Chapter 413: Human Strength Has Its Limits

Realizing that Emperor Ye had “reached the end of the scroll, and the dagger was revealed,” Yan Wuyong didn’t hesitate for a moment. Almost instantly, he grabbed the ceremonial axe by his side and lunged toward Emperor Ye across the jade desk!

At that same moment, all the civil and military officials in the hall withdrew, replaced by ranks of armored soldiers stepping out from the shadows!

These soldiers, wielding sharp blades and long spears, swiftly surrounded the entire hall. The very light in the hall seemed to dim at their appearance.

Within the hall, Emperor Ye rose calmly and slowly stepped back. Even with Yan Wuyong’s gleaming axe just inches away, he showed not the slightest hint of panic.

Clang!

A deafening clash of metal rang out!

Two ceremonial axes, flowing with Daoist aura and shining with a coppery golden glow, intercepted Yan Wuyong’s strike!

With a single blow, even the burly Demon-Slaying Enforcer, whose frame was twice as broad as Yan Wuyong’s, was sent staggering backward. Blood streamed from his hands.

However, although the strike failed, Emperor Ye was now shielded behind the “wall of iron” formed by the armored soldiers.

Standing among them, he looked mockingly at Yan Wuyong and said coldly,
“I knew it. A country brute like you would inevitably resort to violence.”

“To make you a king was already a blessing upon your ancestors. Why must you be so ungrateful?”

At his side, General Niu raised a curved blade and stood by Yan Wuyong’s side, bellowing,
“Dog Emperor! I knew you were up to no good!”

“If it weren’t for Monarch Yan, Great Wu would’ve been long gone!”

“Grabting a king title? Grant your dead mother’s head!”

“So filthy… Whenever you get angry, your mouth reeks.” Emperor Ye snorted, then looked back to Yan Wuyong and continued:
“Yan Wuyong… surrender. I know you can mobilize your troops’ killing aura and unleash powers akin to Heaven…”

“But I also know—those people must be alive, and they must be near you…”

“Now that you’re under my control, what do you think will become of the ten thousand men you brought?”

Fweeet~!

General Niu formed a ring with his fingers and blew a piercing whistle that echoed through the air!

But to everyone’s surprise, no response came, even after a long pause.

At that moment, General Niu realized something had happened to the troops outside.

But he couldn’t believe it—ten thousand elite troops, taken out without a sound?

He had checked earlier. The hall and the encampment of the Yan Army were no more than a li (half a kilometer) apart.

If a fight had broken out even that far away, ten thousand soldiers would’ve made a commotion they would have heard!

Yan Wuyong’s eyes reddened, his bloodshot gaze fixed on Emperor Ye.
“What have you done to them?”

Emperor Ye sneered.
“What do you think?”

“Just surrender. I’ll spare your life. At least then, you’ll be able to take that old bastard beside you back alive.”

“Ptui!”

“Surrender your damned egg!”

With that, General Niu raised his curved blade and charged into the armored soldiers blocking the hall’s exit, shouting,
“Monarch Yan! I’ll clear the way for you!”

“Kill!”

In a flash, the seasoned veteran that was General Niu charged like a wild stallion into the enemy ranks!

A flash of cold light—blood sprayed through the air. Several armored soldiers fell instantly!

Seeing this, Yan Wuyong also prepared to break out alongside General Niu!

However, the Demon-Slaying Enforcer he had previously repelled stepped forward again to block him. And from within the ranks of armored soldiers, several Golden Guards stepped out—each bearing an insignia of five diamond-shaped golden blades across their chest!

“Well, well!”

“Now you all show yourselves—where were you when we were killing demons on the frontlines?”

“Ye Kunxing, you’re not even half the man your brother was! You’re not fit to be Emperor!” Yan Wuyong roared. His axe, now glowing with a silvery aura, swept out—instantly slicing two charging Golden Guards clean in half!

Behind the crowd, Emperor Ye spoke coldly:
“Kill the old bastard. Yan Wuyong must be taken alive.”

Inside the hall, countless armored soldiers split Yan Wuyong and General Niu apart.

Unlike Yan Wuyong, General Niu, for all his courage, was a mortal warrior. Fueled by sheer rage, he could still fend off attacks from all directions for now, but he wouldn’t last long.

Yan Wuyong knew this. After cutting down two Golden Guards, he began swinging his axe fiercely, trying to break through and regroup with General Niu.

Each of his strikes carried a howling gale, the axe leaving silver arcs in the air. Wherever it passed, shields and armor tore like paper—blood spraying, screams ringing out all around.

Yet despite his might, with an endless wave of armored soldiers and the deadly Golden Guards emerging again and again, he was trapped in place!

Outside the hall, Emperor Ye stepped onto the plaza through a side door. There, a table and tea set had long been prepared. A palace maid poured him a cup of sobering tea just as he sat down.

Lifting the cup and sipping lightly, Emperor Ye looked out over the sea of black-armored troops and asked casually,
“Minister An, how long do you think Yan Wuyong can hold out?”

Beside him, the young civil official who had offered the venomous gu cupped his hands and replied,
“Your Majesty, I believe he can last half an hour at most.”

“Hmm.” Emperor Ye took another sip and smiled.
“I think he’ll last a full hour…”

“Pity about our soldiers, though…”

At this, the young official bowed.
“For the sake of Great Wu, I believe the soldiers are gladly offering their lives to capture this traitor!”

“Heh…” Emperor Ye chuckled, his gaze falling once more on the bloodbath inside the grand hall—on Yan Wuyong, fighting like a demon.

After the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense, General Niu let out a final defiant cry. Covered in blood, the old general gave Yan Wuyong one last look—then collapsed to the ground.

“Old Brother Niu!” Yan Wuyong cried out in anguish. With every swing of his axe, cold light flashed and waves of armored soldiers were sent flying. The heavy scent of blood inside the hall spread throughout the entire palace!

But human strength has its limits.
Without the support of his troops’ killing aura, Yan Wuyong tried again and again to break through—only to be blocked each time by fearless soldiers.

As time passed, his axe-wielding hands began to tremble. His body was covered in wounds—irregular cuts and gashes from swords and axes alike.

“Stop!” Emperor Ye’s voice rang out. The armored soldiers surrounding Yan Wuyong stepped back in unison.

Then Emperor Ye looked at the battered and bloodied Yan Wuyong with disdain.
“Yan Wuyong. Surrender. I’ll spare your life.”

“Unless an immortal descends to save you, there’s no escape now.”

“Your mother’s—” Yan Wuyong’s curse was abruptly cut off. The two words “immortal descends” in the Emperor’s statement had triggered a thought.

He frantically searched his body—finally pulling out a small pouch from his waistband…