Gate of God

Chapter 570: The Demon King Debuts

This was a massacre, though it was not a massacre without any resistance.

The arrow rain from the city guards finally landed. Sharp arrows descended from the sky and pierced through the thick armor of the black figures, causing them to collapse onto the ground.

They were the elites!

Although they could not compare to the Mountain Breaking Army in Stabilisation Constabulary or the Red Pinion Squad in the Divine Constabulary, there were still considered elites. They were elites specializing in guarding the Flame Capital City.

However, General Li was dead, under the merciless sword of Su Qing. They had lost all command and King Duan had also mobilized too many city guards to surround the palace.

This made them feel slightly powerless.

However, they were still resisting the black figures with full force. None of the city guards chose to escape. They faced the Rebirth State individuals and Northern Barbarian army with fervor. They raised their spears in pride and shot their arrows with confidence.

“Kill them all!”

Deafening shouts could be heard echoing throughout Flame Capital City.

This awakened many courtiers and nobles from their deep sleep. They rushed out of their residences in shock as the courtiers picked up their rusted sword in preparation for battle.

“Protect Flame Capital City!”

“The gate is broken. Invaders are in. Kill them all!”

“Quick, no one knows what is happening within the palace as well. Send someone to report the information to the Emperor!”

“Yes!”

Voices rang throughout the city. At the same time, countless figures were maneuvering themselves amongst the streets of Flame Capital City. Some were nobles carrying their small daggers while others were courtiers who were speeding towards the palace with a sword in their hands.

The majestic lion in slumber, the Great Xia Dynasty, had awakened in an instant!

At the city gate of Flame Capital City.

This battle was at its end. There were simply too many black figures. They had an overwhelming advantage in both numbers and strength, evident from the massacre done by the Rebirth State individuals. There was a limit to how much the city guards could do.

However, this did not mean that they weren’t strong enough.

This was because fate, timing, location, and luck had forsaken them in this battle. Most importantly, they were soldiers whose job was to listen to their superiors unconditionally.

If not for this reason, Su Qing’s orders would definitely be questioned and he would likely be refuted on the spot. However, they were the elites. Naturally, their adherence to orders would be even stronger than that of a normal troop.

Bodies were strewn all over the ground, tainting the city gate a bloody red.

Amongst the black figures, a shadow appeared from a distance. His neat court attire of the Great Xia Dynasty was exceptionally eye-catching.

“Lord Su, you…” a commander stuttered as he saw the incoming Su Qing. His eyes widened in shock and disbelief even at death’s door.

Why?

Why would a Chief of the Northern Land Five Constabularies betray the country?

A sword then pierced through his chest.

Su Qing held the sword in his hands as he stared coldly at the horrified commander. He then snickered, “Loyalty is your most fatal flaw!”

“My lord, the east and south gate are already under our control. The west gate is almost done as well. The north gate is the only one still doing a futile struggle!” A black figure then reported to Su Qing.

“My lord, many nobles of Flame Capital City and citizens are charging straight at us!” Another black figure then came forward to report another piece of information to Su Qing.

“Hm, these are all within my predictions. Follow the plan!” Su Qing was not surprised at these two pieces of information as he replied.

“Yes!” The two black figures replied respectfully.

Following which, countless strangely shaped bronze parts appeared in the hands of the black figures. These parts were then quickly attached to the city gate.

The city gate was originally made from stones and minerals. However, after the bronze parts were attached, it quickly emitted a green glow. The intensity of the light then increased as time passed.

In less than 15 minutes, the gate had completely changed. It had turned into a giant bronze door filled with a desolate presence. An intense green light emanated from the bronze door.

“What is that?”

“Green bronze door!”

“What happened to the city gate? Why did it change form?”

The nobles who had just reached the scene stared at the remodeled city gate in shock.

“We have to stop them no matter what they are planning to do!”

“Yes, let’s go!”

The nobles and citizens were horrified. However, they continued forward and quickly drew their swords, charging straight towards the city gate.

The black figures were already lying in wait for them in neat formations.

“Kill!” The black figures stared at the approaching nobles and citizens as they shouted. None of them retreated and their eyes shone with a chilling aura.

Another bloody battle began.

Blood spurted across the streets as spears fell onto the ground together with their fallen owners. Sounds of pain and war had shaken this ancient city to its very core, tainting the night with a shade of red.

“Kill them all!”

Amongst the countless war cries, the bronze door transformation was completed. It was shining with a brilliance similar to that of an emerald. The intensity of the color was so intense that it was almost sinister.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

After the fourth whooshing sound, four emerald pillars of light shot up into the horizon. It emerged from all four of the gates, namely the north, south, east, and west gate, before congregating in the air at the midpoint of Flame Capital City.

Following which…

A similarly colored emerald pillar descended from the sky. It traveled at a speed comparable to that of a comet, dashing into the ground with an incredible force.

Boom!

An explosion sound could be heard.

The light beam landed right in the middle of the palace, specifically the throne room!

Within the throne room.

The two figures were finally separated at the moment of the explosion. The golden figure flew back to Lin Mubai’s side, as the black figure retreated for a few steps.

And the spot where they separated was a green bronze door.

That was the Near-Life Gate!

The Near-Life Gate that had already closed!

However, the Near-Life Gate was glowing with an emerald brilliance. It was a blinding and sinister brilliance, one that was painful and searing to look at.

Lin Mubai squinted his eyes at this sight.

He naturally saw the emerald light pillar that descended from the horizon. This was the exact beam of light that disrupted the battle between Chen Feihua and Qian Wu.

“Your Majesty” Chen Feihua’s gaze was fixated onto the Near-Life Gate. Her expressionless face showed a hint of shock, for the first time in this entire harrowing battle.

“If it is meant to be, It will be!” Lin Mubai shook his head as he said. At the same time, he took a red pill from his pocket and swallowed it.

It had been some time since Lin Mubai suffered injuries.

However, he did not intend to take any medication. That was until he saw this emerald beam of light land into the throne room.

“What is this?” Lin Tianrong stared at the sinister light emanating from the Near-Life Gate. He felt extremely uncomfortable being in such close proximity to it.

He had a bad premonition.

It was a premonition that should not be present and did not make sense. This premonition did not originate purely from the sinister light as well. It was also partly due to the three ferocious beasts who were kneeling on the ground.

The three ferocious beasts kneeled on the ground with their eyes closed as their bodies trembled.

This was a peculiar scene. This was because they had also emerged from the Near-Life Gate. However, they were now bowing to the Near-Life Gate, as though they were paying respect to a higher authority.

“Relax, my Crown Prince. This is when the real show begins!” Qian Wu did not reply Lin Tianrong’s question directly. Instead, he glanced at him with a cold stare.

At the same time, Qian Wu moved.

Six brilliant runes appeared on his hand. Countless threads then connected those runes together before they started spinning, forming a wheel of blinding light.

However, Qian Wu did not press the light wheel directly on the ground this time. He merely kept it at his abdomen level as his face turned red.

Belch!

Blood spurted out of Qian Wu’s mouth.

A buzzing sound could then be heard. It was as if that sound was generated from the resonance of the heavens, earth, and nature. It had the power to make everyone’s mind go blank for a moment.

“This is not right. Is he trying to…” Chen Feihua stared at this scene as an ominous foreboding arose within her. She wanted to stop this from happening, though she was already too late.

This was because the instant blood spurted out of Qian Wu’s mouth, that spinning wheel of light was also imprinted onto the Near-Life Gate.

Creak!

The sealed Near-Life Gate came back to life.

However, there was something different. Previously, the gate was shining in a dull bronze-green brilliance, one that was similar to that of the Near-Life Gate’s color. However, it was bright emerald this time.

A sinister bright emerald color.

The moment the Near-Life Gate opened, the emerald light was instantly absorbed into the gap, as though it was devouring the essence within this light.

Lin Tianrong stared at this scene in horror.

Eunuch Wei also widened his eyes as his face paled in fear. This was because an exceptionally devastating thought just flashed through his mind.

This applied not only to Eunuch Wei.

This included the First Dragon Envoy Fang Qing, the rest of the Dragon Protection Squad and the royal guards. A thought flashed through everyone’s mind.

Something of the legends passed down through folklore.

Creak!

The Near-Life Gate opened upon the creaking sound of the heavy door. The bronze gate had already lost all its emerald brilliance. The desolate and ancient presence from its dull appearance filled the entire room.

At that moment…

A figure appeared from the Near-Life Gate.

He did not have the murderous stare the beasts possessed when the appeared. There was also no deafening roar heralding his appearance. There was peaceful and suffocating silence.

The figure flickered within the Near-Life Gate. It swayed from the left to right, disappearing and revealing himself again and again.

Time seemed to have stopped at that moment. No one dared to speak as their eyes were fixated on the flickering shadow.

Finally…

That shadow stopped moving.

It stopped right in the middle of the Near-Life Gate.

That was a tiny shadow. Compared to the huge Near-Life Gate, this figure seemed tiny. If one were to compare him to the size of the ferocious beasts which appeared from the same door, he would even be insignificant.

However, despite this unassuming stature, Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua stared at the figure in the Near-Life Gate with apprehension. They clenched their fists tightly in response.

A cool night breeze blew across the throne room.

Sleeves of their loose court attire fluttered amongst the wind.

At that moment, that figure moved once again. It slowly and casually walked out of the Near-Life Gate, landing on the dilapidated ground.

There was no rumbling sound of a heavyweight stepping onto the ground.

There was also no giant sharp claws attached to him.

