Everyone felt a chill run down their spines. Chu Gucheng truly lived up to his reputation as someone who had risen from a small figure to his current status step by step. His meticulous planning and methods were truly terrifying.
Han Feng and the others had thought that by surviving and reaching the former Grand Tutor's residence, they would be able to see the Mandarin Duck Jade Pendant and find the true culprit behind the murder of Champion Marquis's wife.
But who would have thought that Chu Gucheng had already made other plans? Even if the assassination failed, he would have someone destroy the pendant.
This way, even if Han Feng and the others had miraculously survived, they would still be unable to investigate the true culprit.
"I really don't know who is targeting the Marquis, making Chu Gucheng go to such lengths to protect them," Han Feng said through gritted teeth, filled with frustration.
Although he had already sent a message to Champion Marquis Chu Heng about the events in the imperial capital, he now suspected that his message might not even reach Chu Heng.
The expressions of the others were equally grim.
Compared to the imperial family, their strength was far too weak. They had no chance of resisting.
In fact, they would have to be cautious in the coming days, as they might face another incident like last night.
Chu Bai was also filled with resentment. He had nearly died last night.
Although Gu Changge had saved him, the Immortal Chu Dynasty would surely send people to eliminate them to cover up last night's events, ensuring they vanished without a trace.
The Immortal Chu Dynasty was no longer safe for him.
Where could they go now? How could they escape?
"The Immortal Chu Dynasty has treated you like this, and at this point, you're still thinking about how to hide. You deserve this."
At this moment, the mocking voice of the Sun-Shooting Bow's spirit suddenly rang out in Chu Bai's mind.
His face turned pale, but he quickly slumped back into despair.
Chu Bai also felt that constantly hiding and fleeing was humiliating and frustrating, but what could he do? Could he really expect to stand against the Immortal Chu Dynasty and Chu Gucheng?
Hadn't he seen how even someone as powerful and mysterious as Gu Changge was now surrounded by multiple Ancestral Dao Realm experts?
The overwhelming killing intent shook past and present, causing everyone's hearts to tremble, as if they were about to kneel under the pressure.
In that direction, as Chu Yuan, the general of the Heaven-Suppressing Army, took the lead, Chu Gucheng and the others followed, launching a terrifying battle that defied description.
The entire imperial capital seemed to come alive, with billions of dazzling strands of mortal wish power surging like dragons from all directions.
The heavens and earth roared, as if an ancient deity had awakened and was breathing.
Countless universes resonated, creating a deafening roar.
The overwhelming aura surged into Chu Gucheng, making him resemble a Human Emperor descending to the mortal world. His armor and battle robes flowed with immortal light as he led everyone in attacking Gu Changge.
The moment the battle began, it was like an ocean surging for billions of miles, shaking the endless ages. Billions of strands of order and rules flooded everything like a vast sea.
The elders of the Imperial Immortal Palace were sent flying by the shockwaves, unable to stand their ground.
As for the ordinary disciples, they were nearly turned into blood mist in an instant.
The surrounding buildings and palaces had already turned to dust, leaving behind an eternal vacuum where even the Dao was annihilated, as if that area had been completely hollowed out.
Then, the battlefield was moved beyond the worlds, making it impossible for anyone to see what was happening or know the state of the battle.
But every moment, vast and terrifying shockwaves swept in from beyond the worlds, like waves crashing against the heavens, pressing down on the hearts of every cultivator.
Outside the imperial capital of the Immortal Chu Dynasty, everything was as silent as eternal night. Stars withered and fell, exploding into dust, and the river of time trembled.
A single glance from an Ancestral Dao Realm expert could destroy countless universes. A battle at that level was beyond imagination, capable of destroying heaven and earth, severing past and present.
Such a battle scene made even beings like Chu Bai feel despair and helplessness, as insignificant as ants or insects.
Faced with the mocking words of the Sun-Shooting Bow's spirit, he had no response.
He was just a "small cultivator" who hadn't even reached the Immortal Emperor realm. How could he possibly intervene in such a terrifying battle?
"If I had the strength of the Ancestral Dao Realm, I could rise up and resist. But now, I can do nothing," Chu Bai said dejectedly.
The Sun-Shooting Bow's spirit sneered, its tone filled with undisguised mockery, "I thought you had some ability, but it seems I overestimated you. With such weak resolve, you still dream of making me submit to you and recognize you as my master? What a delusion."
Chu Bai's face turned even uglier at its ridicule, but he still gritted his teeth and said, "Tell me, what can I do now? Do you really think I can intervene in an Ancestral Dao Realm battle? A single glance from them could annihilate me tens of thousands of times."
The Sun-Shooting Bow's spirit was actually surprised by Chu Bai's timidity.
Logically, someone like him, blessed with fortune, should not be an easy target. They should be restless and ambitious.
In its view, it was likely that the level of the Ancestral Dao Realm had made Chu Bai feel too hopeless and powerless.
However, the current situation couldn't really be blamed on him.
Even Dao Realm experts would feel despair and helplessness in such a situation.
