Li Xuan watched as two groups of people walked out of the small courtyard Bamboo Five Peaks rented, and he felt relieved.
"It seems I not only hooked Prince Zheng's Mansion but also got an unexpected bonus."
Bamboo Five Peaks left the courtyard first and headed towards the city outskirts.
There were other arrangements there, so Li Xuan didn't need to rush to chase Bamboo Five Peaks.
What he didn't expect was that the hidden guards also followed closely.
And it seemed Bamboo Five Peaks wasn't aware of this.
"Did they receive instructions from someone else?"
Last night, Li Xuan followed the hidden guard who was tailing Yang Wanli and found his way here.
After realizing it was someone sent by Bamboo Five Peaks, Li Xuan was quite surprised.
He had initially thought Bamboo Five Peaks was just a brute, but now it seemed he also possessed some caution.
It was also fortunate that after Li Xuan received Yang Wanli's message last night, he didn't immediately give up but continued to try and lure them out.
Seeing that only five hidden guards came out of the courtyard in total, with no one else appearing, Li Xuan quickly followed them.
Although the strength of these hidden guards was decent, they were only at the Middle Three Ranks level, making it impossible for them to discover Li Xuan trailing behind.
Compared to Bamboo Five Peaks, these five hidden guards brought Li Xuan even more delight.
If he could successfully ambush Bamboo Five Peaks today and capture these five people in the process, it would be a huge gain.
While Li Xuan was full of anticipation, he didn't forget the main task, constantly trailing and scouting his surroundings.
The ambush they set today was only for Bamboo Five Peaks; if other Upper Three Ranks experts intruded during the process, it would be troublesome.
A hunter must be more careful and cautious than the prey, otherwise, it's truly uncertain who the prey will be.
Li Xuan used his recently comprehended detection method to sense his surroundings all the way, fearing that Prince Zheng had other hidden moves.
Thus, Bamboo Five Peaks was in front, the hidden guards in the middle, and Li Xuan at the back, heading towards the city outskirts in sequence.
However, Bamboo Five Peaks had long disappeared, and Li Xuan's perception only picked up the five hidden guards on their way.
Both Bamboo Five Peaks and the hidden guards knew the location outside the city, so there was no chance of them not meeting up.
The hidden guards were also well aware of this, so although their travel speed was fast, there was no sense of urgency or panic.
Soon, Li Xuan followed the hidden guards out of the city without any mishaps, and he didn't detect any unusual auras nearby.
Once outside the city, the hidden guards accelerated again, using their Qinggong to travel at a speed no slower than horses.
In the wilderness, Li Xuan found it even easier to conceal himself, trailing through the forest, where even a slight sound wouldn't arouse suspicion.
After traveling for dozens of miles, Li Xuan saw that they were almost at the destination, and he began to consider making his move.
"There hasn't been any trouble so far, so there shouldn't be any mistakes."
Li Xuan stared at the five hidden guards in front of him, his Yin Yang True Qi slowly circulating, beginning to build momentum.
He cleared his throat, found the right moment, and suddenly unleashed Ghost Cry God Howl on the hidden guards.
"Roar——"
A thunderous tiger roar suddenly exploded in the hidden guards' ears, their legs went weak, and they all fell to the ground, their vision filled with stars, alternating between black and white.
They opened their mouths, wanting to give a warning, but found that as soon as they opened their mouths, a mouthful of fresh blood gushed out, leaving them no strength to speak.
The hidden guards tried to struggle, but a clear tiger roar came from behind them again.
Unlike the first time, which only exploded in their ears, this time the sound vibrated through their entire bodies, stirring their qi and blood into a chaotic turmoil.
Within a few breaths, the five hidden guards successively lost consciousness and became unresponsive.
Li Xuan was afraid of shaking them to death, and seeing their qi and blood continuously weakening, he quickly stopped roaring.
"Whew——"
Li Xuan also let out a sigh of relief.
He had just continuously suppressed them with Ghost Cry God Howl and Dragon Tiger Wind Fierce Roar, consuming a lot of Yin Yang True Qi.
Although he recovered in the blink of an eye, it was rare for him to exert himself so fully.
Li Xuan had also overestimated the strength of these hidden guards, initially thinking they were all around Fourth Rank, but judging by the result, they were probably only Fifth Rank.
"The hidden guards should be the elite of Prince Zheng's Mansion, right?"
"Why do they feel a bit inferior to the Internal Affairs Bureau in terms of quality?"
"Could it be that only the people who came to help Bamboo Five Peaks are weaker?"