It was a human foot, a foot that was wearing a clean white boot not tainted by any dust.

As this foot stepped forward, the figure revealed himself from the Near-Life Gate.

He was in the shape of a human.

He had a slender body and wore a pair of pristine white boots. He looked exactly like a scholar and had a beast-shaped jade hanging from his waist.

He looked just like a studious and gentle scholar.

He had extremely fair skin and exquisite features. However, no one treated him as an ordinary scholar.

This was because his eyes looked extremely sinister, like that of the devil.

The sinister emerald light once present on the Near-Life Gate seemed to flicker ever so often in his eyes. It seemed to give off an authority that one could not resist, making people involuntarily offer their respect. Most importantly, there seemed to be an “injury” on his forehead.

More specifically, it looked like an eye.

A closed eye that looked just like an injury.

Apart from that, there was also two curved horns on his head, each of them engraved with countless complicated and intricate patterns. A faint golden brilliance seemed to be surging within those carvings.

It was extremely silent.

Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua stared at the devilish-looking guy that appeared from the Near-Life Gate and subconsciously leaned closer to one another.

The royal guards and Dragon Protection Squad also paled at this sight.

They did not retreat in the face of this terrifying enemy. However, they did not advance as well!

Flame Capital City.

Within a giant residence.

The decorations in this residence were clearly different than that of the other luxurious residences in Flame Capital City. It was still luxurious, nonetheless, though instead of the resplendent and shining theme that the rest of the city was obsessed with, this looked more like an otherworldly paradise.

One could smell the fragrance of flowers, see deep and beautiful alleyways and even have a game at an ancient chess board or take walk in the intricate courtyard filled with docile Green Mountain Tigers. This giant residence was elegant and peculiar.

An old guy sat in the middle of this residence. He was clad in a long robe and his skinny stature made him look extremely frail.

However…

This was the person that garnered the respect of everyone in the Great Xia Dynasty. This was because he had witnessed the uprising of the Great Xia Dynasty. He was the living history of the country, the uncle of Lin Mubai.

He was King Liqin!

“Hm?” He suddenly emitted a faint voice. Following which, he opened his eyes immediately as the murkiness within them instantly disappeared, turning into a blinding brilliance.

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Violet…

The seven colors intertwined beautifully within his eyes.

At the same time, King Liqin stood up and slowly straightened his posture. He then stared into the horizon and the sky that had returned to its original dark hue.

“The Great Xia Dynasty has enjoyed years of peace. Although we are prosperous, it has been too peaceful and undisturbed. The court is backward in thinking and the nobles are gaining too much power. Everyone is only thinking about self-preservation and not self-improvement. This is the result of our arrogance!”

Comments (3)

BakaNoPasuNoSaferu

BakaNoPasuNoSaferu

I don’t know who is the most idiot at the moment. I mean except for the MC everyone’s action seem idiotic… Take the Emperor for example he could have prevented the Coup de tat but NO he is like my son well change attitude for crying out loud… And we have a spoiled crown prince and a prince that controls the army who got manipulated by a certain no body. I am not even surprise if even the Emperor was part of the people who got manipulated

BakaNoPasuNoSaferu

BakaNoPasuNoSaferu

You well get used to it the last thing you can expect in this novel is that everyone suddenly become smart..

PhantomPR05

PhantomPR05

Sooo, people were stupid for a reason… I almost gave up reading.

Rate this chapter

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Chapter 571: The Demon King’s Four Ancient Formations

King Liqin’s words sounded slightly patronizing but his expression remained, as though he had already predicted such a result from the start.

At the same time, a black crack appeared in front of him. It was as big as a door!

King Liqin walked in extremely slowly. As he stepped into the crack, his body slowly became blurred.

Truly mighty warriors would not be troubled by the past. Their only thought would be there’s a problem … and they should solve it!

…

The Eastern Gate of the Flame Capital City.

The city gate constructed with countless bronze parts still radiated with a dark green glow, exuding a strange and eerie quality in the darkness of the night.

Those clothed in black were still battling the nobles and the citizens as their battlecries sounded one after the other.

At this moment, a group of people galloped over hastily from afar, their shimmering coats of armor reflecting faint glimmers of radiance under the moonlight.

“It’s the Mountain Breaking Army. Xing Hou has arrived!”

“So has Chi Hou from the Divine Constabulary!”

“We’re saved!”

The faces of the nobles and the citizens void of hope instantly lit up when they turned towards the figures charging over in the distance.

“Big Brother, it’s the Northern Barbarians!” Chi Hou, who donned purple robes, immediately identified the assailants dressed in black after he noticed the armor clad on their bodies.

As the guardian of the Divine Constabulary, one of the five constabularies of the Northern Lands, Chi Hou naturally had a deeper understanding of the Holy Barbarian Empire to the north of the Great Xia Empire.

“The Northern Barbarians?” Xing Hou frowned. Although he did not cross swords with the Holy Barbarian Empire on many occasions, he still knew of their savage brutalities. “Could that be the Near-Life Gate of the Northern Barbarians?”

“No, the Near-Life Gate is the greatest treasure owned by the Northern Barbarians, and that is not the Near-Life Gate. If my guess is correct, that should be the four formations created from the Near-Life Gate … Wait a minute, four?! Could those be the Four Ancient Formations?!” Chi Hou gazed at the bronze city gate which radiated with dark green light, and his face turned pale.

“The Four Ancient Formations! Aren’t those the legendary … This is bad! His Majesty is in danger!” Upon hearing this, Xing Hou’s body jerked forcefully as his face was instantly washed white.

“Big Brother, with the Four Ancient Formations protecting the city gate, it’s impossible for the Red Pinion Squad of the Ten Mile Lake to invade the city. What should we do now?”

“My worthy little brother, lead the Mountain Breaking Army to attack the enemy from within the castle. I’ll go to the Imperial Palace to save His Majesty myself!”

“No, the Mountain Breaking Army has always been led by Big Brother. Furthermore, we cannot grasp the situation inside the Imperial Palace at the moment. Big Brother is the leader of the Thirteen Constabularies, and we can only prevail if Big Brother is around. I shall save His Majesty, and Big Brother shall stay here and attack!” Chi Hou immediately shook his head.

“If I perish in battle, you shall lead the Thirteen Constabularies, Little Brother …”

“Big Brother, my mind has been set. If not for Big Brother’s reminders, I would have already committed atrocious mistakes in our journey to the Flame Capital City. Only Big Brother is worthy of being the leader of the Thirteen Constabularies. I’ll be off, Big Brother!” With that, Chi Hou immediately yanked the reins of his horse and turned around, riding straight towards the Imperial Palace at top speed.

Xing Hou gazed at Chi Hou’s figure riding away into the distance, dazed. He wanted to say something else, but he swallowed his words in the end.

“Mountain Breaking Army!”

“Here!”

“Line up, attack!”

“Yes!”

…

The Throne Room of the Imperial Palace.

The worn-down yet quaint bronze Near-Life Gate still stood in the centre of the Throne Room, but its two heavy bronze doors have already been closed shut again. And in front of the Near-Life Gate, stood a man dressed in white like a scholar. His eyes flickered with a demonic and strange green glow.

“Ooo …” Three menacing beasts creeped lowly before the ‘Demonic Man’, their eyes closed shut as they let out soft moaning sounds.

“Why aren’t you bowing?” After hearing the moans of the three beasts, the Demonic Man finally looked at the Emperor Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua. His sound was crisp and clear, and his eyes shimmered with a dark green glow.

“This is bad. Dragon Protection Squad, protect His Majesty and Lady Hua Fei!” Fang Qing subconsciously took a step forward as he met the Demonic Man’s gaze.

As the first Dragon Envoy of the Dragon Protection Squad, he was responsible for safeguarding the might and dignity of the Great Xia Empire and his Emperor. Who his opponents were, or how powerful they were, were not in his considerations.

Following his command, hundreds from the Dragon Protection Squad stepped out in unison, spreading themselves in front of the Emperor Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua. Even the Imperial Ranger Squad guarding the doorway of the Throne Room was activated, with each soldier raising their long spears, pointing straight at the Demonic Man.

“Your Majesty? Oh, is this the Imperial Palace?” The Demonic Man scanned his surroundings, glancing past the various soldiers of the Dragon Protection Squad and Imperial Ranger Squad. His eyes flashed with a trace of astonishment.

He then cracked a smile shortly after. It was a smile evoking surprise and curiosity, like a predatory hawk suddenly spotting a herd of sheep.

“Hahaha …” He chortled loudly and maniacally, thrusting his body forward and backward. As his laughter reverberated , the entire Throne Room shuddered violently.

“Rumble!”

Countless fragments of rubble cascaded down from the ceiling as multiple cracks extended swiftly throughout the floor.

“Boom!”

The few golden pillars holding up the Throne room seemed to have been destroyed by something, and collapsed instantly as the ceiling crashed down.

“The Throne Room is collapsing!”

“Quick, protect His Majesty!”

“Your Majesty, please leave!”

Voices rang out from the Dragon Protection Squad and the Imperial Ranger Squad.

Then, a ray of green light dispersed outwards from the Demonic Man like a ripple spreading out in all directions.

“Slash!”

The soldier from the Dragon Protection Squad standing at the front of the vanguard was immediately severed into two, not leaving any room for resistance.

“Quick, block it!” Upon witnessing this sight, Eunuch Wei did not hesitate any longer and immediately screamed at the two squads.

“Slash! Slash!”

“…”

Amidst the uproar, tens of soldiers from the Dragon Protection Squad toppled over one after the other.

