The Human Emperor Chapter 2466 - Side Story Chapter 39: The Final Battle!

“You dare!”

A sudden realization struck Li Xuantu, and he erupted in fury. He possessed a far superior Psychic Energy compared to the others, and within moments, he had grasped the unfolding situation outside the city. An army had descended upon the capital! The sounds confirmed its considerable size.

Never before in the Great Tang’s history had the capital faced such an assault.

“Third Brother, you are compelling me to eliminate you! Regardless of the number of soldiers you’ve marshaled, they will be of no use in this confrontation. The capital’s gates stand a thousand feet tall, fortified by the City Guard and the Imperial Army. Your mustered troops would require at least an hour to breach them.”

“They won’t need an hour.”

Li Taiyi chuckled. As if in reply to his words, four resounding booms echoed from the north, south, east, and west.

“Reporting!”

A frantic messenger from the Eastern Palace rushed forward. “Bad tidings! All the gates have fallen! The soldiers stationed at the gates have betrayed us, allowing the invading forces entry.”

“Reporting!”

One crisis had barely subsided when another arose. Another messenger arrived, dropping to one knee. “Your Highness, we’ve just received intelligence. Our forces were ambushed, and Virtuous Empress Dou has been taken captive.”

“Reporting!”

A third messenger quickly followed. “The City Guard has turned traitor. They are now collaborating with the rebel army and are advancing towards the Imperial Palace.”

These three devastating reports, delivered in rapid succession, struck fear into the hearts of all the Eastern Palace advisors, turning their faces ashen.

“How can this be!? How could the City Guard possibly align with the Third Prince?”

“So this was your ultimate gambit.”

The First Prince observed, his expression calm and unperturbed, finally breaking his silence. “I must confess, I underestimated you. However, despite your machinations, these are merely minor disruptions. The rebel army outside the city, combined with the City Guard, numbers approximately forty thousand. Yet, the Imperial Palace boasts one hundred thousand soldiers, and we haven't even factored in that the City Guard was never intended for direct combat, rendering their fighting capabilities negligible. At best, your actions have only presented a marginal inconvenience.”

Li Xuantu exuded an aura of pride and power!

Having endured a harsh upbringing in an environment fraught with peril since his mother’s early demise, he had faced countless dangers and predicaments. His experiences during the border campaigns, where he skirted the edge of death, made Li Taiyi’s current actions seem trivial in comparison.

Warfare had always been his forte. As long as he retained command of the Imperial Army, he felt invincible, capable of crushing his adversaries one by one.

He stretched his arms, cracking the joints of his fingers. Simultaneously, a formidable wave of energy surged from his body, a clear indication to those familiar with him that the First Prince was preparing to unleash his power.

The entirety of the Imperial Palace, save for the area before Taiji Palace, was under Li Xuantu’s dominion. However, at this precise moment, just as he was poised to strike, sounds of conflict erupted from various sectors of the palace.

In a flash, a distressed messenger appeared. “Reporting! Your Highness, grave news. Grand Marshals Zhao, Li, and Wang have all defected. Grand Marshal Zhou is valiantly attempting to resist.”

This news instantly shattered Li Xuantu’s composure, turning his face ashen and shattering the unflustered demeanor he had maintained moments before.

Grand Marshals Zhao, Li, and Wang were loyal to the Eastern Palace and served as Li Xuantu’s most trusted subordinates within the Imperial Army. Although the Imperial Army comprised six Grand Marshals, the forces under these three men accounted for a staggering eighty percent of the total. This translated to eighty thousand soldiers directly under their command.

If Li Taiyi had previously resembled a cornered beast making a final stand, Li Xuantu now found himself in that very role.

“You dare!”

Li Xuantu’s heart constricted with shock and rage as he whirled to face Li Taiyi. There was no question that Li Taiyi was the architect behind this devastating disruption of his plans.

Even more horrifying for Li Xuantu was the fact that Grand Marshals Zhao, Li, and Wang had been his loyal companions for an extended period. He had placed his utmost trust in them, entrusting them with over half his forces for this critical operation. The thought of their betrayal was inconceivable.

If these three could betray him, Li Xuantu couldn’t fathom who else might turn against him. What about the court officials? The advisors of the Eastern Palace? He was utterly unsure of whom he could rely on at this moment.

An intense killing intent surged through Li Xuantu’s heart.

He had never imagined that Li Taiyi’s stratagems would run so deep, proving to be so utterly terrifying.

Inconceivable to Li Xuantu, Li Taiyi’s recent actions had completely unsettled him, despite his own past ambitions for the throne.

