Elder Heifeng and Elder Rongli were even about to raise their palms to disobey the imperial decree and immediately assassinate Yang Hao.
But their palms could not strike down, because Elder Wu Yi’s two hands were already resting on their wrists.
Elder Wu Yi, the leader of the Nine Chief Elders, looked complexly into the depths of the grand palace. Behind several layers of palace halls sat an old man.
Elder Black Wind and Elder Molten even raised their palms, ready to defy the imperial decree and immediately assassinate Yang Hao.
But their hands couldn’t descend, because Elder Wu Yi’s hands were resting on their wrists.
Elder Wu Yi, the leader of the Nine Grand Steward Elders, gazed deeply into the heart of the grand palace with a complex expression—some melancholy, some sighing. Beyond several layers of palaces sat an old man.
That old man was the wielder of the highest authority in the empire. His family had been the most loyal followers of the Supreme One for nearly a millennium.
Could it be that the history of the Galactic Empire would take a completely different turn from this day onward?
Elder Wu Yi pulled Black Wind and Molten along, and the three of them slowly retreated from the grand palace, still facing the emperor’s throne with solemn expressions. Step by step, they withdrew, their figures gradually dimming as they did so.
As if dissolving into the air. The three Steward Elders and the ten Elders who had opposed the dragon vanished together into the snowstorm that engulfed the imperial capital.
And this blizzard, which had already raged for many days, only grew fiercer, showing no signs of stopping.
Snow blanketed the land for thousands of miles, as if determined to dye this beautiful empire in a mournful white.
Why?
This was the question on everyone’s lips. But it seemed no one was willing to answer. After the bloodshed, the grand palace fell into silence once more. The Crown Prince and Feng Feng turned and left without a word. Several chief ministers seemed lost in thought—especially the Chief Minister of the Privy Council, who kept his lips tightly sealed under the scrutiny of the crowd.
Perhaps he had realized something, but he couldn’t speak of it—because this matter was enough to shake the very foundations of the empire. The one thing the Privy Council Minister couldn’t understand was: Was Yang Hao truly that important? Worth the emperor paying such a price?
But though everyone harbored doubts, not all sought answers. As Yang Hao left the grand palace, Lan Ling accompanied him step by step down the ten-thousand-tiered staircase. The woman kept her head lowered the entire time, even dragging her beloved silver spear behind her, not asking a single question.
The battle had ended. Those who had come to rescue Yang Hao, led by Long Yun and Zhuge Jian, waited outside the imperial city. Though the scale of today’s events had been grand, Yang Hao’s losses weren’t severe—mostly casualties among the peripheral noble forces. Long Yun’s personal forces, facing the Snow Night Star Lion Regiment, had barely engaged in combat, merely standing in stalemate until the matter concluded.
At the base of the ten-thousand-tiered staircase, Yang Hao stole a glance at Lan Ling. He noticed something off about her demeanor—gone was the unyielding resolve she had shown when rescuing him earlier. Instead, she kept her head down, refusing to even look at him.
“Uh… Lan Ling,” Yang Hao finally couldn’t resist speaking up. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“What is there to say?” Her tone was icy.
Yang Hao reached for her hand, but she forcefully pulled away.
“What’s wrong?” Yang Hao put on a pitiful expression, leaning closer.
“Show some self-respect.” Lan Ling’s beautiful face was cold. “Future husband of the princess, Sir Yang Hao.”
Yang Hao blinked, finally understanding what was on her mind. While others were puzzled over why the emperor had suddenly supported Yang Hao, a woman’s thoughts were different. What Lan Ling couldn’t get over was the emperor’s decree—specifically, the part about marrying the princess.
“I’m wronged! So wronged!” Yang Hao wailed dramatically. “You know how it is between me and the princess—we can’t stand each other. Who knows if the emperor’s gone senile, pulling this stunt?”
“Hmph!”
“Darling…” Yang Hao quickly batted his big eyes, shamelessly reaching for Lan Ling’s fingers again. “Don’t you want to know why there was such a huge reversal today?”
Yang Hao’s distraction tactic worked. Lan Ling finally focused on the key issue: “Yes, why? Everyone saw you trying to assassinate the emperor. How did His Majesty suddenly spare you in the end?”
“The Galactic Empire today is no longer the same as before.”
“How so?”
Yang Hao said, “Yesterday’s Galactic Empire belonged to the Supreme One and the Elder Council. But today, it no longer does.”
Lan Ling was stunned. She knew how taboo Yang Hao’s words were—but then again, this was a man who had dared to assassinate the Supreme One. What wouldn’t he say?
“Today’s trial was actually a gamble—a wager between me and the Elder Council. Both sides staked everything, but we were betting on different things.” Yang Hao looked back at the towering palace mountain. “The Elder Council bet that the emperor would maintain his usual stance, allowing them to eliminate me. I, however, bet that the emperor in his deep palace would assess the situation and ultimately make his own decision.”
“The emperor’s decision?”
“Everyone said I was bound to lose this gamble because it was clear the Elder Council’s strength far surpassed mine.” Yang Hao sneered. “It seemed I had no chance of winning—but that wasn’t true. I had one last move. I bet that the emperor would also place his wager—and that he’d bet on me.”
Lan Ling took a deep breath. She knew Yang Hao made it sound simple now, but what he had gone through earlier had been life-and-death at every turn. A single misstep, and he wouldn’t be standing here today.
But Yang Hao had indeed won his gamble.
“How did you know the emperor would ultimately help you? After all, at first, he chose to evade.” Lan Ling’s question was one everyone else wanted to ask.
“Because I knew the emperor was the true backer of all anti-Elder Council forces.” Yang Hao said. “If that old man had let the Elder Council eliminate my faction today, he’d never have another chance to turn the tables.”
“What?!” Lan Ling stomped her foot, too shocked to speak.
As a guard of the emperor, Lan Ling knew the imperial guard system didn’t have good relations with the Elder Council. But to say the emperor was the mastermind behind the anti-Elder Council forces? That was too shocking.
Everyone knew the Galactic Empire had been founded by the Supreme One, and the imperial lineage had been established under his support. Every emperor had worshipped the Supreme One as a god, treating the Elder Council with utmost reverence, never daring to defy them.
Even if there were occasional conflicts over power and interests, it had never reached the point of overthrowing the Elder Council.
