Sage Monarch

In response to the director's words, Yang Qi snorted coldly. "Apparently, I haven't done enough to establish my authority. Perhaps killing a few people will help. According to the rumors, the Director of Internal Affairs and the Superintendent of the Imperial Clan are considered top experts. Director, from what I can see, you're an eighth stage Antiquity-Demolisher, with access to the most ancient of essences. Sadly, I'm not impressed."

The Director of Internal Affairs oversaw all of the finances of the imperial house, and as such was a very powerful person. It was a position which only the most powerful of old-timers could assume, and the bare minimum required to fill it was to be an eighth stage Antiquity-Demolisher. There were even times in the past when it had been held by ninth stage Dao-Demolishers.

As for the Superintendent of the Imperial clan, he was in charge of enforcing the law and punishing criminals. Similarly, it was a position that only powerful old-timers could assume.

Those two were second in power only to the emperor, crown prince, and eminent princess. They were essentially as influential as the grand princes, and in some ways even surpassed them.

After all, the grand princes were all members of the imperial house, so if the emperor wanted one of them to be punished, the Department of Internal Affairs and the Department of the Imperial Clan would take the lead in doing so.

Yet here Yang Qi was defying the Director of Internal Affairs. Obviously, the man was furious about that. As far as he was concerned, this 'Titan Dragonguard' was a newly-appointed grand prince and had an unstable position. There was no way he should be acting in defiance like this, and he definitely needed to be taught a lesson.

"I see what's going on here," the director said coolly. "You think that because you have the backing of Eminent Princess Jadefall, you can do whatever you want? You think you can just defy the laws around here? Well, I really do need to arrest you then, and call her over here to decide what to do with you. You and Titan Duelbringer colluded to bribe officials in the Department of Internal Affairs, and there's no way you can deny it. The evidence is right there for everyone to see, as bright as the sun and moon. Men, stand down."

"Yes sir!"

The guards immediately fell back, leaving a wide-open space in the middle of the mansion.

"Alright, Titan Dragonguard," the director said. "Let's see what you've got. Take your shot at me now. It'll be your last chance to do so."

"Ai…." Yang Qi sighed. "Some people really do just want to get themselves killed. Well, you can't blame me. If that's what you want, so be it."

He suddenly reached out and splayed his fingers, causing an energy field to spring up. All of heaven and earth trembled and space-time folded in on itself. Godly might erupted, along with a chaotic, primeval aura, as though a great god were stepping out of the river of time to suppress all sorts of evil and wicked energies.

His forces in the mortal world had recently conquered the Misty Kingdom and acquired an incredibly powerful godrelic. After Yang Qi took its deathly godliness, it allowed him to advance his cultivation even further, and make his Blood of the One God purer.

Furthermore, months had passed since he reached the Demolishing level. During that time, he had worked hard on his cultivation, built up greater reserves of faith power, and amassed even more true energy. His mastery of his energy arts had reached the point of perfection and he was now ready to break through to the second stage of Demolishing.

He was now vastly stronger than he had been during his clash with Proud Warpatience in the Hanging Heaven.

WHIZZZ!

When a true experts acts, real skill will be displayed.

The moment Yang Qi extended his hand, the Director of Internal Affairs's face fell. He had come with a whole group of guards, but in this moment he was standing right out in the open. And right now, he felt as though the spot he was standing in had been ripped out of the world and placed into another location.

"AIIIEEE!" The so-called Devil Crushers all dropped to their knees from the sheer force radiating off of Yang Qi. As for all of the henchmen Titan Duelbringer had gathered, they were still on their knees, clutching their heads in their hands. But the moment Yang Qi took action, they felt boundless power entering them, purifying them, raising their spirits, and filling them with mettle.

In the shortest of moments, Yang Qi had completely turned the situation around.

"Director of Internal Affairs, you're an old-timer from the imperial house, but if you think you can fight me, you're more of a fool than I took you for. Why are you so loyal to the crown prince? Why not join Eminent Princess Jadefall? If you do, you'll have a future filled with boundless glory. But if you fight me, you're going to lose all face. I'm going to give you once chance. Join me. Give Eminent Princess Jadefall your loyalty. Otherwise, you'll lose so much face you won't be able to serve as the Director of Internal Affairs."

Yang Qi was still holding his hand out in front of him, his five fingers splayed, not yet having done a thing to the Director of Internal Affairs.

"Have a death wish, you pansy?" the director roared. "How dare you threaten me! Nirvanic Extermination Zen Source True Void Energy! Cosmic Nirvanic Extermination!"

RUMBLE!

