The old emperor only desires immortality; you must not rebel.

Above, dark clouds churned and rolled, the lingering power of thunder pressing down and causing the air to tremble violently.

Fragments of lightning crackled and popped between the gaps in the dark clouds, the blinding silver-white flashes disappearing in an instant, carrying a terrifying power capable of crushing ordinary cultivators.

The air was violently shaken by the lingering power of the thunder, and even the void itself was rippled with visible wrinkles.

Tao Zhaoting felt a chill run down his spine, his pupils contracted sharply, and his arrogance and conceit completely collapsed and shattered at this moment.

Thunder!

That was truly a thunderbolt from the blue!

An ordinary mortal was actually able to summon heavenly lightning.

The moment the lightning struck, everything before my eyes changed completely.

He stared intently at the imperial city below, gazing at the vast, seemingly hidden city between heaven and earth, a lump forming in his throat and a chill running through his body.

Within that majestic city, it seems, lie hidden deities.

That majestic city, straddling the land and stretching across the four directions, with its blue bricks and gray tiles extending for thousands of miles, and its towering palaces and pavilions standing tall, seems to be hidden between the clouds and the sky, exuding a vast and boundless aura.

The evening breeze swept across the city, stirring up layers of invisible chill. The entire imperial city was ancient, imposing, and majestic, exuding an aura of imperial authority that could suppress all wilderness.

He had cultivated for three hundred years, traversed countless secret realms and training grounds, and seen countless demons and evil cultivators, but he had never seen such an absurd, terrifying, and mind-blowing scene that overturned his understanding of cultivation!

A mere mortal dynasty, without any sects to protect it or any ancient heritage, yet it can summon heavenly lightning to descend upon the world and slaughter cultivators with the power of the Heavenly Dao!

The capital of Daqing before us is hardly a barren land.

A storm raged within Tao Zhaoting's heart.

Even a True Person of the Purple Mansion might not be able to master such a method of summoning heavenly lightning.

How could such a barren land possess such a person?

Upon hearing the Emperor's command, Sun Yi bowed respectfully towards the palace.

"Yes, sir!"

Sun Yi looked at Tao Zhaoting and the others, then suddenly smiled broadly: "Gentlemen, His Majesty has ordered you to come to the palace for an audience!"

Tao Zhaoting's face was grim.

Why didn't you say so earlier that you wanted to summon someone to the palace?!

Say it now!

So many of them died, and now they're only being allowed to enter the palace to pay their respects? Why did so many of them die?

However, he could guess that the other party was doing this simply to give them a warning.

However, the cost is clearly too high.

Several disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect died; these were all elite disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

After this incident, he didn't know how to explain it to the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Tao Zhaoting glanced coldly at Sun Yi, snorted, and said in a chilling voice, "Let's go!"

Tao Zhaoting was leading the group away when

Sun Yi suddenly reached out to stop them, his eyes half-closed, and said with a faint smile, "Gentlemen, this is the imperial palace, a place of great importance; you can only walk here."

"you……"

In the end, he forcibly suppressed all the violence and killing intent in his heart, concealed his aura, and, with the remaining disciples behind him, his body sank down and he landed steadily on the ground from the sky.

Having experienced what had happened before, he realized that this place was far more complex than it appeared.

Outside the palace, ten golden-armored guards were already waiting.

Outside the main gate of the imperial city, security was already tight, and a chilling atmosphere pervaded the air.

Ten golden-armored guards, clad in heavy gilded armor, stood ramrod straight on either side of the palace gate, their postures upright and motionless.

The entire body was covered in exquisite and heavy golden armor, with royal dragon patterns all over it. It shone brightly under the sunlight and reflected a cold and sharp light.

They were surrounded by an extremely dense and fierce aura of killing intent, an iron-blooded power that had been forged through years of battles and the accumulation of countless malevolent energies. It was so intense and intimidating that it made the surrounding air seem to freeze.

This malevolent energy further disrupted the flow of spiritual energy among Tao Zhaoting and the others.

