that even Upper Three Realms cultivators couldnʼt pass through.

Although through the passage of time, the Black Beast Forestʼs miasma had become increasingly diluted, cultivators below the Dragon Gate realm still couldnʼt pass through, and the no-fly law remained constant, regardless of cultivation level.

Yan Liuyun led seven hundred thousand troops toward the Black Beast Forest.

After taking the pills, the Black Beast Forestʼs miasma had almost no harmful effect on Yan Liuyunʼs army.

Jin Kingdomʼs army advanced very smoothly, so smoothly that even Yan Liuyun felt it was a bit strange.
At the current pace of advancement, in less than three hours, they could traverse this vast sea-like Black Beast Forest.

”Could it be... that Iʼm overthinking, and there really isnʼt anything suspicious?” Yan Liuyun thought to himself.

”General, at our current estimate, in less than an hour weʼll pass through this Black Beast Forest sea.”

A deputy general stepped forward and said to Yan Liuyun.

”Mm.” Yan Liuyun nodded, ”Tell the brothers not to let down their guard. Scouts continue to monitor the surroundings.”

”Yes, General!” The deputy general nodded and immediately passed down the order.

The entire army continued forward. Although they encountered attacks from magical beasts unique to the Black Beast Forest, they were all handled cleanly.

Before long, Jin Kingdomʼs army crossed this most level area and walked toward the valley.

This valley was very large and could completely accommodate seven hundred thousand troops passing through.

As long as they passed through this valley, they could circle behind Huaishan City. Breaking through Huaishan City could be said to be just around the corner.

Most of the soldiers were secretly excited.

After all, once Huaishan City was broken, Qin Kingdom would be half defeated.

If they truly could storm into Qin Kingdomʼs capital, that would absolutely be unprecedented merit!

”General, this terrain... might not be favorable,” A deputy general named Yan Li came to Yan Liuyunʼs side again, ”Military strategists often say that marching through valleys is a great taboo. If we encounter an ambush... our armyʼs losses will be immeasurable.”

Compared to others, as Yan Liuyunʼs nephew, Yan Li maintained more vigilance and composure.

”Youʼre not wrong, but Yan Li, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Things have come to this point. Weʼre already here, how can we speak of retreat? If we seek stability in everything, thereʼs no point in fighting this battle.” Yan Liuyun still waved his large hand, ”All troops accelerate forward!”

”Yes, General...”

Although Yan Liʼs heart still felt uneasy, since his general had already said so, he could only comply.

Soon, Jin Kingdomʼs army entered this valley.

The sounds of hoofbeats, clashing armor, and wheels all echoed continuously in the valley.

In fact, if not for the two high mountains on either side, they wouldnʼt even feel they were walking in a valley and just when Jin Kingdomʼs army reached halfway, a Jin Kingdom soldier sensed something and looked up, seeing something gleaming coldly getting closer and closer.

When he saw it clearly, his heart suddenly startled.

This was an arrow carved with an explosive formation!

”Enemy attack!!!”

This Jin Kingdom soldier shouted loudly.

”Boom!”

Before his words had even finished falling, the arrow had landed on the ground, producing a huge explosion.

Immediately after, tens of thousands of arrows rained down like a torrential downpour upon Jin Kingdomʼs army.

Explosion after explosion rang out, like firecrackers during Spring Festival, continuous and unending.

Except these explosions were several times louder than firecrackers and mixed with the blood and flesh of Jin Kingdomʼs army.

Before long, waves of boulders rolled down from the mountaintop.

These boulders had all been modified by Mohist cultivators. The moment the boulders crashed down or were intercepted, they would completely shatter, and the flying swords hidden inside would shoot out in all directions, each sword coated with deadly poison.

”All troops break through to the rear!”

At this moment, how could Yan Liuyun not know that he had fallen into Qin Kingdom armyʼs trap?

But it was already too late.

”Kill!”

At the front of the valley, the First Prince Qin Jingsu and several Qin Kingdom generals led Qin Kingdomʼs army charging at Jinʼs army.

Behind the valley, Qin Kingdomʼs army cut off the retreat.

”Qin Jingyuan!!! I will kill you!!!”

