Chapter 65: The Little Hill, Lost Souls

With heavy hearts, the group spent a night resting at their temporary base. That evening, Xiao Yu found the satellite phone within their headquarters and dialed the numbers of several highly influential elders back in Yanxia. He knew that, after they had destroyed the Ise Shrine, neither the authorities nor the martial world of Sakura Country would allow them to leave so easily. Their actions had shaken Sakura Country to its core.

Within half an hour of Xiao Yu’s departure from the shrine, news of the destruction of the Ise Shrine, along with the obliteration of the ancestral tablets and the statue of Amaterasu, spread like wildfire throughout Sakura Country. The royal family was furious. The Emperor dispatched his personal guards to search every corner of the land for Xiao Yu and his companions. It wasn’t just the official forces; even the martial world mobilized. Many reclusive masters emerged, though most of them were eager to challenge the perpetrators of the shrine’s destruction.

To stand alone against the three Grand Priests—such a feat had never occurred in Sakura Country’s history. While some suspected that Lady Ming might possess such power, none had witnessed it, and their beliefs remained mere conjecture.

Yet, after an exhaustive day and night of searching villages, even with all of Sakura Country’s resources brought to bear, not a trace of Xiao Yu and his party was found. Meanwhile, Xiao Yu and his companions, unnoticed and undetected, boarded a special aircraft reserved for top officials, heading back to Yanxia.

Arriving at a dedicated airport in Yanjing, Xiao Yu and his group disembarked. He had informed nobody of their return—not even Ye Shihan was aware of Xiao Yu’s current status. The only one who knew was his former superior.

Without pause upon leaving the plane, the group proceeded toward a cemetery located in the northern outskirts of Yanjing. It was more a small hill than a cemetery, though this hill was strictly closed to outsiders. Only Xiao Yu and the Twelve Descended from Heaven could come here.

After erecting the cenotaphs for their fallen brothers, Xiao Yu had sworn that any outsider who dared cross this threshold would be killed without mercy. In those days, Xiao Yu was the invincible Battle King, and his words carried immense weight. Moreover, he had stationed a mysterious guardian at the cemetery, making the hill a forbidden ground for all the major families of Yanjing.

Standing at the base of the hill, Xiao Yu and his companions wore solemn expressions. Every year on this day, they returned, their hearts filled with emotion. War inevitably brought sacrifice, yet Xiao Yu still resented himself for possessing such strength and yet being unable to protect his brothers.

After a brief hesitation, Xiao Yu drew a deep breath and began ascending the hill. Tai Sui and the others followed in a line.

The hill appeared barren, but as they walked the winding path upwards, an oppressive atmosphere became palpable. The closer they drew to the summit, the heavier this feeling became.

Soon, the group reached the top, and a powerful visual impact greeted them. Before them lay a vast clearing, where rows upon rows of nameless tombstones stood, each without a family name. The scene itself exuded sorrow. A gust of wind swept across, evoking memories of the chaos and carnage of the battlefield.

“Brothers, we’ve come to see you,” Xiao Yu said, his gaze lingering on the tombstones, his voice thick with emotion. The group stood in silence.

The wind howled even more fiercely, their clothing flapping wildly. At that moment, a dark figure raced toward them and soon stood before Xiao Yu.

“Greetings, my king!” The newcomer clasped his fists and knelt on one knee, showing utmost respect.

“Monk, you’ve worked hard,” Xiao Yu said calmly, regarding the man before him.

“My king, you overstate it. To guard my brothers’ graves is the greatest calling of my life,” Monk replied, rising and turning to look at the densely packed, neatly arranged tombstones.

Monk had once been a prominent figure among the younger generation of the ancient martial world, notorious for his ruthless style and countless kills. When hunted by numerous martial masters, he encountered Xiao Yu during a mission; Xiao Yu saved him and brought him into the unit.

After Xiao Yu retired from military service, Monk volunteered to become the cemetery’s guardian.

When Xiao Yu and his companions departed late that night, Xiao Yu took Monk with him. Upon learning that Xiao Yu had declared war on Sakura Country, Monk’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he followed.

Phoenix City, Ye Group.

Since Ye Shihan had been brought back from Sakura Country by the Sword of Xuanyuan, she had become listless, rarely visiting the company. Fortunately, Ye Qinghai’s assistance prevented any delays in Ye Group’s projects.

On the day Ye Shihan was taken and Xiao Yu left, the Ye family suffered a major blow. For reasons unknown, the Chen family, one of the three great clans, publicly declared their intent to oppose the Ye family to the bitter end. This surprised the other two clans and all the families in Phoenix City.

At Ye Shihan’s wedding, everyone had witnessed the awe-inspiring spectacle Xiao Yu had delivered, so few supported the Chen family’s stance.

Their doubts proved well-founded. When the Chen family launched an attack on Ye Group’s stock, Ye Group responded with uncompromising force. Though the Ye family was a newcomer among Phoenix City’s elite, their connection to Huayi Group allowed them to firmly establish themselves.

Within days, all the funds invested by the Chen family were mercilessly devoured by Ye Group, driving Chen Qiang to desperation. He released shares of Chen Group, hoping for someone to lend a hand. However, all potential investors were shrewd; knowing Chen Group was on the verge of collapse, none would risk crossing Ye Group for a handful of Chen shares.

Unsurprisingly, when his search proved fruitless, Chen Qiang abandoned his attack, wishing to minimize his losses. Yet, Ye Qinghai’s maneuver ensured Ye Group tightly controlled the funds Chen Qiang had injected. In the end, the hundred billion he had invested was utterly lost.

The commercial battle ended in Ye Group’s overwhelming victory. But just when everyone thought the matter was closed, news reports and papers suddenly exposed the Chen Group’s secret dealings from past years. With the relevant authorities intervening, the Chen family disappeared from Phoenix City’s stage, much like the Wang family before them.

The families of Phoenix City all understood. The powerful figure behind the Ye family had intervened. They now viewed the Ye family with deep fear; even Zhou Binglong and Zhang Chen were contemplating how to forge a good relationship with Ye Group.

Thus, it was done.