"But don't forget, you're not the only one being oppressed and threatened by the Immortal Chu Dynasty. You could band together for warmth. Since the Immortal Chu Dynasty has acted unjustly first, why should you show them any courtesy?"
"If you don't even have the courage to seek justice, then I think you should give up on cultivation," the Sun-Shooting Bow's spirit continued to sneer. It naturally wouldn't let Chu Bai give up so easily.
Although the situation in the Immortal Chu Dynasty was chaotic, it hadn't completely fallen apart yet. It still needed a little more fuel to ignite.
Chu Bai also understood the logic behind the Sun-Shooting Bow's words.
But he didn't think that banding together with the others would have any impact on the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
At this point, even if Champion Marquis Chu Heng appeared, it would be useless.
Of course, under the Sun-Shooting Bow's words, he was somewhat swayed.
After all, rather than trying to escape and hide, it would be better to stand up and face the Immortal Chu Dynasty directly, demanding justice.
The path of cultivation was like rowing against the current; if you didn't advance, you would fall behind.
And what he cultivated was a clear and unhindered mind. If he continued to cower and hesitate, he would likely develop inner demons, and his cultivation journey would come to an end.
"I understand."
After thinking it through, Chu Bai's eyes shone brightly, becoming extremely clear.
He suddenly understood why the Sun-Shooting Bow's spirit had spoken to him in such a disappointed tone.
His state of mind also seemed to become more transparent, as if it had been cleansed.
"Brother Han Feng, find a way to inform Champion Marquis Chu Heng about the events in the imperial capital. Let him know his current situation. Since the Immortal Chu Dynasty has treated us unjustly and wants to eliminate us, why should we show them any courtesy? This time, we must demand justice from the Immortal Chu Dynasty."
Chu Bai's spirits were lifted, and his mood quickly recovered. He began discussing plans with Han Feng and the others.
Although the House of Talents was under the jurisdiction of the imperial family, many of its members were used to being free-spirited and didn't hold much respect for the imperial family.
Chu Kui, Bi Xin, and the others were naturally not pushovers. After nearly being killed by Chu Gucheng's trusted aides last night, they still hadn't settled that score.
Hearing Chu Bai's words now, they became even more indignant and unanimously agreed to demand justice from the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
It was no secret in the imperial capital that Han Feng was a confidant of Champion Marquis.
They planned to use last night's events to make a big fuss, forcing the imperial family to give an explanation, hand over Champion Marquis's wife's body, and the Mandarin Duck Jade Pendant, so they could uncover the true culprit.
"No matter who killed my daughter, I will find a way to bring them to justice."
"At my age, I no longer have the same pursuit of the Great Dao as I once did. Now, I just want to avenge my daughter, so she can rest in peace in the afterlife."
The former Grand Tutor was no ordinary man. As he gazed at the distant, now-unreachable battlefield, a deep Confucian aura began to flow around him.
Chu Bai's words had deeply moved him.
He had worked diligently for the Immortal Chu Dynasty, nurturing talents and expending great effort. Yet, in the end, his daughter was murdered, her body not yet cold, and the imperial family was protecting the culprit.
Such behavior truly disgusted him.
The former Grand Tutor's words also greatly encouraged Han Feng and the others.
Although the former Grand Tutor rarely acted, he was a true Confucian scholar, his talent akin to the Dao itself. A single piece of paper from him could stabilize the universe, and a single word could shatter the eight directions.
Moreover, the former Grand Tutor had nurtured countless talents. Many of the Immortal Chu Dynasty's current ministers had once been his students. It was no exaggeration to say that his influence was everywhere.
With the former Grand Tutor's support, who would dare to disrespect him?
"With the Grand Tutor's words, we can rest assured," Han Feng and the others said joyfully. It seemed that everything was turning around.
"I haven't involved myself in the affairs of the Immortal Chu Dynasty for a long time, but no matter what, today I will demand an explanation from the imperial family," the former Grand Tutor said solemnly.
Soon, letters written by the former Grand Tutor himself were sent out from the Grand Tutor's residence to the mansions of various ministers in the imperial capital.
In addition, many letters were sent to different regions of the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
An invisible undercurrent began to surge within the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
In the imperial capital, within the Crown Prince's residence, Chu Wushang listened calmly to his confidant's report, his face showing no emotion.
"As expected, just as Father said, the Grand Tutor won't stay quiet. That's why I was told to keep a close eye on the Grand Tutor's residence."
"Fortunately, Father had already made arrangements. Now that the imperial capital is sealed off, no news or movements can reach the outside world. If those ministers rebel and take sides at this time, we can deal with them as collaborators of the remnants of the Black Calamity."
"Although it's cutting off a piece of flesh, it's beneficial for the long-term development of the Immortal Chu Dynasty," Chu Wushang murmured.
At the same time, he looked at the scene outside, focusing on the shattered ruins in front of the Imperial Immortal Palace's residence.
Since Chu Gucheng, Law Sage, Old Jin, and the others had joined forces to surround Gu Changge, the battle that shook past and present had already begun.
