Chen Du gently put down the slightly cool teacup, looked up at the King of Nanli beside him, and suddenly spoke softly, uttering a question that seemed ordinary but hit the nail on the head.
"Has Your Highness ever heard of a man known as the Heaven Slayer?"
Upon hearing this, the King of Nanli was slightly taken aback. His brows furrowed slowly, and he pondered for a long time before finally shaking his head gently.
"Heaven Slayer? Never heard of such a thing."
He has cultivated deep roots in the Southern Border vassal states for decades, holding military and political power in one region, and has dabbled in various factions, including the imperial court, sects, underworld networks, and secretive forces.
Whether they are top assassins in the martial arts world or hidden guards of major sects, they all have names in his mind.
The words "Heaven Slayer" were completely unfamiliar to him; he had no recollection of them whatsoever.
After a slight pause, his expression turned serious, and he took the initiative to speak:
"However, the fact that a sect leader at the Stellar Fifth Metamorphosis can command such a powerful figure to serve him means that this person's background must be unfathomable. After Your Highness returns to your fiefdom, you can use all your hidden agents to thoroughly investigate this person's whereabouts and origins."
Chen Du nodded slightly, his expression calm and composed, but he had already made his judgment in his heart.
His Heaven Slayer and caution far exceeded his initial expectations.
Even a top-tier vassal king like King of Nanli, who held real power and cultivated deep connections within the court, had never met or heard of him.
This shows that the person's plans were extremely elaborate and their actions were incredibly secretive.
He remained hidden in the shadows, cutting himself off from information layer by layer. None of his pawns knew the overall situation; they only knew to follow orders.
Zhao Heng, until his death, never saw the true face of Heaven Slayer, nor knew his realm or background; he was merely a pawn casually manipulated by the other party.
Such opponents, who lurk behind the scenes, remain silent, and meticulously calculate the power and influence of others, are far more dangerous and difficult to deal with than those high-profile, arrogant, and head-on rivals.
The hall fell silent for a moment.
Looking at Chen Du's silent profile, the King of Nanli was filled with questions and was about to ask him more.
Chen Du gently raised his hand, interrupting him calmly.
"Your Highness, that's enough for today."
"Let's get down the mountain and leave as soon as possible."
"Do not utter a word to anyone about anything you have seen or heard from me today, in order to ensure your own safety."
These few words, though gentle, carry an undeniable admonition.
King of Nanli's heart skipped a beat, and he instantly understood all the secrets.
He had just pressed the other party about their cultivation level, but the other party remained silent.
But this extreme silence is the most awe-inspiring answer.
The young man before them possessed strength, profound knowledge, and strategic vision that far surpassed all understanding of the imperial court and the secular world.
He slowly rose, suppressing all his arrogance as a prince, and solemnly bowed deeply to Chen Du. His voice was low and solemn, and his eyes held only understanding and reverence.
"I understand."
"Over the years, the strange changes, unsolvable storms, and undercurrents that have repeatedly occurred in the imperial court have all become clear today."
He paused slightly, his gaze becoming serious, before uttering a long-forgotten palace secret.
"There is another matter. His Majesty and the Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace show absolutely no resemblance in appearance or temperament to each other as father and son."
"His Majesty once said something harsh to me in private, and I have remembered it to this day, never daring to forget it."
"The mountains and rivers of the Ling Dynasty cannot tolerate two dragons standing side by side. The second dragon will inevitably perish."
Upon hearing this, Chen Du's lips curled up very slightly.
The smile was extremely faint, almost imperceptible, fleeting, devoid of any warmth, leaving only a chilling coldness.
All the old cases, palace intrigues, and decades of planning are now connected and formed.
King of Nanli gazed at him silently, awaiting what would follow.
But only silence remained in the hall.
Seeing that Chen Du had no intention of saying another word, he wisely stopped lingering, turned around and bowed respectfully to the Xuanwei to his side, displaying impeccable manners.
Just before stepping out of the main hall, he paused slightly and subconsciously turned back to take a deep look at the young Daoist priest sitting in the hall.
Her lips trembled slightly, a thousand words unspoken, all that remained in her heart, until finally, only a silent sigh escaped her lips as she turned and left.
