Chapter Forty: Punishing the Rebels

The wind howled through the ruins of the palace, swirling up a few withered leaves that swept past Guan Shanyue's gradually cooling corpse and brushed against Jiu Ya's blood- and dust-stained clothes.

Jiuya stood still, her eyes slightly closed. The scorching magic power brought by the "Burning Marrow and Eroding Heart Technique" flowed through her meridians, repairing the not-so-serious wound on her shoulder and forcibly dispelling the slight sense of life loss that had been aggravated by the use of power.

She opened her eyes and took one last look at Guan Shanyue. This Ninth Prince, who was once the most beautiful woman in the city, this scheming Ninth Sister who treated her like an ant, was now just a skeleton lying on a dilapidated teleportation array, no longer able to cause any waves.

Without looking back, Jiu Ya turned around and walked towards the hidden passage.

When she emerged from the secret passage behind the pillars and returned to the desolate Daqing Hall, littered with corpses and prisoners, all eyes immediately turned to her.

The fighting has completely ended.

Changdong's army had completely taken control of the situation. The rebel soldiers were either corpses on the ground or knelt on the ground, trembling, bound by specially made magic shackles. The officials and guards who originally belonged to the rebel faction were pale-faced, kneeling on the ground, their foreheads pressed against the cold earth, not daring to raise their heads.

Li Yue was directing his personal guards and shadow guards to clear the battlefield, collect weapons, and guard important prisoners. Seeing Jiu Ya return safely, his tense expression relaxed slightly. He quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Your Excellency."

His gaze swept quickly over Jiu Ya, confirming that she was unharmed, with only a shallow scratch on her shoulder and slightly unsteady breathing, but her eyes were sharper than ever before.

Jiuya nodded slightly, her gaze passing over him and landing in the center of the hall.

There, the two most important figures were given special treatment.

The Fourth Prince, Ao Li, still had dark red blood seeping from the wound on his shoulder blade, soaking through his luxurious robes and staining half of his body a shocking dark red. He was forced to kneel on the ground, his arms, neck, and even waist tightly bound by heavy black iron shackles by several elite soldiers. Every slight struggle only brought the ear-piercing clanging of the shackles and the soldiers' more brutal suppression. Several talismans with flowing dark light were also affixed to his body, powerfully imprisoning the remaining demonic energy within him, making it impossible for it to circulate even slightly.

He struggled to lift his head, the veins on his neck bulging from the shackles. His once gloomy and sharp eyes now burned with resentment and unwillingness, staring intently at Jiu Ya on the throne, as if he wanted to tear her to shreds with his last gaze.

On the other side, Jiang Zhengze appeared even more wretched. This Eighth Elder, known for his cold-blooded and rigid nature and authority over law and punishment, now seemed devoid of all his strength and spirit, slumped to the ground. His elder's robe was torn, his official hat was nowhere to be found, and his gray hair was disheveled. His eyes were empty and lifeless as he stared ahead, his lips moving silently, repeatedly muttering, "Order...law...for the Demon Realm...how could...be wrong? Everything was wrong..."

Jiuya's gaze lingered on them for a moment before she took a step and ascended the obsidian steps leading to the throne.

The entire hall was deathly silent, save for the occasional suppressed groans of the wounded and the soft clanking of shackles. All the survivors, whether loyal subjects, surrendered rebels, or neutral onlookers, couldn't help but turn their gaze to the figure who was steadily ascending to the highest point.

She finally reached the throne.

That throne, symbolizing the supreme authority of the demon realm, was once something she dared only sit cautiously on the very edge, as if walking on thin ice. But now, she turned around, facing the chaotic hall and the dark mass of people below.

The eternal, eerie light of the demon realm shone through the open palace doors and the broken dome, falling precisely on her. She stood ramrod straight, the blood seeping from the wound on her shoulder appearing a dark, glaring red in the light. Her robes were stained with blood and dust, and her hair was somewhat disheveled, but all of this only added to her imposing presence.

She still held the sheathed Kunwu sword in her hand, and at the end of the sheath, a drop of dark red blood belonging to Guan Shanyue was slowly dripping down.

despair.

It was a soft sound, yet it struck like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart.

Her gaze slowly swept across the entire scene. "The traitors You Chi, Gong Liang, and Guan Shanyue—" she paused, "have been executed."

These brief words confirmed everyone's previous guesses and completely crushed the rebels' last shred of hope.

Her gaze shifted to Ao Li, who was being held down firmly in the audience.

"Fourth Prince, Ao Li. As the son of the late Venerable One, instead of saving the Demon Realm, he colluded with the traitor You Chi, coveting the throne. He not only instigated rebellion, causing fratricide and turmoil in the Demon Realm, but also committed the heinous crimes of regicide and patricide, conspiring with the traitor to poison the late Venerable One! The evidence is irrefutable, and his crimes are unforgivable!"

