The pool of blood gradually spread out as the rain grew heavier. Jiang Liuting was shrinking on the ground, screaming. She still had the Invincible Sword Ki raging within her body, and her injuries weren't as simple as they looked.
Looking at Jiang Ling’s most talented daughter suffering such a terrible defeat, everyone inhaled slowly. Worst of all, she hadn’t been able to touch Tianming throughout the battle. Not even a single hair of Tianming’s had been harmed during the entire battle. This caused all six hundred thousand people, those from Jiang Ling’s lineage, the Jiang Clan, Ancient Clans, and sects of the nine realms, to be dumbfounded.
“Li Tianming is only twenty years old.…”
“Jiang Liuting is already a top-tier genius in the Divine Capital. But the gap between them is so big?”
“She’s in the fifth level of the Sky Saint stage!”
“Who knows how far that Li Tianming will reach by the age of thirty.…”
They had never seen such a terrifying genius. Tianming’s talent could even be described as monstrous. One must know that Jiang Liuting’s cultivation was the same as the Ancient Qilin Clan’s exalted ones. So did that mean that Tianming could also deal with them? Not long ago, they had caught Tianming like a chick and brought him to the Theocracy.
Amid the silence, Jiang Liuting’s screaming merged with the lightning rumbles, which was the greatest irony. When she finally managed to get to her feet, she spat, “I’ve not lost yet!”
She clearly wanted to fight with her lifebound beasts this time.
“Come back,” Jiang Ling said. He couldn’t afford to be embarrassed anymore. Jiang Liuting knew that she had embarrassed herself, but she could only keep her feelings locked in her heart.
Indifferently recalling the Three-Thousand Starfield, Tianming asked, “Ling’er, are you satisfied now?”
“That’s more like it,” said Jiang Feiling.
Tianming didn’t take it any further; after all, they were still allies. The moment he finished the battle, Ye Yi immediately got him to return, saying, “Your Highness, it’s unavoidable for there to be injuries in the fight between youngsters. Tianming was a little heavy with his hands, and I’ll surely educate him later.”
“No worries. My daughter is inferior to him. Speaking of which, this boy has already surpassed his father. I predict that he might even reach the Empyrean stage before the age of thirty. His talent is unprecedented, and I don’t think there will be a second one in the future,” Jiang Ling sighed.
“Yeah. This brat is the dao palace and Theocracy’s treasure,” said Ye Yi.
Jiang Ling smiled and didn’t continue speaking. This battle was just to get rid of the tension between the two factions. After all, they were allies, and would be fighting side by side.
When the rain grew heavier, Tianming could feel that it was almost time.
……
Back in the Imperial Palace, the atmosphere was heavy. It was dim inside the hall, and only thunderous booming could be heard. When thunder rumbled, the flash of lightning illuminated everyone’s face.
On the highest seat, Autarch Yun leaned on his chair and didn’t utter a single word. Beside him was a hunchbacked elder. The elder had white hair, but he still looked energetic and had skin as smooth as a child’s. The elder must have a method to keep himself young.
He was the first eunuch in the Theocracy, also known as Lord Virtuous. He was Autarch Qian’s best partner. Standing before Autarch Yun were officials, the Jiang Clan, and his descendants. Among them, Huang Chonghuan, Jiang An, Jiang Jianying, Jiang Xiao, Zhao Shenhong, and the others were standing right at the front. In the second row stood the First Prince, Dongyang Fen; State Eunuch, Wei Xiaotao; Azure Monastery Supervisor, Qin He; the Fourth Prince, Dongyang Liu; and the other princes.
Naturally, the princes were only those that were under Autarch Yun’s lineage. But it wasn’t recognized by everyone. After all, not even Autarch Yun was firmly seated in his position.
“Reporting!” A scout came in from outside.
“Announce it,” said Lord Virtuous.
“Your Majesty, the traitor Jiang Ling has joined forces with the Decimo Dao Palace rebels. They’re now gathered outside the Grand Sky Gate!” the scout reported.
“How many are there?”
“Jiang Ling and the Decimo Dao Palace have sent out their forces. An army of a hundred thousand from the Dark Hall is all here!” the scout continued.
“The Decimo Dao Palace is a bunch of madmen!”
“As the state academy, how can they be in cahoots with the traitors! It’s ruining the dao palace’s legacy!”
“Weisheng Yunxi’s boldness will surely be recorded in the annals of history and condemned for thousands of years to come!”
“That bitch deserves to die!”
The officials began cursing in the imperial court. After tens of thousands of years, people seemed to have forgotten that the Decimo Dao Palace wasn’t initially an academy, nor was it under the Theocrats’ jurisdiction.
