It has to be known that an Imperial Decree could only be obtained once in a clan's lifetime. Meaning, Dan had just used the only Imperial Decree that they had, ever since the establishment of the Longinus Clan. The Emperor's expression frowned; ever since he saw Joseph activate the Imperial Pardon without any care for repercussions, he became suspicious about everything and thought that there must be some deep reason behind their actions.
Zaramias thought the same when he handed over the Imperial Decree to his son; he knew that something would definitely happen to the Empire, and it could possibly a coup, staged by the two clans, Batian and Varkaant. And if those guys succeeded, Zaramias wouldn't have any chance to use the Imperial Decree anymore. After all, it would only work if the Emperor didn't dispel its effects beforehand.
And if they succeeded. They could just use the Staff of Everlasting as the Emperor and dissipate their Imperial Decree.
The shadowy figure who carefully hid in the dark didn't dare to come out, lest he provokes the anger of the ancestor that created the Imperial Decree, after all, according to what he heard from Rodriguez himself. Those Imperial Decrees have existed, ever since the creation of the Empire.
"I, with my blood as the first heir of the Longinus Clan," Dan bit the tip of his index finger and threw it towards the golden parchment.
As a response, the brilliant light from the parchment emanated boiling sounds as if something was burning inside. Staring at the Decree, Dan continued, "Condemn you, Joseph Varkaant, into being sentenced for life imprisonment inside the Great Abyssal Dungeon, and the second part of my decree, is that..." When he reached this part of the sentence, Dan whispered his words, making everyone speculate about his last request.
"Heed my words! The Imperial Decree shall take effect today!"
"Let the judgment of the Emperor descend!"
Joseph who sat on the ground, already looked pale and ashened as he stretched his arms towards the distant corner, "Dad! Don't abandon me...Dad!" He cried out as the golden parchment's light temporarily blinded everyone.
In the next instant, his figure disappeared from the hall. Eventually arriving inside the most dangerous dungeon, the Great Abyssal Dungeon, soon. His miserable shrieks echoed out, but no one was there to hear his cries.
The shadowy figure clenched his fists, staring at Dan with a venomous stare, he swiftly disappeared from the hall.
The golden parchment that floated in the air descended, and when it landed. It sent a burst of golden beams inside Dan's body, which momentarily startled Zaramias.
The Emperor stared at the two with a dumbfounded expression. Coughing to take their attention, he said, "I can't understand why you did such thing, Brother Zaramias..." Zaramias wryly smiled, even he, himself didn't have a concrete proof in regards to his reasons.
"It's fine, that scroll has been collecting dust for god knows how many years already. At least now, it had some use." Zaramias shrugged, and the Emperor threw a strange smile in response. Ordering a eunuch to clean up the corpse of the middle-aged man. He dispersed them all and was soon alone inside the hall.
"Flowing Cloud Sect, it seems like I won't be escaping disaster this time. Especially when Grand Ancestor is nowhere to be found..." He mumbled with his hands clasped together. His countenance solemn as he thought of the grim future.
Inside the Estate of the Longinus Clan, the two pair of son and father talked to each other before a table filled with numerous dishes. Zaramias turned to his son, clearly didn't have the appetite to eat as he asked, "Earlier, when you asked me for that Imperial Decree, just what is your reason for doing that? If you won't give me any proper answer, I will not let you off..." He lifted his lips in a vicious smile which sent a shiver down Dan's spine. Wryly smiling, he sipped his tea and replied.
"Father, did you notice something suspicious about the Varkaant and Batian Clan?" His words rang clear in Zaramias clear as his figure trembled for a moment. Suffusing a solemn expression, he replied, "Indeed, it seems like those guys are becoming restless, and according to what I found, it seems like they're slowly sending their wealth inside the Empire of Eternal Faith."
Dan revealed a small smile, "It seems like they're planning a coup."
"Planning a what?"
"A coup..."
Zaramias' expression darkened before he retorted, "That's nonsense! Are they going to plan a coup with only the power of both of their clans? That measly strength that they have would definitely not be enough! Especially before that expert from the Imperial Palace..." HIs expression went cold when he remembered the power of that hidden expert, that realm of strength, definitely belongs to the realm of Divine!
"Yeah, you're right about that father, so let's disperse that idea for now and let's think about this first. What if they have a sect's backing behind them? Would they still act presumptuously or not?"
Dan's words made bell echo inside Zaramias mind. And the sudden realization of everything shook him in his core as he stammered, "C-c-could it be that... The Flowing Cloud Sect?!"
"If it really is the Flowing Cloud Sect supporting them from behind, then they could definitely subdue the current Emperor and take his position, Fuck those bastards of a dog that bit the hand of who fed them!"
