The hostage manor was deserted, lit only by two dim lanterns. A group of black-clad figures emerged from the shadows, gathering at the gate.
"Boss, I scouted—no experts inside," one whispered to the robed leader.
"Then leave no one alive. Understood?" The leader gathered them in a circle for final orders.
"Leave no one alive? So ruthless?" A voice sounded behind them.
"Who said that? Disobeying me? I said no one survives—do you object?" The leader glared.
"Not us!" the others denied.
"Not you? Then who? Is there an outsider here?" The leader looked up angrily, seeing a young man none had seen before. When had he arrived? Who was he?
"Who are you?" The leader demanded, face livid.
Lin Yu smiled. "If I guess right, you're here to kill me. Let me see—are you my dear elder brother's men?"
The leader studied him, then realized. "You're the Third Prince? Impossible! The Third Prince is a cripple—he can't appear behind us silently. Who are you?"
"Let me guess: since you're my brother's diehards, you must be demon-blood warriors." Lin Yu shook his head, wondering why they forsook humanity to become half-demons.
"Did you make Lord Sun and the others disappear?" The leader realized only someone who fought them would know about demon-blood warriors.
"They did die by my hand," Lin Yu nodded.
"Commander Zheng, what do we do?" Fear filled the Men in Black's eyes. Sun Linpu, who fused a demon core, was stronger than them. If even he died, they stood no chance.
Zheng Yong's eyes hardened. "We die for the prince! Attack!" As he spoke, demonic qi burst from him, his eyes turned red, and scales grew on his face and arms. In an instant, he became a暴虐的 (ferocious) demon-blood warrior. The others also transformed, breaking through to Purple Mansion realm.
"Attack!" Zheng Yong raised his saber, his roar now a demonic cackle. The other demon-blood warriors drew weapons and charged recklessly.
"Court death!" Lin Yu snorted. The terrifying Coercion of a Myriad Manifestations expert crashed down like mountains.
Thud, thud... Zheng Yong and the others staggered, their knees buckling under the pressure. The sound of shattering kneecaps echoed as they knelt before Lin Yu like guilty men awaiting judgment.
"Impossible! How... how can you be so strong?" Zheng Yong forced his head up, stunned. He had expected Lin Yu to be strong, but not this terrifying—defeating them with mere aura.
Lin Yu eyed the half-demon warriors coldly. "As Han soldiers, you should loyal to the Han and the emperor, but you pledged loyalty to the First Prince—this is disloyalty. Your body is a gift from your parents, yet you fused demon blood to become monsters—this is unfilial piety. Unloyal and unfilial, how dare you live? Die!"
With a冷哼(Snort), Lin Yu's Coercion crushed their heart meridians. They fell dead, kneeling, with pale faces and bleeding orifices.
"Cauldron Lord, clean this up," Lin Yu summoned the God-Eating Cauldron.
"Purple Mansion warriors? I'll take them for your sake, but no more trash like this," the Cauldron Lord huffed, devouring them with starlight.
Lin Yu sighed—the cauldron had grown picky. It once rejoiced at Purple Mansion cultivators, but now even weak Myriad Manifestations barely satisfied it, urging Lin Yu to challenge Void Formation elders.
After the cauldron finished, Lin Yu looked toward the Han's Southern Wasteland. Vague figures of fallen soldiers seemed to gaze at him from the night sky, as if asking: Why haven't you avenged us? How long must we wait?
"Soon. I'll avenge you soon. Just wait a little longer..." Lin Yu murmured, turning back to the manor. For the 100,000 soldiers who died in the Southern Wasteland, the Immortal Gate elders must perish.
...
Seven days later, the Zhou Emperor stood before the palace gate, wearing the imperial crown and holding the Heavenly Sword. The chief minister, also with a sword, stood behind him, grave-faced. Civil and military officials, armed with weapons and treasures, stood肃立 (solemnly) beside them, awaiting Peng Wudi.
Nine Purple Mansion warriors behind the emperor held dark golden crossbows, forming a battle array. Ready to fire, their Void-Breaking Arrows could slay Myriad Manifestations experts. On the palace wall, a white-haired Purple Mansion Grade Nine warrior held a seven-inch Blood Fiend Dagger. Sacrificing his blood, the dagger could unleash power to kill Myriad Manifestations Grade Seven and below.
To face Peng Wudi, the Great Zhou had revealed all its trump cards.