"Little brat Liu Xie! Could it be that you've also cultivated the Devouring Demon Art?! Impossible! How is it that I haven't seen you devouring anyone?" Dong Zhuo cried out in alarm when faced with the equally gigantic Liu Xie.
At this moment, Liu Xie was enveloped in a white radiance. His expression was calm, yet he carried an aura of sovereignty over all under heaven.
"I know not what you speak of," he said as he slashed with the Imperial Sword of Qin. "But as the Son of Heaven and model for all subjects, how could I possibly become a demonic heretic?"
With each swing of his sword, Liu Xie's strikes were accompanied by draconic roars.
Dong Zhuo could not evade in time and was struck by several blows. Howling in pain, he lashed out with clouds of black miasma, attempting to devour Liu Xie with his demonic arts. Yet the once unstoppable demonic powers now failed completely.
The foul black vapors dissipated upon touching Liu Xie, only diminishing the white radiance slightly without causing any real damage. Liu Xie remained calm and composed, stabbing Dong Zhuo with several more sword strikes.
"Impossible! My demonic arts are invincible in this world! Little brat Liu Xie, just what trickery are you employing?" Dong Zhuo raged in shock and disbelief.
As he desperately evaded, he observed the white rays of light converging upon Liu Xie from all directions.
"Could these be...the mandate of heaven?!"
Finally, Dong Zhuo discerned the true source of the white radiance. The countless beams gathering around Liu Xie were indeed the destiny and destiny of the Han nation itself. The mandate of the great Han dynasty was one with its celestial emperor!
"I see now! I understand! I had thought that only one with the celestial mandate could change dynasties. So this is the greatest secret of the celestial mandate? As the Son of Heaven, to enjoy the overwhelming mandate of the nation? Then I too shall become emperor!"
Dong Zhuo's eyes bulged with fanatical desire, now a single step away from his coveted position as ruler.
As Diao Chan had said, by devouring a living celestial emperor with his demonic arts, he could defy the heavens and rewrite his fate!
Yet before him stood the tremendously powerful Liu Xie. Dong Zhuo could not even defeat him, let alone devour his essence.
"Cao Cao? Liu Bei? Sun Quan?" Dong Zhuo's gaze rapidly locked onto the three figures.
But he immediately realized that to devour Cao, Liu, and Sun, he would first have to overcome Liu Xie, the twelve golden guardians, the assembled ministers, and tens of thousands of elite Han soldiers.
"If I cannot become the Son of Heaven, then I shall perish here this day..." Dong Zhuo's thoughts raced as he gritted his teeth and suddenly turned, charging towards the Honglu Temple.
"What the hell?" Watching Dong Zhuo charging directly at him, Fan Li felt rather vexed. He was just an innocent bystander, yet now he had become the very melon in the field?
"General Lu, prepare to engage the enemy," Fan Li ordered.
"Yes sir!" Lu Bu replied with grave solemnity.
Attempting to command the three thousand Chu imperial guards, he found this military force to be of exceptional quality, responding as easily as moving his own limbs.
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Lu Bu inwardly breathed a sigh of relief as he gripped the Fang Tian halberd, prepared to face the formidable foe.
"Lord Jin, hand over Princess Chang Le, and this old man bears you no ill will!" Dong Zhuo's voice boomed before he arrived.
For now, he still did not wish to provoke open hostility with Fan Li.
Chang Le also possessed the celestial mandate, though despite her breathtaking beauty, Dong Zhuo no longer cared about sparing any flowers.
"Hey, he's coming straight for you," Fan Li glanced at the Han dynasty's Princess Chang Le hiding in his embrace, feigning fragility.
"Lord Jin, will you rescue me?" The princess batted her eyelashes adorably.
"As Cao Gong once said, 'I would sooner bear the world's reproach than have the world reproach me.' There's also a folk saying, 'I'd rather die a wealthy man than a pauper.'
Princess, may you rest in peace. This lord shall burn incense sticks and paper money at your grave next year on your death anniversary... Ouch ouch ouch!"
