Chapter 70: Pristine Perfection, Yet to Be Awakened
"Little bastard, this is the imperial palace!"
Dragging her feet as she returned to Moyang Palace, Bai Suying's face turned pale the moment she saw Gu Qing.
She forgot all decorum and snapped angrily, her voluptuous figure trembling slightly.
"I know," Gu Qing said calmly. "That's precisely why I came."
With confident, unhurried steps, he approached her, tilting her chin upward as he looked down at her from above.
"Don't forget what you promised me."
"You little bastard."
Bai Suying slapped his hand away, her phoenix eyes flashing with fury. A regal, domineering aura emanated from her as her kingly presence surged.
Dressed in a resplendent phoenix robe that exuded divine majesty, she stood like a celestial queen.
Anyone of weaker will or lesser cultivation would have been overwhelmed, forced to bow in submission from the depths of their soul.
Her voice was cold and sharp. "You're bold indeed. Aren't you afraid this palace will have you castrated?"
"..."
"Afraid?"
"I'm afraid you'd never bear to do it."
Gu Qing blinked, then laughed softly. "You put on quite the act. Shall I go, then?"
At those words, Bai Suying's aura faltered completely. Her face fell in frustration and helplessness.
Her might could easily shake a Void Dao Realm cultivator, yet against this scoundrel Gu Qing, it was useless.
Did he truly feel no guilt for his shameless deeds? Was that why he acted so fearlessly?
She couldn't fathom how someone so young could be so brazen, so utterly corrupted.
"Shall I leave, then?"
Seeing her silent, Gu Qing's tone deepened slightly.
"Don't..."
"Don't go."
Bai Suying's complexion turned pale as she shook her head quickly.
If Gu Qing left now, her father would be doomed—and Ye Hao's ambitions would collapse completely.
Even if she intended to turn against him, she had to wait until Ye Hao joined the Star Temple—or at least obtained its coordinates.
"Honestly, I rather liked that regal bearing of yours earlier. You nearly scared me," Gu Qing said with a teasing smirk, his gaze hinting at something far more suggestive.
Bai Suying blinked, utterly confused by the strange glint in his eyes.
"Forget it," he muttered. "Pristine and untouched... still waiting to be developed."
"..."
...
The next day, Ye Hao led an army of one million soldiers to the capital's gates.
The royal family, fully prepared, activated the imperial capital's holy-level defensive formation, enveloping Ye Hao's army within a massive slaughter array.
Within that boundless array-world, Ye Hao's army formed ranks of iron and blood, their fighting spirit rising to the heavens.
Above them coiled nine five-clawed golden dragons, lifelike and resplendent, their scales gleaming with divine light.
It was the Nine Dragon Battle Formation—the army's soul, also known as the Array Spirit. The greater the numbers and cultivation, the stronger its might.
Ye Hao's Nine Dragon Formation, built upon a sacred artifact and powered by a million soldiers and countless commanders as living chess pieces, unleashed power reaching the peak of the Saint Realm.
In other words, each of the Nine Dragon Souls possessed Saint-level might.
Their sheer pressure alone shattered billions of killing seals in the holy formation protecting the capital.
"Ye Hao, you've hidden yourself well..."
Luo Zhengyang stood at the center of the royal array, despair clouding his eyes as he beheld the Nine Dragon Formation.
The capital's holy defense array had been his clan's final trump card.
With his sacred artifact and the holy array combined, he could contend with an early Saint Realm expert.
All this time, he had deliberately allowed Ye Hao to advance freely, hoping to lure him in and annihilate his army within the array.
He had feared Ye Hao might instead harass the city with small forces, slowly wearing the formation down through attrition.
But Ye Hao had boldly entered the trap with his entire army—Luo Zhengyang's relief lasted mere seconds before dread took its place upon seeing the Nine Dragon Array.
How was he supposed to fight this?
"Old dog Luo! The debt of carving my bones will be settled today!"
