109: Spare us! We're all innocent!

Two First Level Quasi-Emperor Qingtian Guards looked down through the torn-off roof.

They coldly watched the Emperor of the Ao Shi Dynasty and his civil and military officials in the main hall.

The remaining ninety-plus Qingtian Guards were distributed across various positions in the Imperial City, completely locking down the entire Ao Shi Dynasty Imperial City.

The powerful aura of the Saint Sovereign Realm made all the cultivators in the Imperial City tremble.

"It's over, it's all over! The Qingtian Sect found us so quickly. We are all finished!"

"Wuwu, if we had known earlier, we wouldn't have stayed here to play along. Now look, we're completely done for."

The civil and military officials of the Ao Shi Dynasty, who were preparing to leave the main hall, were so scared they collapsed onto the ground upon seeing the Qingtian Guards radiating Quasi-Emperor aura above them.

If they had known that the Qingtian Sect people would come to the Ao Shi Dynasty so quickly, they would have long since fled.

Why would they still be acting like loyal and capable ministers in front of the Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor?

But now it was too late to say anything. Since the Qingtian Sect people were here, their fate—life or death—was out of their hands.

The Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor also wore a look of terror.

The Qingtian Sect arriving so quickly was truly beyond his expectation.

Only about an hour had passed from the moment he received the news until he prepared to evacuate.

But since the people were here, they couldn't run away. They could only face them head-on.

After all, the Qingtian Sect people hadn't immediately started killing. Perhaps there was still room for maneuver.

The Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor mustered his courage, flew up beside the two Qingtian Guards, bowed respectfully, and said, "Two Seniors of the Qingtian Sect, this junior is the Emperor of the Ao Shi Dynasty. May I ask what debt the two Seniors are here to collect?"

The debt the two Qingtian Guards mentioned—was it the debt incurred by his Ancestor seeking revenge against the Qingtian Sect?

Or was it the cultivation resources promised during the azure emperor inheritance? He had to ask clearly.

If it was the former, then his entire Imperial Clan could only stick out their necks and wait to be executed.

But if it was the latter, the situation hadn't yet reached a point of desperation.

Although the Imperial Clan couldn't produce that many cultivation resources, they still had these civil and military officials. If they pooled their resources, they could overcome the difficulty.

"Hmph!"

One of the Qingtian Guards snorted coldly.

He took out the inventory jade slip that Li Big Saber had given him and suspended it in front of the Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor. "Of course, it's the cultivation resources your Ancestor promised to compensate our Qingtian Sect with. Although your Ancestor is dead, you must still provide this compensation."

"Hiss! So they are here to collect this debt! Doesn't that mean we don't have to die?"

"Exactly! As long as we compensate them with the items, we can quickly leave this place."

When the group of civil and military officials heard that the Qingtian Guards were here to collect this debt, they immediately scrambled up from the ground in excitement.

They shouted up at the Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor in the air, "Your Majesty! As officials of the Ao Shi Dynasty, in this time of crisis, your humble servants are willing to contribute a portion of our cultivation resources so that Your Majesty can make the full compensation."

They had no choice now. If they weren't surrounded here, only a fool would voluntarily give resources to the Ao Shi Emperor.

But now that they were heavily besieged, and since the Ao Shi Dynasty Ancestor had nearly emptied the Imperial Clan's treasury when inviting the Quasi-Emperors, they wouldn't be able to pay the full compensation. They weren't going to be the fools who suffered for it.

"Good, good. You are all my cherished ministers."

Hearing the civil and military officials voluntarily offer help, the Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor beamed with joy.

He took the compensation jade slip, bowed again to the two Qingtian Guards, and said, "Two Seniors, please wait a moment. I will immediately gather the cultivation resources and ensure that every bit of compensation promised by the Ancestor is paid."

"Mm, go," one Qingtian Guard said, waving his hand lightly.

"Yes, Senior!"

The Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor agreed and took the civil and military officials to gather the compensation.

Seeing the group depart.

The two Qingtian Guards did not stop them. They had already blockaded the entire Imperial City, and no one could escape.

Obviously, the Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor and the civil and military officials also understood this principle.

No one entertained the idea of forcibly escaping; they were all dutifully gathering compensation in their respective homes.

Before long, they returned with dozens of Storage Rings and presented them to the two Qingtian Guards.

"Two Seniors of the Qingtian Guards, the compensation promised by my Ancestor is all here. Please check and accept it."

The Ao Shi Emperor suspended the Storage Rings in front of the two Qingtian Guards and waited respectfully for them to check.

"Mm."

One Qingtian Guard took the Storage Rings, checked them briefly, and nodded. "Very good. The amount is exactly right. Your Ancestor's promise has been fulfilled."

Looking at the satisfied expression of the Qingtian Guard.

The Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor, ecstatic, bowed again and saluted, "Then... then, Seniors, can we juniors leave now?"

The civil and military officials also looked at the two Qingtian Guards with anticipation.

If the two men just spoke the word to let them go, they wouldn't stay there for another second.

"Heh heh, leave?"

The other Qingtian Guard swept a mocking gaze over the Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor and the civil and military officials. "Your Ao Shi Dynasty Ancestor brought three Quasi-Emperors to destroy our Qingtian Sect. Do you think we would let you leave?"

"Jie jie jie!"

"Our Qingtian Sect has principles for how we do things. We settle matters one by one. The compensation promised by your Ancestor is complete. Now, we need to settle the matter of him trying to destroy our Qingtian Sect."

The Qingtian Guard who had received the Storage Rings put them away and also spoke up from the side.

"You..."

Hearing the words of the two Qingtian Guards.

The Ao Shi Dynasty Emperor's face instantly turned pale.

Settling the score for the Ancestor leading people to destroy the Qingtian Sect—wasn't that asking for their lives?

After all, the hatred for attempting to destroy a Sect is irreconcilable. Although his Ancestor did not succeed, the enmity had been formed.

Earlier, when the two only asked for compensation, he thought the Qingtian Sect wasn't planning to pursue the matter of the Ancestor leading people to the Qingtian Sect.

But now it seemed.

The Qingtian Sect people never intended to spare them from the start.

First, they gave these people hope, and now they plunged them into despair. They were completely toying with them—it was utterly vicious.

"Two Seniors, spare our lives! We are all innocent!"

"That's right, two Seniors, we are just officials and have nothing to do with the Imperial Clan. If you want to settle the score, settle it with the Imperial Clan."

The civil and military officials knelt on the ground, constantly kowtowing and begging for mercy, snot and tears streaming down their faces.

They were just about to walk the path of hope, but now they had another score to settle. It was utterly miserable.

"Hmph, spare you? If our Qingtian Sect wasn't strong enough, would you have spared us?"

One Qingtian Guard shouted sternly.

Then, he materialized a giant spiritual energy claw, grabbing the Ao Shi Emperor and the civil and military officials.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Faced with absolute power, the group offered no resistance, were crushed into bloody mist, and dissipated in the air.

After finishing all this, he instructed the Saint Sovereign Realm Qingtian Guards distributed throughout the Imperial City:

"Kill! Slaughter the entire Ao Shi Imperial Clan and the families of the civil and military officials!"

"Yes, Captain!!"

Dozens of Saint Sovereign Realm Qingtian Guards acknowledged the order and rushed into the Imperial Palace and the homes of the civil and military officials, beginning a merciless slaughter.

"Ah ah ah ah!"

Screams echoed above the Ao Shi Imperial City.

Terrifying the cultivators living in the Imperial City, who hid trembling in their homes, afraid of being implicated.