143: The imperial street is trodden with the bones of high-ranking officials!

Three days later.

Jade Capital City.

The cold wind was biting, and snow covered everything.

Winter's chill was sharp, the cold oppressive.

Upon hearing of the Spirit Emperor's revival, eight hundred feudal lords from within the Mystic Spirit territory came to pay their respects.

Fengshen Platform.

As far as the eye could see, there were crowds of people.

Lords from all regions arrived with their personal guards, forming hundreds of large and small camps.

Royal banners stood tall, flapping in the wind.

The lords were worried; some looked around anxiously, some paced back and forth, and some conversed in low voices...

"Eastern Marquis, do you think this journey is a blessing or a curse for us?"

"His Majesty, the Spirit Emperor, has revived and invited the lords; it should be a blessing."

"But our positions as lords were not bestowed by His Majesty. The crime of dividing the land means the extermination of our clans..."

"Then why did you come to your death?"

"Firstly, there was His Majesty's decree, and secondly, the coercion from the Holy Land and the Prince of Jin. How could we not come?"

"If we don't come, we will surely die. If we come, perhaps there's a slim chance of survival."

"You're right. Since His Majesty has summoned us, he must acknowledge our status as feudal lords."

"Don't forget, we were also enfeoffed by the Imperial Clan, legitimate lords, bearing the xuanling national destiny, and are pillars of the Imperial Dynasty."

"His Majesty has been separated by five millennia; his former confidantes and capable individuals have long since died in the early wars."

"Outside the Fengshen Platform, the personal guard armies of the various lords alone number in the millions, all elite soldiers. Not to mention sweeping across the continent, at least taking Jade Capital City would be easy."

"Moreover, we bear the xuanling national destiny. To speak treasonously, even if His Majesty, the Spirit Emperor, detests us, he would not dare to directly order our execution. Otherwise, the national destiny would collapse, wars would erupt everywhere, and the Imperial Dynasty would be destroyed in an instant."

Around them, several princes nodded in agreement: "What the Eastern Marquis says is very true. Times have long changed. Although we are still subjects of the Imperial Dynasty, we are also regional feudal lords. Even the Spirit Emperor must show us some deference. This grand banquet is probably intended to appease us first."

"In the future, he will slowly weaken our influence. However, as long as the eight lords are united and not divided, we can even contend with the Imperial Dynasty and the Holy Land to some extent."

"This banquet of lords is a rare opportunity, an excellent time for us to form an Alliance."

After the decline of the Imperial Dynasty, the various lords all established themselves as kings and hegemons in their own territories, maintaining relations with the Noble Families and Holy Land.

Most of the tributary states sent envoys to perfunctorily offer tribute, while the main resources were divided by the Holy Land behind the Prince of Jin and the Noble Families.

The feudal lords also rarely had opportunities to meet.

This gathering of major lords in Jade Capital City was the first time in five thousand years.

"Prince of Qi, why did Tianyin Pavilion retreat?"

The Prince of Jin, with a cold face, representing the other Holy Lands, directly confronted the ruler of Qi, who was supported by Tianyin Pavilion.

"Hmph, doesn't the Prince of Jin know that several Old Ancestors of Tianyin Pavilion were once musicians in the Imperial Palace? How could they oppose His Majesty?"

"So they really were afraid, tsk tsk..."

The Prince of Jin scoffed, passing by the ruler of Qi, while not forgetting to transmit his Divine Thought to the people of the Holy Land, arranging things in secret.

"Keep your eyes peeled, there's a good show to watch today!"

...The Demon Suppression Division and others, like ghosts, hid among the feudal lords, making their final preparations.

"Director of the Demon Suppression Division, a hundred-mile radius has been thoroughly investigated. There are no confinement arrays, and the Void Realm aisle can be opened at any time."

"The two Yao Dragons from the South Sea swallowed enough blood food two days ago and successfully advanced, which can help the Director of the Demon Suppression Division suppress all sides and accomplish the great undertaking in one fell swoop!"

The Noble Families Alliance and the four major Holy Lands were also secretly communicating.

Dugu Kui had summoned almost all the mainstays and Old Ancestor-level figures of the Heavenly God Noble Families. They were all hidden in the city, waiting for an order to lead their private armies in rebellion.

Not only that, more than half of the eight hundred princes were their people.

"Nine Nether Palace, the four great punitive Elders, have already set up the Underworld Great Array."

"Ice Field Palace, the five barbarian kings of the Glacier Tribe are ready to march!"

