Chapter 461

Pfft—

A head rolled and fell.

Then a group of heads fell to the ground.

The execution supervising general then retreated a step with his men, his face solemn, as if facing a great enemy.

However, Heng Xian merely glanced lightly at the corpse, did not pause, leapt over it, and rushed straight into the depths of the palace.

The corpses ahead grew more numerous, and so did the soldiers, but they were basically all the golden armor representing the Empress's side.

Seeing the boundless sword qi approaching, all the soldiers hastily raised their spears, turned around, and prepared in strict formation.

Moreover, Primordial Dan Realm generals flew up to intercept.

"I only save my wife alone! Those who block me shall be killed without mercy!"

Heng Xian's cultivation had already been raised to the extreme; his sword qi aura spread across half the imperial city, and anyone who blocked the way ahead was cut down with a single stroke.

With just that one strike, anyone below the middle Primordial Dan Realm could not withstand it!

Along the way, a large group of second- and third-rank military officers were struck down, vomiting blood, their bodies numb.

"It's the Champion Marquis!"

"Stop him! Quickly stop him!"

"We can't stop him!"

The generals roared in anger, and the soldiers gritted their teeth to withstand the sword qi.

For a moment, it actually allowed Heng Xian to advance as if entering an uninhabited realm.

Finally, after defeating nineteen generals, he pushed all the way to the deepest part of the palace.

Straight ahead was precisely Mount Ziluan!

At this moment, the palace square on the mountainside was almost completely filled with golden armor.

But there was also a small group of black armor still struggling desperately.

At least ten pairs of masters hovered above the mountain summit, enduring the pressure of the prohibition, fighting fiercely, each strike possessing the power to cover the heavens and earth.

They were all cultivators with profound cultivation, their abilities reaching the heavens!

Among them were the Empress Dowager De's attendant Wei Gonggong, the emperor's attendant Jia Gonggong, and Feilian.

However, Heng Xian's gaze was fixed only on that small group of black armor on the ground.

At this moment, the Crown Prince in the black armor was covered in blood, limp and being carried on someone's back, while Prince Wu Ji Yaofan had already fainted on the ground.

Only Ji Yaoyue, clad in silver armor and heroic in appearance, was still leading the black-armored soldiers in fierce combat.

However, her battle helmet had already fallen off, her hair flying wildly, her body covered in blood, as she fought eight Primordial Dan Realm masters, already at the end of her strength.

Meanwhile, on the pavilion of Mount Ziluan ahead, having removed her Daoist robe, wearing the Empress's phoenix robes and bearing majesty that awed the world, the Empress Dowager leaned on the rail, sipping tea.

Behind her stood the Qin Prince in armor, the Chang Gongzhu, and Xu Lulu in red official robes.

All four wore the same cold expression.

At this moment, Xu Lulu stepped forward, looked down from above, and said in a cold voice: "By the Empress Dowager's order, Taiping, do you really intend to defy your grandmother?"

Ji Yaoyue's face turned pale, her voice hoarse as she said: "If the Empress Dowager still cherishes the affection between grandmother and grandchild, please let Taiping take away the bodies of the father and mother!"

From now on, our family will leave the Great Zhou, become ordinary commoners, and never meddle in Zhou affairs again—would that be acceptable?

Xu Lulu glanced at the Empress Dowager, then said lightly: "No, having committed a fault, one must naturally accept punishment; if blame is to be assigned, blame only… that you were born into an imperial family!"

She waved her hand.

More Primordial Dan Realm cultivators surged forward to attack.

Ah—

Ji Yaoyue shouted angrily, her momentum suddenly soaring ten zhang, her aura intensifying tenfold.

"Burning the soul?" Xu Lulu sighed, a hint of pity appearing in her eyes.

"Ji Yaoyue! Don't!"

An angry shout from Heng Xian came from the foot of the mountain.

It was already too late; Ji Yaoyue forcibly executed the "Soul-Burning Technique," a method that burns the soul and vitality to gain tenfold combat power, already having resolved to die.

She brandished the long whip in her hand, her eyes blood-red, filled with hatred, and struck down seven of the attacking Primordial Dan Realm cultivators one after another.

Hearing the shout, she blankly turned her head, and at the instant she saw Heng Xian, a flicker of tenderness and regret flashed in her eyes: "You shouldn't have come! You didn't listen to me! In the next life… meet me earlier, and I'll be your bride!"

Saying this, she resolutely lunged toward the Empress Dowager!

"Ha! A thousand-mile rescue of a wife, what a sorrowful drama!"

Feeling the boundless sword qi and fury from below the mountain, the usually indifferent Empress Dowager finally let out a light laugh, extended a finger, and pointed at Ji Yaoyue.

