Qin Ming quietly shifted to the left side of the Princess to ensure her body could block Daoist Tan's line of sight.
All three of the time traveler were at the Spirit-Linking Realm, yet in front of the Empress, they couldn't even breathe properly—cowering in fear on their knees.
The Empress's voice was icy cold.
"I've heard that you time traveler of the Heavenly Dao Sect have planted explosives in my Imperial City. Reveal the location, and I'll let you die a quick death."
The three looked disheveled, bloodied, and battered. Despite their state, they kept their heads lowered and said nothing.
The Empress turned her gaze to the corner of the Hall of Fire.
"Bring those three alchemy furnaces over here! Since they won't speak, tie them to the burning furnaces and beat them to death."
Soon, three blazing alchemy furnaces were moved to the center of the hall.
Daoist Tan, Elder Ghost, and Spell Daoist were each bound to one of them.
Sizzle... The heat from the furnaces nearly roasted their backs.
"Ahhh! Mercy, Your Majesty! Ahhh!"
Three generals wielding long whips stepped up and began the flogging.
Crack! Crack!
Each lash tore open their flesh, blood spraying everywhere. Their screams filled the hall, yet they still said nothing.
It was likely a prearranged tactic—they were holding the information as leverage to prolong their lives.
The Empress sat with one hand propping her chin, legs crossed, watching coldly.
Qin Ming glanced at the Princess beside him—her expression was just as frigid.
These sisters really were a perfect pair!
Ten breaths later, one general stepped forward and reported:
"Your Majesty, Daoist Tan is dead!"
Qin Ming breathed a sigh of relief.
Good! Dead is best—now he couldn't expose Qin's identity.
But to his horror, the Empress suddenly raised her jade hand.
"Imperial Physician!"
"Your servant is here!"
"Bring him back to life. Once he's revived, continue beating him!"
"As you command!"
Qin Ming: |ʘᗝʘ|
The only words to describe this were: utterly deranged!
He shuddered at the thought of what would happen if his identity was ever exposed and he fell into this mad Empress's hands.
The Imperial Physician quickly inserted a dozen needles into key points.
Daoist Tan miraculously revived, still spitting blood and screaming in pain.
The Empress glanced at the general, who then gagged all three prisoners and resumed the whipping.
The Empress straightened up on her throne and addressed her officials.
"Report your matters."
A short official from the third row stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, Snow Beasts have attacked Cold Night City. Civilian and soldier casualties exceed 100,000."
The Empress's eyes turned razor sharp.
"What is Lan Jianxin doing? Letting mere Snow Beasts ravage a city like this—how useless!
And where are the 30,000 White Feather Guards I deployed?"
"Your Majesty, they were reportedly wiped out."
Bang!
The Empress slapped her table into splinters and shot up, blue flames surging around her again.
"Useless! All of you are useless! Tell Lan Jianxin I'll send reinforcements—but if something like this happens again, I'll take her head!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Another official stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, I have another report. The concubine of Vice Minister Yang Fan was found to be a time traveler and executed. However, the Vice Minister shed tears before her death. I believe his behavior was improper and he should reflect in isolation."
"Reflect in isolation?" The Empress sneered, pointing at a general.
"A Vice Minister crying for a time traveler? Madman!Go. Have Yang Fan executed by slow slicing. Bring his whole family to witness it.Anyone who dares shed a tear—kill them too!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Qin Ming was shaken to his core.If the Princess was a lunatic… then the Empress was a devil.And her blue flames were terrifyingly powerful!
At that moment, one of the prisoners—Spell Daoist—couldn't bear the pain anymore.
He broke free of his chains with a burst of energy and swallowed a white pill.
Qin Ming sensed his aura rising fast—when suddenly!
Both the Princess and the Empress raised their hands.
The Princess's icy sword pierced Spell Daoist's heart, leaving a gaping bloody hole.
The Empress's blue flame smashed into his head.In less than three breaths, his head turned to ash.
All officials and generals in the hall kept their heads down.
Qin Ming, too, was witnessing the terrifying power of these two top-tier native bosses for the first time.
Then came the cry:"Court dismissed!"
Officials filed out of the Hall of Fire.The Princess remained seated. Qin Ming, too, stood still.
Daoist Tan and Elder Ghost were still screaming in pain, eyes darting around desperately.
Now that the area around Qin Ming was clear, Daoist Tan caught sight of him.
Hair fell messily across his face, obscuring his vision. He squinted, trying to make out Qin Ming's face…
Qin Ming noticed it instantly!
Thinking quickly, he leaned in toward the Princess.
"Your Highness, that Daoist Tan is ogling your legs."
The Princess paused—then raised her hand.
Whoosh~
An icy sword flew straight at Daoist Tan.
Just as he was squinting, trying to identify Qin Ming—
Puff!
The sword shredded both his eyes. Blood sprayed everywhere.
"AHHH—MY EYES!"
Qin Ming sighed in relief.Thank god for quick thinking!If Daoist Tan had identified him, he'd be roasted meat by now.
With two insane bosses on either side, what hope would he have?
The Empress snapped impatiently.
"Take them away! Get them out of my sight!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Then the Princess turned to the Empress.
"I brought him here today for your review. From this day forward, he shall serve as a Captain of the Demon Suppression Guard."
"You dare! Han Yuexi, without my decree or official seal, how dare you appoint someone?"
"I dared. What are you going to do about it?"
"Han Yuexi! You're mad! I turned a blind eye when you appointed those Twelve Zodiac officers—but now you're making a eunuch a captain?!"
"So what if he's a eunuch?"
"Since when has our Dayan Empire ever allowed a eunuch to hold court office?"
"Then let it start with me, Han Yuexi!"