Chapter 497: 496. Conquering the Great Ming Capital

Chapter 497: 496. Conquering the Great Ming Capital



Zhuo Baojie, clad in a purple Daoist robe, had become quite adept and skillfully retrieved the North Pole Sword from his master, Lei Jun, while also cleaning up the remaining traces at the scene.

The thunderfire explosion caused by the North Pole Sword's descent quickly engulfed and incinerated the massive remains of the Tree Sea Golden Toad.

The Southern Zhao demons gathered here suffered heavy casualties.

However, some who were on the outskirts managed to escape, barely clinging to their lives.

But at this moment, Zhuo Baojie, who had arrived early and was waiting nearby for his master's signal, swiftly eliminated them one by one.

Among them were numerous demons from the Seventh Heaven and even the Eighth Heaven, but having been affected by the North Pole Sword's descent, the few who survived by chance were all injured and in a state of shock.

Elder Zhuo, a high-achieving expert from the Talisman Sect who had already reached the second layer of the Eighth Heaven, had no difficulty in dealing with these demons.

As he struck down an Eighth Heaven demon, he raised his head and gazed towards the Hengduan Mountains in the distance.

The distance was too great, and Zhuo Baojie couldn't make out the specific scenery in the mountains.

But he could vaguely see a faint light streaking across the sky above the snowy peaks of the Hengduan Mountains.

Even in broad daylight, it was clearly visible.

And it wasn't just one streak of light.

One after another, beams of light flashed across the sky, each disappearing in the blink of an eye.

The Snow Mountain Ape, who had been in the mountains, heard the news of the Tree Sea Golden Toad's encounter from its subordinates and was filled with doubt and uncertainty. However, it didn't linger for long.

It quickly made a decision, calling out to the numerous demons from the snowy plateau, and they swiftly departed, returning to the snowy plains.

But before they could truly set off, a faint light flashed in the sky above, descending from the heavens.

This time, the beam of light didn't land in the distance but headed straight for the Hengduan Mountains in the Great Ming's human realm.

It aimed directly at the Snow Mountain Ape and the other demons from the snowy plateau.

A sense of foreboding arose in the Snow Mountain Ape's heart, and its entire body seemed to bristle with fear. Its already massive body seemed to swell even further.

With a single leap, its explosive power and speed were astonishing, resembling a human martial arts expert who had reached the peak of the Ninth Heaven.

With this leap, it seemed to traverse the void, crossing over mountains and rivers, as if trying to escape back to the snowy plateau.

Just as the Snow Mountain Ape's body moved, the beam of light suddenly appeared and landed.

The Snow Mountain Ape felt a sharp edge brush past its body.

Demonic energy surged, and blood splattered everywhere.

The giant ape narrowly escaped, relying on its incredible leaping speed to avoid being split in half by the beam of light.

But as the beam of light descended, the Snow Mountain Ape realized that the seemingly insignificant light in the air was accompanied by howling winds and rumbling thunder. As it neared the ground, the beam of light slashed down with a chilling force, grazing the ape's body and causing its flesh to fly in all directions.

What made the Snow Mountain Ape even more desperate was that more than one beam of light descended upon them.

On the observation platform of Penglai, Lei Jun sat cross-legged, his expression calm.

In addition to the North Pole Sword aimed at the Tree Sea Golden Toad, the Taiyi Gate-Crushing Sword, the Heavenly Sword, the Vast Void Sword, and the Vast Sea Sword were all unleashed, targeting the Snow Mountain Ape.

Not only was the Snow Mountain Ape's cultivation base stronger than that of the Tree Sea Golden Toad, but more importantly, it possessed characteristics similar to those of a human martial arts expert, with a strong foundation of vigilance and incredibly fast movement techniques.

The Primagnetic Flying Sword, once unleashed, would not change its target.

Striking the Tree Sea Golden Toad with a single sword was not difficult, but dealing with the Snow Mountain Ape might give it a chance to rely on luck.

Therefore, compared to the Tree Sea Golden Toad, Lei Celestial Master paid extra attention to the Snow Mountain Ape.

