Chapter 330: Courtesy Demands Reciprocity

Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Courtesy Demands Reciprocity

Compared to Chu Fan’s constant running around, Yun Xi was far more overworked.

After all, there were too many casualties. Take Liu Yisheng and Liu Yicai, for instance; if not for the Divine Bones in their bodies, their injuries would have surely been fatal on the battlefield.

Fortunately, they had brought Yun Xi from the Bamboo Sea to the Eastern Domain.

If not for Yun Xi’s superb medical skills, many Cultivators likely wouldn’t have survived this disaster.

Furthermore, with her limited time, Yun Xi could only choose to treat those with the most severe injuries or the ones that ordinary Physicians were unable to help.

On the very night the crisis in the four cities was resolved, Chu Fan had no choice but to use the Space-Time Shuttle to send Yun Xi back to the Bamboo Sea.

After all, he had agreed to a three-day limit with the four old men.

Fortunately, the Physicians in the four cities were now able to treat the remaining wounded.

He had originally planned to spend these three days cherishing his time with Yun Xi, but life is unpredictable. Who would have thought an attack from the Northern Domain would ruin everything?

"I know that as soon as you get back, you’re going to the Northern Domain for revenge. But you have to promise me you’ll take care of yourself. You know my heart... As long as you’re safe, my life is full of color. If you were gone, my life would be meaningless."

In the Bamboo Sea, Yun Xi stepped off the Space-Time Shuttle, hugged Chu Fan tightly, and whispered her plea.

In the end, the person who understood him best in this world was still Yun Xi.

He hadn’t said a word, yet she had already guessed what he was planning to do.

Chu Fan’s heart warmed, and he smiled. "Don’t worry. We still have far too many things left to do. The Eastern Domain is still too weak, and I have to buy it time to grow. But you can rest assured, I will never put myself in a life-or-death situation. Do you remember what I told you? Even if you hear news of my death, don’t believe it so easily. You have to believe that miracles can happen in this world, just like when my Golden Core shattered and I was crippled. Everyone thought my life as a Cultivator was over. Or that other time, when Yan Qi kicked me dozens of miles through the air, and everyone thought I was dead."

"Mhm!"

Yun Xi nodded, waved to Chu Fan, and walked alone into the barrier.

Chu Fan stood there for a long while. Finally, with a sigh, he turned, boarded the Space-Time Shuttle, and flew once more toward Xingyuan City.

When Chu Fan returned to Xingyuan City, Ji Bufan, whose injuries were not severe, was already waiting in the City Lord’s Mansion. The moment he saw Chu Fan, he dropped to his knees.

"My lord, please punish me!"

Was Ji Bufan at fault?

Yes.

Eight years ago, Chu Fan had tasked him with establishing an intelligence network. Over the years, this network had developed quite well and had helped Chu Fan a great deal. It had played an especially pivotal role when the Great Xia unified the Eastern Domain.

This time, however, Ji Bufan had indeed been negligent. If Ye Xiaohan hadn’t returned to the Eastern Domain seeking revenge, and if Chu Fan, drawn by the prospect of a good fight, hadn’t rushed to Xingyuan City to watch the spectacle, the Eastern Domain would have been caught completely off guard by the Northern Domain’s attack.

By the time the Great Xia could have reacted, more than a dozen County Cities in the northern reaches of the Eastern Domain would have been turned into a living hell.

That was one reason.

The other was that Chu Fan had already arranged the defenses for the Northern Border Towns, secretly mobilizing Cultivators and Great Xia’s army, yet Ji Bufan had still failed to detect the Northern Domain’s troop deployment in advance.

However, Ji Bufan wasn’t entirely to blame for the massive casualties caused by this Northern Domain invasion.

After all, the Eastern Domain Cultivation Realm simply had too few experts who surpassed the Void Realm.

As the saying goes, you can’t make bricks without straw. Facing so many Cultivation Experts from the Northern Domain, the six of them, including Ji Bufan, had all given it their absolute best.

Liu Yicai and Liu Yisheng, in particular, had nearly died.

