The loyal minister Zhong Yudai brought over a hundred n through various towns. along the way, many people ca to inquire, but he ignored them, hastening along the earthen road, fraught with worry. After ensuring that mbers of his sa Fetal Breathing Realm were well inford, he simply abandoned the army, rose on the wind, and flew toward the town of Mu Jiaoman, which was the designated capital, Mu Luk Town.
It was still early morning when he left, and Zhong Yudai had been flying for half an hour. Mu Luk Town had already erged on the horizon, the sun was rising, and the world was gradually warming up, leaving him drenched in dew.
"Mu Luk Town…"
Zhong Yudai shook off the dew on his body, flew directly over the town below him, ignoring the Shanyue nobles who looked up from below. After a while, a magnificent palace appeared in front of him.
Just as he was about to land in the palace, he realized the palace's Array had been activated. A transparent light barrier enveloped the entire palace tightly, a secret project started by Mu Jiaoman in life, which involved a significant paynt to a Loose Cultivator from the lake.
"Please open the Array, I am the great minister Zhong Yudai, bearing royal orders with urgent matters!"
Zhong Yudai had no choice but to stop and shout twice. However, soone climbed upon the palace wall, bearing the appearance of an Eastern woman, a middle-aged lady with delicate, elongated eyebrows and regal attire; she exuded an extraordinary presence as she looked at him indifferently.
"Queen Consort?!"
The woman was indeed a daughter of the Li Family who had married into Mu Jiaoman's family, a concubine of Mu Jiaoman. Zhong Yudai was taken aback, having served under Mu Jiaoman for a long ti, he blurted out without thinking.
"Zhong Yudai… So you have returned alone. I presu Qi Mu's great montum has waned," said the daughter of the Li Family, smiling slightly. Her voice, transmitted by the Array, made Zhong Yudai tremble from head to toe. Seeing her cold stare, he exclaid in shock and anger,
"Li Feiruo… why is it you! Where is the Great Shaman?"
"Here."
Li Feiruo smiled softly, bowed slightly, and threw out a head covered in bloodstains. The head rolled twice on the palace wall before falling outside the palace, turning into a puff of ash when struck by the Array.
"Please open the Array…"
Zhong Yudai called out in a pleading tone, unable to comprehend how a Qi Cultivator could be killed by an ordinary person without any cultivation level. Despair filled his heart. Li Feiruo, however, simply waved her hand, and behind her, three children were brought forward—two girls and one boy, the eldest not more than ten, and the youngest around six, all with tears looking up at Zhong Yudai, twisting his heart like a knife.
"Minister Zhong Yudai, are you looking for them?"
Li Feiruo fixed her gaze on his eyes and repeated the question, carefully judging his emotions. it seed Zhong Yudai had anticipated what was to co next, tears streaming down his eyes as he cried out,
"You… You are at least their stepmother…"
But Li Feiruo ignored him as if she had heard nothing, smiling and saying,
"Minister Zhong Yudai, if you agree to a request of mine, I might spare their lives."
"Say it!"
Zhong Yudai didn't hesitate and quickly moved closer to the Array, staring intently into Li Feiruo's eyes, and Li Feiruo spoke softly,
"Commit suicide."
Zhong Yudai was stunned, his Fifth Layer of Qi Training cultivation bursting forth as he exclaid in grief,
"Vile woman… you!"
Li Feiruo had already drawn a sharp dagger and pressed it against the little girl's throat, causing the girl to burst into loud cries instantly. Zhong Yudai shouted in haste,
"Wait!"
Zhong Yudai stood frozen for several monts, struggling with his expression before finally raising his knife and placing the blade against his own neck, speaking softly,
"Both the late king and I underestimated you."
Li Feiruo nodded slightly. As Zhong Yudai's blade moved, his head flew off, and his grizzled hair scattered about. A Qi Cultivator of the Fifth Layer, in a blink, lost his life. Zhong Yudai's headless body thudded to the ground, and only then did a gaze from above the clouds slowly retract, glancing at Li Feiruo with admiration.
