Drag her down

At the royal palace where the court meeting was held, the atmosphere was heavy with tension from the previous events. Nobles, generals, and officials were all in shock, unsure of what to do next. They all watched as Emperor Li Huang walked coldly toward the throne, unfazed by the hostile gazes surrounding him.

As Li Huang made his way to the throne, his foot crushed the severed head from earlier—it was the head of the old eunuch who had summoned him. The sound of the head being crushed reverberated through the hall, and blood splattered across the room, hitting several of the nobles, generals, and officials. One of the nobles, enraged by the blood splatter, shouted in fury.

"You filthy dog of an emperor!"

Before the words could even finish, a swift thud echoed. The noble's head was severed from his body, blood gushing out in streams, painting the room with red. The sudden violence stunned everyone present.

The system's voice rang out in Li Huang's mind.

[ Congratulations, Host. You have killed a level 9 Qi Condition cultivator and earned 90 kill points. ]

[ Total Kill Points: 8,970 ]

Silence dominated the room. Everyone was dumbfounded by Li Huang's ruthlessness. Some of the princes in the room lowered their heads in fear, and no one dared to meet his gaze. Even the nobles who had previously mocked him were now too terrified to utter a word.

Li Huang smiled faintly as he ascended the throne with graceful steps. His body was soaked in blood, yet his bright red eyes glowed coldly with authority and power. Once seated on the high throne, he spoke in a calm voice laced with power.

"Let's begin the meeting. As for your greetings... I don't need them," he paused briefly, his tone growing firmer.

The room remained silent, the tension thick in the air. No one dared to oppose him after witnessing his brutality and newfound power.

Amidst the oppressive atmosphere, a voice echoed within Li Huang's mind, as if challenging his authority.

"Don't you think you've gone too far?"

Li Huang turned toward the source of the voice. It was none other than the empress, seated behind golden curtains on another high seat in the hall. This empress was a figure of mystery—no one knew her origins. She had entered the Heavenly Flame Dynasty less than ten years ago, becoming empress eight years prior. She was also the one who had constantly manipulated the former emperor, fueling his hatred toward Li Huang and always pushing to have him cast out from the royal family. Li Huang suspected that the plan to place him on the throne had been her doing as well.

Li Huang smirked slightly, showing neither fear nor anger. Instead of replying through the internal voice, he spoke aloud with icy authority, "Drag her down."

The moment Li Huang's voice rang out, the entire hall fell deathly silent, with only the sound of breathing audible. Everyone turned their eyes toward the empress's seat, waiting to see what would happen next.

The empress's seat was elegantly veiled with golden curtains. Suddenly, five dark figures rushed toward the empress's seat, launching a swift attack!

The empress's four maids, all cultivators at the peak of Foundation, sprang into action to defend her, but their movements were too slow. Li Huang's Dark Shadow Secret Unit attacked with incredible speed and ferocity. With their cultivation at the peak of Spirit Sea, their assault was unstoppable by the four maids.

The sound of blades slicing through the air was followed by the swift thud of swords cutting through flesh. The four maids were torn apart, their bodies scattering across the floor, and blood quickly pooled around them.

[ Congratulations, Host. You have killed a level 9 Foundation cultivator and earned 900 kill points. ]

[ Congratulations, Host. You have killed a level 9 Foundation cultivator and earned 900 kill points. ]

[ Congratulations, Host. You have killed a level 9 Foundation cultivator and earned 900 kill points. ]

[ Congratulations, Host. You have killed a level 9 Foundation cultivator and earned 900 kill points. ]

[ Total Kill Points: 10,230 ]

Once again, silence enveloped the hall as everyone stared at the lifeless bodies of the four maids. But before anyone could react, the Grandmaster of the nation, the highest authority in the court. suddenly appeared, his figure emerging in the air between Li Huang and the empress.

"Stop right now!" The Grandmaster's voice boomed through the hall, and an immense wave of energy radiated from his body, spreading in all directions like a tidal wave.

The Grandmaster, a cultivator at the peak of the Golden Core level, stood in the way of the Dark Shadow Secret Unit. The aura he released was powerful and overwhelming, as though it could swallow everything in its path. Standing firmly in front of the empress, he spoke with a polite yet resolute tone.

"Your Majesty, please order them to retreat."

Li Huang gazed at the Grandmaster coldly, his red eyes glinting with deep thoughts, but he showed no sign of surprise. He merely pondered in silence.

"System, upgrade the Dark Shadow Secret Unit to level 3."

[ Understood, Host. ]

[ Dark Shadow Secret Unit, Level 3: Their cultivation is now at the peak of Golden Core. They are elite intelligence and assassination units capable of guaranteed kills. They possess the ability to blend with shadows, erase their presence, and can now extract information from the minds of enemies. The Host can summon 100 members per day, and they remain 100% loyal, with no possibility of betrayal (Upgrade cost: 1,000,000 points). ]

[ Total Kill Points: 230 ]

Li Huang listened to the system's explanation, a cold smile forming on his lips, though he couldn't help but ask.

"Why did the price jump so high?"

[ As it's the Host's early stage, I've been giving you a 90% discount, Host, ] the system replied.

Li Huang nodded slightly in understanding before giving a calm order.

"Summon all the Dark Shadow Secret Units and spread them throughout the palace hall."

[ Understood, Host. ]

Suddenly, dozens of shadowy figures began emerging from the darkness around the hall. They spread out silently, moving like ghosts. Another 50 members of the Dark Shadow Secret Unit, newly summoned, moved swiftly and quietly, blending seamlessly into the shadows of the hall.

The Grandmaster felt a growing sense of unease, but he couldn't pinpoint the exact source of his concern.

"Your Majesty, I urge you to call them off," the Grandmaster pleaded, his energy surging, ready for a confrontation.

Li Huang smirked before speaking in an icy tone, "Seize them."

At that moment, five members of the Dark Shadow Secret Unit launched themselves toward the empress and the Grandmaster.

The Grandmaster muttered, "Golden Core level 9? A moment ago, they were only at Spirit Sea level 9."

Li Huang turned his gaze toward the remaining nobles, generals, and princes and spoke in a chilling voice, "If any of you dare move, blink, or even breathe, be prepared to lose your head without warning."

The entire room fell into a suffocating silence. No one dared to make a sound as all eyes fixated on the unfolding confrontation between Li Huang and the Grandmaster. The tension in the hall rose to an unbearable height.

The Grandmaster's expression was grave. He knew he could not easily contend with the overwhelming force surrounding him, but with his duty to protect the empress, he had no choice.

"In that case… I must apologize for my rudeness," the Grandmaster said firmly as a sword shot out from his body. He quickly moved to counterattack, but as he raised his arm, it was severed in an instant, followed by several more blades piercing through his body. His blood sprayed across the palace hall.