If Chu Fan hadn’t rescued him in time, Che Dagui would have been forced to self-destruct.

"Get up. You must take this lesson to heart. I originally had the eight of you each take charge of an industry to help me get my revenge, but that revenge is long since complete. Now, the main mission for the eight of you is to develop the Eastern Domain. I don’t expect the Eastern Domain to reach the heights of the Hua Xu Empire within a century, but at the very least, the common people must be able to live and work in peace, and no one should dare to harm the citizens of our Great Xia. The intelligence network you control is our eyes. It must warn us of a crisis before it erupts."

"I will take this to heart," Ji Bufan said, getting to his feet.

"Considering you led from the front during the battle and showed no fear, I won’t punish you this time," Chu Fan said. "But if this happens again in the Eastern Domain, your punishment will be doubled."

"Thank you, my lord!"

"I’m planning a trip to the Northern Domain myself. I have some instructions for you to take down. You and the other six are to discuss these with the Empress and see them carried out."

"Please, my lord, go on."

"First, double the reward of silver taels for all Cultivators who participated in the battle. For any Cultivator who fell, the Bu Huang Grain Warehouse Trading Company, the Da Yu Trading Company, and the auction house will be responsible for providing a settlement to their families or Sects. For the injured, you will cover all their treatment costs until they are fully healed, and they must receive appropriate compensation afterward. As for the soldiers of Great Xia, double their death benefits."

Compensation was due not only to the Cultivators and soldiers who fought, but also for things like the reconstruction of the four cities and the homes of the common people that were damaged in the fighting.

This battle also served as a test of loyalty toward Great Xia for the people of the Eastern Domain living along the northern border.

Therefore, after the battle, the Great Xia Court had to mobilize quickly. Not only must they avoid disheartening the people, but they also needed to inspire love for the nation and a sense of ownership among everyone else in the Eastern Domain.

Only when every person regarded Great Xia as their own home would they strive tirelessly for its prosperity.

"After I accomplish my goals in the Northern Domain, I may head directly to the Southern Domain to meet up with Ying Xiao. I will leave a Spiritual Body behind in Celestial Heart Hall. While it won’t have my physical body’s Combat Power, it is still a vessel for my consciousness. If any matter arises that you cannot resolve, you can go and consult with my Spiritual Body. I’m leaving Great Xia to you all."

"My lord, you’re leaving so soon?" Ji Bufan exclaimed.

"The fighting here just ended, which means the Dahar Khan South Garden probably hasn’t received news of their defeat yet. I’m going to catch them off guard as well. Ideally, I can use this opportunity to throw the entire Northern Domain into chaos, leaving them unable to concern themselves with us for several years. Otherwise, after suffering such a major defeat in our Eastern Domain, they will very likely send Half-Saints or even Saint Realm experts to retaliate."

"Besides, I need to find out exactly who is sowing discord and caused the Northern Domain to suddenly declare war on us."

After hearing Chu Fan’s explanation, Ji Bufan understood that this was the perfect time to go to the Northern Domain. After all, given Chu Fan’s speed, he could certainly get there before the Cultivators who had fled could make it back to the South Garden Royal Court.

But it would be a lie to say Ji Bufan wasn’t worried about Chu Fan daring to barge into the Northern Domain all by himself.

"My lord, are you really going to the Northern Domain all by yourself? It’s not my place to question your abilities, but the Northern Domain’s Cultivation Realm is ultimately stronger than ours. They have quite a few Half-Saints and Saints..."

He didn’t finish, but his meaning was clear. Although Chu Fan could fight opponents beyond his level, his Cultivation was only at Tier One of the Void Realm. Forget about Half-Saints; even against an enemy at the Initial Tier of the Mahayana Realm, Chu Fan would be facing certain death.

Chu Fan waved his hand dismissively. "Since I dare to go, I naturally have a way to get out in one piece."

Having said that, he didn’t linger and departed immediately.

He didn’t take the Space-Time Shuttle, however. Since he had never been to the Northern Domain, he couldn’t use the shuttle to travel directly to the South Garden Royal Court.

He would have to rely on his own Body Technique to fly there.