Dawn had only just broken, and a few scattered stars still hung in the pale-blue sky.
Before long, a streak of golden light spread across the earth from beyond the mountain ridge, rousing the mountains and rivers and bringing vitality to the imperial capital.
After last night's great battle, the imperial capital was no different from usual—except for the Western City.
The earth-shaking booms that had erupted from the Western City last night had been heard by many martial artists. Quite a few bold and highly skilled martial artists had secretly gone to the Western City to see what had happened, but most had chosen to stay behind closed doors and avoid trouble.
As dawn arrived, the Zhao Xing Office and the garrison troops finished clearing the battlefield in the Western City. They escorted Lanyue, the Demoness, Lu Shulin, and more than thirty captured martial artists of the Great Purity Dao Fruit Realm back to the Zhao Xing Office.
Lin Bai, Qiao Mo, Qin Yao, Fang Yuanshu, Ye Guyu, and the others also left with Zhu Mo. Only Lu Qingjun said that she had expended too much spiritual energy in the battle and would return to the guesthouse to rest first.
Lin Bai knew that Lu Qingjun was overwhelmed with grief, so he did not stop her. He merely said that once he had finished dealing with matters at the Zhao Xing Office, he would go to the guesthouse and drink with her.
In the solemn main hall of the Zhao Xing Office, Prince Chen watched as Lin Bai, Zhu Mo, and the others returned in triumph.
Zhu Mo's face was wreathed in smiles as he cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, reporting in. We have lived up to your trust and captured Lanyue, the Demoness, for the record."