C8 When Did the past Happen?

The lethargic and downtrodden youth was well-versed in many matters, including the origins and historical development of the eight most powerful sects in the world, as recorded in the "Zhongyuan Annals." He was also familiar with the monumental Demon Gods War and the battle against the Corpse Refining Sect that took place thousands of years ago, as well as the siege that occurred 360 years prior.

For instance, a mortal who aspired to join a sect had to first secure a position on the Human Hero Ranking of their respective dynasties. This achievement would distinguish them from other mortal cultivators.

Another point of note is the preeminence of the Divine Guard Army within the Great Qin Dynasty. The Divine Guard Army's presence extends across all thirteen counties of Great Qin, boasting hundreds of thousands of elite armored soldiers. This formidable force plays a pivotal role in shaping the dynasty's fate.

In Phoenix Soaring County, the power of the Divine Guard Army remains unmatched. As the county's garrison force, the Divine Guard Army embodies the absolute authority of Great Qin.

Of the military's three major legions, the Divine Guard Army shines brightly, reigning supreme. The Black Condor Army is perennially stationed at the northwest frontier, standing against the Desolate People, while the once-renowned Profound Armor Army, hailed as the strongest on the continent, was decimated in an imperial war seventeen years ago and has since waned in power.

The dominance of the Divine Guard Army in Great Qin is further cemented by the fact that the current Crown Prince is also the Divine Guard Army Great General.

It is common knowledge in Great Qin that the aging Emperor will eventually pass the throne to the Crown Prince. At that juncture, the Divine Guard Army, as the Emperor's personal troops, is expected to grow even more influential.

In keeping with Great Qin tradition, the governance of a county is divided among three authorities: the County Magistrate oversees administration, the military commander leads the troops, and the Celestial Punishment Court wields the power to administer justice to both officials and citizens.

The Celestial Punishment Court, in particular, is a significant institution within the Great Qin Dynasty. Each county's Celestial Punishment Court is headed by an Envoy who monitors the county's military and political affairs.

Among the wealth of knowledge Sunn Cheng possesses, he finds the information about the various sects and the stages of cultivation most intriguing. Beyond his numerous readings of the "Zhongyuan Annals," Sunn Cheng has nearly exhausted the collection of related books available throughout the bookshops of Azure Sun County.

Most of the information regarding the state of affairs in the Great Qin Dynasty and Phoenix Soaring County came from Chen Ding's detailed explanations and introductions. The more obscure knowledge was painstakingly imparted to Sunn Cheng by Chen Ding throughout his challenging years as a teacher.

This is precisely why Sunn Cheng was aware of the paper usage habits of the Great Qin's upper echelons and used this knowledge to deduce Young Master Su's likely background. Young Master Su's origins could only be traced back to one of three places: the Divine Guard Army Commander's Palace in Phoenix Soaring County, a branch of the Celestial Punishment Court, or the County Magistrate's Mansion.

Given the Divine Guard Army's modus operandi and their significant influence, they would never make such a discreet appearance in Azure Sun County. This left only the Celestial Punishment Court and the County Magistrate's Mansion as possible options, and Sunn Cheng was still uncertain which it was.

Thinking of Young Master Su's demeanor and his so-called personal guide, Sunn Cheng couldn't help but chuckle to himself, choosing not to reveal anything. The fabricated second reason he provided was a clear indication of his stance, and he was confident that Young Master Su would understand.

Young Master Su was undoubtedly an influential figure, and his intentions were certainly more complex than merely searching for a Barbarian Beast, as he claimed. Sunn Cheng was acutely aware of this.

But it didn't concern him. After all, he was just a butcher, a country youth selling meat. As long as he could successfully acquire the Spirit Pill, that was all that mattered. The complexities of Phoenix Soaring County were deep, but they wouldn't affect him for the time being.

His primary focus now was to ensure a safe return from Soul Breaking Cliff with the Spirit Pill in hand. That was what mattered most.

Sunn Cheng's gaze was resolute. His objective was crystal clear: to obtain the Spirit Pill, unlock the secrets of the jade bracelet restricting his cultivation, and then diligently pursue his cultivation in hopes of one day earning a place on the Great Qin's Human Hero Ranking. And then, perhaps, he would return to the Central Capital Imperial City with his grandmother Xiaonuo, carrying his parents' ashes, to seek redress for past grievances.