Li Xuan looked at the five unconscious hidden guards on the ground, feeling a bit confused.
But now was clearly not the time to delve into this question.
Although this place was remote, it was still by the roadside, and someone might pass by.
Li Xuan immediately dragged the unconscious hidden guards into the forest, then pulled out the light-absorbing black cloth from their bodies, covered them with it, and then broke off some branches to cover them for camouflage.
Li Xuan knew very well that these five living hidden guards were more valuable; perhaps sending them to the Internal Affairs Bureau could unearth some useful information from them.
He had chosen to act here precisely because there were people from the Internal Affairs Bureau to meet them nearby, and the location was also optimal.
Further ahead, the number of people would increase, making it difficult to act with so many eyes.
Before that, the road was not as desolate, and it was too far from the receiving personnel.
After concealing the unconscious hidden guards, Li Xuan quickly went to call for help.
Otherwise, if he lost these five hidden guards, Li Xuan would be heartbroken.
He continued along the small path for a while, and soon, an inn, a Shi Zi Po Inn located in the desolate wilderness, appeared before his eyes.
In front of this inn was a crossroad, and although the location was a bit remote, its business was good.
It was the preferred resting place for travelers coming and going from the capital.
[Shi Zi Po Inn]
This was also an old place; Li Xuan had been here once before.
At this moment, the Internal Affairs Bureau's receiving personnel were staying in the inn.
The place where they ambushed Bamboo Five Peaks today was also not far from the inn.
The ambush of Bamboo Five Peaks needed to be both covert and have suitable eyewitnesses to spread the news.
Therefore, after discussing with the Two Chief Eunuchs, Li Xuan decided on this location.
Li Xuan swiftly climbed into a guest room on the second floor of the inn.
Upon entering the room, he found a team of Flower-Clad Eunuchs led by Xu Lang waiting there.
They were all dressed in plain clothes, holding weapons, exuding a murderous aura.
Seeing Li Xuan climb in, they all stood up, saluted silently, showing immense respect to Li Xuan.
Li Xuan nodded slightly, then wrote to Xu Lang:
"I've captured some people from Prince Zheng's Mansion; follow me to secure them."
"How is Bamboo Five Peaks's side? Is it going smoothly?"
Xu Lang accepted the order and quickly replied:
"Bamboo Five Peaks has already entered the mountain and is being personally monitored by the Two Chief Eunuchs."
"As soon as they receive your signal, the Two Chief Eunuchs will act immediately."
Li Xuan's signal was to confirm that there were no other Upper Three Ranks martial artists disrupting the situation.
After all, if Prince Zheng's side had the same idea as them, Li Xuan and the Internal Affairs Bureau would suffer a great loss today.
"Good, first come with me to secure the people, then I'll immediately go to rendezvous with the Two Chief Eunuchs."
Xu Lang immediately led the team into action; they followed Li Xuan and quickly arrived at the place where the five hidden guards were hidden.
Li Xuan found that these five people were still lying obediently in their original spots, and his hanging heart finally settled.
Regardless of the outcome of the ambush on Bamboo Five Peaks later, at least they had already gained something today.
"You all watch over these five people; I'm leaving first."
Li Xuan hastily greeted Xu Lang and then rushed to meet with the Two Chief Eunuchs.
"I wish you a smooth operation, Your Excellency!"
Xu Lang bowed towards the direction Li Xuan departed, then led his men to handle the task.
However, when he clearly saw the attire of the five people and the cloth covering them, he couldn't help but exclaim:
"These, these are Prince Zheng's Mansion's hidden guards?"
The other Flower-Clad Eunuchs all turned to look at Xu Lang.
"Captain, I think so too."
"Shouldn't we escort them back first?"
"Otherwise, if something goes wrong, we might not be able to bear the responsibility."
The Flower-Clad Eunuchs' tones all became serious, not daring to be careless.
For so many years, Prince Zheng's Mansion's hidden guards had acted with extreme caution, and never before had a living one fallen into their hands.
"This…"
Xu Lang was in a dilemma for a moment, not knowing what to do.
He looked back in the direction Li Xuan had left, but there was no trace of him.
He estimated that Li Xuan hadn't realized the value of these living captives.
Xu Lang hesitated for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth and said:
"Follow His Excellency's orders, control these people, and according to the original plan, stand by nearby and adapt to circumstances!"
"Send someone to notify our other brothers nearby to send all their reserve personnel here to us."
"Yes!"
As soon as Xu Lang gave the order, a Flower-Clad Eunuch immediately sprang into action.
"Administer the medicine, tie them up, and dislocate their limbs."
