Celestial Wu Hall, Xuanwu Gate.
The Cultivators of the Imperial City Departnt ultimately lacked the foundation. The combat power derived from the Incense and Candle Divine Dao was far too feeble; they couldn’t even compare to the Dao Court’s own officials.
Furthermore, Lü Yang had ordered them not to use force.
Thus, under the onslaught of the court officials, the Imperial City Departnt’s human wall fell back again and again. Cracks appeared in the Incense Fire Divine Light, allowing the noise to penetrate deep into the Celestial Wu Hall.
"What’s going on?"
In the rear palace, Empress Xiao awoke from her ditation, her elegant brow furrowed. She had been contemplating the mysteries of the Seven Luminaries Heaven when a sudden wave of panic interrupted her.
At that thought, she imdiately circulated her Spiritual perception.
She then saw the scene outside Xuanwu Gate, and her expression changed. "Is this... a palace coup? What audacity! Are they trying to tear away all pretense?"
Empress Xiao’s beautiful face turned ashen. She had never expected such a strong reaction from the officials. Under these circumstances, she and Crown Prince Longxing had to make an appearance. They had to at least et the officials and ask what they wanted. Otherwise, if all pretenses were truly dropped, the Dao Court would only descend into greater turmoil.
’Could it be that Du Huan’s actions were too drastic?’
’If that’s the case... then it’s an easy fix. We can just throw Du Huan out to take the bla. A pity. I originally thought that Demon Dragon would be a little smarter...’
Empress Xiao’s mind raced.
But in the next mont, her beautiful eyes suddenly focused. In the distance, she saw a sky full of dust and smoke and heard the sound of perfectly synchronized footsteps.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
The sound was like thunder. Soon, columns of soldiers clad in Covered Face Heavy Armor and wielding Black and Red Court Staffs erged from the dust, marching toward Xuanwu Gate.
"The Five Armies Camp!?"
"What... what do you think you’re doing?"
"I am an Advanced Scholar from the imperial examination of the 543rd year of Jia You! The Five Armies Camp dares to mobilize without orders? Do you have any idea what a grave cri this is?"
The response to these rebukes was a Court Staff brought crashing down.
WHACK!
That single thud was like the whistle signaling the start of a match. In the next second, all the soldiers of the Five Armies Camp charged into the crowd of officials like a pack of ravenous wolves.
As soldiers of the Capital Camp, their Official Positions were of the lowest Ninth Grade. However, just like the Commanders of the Five Armies, when they ford up as a military phalanx, their Official Positions combined. This created an absolute suppression over all officials below the Fifth Grade, which accounted for ninety percent of the officials present.
As for the Foundation Establishnt Officials, they were dealt with personally by the Commanders of the Five Armies.
With the generous rewards promised by Lü Yang, plus a little boost from his [Puppet] skill, the morale of the entire Five Armies Camp was at an all-ti high.
The scene was truly like tigers plunging into a flock of sheep.
In an instant, the air outside Xuanwu Gate filled with incessant wails and screams. The stench of blood rose to the heavens, and the recently retreating Imperial City Departnt regained their nerve.
"Sir! Stop hitting us, please stop!"
A few officials, beaten into submission by the soldiers of the Five Armies Camp, scrambled away with their hands over their heads. Their earlier righteous fury had vanished in an instant as they cried, "We were just passing by...!"
CRACK!
Before he could finish, a Cultivator from the Imperial City Departnt sped over and swung his Court Staff into the official’s face, instantly sending a spray of blood and broken teeth into the air.
Then, the Imperial City Departnt Cultivator looked at the Five Armies Camp soldiers with a serious expression. "You’re too inexperienced. You’ve already hit him once with the staff, so how can this insect still speak? Here, let show you. Follow my lead. This is how you show your loyalty to Lord Du Huan!"
Soon, this "fighting tournant" entered a white-hot stage.
One after another, officials summoned their Flying Lights and tried to flee, but the Cultivators of the Five Armies Camp and the Imperial City Departnt gave chase relentlessly, their Court Staffs swinging so fast they left afterimages.
"This... this..."
Inside the Celestial Wu Hall, Empress Xiao’s beautiful eyes were wide with shock. Beside her, Crown Prince Longxing was also dumbstruck, clearly unable to grasp the situation.
"What’s happening?"
Crown Prince Longxing swallowed hard and looked to Empress Xiao for help. After a mont of astonishnt, the Empress quickly regained her composure.
’...What audacity!’
The sa words, but this ti they were not for the officials. They were for Lü Yang. She never, ever imagined he would actually dare to do sothing like this!
At this thought, Empress Xiao’s brow furrowed even more deeply.
’More importantly... what kind of dark arts did he use to make all the Commanders of the Five Armies obey him? This is completely illogical!’
For the first ti, Empress Xiao felt that she might have misjudged him. In her plans, the Five Armies Camp was loyal only to the Imperial Family. It should have been impossible for Lü Yang to control them. The only way was for her to step in personally. Then, in the end, Lü Yang would have taken all the bla, while she reaped the rewards.
But the outco was completely different from what she had envisioned.