Although Old Madam Luo had not explicitly shared certain details with him, anyone who paid attention to the dynamics of the Great Qin Dynasty would be in the know. And naturally, Sunn Cheng was among them.

Seventeen years ago, the Profound Armor Army suffered a devastating defeat at Celestial Yin Mountain, with hundreds of thousands of elite warriors reduced to ashes. Accused of treason by the Imperial Court, the Profound Armor Army, which had defended Great Qin for centuries, was left with only one of its five generals surviving. The others were either dead, missing, or wanted nationwide.

General Yingyang of the Profound Armor Army, pursued by the Ministry of Punishment of Great Qin, was rumored to have escaped to the southwest with his family. His name was Sunn Lin. Despite the Imperial Court revoking the arrest warrant three years after the incident and reinstating the Profound Armor Army two years prior, restoring the surviving soldiers to their former ranks, General Yingyang had long since passed away, and the landscape of Great Qin had dramatically changed.

The massacre in Central Capital seventeen years earlier remains an unhealable scar for the Great Qin Imperial Court. The Crown Prince, who had led the troops into battle, met a tragic end within the central tent of the Profound Armor Army. With no way to clear their names, the Profound Armor Army faced the wrath of the Emperor, as the Divine Guard Army accused them of treason and the murder of the Crown Prince.

Despite their desperate counterattack and efforts to return to Central Capital to prove their innocence, the Profound Armor Army was ultimately outmatched. Their previous battles against the northern enemy had left them with low morale and many soldiers still recovering from their wounds. When they faced the equally formidable Divine Guard Army, they were overwhelmed.

Nevertheless, the Profound Armor Army, true to its reputation as one of the mightiest forces, managed to inflict heavy casualties on the Divine Guard Army. The battle at Celestial Yin Mountain was fierce and bloody, with the landscape stained red and the rivers choked with bones. The cries of the fallen echoed like the wails of vengeful spirits, and dark clouds shrouded the sky ever since.

The battle not only spelled the end for the hundreds of thousands of soldiers of the Profound Armor Army and the slaughter of their countless family members but also shattered the once-glorious reputation of the army. The Great Qin Imperial Hall was reduced to a stage for fools, its dignity and honor lost amidst the chaos.

The Divine Guard Army swiftly stepped into the power vacuum left by the Profound Armor Army, catapulting to the position of the most formidable military force in the Great Qin. Their influence was unmatched, extending from the highest echelons of the Great Qin Dynasty to the common folk.

No empire could thrive without the backing of the world's most powerful sects, and the Divine Guard Army, which reigned supreme over Great Qin, had earned the endorsement of the Righteous Sun Sect, one of the esteemed Five-element Righteous Sects.

Rumors swirled that the current Crown Prince, who also served as the Great Qin National Advisor and was a direct disciple of the Righteous Sun Sect, shared a profound bond with the Divine Guard Army Great General. This relationship alone was enough to cement the Divine Guard Army's status within the Great Qin Country.

While Sunn Cheng was quietly piecing together the changes that had unfolded in Great Qin over the past seventeen years, he stumbled upon an intriguing yet obscure historical tidbit. Fifteen years ago, an apocalyptic omen had graced the skies above the northern foothills of Qin Mountain. Reflecting on the timeline, Sunn Cheng realized he would have been less than a year old at the time, with his entire family still in flight. The Qin Mountain Range was a necessary passage on their journey south to Phoenix Soaring County. The identity of the Immortal Master commemorated on the modest shrine in his family's home and the origins of the mystical jade bracelet he wore remained mysteries.

Sunn Cheng had his suspicions about these enigmas, yet he dared not be certain. His understanding of this world was limited, his experiences too few. Some truths remained elusive until one reached a certain realm of understanding or ascended to a particular echelon of society.

As for the Human Hero Ranking, it was merely the first step, a knocking stone at the gateway to the realm of cultivators...

"Arrogant Scholar, if you're behind the trouble I'm facing, should I pluck your goatee as a token of gratitude... or as a form of punishment? What a dilemma!" Sunn Cheng mused to himself, wrestling with a tough decision, contemplating the appropriate 'gift' for the Arrogant Scholar.

​