Fearing being killed for his overwhelming merits, the empress decided to marry him.

Squeak——

Having traveled for an unknown amount of time in the darkness, Shen Lang could only hear the constant sound of the turning axle.

Then they heard a piercing sound of a wooden axle turning, as if a large door had been opened.

The carriage continued on its journey, traveling for more than an hour on the bumpy road, until a strange floral fragrance filled the air, and the carriage finally came to a stop.

In an instant, Shen Lang felt someone lift the carriage curtain.

After a gust of cold wind brushed my cheek, I heard someone say, "We've arrived, get off the bus."

Upon hearing the sound, Shen Lang got out of the car. As soon as his feet touched the ground, the hood over his head was ripped off.

What came into view was a spacious palace gate.

A group of masked warriors dressed in golden armor stood at the entrance, staring at them menacingly.

As Shen Lang frowned, Xue Wuying, who was traveling with him from behind, spoke up: "Brother Shen, how was the journey?"

He looked at the palace gate and couldn't help but sigh, "Although I've been here more than once, every time I stand here, I feel a sense of peace and tranquility. Do you feel the same way?"

"No."

Shen Lang answered crisply and decisively.

"Humph."

Xue Wuying gave a dissatisfying snort.

"That's true. After all, Brother Shen has spent time in the imperial palace, so naturally he wouldn't look down on this palace gate."

Shen Lang did not answer his question, but instead stared at the golden-armored warriors guarding the door, lost in thought.

That person felt very familiar, as if I had seen him somewhere before.

"Alright, when you meet the Celestial Venerable later, you must pay attention to your appearance and demeanor, and be sure not to break the rules of etiquette."

Qi Yinshang gave a reminder and strolled towards the lead warrior, a golden-armored man wearing a tiger-head mask.

"Ok?"

The golden-armored warrior raised his arm and blocked Qi Yinshang's path.

"We are subordinates of the Heavenly Venerable, and we have been ordered to come and pay our respects to the Heavenly Venerable."

As he spoke, Qi Yinshang handed over a bronze token.

"Ah."

The golden-armored warrior accepted the token, responded, and then turned and walked towards the side door.

"Master, where is this...?"

This was Chu Youwei's first time in Blackwater City, and she couldn't help but feel a little nervous. She leaned closer to Qi Yinshang.

"Don't be afraid."

Qi Yinshang comforted him.

"The Heavenly Venerable is omnipotent. As long as you know how to respect her, worship her, and then be loyal to her, you will receive blessings."

"Also, when you see the Celestial Venerable later, don't be surprised, and don't look directly at her, that would be very impolite."

Chu Youwei nodded and remained silent.

In her heart, however, she believed that this Heavenly Venerable was an ugly woman with a hideous appearance.

Shen Lang then took the opportunity to look around and realized that there were quite a few people attending this meeting called by the Celestial Venerable.

And it was immediately obvious that they were all from the northern sects.

In fact, quite a few sons of military families from the north were mixed in among them.

Before long, the golden-armored warrior returned and said to the crowd, "The Celestial Venerable invites you."

His voice was hoarse and hollow, as if it came from another time and space.

As he finished speaking, the palace gates, which had been tightly closed, slowly opened.

The moment the palace gates opened, Shen Lang saw a six-clawed, crimson, scaleless dragon coiling around him, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.

Furthermore, a strong stench of blood wafted from inside the palace gates, as if one were amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

He shook his head, and when he looked again, the evil dragon was gone.

"The Celestial Venerable requests your presence!"

Accompanied by a shout from a golden-armored warrior.

All the warriors guarding the palace gates stood at attention.

A loud yet somber bugle call rang out in the distance, making everything seem exceptionally oppressive.

Qi Yinshang turned around and said, "Everyone, please enter in an orderly manner and do not disturb the Heavenly Venerable!"

Upon hearing the sound, everyone stepped into the main hall, and Shen Lang hesitated for a moment before following the crowd inside.

Upon entering the hall, a strong stench of blood assaulted the nostrils, accompanied by the faint, mournful howls of a man.

Shen Lang was finally certain that the illusion he had just seen was not just an illusion.

The golden-armored warrior led the way, stopping and bowing before a screen that was at least two zhang tall: "Reporting to the Heavenly Venerable, everyone has arrived."