Xu Lang said to the other Flower-Clad Eunuchs, his voice unconsciously trembling slightly.
…
Li Xuan was naturally unaware of Xu Lang's excitement on his side.
He rushed with all his might to the agreed-upon ambush location.
Previously, the message they released was that the Red Scarf Squad was commissioned by someone to find a certain medicinal herb.
This herb only grew in the mountains near Cross Slope, but recently, a pair of fierce tigers had taken up residence, making it difficult for ordinary people to approach, which is why experts from the Red Scarf Squad personally came.
Of course, both the medicinal herb and the fierce tigers were fake, merely to deceive Bamboo Five Peaks.
But this false information also deceived the entire Red Scarf Squad, and the Internal Affairs Bureau had also sent people to Shi Zi Po Inn in advance to spread some true and false information.
Although the time was too short to make it seamless, being able to lure Bamboo Five Peaks was enough.
Once Bamboo Five Peaks was dead, the fact that it was false information naturally couldn't be hidden.
In fact, Li Xuan even intended to use the pretext of this being false information to absolve the Red Scarf Squad of responsibility.
Otherwise, openly becoming enemies with Prince Zheng's Mansion now, frankly speaking, the Red Scarf Squad didn't have such a foundation.
If it really came to that point, both Emperor Yongyuan and Prince Zheng would have to reveal their cards.
The true background of the Red Scarf Squad couldn't be hidden, nor could Prince Zheng's actions with the Money Gang, and then everything would be laid bare, only causing embarrassment for everyone.
Li Xuan arrived at the target location and did not enter the mountain directly. Instead, he first scouted the foot of the mountain to ensure there were no issues, then continued to scout as he ascended the mountain to rendezvous with the Two Chief Eunuchs.
Upon reaching the rendezvous point, Li Xuan felt a gentle breeze brush past his ears, bringing with it Zhao Feng's voice.
"Li Xuan, you've arrived."
"What are the results of your scouting?"
Zhao Feng asked impatiently.
The Two Chief Eunuchs were waiting for Li Xuan's signal; as soon as Li Xuan gave the signal, they would act immediately.
Li Xuan immediately let out a loud roar without hesitation.
"Roar——"
The tiger's roar echoed through the forest, startling countless birds.
Somewhere in the mountains.
Zhao Feng's face broke into an excited smile upon hearing the tiger's roar.
"Godfather."
Zhao Feng turned to look at the side.
Chief Steward Shang was currently closing his eyes tightly, his hands forming a complex hand seal.
Upon hearing his adopted son's call, Chief Steward Shang slowly opened his eyes and said with a smile:
"Act."
With that, Chief Steward Shang's hand seals changed continuously, each one more complex than the last.
Chief Steward Shang's expression was extremely serious as he solemnly uttered:
"Mirror Flower, Water Moon!"
Chief Steward Shang's hand seal suddenly paused, and Zhao Feng, standing beside him, couldn't help but feel a moment of trance.
When Zhao Feng recovered, he found that Chief Steward Shang had already disappeared.
Zhao Feng immediately burst into laughter, incredibly excited.
The next moment, Zhao Feng's figure seemed to be erased like with an eraser, and he also slowly disappeared.
The mountain became quiet again, as if nothing had ever happened.
…
"Hmph, there really are tigers?"
Bamboo Five Peaks, who had been searching the mountain fruitlessly, gradually lost patience, but then he heard a tiger's roar echoing through the forest from somewhere in the mountains.
This restored some of his patience, and a playful smile appeared on his face.
A fierce tiger was naturally nothing to Bamboo Five Peaks, who was an expert of the Third Rank.
He was looking for the two Fourth Rank experts from the Red Scarf Squad.
Especially that person named Mo Tiansheng.
After this person joined the Red Scarf Squad, the Red Scarf Squad's momentum became like the sun at its zenith. If they were allowed to continue unchecked, they would sooner or later become a major hidden danger to them.
One must know that while the martial world operates on the principle of might makes right, beyond that principle, there is also the matter of loyalty and righteousness.
The Red Scarf Squad's development momentum made Bamboo Five Peaks feel increasingly uneasy.
This force, which solely aimed to do good, help others, and punish evil, was gaining more and more popular support among the common people in the capital.
Recently, they had also attracted many young martial arts talents who were traveling to the capital.
One must know that these passionate young people were not just wealthy and idle individuals; behind them were various martial arts sects.
However, the Red Scarf Squad's management was extremely loose. As long as you wanted to do good deeds, you were welcome. There were no strict rules, and even if you had affiliations with other forces after joining the Red Scarf Squad, you were still welcome.
