“The imperial court is handling affairs of the Xuanzhi Department; all unrelated personnel must retreat immediately!”
Just as the Taoists were conspiring secretly, a voice suddenly rang out from outside, carrying the aura of weapons and faint sounds of obstruction and screams.
“Hmm? Has our plan been exposed?”
The Taoists exchanged glances, feeling as if a basin of icy water had been poured over their heads, chilling them to the bone.
Despite their contempt and disdain, they were well aware that the mighty Wu Dynasty had unified the Central Plains and had deep roots. Their secret plotting might still have a chance of success. However, if the plan were exposed and their enemies became vigilant, there would be absolutely no chance of success.
“Quickly escape!”
Hearing the sounds of fighting drawing closer, the Taoists leapt from their secret chamber, each glowing with talisman light.
“By imperial decree, the followers of Qingning Gate and other Taoist sects are guilty of rebellion and are unforgivable. All involved Taoist sects are to be branded as heretical cults, and all members are to be killed without mercy!”
The main gate was shattered, and a venerable Taoist priest wearing a golden crown, a five-colored cloud brocade robe, and wielding a duster made of ice-silk let out a voice as clear as pearls scattered across the hall.
“Curs of the imperial court, the celestial Taoist, how dare you degrade yourself like this? Don’t you fear shaming the ancestors of your Four Symbols Sect in the netherworld?”
The Taoists shouted in anger.
The newly arrived aristocratic Taoist was none other than Tianxiang, the leader of the Four Symbols Sect. However, since his surrender, he had been assisting Empress Wu Zhi, accumulating considerable merit. By now, not only had he restored his Earth Immortal status, but he had also made subtle progress, his magical abilities becoming increasingly unfathomable.
“Your words are gravely mistaken, my friends! The cycle of fate turns, yin and yang revolve. Our dynasty has already been established, and most Taoist sects have submitted. Only you still overestimate yourselves, trying to stop a chariot with your bare arms. I am merely following Heaven’s will and the people’s wishes, eliminating these pests of yours. This act is not only blameless but also highly meritorious!”
Tianxiang stroked his beard: “It’s getting late. My friends, please proceed on your journey… For cultivators like us, death must mean total annihilation. So I won’t bother talking about your next life!”
As he spoke, a clear barrier of light unfolded from behind Tianxiang, causing the faces of the several Taoists to change: “An Earth Immortal’s domain!? Retreat quickly!”
Their hearts sank, and they marveled at how the Four Symbols Sect, despite the collapse of their heavenly cave, could still display such a spectacle of power.
“Think you can escape?”
Tianxiang sneered. Behind him, dozens of armored soldiers poured in, each one strong and fierce, clad in iron armor, their dark steel blades radiating a killing aura that was particularly effective at disrupting magical powers.
“Elite soldiers hardened in a hundred battles, their martial spirit filled with blood and iron?!”
The Taoists were greatly alarmed and scattered like birds and beasts.
Even if they were to match magical powers, they might not necessarily be a match for the old Taoist, let alone these elite soldiers who had crawled out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
At their level, the soldiers’ martial spirit was sufficient to nullify ordinary magical abilities. If they also cultivated martial arts, they could close in and kill a cultivator within a few dozen steps in an instant, making it truly dangerous for cultivators to be even slightly careless.
“Can you escape?”
Several commanding officers roared, their feet tapping the ground a few times, soaring forward like giant peng birds, their movements agile to an unbelievable degree. In an instant, they blocked the Taoists’ escape routes, their long swords chopping down with mountainous momentum, following a strict formation.
“Cursed! These martial artists from noble families!”
In this world, Empress Wu Zhi was the foremost martial artist, even having a record of slaying immortals, naturally attracting many martial families to pledge allegiance. These people were already skilled in martial arts and were then incorporated into the military, trained in formations and discipline, immediately becoming a formidable force.
Boundless in all directions, borrow the power of yin and yang!
