"Capture them and throw them into the prison," the man leading the troop shouted while the warriors surrounded the Tianze clan, trapping everyone within the confines of their mighty army.
"Imperial Protector Lord Jin, oh wait..." The man clicked his tongue and shook his head, his eyes filled with ridicule. "You aren't a Lord anymore. There is no need for me to address you with respect. Did it ever occur to you, Tianlong, that you'd be rendered to such a pathetic state one day?"
When he didn't receive any response, he walked forward and stood before Jin Tianlong as he stared at him gloatingly. "Rejoice, Jin Tianlong, for today is the day you and your entire clan will go to hell."
"Stay within your limits, Li Xianming," Jin Tianlong finally reacted and warned the man.
Li Xianming let out a laugh and stepped forward until they were facing each other. "Otherwise, what are you going to do? Are you going to kill me?"
Jin Tianlong remained silent.
"Accept your fate, Tianlong. No one is going to stop you from facing your doom. I am sure the men will be executed and the women..." Li Xianming ran his gaze at the women standing behind Jin Tianlong, not hiding his salacious intent from anyone.
Jin Tianlong could not suppress his fury anymore, and a lethal energy burst out of him. The impact was so strong that all the soldiers surrounding the Tianze clan were thrown away, with Li Xianming facing most of the brunt. He fell to the ground hard and coughed up blood.
"Marquis," the soldiers shouted, and two men rushed to help him up.
"You..." Li Xianming was having difficulty speaking and barely had the strength to stand up. "Kill him. Kill them all," he ordered, now blinded by fury, and all hell broke loose immediately.
Violent energy filled the air as the Tianze clan fought to save themselves while the imperial warriors did their best to suppress them. The weaker ones started losing momentum slowly, and dead bodies adorned the ground while a crimson river flooded.
"Until I'm alive, I will not allow any mishap to fall on my people." Jin Tianlong gritted his teeth as a powerful suppression fell on everyone, forcing them to kneel before him. The force was so strong that some of the weaker ones spat a mouthful of blood and fainted.
Li Xianming's state was no different from the others. He was still a weakling in front of Jin Tianlong, who was shrouded in a dark purple aura.
Li Xianming shuddered when he met Jin Tianlong's deadly gaze. He scuttled back, trying to create as much distance as possible. However, the oppression on him was so strong that he remained frozen in his spot.
In no time, the number of warriors was reduced by half, and Li Xianming's eyes flashed with fear when he noticed the situation. If this continued, he too wouldn't be leaving the place alive.
The Tianze clan was the most powerful in the kingdom, with Jin Tianlong being the most powerful man after the King himself. Even the Imperial Preceptor and Imperial Tutor had not reached his level.
Only the King could defeat Jin Tianlong, and for that to happen, the King had to enter the battlefield himself.
With that thought, he gritted his teeth, trying to overcome the oppression on him, and signaled one of the imperial warriors beside him. Understanding his intentions, the man nodded discreetly and vanished from the place instantly.
Jin Tianlong's heart dropped when he noticed it. 'A space elemental. This is bad,' he thought and looked back at his clan.
Although he had managed to ward off the trouble for some time, he would not be able to do it for long. He could defeat anyone in the kingdom, anyone but the King, and considering the man who had disappeared in a blink, the King would be arriving soon.
Although the King and he were at the same stage of cultivation, Jin Tianlong was one level below. So, he could never defeat him.
'I need to make plans for my clan. I cannot allow those bastards to destroy my people,' Jin Tianlong thought, and moved back as he increased the suppression on everyone, focusing his energy more on his enemies while building a shield around his clanmates.
It was not easy to subdue so many people at once. His qi was draining slowly, but his mind kept spinning as he thought of plans to protect his people.
If they were caught today, the Tianze clan would be over for sure.
Looking around him stealthily, he searched for someone, anyone who could help him with his plan, and his eyes fell on his youngest grandson, Jin Yuchen, who was glaring at Li Xianming. His eyes were blazing with fire and immense hatred, as if he would rush out soon and pull the man's heart out.