“Stirring the waters makes things clearer. After arriving on Earth, I deliberately disrupted the existing order with brute force—just to see who else would stand with me against the Elder Council.” Yang Hao clenched his fist as if victory was assured. “As my strength grew, I saw more and more people—the Merchant Guild, the peripheral nobles, the AI King, even over forty swordmaster regiments, and an unknown number of hidden sword saints… So I started wondering: Were these forces truly isolated? Was there someone—or some power—secretly nurturing them, keeping them hidden from the Elder Council?”
Lan Ling listened silently.
Yang Hao continued, “Twenty years ago—even ten years ago—the Elder Council would never have tolerated someone like me in the empire. But now, in a single night, they’ve realized they can no longer fully control the situation.
“Even the rise of the Merchant Guild left them helpless. Was that just because the Guild’s power grew? A mere Merchant Guild couldn’t possibly nurture forty swordmaster regiments—such a massive armed force—let alone an untold number of sword saints. Even you—a hidden sword saint. How could all this happen under the Elder Council’s noses?”
Lan Ling seemed to grasp something. As part of the imperial guard, she knew the palace housed many experts. Just her twelve senior brothers were all sword saints—combined with herself, Qin Feng commanded thirteen sword saints. Yet the empire publicly claimed only three sword saints existed. This was likely all for the Elder Council’s benefit.
“The Merchant Guild couldn’t nurture forty swordmaster regiments. The AI King couldn’t oppose the Elder Council alone. The true mastermind behind it all was that old emperor.”
Yang Hao smirked smugly. “He’s the type who won’t act without certainty, wanting to manipulate everything from behind, using me to topple the Elder Council. But it wasn’t that easy. I had to force him to show his hand, make him step into the light.”
“You took such a huge risk just to reveal the emperor’s stance against the Elder Council?” Lan Ling frowned slightly.
“Before, it was just me against the Elder Council—I was the one being crushed. But now, the entire empire will go to war with them. What a glorious day.” Yang Hao rubbed his hands excitedly.
“Yes, yes, what a glorious day.” Lan Ling’s tone turned sour. “And you’re about to marry the princess too.”
“Uh…” Back to this topic, Yang Hao winced. “That old man played me at the last moment—forcing me to marry the princess. Who’d want to marry that violent princess?”
“Who says Xian Lan is violent?” Lan Ling protested on her friend’s behalf. “She’s a great beauty, you know. I’d say she’s the imperial capital’s number one beauty.”
“Huh? Isn’t that you?”
“That’s just because others lack taste.”
“Are you jealous or not?” Yang Hao was torn between laughter and tears. “Miss, could you give me a normal reaction, please?”
“Fine… Ah!” Lan Ling’s brows shot up. With lightning speed, she stomped hard on Yang Hao’s foot, grinding her heel mercilessly before turning away with a straight face. “From today onward, we won’t see each other again. That’s my normal reaction.”
Yang Hao clutched his throbbing foot, watching Lan Ling stride away, utterly helpless.
“What now? Want me to stop her?” Xie Fengting grinned mischievously.
“Stop her?” Yang Hao rubbed his foot irritably. “She’s a sword saint, and this is her turf. You think you can?”
“Ah, the perils of beautiful women. Don’t say I didn’t warn you—the two women you’ve tangled with are real disasters.” Xie Fengting’s expression was gleeful. “Lan Ling, Xian Lan, and that Ling Ziyan—they’re the imperial capital’s three great beauties, and also the three most troublesome femmes fatales. You’ve managed to provoke two at once. You’re in for it.”
Yang Hao’s heart ached as if bleeding. Glumly, he said:
“Not two—three. There’s also… Ling Ziyan. She’s the mother of my child.”
“What?!!” This time, it was Xie Fengting’s turn to faint.
As the two men pondered the empire’s beauties, a sudden explosion erupted. From a familiar corner of the capital, thick plumes of smoke billowed into the sky.
Yang Hao shot Maya a glance. The golden sword light flashed out, returning in under five minutes with news.
“Bad news.” Maya’s expression remained impassive. “After withdrawing from the imperial city, the Divine Mercy Sword Regiment attacked the Alchemy Sword Sect’s estate. With our main force absent, they completely destroyed our base.”
“Hai Ke of the Divine Mercy Sword Regiment?”
Rage exploded in Yang Hao’s chest—all his pent-up frustration and fury now directed at this reckless swordmaster.
The empire’s snowstorm, on this day of bloodshed and slaughter, had ended. But the escalating power struggles had only just begun.
Yang Hao, having survived the imperial palace, was like a dragon emerging from shallow waters—ready to unleash his full might.
A new order was impatiently arriving.
Was the history of the Galactic Empire about to take a completely different path starting today?
Elder Wu Yi held back Heifeng and Rongli, and the three slowly retreated from the grand palace, still facing the emperor’s throne with solemn expressions. As they backed away step by step, their figures gradually faded.
It was as though they dissolved into the air. The three chief elders and the ten elders who had opposed the dragon vanished into the snowstorm of the imperial capital.
And this blizzard, which had raged for many days, grew even fiercer, showing no sign of stopping.
Snow blanketed the vast continent, as if dyeing the beautiful landscape into a bleak white.
Why?
This was the question everyone wanted to ask. But it seemed no one was there to answer. After the battle, the grand palace fell into silence once more. The crown prince and Feng Feng turned and left without a word. Several chief ministers looked pensive, especially the Chief Minister of the Privy Council, who kept his lips tightly sealed under the watchful eyes of others.
He might have figured something out, but he could not speak it aloud, for this matter was enough to shake the very foundation of the empire. The only thing the Privy Council Minister couldn’t understand was whether Yang Hao was really that important—was he worth such a heavy price from the emperor?
Though everyone harbored questions, not everyone wanted to answer them. When Yang Hao left the grand palace, Lan Ling accompanied him down the ten-thousand-step staircase. The woman kept her head lowered the entire time, even dragging her beloved silver spear behind her, not uttering a single word.
The battle was over. Those who had come to rescue Yang Hao, led by Long Yun and Zhuge Jian, had all stopped outside the imperial city awaiting his return. Though the scene had been grand today, Yang Hao’s losses were not severe. Mainly, some of the outer nobles’ armies had suffered heavy casualties. Long Yun’s personal forces had faced off against the Snow Night Star Lion Corps and barely engaged in combat, merely standing in confrontation until everything ended.
At the bottom of the ten-thousand-step staircase, Yang Hao stole a glance at Lan Ling. He noticed something was off about her demeanor. She no longer had that unyielding determination from when she rescued him. Instead, she kept her head down and didn’t even look at him.
“Um… Lan Ling,” Yang Hao finally couldn’t help but speak up. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“What would I say?” Her reply was still icy cold.