Yan Liuyun was extremely furious, wishing he could tear Qin Jingyuan into pieces right now but right now, he had to command the army to break through the encirclement.

Fortunately, because Qin Kingdomʼs army needed to remain hidden, not too many troops could be deployed at the valleyʼs rear, so the encirclement was relatively weak.

Half an hour later, Yan Liuyun led his army out of the valley and returned along the original route but after the ambush just now, of the original seven hundred thousand Jin Kingdom army, less than five hundred thousand remained. Their vitality was severely damaged!

However, Yan Liuyun felt he hadnʼt lost yet!

As long as he could charge back and regroup, even if he couldnʼt attack Huai Pass, he could still hold Jin Province and Lu Province!

But the premise was that Yan Liuyun could actually survive and get out.

Outside the Black Beast Forest, Qin Jingyuan looked at the sky, his hand involuntarily touching the long sword at his waist.

”If nothing unexpected happened, the general should have already passed through the Black Beast Forest. Heʼs probably attacking Huaishan City now.” The Jin Kingdom general left to monitor Qin Jingyuan said with a cold laugh, ”Once Huaishan City is broken, Qin Kingdomʼs capital will be right before us. Iʼve long heard of Third Princess Qin Siyaoʼs beauty. Iʼm really looking forward to it.”

Speaking of this, this Jin Kingdom general licked his tongue, looking at Qin Jingyuan with contemptuous and disgusting eyes but Qin Jingyuan didnʼt acknowledge him at all and said to himself, ”The time has come.”

”What time?” The Jin Kingdom general asked puzzled.

”The time for you to die.”

Just as Qin Jingyuanʼs words fell, a sword light flashed before this Jin Kingdom generalʼs face.

His pupils gradually dilated. Finally feeling the world spinning, his head fell to the ground.

”Qin Jingyuan, what are you doing!” A deputy general named Wang You shouted loudly, his mind momentarily blank. All this had happened too fast!

”Kill Jinʼs army!”

Qin Jingyuanʼs voice carried by spiritual energy spread throughout the army.

Qin Jingyuanʼs one hundred fifty thousand troops were initially somewhat confused, but soon, when companions beside them struck at Jin Kingdom soldiers, they immediately reacted.

The contempt and insults Qin Kingdom soldiers had endured these days all erupted in this instant. Each soldier killed toward Jin Kingdomʼs army like wolves and tigers.

Instantly, both armies were locked in slaughter!

”Your Highness! Yan Liuyun and others are charging back along the original route. The vanguard is only ten li away from us!” Before long, a Dragon Gate realm scout came to report.

After hearing this, Qin Jingyuan pondered briefly, then raised his head, his spiritual energy spreading throughout the army, ”Those who donʼt fear death, follow me to kill toward the Black Beast Forest!”

Hearing the princeʼs command, more and more soldiers broke away from the Jin Kingdom troops around them, fighting and retreating as they charged into the Black Beast Forest!

Although Qin Jingyuanʼs one hundred fifty thousand troops didnʼt have antidote pills, once they entered the Black Beast Forest, they would die from poison within half an hour but they simply didnʼt care and what Qin Jingyuan wanted to do was to make the Black Beast Forest the burial ground for Yan Liuyunʼs army at any cost!

”Charge in! Kill them! Charge in!”

At the front of the Black Beast Forest, a Jin Kingdom general kept shouting, but no one dared to charge into the Black Beast Forest like Qin Kingdomʼs army because they knew that without taking antidote pills, they would die!

”I told you to charge! Didnʼt you hear?”

Wang You led troops pursuing Qin Jingyuan, but the army stopped before the Black Beast Forest. No one dared advance even slightly.

On the other side, just as Yan Liuyun was leading his army charging back.

He saw Qin Jingyuan leading tens of thousands of cavalry, followed by tens of thousands more troops, charging at him!

”Qin Jingyuan! You beast! Give me your life!” Yan Liuyun was extremely furious, wielding his great halberd as he charged on horseback!

”Come and take it if you can!”

Qin Jingyuan showed no fear, thrusting his spear forward.

Both armies engaged in battle.

Tens of thousands of Qin Kingdom soldiers caught up to Jin Kingdomʼs army. The rear of the military formation also crossed swords.

