The Strongest in the Imperial Observatory, Hundred Herbs Scripture

"This thief was likely an unparalleled master as well. Princess Taiping was already a Martial Artist in the True Man Realm. To severely wound her, it was most likely the work of a Martial Artist in the Heavenly Human Realm!"

Ying Huai stroked his beard and spoke faintly.

"However, Your Majesty considered this matter deeply taboo and did not permit Facing Heaven Pavilion or True Martial Sect to investigate. She merely ordered the Shadow Guards to handle it discreetly, so the news has been Sealed Off for now."

At this point.

Ying Huai could not help but sigh with emotion.

Previously, not to mention Martial Artists of the Heavenly Human Realm, even Martial Artists of the True Man Realm were exceedingly rare. Why had news of the Heavenly Human Realm emerged one after another over the past half year?

Ren Xiaoyao's expression did not look good.

Because he had indeed gone to Princess Taiping's Residence Last Night, but Ren Xiaoyao had never intended to deal with Princess Taiping, that puppet. He had merely taken away Elder Tang, a Martial Saint Realm existence.

Then.

Why had Princess Taiping encountered an assassination attempt?

And who had done this?

Ren Xiaoyao could not figure it out for the moment, but he vaguely felt that there was most likely a conspiracy behind this matter. He had probably been made to carry the black pot.

After speaking of Princess Taiping's assassination attempt.

Ying Huai brought up another matter.

Recently, the Demonic Sect had been in the limelight to an extreme degree throughout the martial world.

In a battle not long ago, the Devil Master defeated and killed Yuan Tiangang, the current Dragon Head of the Dragon Capturing Organization. He then took command of both the Demonic Sect and the Dragon Capturing Organization, faintly showing signs of dividing the realm and Contending Against Imperial Power.

"Yuan Tiangang is finally dead. He previously feigned death at Xiao Qingfeng's hands. He had barely managed to outlast Xiao Qingfeng, only to welcome a Devil Master instead. What an incomparably miserable ending."

Ying Huai sighed with feeling, then looked toward Li Chunfeng and smiled.

"Your Imperial Observatory truly produces talents. Yuan Tiangang, Xiao Qingfeng, the Devil Master, and you, Li Chunfeng—any one of you could astonish an entire era."

When Li Chunfeng heard Ying Huai's words.

He merely chuckled.

He did not say much.

Yet inwardly, he laughed.

Ying Huai probably could not imagine even in his dreams.

That in the Imperial Observatory, the true number one was the ordinary-looking Ren Xiaoyao before him, wasn't it?

Then.

Ying Huai chatted idly with Li Chunfeng for a few more sentences.

He brought up another strange matter.

Recently, in the martial world.

Quite a few Super-Rank Martial Arts Masters had Disappeared without explanation.

Facing Heaven Tower under Ying Huai had intended to investigate, but the Empress had assigned this matter to True Martial Sect. Ying Huai found it inconvenient to interfere further and could only tell it as a story to Li Chunfeng.

When Ren Xiaoyao heard this.

He recalled that Princess Taiping cultivated a Martial Art called the Great Absorption Technique.

It could absorb the True Essence within other Martial Artists' bodies into her own. Princess Taiping had likewise attained the True Man Realm through this, so perhaps the disappearance of those Super-Rank Martial Artists was related to the Great Absorption Technique.

However.

This was merely Ren Xiaoyao's speculation.

He did not say much.

He did not want to concern himself with this matter.

Ren Xiaoyao only wanted to cultivate immortality in peace.

After all, hidden in the shadows, he very likely still had an enemy force: Qianqiu Pavilion.

Ren Xiaoyao had to become powerful enough.

Within Princess Taiping's Residence.

The Empress wore a black Dragon Robe as she looked at Princess Taiping lying on the bed and sighed. Princess Taiping looked at the Empress before her, terror showing in her eyes.

Princess Taiping had not encountered any assassination attempt.

The one who truly wanted to take Princess Taiping's life.