Yang Hao reached for her hand, but she forcefully pulled away.
“What’s wrong?” He looked pitifully bewildered as he edged closer.
“Maintain your dignity,” Lan Ling said coldly. “Future husband of the princess, Sir Yang Hao.”
Yang Hao blinked and finally understood what was on her mind. Everyone else was puzzled about why the emperor suddenly supported him, but a woman’s thoughts were always different. What Lan Ling kept mulling over was the emperor’s final decree—the part about marrying the princess.
“I’m so wronged, completely wronged,” Yang Hao cried out dramatically. “You know, the princess and I just don’t get along at all. We can’t even stand each other. Who knows if the emperor has gone senile and decided to do something like this?”
“Hmph!”
“Sweetheart…” Yang Hao quickly fluttered his eyelashes,
and shamelessly reached for Lan Ling’s fingers again, “Don’t you want to know why there was such a big turnaround today?”
Yang Hao’s tactic of changing the subject indeed worked. Lan Ling finally focused on this key point: “Yeah, why? Everyone saw with their own eyes that you were there to assassinate the emperor. How did the emperor suddenly let you go in the end?”
“Today’s Galactic Empire is no longer the same as before.”
“What’s different about it?”
The Black Wind Elder and the Molten Lava Elder even raised their hands, ready to defy the imperial decree and immediately assassinate Yang Hao.
But their hands couldn’t descend, because Elder Wu Yi’s hands were resting on their wrists.
Elder Wu Yi, the leader of the Nine Grand Steward Elders, gazed deeply into the heart of the grand palace with a complex expression—some melancholy, some sighing. Beyond several layers of palaces sat an old man.
That old man was the highest authority of the empire, his family the most loyal followers of the Supreme One for nearly a millennium.
Would the history of the Galactic Empire, from this day forward, take a completely different turn?
Elder Wu Yi pulled Black Wind and Molten Lava back, and the three of them slowly retreated from the grand palace, still facing the emperor’s throne with solemn expressions, step by step. As they withdrew, their figures gradually dimmed, as if dissolving into the air.
The three Steward Elders and the ten Elders who had opposed the dragon vanished into the blizzard that engulfed the imperial capital.
And the storm, which had already raged for many days, only grew fiercer, showing no signs of abating.
Snow blanketed the land for thousands of miles, as if intent on dyeing this beautiful empire in a bleak, desolate white.
Why?
This was the question everyone wanted to ask. But it seemed no one was willing to answer. After the bloodshed, the grand palace fell into silence once more. The Crown Prince and Feng Feng turned and left without a word, while several chief ministers pondered deeply—especially the Chief Minister of the Privy Council, who kept his lips tightly sealed under the gaze of the crowd.
Perhaps he had realized something, but he couldn’t speak of it—because this matter was enough to shake the very foundations of the empire. The one thing the Privy Council Minister couldn’t understand was: Was Yang Hao truly that important? Worth the emperor paying such a price?
But even if everyone harbored doubts, not everyone sought answers. When Yang Hao left the grand palace, Lan Ling accompanied him step by step down the ten-thousand-tiered staircase. The woman kept her head lowered, even dragging her beloved silver spear behind her, not asking a single question.
The great battle had ended. Those who had come to rescue Yang Hao, led by Long Yun and Zhuge Jian, waited outside the imperial city. Though the scale of today’s events was immense, Yang Hao’s losses weren’t severe—mostly casualties among the peripheral noble forces. Long Yun’s personal forces, facing the Snow Night Star Lion Regiment, had barely engaged in combat, merely standing in stalemate until the matter concluded.
At the base of the endless staircase, Yang Hao stole a glance at Lan Ling. He noticed her expression was off—gone was the unyielding determination she had shown when rescuing him earlier. Instead, she kept her head down, refusing to even look at him.
“Um… Lan Ling,” Yang Hao finally couldn’t resist speaking up. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“What is there to say?” Her tone was icy.
Yang Hao reached for her hand, but she forcefully pulled away.
“What’s wrong?” Yang Hao put on a pitiful expression, leaning closer.
“Have some self-respect.” Lan Ling’s beautiful face was cold. “Future husband of the princess, Sir Yang Hao.”
Yang Hao blinked, finally understanding what was on her mind. While others were puzzled about why the emperor had suddenly supported Yang Hao, a woman’s thoughts were different. What Lan Ling couldn’t stop dwelling on was the emperor’s decree—specifically, the part about marrying the princess.
“I’m wronged! So wronged!” Yang Hao wailed dramatically. “You know the princess and I don’t get along at all. We can’t stand each other. Who knows if the emperor’s gone senile, pulling this stunt?”
“Hmph!”
“Darling…” Yang Hao fluttered his big eyes shamelessly, reaching for Lan Ling’s fingers. “Don’t you want to know why there was such a huge reversal today?”
Yang Hao’s distraction tactic worked. Lan Ling finally focused on the key issue: “Yes, why? Everyone clearly saw you trying to assassinate the emperor. How did His Majesty suddenly spare you in the end?”
“The Galactic Empire today is different from before.”
“How so?”
Yang Hao said, “Yesterday’s Galactic Empire belonged to the Supreme One and the Elder Council. But today, it no longer does.”
Lan Ling was stunned. She knew how taboo Yang Hao’s words were, but this man had dared to assassinate the Supreme One—what wouldn’t he say?
“Today’s trial was actually a gamble—a wager between me and the Elder Council. Both sides staked everything, but we were betting on different things.” Yang Hao looked back at the towering palace mountain. “The Elder Council bet that the emperor would maintain his usual stance, allowing them to eliminate me. I, however, bet that the emperor in his deep palace would assess the situation and ultimately make his own decision.”
“The emperor’s decision?”
“Everyone said I was bound to lose this gamble because it was obvious the Elder Council’s strength far surpassed mine.” Yang Hao sneered. “It seemed I had no chance at all. But that wasn’t true—I had one last move. I bet that the emperor would also place his wager… on me.”
Lan Ling took a deep breath. She knew Yang Hao made it sound simple now, but what he had gone through was a dance on the edge of death. A single misstep at any point, and he wouldn’t be alive now.
But Yang Hao had indeed won his gamble.
“How did you know the emperor would ultimately side with you? After all, at first, he chose to evade.” Lan Ling’s question was one everyone else wanted to ask.
“Because I knew the true backer of all anti-Elder Council forces was the emperor himself.” Yang Hao smirked. “If that old man had let the Elder Council eliminate my faction today, he’d never have another chance to turn the tables.”