However, precisely because of being attacked from both sides, escaping the Black Beast Forest became the only way to survive, so Jin Kingdomʼs army erupted with an intense desire to live. All the attacking pressure fell on Qin Jingyuan but the army Qin Jingyuan led was like a wall, viewing death as returning home, blocking Jin Kingdomʼs army.

”Qin Jingyuan, if you retreat now, you can still keep your life. If you continue here, just wait to die here with me!” After exchanging dozens of rounds with Qin Jingyuan, Yan Liuyun said coldly.

The corners of Qin Jingyuanʼs mouth curved up as he smiled, ”Dying here would be quite good.”

”Do you truly not want your life?” Sharp light gleamed in Yan Liuyunʼs eyes.

Qin Jingyuan didnʼt answer, but his spear had already responded for him.

Cold light pierced toward Yan Liuyunʼs brow. Both sides clashed again, fighting with their lives.

Qin Jingyuan was at early Golden Core realm, Yan Liuyun at middle Golden Core realm.

Although Qin Jingyuanʼs realm quality wasnʼt low and he had many magical treasures, Yan Liuyun was also no ordinary person.

With a difference of one minor realm, Qin Jingyuan fell into disadvantage.

Moreover, under the fierce charge of the opposing tens of thousands of troops, the one hundred fifty thousand army Qin Jingyuan led could already barely hold on. It seemed collapse was only a matter of the next moment.

”Go die!”

Finding an opportunity, Yan Liuyun took out a scroll and placed a drop of his essence blood on it.

Yan Liuyun sacrificed his life-bound magical treasure, the Four Symbols Illusion Diagram.

The moment the scroll opened, the Four Symbols Illusion Diagram peeled away from the paper and enveloped Qin Jingyuan.

Yan Liuyun formed hand seals. Enormous suction pulled Qin Jingyuan into the scroll.

”Damn it! Actually wasting fifty years of my lifespan! Just turn into pus and blood inside the formation diagram!”

Yan Liuyun coughed and put away the formation diagram, continuing to kill forward.

Inside the formation diagram, Qin Jingyuan floated in a void.

He closed his eyes, falling into slumber, while the surrounding void was gradually devouring his body bit by bit.

A moment later, Qin Jingyuanʼs brows furrowed then slowly relaxed, as if dreaming of something...

”Itʼs born, itʼs born! Your Majesty, the Empress has given birth. Itʼs a little princess.”

A palace maid ran out from the room, happily shouting.

”Good, good, good!” The Qin Kingdom’s ruler said ”good” three times and hurried into the bedchamber.

”Brother, letʼs go see little sister too.” Qin Jingyuanʼs wrist was grabbed by his brother three years older, joyfully pulling him into their motherʼs bedchamber.

Qin Jingyuan looked at the infant ”waa waa” crying in the swaddling clothes and couldnʼt help reaching out his finger to gently poke the babyʼs cheek.

The little infant grabbed her brotherʼs index finger and cried even louder.

”This is your little sister.” Empress Shi smiled as she looked at her two sons and newborn daughter, ”From now on, you two as older brothers must protect your sister well. Do you understand?”

”Mm, we understand, Mother.” Qin Jingsu and Qin Jingyuan said in unison, ”We will definitely protect our little sister well, no matter what happens!”

”Second brother, go go!”

”Big brother, get up quickly!”

”Donʼt be afraid, second brother, hurry up~”

The barely three-year-old little girl wearing a small dress sat on a stone watching her big brother and second brother compete in spear techniques.

Qin Jingyuan tried hard to defeat his big brother but after seventy rounds, the spear in Qin Jingsuʼs hand flicked and deflected, sending Qin Jingyuanʼs spear flying to stick in the ground.

”I lost.” Qin Jingyuan sighed, his eyes full of unwillingness, ”But next time I will definitely defeat big brother!”

Qin Jingsu stepped forward and rubbed his brotherʼs head, ”Big brother also believes you will defeat big brother in the future and actually, Jingyuan, youʼre actually more capable than big brother.

Big brother is just three years older than you, just learned martial arts three years longer than you.

If I were the same age as you, I really couldnʼt beat you.”

”Losing is losing. Qin Kingdom men donʼt make excuses.” Qin Jingyuan brushed away his brotherʼs hand.

