The Manifestation of the Rakshasa

Rebel...

The resounding waves of Fang Xiu's voice echoed throughout the entire Azure Cloud Palace.

The word "rebel" was like a thousand-pound hammer, striking the hearts of everyone present.

For a moment, the vast palace fell into complete silence.

The heavy sound of breathing permeated the hall, and all eyes were fixed on the young man in purple robes.

With every gesture, he exuded a natural dominance.

His sharp gaze demonstrated to the world that he was not joking.

Rebel, one simple word, was taboo for a country itself, let alone uttered within the capital.

Even in casual conversations, people would carefully avoid mentioning them.

But today, the former Marquis of Guanjun, Fang Xiu, openly declared rebellion in front of the current Emperor and the entire court. More importantly, it was during the engagement ceremony of the Princess Royal, right here in the prestigious Azure Cloud Palace, the epitome of Mo Nation's glory.

"Bold, Fang Xiu, you... you... how dare you..."

Grand Tutor Li's anger surged, his voice trembling, unsure of what to say for a moment.

"You you you, blah blah blah. Straighten your tongue before speaking, old crap."

Bai Zhan suddenly stood up.

Despite his corpulent figure, his movements were anything but sluggish.

Swiftly, he approached Grand Tutor Li, pointing at his nose, "Old Man, in front of Marquis of Guanjun, it's not your turn to meddle. And you, noble ministers, what contributions have you made to Mo Nation? Without the Marquis of Guanjun pacifying the four corners, you wouldn't be sitting here enjoying wealth and glory. A bunch of nobodies, shut your damn mouth..."

Bai Zhan was arrogant, completely disregarding the Emperor.

He walked away from Grand Tutor Li with a sway, heading towards Fang Xiu.

"Ah... this is rebellion... you, fatass, who do you think you are, daring to insult a senior like me in public."

Grand Tutor Li went berserk, his eyes bloodshot.

He wiped off the spittle from his face, almost vomiting on the spot.

"He's right."

Ji Mo stood up, adjusted his black robe, and walked towards Fang Xiu alongside Bai Zhan.

The courtiers and military officials were dumbfounded once again.

They were not fools; how could they not see that Bai Zhan and Ji Mo were both loyal to the Marquis of Guanjun?

Hiss...

Realizing this, many couldn't help but gasp.

An out-of-favor Marquis of Guanjun might not be a significant threat, but Bai Zhan and Ji Mo standing with Fang Xiu were terrifying.

One controlled the nation's economic lifeline, the other controlled the martial world.

With just a word from them, the peace of Mo Nation would be shattered, and even the most basic livelihoods would become a grave issue.

For a nation, internal troubles were far more significant than external threats; the saying "first secure the homeland before dealing with external affairs" was not just empty rhetoric.

Azure Cloud Palace was in great turmoil, with many people becoming bewildered.

Zhao Qing'er looked at Zhao Qingyun, "Father."

Today was supposed to be her joyous day as the Princess Royal, full of honor.

She had invited Fang Xiu to cleanse herself of the shame he had brought upon her.

Unexpectedly, Fang Xiu came prepared, showing no regard for her.

At this point, the situation had escalated from an engagement ceremony to a national crisis caused by the Marquis of Guanjun's rebellion.

She, Zhao Qing'er, adorned in a phoenix crown and red wedding attire, looked like a clown for a moment.

Zhao Qingyun waved his hand, signaling Zhao Qing'er not to be nervous.

Zhao Qingyun slowly rose from his seat.

Throughout, this reigning Emperor maintained basic calmness.

It was a kind of self-deception, a confidence that everything was under control, far superior to the indifference that could determine victory from a thousand miles away.

"Fang Xiu, you have finally taken this step. It seems our concerns were not unfounded."

Zhao Qingyun spoke, his words filled with endless regret, as if all of this was within his expectations.

