Even Huo Xingyuan, who felt certain death was upon him, never imagined Lu Xingzhou would commit murder in broad daylight.

Just moments ago, Lu Xingzhou had spoken of “acting on imperial decree” to “apprehend and punish,” and even if murder was intended, it should have been carried out discreetly after taking him away. His personal guards had gone to report the situation, so there was still a slight chance of rescue.

Yet, before countless onlookers, with a single punch in the street, his heart was shattered.

Huo Xingyuan’s eyes bulged, and as his life ebbed, a rush of thoughts flashed through his mind. He suddenly realized that Lu Xingzhou had already smeared his name using the Danlu. Now, people would only spread rumors that Huo Xingyuan had hoarded divine artifacts, causing the blood moon to descend and evil spirits to run rampant.

Unless His Majesty achieved a complete victory in this battle, wiping out all of Ye Tinglan’s forces… otherwise, as long as the stalemate continued, Lu Xingzhou wouldn’t face any repercussions for this murder. The blame for the blood moon’s descent would remain firmly on Huo Xingyuan.

He, Huo Xingyuan, would die, and his reputation would be ruined.

This vendetta began with the Danlu and exploded because of it.

Having understood all of Lu Xingzhou’s intentions, Huo Xingyuan took his last breath, his eyes wide open in death.

The onlookers were silent, all stunned.

Killing an official was a grave crime. How many members of the Huo family had been imprisoned or exiled for “killing an official”?

Now, Lu Xingzhou had openly killed a first-rank marquis!

Moreover, for a long time, people had considered him his “father.” The visual impact of this moment was enough to blank out most people’s minds.

But then, at some unknown moment, a mournful cry suddenly arose: “Good riddance… good riddance! Huo Xingyuan, you utterly cursed man, you framed my husband back then, leading to his execution. Now you know what it feels like!”

Initially, her words were broken, but then she became hoarse, screaming, “You should have died long ago!”

At this outburst, many people seemed to awaken, and countless voices echoed: “The treacherous minister is dead, good!”

“His death was too easy!”

Then, countless rotten fruits and eggs were hurled at Huo Xingyuan’s corpse on the ground, and curses erupted incessantly.

Lu Xingzhou hadn’t anticipated this scene. He turned his head with a touch of surprise, then chuckled softly, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, picked up Huo Xingyuan’s body, and strode away.

The Huo family had committed many despicable acts over the years, not just the one against his own household.

They had always been known as a notorious “treacherous minister family” both in court and among the populace, having harmed countless people, making everyone gnash their teeth in hatred.

Among all the people he had killed over the years, none had garnered such popular support and evoked such a stirring feeling. This sensation was quite pleasant, like the unexpected thrill of being a great hero.

Unfortunately, most people weren’t aware that many of the Huo family’s misdeeds were simply taking the blame for Gu Zhanting. If treacherous ministers were good to die, then what about the emperor?

“Boom!” Just then, the people on Lu Xingzhou’s side also felt the commotion that Pei Chuyun and Xuan Nü had sensed. The energy of the suburban altar in Jingjiao erupted, and a vast pressure loomed over Jingcheng.

“Qianyuan!” Some knowledgeable individuals were profoundly shaken, looking up at the sky in silent horror.

Lu Xingzhou’s heart also skipped a beat. His thoughts raced, and instead of going to the altar, he first went to Pei Fu.

His own strength was still far too insufficient for the peak of Huiyang or the Qianyuan battles; he probably couldn’t even get close.

Xuan Nü had hidden an unknown amount of combat power, and it wasn’t certain that Feng Ziliu and Pei Qingyan could truly win. But he and Anu should be able to provide some assistance, freeing up this force, at least allowing Feng Ziliu to participate in that battle.

Gu Zhanting was at the center of the altar, with four super-grade formations around it.

Zhao’en, Huo Liancheng, Gu Shaoli, and a strange demonic creature that seemed to be formed from flames.

