Martial Arts Alliance Leader, Sect-Destruction Crisis

After listening to Liu Ruyan, Ren Xiaoyao nodded as well and said,

"Thank you for the reminder, Miss Ruyan. However, my master is stationed within the Imperial Observatory. He is in the Heavenly Human Realm and should be able to withstand any risk."

"Even so!"

Liu Ruyan shot Ren Xiaoyao a look of exasperation, as though iron had failed to become steel, and said,

"At the end of the day, Li Chunfeng is Li Chunfeng, and you are you. His being in the Heavenly Human Realm does not mean you are in the Heavenly Human Realm. Besides, are you truly willing to remain an ordinary person for the rest of your life?"

"Forget it!"

Seeing Ren Xiaoyao looking like a block of elm wood, Liu Ruyan could only sigh and say, "Once you have suffered enough, you will know who truly treats you well."

Afterward, Liu Ruyan could only go find Li Chunfeng.

After all, Liu Ruyan had once shared considerable ties with the Imperial Observatory. Under such circumstances, she chose to tell Li Chunfeng the firsthand intelligence.

After hearing Liu Ruyan's words, Li Chunfeng's eyelid twitched. He muttered to himself, "I knew the Empress would not let this go. This time, the Imperial Observatory may truly have brought upon itself great trouble!"

Li Chunfeng then looked at Liu Ruyan and asked, "You said you went to find Ren Xiaoyao earlier and hoped to take him away. How did Ren Xiaoyao respond?"

"Ren Xiaoyao has great faith in you and wishes to remain by your side."

Liu Ruyan said,

She had actually wanted Li Chunfeng to persuade Ren Xiaoyao. If the Empress made a move behind the scenes, it would be a heaven-shattering disaster for an ordinary person like Ren Xiaoyao. Even Li Chunfeng might not be able to protect him.

Those in the Heavenly Human Realm indeed possessed the ability to stand independent of Imperial Power, but that only meant they themselves could remain independent. If they wished to shelter others beyond Imperial Power, even those in the Heavenly Human Realm lacked such ability.

Yet before Liu Ruyan could speak, Li Chunfeng completely relaxed. He said calmly,

"I understand, Miss Ruyan. Even if the Empress intends to strike at my Imperial Observatory from the shadows, it does not matter. I have the confidence to stand against everything."

"You?"

Liu Ruyan looked at Li Chunfeng in considerable surprise. She could not understand why he was so confident, but since Li Chunfeng carried himself this way, it was not her place to say more.

After all, Li Chunfeng was in the Heavenly Human Realm and a living legend of the martial world. Since he had the confidence to stand against everything, then he was surely capable of standing against everything.

Liu Ruyan then chose to quietly descend the mountain.

Several days later.

News spread through the martial world that Bai Su had colluded with Yao Luochen, the cult master of the Seven Kill Demonic Cult. The two had jointly betrayed the Imperial Court and the Demonic Sect.

This thoroughly enraged both the Imperial Court and the Demonic Sect.

The Imperial Court and the Demonic Sect had always stood in opposition, their conflict like fire and water. Thus, the Demonic Sect issued a martial world order to hunt down Yao Luochen and Bai Su, while the Imperial Court issued Sea Catch Official Documents for Bai Su and Yao Luochen.

For a time, Bai Su and Yao Luochen became a pair of ill-fated lovers, fleeing desperately through the martial world.

That day.

Ying Huai and Fang Yuan also arrived at the Imperial Observatory, once again seeking out Li Chunfeng and Ren Xiaoyao.

First, Ying Huai naturally had to mock Li Chunfeng with a few barbed remarks. Li Chunfeng had previously refused to admit he was in the Heavenly Human Realm, but his later achievements had proven that he truly was in the Heavenly Human Realm. This naturally left Ying Huai extremely displeased.

Ying Huai and Li Chunfeng had been friends for many years. He felt that Li Chunfeng should not have concealed it from him. Li Chunfeng could only smile bitterly, utterly unable to explain himself.

