Chapter 116

The demonic clouds have dispersed, and the starlight has reappeared, sprinkling over the devastated imperial capital. The once-prosperous giant city is now full of broken walls and ruins, scorched earth and bloodstains mixed together, the air filled with the smell of smoke, blood, and the lingering taste of demonic energy, and the sounds of crying and moaning rise and fall among the ruins.

The imperial palace is the hardest-hit area, the core area almost completely razed to the ground, leaving only the terrifying pit sealed by the gray rune, like a scar on the earth that cannot heal, reminding people of the nightmare they just experienced.

The joy of surviving the catastrophe is quickly replaced by great grief and the heavy reality.

Third Prince Huangfu Hao, with the fall of Imperial Lord Huangfu Tianji and the autonomous attachment of the dragon aura, in an unquestionable posture, under the witness of the remaining royal family members, offerings, high officials, and representatives of some sects, announces his regency and temporarily takes over the power of the imperial dynasty.

His first regency decree is to exhaust the imperial dynasty's inventory, mobilize all remaining alchemists and medical practitioners, and spare no cost to treat the wounded in this catastrophe, especially... Lin Xuan, who is unconscious and on the verge of death.

Lin Xuan is placed in the deepest quiet room of the "Imperial Medical Bureau," the only one preserved relatively intact in the imperial palace. This place is rich in spiritual energy and has gathering and nourishing arrays, which is currently the best place for healing in the imperial capital.

However, Lin Xuan's injuries make all the alchemy masters and medical saints who come to diagnose and treat him helpless, shaking their heads and sighing.

It is not just that his physical body is injured. His meridians are broken, and his dantian is on the verge of shattering. For the foundation of the imperial dynasty, these can still be slowly nourished and repaired with top-level spiritual medicines and secret methods. The most troublesome thing is his Dao foundation injury and soul damage.

Forcibly drawing upon the power of the chaotic Great Dao that far exceeds his own realm and performing that forbidden blood sacrifice demon-sealing technique, the backlash is devastating. His chaotic Dao seed is covered in cracks, its light dim, almost stopping its rotation; within his sea of consciousness, the light of his soul is like a candle in the wind, so weak that it seems it could be extinguished at any time; and there is even a pure and overbearing Ruins Abyss demonic energy remaining in the deepest part of his body, entangled with his chaotic spiritual power, constantly eroding his vitality.

This is a desperate situation where Dao injury and demonic erosion are intertwined!

"Your Highness, Daoist Friend Lin's injury... is no longer something that medicine can reach." The chief of the Imperial Medical Bureau, an old alchemy master with white beard and hair and a late-stage Soul Formation cultivation base, says to Huangfu Hao, who is guarding by the bedside, with a grave face, "His Dao foundation is too severely damaged, his soul has also suffered heavy damage, and there is that strange demonic energy lingering. Ordinary elixirs are polluted by demonic energy as soon as they enter his mouth, instead aggravating the injury. Unless... there can be holy medicine containing supreme vitality, or find a senior whose cultivation base far exceeds Spirit Transformation, to forcibly remove the demonic energy and repair the Dao foundation with their supreme Dao practice, otherwise... sigh..."

The old alchemy master's unfinished words are self-evident—Lin Xuan, I'm afraid, won't last long.

Huangfu Hao clenches his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms, looking at Lin Xuan on the bed, whose face is like gold paper and whose aura is so weak that it is almost imperceptible, his heart aching like a knife. It was Lin Xuan who turned the tide at the last moment, sealed the demonic awareness, and saved the imperial capital, and also saved his, Huangfu Hao's, life!

"Regardless of any cost!" Huangfu Hao's voice is hoarse, but carries an unquestionable determination, "Pass my... pass my decree, issue the 'Imperial List' of the highest level of the imperial dynasty, and collect methods to treat Brother Lin from all over the world! Anyone who can provide effective clues or spiritual medicine will be rewarded with one million spirit stones and be granted a title! If Brother Lin can be cured, the imperial dynasty's treasure house can be chosen from for three treasures!"

He directly uses his regency power and offers an earth-shattering reward that would make even Spirit Transformation cultivators feel tempted!

"Yes! Your Highness!" Immediately, an attendant takes the order and leaves.

"Eunuch Wei," Huangfu Hao looks at Eunuch Wei, who has a sorrowful expression on the side, "In the imperial secret treasury, take the treasured 'Ten-Thousand-Year Soul-Returning Grass' first to hang on to Brother Lin's vitality."

Eunuch Wei shows a difficult expression: "Your Highness, although the Soul-Returning Grass can nourish the soul, it is for the Dao foundation injury and that demonic energy... and that is the late Emperor's..."

"If Father Emperor were here, he would definitely decide the same!" Huangfu Hao interrupts him, his tone ironclad, "Go take it!"

"... The old slave obeys." Eunuch Wei sighs and bows back.

Orders are issued one after another, and the machine of the entire imperial dynasty begins to run overloaded to treat one person.

In the quiet room, only Huangfu Hao and the Azure Luan Feng Xi, which has shrunk its size and is silently guarding by Lin Xuan's pillow, remain. Feng Xi occasionally lets out low, sad cries, using its beak to gently comb Lin Xuan's messy hair.