They were the most elite force of the Great Xia Empire. Every single person in the squad possessed a level of strength minimally above the Supernatural State. But under the effects of the green light, their resistances were completely nulled.

A golden ray of light then shot up.

Golden mist blanketed the skies as a figure leapt up, delivering a swift punch into the green glow.

“Boom!”

The golden light was immediately blown backwards.

And at the same time, another golden ray of light propelled upwards. Following that, clouds and mist rose into the air. A golden dragon bolted through the clouds as two demonic streams of crimson light shot down, colliding with the green glow.

“Boom!”

The dark green light vibrated, but still penetrated through the bodies of several soldiers in the Dragon Protection Squad, and they disappeared like dust into the darkness of the night.

“Boom!”

The ceiling of the Throne Room crashed down onto the ground, as the four walls quickly followed. An enormous crater appeared on the ground with the Demonic Man in the centre.

The magnificent Throne Room, once the symbol of the Great Xia Empire’s unrivalled might, has been reduced to dust!

And this was all due to a single attack from the Demonic Man. How ridiculous is that?

Shivers inevitably ran down the backs the remaining soldiers from the Dragon Protection Squad and Imperial Ranger Squad guarding their emperor as they stared at the Demonic Man standing by the Near-Life Gate.

“Blurt!” Lin Mubai’s body jolted as he expectorated a mouthful of blood violently. He was already wounded, and his condition deteriorated after using the Green Dragon Eye.

Chen Feihua, who was standing beside Lin Mubai as she witnessed this scene, instinctively support Lin Mubai’s arm. But such an ordinary action caused dense sweat droplets to ooze from her forehead. Her chest rose up and down as her face flushed extremely red.

“Blurt!” Chen Feihua also expelled a mouthful of blood.

A single blow from the Demonic Man caused the Throne Room to collapse, and dealt severe injuries on the Emperor Lin Mubai who possessed the Green Dragon Eye as well as his concubine Chen Fei Hua.

“Your Majesty!”

“Lady Hua Fei!”

Several guards from the Dragon Protection Squad immediately stepped forward. Each of their gazes wavered in anxiety.

The Crown Prince Lin Tianrong gazed at the crumbled remains of the Throne Room and the Demonic Man still standing beside the Near-Life Gate. He was completely petrified.

“A De … Demon King?!” Lin Tianrong’s eyes were wide open. Naturally, he knew that anyone capable of emerging from the Near-Life Gate could not possibly be human.

However, his opponent was in the form of a human! That means …

He can only be a demon!

He belonged to race that was rarely documented even in the Great Xia Empire’s literature, a race that evolved from the beasts, a race that possessed intelligence that rivalled that of humans, and a race that wielded bodies capable of further training like humans.

They concealed themselves amidst the mountains and rivers, feasting on the richness of nature and absorbing the essence of the sun and moon. They were an existence that surpassed all types of beasts.

And the Demonic Man standing before him was evidently no ordinary demon.

He boasted absolute fluency in his linguistic abilities and was dressed in such an immaculate manner, and a single blow from him could destroy the sturdy Throne Room.

Such power …

“A Demon King!”

After this thought flashed through the Crown Prince’s mind, he was completely dazed. He did predict that Qian Wu would produce some sort of trick, but he definitely did not imagine Qian Wu summoning a Demon King from the Near-Life Gate.

And a Demon King with a country under his rule, no less.

How could Qian Wu possibly be sharing any benefits with him?

A contract?

Memories of him signing the contract with Qian Wu quickly surfaced in Lin Tianrong’s mind, recalling the generosity that Qian Wu showed when distributing his loot.

Back then, Lin Tianrong thought that Qian Wu did not know how to negotiate.

But now … he finally understood.

It was not because Qian Wu was unsure on how to negotiate; he did not intend to negotiate at all. That was because he never wanted any of the conditions stated on the contract; he wanted the entire Great Xia Empire.

“What’s going on? How could the Throne Room … What … is that?!” A familiar voice sounded behind the dazed Crown Prince, his legs rooted to the ground.

Chapter 572: With Trust Now Gone, A Passerby Enters The Scene

“Sixth Brother? And the Palace Guards?!” The Crown Prince Lin Tianrong could clearly recognize the person exclaiming these questions, but as he heard the rumbling footsteps that followed afterwards, he still subconsciously turned back for a glance.

He was evidently surprised at the appearance of King Duan, Lin Xinjue, and his army of Palace Guards he led in. He could still accept the appearance of the Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards, but … the Palace Guards?

Why did Sixth Brother have the gall to charge into the palace with the Palace Guards? They are forbidden to enter the Imperial Palace, unless …

Sixth Brother already knew his plan beforehand?

When Lin Tianrong came across this thought and thought about Qian Wu again, his body shuddered with rage.

All this while, he has been a fool that was exploited by others.

He felt indignant, extremely indignant, but what could he do now? Voice his protestations now? That was impossible because he was already out of options.

“What exactly is …” Lin Xinjue did not spare Lin Tianrong a glance, instead staring closely at the Throne Room which had been reduced to a pile of rubble, as well as the giant bronze gate in the middle. He was similarly astonished.

In fact, before he arrived, he already knew that a major battle would break out in the Imperial Palace, but he never would have guessed that he would be greeted by a mere pile of rubble.

Where’s the Throne Room? Was it destroyed?

Furthermore …

Who’s the Demonic Man standing in front of the enormous bronze door?

“Could that be … a demon?!” Lin Xinjue finally stopped in his tracks when this thought flashed through his mind.

The Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards were similarly surprised when Lin Xinjue and the tens of thousands of Palace Garrison Guards appeared in their line of sight. After all, the Palace Garrison Guards were technically barred from entering the Imperial Palace.

But …

Lin Xinjue blatantly brought the Palace Garrison Guards in like this. Is this a rebellion? Or a rescue mission?

In the past, no one would think of the former, but the situation is different now. Under current circumstances, once Lin Xinjue does decide to lead a rebellion, the Great Xia Empire would very well descend into a crisis of unprecedented severity.

“Father, I’ve come too late. I …” Lin Xinjue blurted his words out quickly after a brief moment of astonishment, but he still swallowed his words when he saw the state of Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua.

Injured?!

Father has been injured! And so has the Imperial Concubine Hua Fei?!

How is this possible? Hua Fei is ranked seventeenth on the Sacred Rankings. What … exactly is going on here?

“What are you here for?” Lin Mubai asked unhesitantly as he glanced at the stunned Lin Xinjue, his eyes flashing with a pinch of coldness.

“I … I heard the ruckus inside the Imperial Palace, and I … I was worried that Father was met with an accident, so I specially brought the Palace Garrison Guards here to rescue you …” LIn Xinjue stammered as he subconsciously gulped several times.

“Rescue? You locked the four gates of the Imperial Palace, abandoned the Flame Capital City, and specially rushed all the way here just to rescue me?” LIn Mubai clenched his fist.

“I … I was afraid there might be traitors …”

“Traitors? Are you referring to your third eldest brother?”

“Father, I …” Lin Xinjue wanted to explain himself, but he could only swallow his words as he met Lin Mubai’s piercingly cold gaze.

“What does Your Highness have to fear?” Qian Wu’s voice suddenly sounded. His eagle-like eyes gazed at Lin Xinjue who has already turned around to face him, his mouth cracking a patronizing sneer.

“Who are you?” Lin Xinjue frowned and asked instinctively as he looked at Qian Wu standing a short distance away from the Crown Prince Lin Tianrong.

“Oh, I forgot that Your Highness still cannot recognize me, and can only recognize Su Qing. My apologies. But has Su Qing not informed Your Highness of the purpose of my visit to the Imperial Palace?” Qian Wu asked apologetically.

“What …What do you mean? LIn Xinjue’s face turned slightly pale.

“Haha, no need to be alarmed, Your Highness. You’ll just have to wait a little longer. Once the Great Xia Emperor dies, the throne would definitely belong to the Crown Prince, or perhaps, even Your Highness!” Qian Wu chuckled.

“Qian Wu, you … What exactly do you want?” Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince Lin Tianrong turned pale as his eyes became bloodshot.

“Is Your Highness unaware of what I’m trying to do?” Qian Wu turned around to face the Crown Prince.

“Could it be that you’re thinking of …”

“Of course!” Qian Wu interrupted him even before he could complete his sentence. “Since ancient times, it was always survival of the fittest, and the strongest of all would become the king. Since both the Crown Prince and King Duan are eyeing the throne, you’ll definitely have to battle it out. Isn’t this very fair?”

“Fair? You want to elect an obedient puppet to take the throne, don’t you?” Lin Tianrong’s tone turnde cold as the aura his body exuded became extremely unstable.

“Does Your Highness have to be so direct?” Qian Wu laughed.

“You …” Lin Tianrong’s body surged with a violent gush of energy. He clenched his fists tighter than ever before as his eyes flashed with a frightening radiance.

At this point, he was naturally deduced Qian Wu’s true intentions.

The Great Xia Empire boasts thousands of years of rich history, with miles of fertile plains and large populations. It would be totally impossible for the Holy Barbarian Empire to immediately control and stabilize the kingdom given its current level of power. Hence, Qian Wu is selecting a decently obedient puppet between him and King Duan to ascend the throne.

If things escalate to such a stage, both him and King Duan would be well within the Holy Barbarian Empire’s grasp, regardless of who ascends the throne.

“Over my dead body! I’ll never let you have your way!” The Crown Prince Lin Tinarong finally displaced himself, charging directly towards Qian Wu with bloodshot eyes.

