Tycoon War God

「Imperial Capital, Military Headquarters.」

Xiao Xuan stood before his desk, wielding his brush and splashing ink.

Ever since Lin Mu defeated Shen Lang and rose to the pinnacle of Huaxia, Xiao Xuan had often indulged in this practice.

After flourishing his brush, he would let out three hearty laughs.

He wrote a line of characters that writhed like dragons and snakes, then carelessly tossed the ink-soaked brush aside.

”Old Kong, what do you think of my calligraphy?”

Beside the desk, Kong Lin was leisurely sipping tea. He had rashly accepted Lin Mu’s resignation last time, which subsequently led to his own out of guilt. Now, unburdened by official duties, he had ironically become the most idle man around.

”Golden lances and iron horses, brimming with the spirit of war. It certainly fits a commander’s status,” Kong Lin commented.

Xiao Xuan replied disdainfully, ”Old Kong, I’ve noticed you’ve become quite the smooth-talker since you retired.”

”The feeling is mutual. When did you ever call me Old Kong before I retired?” Kong Lin retorted with a smirk.

Xiao Xuan chuckled.

However, the smile slowly faded from his face. With a cold snort, he said, ”I hear Lin Mu has run off to the Heavenly Lake Minor World again?”

”I had such high hopes for him, expecting him to take charge of the Dragon Protection Hall. But what does he do? He becomes an absentee shopkeeper!”

”He’s off gallivanting with his wife, neglecting his duties and refusing to accept the Dragon Guard Order!”

”Now, off to the Heavenly Lake Minor World again. What nonsense!”

Xiao Xuan appeared to be filled with rage.

Kong Lin replied with placid indifference, ”You should take that up with Lin Wudi. It’s no use telling me.”

Xiao Xuan’s expression shifted as he said, ”I hear from Shen Lang that someone is pulling strings behind the opening of the Heavenly Lake Minor World this time?”

Kong Lin nodded in silence.

”Hmph! They must be tired of living! Daring to scheme against the Chief Instructor of Shenji Camp and the Master of the Dragon Protection Hall! They’re courting death!”

Xiao Xuan’s fury erupted, and the palpable killing intent of a seasoned military man washed over the room.

He turned and wrote another line with swift strokes, but this was no calligraphy.

”Pass on my order. I, Xiao Xuan, declare that all the Worldly Representatives of the Ancient Land Sects must report to the Dragon Protection Hall in the Capital City within three days! Otherwise, don’t blame me for tearing up our agreement with them!”

Kong Lin suddenly stood up, shocked. ”Commander, you can’t do this! You’ll offend all the Ancient Land Sects!”

”Then I’ll offend them!” Xiao Xuan declared with overwhelming dominance. ”Opening and closing the Minor World Gate is a technique of the Ancient Land Sects! If they dare to plot against one of my men, they must pay the price!”

Xiao Xuan cut off Kong Lin’s attempt to speak with a wave of his hand, saying coldly, ”Old Kong, will you do it or not? If you won’t, I’ll have Han Xiaochuan do it!”

Kong Lin sighed. ”Fine, I’ll go. I’m not part of the military anymore. If things get ugly, I can act as a buffer.”

Xiao Xuan glared, clearly dissatisfied with Kong Lin’s talk of failure before even trying.

Kong Lin, now wanting nothing, was truly unafraid of Xiao Xuan’s glare. He snatched the written order from Xiao Xuan’s hand and strode brazenly out of the headquarters.

”Heh, daring to plot against Lin Wudi? Did they bother to ask for my permission?” Xiao Xuan sneered to himself.

…

On that day, news broke that the living legend, Lin Wudi, had been tricked into entering the Heavenly Lake Minor World. The Minor World Gate had closed, cutting off his retreat and leaving his fate uncertain. The news spread like wildfire, shaking the entire Martial Arts World and powerful forces across the globe.

Almost no one had anticipated that someone would dare to scheme against Lin Wudi now that he was unmatched under the heavens. While some worried, others reveled in his misfortune. To be trapped in a Minor World just after achieving supremacy... Lin Mu might just become the shortest-reigning number one in history.

