This scoundrel is a bit of a swordsman.

Chapter 256 The Astrologer's Wrath

A deafening roar, like a bolt from the blue, exploded in the sky.

The darkness was as black as ink, like a huge curtain that tightly enveloped all the atmosphere within a very small area.

Even though the black-robed figure immediately unleashed a ritual, it was still unable to withstand the burst of power from the small sphere.

He was secretly horrified. The weapon-forging techniques of the Refining Heaven Sect were indeed as renowned as they were; even sacrificial rituals couldn't completely resist them, and this was only the beginning. As he fled in panic, a sense of impending danger quietly descended upon him.

The figure clung to him like a leech, relentlessly pursuing him, as if the conversation about the Refining Heaven Sect absolutely could not be leaked. The man in black robes didn't know what terrifying entity was behind him, but he knew that if he didn't escape quickly, he would face a life-or-death ordeal.

So he stopped concealing his whereabouts and, like a black lightning bolt, streaked across the sky above the imperial palace. The black aura, like a raging storm, instantly awakened the entire imperial palace's defenses. He attempted to use the palace's powerful defenses to prevent the figure from making any rash moves.

However, he too would not be spared the dangers emanating from this imperial palace. Emperor Wu was furious, his rage erupting like a volcano.

His roar was deafening, as if it would shake the entire city of Yong'an.

"This is outrageous! You simply don't respect my Yong'an Imperial Palace at all!"

With this furious roar, the astrologer stepped out of the astrological table for the first time.

"The might of Heaven is terrifying, and the city is consumed by fire!" This was the first time Ning Chen had been so enraged. His anger was not directed at the black-robed man's ritual, but at the mysterious figure that followed him like a ghost.

Above the entire imperial palace, following Ning Chen's thunderous and awe-inspiring voice, raging flames, like fire dragons soaring into the sky, suddenly ignited in the void.

Within the boundaries of the Imperial Palace, walls of fire descended like divine flames from the heavens, crashing down with overwhelming force, seemingly threatening to engulf the entire palace. This tremor was dazzling in the darkness, like a blazing sun breaking through the night, dispelling the darkness and illuminating Yong'an. The people of the city poured out of their homes, gazing at the Imperial Palace, now completely engulfed in flames. Fireworks bloomed like fireworks in the sky, seamlessly connecting with the surrounding city walls, utterly severing the Imperial Palace from Yong'an.

A huge rectangular flame dome, like an impregnable fortress, sealed off the imperial palace, leaving the cultivators speechless with shock.

The events of the past few days have been like a storm, assaulting their senses. With the appearance of flames burning the city, their hearts have been stirred up like a vast ocean.

"Who is it? Who is so audacious as to provoke the Martial Emperor to such a degree of rage! This is the power of the astrologers! They've used all their trump cards to try and capture that person! Just who is it?"

Questions surged like a tide among the nations, and it's no wonder they were so shocked. Astrologers were the foundation of the Great Qian Dynasty, and they would never act rashly unless the country was on the verge of collapse.

Even when the Dali army besieged the city a hundred years ago, it failed to attract the astrologers to appear. But now, has the Daqian really reached a critical moment of life and death?

Countless questions flooded his mind like a tangled mess. When Xiao Xingchen climbed onto the roof and looked towards the imperial palace, he couldn't help but feel a sense of bewilderment.

Having clashed with Emperor Wu several times, he knew that Emperor Wu's heart was unfathomable, like an endless ocean. Even in the face of a life-or-death crisis, he would probably find it difficult to force out Emperor Wu's true trump card.

However, the imperial palace was now so enraged that the scorching heat of the flames burning the city was so intense that even from a distance, one felt as if they were in a furnace, their bodies burning unbearably. One could imagine that the imperial palace at this moment must be a cruel scene of purgatory.

If this grand formation is not removed in time, the entire imperial palace will be destroyed. Once the imperial palace is destroyed, the turmoil of the Great Qian Dynasty will likely begin like a flood bursting its banks.

Beside him stood Ruoxue, Chen Buxu, Ling Feiyuan, and Xizhu, all with furrowed brows and solemn expressions.

"No, I must go and see for myself. You must not make any rash moves here."

Xizhu couldn't contain herself, her mind filled with countless thoughts. She couldn't understand why the city-burning formation had suddenly erupted at this moment. She decided to go and meet the astrologer herself.

The appearance of such a grand formation has already violated the rules, which are her bottom line. Any violation of the rules will bring annihilation. She absolutely does not believe that the astrologer is unaware of the consequences. However, things have come to this point, and it is clear that something beyond her expectations has happened.

Xi Zhu's figure flashed like a shooting star and disappeared from the Prince Kao Shan's mansion. The others were also somewhat restless, but they were quickly stopped by Xiao Xingchen.

"We should not get involved. Since Xizhu has already made her move, we should just wait and see. It is not something we can get involved in."

Elsewhere, a group of people stood in the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, and many others stared intently at the Princess's residence. Not to mention the delegations of envoys from various countries, all of them watched in shock as the flames of the burning city roared like a raging tiger.

Zhan Aotian stood alone in the void. Beside him, the Sage of Literature and the two dismissed prime ministers were gathered on a tall building, silent. The appearance of this city-burning formation was like a boulder thrown into water, stirring up a thousand waves and alarming everyone. Even the Consort Xian, who had already gone far away, was rushing towards the imperial palace without stopping.

The Supreme Being stood atop a high mountain outside the city, a subtle smile playing on his lips, as if he already knew what was happening inside the city. However, he made no move. Behind him were several black-robed figures exuding a terrifying aura.

"Could it be that the astrologer has already discovered the whereabouts of the Refining Heaven Sect? How strange! Are all the people in the Refining Heaven Sect incompetent?"

"No, if the Refining Heaven Sect were truly so incompetent, how could it have reached such a height? There must have been some unforeseen event that led to its exposure."

The black-robed figures behind him whispered amongst themselves, but the Supreme Being saw through everything at that moment.

"Alright, since the Refining Heaven Sect has already sent their men away, let's go and teach them a lesson. It's like rowing against the current; killing one is enough, killing two is a bonus."

This was the Supreme Being's cold declaration, as if an insurmountable deep-seated hatred lay between the Refining Heaven Sect and the Sacrificial Ground.

The man in black robes vanished without a trace, not venturing into Yong'an to cause trouble, but instead speeding off in the opposite direction like an arrow released from a bow.

After a brief moment of astonishment, Huangfu Lingxue transformed into a ghost sword and rushed into the Burning City Formation like a ghost. As she possessed royal blood, the formation was relatively lenient towards members of the royal family and did not display such powerful destructive force.

With her current fifth-level Ghost Sword, she has long coveted the Imperial Palace. This time, she wants to try and see if she can truly unveil the mysterious veil of the Imperial Palace.