“Oh? You don’t want the throne?” Qian Wu sneered as he gazed at Lin Tianrong, and threw his fist towards his opponent.

“Watch out, Your Highness!” A person in black flew forward and blocked Qian Wu’s attack, his body shining with a blinding radiance.

“Boom!”

With a thunderous crash, the person in black was thrown backwards, colliding with Lin Tianrong. Both their bodies collapsed to the ground.

“Blurt!” Lin Tianrong expelled a mouthful of fresh blood.

“Trash!” Qian Wu muttered as he quickly turned his attention to King Duan, Lin Xinjue. “Your Highness is an intellectual. I’m sure you wouldn’t follow in the footsteps of this trash, would you? Of course, if Your Highness isn’t smart enough, I wouldn’t mind finding someone smarter in the large palace!”

Qian Wu looked extremely arrogant.

Everyone in the Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards clenched their fists tightly as they took in the sight before their eyes.

Trash? That’s still an insult!

Although Lin Tianrong did launch a mutiny against the throne, he would still be the Crown Prince of the Great Xia Empire until Lin Mubai officially strips him of his title.

“Your Highness, save His Majesty first!” One of the leaders of the Palace Garrison Guards seethed with rage as he looked at the Crown Prince sprawled on the ground and turned to Qian Wu standing in the distance.

Lin Xinjue’s body jerked. He certainly wanted to save the Emperor, but the situation unfolding before his eyes has evidently surpassed all his calculations. He subconsciously clenched his fists tighter as he looked at the Crown Prince lying on the floor.

He witnessed the power of Qian Wu’s strike very clearly.

The man in black’s strength was minimally in the Rebirth State, but he was sent flying backwards by a single punch from Qian Wu. And furthermore … Both Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua sustained grave injuries, while the ground was covered in countless corpses from the Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards.

Everything indicated that Qian Wu has clinched the absolute advantage in this battle.

Worse still, there were only around ten thousand Palace Garrison Guards standing behind him, with the rest still outside the palace walls. What could he even do?

The Imperial Palace!

He did not come to the Imperial Palace simply to steal their thunder; he wanted to exploit the ongoing chaos to seize the throne of the Great Xia Empire in one fell swoop.

He has waited too long for the throne, and he did not want to wait any longer.

He’ll save the Emperor, slay the Crown Prince and be conferred the latter’s title. In that case, he’ll still be the Crown Prince, and no one would know the changes that await him in the days to come.

This was an opportunity to ascend straight to the throne.

However, a throne seized himself and a throne conferred to him are two entirely different matters. Although he was fully confident of eradicating the Holy Barbarian Empire’s influence after ascending the throne, his title would still be one that was conferred to him.

What should he do? Should he fight?

What if he can’t outmatch them?

It’s just as Qian Wu said – the Great Xia Empire does not merely have the two princes. The Imperial Palace alone has too many worthy candidates for the throne. If he cannot outmatch Qian Wu, he would lose his final chance to ascend the throne.

He was hesitating greatly.

“Father!” Just as Lin Xinjue was struggling to make a decision, an unusually impatient voice rang through the crowd.

Following that, a fiery-red figure charged out from behind Lin Xinjue, running straight towards Lin Mubai without a trace of hesitation.

“Oh no, is that the Princess?!’

“It’s dangerous!”

Eunuch Wei and Yan Qing’s voices rang out simultaneously from the crowd as both of them gazed at the incoming figure, seeming evidently nervous.

“Ping Yang, no!”

“Quickly fall back!”

Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua’s voices sounded at the same time as they looked at Ping Yang running straight towards them. Both of them subconsciously prepared for her arrival.

Suddenly, another figure appeared in front of Ping Yang. His brand-new black uniform flowed gently in the night breeze, emitting a soft sound as he raised a hand to block Ping Yang’s advance.

“How troublesome. Didn’t you agree to be a passer-by observing from the sidelines? Where did our mutual trust go?” The person curled his lips, revealing a face showing resignation.

Chapter 573: I Can Become The Emperor?

“It’s Fang Zhengzhi!”

“Why did he come together with her Highness?”

“Shouldn’t he be at the Imperial Academy?”

The Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards gazed at the figure who appeared in front of Ping Yang, with each soldier being slightly astonished and suspicious, but this was evidently not the time to be muddling over these thoughts.

As for Ping Yang … she crashed straight into Fang Zhengzhi’s embrace.

“Let me go, let me go … Father is injured, I must save my father!” Ping Yang struggled with all her might, her delicate body wrestling and pounding against Fang Zhengzhi’s chest.

Before she arrived, she did imagine the numerous possibilities that could occur when she reached the Throne Room, but she would have never imagined that she would be greeted by a pile of rubble.

Worse still, it was not just the Throne Room that was reduced to waste. There were fresh blood stains on the corners of Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua’s lips. Both of their faces were completely pale, and this sight has already surpassed all her expectations.

In this situation, how could she keep her promise with Fang Zhengzhi?

“Are you Fang Zhengzhi? I heard that you were the ringleader of the previous round of Court Examinations, the youngest Chief Imperial Messenger of the Imperial Academy, the current Chief Examiner of the Imperial Examinations, and our greatest benefactor in the battle of the Southern Regions!” Qian Wu did not pay much attention to Ping Yang, instead observing Fang Zhengzhi with much interest, his mouth cracking the faintest of smiles.

“Is that so? I’m afraid I’ve never heard of you before.” Fang Zhengzhi turned around slowly and sized up Qian Wu, his eyes containing a glint of confusion.

“Haha, let me introduce myself. I am Qian Wu of the Holy Barbarian Empire …”

“Actually, I’m not that interested in you.” Fang Zhengzhi waved his hand, impatiently interrupting Qian Wu.

“No matter. I know what you’re interested in. I can give you all the treasures and riches you desire. I can even give you the title of an Army General and a military strategist, and even give you the throne if you wish. And i promise not to restrict your freedom in any way. How do these sound?” Qian Wu was not angered by Fang Zhengzhi’s words and instead continued rambling on.

“Army General? Military strategist? The throne? What does this person want?”

The Palace Garrison Guards and the Royal Guards could not completely grasp what Qian Wu was saying. Was Fang Zhengzhi not a wastrel?

Even though he was now helming the Imperial Academy, that was still a civilian title.

And Qian Wu would simply bestow these military titles to him. This certainly baffled them.

Most importantly, the Holy Barbarian Empire was in no way weaker than the Great Xia Empire, and judging from Fang Zhengzhi and Qian Wu’s conversation, they were clearly meeting each other for the first time. So why would this happen?

“Cough, cough …” The Crown Prince vomited another mouthful of blood. He stared intensely at Qian Wu, his fists clenched so tight that they were turning white.

He recalled the terms of his deal with Qian Wu. One of them was to kill Fang Zhengzhi, but now?

After Qian Wu saw Fang Zhengzhi, he immediately nullified his promise to give the throne to Lin Tianrong. How could Lin Tianrong not hate him? And how could he not be overwhelmed with rage?

Lin Mubai’s face flushed red. Even though Qian Wu’s words were directed at Fang Zhengzhi, they were clearly meant to deliver a slap across Lin Mubai’s face.

Fang Zhengzhi was a Rank Three Official in the Great Xia Empire who enjoyed the treatment given to a Rank Two Official.

But under the Holy Barbarian Empire? He would be an Army General, the National Military Strategist, and even be conferred the throne. Such a jarring difference in treatment would make anyone’s heart waver.

“Are all these Rank One Official titles?” Fang Zhengzhi’s face beamed with satisfaction after hearing Qian Wu’s proposition.

“Of course they are Rank One titles, and legitimate Rank One titles for that matter! Hence, you just need to hand Princess Ping Yang over to me and everything I promise you will become reality!” Qian Wu smirked once again at Fang Zhengzhi’s facial expression.

“Fang Zhengzhi, you dare betray your country?!”

“Fang Zhengzhi, let Her Highness go at once!”

“Release the princess now!”

Upon hearing what Qian Wu said, the various Royal Guards immediately raised their long spears and pointed them at Fang Zhengzhi, each appearing extremely nervous. After all, they all knew the place that Ping Yang has in Lin Mubai’s heart.

If Ping Yang does land in Qian Wu’s grasp, no one would be able to imagine just what Lin Mubai would do in retaliation.

Fang Zhengzhi scanned the various Royal Guards circling him and smirked. He could certainly tell that Qian Wu was attempting to sow discord.

Qian Wu was intentionally using Ping Yang’s safety as a bargaining chip, and he managed to arouse suspicions among the Royal Guards with just a few words.

This plan of his was indeed executed beautifully, to say the least.

Even Lin Mubai appeared slightly unnerved, although he could see through Qian Wu’s ploy given his intellect. But …

How could he relax if Ping Yang is involved?

“That sounds amazing!” Fang Zhengzhi chuckled and gently nodded his head before turning his gaze towards Lin Mubai. “Your Majesty, he offered me a Rank One post just like this. Why don’t you promote me too?”

“Promote you?”

Lin Mubai was taken aback, but he quickly regained his composure. Fang Zhengzhi was bargaining with him, and using the benefits offered by the Holy Barbarian Empire as a basis to bargain.

The Royal Guards and the Palace Garrison Guards were also stunned by Fang Zhengzhi’s question. Their eyes flashed with rage.

“Shameless!”

“How dare this scoundrel use Her Highness’ safety to threaten His Majesty?”

“What audacity!”

They were enraged but helpless, since Ping Yang was indeed in Fang Zhengzhi’s hands. And most importantly, the Northern Barbarians did offer an enticing deal.

