Seeing Old Marquis Su Yongning return, the white-haired and white-bearded old man leading the group let out a heavy snort from his nose, his white beard trembling slightly with rage:

"What are you trying to do? Old Marquis Su Yongning, you should ask your fine daughter that, and see what kind of good deeds she's been up to! Hmph..."

Just then, the tightly shut vermilion-painted gates of the Marquis's Mansion slowly opened from the inside.

Empress Su Mingyue, clad in black iron armor and holding a silver spear slanted in her hand, strode out from the shadows of the gateway.

She was followed by over a hundred personal guards, all armored and armed, marching in perfect unison, the clattering sound of their iron armor plates carrying far through the morning mist.

She stopped outside the threshold, first cupping her hands and bowing slightly toward Old Marquis Su Yongning, saying in a clear and respectful voice:

"Welcome home, Father."

Old Marquis Su Yongning looked at her and nodded.

He led his personal guards through the crowd and walked to Empress Su Mingyue's side.

A personal guard hurried forward and whispered a few words in his ear.

Old Marquis Su Yongning's brows knitted tightly, and he turned to look at Empress Su Mingyue, his eyes full of inquiry.

Empress Su Mingyue knew what he wanted to ask.

Was it you who did that giant stone and those eight words?

However, she didn't speak, only slowly shook her head.

Seeing her daughter shake her head, Old Marquis Su Yongning was silent for a moment, then turned around to face the dense crowd below the steps, raising his hands in a salute.

"Everyone, this matter was not done by my daughter."

"However, I will investigate this matter thoroughly and give everyone an explanation."

"Everyone, please disperse for now."

As soon as Old Marquis Su Yongning's voice fell, the crowd erupted into an uproar.

The shouting erupted from all directions at once, like cold water poured into a pot of boiling oil.

"You say it's not her, so it's not?"

"If it's not Empress Su Mingyue, then who could it be? It's her name carved on that stone!"

"Are you two treating us like fools? It's obvious who did it!"

"Has this Yongning City truly become the world of the Su Family? Is it not enough that you, Old Marquis Su Yongning, cover the sky with one hand in Youzhou, and now you want your daughter to be the Emperor?"

"You actually dare to openly violate the agreement! When we agreed to guard Youzhou together, we never said we would bet our lives and fortunes on your Su Family!"

Some hot-tempered Martial Artist was about to lose it on the spot, their Aura exploding violently around them.

The robes of those nearby whipped around, and the bluestone slabs beneath their feet cracked from the shockwaves of their Qi, glaring furiously at Old Marquis Su Yongning.

Old Marquis Su Yongning raised his hand, his voice remaining steady:

"Everyone, everyone."

"Please listen to me."

"I have just returned from the Northern Border and do not yet fully understand the situation within Yongning City."

"Please give me some time; once I have investigated the matter clearly, I will definitely give everyone an explanation."

The old man at the very front of the crowd narrowed his eyes, seeing that Old Marquis Su Yongning no longer possessed his former toughness.

He rolled his eyes, then spoke, his tone sounding polite but sharp underneath the softness:

"General Su, we respect your character, which is why we reached an agreement with you to guard Youzhou together."

"But now that the news of the Immortal taking disciples has just come out, your Su Family is already impatiently fabricating omens and spreading prophecies."

"If you had ideas, it would have been fine to discuss them with us, but you started this without a sound—where does that leave us?"

"If you don't give us an explanation today, this Yongning City might..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear: if there was no explanation today, they would have to fight it out.

Old Marquis Su Yongning frowned, about to say something more.

Behind him, however, Empress Su Mingyue stepped forward, blocking in front of her father.

"An explanation? You want an explanation, right? Then I'll give you an explanation."

As she spoke, she pointed her silver spear forward, the cold glint of the spear tip tracing a frigid arc through the morning mist.

At the very same moment she made this movement, the hundred-plus personal guards behind her raised their weapons in unison, the sound of iron armor colliding ringing out perfectly as one.

Immediately following, row after row of archers appeared silently atop the walls of the Marquis's Mansion.

The bows in their hands were astonishingly large, the bow arms reaching half a person's height.

The arrows were a full circle thicker than ordinary feathered arrows, the arrowheads gleaming with a dim, dark light in the morning sun.

At the same time, from the alleys surrounding the Marquis's Mansion, a rhythmic and dense sound of footsteps came from all directions.

Accompanied by the clanging sound of iron armor rubbing together and the dull beat of war boots stepping on the bluestone slabs.

The Black Armor Army surged out from every alleyway like a tide, surrounding the entire long street completely.

The leading old man saw this scene, froze for a moment, then laughed in extreme anger.

His laughter was old and hoarse, sounding exceptionally jarring on the street surrounded by armored soldiers: "Haha... Old Marquis Su Yongning, is this your intention as well?"

"Empress Su Mingyue, do you think you can hurt us with these rabble?"

"You underestimate us too much; you truly know nothing of the power of the Blood Refining Realm!"

Empress Su Mingyue's expression was exceptionally calm.

Facing the thirty-plus gazes that seemed ready to tear her apart, her spear tip did not waver, and her voice was as cold as frost:

"I truly do not know how strong the power of the Blood Refining Realm is. But the families of everyone here in Yongning City will certainly not be able to withstand my Black Armor Army."

As soon as these words fell, it was like pouring a basin of ice water into a frying pan of boiling oil.

The thirty-plus Blood Refining Realm Martial Artists instantly erupted, some cursing "despicable."

Some gritted their teeth and squeezed out "You are playing with fire," while others felt their Qi surge, preparing to charge forward.

"Take down Empress Su Mingyue!"

The Aura of the thirty-plus Blood Refining Realm Martial Artists exploded simultaneously, and the air of the entire long street was compressed and stagnated.

The thirty-plus figures moved almost at the same instant, like tigers released from their cages, pouncing toward the gates of the Marquis's Mansion.

Empress Su Mingyue did not move.

She stood where she was, her silver spear still pointing diagonally at the ground, not even raised.

The hundred-plus personal guards behind her quickly stepped forward, building a wall of shields layer upon layer in front of her.

In the gaps between the iron shields, arrowheads gleaming with a dim light were aimed steadily at the pouncing Martial Artists.

The archers on the walls of the Marquis's Mansion attacked first.

The sound of bowstrings vibrating merged into one, and the armor-piercing arrows, thick as thumbs, tore through the air, shooting toward the crowd with a sharp whistle.

But these Blood Refining Realm Martial Artists had thick Qi and blood, agile movements, and immense strength; they either dodged sideways, parried with their blades, or grabbed the personal guards who were in their way to use as shields.

The arrows striking them could only tear their robes, leaving a shallow white mark on their skin before being deflected.

The Black Armor Army in the alleyways also moved.

The rhythmic sound of footsteps surged from all directions, and the clanging sound of armor plates colliding drowned out the roars of the Martial Artists.

The Black Armor Army did not charge forward wielding spears like ordinary soldiers.

They stopped their advance while still twenty paces away from the Martial Artists.

The soldiers in the front row performed hand seals in unison, and the soldiers in the back row pushed forward the light spheres of Sorcerys that had already been condensed.

In an instant, the entire long street was illuminated as bright as day by the colorful light of the Spells.