Chapter 2638: Raising a Tiger Invites Trouble

"How is this possible!" Zhao Yuan was utterly flustered, his eyes filled with boundless confusion.

As the King of Assassins, his control over his body had reached its peak.

Many years ago, he proudly believed that within three feet, he controlled life and death.

Even after the unexpected emergence of Zu An, he remained confident that within one foot, life and death were in his hands.

If anyone had told him before today that an enemy could easily rescue a hostage he held, he would have probably laughed at them for being insane.

What did it mean to be the King of Assassins?

No one could rescue a person from his grasp!

This was his conviction and his confidence, which was why he had just held Bi Linglong hostage and confronted Zu An to negotiate terms.

But now, who could tell him what was happening? Was everything that just occurred merely his imagination?

With that thought, he stubbornly cut the pillar he was holding, confirming it was not an illusion. Indeed, he was holding a rotten pillar.

It wasn't just him; everyone present was dumbfounded. Murong Qinghe and Zhang Zitong rubbed their eyes, then looked at each other, their gazes filled with bewilderment.

Just moments ago, they had all briefly fought Zhao Yuan, and the Empress had been taken hostage by him.

If one person was mistaken, could everyone be mistaken?

Bi Linglong felt as if she were in a dream. One moment, Zhao Yuan's sword was at her throat, and she had resigned herself to death, even considering slitting her own throat to prevent her lover from being blackmailed.

The next second, however, she had somehow escaped danger and was standing beside her lover.

She subconsciously touched her neck, and feeling a faint scratch, she realized it wasn't her imagination.

What in the world was going on?

Everyone's minds were full of questions, and Zhao Yuan also looked at Zu An with a desperate gaze, begging for an explanation.

Zu An sighed, "I told you, in this world, I dictate all the rules."

After gaining the world's authority and the recognition of its will, he had obtained what was essentially super-administrator privileges.

He could freely formulate and modify some of the world's rules—of course, within certain limits, without endangering the normal operation of the world itself.

More precisely, it was like having a powerful game modifier that could alter various data. Moving mountains and filling seas were possible, let alone replacing Bi Linglong with a pillar just now.

In this world, he was on a completely different level from other cultivators.

While other cultivators had to fight and kill, he could resolve many matters with a mere thought.

Previously, he hadn't fully mastered these abilities, but this time, after traveling to the ancient Heavenly Court and interacting with immortals, and later encountering a true deity like Mieli, his understanding of power and laws had advanced significantly.

Upon returning to this world, he gradually discovered more abilities.

These god-like abilities could only be used within this world because he was its master. If he were in another world and encountered a Nihility believer like Zhao Yuan, even if he could win, it would certainly not be so easy.

Of course, even if he didn't fight in this world, it wasn't without meaning. The experience of being a god in a minor world allowed him to understand the true essence of power and laws better than anyone else. He could even infer the abilities of mythical immortals and the true gods across myriad worlds based on this.

"So, this is the power of a god..." Zhao Yuan was crestfallen. He knew that at this point, he could no longer escape, and given his past actions, groveling for mercy was utterly pointless.

"Mortals truly are pathetic," he muttered, then drew his sword and slit his own throat. Before dying, he looked mockingly at Zu An and Consort Bai, saying, "I won't give you the chance to judge me, and Consort Bai, you will lose your son forever!"

Empowered by the Nihility force, he was able to utter so many words even as he took his own life.

Consort Bai gasped, her face pale, and she swayed precariously.

Zu An, however, stared at Zhao Yuan with a strange expression. "Do you think, for a god, death is the end?"

Seeing Zu An's pitying expression, Zhao Yuan, despite his life rapidly ebbing away, suddenly panicked, though he should have been fearless. Could it be...

He quickly understood. Zu An casually reached out, and a transparent soul body emerged from Zhao Yuan's physical form.

Zhao Yuan looked at his identical corpse below, and realizing that others couldn't see his translucent form, he was filled with both shock and dread. "This is the legendary soul."

Zu An smiled at him. "I forgot to tell you, I'm also the Master of the Underworld, in charge of the world of the dead."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuan instantly collapsed. "No!..."

In reality, Zu An had already said to Consort Bai, "Don't worry, he hid the child in a small town outside Phoenix Prison Pass. I will send someone to rescue him."

He then called Zhang Zitong over and instructed her to rescue the child.

Zhang Zitong looked excited. "Yes, I guarantee the mission will be completed!"

The Regent thought of me first when something needed to be done!

He had described the location and defensive forces so clearly, and she could mobilize the Imperial Guards and Embroidered Uniform Envoys. If she still couldn't rescue the child, she might as well buy a block of tofu and bash her head in.

Zu An told Consort Bai, "In the Shadow Pavilion, they gave him a poison to control him, but it's not a problem. I already know how to make the antidote, and I'll hand it over to the academy staff to help him detoxify later."

Consort Bai was also very emotional, and she knelt directly before him in a bow. "Thank you, Zu... Regent!"

Bi Linglong, standing nearby, frowned slightly, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

Zu An helped Consort Bai to her feet, then looked towards Phoenix Prison Pass and declared loudly, "You were coerced by Zhao Yuan and others. Now that the primary culprit has been executed, for the rest of you, as long as you have not harmed the common people or committed heinous crimes, lay down your weapons and all will be forgiven."

"Thank you, Regent! Long live the Regent, ten thousand, ten thousand, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

Now that Zhao Yuan was dead, and even Consort Bai had knelt, coupled with having witnessed the recent battle, who still had any thought of resisting?

Instead, everyone was extremely grateful for the Regent's magnanimity.

Hearing the thunderous cheers of "Long live!", some court officials secretly glanced at Bi Linglong's expression. Seeing her also looking at her lover with a face full of admiration, they all broke into silent smiles.

From the perspective of historical nations, such a situation would typically lead to one's downfall, but the scene that just unfolded seemed completely normal to everyone present.

Soon, the two Dukes of the Qin family took the lead, beginning to accept the rebels' surrender. Zu An, meanwhile, successively met with various officials and caught up with old friends like Gao Ying and Pei You.

After years of separation, their reunion was quite poignant.

Bi Linglong finally found an opportunity to meet Zu An privately. "Ah Zu, I don't think Consort Bai's son should be released."

As if worried about being misunderstood, she quickly added, "Although Consort Bai and I don't have a good relationship, this is absolutely not out of personal grudge. The main reason is that the child is actually Zhao Hao's bloodline. While he is still young, ambitious people will exploit him. If he grows up and learns you were his father's killer, he will surely become a future threat."