However, Ying Huai only complained a few times before bringing up Bai Su. He sighed and said,

"That girl Bai Su has stirred up heaven-shattering trouble this time. The Empress has already dispatched the True Martial Sect's most formidable experts to capture her. She is determined to sentence her to death for colluding with the Demonic Cult!"

Li Chunfeng was also quite helpless. "Everything was Bai Su's own choice. We have no right to interfere. I only hope she can safely overcome this calamity."

"You should stop worrying about Bai Su for now. You and the Imperial Observatory may suffer calamity before Bai Su does!"

Ying Huai said gloomily.

"Your refusal to serve the Empress has already angered her. In the Empress's eyes, if you refuse to work for her, then you are a potential enemy!"

"I have heard that over these past few months, traces of Shadow Guards directly under the Empress have appeared in Zhuozhou. These Shadow Guards seem to be searching for Zhao Luoxia, the Martial Arts Alliance Leader from Twenty Years Ago!"

Upon hearing the name Zhao Luoxia, Li Chunfeng's expression turned solemn.

Twenty Years Ago, Zhao Luoxia had supposedly already been in the Heavenly Human Realm. Back when Li Chunfeng's name had rung the loudest, he had wanted to challenge Zhao Luoxia, but had never found the opportunity. Later, he went astray and never had the chance to meet Zhao Luoxia either.

Ying Huai took a deep breath and said,

"The Empress is most likely searching for Zhao Luoxia to use him against you. Moreover, although the Empress has appeared to hold herself back over these past three months, she has actually been building momentum all along!"

"Over these three months, word has spread throughout the martial world that the Imperial Observatory possesses a supreme cultivation method, the Great Evolution Tome. You only achieved the Heavenly Human Realm because you obtained the Great Evolution Tome!"

"At this very moment, who knows how many pairs of eyes are fixed on the Imperial Observatory? If not for your status in the Heavenly Human Realm and the sufficient deterrence you pose to the outside world, countless martial world figures would likely have already stormed the Imperial Observatory!"

After hearing Ying Huai's words, Li Chunfeng finally realized the severity of the matter.

He asked, "You mean all of this was planned by the Empress behind the scenes?"

"Who else could it be besides the Empress?"

Ying Huai spoke gloomily.

"A few days ago, the Empress received a mysterious figure in the Capital City with the highest ceremony. Based on my deductions, that mysterious figure is very likely Zhao Luoxia!"

Li Chunfeng's head immediately began to pound. He could only shift his gaze back to Ren Xiaoyao, but Ren Xiaoyao remained calm and composed, without the slightest emotional fluctuation.

Only then did Li Chunfeng feel reassured. He looked at Ying Huai and said, "Elder Ying, thank you for the warning. I will make the fullest preparations."

"Good."

Ying Huai nodded and then said, "But no matter what happens next in the Imperial Observatory, I hope you can keep Xiao Ren safe and sound."

Li Chunfeng naturally nodded.

Yet inwardly, he was complaining wildly.

What was this?!

Clearly, Ren Xiaoyao was the one who should be keeping him safe and sound!

Two days later.

In a small forest north of the Capital City, more than a hundred martial artists had gathered. Every one of them was of considerable standing, being cult masters and elders from Major Sects throughout the martial world.

Their strength was naturally formidable. All of them were in the Super Grandmaster Realm.

However, the gazes of these hundred-plus people were all fixed on a middle-aged man. He wore a Purple Robe, had a dignified appearance, and possessed an otherworldly bearing. The aura emanating from him was incomparably powerful and terrifying!

This man was Zhao Luoxia, the Martial Arts Alliance Leader who had not Appeared in the martial world for Twenty Years. Beside Zhao Luoxia stood a Woman in an Official Robe. She was Shadow Guard Commander Phoenix, and Phoenix's expression was incomparably solemn.

These hundred-plus martial artists had been gathered by Phoenix through the Shadow Guard, all for the purpose of pinning down Li Chunfeng within the Imperial Observatory.

