“The Emperor has passed away…” The Fourth Prince’s right hand trembled as he gazed at the thundering and lightning-filled imperial palace, murmuring to himself. His heart churned with complex emotions; he could not tell whether he was angry or sorrowful, relieved or secretly delighted.
He had originally thought that the commotion tonight was caused by the Demon Queen forcefully entering the palace and being intercepted by the Right Chancellor. He never expected the Emperor to have died, and even more shockingly, it was orchestrated by the Crown Prince who had ordered the Left Chancellor to poison him.
The Sword Emperor breathed slowly and calmly, neither angry nor surprised, waiting for Meng Qi to continue speaking. If he were to believe everything just from a few words, he and the Fourth Prince would have been deceived long ago.
The surrounding guards and swordsmen began to breathe heavily, as if brewing a volcanic eruption.
The Fourth Prince stared at Meng Qi and solemnly asked, “Is this true?”
“The Emperor accepted the young master of the Jiang Clan, intending to use the relics of the Demon Sovereign as bait to eliminate the three Grand Masters. However, the Crown Prince discovered this and ordered the Left Chancellor to assassinate the Emperor. The Left Chancellor, feeling he had become a discarded piece, took a desperate risk by poisoning the Emperor’s food, accelerating the absorption of his essence, causing the Emperor to die suddenly while absorbing the relics of the Demon Sovereign. Afterward, the Left Chancellor, unwilling to be silenced by the Crown Prince, informed the Evil Monarch of everything. The Evil Monarch arranged for the Seventh Prince to leave the capital and join the rebel army in the southeast, while he himself was killed by me.”
Meng Qi summarized the situation in a few words, hitting all the key points. The rest could be inferred by the Fourth Prince and the Sword Emperor from their own clues, and they could judge the truth from the logical chain of events.
This matter was related to Meng Qi. If he had not taken Batu and Changsun Jing, the young master of the Jiang Clan would have fallen into the hands of one of the princes, luring the Grand Masters into a trap. The Demon Sovereign’s crystal in the Emperor’s possession would have been sent out as bait. The next morning, the Emperor would not have needed to absorb it and thus would not have died suddenly. The course of events would have been completely different, all under Meng Qi’s control. The only thing Meng Qi needed to do was find a way to sabotage the peace talks, which was a much easier task.
“What audacity, heh…” The Sword Emperor sneered, fully understanding the matter of the Demon Sovereign’s relics. If the Emperor had not already died, he might have gone to deliver the final blow himself.
The Fourth Prince’s face was grim but not panicked: “The Seventh Prince has left the capital; chaos will spread across the land… My elder brother has the heart of a wolf and the lungs of a dog, actually killing his father and sovereign!”
The swordsmen and guards nearby had been waiting for these words. Swords and blades were drawn in unison, pointing to the sky, their metallic clangs unceasing:
“The Crown Prince has killed the Emperor; we implore the Prince to restore stability, uphold the collapsing pillar, save the people from suffering, and eliminate the treacherous forces!”
“We implore the Prince to restore stability, uphold the collapsing pillar, save the people from suffering, and eliminate the treacherous forces!”
One voice after another rose, their momentum pressing, demanding that the Fourth Prince take a stand and lead them in the struggle for the throne.
The Fourth Prince raised his right hand and sternly declared, “As a son and a subject, it is my duty to eliminate the treacherous!”
“We are willing to die for the Prince!” the swordsmen and guards shouted in unison.
Meng Qi remained composed, waiting until the clamor subsided before stepping forward: “There are now three urgent matters that the Prince must attend to immediately.”
Having received the answer from the “Sword of the Monarch,” he changed his address to “Prince.”
“What are these three matters?” The sudden turn of events caught the Fourth Prince off guard, forcing him to assume the role of seeking counsel from his strategist.
Meng Qi’s expression remained calm as he spoke: “The Seventh Prince has already left the capital and can be temporarily ignored. The three matters that must be addressed immediately are as follows: First, the Prince must send someone to the post station to summon General Lu, using the news of the Crown Prince’s regicide to persuade him. Together, they should go to the city’s military camp and force the Western Expedition General to pledge allegiance.”
“This is the most urgent matter!” The Fourth Prince nodded in agreement, “With General Lu’s presence, I feel much more at ease.”
In the past, the Iron Mountain Army was powerful, and all the generals and soldiers under Lu Guan were elite troops. Therefore, after his demotion, the Emperor divided and scattered the Iron Mountain Army, assigning three-tenths of its soldiers and officers to the imperial guards in the capital, under the command of the Western Expedition General.
Under normal circumstances, the authority of the Emperor was formidable, and even though these officers and soldiers revered Lu Guan, they dared not defy imperial orders, even if Lu Guan tried to rally them. That was why Lu Guan had joked about being powerless and without troops, and the princes’ attempts to win him over were futile.
However, with the Emperor’s death and the ensuing chaos, if Lu Guan were accompanied by the Fourth Prince, a symbol of imperial authority, and if they spread the news of the Crown Prince’s regicide and the Seventh Prince’s departure from the capital, there was a good chance that these officers and soldiers would follow Lu Guan and ignore the Western Expedition General’s commands. This was why the princes were eager to win Lu Guan’s allegiance, preparing for unforeseen circumstances.
