Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)
chapter-4018

The Violet Thunderclap Empire was vast, with a long history. In terms of territory, it was actually even larger than the Vermilion Bird Empire.

Moreover, the Violet Thunderclap Empire was the strongest of the empires around. Although they often had conflicts with the Vermilion Bird Empire, they didn’t actually border each other. Thus, the Violet Thunderclap Empire chose to join forces with the empires surrounding the Vermilion Bird Empire to put pressure on them.

Regardless of whether they employed brute force or cunning tactics, guided by the Violet Thunderclap Empire, the eight empires relentlessly created obstacles for the Vermilion Bird Empire.

As for the root of the Violet Thunderclap Empire’s enmity with the Vermilion Bird Empire, it was a secret. It seemed to relate to some ancient secret, and outsiders didn’t know.

In any case, the Violet Thunderclap Empire and the Vermilion Bird Empire had fought for countless years without any true large-scale wars erupting between them.

Thus, no one knew why the Violet Thunderclap Empire’s pressure on the Vermilion Bird Empire would suddenly grow increasingly violent over the past few years. As a result, they gradually reached the point of no return.

As the Violet Thunderclap Empire continuously grew, their pressure grew as well. To make things worse, the surrounding empires that could be said to have somewhat friendly relationships with the Vermilion Bird Empire all became allied with the Violet Thunderclap Empire. Even the Heavenly Ruler Seal Empire, which had been saved from crisis several times by the Vermilion Bird Empire, joined the dark side.

The most satirical part of it was that Yu Xiaoyun’s ancestor had once saved the Heavenly Ruler Seal Empire from the Violet Thunderclap Empire. The ninety-seventh generation monarch of the Violet Thunderclap Empire had tried to devour the Heavenly Ruler Seal Empire, only to be stopped by the Vermilion Bird Empire.

However, now, the Heavenly Ruler Seal Empire seemed to have forgotten history and the aid that the Vermilion Bird Empire had given them. They were now the Violet Thunderclap Empire’s subordinates, their most loyal dogs that bit at the Vermilion Bird Empire’s legs.

When Long Chen and the others snuck their way into the Violet Thunderclap Empire, they found that its cities were more numerous and flourishing than the Vermilion Bird Empire’s.

Furthermore, every city emitted divine radiance mixed with thunderforce to form a powerful defense. They were on a tight lockdown.

“What’s going on? Do they know that we’re here? Why are they prepared for us?” exclaimed Zhu Yifeng.

Even they didn’t dare to think that Long Chen would bring them here, so it was inconceivable that their enemies would be prepared for such a thing.

“Impossible. They would never think that we’d sneak attack them. According to what they know, the Vermilion Bird Empire has used up all their power just by defending, and those forces are tied down. There is no force capable of sneak attacking them. Also, the Vermilion Bird Empire wouldn’t take the risk of attacking in their critical state, especially when the attackers would have to pass through two barriers to reach this place. They are not prepared for us,” said Long Chen.

“But look at them…”

Zhu Yifeng and the others stared at the cities that had rampant thunderforce around them. They could not think of any other reason for this.

“Ignore it. We’re still going forward, so maintain your peak condition. Be ready for battle at any moment,” said Long Chen.

The flying boat continued to fly forward slowly, and they saw countless cities covered in thunderforce. However, they gradually came to realize that the people inside the cities looked very relaxed. They didn’t seem to be wary of an attack.

They also noticed that there seemed to be some kind of specific sequence to the cities. They vaguely sensed some kind of energy flowing beneath the ground.

Those energy fluctuations were small, but they gradually grew as they went deeper into the empire. It was like tiny streams were gathering into a powerful current underground.

After all, Long Chen and the others were moving toward the capital of the Violet Thunderclap Empire. That was precisely where this energy was flowing to.

“Could it be that they’re preparing some big move?” wondered Yu Qingxuan.

“That is the most likely case. But we’ll only know what it is once we see it,” said Long Chen.

Long Chen hadn’t expected to inadvertently find such a thing. The only reason that he had chosen the Violet Thunderclap Empire was because Lei Linger possessed two of the Violet Thunderclap Empire’s priceless treasures. With their help, it would be easy to pass through their barriers. Furthermore, with the two of them as probing tools, it would be even easier to get around.

Fortunately, Lei Linger had already nourished both of them with her core energy. Both of them were completely loyal to Lei Linger now.

Long Chen then had Lei Linger summon the two of them and try to communicate with them. He wanted to know more secrets of the Violet Thunderclap Empire.

They told her that the Violet Thunderclap Empire had four national treasures, with the Wild Blade and the lightning tower being two of them.

The others were a bell and a sword, and these four divine weapons were like four keys that could open the seal beneath the Violet Thunderclap Empire.

What lay beneath the seal was a slumbering immemorial lightning beast. The Violet Thunderclap Empire seemed to be attempting to awaken that slumbering beast, but due to lacking two of their national treasures, they needed to borrow other power. Hence, they were using the power of the entire empire to forcibly awaken that beast even without two of the necessary keys.

“Immemorial lightning beast? Is it to counter the Vermilion Bird Empire’s immemorial Vermilion Bird?” Long Chen’s heart shook. He instantly thought of that woman in the Vermilion Bird space.

If that was the case, then this lightning beast had to be an astonishing existence. It had to at least be on the same level as that woman.

Long Chen had sensed that woman’s terrifying pressure, so he knew that she was a legendary existence. In front of her, three-flower Earth Venerates were nothing.

“Then we’ll have to be a bit more careful. No, no. Lei Linger, can we consume this piece of meat?” asked Long Chen.

“I don’t know. But I want those other two divine weapons. With their assistance, we should have a chance,” said Lei Linger.

“Hahaha, good, then let’s go big!” Long Chen laughed excitedly. If Lei Linger could subdue that lightning beast, this war really would be interesting.

The imperial city was covered by a giant lightning whirlpool, which also protected this entire region.

At the center was a pillar of lightning that poured into the vortex, injecting endless power into it. The whirlpool was continuously growing.

“Big brother Long Chen, wait a moment!”

Lei Linger suddenly cried out, so Long Chen hastily stopped the flying boat. After that, Lei Linger formed hand seals, summoning a saber and a lightning tower in her palms.

With a light wave, the Wild Blade and lightning tower vanished. An incense stick’s worth of time later, four figures appeared on Lei Linger’s palms. They were a saber, a sword, a bell, and a tower.

“Success!”

Lei Linger cried out excitedly. She had had the Wild Blade and lightning tower communicate with the other two divine weapons. Unexpectedly, they had succeeded so quickly; it was practically effortless.

Just then, the lightning whirlpool quivered and Long Chen’s flying boat instantly vanished, appearing above the nine heavens.

Following that, the flying boat slowly descended through the whirlpool at the center, going against the flow. Lightning then wrapped around the flying boat, concealing it within the current.

This current was overseen by those two divine weapons. Now that they were also Lei Linger’s loyal followers, with four divine weapons working together, they easily entered the core of the imperial palace.

When the flying boat was close to the ground, Long Chen’s heart shook. He saw a person seated in the air.

“Weng Taibei!”

Long Chen was startled. He hadn’t expected Weng Taibei to be personally standing guard over this place.

When Long Chen saw Weng Taibei, Weng Taibei’s eyes flew open, his gaze as sharp as a sword. He then looked in Long Chen’s direction.

“Not good! We’ve been noticed!”