After continuously refining them during this period, the Heavenly Sword, the Vast Void Sword, and the Vast Sea Sword, following the North Pole Sword, had all merged with the profound mysteries of the void.

At this moment, the four swords were unleashed together, directly piercing through the spatial boundaries of Penglai and the Great Ming's human realm, slashing through the sky and descending upon the snowy peaks of the Hengduan Mountains.

The four swords arrived simultaneously, their blades shimmering with wind and thunder, their aura condensed. Wherever they passed, even if not directly pointed, they covered a large area.

Even with the Snow Mountain Ape's agility, it was caught in the chaos created by the two sword lights, slicing it to a bloody mess.

Injured, its massive body no longer displayed its previous agility.

As another sword light descended from the sky, the Snow Mountain Ape could no longer resist, and amidst the thunderous roar of thunderfire, it was instantly split in half from head to toe by the sword's edge!

As the four sword lights landed together, the originally desolate snow-capped peaks instantly vanished.

For a moment, only dazzling brilliance flashed.

There was no dust in the air, no shattered rocks.

It was as if a continuous snow-capped mountain range had been suddenly dug up from the ground, transforming the mountain peaks into a deep valley basin in an instant.

Along with the Snow Mountain Ape, the numerous demons from the snowy plateau who had come with it all perished, without even a sound.

After some time, there was a loud explosion, and blazing thunderbolts erupted from the depths of the valley, shaking the surroundings.

The entire Hengduan Mountains seemed to tremble as if the end of the world had arrived with the heavens collapsing and the earth shattering.

In the distance, Zhuo Baojie, having dealt with the Southern Zhao demons and cleaned up the scene, began to walk towards the explosion site at a leisurely pace.

The raging thunderfire swept across the area.

Zhuo Baojie waited for the situation to calm down before stepping into the sea of fire and thick smoke.

At the bottom of the valley basin, the Taiyi Gate-Crushing Sword, the Heavenly Sword, the Vast Void Sword, and the Vast Sea Sword were all embedded in the valley, pointing in different directions.

Zhuo Baojie checked his surroundings and, seeing no other great demons in the snowy plains, he bowed to the four magical swords and then collected them one by one before leaving the area.

Lei Jun's two attacks were truly earth-shattering.

The Ming Dynasty had people nearby to gather information, and they had previously discovered the Snow Mountain Ape and the Tree Sea Toad King meeting up, which made them even more tense.

But what followed was a dramatic and shocking change.

By the time they rushed over to investigate, there were no living creatures left at the scene.

Under the scorching thunderfire, the powerful demon kings, the Snow Mountain Ape and the Tree Sea Toad King, were completely annihilated, making it difficult to identify their remains.

The sheer destructive power that affected the surrounding area chilled the hearts of the Ming people.

The dense and oppressive demonic energy that had enveloped Nanzhao like dark clouds was now dispelled by the masculine thunderfire.

What about the Snow Mountain Ape?

What about the Tree Sea Toad King?

Did these great demons have other plans and changed their meeting location?

Or...

A guess emerged in the minds of the Ming people, the most likely explanation for the scene before them, yet also the most astonishing.

Two of the top demon kings of the Ninth Heaven had lost their lives together?

Who could have done this?

"Report this to the capital immediately!" someone shouted.

The news was sent to the Ming capital at once.

Unfortunately, Emperor Han Zhenning and Prime Minister Zhou Mingzhe of the Ming Dynasty couldn't wait for the report.

In the capital, after hearing the news about the Snow Mountain Ape and the Tree Sea Toad King meeting up in the southwest, Zhou Mingzhe's expression turned serious, and he looked towards Yuan Qingci, the head of the Shushan Sect and the Ming Dynasty's Prime Minister.

Yuan Qingci's expression remained calm, "Prime Minister, don't worry. The Celestial Master will personally take action."

Zhou Mingzhe asked, "Will the Thunder True Monarch personally enter the mortal realm to slay demons?"

Although he asked, he didn't believe it in his heart.

But this didn't calm his mind.