Tao Zhaoting was suddenly taken aback.

His gaze fell on the golden-armored guards, and his expression gradually became serious.

A group of ordinary people!

But the power contained within these mortals is chilling.

Something's very wrong with these mortals!

No, you could say this whole place is very strange.

From the emperor to the officials, and even the imperial guards, everything about them exudes an eeriness.

Tao Zhaoting took a deep breath, suppressing the fear in his heart, and looked up at the solemn and majestic imperial palace, his gaze extremely complex.

Tao Zhaoting glanced at the people behind him and warned, "Be careful, don't act impulsively!"

The Heavenly Sword Sect members who followed Tao Zhaoting looked grim.

When have they ever suffered such humiliation!

As disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect, they were so renowned throughout the cultivation world that even demonic disciples would flee at the mere sight of them.

"Uncle-Master, are you afraid even of me?"

A disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect couldn't help but speak up.

Tao Zhaoting glanced back at him and said coldly, "Are you trying to teach me how to do things?"

The Sword Sect disciple's face paled, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "I wouldn't dare!"

A disciple nearby quickly said, "Uncle-Master, please forgive him. He just spoke offhand."

Tao Zhaoting snorted coldly, but didn't say anything more.

As the palace gates slowly opened, rows of fully armed imperial guards came into view.

Tao Zhaoting took a deep breath and stepped into the palace.

……

When Tao Zhaoting finally met the Emperor of Qing, his heart was suddenly stirred.

The Holy Emperor sat upright on the throne, his smile gentle, yet exuding an aura of majesty.

To ordinary disciples, nothing was visible, but to him, it seemed as if a ferocious dragon covered in black scales was roaring behind the Holy Emperor.

The Holy Emperor, who sat high on the throne, had a surge of energy around him that was like a raging torrent, converging into a powerful vortex.

Tao Zhaoting was startled and suppressed his surprise.

Tao Zhaoting cupped his hands and said, "Tao Zhaoting of the Xuan Shu Dao Sect!"

The Holy Emperor smiled broadly and said calmly, "I, your subject, have been quite offensive earlier; I hope you will all forgive me!"

Tao Zhaoting's face darkened.

Please forgive me?

How can he forgive the deaths of so many disciples!

Tao Zhaoting did not dwell on the topic any further, and calmly said, "We have come across the Heavenly Abyss this time on behalf of our sect to search for fragments of the Immortal Realm."

"Does Your Majesty know anything?"

Tao Zhaoting had no intention of beating around the bush; he went straight to the point.

At this point, there's no point in continuing to feign compliance.

Tao Zhaoting looked up at the Holy Emperor on the throne and said calmly, "If Your Majesty were aware of this, my sect would be willing to make an equal exchange with Your Majesty!"

Compared to the fragments of the immortal realm, nothing else matters.

As for the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect who died, since they were not disciples of the Profound Pivot Dao Sect, their deaths were no big deal and had nothing to do with him.

"Fragments of the Immortal Realm?"

The Holy Emperor raised an eyebrow slightly and asked with a faint smile, "What is this?"

"Never heard of it!"

Tao Zhaoting's face darkened. After calming himself down several times, he cupped his hands and said, "In that case, we'll take our leave!"

He had already realized that the emperor had no intention of cooperating with them at all.

Tao Zhaoting said coldly, "Your Majesty, if we can get here, then so can those of the demonic path."

"Those who follow the demonic path are not like us!"

Tao Zhaoting still couldn't swallow this insult.

The Holy Emperor smiled faintly and said, "Wait!"

Tao Zhaoting paused, a smile playing on his lips.

The Holy Emperor's words came from behind.

"You have all come to my Qing Kingdom to breathe in its spiritual energy; shouldn't you give me an explanation?"

Upon hearing this, the courtiers immediately became excited.

I'm coming!

It's time for the Holy Emperor's classic whipping!

The difference this time is that it's not them, but the immortal masters.