Firmament Sword

In the center of the Imperial Capital’s largest square, a massive platform had long since been erected. It was twenty meters on each side, with a scaffold in the middle.

The Grand General King, Xu Ji, was tightly bound to a massive iron pillar. He faced the towering Star Hall, his eyes closed, utterly silent.

At the four corners of the platform sat four elders in chairs, their eyes also closed as if in quiet contemplation.

The square was already packed with people, though no commoners were allowed entry. Those standing in the square were all members of the Imperial Capital’s top aristocratic families.

Nearly everyone watched the middle-aged man on the scaffold with complicated expressions.

Even the rivals of the Xu Family likely felt little comfort at this moment.

In less than a month, the entire Imperial Capital had been turned upside down. By now, most people understood what had truly transpired.

’But what could be done? Hadn’t they all seen the four elders at the corners of the scaffold? They were said to be powerful figures from the sects!’

’With them supporting Huangfu Haoyue, who could possibly change this outcome?’

The wise Emperor was dead, the benevolent and righteous Empress was dead, the Crown Prince was dead, and the treacherous Sixth Prince was dead…

Of the Cangqiong Royal Family’s legitimate bloodline, only the Eldest Prince remained, and his name had been thoroughly dragged through the mud.

Over the past few days, a growing mountain of evidence implicating the Eldest Prince in a plot to rebel had surfaced. With both witness testimony and physical proof, the accusations were irrefutable.

’Besides, did it matter whether one believed it or not? One only had to look at the young man seated before the Star Hall to understand. This Empire had existed for over a millennium, and while the name Huangfu remained, it had, in truth, changed masters!’

’The failure of the Star Festival... its consequences are truly far-reaching. The Empire wasn’t destroyed, but is this really any different?’

Many who gazed upon the towering and majestic Star Hall had this very thought rise from the depths of their hearts.

”The traitor Xu Ji, harboring treacherous ambitions, conspired with the Eldest Prince, Huangfu Chongzhi, to enact a monstrous plot! The Sixth Prince, Huangfu Chongxiao, in an act of inhuman cruelty, committed patricide and matricide, and then personally slew the Crown Prince, only to be killed in turn by Xu Ji! Xu Ji then attempted to use this act to deceive the world and achieve his dark goal of subverting the Cangqiong Empire’s government!”

”This entire conspiracy was uncovered by Prince Huangfu Haoyue, a man of Royal Family blood! Prince Haoyue happened to be in the Imperial Capital hosting his sect masters and peers, and he intervened to stop Xu Ji. When his vile scheme was exposed, Xu Ji went on a murderous rampage throughout the Imperial Capital!”

”We have now verified all evidence of the collusion between Xu Ji and the Eldest Prince, Huangfu Chongzhi. The physical proof and witness testimonies are irrefutable! Moreover, the current Prime Minister, Wei Feng, personally witnessed the entire event unfold…”

The Minister of Revenue, Wang Moxuan, stood at the highest point of the Star Hall next to Huangfu Haoyue. He proclaimed these charges in a resonant voice that carried across the entire square.

Wang Moxuan looked to the center of the square, at Xu Ji on the scaffold, and demanded coldly, ”Xu Ji, I never imagined you were such a person! Your Xu Family has been loyal for generations, their legendary reputation built over a thousand years, utterly destroyed by your hand! Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

From all sides, every eye in the square turned to Xu Ji.

On the scaffold, Xu Ji kept his eyes shut, refusing even to open them. He remained utterly silent!

”Are you silent because you feel you have shamed the ancestors of your Xu Family? Since you offer no defense, your silence is an admission of guilt…” Wang Moxuan declared with a cupped-fist salute. ”The Regent King is merciful and will grant you an intact corpse!”

Many in the crowd were astonished. ’Why won’t Xu Ji say anything? Does he think it’s pointless, that the outcome is already decided? Or does he simply disdain to defend himself?’

The people were puzzled, but a few individuals of considerable power could sense the immense pressure the four elders on the scaffold were exerting on Xu Ji.

It wasn’t a matter of whether Xu Ji wanted to speak; he was being prevented from speaking at all!

Today’s outcome had been determined long ago. Xu Ji had to die!

Only with Xu Ji’s death could the restless armies throughout the Cangqiong Empire be kept in check!

Only with Xu Ji’s death would Luo Xinlan lose all reason and recklessly ally with the Eldest Prince to seek vengeance!

Only with Xu Ji’s death could Huangfu Haoyue truly stabilize the situation!

Huangfu Haoyue sat with his eyes slightly narrowed. He was waiting. Though he had decided to make an example of Xu Ji, he was still waiting for a potential complication to arise.

Xu Luo!

That name was seared into Huangfu Haoyue’s memory.

Likewise, Huangfu Haoyue was also waiting for any potential moves from the Eldest Prince.

Half a month was more than enough time for the Eldest Prince to have received the news and reacted. Yet, strangely, the men Huangfu Haoyue had sent out had been completely unable to locate him!

Luo Xinlan and her group had already reached Xu Luo’s fiefdom, but there was seemingly no activity from them either.

The news of Xu Ji’s impending execution had reached Xu Luo’s fiefdom more than ten days ago—plenty of time for them to make a move.

And yet, there had been no reaction whatsoever from Xu Luo’s entire fiefdom!

Huangfu Haoyue’s men could only monitor Xu Luo’s fiefdom from a distance. Actually entering was completely impossible!