"Earlier, the Celestial Master personally took action and eliminated the three great demon kings—the Sea King Chrysanthemum, the Northern Sea Whale King, and the Six-Angled Golden Shark—who had been wreaking havoc in the deep oceans of the Tang Dynasty for a long time. Each of them was comparable to a cultivator of the Ninth Heaven realm, especially the Sea King Chrysanthemum, which could only be compared to a handful of the most powerful demons in the Ming Dynasty. But now, they can no longer cause havoc in the Tang Dynasty's seas."

Yuan Qingci explained, "In recent years, the cultivation world of the Tang Dynasty has been relatively stable, with fewer conflicts among human cultivators. This allows us to concentrate our strength and eradicate demons from all directions.

By the time the Celestial Master took action, the top demons in the mortal realm of the Tang Dynasty had basically been eliminated, leaving only the Sea King Chrysanthemum and the other two demons hiding in the deep oceans. They were skilled at using the vast ocean to escape, making it difficult to eradicate them.

Finally, the Celestial Master took action and put an end to the situation. From then on, there were no more top demons in the mortal realm of the Tang Dynasty. The fellow cultivators of the Tang Dynasty only needed to conduct thorough inspections to prevent future disasters."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Mingzhe's eyes lit up, and he fell into deep thought.

Yuan Qingci continued, "It was only after the Celestial Master eliminated the demons that Wood Daoist Brother and I were able to truly set our minds at ease and return to the Ming Dynasty."

"Should the Dragon Tiger Mountain intervene now that the Snow Mountain Ape and the Tree Sea Toad King have joined forces?" Zhou Mingzhe stared at Yuan Qingci, "Is it time to kill demons and warn others?"

Just as Yuan Qingci was about to respond, the entire capital of the Ming Dynasty began to shake.

A vast amount of brilliant light and cultural aura soared into the sky, intertwining and forming a vast expanse of dense ink that resembled a sea of smoke.

These dense ink clouds seemed to collectively form an even larger, majestic ink-black city, suspended in mid-air, enveloping the already magnificent Ming capital.

Zhou Mingzhe's expression changed, but he quickly regained his composure, "As expected, compared to the four great demons and the common people, the Dragon Tiger Mountain values our dynasty's fortune more. I wonder if Elder Yuan knew about this beforehand and deceived me here, or if you and Mu Chunyang were also deceived by the Dragon Tiger Mountain?"

In the Ming Palace, Emperor Han Zhenning's expression turned solemn as he began writing a decree with great urgency and then affixed his seal to it.

As he wrote, the defensive restrictions of the Ming capital automatically activated.

The massive ink city covered and enveloped the surroundings, solid and sturdy.

On the ink-black city, a thousand-foot golden light flashed in all directions.

But the golden light seemed to be eroded by an invisible force, shattering repeatedly.

The ink city also showed signs of distortion and cracking, as if enduring immense pressure.

Protected by these barriers, the attacking invisible force revealed its true form.

It was a beam of light that didn't seem particularly intense but was wondrously soft and resilient.

The source of the light beam reached high into the sky.

Above the sky, where even Zhou Mingzhe and Han Zhenning couldn't see clearly, a bright mirror hung high.

On the mirror's surface, two divine talismans, one gold and one silver, flashed their brilliance together.

The divine abilities of Lei Jun's Heaven Soaring Pure Yang Talisman and Heaven Soaring Pure Yin Talisman were refined into the Jade Purity Heavenly Mirror. At this moment, they merged and transformed into the Yin-Yang Existence Radiance.

The radiance was not flashy, but its power was astonishing.

The Ming capital gathered the dragon veins of mountains and rivers, the result of the Ming Dynasty's accumulation of rituals and laws over the years.

The more the Confucian scholars' rituals and laws accumulated, the stronger their power became.

At this level, the Neo-Confucian scholars' rituals and laws were even more powerful.

In terms of defensive strength, the Ming capital surpassed the Tang Dynasty's imperial capital, the Han Dynasty's capital of Chang'an, and the former Golden Khanate capital of the Song Dynasty.

But at this moment, under the Yin-Yang Existence Radiance, the golden light below and the majestic ink-black city were continuously penetrated and broken.