"what--"

Extremely painful screams came from behind the screen.

The next moment, everyone witnessed a scene they would never forget.

A naked man with severed limbs was seen wriggling frantically out from behind the screen.

Behind him, a stunningly beautiful woman, wielding a bloodstained sword, wearing a purple silk robe and barefoot, slowly approached him with a half-smile.

"Heavenly Lord, spare me! Heavenly Lord, spare me! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!"

The man's eyes showed terror as he kept backing away.

"a ha ha ha--"

The response was a woman's sinister, chilling laughter.

The next moment, the woman rushed forward and plunged her sword into the man's chest.

*Pfft, pfft, pfft*

Sword after sword, the woman completely disregarded the astonished gazes of the hundreds of people in the hall, hacking and stabbing him to death.

Finally, he even severed the man's head before sitting on the blood-soaked dragon throne.

Everyone was shocked to witness this brutal scene.

Even more shocked were Shen Lang, Chu Youwei, and the Daoist nun Qingxuan.

Because the woman sitting on the dragon throne, covered in blood, was none other than...

It was Jiang Mengxuan!

At this moment, "Jiang Mengxuan" had a "gentle" expression, caressing her head and knees, letting the blood falling from her head flow down her skirt to her feet.

"I truly love you so much, why did you leave me? How cruel of you! Why, why did you do this? What will I do now that you've left me all alone..."

She looked at the head on her lap with a lovestruck expression, and even gently lifted it up and kissed it.

This scene sent chills down everyone's spines.

The golden-armored warrior seemed to be used to such things, and simply bowed and said, "Your Majesty, everyone has arrived."

The Celestial Venerable waved his hand, looked up at the crowd, and, ignoring the blood still wet on his face, said with a sorrowful expression, "I apologize, everyone, I have just lost the love of my life."

I am understandably heartbroken, and I may have lost my composure in some ways; please forgive me.

The hall was completely silent; everyone was so shocked by the Heavenly Venerable's terrifying and twisted personality that they couldn't utter a single word.

Qi Yinshang spoke first: "Heavenly Venerable, please accept my condolences. Now that all of you fellow practitioners have arrived, shall we discuss important matters?"

Upon hearing this, the Heavenly Venerable reluctantly placed the man's head beside the dragon throne, sighed, and feigned deep thought, saying, "I now know the reason for your arrival."

Empress Jiang Mengxuan of the Great Chu Dynasty acts tyrannically, framing loyal officials and attempting to drastically alter the political landscape of the court and the martial arts world, making her unacceptable to the people.

I am deeply grieved by this, and therefore I have summoned you all to discuss this matter and work together to set things right..."

As he spoke, he glanced around at everyone.

"I have heard that the various sects in the south were wiped out by the imperial army. Is this true?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xue Wuying immediately stepped forward: "Heavenly Venerable, I beg you to do justice for my Qingyi Sect. All of my thousands of disciples were killed by the tyrant."

The Celestial Venerable slowly rose and walked barefoot to Xue Wuying.

Xue Wuying's Adam's apple bobbed repeatedly, and he kept his head down, not daring to look directly at her.

Only when the smell of blood was almost touching, and a pair of blood-stained jade feet were fixed in front of her, did she hold her breath.

"Sect Leader Xue, you have been wronged."

She gently patted Xue Wuying's shoulder, seemingly to comfort him, or perhaps with a hidden meaning, leaving everyone completely baffled.

Xue Wuying, suppressing his fear, replied, "Heavenly Venerable One, the Empress's power is growing stronger and stronger. If we don't retaliate soon, I fear..."

"Don't be afraid. Soon, I will enter the capital and overthrow that tyrant. After I ascend the throne, I will definitely seek justice for you."

After speaking, he glanced around again until his eyes met Shen Lang's for a moment.

"Who are you?"

A cold voice rang out, and everyone's eyes were focused on Shen Lang.

Shen Lang calmly replied, "Shen Lang."

"Oh?"

Upon hearing this, the Celestial Venerable immediately became interested.

After a wisp of smoke, the Celestial Venerable was already almost pressed against Shen Lang, moving so fast that no one present could see her movements.