Chapter 031
Chapter 31: The Key
“Great Qi?”
Little Anzi gasped in shock.
Great Qi had fallen over a century ago. Now, the Five Kingdoms vied for supremacy, so how could the long-lost Dark Qi technique of Bei Qi suddenly resurface?
“Could it be remnants of Great Qi stirring trouble?”
Little Anzi’s eyes flickered, quickly grasping at a possible explanation.
An Quan did not deny it. His gaze lingered heavily on the young man lying on the floor, brows tightly knit. Suddenly, the deaths of those five people in Aurora Pavilion sprang into his mind.
“So, all of this was caused by Bei Qi Dark Qi. It hides within, killing silently. No wonder we couldn’t find any clues.”
An Quan murmured softly. Last night, those five who died in Aurora Pavilion showed no visible wounds yet inexplicably lost their lives.
His Heavenly Brocade Guard had found nothing, finally turning to Six Gates for help. Yet now, unexpectedly, the true culprit had emerged.
An Quan abruptly turned his gaze toward Little Anzi, his voice sharp.
“You said earlier it was discovered by that young master who arrived today?”
Hearing this, Little Anzi quickly nodded.
“Yes, exactly. It was that young master who specifically asked me to check the Tianquan acupoint. Without his suggestion, I’d never have noticed the dark Qi.”
An Quan narrowed his eyes thoughtfully and pressed on.
“When Bei Qi Dark Qi invaded your Qi and body, was it also him who helped expel it?”
Little Anzi nodded once more. But seeing the astonished look on An Quan’s face, he asked curiously,
“Godfather, is something wrong?”
“You don’t understand. Bei Qi Dark Qi survives by attaching to martial Qi and blood. Once a living being is infected, it stays forever unless the victim’s life force ends and their Qi and blood disperse.”
An Quan’s expression was grave, leaving Little Anzi horrified. He voiced his confusion,
“But that young master could dispel it. How was that possible?”
Shaking his head, An Quan pondered aloud,
“That’s exactly what I want to know. As far as I know, Bei Qi Dark Qi is nearly impossible to cure.”
“You either suppress it through overwhelmingly powerful martial dao cultivation or force someone skilled in this technique to remove it. There’s no other way.”
Little Anzi frowned slightly.
“Godfather, do you suspect that young master practices Bei Qi Dark Qi?”
An Quan nodded, then shook his head.
“I’m uncertain. He wasn’t even here when those five died in Aurora Pavilion. Moreover, he had no reason to help you, since doing so risked exposing himself.”
He fell silent for a moment, casting a sidelong glance at the unconscious young master on the floor before giving an order,
“Bring me all records on this person and that newly arrived young master. I must inspect everything.”
“Additionally, this matter is of utmost importance. I’ll consult with the other eunuchs and the Pacification Commissioner before we decide.”
After instructing several other little eunuchs to guard the area, An Quan’s figure blurred and vanished like a phantom.
…
Li Mu Sheng found his own room, inserting his jade token into a slot on the door. With a gentle twist, the door slowly swung open.
“The craftsmanship of these mechanism arts is exquisite.”
Li Mu Sheng nodded slightly in admiration. Rumors spoke of a sect in the neighboring Great Zhou, named Temple of Master Lu, famous for mastering mechanism arts.
Legend had it they built an extraordinary Mechanized City. Every street, house, and wall in the city was powered by intricate mechanisms—a wondrous sight indeed. They even created massive mechanical warships, colossal mechanical beasts, and mechanical warriors whose strength rivaled the greatest martial masters.
Lost in thought, Li Mu Sheng sat at the table and drew out a six-faceted wooden box from his robes.
During his journey to Shang Yang City, he had thoroughly studied this key to the Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury.
Li Mu Sheng realized the wooden box itself was likely one of the genuine keys.
Hidden inside was an oddly shaped magnet emitting a uniquely strong magnetic field. Without the wooden box containing it, all iron within a hundred meters would be irresistibly attracted, even chunks of iron weighing over a hundred catties would fly through the air.
“Such an unusual magnetic field might resonate with other keys. Perhaps I should carry this wooden box with me at all times. With luck, I might encounter another key.”
Thoughtful, Li Mu Sheng tucked the box away again.
Seeking martial dao transcendence couldn’t rest on a single solution. He would have to find other ways.
Maybe Shang Yang City held opportunities, or perhaps none at all. He hadn’t yet decided where to begin.
Certainly, if his Seventh Prince identity proved true, opportunities might arise naturally. But involving himself with various factions felt troublesome, something he wished to avoid.
Just then, the little eunuch from earlier knocked on the door.
“Young Master Li, the Pacification Commissioner of Heavenly Brocade Guard, Lord Yu, has summoned everyone to the great hall on the first floor. Please come immediately.”
Li Mu Sheng opened the door, glancing casually at the little eunuch.
“Did you discover what the black mist on that kid was?”
Little Anzi hesitated, glanced cautiously around, then whispered,
“My godfather says it’s Bei Qi Dark Qi, a secret martial art from the imperial family of Great Qi.”
As he spoke, Little Anzi closely watched Li Mu Sheng’s expression. Seeing nothing suspicious, he asked quietly,
“Young Master Li, you haven’t cultivated this technique, have you?”
Li Mu Sheng cast a sidelong glance at him and replied calmly,
“I don’t even know what Bei Qi Dark Qi is. Why would I cultivate something like that?”
With that, he motioned for Little Anzi to lead him to the hall below.
Shortly afterward, all candidates living in Aurora Pavilion, each a supposed Seventh Prince, assembled in the main hall.
Li Mu Sheng stood quietly in a corner, observing these young people, all about his age.
His gaze soon settled upon one person—a strikingly beautiful young master dressed in elegant moon-white robes. With a face like fine jade, crimson lips, and perfect features, this person was breathtakingly charming.
Yet Li Mu Sheng clearly sensed this young master was, in fact, a young woman.
[Interesting. The struggle for the Seventh Prince’s position is truly fierce. Even a girl has joined the fray.]
Li Mu Sheng thoughtfully stroked his chin. This girl must have an impressive background to forge an identity that deceived even the Heavenly Brocade Guard.
However, he wondered deeply—what was her purpose here?
Did she truly think no one could see through her disguise? The Imperial Palace was full of martial experts. Moreover, Emperor Yuan Wu’s martial dao prowess was unfathomable. Uncovering her true identity would be as easy as breathing.