Moreover, after joining the Red Scarf Squad, if there was anything you needed help with, as long as it wasn't morally reprehensible, you could bring it up, and the team would prioritize resolving it.
This kind of organization didn't attract old hands, but the hot-blooded youngsters flocked to it like ducks to water. It even sparked a trend of joining the Red Scarf Squad, with young martial artists proudly wearing the red scarf around their necks and the red emblem on their shoulders.
However, joining the Red Scarf Squad wasn't that easy. It required patiently doing good deeds in the capital for a month, and then passing a team vote.
Many young martial artists who joined on a whim couldn't endure the month-long period and quickly got lost in the capital's lavish world.
Those who could pass the month-long test were individuals with more steadfast minds, and through a month of practice, they gained a deeper understanding of the Red Scarf Squad's philosophy, with most becoming permanent members.
The Red Scarf Squad's development momentum greatly worried Bamboo Five Peaks, fearing that the Red Scarf Squad would grow and later become a major hidden danger to Prince Zheng.
Therefore, compared to the useless members of the Money Gang, what Bamboo Five Peaks cared more about was how to eliminate the Red Scarf Squad.
Don't think that he easily rejected Yang Wanli's proposal yesterday; in fact, he was incredibly tempted, but out of caution, he still had the dark guards investigate first.
From the dark guards' report, Yang Wanli's proposal was very reliable.
What further solidified Bamboo Five Peaks's determination was that he could deal with Mo Tiansheng today.
Bamboo Five Peaks was also very curious about Mo Tiansheng.
Moreover, if given the chance, Bamboo Five Peaks hoped to subjugate this person for Prince Zheng.
After all, Mo Tiansheng's reputation had been too resounding recently.
Having such a person join would undoubtedly be a great help to Prince Zheng.
Bamboo Five Peaks's ideas were good, but the current progress was not ideal.
After he entered the mountain, he searched for a long time but still couldn't find any trace of the two members of the Red Scarf Squad.
Just as he was growing impatient, that tiger's roar served as a reminder.
"Those two entered the mountain to gather herbs; they must have encountered the so-called pair of fierce tigers."
"If I follow the tiger's roar, I should be able to find them."
Bamboo Five Peaks immediately acted, turning and heading towards the direction from which the tiger's roar had come.
But as soon as he turned around, he froze in place.
Bamboo Five Peaks looked down and found that one of his shoes was already soaked.
It turned out that when he turned just now, he wasn't paying attention and stepped into a puddle beside him.
"How unlucky!"
Bamboo Five Peaks pulled his foot out of the puddle and continued on his way towards the direction from which the tiger's roar had previously come.
But the next moment, a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes; he actually couldn't remember which direction the tiger's roar had come from earlier.
"Ah, right, it was there."
The confusion in Bamboo Five Peaks's eyes dissipated, and he smiled with sudden realization.
"Sigh, this brain."
Bamboo Five Peaks sighed, then launched himself forward to hurry on his way.
But for some reason, this mountain seemed to have grown larger.
As Bamboo Five Peaks walked, he actually felt a hint of fatigue, but he was still far from his destination.
"The vegetation in this mountain forest is lush; it shouldn't be like this."
Bamboo Five Peaks's True Qi was of the bamboo attribute, a variation derived from the wood element of the Five Phases.
Logically speaking, he should feel very comfortable in such an environment, yet for some reason, he felt exhausted after traveling only a short distance on the mountain path.
"Something's wrong!"
Bamboo Five Peaks felt his breathing become difficult, as if his lungs were filled with water, preventing him from inhaling fresh air.
"There must be a problem!!"
Bamboo Five Peaks immediately unleashed his True Qi and activated his own Path of Azure Bamboo.
But both his True Qi and his Path were incredibly difficult to use, requiring much more effort than usual.
Bamboo Five Peaks suppressed the fear in his heart and forcibly pushed the power within his body with all his might.
Below his feet, a green bamboo shoot emerged, supporting the sole of his foot and lifting his entire body into the sky.
But even tens of feet above the ground, Bamboo Five Peaks still felt no relief whatsoever; instead, he felt cold and damp all over, as if his entire body was submerged in water.
Even more terrifyingly, the water had already passed over Bamboo Five Peaks's head, making it impossible for him to even breathe.
"What rat dares to plot against this old man!!!"
Bamboo Five Peaks's expression was frantic; he clutched his head and roared in anger.
Then, a brilliant green light erupted from his body.
The next moment, sharp, giant green bamboo shoots emerged from underground like mushrooms after a spring rain, instantly growing as tall as towering trees.
