After agreeing to Yao Qingyin's request, Ye Jing rose and left.
The cold wind howled, biting to the bone. The Mystic Bird Guards lurking beneath the eaves had no idea that, under the pitch-black night sky, Ye Jing was quietly slipping into Ye Manor.
He pushed the Breath Concealment Art to its limits. Even with him right behind them, the Mystic Bird Guards could barely sense his presence.
A great battle had shaken the entire Imperial Capital.
Every Night Watch Envoy in the capital had been roused from sleep. They were searching every household through the night for the Black Robe Guest.
Yet Ye Jing, the one who had started it all, returned to Ye Manor, climbed into bed, and soon drifted off to sleep.
The Purple Gold Pavilion was as silent as ever, like a secluded prison.
After a long while, a hoarse, aged voice came from behind the curtains. "Minister Gao, your concern is well-founded. The matter of the Innate Dao Body is of the utmost importance."
"This man's movements are indeed suspicious. I never imagined such a powerful expert was hiding in the Imperial Capital."
"What kind of Night Watch Commander is Ouyang Qingtian, if he failed to notice a Peerless Powerhouse right under his nose for so long?"
"If this man hadn't exposed himself by rescuing the Medicine Manor girl, wouldn't the Night Watch Division have remained completely in the dark?"
The Imperial Capital was a vital stronghold of Dali. Any Great Grandmaster or stronger who wished to remain there had to be registered with the Night Watch Division.
People of that caliber were simply too powerful. If they lost control, they could cause tremendous upheaval among the capital's citizens.
Take today, for instance. The mysterious swordsman had only wanted to rescue the Medicine Manor girl and hadn't harmed any innocents. Otherwise, hardly anyone within several miles of the Great Li Heavenly Prison would have survived.
"Minister Gao, Minister Wei, pass on my orders. Have Ouyang Qingtian hunt down the Black Robe Guest with all his might. That Innate Dao Body is of critical importance. Nothing must happen to it."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The two men accepted the order. Just as they were about to leave, Eunuch Gao turned back and asked, "Imperial Lord, what should we do about the Medicine Manor girl? She's the only one who can open that Secret Realm."
"Even if finding an Innate Dao Body would earn us two Pine Crane Pills from the Grand Void Li Clan Ancient Clan, the resources inside that Secret Realm are extraordinarily abundant. It even contains several Immortal Herbs! Wouldn't it be a shame to give it up just like that?"
A hearty laugh came from behind the curtains. "Hahaha! Minister Gao, don't worry. The Sword Sect Master's threat hangs over my head like a sharp sword suspended by a thread."
"I know it won't be easy to force the Medicine Manor girl to reveal the location of that Secret Realm."
"That's why I planted a measure on her long ago. I know exactly where she is now."
"Rest assured. When the Heaven and Earth Cataclysm arrives and she opens the Secret Realm, we can wait behind like the oriole and seize every resource inside."
"His Majesty is wise. We are in awe."
Hearing the Imperial Lord's explanation, the two men finally set aside their worries. After a few words of flattery, they went to deliver the order.
The streets of the Imperial Capital were gripped by fear. The overbearing Night Watch Division barged into people's homes, turning everything upside down before moving on to the next house and starting all over again.
The previous night's events had caused too much of a stir. The Night Watch Commander was furious and determined to drag the Black Robe Guest out of hiding.
As Ye Jing walked along the road to the Hanlin Academy, he watched the Night Watch Division throw its weight around. A flash of killing intent crossed his eyes.
But right now, he could barely protect himself. Every word and deed of his was being watched by people hidden in the shadows.
Yao Qingyin was locked inside the Heavenly Prison, but wasn't he trapped in an invisible prison of his own?
Fortunately, the Sixth Heaven and Earth Cataclysm would arrive in half a month. With the Secret Realm where Yao Xingchen had chanced upon his fortune, Ye Jing's strength would surely undergo a qualitative leap.
He now possessed several peerless techniques, and his strength far exceeded his current realm. Once he broke through to become a Peak of Humanity, perhaps only a Peerless Powerhouse like the Sword Sect Master could stand against him throughout Dali.
He might not be invincible in Dali, but at least his life would be secure.
He wouldn't have to live as he did today, watched and constrained at every turn by people in the shadows, afraid to reveal his strength and put himself at risk.
When he arrived at the Hanlin Academy, its officials were discussing what had happened at the Great Li Heavenly Prison the night before.
