In the end, the Emperor just took the lives of four people. It was a true execution, even done with their own weapons.

Xiong Yating, Teng De, Mo Tai, and Zhao Zhihao simply ceased to exist...

***

To say the truth, Wu Guang had a lot of questions for the Emperor, but the main would be a simple series of "Why?".

Why did the Emperor come personally? Why he had revealed himself at that moment and not sooner or later? Why did he decide to execute only this four right away? And then, why did he order the rest to enter the Sect's ground and remain there under fear of death?

Speaking of being confined, Wu Guang and everyone who helped him, as well the people that they had made leave before as to not get them involved were also asked to stay without moving. They were not threatened or anything, but the Emperor made it clear he wanted everyone to stay in the empty Blue Tree City.

Not that Wu Guang had much choice. Albeit he more-or-less healed his body, it was via the infusion of foreign qi, and he then overexerted himself again.

________________________________________________________________________

Three days after the Emperor's departure, Blue Tree City, Lord's Manor.

"Brother Wu! Brother Wu!" The voice of Xiao Feng broke the serene silence of the lake-side training area that Wu Guang had again occupied, with the explicit permission of the yet to be confirmed inheritor of the City. Different from the other cities, Blue Tree City was almost a hereditary holding, one that simply grew from an estate to a city, and so continued in full ownership of the Xiao family. A family that was now reduced to a single 17-year-old Spirit realm cultivator, and a few affiliated people remaining in the Wildlands.

"What do you need?" A rude female voice interrupted his shouting, and a short-haired, bronze-skinned, tall woman, introduced before as Chun Hua caught Xiao Feng by the shoulder, preventing him from running into the only building present.

"People from the Black Empire arrived, and they are calling for brother Wu. They refuse to share anything or even talk without him present" A thought of joking about the fact he was the actual owner of this estate crossed Xiao Feng's mind, but the cold eyes now facing him were simply too unfriendly, making him swallow the words and snappily report.

"They can wait. Wu Guang is busy trying to heal himself to no avail. And I doubt he needs to see someone sent by the man that just barged into the combat and left without even seeing that he stays alive"

"But..."

"No buts and no reasoning. He calls you his friend, and so I am using words, but if anyone else appears, he will have to pass through us with a fight" Chun Hua interrupted and half-hissed. And just a moment later, the savage aura of Kass Shaa'r, the strange beast or half-man following Wu Guang suddenly reached Xiao Feng, confirming Chun Hua's words.

"...I will tell them" Xiao Feng heavily nodded while trying to understand how the hell he will do it. After all, one of the people that had arrived was an Earth Realm cultivator! Not that the old man could be anything less, considering the fact he arrived through the air.

"Good"

***

Inside the building, Wu Guang did hear everything that happened outside, and even though he wasn't keen on making Kass Shaa'r or Chun Hua fight someone to keep them away from him, it wasn't like he did not agree with their sentiments. He had not felt it during the battle, filled with the excitement, fury, and other emotions of the moment, but as the Emperor ended the battle... Wu Guang could hardly stand up for the judgment and execution part. Not to mention that as the Emperor left, he simply did not have the strength even to walk the two miles until the city, forced to ask Kass Shaa'r to transport him.

"In any case, even though I do not understand the Emperor's reasoning, he still arrived in time. If I continued, I probably would have fallen without strength just a few minutes after the supposed activation of the traps" This was Wu Guang's conclusion and the reason why he had not asked the lizardman to get him out from here.

It wasn't as if his condition had suddenly worsened, no, it was just that the mending he made by using the absorbed energies simply did not resist the amount of fighting, the constant changes in the situation, and most importantly, the sheer amount of strong auras and cultivators around.

His three 'fake' meridians dissipated, and so, he fell back to his incomplete circulation state, in which he could not even gather enough qi to maintain his body standing.

***

"Hmm? You say he isn't able to move?" Chen Jiahao, as it was no one else than him asked the pale youngster in front.

