582 Death?

Wan Zhaoyi gripped the imperial edict in his hand. It was as if Empress Chi Yao had arrived in person to walk into East Region Saint Mansions. No one dared to block his path wherever he went.

Anyone who stood in his way stood in defiance of Empress Chi Yao.

Unless they wanted to rebel, even Saints must make way for the imperial edict.

Before long, the detachment of Golden Armor Troops headed by Wan Zhaoyi had entered the garden and completely surrounded Zhang Ruochen.

Wan Zhaoyi stared at Zhang Ruochen standing beside the lake in some amazement, because the young man appeared very calm, relaxed, even leisurely. The mighty imperial power had not intimidated him one bit.

Would a mere Monk of the Fish-Dragon Realm resist the imperial power of the Empress?

Even the Golden Armor Soldiers present stared at one another, feeling incredulous.

The reason why the Golden Armor Troops were unaffected by the imperial power was because their armor had undergone a sacrificial ceremony, allowing them to resist its power.

But how had this young man in front of them resisted Her Majesty's imperial power?

They did not know that Zhang Ruochen had experienced the four Chords of the Gods and that he had Gods' Mark on his body. How could a mere imperial edict coerce him into kneeling?

Only Wan Zhaoyi had somewhat guessed the reason. He sized Zhang Ruochen up for a brief moment, but he saw that the young man's face looked totally unchanged.

Not many Monks could remain as collected as Zhang Ruochen in his presence.

Wan Zhaoyi laughed and said, "Well, I'm not surprised. This is the man the Empress would like to see. He's exceptional. Put him in chains and bring him away."

Two Golden Armor Soldiers brought out iron chains and unsheathed their golden swords. They had the cold look in their eyes of messengers from hell.

The white iron chains clanged against themselves.

Had Zhang Ruochen dared to resist, they would have struck him down with their swords unhesitatingly.

But Zhang Ruochen remained unusually calm. He did not even blink.

"SNAP!"

Both his wrists and ankles were instantly fettered.

The two iron chains looked possessed a spiritual power that sucked away Zhang Ruochen's Genuine Qi. In the blink of an eye, the iron chains siphoned the Genuine Qi in his Meridians out of his wrists and ankles.

Once the chains had absorbed the Genuine Qi, they emitted streaks of lightning and crackled loudly.

Now, Zhang Ruochen's wrists and ankles were mangled, despite his attainment of the "Skin Refining to Gold" realm. And the lightning scorched his skin black.

Zhang Ruochen tried to mobilize some Genuine Qi and force it into his right-hand Meridians.

"Ch-ch!"

The iron chains instantly absorbed all of the Genuine Qi, and a streak of lightning struck Zhang Ruochen's right wrist. Quite suddenly, blood gushed out from his right wrist.

Wan Zhaoyi warned him. "To prevent convicts from escaping, these iron chains can absorb Genuine Qi from both wrists and ankles and unleash the Qi on the convicts instead. The higher the Monk's cultivation level, the more power the chains will rebound. I am warning you not to mobilize your Genuine Qi to save yourself from suffering."

From the depths of the palace now rang the voice of the Prince of the Eastern Region. "Tomorrow is his wedding day. Can't you wait a day more?"

Wan Zhaoyi raised his head and stared into the Saint Prince's Mansion. Then, he bowed with both hands folded. "Unfortunately, Prince, it's impossible for us to defy an imperial order."

Then, Wan Zhaoyi straightened his body again and waved his arm. "Bring him away."

As the Golden Armor Troops departed, the imperial power also dissipated away slowly.

Wan Ke walked up to the side of Saint Qing Xiao looking solemn. He said, "Eldest Senior Brother, I feel like something is very wrong. Her Majesty is too elevated to write you a personal warrant for the arrest of Youngest Junior Brother. It wouldn't have been much trouble, would it?"

"You suspect Wan Zhaoyi is faking an imperial edict?"

Saint Qing Xiao shook his head, saying, "Faking an imperial edict is a heinous crime which could lead to your nine clans being exterminated. No one has the guts to do that. Wan Zhaoyi might be very arrogant, but I'm certain he doesn't have the guts to challenge the authority of the Empress."

Wan Ke said, "Even highly treacherous Saints did not prompt Her Majesty to write warrants to arrest them. Our Youngest Junior Brother may be highly talented, but in the eyes of the Empress, he is no more than a speck of dust. He is not qualified for such a consideration."

"Could it be because his identity as the Time and Space Descendant was exposed? Perhaps, even the Empress feels threatened and wants to have him eradicated," said Zhu Hongtao.

Wan Ke shook his head at once and said, "Impossible. Our Youngest Junior Brother just revealed his identity as the Time and Space Descendant yesterday. It was just a day ago. It's impossible for any news to reach the Eastern Region from Central Region within this short period, even through a wormhole. In other words, the Empress must have issued her imperial edict before yesterday."

Saint Qing Xiao wrinkled his brows. "This is indeed a most strange affair. The Martial Market Bank has investigated our junior fellow apprentice's identity very thoroughly--he couldn't have been someone from the heresy. So, why did the imperial court arrest him on this charge? To offend East Region Saint Mansions and Martial Market Bank for a Fish-Dragon Realm warrior--what exactly is this move Her Majesty is contemplating?"

Wan Ke said, "I think it's better to simply deliver the news and let the top leaders of the Martial Market Bank think of a way out. Through their imperial court operations, and the Chens' influence, they might be able to keep Youngest Junior Brother alive."

Saint Qing Xiao nodded and said, "This looks like the only way out now."

