The Demon Lords-Chapter 676 - 130: Emperor For All Eternity_2

The cavalrymen who subsequently entered the city began to split up and engage the remaining organized rebel forces. The goal was not to completely annihilate them, but to prevent them from regrouping into a large force.

Meanwhile, the other city gates were left open. Those who wanted to escape were encouraged to do so quickly and not add to the chaos.

Under these circumstances, only a few rebel forces managed to resist stubbornly. The vast majority began to flee towards the other three city gates.

The "capital city," with its twenty thousand rebel defenders, was actually quite easy to conquer. Ultimately, everyone understood that Situ Yi's new dynasty truly had no future. They had gathered here not out of loyalty to Situ Yi, but because they were all seeking a place to huddle together and have some fun. They were, in essence, fair-weather friends, ready to scatter at the first sign of real danger. Their own lives were the priority.

To put it bluntly, while you might have seen martyrs sacrifice themselves for a righteous cause, when have you ever seen a traitor go willingly to their death for one?

"Are you feeling a bit tired?" Zheng Fan asked quietly to the Sword Saint walking beside him.

The Sword Saint nodded. "A bit."

Given the battle at the gate earlier, where he single-handedly held off thousands on the drawbridge, it was only natural for him to feel somewhat strained and exhausted.

Those two sword strikes, especially—one slaying fifty cavalrymen inside the city gate, the other flying forth, piercing armor to kill dozens—were terrifying bursts of power in a short time, naturally placing an extreme burden on his body.

Even Shatuo Queshi, when facing hordes of the Earl of North Border's iron cavalry outside the Earl's mansion, had only overwhelmed them with a series of punches rather than killing a large number with a single blow. Of course, swordsmen possessed stronger attack power, but they truly lacked the endurance of Martial Cultivators, who could "bathe" in a sea of soldiers.

"Thank you for your hard work."

The Sword Saint chuckled dryly. "Insincere."

「The "Imperial Palace" was now within sight.」

Its perimeter was already surrounded by Liang Cheng's armored soldiers, bows nocked, ready to charge in at any moment.

However, the main dish of the feast should naturally be unveiled by the person of highest status. Thus, everyone waited for Zheng Fan to enter the city.

Liang Cheng rode up to Zheng Fan and reported, "My lord, Situ Yi and Situ Jiong are inside, along with several hundred guards."

Zheng Fan nodded, very satisfied. It was good enough that the two brothers hadn't fled.

He then waved his hand and ordered, "Charge!"

It was like catching turtles in a jar—quite simple. Even if the enemy wanted a desperate, mutually destructive struggle, it would be very difficult for them to achieve.

After several volleys of arrows from the surrounding archers, a series of screams echoed from inside the compound. Then, Fanli, who resembled a large iron can, used himself as a battering ram and charged directly at…

Not the gate, but the compound's surrounding wall.

BOOM!

The wall was smashed open, creating a large breach. Fanli tumbled inside, knocking over several guards who had been pressed against the wall to avoid the arrows.

Immediately, a group of armored soldiers charged through the opening and began clearing the interior.

Before long, the armored soldiers inside opened the main gate.

Zheng Fan made a "please" gesture to the Sword Saint.

The Sword Saint raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why are you being so solicitous all of a sudden, kid?"

"This is your moment. You should enjoy it."

"What's there to enjoy? These brutes allowed the wild people through the pass, bringing suffering and ruin to my people of Jin land. Everywhere is in chaos. I..."

"We'll have plenty of time to worry about the common folk later. Today, let's focus on our own satisfaction. It's not a contradiction, really. Only when we ourselves are happy and content can we better serve the people, wouldn't you agree?"

"Makes sense."

"After you."

"Let's go then."

If Zheng Fan's earlier attentiveness towards the Sword Saint, a true master, was about getting him to help with his own tasks, it was like spotting a blue-chip stock and unhesitatingly investing heavily.

Now, however, having witnessed the Sword Saint's true power, it had become a matter of latching onto such a formidable backer—one would be a fool not to!

Shatuo Queshi, due to his inherent limitations, wasn't convenient to bring along. But the Sword Saint had no such issue.

Today, I'm setting the stage for you. For me, it's merely sacrificing a bit of the limelight, but what I might gain is a deeper bond with the Sword Saint.

Sometimes, friendship isn't worth much; but other times, it's damn precious.

Most importantly, the Sword Saint belonged to the world of the 'street,' while Zheng Fan operated within the establishment. Today's events would add another illustrious chapter to the Sword Saint's legend in the 'street.'

The Sword Saint opens the city gate with a single strike and captures the false emperor!

This tale would undoubtedly become a favorite among teahouse storytellers and the young martial arts enthusiasts who listened to them.

As for Lord Jingnan's reports and the imperial court, they would only speak of how Zheng Fan led a lone force deep into enemy territory, marching day and night, to annihilate the pseudo dynasty in a single battle.

You temper your sword in your 'street,' I watch the tides by my sea—each of us gets what we need.

The "Imperial Palace's" imperial garden—which was actually just the courtyard outside the main hall—was littered with corpses. Most of those lying on the ground were guards who had been willing to follow and protect Situ Yi to the very end. However, these were all that remained.

Zheng Fan and the Sword Saint walked over together, stopping at the entrance to the hall.

Inside, Situ Yi, clad in a dragon robe, sat on an armchair, his left hand gripping a sword.

Beside him sat another man dressed in a python robe—presumably Situ Yi's brother, Situ Jiong.

Situ Yi's gaze was somewhat cold. He didn't appear to be someone whose body had been ravaged by debauchery; on the contrary, he looked rather heroic. His younger brother, Situ Jiong, was a stark contrast, clearly inferior and visibly trembling.