"What's going on? How did two armies of the Northern Dynasty start fighting?" "Ah, it's the Jueque banner—those troops are the Jueque Army of the Northern Dynasty." "Tuoba Guang has advanced all the way to the capital... Has Linxia fallen?" The night was thick with darkness, the horns sounding long and low, the drums beating fiercely. The garrison stationed at the northern city gate stared in astonishment at the two armies engaged in fierce combat outside the walls. One army had recently encamped outside the city, surrounding it but not launching an assault, holding a defensive stance against the defenders. The other had just arrived. With keen eyes, the soldiers had identified the Jueque banners by the flickering flames, only to be chilled to the bone when they saw the two forces clash. More accurately, it wasn't a battle at all—it was one-sided slaughter. The defenders didn't understand the cause of the rift within the Northern Dynasty's forces, but they welcomed the opportunity to watch the two armies fight, raising their drums to signal alarm and preparing for the coming conflict. The battles outside the city were fierce, and the situation inside was no better. Tianji Pavilion had turned into a haunted tower, sending forth ghostly corpses and spiritual servants who, driven by their bloodthirsty instincts, slaughtered anyone they encountered within the city—some storming into civilian homes and slaughtering entire households, others engaging in fierce combat with the city's garrison forces. Meanwhile, the Imperial City Command, loyal to the Zheng family, and certain senior officers of the city garrison were now in disarray and deep dilemma, as Zheng Wenhan had perished. They were well aware of Zheng Wenhan’s long-standing ambition to overthrow the regime, and they themselves had been carrying out a campaign of purging the Zheng family’s entire lineage—what now? With Zheng Wenhan eliminated, the Emperor would surely come to settle accounts with the Zheng family’s allies. They would all be swept away. Yet, surrendering to the Northern Dynasty was equally perilous—Zheng Wenhan’s and Tuoba Guanghe’s agreement had been predicated on the Zheng family’s rise and dominance over the Southern Dynasty. Now, with both Zheng Wenhan and Zheng Wenshi eliminated, the Zheng family was effectively gone, and the agreement had dissolved. Should Tuoba Zhang Yuanqing rode upon a five-clawed golden dragon, soaring above the capital. Looking down, he saw the city outside ablaze, the Juque army like a sharp spear piercing through the defenses of the city's garrison—everywhere it passed, troops and horses were crushed. This force was originally part of Yang's faction, having disguised itself as a northern dynasty army to attack the city and tie down Zheng's forces. Now, however, it had become a sacrificial offering. The capital's already limited defensive strength had been further weakened—now compounded by another crisis. The outer city garrison surged up the walls like ants, civilians and auxiliary soldiers carrying torches and defensive equipment climbing the steps toward the battlements. Inside the inner city, the Yin Shi Ling Pu, sensing human scent, launched relentless attacks, turning bloodied homes into rivers of crimson; several city streets saw city garrisons engaged in fierce combat with the undead. Multiple points along Guangping Street, Xiguang Street, and Chengle Street were on fire—fires that had not yet been extinguished—creating widespread chaos. Yet, in the direction of the imperial palace, an extraordinary calm prevailed. The eight thousand elite troops of the Imperial Palace Command seemed entirely deaf and blind Tuoba Guanghe could breach the city walls in minutes! Zhang Yuanqing silently sighed. He had originally planned to eliminate the Zheng family and the Grand Abbot, then take control of the capital, organize forces to meet the retreating garrison returning from Linxia, and finally engage the Northern Dynasty in a final, decisive battle. Unfortunately, circumstances never unfold exactly as intended. Though the Grand Abbot had been defeated, his final counterattack—dying in battle—once again plunged Zhang Yuanqing's carefully restored situation into crisis. Gathering his composure, Zhang Yuanqing concentrated the power of the Sun God, forming a miniature sun above his head. Pure golden light poured down upon the capital, dispelling the darkness woven with fear and blood. The shadowy creatures and spiritual servants ravaging the inner city rose in black smoke, wailing and shrieking as they turned to ash. The frightened civilians fleeing and the battle-worn city defenders, bewildered and astonished, lifted their heads toward the sky, each shielding their eyes from the radiant light, their eyes growing sore. "A dragon?" "A real dragon!" "A true dragon has descended—divine auspices have arrived!" The city garrison and common citizens, witnessing this scene, either gasped in astonishment or fell to their knees, deeply moved. Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath and spoke with solemnity: "Ladies and gentlemen of the capital, listen! I am Emperor Zhao Shun, the reigning sovereign. Just a few days ago, I received a vision from the Heavenly Emperor, who bestowed upon me the divine creature, the Five-Tailed Golden Dragon, as a sign of celestial favor." "The Zheng family's allies have been completely eliminated. The remaining officials and generals in the court are all loyal and capable. Act swiftly with me to defend the nation's gates and repel the external threats." The torches of the Imperial Office burned brightly, and the army rapidly assembled. The city's garrison from the inner city moved swiftly toward the outer city. At this moment, the entire city came alive—citizens stepped onto the streets, bathed in pure sunlight, and bowed deeply before the emperor standing upon the dragon's back, venerating him as a divine figure. Zhang Yuancheng finally exhaled in relief, riding his five-clawed golden dragon toward the northern city gate. His next task was to hold off the Juque army, delay their advance, and buy time—while the city's order, troop deployments, and supply of equipment would be managed by the court officials, such as Yang Zhen. These were not matters requiring his personal attention. ... A Juque military centurion rode up to Topba Guanhe, dismounted, and bowed respectfully. "Commander, the three thousand enemy troops who have been impersonating our imperial soldiers have been completely defeated." The true form of Tuoba Guanghe was a sturdy man standing at about 1.7 meters tall, broad-shouldered and well-built, wearing black scale armor, with tangled, dirty braids beneath his helmet. His features were typical of the northern frontier: single eyelids, long and narrow eyes, a broad face, and rough, dark skin. Tuoba Guanghe nodded once, but did not issue an order to attack. Instead, he gazed distantly at the golden glow in the distance, and remarked, "Everyone says the sovereign of the Southern Dynasty is a pleasure-seeking, indolent second-rate ruler—someone ranked among the top three incompetent monarchs in history. Only now do I realize he is a master of quiet cultivation and strategic foresight." As he spoke, the golden light swiftly approached and halted above the city gates. The young emperor stood proudly atop the dragon's head, his gaze sharp and scanning the four hundred soldiers of the Ju Qu Army before settling on Tuoba Guanghe, who said solemnly, "Tuoba Guanghe, I hear you once made a three-sword pact with Yang Ce in Linxia. Today, I wager with you: if you can knock me down with three punches, the Southern Dynasty will hand Seeing the sovereign, mounted on a five-clawed golden dragon, arrive, the defenders grew resolute, and the fear they had harbored toward the legendary Juque Army faded away. Tuoba Guanghe chuckled, and his warhorse mourned, then knelt. He materialized instantly upon the city wall. "Wheeeew... A fierce wind roared, thick and dark阴 qi surged from the open fields. Where it passed, the southern dynasty soldiers who had just been trampled to death by the Jiu Que army's cavalry began to open their eyes. They rose slowly—some straightening up with stiff, creaking necks, their bodies unnaturally rigid. Their eyes were vacant and lifeless, their mouths now lined with fangs, their skin pale, their nails blackened. The dark qi had seeped into their bodies, transforming them into corpses. Behind these spectral figures stood a beautiful woman in a white T-shirt and light blue jeans, motionless, her expression calm, the swirling dark qi and howling wind forming a backdrop. Tuoba Guang narrowed his eyes. Zhang Yuanqing spoke calmly, adding, "Perhaps you kill the people inside the city, while I slaughter your Jiu Que army outside." The purpose of his wager wasn't to delay time—indeed, if time were delayed, it would have been more advantageous for the city's defenders to perish. He didn't particularly care about the fate of the garrison, after all, since he was in a quest world, not the real world. Zhang Yuanqing's real motivation for proposing the wager was to secure the core objective—the survival of the Southern Dynasty. There were essentially two paths: either to repel or defeat Taobo Guanghe, or to defend the capital. Repelling or even killing Taobo Guanghe was nearly impossible, so the more pragmatic choice was to first secure the capital. Should the capital fall, either through siege or complete annihilation of its population, the Southern Dynasty would inevitably perish. Taobo Guanghe paused for several