“What?!” Lan Ling stomped her foot, too shocked to speak.
As a guard of the imperial family, Lan Ling knew the imperial guards didn’t have a good relationship with the Elder Council. But to claim the emperor was the mastermind behind the anti-Elder Council forces? That was too shocking.
Everyone knew the Galactic Empire was founded by the Supreme One, and the imperial lineage was also established by him. Every emperor worshipped the Supreme One as a god, treating the Elder Council with utmost reverence, never daring to defy them.
Even if there were occasional conflicts over power and interests, it was never to the point of overthrowing the Elder Council.
“Stirring the waters makes things clearer. After arriving on Earth, I deliberately disrupted the existing order with brute force—just to see who else would stand with me against the Elder Council.” Yang Hao clenched his fist as if victory was assured. “As my influence grew, I saw more and more people—the Merchant Alliance, the peripheral nobles, the AI King, even over forty swordmaster regiments, countless hidden sword saints… So I wondered: Are these people truly isolated? Is there someone—or some force—secretly nurturing them, keeping them hidden from the Elder Council?”
Lan Ling listened silently.
Yang Hao continued, “Twenty years ago—even ten years ago—the Elder Council would never have tolerated someone like me in the empire. But now, in a single night, they realized they could no longer fully control the situation.”
“Even the rise of the Merchant Alliance left them helpless. Was that just due to the Alliance’s growing power? How could a mere Merchant Alliance cultivate forty swordmaster regiments, an army of that scale? And those countless sword saints—even you, a hidden sword saint. How could all this happen under the Elder Council’s nose?”
Lan Ling began to understand. As part of the imperial guard, she knew the palace housed many experts. Just her twelve senior brothers were all sword saints—combined with herself, Qin Feng commanded thirteen sword saints. Yet the empire publicly claimed only three. This was likely all for the Elder Council’s benefit.
“The Merchant Alliance couldn’t raise forty swordmaster regiments. The AI King couldn’t oppose the Elder Council alone. The true mastermind behind it all was that old emperor.”
Yang Hao smirked smugly. “He’s the type who won’t act without certainty, wanting to manipulate everything from behind, using me to topple the Elder Council. But it wasn’t that easy. I had to force him to take a stand, make him show his hand properly.”
“You took such a huge risk just to reveal the emperor’s stance against the Elder Council?” Lan Ling frowned slightly.
“Before, it was just me against the Elder Council—I was the one being crushed. But now, the entire empire will go to war with them. What a glorious day.” Yang Hao rubbed his hands excitedly.
“Yes, yes, what a glorious day.” Lan Ling’s tone turned sour. “And you’re about to marry the princess too.”
“Ugh…” Back to this topic, Yang Hao groaned. “That old man played me at the last moment, forcing me to marry the princess. Who’d want to marry that violent princess?”
“Who says Xian Lan is violent?” Lan Ling protested on her friend’s behalf. “She’s a great beauty, you know. I’d say she’s the number one beauty in the imperial capital.”
“Huh? Isn’t that you?”
“That’s just because others have no taste.”
“Are you jealous or not?” Yang Hao was torn between laughter and tears. “Miss, could you please give me a normal reaction?”
“Fine… here’s my normal reaction.” Lan Ling’s brows arched as she suddenly stomped on Yang Hao’s foot with lightning speed, grinding her heel mercilessly before turning away expressionlessly. “From today onward, we won’t see each other again. That’s my normal attitude.”
Yang Hao yelped in pain, watching Lan Ling stride away, utterly helpless.
“What now? Want me to stop her for you?” Xie Fengting grinned mischievously.
“Stop her?” Yang Hao rubbed his foot irritably. “She’s a sword saint, and this is her turf. You think you can?”
“Ah, the perils of beautiful women.” Xie Fengting shook his head gleefully, clearly enjoying Yang Hao’s plight. “Let me remind you—the two women you’ve tangled with are real disasters. Lan Ling, Xian Lan, plus that Ling Ziyan… the three great beauties of the imperial capital, also the three most troublesome. You’ve managed to provoke two of them. You’re in for it.”
Yang Hao’s heart ached as if bleeding. He sighed miserably.
“Not two… three. That Ling Ziyan… she’s the mother of my child.”
“WHAT?!” This time, it was Xie Fengting’s turn to nearly faint.
As the two men pondered the empire’s beauties, a sudden explosion rocked the capital. Thick smoke billowed from a familiar corner of the city.
Yang Hao shot a glance at Maya, who instantly transformed into a golden sword streak, darting away. In less than five minutes, she returned, reforming into human shape.
“Bad news.” Maya’s expression remained blank as ever. “After retreating from the imperial city, the Divine Mercy Sword Regiment raided the Alchemy Sword Sect’s estate. Taking advantage of our absence, they completely destroyed our base.”
“Hai Ke of the Divine Mercy Sword Regiment?”
Rage exploded in Yang Hao’s chest—all his pent-up frustration and fury now directed at this reckless swordmaster.
The empire’s blizzard, on this day of bloodshed and slaughter, had ended. But the escalating power struggles had only just begun.
Yang Hao, who had walked out of the imperial palace alive, was like a dragon emerging from shallow waters—ready to unleash his full might.
A new order was impatiently arriving.
The Black Wind Elder and the Molten Elder even clapped their hands in preparation to defy the imperial decree and immediately assassinate Yang Hao.
But their hands couldn’t descend, because Elder Wu Yi’s hands were resting on their wrists.
Elder Wu Yi, the leader of the nine executive elders, gazed with a complex expression—filled with melancholy and sighs—toward the depths of the grand palace. Behind several layers of halls sat an old man.
That old man was the highest authority of the empire, his family the most loyal followers of the Supreme One for nearly a thousand years.
Would the history of the Galactic Empire, from this day forward, take a completely different turn?
Elder Wu Yi pulled Black Wind and Molten back, and the three slowly retreated from the grand palace, still facing the emperor’s throne with solemn expressions, step by step. As they withdrew, their figures gradually dimmed, as if dissolving into the air.
The three executive elders and the ten elders who had opposed the dragon vanished together into the snowstorm raging over the imperial capital.
And this blizzard, which had already lasted for many days, only grew fiercer, showing no signs of stopping.
The snow blanketed the land for thousands of miles, as if intent on dyeing this beautiful empire a bleak white.
Why?