One Taoist, seeing an officer’s sword strike coming, shouted, and the earth beneath his feet rose, forming a wall.
“A mere trifle! For me… kill!”
Unexpectedly, the officer roared, and a red glow appeared on his blade. A thick martial spirit, like white mist, condensed and lingered. The sound wave struck the earth wall, instantly disrupting the magical structure. Then, with another slash, the sword light effortlessly broke through the defense, directly piercing the Taoist’s heart.
“Martial Grandmaster? I can’t accept this…”
The Taoist’s eyes dimmed, his body’s vital energy severed, and a shadowy spirit emerged, trying to escape.
“Hehe!”
At this moment, the power of the domain appeared, sweeping the spirit away. It was none other than the old Taoist Tianxiang taking action.
“Fellow Daoist! The Immortal Lord will not forgive you!”
Pup!
Two piercing sounds of blades entering flesh rang out, and another Taoist fell, uttering his last words in a struggle.
“Immortal Lord?!”
The old Taoist Tianxiang sneered coldly: “This is the imperial capital of the Great Wu Dynasty, where the law is strict and guarded by our sages. Even if the Immortal Lords come, who dares to cross the threshold? Only you, the stray ghosts of destroyed sects, would serve as mere vanguard!”
“Officers, listen to my command! Not a single person in this mansion is to be spared. Immediately issue wanted notices for any Taoist sects involved!”
“Understood!”
With a chorus of responses, the Taoists within the mansion were thrown into despair.
…
“The secret is out!”
As the city of Jingyang erupted into chaos, with a citywide search for the traitorous Taoists, high above in the clouds.
Several beings watched this scene, silently for a long time before finally uttering four words.
“Originally, the Great Wu Dynasty had the Mandate of Heaven; our rebellion against Heaven’s will inevitably brings many trials!”
One being spoke, the surrounding space rippling.
He held a feather fan and wore a silk headscarf, his body surrounded by clear light, appearing as a fully enlightened Daoist, except for a black crystal embedded in his forehead, with countless tendrils spreading like tattoos, looking extremely eerie.
“If we speak of the Mandate of Heaven… we are not without it either!”
Another being spoke, his voice heavy as a mountain. He was of a barbarian race, nearly three meters tall, wearing animal skins, like a giant emerging from the wilderness. The only similarity was the half of his face covered in tattoos.
“We have received the essence of the Supreme Immortal Lord, allowing us to break our limitations and attain the status of Celestial Immortals. From the moment we accepted it, we made solemn vows to disrupt the heavenly order and overthrow the orthodox. Now, with the Heavenly Emperor in seclusion and the nameless Immortal Lord in hiding, this is our final chance!”
A female demonic immortal spoke with a voice soft yet seductive, veiled, revealing only half her face, which was breathtakingly beautiful—if one could ignore the black markings.
“That’s right. If these two existences appear, we will have no chance at all. We must act decisively now!”
The giant demonic immortal immediately agreed: “Even if the other sects’ Immortal Lords do not join us, they will remain neutral observers. Besides, we’ve just had a major victory in the southwest, and the northern barbarians’ cavalry is advancing south, creating instability in the Central Plains. This is the perfect opportunity for us!”
“Hesitation invites disaster!”
The powerful divine thoughts converged, suddenly making a firm decision: “Even though Wu Zhi possesses the ability to slay immortals and Jingyang is a heavily fortified imperial city with strict laws, if we unite our forces and are willing to sacrifice our essence, what do we have to fear?”
Boom!
Suddenly, a dense layer of dark clouds appeared over Jingyang City.
The previously clear sky with gentle breezes instantly turned into a scene of rolling dark clouds and dancing lightning, carrying a crushing pressure that loomed heavily over the hearts of all who could sense it.
“This cloud carries demonic energy!”
Tianxiang suddenly looked up, his eyes emitting sharp light, and his expression changed drastically: “Demonic Immortal!”