"Yes esteemed Lord. Wu Guang is currently trying to heal his body, and his followers forbid anyone from approaching"

"Seems that I will have to go myself then"

"Sir?" Xiao Feng tried to ask something to stop this old monster from doing so but was blatantly ignored. And even though he would have liked to follow, the old man disappeared from the spot with such speed that he could not even follow it with his eyes. Not to mention that if he tried to activate a movement technique, he would probably be cut down by the two people covered in black armor that did not even allow him to see their eyes.

***

"Stand down you three" Chen Jiahao said as soon as he sensed the auras that flared in front of him, preventing him from approaching the small, old building that Wu Guang had secluded himself in.

The two Soul realm cultivators would not able to even sense him if he wanted, but the beastman, the one that even the Emperor ranked as one of the most dangerous beings he had ever seen... Was an opponent that Chen Jiahao did not want to fight. Especially if the reason for his visit was considered. Wu Guang, no Chen Guang was declared a member of the Chen family officially, and the Emperor had gone out of his usual court manners to declare that the youngster was a true dragon amongst men. For someone who did not understand the customs and manners of the Empire it may not appear as much, but it was. After all, such words meant that he was considered a genius even by the Emperor!

"Stand down! I do not have any ill intentions, and in truth hope to help Wu Guang!" Chen Jiahao repeated, feeling how the savage aura, one probably stronger than his slightly calmed down.

"Chun Hua, Kass Shaa'r, Lan Yanzhi! Let him pass, please" Albeit weak, Wu Guang's voice was heard by everyone. And his words had some kind of magic effect on the three of them, as the auras disappeared and the previous hostility dispersed as if it was never present.

"Ssss, what loyalty" Chen Jiahao could only breathe a mouthful of cold air at this show. He was the War Minister of the Empire, one of, and now the single main power of the entire plane. He had hundreds of direct subordinates, and thousands of thousands followed his orders... But even he could not guarantee that a Soul realm cultivator would risk life and limb to stop someone far stronger from reaching him without any hesitation.

***

"Don't even try to!" Chen Jiahao commanded as soon as Wu Guang tried to rise to meet him.

"Haa, sorry, Lord Minister" It wasn't like he wanted to wag his tail at the man, but at least the Black Empire never had shown fake care for him. They wanted to use him, and they explained it openly If Wu Guang survived, then good, the Empire will reward him. And if not, well, probably they would have shed a single tear after the war and quickly forgotten about him. Such a treatment could appear to be cold, but it was an honest one, and Wu Guang appreciated it. He also appreciated that the Empire, or more exactly Chen Jiahao told him everything he could, and immediately pointed at what he could not. With none of the games, half-truths, heart-warming revelations, and so on from the Sect. Which in the end just turned into a big plate of lies, and he ate it entirely.

As Wu Guang's eyes flared with cold fury, Chen Jiahao tried to maintain his expression neutral. He did not think that the fury was directed at them, but... Wasn't the 'Three Hills Sect' a project of the Empire?

"Ehem, is your condition so bad as I had been told by the closed-eyes young man?" Funny as it may be, the only one allowed to speak with the Imperials, as well as Chen Jiahao was Yuan Taotu. There was a reason for it, but it could not be revealed for now. At least not until the Emperor made the official declaration, and Yuan Taotu regained his former name and title.

"Hmm? Did he speak? And even explained something? What a surprise!" Wu Guang smiled and attempted to make a joke. He had felt for long that Yuan Taotu wasn't a simple disciple found by the sect somewhere, and this indirect admission was enough to confirm it. After all, how come that Yuan Taotu was allowed to speak with Chen Jiahao while neither Xiao Feng nor the Clan heads present in the manor were not?

"It is so funny? Anyway, may I check on your body? I hope we can help you. One of the people that arrived with me is the Medicine Grandmaster of the Empire, the great healer of the Black Palace"

"Go ahead, Senior" Wu Guang shrugged and allowed a wisp of qi sent by the War minister to enter his body.

