Chapter 388 - 386: Bloodbath at Zhengtian Palace

"...I’ve paid you a visit today... to take your dog’s head!"

Within Zhengtian Palace, those arrogant, domineering words thundered in all directions, their echoes refusing to fade.

All the high-ranking members of the Royal Family were dumbstruck, shaken to their very core.

But the most shocked of all were undoubtedly Luo Yicheng and the petite young woman.

The two of them were utterly dumbfounded, frozen in place as if they had turned to stone.

What kind of boundless arrogance was this? To stand in Zhengtian Palace, before all the leaders of the Azure Cloud Kingdom, and declare he had come to take the Azure Cloud Monarch’s... dog’s head?

They had never witnessed something so outrageous in their entire lives!

’But I have to admit, this is thrilling!’

"Audacious scoundrel! What did you say?"

"Guards! Seize this traitor!"

After a moment of silence, Zhengtian Palace erupted in an uproar that shook the area for miles around, alerting the entire Imperial Guard!

In less than ten breaths, the entire Zhengtian Palace was surrounded by the Imperial Guard. Not even a fly could get through.

"Luo Tian, I hosted this banquet out of goodwill, hoping to resolve the enmity between us. Are you certain you want to take things this far?"

The Azure Cloud Monarch’s expression was sinister.

As the monarch of a nation, he had never endured such a humiliation!

"I am merely repaying you for what you did that day!"

Luo Tian’s expression was cold and unruffled.

"Is that so? Then let’s see if you have what it takes!"

The Monarch’s expression was frigid.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Within the grand hall, three figures suddenly shot forward—two men and a woman.

One of them, an old man with white hair and brown robes, was none other than Li Changqing, the Supreme Elder of the Li Royal Family who had hunted Luo Tian on two separate occasions.

Another was a gray-haired old woman, a second Supreme Elder.

The third was a burly, middle-aged man with a mane of wild hair. He was Tie Tuyun, a man who had been famous throughout the Azure Cloud Kingdom thirty years prior and was now a Tributor for the Azure Cloud Royal Family.

The Azure Cloud Royal Family had only three Earth Element Realm experts in total, and now, all of them had taken the field.

The formidable aura of the Earth Level Martial Artists washed over them like a tidal wave, stunning everyone present.

The Empress, the Third Prince, the Crown Prince, and the others immediately scrambled for cover.

"Luo Tian, you are far too arrogant!"

Li Changqing said coldly.

They had hoped for a reconciliation. They would have even accepted exorbitant demands from Luo Tian, as long as he didn’t cross their bottom line.

But who could have predicted that Luo Tian would be so cold-blooded and resolute?

"You dare try to kill a Core Disciple of the Yunxiao Sect?"

Lin Dongfeng shot to his feet, unexpectedly releasing the aura of the Earth Element Realm as a scorching heatwave billowed out from him.

At this, the faces of many high-ranking royals changed. Lin Dongfeng had actually broken through to the Earth Element Realm!

"Mentor, don’t worry. Even if I gave them both my hands, they still couldn’t kill me."

Luo Tian said calmly.

’Let them have both his hands? How arrogant!’

The three Earth Element Realm masters sneered.

"Hmph. You really think you’re invincible just because you made it onto the Spirit List?"

"You’re at the bottom of the list, yet you dare to make such shameless boasts!"

Li Changqing and the gray-haired old woman mocked.

They hadn’t wanted to make an enemy of Luo Tian, but things had already come to this. There was no other choice.

Killing Luo Tian might enrage the Yunxiao Sect, but they were backed by Prince Zheng. Prince Zheng’s connections even extended into the Yunxiao Sect’s inner circle, so perhaps the situation could be mitigated.

If worst came to worst, they could evacuate the entire clan and rebuild the Azure Cloud Kingdom elsewhere.

"Heh. How about this? If any of you can withstand a single move from me, I’ll spare the Monarch and his whole family of useless dogs!"

"Arrogant!"

The burly Tie Tuyun roared as a terrifying gale swirled around him, and a cold, violent aura spread through the hall.

Everyone else was thinking the same thing.

Luo Tian had been arrogant from the moment he arrived, but this statement was simply beyond the pale.

To say such a thing in the face of three Earth Element Realm masters!

However, the three Earth Element Realm masters didn’t make a move. Instead, they gestured to the Cloud Heaven Sect Master.

"Then let me see for myself what this genius from the Yunxiao Sect is really made of!"