Of course, all of this had been at the Empress's instruction. Yet as Phoenix looked at these hundred-plus cult masters and elders from the Major Sects, she had the feeling that the situation was about to spiral Out of Control.

The oppressive force of such a lineup was simply too great. These hundred-plus people were worth more than ten thousand elite soldiers of the Imperial Court!

Phoenix looked at Zhao Luoxia and said,

"Alliance Leader Zhao, according to your agreement with Your Majesty, you may go to the Imperial Observatory to seek the Great Evolution Tome. However, you must know your limits and must not harm the innocent!"

The reason Phoenix could gather so many people was entirely because she had used the Great Evolution Tome as bait.

For the cult masters and elders of these sects, their martial paths had nearly reached their ends. What they desired most now was naturally to ascend another level in martial arts.

Li Chunfeng had been able to achieve the Heavenly Human Realm through the Great Evolution Tome.

Why could they not do the same?

Of course, Zhao Luoxia was the exception. It was said that the Empress had paid an enormous price to persuade Zhao Luoxia to act against Li Chunfeng.

At this moment, Zhao Luoxia chuckled and said,

"I do not care about the Great Evolution Tome. I merely wish to see whether this Li Chunfeng is truly in the Heavenly Human Realm. Ever since I achieved the Heavenly Human Realm, I have yet to experience a battle fought to my heart's content!"

Then Zhao Luoxia swept out a hand and said, "Everyone, follow me to the Imperial Observatory. Whether you can obtain the Great Evolution Tome will depend entirely on your own fortunes!"

Watching this Vast and Mighty procession, Phoenix could not describe what she felt.

The Imperial Observatory had once been a sharp sword in the Empress's hand, yet now the Empress intended to destroy it whenever she pleased.

How tragic, how lamentable!

And this was the Son of Heaven!

In a fit of rage, a million corpses lay strewn across the land!

Just as Phoenix could not help sighing in emotion, an incomparably terrifying killing intent came from behind her.

Phoenix turned around and discovered two figures before her. One of them was someone Phoenix recognized all too well: Liu Ruyan, the Saintess of the Mystic Moon Demonic Cult whom Phoenix had previously captured.

The other figure wore black robes. He was tall and handsome, but the instant Phoenix saw him, her face turned ashen.

"Devil Master!"

Phoenix Only Felt a chill shoot from her back to the Crown of the Head. According to the latest intelligence obtained by the Shadow Guard, this Devil Master was now also a martial artist in the Heavenly Human Realm!

"You are Shadow Guard Commander Phoenix?"

The Devil Master merely swept Phoenix a glance, yet she immediately felt as though she had fallen into an Ice Cellar.

"That is correct!"

Phoenix took a deep breath and said, "May I ask why the Devil Master has Appeared here?"

Hearing Phoenix's words, the Devil Master chuckled and said,

"After all, I also came from the Imperial Observatory. Now that the Empress wishes to make a move against the Imperial Observatory, I naturally cannot stand by and watch. Commander Phoenix, let us go to the Imperial Observatory together and see precisely how our Empress turns her butcher's blade upon her own people."

"Very well."

Phoenix naturally did not dare utter a single word of refusal. She could only helplessly travel with the Devil Master and Liu Ruyan. Before the Devil Master, Phoenix naturally did not dare play any tricks.

After all, when it came to scheming and methods, no one was qualified to compare with the Devil Master. He was a heaven-defying existence who had risen step by step from an Undercover Agent of the Great Gan Imperial Court to the Sect Master of the Demonic Sect.

At that very moment, Ren Xiaoyao had been cultivating within the Imperial Observatory when lines of text once again appeared before his eyes.

[It has been detected that the Imperial Observatory faces a sect-destruction crisis. As a disciple of the Imperial Observatory, you have the following choices]

[One: Flee the Imperial Observatory and avoid this risk. After becoming Safe and Sound, you may obtain one tael of gold.]

[Two: Live and die with the Imperial Observatory. After successfully defending the Imperial Observatory, you may obtain the spell, Fire Control Technique.]