“If I need to use promotions and riches to gain your loyalty towards me, I …” After taking a deep breath, Lin Mubai suddenly stopped in the middle of his sentence, seemingly having thought of something. With that, he stared at Fang Zhengzhi with an intense gaze. “Fine, I’ll give you whatever you want!”

“…”

“Your Majesty, you …”

“This …”

After hearing what Lin Mubai’s words, all the Royal Guards and the Palace Garrison Guards stared blankly with eyes widened. None of them could believe their ears.

Lin Mubai actually agreed?

Ever since Lin Mubai ascended the throne, he has never conceded to a single threat, but now, he has agreed to Fang Zhengzhi’s request?

To give him whatever he wants?

Oh my god!

Was Fang Zhengzhi really going to become the king?

He’s not even eighteen years old!

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” After hearing this, Fang Zhengzhi nodded his head and turned his attention to Qian Wu. “I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t want to go over to your side, but these two offers are so similar that I don’t know which one to choose. Why don’t you add a little more?”

“Add a little more?”

“He already offered him the throne. What else can he add?”

“Could it be that he does not want to be the Emperor?”

The Royal Guards were dumbfounded by Fang Zhengzhi’s request to Qian Wu.

Fang Zhengzhi seemed to have dawned upon this point after completing his sentence, and his expression seemed evidently conflicted. “But since you’ve already offered me the throne, you can’t really top that offer with anything else. Why don’t you let me be the Emperor of the Holy Barbarian Empire for a few days just for fun. You did talk about your concubines, but I’ve never actually …”

“Insolent!” Qian Wu’s eyes turned cold, finally cutting off Fang Zhengzhi’s rambling. In reality, his target has always been Ping Yang.

But of course, if Fang Zhengzhi was willing to become his slave, he didn’t mind keeping him to toy with his new pet. However, with Fang Zhengzhi clearly mocking him now, how could he allow Fang Zhengzhi to continue humiliating him?

“You’re already angry?” Fang Zhengzhi met Qian Wu’s cold gaze in resignation. He then turned to the silent Lin Xinjue. “Why is Your Highness still in a daze? With the situation being so clear now, shouldn’t Your Highness be scrambling to beg for pity like a dog?”

“Shut up! I’m not one who begs for pity!” Lin Xinjue was waiting for the most appropriate chance to act. However, Fang Zhengzhi’s words undeniably stabbed right through his plan, instantly engulfing his heart with an inexplicable rage, as if someone had stepped on his tail.

“Is that so? Then what is Your Highess waiting for? Quickly get rid of him!” Fang Zhengzhi curled his lips, revealing a look of disdain.

“Get rid of him?” Lin Xinjue shivered. He scanned the surrounding Royal Guards then looked at Lin Mubai, standing there in the distance.

If he never opened his mouth, all the attention would naturally avert his direction.

But … Fang Zhengzhi lured him into speaking, and in such a direct manner. In this case, how could he continue hesitating and waiting for his ripe chance?

“Scoundrel!” Lin Xinjue’s eyes flashed with hate, but he ultimately clenched his teeth. “Heed my command, Palace Garrison Guards. Protect the Emperor!”

“Yes!”

Following Lin Xinjue’s command, the Palace Garrison Guards, ten thousand strong, finally leapt into action again. Their flashing spears pointed straight at Qian Wu and the Demonic Man.

Qian Wu closed his eyes. He was naturally unfazed by Lin Xinjue’s interference, but this was not within his original plans. According to his previous calculations, Lin Xinjue would continue to wait for the right opportunity to strike.

Or at least … not strike so prematurely.

But now, Lin Xinjue has launched his attack, and worse still, with all his might.

“Sowing discord!” This phrase flashed through Qian Wu’s mind.

He used this method to deal with Fang Zhengzhi, but now, Fang Zhengzhi used the same method to deal with Lin Xinjue. And worse still, Fang Zhengzhi’s method was far more direct and vicious.

“Interesting!” Qian Wu scanned across the rowdy Palace Garrison Guards and smirked once again. At the same time, he turned his gaze towards the Demonic Man beside the Near-Life Gate.

Chapter 574: We Got The Wrong Person Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

The Demonic Man slowly shifted his gaze from Qian Wu to Fang Zhengzhi, then veered towards Ping Yang struggling profusely in Fang Zhengzhi’s arms.

The ferocious beast crouching beside the Demonic Man also felt a disturbance and abruptly opened its eyes, its icy cold pupils shimmering with a frigid glimmer.

“Roar!”

Its gargantuan body shifted as it plunged its razor-sharp claws into the ground, tearing and shattering the rocks. It opened its gaping mouth and lunged straight at Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang without any hesitation.

“Your Highness, get out of here!” In the instant when the beast lunged towards Ping Yang, a figure leapt out at top speed and shieldedher. He was a commander of the Royal Guards clad in a coat of golden armor.

“Crash!” The beast’s razor-sharp claws swiped the commander’s chest armor, instantly blowing him backwards diagonally. He then plummeted to the ground and rolled over.

A Royal Guards commander has been killed with a single swipe.

But the beast did not stop there. After swiping a Royal Guards commander to death, it bounded into the air and pounced towards Ping Yang and Fang Zhengzhi in midair.

“This is …” Ping Yang finally stopped struggling. Her crystal-clear eyes gazed up at the unbelievably enormous figure looming over her head as her delicate little mouth opened up subconsciously.

She certainly saw the three ferocious beasts crouching in front of the Demonic Man. It was a strange sight indeed.

But in the spur of the moment, she could not ponder about this peculiar scene carefully. Only when the beast lunged towards her did she finally sense the menacing aura emanating from the beast and take in the sheer size of its body, capable of obscuring every bit of moonlight.

Instinctively, Ping Yang began struggling against, attempting to break free of Fang Zhengzhi’s grasp, but she then realized that Fang Zhengzhi’s hands had no intention of letting her go – and it wasn’t just his hands.

Fang Zhengzhi had no intention of dodging the incoming attack at all. He simply held onto Fang Zhengzhi in resignation, as though he could not hear the beast’s roars thundering from behind him at all.

“We’re doomed. Her Highness is about to be killed by that shameless scoundrel!” Ping Yang grew hopeless as she stared at the pair of lethal claws right in front of her eyes.

But suddenly, a hellish and murderous surge of bloodlust rose up from behind her, sending chills down her spine.

And then … a blood-red ray of light lit up behind her, instantly travelling in front of her. There was a human figure cloaked in the blood-red radiance, his ink-colored robes drifted softly in the night wind.

He held a dagger-like ray of red light, sparkling and clear yet brittle like a cicada’s wing, but surging with ferocity.

“Stab!”

As the blood-red light flashed through the air, the giant beast became suspended in midair, its icy pupils in its eyes glaring at the man cloaked in the red light. It was an expression of disbelief.

Following that, a pitiful shriek reverberated through the air.

“Ow …”

The giant beast’s heat plummeted to the ground while its two severed claws remained suspended in midair. Two arrows of blood propelled out from the beast’s legs, dripping to the ground. It was too quick.

It took less than a blink of an eye from the time the beast launched its attack to the time the red light flashed through the air. The result was blatantly obvious – another beast has fallen.

Silence!

Unparalleled silence!

The various Palace Guards gazed at the new participant on the battlefield and the shower of blood-red light cloaking him, as well as the giant beast sprawled on the ground.

“It’s Yan Xiu!”

“He can actually …”

“Could Yan Xiu have already reached the Rebirth State?”

Flabbergasted, they were completely flabbergasted, especially the Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards. They had personally witnessed the sheer ferocity of these beasts, but now …

It lost both its claws with a single strike from Yan Xiu!

Yan Xiu? Just which Enlightenment State was he in?

“The Dao of Asura?” Qian Wu’s gaze turned cold as he gazed at the hostile figure standing in front of Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang. “Are you Yan Xiu from the Western Liang?”

Yan Xiu ignored Qian Wu, not even sparing him a glance. He merely took a step forward and stopped in front of the moaning beast.

He clenched his right hand and the blood-red light began flashing again.

“Boom!”

He pummeled right through the giant beast’s skull. The already cracked ground could no longer withstand the tremendous impact of his fist, sending debris and dust flying in all directions.

The beast’s moans stopped. Fresh blood poured out from its mouth, staining the ground.

Another beast has died!

Qian Wu finally clenched his fist tightly. As the person who dominated the battlefield all this while, his presence has been consecutively disregarded by Fang Zhengzhi and Yan Xiu.

Furthermore, among the five beasts that emerged from the Near-Life Gate, three of them have died consecutively after Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua slaughtered two more. And it took Qian Wu painstaking effort to locate these beasts.

Yet, they perished one after the other right in front of his eyes.

How could he endure it any longer?

Just as he wanted to say something, he was interrupted by another voice.

“What are all of you standing there for? You still don’t want to attack? The Throne Room has been destroyed, and you still have the shame to spectate the action from the sidelines? Are all of you bystanders? Kill him!”

“…”

Upon hearing these screams, everyone in the Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards shuddered. That was clearly Fang Zhengzhi’s voice. And only Fang Zhengzhi would ‘insult’ them with such ‘righteous rhetoric’ without pulling any punches.

And most importantly … right after he finished yelling, he still remained in his original position without moving an inch. They could never match his level of shamelessness.

Yet in spite of that, they still heeded his command.

As the squad responsible for ensuring the Emperor’s safety, their top priority was clearly to protect the Emperor. But just as Fang Zhengzhi said, there wasn’t a Throne Room anymore, so why would they continue standing there in a daze?