At that time, the Iron Mountain Army, which accounted for two-tenths of the imperial guards, would rally the others in one fell swoop, and in the darkness of night, the rest of the soldiers would be unable to distinguish friend from foe, leaving them no choice but to be swept along. The Western Expedition General, Xu Jin, would be powerless to suppress the uprising.
Moreover, since Lu Guan would be rallying the troops under the Fourth Prince’s authority, it would prevent the Fourth Prince from harboring suspicions afterward.
Of course, the Western Expedition General was a peak human expert, and people like Song Ming, the “Heavenly Sword,” would need to accompany them; otherwise, if he confronted and killed the Fourth Prince and Lu Guan face-to-face, the joke would be too great.
Meng Qi slightly raised his head: “The second matter is for the Fourth Prince to dispatch his subordinates to spread the news of the Crown Prince’s regicide, ensuring that everyone in the capital knows, so that our cause is justified.”
The most important thing was to make the Right Chancellor hesitate in making a decision. Once the momentum was established, he would be helpless to resist.
“Good, I will not raise an army without a just cause.” The Fourth Prince understood the urgency of this matter, fearing that the Crown Prince might retaliate, “Meng Qing, what is the third matter?”
He had also changed his address.
Meng Qi placed his left hand on the hilt of his sword—he was currently playing the role of a swordsman who wielded a sword with his right hand and a knife with his left—and spoke coldly: “Take advantage of the chaos to kill Xiao Wang and the Crown Prince.”
Xiao Wang was the princely title of the Third Prince.
At this statement, everyone except the Sword Emperor was stunned, not expecting Xiao Meng, the “Sword of Amazement,” to be so bold and straightforward!
“Can you kill the Crown Prince if the old man can hold off the National Teacher?” the Sword Emperor asked calmly.
As for the Third Prince, his importance was clearly secondary to that of the Crown Prince. Even if he were not killed, his momentum would have already waned.
Meng Qi stood tall and said, “If the elder can hold off the National Teacher, I will surely take the Crown Prince’s head.”
“Good.” The Sword Emperor acted like a sword stroke, asking no further questions.
Meng Qi pointed to Luo Shengyi and said to the Sword Emperor, “This friend of mine is under Xiao Wang’s command, but he has often been suspected. Now he has turned from darkness to light and is willing to take Xiao Wang’s life for the Prince.”
“Good, a true patriot!” After hearing the three matters, the Fourth Prince felt reassured. He bowed to Meng Qi, the Sword Emperor, and Ruan Yushu, “I entrust my elder brother’s matter to you. When you return successfully, my sword chamber will be open to you.”
He began to issue orders methodically, such as notifying trusted ministers, cutting off key roads, and winning over neutrals…
Meng Qi, the three others, and the Sword Emperor left the Fourth Prince’s mansion and headed toward the Crown Prince’s mansion, which was also in the same noble quarter.
As they approached the Crown Prince’s mansion, Luo Shengyi continued on his way, determined to kill the Third Prince before the Demon Queen returned.
Due to the delay at the Fourth Prince’s mansion, the Crown Prince had already received the news. Guards were stationed at key locations, the main gate was wide open, and messengers were coming and going, as if a major battle was about to erupt.
Although the Crown Prince’s mansion was not as well-defended as the imperial palace, its defenses were still layered and difficult to breach directly. However, Meng Qi had already made plans.
He observed for a while, kept a distance, and silently knocked out a guard who was reporting the situation, stripping him of his clothes and hat and putting them on himself.
“You don’t know the passwords inside; how will you sneak in?” The Sword Emperor rarely asked such a question, as he was not like the Evil Monarch, who had a deep mastery of mental illusions.
Meng Qi smiled and said, “Please rest assured, Elder. In half a teacup’s time, I will launch a strong attack to draw away the National Teacher.”
Ruan Yushu stayed nearby as backup, just like in the imperial city, to avoid any unexpected situations without reinforcements.
The Sword Emperor nodded and gripped his sword, preparing to face the National Teacher.
Meng Qi crouched in the shadows at the mouth of a small alley, waiting for another guard who was reporting the situation to pass by, then suddenly darted out and followed behind him.
The guard seemed to sense something and turned to look, but his gaze passed over Meng Qi and looked behind him.
There was no one… He thought he was too nervous and was experiencing hallucinations. He quickened his pace and ran to the gate.
“Password!” The guard captain at the gate shouted.
The guard hurriedly replied, “Tonight’s fire and candle.”
The captain, hearing the correct password, nodded slightly and signaled him to enter.
Meng Qi kept his head down and closely followed behind the guard, entering the gate as well.
The captain, seeing them standing side by side, assumed they were together and did not ask further or stop them—since the guard who spoke the password did not seem surprised by Meng Qi’s following, the others naturally assumed they were a team, going to investigate and now returning with the report. Of course, there was no need for both to say the password.
