The more you believe me, the more real it becomes.

Chapter 322 Your Majesty, I have no choice but to offend you (5k)

Within this universe, no one can survive.

Beyond the heavens and earth, no one is left unmoved.

Among so many cultivators, including many renowned masters, none of them have even made a name for themselves in their respective regions. How could they all have vanished without a trace?!
For a moment, almost all the cultivators who had not been taken into Du Yuan's sleeve stood there dumbfounded, their minds shaken.

Moments later, they discovered something even more terrifying—all the elaborate plans that countless people had painstakingly laid out in the capital region had vanished without a trace!

Those things might contain the entire wealth and resources of countless mountains!
The implications of this are so profound that just a little thought is enough to send chills down one's spine and make one sweat profusely!
Gazing at the Kyoto sky, which was once a series of towering peaks but was now completely empty, the elegantly dressed young man still standing in the Cui family mansion had only complex emotions in his eyes.

He then stood with his hands behind his back, shaking his head and sighing softly.
"I should have thought of that sooner, I should have thought of that sooner."

Such a big event, if the three religions don't act alone, they will act together. Isn't this logic obvious?

How could anyone possibly think they could escape through the small city of Kyoto? It's utterly ridiculous.
"Back in Qingzhou, what I should have done was find some nameless place, live a quiet life, and watch the world's clouds rise and fall. Alas, alas, I remained stubbornly unenlightened."

As he spoke, recalling his first meeting with the Buddha, he added a self-deprecating remark:
"I might not even be as good as that old monk."

Only he himself knows how much bitterness and complexity was hidden in those words.

Cui Shilu, unable to contain his curiosity, pressed on with the question:

"Cousin, what do you mean by that? Could it be that you really can abandon your aunt and the others and never return to the capital in this lifetime?"

The elegantly dressed young man turned around and glanced at his cousin, saying, "Brother, you don't need to overthink it. I was just making a casual remark; it didn't mean anything by it."

"By the way, please don't tell your mother either, so she won't overthink it."

After saying that, he looked again at the now empty Kyoto sky, his tone complex:
"But I truly didn't expect that Kyoto, a place with countless moves and which should have been the most dangerous, would be emptied so easily."

Considering the significance of Kyoto, the various manifestations of Yakushigan, and the previous deductions by various masters, especially the Yin-Yang school.

Kyoto is the most likely place to hide that thing, so the battles here should be the most dangerous and unpredictable.

In this respect, neither Qingzhou, a place of great danger and death, nor the southwest, where a powerful figure is suspected to be about to pass away, is as alluring to the people on the mountain as this place.

Even he had to admit that he had wondered if he might have gotten an advantage, which led him to place his last bet on Kyoto after much deliberation.

But I really didn't expect that the so-called overall situation in Kyoto would fall apart so easily.

"Although it was unexpected, upon reflection it makes sense. The three major positions have been filled, what can a group of mountain people do? Can they really defy the heavens?"

In this light, all his previous worries had come to nothing. For a moment, he was overwhelmed with mixed feelings of joy and sorrow, unable to discern the true nature of his emotions.

'well'

Another sigh rang out, but this time, no one heard it.
-
Despite witnessing such bizarre scenes both inside and outside the palace walls, the imperial guards remained steadfast at their posts, not retreating an inch.

Since the pharmacist was willing to wrest power back from Gao Huan, the selection and appointment of the Imperial Guards became his top priority.

The initial Imperial Guards were all transferred from the border regions and had no connection with the major noble families in the capital.

Later, he gradually replaced them with sons of officials from the prefectures and counties whom he personally selected. As for the officers of the Imperial Guard, they were all personally promoted by him—he not only ensured that everyone came from respectable families, but also prevented any infiltration by powerful clans, thus guaranteeing the extremely high loyalty of the Imperial Guard.

Furthermore, the annual financial and food supplies for the Imperial Guards were the highest in all dynasties.

The purpose is to ensure that you always have an invincible force capable of turning the tide in any situation.

If this unit has any weakness, it's probably that it has never experienced real battlefield combat. But there's nothing that can be done about it.

The city gate commander had already ordered the palace gates to be closed. He looked at Gao Cheng, who was walking slowly down from below, without saying a word.

But as soon as he walked past the soldiers, the Imperial Guards soldiers, who had been trembling with fear because of the strange sight and the sorcery, would immediately straighten their backs, their fear disappear, and they would return to their stern posture.

This one incident alone is enough to show that this person deserves the title of "good general"!
In the past, a force of such capable generals, even if faced with an enemy ten times their size, would never have been able to shake their solid formation in the slightest.

