Within the imperial palace, towering halls stood majestic, with draconic energy swirling and a mist of iridescent light enveloping the area, making it appear as ethereal as a divine realm—hazy and indistinct. The War King and the old guards were immensely satisfied. The speed of restoration was astonishing; they had never imagined the Human Emperor’s Seal could be so formidable, capable of commanding the ancient divine arrays scattered throughout. As time passed, the entire palace’s aura transformed, growing ever more solemn and sacred. Each grand palace radiated golden light, resembling celestial palaces from the heavens above.
“Almost done. The arrays have been restored to ninety percent. The rest can be completed gradually,” declared the War King.
Shi Hao was equally pleased. This progress was nothing short of miraculous. The divine arrays shattered during the great calamity had all revived, gradually restoring their formidable presence. However, the process was also staggering—precious materials from the imperial treasury were rapidly depleted, making Shi Hao’s heart ache at the extravagance. Especially those rare divine materials, treasures scarcely seen in the world, some of which took centuries or even millennia to acquire. These were the accumulated wealth of the Stone Nation, passed down since ancient times, utterly irreplaceable and counted among the rarest of treasures.
The palace housed numerous interconnected divine arrays, remnants of the ancient era when even the sacrificial spirits and the First Emperor had ascended to divinity, granting them such capabilities. As the arrays neared full restoration, the War King laughed heartily, confident that even if the three great sects gathered their strongest forces to cause trouble here, they would meet certain doom.
Shi Hao nodded but then frowned, recalling a potential flaw. “Though these arrays are powerful, some of the princes, princesses, and nobles know fragments of their secrets. If they betray us and invite the enemy in, it could spell disaster.” He pointed out this vulnerability, referencing how the Su King had recently revealed the palace’s array secrets to the three sects, aiding their breach.
“They only know superficial details. It shouldn’t pose a threat,” the War King replied, though uncertainty flickered in his eyes.
“If only we could alter the arrays,” Shi Hao murmured, stroking the luminous Human Emperor’s Seal as he channeled divine energy into it. He had always felt this seal was the most crucial artifact within the palace.
Suddenly, runes filled the sky, and an obscure imprint surfaced in his mind, communicating with him—asking if he wished to restructure the grand arrays. Shi Hao was stunned. Could the Human Emperor’s Seal truly possess sentience? Originally the remnant of a Divine Striking Stone, had it developed intelligence after being forged into a seal?
Upon his affirmation, the seal blazed with light, taking control of all divine arrays within the palace. The ground trembled as the Five Elements inverted, shifting the formations entirely. Shi Hao was awestruck, then burst into laughter. This transformation was perfect! Now, he almost hoped those traitorous nobles and royals would stir chaos, luring the three sects into their own doom.
“What a divine seal!” Shi Hao sighed. Only the War King and the old guards knew he possessed it. The three sects believed it had shattered during the calamity, given the fractured imperial seal in the central palace. He trusted these two would never reveal the secret.
This seal was extraordinary—mastering it meant mastering all divine arrays and the nation’s supreme techniques. Moreover, it could bear the fate of an entire kingdom.
With the palace’s vulnerabilities eliminated and the divine arrays fully deployed, Shi Hao finally relaxed, calm and composed as he turned to other matters.
“You cannot execute me!” On the execution grounds, several generals roared, struggling futilely as soldiers raised their blades and struck. Blood sprayed as heads rolled. These were the traitors who had allowed the three sects into the palace—utterly disloyal. Shi Hao showed no mercy, ordering their complete eradication.
This was only the beginning.
That day, the Stone Capital trembled as the newly crowned emperor, absent for days, reappeared with an iron will, ruthlessly purging the capital of corruption.
“What? He’s leading the charge himself?!” A powerful general paled. He had assumed the storm had passed, but now Shi Hao arrived with an army, demanding justice.
“New Emperor, you’ve just ascended! Slaughtering veteran officials will turn the people against you!” the general shouted, desperate for survival.
“You betrayed your nation. You have no right to speak of loyalty. Execute him!” Shi Hao commanded coldly. The old guard lunged forward, his fist exploding through the general’s chest in a gruesome spectacle.
Three leaders perished in that camp, with only the ringleaders slain—no further reprisals. Still, the terror was palpable.
Next was the Vermilion Bird Camp, an elite force whose general had conspired with the Immortal Mountain. He had hesitated, believing his crimes hidden, but Shi Hao descended upon him with divine fury.
“Formation!” the general barked, activating a prearranged trap with a sacred artifact and a grand array.
Yet Shi Hao was prepared. Wielding a divine sword, he shattered the formation with a single strike, aided by the War King and the old guard. The traitor’s head flew, his divine runes illuminating the sky.
“Lay down your arms, and you will be spared!” The soldiers knelt, chanting “Long live the Emperor!”
In half a day, Shi Hao executed thirteen generals, shocking the capital. Many had underestimated the fifteen-year-old ruler, assuming his silence meant weakness. Now, his ruthlessness sent chills through the disloyal.
Some murmured, “Such severity lacks imperial grace.”
“Quiet! Those were traitors. If you stir dissent, you’ll join them.”
Tension gripped the city. Soon, the palace declared the purges complete, calming the military.
Then, Shi Hao turned to the noble houses.
“He’s targeting the marquises’ mansions?!” Fear spread. Days earlier, during his coup, several nobles—Su, Lan, Kun—had sided with the invaders. Their clans remained, now under siege.
Shi Hao acted swiftly, seizing their wealth to replenish the depleted treasury. The War King and other lords led the raids, executing resisters.
That day, the Stone Capital quaked.
And Shi Hao descended upon the Rain Clan’s estate—to settle the final score.
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