Chapter 51: The Purge Begins
Dawnriver City buzzed with the tense hum of a city on the brink, its cobblestone streets alive with the clatter of boots and the sharp clink of chains, the midday sun casting harsh light over the unfolding purge. The air carried the faint scent of smoke from distant skirmishes and the nervous sweat of the gathered crowds, a stark contrast to the usual aroma of street food. Lin Xuan led the charge against the Prime Minister's allies, his 8th Layer Qi Transformation aura a commanding force, his crimson eyes blazing with determination. The Celestial Unity Crest on his back pulsed faintly, a quiet guide as he moved through the city, his voice firm. "We root out the traitors—no mercy for those who betray us."
He coordinated with Liu Yue, now at the 4th Layer Qi Transformation, her snowflake mark glowing as she directed the sealing of traitor strongholds with Icy Skin mist, her moonlight eyes scanning for threats. "Seal that warehouse—don't let them escape!" she called, her raven hair whipping in the breeze, her tone authoritative yet supportive. Liu Yang, his 1st Layer Qi Gathering qi still nascent but growing, assisted with a swift strike of his blood-forged glaive, disabling a fleeing guard with a grunt. "Got him—next!" he shouted, his young face set with focus, though the weight of his identity crisis lingered in his tightened grip.
In the Ji Clan halls, Ji Yunjing, at the mid-3rd Layer Profound Heavenly Realm, ordered arrests, his silk robes rustling as he paced, his voice resolute. "Take them into custody—justice must be swift," he said, his leadership tested as guards dragged resisting nobles away, their cries echoing through the marble corridors. The air thickened with the scent of incense and the tension of betrayal, the halls a battlefield of loyalty and deceit. Bai Ningxue, her 7th Layer Qi Transformation aura a serene counterpoint, sealed traitor qi with her Thousand Lotus Seal Art, her seals shimmering as she moved. "This'll bind their power—keep going," she said, her spirited laugh a brief relief amidst the strain, her duty deepening with each act.
Internal battles intensified as Hei Clan resistance flared, their dark qi lashing out with skeletal hands and eerie chants, a guard falling with a choked scream. "They're fighting back—watch the flanks!" Lin Xuan shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos as he struck down a necromancer with a precise qi burst, the man collapsing in a heap. The city streets echoed with the clash of steel and the murmur of the crowd, the purge a relentless wave that swept through Dawnriver. Liu Yue joined him, her breath heavy but her resolve firm. "We're making progress, Senior Brother—don't stop now," she said, her hand brushing his arm in encouragement. The halls and streets alike bore the scars of their resolve, the purge a testament to their unity against a growing defiance.