The bamboo forest, centered around Bamboo Five Peaks, rapidly spread outwards, as if intending to transform all the surrounding mountains and forests into a bamboo forest.
Just as Bamboo Five Peaks struggled in fear, a voice suddenly came from a distance.
"Bamboo Five Peaks, how dare you be so presumptuous!"
Bamboo Five Peaks was startled to hear this voice and looked up in disbelief.
"Your Highness!?"
Opposite Bamboo Five Peaks, Prince Zheng's figure also stood on a green bamboo shoot.
Prince Zheng's eyes were filled with disappointment and anger as he stared intently at Bamboo Five Peaks, as if to make him feel utterly ashamed.
"Your Highness, why are you here?"
"Bamboo Five Peaks, how dare you question this King?" Prince Zheng retorted.
"This King trusted you, which is why I let you oversee the Money Gang matter, but what have you done?"
"As a consecrator of the Prince Zhengs Mansion, has this King ever mistreated you?"
"What kind of woman do you want that you can't obtain, yet you insist on snatching someone else's wife and daughter?"
"How will this King ever command respect in the future because of you? Who will be willing to continue pledging loyalty to me!"
"Your Highness, it's not like that..."
Bamboo Five Peaks hastily argued, but Prince Zheng gave him no chance.
"Enough!"
"Bamboo Five Peaks, for the sake of how well this King has treated you over these years, cripple your cultivation and give an explanation.
Otherwise, this King's great endeavor might end here.
But rest assured, if you are willing to provide an explanation, you will still be a consecrator of my Prince Zhengs Mansion for the rest of your life.
If not, then let our relationship end here!"
Prince Zheng spoke with no room for negotiation, leaving Bamboo Five Peaks stunned on the spot, even with red eyes.
"Your Highness, I have followed you for thirty-one years."
"Yet you won't even give me a chance to explain, only believing the one-sided words of those lowlifes?"
Even strong as a Third Rank expert, having experienced much, the grievance in Bamboo Five Peaks's heart at this moment still made him unable to stop his tears.
Bamboo Five Peaks looked around, feeling the still painful state of his body, and asked in disbelief:
"Your Highness, if I refuse, will you truly kill me?"
The Prince Zheng in front of Bamboo Five Peaks said nothing, merely turned his back to him.
Bamboo Five Peaks gave a bitter laugh, understanding Prince Zheng's meaning.
He shakily raised his right hand, looking at his palm with a complex expression and unfocused, scattered eyes, as if he had long lost his sense of direction.
Bamboo Five Peaks struggled, hesitated, but did not act for a long time.
No one knew whether this palm strike would be self-inflicted or turn towards Prince Zheng, resulting in a mutual destruction.
Time seemed to slow down. Bamboo Five Peaks felt his physical and mental pain being infinitely magnified, allowing him to experience every painful detail.
This torment made him lose all interest in life, wishing only to end it all quickly and escape from this suffering.
After Prince Zheng turned his back, he remained facing away from him. His posture was so firm that Bamboo Five Peaks was convinced the other party would not turn around for him.
"Sigh..."
Bamboo Five Peaks felt it no longer mattered.
His strength no longer mattered.
The ideals he wanted to achieve no longer mattered.
Whether Prince Zheng would turn for him, whether he would grieve for him, also no longer mattered.
"Your Highness, take care!"
Bamboo Five Peaks bid farewell, accumulating power in his palm, preparing for self-destruction.
He was so tired now, but also afraid that one palm strike wouldn't kill him, unable to even maintain his last shred of dignity, so he had to use his last ounce of strength.
After an unknown amount of time, Bamboo Five Peaks found that he had accumulated enough strength to commit suicide.
He took one last lingering look at Prince Zheng's back.
Bamboo Five Peaks never expected that he would ultimately not live to see the day this man would change the world.
Nor did he expect to fall behind in such a way.
But at this moment, he was utterly despondent. Thinking more would only add to his suffering.
Bamboo Five Peaks gave a self-deprecating smile, then was about to smash his own skull with a palm to end his absurd and ridiculous life.
But at this moment, the green bamboo beneath his feet suddenly shot up again, causing his entire body to sway.
Bamboo Five Peaks was in extremely poor condition and almost fell off the bamboo.
But with this, a hint of clarity actually returned to his eyes.
He, as if by some strange impulse, glanced at Prince Zheng again, only to find that Prince Zheng was still facing away from him in disappointment.
Bamboo Five Peaks was about to continue despairing when he suddenly caught a detail that sent shivers down his spine.
