Chapter 537 Royal Trump Card - Dragon Abyss
The Blood Demon Lord deliberately made a huge commotion, knowing full well that his purpose was not to take the emperor's life, but to put on a grand show for the world.
He needed to let everyone know that the emperor had been assassinated, and that the assassination attempt was ultimately stopped by the martial arts heroes who "just happened" to arrive.
Therefore, as soon as he appeared, he released all his pressure. A thick, bloody aura that seemed capable of burning everything swept out, extinguishing all the candles in the palace, leaving only the pale moonlight shining through the window.
"You little emperor, prepare to die!" Blood Demon Lord roared, his voice like rolling thunder, shaking the entire Qianqing Palace.
His gaze was piercing, fixed on Zhao Yan on the dragon bed. He slowly raised a blood-red longsword formed from pure baleful energy, its tip pointing directly at the emperor's heart, as if he intended to kill him on the spot.
Zhao Yan felt a chill run down his spine. Although he had a mysterious guardian by his side, he still felt a deep-seated fear in the face of such a ruthless person.
He instinctively glanced at the guardian beside him, only to find the man still unmoved, though a hint of seriousness flashed in his deep eyes. Clearly, he too hadn't expected the assassin tonight to be so powerful.
At this critical moment, the mysterious guardian moved. He didn't draw his sword, but simply took a step forward. This step, seemingly ordinary, seemed to strike the very pulse of heaven and earth. An invisible, mountain-like aura erupted, colliding violently with the Blood Demon Lord's murderous aura that could scorch the heavens and boil the seas!
"Buzz—!"
A muffled hum filled the air, and a fierce wind swept through the palace, whipping up memorials and jade artifacts from the desks and making them fly everywhere.
The auras of the two unparalleled experts clashed in mid-air, forming a visible vortex that locked the two firmly in place.
A flicker of surprise crossed the Blood Demon Lord's eyes, quickly turning into wild joy. He had expected this guild to be a one-man show, but unexpectedly, he had encountered such a formidable opponent! This suited him perfectly; the more intense the fight, the more realistic the performance! He let out a wild laugh, and his blood-red blade slashed down fiercely, the blade light like a river of blood hanging upside down, aimed straight for the guardian's face!
The guardian neither dodged nor evaded, but simply raised his right arm and used his forearm, covered in ancient armor, to forcefully block the slash that was powerful enough to split mountains and shatter rocks!
"clang--!"
The clang of metal against metal resounded through the sky, sparks flying everywhere! The blue bricks beneath the guardian's feet cracked inch by inch, but he remained motionless.
He held his left hand together like a sword, a cold glint flashing at the tip, aiming straight for the Blood Demon Lord's throat.
The two instantly engaged in a fierce battle, their swords flashing and their energy surging, turning the entire Qianqing Palace upside down.
On the rooftop, Shen Mo stood with his hands behind his back, taking in everything below.
A faint smile played on his lips as he thought to himself, "Blood Demon Lord, you certainly didn't disappoint me. This performance was convincing and ruthless enough." Without further hesitation, he vanished from the rooftop like a streak of light merging into the night, preparing to make a grand entrance as the "hero who saved the emperor" at the most crucial moment.
The night wind was like a knife, tearing through the silent night. Upon hearing the news, the Imperial Guards surged in like a tide, their armor clanging, and their torches illuminating the entire square as bright as day.
However, this royal majesty, which would strike fear into the hearts of any villain, appeared so pale and powerless in the face of the two ghostly figures in the arena.
The black-clad "assassin" and the royal family's last trump card—Long Yuan—were exchanging blows at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye. Each clash of fists and feet, though not the clang of metal against metal, was more terrifying than any sword strike.
Their techniques had reached a state of perfection, a return to simplicity. The force they wielded was not merely a gust of wind, but the most primal power of the laws of heaven and earth. The air around them stagnated and distorted, as if even time itself had slowed down.
Outside the palace, none of the Imperial Guards dared to cross the line. They couldn't distinguish friend from foe. One man, dressed in black and masked, exuded a chilling aura; the other, though clad in black armor symbolizing imperial power, wore a ghostly mask unlike any they had ever seen before, and his attacks were ruthless and merciless.
The strength displayed by the two had long surpassed the comprehension of ordinary martial artists; it was a realm that only existed in legends. To rashly intrude would be tantamount to moths to a flame, only increasing casualties.
Just then, a majestic and steady voice came from the depths of the palace: "I am unharmed. You are not to interfere without my decree!" It was Emperor Zhao Yan's voice. His face was pale, but he walked out of the palace without the slightest panic.
As a monarch who had practiced martial arts since childhood and aspired to be an emperor for all ages, he knew better than anyone the strength levels of the two people in front of him.
That was no longer a battle of flesh and blood, but a clash of two extraordinary wills. The swords of the Imperial Guards were nothing more than toys in the hands of a child before such beings. He, as the Son of Heaven, could die, but he would never allow his subjects to make pointless sacrifices. This clarity and decisiveness were the coldest yet noblest aspect of imperial strategy.
However, the situation on the battlefield can change in an instant.
Longyuan, who was initially able to hold his own against the "assassins," gradually began to show signs of decline.
His movements became heavy, and each block was accompanied by a groan of his bones straining under the weight.
Finally, with a deep, thunderous roar, Long Yuan was struck in the chest by a heavy punch. He flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the golden dragon pillar. He felt a sweet taste in his throat and spat out a mouthful of blood, which even pierced through the small hole in his mask for breathing, staining the cold golden bricks in a corner of the palace red.
"Longyuan!" Zhao Yan's heart tightened, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
He felt an unprecedented tension, even... fear. Longyuan was the strongest force in the royal secret treasury, the last bulwark of the royal family. If even Longyuan was defeated, who else in this deep palace could protect him?
For the first time, the shadow of death loomed so vividly over the young emperor's heart.
He clenched his fists instinctively, his knuckles turning white from the force. Escape? The thought flashed through his mind for only a moment before he crushed it completely with his unparalleled willpower.
He is the emperor!
He is the supreme ruler, whose land is the entire world!
He is the true Son of Heaven, who is ordained by Heaven and holds the reins of the universe!
From the day he ascended the throne, he vowed to build a glorious era that would surpass his father and all his ancestors.
He could die in battle, he could be murdered, but he must never act like a coward and flee in panic before an assassin.
That was not only a trampling of one's own dignity, but also a betrayal of the entire Zhao dynasty and the people of the world.
The emperor's majesty must not be defiled, even at the cost of his life!
At this critical moment, dozens of figures rushed in like the wind. It was none other than the Imperial Preceptor Ruan Xiaotian and the top martial artists raised by Zhao Yan. As soon as they saw Long Yuan seriously injured and on the verge of death, and the masked assassin was about to step forward to deliver the fatal blow, they immediately stepped in front of Zhao Yan without hesitation.
"Your Majesty, be careful!" Ruan Xiaotian shouted sharply, and together with the martial artists and the imperial guards on the perimeter, they instantly formed a human wall in front of Zhao Yan. Swords flashed and blades gleamed, surrounding the young emperor completely, leaving no opening.