Unfortunately, what comes now far exceeds the scope of human resources!

The imperial guards had just nocked their powerful bows when a flash of white light suddenly appeared. The next moment, all the soldiers on the city wall fell to the ground; even the palace gates, which had been tightly sealed, were smashed open along with the bricks above the gates, revealing a huge, terrifying gaping hole.

Behind the palace walls, thousands of elite armored soldiers witnessed the walls crumble in an instant. Even though they were prepared, they were still so frightened that their legs trembled and they almost scattered and fled.

Just as morale was about to collapse, a young general stepped forward.

He mounted his warhorse, raised his spear high, and shouted sharply:
"Before I joined the army, I was a government slave, a piece of trash trampled on by everyone! It was the Emperor who gave me a good title and an official position, letting me know that I am also a human being! Among you, at least half of you have received the same favor from the Emperor as I have!"

"Now that the nation is in peril, it is our duty to repay the Emperor's kindness with our lives! Follow me and kill!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he spurred his horse forward fearlessly, showing no fear of death.

With him taking the lead, the remaining Imperial Guards were immediately filled with righteous indignation and shouted in unison:
"To repay the Emperor's kindness!!!"

The sound reverberated throughout the palace, and the crowd followed closely behind, surging forward.

But the outcome remained unchanged—another flash of white light appeared, and the charging Imperial Guards all fell to the ground, none of them able to stand.

Only the young general was still struggling to get up, trying to block Gao Cheng's path. But it was all in vain; he was too far away from Gao Cheng and could only watch helplessly as the other slowly walked past him.

Finally, his eyes turned red, and he roared angrily:

"Gao Cheng! Your entire Gao family are traitors to the country, always holding positions without doing their jobs and harming the nation! Now that the emperor has restored the dynasty and the whole country is jubilant, do you really intend to abandon the people for your own personal vendetta?"

Gao Cheng continued forward without stopping, leaving Gao Cheng alone in place, overwhelmed by endless grief and indignation, unable to move.

Beneath the canopy, the pharmacist gazed at Gao Cheng's unstoppable figure, lost in a deep daze.

The commander of the Palace Guard, responsible for the safety of the capital and the well-being of the emperor, was extremely anxious. He drew his sword and urgently called out to Yakushi-en:

"Your Majesty! Please step back! This humble general will fight this monster to the death, not retreating an inch!"

But the pharmacist did not respond; he simply stared blankly at Gao Cheng, who was completely beyond human comprehension, his eyes unfocused.

Seeing the emperor lost in thought, the commander of the Palace Guard gritted his teeth and shouted:
"Your Majesty, I have offended you! Men, escort Your Majesty out of the palace!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several imperial guards stepped forward to help Yaoshi Yuan escape from behind. Everyone now knew that Gao Cheng, this vengeful ghost, was not someone that a group of ordinary people could stop.

The moment the Imperial Guard's hand touched Yaoshi Yuan's robes, he abruptly waved his hand and shouted, "Wait!"

The emperor's majesty was far greater than that of others within the palace. Upon hearing his words, the imperial guards instinctively stopped in their tracks, frozen in place.

"Your Majesty?" The commander of the Palace Guard thought that the apothecary had finally come to his senses and hurriedly stepped forward, his tone even more urgent, "The demons are too powerful to be resisted. Your Majesty is of inestimable strength and must not suffer the slightest mishap! Please, Your Majesty, retreat immediately!"

As they were struggling, Gao Cheng was still being attacked by a number of young officers and imperial guards, who were trying to stop him.

But these people couldn't even touch the hem of Gao Cheng's clothes, let alone stop him from taking a single step.

Gao Cheng was getting closer and closer to the emperor, almost to the point of killing him!
But at this critical moment of life and death, the pharmacist suddenly smiled with relief: "They didn't lie to me!"

Then, he threw his head back and burst into laughter, his voice filled with a long-suppressed, immense joy: "They didn't lie to me!!!"

These days, the biggest problem in the pharmacist's mind is why all the capable ministers and generals he has painstakingly built up and personally promoted and sent to various places turn against him as soon as they arrive in their new locations.

Even worse, they fabricated absurd claims that "an immortal descended to earth and the world underwent a great change," as if he had become an utterly incompetent and foolish ruler.

In the past, he could only lament in his heart that he was blind and had no ability to recognize people.