Ye Hao's eyes burned cold and imperious as he stood atop a dragon's head, imperial aura radiating from him like that of a peerless emperor.
"Who is backing you from the shadows?"
Luo Zhengyang's gaze locked onto the Nine Dragon Souls. No matter how he racked his brain, he couldn't comprehend how Ye Hao possessed such a powerful sacred formation.
On top of that, Ye Hao wielded the Scarlet Dawn Sword and controlled a sacred cauldron—three sacred artifacts in total.
Even his clan's ancestor at the Divine Fire Realm possessed only one—and that one was damaged. It was a life-bound treasure, not some common relic.
Not every Divine Fire Realm cultivator owned a sacred artifact. That fact alone proved how incomparably rare and precious such items were.
"You talk too much."
Ye Hao's expression was cold, his aura bursting forth in boundless dominance. With a wave of his hand, he commanded the Nine Dragon Battle Souls to strike the great formation, unleashing heaven-shattering power and world-destroying might.
"No—!"
Luo Zhengyang's eyes widened in despair. He was unwilling to accept it. He had not yet refined the Phoenix Essence, had not yet ascended to the Divine Fire Realm—how could he die now?
He immediately tried to flee.
But the moment he released control of the formation and attempted to escape, he was captured alive by the lurking Zhuge Liang.
"Your Highness, how shall we deal with this criminal?"
Zhuge Liang held Luo Zhengyang in one hand, gently fanning himself with a feather fan in the other.
"A Saint… Ye Hao, how could you possibly have a Saint serving you? Impossible…"
Luo Zhengyang's face twisted in disbelief, shaking his head wildly as though rejecting reality itself.
It was too absurd—like the sun rising in the west.
"Lock him up. He'll be executed at noon tomorrow."
Ye Hao's cold voice spread throughout the imperial capital.
Zhuge Liang nodded, already of the same mind.
After all, the Luo clan had ruled for tens of thousands of years, deeply ingrained in the hearts of the people of the Shenhuang Empire.
Dragging their royal ancestor and his kin to be executed in the city square would utterly destroy the Luo clan's prestige and intimidate the world—a perfect double gain.
"Soldiers, hear my command!"
Ye Hao stood tall, his youthful features sharp and heroic, radiating the aura of a rising human emperor.
"Seal the entire city! No one enters or leaves. Any who resist—kill without mercy!"
"Arrest all remnants of the imperial clan!"
"Search for Luo Li!"
"Yan Liang, Wen Chou—follow me into the palace!"
As Ye Hao issued command after command, the faces of court nobles and aristocrats turned deathly pale, their bodies trembling like leaves in the wind.
Regret overwhelmed their hearts. If only they had fled sooner instead of trusting the doomed royal family.
"Truly just like his father—cunning and ruthless. Not a good man..."
Bai Wuya's eyes gleamed coldly. Others could not see into the formation, but he could see everything clearly.
Three sacred artifacts. A Saint-level follower.
Had he not seen it himself, he would never have believed it.
But none of that mattered anymore.
Bai Suying had found a solid future and would eventually leave. He, too, planned to depart the Shenhuang Empire. Just seeing that father and son disgusted him.
With a cold snort, Bai Wuya swept his sleeve and turned away toward his residence.
"Old fool..."
Ye Hao cursed under his breath, resentment burning in his chest toward Bai Wuya's cold indifference.
He hadn't lifted a finger when Ye Hao's bones were carved out. He hadn't helped when the rebellion began.
If Bai Wuya refused to acknowledge him as family, then he would not recognize Bai Wuya as his grandfather either.
Should the old man dare to stand between him and Bai Suying—Ye Hao would not hesitate to act.
At this moment, Ye Hao had completely forgotten whose roof had sheltered him, and whose protection had once saved his life.
"Follow me into the palace."
He withdrew his gaze, excitement flashing through his composed expression.
"Aunt... wait for me. I've achieved glory and seized the realm..."
The thought of seeing Bai Suying again filled him with uncontrollable fervor—he wished he could fly to her side that very instant.
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