That was the super-grade demon suppressed at the lowest level of the Jiangmoyu.

The reason it was described as “seemingly made of flames” was because it looked like fire but also like black mist. Unlike the black flames Lu Xingzhou had subdued, which still looked like fire, this fire-like figure felt ethereal and misty, not at all like actual flames.

It was like fire in an illusion.

It was called Youming Guihuo, “Underworld Ghost Fire,” burning only the divine soul, eternal and unquenchable, only to be suppressed but not killed.

Now, it had made some unknown agreement with Gu Zhanting, seemingly being released by him to assist in his ritual.

This “Sacrifice of Mountains and Rivers” corresponded not only to humans but also to demons, devils, and even plant spirits.

What kind of monster would ultimately be created?

Around the perimeter of the altar, captive demonic creatures designated as sacrifices began to scream, their demonic energy steaming off their bodies.

Far away in various parts of the mountains and rivers, officials in their homes, at banquets, or even in the streets, suddenly underwent demonization, growing hair all over, revealing fierce fangs, then howling at the sky, echoing the blood moon.

This was a ten-year-long secret plan by Gu Zhanting.

It wasn’t about plundering their power, but rather their demonic energy, evil energy, and even life force. This was significantly different from power plunder; if it were power plunder, this array might not be able to achieve it.

Gu Zhanting, on the altar, also began to emanate demonic energy and evil energy. His once-handsome middle-aged face started to show grotesque紋理 (wenli), and upon closer inspection, his neck already had scale-like formations.

Dragon scales!

His imperial robe seemed to acquire a shimmering golden quality, like Long Qinghuang’s, and a faint dragon prestige began to emanate from him.

This was something he had started to plot after Long Qinghuang had struck him and caused internal bleeding… Gu Zhanting had never wanted to cure his illness or drain the blood; instead, he aimed to achieve the status of a “True Dragon Emperor” and thereby break through the Qianyuan barrier. Countless alchemical experiments didn’t expel the true dragon’s blood; instead, they expelled his mortal blood. No one in the world had ever imagined this, including Lu Xingzhou and Ye Tinglan even earlier.

But Lu Xingzhou knew a small detail.

During the battle between Long Qinghuang and Gu Zhanting in Beijiang, Long Qinghuang had sensed a faint dragon prestige from Gu Zhanting.

Long Qinghuang had casually mentioned this to Lu Xingzhou during a chat, and he hadn’t paid much attention at the time. Later, based on various pieces of information, he began to get a rough idea.

Just as the Qianyuan power on Gu Zhanting’s body shook Jingcheng, the blood moon in the sky suddenly flashed, and the crimson color receded.

Gu Zhanting’s rapidly surging aura abruptly halted. He frowned and looked up at the sky.

Ye Tinglan was positioned between the blood moon and Gu Zhanting, silently looking down.

“You didn’t leave?” Gu Zhanting wasn’t too surprised, slowly saying, “Or did you return temporarily after seeing the change?”

Ye Tinglan replied, “What if I didn’t leave, and what if I returned?”

Not leaving, of course, implied having been prepared for this moment all along. A temporary return meant arriving in haste without knowing anything.

Gu Zhanting didn’t explain, only saying, “It’s too late, Ye Tinglan… you can’t stop anything.”

Ye Tinglan said lightly, “I’m not particularly trying to stop anything… after all, I never thought that a dignified Qianhuang would want to be Long Qinghuang’s son.”

Gu Zhanting’s mouth twitched: “What do you know?”

Ye Tinglan’s face was very grim, and she didn’t speak for a moment.

Gu Zhanting thought Ye Tinglan’s grim expression was due to the situation, but it wasn’t.

Ye Tinglan had never imagined that the letter Long Qinghuang sent to Daqian wasn’t addressed to Lu Xingzhou; it was addressed to her, Ye Tinglan.

