Chapter 608: 447

Imperial Capital.

West Gate.

A carriage entered through the city gate.

The guards on duty, seeing the insignia of the Prosperous King’s Mansion, quickly dispersed the commoners and bowed to welcome the carriage into the city.

The royal clan had little real power, but to the common people, they were already lofty personages of the utmost importance.

The carriage curtain was lifted slightly, and inside sat a beautiful middle-aged woman with delicate features, observing the gathering commoners at the gate, appearing to be in good spirits.

The carriage moved leisurely into the city, with shops lined up on both sides of the street and a bustling flow of carts and horses.

The crowds were bustling, and the noise was uproarious.

The beautiful woman exclaimed in astonishment, “Several years have passed since I returned to the Imperial Capital, and it has entirely transformed!”

“When I entered the palace, the Imperial Capital was sickly and weak. Many said that the great house was about to fall.”

The white-haired old man driving the carriage, with a deep and rich voice, said, “Who would have thought that with the successive rule of Emperors Grand Martial, Orthodox, and Tianshun, there would be prospects of revival? Unfortunately, the nation’s fortune was insufficient, and the latter two had short lives.”

“Grand Martial and Orthodox can be considered wise rulers, while Tianshun merely usurped their achievements.”

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The beautiful woman was the Empress of the Orthodox Dynasty, the Holy Maiden of Sanyang Sect, who said softly, “Daqing has Old Tang supporting it, which should grant it a lease on life for two hundred years. It is questionable how much virtue and fortune the Zhao family has amassed over generations.”

With a strange laugh, the old man said, “I do not hold Daqing in high regard. How could the presence of such a person be tolerated when the new Emperor grows up and comes of age?”

The old man chuckled eerily, “Once the Protector is no longer in the inner court, the new Emperor will have ample means to clean up the Imperial Court. If Old Tang is lucky, he might be left with a whole corpse!”

The Holy Maiden approved, “For Eunuch Hai to have such insight, he surpasses ninety percent of the senior officials in court.”

The old man was none other than Eunuch Hai, who plotted the assassination of the Orthodox Emperor. After fleeing the imperial palace, he joined the Sanyang Sect and became the Chief Protector, ranking only below the Sect Leader and the Holy Maiden.

“Having witnessed many disgraceful affairs, I naturally understand the principles behind them,” he said.

The Holy Maiden nodded, “That’s why, whether it’s to overthrow Daqing or to seek immortality, the Protector must die!”

The purpose of establishing the Sanyang Sect was to overthrow the Imperial Court. Assassinating the Protector would cause an imbalance in the court’s structure, which in turn would cause Daqing to collapse internally.

“I have served three generations of emperors and hold some status, but compared to the Protector who manipulated the succession of imperial authority, I fall far short,” Eunuch Hai said with admiration.

“To reach such a level as the Protector, while merely a eunuch, is indeed unprecedented!”

“What a pity he cannot be utilized by our holy religion.”

The Holy Maiden recalled the past, when the Protector was just an eunuch with some power, who had to avoid and kowtow to her upon her imperial carriage’s approach. She had never imagined that he would become a person who manipulated imperial power.

“Eunuch Hai, do you believe that the Protector has a way to live forever?” she asked.

“I’m doubtful yet intrigued.”

Eunuch Hai’s expression became serious, and his aged eyes contained a hint of fervor. “I know Old Deer well; he is not one to speak idly. What’s more, truth and falsehoods are easy to verify.”

“If it weren’t so stunningly incredible, I would have come to the Imperial Capital long ago!”

Having cultivated the Epiphyllum Treasure Tome early on, Eunuch Hai suffered severe damage to his lifespan. Even though he switched his foundations and broke through to become a Martial Arts Grandmaster, his life was not much longer.

Since learning the utmost secret of immortality, Eunuch Hai had been restless and sleepless.

“Eunuch Hai, coming to the Imperial Capital alone, let alone obtaining the Protector’s flesh and blood, can’t even break through his True Qi protection,” the Holy Maiden said with a hint of surprise in her voice.

“The Protector’s capacity for True Qi is unfathomable to anyone, as he has cultivated the Epiphyllum Treasure Tome for an endless lifespan–a perfect match in all the world!”

“Even if he is powerful, he is still human, not a deity or demon. Moreover, he has not yet broken through to the Innate Realm,” Eunuch Hai stated.

The Holy Maiden asked, “Eunuch Hai, having a close relationship with Old Deer, do you know how many Martial Arts Grandmasters he has invited?”

Old Deer was the first to go to the main altar of Sanyang Sect to plan the assassination of the Protector and to divide his flesh. After that, he traveled to the Overseas Islands, the Extreme North Glacier, the Extreme West Desert, and the Extreme South Hundred Thousand Mountains to invite several notorious figures.

“At least six!”

“They are all rumored to have died but are actually clinging to life by a thread–old fellows whose strength has reached the pinnacle of martial arts. They may not match the vitality of the younger generation, but their techniques are even more formidable,” Eunuch Hai said.

The Holy Maiden nodded, “With you and me, plus the Sect Leader, nine Grandmasters joining forces to assassinate him, we’re indeed giving the Protector quite the recognition.”

“But that’s not all.”

“Beneath the Prosperous King’s Mansion lies a thousand pounds of gunpowder. Just lure the Protector in, and we can at least blast him into severe injury,” Eunuch Hai explained.

“Gunpowder… Ever since the emergence of the Fire Gun, ordinary followers have found it difficult to contend with the Imperial Court. The moment they engage, they suffer heavy casualties and wounds.”

The Holy Maiden frowned slightly. “Devotees who have practiced martial arts for years cannot defeat recruits trained with Fire Guns for just three to five days. It’s rumored that the Imperial Court is manufacturing even more powerful Fire Guns. In the future, will they pose a threat to Martial Arts Grandmasters?”

After a moment of contemplation, Eunuch Hai replied with utmost certainty, “They definitely will!”

The Holy Maiden sighed, “When that time comes, who will bother with the arduous practice of martial arts?”

Decades of martial arts practice, coupled with supreme talent and fortune, allow one to break through to the Innate Realm. Yet if one cannot withstand the simultaneous firing of a hundred or so Fire Guns, the path of martial arts will naturally fall into decline.

Eunuch Hai flicked the whip, urging the horses to move faster.

“That’s why I must attain immortality more than ever, to preserve the martial arts lineage. This is a great virtuous deed!”

The Holy Maiden couldn’t help but smile wryly.

No matter what one wants to do, be it good or bad, when one needs a reason, one can always find one.

By the roadside.

A traveling merchant was bargaining with a customer, arguing vehemently over two coins, while secretly using the Breath Listening Technique to eavesdrop on all the traffic on the road.

Secret agents from the Eastern Depot were scattered among the common folk.

Suddenly, words like “Protector,” “martial arts,” and “Fire Gun” reached his ears–keywords that the Eastern Depot closely monitored–and the spy glanced subtly toward the source of the voice.

The old man driving the carriage had a pale face with no beard, and upon careful inspection of his fingers and facial movements, there were unmistakable traces of an eunuch.