Even if Li Xuantu were to ascend the throne, he knew he could never rest easy as long as Li Taiyi still drew breath.

“What of your Imperial Army? I will end you now!”

Li Xuantu could no longer contain his fury. A single formidable warrior could vanquish ten skilled martial artists. Even with control over all of Great Tang’s soldiers, Li Taiyi’s demise would solidify Li Xuantu’s claim as the rightful successor.

While possessing a vast military was advantageous, his true confidence stemmed from his unparalleled martial prowess, not mere numbers.

The golden sword, previously embedded in the ground, vibrated as if seized by an unseen force. Then, it ascended like a diving dragon, returning to Li Xuantu’s grasp. The instant the blade met his hand, Li Xuantu became a blur, vanishing like a phantom.

Li Xuantu’s attack was swift, and Li Taiyi’s response was equally immediate.

This power struggle, ignited by the two princes, had ensnared both the City Guard and the Imperial Army. Li Taiyi had appeared precisely to ensure the conflict remained confined to their personal duel.

“Eldest Brother, your ambition will not prevail!”

Li Taiyi’s frigid voice echoed throughout Taiji Palace as their swords collided mid-air.

Two formidable Stellar Energies erupted from their forms, manifesting as devastating energy torrents that surged outwards in all directions.

The shockwaves sent all the Eastern Palace advisors and Golden Guards scattering. Even the golden throne, which Li Xuantu had positioned at the entrance, was violently hurled into the distance.

Chaos erupted, transforming Taiji Palace into the epicenter of a raging tempest.

“Back! Fall back! Retreat quickly!”

Everyone scrambled on the ground, desperately trying to escape the maelstrom.

The First Prince, Li Xuantu, was not merely a master of military strategy. His martial arts talent was also extraordinary, earning him recognition as the Imperial Palace’s foremost expert. This mastery was a significant factor in the loyalty sworn to him by numerous generals.

To everyone’s surprise, the Third Prince, Li Taiyi, had concealed his true strength so effectively that he could withstand the First Prince’s terrifying assault head-on.

While turmoil engulfed the Imperial Palace, Li Xuantu and Li Taiyi were oblivious to the plight of those around them.

They both understood that all their intricate schemes had reached their culmination. The outcome would now be determined solely by the duel between the two of them.

The victor would seize the throne; the vanquished would be branded a traitor.

Flames flickered amidst the darkness of the Imperial Palace. Every soldier of the Imperial Army bore witness to the earth-shattering battle unfolding between the First and Third Princes, waves of Stellar Energy erupting ceaselessly from their bodies.

They moved with blinding speed, darting and weaving, rising and falling like bolts of lightning.

One moment, they could be seen soaring above Taiji Palace; the next, they would disappear towards the southwestern reaches of the Imperial Palace.

Suddenly, as their Stellar Energies swept past, a structure within the Imperial Palace disintegrated like a sandcastle, showering the surroundings with debris and shrapnel.

Faster, faster, faster… In the beginning, observers could still follow the combatants’ movements. However, as the battle intensified, only their Stellar Energies were visible. The heavens, the earth, and indeed the entire capital had become their colossal battlefield.

Countless individuals held their breath, their gazes fixed upon the sky.

Each person understood that upon the conclusion of this momentous clash, Great Tang would welcome its new Emperor.

Time inched forward, and as the battle raged, a palpable sense of unease began to spread amongst the onlookers.

After an indeterminate period, a thunderous roar emanated from the heavens.

“World-Shaking Emperor Dragon!”

Accompanying this mighty cry, numerous Halos of Spacetime materialized in the air.

These Halos of Spacetime coalesced, transforming into a colossal dragon that extended its claws menacingly towards Li Taiyi.

Even before the claws made contact, the sheer power contained within them warped the very fabric of space for an expanse of tens of thousands of feet. From afar, observers could discern gargantuan spacetime fissures tearing open above the Imperial Palace.

These fissures pulsed with destructive energy, capable of pulverizing mountains.

A profound sense of dread gripped the hearts of all present. Even the warhorses whinnied in terror, attempting to bolt.

Li Xuantu’s cultivation level was astonishing, far surpassing that of any Prince and even Great Generals.

Yet, Li Taiyi remained undeterred by the overwhelming assault. A moment later, without the slightest hesitation, Li Taiyi unleashed his most potent technique.

“Son! Of! Heaven’s! Sword!”

A deafening roar split the heavens. The sky itself seemed to fracture, unleashing an event that would be indelibly etched in the memories of all who participated in the coup within the Imperial Palace for the rest of their lives.