A thin, cheerful-looking Hanlin Academy Official was animatedly explaining things to the officials gathered around him.
"Have you heard? A Peerless Powerhouse broke into the Heavenly Prison last night and rescued a prisoner."
"Old Song, quit making things up! The Great Li Heavenly Prison has stood for a thousand years and held who knows how many prisoners, including people of noble birth. No one has ever broken in and taken a prisoner away."
"That's right, Old Song. We know you're well-informed, but if you're going to make up a story, at least make it believable. Everyone knows that, apart from the Imperial Palace, the Heavenly Prison has the tightest security in the entire Imperial Capital."
"Exactly. I heard there are nearly ten Great Grandmasters in the Great Li Heavenly Prison alone, and every one of them is said to be no weaker than those on the Great Grandmaster Ranking."
Three men who lived in the suburbs questioned Old Song. Since they lived far from the Great Li Heavenly Prison, they hadn't noticed anything unusual the night before.
"Old Wang, Old Li, Old Zhang, Old Song wasn't making it up."
A portly Hanlin Academy Official in a crimson cloud-and-bird robe picked up where the others had left off. "You know I live near the Heavenly Prison. You have no idea how fierce the battle in the sky above it was last night."
"Thunder filled the night sky, Sword Qi crisscrossed everywhere, and the shock waves from two Peerless Powerhouses sent the roof tiles flying off every nearby house."
"Believe me, we got quite an eyeful today. We actually witnessed a battle between Peerless Powerhouses. When we're a hundred years old, we'll have something to brag about to our descendants."
"That's right. I saw just how powerful the Black Robe Guest was last night, too."
Another official who had witnessed the battle firsthand stepped forward. "You don't know the half of it. With a single sword strike, the Black Robe Guest carved a deep abyss into the Imperial Capital of Dali."
"Go look near the Great Li Heavenly Prison. You'll see a huge, bottomless fissure, smooth and straight as a cliff face."
"I wonder who was being held in the Heavenly Prison that could make such a powerful expert risk so much to save them," an official sighed.
"Gentlemen, I happen to know about this."
Another refined-looking Hanlin Academy Official stepped forward to clear things up.
"I once met Yao Qingyin, the Medicine Manor's legitimate daughter. Yesterday, the Black Robe Guest took a woman from the Great Li Heavenly Prison. She was none other than Yao Qingyin, the Medicine Manor's surviving daughter who colluded with the Demon Sect a little over a month ago."
Ignoring the Hanlin Academy officials' chatter, Ye Jing was about to head straight to his office when one official's words made him stop.
"All right, that's enough. The Medicine Manor affair is taboo, far more so than the Black Robe Guest. The Night Watch Division is searching the entire Imperial Capital for him."
"Though the Hanlin Academy isn't part of the search, if the Night Watch Envoys overhear us, we'll get a beating for sure."
"And the capital has been in turmoil lately. You'd better start thinking about how to stay alive!"
A Liu-surnamed official scolded the Hanlin Academy officials who had gathered to chat.
"Old Liu, you're making a mountain out of a molehill. Dali doesn't punish people for what they say. We've been colleagues for years; we're only chatting. It's not like we're going to get ourselves killed."
"Exactly, Old Liu. Don't scare us in broad daylight!"
Some officials were displeased by the Liu-surnamed official's warning and complained.
The Liu-surnamed official glanced at everyone present, then looked around. He motioned for them to huddle together before lowering his voice.
"You don't know this, but Hu Jie from our Hanlin Academy has joined forces with King Zhennan to rebel."
"Rebel? Old Liu, you can't just say things like that!"
One official turned deathly pale, clearly terrified.
"Who's making things up? I have a distant relative who works as a groom in King Zhennan's household. He wrote to me and told me to pack my valuables and leave as soon as possible."
"And it's not just a rebellion! They've already captured dozens of cities. The Great Li Imperial Family has suppressed the news, so you haven't heard about it!"
The Liu-surnamed official kept his voice low, afraid someone else might overhear. But Ye Jing was already a Great Grandmaster, and his hearing was exceptionally keen. Even though he stood more than ten meters away, he heard every word.
Hu Jie had joined forces with King Zhennan! They had already taken dozens of cities!
The news genuinely surprised Ye Jing. Still, this might be for the best. He didn't know what kind of person King Zhennan was, but Hu Jie was his close friend.
Hu Jie had a heart as pure as a child's. Dali's people were already suffering in misery; if Hu Jie could take the throne, it might be a blessing for the people!
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