"Additionally..." Emperor Xiao looked at the densely packed petition of ten thousand signatures and the names of the court officials in his hands. His voice immediately turned cold. "The ascetic monks have destroyed the inheritance of our Divine Martial Nation, yet so many officials have been led astray, and so many lineages remain stubbornly deluded. Very well. It is time to deal with them."
"Where is Zhuo Lian?"
Emperor Xiao called out.
"This subject is here!" Zhuo Lian stepped forward and knelt in the middle of the hall.
Emperor Xiao threw the petition before Zhuo Lian. "You will personally lead the Divine Martial Sword God Battalion. Every court official whose name appears on this petition, so long as they signed it, shall be executed regardless of rank, title, or status as a prince or marquis. Every lineage that signed this petition shall be exterminated without mercy!"
Zhuo Lian picked up the petition and said solemnly, "This subject receives Your Majesty's decree!"
Hearing Emperor Xiao's words, half the civil officials in the hall immediately turned deathly pale. Some were even so terrified that they fainted on the spot.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"
"This subject has been wronged!"
"This subject only ever had the Divine Martial Nation's interests at heart!"
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please show mercy..."
The group of civil officials immediately began wailing and begging for mercy, their tears and cries flowing together.
"Your Majesty, Lord Yang Cheng forced us to sign it."
"This was not our intention!"
"Lord Yang Cheng said that if we fought the Central Sacred Nation, we would certainly suffer defeat. For the sake of our respective futures, he demanded that we strongly urge Your Majesty to make peace."
"This was not our intention!"
As the officials begged for mercy, Yang Cheng knelt in