The Cloud Heaven Sect Master said no more and stepped forward.

The man who had just been playing the part of a peacemaker turned hostile in the blink of an eye.

The Cloud Heaven Holy Mansion was established by the Royal Family, and its master was a member of the Royal Family as well.

"Yellow Dragon Palm!"

The Cloud Heaven Sect Master attacked at once. True Qi surged through his body, gathering in his palm.

With a swing of his arm, a giant dragon formed of yellow mist appeared, kicking up a violent whirlwind that made the very air in Zhengtian Palace seem to boil.

"Luo Tian, be careful!"

Lin Dongfeng cried out.

The Cloud Heaven Sect Master was far stronger than the Sun Chasing Mansion Master, Ao Chuan. Furthermore, the Yellow Dragon Palm was a unique Martial Skill of the Li Royal Family. Its Tier had reached Earth Tier Upper Grade, and only core members of the Royal Family were permitted to practice it!

Luo Tian’s expression, however, remained unchanged. He even looked bored.

Facing the dragon of yellow mist, Luo Tian raised his hand unhurriedly.

PCHI!

He extended his middle finger and pointed forward. A piercing, ice-cold Sword Light shot out like a bolt of lightning.

With a BANG, the dragon of yellow mist was instantly pierced through and shattered, dissipating without a trace.

"What?"

The crowd was aghast.

The Cloud Heaven Sect Master’s Cultivation was at the Half-step Earth Element Realm.

Logically, he should have been stronger than a genius at the bottom of the Spirit List. How could he have been defeated so easily?

"You..."

The Cloud Heaven Sect Master managed to utter a single word before blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and his corpse collapsed.

A bloody hole had appeared between his eyebrows, from which blood gushed freely.

HISS!

A wave of sharp, indrawn breaths swept through the grand hall.

With a single finger, Luo Tian hadn’t just defeated the Cloud Heaven Sect Master—he had killed him in an instant!

’Could it be... that boy’s Cultivation has advanced again?’

Li Changqing’s gaze hardened.

’As expected of a Spirit List genius. To make more progress in just a few short months!’

Meanwhile, Luo Yicheng and the petite young woman beside Luo Tian were completely dumbstruck.

The strongest master of the Cloud Heaven Holy Mansion, a figure they had so admired, couldn’t even withstand a single move from Luo Tian before being killed instantly.

’He’s just too strong!’

"Who’s next?"

Luo Tian’s placid voice echoed through the hall, startling everyone from their stupor.

The three high-ranking Earth Element Realm masters of the Royal Family exchanged a glance.

"I’ll go!"

Li Changqing stepped forward.

He had hunted Luo Tian twice and failed both times; it was only right that he be the one to step forward now.

"Supreme Elder, you must defeat him!"

The Monarch whispered from the side where he was hiding.

The sight of Luo Tian killing the Cloud Heaven Sect Master in an instant had been so shocking that it had drained all the color from his face.

The Monarch’s Cultivation was only at the Spirit Sea Realm Seventh Layer; he was terrified that Luo Tian would point a finger and kill him just as easily.

"Together!"

Li Changqing suddenly roared. The True Essence in his body churned as he unleashed a terrifying aura that shook the very foundations of the hall.

The gray-haired old woman and Tie Tuyun beside him also began to channel their True Essence, leaping forward to attack with overwhelming might.

So, the three of them had already agreed to attack Luo Tian together.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Guard from outside the hall all rushed in. A dozen High Tier Spirit Sea Realm experts brandished their long halberds and charged at Luo Tian from behind.

"Stop!"

Lin Dongfeng roared, his True Essence erupting from his body!

"Heh heh. Lin Dongfeng, we’ve known for a while that you broke through to the Earth Element Realm. Did you really think we wouldn’t be prepared? I advise you not to circulate your True Essence. Otherwise, you’ll have only yourself to blame for the consequences!"

The gray-haired old woman sneered.

"What? The wine just now..."

Lin Dongfeng’s face paled. The True Essence in his body began to roil violently. Thin black threads appeared within it, constantly extending and growing, digging into his meridians and flesh.

He immediately suppressed his True Essence, his face turning pale and ugly.

He never would have expected the Royal Family’s leaders to be so vicious as to poison the wine beforehand!

"You people... are as treacherous as ever!"

