Human Clan Defender-Chapter 548 -s 279 to 280: Defender Envoy of Great Liang (Combined - s, Requesting Monthly Votes)

Millions of troops marched mightily toward Luo’an Prefecture. The imperial carriage traveled in the center of the army, flanked on both sides by experts of the Imperial Family. Inside, Dongfang Zhao and Gu Xuanji sat cross-legged.

"How many people currently know that you’ve left the Capital City?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, not many were informed about my departure from the Capital City. I believe that, apart from a few individuals in the Demon-Subduing Division, no others are aware."

Dongfang Zhao took a sip of Spiritual Tea, a faint smile on his lips. Ever since he had joined the army on their journey, he had remained here without setting foot outside. Therefore, the news that the Dominator of the Demon-Subduing Division had joined the army remained a secret, even now. There was no need to publicize it. Once this news spread, it might cause some unpredictable changes within the Capital Demon Suppression Division. Furthermore, keeping the news secret would allow them to catch Great Zhou unprepared.

If it were an ordinary person, spending half a month inside the carriage without coming out, or even eating at all, would be impossible. But for a Defender Envoy, this was not a significant issue. The stronger the existence, the longer they could sustain themselves without food. As long as Spiritual Energy existed between Heaven and Earth, they could continue to replenish themselves endlessly. For this reason, Dongfang Zhao would have no problems at all, even if he did not eat or drink for half a month.

"Attendants!" Gu Xuanji suddenly spoke in a deep voice, louder than usual.

Immediately, a respectful voice responded from outside, "Your Majesty, what are your commands?"

"How much longer until we reach Luo’an Prefecture?"

"In two more days, we will formally enter Luo’an Prefecture."

"Are there any issues with the provisions?"

"Your Majesty, rest assured. Provisions have already been requisitioned from various prefectures and are estimated to have arrived at Luo’an Prefecture ahead of us. There will absolutely be no problems."

"That’s good."

Gu Xuanji nodded. The voice outside the carriage also fell silent.

Hearing this, Dongfang Zhao spoke calmly, "If we reach Luo’an Prefecture in another two days, I believe it won’t take long before we can march directly into Great Zhou. Your Majesty, do you think Great Zhou is collaborating with the Demon Evil, or has it become a vassal of the Demon Evil Clan?"

"If the Demon Evil Clan intended to turn a sovereign into one of the Demonfolk, it wouldn’t be so simple. The difficulty is far greater than you would imagine. However... the Demon Evil Clan is excessively mysterious; perhaps they really do have some methods."

Gu Xuanji’s expression was calm and measured. He wasn’t overly concerned whether Great Zhou had become a vassal of the Demon Evil or was merely collaborating with them. Either way, the outcome was the same: Great Zhou was an enemy of Great Qin. Moreover, even if the Demon Evil possessed a method to transform a sovereign into a Demonfolk, the price they would have to pay would certainly not be small. Otherwise, the Demon Evil Clan would have made their move against Great Qin long ago, instead of remaining in a state of constant warfare. As for what has happened to Great Zhou, that remained unknown.

Dongfang Zhao nodded thoughtfully. Then, he changed the subject.

"Your Majesty, as you wage this campaign, the Demon Evil Clan will surely monitor our army’s movements closely. We in Great Qin have never been clear about how many powerful beings exist within the Demon Evil Clan in this part of Heaven and Earth. This battle will likely probe the depths of their strength."

"Is Defender Dongfang afraid?" Gu Xuanji’s lips held a barely perceptible smile.

Upon hearing this, Dongfang Zhao shook his head with a chuckle, "To say I’m not afraid would be false. If something goes wrong with Your Majesty’s plan, I might not be able to return."

"I’m unsure whether I should believe you or not." Gu Xuanji’s face showed a hint of helplessness. In the imperial court, the only one who would dare to speak to him in such a manner was the man before him. Despite the fact that the Imperial Family had its reservations about the Demon-Subduing Division, it would not be feasible to do without them. Therefore, Gu Xuanji’s feelings about Dongfang Zhao were quite complex.

He shook his head slightly. "The news that the Demon Evil Clan comes from Outer Heaven, although not entirely certain, is most likely correct. I even suspect that the disappearance of the Ancient is related to the Demon Evil. However, so far, none of the Ancient Ruins have any trace of records about the Demon Evil. If the disappearance of the Ancient truly involved the Demon Evil, it would be impossible for them to leave no trace at all."

Speaking of the Ancient, a subtle gravity filled his eyes. The Ancient may have disappeared. But for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, the influence of the Ancient had persisted. Every powerful being in the world who had risen to prominence was, more or less, connected to the Ancient. Such feats could be achieved merely through some of their legacy. One could only imagine how powerful the Ancient truly were.

Dongfang Zhao’s gaze was profound. "What exactly happened to the Ancient is unknown to anyone. Deliberate speculation would serve no purpose and yield no results; it’s better to focus on present matters." Over thousands, even tens of thousands of years, countless dynasties had risen and fallen. How many powerful beings had been buried in the dust of history? Events from mere hundreds of years ago were already difficult to investigate thoroughly, let alone those from thousands or tens of thousands of years ago; those were completely beyond exploration. Unless some records remained within the Ancient Ruins. Yet, of the numerous Ancient Ruins that had come to light, none contained the slightest trace of such records.

"You have a point," Gu Xuanji said, nodding. The smile on his face suddenly diminished slightly. "The Demon Evil’s ambition to exterminate the Human Clan is undying. Whether it’s our Great Qin, or Great Liang and Dayue, all are targets they wish to obliterate."