Chapter 069
Chapter 69: Entering the Palace to Slay a Consort
“Miss Cang, have you discovered the whereabouts of the Bone Eroding Yin Wind Finger manual?” Li Mu Sheng asked, turning his head toward Cang Yin Yue.
Cang Yin Yue nodded, glancing at the ruined house beside her. “I’ll look for it in a moment; it should be here somewhere.”
Li Mu Sheng gave a gentle nod. “Very well, I’ll leave this place to your care, Miss Cang. Remember to find me tomorrow at the Heavenly Brocade Guard headquarters.”
After speaking, he turned to Shangguan Qing Qing. “Miss Qing Qing, let’s chat again when we’re both free. I have some tasks to attend to tonight, so I’ll take my leave.”
Shangguan Qing Qing opened her mouth to respond, but before she could utter a single word, Li Mu Sheng’s figure vanished abruptly from her sight.
“Where… where did he go?” Shangguan Qing Qing looked around in confusion, yet found no trace of Li Mu Sheng.
“He’s far too swift!” Although Shangguan Qing Qing already had a good grasp of Li Mu Sheng’s strength, seeing such a frightening technique, vanishing without a trace, still left her stunned and bewildered.
Standing beside her, Cang Yin Yue also felt her pupils shrink sharply at the sight. But soon, she inhaled deeply and muttered to herself, shaking her head: “Don’t compare yourself with him, don’t compare… he’s no ordinary martial artist. It’s perfectly normal for him to do abnormal things.”
“Sister, why are you chanting a tongue twister?” Shangguan Qing Qing looked at her curiously.
“It’s nothing,” Cang Yin Yue quickly dismissed, changing the subject. “Miss Qing Qing, why did you call him ‘Eighth Your Highness’ earlier?”
“You haven’t heard? It’s already spreading throughout the city…”
…
After departing from Marquis Cang Yuan’s residence, Li Mu Sheng headed straight toward the Great Li Imperial Palace, which stood imposingly in the very heart of Shang Yang City.
He wasn’t one who enjoyed meddling in the affairs of others.
But it couldn’t be helped. Since he had stumbled upon someone like Consort Ji, could he really let such a person live freely until the New Year?
At this moment, beneath the cover of night, the Great Li Imperial Palace stood like a silent and mysterious beast. Its towering crimson walls rose proudly toward the sky, punctuated at intervals by watchtowers manned by soldiers ever vigilant, watching day and night.
All the palace gates remained tightly shut during the night, guarded closely by fully armed soldiers. Groups of armored guards patrolled regularly, their orderly footsteps and clinking armor clearly audible in the silent darkness.
Aside from these visible sentries, hidden scouts and traps lay concealed throughout the palace. Even more dangerous were the powerful martial artists secretly guarding within. It could be said that even a master of the Heavenly Union Stage could hardly sneak into this place unnoticed.
Deep within the palace, along a wide and elegant path, stood a luxurious hall—Yixin Hall, the residence of Consort Ji.
Inside Yixin Hall, candle flames flickered gently. Night breezes stirred curtains into gentle waves, bathing the hall in an ethereal glow.
Consort Ji sat cross-legged on a plush couch, her palms turned upward, eyes closed in deep meditation. Though nearing fifty years old, her skin remained snow-white and silky smooth, like polished jade. Her face bore no trace of wrinkles, appearing nearly as youthful as a woman in her twenties.
Streams of crimson Qi circulated steadily through her meridians, slowly spinning the surrounding air into a whirlpool that stretched several meters around her. Within this swirling field, faint trails of blood-red shadows periodically emerged from her body before quickly dissipating.
Occasionally, a trace of pain flickered across her expression, followed swiftly by a sinister look. Finally, her eyes flew open, revealing a blood-red gleam.
“Come,” she commanded coldly.
An old granny promptly stepped forward, carrying a purple sandalwood tray upon which rested a dark red pill. Consort Ji curled a finger, causing a thread of crimson light to lift the pill through the air directly into her mouth. After swallowing, the lingering pain in her body seemed to fade away.
“How many Blood Transforming Pills remain?” she asked softly.
“Not many, only three pills left,” the old granny replied hoarsely. “Your Ladyship, should I hurry Madam Zhu about preparing this month’s blood tribute?”
Consort Ji waved her hand dismissively. “No need. My younger sister handles these matters well enough.”
She picked up a bronze mirror from the couch and admired her reflection with satisfaction. Smiling, she said, “Fortune has smiled upon me indeed. Thanks to a wondrous cultivation method obtained by chance, I have regained my youthful beauty. Those other consorts must be green with envy!”
The old granny smiled cruelly. “Your Ladyship has consumed the blood tribute for only a few years and has already attained eternal youth. Perhaps immortality itself is not far off?”
“Immortality does not interest me,” Consort Ji sighed, setting down the mirror with a faint melancholy. “It’s not as though my son Zhu’er is fated to become Emperor anyway. I only wish that His Majesty would visit me more often. But alas, he’s obsessed with cultivating the martial dao, neglecting the pleasures of romance for many years. Now, my only joy in this deep palace is flaunting my youth before the other consorts.”
The old granny’s eyes glittered slyly. “Your Ladyship mustn’t despair. Persistence may yet bear fruit. Should His Majesty someday feel inclined, he will find no one more alluring in this palace than you. If not Your Ladyship, then who else?”
“Besides,” she continued, “the Third Prince excels in both wisdom and martial talent. Perhaps he still stands a chance of ascending the throne.”
Consort Ji’s gaze flickered thoughtfully, a spark of ambition igniting in her eyes. “You remind me—today His Majesty officially acknowledged Concubine Jing’s son. A new favorite often outshines the old. For a while, he’ll likely enjoy more favor than other princes. We should consider winning him over. He may yet prove helpful to Zhu’er.”
The granny’s eyes narrowed, lips parting to speak.
But at that very moment, a man’s voice unexpectedly echoed through the grand hall.
“I hear you’re planning to win me over?”
Consort Ji startled, leaping abruptly to her feet. Bloody Qi surged around her, causing the curtains within the hall to whip violently in the sudden wind.
The old granny immediately stepped protectively beside her mistress, eyes glinting coldly as they turned to face the center of the hall. There, a young figure stood silently, having appeared without notice. Clad in simple robes, he remained calm under the flickering candlelight.
“Guards! Protect me!” Consort Ji shouted sharply, her urgent voice echoing throughout the palace.
She understood clearly—the young man before her, capable of infiltrating the Great Li Imperial Palace unnoticed, was anything but ordinary.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A dozen figures—grannies and eunuchs alike—swiftly leapt into Yixin Hall. Each radiated powerful martial Qi, the weakest among them already at the Grandmaster Stage. They surrounded Li Mu Sheng, locking their hostile gazes upon him, their intent to kill unmistakable.
Li Mu Sheng, however, seemed unbothered. Sweeping his gaze calmly around him, he slowly spoke:
“It seems everyone’s here. I’m not fond of unnecessary killing. I’ve sealed off this area within thirty meters using my Qi. Whether you live or die next depends entirely upon the weight of your sins.”