Then, Saint Qing Xiao, Zhu Hongtao and Wan Ke left East Region Saint Mansions immediately and hurried back to Saint Academy.

...

...…

A Golden Armor Beast was a savage beast of the fifth level lower order. It was 30 feet tall and its scales were a handspan thick. It had a pair of scaly wings on its back, which stretched to 100 feet wide when extended.

Only the Royal Golden Armor Troops could ride on Golden Armor Beasts.

At this moment, Zhang Ruochen was seated on the back of a Golden Armor Beast. But, he was locked in a cage.

Of course, It was not actually possible for a cage to hold Zhang Ruochen.

But chains now shackled Zhang Ruochen's wrists and ankles. He could not activate even an ounce of Genuine Qi to escape.

A man in his 30s, clad in golden armor, sat cross-legged on the head of a Golden Armor Beast. He turned his head to look at Zhang Ruochen and smiled. "Very few people are honored enough to have an arrest warrant written by the Empress. You should count yourself most fortunate."

"Oh, is that so? Have you seen the Empress herself?" asked Zhang Ruochen.

The man in golden armor gave an awe-stricken look and shook his head. "The Empress is a person above the nine heavens. Although we may be Imperial guards, we have never looked on her royal visage."

Zhang Ruochen nodded and closed his eyes once more.

It was a distant journey from Eastern Region to Central Region. Normally, it took many years to fly there.

Therefore, traveling between the two domains required passing through a space wormhole.

It took three days and three Space Jumps before everyone arrived at the border of the Eastern Holy Land.

Then, the company hurried through the fourth wormhole.

According to the Golden Armor Troops, they were 3,000 kilometers away from the fourth space wormhole. The company saved two years of traveling by using the wormhole. In addition, they would not need to trek through the Uncivilized Secret Zone in between the Eastern and Central Regions.

The Uncivilized Secret Zone was a vast expanse, dividing the Eastern and Central Regions. Even the swift Golden Armor Troops would need two years to trek through that zone, without any accidents.

Not even 200 years was enough for an ordinary warrior to travel from the Eastern to the Central Region.

As this wormhole connected both regions, the imperial court attached great importance to it. They stationed numerous troops at either end to prevent anyone from destroying it.

Midway through the journey, Wan Zhaoyi suddenly felt like something was amiss. He rested his white flood dragon, and he raised his head to gaze ahead.

Nearly seven miles away, a cotton-clothed elder in his 70s was standing on the edge of a cliff.

With aging eyes, the cotton-clothed elder looked to the distance and eyed Zhang Ruochen sitting on the back of the Golden Armor Beast. An heartless smile lingered on his lips.

Zhang Ruochen opened his eyes and looked at the the elder standing in the distance. He could tell who he was at once. "So he's here. Looks like it will be impossible for me to reach the Central Region."

The elder was the Nine Serenity Sword Saint.

The appearance of the Nine Serenity Sword Saint had rendered Zhang Ruochen's situation worse. But he did not panic, and instead he began to reflect calmly, trying to find a means to escape.

Although the Genuine Qi at both his wrists and ankles was sealed, his Spiritual Power was not. It would not be difficult to break through the iron cage.

The real question was whether he could escape from Wan Zhaoyi and the Nine Serenity Sword Saint, even supposing he could use his Spiritual Power to escape from the cage.

He could not afford a rash move. He must wait for his chance.

"Roar!"

The white flood dragon under Wan Zhaoyi sensed imminent danger, and it became restless. White air columns poured out from its nostrils as it bellowed a soft dragon's roar.

Wan Zhaoyi could not control the beast, and it kept moving backwards.

Undeterred, Wan Zhaoyi remained collected. He mobilized Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, and he asked at the same time, "This junior is Wan Zhaoyi. How should I address you, senior?"

The Nine Serenity Sword Saint stood on the precipice, and transmitted his voice from six miles away. "Leave Zhang Ruochen here. You people may leave."

"Does senior know that Zhang Ruochen is wanted by the Empress?" Wan Zhaoyi asked in a low voice.

"I don't care who wants him. Today, I must have his life!"

"Swoosh!"

The Nine Serenity Sword Saint's figure flashed, and he disappeared.

Wan Zhaoyi knew the other man's cultivation level was extremely high and that he could not repel him. He quickly took out the imperial edict to help repulse the man with its power.

But Wan Zhaoyi had unfurled the imperial edict only halfway when a pillar of fiery sword Qi came out of the sky and struck the ground.

"His sword technique is so fast!"

Wan Zhaoyi's face changed color, and he immediately launched himself three miles away.

Within a three-mile radius, chaotic sword Qi was hurtling about, making loud swishing noises.

When Wan Zhaoyi turned back to look, he saw that the rocks and soil had all melted in the center of the sword Qi column. It had formed a lava lake, giving off heat waves.

The sword strike was horrifically powerful.

Had he not evaded quickly, he would have been badly wounded already.

Wan Zhaoyi's countenance began to look terrible. He had seldom met such a strong master since the start of his practice. The other man's sword techniques, both in speed and power, had reached the ultimate stage.

"Swosh!"

Wan Zhaoyi's figure shifted. He soared to the edge of the lava lake and landed on the ground.

The sword strike had smashed all the Golden Armor Troops and Zhang Ruochen into bits of floating ash, leaving no bones or body parts. Even the white flood dragon mount had died under the sword Qi.

Because the dragon had such high cultivation, it did not disintegrate. Its tattered skeleton remained, flashing indistinctly within the lava pool.

"Which one of the Three Great Sword Saints from Eastern Region are you?" Wan Zhaoyi was greatly incensed. Staring in all directions, he bellowed loudly.