Chapter 193: Holy Mother Empress Dowager

The gate of Shuo Capital was blown apart by a sniper shot fired by the Spirit of the Su Nu Sword.

Sitting on his war chariot, Chu Danqing felt the world had truly gone mad—sword spirits were now using modern firearms.

Xiong Zhigang led the Flying Bear Iron Cavalry in a direct charge, and the troops of Shuo Capital's garrison dared not lift a finger to stop them.

They couldn't even flee fast enough—how could they dare advance?

With no resistance, Chu Danqing's group pressed straight toward the imperial palace.

The common folk along the road were magically displaced by the Son of Heaven and the Ghost Mother, clearing a wide path for the iron cavalry's charge.

At the palace gates, a eunuch brandished a luxurious longsword and screeched in a soft, feminine voice: "You rebels dare disturb the Sacred Presence? Your crime merits death!"

With that, he charged forward, sword in hand—his strength clearly formidable.

He immediately collided with the charging Flying Bear Iron Cavalry. He didn't die at first—but the cavalry wasn't just one man.

By the time Chu Danqing's chariot rolled past, all that remained was a gruesome pile of unrecognizable flesh.

He was a skilled fighter, but the trial world he inhabited wasn't one where individual power could burn mountains and boil seas.

Even if Qi Qianshan stood his ground against the current charge of the Flying Bear Iron Cavalry, he'd be dead by the end of it.

Qi Qianshan was merely approaching Second Stage—he wasn't truly Second Stage yet.

The palace gates shattered, and more soldiers surged out.

"Corrupted Guards," Chu Danqing cast a Spirit Eye Technique—their names lacked the words "Imperial Mausoleum," their stats slightly inferior, but their talents and skills were identical.

Judging by their appearance and form, they'd just been transformed.

Before the Son of Heaven could bestow buffs upon the cavalry, their battle momentum fused into one, and the White-Browed Winged Tiger emerged.

The Military Formation: Flying Bear Lunged forth, and as it empowered the Flying Bear Iron Cavalry, it shattered the blocking Corrupted Guards.

Clearly, their transformation was incomplete—not only were their stats weaker, but even their talents and skills were inferior to the Corrupted Imperial Mausoleum Guards Chu Danqing had previously encountered.

With heavy cavalry, military formation, Guo Ming, and the Son of Heaven as support, everything blocking the Flying Bear Iron Cavalry was crushed.

Until they were halted by a chasm.

Before the Golden Throne Hall, the dragon throne had been moved outside.

The Holy Mother Empress Dowager sat upon it, clad in luxurious robes.

She did not look old—rather, she resembled a beautiful noblewoman; even beneath her voluminous garments, her graceful figure was unmistakable.

But the Emperor of Shuo—Chu Danqing saw no sign of him.

Yet he saw a young man's severed head dangling from one corner of the throne, still dripping fresh blood, as if just cut moments ago.

"Such heavy demonic aura," Guo Ming said grimly, staring at the Holy Mother Empress Dowager on the throne.

"You're outsiders too—this world holds no such power." As she spoke, she rose to her feet.

A pair of curved, pointed horns sprouted from her forehead; her skin turned fiery red; a strange, supple tail emerged from beneath her robe.

Far from becoming grotesque, she radiated a sinister, alluring beauty.

【You are affected by Charm Aura】

An invisible charm swept across the battlefield; the Military Formation: Flying Bear roared in defiance against the Holy Mother Empress Dowager's Charm Aura.

But the gap was too vast—it could not resist. The Military Formation: Flying Bear dissolved instantly.

"Demoness, how dare you act so boldly!" Guo Ming barked. His sword rang sharply, instantly shredding the Charm Aura to nothing.

The Sword of Zi Shi's Divine Empress, the Sword of Chou Shi's Great Fortune, and his newly unlocked third sword—the Sword of Yin Shi's Gong Cao—materialized. Three swords flew in unison, forming the Heaven-Earth-Man Triad Sword Array.

Guo Ming gripped the Su Nu Sword, its spirit at his side, and charged toward the Holy Mother Empress Dowager, the Triad Sword Array trailing behind.

"The Holy Mother Empress Dowager is yours, Brother Guo—the rest of them are yours, Grand Coordinator Xiong," Chu Danqing said.

Xiong Zhigang readily accepted. The entire palace was now overrun by Corrupted Guards.

These puppets, controlled by the Holy Mother Empress Dowager, had to be cleared quickly.

Chu Danqing didn't know whether they'd perish upon her death or go berserk.

So wiping them all out was the safest choice.

As for the Holy Mother Empress Dowager, she was now firmly suppressed by Guo Ming.

If Guo Ming were still his former Second Stage self, the fight might have been evenly matched.

Guo Ming did come from a family of four generations and three ministers—but the Holy Mother Empress Dowager had a powerful dynasty gathering resources for her, and she had trained far longer.

But now Guo Ming was Third Stage. Even without considering his stats, his long list of MAX-level skills alone made him anything but ordinary.

"A powerful male," the Holy Mother Empress Dowager retreated several steps, then extended her long tongue to lick the wound carved into her cheek by the sword: "Mating with you would produce offspring of far greater bloodline."

