Qing Kingdom, the Capital.

As the capital of a nation, this place was the stabilizing pillar of the entire Qing Kingdom. Whether the Qing Kingdom was in chaos or not could be seen from the changes in the atmosphere within the city.

Early this morning, the city was still peaceful. However, as the battle report of Zhalong Pass being breached at the frontlines arrived, from the officials down to the common people, all fell into panic. All kinds of rumors spread more and more wildly, with some even claiming to have seen the figures of Demon Sect cultivators eight hundred miles away.

“Trash! A bunch of trash!”

Inside the Golden Hall, King Qing had already lost much of his former noble and majestic demeanor. His face twisted with rage, clearly furious to the extreme.

Kneeling below was a young man.

The top scholar of the most recent imperial examination, Zhong Xin.

This once proud top scholar was now half-covered in blood, his aura weak, yet he did not utter a single word, appearing ready to accept any punishment from King Qing.

“Your servant is incompetent.”

“You are incompetent! I entrusted more than half of the 【Qing Kingdom】 to you, ordering you to hold Zhalong Pass. And yet, after just a few days? The dead are dead, the escaped have fled.”

King Qing grabbed the flower vase beside him and smashed it onto Zhong Xin’s body. The vase shattered, but Zhong Xin remained motionless, still lowering his head in silence.

On the contrary, after throwing the vase, King Qing seemed to calm down a bit. He hurried over to Zhong Xin and personally helped him up:

“I was blinded by anger for a moment… Beloved minister, do not take offense!”

Hearing this, Zhong Xin shook his head:

“Your servant has indeed failed Your Majesty’s great expectations. Therefore, no matter how Your Majesty punishes me, your servant is willing to accept it wholeheartedly.”

“Ah, you… are just too loyal!”

King Qing sighed emotionally:

“Among all the civil and military officials of the court, not a single one is as loyal as you. At this moment, I fear some have already packed their belongings and are preparing to flee!”

After saying that, he picked up a pile of memorials from the desk beside him.

“Take a look.”

King Qing looked powerless as he sighed:

“Ever since the northern army approached Zhalong Pass, the entire Qing Kingdom suddenly fell into chaos. There are actually eighty-one rebel forces!”

“Behind these rebels, there is undoubtedly the hand of the Demon Sect. Chong Guang must be hiding among them!”

Speaking of this, King Qing kicked over the table and chairs beside him in fury, trembling with rage:

“If this continues, they might really break into the royal palace.”

Just thinking about it made King Qing feel a wave of terror. He was the king of Qing Kingdom, personally appointed by the Eastern Heavenly Son, born with the mandate of heaven. The thought of those lowly peasants possibly stepping into his palace and overthrowing him made him wish he could grind everyone’s bones to dust.

“The situation has come to this, we cannot wait any longer!”

With that in mind, King Qing immediately looked at Zhong Xin:

“My mind is made up. Today, I shall bestow upon you the Emperor’s Sword, the Token and Axe of Command, to sweep away the internal and external traitors on my behalf!”

All of this was due to the overwhelming pressure brought by the Demon Sect.

The system of the Dao Court was based on governance and stability. Once thrown into chaos, order would collapse, and the official positions granted by the Dao Court would weaken in their enhancement of one’s cultivation.

If this continued, King Qing feared that even if he empowered Zhong Xin with his royal position, it might no longer grant the power of a Grand True Person. By then, it would truly be a dead end with no hope of turning the tide. Therefore, he had to take advantage of the moment while Zhong Xin could still exert the power of a Grand True Person and quickly send him to battle on his behalf!

In this way, the situation would surely improve.

With this thought, King Qing immediately began to make arrangements. He summoned the eunuchs to set up the ceremonial rites, brought forth the talismanic token and axe, and then drew the ceremonial sword from his waist.

The Token and Axe of Command allowed one to exercise authority on behalf of the ruler.

Such a major matter could not be decided with just a single word. King Qing had to personally conduct the rites. Normally, a grand ritual ceremony would have been held.

However, given the urgency of the current situation, everything had to be simplified.

“Beloved minister, everything will depend on you from now on.”

With a face full of emotion, King Qing personally handed the Emperor’s Sword, the talismanic token, the axe, and other items to Zhong Xin. Along with them, he also transferred an official title.

【Lingxiao Qingyun Universal Salvation Guardian of the North King】

This was the highest official title in the 【Qing Kingdom】. Although it was merely a vassal king title within the Dao Court’s system, it still carried unfathomable might.

Zhong Xin said nothing and respectfully accepted it.

Seeing this, King Qing nodded in satisfaction, watching Zhong Xin’s aura rapidly soar, surpassing the limits of mid-Foundation Establishment in the blink of an eye.