Luo Tian glanced at the poisoned Lin Dongfeng. A look of disgust appeared on his face, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

He scanned Lin Dongfeng’s body with his Spiritual Sense and found that as long as his mentor didn’t circulate his True Essence, there would be no major issues.

"Today, I will bathe the Azure Cloud Royal Family in blood!"

Luo Tian’s expression was like ice.

’I will leave none of my old enemies alive. I will kill every last one of them!’

"What a joke!"

"Just die obediently!"

Li Changqing and the gray-haired old woman shouted in unison.

"Yellow Dragon Palm!"

The two of them executed the powerful Martial Skill in unison. Two yellow dragons of roiling mist, each a good ten to twenty meters long, materialized, exuding a tyrannical draconic might.

Their mastery of the Palm Technique had both reached the stage of Great Success, making their attack four to five times more powerful than the Cloud Heaven Sect Master’s!

"Wave-Slaying Slash!"

Tie Tuyun, meanwhile, drew a massive blade and slashed. A grim, shadowy blade light exuding a bone-chilling killing intent tore through the air toward Luo Tian.

"No, Brother Luo!"

Princess Yunxiu’s beautiful eyes rippled with emotion. She moved to intercept the Imperial Guard but was powerless to help Luo Tian, who was besieged by the three Earth Element Realm masters.

She had long since grown completely disheartened with the Royal Family.

"Hmph. Is this the full extent of the Azure Cloud Royal Family’s power?"

Luo Tian snorted.

All three Earth Element Realm masters were at the First Layer, their potential long exhausted. It was unlikely they would ever advance much further.

BUZZ!

The Nine-Layer Spirit Sea Vortex in his body surged, and a torrent of refined, majestic True Qi gathered in his hand.

"Li Changqing, you hunted me twice. Today, you die!"

Luo Tian’s cold eyes fixed on Li Changqing. He brought two fingers together and thrust forward, sending out a dazzling, icy Sword Cold Light!

PCHI!

The Sword Cold Light was bone-chillingly cold and peerlessly sharp, tearing through the void and shattering everything in its path.

The Yellow Dragon Palm Li Changqing had unleashed was instantly pierced and shattered—a scene uncannily similar to the attack against the Cloud Heaven Sect Master!

It seemed that in Luo Tian’s eyes, there was no difference between the Earth Element Realm’s Li Changqing and the Half-step Earth Element Realm’s Cloud Heaven Sect Master.

"What?"

Li Changqing’s face fell, and his heart filled with horror.

’Luo Tian clearly hasn’t advanced to the Earth Element Realm. How can he be this strong?’

The icy chill of mortal danger washed over him. Li Changqing turned to flee but found he was utterly unable to evade the attack.

PCHI!

The cold, brilliant Sword Light pierced Li Changqing’s chest and bored through the wall behind him.

The chill entered his body, corroding Li Changqing’s internal organs.

THUD!

Li Changqing collapsed to the ground, his life force swiftly draining away until he was dead.

"Damn it, the boy was hiding his true strength!"

The faces of the gray-haired old woman and Tie Tuyun changed drastically. Their minds reeled in shock, and they immediately began to retreat.

WHOOSH!

Luo Tian vanished in a blur, dodging their attacks.

"Crown Prince, you led the Cloud Heaven Iron Cavalry to hunt me down that day. Today, you die!"

Luo Tian murmured the words, but they struck the Crown Prince’s mind like a thunderbolt.

"Spare me, Luo Tian! Spare my life!"

The Crown Prince, Li Sheng, fell to his knees, begging for mercy.

PCHI!

An icy, crystalline Sword Qi pierced his skull. Blood sprayed through the air as his body collapsed.

The Crown Prince was dead.

The Third Prince, Li Yi, had once desperately wished for the day the Crown Prince would die.

But now, a chill ran down his spine. He felt not an ounce of joy as he knelt on the floor and pleaded, "Luo Tian, don’t kill me! I was only following orders!"

"Li Yi, I saved your life in the Royal Secret Garden, yet you repaid kindness with cruelty and even killed Uncle Lin’s two sons."

"Today, you die!"

The moment Luo Tian finished speaking, an icy Sword Qi slashed across Li Yi’s neck.

THUD!

Li Yi’s body collapsed, his eyes wide with disbelief, unable to rest in peace.

In that moment, Luo Tian seemed to have become Yama, the God of Death himself. Whoever’s name he called was doomed to die.

The air in Zhengtian Palace filled with the stench of blood and terror.