He looked at Prince Zheng's back again and found that their heights were still level, with no change from before.
Yet the bamboo beneath Bamboo Five Peaks's feet had clearly shot up just now.
He refocused his gaze on the hand that was originally meant to strike his own skull, realizing how close he had been to death just now, and couldn't help but shiver.
This shiver immediately cleared his mind considerably.
Then, the green bamboo beneath his feet continuously supplied a vigorous life force, gradually dispelling the cold and heavy sensation from his body.
Bamboo Five Peaks looked up again, a verdant green light flashing in his eyes, sweeping away his previous confusion and becoming incredibly firm.
"Die!"
Bamboo Five Peaks's long-accumulated palm strike directly slammed into Prince Zheng's back.
"Impersonating Your Highness, a dead end!"
Bang--
Bamboo Five Peaks's palm struck Prince Zheng's back, and Prince Zheng instantly turned into scattered water droplets, like a punctured water balloon.
At this moment, Bamboo Five Peaks's expression was incredibly agitated.
But immediately, the scene before his eyes blurred.
Before him was the moment before he turned around, after hearing the tiger's roar.
And everything that had happened before seemed to be an illusion.
But Bamboo Five Peaks's body was already soaked with his own cold sweat, and most of the True Qi in his body was depleted, leaving him in extremely poor condition.
He seemed to have stepped on a stone, feeling a slight discomfort under his foot.
Bamboo Five Peaks lifted his foot to look and found it was a bamboo shoot that had just emerged.
The moment he saw it, Bamboo Five Peaks's hair stood on end.
He had already realized that what he had just seen was not merely a simple illusion.
Yes, what kind of illusion could deceive even a Third Rank expert?
"Dao... Realm."
Bamboo Five Peaks uttered two words with difficulty, as if these two words could take his life.
And indeed, that was the case.
Bamboo Five Peaks's face turned ashen, more despairing than when he had faced Prince Zheng's back just now.
But then he had a change of thought and felt something was amiss.
If the other party wanted to kill him in the Dao Realm, how could he have escaped?
Bamboo Five Peaks looked at the sprouting green bamboo under his feet and felt that it couldn't just be simple luck, otherwise he wouldn't even have the chance to think wildly right now.
"No, no."
"It's not just because my Dao contains vitality!"
Having narrowly escaped death, Bamboo Five Peaks immediately ran with all his might, fleeing in the direction of the capital city.
"Save me!"
"Roar——"
Bamboo Five Peaks's desperate cry, a transmission technique, amplified his voice to its maximum.
But the moment his voice rang out, an even louder tiger roar drowned it out.
Bamboo Five Peaks despairingly realized his sound transmission had been suppressed.
"What in the world is going on!?"
Bamboo Five Peaks found that today's strange occurrences were one after another, and each of them threatened his life.
Unknowingly trapped in a Dao Realm, then inexplicably breaking out.
Now, his plea for rescue via sound transmission was easily intercepted.
A Dao Realm is a power of a Second Rank Dao Integration Realm practitioner; a Second Rank martial artist would find it effortless to kill him.
And the suppression of his sound transmission was even more preposterous; it proved that the opponent not only possessed superior sound transmission techniques but also had more profound and pure True Qi, an overwhelming qualitative difference at the very least.
Yet, the opponent was unhurried, playing a cat-and-mouse game.
But Bamboo Five Peaks could not muster any resistance or anger, only wishing to escape this place quickly, or at the very least, transmit the message as far as possible.
The Prince Zhengs Mansion, being targeted by such a powerful expert in secret, would surely suffer a great fall in the future.
It must be said, Bamboo Five Peaks was indeed loyal enough to Prince Zheng.
However, Bamboo Five Peaks's lapse in concentration gave the hidden person an opportunity.
"Bamboo Five Peaks, you have truly disappointed This King!"
Bamboo Five Peaks saw Prince Zheng's figure appear ahead, looking at him with a face full of disappointment.
But Bamboo Five Peaks already knew it was an illusion and naturally wouldn't fall for it again. With a wave of his hand, several green bamboos grew from the ground, directly piercing Prince Zheng's body.
Bamboo Five Peaks ran past without even looking, but a silent scratch appeared on his body, slowly seeping blood and staining his clothes, though he himself was completely unaware.
"Bamboo Five Peaks, This King never thought that one day you would stab me in the back."
"Bamboo Five Peaks, do you still remember the day I invited you to be a guest elder in the Prince Zhengs Mansion? You said that was the most glorious moment of your life."
"Bamboo Five Peaks, you and I have known each other for thirty-one years. Back then, both of us were just brash youngsters who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth."