As the jade seal of Han Zhenning descended, the ministers of the Great Ming, led by Zhou Mingzhe and below, all in the capital, joined forces, and a more dazzling golden light and a more condensed Ink City emerged.

From high above, it seemed as if the entire Great Ming realm trembled at this moment.

Points of light continuously rose from the vast lands of the Great Ming.

It was as if a hidden dragon was coiled within the Great Ming territories, awakening from its slumber at this very moment.

The colossal dragon raised its head, its gaze fixed on the capital.

Right above the imperial palace in the capital.

Amidst the flashing golden light, a massive dragon head took form, roaring upwards.

The massive, ink-like fortress, even more magnificent than before, now shimmered with golden radiance, expanding continuously, supporting the soaring dragon head.

The Yin-Yang Existence Radiance, targeting the defensive restrictions of the Great Ming capital, was suppressed at this moment.

Below, the citizens within the city, and the people both inside and outside the capital, were all astonished by the awe-inspiring spectacle unfolding above the capital.

Inside Penglai, Lei Jun calmly observed everything from the observation platform.

In the high sky above the Great Ming capital, the Jade Purity Heavenly Mirror's spiritual power began to further condense at this moment.

In addition to the Pure Yang Immortal Thunder and Pure Yin Immortal Thunder condensed into the Yin-Yang Existence Radiance, which continued to shine down, more divine abilities and talismans appeared on the mirror's surface, flashing with brilliance.

The Chen Yang Middle Heaven Talisman condensed into a vermillion Heavenly Star True Flame.

The Fire Law Earth Talisman condensed into a verdant Nine Abyss True Flame.

With the fusion of Yin and Yang, their strengths and weaknesses were shared, and instantly, a star-like existence, as if burning stars, descended from the heavens, plummeting towards the ground.

It struck the towering dragon head and the majestic Ink City, high above the Great Ming capital.

In an instant, boundless light and heat erupted in the capital's sky.

The vast flames spread in all directions.

The golden dragon head was smashed, tilting to one side, unable to raise itself again, barely managing to wield its golden light to suppress the spreading flames.

The black Ink City also withstood the encroaching flames.

But like an unquenchable flame with no end in sight, the flames continued to burn the Ink City, causing cracks to appear.

However, it was precisely because of their existence that the thunderfire did not harm the real Great Ming capital below.

"Shadow Abyss has made extensive preparations in the Great Ming realm..." Lei Jun muttered, "Ending the Ming Emperor like this would only let Zheng Baiyu reap the benefits."

Although he said this, he couldn't just let it go...

As Lei Jun recited in the heart of Penglai.

The Jade Purity Heavenly Mirror high above the Great Ming realm suddenly revealed new divine abilities and talismans on its surface.

The Thunder Law Heaven Talisman and the Mysterious Heaven Five Thunder Talisman.

The purple Nine Heaven Thunder and the black Mysterious Heaven Immortal Thunder intertwined in a fusion of Yin and Yang, releasing an extremely condensed and dazzling beam of light, as if splitting the sky below in two, directly targeting the Great Ming capital.

The dragon shadow and the Ink City, currently withstanding the attacks of the Yin-Yang Existence Radiance and the Yin-Yang Heaven Soaring Extreme Light, were struck by the concentrated and powerful Yin-Yang Heaven Soaring Extreme Light, which was most effective against a single target. The massive dragon head was pierced through!

As the Jade Purity Heavenly Mirror shifted, the radiant beam of light that spanned the heavens and earth became like a sharp blade, slicing through the golden dragon head's light and shadow above the capital like a knife through tofu.

Affected by this, the Ink City could no longer withstand the onslaught.

The raging flames of the Yin-Yang Existence Radiance instantly incinerated and dissolved the ink-like restrictions formed by spiritual power.

Whether it was Emperor Han Zhenning in the imperial palace or the Great Ming ministers like Zhou Mingzhe, Zeng Kui, and Chao Feng, all were shocked at this moment.

Lei Jun's Yin-Yang Existence Radiance rolled once more.

The radiant light above the imperial palace instantly dissipated.

In the distance, outside the capital, a flash of light passed by, flying into the city at a speed too fast for ordinary people to notice.