Was Empress Tianyuan before her!

"Taiping, you are My only daughter. I do not wish to harm you either. This incident is merely a lesson. If you remain stubbornly unenlightened and still delude yourself into competing for the Son of Heaven Position, I cannot guarantee whether you will remain safe and sound."

The Empress's voice was indifferent, and her expression was incomparably cold.

After hearing this, Princess Taiping was also extremely unwilling to accept it. Suppressing the Fear in her heart, she argued.

"Your Majesty, I am Your only daughter. Why can I not inherit Your Son of Heaven Position? Is it simply because I am a Woman? But are You not a Woman as well?"

"It has nothing to do with whether you are a Son or a Woman."

Anger had already entered the Empress's voice as she said.

"What matters is that I may pass the Son of Heaven Position to you, but I will not permit you to contend with Me for it! Do not think that Qianqiu Pavilion supports you. Let Me tell you, the one Qianqiu Pavilion truly supports is Me! If not for Me, do you think Qianqiu Pavilion would spare you even a glance?"

The Empress Snorted Coldly.

Princess Taiping naturally felt a chill run through her heart, yet she was filled with extreme unwillingness. She felt that she had merely been a little unlucky.

If Elder Tang and the three Heavenly Human Realm Venerable Envoys of Qianqiu Pavilion had not been killed by the Mysterious Person.

How could the Empress have had the chance to act against her?

"Mother, I refuse to believe that I am inferior to you!"

Princess Taiping secretly hardened her heart.

"Now that I have mastered the Great Absorption Technique, once I absorb enough True Essence and reach the Heavenly Human Realm, even if you possess Imperial Power, I may not fear you!"

Within the Imperial Palace.

The Empress put down the Memorial in her hand and sighed.

"When will that Girl Taiping understand My painstaking intentions? Elder Tang is already dead. If she remained completely unharmed, how could an explanation be given to Qianqiu Pavilion?"

Then.

The Empress looked toward Phoenix, who was attending at her side, and said, "Elder Tang was an important member of Qianqiu Pavilion's outer sect. Now he has died so inexplicably. Qianqiu Pavilion certainly will not let the matter rest. You must handle the aftermath properly. Under no circumstances can Qianqiu Pavilion develop grievances against the Imperial Court or against Me."

Phoenix hurriedly replied.

"Your Majesty, Elder Tang's death cannot be blamed on us. After all, he was in the Martial Saint Realm. There was no one within the entire Imperial Court capable of Contending Against him. But who exactly was that Mysterious Person? To kill with Lightning—such methods are truly terrifying to the extreme!"

"Supreme Martial Dao has always been thus."

The Empress spoke faintly.

"Within Qianqiu Pavilion's Inner Cabinet, there are in fact Martial Arts capable of transforming True Essence into Wind and Thunder. I witnessed them when I was in Qianqiu Pavilion back then. However, conflicts of this level are not something we can interfere with."

Then.

The Empress changed the subject and looked toward Phoenix.

"Now, a batch of strong people within the Shadow Guards has already mastered the Great Absorption Technique. You must capture more Super-Rank Martial Artists in the martial world and help the Shadow Guards cultivate enough True Man Realm Martial Artists in a short time. Only with enough True Man Realm Martial Artists can I begin the next step of My plan."

"Your servant obeys the decree!"

Phoenix nodded repeatedly.

In truth, Phoenix had cultivated the Great Absorption Technique as well.

She had originally been a Martial Artist in the Grandmaster Realm.

Now, she had already attained the True Man Realm.

The Great Absorption Technique was far too overbearing.

It directly used the means of plunder.

Eliminating years of Hard Cultivation.

It could be called heaven-defying.

Of course, Phoenix also knew in her heart that such a heaven-defying Martial Art had likely been obtained by the Empress from Qianqiu Pavilion. This only further demonstrated Qianqiu Pavilion's terror!

"Qianqiu Pavilion!"

At this moment, Phoenix could not help but Trembled inwardly.

