Chapter 1235: Rescuing from the Execution Grounds

The square outside the imperial palace.

A sea of people, at least a hundred thousand, crowded around a huge platform erected in the middle. On it, Sun Qiang, Elder Xu, and others were restrained, their cultivation sealed, awaiting public execution at any moment.

"What do we do?"

Song Chao and the others looked at the captives on the platform, their faces full of anxiety.

They had come here early in the morning, but those guarding them were all Saint Domain experts, even Yuanhun Realm elders. With their strength, they couldn't even get close, let alone rescue anyone.

"I don't know either. Sun Qiang is the dean's steward. Last time, for his sake, the dean didn't hesitate to cause a scene at the Prince Zhongqing's mansion... He cares that much. If Sun Qiang is really killed, once the dean finds out, he'll definitely turn hostile..."

Song Chao said.

He and this Master Zhang had known each other since the Ten Nations Alliance and knew the man was extremely protective of his people. No matter what, Sun Qiang was his servant. If he were killed for no reason, wouldn't all hell break loose?

If things went wrong, the entire Qingyuan Imperial City might be wiped out.

"What about the War Master Hall? They've also received the dean's favors and are considered half his students. Why hasn't a single one of them shown up?"

A member of the Xuanxuan Society said indignantly.

These days, they had exchanged countless secret manuals and combat techniques with the War Master Hall. Now that trouble had arisen, the other party refused to help rescue the prisoners or even lend a hand, which had already made them unhappy.

"We can't blame them. A few days ago, several hall masters from the War Master Hall went to ask for the prisoners but were all detained by this Master Song. He issued a Master's Order... ordering all war masters to stay in the hall and not come out, on pain of violating military discipline..."

Song Chao shook his head.

War masters were like the army of master teachers; military orders came first.

This quasi-eight-star master teacher from the Qianchong Empire had personally issued a Master's Order, equivalent to a military command. Even if they were unwilling and wanted to help, they dared not act rashly.

Soldiers obey orders as their duty; war masters were no exception.

"Without them, it's hard for us to rescue anyone..."

The war master who had spoken earlier hesitated and said.

They had tried, but with their cultivation, they couldn't even get close to the platform. How could they rescue anyone?

"I know. Rescuing from the execution grounds is no small crime. Whether we succeed or not, we'll likely lose our status as master teachers, or even be executed... At this point, we can only rely on ourselves..."

Song Chao's expression was grave.

Robbery at an execution ground where a quasi-eight-star master teacher had set the charges was a capital offense even if it failed. Those who dared come had already resolved to die.

At a time like this, dragging the War Master Hall into it was indeed not good.

Before Song Chao finished speaking, a voice rang out.

"Who says you can only rely on yourselves? What, don't you consider us brothers anymore?"

Everyone quickly turned to look and saw a group of familiar faces appear before them.

Xiao Qin, Shi Hao, Jiao Tan, Lu Jianling, Dong Rui...

It was the War Master Hall—those familiar faces, densely packed, thousands of them.

"You... how did you come? Weren't you strictly ordered not to leave the War Master Hall?"

Song Chao hurriedly said.

They had received orders not to act. How could they be here now?

"We did receive orders, but... the orders were for war masters. And from now on, we are no longer war masters!"

Shi Hao smiled.

"No longer war masters?"

Song Chao's body trembled. Only then did he notice that all the war masters who had come had taken off their war master robes, which represented their status, and were wearing ordinary clothes!

"You resigned your war master status? This..." Song Chao clenched his fists, feeling a warm current flow through his heart.

For a war master, how glorious this status was—they knew very well after these days of contact.

To save Sun Qiang, they unhesitatingly gave up their cherished persistence and glory...

The eyes of the Xuanxuan Society members all turned red.

"The Master Teacher Hall issued the order, and war masters had to obey, but we still wanted to rescue people, so we had to resign our status..." Shi Hao shook his head.

"That way, we wouldn't be bound by the order!"

Jiao Tan also nodded.

"But..."

Song Chao looked at them, wanting to say something, but couldn't get the words out.

Any words would pale in the face of such emotion.

"Master Zhang is not only your dean but also our teacher! Without him, our strength wouldn't have reached where it is now, and we wouldn't have understood that martial techniques could be used this way... He is selfless. As beneficiaries, we cannot remain indifferent!"

Xiao Qin said.

"Yes, Master Zhang is the most broad-minded master teacher I've ever met. Learning from him is my blessing. Now that his people are in trouble, if we don't act, are we waiting for others?"

Shi Hao looked over and punched him on the shoulder: "What, don't you consider us brothers?"

"Of course not..."

Taking a deep breath to suppress the gratitude in his heart, Song Chao clenched his fists.

Yes, Master Zhang had that kind of charisma, drawing countless people to his side, willingly doing things for him, helping him!

