Outer Sect Inner Cabinet, Taiping Assassinated

"Was this really Martial Dao?"

Looking at Ren Xiaoyao, who was kneading Heavenly Thunder in his hand, Princess Taiping felt her liver and gallbladder tremble. Such methods had already surpassed her understanding.

At that moment.

Princess Taiping could only feel that—

Any power and authority she possessed and controlled—

Before such strength—

Were nothing more than a joke!

Even merely watching Ren Xiaoyao from afar—

Princess Taiping had developed such thoughts.

And at this moment, Elder Tang—

As he watched Ren Xiaoyao approach him—

Was on the verge of collapse!

Thud!

Elder Tang dropped to his knees with a thud.

Sweat drops the size of soybeans trickled down his forehead as he trembled and said, "My lord, I am merely a petty Martial Saint. I do not believe I even have the qualifications to offend you. Have you perhaps misunderstood something?"

Elder Tang's heart was clear as a mirror.

Even though he was at the Martial Saint Realm—

Before the person in front of him—

He was likely no more than an ant!

He did not even have the qualifications to offend such a figure.

Then—

Why was this person targeting him?

Ren Xiaoyao chuckled. "I have some grievances with Qianqiu Pavilion. Since you are a member of Qianqiu Pavilion, there should be no problem with putting this debt on your head, right?"

Naturally, Ren Xiaoyao could not reveal his identity.

Right now, he was in the shadows.

Qianqiu Pavilion was in the open.

If his identity were exposed—

Then—

Ren Xiaoyao would be in the open.

He would need to guard against Qianqiu Pavilion lurking in the shadows.

"Qianqiu Pavilion?"

After hearing Ren Xiaoyao's words, Elder Tang gave a bitter smile and said,

"My lord, I am merely an elder of Qianqiu Pavilion's outer sect. Strictly speaking, I am just someone who runs errands and handles miscellaneous tasks. The one who offended you must be a core member of Qianqiu Pavilion's inner sect. Please do not vent your anger on me!"

Upon hearing Elder Tang's words—

Ren Xiaoyao, beneath his mask, frowned.

According to what Elder Tang meant—

A Martial Saint Realm existence was merely an ordinary member of Qianqiu Pavilion.

He was not qualified to enter the core of its power.

Then—

Qianqiu Pavilion truly was rather formidable!

After all, within Great Gan—

Let alone Martial Saint Realm experts—

Even Heavenly Human Realm existences could sweep through everything.

Even the Empress did not dare offend a Heavenly Human lightly.

From this, it seemed—

Qianqiu Pavilion stood far above Great Gan.

No wonder Ying Huai had said before—

That the Empress had once joined Qianqiu Pavilion.

Now it seemed—

Being able to join Qianqiu Pavilion—

Had counted as a stroke of fortune for the Empress.

Naturally, Ren Xiaoyao still had many other questions, but he could not ask them before the others. Otherwise, he might very well expose his identity.

Just as Ren Xiaoyao was pondering—

Elder Tang seized the opportunity.

The terror on his face instantly turned vicious. Like a ghost, he lunged before Ren Xiaoyao. A black dagger appeared in Elder Tang's hand as he snarled,

"You are indeed powerful, but you are still flesh and blood. I refuse to believe your body is harder than my Fine Steel Dagger!"

In an instant—

The black dagger in Elder Tang's hand stabbed toward Ren Xiaoyao's chest.

Ren Xiaoyao smiled faintly beneath his mask. Elder Tang believed he could succeed in a sneak attack, but to Ren Xiaoyao's Spiritual Sense, everything Elder Tang did seemed to be playing in slow motion.

Ren Xiaoyao casually unleashed a Palm Thunder.

It blasted into Elder Tang's body.

At once—

Elder Tang let out tragic cries. He suddenly crashed to the ground, vomiting blood as he stared fixedly at Ren Xiaoyao, his face full of disbelief.

Princess Taiping and the others were so frightened that their faces turned white.

Ren Xiaoyao glanced at Elder Tang, who was half-dead.

Though the Palm Thunder was convenient to use—

Its power was still somewhat lacking.

It could kill a Heavenly Human Realm expert on the spot.

But against someone like Elder Tang, a Martial Saint-level figure, whose body contained abundant True Essence, it could only grievously wound him and could not achieve an instant kill.

Still, Ren Xiaoyao was fairly satisfied.

After all, aside from ordinary Palm Thunder—

He possessed the even more terrifying Divine Firmament Dao Thunder.

That was his true trump card.

At this time—

Ren Xiaoyao did not linger any longer within Princess Taiping's Residence. He knew that the disturbance caused by his attack had already alerted the outside world, and Patrol Guards would soon come to investigate the Princess's Residence.

Ren Xiaoyao had no intention of embarking on a killing spree.

Therefore—

Like grabbing a chick, Ren Xiaoyao seized the half-dead Elder Tang in his hand, then left Princess Taiping's Residence.

Seeing this scene—

The more than ten True Man Realm Martial Artists still alive around Princess Taiping naturally did not dare block Ren Xiaoyao even half a step. They even felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted.

After all, they knew clearly in their hearts—

If Ren Xiaoyao wished to—

Killing them would be no more than a casual gesture.

After confirming that Ren Xiaoyao had completely departed, Princess Taiping collapsed limply onto the ground. Looking at the figure of Ren Xiaoyao vanishing into the night sky, the conviction in her heart began to waver.

Princess Taiping had originally believed—

That if she could inherit the Son of Heaven Position—

Then throughout the four seas and eight desolations—

Billions of common people would all need to submit beneath her feet.

But now, Princess Taiping felt—

That even the Son of Heaven in the mortal world—

Before such a figure—

Was no more than an ant.

Outside the Capital City.

Within a secluded corner.

Ren Xiaoyao threw Elder Tang onto the ground, then said calmly, "I have several questions for you. If you can answer them, I can let you die quickly."

Upon hearing Ren Xiaoyao's words—

Elder Tang's face immediately became ashen.

Although he knew in his heart that after his sneak attack on Ren Xiaoyao had failed, there could naturally be no path to survival for him.

Since that was the case, Elder Tang hardened himself and snorted. "Kill me or carve me up, do as you please. But if you think you can learn any information from my mouth, you are dreaming!"

"Is that so?"

Ren Xiaoyao did not waste words.

He directly transformed his spiritual power into a Life and Death Mark and drove it into Elder Tang's body.

At once, Elder Tang only felt as though billions of ants were tearing into him at the same time. It was a pain in which he could neither live nor die.

"I'll talk, I'll tell you everything!"

Elder Tang's face twisted as he screamed hysterically, "No! Stop torturing me!"

He had caved already?

Ren Xiaoyao looked at the collapsed Elder Tang.

He was somewhat speechless.

Ren Xiaoyao asked, "Does Qianqiu Pavilion have any Martial Artists at the Human Immortal Realm?"

"Human Immortal Realm?"

Elder Tang recovered somewhat from the pain and panted heavily. "What kind of realm is that? I have never even heard of it!"

Ren Xiaoyao knew Elder Tang would not conceal the answer to such a simple question, so he continued, "Within Qianqiu Pavilion, what realm does the strongest Martial Artist possess?"

"I am merely an elder of the outer sect. The strongest person in the outer sect is the Outer Sect Master. He is an entire major realm above me, at the Through Profound Realm!"

Elder Tang said, "As for the core Inner Cabinet of Qianqiu Pavilion, I have no qualifications to come into contact with it. I only know that Qianqiu Pavilion's Pavilion Master is an existence like a Land Immortal!"

Ren Xiaoyao frowned.

Qianqiu Pavilion was indeed unfathomable.

The strongest person in the outer sect was already at the Through Profound Realm, beyond the Martial Saint Realm.

The strongest person in the Inner Cabinet—

Naturally surpassed the Through Profound Realm by far.

A Land Immortal?

How did that compare to his own Human Immortal Realm?

Ren Xiaoyao continued, "I once heard that the Empress had also been a disciple of Qianqiu Pavilion. Qianqiu Pavilion's support must have played no small role in her attaining the Son of Heaven Position, correct?"

"Correct!"

Elder Tang nodded.

"Regardless of who they are, emperors and Sons of Heaven of the kingdoms outside must obtain Qianqiu Pavilion's approval if they wish to inherit the great lineage. The Empress was no exception."

"Then is Princess Taiping the next Son of Heaven you intend to support?"

Ren Xiaoyao continued asking.

"I do not know about that. Those are plans made within the Inner Cabinet. We members of Qianqiu Pavilion's outer sect are merely executors. The order I received was to help Princess Taiping attain the Heavenly Human Realm, while also investigating the truth behind the earlier matter of the Seven Heavenly Human Realm Martial Artists dying in Heavenly Fire."

After experiencing the terror of the Life and Death Mark—

Elder Tang did not dare conceal anything.

"Good. Then I have one final question."

Ren Xiaoyao looked at Elder Tang before him and removed the Ghost Face Mask from his face. "Tell me, why did you have Princess Taiping kill me?"

Elder Tang had never seen Ren Xiaoyao before.

Naturally, he could not recognize Ren Xiaoyao now.

He only felt that Ren Xiaoyao's appearance was incomparably handsome.

As though an Immortal had descended from the heavens.

"Kill you? How could I possibly have the nerve to make Princess Taiping kill you? Are you joking...?"

Elder Tang wanted to explain.

But at that moment, he suddenly woke up.

He looked at Ren Xiaoyao before him, his eyes widening round as he revealed an incredulous expression. "You... you are Ren Xiaoyao, Luo Mengshen's Son, Ren Xiaoyao!"

Elder Tang felt as though countless bolts of lightning had struck him at that instant. He was unwilling to believe his own deduction.

How could that be!

How could the person before him possibly be Ren Xiaoyao?

One had to know—

According to the information Elder Tang had learned, Ren Xiaoyao was only a seventeen-year-old youth. Moreover, he had never cultivated Martial Dao and was merely an ordinary person.

Yet the person before him—

Was like one of the Immortals and Gods.

How could these two people—

Possibly be the same person?

Ren Xiaoyao spoke calmly. "Tell me, exactly how did I offend you that you were determined to kill me?"

Elder Tang gave a bitter smile as well. "Actually, it wasn't I who wanted to kill you. It was an Elder from the Inner Cabinet of Qianqiu Pavilion who ordered me to secretly get rid of you."

"I don't know the exact reason, but it most likely has something to do with your mother, Luo Mengshen. Luo Mengshen was once the Saintess of Qianqiu Pavilion, and she had many enemies within the pavilion. I suspect this Elder had an Old Grudge with Luo Mengshen. Since Luo Mengshen was dead, he could only vent his anger on you."

"An Inner Cabinet Elder of Qianqiu Pavilion?"

Ren Xiaoyao nodded.

He wanted to obtain more information from Elder Tang, but Elder Tang could provide none. After all, he was merely an Outer Sect Elder of Qianqiu Pavilion and had no access to its core secrets.

In the end, Ren Xiaoyao kept his promise.

He gave Elder Tang a swift death.

Very soon.

Ren Xiaoyao returned to the Imperial Observatory. He knew in his heart that the karmic entanglement between himself and Qianqiu Pavilion was likely far deeper than he had imagined.

Ren Xiaoyao knew full well.

That his Dao Realm Fifth Heaven cultivation was already formidable.

But when facing the mysterious Qianqiu Pavilion.

He might not necessarily be a match for it.

"If I can break through one more realm and enter the Dao Realm Sixth Heaven, then no matter how mysterious or powerful Qianqiu Pavilion is, I will be able to Push Across it with ease!"

Ren Xiaoyao thought to himself.

Though he was already strong.

He still had to become even stronger!

The conviction in Ren Xiaoyao's heart was incomparably firm.

But the very next day.

Ying Huai hurried to the Imperial Observatory.

He also brought news.

Last Night, Princess Taiping had been assassinated and gravely injured. Whether she would live or die remained uncertain.

When Ren Xiaoyao heard this news.

His brows naturally furrowed tightly.