seconds, then coldly remarked, "Even if you're killed, the outcome will be the same." Zhang Yuanqing immediately mounted the golden dragon, rising higher in the sky, declaring, "Then I shall stand by until the very end!" He anticipated that Taobo Guanghe would agree. In Taobo Guanghe's eyes, the death of a master-level emperor would shatter the morale of the Southern Dynasty's soldiers and civilians, leading to the inevitable collapse of the capital. Moreover, while Taobo Guanghe's stature made it relatively easy to make the imperial capital submit, it would be time-consuming for him to carry out a full-scale city siege and massacre—after all, as a legendary close-combat warrior and battlefield commander, he Therefore, to swiftly lay siege and slaughter an entire city, one must have subordinates to assist. The four hundred Jueque troops, composed of the Mu Master and the enchanting spirit-beast, are a perfect killing machine. Thus, Xuebo Guanghe will protect the Jueque forces. Xuebo Guanghe manifests his true form—his height expands from one point seven meters to three meters, his head growing into a fearsome visage with copper-bell eyes, a broad mouth, a large nose, and eight arms wielding swords, spears, halberds, lances, and circular shields. His dark golden skin gleams with a metallic luster, his muscular contours sculpted with the precision of a master carver, exuding a strong sense of mechanical grace. He does not deliberately suppress his aura nor consciously project the weight of a champion’s presence; the city’s defenders, simply facing this statue-like figure of wrath, are overwhelmed by sheer terror. Many tremble violently, some even lose their composure and urinate in their pants. Others kneel on the ground, shivering uncontrollably, while others still scream and flee the city walls. The scene instantly grew chaotic, yet the next moment, thousands of soldiers on the city walls and below suddenly grew calm, their emotions stabilized—fear remained, but now under control. Zhang Yuan spoke with great composure, "The dignity of the Emperor can calm even ghosts and gods!" The soldiers suddenly understood and shouted in unison, "Long live the Emperor!" In truth, Zhang Yuan had quietly soothed their emotions, though with so many people, the effect was only moderate when the rain of reassurance was evenly distributed. Thus, he needed the "mystical" rhetoric to inspire courage within the soldiers themselves. "Boom!" The stone beneath Tuoba Guang He cracked, and he vanished from view. How fast! Zhang Yuan, who had only caught a fleeting glimpse of the approaching figure, felt his heart race. At the same time, he sent the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon soaring high and opened his inventory, retrieving the Purple Thunder Shield, activating his absolute defense. During the battle against the national sage, his armor had been repeatedly torn, and the energy had now fully accumulated, allowing him to unleash the rule-based skill of the Purple Thunder Shield. This gave Zhang Yuan the confidence to boldly make his wager. A ripple of air surged, and a vibrant purple light bloomed, solidifying into a massive, heavy, angular shield wall. With absolute confidence in his physical strength, Tuoba Guanghe clenched eight fists and delivered them simultaneously. A thunderous roar echoed, sharp sonic waves shattering parts of the defenders' eardrums, and the resulting shockwave pressing the dense crowd on the city wall to the ground, forcing them to kneel. The angular shield wall cracked with a sharp "crack," revealing several fissures. Behind the shield, Zhang Yuanqing felt his blood surge, gasping and spitting out a mouthful of blood as Tuoba Guanghe's powerful blows penetrated through the shield and struck him. This was his second encounter where the "absolute defense" had faltered. The first had been at the Free Alliance's gathering, when a half-divine Smokebearer effortlessly shattered the shield wall. Yet, compared to that instance, this time the shield had at least held. By the ninth level, lower-tier rule-based items were no longer as effective, as the power of the ninth-level Dominants now involved rule-level strength. Zhang Yuan drew back the Purple Thunder Shield, riding the five-clawed golden dragon, swiftly increasing the distance, and shouted loudly: "The foremost master of the Northern Frontier—no more than this. Let's go again!" The city garrison roared with excitement. The enchanting spirits and mist masters of the Ju Qu army loudly cursed, shouting, "We'll crush the young Zhao Shun!" "The Southern Dynasty possesses such a divine artifact!" Tao Bao Guang, though not surprised, was actually delighted: "Its defensive strength is unparalleled in the world—this shall now be mine." He once again transformed