Indeed! Their opponents are strong!

They are faced with twenty elite warriors in the Rebirth State, along with two menacing beasts and a demon king. But so what?

They are the Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards – the elites among the elites of the Great Xia Empire’s finest soldiers. Hence, fear is not an option.

“Kill! Kill them!”

Once Fang Zhengzhi’s voice faded, the Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards finally understood his intentions. Fang Zhengzhi’s words may be uncouth but their underlying rationale was blatantly clear: to protect the Emperor.

They had to protect the Emperor.

But now, their opponents were overwhelmingly formidable, to a point where they could not withstand the pressure at all. In that case, they could only sacrifice their lives to give the Emperor a chance of escaping.

“Eunuch Wei, take the Emperor and the Royal Concubine with you and flee!” After the Dragon Protection Squad’s first Dragon Envoy Yan Qing yelled this, he charged towards Qian Wu and the Demonic Man with all his might.

Behind him, a few hundred soldiers from the Dragon Protection Squad also charged out at top speed. The Royal Guards also began launching their attack.

The soldiers instantly surrounded the people in black as well as Qian Wu, thrusting their long spears towards Qian Wu with an eerie cold glow.

“Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh whoosh …”

Sounds of arrows propelling through the air rang through the battlefield.

Those were the Palace Guards. After the Royal Guards rushed out, the Palace Guards did not delay their attacks, drawing their huge bows and sending a torrential storm of arrows raining down on the twenty-plus people in black.

It was chaos.

And the root cause of this chaos was Fang Zhengzhi’s righteous rhetoric.

The Crown Prince Lin Tianrong’s lips were stained with blood, and his heart was full of hate. He hated the fact that even though he clearly fell out with Qian Wu, the Palace Guards’ arrows were still headed straight for him.

“Your Highness, leave quickly!”

“I’m not going anywhere!” Lin Tianrong shrugged off a person in black and turned his gaze towards Fang Zhengzhi who was standing leisurely at his original spot in the distance. Lin Tianrong clenched his teeth – he hated Fang Zhengzhi, but he hated someone else even more, and that person was the one who landed him in this sorry state. “Quick, kill Qian Wu!”

“Yes!” The people in black studied the expression on Lin Tianrong’s face but still nodded obediently in the end.

Following the Crown Prince’s orders, the people in black, over twenty strong, finally split up. One group headed straight for Qian Wu while the other started an internal struggle.

“Fang Zhengzhi!” Qian Wu glared at the smiling Fang Zhengzhi, then saw the shower of arrows pelting down over him and the numerous figures charging towards him in all directions. His eagle eyes flashed with rage.

This scoundrel is as shameless as the rumors say!

He was not afraid of these ‘moths’ that were flapping towards him, but that did not mean that enjoyed interacting excessively with them.

A single sentence, Fang Zhengzhi’s sentence, sank the originally predictable situation into complete chaos. Yet, as the sole perpetrator, Fang Zhengzhi was simply spectating the drama from the sidelines.

How could this not anger Qian Wu?

“King Xieluo!” A six-colored talisman character quickly lit up in his hand as he bellowed at the Demonic Man standing beside the Near-Life Gate.

“Understood.” Upon hearing Qian Wu’s voice, the Demonic Man twitched his lips and slowly lifted his right hand.

“Om!”

It sounded as though the entire world was being uprooted.

Following that, a ray of dark-green light radiated from the Demonic Man’s palm and instantly dispersed outwards like a ripple travelling in all directions.

“Slash! Slash”

“…”

Soldiers of the Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards originally charging towards the Demonic Man became petrified once they came in contact with the green light, and one by one, they were dissected into two halves.

“Plop! Plop!”

“…”

Their bodies fell to the ground without any resistance.

But the dark-green light did not stop there. It continued expanding to its surroundings like a scythe of a Grim Reaper, claiming one life after another with such ease.

“Crap, we got the wrong person. This guy is the real final boss!” After taking in this sight, the smile hanging brightly on Fang Zhengzhi’s face tensed up slightly.

Chapter 575: He Fled, Came Back and Switched Sides! Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations

There is an old saying: you must never misjudge your opponents, otherwise you would land into trouble very easily!

When Fang Zhengzhi arrived, the Throne Room had already been reduced to dust. Hence, he did not witness the sheer power of King Xieluo’s initial attack. Furthermore, Qian Wu cottoned up to him immediately after he arrived. This led him to assume that all the problems would be solved as long as he slaughtered Qian Wu.

But after he saw King Xieluo’s strength, he finally understood … he was targeting the wrong person this whole time! And this bears severe consequences.

This was as if you entered the bridal chamber after your marriage and have sex with your wife’s younger sister instead of your wife, and when you raised your head, you see your wife standing at the door with a knife in her hand.

Shocking!

And after the shock, it was naturally time to run, since you have no way of explaining yourself, and no time to explain.

Fang Zhengzhi similarly made the wisest choice. He grabbed Ping Yang with one hand and Yan Xiu with the other, and dashed into the distance without any hesitation.

The reason for his swift escape was definitely not the inability to explain why he had sex with his sister-in-law, but because he misjudged his opponent’s strength.

With the combined forces of the Dragon Protection Squad, the Royal Guards and the Palace Guards, coupled with Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua’s strength, how could such a formidable team be no match for these few ‘assassins’?

Who would believe this?

Fang Zhengzhi did not believe this at first, but now he did. He realized why the Dragon Protection Squad and the Royal Guards refused to budge. He also realized why the Throne Room could be reduced to a pile of rubble even with the combined strength of the three squads, the Emperor and his Royal Concubine.

Because Qian Wu has a ‘monster’ named King Xieluo on his side. He was too strong!

Fang Zhengzhi fled without any emotional baggages because he witnessed these techniques before, and he knew very well the sheer level of strength required to execute these techniques.

Anyone below the Rebirth State would be instantly slaughtered.

And Fang Zhengzhi would definitely punch any idiot who claims that King Xieluo was only in the Rebirth State to death.

“Ah!”

“Ah …”

“…”

Waves of pitiful screams reverberated through the palace as the various Palace Guards and Royal Guards watched the speedily expanding green light, their faces flushing white.

They wanted to flee but they couldn’t, because they were soldiers.

As soldiers, there was only one way they could die – to die in battle. Once they fled, they would definitely be labelled as a deserter and never be able to redeem themselves.

But then … they saw someone dragging two others away, fleeing away quickly past them as fast as they could.

“…”

The Palace Guards and Royal Guards could clearly see that it was Fang Zhengzhi leading the escape, dragging Ping Yang and Yan Xiu behind with him.

Naturally, none of them would object to Ping Yang escaping, but … Fang Zhengzhi? Escaping? That scoundrel is escaping!

They could clearly remember Fang Zhengzhi’s righteous and stern disposition just a moment ago, and his sentence “What are all of you standing there for? Kill him!”

“Kill him!”

“Kill him! What are all of you standing there for?”

What a rousing and exhilarating speech. But now … Fang Zhengzhi was fleeing, and with such speed.

“Continue your attacks, I’ll protect Her Highness!” A voice travelled from the direction he was fleeing towards, and drifted into the ears of the Palace Guards.

“…” The Palace Guards and Royal Guards were rendered speechless once again.

Can someone really be this shameless?

The Palace Guards and Royal Guards were enraged yet resigned to their fate. But worse still, Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua, who were both being forced back despite the Dragon Protection Squad’s defenses, did not express any sort of astonishment or objection after hearing Fang Zhengzhi’s words.

“Fang Zhengzhi, you must protect Ping Yang!” Chen Feihua’s voice drifted into the Palace Guards and Royal Guards, seemingly overwhelmed with gratitude.

“…”

The difference in treatment was simply too stark..

The Palace Guards and Royal Guards understood this point, and all they could do was to defend their Emperor to the death. However, they were completely helpless against the impending green light.

“Get down!”

“Get down quickly!”

Without knowing who yelled this warning, the Palace Guards and Royal Guards finally reacted and all of them fell to the ground at top speed. However, those who could not dodge the green light in time released waves of pitiful screams as they collapsed to the ground, shaking the souls of the survivors.

Too strong!

In an instant, many strong warriors in the Supernatural State were decapitated. The Demonic Man King Xieluo was certainly not an opponent that these ordinary soldiers could deal with, even if they were labelled as the most elite soldiers.

Lin Xinjue also leapt to the ground, seeming quite pitiful. He wanted to flee too, but could he? Of course he couldn’t, because he was King Duan.

And more importantly, he was unwilling to forsake this chance.

“That cruel Fang Zhengzhi, if not for him fanning the flames, would I be in such a pitiful state now?” Lin Xinjue gazed across the battlefield stained with the corpses of Palace Guards, then turned to see Fang Zhengzhi fleeing into the distance. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

With that thought in his mind …

He then realized that Fang Zhengzhi suddenly turned back.

Eh? He’s coming back!

He actually came back!

As he watched in suspicion, Lin Xinjue realized that Yan Xiun and Ping Yang were returning along with Fang Zhengzhi, and behind them were thousands of people in black.

“F*ck!” As a prince who grew up in a royal family since young, he rarely cursed, but he could not control his urge to hurl a vulgarity in this moment.

He obviously knew the identity of the men in black.

They were the same bunch as the people he met at the entrance of the Imperial Palace.

Back then, he heeded Fang Zhengzhi’s advice and ordered the Palace Guards to break into two parties, allowing the people in black to become hidden dangers.