Li Feiruo watched as Zhong Yudai fell, her eyes slightly dimd as the aura of complete control around her extinguished. The loyal subordinates behind her, sowhat unable to bear it, whispered softly,
"Milord, was this asure not sowhat..."
"It was a move made out of necessity, as was mine," she replied.
Li Feiruo sighed, the jade accessory at her neck jingling. She spoke softly,
"Zhong Yudai was one of the few utterly loyal to Qi Mu. With the Family's elders not present here, if he were to escape and later covertly target
or my family's younger generation, wouldn't that be a huge trouble? Even though our Family's elders far surpass him in cultivation, they can't protect the younger mbers at all tis. Should he succeed in his plot, my offense would be unforgivable."
"I am but a re mortal. Although I killed the Great Shaman by borrowing the nobility's power within the city, I only have the ability to protect myself with formations. How could I oppose a Qi Cultivator of the Fifth Layer? This thod, dirty though it may be, is the only path available to
now... In the life-and-death struggle between two families, I fear the consequences of not eradicating the threat completely."
Li Feiruo, supported by her confidants, descended the palace walls quietly, watching the Shanyue ministers kneeling below. Blood flowed beneath the palace, staining her skirt with traces of dark red as the elegant fabric absorbed it. Li Feiruo smiled faintly, her voice gentle,
"Rise, all of you."
The ministers below rose obediently, not daring to look up at her. Li Feiruo passed through the blood-stained steps and hall, walking step by step into the pitch-dark main hall. Fallen candles burned quietly on the floor, and the injured continued to groan within the hall. She walked on the blood to the highest place and whispered,
"Has the Young Master replied to my ssage?"
"The reply has co."
A confidant presented a secret letter. After Li Feiruo read it thoroughly and tucked the letter into her bosom, the ministers below dared to speak,
"Milord, how shall we deal with Qi Mu's lineage."
"A death sentence either way. Lock them up for now, and let the main family decide."
Li Feiruo responded lightly, picking up the inkbrush and writing a few lines on a cloth, handing it to the confidant, her voice soft,
"Send this to the Young Master."
————
Four Qi Cultivators from Shanyue surrendered to Shamo Li, hailing him as their king, and landed together on the ground to et the Family Head. The four cautiously moved through the military ranks and saw a dark tallic chariot adorned with several flags, floating in the air.
A young man stood atop the chariot, dressed in a white robe, looking gallant and affable, smiling warmly in the morning breeze, raising his cup and laughing,
"Congratulations to you, king!"
"I dare not presu."
Shamo Li, still covered in blood, bowed respectfully. The four Shanyue Qi Cultivators, baffled, awkwardly imitated his bow. Shamo Li stood and said with folded hands,
"My present status is all thanks to the cultivation of the elders. I dare not call myself king before the elders. I have rely unified Qi Mu's troops. According to what the surrendered generals said, Qi Mu released a person who was a loyal confidant, a Qi Cultivator of the Fifth Layer, a significant threat. I hope the elders will take heed."
"I was also thinking, there are still offspring and confidants of Qi Mu in Muluzhen. I wish to lead my n on the winds to resolve them, lest they escape and beco a future concern..."
"Oh."
Li Yuanxiu nodded and replied,
"The Shanyue Qi Cultivator is already being trailed by elders, he cannot escape. As for Muluzhen..."
Li Yuanxiu smiled slightly, glanced down at the five Shanyue below him, and lifting the secret letter in his hand, he laughed,
"Qi Mu left Muluzhen less than an hour ago, and the entire palace has already fallen under the control of my cousin. Qi Mu's children have been captured by us, and their confidants have all been slaughtered by my cousin. If my calculations are correct, there are already people on their way to surrender."
Reviews
All reviews (0)