But someone in the imperial palace leaped up, attempting to block the sword light.

However, the speed of the sword light varied, and after a flash in mid-air, the person trying to block it was knocked sideways.

Beside Emperor Han Zhenning appeared an elderly man with a pale face and no beard, guarding him.

He was none other than Qian Ping, the top martial artist within the Great Ming palace and the Grand Secretary of the Directorate of Ceremonial, a trusted aide of Emperor Han Zhenning.

Despite being an eunuch, his literary talent and charisma impressed all, and he was indeed a great Confucian scholar who could pacify the realm.

The man who tried to block the flying beam of light was also a pale-faced, beardless man, Liu Shuo, the top martial artist in the palace and the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Stables, another trusted aide of the emperor.

With the intentions of Zhou Mingzhe, Zeng Kui, and Chao Feng, there were no longer any Nine Heavens martial artists in the outer court.

Liu Shuo was the only Martial Saint of the Great Ming Dynasty.

Qian Ping and Liu Shuo, one literary and one martial, were both trusted aides of Emperor Han Zhenning, assisting him in managing the court and the outside world.

Although Liu Shuo was not a fully cultivated Nine Heavens Martial Saint, his strength was formidable, yet he was repelled by the beam of light, like a flowing river of time, with just one clash.

Both Emperor Han Zhenning and Qian Ping were shocked by this sight.

But Lei Jun's Yin-Yang Existence Radiance descended, and they could only retreat in fear.

And the beam of light, like a flowing river of time, seemed slow but was incredibly fast, reaching them in an instant.

A Daoist in plain clothes and straw sandals, dressed similarly to Yuan Qingci, emerged from the river of time.

He appeared young, but his eyes held a detached weariness, and he held a sword that shone with sword light.

"A scattered immortal?! Much stronger than Han Qing Tao!" Liu Shuo, the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Stables, grunted. "A Shushan Sword Cultivator!"

The intelligence they had gathered earlier had already revealed the identity of the newcomer.

In the Southern Jin, the head of the Shu Mountain Sect, Shen Xi, a great sword cultivator who had reached the pinnacle of the Five Qi Awakening Immortal Realm.

Not only did his cultivation surpass that of Han Qing Tao from the past, but even if they were at the same level, Shen Xi would still be a step ahead.

After his appearance, without much conversation, his sword aura flowed, slicing through one ritual after another.

At this moment, Yuan Qingci also transformed into a stream of light and rushed over, forming hand seals in front of his chest and shouted, "Chit!"

In an instant, the ground shook, and the treasures that were restrained by the ritual's constraints broke free from the earth.

One of them resembled white clouds floating, with bells ringing softly within, enchanting and boundless, it was the most precious treasure of the Great Ming Shu Mountain Sect, the Immortal Sky Bell.

On the other side, golden and silver lights intertwined, like the sun and moon rising together.

In the center of the radiance, a treasure gourd was guarded by the two colors of yin and yang, it was one of the founding treasures of the Great Ming Shu Mountain Sect, the Heaven and Earth Gourd.

"This disciple is unworthy and ashamed before the founding ancestor," Yuan Qingci bowed to the Heaven and Earth Gourd and simultaneously retrieved the gourd and the Immortal Sky Bell.

Beside him, Shen Xi also bowed to the Heaven and Earth Gourd.

At the same time, the light of his innate treasure, the Morning and Evening Sword, flowed, and the large amount of ink characters transformed by the Confucian ritual system were all cut down.

Zhou Mingzhe, the Prime Minister of the Great Ming, who had been chasing after them, saw this and his face turned as solemn as water.

Whether it was Mu Chunyang, Yuan Qingci, or even Guangshu, the abbot of the Great Ming Bodhi Temple, when facing the ritual system of the Great Ming Legalism, they would all be suppressed to some extent and find it difficult to display their true abilities.

Even Mu Chunyang, who had already reached the fifth layer of the Ninefold Heaven of the Five Qi Awakening Realm in the Furnace Dao Sect, was no exception.

But Shen Xi, standing before them, was not like that.

He did not grow up under the influence of the Great Ming Legalism.

