364: Success

After dealing with the Imperial Guards, Lu Xin officially stepped into the Imperial City.

Along the way, Lu Xin witnessed both the prosperity of the Imperial City and the desolation of its empty areas.

Upon hearing that the Zhengqi Alliance army had entered the city, the eunuchs and palace maids, except for a few staunch loyalists, all tried to escape.

As he walked, Lu Xin saw the figures of ministers kneeling in a large group ahead.

They faced the Imperial Palace, prostrating themselves devoutly.

Lu Xin truly hadn't expected that a Great Zhou, which was almost on the verge of collapse, would still have so many staunch loyalists.

Lin Ang walked past them, but they acted as if they didn't see him, allowing Lin Ang to proceed.

Ignoring them, Lin Ang walked towards the Imperial Palace.

As his figure disappeared at the palace entrance, all the kneeling ministers drew short swords from their waists and slashed them across their necks... Lin Ang entered the Imperial Palace and arrived at Emperor Zhou's main hall.

He hadn't made a move, yet the hall was filled with corpses—concubines from the inner palace, imperial princes, and grandchildren.

Without exception, all these people lay in pools of blood.

Here, Lin Ang saw Emperor Zhou.

This was a person he had never had the chance to meet until his death, the ruler who symbolized the supreme authority of the Great Zhou.

At this moment, he was hanging from a white silk rope, with a kicked-over stool beneath his feet.

Lin Ang could tell that Emperor Zhou, before him, was not completely dead; he still had one breath left.

He pondered whether he should take Emperor Zhou down and torture him severely, humiliating him.

If not for his debauchery, if not for his incompetence, if not for his uselessness...

Why would the world have come to this state, and why would his family have suffered such a calamity?

Compared to man-made disasters, natural disasters were understandable.

Walking this path, Lin Ang had seen that Emperor Zhou was not an emperor whose real power had been usurped.

He had so many staunch loyalists, so many armies loyal to him, and even cultivators loyal to him.

Reaching this point today was nothing but his own doing.

To let him die so painlessly, to die with the dignity of a monarch, was simply too easy for him.

After some thought, Lin Ang still gave up on all of it; torturing a beast held no interest for him.

But to just let him go like this, he still felt unwilling!

Finally, Lin Ang delivered a swift hand chop, and Emperor Zhou's upper and lower body were separated.

Intestines and internal organs spilled out from the severed wound.

After doing all this, Lin Ang went to the place where Emperor Zhou used to hold court.

Looking at the dragon throne at the very top, he likewise destroyed it with a single blow.

While wandering through the Imperial City, Lin Ang also discovered some eunuchs and palace maids hiding in secluded corners, presumably those who hadn't managed to escape in time.

Lin Ang didn't plan to search these people; it was too troublesome.

Later, when his army entered, they would naturally clean this place for him.

As he walked, Lu Xin exited the Imperial City, finally arriving at the Jiantian Division.

This was the wealthiest place in the entire Great Zhou; with a Ninth-Rank Grand Preceptor residing there, even the national treasury might not be as rich as he was.

And this was currently the only place that had not been cleared by the Zhengqi Alliance and the rebel soldiers.

This was because within the Jiantian Division, there were still three Eighth-Rank cultivators.

When the Zhengqi Alliance was still the Defying Heaven Alliance, only Mo Li was an Eighth-Rank.

But the Jiantian Division, as the foremost power in the world, had a Tenth-Rank Grand Preceptor overseeing it.

Naturally, it had Eighth-Ranks, and more than one.

Even after going against Lu Xin and having so many of them killed, three still remained to this day—such was the foundation of the Jiantian Division.

The Zhengqi Alliance Members dared not step inside, but Lu Xin did.

This time, Lu Xin didn't use the door; instead, he walked to an outer wall and smashed it with a punch.

A large hole appeared, opening into the space inside.

Through the opening, one could see the situation inside: numerous uneasy white-robed cultivators were packed together.

Upon seeing Lu Xin's arrival, a hint of despair flashed in the depths of their eyes.

Lin Ang walked through the hole, and the white-robed cultivators all retreated a step.

Even though they were already packed, they gritted their teeth and still made some space.

"Is there anyone in charge?" Lin Ang asked.

Seeing that Lin Ang had no intention of killing them, an older-looking white-robed man stepped forward.

He bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Lord Alliance Master of the Zhengqi Alliance. I am Li Jie, one of the three remaining Eighth-Ranks in the Jiantian Division.

I am the leader among the three of us; just tell me what you need."

"Have the other two come out as well," Lin Ang said calmly.

"Yes!"

As soon as he finished speaking, two more older-looking white-robed men walked out from the crowd.

They dared not disobey Lin Ang's words.

The Jiantian Division had dealt with Lin Ang many times and had a very clear understanding of his brutality.

If they didn't step out, in the next second, not a single person present would survive.

After the two came out, Lin Ang didn't reprimand them; instead, he asked, "Do you have any tiger demon blood here?"

"Yes, Lord Alliance Master, we do!"

Hearing this, Lin Ang immediately became interested. "Continue."

"As you said, there is more than one type of tiger demon blood; we won't mention the inferior ones."

"There are nine powerful types in total, all from the strongest known tiger demons, all potent tiger blood!"

"If you need tiger blood, Lord Alliance Master, just choose from here!"

"Good, take me there." Lin Ang suddenly smiled, "If the tiger blood satisfies me, I will pardon the past sins of your Jiantian Division."

Lin Ang was not at ease letting them bring the tiger blood to him; what if they tampered with it?

If he were to break through later, wouldn't he be in trouble?

For such things, he felt more reassured going to see them himself.

Upon receiving Lin Ang's assurance, Li Jie immediately became energetic; there was finally hope for survival.

"Sir, please follow me."

Then, under Li Jie's guidance, Lin Ang, along with the other two Eighth-Ranks, went to the place where the tiger blood was stored.

Here, Lu Xin saw countless rare treasures.

For example, there were even fruits that he had heard of, which could raise one's rank by one if eaten by those below Seventh-Rank.

Li Jie came to a jade stone that exuded cold air and fiddled with something on it.

He explained to Lin Ang, "For natural treasures or beast demon blood after being harvested, their efficacy will gradually diminish if not specially processed and preserved."

As he spoke, Li Jie pulled out nine jars from inside.

He handed one of them to Lin Ang, "Lord Alliance Master, please see if this is what you need?"

Lin Ang took it and opened the lid.

Instantly, a tiger's roar echoed in the ears of the four people present.

From the jar, a phantom of a winged tiger actually sprang out, hovering directly above the opened mouth of the jar.

Seeing this phenomenon, Lin Ang's eyes lit up.

This jar of tiger blood seemed more powerful than any tiger blood he had ever absorbed; all of them combined might not even compare.