Feiyun flew inside the underground dragon vein. His body acted as a maelstrom, continuously absorbing the energy here along the way.
Both the Immortal Phoenix and Myriad Beasts Physique required a ma.s.sive amount of spirit energy for purification. The underground dragon vein was naturally the best candidate due to its plentiful amount of energy.
Numerous strange beasts presided in this area. Unfortunately for them, he killed every single one on the path, leaving the vein full of their corpses.
The yellow vein was stained with the red of blood. He had finally made it to the area right beneath the Divine King’s mansion where the Evil Woman was cultivating.
Both she and Long Cangyue have left, only leaving behind a pool of black, evil blood. This liquid was filled with an evil affinity that spread to the rocky walls in a radius of several hundred meters. It looked as if blood vessels were growing in them.
The Evil Woman was here in order to force out this blood from her body - severing the evil affinity in order to reach the sacred dao - creating a core of this affinity. The fact that she was no longer here meant that she had completed this step.
Who knows what realm she was in right now but one thing was certain - the woman had obtained an incredible power boost.
Long Cangyue wasn’t here either. Did she leave alone or did the Evil Woman take her along?
Feiyun was shrouded in a demonic aura while his battle garment fluttered by the winds of the vein. His eyes became strange as he looked at the pond of blood. His own blood began to churn.
Under normal situation, his battle garment could suppress his blood but if Feiyun was activating it on purpose, it was beyond its control.
He stood there still above the vein for a long time. In the distant, Dongfang Jingyue was sitting on a plume of smoke above the vein while holding her pipa; her white dress fluttered as she watched with her misty eyes.
Her finger gently flicked the strings of the pipa to play a mind-calming tune.
The pipa melodies were enchanting; flowers in a mirror and moon reflected in the lake - a dream-like state.
Pa.s.serbys continued to walk across this ethereal trance and became moved by the tunes.
She wanted to pull Feiyun back. If he were to bathe in this evil blood, he’ll really become a demon.
The spine on his back was glowing with a nefarious light. The corrosive power began to invade Feiyun’s body like a thousand devils.
Behind him was an expanse of demonic energy that eventually turned into a mad dragon - purple in color and more than a hundred meters high - looking ferocious and bloodthirsty.
Feiyun’s eyes have transformed into a demonic state. His voice was coa.r.s.e and downright frightening: “What… are you waiting for? Leave.”
The melodies stopped. Jingyue sighed and said: “Who will pull you back if I leave?”
Just a simple answer that contained a lot of emotions.
“You can’t pull me back!” Feiyun said with determination and hatred. He opened his mouth and the black blood from the pond rushed into his stomach - painting the scene of evil.
***
The battles in the capital raged on but the crown prince has successfully taken over the imperial city.
Today, he was having a ceremony at the Highest Shrine for his coronation. More than ten ancestors from the royal clan were present along with numerous civil and military officials.
The divine bell rang and echoed across the capital.
The cauldron before the shrine was burning, filled with oil. The flame towered at one hundred feet in the air, seemingly representing the providence of the dynasty at its prime.
“Jin Emperor, come forward.” The Minister of Ceremonies held a scroll and chanted before the shrine.
The great gong sounded again.
Shenya looked quite gallant in his Regal Dragon Robe, looking like a ruler. A dragon soul floated around him, resplendent and golden. He climbed the steps towards his ascension.
Meanwhile, more than ten thousand people below started kneeling.
The Grand Chancellor and Grand Tutor didn’t need to kneel. The Grand Preceptor was absent.
“Boom!” A loud explosion quaked the entire city.
People were surprised and Shenya stopped to look at the source of the explosion.
Beiming Moshou smiled: “It’s fine, continue since it’s the auspicious hour. Don’t be late.”
“Boom!” A loud explosion pained everyone’s ears. The ground began to crack.
“Boom!” The third explosion carried a collapsing sound, akin to a crumbling mountain.
Of course, it wasn’t a mountain collapsing but rather the walls of the imperial city.
More than three miles of the towering walls have shattered.
Looking outside was a great army of beasts and chariots. Their howls and battle cries dispersed the clouds.
The three marquises have surrounded the city with the Martial Army. One couldn’t see the end of this force - truly an ocean of soldiers.
“Kill! Kill! Kill!” They shouted in unison.
Under the cries of war, nearly half the officials in the city dropped to the ground. Some became unconscious from the bloodthirst.
Princess Luofu and a hundred experts rushed inside. Among them were elders of powerful sects, influential officials, and the three marquises.