'Jin Yuchen,' he spoke anxiously to him in his mind. 'Jin Yuchen, can you hear me?'
Jin Yuchen's head snapped to him instantly.
'Jin Yuchen, go to the core of life and protect the Celestial Gem.'
'Grandfather!' Jin Yuchen hesitated.
'Go,' Jin Tianlong shouted in his mind, his eyes filled with despair. He did not want him to do it. But he had no choice. It was his only way to protect his clan.
'Go!' he shouted again in desperation, and Jin Yuchen started running towards the core of life immediately while he gnashed his teeth indignantly.
'Grandfather, I will not let anything happen to you. I will not allow any harm to befall you,' he vowed as he made his way towards the center of the clan house.
Meanwhile, Jin Tianlong could not hold on for a long time. He had to take a step back when the King arrived.
While the Tianze clan members flared at his presence, not bothering to hide their resentment, Li Xianming and the imperial warriors, on the other hand, were overwhelmed with joy. They were safe. They would not be dying that day.
"You've become bold, Jin Tianlong," King Xuandi sneered, flicking his dragon robe behind him.
Jin Tianlong remained upright, not bothering to rush forward with the greeting. The man before him did not deserve it.
"So you do not even greet me now? Has your head flown so high that you do not follow manners?"
Jin Tianlong smiled, his eyes filled with scorn. "I only respect people who deserve my respect, and you are not one of them."
"You…" King Xuandi glared at him and Jin Tianlong sucked in a deep breath while his body trembled.
"King Xuandi, on what basis did you order us to be captured?" Jin Tianlong asked, his tone filled with barely concealed anger.
King Xuandi smiled all of a sudden, his eyes filled with a sinister glint. He looked like evil reincarnate, and Jin Tianlong's heart skipped a beat in fear.
The entire place was filled with an air of despondency, and nobody spoke a word. Even King Xuandi looked on coldly until he nodded at his personal guard.
Stepping forward, the guard cleared his throat before he started reading the imperial edict.
"The Tianze clan has been convicted of plotting a rebellion against the throne. So, they will be executed right away. The men, women, and children, no one will be spared, and the Tianze clan's secret guards will be stripped of their powers and sold off as slaves to distant lands.
The guard read, and the next instant, invisible ropes restrained all of them, rendering them incapable of moving or using their powers.
Jin Tianlong looked at King Xuandi coldly. Glaring hard at him, he twisted his arms, and the invisible ropes lay broken by his feet the next instant.
King Xuandi's eyes widened when he saw his actions. When did he become so powerful? Why did he hide his true level?
Jin Tianlong scoffed when he saw King Xuandi's apparent fear. Closing his eyes, he mustered all the strength in him. Even if he could not defeat the King, he could at least injure him.
When he opened his eyes next, he was enveloped with a dark purple aura, and King Xuandi's eyes dilated in fright.
Jin Tianlong was just a level beneath him. If he did not end the man soon, he would break through and reach the same level as him. Then, it would be impossible for him to exterminate the Tianze clan.
With that thought, he crossed his arms and forced out all the energy in him.
All the people around the two were sent flying, and they coughed up blood. The King's suppression was stronger than Jin Tianlong's, and nobody could escape it.
All the weaker ones in the Tianze clan dropped dead within a few moments.
Jin Tianlong was overwhelmed with anger. He had served King Xuandi for centuries, pledging his loyalty in the chaotic times. He had even helped the man to ascend the throne.
But what did he get in return? Betrayal.
The King had disregarded everything he had done, the men his clan had sacrificed. He forgot everything, including how it was the Tianze clan that had helped him win the war against his enemy, sending their souls to the Netherworld.
Jin Tianlong did not blame anyone. He only held himself responsible for what had happened, for being blind.
Smiling softly, he took one last breath before raising his hands and directing all his power at his enemy.