It wasn't until he met Gao Cheng that he finally understood—those people hadn't lied to him at all!
The scene before him completely threw the commander of the Palace Guard into a panic. At this point, what was His Majesty doing saying all this! The remnants of the Gao clan were practically upon them!

"Your Majesty, please leave quickly! If you don't leave now, it will really be too late!" He was so anxious that he wanted to forcibly take the emperor away, but no matter how he gave him signals, the imperial guards behind him did not budge.

The emperor's prestige far surpassed his own, to the point that in such a critical moment, he couldn't even command the people he had brought with him.

This is a good thing, after all, it means that no one in Kyoto can lead an army to rebel based on so-called military power or tiger tally.

But it's also a bad thing, like right now. The soldiers are simply blindly following the emperor!
The apothecary slowly turned his head to look at the commander of the Palace Guard, who was sweating profusely with anxiety. His tone was calm but carried an undeniable authority:
"Leave? Why should I leave?"

"His Majesty?"

"I am the Son of Heaven, this palace is my court, and this capital is the foundation of the world. Of all the emperors of my Yakushi family throughout history, has any of them ever escaped from the palace?"

"If I were to flee today, if I were to flee before that traitorous Gao clan, whose world would this be? How could the people believe that I would not, as I have done today, suddenly abandon them one day as well?"

"Send word to the remaining Imperial Guards to cease all movement. I will personally confront these remnants of the Gao family who deserve to die long ago!" "Your Majesty?!"

The commander of the Palace Guard was almost kneeling before the emperor.

But the pharmacist was determined to leave, and he went straight past him toward Gao Cheng.

Back then, he had to compromise with Gao Huan; how could he possibly yield now?

Ever since learning that the world had not betrayed him, the spirit that Yakushi had almost lost was restored to its peak at this moment!
At that very moment, a cultivator riding a strange mount, sipping wine and swaying his head, suddenly changed his expression and hurriedly grabbed the object at his waist.

But the next moment, a celestial sword tore through his armor and hurtled straight towards the capital.

Watching the Dingjian Xiaojia transform into a rainbow and disappear into the distance.

He could only stand there, completely dumbfounded.

"I've really lost out this time!"

Even though he left Kyoto, how come he still lost everything?
-
"Gao Cheng, I am right here. What do you want?"

The emperor stood on a high place and looked out, revealing his dragon-like appearance.

Gao Cheng stood below, sword in hand, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

This was the first time he had stopped.

After gazing at him for a moment, Gao Cheng said:
"Gao Cheng has come to seek justice for the Gao family."

Upon hearing this, even though he knew that the demon in front of him might kill him at any moment, he was still terrified.

The pharmacist still scoffed:
"What a joke! Your Gao clan has been tyrannical and corrupt, slaughtering loyal officials like dirt and treating the people like worthless trash. You have long regarded the world as your private property! My destruction of your Gao clan is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people. It is an act to restore order. How dare you mention the word 'justice' in front of me?"

Having said that, he took half a step forward, his gaze piercing as he stared directly at Gao Cheng, his words ringing with conviction as he questioned him:

"Let me ask you, did your father, Gao Huan, who plotted to seize power and deceive the emperor, deserve to be executed?"

Gao Cheng was the son of Gao Huan, a fact that almost no ordinary people knew.

They only knew that Gao Cheng's surname was Gao, and that he should be a direct descendant of the Gao family. But they never imagined that Gao Huan's son, who was almost indistinguishable from the crown prince, would settle down in a poor, remote place.

Faced with the pharmacist's questioning, Gao Cheng met his gaze without flinching or hesitating.
“The powerful minister Gao Huan has wreaked havoc on the court and deserves to be executed.”

This statement took the pharmacist, Yuan, somewhat by surprise.

Gao Cheng actually admitted that his father deserved to die.

But he didn't pause; he just continued:

"So your Gao family has been in cahoots with each other, harming the country and ruining the people. You deserve to be executed. Do you admit it or not?"

Gao Cheng continued to nod:

“My Gao clan, from the elders to the collateral branches, is mostly filled with arrogant and domineering individuals who occupy high positions without any real achievements. They even take pleasure in ruining the local area, and have long been a scourge to the country and the people. Such sins truly deserve to be punished.”

Even the pharmacist couldn't help but ask:
"Then why do you say you're seeking justice for the Gao family?"

Since you know your whole family deserves to be executed, why are you still so shameless?
If he said he came for his own sake, the pharmacist would actually find it difficult to answer.

After all, the Gao family were rebels, but Gao Cheng was a loyal minister.
However, he happened to be the son of Gao Huan, so when he was arrested and brought to the capital, the court and the people inside and outside the court discussed it for a long time, both openly and secretly.