”Thatʼs right, thatʼs right. Second brother lost. Quickly, Siyao wants to ride horsey.” The three-year-old little girl walked forward happily on short legs, pulling at her second brotherʼs pants, ”The one who loses has to let Siyao ride horsey~”

Qin Jingyuanʼs expression was awkward, but in the end, he still hoisted his three-year-old sister onto his shoulders.

”Giddyup giddyup Riding horsey Giddyup~”

Qin Siyao happily hugged her second brotherʼs head.

Qin Jingsu followed alongside, worried his sister would fall.

Even Qin Jingyuan, who was being used as a ”horse,” also showed a smile, as if the three siblings could continue being this happy forever.

”This son greets Father Emperor!”

When Qin Jingyuan was sixteen, Qin Jingsu nineteen, both were summoned by the Qin Kingdom’s ruler to the imperial study.

”Mm.”

The Qin Kingdom’s ruler nodded, looking at his two sons.

”Since our Qin Kingdomʼs founding, princes have not been pampered wastrels. Jingyuan, youʼre not young anymore. From today on, you two can form your own teams. I will also assign some state affairs to you to handle, to see what your abilities are like.”

The Qin Kingdom’s ruler pointed at his second son and smiled, ”Jingyuan, donʼt you usually most like competing with your big brother? Let me see if you can defeat your big brother.”

”Big brother, do you want to become emperor?”

One day, after practicing swords with his big brother, Qin Jingyuan lay together with him on the grass looking at the sky.

The now eleven-year-old Qin Siyao was happily running around not far away.

Qin Jingsu glanced at his sister chasing butterflies in the distance, then looked at his brother beside him. After thinking, he nodded, ”I do.”

”I see...” Qin Jingyuan responded thoughtfully.

”What about you, second brother?” Qin Jingsu asked Qin Jingyuan.

”I... I want to too!” Qin Jingyuan sat up and said seriously to his big brother, ”I wonʼt lose to big brother!”

”Hahaha, thatʼs good.” Qin Jingsu laughed and rubbed his brotherʼs head, ”Then Jingyuan must work hard.”

”I will work hard.” Qin Jingyuan sat to the side, ”But big brother, stop patting my head. Iʼve grown up!”

”Grown up?” Qin Jingsu was stunned, then looking at his brother who was almost as tall as himself, smiled and nodded, ”Indeed, Jingyuan has grown up.”

On this day, both brothers wanted to become emperor.

The older brother wanted to become emperor because being emperor was too tiring, the burden on oneʼs shoulders too heavy. He didnʼt want his younger brother to be so tired.

The younger brother wanted to become emperor because his older brother wanted to be emperor. He just wanted to surpass his older brother, to prove himself to his older brother but at some unknown point, the younger brother discovered more and more people came to follow him, to curry favor with him.

Gradually, these people were called the ”Second Prince Faction.”

Gradually, Qin Jingyuan discovered he couldnʼt stop on this path. The moment he opened his eyes, he faced the expectations of those ministers. They only wanted him to sit in that position. When that time came, they would have the merit of supporting the dragon.

Gradually, Qin Jingyuan had slowly forgotten what he wanted that position for in the first place but Qin Jingyuan discovered he still seemed unable to match his big brother.

Big brother was better at handling political affairs than him, more experienced in dealing with people.

More and more people followed big brother.

And although he refused to admit defeat, he was powerless, even starting to become somewhat obsessed. He even wanted to use his sisterʼs relationship with Xiao Mo to recruit this disciple of the Gun Immortal with potential as his subordinate.

”In second brotherʼs heart, is that position really so important?”

On the day Qin Jingyuan invited Xiao Mo to a banquet, his big brother who came uninvited said this sentence when leaving.

”Yes...” Qin Jingyuan kept drinking wine, ”Is that position really so important?”

As days passed one by one.

Although whether in court or among the people, most thought the First Prince and Second Prince were still competing but Qin Jingyuan knew that Father Emperor increasingly valued big brother, entrusting more important affairs to him.

He had actually already lost.

Gradually accepting reality, Qin Jingyuan discovered that since childhood, he seemed to have never defeated big brother.

