"Boom!"
The heavy city gates slowly opened inwards, but the expected fierce resistance did not materialize.
Seeing this, Zhang Jiuling looked around and found that although there were a large number of soldiers on the city wall, no one attacked them.
Zhang Yu and the Xiao Family both knew that, when facing Grandmaster- level being, the obstruction of ordinary soldiers was meaningless.
Moreover, Zhang Yu's Formation could only cover the Imperial City, so he had instructed that if any Grandmaster entered the city, they should not be stopped.
"Hahaha!"
Zhang Jiuling laughed wildly, thinking they were all afraid, and said smugly:
"These soldiers guarding the city are quite sensible."
Knowing that the Zhang Family's power had grown significantly, with the support of East Green Mountain and Zhao Kingdom, and the arrival of Great Grandmaster, they dared not obstruct them and voluntarily let them pass.
Zhang Heng nodded excitedly and echoed:
"Father is absolutely right, we're sure to win this time."
The rest of the Zhang Family also wore relaxed and smug smiles.
It seems the outcome is now decided; the Wei capital and its magnificent land are already within the Zhang family's grasp.
Zhang Yuanfeng stroked his beard and smiled, the last trace of unease he felt from the corpses on the city wall completely vanishing.
In his view, this was clearly a sign that the Imperial Family and Zhang Yu were outwardly strong but inwardly weak, and had been abandoned by their followers.
Only Zhang Lingyun's beautiful face showed no joy whatsoever. She didn't even lift the sedan curtain to look at the victorious scene outside; she simply turned her head slightly.
A fleeting glint of light seemed to flash in the depths of her eyes, and she clearly saw the two corpses.
"That's right... it's a trace left by the Soul Power."
She frowned slightly, as if carefully discerning and recalling.
"These Zhang Family... they're truly ignorant and fearless."
"They don't even know what kind of being they're facing, yet they dare to swagger in like that. They're truly courting death."
Her tone was laced with undisguised sarcasm, as if she were judging a group of laughable ants, seemingly indifferent to the life and death of the Zhang Family.
"You say..."
She suddenly spoke again in a low voice, as if conversing with an unseen being:
Should I help your foolish and arrogant father and grandfather, or should I help your beloved Eldest Brother whom you've been longing for day and night?
By the way, you two don't seem to be siblings, and you're not related by blood.
She paused, looked at her trembling right hand, and said calmly, "It doesn't matter anymore, they're all going to die anyway."
As she spoke, her voice turned cold. "Once I kill all your relatives and friends, and sever your Obsession, I can completely take control of this body."
In front of the Imperial Palace gates, Xiao Zhengfeng led all the experts of the Xiao Family to stand ready. Even Xiao Xuan, who was still recovering from serious injuries, was helped to the scene. His face was pale, but his eyes were sharp.
"You audacious Marquis Yong'an, you have returned to the capital without imperial decree and have led your troops to approach the Imperial City. Are you plotting a rebellion?"
Xiao Zhengfeng were as loud as a bell; he preemptively accused him of treason.
Zhang Jiuling laughed loudly, showing no sign of backing down:
"If the ruler is not upright, the ministers will not be loyal. My Zhang Family has guarded the Northern Frontier for generations, with iron-willed and loyal souls. But how does the Imperial Family treat its meritorious officials?"
"You ransacked my Marquis Estate, humiliated my wife and daughters—such inhumanity and injustice, do you even deserve to be called a ruler?"
"You...!" Xiao Zhengfeng was about to retort, but Xiao Xuan raised his hand to stop him.
The seriously injured old man coughed twice, his cloudy eyes staring directly at Zhang Yuanfeng:
"Zhang Yuanfeng, what exactly is your intention in putting on this show of force today?"
He knew perfectly well that verbal sparring was pointless; in the end, it was strength that mattered.
What am I supposed to do?
Zhang Jiuling stepped forward, his aura arrogant, "I want your Xiao family royal family to kneel and beg for forgiveness, and I want that bastard Zhang Yu to die without a burial place!"
At this moment, the six Grandmaster behind the Zhang Family exerted overwhelming pressure, and in his view, victory was already within his grasp.
"That's right, we must tear Zhang Yu to pieces!" Zhang Heng immediately echoed, his eyes filled with resentment.
"Oh? I'd like to see how you'll tear me to pieces."
A calm voice came from mid-air, and Zhang Yu's illusory figure slowly appeared, his clothes fluttering without wind.
"He... he actually managed to escape from the Heavenly Prison?"
Zhang Heng was initially taken aback, then scoffed, "So what if they can get out? We have six Grandmaster here now, enough to crush everything."
"You little bastard!"
Zhang Yuanfeng, his hair and beard bristling, roared, "My Zhang Family has raised you for many years, and instead of repaying you, you've colluded with the Xiao family to plot against the Xiao Family's Marquis Estate! You deserve to die!"