…

「Prison of Divine Might.」

A giant black stone monument stood at the very heart of the Prison of Divine Might. On the monument were etched the names of all the cultivators of the prison. The names of the living were etched in gold, while the names of the dead turned white. This monument was both a symbol of the Prison of Divine Might and its glorious honor roll.

All the white names on the monument belonged to the Prison of Divine Might’s undisputed saints. Each one had put their life on the line for the prison.

Today, all the cultivators of the Prison of Divine Might stared in stunned silence at the fifteen names that had just turned white on the stele.

”Did Monk Ruo Wang ascend to heaven?”

”Just as the rumors in the Eastern Martial Realm said, this Heavenly Lake Minor World is a conspiracy targeting Lin Wudi! Anyone who enters dies!”

”Did Monk Ruo Wang die in the Minor World, or was he killed by Lin Wudi?”

The cultivators discussed heatedly among themselves.

At that moment, an old man with a withered face appeared among the cultivators. He wore a black Divine Robe trimmed with white.

”Vice-Dean!”

”Vice-Dean, have you ended your fast?”

”Vice-Dean, Monk Ruo Wang has ascended to heaven.”

All the cultivators bowed deeply.

This was Saint Nas, the Vice-Dean of the Prison of Divine Might. His name, ”Saint,” signified that this Vice-Dean had once slain a powerhouse equivalent to a master at the Peak of Divine Communion in the Eastern Martial Realm.

”Disperse. Ruo Wang died because of Lin Wudi. I will go to the East and claim justice for him!”

Saint Nas’s voice was ice-cold, without a hint of warmth. All the cultivators shuddered, their gazes fixed on Vice-Dean Saint Nas in utter shock.

”News has just arrived from the Sea of Divine Grace. Keen has also ascended to heaven!”

With a single sentence from Saint Nas, the cultivators’ minds trembled once more.

Keen was the most promising cultivator in the Sea of Divine Grace, even hailed as the successor to its deanship. And he was dead too?

”Together, Keen and Ruo Wang could have killed a master at the Peak of Divine Communion. If Keen had summoned a Holy Angel, they could have even battled a Foundation Building Immortal.”

”The only one who could kill them both is Lin Wudi!”

”When I go to the East, I will make Lin Wudi pay this debt in blood!”

…

「At the same time, in the Dark Church.」

SHRIEK!

A piercing cry rang out, causing the church’s stained glass to tremble. A series of black ripples pulsed across its surface, barely holding it intact. The immense sound wave traveled far beyond the church. In its wake, grass and trees withered, stones were flung from the earth, and even insects flying through the air were pulverized.

”Darkness is dead, Hei Ming is dead, all seven of them are dead!”

”How is this possible! With the Holy Artifact in their possession, they could even kill Foundation Building Immortals! How could they have been killed?”

Several cold, grim voices echoed from within the church.

”It must have been Lin Wudi! No one else could have killed Darkness when he possessed the Holy Artifact!”

A woman’s voice spoke, laced with venom and boundless hatred for Lin Mu. This woman was Hei You, the wife of the Lord of Darkness. Among the thirteen Emperors the Dark Church had stationed in the secular world, she was the only woman.

The remaining Emperors were silent.

The name Lin Wudi had become a taboo among all the powerhouses of the secular world.

”I am going to the East to avenge Darkness! Which of you will join me?” Hei You gritted her teeth.

Only her voice echoed within the Dark Church.

The rest of the Emperors remained silent.

”You… Are you all that afraid of Lin Wudi? Don’t forget, he’s very likely still trapped in the Minor World!” Emperor Hei You sneered.

An Emperor asked, ”Hei You, if you know Lin Wudi is still trapped in the Minor World, what do you plan to do in the East?”

”I’ll kill all his relatives and disciples, of course!” Emperor Hei You made no effort to hide her cold-blooded cruelty.

”But Lin Wudi isn’t dead yet...”

”Shut up! To think the great Dark Church fears Lin Wudi so much! You are unworthy of the title of Emperor!” Hei You raged.

One of the Emperors said grimly, ”We have no choice but to be afraid!”

”The only Holy Artifact was taken by Darkness and the others. Without the Holy Artifact, we are no more than ants before Lin Wudi!”