Huangfu Hao sits by the bed, looking at Lin Xuan's silent face, his mind echoing with the entrustment before his father's fall, as well as Lin Xuan's determined back as he stood in front of him, facing the demonic awareness. An unprecedented pressure and responsibility weigh heavily on his shoulders.

He knows that treating Lin Xuan is not just repaying kindness, but also concerns the future luck of the imperial dynasty. Lin Xuan's existence is an important force to contend with the Ruins Abyss demonic awareness, and perhaps even the only key.

Just as Huangfu Hao's thoughts are in chaos, a report comes from outside the quiet room.

"Your Highness the Regent, Zhao family head Zhao Song, Wang family head Wang Lin, Li family head Li Chunfeng, and Zhou family head Zhou Shi'an, request an audience together."

The heads of the four great families, coming together at this time?

Huangfu Hao frowns slightly, suppresses the grief and anxiety in his heart, tidies his robes, and restores the majestic look of the Regent.

"Proclaim."

A moment later, the four heads of families with extraordinary bearing and cultivation bases in the late-stage Soul Formation or even peak, walk in one after another. They first glance at Lin Xuan on the bed, with different expressions, and then bow to Huangfu Hao.

"Your subjects, pay respects to Your Highness the Regent."

"Heads of families, no need for formalities." Huangfu Hao raises his hand virtually, "The imperial capital has just been settled, and everything is waiting to be rebuilt. Why have you come at this time?"

The four heads of families exchange glances, and finally, it is Zhao Song, the head of the Zhao family, who is the most senior and currently has the strongest power, who steps forward and says in a deep voice: "Your Highness, although the demonic disaster has temporarily subsided, the Imperial Lord has unfortunately passed away, and the country cannot be without a monarch for a day. The top priority is to establish a new monarch as soon as possible, stabilize the political situation, gather people's hearts, and deal with the subsequent possible changes."

His words seem earnest, but in fact, they hide sharp edges. The candidate for the new monarch is undoubtedly the most sensitive topic at the moment. Although Huangfu Hao has the autonomous attachment of dragon aura, he is young after all, his cultivation base is still shallow, and he is not the direct eldest son (although the direct son has already fallen in the demonic disaster), so the other princes and the forces behind them may not have no ideas.

Although the heads of the Wang, Li, and Zhou families do not say it clearly, their silent attitude also indicates their wait-and-see approach.

Huangfu Hao sneers in his heart, but his face remains calm: "Zhao Aiqing's words are very true. However, Father Emperor has just passed away, the demonic disaster has not been eliminated, and Daoist Friend Lin is severely injured and dying for saving the imperial capital. It is too hasty to discuss succession at this time. Since I have been recognized by the dragon aura, I should naturally take on the responsibility of the Regent, stabilize the situation, wait until the demonic atmosphere is swept away, and find out the root cause of this demonic disaster, before discussing the succession ceremony."

He pushes the problem back directly, and using "finding out the root cause of the demonic disaster" as an excuse, faintly points out that this matter may have hidden secrets, warning some people not to act rashly.

A flash of gloom passes through Zhao Song's eyes, but he does not persist, instead saying: "Your Highness's considerations are thorough, it is your subjects who were rash. In addition, regarding Daoist Friend Lin... I heard that his injuries are extremely heavy, and it is difficult to return to heaven. Your Highness issuing the Imperial List and offering rewards for treatment is indeed a benevolent act, but consuming such huge national power on one person, is it... open to question? Nowadays, there are many places to use money and food inside and outside the imperial dynasty."

This is even more heart-stabbing, directly opposing treating Lin Xuan with consuming national power.

Huangfu Hao's gaze suddenly becomes sharp, staring at Zhao Song: "Zhao Aiqing's words are wrong! If it weren't for Daoist Friend Lin sacrificing himself to seal the demonic awareness, the imperial capital would have already become a demonic domain, and you and I would all have become demonic puppets, so how can we talk about national power? Daoist Friend Lin has the merit of preserving the imperial dynasty, and exhausting everything to treat him is the duty of the imperial dynasty! On this matter, I have made up my mind, no need to discuss it again!"

His tone is tough and unquestionable, and the majesty of the Regent is fully revealed.

Zhao Song's face changes slightly, feeling the dragon aura pressure on Huangfu Hao that is increasing day by day, and finally lowers his head: "Your Highness is wise, it is your subject who spoke incorrectly."

After discussing some trivial matters about post-disaster reconstruction and border defense, the four heads of families withdraw.

Looking at their departing backs, Huangfu Hao's eyes are cold. He knows that the internal undercurrents will not subside because of a demonic disaster, but may become even more surging because of the power vacuum and huge losses. The Zhao family, especially that Zhao Song, has already revealed his ambition.

He walks back to the bed, looking at Lin Xuan who is still unconscious, and whispers to himself, as if making a vow:

"Brother Lin, don't worry. As long as I, Huangfu Hao, am here for one day, I will exhaust everything to save you and wake you up!"

"The monsters and demons of this imperial dynasty, I will also definitely... clear them one by one!"

After the catastrophe of the imperial dynasty, the embers are not yet cold, and a new storm is already brewing in the dark.