into a streak of shadow, charging toward the fleeing emperor of the Southern Dynasty. Zhang Yuan opened his inventory, donned the Jade Belt of the Qing Emperor around his waist, then draped the Thunder Armor over his body. Next, he shifted the form of the five-clawed golden dragon into a defensive stance, having it coil tightly around his right arm. Thanks to a skilled artisan's ring, the five-clawed golden dragon proved exceptionally obedient. Once all these preparations were complete, Zhang Yuan felt a strong gust of wind rushing against his face—his enemies had already closed in. Without hesitation, he raised his left hand, gripping the Purple A bright blue barrier rose before him, its form wrapped tightly around his body in the ethereal silhouette of a five-clawed golden dragon, shielding him within. "Boom!" The electromagnetic shield shattered first, dispersing into dense arcs of electricity that spread across the night sky before fading away. Then came the purple thunder shield, pulverized by a single punch into "droplets" that sprayed out in all directions. Finally, the golden dragon form dissolved into a brilliant cascade of golden light. Tao Bao Guang's fist pierced through each successive layer of defense, striking squarely at Zhang Yuanqing's chest. Below, the soldiers heard a clear "pffft" sound, like a siege spear impacting flesh. Their sovereign, their emperor, burst into a cloud of blood, crashing to the ground. "Boom!" The impact created a shallow crater six meters in diameter, its center bloodied and formless. The emperor, blessed by the Heavenly Emperor, had his bones shattered, his meridians severed—no longer recognizable as a human figure. Silence fell upon the city walls. Despair crept across the faces of the defenders. Though the troops outside the city could not see the tragic end of the enemy emperor, they were thunderstruck by the scene of the commander's single blows sending enemies flying—cheers erupted in wild acclaim. Tuoba Guanghe's expression finally turned grave, no longer as composed and at ease as before. His gaze settled on Zhang Yuanqing's waist, and he coldly remarked, "I'd like to see just how many treasures the Southern Dynasty has!" The gleaming muscles suddenly swelled, veins bulging prominently, and his eight arms radiated streaks of black light that coalesced into a massive black bow. With four arms gripping the bow and the other four drawing the string, his vital energy surged violently, flowing in fine streams and transforming into a shaft of blood-red arrows. As Tuoba Guanghe drew the bow, an unusual phenomenon unfolded in the sky—dark clouds rolled and surged, with streaks of blood-red lightning flashing across the cloud layers. Zhang Yuanqing sensed the imminent threat of death and simultaneously felt himself being "marked." He retrieved his Jade Belt of the Qing Emperor, the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon, the restored Purple Thunder Shield, and his Thunder Armor, placing them back in his inventory. Standing motionless in the air, he ceased resisting, calmly awaiting his fate. This arrow, he could not evade. The "mark" bestowed by the seductive spirit-being inherently carried a tracking The bowstring resonated with thunderous force, launching blood-red arrows that surged forth, transforming into a radiant blood-orange arc, engulfing Zhang Yuanqing. The body of the Southern Dynasty emperor shattered in mid-air, bone fragments and splintered flesh raining down like a storm—his body left unrecognizable. "Your Majesty... Your Majesty..." "Your Majesty has fallen!" The garrison on the city walls waited several seconds, but saw no reversal. Despair surged, as if the end had finally arrived. At that moment, a red-draped figure arrived on the wind, cradling a bronze pitcher, gently stroking it. Golden rain dripped from the pitcher's spout, like a goddess bestowing celestial dew. The scattered blood and flesh fragments began to gather, reassembling as if time itself had reversed—within just a few breaths, the emperor, once reduced to dust, rose once more. The Immortal Pot could revive the dead, as long as the time of death did not exceed one hour, and within twelve hours, it could restore life once. It had been this semi-divine artifact that had saved them during their siege in the wine god's club faction quest. Three Zhang Yuanqing spoke with a resonant voice: "General Tuoba, withdraw now." Tuoba Guanghe replied, "I only need to kill you first—when will you fulfill your wager?" His expression grew serious, his gaze sharp. He commanded, "Zhao Shun, I'll see how many times you can revive yourself." He drew his bow again. Suddenly, Tuoba Guanghe paused, turning his head to look behind. Under the open sky, a sword's light surged forward, roaring through the night.