65: Chapter 65 Eight hundred it is eight hundred

The Crown Prince refined the condensing true pill in just three days.

Three days later, within the dilapidated palace of Youdu, an aura of the Ju Zhen Realm soared into the sky.

Chu Sheng stood in the courtyard, sensing that aura, and sighed inwardly.

Although the condensing true pill is precious, it is not considered a rarity for the royal family.

The Yan King Ji Yi reigned for forty years, and the palace's reserves were enough for ten Crown Princes to break through.

Things are different now.

"Congratulations, Your Highness, on stepping into the Ju Zhen Realm."

Ji Yuanzhao stepped out of the room, his aura not yet fully restrained, as if he had been reborn.

The bright yellow robe he wore was no longer a disguise, but exuded the true aura of a king.

"Let's go," he said calmly, "it is time to return."

The first group to arrive in Youdu was Sun Xing.

This Beast Sect elder, travel-worn and dusty, knelt down immediately upon seeing the Crown Prince.

"Three hundred disciples of my branch of the Beast Sect are already waiting for orders outside Youzhou City!"

Ji Yuanzhao helped him up and nodded.

The second group was Fairy Yunxia and Yue Jianli.

Fairy Yunxia was still dressed in a simple white Taoist robe, looking cold and ethereal; Yue Jianli did not come, as she was resting peacefully during her pregnancy.

The third group consisted of three Gu Zhen Realm cultivators.

The leader was a burly middle-aged man clad in armor, with awe-inspiring tiger-like eyes: the Commander of the Imperial Guard, Zhou Xiong.

The other two were a pair of black-robed brother and sister in the Gu Zhen Realm.

Shadow Thirteen and Shadow Seventeen.

They were all rogue experts the Crown Prince had secretly contacted over the years, usually hiding their identities, but now finally revealing themselves.

"Your Highness!"

Zhou Xiong knelt on one knee, his tiger-like eyes brimming with tears, "This general has waited for you for ten years!"

Ji Yuanzhao helped him up and patted his shoulder.

"These years, you have been wronged."

Zhou Xiong shook his head: "This general is not wronged. It is Your Highness who has been wronged."

Ji Yuanzhao smiled and said nothing more.

He turned and looked at the eight hundred people outside the city.

Eight hundred elites, all at least at the Qi Induction stage.

Sun Xing's three hundred Beast Sect disciples, Zhou Xiong's three hundred former Imperial Guard troops, the one hundred Wenxin Hall cultivators brought by Cloud Sunset, and one hundred rogue experts.

Eight hundred against one hundred thousand, it seemed vastly disproportionate.

But a real battlefield is never about numbers.

It is about top-tier combat power.

"Eight hundred it is, strike first to gain the advantage."

"Let's move out."

Three days later, the Royal Capital.

Chu Sheng stood on a high slope outside the city, gazing at the towering city.

On the city walls, dense ranks of defenders were on high alert.

In front of the city gate, the command flag of Family Head fluttered in the wind.

Inside the city, one could faintly hear shouting and screaming.

It was the private armies of the Four Great Families still engaged in street fighting, vying for the final spoils.

"The Qian Family occupies the palace, the Zhao Family occupies the West Gate, the Sun Family occupies the East Gate, and the Li Family occupies the South Gate."

Zhou Xiong pointed towards the city, "The North Gate is empty; we can break through from there."

Ji Yuanzhao nodded and was about to give the order when suddenly—

A hoarse, aged voice came from the void.

"Your Highness, this old servant has arrived late."

Everyone was startled and looked up.

A hunched figure stepped out of the void and landed in front of the Crown Prince.

It was an old eunuch with white hair and beard, his face lined with deep wrinkles like gullies, wearing tattered eunuch attire.

His aura... was unfathomable.

Hua Zhen Realm!

"Eunuch Qiu!" Zhou Xiong exclaimed in shock, "You are still alive?"

The old eunuch smiled, a trace of desolation in his smile.

"This old servant promised the late Emperor to protect Your Highness."

He looked at Ji Yuanzhao, tears welling in his cloudy old eyes, "Your Highness, this old servant has waited forty years, and finally, this day has arrived."

Ji Yuanzhao's eyes reddened slightly as he grasped the old eunuch's hand.

"Eunuch Qiu..."

The old eunuch patted his hand and took two items from his bosom.

An imperial decree and a long sword.

"The late Emperor's will."

The old eunuch held the decree high, his voice old yet resonant, "Bestow the throne upon Crown Prince Ji Yuanzhao!"

"The late Emperor's sword, the yan king sword! Profound grade high-tier, seeing the sword is like seeing the late Emperor!"

Everyone knelt in unison, shouting "Long live!"

Ji Yuanzhao took the decree and the long sword, his body trembling.

The moment he held the sword, a vast sword intent surged into his body.

