Inside the Imperial City.
The atmosphere was oppressive.
You Wujiang stood silently before Your Highness, looking at the figures beside him.
Senior Brother, Senior Sister, Elder Cheng, and even the Old Scarlet Flood Dragon who had followed Your Highness back.
In total, there were no fewer than ten Mountain Gazing Martial Venerables.
Such a lineup, in the past, would have been enough to sweep through any power within the Great Tang.
But now.
Before this group of outsiders who had appeared out of nowhere, they seemed so ridiculous.
Like a group of children solemnly laying out their favorite toys in front of others, showing off their strength.
Utterly fragile.
"What are you all doing guarding this place?!"
Upon the dragon throne, the young Emperor finally couldn't restrain himself and slammed his palm onto the dragon desk.
"In Chang'an City, the commoners are being bullied day and night by those outsider dogs, yet you lot are fine, all cowering here in the Imperial City. Are you waiting for Us to give you a reward?!"
"Get out! All of you, get out for Us!!!"
Facing the Son of Heaven's thunderous rage, everyone lowered their heads in silence.
Only Cheng Buxiu sighed, took a step forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, your safety is the foundation of our Great Tang."
"Though those outsiders are arrogant, ever since Immortal Master Thirteen Wu made an appearance that day, they have restrained themselves somewhat. Presumably... they won't cause anything too excessive."
Hearing this, the anger on the Emperor's face slowly faded.
Replaced by a deep sense of powerlessness.
He sat back dejectedly on the dragon throne and waved his hand.
As Lonely Moon saved the day time and again, he thought everything in the Great Tang would gradually improve... but why?
Why was it like this again?!
The grand Great Tang Empire.
Could only watch helplessly as a group of outsiders flaunted their power here!
And he, as the Son of Heaven of the Great Tang.
Had to cower within the Imperial City!
At that moment.
Boom—!!!
A sudden explosion erupted outside the hall.
Immediately following, the heavy hall doors shattered.
Several guards' figures flew inward like broken sacks, falling before everyone.
Amidst the flying wood chips.
Three figures stepped indifferently into the place from outside the shattered doorway.
"Protect the Emperor!"
Cheng Buxiu shouted violently.
The group of Mountain Gazing Martial Venerables in the hall acted as if facing a great enemy, instantly surrounding the dragon throne so tightly not even water could leak through.
The Old Scarlet Flood Dragon shielded everyone, his beard and hair bristling, as he said tremblingly, "How bold! Who goes there? Do you really think my Great Tang Imperial City is a place for you to behave so atrociously?!"
The leader was dressed in a dark black robe.
He was tall and thin, with a face that looked as if carved by a knife and axe, and a pair of eyes that didn't seem like a living person's, glinting with a chilling light.
He didn't even look at the clamoring Old Scarlet Flood Dragon.
He only cast that cold gaze toward the young Emperor protected behind the crowd.
A sinister voice slowly echoed in the hall.
"Where is that little princess of yours?"
Hearing this.
The Emperor was startled.
Since this group of Cultivators of unknown origin flooded into the Great Tang, he had also sent people to investigate from many angles, and even the High Ancestor had personally come forward.
But those people all acted secretive and profound.
Only saying they came here to wait for an Opportunity, and nothing more.
Like today, barging straight into the Imperial City hall and questioning him for someone to his face, was a first!
And hearing these words now.
Made him realize instantly.
Could it be... these people came here all for Lonely Moon?
But why?
Yes.
His sister was a talent Prodigy, but she hadn't done anything outrageous anyway... even if she made enemies, it was only with demons and their ilk... at most adding the Five Immortals Mountain, which had been razed to the ground by Lonely Moon.
How could it be worth so many outside Cultivators gathering in the Great Tang?
The Emperor slowly stood up, suppressing the fear in his heart: "Who are you? To trespass into the Imperial City and seek my Imperial Younger Sister, what is your intention..."
Hearing this, the Black-Robed Person's lips curled into a sneer.
"Emperor? In this backwater place, you're worthy of being called an Emperor?"
"You..."
The Emperor's face looked grim, and he was just about to speak again.