"Bamboo Five Peaks, why betray our dreams?"
"Bamboo Five Peaks, I treated you well, didn't I? Is this how you repay me?"
"Bamboo Five Peaks…"
One illusion after another flashed before Bamboo Five Peaks's eyes. Prince Zheng's image constantly changed, sometimes old, sometimes young, but without exception, they were all images from his memory.
His clothes were soaked with blood at some unknown point.
This time, the chilling cold was no longer just an illusion.
Bamboo Five Peaks realized that his True Qi was almost depleted, but he couldn't even see the outline of the capital city. He knew he had nowhere left to run.
"Who exactly are you?"
Bamboo Five Peaks asked in a weak voice.
Prince Zheng's figure appeared before Bamboo Five Peaks's eyes once more.
But this time, Prince Zheng did not attack Bamboo Five Peaks's mind again; instead, he smiled and said to him:
"Look at your feet."
Bamboo Five Peaks was startled and took two steps back.
Tiny bamboo shoots, slightly more prominent than before, but still very limited, merely made his feet feel a bit more uncomfortable.
However, just now, when Bamboo Five Peaks stepped on them, he was completely unaware.
Bamboo Five Peaks looked at the familiar bamboo shoots and gave a bitter smile.
"So I've been treading in place all this time."
Puff, puff.
Two muffled thuds sounded one after another.
Bamboo Five Peaks, who had been looking down at his feet, suddenly saw a bloody hole appear on his chest, and his neck felt light. Immediately after, his vision spun, and he saw the bamboo shoots in front of him and a headless corpse slowly collapsing to the ground.
…
"He died just like that, meow?"
Li Xuan walked to Bamboo Five Peaks's corpse, somewhat unable to believe that a Third Rank martial artist had fallen just like that.
The figure of Prince Zheng, who had been standing in front of Bamboo Five Peaks, gradually distorted, revealing Zhao Feng's tired face.
"He's dead."
Zhao Feng answered Li Xuan's question, his face filled with relief.
Soon after, Chief Steward Shang also emerged from behind a nearby tree, letting out a long sigh of turbid air.
Chief Steward Shang looked at Bamboo Five Peaks's corpse on the ground, merely shaking his head gently.
Li Xuan looked at the two tired individuals and did not rush to ask his questions, instead giving them enough time to rest.
Li Xuan had been observing from the side just now, but he only understood bits and pieces.
For today's ambush, Li Xuan had initially expected a major battle, but the scene was far smaller than he had anticipated.
And among them, Chief Steward Shang played the most crucial role.
However, Li Xuan completely failed to understand Chief Steward Shang's methods.
Recalling the previous scene, Li Xuan felt it was nothing but bizarre.
Bamboo Five Peaks was practically treading in place, like being caught in a ghost wall, unconsciously running in circles, and occasionally engaging in conversations with the elusive Zhao Feng, his expression agitated.
Based on Li Xuan's observation, he could detect an extremely dense water-attribute True Qi forming a specific area that enveloped Bamboo Five Peaks.
Within it, Bamboo Five Peaks, under Li Xuan's observation, was almost isolated from the five elements of heaven and earth.
However, this area was not large, probably only a few dozen feet in radius.
It was this small area that ultimately trapped Bamboo Five Peaks to his death.
Towards the end, Bamboo Five Peaks was even completely unaware of Zhao Feng's attacks, enduring them with his body, unable to even feel pain.
Li Xuan had just heard Bamboo Five Peaks muttering something about a "Dao Realm."
"Chief Steward Shang's Dao shouldn't be that outrageous."
"Is this Dao Realm a higher level of power than Dao?"
"Is Chief Steward Shang a Second Rank practitioner?"
"But even so, the effect is simply too…"
Li Xuan was somewhat unable to describe the disparity.
If this was the difference between a Dao Realm and a Dao, then a Third Rank martial artist facing a Second Rank martial artist probably had no power to resist.
The Dao Realm almost completely isolated the opponent from the five elements of heaven and earth; not only would their True Qi accelerate in consumption, but they would also lose the support of external forces, and both True Qi and Dao could not be sustained for long.
Being enveloped by a Dao Realm almost certainly meant defeat.
With such an ability, even if Li Xuan practiced the Yin-Yang True Extremity Art, he probably wouldn't have any good solutions.
"If Second Rank is this level, then what is First Rank?"
"Immortals?"
Li Xuan's confidence was deeply shaken by the outrageous abilities of the Upper Three Ranks.
He had previously been certain that Old Ye was also a Second Rank practitioner.
