A line of fire shot out from Ying Le’s finger like a blade slicing through Yuan Shizhou’s neck, and then Ying Le swiftly beheaded everyone in his clan.

However, the other officials were not so fortunate. The Evil Ghost Warriors lit their hands with kerosene, chained these officials, and the hall instantly echoed with countless despairing and piercing wails; some begged for mercy, others cursed, in extreme agony as they were ignited into torches.

Ying Rushi’s eyes were illuminated by the violent flames before her, and her heart felt neither shock nor fear but only a tranquillity as calm as still water.

Upon seeing the court officials, Ying Rushi detected Ying Le’s intent. Among these officials were families with legacies spanning hundreds of years in the Central Plains, like the Peng City Yuan Clan, Beihai Gao Clan, Gao Ping Peng Clan, etc., and Northern Great Race clans with founding military prowess like Gai Lou, Bu Liuguluo, Yuchi, etc.

Without exception, they all belonged to families or major clans controlling mid to low-tier Secret Realm resources but lacking top-tier combat power—not even a Foundation Establishment Zhenren—the strongest in their family being an ordinary third change. They rely solely on ancestral achievements. Raising the butcher’s knife against them almost costs nothing; above, the Foundation Establishment does not care; below, tens of thousands of Mansion Soldiers eagerly await to take their place.

Had it been an ordinary emperor, they might have had a chance to resist; after all, the emperor is only a slave of the main city, power ultimately needs people to execute, and they are precisely the embodiment of ’power,’ the emperor moving against them is equivalent to shaking his own foundation.

But Ying Le, being a Foundation Establishment Messenger, her foundation is her absolute martial might; whoever she elevates becomes the embodiment of power!

Facing a monster capable of wiping out their entire clan, what can the Yuan Family and others do but stretch their necks to be executed? Even swearing takes courage; begging for a quick and good death might even require gratitude.

Ying Rushi also did not care about the life and death of these powerful family officials; officials are as plentiful as stars... but she could not ignore the cruelty revealed in Ying Le’s words.

Only total annihilation.

Here are forty-three officials from thirty-eight families. How many common people survive under the shelter of these families? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Or over a million?

The light and floating term ’total annihilation,’ how heavy will its execution be?

Suddenly, Ying Rushi felt herself being poked, looked down, and saw Ying Le poking her waist with fake fingernails. Ying Le’s fake nails were extremely luxurious, adorned with gold, jade, and diamonds, like a brilliantly colorful venomous snake.

Ying Le was not at all concerned with the ongoing torture before her; instead, she suddenly wanted to tease her little niece. Her fake nails were like a climber, scaling Ying Rushi’s body, climbing all the way to her face.

The fake nails slid across her lamb-fat-white-jade-like cheeks, Ying Le played with Ying Rushi’s face as if it were a peerless treasure, needing only a slight exertion to pierce Ying Rushi’s tender skin, even eyes, or brain. But Ying Rushi showed no fear or discomfort, nor did she shy away, continuously maintaining eye contact with Ying Le.

"Do you think I suddenly felt like tormenting them?"

"Rushi would not dare."

"Not dare, means you think so in your heart." Ying Le sighed, "I am doing this for you, honestly breaking my heart."

Ying Rushi said nothing, calmly waiting for Ying Le’s next words.

"The Golden Seal Divine Hunter from the Divine Marquis Mansion is not easy to deal with; to ensure I can take down this monster, I must return to peak form, the most important being to gather fortune," Ying Le said. "My method of gathering fortune is not difficult, simply fulfill the way of ’kill’."

"Aunt knows well your kindness and unwillingness to see the innocent suffer, so I specifically picked this batch as sacrifices. Perhaps their ancestors were once capable ministers and generals who wielded whips for the Grand Ancestor in conquest, but after hundreds of years, their families have become increasingly bloated, their thoughts conservative, for the Qi Kingdom, they are parasites consuming the nation. Even if not for gathering fortune, resolving them is righteous."

"Since they deserve death anyway, why not use them as my stepping stone."

Watching the officials gradually turn into charred corpses, Ying Rushi slowly nodded, "Your Majesty is wise."

"Perhaps you have already guessed, personally slaying the Golden Seal Divine Hunter is of great significance to me, concerning my Foundation Establishment path. To ensure victory in this battle, I am willing to pay any price." Ying Le gently pressed Ying Rushi’s shoulder, "Rushi, are you willing to lend me a helping hand?"

Ying Rushi looked at the increasingly vibrant Other Shore Flower on Ying Le’s head, took a deep breath, "Your Majesty’s rise and fall is Qi Kingdom’s rise and fall; Your Majesty’s path is the Ying Family’s survival. Your Majesty is so open-hearted, Rushi, though unworthy, is willing to labor like a dog or horse!"

"Good." Ying Le showed a faint smile, "Go back then, with the Ying Family having you and me, why worry about the world being unsettled?"

She paused, then said, "I’ve long been weary of governing for ten years; once my path is complete, Qi Kingdom will still rely on you to govern."

Exiting the hall, bathed in warm sunlight, Ying Rushi felt the chill on her body seemed to dissipate with it. Ying Le’s final words kept echoing in her mind, her heart pounding, she felt the whole world become brighter.

Ying Le, plans to relinquish power!

She didn’t doubt Ying Le’s lust for power; this world’s Foundation Establishment does not have a craving for imperial authority, Foundation Establishment regarding the mundane world as free for exploitation, why bother tiring oneself over governance? Even the emperor is merely a steward for the Foundation Establishment.