Mu Chunyang, Chu Kun, and Zhang Haipeng, indeed, were still in the Bashu region.

But Shen Xi had quietly moved to the vicinity of the Great Ming capital.

Which meant...

From the very beginning, they had planned to act like this!

"The Celestial Master has never intended to kill demons and warn people."

Yuan Qingci sighed softly and looked at Zhou Mingzhe, "The Celestial Master instructed us to act as we are doing now. As for the great demons, if any of them have ill intentions and try to take advantage of the chaos, he will deal with them along the way."

"My previous advice was because I also have a personal wish for peace, as I am also from the Great Ming."

After speaking, Yuan Qingci raised his head and looked up at the distant sky, bowing from afar, "The Heaven and Earth Gourd and the Immortal Sky Bell have finally returned to Shu Mountain. The Celestial Master's kindness in assisting us is unforgettable for all of Shu Mountain."

Shen Xi also performed a Daoist bow, and then his immortal soul merged with the Morning and Evening Sword, its sword aura resembling a river of time, swept up Yuan Qingci, who had just retrieved the treasures, and instantly sent him far away, flying towards the outskirts of the capital.

Han Zhenning, Zhou Mingzhe, Qian Ping, Liu Shuo, and others looked up at the sky above with apprehension, no longer daring to act recklessly.

"The great demon of the southwest?" Emperor Han Zhenning's expression remained unchanged as his gaze shifted.

Zhou Mingzhe remained silent.

Lei Jun had broken through their capital's defense restrictions.

The Great Ming Dynasty's capital had fallen today.

In this situation, how could he spare the time to personally deal with the restless Snow Mountain Savage Ape and Tree Sea Golden Toad in the southwest?

Yuan Qingci's words clearly implied that Lei Jun could handle both matters simultaneously.

Although Lei Jun was an immortal, could he really do it? Or...

Could he attack various places in the human realm without entering it himself? Were both the Great Ming capital and the southwestern borderlands of Nanzhao within his attack range?

Han Zhenning and Zhou Mingzhe's hearts both harbored this thought, and they were shocked.

"Your Majesty, I have ordered people to quickly investigate and report back on Nanzhao's situation," Zhou Mingzhe said.

Emperor Han Zhenning's gaze swept across the four directions.

Lei Jun, Shen Xi, and Yuan Qingci had acted with restraint, and the densely populated Great Ming capital had not suffered too much damage, but the defense restrictions had been completely destroyed.

With so many experts present in the Great Ming capital, including Han Zhenning, Zhou Mingzhe, Zeng Kui, Chao Feng, Sima Cheng, Qian Ping, and Liu Shuo, Shen Xi and Yuan Qingci came and went freely, even taking away the Heaven and Earth Gourd and the Immortal Sky Bell!

"How humiliating and disgraceful!"

Han Zhenning spoke with emphasis on each word, "This is why the Great Ming must have immortals!"

Later, urgent news arrived from the southwest.

Hearing that the Snow Mountain Savage Ape, Tree Sea Golden Toad, and other great demons might have been killed, and comparing the timing, it was right when the capital was attacked, the Great Ming's emperor and officials fell silent.

Emperor Han Zhenning felt the upheaval in the land and mountains, and for a moment, he felt the country's fate and dragon veins were weaker than ever before.

Not only because Lei Jun had just cut off the dragon's head.

But also because the battle high above had clearly unfolded before the eyes of the people inside and outside the capital, and the news spread like wings.

The already wavering hearts of the people suffered another heavy blow.

The people's hearts and the country's fate were intertwined, affecting each other.

The White Lotus Sect's efforts over the years had finally paid off today.

The Great Ming's reign was shaken.

Han Zhenning's already slim chances of becoming a saint seemed to vanish like a reflection on water at this moment.

As this thought, the injuries caused by the interconnected Qi could no longer be suppressed.

The Great Ming Emperor stood in the ruins of the palace, his body swaying again.

Suddenly, he felt his soul tearing apart in pain, the world spinning, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

Amidst the surrounding crowd's exclamations, Emperor Han Zhenning's body fell backward.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end