So, in that case, Old Ye usually didn't seriously use his abilities at all.
To this day, Li Xuan only knew that Old Ye's Dao was related to shadows, but he had never really seen how it was used.
After all, he had never seen Old Ye fight, only seen Old Ye using shadows in the Thousand Stars Pavilion to facilitate his management of books on a daily basis.
Li Xuan blinked, feeling that he had been quite disrespectful to Old Ye and Chief Steward Shang in the past.
"It seems I still have a lot of room to be more polite."
Meanwhile, Chief Steward Shang and Zhao Feng had already begun to deal with Bamboo Five Peaks's corpse.
They first searched the body, stripping everything from Bamboo Five Peaks, not even sparing his tattered, blood-soaked clothes.
After gathering Bamboo Five Peaks's belongings, Chief Steward Shang took out a wooden box and placed everything inside.
"Li Xuan, put Bamboo Five Peaks's belongings away for now."
"Me, meow?"
Li Xuan pointed to himself.
As a Third Rank martial artist, Bamboo Five Peaks's belongings should be quite valuable. No matter how kind Chief Steward Shang was to him, he wouldn't give them to him so easily.
"Some items might have tracking methods set on them. Your di hong bone ring can block these tracking methods."
Upon hearing Chief Steward Shang's explanation, Li Xuan finally understood, realizing he had been overthinking.
He immediately obediently said "Oh" and helped Chief Steward Shang put away Bamboo Five Peaks's belongings.
"What about his body, meow?"
After putting away the items, Li Xuan asked the Two Chief Eunuchs.
Although he was an enemy, leaving his body exposed in the wilderness was inappropriate and would also leave clues for Prince Zheng; at the very least, it should be burned to destroy all traces.
The Two Chief Eunuchs naturally understood Li Xuan's meaning, but they both smiled and shook their heads at Li Xuan.
"Li Xuan, you'll know in a moment."
"Someone will help us take Bamboo Five Peaks's body away."
No sooner had Chief Steward Shang finished speaking than Li Xuan noticed something unusual.
On the ground where Bamboo Five Peaks had fallen, tiny blades of grass sprouted, quickly forming a dense carpet of green.
This was not all; saplings even began to emerge next.
In particular, the bamboo shoot Bamboo Five Peaks had left behind also grew, instantly thickening to the size of a bowl.
Li Xuan watched this scene in astonishment, never expecting a Third Rank martial artist's corpse to have such an effect.
Through his senses, Li Xuan could perceive that a large amount of dense bamboo-attribute True Qi was dissipating into the heavens and earth, rapidly transforming into wood-attribute energy, and then merging into the five elements of the world.
Such a transformation was undoubtedly a fortuitous encounter for the surrounding plants.
Li Xuan and the Two Chief Eunuchs stood aside, silently observing the scene, considering it a farewell to their opponent, Bamboo Five Peaks.
But at this moment, Li Xuan suddenly felt the Yin Yang True Qi within him operate uncontrollably according to the Yin-Yang True Extremity Art.
The bamboo-attribute True Qi that was originally flowing into the heavens and earth now converged towards Li Xuan's body; the True Qi was so dense it was visible to the naked eye.
The Two Chief Eunuchs watched as the dense green light decomposing from Bamboo Five Peaks's corpse converged towards Li Xuan, slowly lifting his body and suspending him in mid-air.
Li Xuan groaned comfortably, feeling every cell in his body cheer and burst forth with vibrant vitality.
With each breath, he felt incredibly profound and natural, as if the air in the world had become exceptionally fresh.
Li Xuan's changes seemed positive, but the Two Chief Eunuchs beside him still couldn't help but worry.
"Godfather, will Li Xuan be alright?"
"Doesn't look like it, he should be gaining some benefits."
Chief Steward Shang carefully observed Li Xuan's state, noticing that Li Xuan's aura was continuously rising.
Zhao Feng also noticed this, feeling slightly relieved.
"Is this the special characteristic of a Destined One?" Zhao Feng murmured to himself, then puzzled, "But I've never heard of a Destined One having this kind of…"
Zhao Feng did not finish his sentence, but the worry in his expression was already very clear.
"Perhaps it's related to Li Xuan's future Dao," Chief Steward Shang speculated.
"But this matter must not be known to the outside world."
Chief Steward Shang added.
Zhao Feng nodded in deep agreement.
After all, this scene could easily lead to undesirable associations.
Especially those demonic cultivators and evil practitioners, if they knew of Li Xuan's existence, they would surely be tempted to claim such a method of increasing strength for themselves.