Chapter 203 - 130: Let’s See Who Dares Touch My Spoils

Chapter 203: Chapter 130: Let’s See Who Dares Touch My Spoils

Lu Jing’an stared at the thin, greasy queue swaying slightly in the river breeze behind the man’s head. His brows furrowed imperceptibly, a flash of cold disgust sweeping through his eyes. The braid was woven extremely tight, the scalp around its roots shaved pale. Tied to the end with a faded red string was a rusted copper coin, gleaming with a cold, hard luster in the dim daylight. This was the unique insignia of a Military Officer. It was also the brand they had forced upon billions of commoners when they once ruled this land.

While reading through this world’s history books, Lu Jing’an had come across records regarding this queue-wearing army. In the orthodox historical texts, they were bluntly referred to as the "Qing Demons." Compared to the dynasty in Lu Jing’an’s memories, they were somewhat similar yet entirely different. To put it simply, the Qing Demons of this world were the ultimate culmination that had achieved Great Success in embodying all the flaws and cruelties of that dynasty. It was as if some malicious entity had extracted and concentrated the darkest parts of history, then infused them into this very faction.

The despicable deeds committed over hundreds of years by the dynasty in Lu Jing’an’s memories had been entirely replicated by the Qing Demons in just a few short decades, perhaps even to a worse degree. Their actions were so brutal and their methods so vicious and toxic that they would send shivers down the spine of anyone who read the history.

They had seized the opportunity to rise after the death of the Previous Dynasty’s Emperor, who died from the backlash of heavenly lightning after failing to break through to the Immortal realm. At that time, the world was in chaos. Because the Emperor had forcibly gathered the world’s Spirit Veins in an attempt at Ascension, the world’s Primordial Qi was severely damaged. Taking advantage of this weakness, the enemy’s iron cavalry marched south. Their sabers were stained with blood as they destroyed cities and conquered strongholds along the way. The mountains and rivers of Great Xia had once truly fallen into their hands.

However, their actions after coming to power could only be described as a litany of countless crimes. It wasn’t an ordinary change of dynasties, but a systematic destruction. Take, for example, the infamous head-shaving decree. That single order alone led to countless bloody massacres in Yangzhou, He Yin, and beyond. The historical records were so gruesome that blood seemed to seep from the very pages, each event too horrific to look at. It was said that after Yangzhou City fell, the waters of the Yangjiang River were dyed red for over a month. In He Yin, corpses piled up like mountains, and resentment soared to the heavens. To this day, there were still Cultivators who dared not easily set foot in the ruins of those ancient battlefields.

Later, to consolidate their rule, they vainly attempted to completely erase the traces of Great Xia from history. They systematically destroyed the classical texts of the Previous Dynasty, tampered with history, banned the refined orthodox language, and promoted their own tongue. Even more ruthless were their methods directed at all Cultivators. They only allowed Shaman Priests to offer sacrifices to the heavens and commune with the gods, strictly forbidding the cultivation of other schools. They hunted down Sect disciples and destroyed cave dwellings and mountain gates. Their intention was to sever the foundation of the Dao Lineage for all Cultivators in the world, making the Shaman Longevity Heaven the only deity permitted for worship.

Such oppressive tyranny naturally provoked rebellions and a fierce backlash from the Cultivator Realm. The flames of war erupted everywhere, and banners of righteousness stood tall like forests. Yet, the Qing Demons’ countermeasure was actually to "open the doors to invite the thieves in." They signed a series of humiliating treaties that forfeited sovereignty, ceding territory and paying indemnities to bring the Voiders past the borders. They relied on foreign guns and cannons, and even those bizarre Extraordinary Powers from distant continents, to suppress the resistance of their compatriots. In the end, inviting wolves into their home only accelerated their own demise. Under internal and external attacks, they ultimately crumbled and disintegrated, leaving behind nothing but a devastated land and a bone-deep poison.

[I’ve already revised today’s segment seven or eight times, but no matter how I change it, it doesn’t feel right. I’m truly numb from all the edits; every revision requires a two-hour wait. Therefore, I’ve decided to delete this section. It was just stating some truths, after all. I sincerely apologize for affecting your reading experience.]

From his past life to his current one, Lu Jing’an held nothing but disdain for such entities. Let alone the fact that, at this very moment, this fellow had swaggered right into his territory, intending to snatch the spoils he had fought tooth and nail to secure.

The captured Hu Family Ironclad Ship was quietly anchored at Jiang Xin, its hull riddled with bullet holes. It was the testament to the bloody battle fought by the Yin Mountain Water Patrol Bureau and the Lu Family Guard Team; how could he allow anyone else to lay a finger on it? This actually reminded Lu Jing’an of the profound words Bai Ting had spoken right before his death. From top to bottom, the Hu Family had acted perversely against the natural order. Looking at it now, this "perversity" must refer to this very situation.

To think the Hu Family would collude with the remnants of the Qing Demons. This truly exceeded Lu Jing’an’s expectations. As far as Lu Jing’an knew, the Hu Family’s ancestors could be traced back to the Previous Dynasty. They were proper Hanlin academicians, originating from a Pure Stream background, and passed down a legacy of poetry and literature. A plaque bearing the words "Successful Imperial Scholar" had once hung above their doorframe. Logically speaking, these intellectuals of the Hu Family should value moral integrity. Even if they weren’t mortal enemies with the Qing Demons, they should have drawn a clear line. How did they end up mixed together?

The sudden appearance of the elderly Qing Demon caused the men of the Water Patrol Bureau to subconsciously halt their movements and tighten their grips on their firearms. The newcomer possessed an extraordinary aura, a quaint, simple long Sword hanging at his waist. The scabbard was inlaid with dull turquoise, and the hilt was wrapped in faded, frayed bright yellow silk thread. It was the standard-issue Sword of the Qing Demon Court guards, a symbol of status. The officers looked at one another, exchanging glances filled with vigilance and disgust. Yet, they all restrained themselves, uniformly turning to look at the young bureau chief standing on the shore, awaiting his orders.

"Get off my spoils of war." Lu Jing’an’s voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly pierced through the river breeze and the sound of crashing waves, carrying an unquestionable, cold hardness. "Otherwise, die."

Hearing this, the elderly man with the rat-tail queue slowly turned around. His movements carried the rigid, pedantic posture of an old-style Military Officer. Under the increasingly dim daylight, Lu Jing’an got a clear look at his appearance. It was a face as gaunt as if carved by a knife, with deeply sunken eye sockets and high, prominent cheekbones. His skin bore a pale pallor from a long lack of sunlight, yet his eyes shone with a brilliant, piercing light.