"So, you secretly made a move, choosing to destroy me while I fought for the country, just because I outshone you?"

Fang Xiu sneered.

"Is this reason not enough?"

Zhao Qingyun calmly said, displaying the ruthless nature of imperial power.

The indifference and calmness made Fang Xiu's speechless.

He had thought that the Emperor would at least explain, maybe even try to argue.

But he was ignorant.

Prepared with thousands of words, Fang Xiu couldn't utter a single one.

In Zhao Qingyun's eyes, anyone posing a threat to his rule, even if only slightly, must be eliminated.

"What's going on? Was the fall of Marquis of Guanjun was His Majesty's deliberate doing? This can't be true."

"Yes, Marquis of Guanjun has made significant contributions to the country. I heard that he had rejected the opportunities to join various formidable sects, and was willing to stay in this secular country despite his exceptional talent. If this is true, it's quite disheartening."

"Don't speculate recklessly; there must be hidden reasons. His Majesty has his own reason for what he does."

...

Many people were agitated, showing internal turmoil.

Human hearts changed fast, not everyone was condemning Marquis of Guanjun.

Even in the court, some felt indignant about his plight, but for self-preservation, they dared not speak out.

"Your Majesty, Fang Xiu has ambitious plans, plotting rebellion, committing the taboo of our nation. Today, we must end his life here today."

Grand Tutor Li knelt on the ground, bowing deeply.

"Kill him, and also kill Bai Zhan and Ji Mo. Those who disturb the country's peace must face eternal damnation."

"Yes, the rule of Mo Nation should not be challenged by the president of a mere merchant and a martial artist."

"Execute them to serve as a warning to others."

...

The Minister of War and the two princes were stern, thinking Fang Xiu was doomed for daring to rebel openly in Azure Cloud Palace.

They couldn't fathom who gave him such audacity.

Zhao Qingyun's lips curled into a slight smile.

His confident demeanor was inscrutable as if the current scene was part of his plan.

However, he needed to attach a crime to Fang Xiu and appease the people.

"These two, are they two of the Four Great Rakshasas you cultivated in secret?"

Zhao Qingyun inquired.

"White Tiger Rakshasa, Bai Zhan."

"Black Tortoise Rakshasa, Ji Mo."

"Vermilion Phoenix Rakshasa, Fang Ying."

Bai Zhan, Ji Mo, and Fang Ying stood shoulder to shoulder beside Fang Xiu, their voices resonating.

This was the first time the Four Great Rakshasas were showcased publicly, and now that the facade had crumbled, there was no need for pretense.

"The Four Great Rakshasas? Fang Xiu indeed had cultivated four monsters in secret. What sinister intentions does he have?"

"My goodness, Fang Xiu had rebellious ambitions long ago. Luckily, His Majesty saw through it. If this happened a few years later, the consequences would be unimaginable."

"So frightening, these secretly cultivated masters have now grown to such an extent. Bai Zhan's consortium has become too massive to control, not to mention the Black Dragon Society, uniting all walks of life in Mo Nation. On the surface, it might be for restraint, but if they make the move, there will be no peace in Mo Nation."

...

The crowd was excited, and Zhao Qingyun, watching this scene, smiled even more.

This was what he wanted to see.

"Your Majesty has long been scheming to expose the Four Great Rakshasas. Today, it seems you got your wish. And the cost is, as you can see, Lin Zhengyue. But I assume it's probably nothing for Your Majesty."

Fang Xiu remarked.

Marquis of Guanjun and the Emperor were in a face-off, an unprecedented scene.

Fang Xiu killed the Emperor's close guard Lin Zhengyue, and even threw his corpse into the court.

He was publicly declaring rebellion, and three of the Four Great Rakshasas had appeared.

No one was at ease; Fang Xiu must have been prepared.

Marquis of Guanjun, known for his bravery and strategy, was now inscrutable.

The unfolding situation was unpredictable, beyond anyone's anticipation.