“Hahaha…”
Among the Taoists, one who was still standing despite being covered in blood laughed loudly: “With chaos arising in the four directions and the dragon’s aura in the Central Plains unstable, the Immortal Lords have finally acted! Hahaha… I wonder how long the Great Wu Dynasty can maintain its arrogance…”
Before his words had finished, several steel blades pierced his body simultaneously, and he died instantly.
“What’s the panic for?”
The personnel of the Zhi Xuan Department, all aware of the gravity of the situation, had anxious expressions on their faces.
Seeing this, the old Taoist Tianxiang immediately rebuked: “The Wu Dynasty has received the Mandate of Heaven, with the protection of the Heavenly Emperor and numerous deities above, the operation of the sage in the middle, and loyal servants like us below. With the unity of purpose, what is there to fear? Immediately head to the imperial palace!”
“Understood!”
Hearing his words, everyone managed to calm their minds slightly and rushed toward the imperial palace, though the concern in their eyes remained.
…
“This…”
Inside the Crown Prince’s Mansion, Wu Ding looked up at the suddenly darkened sky, his expression also changing: “When something unusual happens, there must be a demon involved!”
As the one closest to the dragon’s aura and national fortune, aside from Wu Zhi, he keenly sensed something different in the sky.
Boom! Boom!
At this moment, a thunderous sound came, carrying a mighty and towering majesty, oppressing all beings below: “The Wu Dynasty has acted unlawfully, offending our Taoist sects and extinguishing our lineage! Today, we shall destroy the national fortune. Where is Wu Zhi?”
“What audacity!”
The surrounding maids and eunuchs all knelt down in the face of this mighty voice, some even fainting immediately, while Wu Ding’s face turned red with anger: “Rebellion! Rebellion!”
Roar! Roar!
Under the complex gazes of many cultivators, accompanied by a dragon’s roar, a golden pillar emerged from the direction of the imperial palace, towering into the sky, parting the dark clouds, and exuding a vast majesty that commanded all beings.
Within the golden pillar, the figure of a five-clawed golden dragon appeared, its dragon eyes glowing with five-colored lights. Unlike the previous arrogant and fierce appearance of a young dragon, it now exuded a regal grace.
This was the state after the dragon’s aura had fully matured—the only true dragon in the world.
“Indeed, a true dragon! To break this spell, we must borrow the advantages of terrain and human support!”
Among the clouds, many demonic immortals saw this scene and sighed in admiration. Then, they emitted a cyan and purple glow, chanting together: “Where is the dragon’s aura of the Four Barbarians?”
Boom!
In an instant, from the east, west, south, and north directions around the golden dragon, four thick black-purple auras appeared, especially the ones from the south and north being the most massive. They transformed into dragon-wolf forms, snarling and pouncing.
Roar! Roar!
Seeing this, the golden dragon’s pupils finally flashed with a trace of anger, entangling with the four dragon auras. The golden pillar trembled repeatedly.
“Hahaha… Indeed worthy of the Supreme Immortal Lord. Even the arrangements made at the time of his death can now shake the dragon’s aura of the Central Plains!”
Several demonic immortals felt a slight relief from the pressure and were overjoyed: “Take this opportunity to directly attack the palace and behead the empress. The dragon’s aura will surely be greatly damaged!”
“Who do you think you’re going to behead?”
Accompanied by a voice as clear and smooth as jade, Wu Zhi, wearing her Nine Phoenix Imperial Robe, stepped onto the void one step at a time. Around her, vast expanses of space shattered into dust, clearly demonstrating her mastery of the sixth level of martial arts—shattering the void!
“Clowns daring to act while my husband is away?”
A cold smile appeared on Wu Zhi’s lips: “Just in time. I’ve recently created a new technique called the Emperor’s Dragon Fist. Today, I’ll test it on you lot!”
Roar! Roar!
In the next instant, a golden dragon aura descended into Wu Zhi’s right hand, emitting a loud dragon’s roar!
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