One of Wei Wuyuan's advisors, the short and fat strategist Liu Ji, descended the stairs, dressed in a luxurious brocade robe and escorted by a team of imposing guards in specially crafted black heavy armor. His small eyes gleamed with cunning and greed, locked onto Mo Xingyun. "This master received a secret report long ago that some Demonic Sect rat, tired of living, dared to infiltrate our Immortal Palace's forbidden grounds. I thought it would take some effort to catch you all, but I never expected a little fish like you to deliver yourself to me!"
A smile was plastered on Liu Ji's face, but his tone was icy: "Come to think of it, I should thank you. If it weren't for you, you fool, leading the way, this master wouldn't have had such a good opportunity to open that great door above and enter this sacred land of the Ning clan so brazenly! Hei hei hei."
He glanced around the pale blue, mysterious hall, his gaze lingering for a moment on the central Yin-Yang Pool emanating strange energy, then continued: "I heard that within the Xuan Palace lies the Ning clan's ultimate secret treasure, one that can bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh and bone. It can also help one's cultivation advance greatly and break through bottlenecks. If I can find it here today, my own cultivation, hehe, might just reach another level! Hehehe..."
A murderous glint flashed in Liu Ji's eyes. He waved his fleshy hand: "As for you, who doesn't know his own place and dares to covet the Immortal Palace's forbidden treasure! Seize him! Leave him with a breath. This master wants to personally interrogate you and see what else this Demonic Sect spy knows!"
The black-armored guards behind him sprang into action, drawing the specially made battle-axes from their waists, which gleamed with a cold light. They formed a small battle formation and menacingly advanced on Mo Xingyun. These men were clearly death warriors trained by Liu Ji; they moved without the slightest hesitation, their coordination seamless, and their killing intent was palpable.
Mo Xingun cursed inwardly. He could sense that these black-armored guards were all formidable, far beyond ordinary Immortal Palace disciples. And at this moment, his internal energy was depleted, and he was unarmed. The situation was extremely dire. He had no choice but to grit his teeth, force his spirits up, and prepare to fight like a cornered beast.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Mo Xingyun's pupils shrank abruptly. His figure became elusive and unpredictable. As he circulated his cyan-green inner energy, he unleashed the movement techniques of the [Hidden Dragon Demon Art]. His footwork was profound and mysterious; at times, he was as slippery as a swimming fish, at others, as fleeting as a ghostlyfv shadow. He narrowly weaved his way through the gaps in the dense net of blades.
His palms in combat. Though unarmed, he had incorporated the essence of the [New Moon Sword Style], its deceptive agility and its focus on exploiting weaknesses, into his palm strikes. His hands formed claws, then fingers, then blade-like palms. Every strike was as swift as lightning, launched from a tricky angle, targeting the seams in the black-armored guards' armor, the joints, or the openings in their stances as they transitioned between moves.
"Bang! Crack!" A guard's blade strike was slightly delayed. A sharp glint flashed in Xingyun's eyes. His left palm darted out like a snake, skillfully deflecting the opponent's blade, while his right palm became a blur, striking viciously at the seam of the armor under the guard's armpit! A muffled thud accompanied the sound of cracking bones. The guard cried out in agony, stumbling back, his left arm hanging limp and useless.
But these black-armored guards knew no fear. As their comrade fell, the others attacked with even greater ferocity. their battle formation shifted, instantly filling the gap. The light of their blades intensified, forcing Mo Xingyun to once again evade with all his might.
Sweat poured from Mo Xingyun's forehead. Every dodge and counterattack drained his inner energy. The black-armored guards' armor was incredibly sturdy; an ordinary palm strike against it was like a mere tickle. Only a hit to a vital point would be effective. And the guards coordinated perfectly, their attack and defense seamless, making it extremely difficult for him to find an opening to launch a sustained assault.
"Clang! Clang!"
After several more perilous exchanges, Mo Xingyun, relying on his profound understanding of the principles behind the [Hidden Dragon Demon Art] and the [New Moon Sword Style], as well as his combat intuition far surpassing ordinary people, managed to hold on in this desperate situation. His clothes had been slashed open in several places, oozing blood, and his breathing had become ragged. He could feel the strength within his body rapidly fading. Had his internal energy not been greatly enhanced by Longyue, he would never have lasted this long.
He spotted an opportunity. His body suddenly dropped, dodging three battle axes swinging down at his head while his right leg lashed out like an iron whip, viciously kicking a guard's shin!
"Ah!"
The guard cried out in pain, his balance thrown off, nearly falling. Just as Mo Xingyun was about to press his advantage, two other battle axes, carrying a fierce, sharp wind, sealed off all his paths of advance, forcing him into a clumsy backward roll to evade.
Liu Ji watched from the side with a sinister sneer. "Good boy! The vermin of the Demon Cult do have some skill! To actually last this long against my Black-Armored Guards is no simple feat. It's a pity, though, that you will die here today!"
