Chapter 237

Over these two months, Tang Luo's upper limit for unharmed recovery increased from 1.2 to 1.5.

But it's about as far as it can go.

The youth-preserving elixirs brought and refined by these female sorcerers were basically all drunk by Tang Luo.

Performing the consecration for them also consumed some of the merit power.

That person saying the "improved version of the youth-preserving elixir" was just increasing the dosage, and even if the female sorcerers drank it, there would still be a certain fatality rate.

The effect on Tang Luo's wound healing actually didn't increase much.

Tang Luo is accustomed to holding some merit power in his hand for emergencies; now the remaining merit power is about at the level he intended to keep.

As for the youth-preserving elixir, Tang Luo also doesn't plan to continue exchanging it.

At most, he'll drink a little more in the evening.

Moreover, as his injuries heal, the effect of the youth-preserving elixir is also weakening.

It's not that a healing item remains effective for Tang Luo at this stage; when his injuries recover to a certain degree, it can no longer maintain the same effect.

To some extent, the effect will weaken somewhat.

Purely relying on large quantity to mindlessly recover from injuries—currently, only the healing of the merit jade lotus can do that.

Passing through a group of Yingying Yanyan, after agreeing that tonight would be the final consecration, Tang Luo returned to his room.

After a while, Ouliana, whom he hadn't seen for seven or eight days, came to him and said: "Three days—three days from now will be my coronation day."

"Oh? You've got it all settled?" Tang Luo asked.

"No." Ouliana shook her head, a faint smile appearing on her face, "The coronation ceremony is when I will truly make my move."

"What do you mean?" Tang Luo asked.

"Those people are still hiding in the shadows." Ouliana said, "I think they probably plan to strike during the coronation ceremony and take me down in one go."

"So you also plan to do that?" Tang Luo asked.

"Yes." Ouliana smiled, "After all, our strength is something they never anticipated."

During this period, both sides engaged in open and covert struggle, discovering that the other side were tough and ruthless characters.

Trying to completely determine the winner through this kind of entanglement is a difficult matter.

The final result will only be a compromise, producing an outcome everyone is dissatisfied with and must reluctantly accept.

For the royalist faction, it means Ouliana becoming queen and restraining them everywhere.

For Ouliana, it's also an unstable position—issuing a decree that could take effect in the capital requires constant coordination from all sides.

And there's the undying Charles, eyeing them like a tiger, ready to pounce and bite at any moment.

So, it can be said to be a kind of tacit understanding, or also a helpless choice—they chose to have a "final showdown" during the coronation ceremony.

The royalist faction holds Charles as their trump card; Ouliana can die, and must die, for it to best serve their interests.

As for Ouliana……her strength was originally strong.

Now, with so many female sorcerers, she can completely wipe out those royalists.

What Ouliana meant by "our strength, they never anticipated" refers precisely to the appearance of these female sorcerers.

Helping Ouliana seize the queen's throne and control Tawisent is also beneficial for these female sorcerers.

No matter how you say it, at least they now have a refuge similar to a rear base.

They no longer need to hide their identities like street rats elsewhere.

"Alright, I'll come to witness the ceremony." Tang Luo said.

"If anything unexpected happens, please, Master, lend your aid."

"Rest assured, I will guarantee your ascension to the queen's throne." Tang Luo looked out the window, conveying his intention to see her off.

Ouliana no longer disturbed Tang Luo, quietly withdrawing.

On the other side, Charles and his group also made their preparations.

Clenching their fists and rubbing their palms, they awaited the arrival of that day.

For Charles, things are actually not that complicated—just successfully entering the palace is enough.

Killing Ouliana, that demoness, would basically secure victory.

Everything else would only need to be considered after Ouliana's death.

Three days passed in a flash.

Clearly, it should be a day of nationwide celebration for the queen's ascension.

Yet the entire capital's atmosphere is extremely solemn and killing, with patrol guards greatly increased on the streets.

One squad after another looks nothing like they're here to celebrate, filled with killing intent as they move through the capital, dispersing near the palace and vanishing without a trace.

It's almost as if the matter has been laid bare on the table.

This is also the royalist faction's strategy—this strategy isn't aimed at Ouliana, but at those on their own side with ulterior motives.

It tells them: either follow along to kill the demoness, or die together.

There is no room for the timid and hesitant, nor is it possible to have fence-sitters.

All have torn their faces and drawn their lines—reconciliation is impossible; they can only fight together!

Forcing unanimous unity.

Ouliana also appears very cooperative, opening the palace gates and letting in those who followed the nobles and nobles' attendants—people who originally shouldn't have been allowed in.

When the time was about right, the heavy palace gates closed.

The vast palace became a temporary iron barrel—outsiders couldn't get in, insiders couldn't get out.

If something happened and one wanted to coordinate inside and outside, at least considerable time would be needed to break through those heavy palace gates first.

