At this moment, the entire Tianwu Hall was completely silent.
In the enormous palace hall, only a clear sword cry resonated. The sword light was brilliant, sweeping out like a flood bursting a dam. It was a large-scale indiscriminate attack!
[Sky-Shrouding] had calculated very clearly. In the flash of lightning, it was impossible for him to distinguish who the mysterious Foundation Establishment cultivator plotting against him was. So he could only launch an indiscriminate attack, enveloping all officials within the Tianwu Hall, while intentionally avoiding Emperor Jiayou and the Three Dukes.
However, just because he didn't attack them didn't mean Emperor Jiayou and the Three Dukes wouldn't intervene.
After all, all the high-level officials of the entire Dao Court were currently in the Tianwu Hall. Since they were about to go into seclusion, if all these people died, could the Dao Court even continue to exist?
Therefore, almost simultaneously, Emperor Jiayou made his move.
"Impudent."
Before his voice faded, the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] pressed down instantly. The Tianwu Hall was already the center of the Dao Court, the place where the power of the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] was the heaviest.
Thus, the moment the sword light released by [Sky-Shrouding] appeared, it was pressed down out of thin air by the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws]. Its stature, originally sufficient to sweep away everyone with late-stage Golden Core power, was forcefully knocked down to mid-stage Golden Core. Speed and power both declined, finally giving everyone present a chance to respond.
Boom!
First came the scattered sword light. The Three Dukes acted simultaneously, activating the divine wonders of their Dao Fruits to protect the officials behind them and preventing them from being affected by the sword light.
However, they were already in a state of imminent seclusion.
Forcing themselves to act now instantly accelerated the seclusion process. Thus, after acting just once, their figures shattered one after another, vanishing into nothingness.
Only Emperor Jiayou was still holding on.
After all, he had mid-stage Golden Core cultivation and was currently blessed by the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws]. His move had already suppressed that unmatched sword light.
Even so, Emperor Jiayou still felt lingering fear.
Fortunately, it was in the Tianwu Hall...
Among the four major powers of the world, both the Saint Sect and the Sword Pavilion had means at the late-stage Golden Core level. Although the Pure Land and the Dao Court didn't, they still had the ability to protect themselves.
The Pure Land relied on [One Mind] and the World Honored One's face.
The Dao Court relied on the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws]. within the Tianwu Hall, even a late-stage Golden Core would have their realm suppressed, unable to do as they pleased.
But just as the World Honored One's face was useful but couldn't be used everywhere, the Dao Court's [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] were only effective in Jiangdong. Once outside Jiangdong, one would immediately revert to their original form. That was why the Dao Court had always holed up in Jiangdong, closing the country and avoiding conflict with the outside world.
But this sword light looks really familiar... Hiss!
Emperor Jiayou's thoughts raced, and soon a look of horror appeared on his face. Clearly, he remembered that this was the sword [Perfected Lord Gangxing Budao] had slashed at [Sky-Shrouding] in the past.
Once this sword light was released, the memories about it naturally returned.
For a moment, Emperor Jiayou was greatly shocked: [Sky-Shrouding]... How could it be [Sky-Shrouding]? Is the Demonic Sect making a move against my Dao Court? Surely not?
He completely couldn't understand the logic behind [Sky-Shrouding]'s attack.
Immediately after, he looked at Lu Yang, who was kneeling before him. Above Lu Yang's head, a conch rippling with blue light protected him firmly.
[Sea-Ordering Conch]!
The incident happened suddenly. Although Emperor Jiayou and the Three Dukes reacted with godlike speed and had the [Immortal Kingdom Dao Laws] to suppress it, over a dozen officials were still hit by the sword light.
Lu Yang was among them.
However, unlike other officials, at the critical moment, he deployed the [Sea-Ordering Conch] personally bestowed by the old Dragon Lord, blocking that sword light for him.
Crack!
The next second, the [Sea-Ordering Conch], a Dao Fruit True Treasure, cracked inch by inch. Then, it exploded with a boom, shattering into sky-filling flowing light!
Under the flowing light, Lu Yang's "terrified" face was illuminated.
Emperor Jiayou lowered his eyelids, thinking to himself:
Its a pity... he didn't die!
If the sword light had killed Lu Yang directly, it would have saved him trouble. Afterward, he could just send an obituary to the True Dragon Clan, and he could still stand on the moral high ground.
However, Lu Yang didn't die, which made things much more troublesome.
Thinking of this, while suppressing the sword light, Emperor Jiayou prepared to speak again. He still had strength left, enough to simply finish arranging the affairs of the Dao Court...
Boom!
A loud bang abruptly froze Emperor Jiayou's expression.
Because Lu Yang made his move.
Without attracting anyone's attention, Lu Yang lowered his eyelids and directly commanded the banner spirits within the [Myriad Spirits Banner] to form the [Yama Hall], calling upon the Sword Dao Fruit.
False Holding Unorthodox Dao!
Clang!