"You and I are the strongest beings in this world. Why serve some insignificant ant? Rule this world with me."

The Holy Mother Empress Dowager extended her invitation, activating Charm Shu, mental suggestion, and other abilities.

The Su Nu Sword Spirit snorted—this demoness was trying to steal her master.

Her sword intent erupted instantly; the Triad Sword Qi reached its peak in her hands, ready to sever the Holy Mother Empress Dowager's head on the spot.

The Holy Mother Empress Dowager was no fool—she'd seen the sword spirit trailing Guo Ming all along.

Chu Danqing watched this, half-amused, half-exasperated.

Before he could speak, the Son of Heaven darted forward and reversed course; the Yue Lan Martial Shadow rushed to block his path, while Da Bao grabbed Chu Danqing and yanked him off the chariot.

A blood-red pentagram materialized midair, extending a blackened, bone-like scythe.

The Yue Lan Martial Shadow blocked the scythe's strike with its totem pole—but due to the blade's curved shape, had Da Bao not moved fast enough, Chu Danqing would have been pierced by the tip.

Whether it would have pierced his defenses, he didn't know.

Then the bone scythe slowly retracted; the pentagram vanished. When it reappeared, it was behind Chu Danqing.

A monstrous creature leapt forth—composed of charred bones and rotting flesh, its joints bristling with sharp bone spikes, its hands shaped like scythes, its tail tipped with a venomous stinger.

The stench of decay and sulfur flooded Chu Danqing's nostrils.

As the scythe-blades swung toward his head, the grinding of bone sent chills down his spine.

This time, the Yue Lan Martial Shadow couldn't reach him in time; the Son of Heaven was still too far.

As for Da Bao, his speed was slightly slower.

The monster's scythe-blades struck Chu Danqing—shattering the Five Elements Spirit's shield instantly, then continuing unimpeded, smashing through the Baxia Dragon Son's shield as well.

Just as the blade neared his neck, a sound like a dragon's roar mixed with a turtle's cry emerged—Baxia Dragon Son's form enveloped Chu Danqing's front.

He took the blow for him.

Baxia Dragon Son was Chu Danqing's summon—clearly described as "One Dragon Son remains ever at your side."

But because the Nine Tripods Map was too low in quality, its abilities were limited—it could only grant Chu Danqing shields under normal circumstances.

Yet in dire emergencies, it could still step in to block a fatal strike.

Baxia Dragon Son's form shattered instantly; the Nine Tripods Map's Dragon Son entered a 24-hour cooldown.

But Baxia Dragon Son had bought Chu Danqing the precious moment he needed to react.

"Protect me!" Chu Danqing shouted without hesitation, his mana plummeting.

Guo Ming was forcibly summoned to his side, along with the Su Nu Sword Spirit and the three swords forming the Triad Sword Array.

"Wretched fiend!" Guo Ming was truly enraged now—if Chu Danqing died, it wouldn't just end his own future, but also destroy the Guo family's chance to rise further.

He gripped the Su Nu Sword tightly; Yuan Chen Sword Qi erupted, reducing the monster to fragments.

Chu Danqing didn't hesitate—ignoring his dwindling mana, he activated the Five Elements Spirit Array.

The Son of Heaven, seeing this, immediately detonated himself, dissolving into a golden light that flooded entirely into Guo Ming's body.

When enemies were strong, none feared them—they activated all buffs and charged as a group; few foes could withstand such a barrage.

But a targeted assassination like this was terrifying.

If Chu Danqing, the core, died, they'd all collapse at once.

Especially entities like the Son of Heaven and the Ghost Mother—possessing sentience, they weren't bound merely by loyalty, but by vested interests.

Without Chu Danqing, they were nothing but equipment.

The Son of Heaven's self-sacrificial buff massively amplified Guo Ming's power.

The Holy Mother Empress Dowager's expression twisted in shock—she turned to flee.

She could sense that if Guo Ming's sword pierced her, she would die without doubt.

A Second Stage cultivator could never match a Third Stage.

Especially since his cultivation path didn't seem focused on combat.

Rather, he specialized in biological modification and charm control—skills of subtlety.

The Triad Sword Array arrived first, instantly enveloping the Holy Mother Empress Dowager.

The Su Nu Sword pierced straight through her forehead; sword intent surged, sword qi erupted, sword shadows exploded.

The Holy Mother Empress Dowager had no time to resist—her body and soul shattered instantly.

【Quest completed. You have received: Paradise Points ×10000, Attribute Points +4】

The fragmented remains rapidly rotted away, leaving behind an exquisitely ornate treasure chest—its patterns formed a cunning goat's face from sulfur and flame.

Seeing it, Chu Danqing smiled.

He recognized the chest—it was a Fate Chest, one of the rare special chests. He'd obtained one before from Emperor Taichang.

And this Fate Chest contained the accumulated loot from every treasure drop in this trial.

With dual buffs stacked, Chu Danqing was certain: even if he couldn't use the item, it would make him rich beyond measure.

(End of Chapter)