However, a battle at the Ancestral Dao Realm level was beyond the imagination of ordinary beings. It was a battle fought across endless dimensions of time and space.
The aura there had already become chaotic and shattered, making it impossible for anyone to observe. It was even more chaotic than before the creation of heaven and earth.
Chu Wushang also couldn't see what was happening there, but he could sense that the space-time in that area was constantly twisting, shattering, and reforming. Great worlds were collapsing in unseen dimensions.
The sky above the imperial capital of the Immortal Chu Dynasty had already turned pitch black, like eternal night.
The stars dimmed, shattering and falling in the tremors, turning into dazzling dust.
The endless dimensions trembled, and the traces of the battle spread across all eras, overlapping into endless nothingness.
Apart from Chu Wushang, countless others were also watching that area.
But they could see nothing. Only those close to the Ancestral Dao Realm or true Ancestral Dao Realm experts could vaguely glimpse a faint outline, seeing figures flying and terrifying hands descending from the end of the river of time, crushing everything in their path.
Their expressions were grave and wary. Ancestral Dao Realm experts were the true foundation of immortal factions, rarely appearing, let alone engaging in battle, for hundreds of epochs.
A situation like today, where multiple Ancestral Dao Realm experts joined forces to besiege one person, was the first of its kind in the countless years of the Prime-Origin Civilization.
At this moment, it wasn't just the Immortal Chu Dynasty. In other regions of the Prime-Origin Civilization, and even beyond the Vast Expanse, countless cultivators and beings felt the terrifying, overwhelming aura pressing down, as if the endless heavens were about to shatter.
"Everyone, join me in subduing this demon!"
Suddenly, Chu Gucheng's furious roar erupted, as if coming from beyond the worlds, accompanied by a deafening roar.
The sound seemed to make everyone's ears burst.
Then, they saw the Dao Realm experts who had charged into the battlefield beyond the worlds coughing blood and being sent flying. One figure, covered in blood, fell from the sky.
His armor was shattered, revealing a face covered in bone fragments. It was Chu Yuan, the general of the Heaven-Suppressing Army.
At this moment, he was covered in blood, with no part of his body intact. His skull was cracked, his forehead caved in, and a terrifying hole had been blown through his chest. Black, chaotic rules and order swirled around the wound, constantly eroding his vitality.
He was severely injured, as if a fist of light had pierced through his body, leaving him almost completely incapacitated as he fell from the sky.
This scene filled everyone with horror and shock.
They had thought this battle would be one-sided, given the number of powerful experts and the fact that it was taking place on the Immortal Chu Dynasty's territory, where Chu Gucheng held an unbeatable advantage.
But in such a short time, Chu Yuan had been grievously wounded, nearly dead, his body shrouded in deathly aura as he fell. No wonder Chu Gucheng had let out that earth-shaking roar earlier.
"He should be fine…"
Ling Yuxian's strength naturally didn't allow her to participate in this battle, but her heart was clenched with worry for Gu Changge.
At this moment, she also noticed that Saintess Xiyuan, who hadn't joined the battle, seemed even more nervous than her, unlike her usual cold and transcendent demeanor.
"If my sister were here, it would be better."
Ling Yuxian felt that something was off about Saintess Xiyuan, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was.
Now, she could only hope that her sister Ling Yuling would appear and stop all of this.
This battle had undoubtedly shaken the entire Immortal Chu Dynasty and even the entire Prime-Origin Civilization.
Many profound and mysterious places, unknown realms, turned their gazes here, filled with astonishment.
From beyond the worlds, the rumbling sounds seemed to pierce through the entire space, resonating to the ends of nothingness, becoming the absolute sound of the heavens and earth.
Here, all kinds of Dao principles, order, and fragments of the Great Dao danced. All the supreme laws and unparalleled Dao techniques that had ever existed in past and present were being unleashed.
Buzz!!!
Every rune shone with the most blinding light, its lethality terrifying, shaking the endless ages.
This siege lasted for a long time, so long that it made people tremble, as if billions of years had passed, yet it also felt incredibly brief.
Because in that place, there was no concept of time. No one knew how much time had truly passed.
The concept of time had been erased from that region.
For Ancestral Dao Realm experts, there was no such thing as exhaustion.
They had reached the pinnacle of strength, able to restore their essence with a wave of their hand. There was no such thing as running out of energy or exhausting their vitality.
Their life force and energy were nearly infinite, undying and immortal.
Boom!!!
Suddenly, another deafening explosion rang out, as if a hole had been torn in the heavens and earth. The battlefield beyond the worlds shattered, and a gap appeared. The originally dark and deep cosmos was illuminated as if by an eternal divine thunderbolt.
Everyone saw a terrifying, blurry figure standing in the center, lightly flicking his sleeve and striking down, carrying the weight of billions of Great Dao principles, like the true ruler of the universe, the master of all worlds.
In the next moment, another figure fell from the sky, also covered in blood.
His originally hunched body now resembled a broken sack, his arms nearly severed, his face filled with horror and disbelief.
"Impossible…"
Old Jin from the Dawn Civilization spat out blood as he was sent flying from the battlefield.