Fate-Defying Demon Emperor

Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Shaking in All Directions

Su Han successfully escaped the Imperial Capital, but he didn’t stop, fleeing farther into the distance. His injuries were severe and his condition was extremely poor. However, having plundered the Qin Family’s treasure vault, his Bronze Ring was filled with treasures. He continuously consumed Elixirs to maintain the Character Technique of Motion, speeding away from the Imperial Capital.

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Capital, Wang Tianqing flew out from the ruins, a truly sorry sight. His imperial robe was torn and tattered, his long hair, once held up by a Golden Crown, now hung loose and disheveled. His face was pale, with blood at the corners of his mouth, and his body was covered in dust and debris—a stark contrast to his usual imperial majesty. The citizens of the Imperial Capital stared in shock, unable to believe their eyes. This was Wang Tianqing, the sole ruler of the Tianqing Dynasty and a mighty Heavenly King Realm expert, yet he had been reduced to such a wretched state by Su Han. It was simply unbelievable.

When Wang Tianqing heard the parting words Su Han had left behind, his expression turned thunderous, his face contorting with rage.

”Rebellious son!”

Wang Tianqing gritted his teeth, his heart filled with murderous intent for this traitorous son.

BOOM!

Wang Tianqing soared into the sky, determined to pursue and kill Su Han. With his strength, Su Han, even with the Character Technique of Motion, would surely not escape his pursuit.

However, azure Formation Patterns materialized once more. Though they did not coalesce into the phantom of an Azure Dragon, they formed a barrier, blocking Wang Tianqing’s path.

Clearly, Su Han had anticipated Wang Tianqing’s actions. This was a contingency he had left behind, designed to buy himself enough time to escape.

”When I capture you, I will show you a fate worse than death!”

Wang Tianqing glared, his heart boiling with murderous rage. He quickly took out the Imperial Jade Seal and manipulated the Tianqing Protective Dragon Formation, attempting to dispel the azure light barrier.

But Su Han’s Formation Mastery was too profound. Even with the controlling artifact, Wang Tianqing could not break through the barrier right away.

It took a full hour for the azure light barrier to dissipate on its own, and the entire Tianqing Protective Dragon Formation fell silent once again.

The moment the barrier vanished, an enraged Wang Tianqing transformed into a streak of azure light, tearing through the sky in pursuit of Su Han.

But in that hour, Su Han had long since vanished. Despite his incredible speed, Wang Tianqing had no idea which direction Su Han had fled and was ultimately forced to return empty-handed.

”Issue a wanted order for Su Han, dead or alive!”

Ultimately, Wang Tianqing returned to the palace and issued an imperial edict. Thus, across the Tianqing Dynasty, wanted posters were put up, and elite forces were dispatched to conduct a sweeping, dragnet-style search. This massive mobilization quickly drew the attention of the entire nation.

”What? The Ninth Prince has rebelled? He didn’t just annihilate the Qin Family, he also killed the Empress! This is treason!”

”I heard the king gave him a chance to repent, but he flatly refused. It looks like the Ninth Prince is determined to rebel. Is he aiming to overthrow the king and change the dynasty?”

”Shush, keep it down. Don’t bring trouble upon yourself. This is a struggle among those above us. We’re just small fries; it’s best to just watch the drama unfold.”

Discussions raged everywhere, and the topic became a sensation overnight. Under the Imperial Court’s deliberate propaganda, Su Han was painted as a traitor who had betrayed his country, murdered his brother, and killed his own mother. Swayed by the narrative, the ignorant masses cursed Su Han in droves, completely destroying his reputation within the Tianqing Dynasty.

But Su Han had long since stopped caring about such a worthless reputation. He lived only for himself.

Despite the massive manhunt, there were no results. Many days passed, but they found no trace of Su Han, let alone any meaningful clues. This left everyone puzzled, wondering where Su Han could possibly be.

”Inform the surrounding nations that whoever discovers Su Han’s whereabouts will be gifted with treasures. To the one who captures or kills him, I am willing to cede ten cities.”

To eliminate Su Han, Wang Tianqing was willing to pay any price, even ceding his own cities. When this news spread to the neighboring kingdoms, it caused an immediate uproar.

”It seems this Su Han wounded Wang Tianqing grievously; otherwise, he wouldn’t offer to cede cities for his capture. Very well. In that case, this king shall accept his offer.”

”Ten cities... what a generous offer. Pass down my decree: a nationwide manhunt for Su Han! Anyone who finds him will be handsomely rewarded.”

”Haha, this is wonderful! I thought that with both Su Tian and now this Su Han, the Tianqing Dynasty’s rise would be unstoppable and a major threat to our kingdom. To think that now one is wounded and the other is a fugitive—the heavens truly have eyes!”

On this matter, the neighboring kingdoms were more than willing to assist Wang Tianqing. They promptly issued their own wanted posters and ordered searches. As a result, the affair grew more intense, and Su Han’s name spread throughout the various kingdoms.

However, as the days went by, no trace of Su Han was found, neither within the Tianqing Dynasty nor in the surrounding kingdoms. There were no clues at all.

This made Wang Tianqing’s expression grow darker still, his eyes filled with a frosty chill.

”Rebellious son! No one has ever dared to defy me. No matter where you run, even to the ends of the earth, I will hunt you down and kill you!” Wang Tianqing gritted his teeth, his heart seething with killing intent.

***

Su Han eventually heard of Wang Tianqing’s frantic manhunt. A chill spread through his heart, which was now filled only with murderous intent for the king, devoid of any familial affection.

The Tianqing Dynasty was in the southern part of Qingzhou, while the Seven Stars Sect was in the north. Su Han traveled northward.

By now, he had already escaped the Tianqing Dynasty and even passed through the neighboring kingdoms, entering a small nation called Ning Country.

Ning Country was located in central Qingzhou. Being far from the Tianqing Dynasty and only a small nation, it had not issued a wanted notice for Su Han, which gave him some time to breathe.

Su Han glanced back in the direction of the Tianqing Dynasty, his heart brimming with cold killing intent.

I will return to the Tianqing Dynasty, Wang Tianqing. You showed me no mercy or justice today; for that, I will one day take your head with my own hands!

However, his most urgent priority was to heal. He had endured consecutive, fierce battles in the Imperial Capital, been gravely wounded by Wang Tianqing, and paid a steep price to activate the Tianqing Protective Dragon Formation. This, combined with his desperate flight, had left his injuries at their absolute limit.

In a remote mountain range in Ning Country, Su Han found a secluded spot to hide. He took various Spiritual Medicines and Elixirs from his Bronze Ring and entered seclusion to heal.

As the days passed with no sign or clue of Su Han, the intensity of the manhunt both inside and outside the Tianqing Dynasty lessened significantly. Most people came to believe he had escaped for good and that continuing the search would be fruitless. Thus, the fervor surrounding the matter gradually subsided. Even Wang Tianqing, after numerous fruitless searches, was reluctantly forced to give up.

However, the frenzy over Su Han soon reignited, and this time, it was not just limited to the Tianqing Dynasty but spread throughout the entire Qingzhou.

「On the sixth day of the sixth month, the Qingyun List was updated.」

Su Han’s name appeared on the list for the first time, ranked eighty-first