The Empress's No.1 Lackey

Chapter 1026 - 573: Divine Advent

Shi Luoyi!

Zhao Douan stared intently at the silent hall, where the young man slowly walked out.

He recognized the newcomer!

Back when he led troops southward to aid Taicang Prefecture, on his way to Song Family Manor, he encountered a small group of rebels slaughtering and setting fire in Song Family Manor.

Among them were a few mages from the White Clothes Sect, led by this young master of the White Clothes Sect.

At that time, Yu Xiu intervened and defeated him, yet he escaped at the crucial moment. Unbeknownst to him, they would meet again after such a long time.

"Commander Zhao, Jade Sleeve Priestess, I trust you have been well," Shi Luoyi spoke with a smile, yet his eyes were extremely cold, filled with deep resentment.

Clearly, the memory of the severe injury from last time was still fresh in his mind.

If it hadn’t been for the Netherworld Sect Leader saving him in secret, he truly might have died in Linfeng.

Tonight, their paths crossed once more, and both old and new grievances were to be settled, fulfilling a cycle of cause and effect.

But Zhao Douan ignored him, instead mulling over Shi Luoyi’s words, feeling a sudden heaviness in his heart.

An ominous premonition came true. Compared to the ostentatious bluff of the monks from Divine Dragon Temple, the oddity in the Hundred Generations Garden was a stark reminder:

"A trap..."

Zhao Douan gripped the hilt of his sword, scanning the surroundings for possible ambushes: "Xu Jingtang might have guessed we came to assassinate..."

Upon hearing this, the others became tense, yet the expected appearance of white-clothed mages did not manifest.

Nor did they see the martial arts experts from the Royal Mansion.

"It’s a bluff; let’s kill him first!" The Daoist Yu Xiu was impatient as she raised her hand, a Green Jade Flying Sword hovering with a buzz.

Standing in front of everyone, Zhong Pan did not turn his head and said, "Let me take care of this. You protect Zhao Douan."

With those words, the Little Heavenly Master slowly drew the crimson sword from behind him, the hem of the black priest robe swaying as if merging into the night.

Threads of mana wafted from his body, swirling around the great sword, and in Zhao Douan’s eyes, a thin light slowly unfolded from Zhong Pan, enveloping and protecting both him and the others within, rendering all spells ineffective in its halo.

Zhong Pan’s fierce face shone with a sacred light as he gently swung the giant sword into the air.

Silent and still.

The ground cracked, with tiles popping up one after another, as if an earth dragon were slithering underground, heading straight for Shi Luoyi!

"Heavenly Master Mansion..." Shi Luoyi glimpsed Zhong Pan’s distinguishing bluish face, his expression changed drastically, recognizing the Little Heavenly Master identity, he was startled into caution, unable even to entertain thoughts of resistance, and hurriedly scrabbled for help: "Mother! Save me!"

Simultaneously, in the empty hall, the flames on the dozens of burning candelabras flickered and twisted.

The flames transformed into a greenish hue, even the lanterns under the eaves turned into black fire.

An ethereal lamentation appeared out of nowhere in the ears of Zhao Douan and the others, plunging him into an inexplicable gloom.

He gripped the hilt of his sword firmly, eyes wide as he watched the bright hall’s light twist, like a ghostly realm had descended.

Behind Shi Luoyi, out of thin air, appeared a woman cloaked in pure white.

Her entire form shrouded in the ghastly white robe, a pure black small coffin hanging from her waist, holding a Mourning Stick, upon her sudden appearance.

She casually tossed the Mourning Stick!

"Boom!"

The Mourning Stick plunged into the ground, the cracked and upheaved surface quivering, as if the earth dragon had been suppressed, halting the momentum of its rupture.

"Mother... That pretty boy is Zhao Douan, the Empress’s gigolo. Last time he almost led people to kill me." Shi Luoyi nimbly ducked behind the woman’s back, loudly complaining.

At this moment, the white-clothed woman stepped forward, walking out of the hall.

Zhao Douan, too, saw the face beneath her hood, approximately in her thirties, lips bloodless, skin pallid, devoid of eyebrows, hair silver-white, her face like a paper doll prepared for burial.

Her appearance exuded an almost bewitching beauty!

White Clothes Sect Master, Shi Youlian!

Zhao Douan’s heart skipped a beat, guessing the opponent’s identity, none other than the Evil Mage organization leader of the White Clothes Sect.

Shi Youlian’s cold and indifferent gaze simultaneously locked onto him.

A dense array of sinister characters suddenly appeared around this white-clothed mage.

Spell unleashed!

"Be cautious! Hide behind me!" The Little Heavenly Master, as if facing a formidable enemy, spoke in a deep voice.

At this moment, the senior Heavenly Master disciple held nothing back, the inscriptions on the crimson sword fully ignited, as he gripped the sword with both hands and thrust the blade into the ground.

"Infinite Heavenly Venerate, in the name of the impoverished Daoist, banish evil, yield!"

Ripples of halos spread from the sword tip in all directions like ripples, Zhong Pan’s silhouette seemed vast as a mountain, or a reef amidst an angry sea, shielding against the invisible curse and grievance descending upon them.

"Senior brother, can you withstand this?"

Zhao Douan saw the courtyard whipped by a fierce wind, vegetation trembling and swaying, the ground splitting open, spewing plumes of black smoke, his expression shifted, he loudly queried.

Zhong Pan was expressionless, responding with merely the second step forward!

"Imperial Decree! Annihilate demons!"

Zhong Pan’s body emitted crackling sounds, as streaks of mana flames surged, enveloping him whole, growing larger and brighter.

Like a humanoid candle flame, under the shine of firelight, a phantom figure emerged:

Its hair disheveled, beard bristling, face terrifying, head adorned with tattered black silk hat, waist belted, donned in blue robe, leather-clad feet, shod in large court boots, exposing one arm.

In its grip was a substantial pen, akin to a spear, blazing eyes dauntingly scrutinizing Shi Youlian.

The right arm pulled back, then exerted force in a throw, the flaming brush shooting straight at the White Clothes Sect Master!

The bewitching-faced Shi Youlian’s pallid lips curled slightly upward: "Zhong Pan, long time no see, you immediately resort to violence upon meeting? You’re just as annoying as your immortal master."