Zhou Hong was also unsure if using atomic bombs as spirit stones to set up a formation was reliable, and only experimentation would tell.
"Your Majesty, I have finished setting up the formation and can detonate it at any time," Zhou Hong said to the Emperor.
Setting up such an atomic bomb formation would take Zhou Hong at least fifteen minutes. In an emergency, it would be completely impractical and could only be used as a trap.
"Very well, I will go inside. You can detonate it and see if it can harm me."
"Yes, please be careful." Zhou Hong felt quite confident this time.
Half a minute later, the Emperor entered the formation, and Zhou Hong instantly detonated it.
"BOOM!" Instantly, in the space of over a hundred meters surrounded by the formation, twenty atomic bombs detonated simultaneously.
Zhou Hong was extremely excited because the twenty atomic bombs exploded within the hundred-meter space as he had anticipated, without a single trace leaking out.
After waiting for a while, the atomic bomb formation gradually dissipated.
The next second, a disheveled man walked out from within the formation, still swaying. Although he appeared to have sustained no major external injuries, he was clearly weakened. It was none other than the Emperor.
"Hahaha." The Emperor laughed heartily after emerging.
"Your Majesty, how do you feel?" Zhou Hong rushed forward and asked.
"Zhou Hong, you are truly amazing. I almost met my end in there just now. I never expected that those 'eggs' of yours, which seemed to have no penetrative power, would become so potent after your modifications."
"Heh heh." Zhou Hong smiled gleefully. He had only used atomic bombs this time. If it were hydrogen bombs, Zhou Hong couldn't imagine the consequences; the Emperor would likely have been vaporized.
"Your Majesty, now, is there any problem dealing with the National Teacher?"
"Hahaha, hahaha." The Emperor let out an excited laugh. The answer was obvious without him needing to speak. If even he emerged staggering, the National Teacher would fare no better inside. If they struck the National Teacher first, and he emerged in a similar state, killing him would be as easy as flipping a hand.
"Zhou Hong, return to the imperial palace with me. We will devise a plan to lure the National Teacher into your formation, and then bombard him according to the previous standard. By then, a majority of his strength will have been expended in resisting the attack of your atomic bomb formation, and killing him will be effortless."
"Yes, this blasted National Teacher, I truly wish to bombard him to death immediately."
Thus, Zhou Hong and the Emperor quickly returned to the imperial palace.
Indeed, when Zhou Hong and the Emperor returned to the imperial palace, they were spotted by the National Teacher's subordinate from a distance.
However, the National Teacher's subordinate did not approach them but instead hurried back to report to the National Teacher.
"Reporting to the National Teacher, the Emperor has returned," the subordinate said, arriving at the National Teacher's residence to report.
"Hmph, he has finally returned. I presume he went out specifically to send that 'Hong' fellow away. That brat got off too easily," the National Teacher snorted coldly.
"Reporting to the National Teacher, that Zhou fellow also returned to the imperial palace with the Emperor."
"What? He didn't send him away?"
"No, they entered the imperial palace together."
"That's strange, but it matters not. I will enter the palace now to see the Emperor. This time, I will kill that Zhou fellow right in front of him. I want to see if he dares to openly defy me." With that, the National Teacher leaped up and sped towards the imperial palace.
Meanwhile, Zhou Hong was busy setting up atomic bombs in the grand hall of the imperial palace.
Zhou Hong knew that the National Teacher would likely arrive soon, so his time was limited.
Setting up such an atomic bomb formation would take him at least fifteen minutes.
However, just as Zhou Hong was halfway through, he saw a figure rapidly approaching from the distant sky.
"Not good, Your Majesty, the National Teacher is here!" Zhou Hong shouted.
"Zhou Hong, have you finished?"
"No, only halfway done. If he discovers this, it will be difficult."
"I will go up to stall him," the Emperor said, also leaping up towards the sky. He intercepted the National Teacher in mid-air, aiming to buy Zhou Hong an extra seven or eight minutes.
"National Teacher, what is the matter again? You are flying towards my imperial palace in such a hurry," the Emperor asked with a grim expression after stopping the National Teacher.
"Greetings, Your Majesty. This old minister has been thinking since returning, and I increasingly feel that Zhou Hong's audacity in shouting at me in front of all the court officials has caused me immense spiritual harm. If I do not kill him, I will surely develop inner demons. Therefore, this old minister implores Your Majesty not to stop me. I must kill him."
"National Teacher, you are a powerful cultivator in the late stage of the Divine Transformation realm. Why stoop to arguing with a junior? Moreover, he is a student of the Primordial Academy. Do you perhaps disregard the Primordial Academy as well?"
"Your Majesty, what concern is it of mine that he is a student of the Primordial Academy? I am not going to the Primordial Academy to kill him. Furthermore, as far as I know, students of the Primordial Academy are not protected by the academy once they leave Primordial City."
"National Teacher, can you not even give me some face? Zhou Hong, after all, is the one who cured my illness. Grant this emperor some face and spare him this once." The Emperor deliberately stalled for time, speaking vaguely.
"I apologize, Your Majesty, but I must kill Zhou Hong, that little eunuch. I hope Your Majesty will not obstruct me, lest it damage our relationship as sovereign and subject."
A flash of anger crossed the Emperor's face. The National Teacher was becoming increasingly brazen.
However, the Emperor's thoughts turned to Zhou Hong's atomic bomb formation, and he felt a surge of anticipation. He would let the National Teacher taste its might shortly. Although Zhou Hong's atomic bomb formation could not directly kill him, it could at least consume a vast portion of his strength.
At this moment, Zhou Hong was nervously setting up the formation.
Unfortunately, seven or eight minutes felt very short, and it was not easy for the Emperor to stall. Su Dan Novel Network.
Several times, the National Teacher attempted to descend, and the Emperor had to intervene repeatedly, nearly resulting in a fight.
"Your Majesty, it seems you are truly willing to destroy our relationship as sovereign and subject for an outsider," the National Teacher said angrily.
"National Teacher, can we not discuss this further? There must be other solutions," the Emperor said anxiously, wondering if Zhou Hong had finished his preparations.
"I am sorry, but for the sake of my future cultivation, no one's face matters."
Just then, the Emperor saw Zhou Hong standing outside the imperial palace, in front of the palace gates. This meant Zhou Hong had successfully completed the formation.
The Emperor rejoiced inwardly.
"National Teacher, if you are insistent on killing Zhou Hong, then so be it." The Emperor feigned helplessness and pretended to concede.
The National Teacher felt a sense of contempt. This time, the Emperor's authority would once again be diminished, and subsequently, more court officials of the Supreme Empire would lean towards him. Once all the court officials of the Supreme Empire sided with him, usurping the throne would be a simple matter.