Chapter 510
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 510
Chapter Title: Jiangdong Unlimited Fighting Tournament!
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Tianwu Hall, Xuanwu Gate.
The cultivators of the Imperial City Division ultimately lacked sufficient foundation, and the combat power of the Incense Fire Divine Path was far too weak. They truly couldn't even compare to the officials of the Dao Court.
On top of that, Lu Yang had ordered no use of force.
Thus, under the onslaught of the officials, the human wall of the Imperial City Division retreated again and again, cracks appearing in the incense fire divine light, allowing the voices to penetrate deep into Tianwu Hall.
"What is this?"
In the rear palace, Empress Xiao awoke from her meditation, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. She had been pondering the mysteries of the Seven Luminaries Heaven when she was suddenly interrupted by a surge of unease.
With this thought, she immediately circulated her divine sense.
Then she saw the scene at Xuanwu Gate, her expression changing subtly. "This is... a forced entry into the palace? Such audacity! Are they trying to tear everything apart?"
Empress Xiao's lovely face turned ashen. She hadn't anticipated the officials' reaction being so intense. In this situation, she and Crown Prince Longxing had to step forward—at the very least, meet with them and hear their demands. Otherwise, if faces were truly torn, it would plunge the Dao Court into even greater turmoil.
'Could it be that Du Huan's actions were too overt?'
'If so, that's easy to resolve—just throw Du Huan out to take the blame. Pity, I thought that demon dragon might be a bit smarter.'
Empress Xiao's mind raced.
But the next second, her beautiful eyes suddenly sharpened. In the distance, she saw billowing smoke and dust, and heard the resounding, uniform footsteps.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
The sound boomed like thunder. Soon, teams of soldiers clad in veiled heavy armor, wielding black-red court staves, emerged from the dust, marching toward Xuanwu Gate.
"Five Armies Camp!?"
"You—what are you doing?"
"I am an imperial exam graduate from the 543rd year of Jiayou! The Five Armies Camp dares to mobilize without orders? Do you know this is a grave crime?"
What answered these shouts were the court staves crashing down from above.
"Thwack!"
A muffled thud rang out, like the starting whistle of a match. In the next instant, all the Five Armies Camp soldiers charged into the officials like wolves among sheep.
As capital garrison soldiers, their ranks were the lowest ninth-grade. Yet, just like the Five Armies Commanders, once they formed ranks, their positions combined to absolutely suppress all officials below fifth-grade—accounting for nine-tenths of those present.
As for Foundation Establishment officials, the Five Armies Commanders handled them personally.
With Lu Yang's lavish promised rewards, plus a slight boost from the String Puppets, the morale of the entire Five Armies Camp was unprecedentedly high.
The scene was truly like tigers storming a flock of sheep.
In an instant, wails of agony filled the air outside Xuanwu Gate, the stench of blood soaring, while the previously retreating Imperial City Division surged back with vigor.
"Captain! Stop hitting! Please stop!"
Several officials fled with heads held, their earlier fervor evaporating as they wailed, "We were just passing by!"
"Thwack!"
Before the words finished, an Imperial City Division cultivator sped over, slamming a court stave across one's face, instantly drawing a spray of blood and shattered teeth.
Then, the cultivator turned earnestly to the Five Armies Camp soldier. "You're inexperienced. You swung once, and these vermin can still talk? Watch me—follow my lead. That's how you show your loyalty to Lord Du Huan!"
Soon, this fighting tournament entered its heated phase.
Officials began fleeing on beams of escaping light one after another, pursued relentlessly by Five Armies Camp and Imperial City Division cultivators, their court staves blurring into afterimages.
"This... this..."
Inside Tianwu Hall, Empress Xiao's beautiful eyes widened, while on the other side, Crown Prince Longxing gaped in stunned silence, clearly unable to grasp the situation.
"What happened?"
Crown Prince Longxing swallowed hard, then looked pleadingly at Empress Xiao. She, after a brief shock, swiftly regained her composure.
'...Such audacity!'
The same words, but no longer describing the officials—now aimed at Lu Yang. She never imagined he would truly dare to do this!
Her brows furrowed deeper at the thought.
'More importantly, what demonic arts did he use to make all the Five Armies Commanders obey him? This defies all reason!'
For the first time, Empress Xiao felt she might have misjudged him. In her plan, the Five Armies Camp was loyal only to the imperial family—Lu Yang couldn't control them. The only way was for her to intervene, letting him take all the blame while she reaped the benefits.
