The Great Yan Kingdom, the royal capital Luocheng.
Compared to the royal capital of the Tianlun Kingdom, Luocheng was twice as large and far more prosperous than the Tianlun royal capital. The Great Yan Kingdom was considered a strong nation on the entire Baiyu Continent, and not only was its national strength formidable, but it also had significantly more top-tier experts than the Tianlun Kingdom.
Of the top ten powerhouses ranked on the entire Baiyu Continent, the Great Yan Kingdom had a full three!
The ninth-ranked Cangying Dao Mo Ke, the seventh-ranked Long Quan Ji Yan, and the third-ranked Grand Eunuch, Huang Kui.
With these three powerful individuals guarding the Great Yan Kingdom, coupled with its powerful army, the Great Yan Kingdom was qualified to contend for the title of the strongest nation in the world!
If it weren't for the desert separating the Tianlun Kingdom and the Great Yan Kingdom, and the immense cost of marching large armies through the desert far exceeding the benefits of annexing the Tianlun Kingdom, the Tianlun Kingdom would likely have become a prefecture of the Great Yan Kingdom long ago.
Even so, the Tianlun Kingdom paid tribute to the Great Yan Kingdom annually for peace.
After all, the Great Yan Kingdom could flatten the border cities of the Tianlun Kingdom with just a swift cavalry force.
Even when Ji Ying, the daughter of the Ji family, who was Baima's mother, married the Emperor of Tianlun, members of the Ji family said that Ji Ying was marrying down, and it was a disgrace to the Ji family.
It was precisely because of this that after Ji Ying was assassinated in the Tianlun Kingdom, the Ji family paid no attention to it.
At that time, if Baima had absolutely nowhere else to go, she would not have sought the Ji family's protection.
Baima, led by Ye Ling, arrived in Luocheng. Seeing the bustling streets around them, she couldn't help but sigh, "Although this isn't my first time in Luocheng, no matter how many times I come, the prosperity of this city always makes me marvel."
"If only the Tianlun Kingdom could develop like this."
Seeing Baima's envious expression, Ye Ling chuckled and said, "Your Tianlun Kingdom is rich in resources, and it has the Tamanan Desert as a natural barrier with the Great Yan Kingdom. Moreover, with the unprecedented stability of the Tianlun Kingdom now, as long as your abilities are sufficient and you develop steadily, it's not difficult for the Tianlun Kingdom to develop into what the Great Yan Kingdom is."
"Then Baima will first borrow your auspicious words, benefactor. I will definitely work hard." Baima snapped back to reality and smiled at Ye Ling, "Benefactor, please follow me. I'll take you to the Ji mansion to see my grandmother."
"Alright."
Ye Ling nodded in agreement and followed Baima towards the Ji mansion.
Soon, the two arrived in front of an incredibly magnificent mansion.
At the entrance of the Ji mansion stood two giant stone lions, both emanating a faint glow, as if possessing some powerful force within them.
In addition to the stone lions, two guards armed with spears stood at the entrance, their auras not weak, and they could be considered top-tier experts on the Baiyu Continent.
"As expected of a prominent family in the Great Yan Kingdom. Even the gatekeepers are so strong," Ye Ling exclaimed, seeing the two spear-wielding guards at the entrance.
Although these people might not even be as good as the杂役 (za yi - handyman) of the Dao Sect in the Primordial Upper Realm, on the Baiyu Continent, they were considered masters and could make a great name for themselves in the martial world.
And these top experts were now guarding the gate of the Ji mansion... From this alone, one could see the extraordinary status of the Ji family in the Great Yan Kingdom.
Baima said, "Because the Ji family has inherited the position of Marshal of the Great Yan Kingdom for generations and controls the military power of the Great Yan Kingdom, the Ji family holds a pivotal position in the Great Yan Kingdom. Even the Emperor of Great Yan is wary of the Ji family."
Ye Ling chuckled, "Hearing you say that, it's amazing the Ji family has survived to this day. This Emperor of Great Yan isn't as formidable as imagined..."
Baima smiled, then continued, "My maternal grandfather, Ji Yan, is a close friend of the Emperor of Great Yan. It is also because of their friendship that the Ji family has been able to flourish in the Great Yan Kingdom... However, if my maternal grandfather were to pass away one day, perhaps the Ji family's days would not be so easy."
Baima was now also the Emperor of the Tianlun Kingdom, and naturally understood the art of ruling by emperors.
No emperor would stand by and watch a family holding the nation's military power grow stronger and stronger.
Hearing Baima's words, Ye Ling also smiled noncommittally.
Then, Ye Ling asked again, "By the way, Baima, what's your relationship with the Ji family? Are we going in openly, or using some tricks?"
Baima replied, "My relationship with others is not very good... But my grandmother dotes on me. It's not difficult for us to see her."
"Yo? Isn't this my cousin Baima?"
At this moment, an annoying voice drifted from afar. Ye Ling looked in the direction of the sound and saw a noble young master dressed in luxurious clothes dismounting from his sedan chair, greeting Baima.
Seeing the man, Baima's brows furrowed slightly, and she instinctively retreated behind Ye Ling.
"Who is he?" Ye Ling glanced at the man and asked Baima.
Baima whispered, "He is the son of my maternal uncle, Ji Ye. He's been bothering me since childhood... I've never liked interacting with him."