He had nothing to hide currently, with his consciousness shielded by his mind power, the only power that remained available, the rest of the body had no real secrets. His cultivation set being impossible to determine without knowing at least a part of the mantra, Wu Guang's body was one of a heavily damaged, probably even crippled cultivator.

Well, maybe except the fact that his Spirit Dantian and Void Space were almost the sizes of a Sage realm.

And this fact did not escape Chen Jiahao's scan, not that he deliberately mentioned it, but surprise flashed in his eyes.

________________________________________________________________________

A few hours later, Blue Tree City, Lord's Manor, Meeting Room.

"So what do you think, Grandmaster?" Chen Jiahao asked a small, thin, cleanly shaved man. The only one in the entire room to be dressed in white, and not the black tones used by all the Imperial soldiers and cultivators.

"It is bad, but there is a way to heal him. The youngster made an enormous effort and managed to heal the worst, even to slightly recover, but then overexerted himself again, provoking further breakage. Still, everything except his arm is easily recoverable with the right amount of resources"

"And the arm?"

"Using a few special techniques, as well as resorting to a healing formation, it is possible to recover the cultivation. But there will be remaining damage and his overall prowess will be lessened. Something that will be only solved as he lives and successfully cultivates"

"What resources do we need? And what does Grandmaster means with 'cultivates'?"

"Allow me to answer the second question first - He will need to somehow overcome the limits after recovering and advances several times before the damage truly dissipates"

"And resources?"

"I will prepare a list of herbs and pills, but on the best estimate we are talking about dozens of Spirit herbs and even more treasured pills"

"No matter, prepare the list and pass it to any of my men. I will make sure for it to be gathered and delivered right away"

"Mmm, Understood"

***

Everything that he was told by Chen Jiahao and the small-statured Medicine Grandmaster was something that Wu Guang already knew. In fact, after trying all the possible temporal fixtures, he had planned to go and gather the herbs. It was a question on how and where he could do it, but he was sure that someone would have them. As for the pills, it would be extremely hard with him unable to create any, but he hoped that Chun Hua, with her strange ability to grasp any knowledge and Kass Shaa'r with his practically unlimited aura, could substitute for him, and act on his instructions.

Still, the unexpected help promised, and probably to be given was something great for him. Not only did it lower the time he would need, but it also solved one of the questions that he could not ask... What did the Empire think about him? Was he just a disposable that will be given some props and sent off?

***

"So as you see, we will be able to help you recover. But the full recovery will depend on your ability"

"Understood"

"Good, I have already commanded for everything needed to be brought here. But it will take a few days"

"Thank you"

"Mmm, it's the smallest thing we can do for someone who discovered, and practically stopped the treacherous plans of the Sect"

"Haah, I would not say it like that, but well. In any case, Senior, if it's allowed, could you please inform me of the Plane's situation?"

"Allowed? Of course, it is allowed! Even more, it was my original intention! And the reason for me coming here in person"

"Huh?"

"What? You thought the War minister is usually sent to deal with matters like a third-rate power with no one except Peak Soul realm cultivators remaining?"

"..."

"Exactly. And don't think badly of the Emperor, he not only came here personally, leaving his palace for the first time in 87 years, but also ensured that everything that you own, need, or want is to be allocated to you. Albeit maybe he forgot to tell you anything except to stay and wait for someone to come" Chen Jiahao slightly smiled at the last part. And then he quickly added

"And so, on his Imperial Majesty order, you, Chen Guang, obtained the title of Young Lord of the Chen Family, as well... Half-Island"

"What?!" Even Wu Guang could not contain his surprise.

"Why do you even act surprised? You will be leaving the plane in any case, and who if not the hero of the island will be recognized by the people as someone worthy? Thus making the actual governor far more accepted?"

"That's..."

"Blunt? But it's the truth" Chen Jiahao simply said. And then grinned, before adding

"Not that we will assign any governor if you decide to stay"

"Senior, please don't joke like that. Now, could you please explain what happened? I take that the war has ended? At least from the talks about governors and such"

"Yes, it has. But let me give you a full overview. You will probably need it to make any decisions..."