Chapter 1029: An Unexpected Delight

Ma Chao delivered a powerful kick, sending Yue Ji’s long-handled warhammer flying, and with Yue Ji's eyes filled with shock, confusion, and disbelief, Ma Chao ruthlessly kicked him into the ground. With the earth cracking beneath him and a mushroom cloud rising, the battle between Ma Chao and Yue Ji finally came to an end.

As the dust settled, countless Qiang people rushed toward the large crater at the center, where Ma Chao stood tall, while Yue Ji lay motionless, as if dead. Despite Ma Chao’s disheveled hair and the sweat dripping down his face, it did nothing to diminish his image—instead, it only solidified his strength in their eyes.

"King, King, King!" someone shouted, and soon, the hills and plains echoed with the unified roar of the Qiang people.

The largest Qiang tribe then brought forth their finest armor and weapons—a complete set of battle armor, the best they had to offer. As for the armor once worn by the Qiang King, it had long since been replaced with even better equipment. A king must wear only the finest.

This is a world transformed by meteoric changes, and naturally, meteors hold a mystical legend in this world. The armor now offered to Ma Chao was made from meteoric iron, a material renowned for crafting near-divine weapons.

Although meteoric iron wasn't as fearsome as some legendary materials, in this era, it was still considered the best available. The armor, forged by a renowned swordsmith family using ancient techniques, was among the finest of its kind. Furthermore, the Qiang people had safeguarded this armor for nearly two hundred years.

Through continuous nurturing with internal energy over the centuries, the armor had reached a near-perfect state. Yet, no one had ever worn it—until now. The reverence with which they had preserved it had finally found its rightful owner.

As the saying goes, "A man is known by his clothes, and a horse by its saddle." After donning the armor, Ma Chao appeared even more majestic than before. His already handsome and valiant appearance was now accentuated by a new level of power. And as if by fate, the two-hundred-year-old armor fit Ma Chao perfectly, just as the dragon spear offered by the Xianling Qiang felt natural in his hands. It was as if everything had been tailor-made for him.

"King, please enter the royal tent!" As Ma Chao finished donning the armor, the royal tent was already prepared. Though some tribes were reluctant, they all knew that the emergence of a Qiang King was a great blessing. Internal strife among the Qiang people would finally come to an end.

Under these circumstances, everything belonging to the Qiang King was promptly offered by the elders and the tribes responsible for preserving them. Fortunately, every time a Qiang King was selected, these items were always brought to the selection site.

As for the former Grand Elder Yue Ji, he was merely helped to his feet, standing outside the tent, ready to welcome Ma Chao’s ascension as the Qiang King. After being thoroughly defeated, Yue Ji found clarity in his defeat, fully recognizing the young man before him.

The one who emerged victorious in the Qiang King selection was undeniably the mightiest warrior among the Qiang, and Ma Chao, who had defeated all challengers, was now the rightful heir to the throne. Whether Yue Ji could continue in his role as the Grand Elder was now up to Ma Chao. The Qiang King’s supreme martial power was synonymous with absolute authority among the Qiang.

Unlike the Han court, which upheld virtues like benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust, the Qiang people valued strength above all. Ascending to the throne meant that Ma Chao, in theory, could dethrone all the tribal leaders. From this moment onward, the Hundred Qiang tribes became a relic of the past—under Ma Chao, the concept of the Qiang people as a unified entity would emerge.

"King, please enter the tent!" The tribal leaders of the Hundred Qiang lined up in a row, bowing respectfully and inviting Ma Chao to enter the royal tent.

With a flick of his cloak, Ma Chao strode toward the royal tent. But just as he was about to enter, he turned to Yue Ji and asked, "May I bring others inside?"

"The king sets all the rules. You possess everything of the Qiang people, including our lives!" Yue Ji immediately knelt, raising a ceremonial dagger above his head. His gesture was entirely different from his previous defiance, and his pale face now showed complete submission to Ma Chao.

The blow that had shattered Yue Ji’s weapon not only severely injured him but also crushed his confidence and envy. The Qiang people naturally submitted to the strong, and Ma Chao was both young and powerful. More importantly, he had Qiang blood in his veins. Yue Ji felt no hesitation in bowing before him.

"I accept your loyalty," Ma Chao said, momentarily stunned by Yue Ji’s expression before breaking into a wild laugh as he accepted Yue Ji’s dagger. At the same time, the leaders of the Western Qiang, represented by Yue Ji, smiled bitterly and knelt to offer their loyalty to Ma Chao, acknowledging his authority.

The Second and Fourth Elders, who had always followed Yue Ji’s lead, realized there was no point in resisting. With Yue Ji’s years of experience as Grand Elder and his network of connections, if Ma Chao chose to do nothing, it wouldn’t be long before they, too, were ousted. Rather than face that fate, they chose to pledge their loyalty now, hoping to leave a good impression on the new, young Qiang King.

"Yadan and Che’er greet the king!" Both the Second and Fourth Elders followed Yue Ji’s example.

Likewise, the tribes represented by the Second and Fourth Elders—Qingpian and Xianling—also submitted to Ma Chao. With the three major tribes pledging their allegiance, Ma Chao had unknowingly secured dominance over the Qiang people.

With the three major tribes united in loyalty, the smaller tribes had no choice but to follow suit, leaving only the tribe of the former Third Elder to resist. However, under such overwhelming pressure, they, too, had no choice but to submit.

In this way, even before Ma Chao fully understood what was happening, he had successfully taken control of over seventy tribes.

"Master Xun, you should come too. I believe we need to have a discussion," Ma Chao called out to Xun You and Dian Wei.

Xun You nodded and followed Ma Chao inside with Dian Wei. After entering the royal tent, Ma Chao sat on the throne, looking expressionless at the leaders of the various tribes, though in his heart, he was filled with joy.

After all, Ma Chao was still a marquis’s heir. Although his family had fallen on hard times, he had received the education of the Han aristocracy. To him, the Qiang King selection was merely a formality.

Ma Chao never believed that winning the Qiang King selection alone would grant him the title. All he sought was the legitimacy that came with the title, not the actual throne. He had already planned out his next steps after the selection.

But reality has a way of surprising people. This unexpected turn of events had left Ma Chao more than pleased.

The first order of business upon entering the royal tent was the formation of a new royal cavalry force of thirty thousand men. Ma Chao, the new Qiang King, would personally select the troops, and every tribe was required to comply. All tribes were to contribute weapons and equipment to arm the new force.

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