The procession resumed along the mountain path, the clanging of hooves and the soft whistling of armor, the sound gradually fading into the distance until it finally disappeared completely beyond Qingfeng Mountain.
Inside the main hall, tranquility returned.
Chen Du sat upright in his original position, his fingertips holding the cup of tea that had long since gone cold, his gaze lingering on the direction of the mountain gate, watching the last trace of the ceremonial procession completely disappear.
A moment later, Xuanwei walked slowly in through the side door, quietly sat down beside him, and asked in a low voice.
"He completely believed it?"
Chen Du nodded slightly.
Xuanwei asked again, "Did he really know nothing about that Heaven Slayer thing?"
Chen Du sipped the cold tea in his cup, put it down, and a deep, cold light flashed in his eyes.
"I truly don't know."
"This man Heaven Slayer; he is far more patient, meticulous, and adept at concealing his strength than we anticipated."
"Even the powerful princes of the current dynasty are kept out of the game, never having been able to find a trace of it."
This intricate web of darkness that shrouds the Ling Dynasty is far more terrifying than anyone could have imagined.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
An imperial edict from the capital arrived at the gate of Qingfeng Mountain as scheduled.
The imperial eunuch stood on the blue stone platform in front of the temple, holding a gilded and bright yellow imperial edict scroll in his hands. His tone was steady and measured, with each word carrying the imperial authority.
The imperial edict was simple yet grand: His Majesty has heard that Daoist Xuanwei of Qingfeng Temple possesses profound and mysterious Daoist teachings and high moral character, and has therefore issued an edict to summon him to the palace to preach and spread the Tao, to pray for the Empress Dowager's well-being and to ensure favorable weather for the land of Great Zhao.
Xuanwei stood below the steps, lowered his eyes and bowed, calmly accepting the imperial edict. His expression was serene and calm, showing neither joy nor panic, completely like a hermit who was detached from worldly affairs.
Standing behind his disciples, Chen Du's mind was already on edge.
Almost the instant the imperial edict was issued, a system notification suddenly exploded in his mind.
[Calamity Warning triggered.]
[Fate trajectory simulation in progress... Simulation complete.]
[The emperor's summons of Xuanwei to the palace was, in reality, a carefully orchestrated trap set by someone in the shadows. Once Xuanwei enters the inner palace, he will inevitably face a secret assassination and die in the imperial city.]
[If Xuanwei disobeys the imperial decree and refuses to go, the other side will immediately use the pretext of disrespecting the emperor and defying the court to mobilize a large force of imperial guards to besiege Qingfeng Temple and massacre its gates.]
[To go is a deadly trap within the palace; to stay is the destruction of the sect. The enemy is calculating every step, attacking from both sides, with layers upon layers of countermeasures, leaving no way out.]
[Suggestion: The host should personally accompany Xuanwei into the palace. This trip will allow for a thorough investigation of palace secrets, uncovering the mastermind behind it all, and eradicating all the hidden forces targeting the master.]
Chen Du's gaze darkened slightly, his mind clear.
From the Heaven Slayer appeared and the undercurrents in the palace surfaced, he knew the turmoil would not end.
The reason the other party hesitated to move Qingfeng Temple was not out of fear, but because they were waiting for the most opportune moment to break the deadlock.
Today, a royal decree, grand and respectable, hides a vicious scheme to eliminate all traces of the enemy.
The other party had accurately predicted Xuanwei's desire to protect the temple, his forbearance and kindness, and that Qingfeng Temple would not escape disaster regardless of whether he went or not.
What a flawless and meticulously planned political intrigue in the imperial court.
Chen Du suppressed the chill surging in his heart, remaining silent and keeping all his plans to himself.
Night falls.
The moonlight was cold and clear; the bamboo courtyard was quiet and still.
Chen Du entered the alchemy room alone.
The candlelight flickered inside, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Xuanwei sat upright on the futon, with the bright yellow imperial edict lying flat in front of him. His fingertips gently brushed the patterns on the edict, as if he had been sitting quietly for a long time, as if he was divination of fortune and misfortune, or as if he was waiting for him to come.