“So that’s a total of one million and six hundred thousand. They’ve got twice our numbers, not to mention that today is the night of the new moon. Can the Sun-Moon Imperial Formation defend the Imperial City? Furthermore, it’s even weaker now that it’s raining.”
“We have to protect His Majesty to protect the Theocrats’ proper lineage. Even if we can’t eradicate them, we have to hit them where it hurts!”
“Regardless of whether it’s Jiang Ling or the Decimo Dao Palace, they have to pay the price!” Discussions began sounding out in the imperial court.
“Silence!” Lord Virtuous spoke out.
When everyone became quiet, Jiang An stood up. He was Autarch Yun and Jiang Ling’s younger brother. So, even without his position in the dao palace, he could be ranked among the top three here based on his strength.
“Your Majesty, can the autarch beast fight tonight?” Jiang An asked.
“Lord Virtuous, speak,” said Autarch Yun.
“The autarch beast is weak right now. But as Autarch Qian’s lifebound beast, it can come out to persuade Jiang Ling and the Decimo Dao Palace to stop what they’re doing. With the autarch beast coming out, Jiang Ling’s lies will be exposed. Not everyone under him is willingly working for him. As long as we show our willingness to recruit them, their forces will naturally collapse,” said Lord Virtuous.
“What if Jiang Ling says we threatened the autarch beast?” said Jiang Jianying.
“Those who are smart will naturally figure out the truth. Only the foolish will be brainwashed. Those people die fast, so there’s no need for us to worry about them,” said Lord Virtuous.
“That’s right. Even if the Sun-Moon Imperial Formation is weak, it’ll be enough. Not to mention that we even have eight hundred thousand elites. We’re much stronger than those Ancient Clans’ mash-up army.
“The Decimo Dao Palace’s Seven Astral Armies have never participated in an official war, so there’s a limit to how strong they can be. War is never about individual strength. We have the Imperial City. So what if they have an advantage in numbers? We’ll slaughter them!” said the fourth prince, Dongyang Liu.
He often participated in wars together with Huang Chonghuan, the Grand Divine Marshal. So he had his own understandings when it came to war.
“Fourth brother is right. Jiang Ling will die if he invades the Imperial City. Since the dao palace is looking down on us, we’ll get rid of them while we’re at it. Without their elites, the Decimo Dao Palace will just be an empty shell, even with the Evil Suppression Pillar. There’s too many disobedient people in the Divine Capital. As long as we win this war, we’ll be able to unify our territories,” said the fifth prince, Dongyang Feng.
“Long live His Majesty!” Everyone kowtowed in Autarch Yun’s direction.
“My officials.” Autarch Yun stood up, emanating a domineering aura, like a ferocious tiger. His temperament was completely different, compared to Jiang Ling.
“The Theocrats have suppressed countless people since ancient times, seizing numerous territories. We’ve never had an enemy attack the Imperial City, nor have we ever used the Sun-Moon Imperial Formation, and those people must’ve forgotten the will of the Ancient Theocrats!
“Tonight, we fight for the Ancient Theocrats because our clan has been fighting for our undying will! I’ll let those rebels die in the Imperial City and build a mountain with their corpses. I’ll let them know despair! I will let them know the true Ancient Theocrats!” Autarch Yun’s voice echoed throughout the Imperial City.
“Kill!” Roars sounded through the Imperial City. At this moment, they recalled stories of how their ancestors had come from the south and subdued countless territories.
“The Ancient Theocrats will never perish!”
Their roars echoed throughout the Divine Capital.
……
The heavy rain poured down, enveloping the entire Divine Capital. Before the war even began, the place was already dyed in blood, flowing throughout the Divine Capital. The water had flooded the Divine Capital’s drainage system, devouring the nearby Romance Pavilions.
Sounds of children crying could be heard, which soon turned into panic. A flash of lightning lit up the entire city.
Outside the Grand Sky Gate, an army’s silhouette was revealed when the lightning lit the city. The legions had disregarded their lives for righteousness and the will to protect. There weren’t any cowards among them.
Right at that moment, a sharp cry came from the Evernight Eagle. It was an order from Ye Yi, “Skycore Legion, face the Imperial City's southeast and wait for orders!”
The voice of his lifebound beast swept through the battlefield. Everyone clearly heard it. “Skycore Legion, follow me!” Bai Zijun roared and led the army of a hundred thousand to face the Imperial City’s southeast.
“Sky Jade Legion, face the northwest!”
“Grandsol Legion, face the east!”
Instructions came from Ye Yi. It had been a long time since the Seven Astral Legions had participated in a formal war, but they’d been making preparations. They had even undergone the trials of many heavenly pattern barriers to train their siege skills. They were even more professional than the Ancient Clans, and the sects of the nine realms.
With that, the Seven Astral Legions surrounded the Imperial City.