Chapter 511
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 511
Chapter Title: Coercion!
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Tianwu City, Shao Fu Residence.
Li Tai'an's eyes were bloodshot by now. Sparks nearly flew from his fingers as he ceaselessly deduced karmic links, while his divine sense madly scanned the entire city.
He had only one goal: find Lu Yang.
Yet the result was nothing. A moment's thought, however, made Li Tai'an feel this was perfectly normal. After all, that was the World Venerable—how could he possibly divine him?
Yes, Li Tai'an was now convinced that Lu Yang was the World Venerable.
"Could something have happened on the Empress's side?"
Li Tai'an turned to Shao Fu and said in a low voice,
"If my guess is right, the Five Army Commanders have likely already been corrupted by the World Venerable. If they've corrupted the Empress as well..."
"No need to worry."
Shao Fu shook his head.
"Tianwu Hall is the place where the Immortal Kingdom's Dao Regulations are most concentrated. With the Empress under its protection, not even the World Venerable could corrupt her."
If not for that, how could he have sat idly by while Empress Xiao recruited the Five Army Commanders on her own?
"If it truly is the World Venerable... Her Majesty the Empress will make her own judgment. The outcome will be nothing more than executing the Five Army Commanders. Her personal safety need not concern us."
"That's good, then."
Li Tai'an breathed a sigh of relief. He leaned over the city once more, plunging into deep confusion.
'Where on earth did that demon dragon go?'
"Please grant me the Heavenly Sovereign's Talisman and Scepter, Your Majesty, and approve the arrest."
Lu Yang stood firm in place, the Five Army Commanders arrayed behind him. The six stood together as if they were one person. Empress Xiao's pupils contracted sharply at the sight.
"The World Venerable?"
The thought flashed through her mind, and her first reaction was sheer absurdity.
Had the World Venerable visited the Dao Court once and that wasn't enough—he had to come a second time? Why didn't he have the guts to head south to Jiangnan or Jiangbei and clash with the Holy Sect Sword Pavilion?
On the other side, however, Lu Yang's face darkened.
"Your Majesty, please don't say such things. How do I look anything like the World Venerable?"
Lu Yang turned to face the Five Army Commanders.
"Do you think I do?"
The Five Army Commanders spoke in unison:
"No!"
Empress Xiao was instantly certain.
'It has to be!'
With that realization, Empress Xiao regained her composure instead. The World Venerable's incarnations never admitted to being the World Venerable, so she decided to address him as a fellow Daoist.
"Daoist Du Huan, you're quite busy tonight."
"Your Majesty, this humble subject is filled with trepidation."
Lu Yang said calmly,
"Though I've caused some minor disturbance, everything this subject has done is for the good of the Dao Court."
"That's why I've come to see Your Majesty alongside the Five Army Commanders."
"Please, Your Majesty, hesitate no longer. Otherwise, it could escalate into a full-scale civil war within the Dao Court. I hope Your Majesty will consider the millions of people in Jiangdong."
Such righteous words left Empress Xiao momentarily stunned. So upright and awe-inspiring—it was a bit like someone from the Sword Pavilion...
What was the true origin of this demon dragon?
Empress Xiao's heart filled with doubt, but her face tightened into a stern expression, as if facing a great foe.
"And if This Palace refuses? What then, Daoist?"
No sooner had the words left her mouth than Empress Xiao saw the Five Army Commanders behind Lu Yang move in perfect unison, retreating a step before exiting the hall.
Bang!
With the doors of the hall swinging shut, the vast chamber was left with only Lu Yang and Empress Xiao. The atmosphere turned icy and murderous in an instant.
"If Your Majesty does not approve, then I shall not leave today."
At those words, Empress Xiao's expression darkened sharply. She said in a low voice,
"Are you planning to execute first and report later—to purge all the Dao Court's officials?"
"A demon cultivator of the Dragon Clan, committing such treason."
"Are you not afraid of the Dao Lord's punishment?"
Lu Yang shook his head.
"Your Majesty overthinks it. How could we lowly cultivators presume to guess the Dao Lord's intentions? Best not to pin your hopes on that."
Empress Xiao fell silent for a moment.
The next instant, she suddenly spoke, her lips parting to release a heavenly sound that pierced gold and cracked stone, about to burst from the hall and echo throughout all of Tianwu City in a flash:
"Summon the Three Dukes to the palace to save me!"