A phantom finger silhouette suddenly appeared, condensed like jade, its aura as vast as a great mountain, pointing at Ji Yaoyue.

Even though Ji Yaoyue had already increased her combat power tenfold, she still could not withstand a single blow; her technique was shattered on the spot and she fainted dead.

The finger slowly pressed down, as if intending to crush Ji Yaoyue to death.

"You dare!"

Heng Xian flew into a rage, his aura like a rainbow, and he slashed out with a sword!

"The Punishment Sword" from the "Nine Heaven-Slaying Swords" was unleashed with killing intent!

He put all his strength into that one strike, slashing toward the "phantom finger silhouette."

Boom—

The heaven-splitting, earth-shaking "Punishment Sword" and killing intent like a flowing water were vast and unmatched, as if surpassing all will in the world; wherever it passed, it destroyed everything with ease.

It seemed that to block this sword would be to show disrespect to heaven and earth.

Below, the densely packed soldiers lifted their heads in horror.

Above, the masters engaged in combat were astonished, halted their movements, and looked down.

"This..."

"The Qin King and Chang Gongzhu were dumbstruck."

"Xu Lulu also stared wide-eyed: 'This guy... is truly a Sword Saint reborn... right?'"

"The Empress remained seated, unmoving, only a strange glint flickering in her eyes as she calmly said: 'Lulu, go block his sword!'"

"Xu Lulu was startled, but she dared not disobey; she flashed into midair, ripples spreading across her body like floating lotus leaves, her aura fierce and mighty!"

"One sword slash flew out, sword qi like a red light shining upon the heavens, its aura awe-inspiring!"

"To everyone's shock, he possessed middle-stage Primordial Core cultivation!"

"However, the red-light sword had just been unleashed when it was shattered by an oncoming Punishment Sword as brilliant as the blazing sun."

"Hmm~"

"Xu Lulu groaned, flipping backward upside down, her eyes still filled with disbelief."

"Only upon contact did one realize how terrifying the baleful aura, killing intent, and sword qi contained in Heng Xian's sword were."

"She had said not long ago that she could subdue Heng Xian; today she realized that was a joke."

"Seeing Xu Lulu sent flying by a sword, and that Punishment Sword still advancing, everyone's faces changed."

"The Empress's expression remained unchanged as she calmly said: 'Situ Le, Li Jingfeng!'"

"Yes!"

"From a corner of the palace hall, Li Jingfeng and Situ Le flashed out, exchanged a glance, then went left and right to meet Heng Xian's Punishment Sword!"

"He unleashed the Moon-Haze True Blade; its blade qi stretched like a silk band, reaching a thousand zhang!"

"He wielded his long spear; its spear shadow loomed like mountains, fierce and overbearing!"

"Both are at middle-stage Primordial Core!"

"Low-grade Heavenly Rank blade art!"

"Medium-grade Heavenly Rank spear technique!"

"Someone nearby exclaimed in surprise."

"As they spoke, the blade qi and spear shadow already struck toward Heng Xian's Punishment Sword."

"Three beams of light hung in the void like blazing suns, exploding above Mount Zilan."

"Immediately, there was no pause."

"The blade qi shattered!"

"The spear shadow scattered!"

"Li Jingfeng and Situ Le retreated."

"The Punishment Sword did not cease!"

"Could the Champion Marquis be a Sword Saint reborn?"

"Someone couldn't help but say."

"Your Majesty, this peerless sword of the world must be a Sword Saint, right?"

"The Qin King and Chang Gongzhu also couldn't help but say."

"The Empress's gaze flickered for a moment: 'Ancient sword art, Heaven-devouring Sword; I don't know whether he obtained a fragment or the complete sword, but it's truly excellent!'"

"Speaking, she raised a finger again and pointed it forward."

"Once more, a finger shadow pressed toward the incoming sword light."

"Ding!"

"Upon contact, it burst forth with an earth-shaking roar."

"On the finger shadow, sparks flew in all directions, leaving a shallow trace."

"The Punishment Sword finally dissipated."

"Long live the Empress!"

"Some soldiers couldn't help but shout loudly."

"'Her Majesty is mighty!' the Qin King and Chang Gongzhu also said sincerely."

"The contrast was too stark; even the fiercest sword could not match the Empress's single finger."

"Only the Empress's brow furrowed slightly, then relaxed."

"In midair, Heng Xian stepped back, gazing at the other finger shadow still slowly pressing toward Ji Yaoyue, and he couldn't help but shout: 'You old immortals in the State Elder Chamber, if you don't come out, I'll curse your ancestors!'"

"(End of chapter)"