This was the question on everyone’s lips. But it seemed no one was willing to answer. After the bloodshed, the grand palace fell into silence once more. The crown prince and Feng Feng turned and left without a word, while the chief ministers pondered deeply—especially the chief minister of the Privy Council, who kept his lips tightly sealed under everyone’s gaze.
Perhaps he had realized something, but he couldn’t speak of it—because this matter was enough to shake the very foundations of the empire. The one thing the Privy Council minister couldn’t understand was: Was Yang Hao truly that important? Worth the emperor paying such a price?
But even if everyone harbored doubts, not everyone sought answers. When Yang Hao left the grand palace, Lan Ling accompanied him step by step down the ten thousand stone stairs. The woman kept her head lowered, even dragging her beloved silver spear behind her, not asking a single question.
The great battle had ended. Those who had come to rescue Yang Hao, led by Long Yun and Zhuge Jian, waited outside the imperial city. Though the scale of today’s events had been vast, Yang Hao’s losses weren’t severe—mostly just heavy casualties among the peripheral noble forces. Long Yun’s personal forces, facing the Snow Night Star Lion Regiment, had barely even fought, merely standing in confrontation until the end.
At the base of the ten thousand steps, Yang Hao stole a glance at Lan Ling. He noticed her expression was off—gone was the unyielding determination she had shown when rescuing him. Instead, she kept her head down, refusing to even look at him.
“Um… Lan Ling,” Yang Hao finally couldn’t hold back, “don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“About what?” Her voice was still icy.
Yang Hao reached for her hand, but she forcefully pulled away.
“What’s wrong?” Yang Hao put on a pitiful face, leaning closer.
“Have some self-respect,” Lan Ling said coldly, her beautiful face stern. “Future husband of the princess, Sir Yang Hao.”
Yang Hao blinked, finally understanding what was on her mind. While others were puzzled about why the emperor had suddenly supported Yang Hao, a woman’s thoughts were different. What Lan Ling couldn’t stop dwelling on was the emperor’s final decree—that Yang Hao was to marry the princess.
“I’m wronged! So wronged!” Yang Hao wailed dramatically. “You know the princess and I don’t get along at all. We can’t stand each other. Who knows if the emperor’s gone senile, pulling this stunt?”
“Hmph!”
“Darling…” Yang Hao fluttered his big eyes shamelessly, reaching for Lan Ling’s fingers again. “Don’t you want to know why there was such a huge reversal today?”
Yang Hao’s distraction tactic worked. Lan Ling finally focused on the key issue: “Yes, why? Everyone saw you trying to assassinate the emperor. How did His Majesty suddenly let you go in the end?”
“The Galactic Empire today is different from before.”
“How so?”
“Yesterday’s Galactic Empire belonged to the Supreme One and the Elder Council. But today, it no longer does.”
Lan Ling was stunned. She knew how taboo Yang Hao’s words were—but this man had dared to assassinate the Supreme One. What wouldn’t he say?
“Today’s trial was actually a gamble—a wager between me and the Elder Council. Both sides staked everything, but we were betting on different things.” Yang Hao looked back at the towering palace. “The Elder Council bet that the emperor would maintain his usual stance and let them eliminate me. I, however, bet that the emperor in his deep palace would assess the situation and make his own decision in the end.”
“The emperor’s decision?”
“Everyone said I was bound to lose this gamble because it was clear the Elder Council’s strength far surpassed mine.” Yang Hao sneered. “It seemed I had no chance at all, but that wasn’t true. I had one last move—I bet the emperor would place his wager too. I bet he’d place it on me.”
Lan Ling took a deep breath. She knew Yang Hao made it sound simple now, but what he had gone through was life and death at every turn. One misstep, and he wouldn’t be alive today.
But Yang Hao had indeed won his gamble.
“How did you know the emperor would ultimately help you? After all, at first, he chose to evade.” Lan Ling’s question was one everyone wanted to ask.
“Because I knew the mastermind behind all anti-Elder Council forces was the emperor himself.” Yang Hao smirked. “If that old man had let the Elder Council eliminate my faction today, he’d never have another chance to turn the tables.”
“What?!” Lan Ling stomped her foot, too shocked to speak.
As a guard of the emperor, Lan Ling knew the imperial guard system didn’t have good relations with the Elder Council. But to say the emperor was the mastermind behind the anti-Elder Council forces? That was too shocking.
Everyone knew the Galactic Empire was founded by the Supreme One, and the imperial lineage had been propped up by him. Every emperor worshipped the Supreme One like a god and treated the Elder Council with utmost reverence, never daring to defy them.
Even if there were occasional conflicts over power and interests, it was never to the point of overthrowing the Elder Council.
“Stirring the waters makes things clearer. After arriving on Earth, I deliberately disrupted the existing order with brute force to see who else would stand with me against the Elder Council.” Yang Hao clenched his fist as if victory was assured. “As my strength grew, I saw more and more people—the Merchant Guild, the peripheral nobles, the AI King, even over forty swordmaster regiments, and an unknown number of hidden sword saints… So I wondered—were these people truly isolated? Was there someone or some force secretly nurturing them, keeping them hidden from the Elder Council?”
Lan Ling listened silently.
Yang Hao continued, “Twenty years ago, even ten years ago, the Elder Council would never have tolerated someone like me in the empire. But now, in just one night, they realized they could no longer fully control the situation.”
“Even the rise of the Merchant Guild left them helpless. Was that just because the Guild’s power had grown? How could a mere Merchant Guild cultivate forty swordmaster regiments, an untold number of sword saints, and even you—a hidden sword saint? Weren’t all these things happening under the Elder Council’s nose?”
Lan Ling began to understand. As part of the imperial guard, she knew the palace hid many experts. Her twelve senior brothers, for instance, were all sword saints. Including herself, Qin Feng commanded thirteen sword saints. Yet the empire publicly claimed only three existed—likely to deceive the Elder Council.
“The Merchant Guild couldn’t have raised forty swordmaster regiments. The AI King couldn’t have opposed the Elder Council alone. The true mastermind was the emperor.”
Yang Hao smirked. “He’s the type who won’t act unless he sees the prey. He wanted to manipulate everything from behind, using me to topple the Elder Council. But it wasn’t that easy. I had to force him to take a stand, to show his hand.”
“You took such a huge risk just to reveal the emperor’s stance against the Elder Council?” Lan Ling frowned slightly.
“Before, it was just me against the Elder Council—I was the one being crushed. But now, the entire empire will go to war with them. What a glorious day!” Yang Hao rubbed his hands excitedly.
“Yes, yes, what a glorious day.” Lan Ling’s tone turned sour. “And you’re about to marry the princess too.”
