In the Imperial Capital.
"Fifth Princess, the current situation is unpredictable. The Imperial Dynasty now has its own set of rules. We ask that you clear the way."
The cultivators of the various factions formed array formations. Someone shouted a warning, but to Zishu Feng, it no longer mattered.
She let out a soft sigh. These factions, which had helped the Zishu family conquer the realm back then, were now fully fledged.
They had bared their sharp fangs and claws, aiming them straight at their former masters.
She looked around. The array formations above the clouds made it hard to breathe, even with her Dao-Integration realm strength.
Ancient memories surfaced in her mind.
She had encountered this kind of situation before.
During the glory days of the Imperial Dynasty under her royal father's leadership, Human Race cultivators had surrounded their enemies just like this.
Human Race cultivators had also been just as arrogant, utterly disregarding the noble bloodlines of any other race.
Only back then, she was the besieger. Now, she had surprisingly become the alien outsider.
A profound sense of desolation welled up within her.
Looking at the people surrounding her from all directions, she noticed a trace of reluctance flash across some of their faces.
Reluctance? Where did that come from? Zishu Feng couldn't understand. If they were going to rebel, then rebel—why put on such a hypocritical show of sympathy?
The cold wind howled in the cloudy sky, and Zishu Feng's green robes snapped in the wind. Suddenly, the eyes of the surrounding cultivators turned icy cold.
Dao-Integration realm Dao rhythm rose around Zishu Feng. Everyone retreated in shock.
The Fifth Princess of the Imperial Dynasty slightly raised her right arm, and heaven and earth Dao methods surged toward her, forming a vortex in her hand.
Under this terrifying, world-shaking power, a hilt gradually materialized in Zishu Feng's grasp.
The brocade flag attached to the hilt fluttered in the wind. Upon the flag, a nine-clawed golden dragon shone brilliantly, looking as if it would devour anyone in its path!
"The Spirit Treasure, Mountains and Rivers Nine-Clawed Golden Dragon Flag!"
Someone cried out, and the crowd was horror-struck, finally recalling the terror of this master from the legends.
In the years of the great war between the Human Race and the Wu Tribe, on many brutal battlefields, the immortal soldiers of the Imperial Dynasty could always see a golden flag fluttering amidst the clouds.
The little girl waving the flag gradually grew up. The heroes of the Zishu family and the Human Race died in battle one after another, yet the voice waving the flag and cheering for the Human Race never vanished.
Her voice shifted from innocent to resolute, and her figure transformed from small to gracefully curved.
Wherever the Mountains and Rivers Nine-Clawed Golden Dragon Flag was, there lay the hope of the Human Race.
As long as the Golden Dragon Flag fluttered, the mountains and rivers of the Human Race would not fall!
Zishu Feng looked nostalgically at the Mountains and Rivers Nine-Clawed Golden Dragon Flag. It was letting out a mournful cry.
It seemed that even the spirit of the Spirit Treasure never expected that one day, what it faced would not be the fear of enemies, but the subjects of the Imperial Dynasty—the very people who had once guarded the mountains and rivers alongside it and the Zishu family.
...
After an unknown number of years, Zishu Feng once again wielded the Mountains and Rivers Nine-Clawed Golden Dragon Flag.
Under the oppressive might of the Spirit Treasure, cultivator after cultivator retreated, hesitation evident in their eyes.
However, the Junior Commander of Destiny from the Divine Temple couldn't suppress the upward curl of his mouth.
"Fifth Princess, you had better think clearly. The people of the Azure Cloud Li Clan acting recklessly in the Imperial Capital is a grave crime.
We are apprehending criminals; if the Fifth Princess intentionally obstructs us, it will be considered treason."
Yet Zishu Feng still stood guard in front of the Peerless Hall.
Seeing her resolute demeanor, Ah Hei of the Emberwing Guard, who had come under orders, gritted his teeth and said,
"Fifth Princess, please think thrice before you act. Otherwise, no one can save you today.
If you remain stubbornly persistent, you won't be able to save the Li Clan members either.
Even if the Li Clan members are captured, there is still time for you to seek out Wu Neng, Patriarch Heavenly Light, the Sword Ancestor, myself, and our colleagues to beg the Empress to release them, but if you fight now, it will be too late!"
As Ah Hei's words fell, he saw the angry glares of the Junior Commander of Destiny and numerous cultivators, but his expression didn't change in the slightest.
"I am not saving the Li Clan members."
Before Ah Hei could breathe a sigh of relief at Zishu Feng's words, she swept her gaze over the crowd and flourished the Golden Dragon Flag.
The Junior Commander of Destiny's eyes turned icy. In his vision, following the wave of the Golden Dragon Flag, the Dao intent of the nine-clawed golden dragon charged at him, along with countless phantoms of immortal soldiers.
The Dragon Flag snapped, and killing intent was born!
Under this heavy siege, Zishu Feng's eyes were piercingly cold as she charged straight for the Junior Commander of Destiny.
As the array formations of the surrounding cultivators struck, she only let out a cold snort.
"This is my Zishu family's realm! I, Zishu Feng, watched this empire being conquered bit by bit. A portion of this realm belongs to me! You dare to bully me on my own land? What an absolute joke!"
"I built this empire, and I can destroy it!"
Killing intent boiled over!