Fan Li felt a pinch to his side, bringing tears to his eyes.
"Scoundrel," Chang Le said ominously. "If I were to die, would your father allow you to live?"
Fan Li glanced towards Liu Xie striving to catch up to Dong Zhuo in the distance. The mighty Han emperor was indeed not someone to provoke lightly.
Gritting his teeth, Fan Li unsheathed even the Emperor’s Sword bestowed by the system.
"Lu Bu, do not allow Dong Zhuo to approach the Honglu Temple under any circumstances."
"This lord vows to protect the princess at all costs!"
Chang Le giggled delightedly, shamelessly nestling deeper into Fan Li's embrace.
Outside the Honglu Temple, the three thousand Golden Core palace guards led by Lu Bu firmly blocked Dong Zhuo's path.
"Fan Li, for the sake of a woman, you dare turn against this old man?" Dong Zhuo raged. "Do you truly believe these insignificant ants can stop me?"
"This lord has indeed turned against you! The princess is the empress of Chu, my sovereign. As a Chu minister, protecting the queen mother is my sworn duty!" Fan Li shouted back forcefully, putting on an air of righteous loyalty.
He had no choice in the matter. After witnessing Liu Xie's peak condition, the Han emperor had always looked upon Fan Li with disdain. If Liu Xie felt inspired to slay Dong Zhuo yet took the chance to cut Fan Li down as well, could he withstand such a blow?
From beyond Weiyang Palace, the others rushed towards the Honglu Temple upon hearing Fan Li's response.
They felt moved, thinking that while Fan Li was known for treachery, perhaps he was truly a loyal minister?
But as officials like Lu Zhi drew near and saw Fan Li brazenly embracing Princess Chang Le, their expressions instantly changed.
"Do not harm Our beloved Chang Le!"
Finally noticing Dong Zhuo nearing the Honglu Temple, Liu Xie let out an enraged roar and accelerated forward. In the next instant, a startling change occurred!
Dong Zhuo suddenly turned around, a vicious grin on his face as he deliberately charged straight at Liu Xie.
"You fool, you've fallen right into my trap! My demonic arts are invincible in this world. If I must devour one with the celestial mandate, then of course I'll choose the mightiest celestial emperor!"
Previously, Dong Zhuo's black miasma attacks had little effect on Liu Xie. But now, his entire body transformed into a mass of black fog that instantly enveloped Liu Xie's gigantic form.
"Your Majesty!" The ministers cried out in anguish.
Just when the situation had been reversed, would Dong Zhuo manage to turn the tables once more?
No one knew the full, terrifying power Dong Zhuo wielded by transforming his very being into black miasma.
The Han emperor stood motionless, frozen in place. From a distance, he appeared as a massive, grotesque black humanoid statue.
"Hahaha! Liu Xie is dead, this old man shall become emperor! From this day forth, the Han dynasty is no more! This old man establishes the new Dong dynasty and shall be its founding emperor! Hahahaha!" Only Dong Zhuo's voice echoed from the towering black pillar, chillingly ominous!
The Han ministers wept and kowtowed, unable to accept that just as final victory was in reach, their sovereign had suddenly perished.
Even Fan Li was stunned. "Hey? Princess? Your father...is gone?" He needed an explanation.
Did such a demonic art that could devour everything without restraint truly exist in this world? Wasn't the incomplete Devouring Demon Art supposed to have major flaws? He saw no sign of that.
As Fan Li's thoughts whirled, the Princess Chang Le in his arms said nothing, only staring fixedly at the black humanoid pillar with her phoenix-like eyes.
"Ugh! What's happening to me?" Dong Zhuo's shouts of alarm suddenly rang out, sounding rather flustered. “My power is dissipating? It's escaping from me? Impossible! My demonic arts are invincible! The power I've devoured cannot possibly leave me!
Diao Chan! Quickly come forth and explain to this old man what is happening?!!!"
But alas, Diao Chan did not appear. The response to Dong Zhuo's cries came from the Imperial Sword of Qin, slowly emerging from within the black pillar...