"No-Regret Cliff, brings the Dragon Palace's supreme treasure, which can suppress the national destiny at a critical moment!"

"Blood God Mountain..."

The Prince of Jin also participated, and the preparations on the surface were very thorough.

Rebellion was no small matter; there must have been even stronger methods hidden in the peace.

Before transmitting the message to Xia Xuan, he couldn't help but hesitate, perhaps being a double agent would yield greater benefits.

But compared to those Noble Families and Holy Lands, his own forces were too weak, and the hope of achieving the final victory was extremely slim.

Gritting his teeth, the Prince of Jin decided to follow the Spirit Emperor all the way.

Moments after the Divine Thought transmission.

On the magnificent and spacious Fengshen Platform, a sharp shout suddenly echoed.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Zhao Gao's figure was the first to appear on the Fengshen Platform, squinting as he looked down at the eight hundred feudal lords.

Xia Xuan traversed the Void Realm and descended, with Chaos evolving behind him, worlds forming and perishing. The weakened national destiny, like a ferocious black Dragon, coiled beside him, its eyes fierce and ready to devour.

The might of Heaven was vast, like an ancient sun, illuminating thousands of blazing divine rays.

In Jade Capital City, starting from the Fengshen Platform, endless ice and snow melted.

"Your subjects prostrate themselves before Your Majesty! May Your Majesty live as long as Heaven, eternal and indestructible!"

The eight princes trembled and prostrated, shouting in unison.

The Prince of Jin's heart sank, 'His Majesty has only just learned of the rebel forces' layout, and should not have had time to formulate a countermeasure. Why did he appear so hastily?'

He had a strong premonition of something ominous.

On the Fengshen Platform, Xia Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at the various feudal lords, his gaze indifferent, showing no intention of allowing them to rise.

At first, there was complete silence, but as time passed.

The princes' expressions became extremely unsightly, and they grew impatient. Many looked up to peek, but their eyes were scorched by the divine flames.

This strange scene lasted for a full half an hour.

Then, one feudal lord, unable to bear it any longer, stood up and questioned: "What does Your Majesty mean?"

Gradually, more people, with the mentality that the law would not punish the masses, stood up, shielding their eyes with Divine Ability, and looked up at the Fengshen Platform, questioning.

"Your Majesty summoned us here, could it be to make fun of us?"

The banquet of lords, where is the banquet?

Xia Xuan sneered: "I am sharpening my blade. What are you, rebellious traitors, waiting for?"

As his words fell, outside the Fengshen Platform square, where the princes' armies were stationed, earth-shattering shouts of battle erupted almost simultaneously.

Evil Qi surged into the sky.

From two Void Realm aisle that swept across the sky, armored armies riding terrifying Yao Beasts, having formed their military formations, charged out excitedly.

There were Qiongqi Yao Beasts, resembling fierce tigers with double wings on their backs, full of ferocity.

There were Taotie Yao Beasts, with eyes under their armpits, tiger teeth, and human claws, terrifyingly hideous.

Those who commanded them were battle-hardened armies that had emerged from mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

In addition to the two legions of Bai Qi and Xiang Yu, there were also Lü Bu's elite cavalry, who had cultivated for decades in the taixu pagoda and greatly increased their strength, and the White Robe Army led by Zhao Yun.

Slaughter suddenly erupted. The guard armies of the eight princes had no time to form their ranks.

Moreover, many key general-level figures were assassinated at the very first moment.

The million-strong princely army collapsed at the first touch.

"Spirit Emperor, you are mad! If you kill us, the Imperial Dynasty will surely be destroyed!"

"Stop now, let us return, everything is still salvageable!"

Among the princes, not all were powerful cultivators. Many, relying on their ancestors' prestige, were already terrified by the sight of such frenzied slaughter.

There were also some whose faces were pale, shouting loudly, trying to make Xia Xuan order a halt to the fighting.

"Destroyed? That suits me perfectly."

Xia Xuan responded indifferently, turning around. Zhao Gao's eyes flashed with cold light, and he acted to completely obliterate those who spoke wildly.

The Director of the Demon Suppression Division and others were greatly astonished by the sudden turn of events, "What should we do? Attack now, or retreat?"

"Wait a little longer. The more princes who bear the xuanling national destiny die, the less the national destiny will empower the Spirit Emperor."

On this day, the bones of nobles paved the imperial street!

Blood was the feast, and heads rolled!