The group passed through the imperial palace gates, traversing a wide passage. The sky overhead was no longer bathed in warm sunlight, but was instead filled with a pale golden radiance. A vast square unfolded before their eyes.
A thick layer of white bones, a foot deep, carpeted the ground, and a faint scent of blood still lingered in the air.
Li Bai extended his palm, gently brushing against a patch of ground free of bone fragments. On the ancient bricks, dark stains remained – dried blood. Ten thousand years ago, a bloody battle must have raged here, with corpses piled high like mountains. The flowing blood, obstructed by the bodies, never left the square, settling here instead.
"Lord Wang, Lord Li, someone has already been here!" Xu Chu picked up a broken weapon, a scrap of cloth still clinging to it, tinged with blood.
"Hmm?"
Wang Yue's expression grew solemn. This place was extremely close to the core of the Imperial Dynasty. Who else could have reached this point but those of immense power!
"Let's go!"
The group exchanged glances and did not hesitate, moving with extreme speed, creating gusts of wind. The dust settled on the square was instantly stirred up, filling the void like a sandstorm, obscuring the sky.
Soon, they passed through several more palace gates, officially entering the Imperial Palace. However, the palace was now in ruins, with collapsing halls everywhere.
"Hmm?"
The faces of the group suddenly turned pale, their speed rapidly decreasing until every step was accompanied by profuse sweating.
It was as if ten thousand divine mountains were pressing down on their shoulders. The imperial might they had encountered outside the city descended once more.
"Imperial Might!"
Wang Yue and the others turned ashen, their internal Yuan force instantly scattered. They were like ordinary people now, their legs trembling with every step!
Ahead of them, several other figures were also struggling forward towards the palaces.
"It's you!"
Ying Yu's face turned ashen, her eyes warily fixed on the figures behind them. As soon as Ying Yu spoke, the others turned slightly, each appearing weak and haggard.
Wang Yue slowly looked up. Not far ahead, Xue Lao, Yue Lao, Fan Zichen, Yan Hai, Yuan Rong, Han Feng – everyone who had entered the Imperial Dynasty's secret treasure, save for Cang Qian of the Cangmu Imperial Dynasty, was present.
"What is it!"
Xu Chu roared in anger, his face contorted with ferocity. The immense pressure was terrifying, like the suppression of gods upon them.
"Great Han!"
The various factions who turned to look saw Wang Yue, Li Bai, and Xu Chu. Their faces twitched, some with fear.
Xue Lao scanned the surroundings, not finding any trace of the Cangmu Imperial Dynasty, and his gaze flickered.
"Relax!"
"Do not resist!"
Li Bai said softly. The more you resisted this imperial might, the greater the pressure. They had already suffered from this outside the city.
Soon, the group fully relaxed and attempted to walk towards the grand hall ahead.
"How... how did they do it?"
Yuan Rong clutched her head and cried out in alarm. How could they withstand such powerful pressure? Even Xue Lao and Han Lao were stuck halfway, how did they alleviate the imperial might?
"Hmph!"
Xue Lao was furious, pushing his legs with difficulty. They could not show weakness now. Following the Great Han, the prestige of the Ten Elders could not be trampled by others!
"Move!"
Yue Lao roared. Instantly, everyone struggled to move their legs, their speed akin to snails, slowly progressing towards the palace.
"Relax!"
As Wang Yue and the others passed Fan Zichen, Wang Yue looked at the pale Fan Zichen and said softly. The Weiyang lineage was a pillar of the human race; they should help if they could. Forming an alliance with Weiyang here could relieve a significant amount of pressure.
Fan Zichen immediately understood, closed her eyes, and her body began to hum. Soon, her complexion regained its color, and she walked towards the hall with light steps.
A few breaths later, Wang Yue and his companions overtook Xue Lao and Yue Lao at the forefront, stepping onto the palace steps and pushing open the doors sealed for ten thousand years.
"Roar!"
"Roar!"
Several strands of red malevolent energy, like specters, surged out of the palace. Figures holding long sabers attacked Wang Yue and his group, but before they could reach within three zhang, they dissipated.
"Such dense malevolent energy!"
Looking at the hall shrouded in gray mist, Fan Zichen frowned and peered inside. Within the vast, empty hall, there was only an imperial throne, about nine zhang high!
A figure sat upon the throne. Due to the gray mist surrounding the palace, it was difficult for them to discern the figure's appearance.
"That must be the last Emperor of the Imperial Dynasty!"
Fan Zichen said with a heavy tone. The imperial throne, even within the gray mist, still emitted a faint glow. Although it couldn't fully illuminate the corpse, they could see the yellow dragon robe.
"Legend has it that the last emperor of this dynasty was a top-tier Tongtian Realm expert. Tongtian Realm experts are incorruptible for eternity. Even if their primordial spirit dissipates, their physical body can still contain their life's Yuan force!"
"Everyone, be extremely cautious, do not disturb the sleeping emperor!"
"What is that?"
Xue Lao and Yue Lao arrived at the entrance, their faces pale and weak. Upon seeing the blurry figure seated on the imperial throne, they dared not breathe.
A top-tier Rongtian Realm expert was enough to annihilate everyone present with a single hand!
"General Xu Chu, what is wrong?"
Li Bai stood beside Xu Chu and suddenly felt Xu Chu's body become abnormally hot, his internal Yuan force surging uncontrollably, startling Li Bai.
"Lord Li, I don't know. I just suddenly feel an extreme heat in my body, and my blood seems to erupt like a volcano, wanting to break free!"
Xu Chu's face contorted in extreme discomfort. Flames began to rise, not the Nanming Divine Fire, but a bloody red.
On his exposed right arm, a ferocious, blood-colored tiger gradually emerged!
"Suppress!"
Wang Yue narrowed his eyes and let out a soft command. With a sword strike, he directly pressed it onto Xu Chu's back. Terrifying sword energy erupted, completely dispelling Xu Chu's rampaging Yuan force.
"General Xu Chu!"
As the Yuan force calmed, Xu Chu collapsed limply. Li Bai quickly supported him, calling out anxiously.
"Hoo!"
Xue Lao and Yue Lao, who had just entered, broke out in a cold sweat. Great Han's Xu Chu's Yuan force had gone out of control, but it wasn't just any Yuan force. The imperial throne was occupied by the imperial corpse of a top-tier Tongtian Realm expert, which contained terrifying Yuan force. If that corpse were disturbed, everyone present would be finished.
"How is he?"
Xi Shisan quickly produced several pills and fed them to Xu Chu, patting his chest.
"Cough... cough!"
"Much better!"
Xu Chu's lips were cracked, his face waxy.