Chapter 2290 - 2279: Standing Alone Against Ten Thousand Cavalry

The obliteration of souls by such powerful forces is akin to killing invisibly. These military generals standing here are merely shells, their souls already turned to ashes by their own formidable Elemental Power.

Suddenly acquiring such immense power made Lin Zifeng ecstatic. Facing formidable enemies, like those Thunder Tribulation Experts under Green-clothed, whose bodies have become impervious to weapons, Lin Zifeng felt that his attacks could hardly penetrate their defenses.

But now things are different; the Sun Splitting Soul Spear directly attacks the soul, ignoring the opponent’s defenses. Even for Thunder Tribulation Experts, their soul cannot be as resilient as their physical body.

"Die, sinner!"

Just then, as Lin Zifeng was pondering, he was startled awake by the battle cry from behind him. Turning abruptly, he saw dozens of cavalry had already stepped over their comrades’ corpses and were charging towards him.

The battle cries were vehement, yet their speed seemed snail-like to Lin Zifeng. With a sudden leap, he dodged the cavalry spears coming from various angles and flew towards the walls above Xuanwu Gate.

"General, be careful!"

Though Lin Zifeng avoided the cavalry charge, the eight military generals at the mouth of Xuanwu Gate remained still. The frontmost cavalry was shocked and hurriedly withdrew their spears, but the blood-stimulated warhorses beneath them were not so easily controlled.

At such a close distance, even the most elite cavalry could not control their warhorses. As expected, the iron-armored warhorse crashed heavily into the eight generals.

"Boom..."

Immediately, blood flowed like columns. After the soul obliteration, the bodies of the eight generals were merely mortal shells, unable to withstand such powerful impact. Instantly, their remaining forms in this world turned into a mass of flesh, trampled pitifully and absurdly under the iron hooves of the warhorses.

Standing outside the palace, Liu Jihong witnessed everything happening at Xuanwu Gate clearly. His already grim face turned into a shocked expression; seeing his beloved generals crushed by the cavalry left him deeply shaken.

With a heavy sigh, Liu Jihong stared at Lin Zifeng’s cold-watching back at Xuanwu Gate. Along with the hatred was overwhelming regret.

He should never have, by any means, provoked such a killing god. Only now did he realize how his prized Forbidden Army was so vulnerable in the face of real power.

In battle, having numerous armies might seem like assured victory, but in terms of slaughter, merely fifty thousand Forbidden Army are nowhere near comparable to one Lin Zifeng!

Beside him, Jiang Xuefeng, witnessing everything before him, couldn’t help but furrow his brows tightly, his right hand covering his wound trembling violently.

"Your Majesty, let me go and execute this sinner!"

Suddenly kneeling, the death of the Empire’s soldiers filled Jiang Xuefeng with righteous indignation. Despite being severely injured, his demeanor fiercely demanded to take action.

What surprised him was Liu Jihong bending down to lift his clasped hands from above.

The Emperor bowing to his minister! Such honor made Jiang Xuefeng, long accustomed to being by the sides of two generations of emperors, feel both honored and startled.

"Xue Feng, rise. Do you think now I still look like an Emperor?"

Liu Jihong’s words lacked any of his usual authority; he seemed like a senile elder, making Jiang Xuefeng visibly worried.

Gingerly rising to his feet, Jiang Xuefeng asked, "Why do you speak like this, Your Majesty? How could you not be like an emperor?"

"Ah..."

In his long sigh, there was only desolation and resentment. Liu Jihong now stood with hands clasped behind, murmuring softly: "I don’t seem like an emperor, but rather... a coward."

A coward...

Such words from Liu Jihong’s mouth were preposterous. The Lianyun Empire thrived with him holding pivotal credit, even heroes have their faults, but what could be cowardly?

Yet this time, Jiang Xuefeng inexplicably did not refute but stood silently behind Liu Jihong, immersed in stillness like his master.

After a while, Liu Jihong’s hoarse voice dispersed the heavy atmosphere somewhat within the palace: "Xue Feng, do you think over these years perhaps I’ve stood at this position too long, so much so that even the fervor of the past’s hot-blooded temperature has cooled down here?"

Liu Jihong’s right hand pointed precisely to the heart’s left side!

After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Xuefeng ultimately gave a slight nod...

Emperor’s self-mockery, with the minister not refuting but agreeing, is self-destructive, yet Liu Jihong, seeing this, did not express any anger; instead, he lightly laughed.

"Haha..."

Starting with a chuckle, eventually, Liu Jihong was almost laughing madly, the hoarse laughter echoing in the magnificent palace, the resonance seemingly mocking Liu Jihong.

Beside him, Jiang Xuefeng did not speak further. After a long while, once Liu Jihong’s laughter subsided, he slowly spoke: "With the enemy ahead, think of me, the Supreme Emperor of Lianyun Empire, merely standing here in the palace, watching Empire soldiers sacrifice their heads and shed hot blood at Xuanwu Gate, but cannot charge the crown for the country. If not a coward, then what?"

"Ah..."

Another long sigh, Liu Jihong softly shook his head, his tone peculiar: "Xue Feng, do you know why I commanded my beloved generals yet kept you alone by my side?"

Jiang Xuefeng shook his head; he simply couldn’t understand. His master wasn’t foolish; Lin Zifeng’s power was evident, sending those people up was nothing short of suicide.

"Because they are merely pawns in my hand, but you are the shadow of the Liu Family’s Emperor. As long as the master is not dead, how could the shadow be obliterated!?"

Such words, Jiang Xuefeng could easily understand the implication. Liu Jihong was conveying that if Lin Zifeng harbored killing intent towards him, only then could he act!

"Your Majesty!..."

Waving his hand, Liu Jihong seemed unwilling to speak further, staring at Lin Zifeng atop Xuanwu Gate, his gaze peculiar.

On the walls of Xuanwu Gate, Lin Zifeng’s foot upon the stone slab, staring at the crowd slowly surging from the end of the Capital’s main street, locked his brows tightly, his voice low: "Doesn’t Liu Jihong ever think that these civilians are innocent?"

Among the torrent, common folk were now mixed with the Forbidden Army, and the battle cries emanating within made Lin Zifeng’s heart tremble slightly, the murderous intent between his brows gently receding.

Lin Zifeng overlooked Dongfang Haoxuan’s prestige within the Lianyun Empire. He could kill Liu Fatty and the empire’s citizens would at most curse a few times and be done, but killing Dongfang Haoxuan, the people would fight him to the death!

Though they are commoners, Lin Zifeng wasn’t merciful to the extent that, without discernment, wanting his life, how could he sit and wait for death?

Anyone who wants him dead surely must taste their own evil fruit. He isn’t meat on the chopping board; how can others kill him at whim? Is he not also born of parents?