“Ugh…” Yang Hao’s head hurt at the mention of this again. “That old man played me at the last moment, forcing me to marry the princess. Who’d want that fierce princess?”
“Who says Xian Lan is fierce?” Lan Ling protested on her friend’s behalf. “She’s a great beauty! I’d say she’s the imperial capital’s top beauty.”
“Huh? Isn’t that you?”
“That’s just people having no taste.”
“Are you jealous or not?” Yang Hao was exasperated. “Miss, could you give me a normal reaction?”
“Fine…” Lan Ling’s eyebrows shot up. She stomped down with lightning speed, crushing Yang Hao’s foot under hers and grinding it mercilessly before turning away with a straight face. “From today onward, we won’t see each other again. That’s my normal reaction.”
Yang Hao howled in pain, watching Lan Ling stride away helplessly.
“What now? Want me to stop her?” Xie Fengting grinned mischievously.
“Stop her?” Yang Hao rubbed his foot irritably. “She’s a sword saint, and this is her turf. You think you can?”
“Ah, the perils of beautiful women.” Xie Fengting shook his head gleefully. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you—the two women you’ve tangled with are real disasters. Lan Ling, Xian Lan, and that Ling Ziyan—they’re the imperial capital’s three great beauties and its three most troublesome women. You’ve managed to provoke two of them. You’re in for it.”
Yang Hao’s heart ached as if bleeding. He sighed miserably.
“I didn’t provoke two—I provoked all three. That Ling Ziyan… she’s the mother of my child.”
“What?!” This time, it was Xie Fengting’s turn to faint.
As the two men discussed the empire’s beauties, a sudden explosion rocked the capital. Thick smoke billowed from a familiar corner of the city.
Yang Hao shot a glance at Maya, who instantly transformed into a golden sword beam and shot off. Within five minutes, she returned, reforming into human shape.
“Bad news,” Maya said expressionlessly. “After retreating from the imperial city, the Divine Mercy Sword Regiment attacked the Alchemy Sword Sect’s estate. With our main force absent, they completely destroyed our base.”
“Divine Mercy Sword Regiment—Haike?”
Rage exploded in Yang Hao’s chest, all his pent-up fury now directed at this reckless swordmaster.
The empire’s snowstorm, on this day of bloodshed and slaughter, had ended. But the escalating power struggle had only just begun.
Yang Hao, who had walked out of the imperial palace alive, was like a dragon emerging from shallow waters—ready to unleash his full might.
A new order was impatiently arriving.
“Today’s trial was actually a gamble, a bet between me and the Elder Council. Both sides placed all their stakes on the table, but what we bet on was different.” Yang Hao turned to look at the towering palace behind them. “The Elder Council bet that the emperor would maintain his previous stance, allowing them to eliminate me. But I bet that the emperor deep in the palace would assess the situation and ultimately make his own decision.”
“The emperor’s decision?”
“Everyone says I was destined to lose this gamble because it’s obvious the Elder Council’s power far surpasses mine,” Yang Hao sneered. “It seems like I had absolutely no chance of winning. But that’s not true. I had one final move—I bet on the emperor himself. I bet he would place his stake on me.”
Lan Ling took a deep breath. She knew Yang Hao made it sound simple now, but what he had previously gone through was a series of life-and-death situations. Any misstep along the way would have cost him his life.
But Yang Hao had indeed won.
“How did you know the emperor would ultimately help you? After all, at the beginning, the emperor seemed to choose to avoid the issue,” Lan Ling’s question was also what everyone else wanted to ask.
“Because I knew that the ultimate backer of all anti-Elder Council forces was the emperor himself,” Yang Hao said. “If that old man had allowed the Elder Council to eliminate my forces today, he probably wouldn’t have had any chance to turn the tables in the future.”
“What??” Lan Ling stomped her foot, too shocked to speak.
As the emperor’s personal guard, Lan Ling knew the Imperial Guard system had a strained relationship with the Elder Council, but to say the emperor himself was the ultimate backer of the anti-Elder Council forces was simply too shocking.
Elder Blackwind and Elder Molian even clapped their hands together, ready to defy the imperial decree and immediately assassinate Yang Hao.
But their hands couldn’t descend—because Elder Wu Yi’s hands were resting on their wrists.
Elder Wu Yi, the leader of the nine executive elders, gazed deeply into the heart of the grand palace with a complex expression, tinged with melancholy and sighs. Beyond several layers of palaces sat an old man.
That old man was the supreme authority of the empire, his family the most loyal followers of the Sovereign for nearly a thousand years.
Could it be that the history of the Galactic Empire would take a completely different turn from this day onward?
Elder Wu Yi pulled Blackwind and Molian along, and the three of them slowly retreated from the grand palace, still facing the emperor’s throne with solemn expressions. Step by step, they withdrew, their figures gradually dimming as they did so.
As if dissolving into the air. The three executive elders and the ten elders who had opposed the dragon vanished into the blizzard that engulfed the imperial capital.
And this blizzard, which had already raged for many days, only grew fiercer, showing no signs of stopping.
Snow blanketed the land for thousands of miles, as if intent on dyeing this beautiful empire a bleak white.
Why?
This was the question on everyone’s lips. But it seemed no one had an answer. After the bloodshed, the grand palace fell into silence once more. The crown prince and Feng Feng turned and left without a word, while several chief ministers pondered deeply—especially the chief minister of the Privy Council, who kept his lips tightly sealed under the gaze of the crowd.
Perhaps he had realized something, but he couldn’t speak of it—because this matter was enough to shake the very foundations of the empire. The one thing the Privy Council minister couldn’t understand was: Was Yang Hao truly that important? Worth the emperor paying such a price?
But though everyone harbored doubts, not everyone sought answers. When Yang Hao left the grand palace, Lan Ling accompanied him step by step down the ten-thousand-step staircase. The woman kept her head lowered, even dragging her beloved silver spear behind her, not asking a single question.
The battle was over. Those who had come to rescue Yang Hao, led by Long Yun and Zhuge Jian, waited outside the imperial city. Though the scale of today’s events was grand, Yang Hao’s losses weren’t severe—mostly casualties among the peripheral noble forces. Long Yun’s personal forces, facing the Snow Night Star Lion Regiment, had barely engaged, merely standing in stalemate until the end.
At the base of the endless staircase, Yang Hao stole a glance at Lan Ling. He noticed her expression was off—gone was the unyielding determination she had shown when rescuing him. Instead, she kept her head down, refusing to even look at him.