The letter contained only one sentence: “I’m pregnant with Xingzhou’s baby, and the dignified Tianyao Shengzhu is a rotten homewrecker.”

Heaven knows what kind of internal turmoil erupted in Guoguan the moment she saw that letter. Dugu Qingli, who had been sitting poker-faced nearby, couldn’t endure her master’s outburst and fled with her head in her hands. For these three days, Lu Xingzhou dared not step into Guoguan; all communication was handled by Anu…

Then, turning her attention back, Gu Zhanting’s decade-long plan also involved exchanging dragon blood throughout his body, and the crucial fuse was Long Qinghuang’s clotted blood.

Ye Tinglan’s mind raced through these thoughts, her face expressionless: “Long Qinghuang won’t acknowledge you as her son. She has her own dragon son. If you want to degrade yourself to be a younger brother, that’s up to you.”

Gu Zhanting: “?”

Ye Tinglan added another jab: “Furthermore, if you want to be Long Qinghuang’s adopted son, you’ll probably need the stepfather’s approval. By the way, you can call me ‘Auntie’.”

Even Gu Shaoli, Huo Liancheng, and others nearby couldn’t maintain their composure upon hearing this.

The implication was clear to everyone—Lu Xingzhou had actually gotten the Dragon Empress pregnant.

Someone got the Dragon Empress pregnant, while another humbly used a little of the Dragon Empress’s clotted blood to transform into a true dragon’s fate.

The contrast, even if Gu Zhanting could break through to Qianyuan, felt… indescribable.

Others couldn’t hold back their reactions, and Gu Zhanting, naturally, was even angrier. He said coldly, “Shut up! I’m transforming into the fate of a true dragon; I’m merely using dragon blood as a catalyst, not exchanging her bloodline. What does it have to do with her!”

Ye Tinglan ignored him and asked Gu Shaoli, “Does Prince Dingxi think that such a bloodline can still be considered your imperial Gu family bloodline?”

Gu Shaoli did not answer. He also felt that this was no longer the Gu family bloodline. Regardless of how much belonged to Long Qinghuang, with all the demonic and chaotic elements involved, it certainly wasn’t Gu family blood anymore. But it didn’t matter; Gu Zhanting already had children before all these schemes, so the successor could be chosen from among them.

Gu Zhanting said, “Guoshi, there’s no need to dwell on such trivial matters… Since you’ve come, then become part of the ritual sacrifice.”

As he spoke, a majestic surge of dragon energy shot straight into the sky, and a dragon-shaped qi blast charged towards Ye Tinglan’s suspended position.

The mere appearance of this dragon energy caused all the surrounding demons and monsters to kneel, trembling with fear.

The power that tore through the sky… to say it had already reached Qianyuan seemed to be no exaggeration.

Ye Tinglan’s expression was serene as she lightly waved her jade hand.

Beyond the blood moon, another full moon seemed to appear, its clear light showering the sky, directly colliding with the dragon-shaped qi blast.

“Boom!” The void exploded, and the earth shook.

Gu Zhanting and Ye Tinglan both swayed slightly, neither gaining an advantage.

Gu Zhanting finally couldn’t maintain his composure, exclaiming in shock, “Although I haven’t begun my tribulation yet, this power is already Qianyuan… How did you achieve a silent breakthrough?”

Zhao’en nearby was also startled and uncertain.

Ye Tinglan had broken through?

How could this be possible!

Gu Zhanting sharply commanded, “Attack together!”

“Swish, swish, swish!” Five rays of light, including Gu Zhanting at the center, simultaneously illuminated from the four-sided array.

But at that very moment, Gu Zhanting’s Qianyuan energy suddenly stalled.

There was no problem with the altar, and no problem with the surrounding demons.

Gu Zhanting carefully sensed, and his heart was greatly alarmed.

In various parts of the mountains and rivers, those demons that had been prepared and pre-arranged over ten years suddenly stopped supplying energy. The formation was still there, but it was drawing in only empty air.