True energy erupted out of him, making him turn into something that looked like a god of nirvanic extermination. With seeming ease, he shattered the sealing magic Yang Qi had just unleashed.

Crack!

Yang Qi's fingers stretched backwards from the force, making it seem like his hand might explode at any moment.

"What kind of crap is this? Fine. Don't want to do things the easy way? We'll do them the hard way. You're about to find out what humiliation really is! Be broken!" Boundless godlight shot out from Yang Qi's eyes, filling the entire area as he snapped his fingers closed into a fist.

Crackle! Crash!

Thunder rumbled, like the anger of ghosts and gods descended into the world of man to spread destruction and chaos. Power surged, a heavenly might that could not be defied, and godliness and magical laws poured down like rain to crush all life.

"Aaaiiiieee!"

The Director of Internal Affairs couldn't stand up to it; his defensive true energy shattered into dust, and at the same time, his clothing, armor, immortal robes, jewelry, accouterments, magical treasures, and everything else were shredded out of existence. He even had a god item, but Yang Qi just destroyed it.

In the blink of an eye, the Director of Internal Affairs was left standing there completely and utterly naked.

"On your knees! I tried to give you some face, but you refused. You think that having the crown prince on your side qualifies you to fight with me? Let me tell you something. I know you planned to use Titan Duelbringer to try to get to me. But sadly, I'm not even remotely scared of any of you. Crafty plots and machinations won't get you anywhere with me. If I have to, I'll just wipe the current Department of Internal Affairs out of existence and make a new one!"

Yang Qi waved his hand again, sending out a burst of pressure that resulted in a hoarse shout from the Director of Internal Affairs as he was forced onto his knees.

This was humiliation. Raw, unabashed humiliation. Yang Qi had literally stripped him naked and forced him to his knees. It was actually worse than death.

"What, Director? I thought you had endless magical powers and amazing divine abilities? You're one of the most senior members of the imperial dynasty, yet here you are in front of me, naked and on your knees."

"W-what… what just happened?"

"Don't tell me Titan Dragonguard is really this strong!"

"How brazen! How audacious! He really defies all laws and principles, even of those of heaven. The Director of Internal Affairs is even stronger than the grand princes! For Titan Dragonguard to humiliate him like this is a challenge to all the customs and laws of the imperial dynasty! Not even Princess Jadefall would have done something like this!"

"It doesn't matter. He's so strong! Too strong! The Director of Internal Affairs really has lost all possible face here."

The henchmen Titan Duelbringer had called here had initially been terrified of the Director of Internal Affairs and had hoped to find an opportunity to flee. But the sight that met their eyes now was completely and utterly terrifying. Titan Duelbringer's backer was just too incredible. Too vicious, too violent, too daring. He defied all laws and principles, trampling everything from custom to regulation, underfoot with impunity.

"Stay your hand!"

"Stop right there, evil creature!"

"You'd better back down immediately! You've already broken plenty of the rules of the imperial house!"

"This is outrageous! Strip him of the title of grand prince and lock him up!"

"Everyone, join forces to arrest this brat!"

"We have to maintain law and order!"

In that very same moment, countless streams of will converged on the location and numerous wormholes popped open.

Obviously, a host of experts had been watching the situation. And Yang Qi really had gone too far. Humiliating the Director of Internal Affairs the way he had was something these people couldn't tolerate.

"That's the imperial guard! The true old-timers from the imperial house!"

"There are so many of them! So many top experts!" Although the henchmen present were all unimportant figures, they were experienced and knowledgeable. They instantly recognized the imperial guard, which was made up of the oldest and strongest members of the imperial house, people who usually spent time cultivating in the Kingdom of Titan and only came out to handle big threats or situations.

"Be destroyed!"

Countless streams of divine will crushed down onto Yang Qi, yet he didn't care. He unleashed the nine stances of the Hand of the One God, a perfect cycle of moves that was the most profound of divine abilities.

Crack!

A barrier which had stood strong since ancient times suddenly shattered.

It was said that the Hand of the One God had been created by the boundless Sovereign Lord as a means to pursue the eternal dao. It could break the fetters of civilization to create new civilizations, and that was especially true when powered by the Blood of the One God.

POP!

Dazzling light shone everywhere, making it seem like a white-hot sun was burning in the middle of the imperial city. Instantly, the divine wills and true energies being levied against him were wiped out.

Yang Qi had just singlehandedly blocked an attack by a whole host of the imperial guards!

"Shatter!"

The white-hot sun exploded and all the encroaching streams of vital energy were destroyed. Grunts could be heard from the void as the old-timers who had released them were hit with a powerful backlash.