Or should we keep him hidden and execute him?

Gao Cheng looked wistfully at the emperor standing on the high platform and said:

"Your Majesty, I have come for those who were not surnamed Gao, but were killed as members of the Gao family."

The emperor glared at her with anger at her words.

"Those who are not surnamed Gao, yet willingly serve as henchmen of the Gao family, attaching themselves to powerful and treacherous officials and aiding and abetting evil; those who are not relatives of the Gao family, yet act as their lackeys, harming the loyal and good and oppressing the people! The Gao family should be executed, and these accomplices should be implicated even more!"

Gao Cheng didn't rush to refute, but instead lowered his head with increasing melancholy and asked:
"Your Majesty, among those people, what about the many children within and outside our Gao family? Leaving aside those who are already sensible, what about those infants who can't even speak, or even open their eyes to see this turbid world clearly?"

"Should they also be exterminated along with my Gao clan?"

This time, Gao Cheng looked at the emperor with a hint of anticipation, trying to see something he wanted to see.

But he was disappointed, because the emperor simply stood in the sky and coldly said:
"He still deserves to be executed!"

Gao Cheng lowered his head dejectedly, then cupped his hands and said loudly:

"In that case, Your Majesty, I have no choice but to defy you!"

For the first time, the sacred sword in his hand emanated a chilling killing intent.

Gao Cheng's unwavering, pure heart was stirred, giving rise to a soaring rage. At this moment, the dragon vein of the Pharmacist family was completely disturbed, trembling violently in chaos—for this sword truly possessed the power to slay dragons!
"Even if you kill me today, I will only say one thing: Your Gao family deserves to die, and I am not guilty in the slightest!"

Faced with that supreme power that could be seen even by the naked eye of mortals, Yaoshi Yuan had no intention of backing down.

He stood firm in place, displaying the composure of a monarch who would remain unmoved even if Mount Tai collapsed before him.

Even so, he had already prepared to close his eyes and face death.

He knew in his heart that Gao Cheng could not only be resurrected but also use his powerful magic to break into the palace, so his own empire was already beyond saving.

But this time, his state of mind was different from before.

His previous resentment stemmed from his belief that he had delivered a governance report that surpassed that of previous emperors, yet he ultimately ended up being betrayed and abandoned by all, and surrounded by enemies. He could not accept that his life's great talents and strategies had become a joke, an empty dream.

But now he finally realizes that it wasn't his governance that was wrong; the talented people he sent to the provinces remained loyal to him all along.

It's just that the world has truly changed.

Therefore, he was able to accept it calmly.

If the Pharmacist family truly loses the world today, it is beyond human power to reverse; it is truly a predetermined fate!
Therefore, as the last emperor, he had to earn a respectable end for the pharmacist family.

The curtain will eventually fall. Those who took the stage may live or die, but they must never become the laughingstock that will be ridiculed for eternity.

He wanted future generations to remember that the downfall of the Yaoshi family was not due to incompetence, but rather to helplessness!

Just then, a celestial sword, imbued with supreme power, pierced straight through Gao Cheng's soaring aura and hovered steadily in front of Yao Shiyuan.

It is the Dingjian—Xiaojia!
Looking at the celestial sword before him, which possessed immense power.

After a brief moment of astonishment, even the apothecary couldn't help but feel ecstatic, and then drew his sword, pointing it to the sky, and said:

"I knew it! I am not destined to be a ruler who brings about the downfall of his kingdom!"

Then, he lowered his sword and pointed it at Gao Cheng, saying:
"Gao Cheng, today even the heavens are helping me, sending down divine troops. Do you still think I'm wrong?"

Gao Cheng refused to back down, saying:

"Your Majesty's achievements are unparalleled throughout history. You have been blessed by Heaven and have been granted this opportunity today. I congratulate Your Majesty. However, Your Majesty, wrong is wrong and right is right. If Your Majesty has no benevolence in your heart, then I can only defy you!"

Having said that, Gao Cheng stepped forward.

Wield the sword of benevolence, and speak of the principles of Heaven.

Seeing this, the pharmacist also drew his sword and descended.

Holding a tripod and a sword, he spoke of kingship and hegemony.

Neither of them knew how to use a sword, so it was simply a very straightforward clash of swords.

There were no fancy moves to speak of, but the clash of the two great paths instantly changed the very fabric of the world.

This also terrified the cultivators from various factions who were still observing.

People of later generations are just as difficult to deal with?
(End of this chapter)