Imperial Court Mountain, atop the sea of clouds.
Its halls lay hidden in churning mist. Where majesty had once reigned, only sinister arrogance remained.
Twelve Martial Emperors, led by Yelü Martial Emperor, stood on either side of the Altar.
They had gone to Crouching Dragon Mountain themselves and seen Li Yun batter the nine Martial Emperors of the Yan Clan, nearly killing them all.
They knew exactly how terrifying his strength was. Not one of them underestimated him.
But they were certain that, however strong Li Yun was, he would never dare fight Imperial Court Mountain to the death.
Imperial Court Mountain held the only Martial Deity of the age and wielded supreme authority across the continent. How could a mere Crouching Dragon City Lord stand against it?
Anyone with half a brain would never dream of disrespecting the Martial Deity, much less challenging his authority.
The three-day deadline to confess his crimes and the imperial edict branding him a Demon Path Fiend had been a deliberate trap from the start.
They meant to show Li Yun where the tide of power truly lay.
They wanted him to bow his head and yield. At the same time, Imperial Court Mountain would plant a foot on his shoulders and display its might to the world once more.
They had never truly expected a rabble of sycophants to bring him down.
Yelu Martial Emperor stood with his hands behind his back, tapping gaunt fingers against a stone railing. His calm expression suggested he held victory firmly in hand.
"I must say, that Lin Zishan is no weakling. Even the Yan Royal Clan's nine Martial Emperors couldn't defeat him with Nine Suns Across the Sky. Ordinary Martial Emperors have no business comparing themselves to him."
"But on the Purple Moon Continent, Imperial Court