But now … these dangers have exploded in full force! And worse still, at such a critical moment.

At first, his greatest advantage was his strength in numbers, but once these people in black enter the battlefield, his sole advantage was no longer existent. Yet, this was obviously not the worst part.

The worst part was that, Fang Zhengzhi knew the situation they were in, and yet he still led the people in black over? How was this any different from pouring a pot of oil into a raging fire?

Hatred overwhelmed Lin Xinjue’s heart.

As he watched the thousands of people in black approach them, he finally came up with an idea.

“Switch sides!”

Lin Xinjue clenched his fist. If he revolted now, defeating a few hundred soldiers in the Dragon Protection Squad and a few thousand Royal Guards would not be a problem with the force of his ten thousand Palace Guards coupled with the thousands of people in black from the Northern Barbarian army.

And most importantly, his Palace Guards still controlled the four gates of the Imperial Palace. Under such circumstances, no word of his mutiny would leak out to the world.

Lin Xinjue’s eyes shimmered radiantly. It was difficult to make this decision, but once he decided to switch sides, it meant that he would still be the Northern Barbarian’s puppet to manipulate the Great Xia Empire despite ascending the throne.

Should he still fight?

No, he can’t fight anymore!

How could he win the thousands of Northern Barbarian soldiers in black under such circumstances. They were elite soldiers that could not be defeated by his ten thousand Palace Guards. Coupled with the strength of Qian Wu and the Demonic Man King Xieluo, how could Lin Xinjue possibly win?

What could he do? What exactly could he do?

Was he really fated to be a mere puppet?

Lin Xinjue was indignant. He held it in for too long, and finally found a splendid chance after much difficulty, only to become a puppeted emperor. How could he be satisfied?

“No, there’s definitely a way out once I take the throne!” Lin Xinjue bit his lips hard as images of the former emperors flashed through his mind.

How many emperors were manipulated by their officials when they first ascended the throne? But what happened afterwards? Many of them executed those treacherous officials and severed the chains that bound their rule, finally becoming eternal emperors respected by all.

The throne. There will definitely be a way out once he ascends the throne.

Without the throne, everything would just be empty talk. Everything would be too late once Qian Wu controls the situation and finds a replacement emperor.

“Hahaha … Fang Zhengzhi, did you think you could really run away? Kill! Kill them all! The Dragon Protection Squad, Royal Guards and the Palace Guards, don’t leave a single survivor!” Qian Wu’s laughter erupted as he turned towards Fang Zhengzhi, Ping Yang and the thousands of people in black behind them. He chuckled maniacally.

“Wait, Qian Wu. Is your offer still valid?” Upon hearing what Qian Wu exclaimed, he blurted his question out, unable to hold back any longer.

“Oh? Has Your Highness finally thought it over?” Qian Wu was slightly stunned as he sized up Lin Xinjue who just stood up, wearing an arrogant smile.

“Yes!” Lin Xinjue gritted his teeth.

“Your Highness!”

“No, Your Highness!”

“The Northern Barbarians have immense greed, and will never fulfill their promise!”

“Please reconsider, Your Highness!”

One by one, the Palace Guards advised him without hesitation, completely astounded by Lin Xinjue’s words.

The Dragon Protection Squad and Royal Guards not far away were also extremely astonished.

King Duan wanted to switch swides?!

Even though they could understand where Lin Xinjue was coming from, merely holding the thought and actually executing a revolt were two entirely different matters.

“Your Highness, are you sure you wish to be part of the Northern Barbarian Empire?” Qian Wu ignored the cacophony and the shocked glares of the crowd, and continued probing with a smile.

“Yes, I’ve made my decision!” Lin Xinjue gritted his teeth again and replied with conviction.

“No, Your Highness, this is treason. We are …” A Palace Guard commander stepped out but he could not finish his sentence – because a sword stabbed his throat.

“Ow, ow …” His hands held onto Lin Xinjue’s suit of silver-white armor tightly. His eyes glared boldly, and he wanted to say something, but he was no longer able to utter a word.

“This is my order to the Palace Guards. Anyone who defies my order will be met with death!” Lin Xinjue raised one hand to issue the order as he pulled out the sword from the commander’s throat with the other hand.

An arrow of blood poured out from his body, making him look unbelievably pitiful.

After the ten thousand Palace Guards witnessed this sight, each of them glanced at each other in hesitation.

“Your Highness has treated us kindly all these years. I’m willing to follow Your Highness!”

“So am I!”

“Be loyal to King Duan and heed the order!”

“Anyone who defies the order shall be executed!”

Voices erupted from the army. Shortly afterwards, a few Palace Guard commanders quickly knelt down and bowed to Lin Xinjue. Upon seeing their commanders kneel, over 90% of the entire force knelt down in unison.

The remaining Palace Guards were furious.

“I’ll only listen to His Majesty!”

“Protect the Great Xia Empire to the death!”

“I’ll never betray my country!”

These voices blasted from their mouths, and as they pledged their allegiance to the empire, the Palace Guards who were kneeling down began to hesitate again.

After a moment, a few Palace Guards rose up again.

“Kill them!”

“Slaughter these traitors!”

“Ah! I’ll take you on …”

“Slash …”

After the cacophony died down, the entire battlefield descended into a ghastly silence. All the Palace Guards knelt before Lin Xinjue. Lin Mubai shivered as he witnessed this sight.

“Traitor, traitor!”

“Be calm, Your Majesty. His Highness may be in a state of delusion …” Chen Feihua’s lips were stained with blood but her hands grabbed onto Lin Mubai tightly.

Qian Wu gazed at the approaching horde of people in black as well as Fang Zhengzhi and Ping Yang in front. With that, he finally turned towards Lin Xinjue and the sea of kneeling Palace Guards.

“Isn’t it a little late for Your Highness to be doing this? My Northern Barbarian army has arrived. What use does your few Palace Guards have?” Qian Wu sneered.

“Such a small group of Palace Guards is indeed useless, but the four gates of the Imperial Palace are still under my Palace Guards’ control. And don’t forget, I’m not just the commander-in-chief of the Palace Guards, but also the Chief of the Great Xia Empire’s military. If the Flame Capital City is attacked, the opponent’s forces would definitely surround the city. How can you handle such an attack without me?” Lin Xinjue gritted his teeth and explained after hearing Qian Wu’s words.

“That does make a little sense!” Qian Wu nodded as he cracked a friendly smile. “In that case, shall Your Highness kill your father along with me?”

“Of course!” Lin Xinjue clenched his fist. He definitely knew the meaning behind Qian Wu’s words, but at this stage, he had no other choice.

With the way things are going, he could only endure the pain if he wanted to reinvigorate the Great Xia Empire again!

After he ascends the throne and abolishes the control of the Northern Barbarian Empire, all these sacrifices would be worth it, even if it means bearing the sin of murdering his father with his own hands.

Chapter 576: Better To Die In Glory Than To Live In Dishonor

“Hahaha, in that case, what else is Your Highness waiting for?” After hearing Lin Xinjue’s agreement, Qian Wu’s wicked smile became even more sinister.

He thoroughly enjoyed this feeling. Although he was not a hunter who was keen to play with his prey, why wouldn’t he be elated to see an internal conflict erupting in the Great Xia Empire’s royal family?

“I’m sorry, Father!” Lin Xinjue gritted his teeth again, his eyes becoming clouded and cold. “Listen up, Palace Guards. Whoever kills Lin Mubai shall be rewarded with generous amounts of wealth and property!”

“Hualala!”

At Lin Xinjue’s command, the kneeling Palace Guards all stood up and drew their long bows. Countless arrows flew straight for Lin Mubai, shimmering with an eerie cold glow under the moonlight.

“Good, very good! Another traitor! I’ve seen countless types of people during my rule, and although I admit that I’ve not accomplished anything significant, I still made some considerable contributions, but I still could not understand my own son!” Lin Mubai looked at the army of Palace Guards with bows fully drawn, looking slightly dejected.

The Crown Prince committed treason!

This was something he found out long ago, but King Duan’s revolt was still unexpected, and another excruciating stab into his already wounded heart.

No pain is greater in life than the betrayal of your relatives and children. Yet, Lin Mubai has been confronted with the consecutive betrayals of the Crown Prince Lin Tianrong and King Duan Lin Xinjue. How could he be fine?

“Hahaha … I never expected Sixth Brother to obey the Northern Barbarians. I’ve really underestimated him!” The Crown Prince Lin Tianrong became slightly maniacal after listening to their exchange of words.

He may have committed treason, but he would never become another person’s puppet.

But … Lin Xinjue did just that. How could he not resent his brother?

“Your Highness, do you really want to kill His Majesty?” The Dragon Protection Squad’s first Dragon Envoy Yan Qing looked at Lin Xinjue standing in front of the Palace Guards, still in disbelief.

“Fire!” Lin Xinjue ignored Lin Tianrong’s words and Yang Qing’s question, instead relying on his actual actions to convey his message to everyone.

“Swoosh!”

“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!”

“…”

A storm of arrows shot up into the sky, travelling across a graceful arch before raining down on Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua.

“Protect the Emperor!”

A few rays of light fired out from the Dragon Protection Squad, creating an enormous light screen in the air which blocked the cascading storm of arrows.

“Roar!”

“Roar!”

Two beastly bellows sounded as two gigantic figures pounced towards Lin Mubai and Chen Feihua amidst the rain of arrows.

“Leave here now, Your Majesty!”

The Dragon Protection Squad did not retreat after seeing the advancing beasts, and instead charged towards their assailants without anyone bearing any thought of escaping. However, they too knew that everything they were doing now was merely to buy time.

