In the days that followed, the Night Continent was engulfed in chaos and turmoil. The fleeting peace of “The Beast’s Slumber” was shattered completely. The Eternal Night Council issued a call to arms, and dark forces began to pour into the surrounding areas, driving out the humans. The Empire, of course, would not stand idly by; it quickly responded, mobilizing nearby troops and engaging in several major battles with the dark armies. Each side had its victories, and the war gradually turned into a stalemate.
Powerful warriors on both sides engaged in continuous skirmishes across a vast expanse of thousands of kilometers, either trying to drive each other away or attempting to contain their opponents. Small elite units were frequently dispatched to infiltrate “The Beast’s Slumber” while also aiming to intercept and eliminate the opposing teams.
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Demons were clearly unwilling to give up on the last few fragments of the ancient essence. During the intense battles, they made a comeback, casting an iron curtain over the extensive region centered on “The Beast’s Slumber.” They continuously released avatars, launching attacks on the powerful warriors from both sides, ultimately turning the situation into a three-way melee.
At this moment, a significant event occurred within the Eternal Night Council. Their heavily promoted prophecy derivations suffered a severe setback. The energy beneath “The Beast’s Slumber,” which could disperse the power of strong warriors, was not a wind tunnel at all but the residual will of the Void Beast, Chaos!
That colossal being, which had fallen eons ago, not only left behind immortal essence but also an eternal will. The masters skilled in derivations within the Eternal Night faction were severely battered by the will of the Void Beast. Master Weber was gravely injured and would need years to recover. Nearly half of the powerful warriors were directly killed by the backlash, and the remaining ones were all severely wounded.
The Eternal Night Council’s prophetic powers were heavily damaged, allowing the Empire to surpass them in one fell swoop. This was no small matter; it meant that in any future large-scale actions, the dark faction’s efforts to derive and control the overall situation would be more easily disrupted by the Empire. Conversely, when disrupting similar actions by the Empire, they would have to pay a higher price.
However, the Eternal Night Council did not come away empty-handed despite such a cost. They obtained two crucial pieces of information: first, the “Rainbow Flux” covering “The Beast’s Slumber” indeed had another source. In the depths of the Stone Forest Canyon lay a void passage, and though the world beyond was perilous, it was not necessarily lethal. Second, the impact of the Void Beast’s will on powerful warriors indeed functioned like a wind tunnel, suppressing the original force of the warriors according to standard levels. This meant that the higher the rank, the greater the risk of annihilation, while those with too low a rank would be completely devoured by the beast’s will.
For a time, the Eternal Night Council found itself in a dilemma. While the ancient essence was a good resource, it was merely of ducal level, and the world beyond the passage was an unknown danger. If too many high-ranking warriors were to fall, they needed to carefully weigh the gains and losses.
This calculation quickly spread among the high ranks of the Eternal Night world, and naturally, the Empire also learned of it. Within the Eternal Night faction, there were many who were willing to engage in trade with the Empire.
At the same time, countless eyes from the Eternal Night faction watched the movements of the Empire. Now, some began to suspect that Lin Xitang’s secret return to the Empire was a ruse, intended to weaken the Eternal Night’s prophetic powers.
Shortly after, unusual events began to unfold in the capital of the Great Qin. One hundred and eight diviners arrived in the capital and entered the Celestial Chamber, never to be seen again. Various rare birds, fierce beasts, and condemned fighters from the dark races, requisitioned from various regions, were continuously sent into the Celestial Chamber, entering but never leaving.
The Celestial Chamber, located on the mountain behind the capital, seemed like a gargantuan beast with a gaping maw, devouring flesh and life without end.
Seven days later, the gates of the Celestial Chamber opened. Lin Xitang, dressed in simple white robes, emerged, holding a jade slip in his hand and handing it to an attendant who had stood outside the chamber for seven days and nights.
The attendant, aged and with drooping eyelids, appeared perpetually on the verge of sleep. However, when he saw Lin Xitang, a glint flashed in his eyes, and the entire Celestial Chamber seemed to brighten momentarily.
Seeing Lin Xitang hand over the jade slip, the old attendant dusted himself off vigorously, extended his hands, spotted with age, and carefully took the slip, cradling it in his palms. He asked, “How should it be handled?”
Lin Xitang, now with an ethereal presence, even his voice seemed to drift from the clouds: “I have fulfilled my duty. Present it directly to His Majesty.”
The attendant replied, “I understand, General. You can rest assured and go rest.”
Lin Xitang added, “The journey may be perilous, Attendant Zhao. Be cautious.”
Attendant Zhao spoke slowly, “General Lin, rest assured. I have walked the roads of the capital for decades; I won’t injure my feet.”
Lin Xitang nodded, descending the long staircase. The wind tousled his silver hair, giving him a nearly spectral appearance, as if he might float away at any moment. A quarter of the Imperial Guard’s Thunder Cavalry was assembled outside the Celestial Chamber, ready to escort him.
After Lin Xitang left, Attendant Zhao also descended the staircase, entering a black sedan. A contingent of Palace Guards led the way, heading far into the distance.
The convoy entered the main avenue of the inner city, turned twice, and drove down a slightly narrower road. Attendant Zhao sat in the rear seat, still holding the jade slip with both hands, his eyes lowered.
