"Make your move! Whoever kills him, I will name them an Unaffiliated King!" Xuanyuan Ruoxing pointed at Luo Ruofeng and declared, then paid no further mind to the battle raging below. Those with any real strength had already been injured by his shockwave. All that remained were a few Grandmasters—who, while formidable to ordinary men, were no different from ants to him. Let these ants kill them, then.

At this moment, he was like a divine king looking down upon all living beings, treating the entire scene as a play, a particularly brutal one at that.

Hearing Xuanyuan Ruoxing's words, generals and soldiers alike had their eyes turn bloodshot. They drew their weapons and charged toward Luo Ruofeng at the center. An Unaffiliated King! What a sublime status that was—glory, riches, all hinged on this very moment.

Truthfully, these men understood that with Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s power, killing those few targets would take mere moments. The only reason he let them live was to watch the show.

Countless figures surged toward Luo Ruofeng and his company. Bie Li and Ying Xiaoxiao simultaneously drew their weapons, shielding Luo Ruofeng. Even knowing that death was the inevitable outcome, they could not allow their Majesty to fall before them.

Even in death, they would defend their sovereign’s dignity.

Bie Li’s aura surged continuously, vaguely on the verge of breaking through to Martial Saint. A Martial Saint, in the past, would certainly be a figure who could command respect in any region, but here, a Martial Saint amounted to nothing. Immediately, seven or eight Grandmasters converged on him, launching a frenzied assault.

Heartless Palm, Ruthless Finger, Sorrowful Sword—Bie Li unleashed the supreme techniques of the Wu Shang Sect, directly slaying three Grandmasters. Yet, his body was already riddled with wounds; at least four streaks of sword qi had pierced deep within him.

Still, he waved the long sword in his hand without hesitation. Razor-sharp sword qi tore through the air, annihilating the suicidal soldiers surrounding him.

As for Ying Xiaoxiao, his greatest skill lay in Qinggong, making him peerless at evasion and escape. But now, tasked with protecting his sovereign, dodging was impossible. He could only use his own body to block the endless torrent of sword light. Countless scars were carved into him. Even Xiao Muzi fought desperately, protecting Luo Ruofeng’s front.

The few Soul Immortals accompanying Xuanyuan Ruoxing moved to intervene, but Xuanyuan Ruoxing stopped them. A faint, elegant smile played on his lips as he approached Yao Yao. Looking at her exquisitely beautiful face, Xuanyuan Ruoxing chuckled triumphantly, "How long do you think they can last?"

Seeing that Xuanyuan Ruoxing could effortlessly erase Luo Ruofeng and the others, yet insisted on sending so many men to their deaths just to grind them down slowly, a chill washed over Yao Yao’s heart.

Was he still the same person?

If he were here, he would surely stop such monstrous acts. In response to Xuanyuan Ruoxing’s question, she chose silence.

"Heh, perhaps you find me tedious? Why not dispatch them with a single finger, instead of letting these soldiers wear them down slowly?" Seeing Yao Yao remain silent, Xuanyuan Ruoxing seemed unconcerned, continuing his calm discourse.

"Heh, indeed it is tedious, but you haven't reached my realm yet, so you cannot comprehend my current thoughts. But never mind that. As long as you agree to be my woman, I guarantee you can become an immortal god, just like me. How about it?" Xuanyuan Ruoxing spoke softly, not even using the imperial 'Zhen'.

"Wishful thinking!" Upon hearing Xuanyuan Ruoxing's words, Yao Yao let out a cold snort.

"Wishful thinking? Hahahaha... In the past, perhaps you could say that. But now, this is no longer fantasy; it is fact. No one can stop you and her from becoming my women, hahahaha..." Xuanyuan Ruoxing roared with manic laughter. His current power was simply too immense; Luo Ruofeng and the others didn't even have the means to take their own lives.

At this moment, Ying Xiaoxiao, drenched in his own blood, had his shoulder shattered by a punch from a peak Grandmaster. Immediately, seven or eight weapons pierced his body, sending several fountains of blood spurting out, while his eyes filled with sorrowful desolation.

"General Ying..." Seeing Ying Xiaoxiao die right before him, although Luo Ruofeng had anticipated this outcome, his heart was still pierced by grief.

Luo Lixuan’s eyes brimmed with tears; these men died defending the dignity of him and his father.

"Kill..." Bie Li roared at this juncture. His body was already studded with arrows, and blood had long since dyed everything crimson. Seeing the swarms of soldiers charging madly once more, despair flashed in Bie Li's eyes. His body suddenly erupted with streams of golden light, followed by a bang as it exploded. The immense energy swept over everything nearby; at least ten Grandmasters and hundreds of soldiers were blown into fragments by the force of the self-detonation, and Bie Li’s body was atomized into blood and gore across the sky.

"General Bie Li..." Luo Ruofeng could do nothing now but roar. These were his most loyal subordinates, yet they were dying one by one before him for his very dignity. How could this not break his heart? How could this not shatter his soul?

An emperor is emotionless, yet at this moment, Luo Ruofeng felt a sharp throb in his chest, and tears shimmered faintly in his eyes.

But how could he cry? He was an emperor, a supreme sovereign; how could he shed tears?

"Your Majesty, your servant can no longer look after you. I shall go first!" At this moment, the enemy forces surged forward again. Eunuch Mu’s eyes showed fierce resolve. After bowing respectfully, he turned and charged into the dense black mass of the army.

"Sssshh... sssshh... sssshh..." Countless weapons pierced through Xiao Muzi's body before finally tearing him into shreds, leaving no trace of bone or flesh.

The tears finally broke free from Luo Ruofeng's eyes. Watching this half-eunuch who had cared for him since childhood, this Xiao Muzi who had served without complaint, he felt as if something was tearing his heart apart.

Why such agony? Why such bitterness?

Was this emotion?

Who says emperors are heartless? Who says men do not weep? All of this simply means the point of true heartbreak has not yet been reached...

Watching the enemy soldiers swarming closer, and seeing the tear-streaked face of Luo Lixuan, Luo Ruofeng drew a dagger from his robes—a golden-yellow dagger. As the ruler of a nation, he possessed a way to die with his dignity intact.

Just as Luo Ruofeng prepared to kill his son first and then himself, a figure materialized before him. It was a somewhat slender back, yet it possessed a shock of striking white hair and a handsome face. On that face, the eyes that should have shone black were currently a ghastly crimson...

To the readers: Tomorrow will be the biggest turning point in this book outside of the finale. We have both been holding this in for a long time, let's go all out together! Uploading on 13.25.

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