Never mind the Admirals who were supposed to be loyal to the Celestial Wu Royal Family; even the Admirals loyal to the Three Ministers had inexplicably switched sides and were all following Lü Yang!
’A miscalculation... This is bad!’
At that thought, Empress Xiao instantly realized her predicant: after taking control of the Five Armies Camp, that Demon Dragon would surely covet her Emperor’s Token!
In that instant, Empress Xiao felt a prickling sensation on her skin as an intense sense of crisis washed over her, as if a giant hand were crushing her.
’Where is Du Huan? Where is he!?’
Empress Xiao’s question was also the question on the minds of the Young Protector, Junior Master, and Junior Tutor, who were observing the situation from the shadows. Where was that Demon Dragon now?
Li Taian imdiately turned to look at the Junior Master, Zheng Pingyi.
However, after frowning and sensing for a long ti, the latter shook his head. "I can’t detect his Qi trace at all. It’s highly likely he has secretly left Celestial Wu City."
"Left? Impossible!"
Li Taian shook his head and gritted his teeth. "No matter what, keep your eyes on the Imperial Palace. If that Demon Dragon wants the Emperor’s Token, he must enter the Imperial Palace!"
At that mont, Empress Xiao, Crown Prince Longxing, the Young Protector, the Junior Tutor, and the Junior Master—a total of five Great Truen at Foundation Establishnt Perfection—unleashed their Divine Sense. They enveloped the entirety of Xuanwu Gate, inside and out, sealing it off completely. Under such surveillance, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to slip past them into the Imperial Palace.
"Soone!"
Just then, Empress Xiao’s voice deepened. "Relay my decree: summon the Commanders of the Five Armies to the palace. I will grant them a personal audience to inquire about the matter of the Capital Camp."
This was an opportunity!
’I don’t know why, but Du Huan is clearly not here... I’ll use this opportunity to see if I can turn the Commanders of the Five Armies and make them obey .’
At this thought, a cold light flashed in Empress Xiao’s eyes.
’If it works, that would be for the best... If not, if the Commanders of the Five Armies have truly fallen under so dark art, then I’ll have them all killed. Better that than letting them fall into enemy hands!’
There was only one question: would the Commanders of the Five Armies obey the summons?
Under Empress Xiao’s nervous gaze, the Commanders of the Five Armies, who were still participating in the "fighting tournant," imdiately ceased their actions upon hearing the eunuch relay her decree.
"Your subordinates accept the order!"
The five Admirals accepted the decree without any hesitation.
Seeing this, Empress Xiao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, once they entered the Celestial Wu Hall, the Commanders of the Five Armies would be hers to control.
After all, the Commanders of the Five Armies could only command the entire Dao Court if they possessed the Emperor’s Token. Without it, they were rely Third-Grade Officials. Empress Xiao could eliminate them with a single breath. With this, the situation had not yet spiraled into complete disaster.
Soon, the Commanders of the Five Armies walked into the Celestial Wu Hall.
As they entered the palace, Li Taian and the others tried to follow with their Divine Sense, but with a cold snort, Empress Xiao cut them off outside the Celestial Wu Hall.
Next, Empress Xiao also sent Crown Prince Longxing out.
There was no other reason. If the Commanders of the Five Armies were unwilling to submit, she was prepared to kill them. It was best if as few people as possible witnessed such an act.
"Five Generals..."
Empress Xiao carefully chose her words, then spoke in a soft voice, wanting to first probe the state of the Commanders of the Five Armies to see if they were truly being manipulated by Lü Yang.
And then she froze.
One, two, three... There were supposed to be five Commanders, yet she suddenly saw a sixth person.
A handso face, a calm smile, the Position of Foundation Establishnt Perfection, and that strange, half-human, half-dragon Qi trace—all of it announced the newcor’s identity.
Lü Yang clasped his hands in a salute and smiled. "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."
In an instant, there was utter silence.
For a mont, Empress Xiao’s thoughts ca to a complete halt. She simply could not comprehend how Lü Yang had appeared here.
Though the answer was actually quite simple:
’I have a cheat skill, of course.’
The Golden Talent: Fool!
[Fool: You can actively reduce your presence. The more people there are in a location, the harder it is for anyone to notice you exist.]
The next second, before Empress Xiao could force out a word, Lü Yang’s expression suddenly turned stern.
"Five Armies Camp, attention!"
"Salute Her Majesty the Empress!"
As his voice fell, the five Capital Camp Admirals present stomped their feet in unison, brought their hands sharply to their sides, and shouted, "Loyalty! Integrity!"
Witnessing this, Empress Xiao subconsciously took a step back. Her crimson lips trembled, her beautiful eyes filled with alarm, like a lamb cornered by a vicious wolf.
"What... what exactly are you planning to do?"
Lü Yang took a step forward and said flatly,
"The Imperial City Departnt has confird through investigation, and the Minister of the Imperial Army has confessed, that the current Junior Master, Young Protector, and Junior Tutor are all suspected of colluding with the Demon Sect to assassinate His Majesty."
"I implore Her Majesty the Empress to grant this subject the Emperor’s Token and approve their arrest."
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