Sui Yan had set up countless traps around Xu Luo’s fiefdom. Anyone who wasn’t one of their own could forget about getting in—unless they were a Transformation Realm Powerhouse.

”The noon hour is upon us… Prepare for the execution!” Wei Feng’s voice trembled. The hands hidden in his sleeves were shaking as well, and it was impossible to tell if his quavering tone came from nerves or excitement.

This was something that had almost never happened in all the decades Wei Feng had held immense power in the court.

Wei Ziting also stood on the upper level of the Star Hall, watching the scene unfold with absolute excitement. He was ecstatic!

’Hahaha, Xu Luo, do you see this? Your father is about to be killed!’

’Aren’t you so powerful? Then fly back and save your father!’

’You can descend from the heavens! Look all heroic and mighty, and then… get blasted to bits by a group of Transformation Realm Powerhouses! Hahahaha!’

Wei Ziting’s handsome face twisted into a hideous sneer. Gazing at Xu Ji on the scaffold, he felt a surge of intense pleasure.

’Your Xu Family… finally… you’ve met your end!’ If he hadn’t been afraid of acting out of turn in front of Huangfu Haoyue, he would have burst into wild laughter.

Someone came forward, untied Xu Ji from the iron pillar, and pressed down on his shoulders, trying to force him to his knees before the executioner’s block.

But Xu Ji’s legs were like iron bars; no matter how hard they pushed, he wouldn’t budge an inch!

”Damn it, you’re at death’s door and still won’t repent! Get the hell on your knees!” a burly man cursed, raising his foot to deliver a vicious kick to Xu Ji’s knee.

Had that kick landed on an ordinary person, it would have shattered their leg bone to splinters.

Although Xu Ji was a Transformation Realm Powerhouse, his cultivation had been completely sealed. Even if this kick didn’t shatter his leg, the pain would be excruciating.

”Stop!”

A resonant voice suddenly boomed from atop the Star Hall. Almost everyone instantly turned to see who had spoken.

Immediately, looks of disbelief spread across many faces. The speaker was none other than one of the Nine Ministers, Sun Yunpeng!

Lord Sun’s face was grim as he stared down at the man on the scaffold who had tried to kick Xu Ji. He said in a heavy tone, ”The Xu Family has been loyal for generations. We can set aside the matter of what crime Xu Ji has committed, or if he has committed one at all. I will say only this: Xu Ji has rendered great service to the nation! Even in death, he is not someone that scum like you has the right to insult!”

”You…” The man who had been about to kick Xu Ji flew into a rage. He glared venomously up at Sun Yunpeng on the high platform, his eyes flashing with a cold light.

’He wasn’t some soldier from the Cangqiong Empire; he was a Senior Deacon of Dubhe!’

’How dare a mere minister of a secular nation speak to him like that? And defending Xu Ji, no less... It seemed that after Xu Ji’s execution, the imperial court was due for a purge!’

Sun Yunpeng’s words sent an uproar through the square.

”Why would he speak up for Xu Ji?”

”Gods, has Lord Sun gone mad? How dare he defend Xu Ji?”

”This is really not normal. He’s being far too bold. Isn’t he afraid?”

”Sigh… Lord Sun is right, though. Whether the Grand General King is guilty or not, treating him like this is incredibly unfair!”

”That’s enough, quiet down. It’s not like any of us don’t know what’s really happening.”

After speaking, Sun Yunpeng glanced at the seated Huangfu Haoyue and said coolly, ”Regent King, if you are to kill him, then kill him. But it is best to allow a man to keep a shred of dignity.”

A bone-chilling coldness flashed in Huangfu Haoyue’s eyes. He looked at Sun Yunpeng with a smirk and said tauntingly, ”What’s this? Does Lord Sun believe… Xu Ji should not be killed?”

”Whether he should be killed is a matter for the Regent King to worry about. What has it to do with me? I simply cannot stand by and watch the great Grand General King be humiliated by some petty villain at the moment of his death!” As he spoke, Sun Yunpeng turned his head away, refusing to even look at Huangfu Haoyue.

On the scaffold, Xu Ji, who had kept his eyes closed this whole time, slowly opened them. He looked up toward the Star Hall and let out two hoarse chuckles. ”To think… at a time like this, someone… still dares to speak for me. Lord Sun, I, Xu Ji, am in your debt. It is a pity… that I can only repay this debt in the next life… PFFT!” He coughed, a spray of blood staining the front of his robes.

He had been under constant pressure from the four powerhouses at the corners of the scaffold, making it impossible for him to speak. He had just forced those words out with every ounce of his strength, but in doing so had damaged his Inner Mansion, causing him to vomit blood.

Sun Yunpeng’s eyes reddened. He called out, ”Grand General King, go in peace! Rest assured, I will see to your final arrangements! When the time comes, I will pour out the finest wine in your memory!”

Lord Zhao, Zhao Wenzhao, another of the Nine Ministers who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke in a low voice, ”Count me in.”

In that instant, Huangfu Haoyue’s expression turned exceedingly ugly. He truly hadn’t expected that even now, someone would actually dare to openly defy him.

And it was one of the high-ranking and powerful Nine Ministers… no, two of them, now that Zhao Wenzhao had joined in.

Wei Feng sneered from the side, ”Lord Sun, Lord Zhao, you two certainly have a lot of free time. I just wonder who will be there to arrange *your* final affairs.”