But by that time, the palace interior would likely already have a victor, and the yellow flowers would have long since cooled.

In the palace, the faces of the guards, attendants, and palace maids were also very solemn—the former two being solemn.

The palace maids' expressions were utterly terrified and uneasy.

The queen wouldn't care about their deaths, but the group of stern-faced bigwigs behind her had no qualms about using them as a warning.

Using these people's blood to pave the way, achieving the effect of a death threat.

"Wait a moment."

Gradually approaching the deep hall, a voice came from the other side.

The leading palace maids stopped, turned their heads, and saw a white-haired man walking over with a calm expression.

They recognized this man; he was quite a special figure in the palace.

On the surface, he was a palace swordsmanship instructor, but in reality—he should be the queen's consort.

He could wander freely throughout the palace, and seeing the queen was as easy as seeing his own daughter.

Why daughter and not lover... unknown, but everyone vaguely felt that their relationship was strangely unequal, not with the queen superior and this palace swordsmanship instructor inferior.

Rather, it was the opposite.

No one spoke it aloud, but in their hearts they wondered, giving rise to the vague excuse of "as easy as seeing one's own daughter."

"You few, follow me." Tang Luo pointed at those few leading palace maids and said.

Those few palace maids hesitated for a moment, then all walked to Tang Luo's side.

"Hold on."

Just as Tang Luo was preparing to lead them away, a middle-aged man behind him suddenly spoke.

His voice was deep and steady, carrying authority.

The palace maids' steps halted, but Tang Luo turned a deaf ear and continued walking forward.

Seeing Tang Luo not stopping, the few palace maids caught up again, regardless of where they went, it was surely safer than staying beside these royalists?

"I told you to stop—didn't you hear me?"

The middle-aged man said in a low voice.

Austin Jefferson, a major noble of Toussaint, the most powerful noble outside the royal family, without equal.

And one of Eleanor's major troubles.

"Ah, insisting on seeking death." Tang Luo turned his head, "Forget it, anyway the doors are all closed, it'll be the same sooner or later."

Dragon-Capturing Hand!

Austin Jefferson leapt into the air and fell into Tang Luo's grasp.

The guards beside him shuddered, instantly drawing their swords, yet dared not act rashly.

The master was seized in someone's hand!

"I know you, you're the leader." Tang Luo grabbed Austin Jefferson, lifting him midair and said, "I don't know if others live or die, but you are certainly doomed."

Austin Jefferson's still sturdy body kept struggling, his eyes fixed on Tang Luo: "Demon queen regicide, undeserving of a good death, you too will surely die!"

Just as Tang Luo knew Austin.

Austin also knew, from some circulating news, exactly who this white-haired man before him was.

Rudolf's death, likely had a direct connection to this man who styled himself as the Mirror Master Xuanzang!

Likewise, the disappearances of the two heirs, Charles and Vivian, were the same.

This white-haired man was Eleanor's capable aide.

Austin also spoke precisely because of Tang Luo's identity, wanting to first test and probe.

Unexpectedly, Tang Luo was so violent, he immediately attacked.

"Good, good." Tang Luo casually replied, loosening his right hand then gripping again, shifting the hold from the collar to the neck.

A crisp "crack" sound.

Austin Jefferson had his neck directly snapped by Tang Luo.

His head tilted to one side.

"Let's go."

Tang Luo threw Austin's corpse toward the guards charging at him, knocking them over, and said to the palace maids staring in shock, faces full of horror.

The palace maids came to their senses, each summoning their utmost strength, sprinting all the way.

Following Tang Luo to near Eleanor's tower.

Tang Luo pointed at the house ahead and said: "You just hide here for now, it should end by noon at the latest, this place is very safe, no need to worry."

After the palace maids thanked him, trembling, they pushed the door open and entered; fortunately, inside was not an ambush of sword and axe men, but another group of palace maids.

"That's about it."

Tang Luo nodded satisfied, rescuing these innocent palace maids, counting as one merit.

Next, we must go to Rudolf's former "Bone-Burying Hall."

At this very moment, the atmosphere inside the hall had already been suppressed to the extreme.

Austin's corpse was placed by a group of royalists before the throne.

Eleanor sat on the throne, her expression grim and cold.

To her left were the royalists, to her right were her people.

Additionally, guards, palace maids, and similar figures stood at the edges.

The entire hall seemed like a gunpowder barrel about to explode.

"Eleanor!"

Someone in the crowd shouted her name directly, voice filled with anger, Charles removed his helmet, pushed through the crowd, and stared at Eleanor on the throne: "You killed my father, and still want to take this position?"

Originally, the plot was not like this.

It should have been Austin Jefferson, now lying on the ground, speaking a bunch of lofty words first, to cloak everyone's power struggle in a veil of justice.

I never expected Austin to die before entering the palace.

Disrupting the royalists' plan, the furious Charles had no patience to wait and jumped out to fire the first shot.