Of course, this was merely a temporary empowerment.

The key to the Token and Axe of Command was the word “temporary”. As long as King Qing wished, he could revoke this official position at any time, so he felt very assured.

However, he quickly realized something was wrong.

Because Zhong Xin’s aura was still rising, showing no signs of stopping even after reaching late Foundation Establishment. One after another, radiant divine powers surged from within him!

“So powerful?”

At this point, King Qing still hadn’t noticed anything amiss. He was merely surprised that this official title could elevate someone to such a high realm.

But when Zhong Xin’s aura broke through the bottleneck of late Foundation Establishment without any hindrance, revealing an aura of “perfection” and “flawlessness”, King Qing finally sensed that something was wrong.

How could a temporary empowerment be even stronger than his personal control?

‘Something’s not right!’

In an instant, King Qing’s pupils contracted. Almost by instinct, he tried to revoke the official title he had just bestowed.

However, a sudden chill spread from his chest.

All words were stuck in his throat.

Because behind him, accompanied by a burst of brilliant divine light, a figure silently appeared, and an invisible sword blade had already pierced through his chest.

【Assassinate the King】! 【Pan Gang】!

Two layers of mystical empowerment, the invisible sword blade encountered no resistance!

‘An assassin!? Impossible!’

King Qing’s eyes widened. He could not believe that an assassin could have infiltrated the heavily guarded Golden Hall. This place should have been sealed against spatial movement!

Who was it? Why?

King Qing struggled to look back but saw nothing of the assassin except for a single hand holding a talismanic book.

The pages flipped rapidly, revealing the words:

【Lü Yang kills King Qing before the court】

Heaven’s Killing Intent! A fated death!

With the empowerment of this Heaven’s Killing Intent, Lü Yang experienced for the first time what it meant to be divinely assisted, what it meant for heaven and earth to lend their power.

From beginning to end, he had only done one thing.

His innate divine power, 【Determine Kinship and Estrangement】!

Normally, he and King Qing had never even met, with no karmic ties at all. It should have been impossible to use 【Determine Kinship and Estrangement】 to instantly teleport to his side.

Yet under the push of Heaven’s Killing Intent, he not only clearly sensed the karmic link between himself and King Qing, but with a single thought, he had teleported from thousands of miles away to appear behind King Qing.

Moreover, through instinct, he grasped the perfect timing and effortlessly killed him!

“Swish!”

The 【Invisible Sword】 flashed and vanished, carrying a spray of blood, slicing the wide-eyed, unresigned King Qing in half. Blood instantly drenched half of the Golden Hall.

In that moment, heaven and earth fell silent.

The surrounding eunuchs, King Qing’s expression, and all sounds seemed to disappear at that instant. Dark clouds unknowingly gathered above the capital of the Qing Kingdom.

“Rumble!”

The entire capital trembled slightly at that moment. The howling wind sounded like someone roaring in anger, slicing across Zhong Xin and Lü Yang like steel blades.

Yet at that moment, Zhong Xin also raised his head.

That face, which had always been “loyal”, “respectful”, having served diligently for decades without showing the slightest anomaly, now wore a mocking smile.

If King Qing had not died, he naturally could have reclaimed the official position.

However, now he was dead.

Not only had he died within this deep palace, but before dying, he had also transferred the Token and Axe of Command. In just one move, Zhong Xin had become the highest authority in the 【Qing Kingdom】!

“Sirs, pardon me.”

As the words fell, Zhong Xin’s face continued to change. Flesh and blood peeled away like a mask being removed, revealing a face that Lü Yang was all too familiar with.

True Person Chong Guang!

‘So it really was him…’

Seeing this scene, Lü Yang immediately muttered in his heart.

Zhong Xin was Chong Guang!

All the talk of recent reincarnation had been complete nonsense, fooling everyone. Even with the assistance of Pure Snow True Lord, they had deceived even the Heavenly Secrets and Karmic Threads!

No wonder he hadn’t chosen to flee overseas back then.

The one who had first appeared at Sacred Fire Cliff was likely just an avatar all along. The babies appearing across the Qing Kingdom had all been mere distractions.

He had actually reincarnated long ago!

As for what True Person Yinshan had told Lü Yang, about relying on an “uprising” to overturn the Dao Court’s system from the bottom up, it was all deliberately leaked misinformation to confuse and mislead!

It was all a feint, concealing the real plan.

After all, overturning the Dao Court’s system in the 【Qing Kingdom】 did not necessarily have to start from a bottom-up “uprising”. It could also be achieved through a top-down “seizure of power”!

Chong Guang was about to achieve the Dao!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep