Commanding Assistant

Today, before all the constables at the Imperial Secret Police, Cang Yinyue denied her engagement to Fu Yu.

Aside from drawing a clear line and venting her anger, her most important purpose had been for this very moment.

Long ago, the First Madam of Marquis Cangyuan Mansion had strictly forbidden her from setting foot in the Marquis Mansion.

And the Marquis Mansion was filled with experts. Even if Cang Yinyue wanted to secretly infiltrate it and steal the Bone-Eroding Yin Wind Finger manual, it would have been impossible.

So she had thought of this method.

Based on her understanding of her cowardly father, only by doing this would he become enraged and take the initiative to seize her and bring her into the Marquis Mansion.

But for Cang Yinyue, this was precisely the opportunity she needed.

On the bustling long street, vendors' cries rose without end, and pedestrians streamed past in an unbroken flow.

A stern troop of armored soldiers escorted a carriage swiftly onward. Inside that luxurious carriage, Li Musheng sat facing the chief eunuch, Sun Changyu.

Li Musheng lounged casually against the cushion behind him, appearing to be lost in thought. In truth, he was continuing to deduce and devise the Life-Death Seal martial art in his mind.

Across from him, the chief eunuch Sun Changyu sat upright, his narrow eyes slightly narrowed as he occasionally studied the young man before him.

Judging by his appearance, there was a great chance that he was Consort Jing's son—the Seventh Prince who had wandered among the common folk.

"Young Master Li, it will take roughly an hour to reach the Heavenly Brocade Guard Headquarters. Why don't we have a chat?"

The chief eunuch Sun Changyu suddenly spoke. He picked up the teapot that had already boiled on the small table beside him, poured a cup, and handed it to Li Musheng.

Li Musheng raised his eyes slightly, glanced at him, accepted the teacup, and took a light sip.

Then his eyes lit up. Mm, this tea was quite fragrant. It was probably worth a fortune.

"What do you want to talk about? You'd better pick something I'm interested in. Otherwise, I don't have time to chat idly with a eunuch."

Since the tea was decent, Li Musheng answered lazily.

The chief eunuch Sun Changyu's eyelid twitched. After thinking for a moment, he slowly said,

"This servant has reviewed Young Master Li's records and learned that, for the past dozen or so years, Young Master Li had remained in a martial arts school in a small city in Wanzhou."

"However, Young Master Li somehow learned an exceptionally profound acupoint-sealing technique. Even this servant was left helpless by it. This truly left this servant amazed and curious."

Li Musheng raised an eyebrow at that.

"You're curious, so be curious. Don't tell me you want to learn my martial art?"

The chief eunuch Sun Changyu's expression froze. He then coughed awkwardly and said,

"Young Master Li has misunderstood. The martial arts treasury of the Great Li Imperial Palace contains too many top-tier secret manuals to count. This servant naturally would not covet the martial arts in your possession."

"It's only that... such a formidable acupoint-sealing martial art could not possibly be unknown in the martial world. This servant is somewhat curious. May I ask where Young Master Li learned his craft, and what realm his martial cultivation has now reached?"

Li Musheng stared for a while at the fair-faced chief eunuch before him, who put on such affected airs. Stroking his chin, he asked,

"Is that something you want to know, or did the Queen in the palace send you to ask?"

Sun Changyu looked at Li Musheng in some surprise. Then his gaze shifted slightly, and he nodded.

"The Queen was very close to the late Consort Jing and has taken the Seventh Prince's affairs greatly to heart. That is why she asked."

Li Musheng nodded faintly. He seemed not to care how much truth there was in those words, merely waving a hand.

"I've always been an honest man. You can tell the Queen when you return that I have no backing behind me, nor do I have any formidable sect inheritance."

"I did learn a few shallow martial arts in the martial arts school back then, but the martial arts I use now were all created by me."

At that, Li Musheng paused, then smiled meaningfully.

"As for the realm of my martial cultivation you asked about, all I can say is... it's very high."

Sun Changyu furrowed his brows tightly at those words. He suddenly fell silent and said nothing more.

Only after quite some time did he shake his head and say,

"This servant understands what Young Master Li has said and will truthfully report it to the Queen."

Li Musheng glanced at Sun Changyu. He knew the man did not believe him, but he did not care.

Sometimes, that was simply how things were. He treated people with sincerity, yet they thought he was bragging.

There was not even the most basic trust between people. It could only be called the sorrow of this world.

The atmosphere inside the carriage fell silent once more.

But before long, Li Musheng seemed to recall something and suddenly spoke thoughtfully.

"There's something I forgot to tell you earlier. I think it should still be in time to tell you now."

Sun Changyu pursed his lips. Perhaps because he was somewhat resistant to Li Musheng's earlier "wild boasting," he answered in an indifferent tone,

"Please speak, Young Master Li. This servant has been listening."

Li Musheng drained the tea in his cup in one gulp, then set the cup back on the small table, signaling for him to pour more tea.

"Earlier, you said that young man bore the Demonic Heart Seed. It so happens that I remembered the Commanding Assistant who appeared with you before."

As he spoke, Li Musheng narrowed his eyes slightly.

"I sensed an aura similar to demonic arts on him."

Sun Changyu's expression changed slightly at those words, and he looked up at Li Musheng.

But he quickly withdrew his gaze and slowly shook his head.

"Song has served in the Heavenly Brocade Guard for many years. His background is spotless, he performs his duties conscientiously, and he is also a trusted confidant of the Commander. It is absolutely impossible for him to have any ties to those of the demonic path."

Clearly, the chief eunuch Sun Changyu did not believe Li Musheng's words.

Whether martial sects in the jianghu or the Great Li Court, neither showed the slightest tolerance toward those of the demonic path.

In order to cultivate demonic arts, such people would stop at nothing. Abandoning wives and children, severing emotion and extinguishing desire—those were still minor matters.

Some, steeped deeply in demonic nature, possessed not a shred of humanity. They killed people to practice their arts and brought calamity upon the common folk, poisoning the world without end.

Thus, Great Li had long decreed that anyone who practiced demonic-path techniques would be executed without mercy. Naturally, it was impossible to allow such people to infiltrate the court.

Seeing that Sun Changyu made little of his warning, Li Musheng raised an eyebrow.

Earlier, his mind had been occupied with studying his new martial art, so he had not paid much attention to this matter.

But once he remembered it, he had informed the man in time. He had done all that duty and kindness required.

As for whether the other man believed him, there was nothing he could do about that.

Just then, Li Musheng's heart stirred. He reached out, lifted the carriage curtain, and looked outside.

The carriage escorted by armored soldiers had already left the bustling long street and entered a somewhat secluded road.

However, as the carriage was about to reach the fork ahead, it suddenly veered away from the armored soldiers and headed into another alley.

And immediately afterward, an identical carriage emerged from the side.

It took the place of Li Musheng's carriage and continued onward beneath the escort of the armored soldiers.