Watching this scene, the Sword Emperor was slightly moved and raised his eyebrows slightly.
Under the guise of the real guard, Meng Qi successfully bypassed five consecutive checkpoints by providing five different passwords, smoothly approaching the hall where the Crown Prince was issuing orders. The National Preceptor and the Left Chancellor sat composedly, protected by the Ruyi Monk, who was flanked by over a dozen first-rate or near-first-rate experts.
They could all see through the Great Art of Illusionary Form, but Meng Qi, together with the real guard, passed unnoticed, as everyone assumed he was also a real guard—how could the important figures inside recognize all the guards?
The Crown Prince was heavily guarded against assassination, and Meng Qi and other ordinary guards could not enter the hall. They could only stand on the steps and inform the inner attendants of the information they had obtained, who would then relay it.
“The Fourth Prince has gone to the city’s military camp.” Meng Qi rasped to the inner attendant in front of him.
The guard, hearing the voice, looked up in surprise. When had another companion appeared on the steps? Was it someone who had been waiting here before or had just arrived?
What excellent kung fu! Walking without a sound!
He did not think much about it, assuming he had just not noticed, and smiled to himself before reporting the message to the inner attendant.
The inner attendant moved back and forth methodically, reporting the message to the Crown Prince and conveying the Crown Prince’s orders to the guards, assigning Meng Qi the task of further investigating the Fourth Prince’s movements.
Meng Qi slowly descended the steps, preparing to reach the front shadows and then, when no one was looking, slip into hiding.
At that moment, screams echoed continuously. Even from a distance, Meng Qi could feel a sharp force, in harmony with the laws of nature, as sword qi soared into the clouds.
This was already a realm of swordsmanship that could not be described by ordinary human techniques…
At the same time, Meng Qi sighed inwardly, the National Teacher stood up and went out to meet the challenge. He could not allow the Sword Emperor to get close, or else if he was willing to risk injury, it would be easy for him to kill the Crown Prince.
“Old man Lin, take my sword!” After a breath, the two met in the outer courtyard, and the Sword Emperor’s aged voice echoed in everyone’s ears.
The National Teacher’s voice was also aged but carried a sense of decay: “The Crown Prince’s momentum is already established; it’s useless now.”
The sound of energy suddenly disappeared, and the originally dim sky lit up with stars, shining brightly and casting a cold, dreamlike light over the noble quarter.
“They started with entangled energies and went all out from the beginning…” Meng Qi understood that this was the National Teacher’s “Heavenly Man Connection.”
The sound of sword whistling through the air split the sky, a rainbow spanning across, in hues of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet, dazzling and mesmerizing.
Meng Qi inhaled deeply, turned suddenly, drew his sword and knife, pushed off with his feet, and rushed into the hall like the wind.
As soon as he entered the hall, he roared, “Boom!”
The thunder rumbled across the heavens, leaving the dozen or so near-top-tier and top-tier masters momentarily dazed—all except for the Ruyi Monk, who remained unshaken. His right hand, clutching the prayer beads, suddenly swelled to twice its normal size, turning a deep crimson as it struck toward Meng Qi’s chest.
Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, and the expert before him made no move to block. Instead, he slid his foot forward and thrust his right chest directly into the palm of the Ruyi Monk, as if deliberately seeking death.
Bang!
The dark gold radiance surged forth, then dimmed, nearly shattering—yet it managed to force the Ruyi Monk back several steps.
The near-perfect sixth gate of the Golden Bell Cover was already formidable in terms of counterattack and injury reflection!
With the Ruyi Monk’s palm force aiding him, Meng Qi’s speed surged once more as he charged toward the Crown Prince behind the Ruyi Monk. Raising his sword, he unleashed the “Yanluo’s Summons.” The surrounding experts had barely regained their footing when they began launching their assaults against him.
The sword radiance blazed forth, its deathly aura pristine and bone-chilling, causing one’s heart and courage to wither.
The Crown Prince was also a skilled fighter, but facing this unstoppable killing move, his momentum was suppressed, his mind shaken, and his moves slowed.
The sword light faded, and the Crown Prince retreated a few steps, a dark red spot on his forehead, directly sitting on the chair, his head tilting to the side, silent forever.
Clap, clap, clap!
The surrounding experts arrived, striking Meng Qi with blades, swords, and bare hands before he could change his stance.
But Meng Qi had already protected his vital points.
Dark gold flared again, inch by inch, breaking, the sound of popping beans exploding, Meng Qi’s wig fell off, his body stretched out, instantly pushing back the experts.
At the same time, he spat blood from his mouth, directly shooting the Left Chancellor into a pockmarked mess.
Meng Qi had shattered the Golden Bell Cover. Though his injuries were not severe, he kicked off against someone’s sword and burst through the roof before the Ruyi Monk and the others could encircle him.
Deceased: Da’an Crown Prince.
Cause of death: Killed in a desperate fight under heavy protection, a sword pierced his forehead.
Perpetrator: “Jing Shen Jian” Xiao Meng, also known as “Xue Jin Gang.”
Evaluation: Within arm’s reach, everyone is an enemy of the nation.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage