The Unruly Immortals

Outside the Capital City, among the fields, the crowd, under the command of the little banners, gradually gathered towards the military formation.

The crowd was large but orderly. This was not solely due to the efforts of the White Lotus Sect, but also because of the layered orders of the officials. Standard-bearers with flags on their backs rode swiftly through the crowd on horses.

Standing in front of the large formation, Li Huowang looked out, and all he saw was an endless sea of heads.

Summoning a prime minister requires a ritual; although the Astronomical Bureau of Da Liang was dead, the minor directors were still alive.

Gao Zhijian, dressed in a dragon robe, looked at the Tiger Talisman in his hand. As the evil Qi continued to consolidate, the Tiger Talisman not only glowed red but also trembled continuously, with faint roars coming from within.

With a solemn expression, he split the Tiger Talisman in two, giving each half to the four minor directors of the Astronomical Bureau.

The four minor directors respectfully bowed deeply to the Emperor of Da Liang and then stepped back to make the final preparations.

Accompanied by the heart-shaking sound of war drums and the long call of trumpets echoing in the military formation, jars of strong liquor were pushed forward by eunuchs, clearly pre-prepared.

Everyone received a bowl of strong liquor, which they all drank with their heads held high, showing no fear in their eyes. Among them were children of twelve or thirteen years and elders just past sixty.

Li Huowang looked at the crowd before him, his heart more complex than ever. At that moment in White Jade Capital, he hadn't had time to think about the consequences his request for help would bring below.

Everything demands a price; it's just that some prices are paid up front, while others are paid afterward.

Compared to him, Bai Lingmiao beside him was already much calmer, perhaps because she was going along with him.

In the crowd, a giant Kongming Lantern in the shape of a Lotus Throne was being slowly drawn up by the chants of the White Lotus believers, with six Bai Lu seated on the Lotus Throne like lotus seeds.

Seeing that the hours were about right, Gao Zhijian, along with the other four emperors, stood at the front of the military formation. The breeze gently lifted his dragon robe and black beard.

If it had been a battle with others in the past, as a ruler, he would have chanted the valiant words. But now, he didn't know what to say because these people before him were destined to die.

But he had to say something because he was a good emperor, and a good emperor, even faced with the lives of millions of people, must be able to pick up and let go.

"Alas, my soldiers!"

As Li Huowang's expression tensed, Gao Zhijian's voice instantly resounded through the sky over the Capital City. "Alas, my soldiers! Like brothers, like kin! Live together, die together. Life and death, severed ties, decided today!"

Gao Zhijian did not hide anything, openly telling everyone what had really happened, even including the White Jade Capital, which in the past could only be hidden in the deepest part of the Inner Treasury taboos.

At this moment, suddenly the ground shook and the mountains quaked. In the far distance, the sky broke, and a massive tree, narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, slowly crashed to the ground. "The sky is falling."

Looking at everything in the distance, everyone simultaneously raised the knives in their hands, their eyes filled with evil Qi as they looked at the sky's breaking above and shouted fiercely, "Kill! Kill! Kill!!"

The surging evil Qi almost changed the color of the sky, with everyone's eyes entirely drowned in murderous intent. Faced with the giant tree that seemed to press down like Mount Tai, there was no fear in anyone's eyes.

Watching them simultaneously raise their knives, Li Huowang, with a pained expression, could not bear to look any further.

And at that moment, he heard familiar footsteps approaching. He looked up to see Chun Xiaoman, dressed in brand new clothes, standing in front of him.

She looked at Li Huowang, Bai Lingmiao, and Gao Zhijian, with hot tears streaming from her eyes, her voice filled with despair. "Why is it like this! Why!"

"Why... I also want to know why!!"

"Sister Xiaoman." Bai Lingmiao walked over with a complicated expression. She understood the other's feelings. For Chun Xiaoman, the White Lotus Sect was her home, and the White Lotus believers were her family. Now her home was gone.

Bai Lingmiao's outstretched hand was flung away by Chun Xiaoman. She looked at the rows of falling heads behind her and the hole in the distant sky, opened her mouth wide, and howled in despair.

"Chun Xuan! Gouzi, Wang Kunsheng! They were all living people! They were all people, they were living people just like you and me!!"

"They finally stopped being beggars! They finally had enough to eat, why do they have to die now! Do ordinary people not even deserve to live? Why!"

With a "clang," the sword that Li Huowang had given Chun Xiaoman long ago was drawn by her and decisively plunged into her own neck, slashing fiercely.

"Sister Xiaoman!!" As blood spurted a丈 high, Chun Xiaoman's head fell to the ground along with the other heads of the Military.

Instinctively, Gao Zhijian took a step forward, but seeing Chun Xiaoman's headless body standing in place, he forcibly stopped, gritting his teeth hard as he turned his head away.

Blood, along with the almost tangible evil Qi, began to spread into the air, eventually forming two raging and roaring heads.

As the prime minister formed, the hearts of the living were rapidly filled with murderous intent, and this influence continued to intensify, spreading towards the Capital City.

"Brother Li! The prime minister is complete! It needs to be sent up now! Keeping it any longer will cause big trouble!!"

Hearing Gao Zhijian's words, Bai Lingmiao, in tears, grabbed Li Huowang's hand and said, "Brother Li, I must go now. See me off."

"Alright. I'll see you off!" Li Huowang nodded tremblingly, almost grinding his teeth to pieces, as he led Bai Lingmiao towards the giant Lotus Throne.

Bai Lingmiao held various Magic Artifacts in four hands, sitting cross-legged in the center of the Lotus Throne, her delicate face filled with holiness. The white lotus mark on her forehead grew ever brighter, without a trace of the evil Qi penetrating it.

The Twelve Grade Merit United Lotus blazed brightly, spreading over Bai Lingmiao's head, and a lotus seed among them slowly fell into her body.

At that moment, Bai Lingmiao seemed to understand something, showing a smile without joy or sorrow. With four hands gently forming the Lotus Seal, she, along with the six Bai Lu, passed between the two prime ministers tearing at each other and drifted towards the Mao's Gate.

As the prime minister disappeared, so did the almost tangible sense of oppression, but looking at the gradually receding Bai Lingmiao, it was still hard to breathe.

Clenching his fist, he pounded hard on his congested chest a few times, but even as his chest caved under the blows, there was no relief.

With his right hand, Li Huowang took out a Copper Mirror from his pocket.

He yelled hoarsely at his reflection in the mirror, "Ji Zai!! It's all gone! They're all gone!! You must bring them back! You promised me!! You promised me!!"