The Ming Dynasty: The most ruthless imperial grandson, Old Zhu begged me not to kill him.

Chapter 856 A Strange Talisman
Chu Ze gritted his teeth, his fists clenched until they turned white, utterly at a loss for words. Meanwhile, the ancient beast, seemingly drawn by the power of the true dragon, angrily opened its mouth and spewed a torrent of intense blue-purple flames at Zhu Xiong Ying. Wherever the blue-purple flames passed, even the air hissed and crackled, instantly turning vegetation to ash—a terrifying display of power.

"A mere trick." Zhu Xiong Ying sneered, raising his hand and slowly drawing it open in front of him. A golden dragon-shaped phantom enveloped him like a shield. The flames roared in, but vanished the moment they touched the golden shield, without even a ripple on his clothes. He stood motionless, coldly watching the ferocious beast.

"Interesting." Zhu Xiong Ying sneered. "It seems this old beast has some ability. If I were to suppress it empty-handed today, wouldn't it make me look too undignified? Come on, I'll make an exception and condescend to use my skills, so that those who are laughing at me will remember that I am the true chosen one in the world!"

He tossed the True Dragon Jade into the air, and the divine object began to swirl in the void, instantly transforming into a golden chain. This chain, as thick as a dragon's tail, carried boundless pressure as it hurtled towards the ancient ferocious beast. Wherever the chain passed, a fierce wind arose, and even the beast's illusory form momentarily faltered, as if the entire world was submitting to it.

However, just as the chain was about to pierce the beast's brow, the beast suddenly let out a strange howl, and its phantom became even more blurry and illusory! The next instant, something unexpected happened—it suddenly dispersed like mist, and then condensed into hundreds of tiny figures in a flash, scattering and rushing towards Zhu Xiong Ying and the surrounding soldiers!
"Interesting." Zhu Xiong Ying's expression instantly became subtle, and an involuntary twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed his momentary displeasure. "So, they've switched to a group attack tactic?"

Although the split-up beasts were much weaker, their speed was as fast as lightning, and their sheer numbers were astounding. In an instant, they charged into Zhu Xiong Ying's camp, bringing with them a bloody storm. Ordinary soldiers, touched by this fierce aura, either had their internal organs burst or convulsed to death, without even having time to utter a cry of agony.

"Your Majesty, be careful!" A guard tried to shield Zhu Xiong Ying, but was torn apart by a ferocious beast phantom and sent flying backward.

Zhu Xiong Ying snorted coldly, his feet not moving, and the dragon-shaped phantom behind him reached its peak again. The golden dragon roared to the sky, as if it was truly enraged. The dazzling golden light surrounding Zhu Xiong Ying suddenly surged, forming an absolute domain once more, forcing back all the calamity shadows surging from all sides.

"A clownish trick, you think you can stump me?" Zhu Xiong Ying's voice was full of stern mockery, but at this moment, a wisp of blue-purple light quietly escaped from the golden light and was rapidly seeping into his True Dragon Jade Spirit.

Before Zhu Xiong Ying could fully perceive it, the bluish-purple hue suddenly intensified, like a strange talisman, instantly igniting some hidden power deep within the True Dragon Jade! Zhu Xiong Ying frowned, feeling an uncontrollable force spreading from his palm...

Zhu Xiong Ying's brows furrowed, the strange power surging wildly in his palm like a runaway horse, impossible to control. He looked down at his hands; clearly, it was the light of the True Dragon Jade, yet now it shone with an eerie blue-purple hue, scorching yet unsettling. He remained unmoved, his hands still behind his back, his expression carrying his usual arrogance, like an unyielding statue guarding the heavens and earth.

"How dare you use such petty tricks against me, Chu Ze? You're courting death." Zhu Xiong Ying's voice was as cold as ice, seemingly devoid of any emotional fluctuation, except for a fierce, blazing killing intent in his eyes. He was stalling for time, because he had finally sensed something strange.

"You're the one courting death!" Chu Ze sneered, his face full of vengeful pleasure. He noticed a subtle unease beneath Zhu Xiong Ying's outward composure, a change that was enough for him to seize the opportunity.

"The aura of ancient ferocious beasts isn't so easily quelled." "Even someone as strong as you probably wouldn't escape unscathed, Zhu Xiong Ying?" He spoke, his tone becoming increasingly unrestrained, like a long-suppressed loser venting his anger. Zhu Xiong Ying remained unmoved, only letting out a sneer: "A piece of trash is still trash. Foul language only makes you sound more crude and offensive. My time is limited, and the way out I've left for you is almost gone."

Having said that, his eyes flickered slightly, and the True Dragon Jade suddenly shone brightly. However, the bluish-purple hue grew even more intense, like a venomous snake's tongue, subtly invading his soul. Alarm bells immediately rang in Zhu Xiong Ying's mind, but his expression remained unchanged. He gritted his teeth, silently mocking himself: "As expected, this beast has cast some kind of forbidden spell. Hmph, nothing more than petty tricks, not worth mentioning."

Before the conflict between Zhu Xiong Ying and Zhen Long Yu could be fully resolved, the hundreds of ferocious beast phantoms that had split off rushed towards the soldiers' ranks, accompanied by desperate and shrill screams. Chu Ze watched all this, his expression growing increasingly arrogant, as if he wanted to etch his hatred into the heavens and earth.

"Zhu Xiong Ying, look at your soldiers! They're nothing but a bunch of chickens and dogs. Under the oppressive power of this ancient divine beast, they're just inviting humiliation!" he said, bursting into loud laughter. His laughter was manic, even somewhat ferocious.

However, amidst the chaos, Zhu Xiong Ying suddenly moved. He took a step forward, and the dragon-shaped phantom beneath his feet merged with the light of the True Dragon Jade, instantly unleashing a dazzling golden light capable of tearing the heavens and earth apart. The bluish-purple erosion was forcibly suppressed back into the depths of the True Dragon Jade. Zhu Xiong Ying snorted coldly, as if he had finally found the key to breaking the curse.

"Your mere unorthodox methods are not enough for me to enjoy, yet you've already thrown yourself into disarray." Zhu Xiong Ying's words remained calm, but before he finished speaking, golden light burst forth from his palm, like a giant dragon suddenly spreading its wings. The light surged like a torrent, engulfing the hundreds of ferocious beast phantoms that had approached him, instantly reducing them to nothing.

Chu Ze was taken aback, his smile freezing on his face: "Impossible..."

"All your tricks are nothing but dust before me." Zhu Xiong Ying's words were not loud, but they had a power that could cover the heavens and the earth, making people tremble involuntarily.

However, despite this, Zhu Xiong Ying was not complacent. He sensed that although the abnormality of the True Dragon Jade was being strongly suppressed, it might not have been completely eliminated. What concerned him even more was that the strange blue-purple spiritual energy seemed to carry some kind of symbolic mark he had never seen before.

His sharp, cold gaze swept across the battlefield, his domineering gaze like a mountain: "It seems someone has used this old beast to challenge my royal authority. Chu Ze, why don't you tell me, whose dog is that wagging its tail and begging behind us?"

(End of this chapter)