A second sword cry rang out. The officials below the Golden Core level naturally couldn't distinguish the difference between this sword cry and the one just now, as their divine sense perception was blocked.
Only Emperor Jiayou saw everything clearly, which was why he couldn't believe it.
Because he completely couldn't understand why a servant who, in his eyes, could be crushed at any time just a moment ago would suddenly turn into an Unorthodox Dao Perfected Lord!
This feeling was like trying to step on an ant but stepping on a tiger instead!
Even more than that!
Just as Lu Yang falsely held the Sword Dao Fruit and slashed out with one sword, three talents on his body activated together, blessing his sword light.
[Unwilling to be Subservient]!
[I Am the First to Ascend]!
[Fortune Does Not Fill the Eye]!
Three talents. The first doubled the power of backstabbing divine abilities; the second boosted fortune; the third split fortune into good luck and bad luck, transferring the latter to others.
In an instant, Lu Yang completed the operation. The fortune sent down by [I Am the First to Ascend] was split by [Fortune Does Not Fill the Eye]. Good luck went to himself; bad luck was sent to Emperor Jiayou. Monstrous sword Qi instantly surrounded Emperor Jiayou from all directions. The concept of attacking in a swarm activated yet another talent.
[Dragon-Slicing Platform]!
Even though it was false holding an unorthodox Dao, with the blessing of four golden talents and the naturally offense-oriented Sword Dao, the power was no less than an Orthodox Perfected Lord!
In contrast, Emperor Jiayou was still suppressing the sword light released by [Sky-Shrouding] and was about to go into seclusion. He couldn't even use ten percent of his full divine abilities.
"You..." Emperor Jiayou opened his mouth to speak.
Pfft!
A sword pierced through his chest. The matchless sword light exploded with a boom, like a gale blowing out a lamp, causing Emperor Jiayou's form to shatter before he could even finish a sentence.
Success!
Lu Yang exhaled deeply, quickly dispersing the state of false holding unorthodox Dao. After all, even though he only false held it for a moment, he still felt the turmoil of his Dao foundation.
Excruciating pain originating from the soul swept from his Dao foundation through his entire body.
But Lu Yang still gritted his teeth, forcing the pain back down—
Unless I false hold [Overturned Lamp Flame], which allows me to use Daoist Hong Yun's Golden Nature to bear the damage, relying on luck to survive another false holding of an unorthodox Dao is risky...
The next second, as thousands of illusionary colors shattered, the scene of the enormous Tianwu Hall was finally revealed. However, Emperor Jiayou and the Three Dukes had all vanished. Everyone only saw the True Dragon Du Huan, whom Emperor Jiayou had just praised for "loyalty and devotion to the country," now vomiting blood and roaring in anger—
"Arrest them! Don't let the assassins escape!"
"Someone within the Dao Court colluded with the Demonic Sect in Jiangbei, plotting to murder His Majesty. The evidence is irrefutable! Apprehend the assassins immediately! This matter must be investigated to the end!"
Standing up, Lu Yang's gaze swept coldly over everyone present.
"Wait!"
Seeing this scene, Capital Skies Division Commander Ning Haohe gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "Investigating this matter doesn't require the Imperial City Division, right? This should be my Capital Skies Division's..."
Before Ning Haohe could finish, a large hand was already slapping toward the top of his head.
"What are you doing?"
Ning Haohe was instantly shocked. He subconsciously activated his official position, causing rays of divine abilities to emerge in an attempt to block... However, they all stopped before that large hand.
[The Wise Ruler]!
The divine abilities originally attacking Lu Yang seemed to be recruited instantly upon touching the brilliance of the divine ability on his hand. They turned around and coiled around his hand instead. Not only did it not weaken his power, but it even greatly increased it. As the palm fell, it instantly gripped his neck!
In an instant, silence reigned.
Immediately after, Lu Yang said with a grim expression, "Let the Capital Skies Division investigate? You should know, the person who assassinated His Majesty was Capital Skies Division Right Commander Chen Yuanli!"
"He is your subordinate."
"Saying such things at this moment, are you trying to shield the criminal?"
Hearing this, Ning Haohe's face instantly flushed red. He wanted to argue, but with his neck gripped by Lu Yang and his spiritual power sealed, he couldn't utter half a sentence.
Meanwhile, waves of aura emerged outside the Tianwu Hall.
Previously, Emperor Jiayou had let the Imperial City Division continue to hold the post of Commander of the Nine Gates. Now that the Tianwu Hall was in turmoil, the Incense Offering Gods of the Imperial City Division naturally arrived first.
"No rebuttal? It seems you plead guilty."
Lu Yang flicked his hand, directly stunning Ning Haohe, then threw him to the ground. "Lock him up. From now on, I ask everyone to cooperate with the Imperial City Division's investigation."
"There must be an explanation for His Majesty's assassination!"
Before Lu Yang's voice faded, the Incense Offering Gods of the Imperial City Division seemed to have a telepathic connection. They immediately stomped their feet, placed their right hands on their temples, and roared in unison:
"LOYALTY!"