Big brotherʼs martial talent was higher than his. He just deliberately held back when sparring, letting him win a few matches.

Even in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, big brother surpassed him considerably.

Later, even though his cultivation realm was higher than big brotherʼs, it was completely because big brother worried about political affairs and didnʼt have as much time to cultivate.

As usual, in this struggle for the throne, he had lost again.

It seemed he would lose for his entire life.

Until one day, a scholar from Jin Kingdom came to his residence.

”Is the Second Prince truly willing to hand over that position to another?”

”If the Second Prince is willing, our Jin Kingdom can help the Second Prince sit in that position!”

That scholar said this to Qin Jingyuan.

In the end, Qin Jingyuan agreed to the deal with Jin Kingdom because he wanted to win.

”Youʼre saying? Jin Kingdom came to find you, wanting to use marriage as a pretext to make me lower my guard, then make a deal where you manage two border provinces, and Jin Kingdom will give half of Yue Kingdomʼs territory as Jin Kingdomʼs Eldest Princessʼs dowry?”

In the imperial study, hearing his sonʼs words, the Qin Kingdom’s rulerʼs brows furrowed. He seemed not to have expected Jin Kingdom would actually dare pull such a stunt.

”Yes.” Qin Jingyuan nodded.

”Such audacity!” The Qin Kingdom’s rulerʼs palm struck heavily on the table as he said angrily, ”That Ji Kuang bastard, his schemes have reached my son!”

”Father Emperor, this matter is actually a very good opportunity.” Qin Jingyuan gave his view.

”Oh? How so?” The Qin Kingdom’s ruler looked at his second son.

”If Your Majesty trusts this son, this son has a method that can severely damage Jin Kingdomʼs vitality, even swallow Jin Kingdomʼs territory in one stroke! Achieve our Qin Kingdomʼs hegemony!”

Qin Jingyuan looked directly into his fatherʼs eyes.

”But regarding this matter, I hope Father Emperor wonʼt tell Mother Empress and Third Sister. As for Big Brother, please also only inform him when this son is about to act.”

The Qin Kingdom’s ruler looked seriously at his son, ”First tell me...”

”Previously this son saved a medical cultivator. This is the pill formula he presented to this son. It can counteract the poison of Huaishan Cityʼs Black Beast Forest. This sonʼs plan is...”

In the Four Symbols Illusion Diagram, Qin Jingyuan slowly opened his eyes.

The corners of his mouth curved up slightly. His eyes held no fear or tension of impending death whatsoever.

From his bosom, Qin Jingyuan calmly and unhurriedly took out a golden talisman paper.

This talisman was a secret treasure of Qin Kingdomʼs imperial family. It required essence blood from Qin Kingdomʼs imperial clan to activate it.

As for the price, depending on the degree of activation, at minimum oneʼs lifespan would be damaged, at most death itself.

Whenever Qin Kingdomʼs imperial clan went out, they would carry one. It was both a trump card and a means of honorable death to avoid disgracing the imperial face.

Qin Jingyuan continuously extracted essence blood from between his brows, tracing the runes on the golden talisman paper.

How many runes traced, how much of the talisman activated.

As the last drop of essence blood traced the final stroke of the rune.

The golden talisman paper completely ignited.

In the Black Beast Forest, Yan Liuyun, about to break through the encirclement, felt intense heat from his bosom.

”Not good!”

Yan Liuyun discovered it was the Four Symbols Illusion Diagram scroll acting strangely. He hurriedly took it out and without thinking threw it into the distance but the moment the Four Symbols Illusion Diagram left his hand, it instantly turned to ash.

”Roar!”

An enormous fire dragon broke free from the Four Symbols Illusion Diagram and pounced toward Yan Liuyun.

Yan Liuyun didnʼt even have time to scream before turning to ash along with his warhorse.

…

”Crown Prince, look!”

Huaishan Cityʼs lord pointed to the sky.

The First Prince raised his head, looking at that three-hundred-zhang-long dragon formed of flames soaring in the sky.

Qin Jingsu gripped his reins tightly. His face was deathly pale, without the slightest trace of blood.

”Roar!”

The giant dragon shot up into the sky, then plunged straight down, blocking the path before Jin Kingdomʼs ten thousand troops!