Chapter 2703: Sneak Attack

The Reception Hall halfway up the mountain was in chaos, and the Golden Summit was even more so. Zhu Xie Chixin and others, disregarding their injuries, rushed towards the central platform, shouting, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

Wang Wuxie, who was nearby, also changed his expression dramatically and ran with them.

Thick smoke filled the air, and heat waves washed over them. Everyone's hair and beards were singed yellow almost instantly. Had they not been protected by their vital energy, they would have likely been scalded to death by the extreme heat.

The surviving Embroidered Uniform Guards and Imperial Bodyguards tried to rush in to rescue the Emperor, but the heat waves forced them back repeatedly.

Seeing this, Wang Wuxie waved his sleeve, and a surge of powerful vital energy directly dispersed the thick smoke in the center. Those around watched in admiration, thinking, "The Imperial Preceptor truly lives up to his name; his cultivation is awe-inspiring."

As the thick smoke gradually cleared, everyone was astonished to find that the Heavenly Altar, which had been there moments before, was gone, replaced by a deep crater. It was clear just how powerful the explosion had been.

Their hearts sank. If even the massive altar had been destroyed to such an extent, the Emperor's fate was likely grim.

Wang Wuxie continued to wave his sleeves, and the smoke thinned further, gradually revealing the scene within.

At that moment, everyone noticed a yellow orb of light within, with a figure appearing inside it.

"Your Majesty!" Zhu Xie Chixin and Eunuch Wen exclaimed with joy. Who else could the person inside be but Zhao Hao?

Inside the orb, Zhao Hao slowly opened his eyes and slowly lowered his hands, as the light surrounding him gradually dissipated.

He stepped out, his face ashen, demanding, "What exactly is going on here?"

His crown had fallen off, leaving his hair disheveled, and his dragon robe was charred and torn in many places. Clearly, the terrifying explosion had not left him entirely unscathed.

In all his years, he had never been in such a disheveled state. His heart surged with extreme anger, and at that moment, all he wanted was to kill.

Zhu Xie Chixin and Eunuch Wen exchanged a glance. For this incident, countless heads were sure to roll.

Especially Zuan, who had come with the Imperial Forest Army in advance to eliminate hidden dangers. What exactly had he eliminated?

Could it be that he truly colluded with the demon race, intending to eliminate the Emperor with them?

At that moment, Wang Wuxie knelt abruptly, speaking with trepidation, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It must be due to my lax governance that a traitor emerged among our sect's high-ranking members, allowing so much gunpowder to be transported to the Golden Summit."

Seeing the usually arrogant Imperial Preceptor trembling like a sieve, Eunuch Wen and Zhu Xie Chixin understood. After all, with such a major incident occurring, his Zhengyang Sect certainly could not escape responsibility.

However, they did not suspect Wang Wuxie. As the Imperial Preceptor, he was already of the highest esteem, and he had stood by the Emperor during his lowest point years ago. The Emperor even considered him a friend. How could such a person betray the Emperor?

Zhao Hao likewise harbored no suspicion. He hurried to help Wang Wuxie up, saying, "Wuxie, there's no need for this. This is not your fault."

For others, he would typically just make a perfunctory gesture to help them rise, but with Wang Wuxie, it was different. He personally went to help him up, demonstrating his favor.

It was at this moment that a sudden change occurred. A strange glint flashed in Wang Wuxie's eyes, and as Zhao Hao helped him up, he suddenly struck the Emperor's chest with both hands.

As the foremost figure in the Daoist sect, his cultivation was extraordinary, and the ethereal purple energy emanating from his hands was a unique technique honed over many years.

The attack was so swift and at such close range that Zhao Hao couldn't react in time, taking both palms squarely.

However, Zhao Hao's reaction was also quick. His body blazed with golden light, and the dense purple energy was instantly swallowed by it. Then, with a seemingly unpredictable palm strike, he directly bypassed Wang Wuxie's defenses and struck him.

The Daoist robe on Wang Wuxie's back burst open, his chest immediately caved in by several inches, and he crashed heavily to the ground like a tattered sandbag.

Wang Wuxie coughed up a mouthful of blood mixed with dark red organ fragments, clearly indicating he would not survive.

Zhu Xie Chixin and Eunuch Wen were aghast. Instinctively, they charged at Wang Wuxie, about to blast him to smithereens, but Zhao Hao stopped them, "Stop!"

An unnatural flush appeared on Zhao Hao's face, indicating that Wang Wuxie's earlier strike had caused him significant harm.

Yet, his eyes, sharp as lightning, fixed on Wang Wuxie. "Why?"

This was something he couldn't comprehend. Given their friendship and the current status of the Zhengyang Sect, Wang Wuxie had no reason to betray him.

Wang Wuxie's eyes seemed somewhat dazed. Perhaps it was a final burst of clarity before death, as the dark energy in his eyes dissipated, and he regained some lucidity. "Witchcraft Sect!" he uttered.

His tone conveyed both anger and helplessness.

"Soul-Losing Hex?" Zhao Hao frowned, instantly realizing what had happened to Wang Wuxie.

However, his own instinctive counter-attack had been incredibly powerful. Only someone with Wang Wuxie's profound cultivation could have remained somewhat intact. Now, on the verge of death, Wang Wuxie could barely hear what he was saying.

At that moment, countless regrets and vexations flashed through Wang Wuxie's mind. He had prided himself on his exceptional talent and increasingly profound cultivation, having even glimpsed the threshold of an Earth Immortal. Yet, because of a single emotional entanglement, he had fallen victim to a sinister plot and met such a pathetic end.

"Xuehen, you're here..." He raised his hand, reaching out into the void, seemingly trying to grasp something.

In his final moments, he seemed to see the fairy who resided among the clouds, approaching him with a look of pity.

She even extended her hand, as if to save him.

Alas, no matter how he reached out, their hands never met.

Finally, filled with profound regret, he passed away.

"Your Majesty, how do you feel?" Eunuch Wen and Zhu Xie Chixin approached Zhao Hao with concern.

However, Zhao Hao suddenly looked up, his eyes like those of a predatory tiger. The two men shuddered in fear, not daring to advance another step.

They instantly understood. Having just experienced Wang Wuxie's betrayal, Zhao Hao now trusted no one, not even them.

Just then, a ripple of air distortion suddenly appeared not far away, and runes materialized, clearly indicating someone was teleporting to their location.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards and Imperial Bodyguards immediately drew their weapons and surrounded the area. Anyone teleporting in under these circumstances was clearly ill-intentioned.

"Hahaha, as expected of His Majesty! Even the Daoist sect's foremost figure, attacking you by surprise, was instantly killed, and you appear as if nothing happened." A handsome middle-aged man with a well-groomed beard strode out. The guards tried to stop him, but with a casual wave of his hand, they were all heavily injured and sent sprawling, falling in a wide arc.

Zhu Xie Chixin's pupils constricted. The man's aura clearly indicated he was a Grandmaster, and not a newly ascended one like himself, but an established, veteran Grandmaster.

"Guan Chouhai?" Zhao Hao frowned, clearly recognizing him.

"I didn't expect Your Majesty to still remember me," Guan Chouhai sighed. "Nor did I expect that today I would become an enemy of Your Majesty."

"You?" Zhao Hao scoffed with a dismissive smile. "You are not worthy."