She held nothing back in this cry for help. Even if it couldn't reach beyond the rear palace, if Crown Prince Longxing heard it, his arrival would at least be some aid.
But right away, brilliant light bloomed behind Lu Yang, unfurling like a breathtaking scroll painting. Mountains, rivers, and peaks surged from the flat ground in vast array; sun, moon, and stars rose in the vault of heaven, weaving together into a boundless realm that swallowed Empress Xiao's cry for help entirely.
[Chongli Imperial Edict Mountains and Seas Chart]!
This natal divine ability unfurled, transforming the space as if exchanging one heaven and earth for another. It instantly cut Empress Xiao off from the outside world. What made her beautiful face pale even more was—
"A Blessed Land!?"
For a moment, Empress Xiao was stunned.
'A Blessed Land... Only those who have perfected orthodox Foundation Establishment can condense one. But this person cultivates the Incense Fire Divine Path...'
With that thought, Empress Xiao hurriedly pinched a hand seal.
"Dissipate!"
[Seven Luminaries Heaven] manifested in her grasp. A beam of brilliant light fell upon Lu Yang at once—yet his perfected Foundation Establishment bearing showed no ripple.
Seeing this, Empress Xiao finally understood.
'This demon dragon... didn't achieve Foundation Establishment perfection through the Incense Fire Divine Path. He refined it on his own, through self-nature. He's already perfected with full divine abilities!'
But how was that possible?
The thought sent a chill through Empress Xiao's heart.
'According to the records in the dossier, when this demon dragon entered Jiangdong, he was merely at early Foundation Establishment!'
How much time had passed?
A year? Two?
Even with an official position's boost, a true dragon background, and the Immortal Kingdom's Dao Regulations accelerating his cultivation progress, breaking through to mid Foundation Establishment would already be staggeringly impressive.
But perfected Foundation Establishment? And not just any—clearly having condensed a Blessed Land! Such speed could only mean either a True Lord reincarnated or the World Venerable fishing in troubled waters. A True Lord reincarnated... The only one in the last five thousand years was Hongyun—directly ruled out.
'Then it can only be the World Venerable!'
Empress Xiao drew a deep breath. Brilliant light gradually bloomed around her, accentuating her already peerless beauty, making her seem ever more sacred and unattainable.
The light coalesced behind her head, slowly forming a wheel of flawless moonlit halo.
Lu Yang's eyes flashed with surprise at the sight. In his previous life, he had relied on [Seven Luminaries Heaven] to achieve Foundation Establishment perfection—he could see it clearly now. Empress Xiao was the same as he had been!
That wheel of moonlit halo was a divine ability manifested.
'[Linglong Heart], [Containing True Qi], [Gathering Origin Merit], [Upholding Heaven's Pattern], [One with the World]... Five outer Dao divine abilities, all the same as mine.'
And not just that.
Because Empress Xiao also held the [Roadside Earth] official position, heavenly light blazed brightly above her head. [Benevolent Sage Spirit-Contemplating Empress] manifested a divine ability as well.
"...Interesting."
A smile flickered in Lu Yang's eyes. Though Empress Xiao's displayed cultivation and strength were surprising, he was precisely in need of a fine whetstone right now!
The next moment, the entire Kunning Palace trembled faintly.
Outside Kunning Palace in the rear palace.
The Five Army Commanders stood solemnly guarding the entrance. Crown Prince Longxing, whom Empress Xiao had just driven out earlier, paced anxiously back and forth.
"Five Generals, is Mother Empress alright? I still need her to take charge of things here..."
"Please rest assured, Your Highness."
The Five Army Commanders said in unison:
"Her Majesty the Empress merely wishes to enter secluded cultivation for a time. She commanded us five to guard the doors—no one is to enter without permission. Please wait a moment, Your Highness."
Crown Prince Longxing grew irritated at their words.
Yet Empress Xiao's authority weighed heavily on him, so he dared not argue. Glancing back, he noticed vibrations and muffled booms emanating from Kunning Palace.
"What's going on?"
The Five Army Commanders glanced over, then said indifferently,
"It seems Her Majesty the Empress is having a breakthrough. No need for concern, Your Highness. It will be over soon enough."