“Um… Lan Ling,” Yang Hao finally couldn’t resist speaking up. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”
“What is there to say?” Her tone was icy.
Yang Hao reached for her hand, but she forcefully pulled away.
“What’s wrong?” Yang Hao put on a pitiful face, leaning closer.
“Have some self-respect.” Lan Ling’s beautiful face was cold. “Future husband of the princess, Sir Yang Hao.”
Yang Hao blinked, finally understanding what was on her mind. While others were puzzled over why the emperor had suddenly supported Yang Hao, a woman’s thoughts were different. Lan Ling had been fixated on the emperor’s decree—specifically, the part about marrying the princess.
“I’m wronged! Wronged to death!” Yang Hao wailed dramatically. “You know the princess and I don’t get along at all. We can’t stand each other. Who knows if the emperor’s gone senile, pulling this stunt?”
“Hmph!”
“Darling…” Yang Hao batted his big eyes shamelessly, reaching for Lan Ling’s fingers. “Don’t you want to know why there was such a reversal today?”
Yang Hao’s distraction tactic worked. Lan Ling finally focused on the crux of the matter: “Yes, why? Everyone saw you trying to assassinate the emperor. How did His Majesty suddenly let you go in the end?”
“The Galactic Empire today is no longer the same as before.”
“How so?”
Yang Hao said, “Yesterday’s Galactic Empire belonged to the Sovereign and the Elder Council. But today, it no longer does.”
Lan Ling was stunned. She knew how taboo Yang Hao’s words were—but this was a man who had dared to assassinate the Sovereign. What wouldn’t he say?
“Today’s trial was actually a gamble—a wager between me and the Elder Council. Both sides staked everything, but we were betting on different things.” Yang Hao looked back at the towering palace mountain. “The Elder Council bet that the emperor would maintain his usual stance, letting them eliminate me. I bet that the emperor in his deep palace would assess the situation and make his own decision in the end.”
“The emperor’s decision?”
“Everyone said I was bound to lose this gamble because it was clear the Elder Council’s strength far surpassed mine.” Yang Hao sneered. “It seemed I had no chance at all—but that wasn’t true. I had one last move. I bet the emperor would place his wager too—and that he’d bet on me.”
Lan Ling took a deep breath. She knew Yang Hao made it sound simple now, but what he had gone through was life-and-death at every turn. One misstep, and he wouldn’t be alive today.
But Yang Hao had indeed won his gamble.
“How did you know the emperor would help you in the end? After all, at first, he chose to evade.” Lan Ling’s question was one everyone wanted to ask.
“Because I knew the mastermind behind all anti-Elder Council forces was the emperor himself.” Yang Hao smirked. “If that old man had let the Elder Council eliminate my forces today, he’d never have another chance to turn the tables.”
“What?!” Lan Ling stamped her foot, too shocked to speak.
As a guard of the emperor, Lan Ling knew the imperial guard system didn’t have good relations with the Elder Council—but to say the emperor was the mastermind behind anti-Elder Council forces? That was too shocking.
Everyone knew the Galactic Empire was founded by the Sovereign, and the imperial lineage was also established by the Sovereign. Every emperor worshipped the Sovereign like a god, treating the Elder Council with utmost reverence, never daring to defy them.
Even if there were occasional conflicts over power and interests, it had never reached the point of overthrowing the Elder Council.
“Stirring the waters makes things clearer. After arriving on Earth, I deliberately disrupted the existing order with brute force—just to see who else would stand with me against the Elder Council.” Yang Hao clenched his fist as if victory was assured. “As my strength grew, I saw more and more people—the Merchant Guild, peripheral nobles, the Brain King, even over forty swordmaster regiments, an unknown number of hidden sword saints… So I wondered—were these people truly isolated? Was there someone or some force secretly nurturing them, keeping them hidden from the Elder Council?”
Lan Ling listened silently.
Yang Hao continued, “Twenty years ago—even ten years ago—the Elder Council would never have tolerated someone like me in the empire. But now, in just one night, they realized they could no longer fully control the situation.
Even the rise of the Merchant Guild left them helpless. Was that just because the Guild’s power had grown? How could a mere Merchant Guild cultivate forty swordmaster regiments—such a massive armed force? And those countless sword saints? Even you—a hidden sword saint. How could all this have happened under the Elder Council’s noses?”
Lan Ling seemed to grasp something. As part of the imperial guard, she knew the palace housed many experts. Just her twelve senior brothers were all sword saints—plus herself, Qin Feng commanded thirteen sword saints. Yet the empire publicly claimed only three. This was likely all for the Elder Council’s benefit.
“The Merchant Guild couldn’t have raised forty swordmaster regiments. The Brain King couldn’t have opposed the Elder Council alone. The mastermind behind it all was that old emperor.”
Yang Hao smirked smugly. “He’s the type who won’t act without certainty—trying to manipulate everything from behind, using me to topple the Elder Council. As if it’d be that easy. Of course, I had to force him to take a stand—make him show his hand properly.”
“You took such a huge risk just to reveal the emperor’s stance against the Elder Council?” Lan Ling frowned slightly.
“Before, it was me versus the Elder Council—I was the one being crushed. But now, the entire empire will be at war with the Elder Council. What a glorious day.” Yang Hao rubbed his hands excitedly.
“Yes, yes, what a glorious day.” Lan Ling’s tone turned sour. “And you’re about to marry the princess too.”
“Uh…” Back to this topic, Yang Hao had a headache. “That old man played me at the last moment—making me marry the princess. Who’d want that fierce princess?”
“Who says Xianlan is fierce?” Lan Ling protested on her friend’s behalf. “She’s a great beauty, you know. I’d say she’s the imperial capital’s top beauty.”
“Huh? Isn’t that you?”
“That’s just others having no taste.”
“Are you jealous or not?” Yang Hao was torn between laughter and tears. “Miss, could you give me a normal reaction, please?”
“Fine… Ah!” Lan Ling’s delicate brows arched as she suddenly stomped on Yang Hao’s foot with lightning speed, grinding her heel mercilessly before turning away expressionlessly. “From today onward, we won’t see each other again. That’s my normal reaction.”
Yang Hao winced in pain, watching Lan Ling stride away, utterly helpless.
“What now? Want me to stop her?” Xie Fengting grinned mischievously.
“Stop her?” Yang Hao rubbed his foot irritably. “She’s a sword saint, and this is her turf. You think you can?”
