Chapter 147: The Royal Capital Legion

Upon learning the news that Prime Minister Turtle had been suppressed through the ancient city stele, Lin Qiu's expression instantly darkened, and a heavy, intense murderous intent flashed across the depths of his eyes.

Although he and Prime Minister Turtle did not interact much on ordinary days, and their relationship was not particularly close, Lin Qiu still held a deep sense of respect for him in his heart.

After all, regardless of anything else, Prime Minister Turtle was a veteran who had experienced the era of the previous Lord of the Other-Shore Royal City. Now, the lords of the twenty-eight ancient cities had suppressed him, which was undoubtedly a direct slap to the face of the Other-Shore Royal City.

As the current Lord of the Other-Shore Royal City, how could Lin Qiu possibly swallow this insult?

He muttered to himself, "I originally didn't want to deploy the Other-Shore Royal City legion against you people so early, but since you are courting death now, you have no one to blame but yourselves!"

After Lin Qiu's cultivation realm had improved, his utilization of the ancient city stele had also reached a new level.

Hidden deep within the ancient city stele of the Other-Shore Royal City slumbered a legion—the legendary Other-Shore Royal City legion that had once followed the previous lord in conquering all directions with peerless bravery.

Ordinarily, Lin Qiu would not have wished to mobilize this legion so prematurely, but the alliance of the twenty-eight ancient cities had practically stepped over the line to shit on his head. Under such circumstances, he had no choice but to deploy them ahead of schedule.

Otherwise, once this precedent was set, countless marine races would trample upon the majesty of the Other-Shore Royal City in the future.

The law of survival in the marine world was far crueller than that of the terrestrial world. If one failed to display extremely formidable strength, those marine races would not hesitate to carve off a piece of the flesh for themselves.

It was precisely because he understood this principle that Lin Qiu had maintained such an unyielding and tough stance throughout these recent events.

For he knew clearly that the moment he showed weakness, the opportunist marine races surrounding them would swarm in like sharks catching the scent of blood.

Without dwelling on these matters any longer, Lin Qiu calmed his mind and channeled the power within his body to unlock the different-dimensional space contained within the ancient city stele.

He then transmitted his spiritual energy directly into that alternate space, stimulating the members of the Other-Shore Royal City legion who lay in slumber.

Upon being awakened by the spiritual energy, the legion soldiers opened their eyes one after another, and an aura of stern desolation instantly permeated the entire space.

Even Lin Qiu, caught off guard as he came into contact with the murderous momentum emitted by the Other-Shore Royal City legion, could not help but take several steps back.

He was entirely certain in his heart that this Other-Shore Royal City legion was an elite force forged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Otherwise, it would have been utterly impossible for them to carry such a pure and chilling aura of slaughter.

Meanwhile, over on Bi Cang’s side, he was currently standing triumphantly before Prime Minister Turtle, who had revealed his true form and was heavily suppressed beneath the illusory projections of the twenty-eight ancient cities.

Bi Cang spoke with arrogant mockery, "The Other-Shore Royal City is nothing special after all! I actually thought they possessed some incredible prowess. The moment we united, you lot curled up like turtles hiding in their shells, didn't you?"

Bi Cang's words were filled with sarcasm, clearly displaying his utter contempt for Prime Minister Turtle.

Hearing these triumphant taunts, Prime Minister Turtle felt a surge of anger rise in his chest, yet he could only force it down.

After all, he knew very well that he had been too careless and underestimated his enemy this time; otherwise, he would never have been suppressed here.

Although his personal cultivation might not surpass the combined might of the twenty-eight ancient cities, leaving this place was hardly a difficult task for him. He had only been trapped here purely due to his own recklessness.

Yet he was acutely aware of what his suppression—as the Prime Minister of the Other-Shore Royal City—implied for the city itself.

Noticing that Prime Minister Turtle remained silent, Bi Cang found it somewhat uninteresting and was just about to turn and leave when Divine Sword hurried over, his expression extremely unsightly. He leaned close to Bi Cang's ear and whispered a report.

Upon hearing Divine Sword's words, Bi Cang’s expression shifted drastically as well.

Prime Minister Turtle then spoke up, "It seems our City Lord has returned. I'd like to see just how much longer you can remain so arrogant!"

He was no fool; naturally, he understood that under the present circumstances, the only person capable of causing such a drastic change in Bi Cang's expression was none other than his own City Lord.

Without a word, Bi Cang turned and strode away.

Before long, the lords of the twenty-eight ancient cities gathered once again within the grand hall.

News of the resurgence of the Other-Shore Royal City legion had already reached their ears, and as the rulers of the ancient cities, they naturally understood precisely what the awakening of this legion signified.

In the archaic ages, the most ferocious campaign of the Other-Shore Royal City legion had come terrifyingly close to conquering the entire world. Had the major royal clans of the oceans not united to forcefully intercept them, no one could have predicted how far things might have gone.

A legion of such terrifying magnitude that it required a coalition of all the major marine royal clans to stop them possessed a ferocious notoriety that echoed far and wide. It was hardly any wonder that these ancient city lords were seized with such panic.

Consequently, all these city lords understood that they had to devise a countermeasure against the Other-Shore Royal City legion. Otherwise, given what they had just done to Prime Minister Turtle, they had thoroughly and irreconcilably offended the Other-Shore Royal City.

If the Other-Shore Royal City weathered this storm, the retaliation they would face afterward would be absolute.

Observing the flustered and anxious expressions of these city lords, a flicker of displeasure crossed Bi Cang's eyes.

He slammed his hand heavily onto the table and shouted, "What is there to be so terrified of over a mere legion? Is there any need to lose your wits with worry? Don't our respective ancient cities possess legions slumbering within our own steles as well? No matter how formidable their Other-Shore Royal City legion might be, could they possibly withstand the combined might of the legions from all twenty-eight ancient cities? A single spit from each of us would be enough to drown and crush that legion into dust!"

Hearing Bi Cang's words, the panic among the city lords subsided slightly, though their faces still remained grim.

Soon, stationed at the very perimeter of the twenty-eight ancient cities, Lin Qiu sat upon a grand war-chair, while below him stood the mighty and majestic legions of the Other-Shore Royal City.

Every single soldier was clad in crimson armor and wielded a razor-sharp spear, exuding an overwhelming momentum. Wherever they passed, all aquatic lifeforms instinctively fled out of the way.

That massive, oppressive wave of slaughter even condensed in the sky above them into a towering banner—the Dragon-Slaying Banner, belonging exclusively to the Other-Shore Royal City legion.

This banner proclaimed that wherever the Other-Shore Royal City legion marched, even true dragons would be put to the sword.

The outer defense forces did not dare to raise a single weapon and hastily cleared the path, allowing them to pass unimpeded, knowing full well that crossing blades with the Other-Shore Royal City legion was no simple undertaking.

Before long, they arrived right outside the main stronghold of Bi Cang and the other twenty-eight ancient city lords.

Lin Qiu rose slowly from his seat, his voice cold and devoid of warmth as he commanded, "Release Prime Minister Turtle. I can let today's transgression slide and spare you all. But if you choose to fight me to the bitter end, you had better weigh your own worth very carefully before you decide."