The last ripple in Zhang Yu's eyes faded into silence.
"Then let's see who dies first."
Before he finished speaking, his illusory figure raised his hand—
Boom!
A blazing fire dragon shot into the sky from the Earth Vein Formation, its scales and claws clearly defined. It roared to the heavens, and scorching waves of air swept in all directions, heading straight for Zhang Yuanfeng!
"What?!"
The Zhang Family members' expressions changed drastically; the terrifying pressure emanating from the fire dragon distorted the surrounding air.
"Great Grandmaster... this is the Formation power Great Grandmaster- level formation?"
"When did Zhang Yu acquire such power?!"
Before the six Grandmaster could think further, they simultaneously attacked, their various forms of True Qi transforming into giant palms, sword lights, and fist imprints, colliding violently with the fire dragon.
Puff!
With a single touch, all six men coughed up blood and flew backward, their eyes filled with horror and disbelief.
The fiery dragon crushed over the six people, its momentum undiminished, swooping down with the power to scorch the heavens, threatening to engulf the sedan chair carrying Zhang Lingyun.
Suddenly, five black-robed figures appeared like ghosts, their crimson True Qi erupting like a tide, forming a ferocious blood curtain that actually shredded the raging fire dragon!
Flames and sparks flew, and a fierce wind raged.
Once the dust had settled, five black-robed figures stood in mid-air, their auras clearly indicating they were all at the Grandmaster Realm!
"Great Grandmaster... all five of them are Great Grandmaster?"
At this moment, not only were the Zhang Family dumbfounded, but even the two Grandmaster from East Green Mountain looked surprised and doubtful—when did their sect hide so Great Grandmaster?
They were completely unaware.
Jian Wuwei and Huichen exchanged a glance, secretly thinking that they had made the right bet.
Zhang Yuanfeng's heart pounded. "There's more than one Great Grandmaster in East Green Mountain."
Zhang Jiuling snapped out of his shock and burst into wild laughter:
"You little bastard, you've truly exceeded my expectations, actually managing to control Great Grandmaster- level Formation... Unfortunately, you still miscalculated!"
He spread his arms wide, as if he had grasped the heavens and the earth:
"This time, Lingyun has brought not only two Grandmaster, but also five Great Grandmaster. Let's see how you handle them!"
Lie Wushuang and Qiao Muyun, who were spying from a distance, were equally alarmed.
Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; how could East Green Mountain have so Great Grandmaster?
On the contrary, the Xiao Family felt somewhat worried.
Although they had witnessed Zhang Yu's methods of killing Great Grandmaster, there was only one Great Grandmaster in Li Shan, but now there are five.
Zhang Yu's gaze pierced through the chilling Sha Qi and landed on the unmoving sedan chair.
Involuntarily, images from many years ago surfaced in my mind—the girl who always hid in the shadows of the corridor, hugging her knees in silence.
At that time, he was a good-for-nothing who was looked down upon by everyone, and she was the mediocre eldest daughter of Marquis Estate who was ignored by everyone.
Two "unlucky guys" who were not valued by their Lineage often sat in the most secluded corner of the training ground for half a day at a time.
She spoke very little, but her eyes were clear and resolute.
He would try to make her happy whenever he had free time.
Later, he devoted himself to refining that Sword Bone Pill.
On the day the elixir was completed, she held the warm Jade Bottle, her fingertips trembling slightly, and gave him a very faint smile for the first time.
He said, "From now on, no one will dare to say you're mediocre."
He still remembers the glint in her eyes.
Little did he know that it was precisely that Pills he had personally refined that had tragically ended her peaceful life.
Her Sword Bone talent attracted greedy gazes, dragging her into an abyss from which there was no return.
At that moment, the sedan curtain swayed slightly.
Zhang Yu clearly sensed the familiar yet unfamiliar aura behind the curtain—still cold and aloof, yet imbued with a resolute stillness.
He was silent for a moment, his voice sinking into the wind:
"Zhang Lingyun, you're going to kill me for the sake of the Zhang Family?"
The sedan curtain was gently lifted by a slender, white hand.
Zhang Lingyun walked out slowly.
She was still wearing the same light blue dress I remembered, her eyes and brows serene, as if she were still that silent girl from back then.
But there was no warmth left in his eyes, only a bottomless, icy pool.
She looked up at him, her voice as soft as a sigh, yet every word was like a knife:
"Not just you."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over everyone present— Zhang Jiuling, Zhang Yuanfeng, Xiao Zhengfeng, the man in black robes... before finally settling back on Zhang Yu's face.
"Today, all of Zhang Lingyun's blood relatives, friends, and family."
She slightly curled the corners of her lips, but the smile was cold and shattered.
"They're all going to die."