The Reception Hall halfway up the mountain was in complete chaos, and the Golden Summit was even more chaotic. Zhu Xie, Chi Xin, and the others, disregarding their injuries, rushed towards the central platform, shouting, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
Wang Wuxie, who was standing nearby, also changed his expression and ran over with them.
Thick smoke filled the air, and waves of heat hit them in the face. Almost instantly, everyone's hair and beards were scorched yellow. If it weren't for their vital energy protecting them, they would probably have been burned to death by the extreme heat.
The surviving imperial guards and embroidered-robed officials tried to rush in to save the emperor, but were forced to retreat several times by the heatwave.
Seeing this, Wang Wuxie waved his sleeve, and a surge of abundant energy directly dispersed the thick smoke in the center, which impressed the people around him. They thought to themselves that the Imperial Preceptor was indeed worthy of being called the Imperial Preceptor, and his cultivation was truly admirable.
As the thick smoke gradually dissipated, everyone was astonished to find that the high platform where the sacrificial ceremony had been held had disappeared, replaced by a deep pit, which showed how powerful the explosives had been.
A chill ran through everyone. Even the high platform was blown up like this; the Emperor was probably in grave danger...
Wang Wuxie continued to wave his sleeves, and the thick smoke thinned out, gradually revealing what was inside.
At this moment, everyone noticed a yellow orb of light inside, and a figure appeared inside.
"Your Majesty!" Zhu Xiechixin and Eunuch Wen were overjoyed. The person inside was none other than Zhao Hao.
Zhao Hao, inside the sphere of light, slowly opened his eyes, lowered his hands, and the sphere of light around him gradually dissipated.
He strode out, his face ashen: "What on earth is going on?"
At this moment, his crown had fallen off, leaving his hair disheveled, and his dragon robe was covered in charred and torn pieces, clearly indicating that the terrifying explosion had not left him unscathed.
In all these years, when had he ever been so humiliated? He was filled with extreme anger, and at this moment, all he could think about was killing.
Zhu Xie Chixin and Eunuch Wen exchanged a glance. They didn't know how many people would lose their heads in this incident.
Especially that guy from Zu'an, who brought the Imperial Guards to eliminate potential threats ahead of time, only to find it was all for nothing.
Could it be that he really colluded with the demon race and wanted to get rid of the emperor together with them?
At this moment, Wang Wuxie knelt down on the ground with a thud, and said in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It seems that my rule was not strict and there was a traitor among the higher-ups of my sect, which is why so much gunpowder was transported to the Golden Summit."
Seeing the usually arrogant Imperial Preceptor trembling like a leaf, Eunuch Wen and Zhu Xie Chixin could understand. After all, such a big thing had happened, and their Zhengyang Sect was definitely involved.
However, they did not doubt Wang Wuxie. After all, as the Imperial Preceptor, he was extremely noble, and he had stood by the emperor's side when the emperor was at his lowest point. The emperor even regarded him as a friend. How could such a person betray the emperor?
Zhao Hao had no doubts either, and hurriedly helped him up: "Wu Xie, there's no need for this, it's not your fault."
For others, he would simply lift them up with a wave of his hand, but it was different with Wang Wuxie. He would personally go over and help him up to show his favor.
Just then, a sudden change occurred. A strange light flashed in Wang Wuxie's eyes, and then, as the other person helped him up, he suddenly slapped his hands on the other person's chest.
As the foremost figure in the Daoist sect, his cultivation was exceptionally advanced, and the swirling purple aura emanating from his hands was a secret technique he had mastered over many years.
The speed was so fast that even Zhao Hao didn't have time to react at such close range before being struck by both palms.
However, he reacted quickly, his whole body radiating golden light, which instantly swallowed the dense purple aura. Then, with a palm strike as swift as a gazelle's horns, he broke through Wang Wuxie's defense and struck him.
Wang Wuxie's Taoist robe suddenly ripped open at the back, his chest caved in several inches, and he crashed heavily to the ground like a broken sandbag.
Wang Wuxie coughed up a mouthful of blood, which was filled with dark red fragments of internal organs; he was clearly dead.
Zhu Xie Chixin and Eunuch Wen were shocked and instinctively attacked Wang Wuxie. Just as he was about to be blasted to pieces, Zhao Hao stopped them: "Stop!"
An unnatural flush appeared on his face, clearly indicating that Wang Wuxie's attack had caused him considerable damage.
However, his eyes flashed like lightning as he stared at Wang Wuxie: "Why?"
This was something he couldn't understand. Regardless of their friendship or the current status of the Zhengyang Sect, he had no reason to betray them.
Wang Wuxie's eyes were somewhat dazed. Perhaps it was a final burst of lucidity before death, but the dark aura in his eyes dissipated, and he regained some clarity: "Witchcraft Sect!"
His tone revealed anger and helplessness.
"A curse and soul-capturing technique?" Zhao Hao frowned, immediately realizing what Wang Wuxie had just done.
However, his instinctive attack was so powerful that only Wang Wuxie, with his superior cultivation, was able to leave with a complete corpse. Now, he was on his deathbed and could hardly be heard saying anything anymore.
At this moment, Wang Wuxie was filled with countless regrets and remorse. He was confident in his outstanding talent and his cultivation was becoming more and more profound. He had even glimpsed the threshold of the Earth Immortal realm. Who knew that he would be ambushed because of love and end up in such a humiliating state.
"Xuehen, you've come..." He raised his hand and reached out towards a certain point in the void, as if trying to grasp something.
In his final moments, he seemed to see the fairy who lived in the clouds walking towards him with a look of pity.
She even reached out her hand, seemingly to save him.
Unfortunately, no matter how he reached out, their hands never touched.
He passed away suddenly, leaving behind deep regret.
"Your Majesty, how are you feeling now?" Eunuch Wen and Zhu Xiechi asked Zhao Hao with concern.
However, Zhao Hao suddenly looked up, his eyes like those of a fierce tiger ready to devour them. The two men were so frightened that they dared not take another step forward.
The two immediately understood that, having just experienced Wang Wuxie's betrayal, Zhao Hao no longer trusted anyone, not even them.
Just then, a fluctuation in the air came from not far away, and runes appeared, indicating that someone was being teleported over.
The embroidered-robed messengers and imperial guards drew their weapons and surrounded the area. Under these circumstances, it was clear that the person who sent the message had ulterior motives.
"Hahaha, as expected of the Emperor! The number one Taoist master ambushed you and was instantly killed, and you're completely unharmed." A handsome middle-aged man with a fine beard strode out. The guards tried to stop him, but he casually waved his hand, and they were all seriously injured and forced to retreat, a large number of them falling to the ground.
Zhu Xie Chixin Tong Kong shrank back. The other party's aura was obviously that of a Grandmaster, and unlike him who had just entered the Grandmaster realm, he was a veteran Grandmaster.
"Guan Chouhai?" Zhao Hao frowned, clearly recognizing him.
"I never expected that the Emperor would still remember me," Guan Chouhai sighed. "I never imagined that I would become the Emperor's enemy today."
"You?" Zhao Hao smiled dismissively. "You're not qualified."
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