The wedding escort was passing through a mountain pass when a sudden explosion shocked everyone.

"Boom!!"

Flames from the explosives shot into the sky, sending a group of unlucky soldiers and horses flying in all directions.

"Ambush!"

General Sun Cheng'en was the commanding officer of this wedding escort.

Calm under pressure, he immediately organized men to protect the bridal carriage and the dowry.

From the slopes on both sides of the pass, a group of black-clad fighters charged down.

"Kill!!"

Shouts and war cries tore through the air.

"Princess! Run!"

Xiaoru and the other maids hurriedly coiled up their long hair and acted decisively, seizing the guards' blades and killing the guards with the very weapons meant to protect the princess.

"You—"

"Rest assured, Princess! These people are ours. Hurry and escape in the chaos! We'll cover your retreat!"

There were Martial King Realm defenders in the escort, in fact two of them!

"How dare you obstruct an imperial marriage! Kill them without mercy!"

When the two Martial King heavyweights moved to suppress the attack, the crushing pressure they projected made everyone quake in fear.

This kidnapping plot, orchestrated by some servants of Li Lingyue's household, was doomed from the start.

Although they were fighters and had prepared explosives and an ambush, their cultivation was far too low.

Even if they pooled money to hire a group of thugs, it was futile.

By the time several ringleaders were captured, they lay battered, bleeding, barely alive.

Li Lingyue rushed out, pleading with Sun Cheng'en to spare the servants' lives.

"General Sun! They were only loyal to me. Please spare them!"

Sun Cheng'en frowned and glanced at the Martial King at his side, Li Jin.

Li Jin snorted coldly and first cast a look at Li Lingyue that clearly implied he suspected her of being the mastermind.

But whether or not Li Lingyue was the instigator, he could not make that accusation openly now, he needed to pin the blame on others.

So his gaze turned icily to Xiaoru and the other servants.

"Lowly servants! Who gave you the gall to snatch a bride? Do you know the dynasty would execute your nine clans for this?!"

Though Xiaoru was forced to the ground, her face bloodied, her eyes remained resolute and proud.

"I spit on that! Even if you execute ten clans, so what!"

"You—"

"We were orphaned with no parents. The Princess took pity on us, brought us into her mansion, fed us, clothed us, gave us shelter from wind and rain!

The Princess never beat or abused us, she treated us lowly folk like family!

Today, if our plan fails, what does dying matter!

Princess, do not beg them anymore. Without you, we would have frozen to death on the streets long ago. Our lives belong to you. We are willing to die for you!"

Other surviving household members of the princess felt the same.

"Death is no fear! We only regret that we could not help the Princess!"

Li Jin watched the deep loyalty between master and servants with utter disdain. He raised a palm and slammed down hard.

Xiaoru's head burst open like a watermelon on the spot!

Red and white splattered over Li Lingyue, leaving her motionless with shock.

"X-Xiaoru..."

Li Lingyue's trembling hand reached toward Xiaoru's corpse.

Before she could touch her, the bodies of the others exploded one after another.

Their deaths were gruesome, each horrific scene playing out clearly before Li Lingyue's eyes.

Sun Cheng'en furrowed his brow, about to speak, but remembering he was not a Martial King himself and thus helpless before a royal Martial King, he fell silent.

After killing, Li Jin's tone remained disdainful.

"Li Lingyue, you mark my words: you are a daughter of the imperial clan! Who you marry is the court's decision, as it has always been!"

"Then why does the Princess Royal not have to undergo an arranged marriage?"

"She has a Heaven-Grade Bone Structure. How can you compare?!"

"In the end, it's all because my strength is lacking, so I can only be manipulated!"

"Don't put it so sourly. You are serving the imperial clan and Great Qian. Is the imperial family supposed to support you for life while you give nothing?" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Li Lingyue tore off her wedding robe and phoenix crown.

"Then today I sever all ties with the imperial clan! All the money I spent from the imperial coffers these past years, I will repay every last coin!"

Li Jin snorted and was about to sneer, when a clear male voice rang from the air.

"Well said! No need to repay it later. Today I will help you repay it!"

Before the voice finished, Li Jin felt a shadow crashing down and quickly dodged.

Clatter, clatter...

A pile of gold and silver, pills, spirit artifacts, spirit crystals, and demon tribe materials rained down.

They piled into a small mountain.

"Is this enough for me to repay the imperial family's nurturing of the Flower Princess?"

Li Jin angrily pointed at the newcomer.

"Preposterous! Who are you? Give your name!"

The newcomer stood in the sky, looking down at the scene.

Clad in red-and-black armor that seemed like molten rock threaded with gold, wielding a long spear, and a red cloak billowing behind him.

Sunlight fell on his face, youthful and striking, upright and resolute.

It was...

You're here!

"A disciple of Divine Sword Island, Free and Unfettered Holy Land, Long Yang!!"

That's right, you're Long Yang now!

You can fully claim the banner of the Free and Unfettered Holy Land.

Distance and lack of prior ties aside, the Holy Land's renown commands respect even from the Li Imperial Clan.

After all, one side is half a Martial God while the other is a Martial God at peak vitality!

You didn't just take Long Yang's name, you borrowed his face.

Using "Asian Evil Art," you transformed your appearance with makeup to resemble Long Yang by seventy percent.

Achieving such a transformation with makeup alone is already impressive.

At the sound of "Free and Unfettered Holy Land," most below Martial King level at the scene were stunned.

They had assumed it was some obscure sect.

Only Li Jin, Sun Cheng'en, and the other Martial King knew what those four words meant.

The Three Great Holy Lands, the Shen Family of the Starry Domains — even all forces of the Five Regions combined could not defeat such a behemoth!

Li Jin's expression softened considerably.

"Sir, you obstruct an imperial marriage. Could it be the Holy Land's intent?"

"So what if it is or isn't? Today I'm taking her away. Let's see who dares stop me!"

Li Jin clenched his fist and exchanged a look with the other Martial King at his side. A decision formed.

Boom!!

The two erupted into motion, blasting upward like cannon shells, converging from both sides.

At the same time, Li Jin ordered Sun Cheng'en,

"General Sun, take the Princess away!"

Receiving the order, Sun Cheng'en bound Li Lingyue onto another horse and, with a squad of light cavalry guards, escorted her away.

"Princess! Pardon our offense!"

Watching the two Martial Kings charge in, you knew that leaving with Li Lingyue alive was impossible unless they were dealt with.

But they were not alien race or spirits — they were Martial Kings from the Li Imperial Clan, and they bore many valuable things.

How could you possibly defeat them?

Stack steel!