Not to mention others, take himself—he had once had great conflicts with him, being cheated out of spirit stones every day, so angry he wanted to kill him... But now, he had become his loyal subordinate, willingly obeying orders and finding joy in it.

This was not only personal charisma; more importantly, he was broad-minded. Any treasured cultivation techniques or secret manuals passed down by others, as long as he knew them, he would teach them unreservedly, without any secrets or reservations!

Only a true teacher could have so many people willing to shed their blood and sacrifice their lives for him, never retreating, never regretting.

"If you consider us brothers, then don't say so much nonsense... Have you figured out how to carry out the rescue? We'll act together in a while!"

Shi Hao said with a smile.

"Mm!"

Knowing that further words were useless, Song Chao stopped being sentimental and said, "In a while, before the execution, they will inevitably read out the charges. We plan to strike at that moment. Everyone will attack together following the [Myriad Star Formation]. Although each of us is far from the level of a Soul Formation realm expert, by pooling the energy of so many people, we can fight even a Soul Formation expert and should be able to rescue the person!"

"The Myriad Star Formation... indeed the best formation for combined attacks!" Shi Hao nodded.

The Myriad Star Formation was a formation used by the imperial army, capable of gathering the power of all soldiers in a unit to launch a fierce attack on the target.

Although the members of the Xuanxuan Society were not strong individually, mostly between the seventh and eighth levels of Mortal Transformation, with over ten thousand people united using this formation, even a Soul Formation expert would surely be unable to withstand it!

"But... have you considered how to take the rescued person out of Qingyuan City?"

Shi Hao continued, "If we can't escape, what use is a brief rescue?"

"This..." Song Chao and the others fell silent.

They knew their own strength and that the chance of success was extremely slim. They had long been prepared to sacrifice themselves for a righteous cause and had not thought about where to place the rescued person.

Now, with the addition of the War Master Hall members, the chance of success had greatly increased, but if they couldn't arrange a safe place, the person would be recaptured anyway.

"Do you have a plan?"

Unable to think of anything, Song Chao asked.

"There is a plan... That is, we don't storm the execution ground, but find a way to subdue this Master Song!"

Shi Hao said.

"Subdue Master Song?"

"Exactly. Master Song is the key. As long as we defeat him and make him cancel the order to execute Steward Sun and the others, we will have saved them..." Shi Hao continued.

"Indeed!"

Song Chao and the others' eyes lit up.

The reason Sun Qiang and the others were being publicly executed was precisely because this Master Song had given the order. As long as they dealt with him, there would naturally be no danger.

"Tell us what to do..."

Seeing that his method was better, Song Chao and the others looked at him intently.

"It's simple. In a while, follow my orders..."

Nodding, Shi Hao was about to explain his plan when a loud voice rang out, overpowering the conversations of the hundreds of thousands in the square.

"I am quasi-eight-star master teacher, Song Xuan!"

An old man hovered above the high platform, looking around with majestic authority.

Master Song of Qianchong Empire!

"This Sun Qiang, in collusion with members of the Poison Hall, poisoned the Qingyuan Imperial family at night and killed the emperor of the titled empire. His crimes are heinous. He is now sentenced to death by beheading, to be carried out publicly!"

"So that's Master Song?"

Hearing the name hadn't meant much, but seeing the real person, Shi Hao and the others all felt an intense pressure.

The peak of the Out-of-Body realm was too powerful; it couldn't be countered by sheer numbers.

"Alright, the hour has come. Execute immediately!"

Looking around and not finding the escaped Liu Yang, Master Song shouted coldly.

Clatter!

With his words, a series of executioner's blades rose into the air, seemingly about to fall on the heads of Sun Qiang, Elder Xu, and the others at any moment.

Seeing that if they didn't act now it would be too late, Shi Hao let out a loud shout: "Attack!"

Boom!

With these words, countless streams of true energy immediately converged, forming a giant dragon of true energy that shot straight toward Master Song in the air.

Over ten thousand members of the Xuanxuan Society, plus several thousand from the War Master Hall, though not highly cultivated, were still formidable when united.

The giant dragon of true energy seemed to tear space apart as it appeared before Master Song.

"How dare you..."

Not expecting anyone to dare storm the execution ground and attack him, Master Song's eyes narrowed, and his hand pressed down fiercely.

Whoosh!

A surge of violent power immediately froze the giant dragon of true energy in midair.

The peak of the Out-of-Body realm, infinitely close to the Domain realm, could no longer be countered by numbers alone.

"Daring to storm the execution ground and attack a quasi-eight-star master teacher, I'll kill you all right now..."

Blocking the attack, Master Song sneered and lightly tapped with his other hand.

Hum!

Countless suspended executioner's blades immediately fell toward the necks of Sun Qiang and the others.

But... before they could land, they stopped in midair again.

Then, an icy voice rang out, sweeping like a hurricane, resounding in everyone's ears.

"Kill my people? I'd like to ask... how many heads do you have?"

As the voice ended, a figure flew through the air, like a celestial being.