Ju Zi stared blankly at the spot where he had disappeared. The child in her arms seemed to sense something and shifted uncomfortably.
She pursed her lips tightly, her eyes regaining their resolute and coldness.
She knew that now was not the time for reminiscing, for sentimentality, or even for any questions about the child.
The storm has arrived.
Without the slightest hesitation, Ju Zi immediately picked up the child, pressed a hidden soul-guided communicator in the palace, and issued the order at top speed. Then, under the protection of several trusted guards, she quickly withdrew through the secret passage.
The entire palace was instantly deserted, leaving only the warm yellow Soul Guidance Lamp, which lonely illuminated the empty room, foreshadowing the dramatic changes that were about to occur in this palace.
Just as Ju Zi was leaving, a figure, no longer concealed, descended upon the central square of the Sun Moon Imperial Palace like a thunderclap tearing through the night.
No longer a lurking shadow, no longer a silent assassin.
Toji.
He carried a dark red, menacing blade that seemed to be forged from congealed blood, and wore an extremely simple black shirt and white trousers, standing like a javelin in the center of the square.
The moonlight shone down, casting a cold, silvery glow upon him, further highlighting the terrifying power contained within his body, a power capable of shaking heaven and earth.
He lifted his foot and took a step.
Thump.
As he took his first step, spiderweb-like cracks silently spread from the center of his foot on the ground, which was made of hard alloy.
He didn't release any aura, but the terrifying oppressive feeling brought by the pure Life level, like a primordial beast, swept through the entire palace in an instant like an invisible tsunami.
"Ugh--!"
On several nearby watchtowers, the elite Soul Engineer on guard duty were struck as if by a heavy blow. They groaned, blood gushing from their mouths and noses, and fell directly from the towers.
Their Soul Power shields shattered like paper, and their mental seas were left blank by the invisible pressure.
Toji took the second and third steps.
His pace was not fast, it could even be described as slow, each step was exceptionally heavy and clear, as if he were stepping on the drumbeats of everyone's heartbeats!
The direction pointed directly into the depths of the palace, to the main hall where the emperor's throne, symbolizing supreme power, resided.
"Enemy attack--!!!"
The piercing, distorted siren finally broke the silence.
The entire palace was like a drop of water thrown into a pot of boiling oil, instantly boiling over.
Countless Soul Guidance Lamp pierced the darkness, the shrill whistles of alarm Soul Tool resounded through the sky, and dense footsteps and the buzzing of Soul Tool charging surged in from all directions.
However, all the Soul Engineer who tried to rush towards the plaza and lock onto that figure with their Soul Guidance Ray found themselves trapped in an invisible quagmire the moment they stepped a certain distance from the edge of the plaza.
His movements became sluggish and stiff, his Soul Power flowed sluggishly, and it felt as if a huge boulder weighed down on his chest, making even breathing extremely difficult.
Those who were slightly weaker collapsed to the ground, unable to even move their fingers.
And so, under the watchful eyes of countless horrified yet held firmly in place by the terrifying pressure, he walked step by step, like a king surveying his territory, or like the Grim Reaper stepping toward the final altar, toward Xu Tianran's throne, openly and unstoppably.
Every step he took felt as if he were stepping on the very foundation of the imperial palace, on the very heart of every citizen of the Sun Moon Empire.
Xu Tianran sat upright on the golden throne, a symbol of supreme power.
He was dressed in magnificent imperial robes, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the cold golden armrests, his knuckles turning white from the excessive force.
His brows were furrowed, and deep in his eyes was an undisguised anxiety, violence, and... a hidden fear that almost consumed him.
He felt like he was sitting on a giant powder keg, ready to be blown to pieces by the man's shadow at any moment.
Report!
A personal guard, Soul Engineer, practically tumbled into the main hall, his voice shrill and distorted with extreme terror:
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, he's... he's here! He's really here! That Tyrant! He's in the central square, walking... walking towards the main hall!"
"What?!" Xu Tianran abruptly stood up from the throne, his movements slightly unsteady due to his leg injury. His face contorted instantly, a mixture of rage and horror flashing across his features. "Useless! All of you are useless!"
"How did he get in?! Stop him! Stop him at all costs! Activate all pre-set soul-guiding arrays! Let him die! I will make sure he dies a horrible death!!!"
He roared hysterically, his voice trembling with fear.
"Yes... yes!" The Soul Engineer of the Guards rushed out to relay the order.
Xu Tianran was breathing heavily, his chest heaving. He abruptly turned his head to look at the two figures standing in the shadows beside the throne, his voice filled with an almost desperate plea:
" Ye Xishui! Long Xiaoyao! It's time for your Holy Spirit Cult to make a move! He's here! He's really here! Today, right here, he must die! He must!!!"
From the shadows, Ye Xishui, clad in a dark red robe, slowly stepped forward. Her alluringly beautiful face was now filled with a chilling killing intent and an almost morbid excitement; her scarlet lips curled into a cruel smile.
"Hehehe... We've finally waited for this moment."
" Xu Tianran, rest assured. Once he steps into this place, he is destined to become the most perfect sacrifice on the Altar of the Death God Soul Tool of my Holy Spirit Cult!"
"Today is the day when Heavenly Tyrant... perish in Mingdu!"
However, standing beside her, Long Xiaoyao, dressed in a black robe and exuding a deep and unfathomable aura, had a furrowed brow. In his deep eyes, there was no fervor like Ye Xishui's; instead, there was a solemnity and a hint of... indescribable unease.
He gazed out of the main hall, as if he could penetrate the thick palace walls and feel the terrifying, oppressive force that was closing in step by step, as if it were a tangible force, crushing down upon him, a force beyond mortal comprehension.
This force was far more terrifying than he had anticipated!
Long Xiaoyao's heart sank.
An ominous premonition, like a cold, venomous snake, quietly Entanglement around his heart.
Can this desperate scheme, orchestrated with the combined power of the Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult, truly bury that... being who can no longer be called human?
Xu Tianran's roar and Ye Xishui's wild words were kept within the thick palace walls, while on the square, the bloody symphony of slaughter had only just begun its most violent prelude.
Stop him, at all costs!
"Soul Guidance Array! Fire! Fire!--!"
The hysterical command exploded through the soul-guided communicator.
The fear of being pinned to the spot by that invisible pressure, driven by the threat of death, was finally replaced by a more primal madness.
From all directions, blinding soul-guiding lights suddenly shone, like countless venomous snakes spitting their tongues, converging into a Destruction torrent that tore through the air, whistling sharply, and crashed down on the only figure in the center of the square!