Ao Li abruptly raised his head, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes showed no remorse. He struggled, his voice hoarse as he roared, "The victor is king, the loser is villain! The law of the jungle is the iron law of the demon realm! That old bastard... when has he ever shown us a shred of kindness? He treated his sons like poison, raised them like enemies, so why should we have any affection for him! This throne should be held by the strongest and most ruthless! I only regret... I only regret that I was one move too late, and failed to wipe you all out!"

"Take him away!" Jiu Ya said coldly. "From this day forward, strip him of his princely status and all titles, abolish his demonic cultivation, and imprison him in the Nine Nether Death Prison under strict guard, awaiting trial and execution!"

As the word "execution" fell, Ao Li burst into a twisted laugh, filled with resentment and mockery. The laughter still echoed in the empty hall, sending chills down everyone's spine.

Jiu Ya's gaze finally landed on the distraught Jiang Zheng.

"Eighth Elder Jiang Zheng," her voice held a chilling sarcasm, "you, as the elder in charge of the law, constantly preach order and law, yet you disregard the true meaning of the law, abuse your power, distort the law, advocate for treason, and aid and abet evil! What you have done is not to maintain order, but to betray and trample upon the laws of the Demon Realm and the very path you believe in!"

A flicker of extreme pain flashed in Jiang Zheng's empty eyes, before they returned to their deathly stillness.

"Strip him of all his positions and powers, strip him of his cultivation, and imprison him in a death row cell to await trial and execution!"

As she finished speaking, Li Yue waved his hand, and the soldiers ruthlessly dragged away the completely limp Ao Li and the zombie-like Jiang Zheng; their fate was sealed.

Jiuya turned her gaze once again to the dark mass of people below, to the surviving elders and officials.

She remained silent, simply gazing at them with her deep and dignified eyes.

An invisible pressure descended like a giant mountain.

A mid-level official who originally belonged to the Youchi faction was the first to succumb to the pressure. His knees buckled, and he knelt heavily on the ground, his forehead hitting the ground. His voice trembled so much that it almost changed: "Greetings... Your Majesty! Your Majesty's majesty is imposing! This sinful subject... this sinful subject deserves to die ten thousand times!"

Once there's a first, there's a second, a third...

More and more people knelt down, regardless of which side they belonged to before, now only the most primal awe and fear remained.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty's majesty is truly awe-inspiring!"

"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects!"

The sounds were initially chaotic, but gradually became unified, echoing in the dilapidated yet solemn Daqing Hall, filled with heartfelt trembling and submission.

Xing Yuan and Mo Luo were the first to bow, their expressions solemn. Qing Cheng let out a long sigh and knelt down respectfully. Even the most conservative Lian Bo bowed deeply after a moment of silence.

Chang Dong and Li Yue exchanged a glance, then simultaneously knelt on one knee, their armor clanging loudly: "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Jiuya stood before the throne, accepting this belated but thorough pledge of loyalty. She did not keep everyone kneeling for long, as that was not her purpose at this moment.

She slightly raised her hand. "Rise."

These two simple words were like a pardon to the many uneasy officials below. They all stood up cautiously, bowed their heads and stood respectfully, not daring to overstep their bounds in the slightest.

Her gaze first fell on Li Yue and Chang Dong.

"Li Qing."

"Your subordinate is here!" Li Yue stepped forward, his expression solemn.

"Immediately lead your personal guards and shadow guards, in coordination with the Five Elders' subordinates, to do everything in your power to treat the wounded on both sides, verify their identities, and properly settle them. Those who die in battle, regardless of whether they are friend or foe, shall be registered and recorded, and their families shall be provided with unified compensation later. Clean up the hall as soon as possible and restore the basic structure of the Daqing Hall."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Li Yue accepted the order without hesitation.

"Fifth Elder." Jiu Ya's gaze turned to Chang Dong.

Changdong bowed: "Please give your instructions, Your Excellency."

"Though the traitors have been executed, their remnants remain. I order you to immediately dispatch elite troops to take over the residences, private properties, and all spheres of influence of the five traitors: Guan Shanyue, Ao Li, You Chi, Gong Liang, and Jiang Zheng, as quickly as possible! Anyone who resists must be killed without mercy! Ensure order in Shanghai and prevent any potential unrest." Her voice was resolute. "In particular, the remaining forces of Ao Li and Guan Shanyue must be eradicated completely, leaving no future trouble."

"Your subject obeys!" Chang Dong's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he responded in a deep voice. He knew the importance of this order. These five, especially Ao Li and Guan Shanyue, had been cultivating their power for many years and had numerous followers. If they were not thoroughly purged with swift and decisive measures while the group was leaderless and still in shock, they would surely become a threat. He immediately turned around, ordered his troops, and squads of fierce soldiers quickly marched out of the Daqing Palace, heading in various directions of Shanghai.