Chapter 911: Sycophancy

Stephanie nodded, feeling annoyed:

"679 members of the Eternal Kingdom’s ruling class above the Fifth Realm were taken away by Ye Xiu; 226 by Lin Feng; all members of the Zhuge Family, Gongsun Family, and Sha Family above the Fifth Realm were killed; the Jin Family’s patriarch Yuan Wu and 5 Fifth Realm War Gods died at Ye Xiu’s hands; the elite of the Long Family were all buried in Tiger City; the War Gods of the Qiao Family, Cha Family, Mei Family, and Yue Family above the Fifth Realm are all dead; Lin Mu led a popular martial artist army on an expedition, taking away the War Gods above the Fifth Realm under his command..."

Stephanie calculated: "Now, there are only 1897 members of the ruling class left in the Eternal Kingdom."

This number made Stephanie’s heart palpitate dramatically.

The Eternal Kingdom was founded over two thousand years ago, consistently maintaining 3500 seats among the ruling class, with any excess dispatched to Demon Island to reduce the Demon Clan population.

The three Judicator Families rotated governance, and the number of ruling class seats was never less.

But when it was her turn to govern, Stephanie only had 1897 of the 3500 ruling class seats left.

This doesn’t even account for the losses on Nameless Island and the Golden Family.

If those were included, Stephanie hardly dared to calculate how many were lost.

"Stephanie, the mistakes you made during your term are too grave; unless Ye Xiu is captured alive, there is a high chance you will be executed."

With an extremely unpleasant expression, Sophia remarked.

Stephanie grew anxious upon hearing this: "But Ye Xiu’s reinforcements have arrived; when he strikes the Royal Palace, he definitely still has martial prowess, who can capture him alive?"

After a long period of contemplation, Sophia lowered her head and said: "In this generation of the Golden Family, only you, your elder brother, and your second brother possess Eighth Realm strength. Go now, notify your second brother, and bring the Dragon Flute along with 10 Seventh Realm War Gods. Secretly head to the Royal Palace, and when the opportune moment arises, blow the Dragon Flute. As long as you catch Ye Xiu off guard, capturing him alive will be no problem."

...

li, this distance would take a normal person less than two hours to walk.

But Ye Xiu faced a particularly difficult journey for these 20 li.

Every time Ye Xiu wielded the Battle Soul Blade, the Earth System Totem, the Fire System Totem, the Water System Totem, and the Thunder System Totem would all simultaneously launch attacks.

With one move, he could clear everyone within a 10-meter radius.

Yet, after one move, the dense crowd would instantly surge in to fill the void within 10 meters of Ye Xiu.

This wasn’t walking!

Nor was it a march!

It was paving a path with lives and blood!

He faced enemies far more numerous than Blood Cloth Guards, the 101st Squad, and Jiang Keqing’s people.

With over two million enemy troops, at least half were obstructing Ye Xiu.

"Your Majesty, Huang Quan has already slaughtered through Min’an Road and turned onto Moon River Road."

At the Thousand Mechanism Hall, Lu Guda received a telegram from the frontline intelligence personnel and reported.

"How long did it take?" Lin Lei asked with a grim face.

"8 hours and 36 minutes!" Lu Guda replied.

Lin Lei’s expression grew even more daunting: "Why didn’t Huang Quan make a direct assault on the Royal Palace and insisted on taking the highway?"

"I don’t know!" Lu Guda shook his head and said: "If Huang Quan continues along the highway to the Royal Palace, after Moon River Road is Zheng’an Road, and then it’s the Welcoming Road. At his speed, he is expected to reach the palace gates within 24 hours."

Lin Lei laughed after listening: "Huang Quan hasn’t stopped swinging the Butcher’s Knife, and simultaneously uses four totems to kill, consuming immense martial prowess. By the time he battles through Moon River Road to Zheng’an Road, his prowess might be depleted before reaching Welcoming Road."

Lu Guda thought likewise: "Could it be that Huang Quan merely wants to kill, and his target isn’t the Royal Palace? Perhaps his assault on the palace is just to intimidate Your Majesty?"

"It’s very likely!" Lin Lei nodded: "If his target were the Royal Palace, he definitely wouldn’t take the main road but would make a direct assault."