The more she learned about Qianqiu Pavilion, the more she felt the mystery and terror of this force. It seemed that the entire Great Gan was no more than a toy to Qianqiu Pavilion.

Then, the Empress looked toward Phoenix again and said, "That Ying Huai seems to have grown quite close to Li Chunfeng of the Imperial Observatory lately."

Phoenix heard a trace of killing intent in the Empress's calm voice. She could not help but shudder as she said.

"Pavilion Master Ying and Li Chunfeng have been Friends for many years, so they indeed visit each other often. But Pavilion Master Ying and Li Chunfeng are not the same Kind of Person. Pavilion Master Ying remains loyal to Your Majesty and loyal to the Imperial Court."

"No, you do not understand Ying Huai. The one he is truly loyal to is not Me, but the common people under heaven. This was also why I wanted to make use of Ying Huai when I first ascended the Imperial Throne."

The Empress spoke faintly.

"Yet this also means that sooner or later, a rift will form between him and Me. He will not support what I intend to do. If that day truly comes, he should not blame Me for being ruthless."

Ever since Ying Huai brought news last time.

That the Devil Master had led the Demonic Sect in swallowing up the Dragon Capturing Organization.

More and more news regarding the Devil Master had Followed.

The Devil Master Appeared in Youzhou and led the Demonic Sect and Dragon Capturing Organization in attacking several Righteous Sects recognized by the Imperial Court, killing dozens of Martial Artists in the Super Grandmaster Realm.

The Empress flew into a towering rage and Dispatched thirty thousand troops carrying Standard Weapons, intending to severely strike the Demonic Sect and Dragon Capturing Organization.

The two sides fought. Over ten thousand Great Gan Soldiers were killed or wounded, while more than a hundred Super Grandmaster Realm Martial Artists from the Demonic Sect and Dragon Capturing Organization were also lost.

But this battle.

Thoroughly established the Devil Master's name.

The martial world had suffered under the Empress for a long time.

Now that a leader-level figure like the Devil Master had emerged.

Many sects that had lain dormant for years, along with many Super-Rank Martial Artists, joined the Demonic Sect and Dragon Capturing Organization, wishing to Contend Against the Imperial Court and the Empress.

For a time.

The Devil Master's limelight was unmatched.

He even overshadowed Li Chunfeng, the newly risen martial-world legend.

And on this day.

At the foot of Fulong Mountain.

A middle-aged man dressed in a Purple Robe appeared.

He staggered as he walked, looking toward the direction of the Imperial Observatory with faint sorrow in his eyes. The middle-aged man coughed, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. He wiped it with a handkerchief and walked toward the Imperial Observatory.

Ren Xiaoyao's Spiritual Sense had long since covered all of Fulong Mountain.

Thus, he discovered the man climbing the mountain.

Yet when Ren Xiaoyao's Spiritual Sense fell upon this middle-aged man, he was immensely puzzled. The True Essence within this man's body was incomparably vast, actually reaching the level of the Heavenly Human Realm.

However.

This middle-aged man had also suffered grievous injuries.

Dozens of his Acupoints had shattered, and several of his meridians had broken. It was precisely because of this that the True Essence throughout his body stood on the verge of dispersing.

"Who is this person? Logically speaking, no one in the outside world should be able to injure a Martial Artist of the Heavenly Human Realm to such a state!"

Curiosity arose in Ren Xiaoyao's heart.

But at this very moment.

Text information appeared before Ren Xiaoyao's eyes.

[It has been detected that the Devil Master has encountered calamity. Because a karmic connection exists between you and the Devil Master, you have the following choices.]

[One: Ignore the Devil Master. Wait until the Devil Master dies or leaves Fulong Mountain. You may obtain the reward: one copper coin.]

[Two: Help the Devil Master. You may choose to take in the Devil Master and keep him within the Imperial Observatory, granting him protection. After making this choice, you may immediately obtain the Medicine Book: Hundred Herbs Scripture.]