282: Royal banquet?

With a loud boom.

The exotic flowers and rare herbs in the courtyard were shattered by the shockwave, and a deep pit appeared in the ground.

A show of force!

This general clad in armor was clearly making a show of force!

Empress Wu moved with light, graceful steps, shielding Lin Ye and Wu Mingyue behind her. Her vermilion lips parted slightly as she spoke coldly: "General Yuwen, flying is prohibited within the capital city. Furthermore, this is the Princess's residence. Are you looking for death?"

Although her voice was calm, her tone was filled with killing intent.

Even though this killing intent was not directed at Lin Ye, it still made him feel a sense of surprise.

He had thought that Wu Mingyue's talent and cultivation were high enough, but it now seemed that Empress Wu was certainly no simple person either.

The Aura radiating from her body even caused the air to begin to distort.

The man called General Yuwen, with a stern and humorless expression, held a golden token and said in a deep voice: "Your humble servant, Yuwen Zhong, greets Empress Wu and the Princess. I have a decree from His Majesty, so I am permitted to fly."

Upon hearing this, Empress Wu sneered: "Oh? What verbal decree?"

"His Majesty has heard that the Saint of the Righteous Qi Sect has come to Martial Dao City. Our Wu Dynasty and the Righteous Qi Sect are branches of the same family. Since Holy Son Lin has arrived in Martial Dao City, he must naturally be treated with great hospitality."

"Therefore, at the Hour of the Rooster tomorrow, His Majesty will host a banquet at Weiwu Hall. He hopes that the Princess can bring Holy Son Lin along to attend."

"This is the imperial decree."

A banquet?

Lin Ye smiled slightly. It was likely an ill-intentioned banquet, wasn't it?

Ever since this Yuwen Zhong had arrived, his gaze had been fixed on him, and there was a faint, formidable pressure bearing down on him. Although it was very subtle, it clearly expressed an intent to threaten.

Furthermore, he had deliberately descended from the sky, leaving the courtyard in a mess.

Wasn't this just a show of force?

If he went to the so-called Weiwu Hall tomorrow, it might even turn out to be a trap.

Of course, that would depend on how Lin Ye chose to act.

The faces of Empress Wu and Wu Mingyue were covered in frost. They had not expected that the Martial Saint Emperor would now come here to threaten them so openly.

He clearly knew that Empress Wu would be here.

He also knew that Wu Mingyue was here, yet he had let Yuwen Zhong descend directly from the sky, using his formidable strength to make a show of force.

Wasn't this a naked threat!

Empress Wu sneered: "General Yuwen, you certainly have a grand display of power. Did the Martial Saint Emperor's verbal decree also include destroying this courtyard in my presence?"

"No!"

Yuwen Zhong shook his head: "This was because I accidentally failed to control my spiritual power, causing me to fall down directly. Once I return to the palace, I will naturally ask His Majesty for punishment."

"How bold!"

Empress Wu's delicate brows furrowed slightly, and she shouted coldly: "Yuwen Zhong, kneel before me! I am the Empress of the Imperial Dynasty; how dare you use such a ridiculous excuse to twist the truth here? Do you think I dare not kill you?!"

Boom!!!

A pure white radiance bloomed from Empress Wu's phoenix robe, holy and ethereal. Her pair of jade hands glowed slightly, releasing auspicious rays of light. Runes appeared in the Void Realm, constantly intertwining and converging.

A powerful Aura enveloped the entire courtyard.

That Aura, accompanied by killing intent, seemed capable of crushing the Yuwen Zhong before her into pieces.

Sensing that Aura, Yuwen Zhong's expression turned serious, and he retreated a few steps directly. But at this moment, the golden token in his hand shone with great brilliance.

Roar!!!

A Dragon roar resounded throughout the heavens and earth, directly scattering Empress Wu's Aura.

"True Dragon Qi?! He actually let you mobilize True Dragon Qi?!"

Empress Wu's beautiful eyes were filled with disbelief.

One had to know that True Dragon Qi was also the Luck of the Immortal Dynasty; only the Martial Saint Emperor could mobilize it and use it to defend against enemies.

This kind of method gathered the Luck of the entire Immortal Dynasty, and being in Martial Dao City, it was naturally extremely formidable.

Coupled with the fact that the Martial Saint Emperor was an extremely powerful Martial Emperor.

He had sealed the power to mobilize True Dragon Qi within this golden token, and layered it with his own great power. With a single strike, it had directly leveled Empress Wu's Aura.

What shocked Empress Wu was not the power of this True Dragon Qi.

It was the shock that the Martial Saint Emperor would actually use this True Dragon Qi to suppress his own daughter!!!

It was simply insane.

Wu Mingyue bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, her beautiful eyes filled with unwillingness and anger.

Clearly, she had not expected that her own father would go this far.

Only Lin Ye maintained a smiling expression.

Feeling that the suppression of Empress Wu's Aura had left his body, Yuwen Zhong breathed a sigh of relief.

What kind of person Empress Wu was—others might not know, but he knew very clearly. If Empress Wu were pushed too far, this woman would really dare to kill him on the spot!!!

"Empress, Princess, since Holy Son Lin has received the invitation, I shall take my leave. I hope Holy Son Lin will attend the appointment on time, otherwise..."

Yuwen Zhong did not finish his sentence, but everyone present knew what his next words would be—it was nothing more than a threat!

And it was that kind of blatant threat!

After saying this, Yuwen Zhong intended to turn and leave.

Just at this moment, Lin Ye spoke up.

"General Yuwen Zhong, please stay a moment."

Upon hearing this, Yuwen Zhong stopped in his tracks, turned his head to look at Lin Ye, not knowing what the other party wanted to say.

Could it be a polite remark, saying something like "rest assured, I will definitely arrive," or something similar?

As for Lin Ye refusing, Yuwen Zhong had never thought of that at all. After all, anyone with eyes knew that Lin Ye had come here to help Wu Mingyue seize the succession.

If one wanted to seize the succession, one naturally had to accept the Martial Saint Emperor's invitation.

Otherwise, if he didn't even attend a banquet, the Martial Saint Emperor would naturally have ten thousand reasons to keep Lin Ye from entering the fray.

Empress Wu and Wu Mingyue, the mother and daughter, also looked at Lin Ye in confusion, not knowing what he was about to do.

Lin Ye slowly walked up to Yuwen Zhong and smiled lightly: "General Yuwen Zhong, although this Saint is here for the first time, you also know my identity."

Yuwen Zhong nodded, indicating he knew.

Nonsense!

If I didn't know, why would I have come here?

Lin Ye continued: "Since you know that I am the Saint of the Righteous Qi Sect, and not the Saint of your Wu Dynasty, then you should also understand that your Martial Saint Emperor's orders are, to me, no different from a fart."

"Huh?!"

Yuwen Zhong's pupils constricted. He had not expected Lin Ye to be so presumptuous!

But what Lin Ye said was indeed the truth. As both were Immortal Dao Lineages, and Lin Ye was the Saint of the Righteous Qi Sect, he naturally did not need to listen to the Martial Saint Emperor's orders.

"What exactly are you trying to say?"

Yuwen Zhong asked in a low voice.

"I don't want to say anything else; I'm just telling you that you people of the Wu Dynasty make me very unhappy, especially you. Now I'll give you two choices: either restore this courtyard to its original state, and I can forgive your offense,"

"or otherwise, I will slaughter you, and then let that old fellow sitting on the dragon throne send someone else to invite me."

"Choose."