Meanwhile, outside the Xuan Palace's high tower, a graceful figure appeared silently. It was Hu Hong, the young master of the Hundred Flowers Island.
He had come at Ning Xuefei's request to investigate the secret treasure of the Xuan Palace in this tower. He had expected this mission to be a difficult one, but as he approached, he discovered that there wasn't a single guard around the perimeter of the Xuan Palace.
"Strange, how could the security be so lax?"
Hu Hong was puzzled. Though his temperament was a bit impulsive, he was no reckless fool. He activated the [Strolling among the flower] lightness skill, a secret technique of the Hundred Flowers Island. His body became like a wisp of green smoke as he silently approached the high tower. The heavy stone door at the top was slightly ajar.
"The door is open too? Could it be... something has happened inside?"
Hu Hong's mind raced. The Xuan Palace was known for its tight security; it would never be this lax. He grew cautious, straining his ears and could faintly hear the sounds of clashing weapons and muffled fighting coming from deep within the tower.
He hesitated no longer. His figure flickered, and he slipped silently through the crack in the door. The passage inside was dark and winding. Relying on the exquisite lightness skill of the Hundred Flowers Island, he avoided a few remaining mechanical traps and followed the sounds of battle to a spiral staircase leading to the tower's base.
The sounds of fighting from below grew clearer, mixed with the clanging of weapons and a man's furious shouts. Hu Hong held his breath and, using his lightness skill, silently descended the spiral staircase. He soon arrived at the entrance to the Frost Hall. Hiding in the shadow of a protruding rock, he peered into the hall.
In the center of the great hall, a young man in black night clothes was being surrounded and attacked by seven or eight burly men in heavy black armor. The battle was incredibly intense. The young man's movements were strange, his palm strikes agile. Though he seemed to be at his last gasp, he was still stubbornly holding on in this desperate situation. Outside the battle circle, Liu Ji stood with his hands behind his back, watching the fight with a mocking smile on his face.
Hu Hong had never seen Mo Xingyun before, but he had some impression of Liu Ji. This man was one of the most trusted advisors under the Xuan Emperor, Wei Wuyin, known for his sinister, cunning, and scheming nature.
Hu Hong secretly speculated. He didn't know Mo Xingyun's identity and simply assumed he was a member of the Demon Cult who had infiltrated the place and been unlucky enough to run into Liu Ji. He decided to wait and watch from the sidelines, hoping to reap some benefits from the conflict or, at the very least, gather some useful intelligence.
Unexpectedly, Liu Ji was well-versed in the strange arts of the Western Regions and was extremely sensitive to the presence of others. He immediately sensed something. He whirled his head around, his gaze like lightning shooting toward Hu Hong's hiding spot, and sneered, "Heh, I wondered who had such skill in stealth. So it's the young master of the Hundred Flowers Island, Young Master Hu, gracing us with his presence! What's this? Aren't you supposed be currying favor with the Holy Empress? What are you doing here in this forbidden area of the Immortal Palace for amusement?"
His presence exposed, Hu Hong was slightly startled, but his expression remained calm. He stepped out from the shadows with his signature, carefree smile, cupping his hands toward Liu Ji. "Ah, so it's Lord Liu handling official business here. My apologies! This junior merely heard that the scenery of the Xuan Palace is uniquely beautiful, far surpassing the rest of the Immortal Palace. I was overcome with curiosity and thought I'd take a look around. I never expected to disturb Lord Liu's interests. Truly, my fault, my fault."
"Oh? Just taking a look around?" Liu Ji said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Young Master Hu certainly has refined tastes. However, the Xuan Palace is a forbidden area within the the Immortal Palace. No one is allowed to enter without an edict from the Emperor himself. Your little 'stroll' here is hardly proper, is it?"
"Don't tell me... Young Master Hu also has some thoughts about the Ning clan's secret treasure? I've long heard that you, Young Master Hu, have some rather... unusual feelings for the Holy Empress, tsk tsk."
Hearing this, Hu Hong let out a loud laugh and said in a clear voice, "Lord Liu jests. This junior has no interest in any secret treasure. As for the Holy Empress... she is someone to be admired from afar; I wouldn't dare harbor the slightest disrespectful thought. I will take my leave now so as not to disturb Lord Liu further." Though he spoke of leaving, his feet remained planted in a firm stance, clearly assessing the situation.
The two traded words, their conversation seemingly polite but in reality they were probing each other, each trying to ascertain the other's intentions and background. A vicious glint flashed in Liu Ji's eyes. He calculated that Hu Hong's arrival at this precise moment, neither early nor late, was surely no coincidence. His plans for tonight were of the utmost importance and he could not allow for any variables.
*****
Read 25+ chapters ahead at:
Patreon: CliffTrevor
patreon.com/CliffTrevor