Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

The day after Lu Tiancheng left the palace.

On the vast grassland led by the secret passage of the Imperial Study, two figures, one in black and one in white, simultaneously opened their eyes atop two towering stone pillars.

"Tiancheng has been gone for a day now," the old man in white robes said slowly. "With his strength, he shouldn't have encountered any problems. Why hasn't he returned yet?"

The old man in black robes frowned. "Brother, do you think something might have really happened to him?"

"Or perhaps I should go out for a bit. At this hour, we don't want anything to go wrong." The old man in black robes slowly stood up, and the space around him began to distort slightly.

"Well, it's good that you're going!" The white-robed elder nodded slightly, only saying, "If you encounter anything truly difficult to resolve, return immediately."

"Alright." As soon as the old man in black robes finished speaking, his figure transformed into a black streak of light and appeared in the sky outside the palace in an instant.

He stood in mid-air, his black robes motionless in the wind, his gaze looking down at the endless Tianyu City.

Then he muttered a few words that were incomprehensible.

A golden thread suddenly appeared in his hair and slowly floated down in front of him.

"go!"

With a thought, the golden thread flew rapidly toward the location of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.

Seeing this, the old man in black robes quickly followed.

But the golden thread hovered above the ruins of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion for a few breaths before turning and flying away towards the outside of the city.

Without hesitation, the old man in black robes transformed into a streak of black light and followed closely behind.

The golden thread moved at an extremely fast speed, sweeping across the wilderness and mountains, and finally stopped above the valley where Xia Jin and Lu Tian had fought.

"Hmm? Could Tiancheng be here?" A hint of doubt flashed in the black-robed old man's eyes as he looked down.

The once misty valley is now a scorched wasteland. Vast swathes of forest have been leveled by a terrifying force.

On the ground, a huge pit with a diameter of more than ten feet and a bottomless depth suddenly appeared.

"This is... the power of thunder? How domineering!" The old man in black robes floated down from the sky to the edge of the pit, slowly squatted down, and stared intently at the edge of the pit. On the surface of a metal fragment stuck in the soil, arcs of electricity occasionally flashed, and his pupils couldn't help but shrink.

"Being able to manipulate the power of thunder is something very few people can do, even among terrestrial immortals!" He had a vague sense of foreboding.

The old man in black robes stretched out his withered right hand and pressed it to the ground, and ripples spread outwards from his palm.

A few breaths later, the ripples slowly receded.

The old man in black robes abruptly withdrew his hand, his expression turning from shock to grim.

"Tiancheng... he's really dead?!" He slowly stood up, his terrifying killing intent causing the dark clouds above to churn and swirl like a vortex.

"Who on earth has the power to kill Tiancheng? In the entire Central Region, although those two old Taoist priests from the Lieyang Dynasty could defeat Tiancheng, it would be impossible for them to capture him. Besides, this place is only a few hundred miles away from Tianyu City. Even if we encounter those two joining forces, we should be able to hold out until we can return to Tianyu City for reinforcements!"

"We must go back immediately and inform our elder brother so we can make plans as soon as possible!" The old man in black robes glanced around and then disappeared into the valley in an instant.

......

And just an hour after he disappeared

Deep within the Great Qian Imperial Palace,

Hundreds of figures dressed in black robes and wearing ghost masks walked directly out of the Great Qian Imperial Palace.

The Dragon Guards are the most elite and mysterious force in the Great Qian Dynasty. Even the previous Great Qian Emperor, Lu Hao, only knew of their existence.

The only ones who could truly command them were the original Lu Tiancheng and those two beings at the Land Immortal Realm.

......

At this time, the original main hall in the Crown Prince's residence had been transformed, and a dragon throne exactly like the one in the Imperial Study was placed on a high platform.

Crown Prince Lu Chenzhou, dressed in his own replica of the dragon robe, sat regally on the dragon throne, his face full of pride.

"Your Majesty!" A general with a full beard clasped his hands in greeting and looked at Lu Chenzhou, saying, "Now that the old emperor has mysteriously disappeared, the court is leaderless. This is a golden opportunity! With the military power you hold, Your Majesty, with just a single order, the 100,000 troops of the 'Black Cloud' and 'Gale Wind' armies stationed 300 miles outside Tianyu City can be at the city gates within a day and take control of the entire Tianyu City!"

Another general, with prominent cheekbones, also stepped forward: "General Li is right! We are in charge of the Imperial Guards within the palace. With their combined efforts from within and without, His Majesty's ascension to the throne will be imminent!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Listening to the flattery from his subordinates, Lu Chenzhou couldn't help but burst into laughter: "All of you generals are my trusted advisors. Once I have truly secured this throne, you will all be credited with my service!"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"What? This mere crown prince is already playing the emperor's role?!"

A mocking laugh came from outside.

Immediately afterwards, with a loud "boom", the two palace doors were kicked open and crashed into the two pillars in front of Lu Chenzhou!

"Who's there!?"

Seven figures dressed in dark black robes and wearing ghost masks slowly stepped into the main hall from the shadows.

The leader looked at the so-called "dragon throne" on the throne with a sneer.

"presumptuous!"

"presumptuous!"

The five generals inside the hall simultaneously drew their swords and stood between the men and Crown Prince Lu Chenzhou. Lu Chenzhou, seated on the dragon throne, turned ashen-faced, his eyes fixed on the newcomers with a sinister glint.

"Crown Prince Lu Chenzhou has secretly colluded with people from the Lieyang Dynasty, privately mobilized border troops, and plotted a coup, thus disrupting the court. According to the Great Qian Ancestral Law, he is to be immediately imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison to await trial and execution!"

The leading imperial guard pointed at Crown Prince Lu Chenzhou and then waved to him, signaling him to come down.

"Who do you think you are! A few... cowardly cowards like you dare to order me around?" Lu Chenzhou slowly rose from the dragon throne. "Kill them!"

"Yes, sir!" The five generals, unable to contain themselves any longer, pounced on the seven Dragon Guards from different directions like five tigers released from their cages!

"A bunch of idiots!!" A murderous glint flashed in the eyes of the leading dragon guard, and his right hand, which was gripping the long sword, moved slightly.

A bright blade of light flashed and disappeared in an instant.

Fast! Incredibly fast!

Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff! Puff!

Five soft tearing sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

The next moment, five heads landed neatly on the ground.

Pentakill!?

"You mere trash at the first level of the Free and Unfettered Heaven Realm dares to lay a hand on me, Captain?!"

Lu Chenzhou's eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected that his five generals wouldn't even last a single round against the enemy.

"Do you want to come with me obediently, or are you prepared to have your legs broken and be forcibly taken away by me?!" The captain of the Dragon Guard picked up a piece of cloth from the ground, wiping the bloodstains on his long sword while looking at Crown Prince Lu Chenzhou with a half-smile.

"Hmph! You really think you've got me cornered? You two! Make your move!" Lu Chenzhou suddenly shouted at the huge screen behind the dragon throne.

Almost as soon as he finished speaking.

"Clang!" "Clang!"

Two sword cries suddenly rang out behind him!