It was the concentration of the Yan King Ji Yi's forty years of kingly dao, the final gift of a great ruler.

"Father Emperor..." he murmured.

Then, he gripped the sword hilt and strode towards the Royal Capital.

"My heart is clear and bright; why fear the tongues of the masses!"

The city gate swung open with a boom.

Eight hundred elites flooded into the Royal Capital like a torrent.

Chu Sheng followed closely by the Crown Prince's side, qing feng sword in hand, Sixteen Swords of Yan Yun ready to be unleashed.

On both sides of the streets, private armies of the Four Great Families were everywhere.

But their resistance was completely disorganized.

The Qian Family wanted to seize power, the Zhao Family wanted to protect themselves, the Sun Family wanted to wait and see, and the Li Family wanted to sit on the fence. The four forces all had their own ulterior motives and could not form a united front.

The eight hundred people advanced like a hot knife through butter, heading straight for the palace.

Finally, in front of the palace gate, they encountered their true opponent.

Family Head.

This Prime Minister, who had dominated the court for forty years, stood in front of the palace gate in full military attire, with three thousand Qian Family private soldiers behind him.

His aura... was in the Hua Zhen Realm.

"Ji Yuanzhao," Family Head looked at him and said coldly, "You still dare to return?"

Ji Yuanzhao stood holding his sword, his gaze calm.

"It is my empire, why would I not dare to return?"

Family Head sneered: "Empire? This empire has long been surnamed Qian! Do you think you can turn the tables with just these eight hundred people?"

Ji Yuanzhao did not answer, but slowly raised the yan king sword.

The tip of the sword pointed directly at Family Head.

"Eunuch Qiu," he said softly.

The old eunuch stepped forward, blocking in front of the Crown Prince.

"Family Head, it has been forty years," the old eunuch looked at him, a flash of killing intent in his cloudy old eyes, "It is time to pay up."

Family Head's pupils constricted slightly.

"You... you are actually still alive?!"

The old eunuch did not answer, but raised his hand and struck with a palm!

A duel of the Hua Zhen Realm!

The two instantly clashed, violent spiritual energy exploded, the stone steps in front of the palace shattered inch by inch, and the surrounding private soldiers retreated in haste; those a step too slow were blasted into blood mist by the shockwaves.

Just then, three figures soared into the sky from various parts of the city.

Sun Family Ancestor, Zhao Family Ancestor, and Old Ancestor of the Li Family.

Three Hua Zhen Realm experts appeared simultaneously!

"Ji Yuanzhao!" Sun Family Ancestor shouted sternly, "You colluded with outsiders to usurp the throne, what is your crime?!"

Ji Yuanzhao sneered.

"Usurp the throne? I am the Crown Prince personally appointed by the Yan King, holding the decree of succession; how can you call it usurping the throne?"

He held the decree high, his voice resounding through the city like thunder.

"The late Emperor's will is here! Why do you not kneel and welcome it?!"

The three ancestors' expressions changed.

The decree was real; they recognized the Yan King's seal.

But to acknowledge the decree meant to acknowledge the Crown Prince.

Acknowledging the Crown Prince meant... that all the things they had done over the years would be settled.

"It's fake!"

Sun Family Ancestor shouted sternly, "You forged the decree, you deserve to die!"

He was the first to act, striking a palm towards Ji Yuanzhao!

Fairy Yunxia and Sun Xing met him simultaneously!

"Ancestor!"

Sun Xing blocked in front of Sun Family Ancestor and said coldly, "Offense taken!"

Sun Family Ancestor saw his face clearly, and his pupils contracted sharply.

"Sun Xing?! You... you have rebelled?!"

Sun Xing sneered: "Rebelled? When you insisted on making my older brother the Family Head and expelled me from the Sun Family, did you ever think of today?"

Sun Family Ancestor's face turned livid, but he could not speak.

His injuries had not yet healed, and he only had seventy percent of his strength remaining.

Although Fairy Yunxia and Sun Xing were in the Gu Zhen Realm, their combined strength fought him to a standstill for the moment.

Zhao Family Ancestor saw this and was about to act.

Zhou Xiong led the other three Gu Zhen Realm cultivators to meet him.

"Old Ghost Zhao, your opponents are us!"

The four fought in a melee, spiritual energy surged, and the winds changed color.

Old Ancestor of the Li Family stood in place, his expression uncertain.

In front of the palace gate, only Ji Yuanzhao, Chu Sheng, and the three thousand private soldiers of the Qian Family remained.

Ji Yuanzhao raised the yan king sword, its blade shimmering with a dark light.

"Chu Sheng," he said softly.

"Present."

"Follow me and kill our way in."

Chu Sheng gripped the qing feng sword and took a deep breath.

"As you command."

The next moment, both leaped out, charging straight at the three thousand private soldiers!

Sword light like a rainbow, killing intent like a tide.

In front of the palace gate, blood flowed like a river.