And the effect?

If everything goes according to plan, the delay would pay off.

But now … their efforts may very well end in vain, because the four gates of the Imperial Palace were already secured by the Palace Guards. Without any backup, what use would their efforts be regardless of how much time they bought?

“Roar!”

The beast’s razor-sharp claws instantly sent a soldier from the Dragon Protection Squad flying backwards.

At the same time, Qian Wu’s gaze slowly turned towards the approaching Fang Zhengzhi, Ping Yang and Yan Xiu. A sinister smile appeared on his face.

“Kill Fang Zhengzhi and capture the other two alive!”

“Yes!” A few people in black in the Rebirth State instantly acknowledged Qian Wu’s order. In a flash, they rushed towards Fang Zhengzhi.

“Eh? Both of you are about to be captured alive!” exclaimed Fang Zhengzhi after hearing Qian Wu’s words.

“That’s still better than dying!” Ping Yang pouted indignantly.

“Um.” Yan Xiu nodded softly. No one knew whether he was replying Fang Zhengzhi’s question or conferring with Ping Yang’s opinion.

“I’d rather die in glory than live in dishonor. Let’s give everything we’ve got for the sake of the Great Xia Empire!” Fang Zhengzhi yelled, appearing extremely courageous in the face of imminent death.

Of course, his words drifted into the ears of the Royal Guards and the Dragon Protection Squad.

There’s an ancient saying: it’s much easier for people’s feelings to resonate with each other, even those at odds with one another. Furthermore, Fang Zhengzhi’s expression was tragically heroic.

“I’d rather die in glory than live in dishonor?!”

“For the Great Xia Empire!”

“Well said!”

The Royal Guards and the Dragon Protection Squad knew that Fang Zhengzhi was usually very shameless, but their suppressed emotions were now roused up again after hearing his battle cry.

After all, they were all in this state of mind.

Fight! What else could they do besides fighting?

“Charge! Take them all on!”

“Let His Majesty escape!”

The various Dragon Protection Squad soldiers and Royal Guards charged towards the approaching beasts with great vigor. A small group of them charged towards the Palace Guards instead.

The battle was becoming more chaotic than ever.

“You’re courting death!” A few people in black looked at the Royal Guards and Dragon Protection Squad riled up by Fang Zhengzhi’s words, their eyes shining with a cold glow. They rushed towards them at breakneck speed.

“Sh*t, such incredible speed. I can’t overpower them, let us kill a few scapegoats first!” Fang Zhengzhi turned towards the approaching people in black, slightly stunned. Then, he suddenly stopped, pulled Ping Yang and Yan Xiu, and ran towards the Northern Barbarian army behind him.

“Eh? Stop them!” A few people in black were taken aback as well.

After all, Fang Zhengzhi’s flippant allegiances were so unpredictable. One moment, he was sounding his war cry like a tragic hero, and the next moment, he was bolting away. These were the things that only people like Fang Zhengzhi were capable of doing.

However, with the Northern Barbarian army getting closer and closer behind Fang Zhengzhi, they were naturally unfazed by the possibility of Fang Zhengzhi switching sides again.

They quickened their steps and closed the distance.

Closer, closer!

Watching as Fang Zhengzhi led Ping Yang and Yan Xiu straight towards the Northern Barbarian army, a few people in black were as overjoyed as wolves seeing sheep enter their pack.

“Pass down Young Master’s orders: Kill Fang Zhengzhi and capture Yan Xiu and Ping Yang alive!”

“Yes!” Upon hearing this, thousands of Northern Barbarian soldiers dressed in black hollered a reply in unison, lifting their flashing spears up high and charged towards Fang Zhengzhi without any hesitation.

Fang Zhengzhi finally stopped in his tracks once again.

Ping Yang also flashed her weapon – a scarlet spear with a tint of golden light flashing at its tip.

The Blazing Qilin Spear, one of the ten greatest treasures of the Great Xia Empire.

Yan Xiu stopped in his tracks as well, his body cloaked in a blood-red glow as an overpoweringly sinister aura emanated from his body.

After the few people in black took in this sight, their lips contorted into a smirk and speedily rushed behind Fang Zhengzhi.

“Die!” They attacked.

A lustrous radiance illuminated from their backs. As powerhouses in the Rebirth State, they had total confidence in their combat abilities, especially with their advantage in numbers.

But suddenly …

Fang Zhengzhi finally turned around.

The people in black saw the faint smile plastered on his face, but more importantly, his eyes taunted them strongly.

“Eh? Is he smiling?”

“How can he smile at this time?”

“This is bad!”

In a moment of hesitation, the few people in black subconsciously sensed impending danger. Then, they saw a devastating inferno enveloping the heavens and the lands.

It was the flames spitting out from the Blazing Qilin Spear.

And within those flames was a blood-red ray of light containing a sinister bloodlust, slicing towards their throats.

Such a turn of events certainly terrified the people in black, as Yan Xiu and Ping Yang were evidently resisting their attacks with their lives without regard for self-defense, hurling their spears at the Northern Barbarian army without any considerations.

Under such circumstances, they had only two options: either to take Yan Xiu and Ping Yang head-on in a deathmatch, or to avoid their attacks temporarily. Making a choice wouldn’t take too much time as they would not possibly opt for a brutal deathmatch regardless of whatever considerations they have. Furthermore, Qian Wu ordered them to catch Yan Xiu and Ping Yang alive.

In a flash, the few people in black instantly dodged Yan Xiu and Ping Yang’s attack, and following the inertia after their sprint, their bodies naturally avoided Fang Zhengzhi and rushed back into the Northern Barbarian army.

Their flashing spears immediately avoided the bodies of the few people in black but at the same time, stabbed towards Fang Zhengzhi without any reservations.

“Did you think that you can take me down with you just by fighting with all your might? How naive!” They smirked again.

“Is that so?” Fang Zhengzhi turned towards them again, his lips still maintaining that faint smile with his gaze brimming with contempt.

And at this moment, the spears pointing at Fang Zhengzhi all slanted to one side even though the thousand Northern Barbarian soldiers did not halt their advance. The spears seemed to have taken lives of their own, completely avoiding Fang Zhengzhi.

“What?!” The few people in black were visibly astonished when they witnessed this spectacle.

The entire Northern Barbarian army avoided Fang Zhengzhi completely?

How is this possible?

Did they not hear their master’s orders? Why would they not kill Fang Zhengzhi? What exactly is going on?

As they mulled over this, the few people in black shivered. They all felt a cold sinister aura.

“This is bad!”

“We’ve been tricked!”

In an instant, they regained their senses. Although they have not realized what was going on, the sense of foreboding danger made it clear that they had fallen into a trap.

Alas … it was too late.

The cold bloodlust had already arrived in front of them.

Two daggers as black as ink sliced their throats at lightning speed, creating fountains of gushing blood.

“Ah!”

“How evil!”

They quickly covered the wounds on their throats with their hands. Being in the Rebirth State, the healing abilities of their bodies were far greater than imagined.

Except for the strange red light from the Green Dragon Eye, nothing else can possibly decimate them in a single blow.

They immediately stopped the bleeding at their throats after pressing down on the wounds with their hands, but the wounds did not recover.

“Something’s wrong with the dagger!”

A thought flashed through all their minds at the same time. Following that, a frightening power ferociously crashed into them from the side. It was as though they were hit by a mountain.

“It’s a powerhouse in the Rebirth State!”

Their hearts suffered a second jolt from shock. After being ambushed and having their throats sliced, they could only use one hand to stop the bleeding and naturally could not retaliate with full strength. Under such circumstances, it would be fine if their opponents were ordinary soldiers.

But … If they were similarly in the Rebirth State, it would be a completely different story.

“Scram!” As they flashed their palms out, they released a splendid radiance which swept across the surrounding Northern Barbarian soldiers.

They needed a space where they would not be secretly attacked, but the Northern Barbarian army had no intentions to spare them such a space. As the light in their hands glowed, a few people rushed in front of them.

“Boom!”

“Boom!”

“…”

Their opponents countered their attacks with the same technique.

As their palms collided, lines of thick mud walls trapped the few people in black, isolating the blasts of air produced from the collision.

“There’s more than one enemy in the Rebirth State!” Their bodies crashed into each other abruptly, and at the same time, they lost their grip over the wounds on the throats, causing fresh crimson blood to gush out of their wounds once again.

“Sh*t!”

“Why is this happening?”

“Who exactly are you?!”

The people in black pressed down on their wounds again. At this point, they certainly realized that their secret assailants were not the Northern Barbarian soldiers, because those soldiers would never ambush them and more importantly, the Northern Barbarians couldn’t possibly be elite warriors in the Rebirth State.

They were enraged, but their opponents had no intention of replying them.

And at the same time, the cold bloodlust struck approached them menacingly from behind again. The people in back stepped back subconsciously, but the sinister chill was extremely close to their bodies.

“Stab!”

One of them finally stopped in their tracks. He wore an unfathomable expression, his eyes staring tightly at the dagger that pierced through his heart.

The frigid chill numbed his body.

“Who … Who exactly are … are you?!” He lifted his head to greet his opponent draped in black clothes. The pupils in his attacker’s eyes were pitch-black.

He felt indignant, extremely indignant.

They were clearly holding the absolute advantage in this situation, an indisputable advantage. As long as he could survive this battle, he would become the one of the most accomplished officials of the Northern Barbarian Empire, but now, he was about to die.

To die …

How would he be willing to die like this?