"Now that he sees me, he'll definitely pester me again."
As Baima finished speaking, Ji Ye, surrounded by a group of servants, arrogantly walked up to Baima and said, "Didn't I hear that you recently became the Empress of the Tianlun Kingdom? Why do you have time to come to the Great Yan Kingdom?"
Baima didn't have a good expression towards Ji Ye and said indifferently, "I just came to see my grandmother."
"Grandma is in very good health, she doesn't need you to see her."
Ji Ye sneered. He thought he had seen through Baima's intentions and said coldly, "I think your visit to see Grandma is fake, and you actually want Grandma to plead with His Majesty to withdraw our troops from the Tianlun Kingdom, right?"
"But I advise you to give up on that. Not long ago, His Majesty issued a decree to send troops to destroy your Tianlun Kingdom, and the marshal leading the army is my father."
"At this time, even if Grandma were to intervene, our Ji family would not retreat. Therefore, as your cousin, I will advise you here to give up your resistance and obediently open your city gates and surrender."
"You also have half of my Ji family's bloodline. When you return, our Ji family won't lack a pair of chopsticks for you."
"The Emperor of Great Yan wants to destroy the Tianlun Kingdom?" Hearing Ji Ye's words, Baima's expression changed drastically, "Why?"
The Tianlun Kingdom and the Great Yan Kingdom were separated by a large desert. If the Great Yan Kingdom really intended to send troops to destroy the Tianlun Kingdom, the benefits gained from annexing the Tianlun Kingdom would likely not be enough to compensate for the national strength consumed by the Great Yan Kingdom itself.
Attacking the Tianlun Kingdom was completely a losing proposition for the Great Yan Kingdom!
Baima had thought that the Great Yan Kingdom massing troops on the border was merely to exert pressure on the Tianlun Kingdom and force them to pay more tribute...
But what Ji Ye said now completely exceeded her expectations.
She couldn't understand the Emperor of Great Yan's purpose in doing this?
"How would we, as subjects, know the Emperor's plans?"
Ji Ye spread his hands, gave Baima a playful smile, and then said, "However, Baima, with war imminent between our two countries, it's ultimately inappropriate for you, as the Empress of the enemy country, to come to the Ji family, who is responsible for leading the troops, at this time. You should go back first."
"Lest His Majesty misunderstand and blame our Ji family."
"No! I must see my grandmother!" Baima was anxious at this moment and wanted to enter the Ji mansion, but was blocked by Ji Ye.
Ji Ye's expression turned grim, and he said to Baima, "I told you to go back to the Tianlun Kingdom. Don't you understand human language?"
"Kid, watch your mouth. She's your cousin, after all," Ye Ling said from the side, advising Ji Ye.
Ji Ye looked at Ye Ling with impatience and cursed, "Where does it concern a servant like you to interrupt the conversation between our masters?"
As soon as Ji Ye said this, Baima's entire face turned green, and she froze on the spot.
It's over...
*Bang!!!*
Just as this thought flashed through Baima's mind, Ji Ye in front of her flew out like a cannonball, smashing through the gate of the Ji mansion and collapsing a building inside.
The Ji mansion fell into chaos.
Baima stared blankly at the large hole in the gate of the Ji mansion, her mind a complete blank.
Ye Ling slowly walked to Baima's side, looked at the chaotic Ji mansion ahead, and said to Baima, "To be honest, I was giving you face and holding back."
"Otherwise, the Ji mansion would have been razed to the ground by me."
Baima pursed her lips, looked at the expressionless Ye Ling, and asked tremblingly, "B-benefactor... Next... what do we do..."
Baima wasn't stupid. With the situation having developed to this point, there was no turning back.
Even though Ye Ling had shown restraint, the Ji family would definitely not let the matter of Ji Ye being kicked away go unpunished.
Moreover, given the disposition of the Ji family's descendants, they didn't even take the Tianlun Kingdom seriously and were unlikely to acknowledge Ye Ling's strength.
In that case, the conflict between the Ji family and Ye Ling would only escalate, leading to the inevitable outcome of the Ji family being wiped out by Ye Ling!
Although Baima didn't have a good impression of most members of the Ji family, and the destruction of the Ji family now was good for the Tianlun Kingdom, the thought that the grand Ji family would be destroyed simply because of Ji Ye's momentary slip of the tongue made her feel it was not worth it for the Ji family.
After all, there was a grandmother in the Ji family who doted on her.
However, Baima knew she had no right to express her opinion on this matter. She could only stand silently beside Ye Ling and watch the situation unfold.
Ye Ling noticed Baima's predicament and smiled, then said to her, "Don't worry, as long as the majority of the Ji family has the sense to know better, not many people will die today. However, today... we probably won't be able to see your grandmother peacefully."
"By the way, what's your grandmother's name?"
Baima came back to her senses and instinctively replied, "Yan Feiying..."
"I understand."
Ye Ling nodded, then looked at the large number of guards rushing out of the Ji mansion ahead and shouted, "Yan Feiying, come out and meet me!"
As Ye Ling's voice echoed, it was like thunder, stirring up a storm within the Ji mansion.
Ji Ye crawled out of the ruins, his face contorted as he looked at Ye Ling outside the Ji mansion and roared, "Where are the Ji mansion's soldiers? Kill that madman for me!"