Beast Taming Patrol - Chapter 851 273: Qin Yunzhang's Shock (Part 1 and 2 Combined)

In a closed and quiet chamber, a lamp quietly glows.

This lamp is extremely strange. It has no wick and no lamp oil, yet its internal flame seems to burn out of thin air, never extinguishing.

That flame also differs from ordinary fire. It is not crimson but a ghostly blue, like a phantom flame.

“Whoo~”

Suddenly, a gust of wind, from whereabouts unknown, swept past the flame, its sound so faint it was almost imperceptible.

The flame, originally leaping and lively, was extinguished in an instant.

The entire chamber thus fell into utter darkness.

“Boom!”

The next moment, accompanied by a loud noise and a surge of formidable energy, a man with a terribly grim expression burst into the chamber.

When he saw the lamp, now completely dark and devoid of any light, his eyes quickly filled with bloodshot veins.

Without another word, the man held the lamp in his hands and dashed out of the chamber.

A moment later.

In the imperial court of the Yun Hao Empire.

A group of formidable experts, their auras terrifying, gathered around the extinguished lamp, their expressions extremely grim.

The eerie silence was like the last calm before a torrential storm.

“The soul lamp… has gone out!” the Emperor of the Yun Hao Empire, dressed in a dragon robe and wearing an imperial crown, said in a deep voice. “Second Attendant! How did the soul lamp extinguish?”

“Yes!” The man who had previously carried the lamp quickly stepped forward. “The soul lamp did not gradually dim but was extinguished in an instant.”

The court fell silent once more.

Those present were no strangers to this lamp.

This soul lamp was obtained at great cost from the Forge Heaven Pavilion, one of the Six Supreme Sects.

It had only one function, which was to ascertain the safety of those on long journeys.

There were other objects with similar functions.

But only the soul lamp produced by the Forge Heaven Pavilion could transcend spatial separation and reflect the situation within the battlefield of prodigies in real-time!

Such was its value that even the Empire could not possess many of them.

Every time the Grand Contest of Nations took place, the Yun Hao Empire would leave a fragment of each prodigy’s soul within this soul lamp.

The more prodigies that survived, the brighter the flame within the soul lamp!

The stronger the prodigies, the brighter the flame within the soul lamp!

Over the past month, they had watched the flame within the soul lamp grow gradually brighter, much more so than in previous years, bringing joy to the entire Yun Hao Empire.

This meant that not only were the prodigies of the Yun Hao Empire all still alive, but they had also had a better start than in previous years.

But now, it was as if a hand had cruelly wiped away their dreams.

The soul lamp had suddenly gone out.

This meant that all the prodigies of the Yun Hao Empire had perished.

Moreover, they had perished in an instant.

“Extinguished in an instant…” The Emperor’s hand, gripping the gilded armrest of the imperial throne, snapped it off as his eyes blazed with fury, yet there was no outlet for his anger.

What specifically happened within the prodigy battlefield was known only by the Supreme Sects.

Or perhaps they would learn from the returning prodigies after the Grand Contest of Nations concluded.

Th𝙞𝙨 𝕔hȺp𝕥єr 𝚒𝑠 p𝕠𝓈τ𝑒𝒹 bʏ Ⱪ𝚤𝓉𝗲ɳ𝗼ѵ𝗲𝓁

The Empire had no right to spy on the situation within the prodigy battlefield.

“Everyone, let’s discuss!” The Emperor’s fury and frustration gradually turned into helplessness. “How should our Yun Hao Empire respond next?”

“Your Majesty, this year’s prodigies were stronger than those of previous years, yet they suddenly faced such a catastrophe…” An old man slowly stepped forward. “I believe that they might have provoked a force they shouldn’t have, resulting in an encirclement by a more powerful entity.”

The others nodded in agreement.

Clearly, they all thought that only a more powerful force could simultaneously annihilate all the prodigies of Yun Hao.

“Great Attendant, please continue.” The Emperor nodded slightly, indicating for the old man to proceed.

“Currently, the first thing we must do is to block the information.” The old man’s face was grave as he looked at everyone present. “We must not let any news of our Yun Hao prodigies’ total annihilation leak out!”

After each Grand Contest of Nations, the Yun Hao Empire always became stronger due to the rewards received from the Supreme Sects for having prodigies join them.

But with this year’s situation, such an outcome was evidently not going to happen.

If this information spread within the Yun Hao Empire, public unrest would be inevitable.

Even more frightening would be letting the vassal states and neighboring empires learn of this matter.

At that time, the Yun Hao Empire would undoubtedly face these “good neighbors” adding insult to injury, shaking the very foundation of the nation.

“Makes sense.” The Emperor’s gaze carried a hint of murderous intent as it swept across everyone present. “Everyone, during this special period, for safety’s sake, my apologies for what is to come.”

The faces of those present were stern, but they still nodded.

In special times, their actions naturally would be under surveillance.

“But Great Attendant,” the head of the Beast Taming Union, President Tang, slowly stepped forward, “after the Grand Contest of Nations ends, if there is no one from our Yun Hao on the recruitment list of the Six Supreme Sects, other nations will still know that our Yun Hao has no disciples in the Supreme Sects this time.”

“I am aware!” The Great Attendant cast a glance at President Tang and snorted coldly. “Therefore, with the remaining time, we need to make corresponding arrangements in advance.”

“It would be best… to strike first!” A sudden gleam of cold light flashed in his murky old eyes.

“What does the Great Attendant mean by striking first?” The Emperor asked quickly.

“Taking advantage of the Grand Contest of Nations not yet concluding, seek an opportunity to annihilate another nation!” The Great Attendant spoke in a stern voice.

The murderous intent startled everyone present.

“The empires neighboring us are as strong as our Yun Hao. If war breaks out, it would be a prolonged conflict, difficult to determine victory or defeat quickly, causing great depletion.”

“But, the vassal states are weak.”