The Black-Robed Person beside him took a step forward and said indifferently, "Stop wasting breath on this mundane emperor. Those old dogs in the Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands are all staring here. Since that little princess isn't here, this person is also of the Li Clan bloodline."
"Being a blood relative, there's no guarantee he isn't the Reincarnation; it might even be him."
"Even if not, capturing him will always yield some information. It's better than letting others get ahead of us and we brothers returning empty-handed."
Hearing this, the leading Black-Robed Person withdrew his gaze resentfully.
"Understood... then, let's do it."
Before the words finished.
A strange cry was heard, like the screech of a night owl.
The Black-Robed Person's body didn't move, but billowing black smoke suddenly rose around him.
This smoke was incredibly powerful.
Dark and heavy, miserable and vast.
Blotting out the sun and sky, with a stench that filled the nose.
With just one sweep, it scattered the hall's original auspicious light and aura.
A pitch-black ghost claw expanded with the wind, appearing like half a small mountain, carrying the wails of ghosts and yin winds, and clawed down toward the Son of Heaven on the dragon throne.
"Protect the Emperor!!"
Cheng Buxiu's eyes nearly split as he let out a violent shout.
His Qi and blood surged like a rainbow, and the full power of a Mountain Gazing Martial Venerable erupted.
At the same time.
The other several Mountain Gazing Martial Venerables also used their various techniques.
For a moment.
Flashes of blades and swords, flames and thunder, all blasted toward that ghost claw.
However.
The Black-Robed Person only gave a cold laugh: "Are you performing magic tricks for me?"
The ghost claw simply gave a squeeze.
Bang bang bang—
The overwhelming attacks were like glass falling to the ground, instantly shattered.
Everyone felt a massive force strike them, spitting blood as they were sent flying.
Crashing heavily against the hall pillars.
With just one move.
All the combat power the Great Tang Imperial City could muster was completely defeated.
The ghost claw's momentum didn't slow, closing in on the young Emperor's face.
The Emperor's face was pale, but he refused to retreat a single step.
Seeing that he was about to fall into the demonic palm.
Boom—!!!
Deep within the Imperial City, a Dragon's roar suddenly erupted.
A brilliant purple light shot into the sky, like the rising sun, instantly tearing through the black mist.
"Presumptuous Prodigy!!"
"How dare you behave so atrociously in my Great Tang? Do you think my Li Clan has no one left?!"
Along with the aged, angry shout.
A figure of an old man in a gray robe, carrying overwhelming purple Qi, arrived through the air from the back hall.
It was the Li Clan High Ancestor, the only Lamp-Lighting foundation left in the Great Tang.
The old man's face was majestic, his eyes wide.
He raised his hand and struck with a sword.
Roar—
The purple Qi gathered, turning into a furious Dragon with flying scales and claws, lifelike.
It roared and crashed into the pitch-black ghost claw.
Thud!
A muffled sound, like the beating of a heavenly drum.
A terrifying shockwave centered on the two, madly sweeping in all directions.
The Black-Robed Person's figure swayed slightly, and he took half a step back.
A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.
"Somewhat interesting..."
The Li Clan High Ancestor stood before the dragon throne, his originally ruddy face now showing an abnormal flush.
He stared at the three people before him, his heart sinking to the bottom.
That strike just now had used all the Dragon Qi reinforcement of the Great Tang; it was his full effort.
But the opponent... had only made a casual strike.
And.
There were three of them.
While he was only one.
In the next moment.
The Black-Robed Person didn't give the High Ancestor any chance to catch his breath.
His figure blurred, turning into an afterimage.
A fishy stench rushed at him.
The High Ancestor gritted his teeth, forced up a breath of True Qi, and met the attack head-on.
Within just a few breaths.
A muffled groan was heard.
A flash of blood appeared.
Blood erupted from the High Ancestor's chest.
His whole body was like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily below the dragon throne.
"High Ancestor!!"
The young Emperor cried out in grief and rushed forward.
"Cough, cough..."
The High Ancestor coughed up large amounts of blood, trying to struggle to his feet, but he was stepped on the chest.
He looked up with difficulty.
He saw the opponent looking down from above, his lips curled in a sneer: "I haven't even used any force yet, why have you fallen?"