With these words, Lin Lei, Lu Guda, and all members of the Ministry of Military Affairs and think tank felt their tense and worried emotions suddenly evaporate!

Huang Quan just wants to kill, then let him kill! Red Water City’s over two million martial artists aren’t needed; let him kill them all, and tire himself out!

...

In the west of the Royal Palace!

"I’ve pretty much exhausted my martial prowess; is it time to retreat?"

Gasping for breath, Sect Hierarch Galava shouted.

Bruce shouted: "We must conserve some prowess for retreat; if intercepted en route and our prowess is depleted, that will be troublesome!"

"Then let’s retreat!" Jiang Keqing shouted: "We’ll withdraw through the west gate."

In fact, everyone’s martial prowess was pretty much depleted by now. Especially the Seventh Realm and Eighth Realm from the global allied martial artist forces and Restorer Alliance, most were pseudo Seventh Realm, cultivated in an environment without spiritual energy, thus their prowess reserve was inherently inferior.

Momentarily, everyone covered each other in their retreat!

Suddenly, they discovered that the enemy forces didn’t entangle them in the slightest, nor pursued them, appearing to bid them a ceremonious farewell.

"It seems the enemy forces have been scared by us."

The sect leader of Hell’s Gate laughed:

"If so, let’s not retreat from the west gate; let’s check the Blood Cloth Guards’ outcome at the north gate. Their prowess should also be quite depleted, and we can unite and retreat together."

This proposal gained everyone’s agreement!

Primarily, because of the Blood Cloth Guards’ renowned reputation; they genuinely wished to see their strength and destructive prowess firsthand.

Thus!

Jiang Keqing and others proceeded to the vicinity of the north gate, and at a glance, saw the Blood Cloth Guards still engaged in frenzied slaughter within the crowd.

"Damn, the Blood Cloth Guards are indeed Huang Quan’s personal guards; are they all madmen? They only attack and never defend."

Bruce exclaimed in shock.

Jiang Keqing and others were also frightened by the Blood Cloth Guards’ combat style.

Who fights like this?

Only pursuing relentless slaughter, without the slightest concern for enemy weapons striking their bodies.

"They all possess Life Totems on their bodies, unafraid of injuries, so they only focus on the kill count." One hermit elder remarked.

Besides Bruce, Galava, and Yan Long, all hermit seniors were given Life Totems by Ye Xiu and their spiritual energy poison was detoxified.

"Damn it, Ye Xiu has a prejudice against me; he gave Life Totems to all hidden loose cultivators, yet didn’t give me, Galava, or Yan Long, nor did he detoxify me and Galava." Bruce angrily said.

"Wait a moment!" The sect leader of Hell’s Gate asked in shock: "Does Ye Xiu have many Life Totems?"

Bruce nodded: "He seized 30,000 Life Totems from Kristina."

Thirty thousand!

Gasp!

The members of Heavenly Sect, Hell’s Gate, the Restorer Alliance, the Prisoners’ Descendants Alliance, and the Seventh Realm and Eighth Realm of the Lin Feng legion all inhaled sharply.

The sect leader of Hell’s Gate asked:

"Does Ye Xiu still have Life Totems?"

"Yes!"

Bruce definitely replied:

"I estimate he still has at least over 10,000."

With these words, the sect leader of Hell’s Gate and others began contemplating Ye Xiu.

They knew well that Life Totems meant life; who wouldn’t want them?

Jiang Keqing, whose head was wrapped in a felt hat, bit her teeth in anger; she had asked Ye Xiu for totems several times, but he never gave her any.

Moreover, her Dragon God Totem was taken by Ye Xiu!

"Hey, Blood Cloth Guards, it’s time to retreat; you go first, I’ll cover the rear for you!"

The sect leader of Hell’s Gate suddenly shouted to the Blood Cloth Guards who were still hacking away in the distance.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Keqing and others immediately understood the sect leader’s intention and, while secretly cursing his shrewdness, also shouted in a fawning manner:

"You go first, we’ll cover the rear."

"I came from the west gate specifically to help you."

"I’ll protect you as you retreat from the Royal City; rest for a day and then return."

They all wanted to please Huang Quan through assisting the Blood Cloth Guards, and then ask Huang Quan to request Life Totems from Ye Xiu on their behalf.