Chapter 367: Chapter 366: Bullying My Little Sister?
In the Celestial Dragon Hall, Ren Zhirou sat on the throne, coldly watching the ministers below who were trying to persuade her.
"Princess, before all this, the Dragon Chancellor had a firm grip on the entire Celestial Dragon Empire. By making these changes, you are essentially undermining his foundation. When the time comes, he will surely dispatch troops to attack our Imperial City!" one of the ministers urged.
"Nonsense! What foundation? The Celestial Dragon Empire has always belonged to the Ren Family! Is it wrong to eliminate what was unnecessary?" another minister retorted, displeased. "Ever since Emperor Ren passed away, that Dragon Chancellor has been trying to strip us of our power. He even wanted to reassign us to the frontier to govern those dilapidated cities. It’s obvious he wants to prevent us from ever governing this city again."
"That’s right! We who have always supported the main lineage have had our power stripped away; we can no longer even take part in managing the Celestial Dragon Empire. If the Princess hadn’t returned, we would have been reassigned to the frontier cities long ago to fight against the Netherworld Empire."
"Indeed. The Princess has done nothing wrong, and her prestige remains. Haven’t you seen how many of the common people support the Princess? Even after so many years, her prestige is still incredibly stable!"
"The Princess becoming the Goddess is an undeniable fact, and she is of the Ren Family’s direct lineage. Can the Dragon Chancellor control the Celestial Dragon Treasure? The Celestial Dragon Treasure is the very symbol of our fight against the Netherworld Empire and the stability of the Celestial Dragon Empire!"
"That’s not what I meant. I just hope we can adopt a gentler policy... The Dragon Chancellor’s prestige is also quite high right now. He previously used iron-fisted methods to suppress many traitors and even powerful experts from the Netherworld Empire. To just purge his supporters now is a bit too extreme... Besides, in a sense, the Dragon Chancellor is the Princess’s uncle..."
The ministers began to argue amongst themselves, causing Ren Zhirou, who was seated above, to frown.
"Enough arguing," Ren Zhirou said in a low voice. "My mind is made up. Some things must be rectified. As for the Dragon Chancellor, we’ll deal with him when he returns!"
"Princess, actions like these will easily incite public anger... The Dragon Chancellor is currently leading the army on the frontier, resisting pressure from the Netherworld Empire. If you arbitrarily dismantle his power structure here, won’t you be criticized for it?" a minister said hurriedly.
There were not many ministers present, only eight or nine in total. The majority supported Ren Zhirou, while a small minority did not, feeling she had gone too far.
The Dragon Chancellor was working himself to the bone on the frontier, yet here Ren Zhirou was, stripping him of his power and reassigning his close associates to other posts. It was a truly disheartening move. Especially since Ren Zhirou had been absent for so long, her prestige had already declined. To act this way now was undoubtedly like throwing herself into a pit of fire.
Ren Zhirou still had prestige, but for now, it no longer matched the Dragon Chancellor’s. Having been "asleep" for so long, many people wondered why she had disappeared and where she could have been all these years.
"Say no more. I have already said my mind is made up. Did my words go in one ear and out the other?" Ren Zhirou stared coldly at those who opposed her, her domineering aura flaring. A single glance from her made the minister’s heart tremble. He lowered his head, not daring to meet her gaze, and swallowed whatever he was about to say. He didn’t dare utter another word.
She then stood and said, "I am tired and wish to rest. You are all dismissed."
"Yes, Princess!"
They all retreated, not daring to linger any longer.
Ren Zhirou turned and walked back. As she passed through a long corridor on her way to her chambers, several dark figures flashed out and blocked her path.
"Princess, please come with us." One of the men in black stepped forward. The moment he finished speaking, a thick black fog surged in from all directions, instantly enveloping the area around her and sealing it completely.
"Are you the Dragon Chancellor’s men? Sending people after me time and again... can’t you come up with anything new?" A murderous light glinted in Ren Zhirou’s eyes. She reached out and clenched her fist, releasing a surge of Celestial Dragon Power from her body.
"ROAR!"
A Celestial Dragon burst forth from her, roaring as it coiled around her body and preventing the black fog from drawing any closer.
"As expected of the Celestial Dragon Power. It keeps even this poison mist at bay. Any ordinary Cultivator would have been infiltrated by now," the leader of the men in black said with a faint smile. "But rest assured, this time will be very new."
Following his words, two more figures flashed out from within the black fog, brandishing long whips that they lashed out to bind her.
"Get lost!"
Ren Zhirou had already gathered her power. She stomped her foot, and the Celestial Dragon Power around her roared outwards. The entire space trembled as if it were about to collapse at any moment.
Just as the Celestial Dragon Power was about to blast away the incoming attack, the whips locked onto it, binding it fast. No matter how the Celestial Dragon struggled, it could not break free from the ropes.
"Oh, the Dragon-Binding Rope?" Ren Zhirou said with a faint smile. "I don’t know where you came up with this stupid plan, but do you really think you can restrain me with this piece of trash?"
"Your Highness, you’re being too naive..."
Beneath the dark figure’s veil, a mocking smile seemed to appear.
Then, the ropes binding the Celestial Dragon Power began to release a black energy, which quickly seeped into the Celestial Dragon, attempting to corrode it. Under this corrosion, the Celestial Dragon roared in pain, and even Ren Zhirou’s face began to turn dark.
This Celestial Dragon Power was no ordinary power; it was her Soul Power. It was directly connected to her, not some mere phantom like those at the Void Spirit Stage. Therefore, when it was attacked, she was linked to it and would suffer corresponding damage.
"This is Dragon Slayer Poison!" Ren Zhirou’s expression changed. "The Dragon Chancellor gave this to you, didn’t he!"
"Heh heh, you don’t need to know that. Today, you will be coming with us. There’s no need for you to meddle in the affairs of the imperial palace anymore. Just come back with us quietly," the man in black sneered.
Under the effects of the Dragon Slayer Poison, Ren Zhirou’s strength rapidly weakened. But she was not one to surrender without a fight. A Dragon Blade materialized in her hand as she prepared to attack. Suddenly, a figure shot out and slammed down, crushing the man holding the Dragon-Binding Rope that restrained Ren Zhirou. The assassin was flattened on the ground, his life extinguished before he could even let out a scream.
The sudden turn of events stunned everyone. Without any warning, a powerful expert had appeared and effortlessly insta-killed their companion. Although their cultivation wasn’t particularly high, they were at least at the peak of the Spirit Pill Stage, yet this one had been crushed flat by a single stomp.
"Who goes there!" one of the men in black shouted angrily.
"With so many people bullying my little sister, I, her big brother, had to show up..." The one who appeared was none other than Yi Tianyun, but his words left everyone stunned.
’An older brother? Wasn’t Ren Zhirou’s brother dead?’
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