She raised the Imperial Seal and directly climbed the shrine. She stared at the dragon robe on Shenya before activating the seal with her regal energy.
“Boom!” The seal became divine, as big as a hill. It floated above the shrine and exuded its imperial aura and crossing runes.
“Seeing the Imperial Seal is the same as seeing the Jin Emperor!” Her voice echoed.
“Greetings, Jin Emperor!” People kneeled for the second time.
She put away the seal and asked: “Long Shenya, you want to become the emperor without the seal?”
Shenya wasn’t afraid at all: “Luofu, bringing the Martial Army here, you wish to rebel?”
“Nonsense. I have the seal, so I am the righteous heir.” The princess retorted.
“The Highest Shrine is a holy ground. Even the emperor must wear ceremonial regalia and no weapons are allowed, yet you command the Martial Army to siege this place. This is disrespectful towards the forefathers.” Shenya arched his chest and sneered.
He knew today wouldn’t be peaceful and that the princess would attack so he had come up with countermeasures already.
The ancestors slightly frowned, quite unhappy about the princess’ siege. This is destroying the land built by the forefathers.
The princess responded: “You being the emperor will only lead to destruction. Allowing that to happen is disrespectful towards the forefathers.”
A yellow ray flew out of her sleeve and she caught it - a scroll with embroidered yellow strings in the shape of a dragon. She opened it and began to read: “Heed my decree for I am the emperor of Jin. I bestow Luofu the t.i.tle of emperor for the eighth generation.”
The scroll was full of imperial aura. When she opened it, the words flew outside and danced in the air like little dragons.
A young girl brought this letter to the shop of the Divine River Guards. She wanted to hand it to Feiyun but he wasn’t around so the princess obtained it instead.
Nangong Hongyan was obviously the one who sent this girl here before leaving the capital.
The crowd bowed their head for the third time inside the imperial city. Meanwhile, Beiming Moshou remained calm with his eyes slightly closed, seemingly resting his mind.
Shenya was fine as well, standing below in front of the cauldron with a faint smile. This was within their calculation as well since they couldn’t find the letter in the ocean of lava.
Luofu closed the scroll and demanded: “Long Shenya, take off the Regal Dragon Robe. I shall ascend today…”
“Pluff!” Without any warning, a fiery figure flew out of the cauldron and threw a spear straight for the princess. It pierced through her body and pinned her on a pillar ten meters away.
Blood flowed down her chest and gathered in a pool of blood, slowly dripping down the steps.
All of this happened so quickly. Her experts and the royal ancestors couldn’t react at all. Who would have thought that someone was hiding within the blazing cauldron?
This person was wearing the Firebird Gown; extremely skilled at stealth - clearly a top-rated a.s.sa.s.sin.
After the a.s.sasination, this person destroyed the void and jumped inside, disappearing before everyone. Such powerful cultivation was shocking.
Beiming Moshou clearly hired this a.s.sa.s.sin to carry out this task.
This was a drastic and direct measure to win. It didn’t matter how strong Luofu’s forces were after she’s dead.
It’s all about having the right pieces in a chess match - Moshou occasionally said this line.
Inviting a supreme a.s.sa.s.sin wasn’t easy, especially someone who dares to kill a princess. Even the palace lord of the Supreme Fate Ending Palace might not take this job.
However, Moshou used the Firebird Gown as the payment and managed to invite a half-step Enlightened Being to carry out this task.
“That’s the Firebird Gown! It’s Nangong Hongyan!” Someone screamed.
Many people didn’t know that she was dead and only recognized the garment.
Moshou was quite pleased with himself, a virtually indiscernible smirk appeared on his face.
Long Shenya went next to the pillar and stared at the crucified Luofu, blood still dripping down her chest.
He scoffed before taking the Imperial Seal in her hand. On the highest step, he raised the seal and declared: “Princess Luofu is dead, I am the emperor! Those who do not obey will be treated as rebels!”
“Boom!” The imperial city suddenly shook even more than before. The ground cracked in many places.
No one knew what was going on. Even the calm Moshou had a serious expression now while looking at the ground. Something down there seemed to be coming out.
“Split!” Dark clouds gathered in the sky and the city was engulfed in complete darkness.
A thick lightning bolt came from the sky like a saber, wis.h.i.+ng to divide the ground into two halves.
Was this an awakening monster?
“Boom!” The ground caved down, revealing a huge pit. A ma.s.sive bloodthirst rushed out along with a purple dragon - an image of one. On its back was a demonic man.