Chapter 471 The Great Change of the Era

They knew the tide had turned against the Great Kang Royal Family. Their reign could no longer be secured.

A powerhouse of the Martial Saint Level could now single-handedly fight an entire army, escape unharmed, and leave that army with devastating losses.

Even firearms were useless.

The very foundation of Great Kang’s rule had, in effect, been toppled.

The foundation of Great Kang’s rule had always been its army.

Now, the army couldn’t harm such a being.

And such a being could not be recruited.

Although the Imperial Authority had not officially fallen, everyone knew it was already gone.

“My Great Kang is finished… my Great Kang is finished! I have failed my ancestors! Oh, how I have failed my ancestors!” His Majesty the Emperor of Great Kang knelt on the ground and wailed.

“Your Majesty, don’t give up just yet. Perhaps we still have a chance. We might still have a chance.” Xu Lei’s mother, herself a Grandmaster Level expert, went to embrace His Majesty the Emperor.

When Xu Lei was born, his mother was merely an Innate Powerhouse. But over the years, she too had become a Grandmaster Level expert.

“Yes, Father. If Mother can also break through to the Martial Saint Level, then we’ll still have a chance,” Xu Lei added, trying to console him.

Of course, Xu Lei knew that becoming a Martial Saint Level powerhouse was no easy feat.

In truth, the Royal Family had been trying for years to cultivate a Martial Saint Level powerhouse. But Xu Lei’s mother had never been able to break through, and the others were even further from the goal—most hadn’t even reached the Grandmaster level.

“But your mother certainly can’t break through in the short term. And this Martial Saint is so cautious. We can’t even return to the Imperial Palace. We don’t even dare show our faces. Soon, he will seize the Imperial Authority of the realm.”

His Majesty the Emperor continued in despair, “He will unite the world. We’ve already lost. Great Kang has been defeated. Great Kang has fallen.”

The surrounding members of the Great Kang Royal Family fell silent. They all knew the Emperor of Great Kang was speaking the truth.

Then, His Majesty the Emperor of Great Kang looked at Xu Lei and couldn’t help but ask, “Xiao Shiliu, tell me, did your father do wrong? Where did I go wrong? What did I not do well? Is it because I am an incompetent Emperor that Great Kang collapsed under my rule? That our ancestors’ legacy was lost in my hands? Am I a failed ruler?”

Hearing these questions from His Majesty the Emperor of Great Kang, everyone present fell silent.

But Xu Lei sighed and said, “Father, you did nothing wrong. You are capable and diligent—far better than many emperors. You are not at fault. The era is. In the face of such a monumental shift in the times, no one can resist. An individual’s power is simply too insignificant.”

“We can only adapt to the times. This era does not favor the Great Kang Royal Family. Let’s go. We’ll find another place to rest and rebuild,” said Xu Lei’s second brother. “So long as the green mountains stand, we’ll never want for firewood.”

“If one day, one of us can reach the peak of the Ancient Immortal Martial Dao,” Thirteenth Sister added, “we can still seize back control of the world.”

“Second Brother, Xiao Shiliu, you should go. Take the members of our Royal Family and leave.” But His Majesty the Emperor shook his head. “I am the Emperor. An emperor defends his capital. I must remain here, in the Imperial Palace. Great Kang’s line has been broken by my hand. I have no face to meet my ancestors. The only path left for me is death. Besides, that Martial Saint will not spare me. My death will be an offering to him. If I travel with you, I will only bring you harm. Furthermore, I am useless at Martial Arts. Following you, I would only be a burden and of no real help. And finally, I must serve as a final, definitive end to the old era.”

Hearing this, everyone cried out in sorrow, “Your Majesty!!”

Many tried to change His Majesty the Emperor’s mind, but ultimately, they could not.

Xu Lei didn’t try to force his father either.

Because he knew his father was right.

If his father didn’t die, their group would never know a day of peace.

That Martial Saint would soon control all power under heaven.

His power alone was enough to suppress the entire realm.

His Inner Strength also recovered relatively quickly.

He didn’t have the same weaknesses as Cultivators like Xu Lei from the previous era.

Until another Martial Saint appeared in the world, no one could stop him from seizing Imperial Authority.

When that happened, he would surely use the full might of the world to hunt down the Great Kang Royal Family.

The death of His Majesty the Emperor of Great Kang might lessen the Martial Saint’s focus on the Great Kang Royal Family.

After all, if the old Emperor was still alive, it would mean the old Imperial Authority hadn’t been fully erased. A new emperor would have no choice but to kill the old one.

But if the Emperor died, the surviving remnants of the fallen dynasty could go into hiding, and there would be less need to pursue them. While the new ruler would surely conduct a search, he might not be as relentless.

「A few months later.」

Xu Lei and the other core members of the Great Kang Royal Family had quietly departed from the Capital City.

Then one day, Xu Lei heard news from the Capital City: His Majesty the Emperor of Great Kang had been killed.

He had been thrown from the Forbidden City Peak in the Imperial Palace by that Martial Saint Level powerhouse.

He was dashed to death!

That single fall of His Majesty the Emperor of Great Kang…

…signified the end of the old era, and the official beginning of the glorious age of Ancient Immortal Martial Arts!

Several months later, the Martial Saint Level powerhouse gathered his old family retainers and gradually began to seize control of the world.

In the Capital City, he declared himself Emperor and renamed the dynasty “Great Martial”!

A few more months passed. He had taken control of the firearms and personally led an army equipped with them to sweep across the realm!