Dan was familiar about the influence called the Flowing Cloud Sect, all of their Elders had a cultivation that rivaled that of his father, and let's not even mention their patriarch that had the power comparable to that expert protecting the Empire of Dawn behind the shadows.
But before they could continue in their discussions, a news that made their blood run cold echoed throughout the entire mansion.
According to a scout from Fiery Blood Army, a ten-thousand strong army from the Flowing Cloud Sect has arrived before the gates of the Empire, demanding that the current reigning Emperor should abdicate his position or they will annihilate everything.
Dan and his father, along with everyone inside the Longinus Clan Estate was taken aback.
They didn't expect that the Flowing Cloud Sect would start their attack so soon.
Dan immediately stood up, running towards the room where the pair of daughter and mother resided. He took them towards his father as the latter handed them several defensive artifacts that they could use. Zaramias asked Dan to protect the two.
Of course, Dan adamantly refused, saying that he should also participate in the upcoming battle as the Vice-Commander of the Fiery Blood Army. But after his father said that he was the only hope of continuing the bloodline of the Clan, Dan gritted his teeth, took the young auntie and her daughter, as they ran towards the direction of the Imperial Palace.
But before they could do so, a cold voice filled with mockery and delight echoed from the gates as the wooden gate, exploded into splinters, sending fragments of wood, flying everywhere.
Dan covered the two as he felt a searing pain forming on his back. Turning around, his expression turned pale when he realized that the patriarch of the Batian Clan himself was among the people who intruded their Estate!
"Old geezer! It's time for us to settle our debts!" His voice resonated loudly across the entire Estate, followed by a familiar chuckle as Zaramias' figure came out of the Estate.
"To think that you really turned traitor. Oh well, at least, I predicted right." Zaramias shrugged, standing between them and, he clenched his fists together and mumbled, "Thunder God's Divine Arts: Thunder God Transformation!"
Lightning crackled followed by a deafening boom which rattled the entire City itself. Dan, along with the two, flew backward, and taking advantage of the force, Dan carried the two as he scaled the walls, escaping towards the direction of the Imperial Palace.
"Son, you go take the head of that bastard..." The middle-aged man who stood in the front mumbled towards the young man whose lips lifted into a mocking smile all this time.
"Yes, father. You need not worry about it, as I will definitely take his head..." The young man's figure disappeared along with a young woman who followed closely behind him.
"Now then, Old geezer Longinus, how about we settle this, right now?" The middle-aged man cracked his neck before taking a stance. Staring at each other in a standstill, their figures blurred as they rapidly exchanged fists in mid-air. Sending shockwaves of destruction which destroyed at least half of the Longinus Clan Estate.
Dan who was running for his life while carrying the two, thought to himself, "Goddamned it, I didn't expect them to take action this fast!" He scanned his are and found that every citizen looked panicked as chaos shortly consumed everything. There were fires, and people forcefully taken by the Civil Groups that joined the coup as they rallied towards the Imperial Palace.
Turning his head to the side, he noticed the pair of incestuous siblings chasing him as he clicked his tongue in annoyance. Placing his feet on the ground, he quickly flipped through the records of his family's Cultivation Method within the system and activated a rudimentary movement technique that he could execute perfectly for now.
Staring ahead, Dan found that the Imperial Palace was surrounded by numerous resplendent formations which prevented entry towards those unauthorized, fortunately for Dan; he had his Clan Token and was able to enter inside the Palace.
"Young auntie, there's a coup going on right now and I need you to listen to me..." Dan held Natalie's shoulder and solemnly explained, "No matter what, never open this door until I come out and fetch you guys...Do you understand?"
Dan placed the two inside a completely protected and hidden compartment inside the Imperial Palace after asking the Emperor for permission. Inside the compartment, Dan also found the Emperor's daughter who looked quite pale as she stared at Dan, "How about you? Dan Longinus, aren't you going to go in?"
"No, I won't, there's so much chaos going on right now and I don't really wanna miss out some free ASP..." He said these cryptic words before shutting the door close. He walked towards a dark corner and bought a simple Desert Eagle handgun that he could use in the upcoming fight.
Holding a dagger on his right and a handgun on his left, Dan entered Stealth as he walked towards the direction where the two incestuous bastards were stopped.
There, he found that not only they were at the scene, the members of their clans that acted as civilians were also there, wildly protesting towards the Emperor, wishing for him to descend down from his position.
Walking towards the unsuspecting Ivan, pointed his handgun at his head before emerging from Stealth. His sudden appearance startled everyone as Dan mumbled, "Sleep well, Ivan..."