Yet reality shattered her expectations.
Forget the commanders loyal to Tianwu's imperial house—even those loyal to the Three Dukes had inexplicably switched sides, all following Lu Yang!
'A blunder—not good!' With this realization, Empress Xiao grasped her predicament: controlling the Five Armies Camp, that demon dragon would surely covet her Emperor's Talisman Scepter!
In that moment, a stinging pain prickled her skin, an intense sense of crisis overwhelming her, as if a massive hand were ravaging her.
'Where is Du Huan? Where is Du Huan!?'
Empress Xiao's question echoed the doubts of the Junior Tutor, Junior Preceptor, and Junior Guardian secretly observing: where was that demon dragon now?
Li Tai'an immediately turned to Junior Tutor Zheng Pingyi.
But after frowning and sensing for a long while, the latter shook his head. "No trace of his aura at all. He may have secretly left Tianwu City."
"Left? Impossible!"
Li Tai'an shook his head firmly, then gritted his teeth. "No matter what, keep eyes on the palace. If that demon dragon wants the Emperor's Talisman Scepter, he must enter the palace!"
At this moment, Empress Xiao, Crown Prince Longxing, Junior Guardian, Junior Preceptor, Junior Tutor—five peak Foundation Establishment great cultivators unleashed their divine senses, blanketing Xuanwu Gate inside and out, airtight. Under such surveillance, none could sneak into the palace undetected.
"Someone come!"
Just then, Empress Xiao said coldly, "Convey my decree: summon the Five Armies Commanders to the palace. I will meet them personally regarding the capital garrison."
This was an opportunity!
'Though I don't know why, Du Huan clearly isn't here... Seize the chance to see if I can sway the Five Armies Commanders to my side.'
At the thought, a chill flashed in Empress Xiao's eyes.
'If successful, perfect. If not—if they've truly fallen to some evil spell—kill them all. Better than letting them fall to the enemy!'
One issue: would the Five Armies Commanders obey the decree?
Under Empress Xiao's tense gaze, the commanders, mid-tournament, halted upon hearing the eunuch relay her decree.
"This lowly official obeys!"
The five commanders accepted without hesitation.
Seeing this, Empress Xiao secretly exhaled in relief. Once inside Tianwu Hall, the commanders were hers to manipulate.
After all, only with the Emperor's Talisman Scepter could the Five Armies Commanders regulate the entire Dao Court. Without it, they were mere third-grade officials—Empress Xiao could dispatch them with a breath. Thus, the situation wasn't yet irredeemable.
Soon, the Five Armies Commanders entered Tianwu Hall.
As they did, Li Tai'an and the others' divine senses trailed—only for Empress Xiao's cold snort to sever them outside.
She then shooed Crown Prince Longxing out too.
Not for any other reason: if the commanders refused submission, she planned to kill. Fewer witnesses, the better.
"Five generals..."
Empress Xiao weighed her words, then spoke softly, probing their state—whether truly manipulated by Lu Yang.
Then she froze.
One, two, three—clearly the Five Armies Commanders, yet suddenly she saw a sixth.
Handsome features, composed smile, peak Foundation Establishment presence, and that eerie half-human, half-dragon aura—all proclaiming his identity.
Lu Yang cupped his hands, smiling. "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."
In that instant, silence reigned.
Empress Xiao's thoughts stalled briefly. She couldn't fathom how Lu Yang had appeared here.
The answer was simple, though:
'I have cheats.'
Golden Talent: Man of the Measure!
[Man of the Measure: You can actively diminish your sense of presence. The more people around, the harder it is for anyone to notice you.]
The next second, before Empress Xiao could speak haltingly, Lu Yang's expression turned solemn:
"Five Armies Camp, attention!"
"Salute Her Majesty the Empress!"
At his words, the five capital garrison commanders stamped in unison, hands at their sides. "Loyal! Honest!"
Empress Xiao instinctively stepped back, vermilion lips quivering, beautiful eyes brimming with wariness—like a lamb cornered by a wolf:
"You... what exactly do you want?"
Lu Yang stepped forward, saying calmly:
"Upon investigation by the Imperial City Division, the Capital Heaven Minister of Military Affairs has confessed: the current Junior Tutor, Junior Guardian, and Junior Preceptor all bear suspicions of colluding with the Demon Sect and assassinating His Majesty."
"Please grant me the Emperor's Talisman Scepter, Your Majesty, to approve the arrests."
(End of chapter)