As soon as the convoy entered the road, Attendant Zhao’s ears twitched, and he slowly lifted his head, his eyes opening gradually.
In the lead vehicle, the guard captain suddenly paled, drew his pistol, and shouted, “Something’s wrong! It’s too quiet here! Sound the alarm, accelerate, and get through!”
Before he could finish, a bullet pierced his forehead, passing through his brain and into the throat of a guard in the back seat. Clearly, the assailant was a skilled sniper. The startled driver swerved, causing the SUV to veer sideways.
Another bullet flew, piercing the armor of the SUV and then the driver’s head.
An ear-splitting alarm sounded. The Palace Guards inside the vehicles quickly disembarked, using the vehicles as cover, and engaged in a frenzied exchange of fire with the black-clad figures emerging from the rooftops on both sides of the road. These guards were all elite, but the attackers were clearly more skilled. Several sniper rifles were devastating, killing officer-level guards with near-perfect accuracy.
At this moment, Attendant Zhao lowered the car window. The vehicle’s protection was top-tier, and the glass could withstand a fifth-grade gun’s blast. Lowering the window was tantamount to suicide.
Indeed, as the window was halfway down, just exposing Attendant Zhao’s forehead, a sniper bullet whizzed towards him.
Attendant Zhao raised his hand, moving seemingly slowly, yet his withered fingers clamped down, catching the sniper bullet in mid-air before his forehead!
This sniper bullet was unlike any ordinary one, with a projectile as long as a palm, extremely thin yet heavy, almost like a crossbow bolt. Its penetration was formidable, making the armored plates of the leading SUV as weak as paper. Every shot pierced through.
Attendant Zhao rubbed the bullet, and it softened like hot cheese, crumpling and falling to the ground outside the car.
The black-clad figures exchanged glances, and a dozen of them suddenly emitted a powerful aura, all at least of middle-rank nobility. They charged towards Attendant Zhao’s vehicle, while the others employed a kamikaze tactic, shooting recklessly to suppress the counter-attack of the guards.
Attendant Zhao calmly opened the car door, brushed his sleeve, and stepped out. Holding the jade slip in one hand and drawing a short, jade-handled dagger from his waist with the other, he faced the charging black-clad figures.
Amidst the onslaught, Attendant Zhao moved with small, nimble steps, advancing and retreating within a limited space. Each flash of his dagger blade was accompanied by a spray of blood. Even the leading count-level strongman fell after receiving just three strikes from Attendant Zhao.
Attendant Zhao still held the jade slip steadily, sneering, “A bunch of black-blooded brats, daring to wreak havoc in the capital!”
With the leader eliminated, the rest were easily dealt with, quickly slaughtered by the Palace Guards and the city defense forces. Preliminary identification revealed that the assassins included both dark races and rebels, a standard mix seen in numerous previous assassination attempts in the capital.
Attendant Zhao simply sneered at this result. If not for Lin Xitang’s prior warning, he would have been hard-pressed to believe that anyone would be so bold and foolish to launch such a plot in the capital. He then entered the Imperial Palace, heading straight to the Heaven’s Altar Hall.
The Heaven’s Altar Hall was where the current Emperor handled state affairs outside of court sessions. On the high platform, a mist of bluish-black fog swirled, obscuring the platform, desk, and throne, making everything indistinct.
On the throne, a man sat, his face shrouded in the same mist.
Attendant Zhao quickly walked to the base of the platform, raising the jade slip with both hands, and said, “Your Majesty, here is the item General Lin entrusted to me.”
The man on the throne did not move. The bluish-black fog seemed to take on a life of its own, forming a hand, and grasped the jade slip.
The man did not immediately open the slip but asked, “How is Minister Lin?”
“General Lin is well and has already retired to rest,” Attendant Zhao bowed and answered, “Though I encountered a minor disturbance on my way back to the palace.” He briefly described the battle without adding unnecessary commentary.
Upon hearing this, the man calmly ordered, “Command the Imperial Guard to execute all residents of that street. No need for interrogation.”
Attendant Zhao thought for a moment and said, “I vaguely recall seeing a house with the emblem of the Marquis of Fenyang.” The Marquis of Fenyang, of course, would not live in that area, but it could be a branch family or a commoner relative.
The man remained silent.
Understanding his unspoken meaning, Attendant Zhao bowed again and said, “None of the street residents came to our aid. I understand. I will convey Your Majesty’s orders immediately.”
The battle had used powerful primal force guns, and if the street residents had not provided convenience for the dark races and rebels, such a stealthy ambush would have been impossible.
The total number of residents on that street, likely close to a thousand, would be exterminated, but no further investigation meant the scope of retribution would not expand. Though the Empire’s laws were strict, there was no tradition of collective punishment. Whoever was found guilty would bear the responsibility. Even if the Fenyang branch was innocent, they would likely not come forward.
Seeing that the Emperor had no further instructions, Attendant Zhao quietly retreated.
The man on the high platform then slowly opened the jade slip. On its smooth, plain surface, eight characters gradually appeared: “The Seven Provinces, Ladder to the Heavens.”
Even as the supreme ruler of the Great Qin Empire, these eight characters caused his hand to tremble.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage