NOVEL NEXT Chapter 385: The Great Battle of the Dynasty
Chapter 385: The Great Battle of the Dynasty
Soon, the scattered souls scattered throughout the sky and earth gathered in the hands of the Heavenly Fiend Sovereign, condensing into a cluster of flickering soul light.
As he gazed at the scattered soul light, he thought to himself, “It seems I’ll need to send it back to nurture the soul for a while before I can search its memories.”
He glanced once more at the Holy Emperor’s Palace before his figure gradually dissipated.
Jun Yunshang unwillingly led the civil and military officials in a chorus of farewell, then returned to her imperial throne with a cold expression.
A minister stepped forward, bracing himself as he asked, “Your Majesty, are we truly offering a bounty for the Saint Lord?”
“Of course!” Jun Yunshang replied coldly.
“And how much is the bounty?” the man asked.
“One spirit stone,” Jun Yunshang said flatly.
The amount of the reward was insignificant. Jun Yunshang was merely making a symbolic gesture to avoid any desperate individuals who might be tempted by wealth to increase Lin Fengmian’s difficulty in evading capture.
Remembering Lin Fengmian’s instructions, she ordered, “Now that I have ascended to the throne, the teleportation arrays of the Jun Dynasty will be restored.”
The officials present understood the implication, and those in charge immediately nodded in agreement and rushed to restore the use of the teleportation arrays within the Jun Dynasty.
Half an hour later, the stunningly beautiful Jun Yunshang, accompanied by Zhao Ban and Wei Ting, walked through the dark corridors of the imperial prison.
The prisoners inside were stunned, and many who knew they were doomed began to spew vulgarities.
“What a beautiful little lady! Did they send her here to entertain us before we die?”
“Hehe, could she be a noble lady of the royal family sneaking in to meet her lover? Come find me, little sister, and I’ll make you feel like you’re in heaven.”
…
Various obscene remarks filled the air. Zhao Ban’s expression darkened, and the aura of a Void Realm expert enveloped the entire area.
“How dare you disrespect the Holy Empress! Seize them and beat them severely!”
Jun Yunshang raised her hand to stop him, saying, “No need. If they wish to die, then let the Black Feather Guards and Golden Feather Guards take care of them.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for the reward!” Zhao Ban and Wei Ting exclaimed in delight, as the prisoners in the imperial jail were at least Nascent Soul Realm experts, making them valuable resources.
The two quickly called their men. “Come, drag these insolent fools away. Don’t sully the eyes of the Holy Empress!”
The prisoners who wanted to vent their anger with words were quickly subdued by the quick-witted Golden Feather Guards and Black Feather Guards.
Jun Yunshang ignored them and proceeded to the depths of the prison, where she saw the imprisoned Southern King and Liaodong King.
The Southern King continued to beg for mercy, while the King of Liaodong remained as defiant as ever, cursing Jun Yunshang.
“You shameless woman! Release me, I am your royal uncle!”
“Do not think that you can do as you please just because that boy is behind you. One day he will leave you, and I’ll see you meet your end!”
This remark accidentally hit a nerve. Jun Yunshang stopped in her tracks and coldly said, “Slap him!”
Zhao Ban nodded and replied, “As you wish, Your Majesty!”
His figure moved into the cell like a phantom, and with ruthless precision, he began to slap the King of Liaodong, who was restrained and stripped of his cultivation. Zhao Ban’s strikes were merciless, and although he tried to hide it, there was a hint of personal resentment in his actions.
Jun Yunshang walked to the innermost part of the prison, where she saw Jun Aoshi, who was tightly bound by chains that suppressed his spiritual energy.
At this moment, Jun Aoshi’s hair was disheveled, and his body was covered with wounds. Without his cultivation, he was unable to heal himself.
Seeing Jun Yunshang approaching, he raised his head and forced himself to smile. “Your unworthy subject greets the empress.”
Jun Yunshang looked at this uncle who had once doted on her, her expression filled with complex emotions.
She had already learned from Zhao Ban about Emperor Jun Lingtian’s arrangements and warnings regarding Jun Aoshi, yet she still couldn’t understand why he had taken such a desperate gamble.
She asked softly, “Uncle, why did you act when you knew Father was aware of all your plans?”
Jun Aoshi smiled and replied, “The outcome has not yet been determined, and victory or defeat remains to be seen. How can you fear defeat before you even enter the battle?”
Jun Yunshang looked at him with a complicated gaze and shook her head. “You just wanted to die.”
Jun Aoshi did not deny it and nodded his head. “This was a game between me and my elder brother. The winner takes everything and the loser pays the price.”
“If I win, it will all be mine. If I lose, I will clear the way for you and ensure a stable and peaceful Jun Dynasty.”
He looked at her with a sigh and smiled. “Now that I have lost, please grant your uncle a quick death.”
If Lin Fengmian were present, he would understand why Jun Lingtian had insisted that he marry Jun Yunshang instead of Jun Fengya.
Only Jun Yunshang could make Jun Aoshi willingly sacrifice himself and walk to his death, clearing the way for her.
Although Jun Lingtian had given Jun Aoshi a chance to live, given his understanding of Jun Aoshi, how could he not have foreseen Jun Aoshi’s choice?
Sure enough, as expected, Jun Aoshi willingly dragged the King of Liaodong and the Southern King into his trap.
Now Jun Aoshi sought death, but Jun Yunshang smiled and said, “Uncle, in this game of kings and conquerors, it’s not so easy to die.”
Jun Aoshi looked at his niece, who had undergone a transformation. In her familiar face, he saw the shadow of Jun Lingtian.
“Then, what does Your Majesty intend?” he asked.
Jun Yunshang’s expression turned cold. “If you want to die, at least die with dignity. After all, you are a Half-Step Saint.”
“Currently, the Heavenly Fiend Pavilion is at odds with our Jun Dynasty, and the Moon Shadow Dynasty is bound to make moves. You will die on the battlefield.”
She took out a high-grade immortal sword from the treasury and plunged it into the ground, coldly gazing at Jun Aoshi.
“Zhao Ban, let him go!”
Wei Ting, who was worried, said, “Your Majesty, this man is extremely dangerous.”
Jun Yunshang calmly replied, “I know what I’m doing. Release him!”
Wei Ting dared not argue further and allowed Zhao Ban to release Jun Aoshi while keeping a watchful eye on him.
Jun Aoshi reached out and grabbed the hilt of the sword, which immediately erupted in white flames.
Zhao Ban and Wei Ting tensed, standing in front of Jun Yunshang, ready to strike at any moment.
Jun Aoshi’s hand ignited with flames and he used it to burn his own face, leaving it disfigured and emitting a burnt smell.
He knelt down with the sword in his hand, his voice hoarse as he said, “Jun Aoshi is dead. There is only a ghost left, ready to die at any moment. I only ask Your Majesty not to make me wait too long.”
Jun Yunshang looked at him, bit her lip and took a deep breath before turning to leave.
“When it’s time for you to die, I will call you.”
Jun Aoshi smiled. “Thank you for granting me this, Your Majesty!”
The array of the prison was reactivated, sealing Jun Aoshi inside.
Jun Yunshang thought of the words Lin Fengmian had left behind, and her mood grew heavier.
Would the great battle of the dynasty and the chaos of the descendants of the three kings truly come to pass as he had predicted?
At that moment, Zhao Ban suddenly whispered, “Your Majesty, Heavenly Grace King Jun Chengye has submitted a petition requesting the release of Xu Zhibai, the daughter of Xu Su.”
“He claims that Xu Zhibai did not participate in the rebellion and is betrothed to him. He humbly requests that Your Majesty show mercy and allow him to take the punishment on her behalf.”
Jun Yunshang snapped back to reality and immediately understood the key points. A faint smile appeared on her lips.
“It seems that he is quite the romantic. How can I refuse his goodwill and break up a pair of lovers?”
She had always been naive and unwilling to think ill of others, but she was not stupid. On the contrary, she was quite intelligent.
This was clearly Jun Chengye’s way of protecting himself from being ostracized by Xu Su’s remaining forces in the Southern Hills. He wanted Xu Zhibai as his protection.
“Tell my fourth brother that if his sincerity is sufficient, I will release Xu Zhibai. However, he must marry her as his royal consort”.
Zhao Ban agreed and asked, “Your Majesty, how much sincerity is required?”
Jun Yunshang’s eyes narrowed and a flash of coldness passed through them. She said coldly, “As much as possible!”