554: Blood Mist

In the blood pool below, the blood of the entire Imperial Capital gathered.

Due to the grand array Chen De had set up at the very bottom, the blood inside was constantly churning, boiling, and condensing.

By now, only about one-fifth of its original volume remained.

There wasn't much time left; he would condense as much as possible before the Emperor made his breakthrough.

Three days later... Chen De watched as the thick liquid before him slowly contracted, having now shrunk to the size of a basketball.

Shrinking to this volume could be considered the absolute limit.

If he wanted to condense it further to the level of a medicinal pill, it would likely take ten days to half a month.

"Not bad at all!"

Just then, the sound of a man's laughter came from behind him.

Chen De unhurriedly put away the blood sphere, turned around, and said, "Boss."

The newcomer was none other than Lu Li; his arrival meant the Emperor's breakthrough was imminent.

Lu Li was aware of almost everything Chen De had been doing in the Imperial Capital these past few days.

Combined with previous intelligence, he also understood exactly why Chen De was doing this.

He didn't comment on it, instead speaking of the purpose of his visit.

"It's time for the Emperor to break through. Let's go and check on his place of secluded cultivation."

With that, he turned and walked toward a certain building without looking back.

"Yes, Boss."

Chen De naturally agreed to Lu Li's words without the slightest hesitation.

After all, he was the most loyal, kind, righteous, and moral... As the two walked along the path, Chen De remained a step behind, clearly following Lu Li's lead.

"The Immortal Law Realm and the Mortal Realm are as different as clouds and mud. Even if one is lucky enough to temporarily remain in the same realm for some reason, the methods of the Immortal Law Realm are not something the Mortal Realm can contend with."

Lu Li took the initiative to speak as they walked, and Chen De naturally understood the meaning behind his words.

He looked deeply at Chen De. "Don't end up harming yourself and others. If your greed fails to bear fruit and instead ruins the grand plan, you'll find yourself unwelcome everywhere."

The meaning in Lu Li's words was simple: it was almost impossible for Chen De to seize the slot for the breakthrough this time.

Even if he did obtain it, could he, a Mortal Realm Legend, truly compete against an Immortal Realm Legend?

If he lost, those two Immortal Law practitioners, even if they belonged to different factions, might temporarily cooperate to squeeze out their common and greatest competitor.

It could very likely lead to the other Immortal Law practitioner from Wuguang Hall failing to secure a slot as well.

In that case, it would be equivalent to offending both Immortal Law practitioners from Wuguang Hall who had entered.

Furthermore, by causing the slot to miss Wuguang Hall entirely, he would indirectly offend his own Sect as well.

Add to that the fact that their Sect's Ancestor was taking a disciple, and if no one from their own Sect was chosen, it would be an absolute humiliation.

Once things settled, Wuguang Hall wouldn't do anything openly, but they would definitely make his life miserable in secret.

With the enmity of two Immortal Law practitioners, every day he lived would probably be considered a bonus.

"Boss, what are you talking about?"

"You're not doubting my loyalty, are you?"

"In my life, the two things I, Yan Zhi, care about most are loyalty and righteousness."

Hearing this, Chen De's eyes widened in anger, as if he had been greatly wronged.

After glancing around, he simply summoned his ten thousand beast saber.

Without a word, he shoved it into Lu Li's hand and pressed the blade against his own neck.

"Boss, if you don't believe me, just take this saber and kill me right now."

"I, Yan Zhi, swear that I won't even try to dodge. If I so much as blink, I'll give up the name Yan!"

Hearing Chen De say this, Lu Li hesitated for a moment, a look of contemplation appearing in his eyes.

Seeing this, Chen De's heart skipped a beat; it seemed he had overplayed his hand.

Lu Li's grip on the ten thousand beast saber tightened slightly; since it was his exclusive weapon, Chen De sensed it clearly.

"Haha, how could that be?" Lu Li loosened his grip on the saber and handed it back to Chen De.

"Yan Zhi, you've misunderstood. I was just sharing some knowledge with you; just keep it in mind."

"So that's how it is." Chen De took back the ten thousand beast saber. "It seems I misunderstood you, Boss. Thank you for the lesson; I'm incredibly grateful."

"Boss was teaching me, yet I thought of him that way. I'm truly overwhelmed with shame!"

Unknowingly, tears had already soaked his collar.

As the two reached the entrance of the secret chamber, the sky above the entire Imperial Capital suddenly changed.

Countless clouds gathered toward them, laced with lightning, making the entire sky flicker between light and dark.

"It's starting. The timing is perfect."

After saying this, Lu Li began to move.

Every arrangement the Emperor had placed on the secret chamber was easily dismantled by his hands, rendered completely useless.

They melted like snow under a scorching sun, vanishing without a trace.

Finally, all the arrangements left by the Emperor were neutralized.

Then, with a wave of Lu Li's hand, the walls of the secret chamber drifted away like dust in the wind.

Revealing the Emperor inside, sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat with his eyes tightly shut, focusing all his strength on the breakthrough.

Simultaneously, the clouds in the sky converged into a massive vortex.

A terrifying suction force emanated from above; anyone slightly lighter would likely have been sucked in.

Then, a ball of light descended rapidly from the center of the vortex, falling straight onto the Emperor.

The Emperor's aura soared like a rocket, and at that moment, he slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze swept indifferently over Chen De before quickly moving on to rest on Lu Li.

"It's you!"

Lu Li smiled. "Your Majesty, it's been sixty years. I trust you've been well."

The Emperor looked at what used to be his secret chamber. "No wonder someone could break through my arrangements so easily. It was you."

"Speaking of which, if it weren't for you back then, I wouldn't have become the Emperor, nor would I have chosen to go into seclusion, let alone reach the point of breaking through to the Legend status today."

"You left without saying goodbye back then. I didn't expect the day would come when we would meet again."

"Your purpose for being here isn't simple, is it?" the Emperor said calmly, turning his gaze back to Lu Li.

He hadn't returned earlier or later, but specifically when he was breaking through; it was obviously suspicious.

Lu Li nodded. "Your Majesty's guess is correct. I need to borrow your life."

It was a critical moment; the Emperor knew full well that he couldn't move at all.

And the power he could mobilize without moving would likely be no match for Lu Li.

His initiative to speak with Lu Li earlier was actually a tactic to stall for time.

But Lu Li wasn't stupid either—or rather, having dealt with three groups of people already, he knew quite a lot.

"Hahaha!"

After laughing three times, Lu Li lunged forward, no longer bothering to converse with the Emperor.

He raised his hand and struck the Emperor with a palm; the Emperor was unable to move or dodge.

He could only take the blow full-on, being instantly pulverized into a blood mist.