“Ah, the perils of beauty. Don’t say I didn’t warn you—the two women you’ve tangled with are real troublemakers.” Xie Fengting’s eyes sparkled with schadenfreude. “Lan Ling, Xianlan, plus a certain Ling Ziyan—they’re the imperial capital’s three great beauties and its three most troublesome femmes fatales. You’ve managed to provoke two at once. You’re in for it.”
Yang Hao’s heart ached as if bleeding. Glumly, he muttered,
“Not two—three. That Ling Ziyan… she’s the mother of my child.”
“What?!!” This time, it was Xie Fengting’s turn to faint.
As the two men pondered the empire’s beauties, a sudden explosion erupted from a familiar corner of the capital, thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.
Yang Hao shot Maya a glance. In a flash of golden sword light, she streaked away. Within five minutes, she returned, having gathered intel.
“Bad news.” Maya’s expression remained impassive as always. “After withdrawing from the imperial city, the Divine Mercy Sword Regiment attacked the Alchemy Sword Sect’s estate. Taking advantage of our main force’s absence, they completely destroyed our base.”
“Hake of the Divine Mercy Sword Regiment?”
Rage exploded in Yang Hao’s chest—all his pent-up frustration and fury now directed at this foolhardy swordmaster.
The empire’s blizzard, on this day of bloodshed and slaughter, had ended. But the escalating power struggle had only just begun.
Yang Hao, who had walked out of the imperial palace alive, was like a dragon emerging from shallow waters—ready to unleash his full might.
A new order was coming, and it would not wait.
Even if there were occasional conflicts over power and interests, they were nowhere near enough to threaten the Elder Council’s dominance.
“Stirring up the waters actually helps people see more clearly. After arriving on Earth, I used brute force to disrupt the existing order here, just to see who else might stand with me against the Elder Council.” Yang Hao clenched his fist confidently. “As my strength grew, I saw more and more people. The Merchant Guild, the outer nobles, the Intelligent Brain King, even more than forty sword master groups, countless hidden sword saints… So I started wondering, are these people really isolated? Is there someone or some force secretly cultivating them, keeping them hidden from the Elder Council?”
Lan Ling listened silently.
Yang Hao continued, “If it had been twenty years ago, or even ten, the Elder Council would never have tolerated someone like me existing in the empire. But now, overnight, the Elder Council finds itself unable to fully control the situation. Even the rise of the Merchant Guild has left them helpless. Could that really just be due to the guild’s growth? A mere Merchant Guild couldn’t possibly raise forty sword master groups and countless hidden sword saints, not to mention you yourself are a hidden sword saint. These things must have happened under the Elder Council’s nose without their knowledge, right?”
Lan Ling began to understand. As a member of the Imperial Guard, she naturally knew there were many hidden experts in the palace. Take her twelve seniors, for example—each was a sword saint. Along with herself, Feng Qin had thirteen sword saints under his command. Yet the empire publicly claimed there were only three sword saints. This was probably all for show, meant to deceive the Elder Council.
“The Merchant Guild couldn’t have raised forty sword master groups on its own, and the Intelligent Brain King couldn’t oppose the Elder Council alone. The true backer behind all this must be that old emperor.”
Yang Hao smirked proudly, “He’s the type who won’t act without seeing the rabbit. He wanted to manipulate everything from behind the scenes, using me to bring down the Elder Council. But it’s not that easy. I had to force him to take a stand, to show himself properly.”
“You took such a huge risk just to tell everyone the emperor opposes the Elder Council?” Lan Ling furrowed her brow.
“Before, it was just me fighting the Elder Council, and I was getting crushed. But from now on, the entire empire will be at war with the Elder Council. What a wonderful day this is,” Yang Hao rubbed his hands together, visibly excited.
“Yeah, yeah, what a wonderful day,” Lan Ling said with a hint of bitterness. “You’re about to marry the princess too.”
“Uh…” Yang Hao winced, realizing the topic had returned to that again. “That old man had to throw me a curveball at the end, forcing me to marry the princess. Who wants to marry that fierce princess anyway?”
“Who said Princess Xianlan is fierce?” Lan Ling immediately objected, defending her friend’s honor. “She’s a great beauty, you know. I’d say she’s the most beautiful woman in the capital.”
“Wait, isn’t that title supposed to be yours?”
“That’s just because others have no taste.”
“Are you jealous or not?” Yang Hao was at a loss, “Miss, please give me a normal reaction, okay?”
“Okay…” Lan Ling raised her eyebrows, suddenly stomping her foot hard on Yang Hao’s foot with lightning speed and grinding it in before turning away with a blank expression. “From today on, we shouldn’t meet again. That’s my normal reaction.”
Yang Hao was in excruciating pain, watching helplessly as Lan Ling walked away.
“What should we do? Should I help you stop her?” Xie Fengting grinned mischievously.
“Stop her?” Yang Hao rubbed his foot in annoyance. “She’s a female sword saint, and this is her territory. Do you think you can stop her?”
“Sigh, beauties are trouble. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. The two women you’ve gotten involved with are both real troublemakers,” Xie Fengting said gleefully, clearly enjoying Yang Hao’s predicament. “Lan Ling, Xianlan, and another woman named Ling Ziyun—those are the three most beautiful women in the capital, and also the three most troublesome. You’ve already gotten involved with two of them. You’ve got it coming.”
Yang Hao’s heart ached as if it were bleeding. He frowned deeply:
“It’s not just two women I’ve gotten involved with—it’s three. And… and Ling Ziyun is actually the mother of my child.”
“What?!” This time, it was Xie Fengting’s turn to be stunned speechless.
As the two men discussed the beauties of the empire, a sudden, violent explosion echoed from a familiar corner of the capital, sending thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.
Yang Hao exchanged a meaningful glance with Maya, who quickly transformed into a golden streak of light and shot off. Less than five minutes later, Maya returned, flying back and reforming into her human shape.
“Bad news,” Maya said, her expression never changing. “After the Divine Retribution Sword Group withdrew from the imperial city, they directly attacked the Dan Ding Sword Sect’s estate. Taking advantage of our absence, they completely destroyed our base.”
“Divine Retribution Sword Group’s Haik?”
A surge of anger erupted from Yang Hao’s chest. All his pent-up frustration and fury from before poured out, focusing entirely on the reckless sword group leader.
The blizzard of the empire ended on this day filled with slaughter and bloodshed, but the intensifying struggle for power had only just begun.
Yang Hao, who had survived and left the palace, was like a dragon leaving the shallows, ready to unleash his full might.
A new order was already impatiently arriving.
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