It turned out that Liang Feifan and the imperial palace's enshriners had sensed a large number of cultivators approaching the palace earlier and had rushed out to investigate.
"I understand the situation," Liang Feifan said after landing. He then instructed the enshriners, "You go deal with the cultivators from the ministers' families outside the palace. The rest of you, follow me. We'll go meet this guest."
He had already used his divine sense to scout ahead. The forces from the ministers' households were not a concern. What caught his attention were the few unfamiliar figures at the palace gate.
Before long, everyone arrived at the palace gate.
In the plaza inside the palace gates.
A mysterious man in a cloak stood leisurely there, seemingly waiting for Liang Dekuai and the others to arrive. Behind him were seven cultivators dressed in black. Their cultivation levels appeared to be only at the Void Mirage first or second layer, even lower than the imperial palace's enshriners. Strangely, the skin on their faces and hands was all an eerie pale color. Their skin was cracked like dried earth, resembling corpses that had been dead for a long time.
"Our Liang family has never met you before. Today, you've mobilized such a large force. You owe us an explanation," Liang Feifan stopped about fifteen feet away from the cloaked man, narrowing his eyes.
"We have indeed met for the first time," the cloaked man stepped forward and lifted his hood. "But our connection runs very deep!"
Upon seeing the opponent's face, Liang Feifan's heart skipped a beat. The man appeared to be only twenty-one or twenty-two years old. However, the skin on his face, like that of the seven black-clothed subordinates, was eerily pale and cracked. He looked like a living dead person! Unlike his subordinates, his face, neck, and hands were covered in dense talismans. The style of these talismans was vastly different from those used in formations, exuding a strange aura.
A surname immediately flashed through Liang Feifan's mind: Murong! The style and appearance of the talismans on this young man were exactly the same as the cultivators of the Murong family recorded in their family archives!
"You are a descendant of the Murong family!" Liang Feifan squinted.
"Fifty thousand years have passed... " the young man scanned the palace. "Our Murong family has finally returned to this place..."
The young man appeared very relaxed and casual, clearly not taking Liang Feifan and the others seriously. "I, Murong Tie, represent our Murong family today and will reclaim what belongs to us!" Murong Tie pointed at Liang Feifan and his group, shouting with imposing might.
"Swish, swish, swish!"
As soon as Murong Tie finished speaking, the seven black-clothed cultivators behind him attacked in unison! The enshriners on the imperial palace side did not dare to delay and rushed to meet them. Liang Feifan erected a protective shield of true energy, shielding Liang Dekuai. He then took out a jade pendant from his ring and infused it with some true energy. Semi-transparent protective barriers rose, covering the various buildings of the palace. Afterward, a larger barrier in the shape of an eggshell condensed, enveloping the entire imperial palace.
"Rumble—!"
The two forces clashed unceasingly in mid-air, the residual energy of their techniques fiercely impacting the barriers outside the buildings. After observing for a while, Liang Feifan found that something was amiss. Although the opponent's cultivators were at a significantly lower cultivation level than those of the imperial palace, their actual combat power was incredibly ferocious! The gap between each minor realm after Nascent Soul was an insurmountable chasm. Such instances of cross-realm challenges between Void Mirage stages were clearly impossible and should not exist!
After watching for a little longer, Liang Feifan finally began to understand. When the opposing cultivators attacked, besides their true energy, they seemed to be using another unknown power. Moreover, the life force of the seven black-clothed cultivators had noticeably weakened since the beginning of the battle. Recalling the methods of the Murong family... a word immediately flashed through Liang Feifan's mind: Curse power!
Liang Feifan was clearly helpless against this power system that he had never encountered before. Within three minutes of engagement, the cultivators of the imperial clan began to show signs of defeat.
"Liang Feifan, your people are about to lose," Murong Tie said mockingly. "If you don't make a move soon, your Liang family will be finished."
"Or perhaps..." Murong Tie raised his voice by two octaves. "You are too afraid of death and dare not act!"
"Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!"
While Murong Tie was speaking, all the enshriners on the imperial clan's side were knocked to the ground. They lay motionless, their lives unknown!
"Bang, bang, bang!" Several more cultivators crashed to the ground. They were the imperial enshriners Liang Feifan had dispatched earlier. Then, several black-clothed cultivators ignored the palace's barriers and walked in as if they were not there. Their cracked, pale skin indicated that they were allied with Murong Tie.
Liang Feifan took a deep breath and took out his sword from his ring.
"Ancestor, if you make a move..." Liang Dekuai tried to stop him with concern.
"Is there any other choice now?" Liang Feifan flicked his sword, and streaks of sword energy shot towards Murong Tie and the others.
"Drip, drip..." As his figure swayed, droplets of blood scattered on the ground. This single move triggered his old injuries! After all, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. The moment Liang Feifan, a Void Mirage 6th layer cultivator, took action, the battle clearly tilted to one side. Although Murong Tie's black-clothed subordinates had enhanced combat abilities through curse power, they were still no match for absolute strength. In less than a minute, all the black-clothed cultivators were dealt with! This was thanks to the curse power helping them endure a few more blows. If it were ordinary Void Mirage first or second layer cultivators, the outcome would likely have been decided in a single move.
"Pfft—!"
As soon as Liang Feifan landed, he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood. Not only that, but blood also seeped from his eyes, ears, and nose. His face was alarmingly pale, and he could barely stand!
"Ancestor!" Liang Dekuai quickly supported him. "You..."
"It's nothing..." Liang Feifan looked weakly at Murong Tie, who lay on the ground. "At least he's dealt with..."
His forced action earlier had completely detonated his old injuries, and he knew he was about to die. But fortunately, Murong Tie had finally been resolved. Coupled with Ye Fan previously resolving the curse on Liang Rujing, the Liang family was considered completely safe. Even if he died now, he would have no regrets...
"While I still have some time..." Liang Feifan forced himself to pick up his sword. "I'll go deal with those outside the palace..."
Before Liang Feifan could finish speaking, an unexpected change occurred! Murong Tie, who was already presumed dead, stood up from the ground! Liang Feifan's eyes widened instantly! How was this possible...?! However, Murong Tie's current appearance was terrifying. A hole half a foot in diameter had hollowed out his chest, and one could even see the remnants of shattered internal organs! Intestines and other organs dangled loosely from the large opening in his chest and abdomen, occasionally dripping foul-smelling liquid.