novelraw Chapter 560 - 462: The Empress's Majesty (Third Update)
Chapter 560 - 462: The Empress's Majesty (Third Update)
"Have you really mastered the first layer of the Power Seal?"
The Old Woman stared intently at Yang Tian.
This was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue.
Emperor Gaozong of Tang had just passed away a few days ago, and Yang Tian had already mastered the first layer of the Power Seal.
This speed, perhaps even Emperor Gaozong himself couldn't compare.
"Hmph!"
Yang Tian let out a cold sneer.
With a wave of his hand, he drew the Spirit Mirror from the Old Woman's grasp.
He pressed lightly with his Spiritual Breath.
The Spirit Mirror shattered into pieces.
"Yang Tian, you court death. This is a Magical Treasure bestowed upon me by the Emperor..."
The Old Woman's face was filled with fury.
"Today, not only will I destroy the Spirit Mirror, but I will also kill you!"
Yang Tian leaped towards her.
The Spiritual Breath within him surged out like a coiling dragon, revolving around Yang Tian's body continuously, until finally, the coiling dragon of Spiritual Breath condensed upon Yang Tian's palm, transforming into the Power Seal.
Bang!
With one strike from Yang Tian,
The Power Seal was directed to kill the Old Woman.
"You actually wish to kill me? You thug, I am the Emperor's confidant!"
The Old Woman's face was furious.
"Anyone who dares to hinder my cultivation of the Power Seal must die. My master instructed me to cultivate the Power Seal swiftly, and since you interfere, I will ensure you have no burial place!"
Yang Tian leaped forward.
The Power Seal scattered out, enwrapping the Old Woman like an Eight Trigrams Diagram.
"You seek death..."
The Old Woman attempted to struggle, but found herself powerless under the Spiritualization of the Power Seal, like a lamb to the slaughter.
"Die!"
Yang Tian formed a Spell with his hand.
An Eight Trigrams Wooden Fish manifested, descending onto the Power Seal.
Bang!
After a roar of thunder, the Old Woman's body was blasted into pieces, leaving only her soul helplessly floating in mid-air.
Obviously, this soul was also trapped by the Power Seal.
For the time being, the Old Woman was unable to escape.
She could only continually shout at Yang Tian, "Yang Tian, you court death! I am the Emperor's confidant, the Empress's guard. By killing me, the Empress will surely exterminate your entire clan!"
Yang Tian sneered coldly.
He operated his Divine Sense, entering the Power Seal.
Under his guidance, the Spirit Circle of the Power Seal flew out, encasing the Old Woman's soul.
"Yang Tian, stop immediately! I am Eunuch Cao; if you kill her, I will report to the Empress!"
Eunuch Cao shouted.
"Yes, Eunuch Cao, announce it to the Great Tang Palace that Yang Tian this thug broke into the palace at night with ulterior motives against the Empress!"
The Old Woman's soul continued to shout.
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Cao's face changed dramatically: "What? He harbored ill intentions towards the Empress? This is treason! The Empress is his martial mother's mentor and the Emperor's recent widow; he dared to lay hands on her?"
This news hit Eunuch Cao like a bolt from the blue.
"Hmph!"
Yang Tian sneered coldly.
Too lazy to explain,
With a press of his hand, the Spirit Circle from the Power Seal struck heavily on the Old Woman's soul with a boom.
In this instant, the Old Woman's soul shattered to pieces.
"Yang Tian, you won't have a good death..."
The air was pierced by the Old Woman's final roar.
But all around was a deathly silence.
Eunuch Cao and those eunuchs stared at Yang Tian, not expecting him to take action right inside the palace.
"I... I'll report to the Empress now..."
Eunuch Cao trembled.
"Go ahead!" Yang Tian said indifferently, "Just say I killed the Empress's guard!"
"Then you wait for it!"
Eunuch Cao immediately sent someone to inform the Empress, and soon she dispatched her four female Martial Artists.
These four female Martial Artists were Wu Zetian's confidants.
They rarely act, only appearing in times of danger, as assigned by Wu Zetian.
"Yang Tian, the Empress summons you!"
The four female Martial Artists stood before Yang Tian, their faces icy, eyes brimming with killing intent.
"Of course,"
Yang Tian nodded, following the four female Martial Artists to the Grand Emperor Hall.
There, Wu Zetian sat donned in the Dragon Robe, upon the Dragon Throne.
In the hall, several lines of people knelt, including Eunuch Cao and the tense-faced Wu Yue.
Seeing Yang Tian brought in by the four female Martial Artists, a trace of anger flashed in Wu Yue's eyes, subtly making a beheading gesture to Yang Tian, indicating the gravity of his mistake.
Yet Yang Tian appeared calm.
As he reached the hall, he knelt on one knee: "Disciple, pay respects to Master Mother!"
To others, Wu Zetian was both Empress and Emperor.
To Yang Tian, Wu Zetian was merely Master Mother.
Thus, rather than kneeling on both knees, he knelt on one.
"Yang Tian, you have the audacity! I just instructed you to return, and you killed my guard?"
Wu Zetian's face exuded authority.
"The Old Woman stood in the way of my cultivation of the Power Seal, defying the Emperor's decree. Such a person is not worth sparing!"
Yang Tian replied calmly.
"Empress, reporting: this thug Yang Tian has killed in the palace, violating palace rules. The Emperor has just passed away; if Yang Tian is not executed, it will cause unrest among officials accustomed to the Li Clan's rule over the Great Tang for centuries..."
Though Eunuch Cao spoke serenely,
His words bore hidden thorns.
Yet upon hearing, Wu Zetian's face turned stern: "Eunuch Cao, are you implying that if Yang Tian isn't executed, I, as the Empress, am unfit to rule the Li Clan's land?"
Pa!
Eunuch Cao knelt to the ground: "Empress, your servant dares not!"
"Courting death!" Wu Zetian sneered coldly, waving her hand: "Drag him out, administer three hundred heavy strokes!"
"Yes!"
Immediately, two robust men rushed in, dragging Eunuch Cao out, administering three hundred lashes till he fainted, then dragging him back, reviving him with icy water.
Eunuch Cao's backside was mangled with blood.
Helplessly lying prone, trembling.
Within the Imperial Hall, all held their breath, fearing Wu Zetian's wrath.
"This is my way; if displeased, I can send you to hell!" Wu Zetian paused, "Punished Eunuch Cao; next is Yang Tian's accountability!"
Inside the Imperial Hall, all awaited Wu Zetian's judgment on Yang Tian.
"Yang Tian, though my disciple, having killed my guard is a capital offense!" Wu Zetian's icy words: "Bring him out for execution!"
"What?!!"
Wu Yue's face turned ghastly pale.
Even Yang Tian felt a surge of astonishment, not expecting Wu Zetian to command execution so surely.
Yet, he would not remain here to meet his end.
After all, he never acknowledged being part of the Great Tang.
Just as the two robust men approached, Wu Zetian on the Dragon Throne waved again: "But I can give you a chance! If you do something for me, I'll spare your life!"