Ximen Qing

The Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord's five fingers curled into claws, ghostly blue light gathering at his fingertips with a bone-piercing chill as he lunged straight for Chen Lin's face—

"From now on, I'll be you."

Yet just as his fingertips came within half an inch of Chen Lin's skin—

"Whoosh!"

A scarlet figure appeared behind the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord, soundless as a ghost. Gold-embroidered python robes shimmered with a cold sheen in the moonlight.

Ximen Qing of the Internal Affairs Directorate!

"Imagine that. There's a little mouse who actually dared sneak into the Imperial Palace." Ximen Qing's voice was like silk steeped in ice: soft and melodious, yet chilling to the marrow.

No one could tell when he had appeared behind the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord. His long fingers seemed to rest casually on the man's shoulder.

"Crack!"

With a sharp snap, the bones in the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord's right shoulder shattered!

"Ah—!"

Before his shrill scream could escape, a scarlet chain shot from Ximen Qing's wide sleeve. Unquenchable ghostly flames seemed to burn along its length. Like a venomous snake striking from its hole, it lashed out at lightning speed, wrapping around the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord's neck and limbs—and in an instant, locking down his Spiritual Sense as well!

"'Crimson Soul Lock'... You... you're..." The muscles in the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord's face spasmed violently with pain and terror. His pupils contracted, and he shuddered as if plunged into an icy abyss.

He recognized that chain. It was a secret Imperial technique, designed to counter illusions and infiltrators. Once bound, even a Divine Treasury Realm expert would struggle to break free!

Ximen Qing's lips curved in a cold smile. He lightly flicked a fingertip, and the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord's carefully altered mask peeled back like painted skin being stripped away, slowly revealing the true face beneath, twisted out of shape by agony.

"Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord, member of the Nine Nether Sect. Skilled in disguise and infiltration." Ximen Qing's voice was flat, as if he were merely stating an insignificant fact. He spoke unhurriedly, as though reciting a list he had prepared long ago.

"Too bad you picked the wrong time. The two sects compete for first place tomorrow, and you still dared to come here. Don't you know how to spell 'death'?"

He turned his head slightly, his gaze falling on Chen Lin, who remained seated in the rocking chair, eyes wide and looking thoroughly frightened. The amusement in his eyes deepened.

"Elder Lin, I hope you weren't too startled."

Chen Lin trembled as he nodded, his face still stricken with terror.

Heh. Chen Lin sneered inwardly.

If he hadn't sensed someone spying outside beforehand, he would almost have made a move himself.

When he had passed the cultivation method to Little Anzi earlier, he had made sure no one was nearby.

But the moment the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord appeared just now, he sensed the area again—and discovered someone lurking in the shadows.

That meant the other party had come prepared, to test him.

This Red-robed Eunuch was the chief eunuch of the Internal Affairs Directorate.

The Imperial Palace had five major eunuch directorates: the Directorate of Ceremonial, the Imperial Horse Directorate, the Internal Affairs Directorate, the Imperial Kitchen Directorate, and the Imperial Shrine Directorate.

The chief eunuch in charge of each directorate was an extraordinary expert.

From what Chen Lin had observed, Ximen Qing, chief eunuch of the Internal Affairs Directorate, was at least at the first level of the Dharma Aspect Realm!

And that was nothing compared to the chief eunuchs serving the Emperor—the Seal-Holding Eunuch and the Imperial Bodyguard Eunuch. They were all deathsworn raised by the Imperial House, every one of them at the Dharma Aspect Realm. Sent out into the world, they would be powerful enough to become the ancestors of major factions.

Their Great Emasculation Technique allowed them to advance quickly, but at the cost of their lifespans.

The Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord, on the other hand, was merely a ninth-level Divine Treasury Realm cultivator. He had no chance of fighting back against Ximen Qing.

If Chen Lin had rashly made a move just now and exposed himself, he would probably have lost his life. After all, the Imperial Lord was stationed in the Imperial Palace—and he had reached Cave Perfection!

And Ximen Qing had only appeared when the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord was about to succeed. That in itself was a test.

That was why their lifespans were shorter than others at the same realm. But what did it matter if they could attain such cultivation?

Was this that person's intention? A thought flickered through Chen Lin's mind.

That person naturally meant the master behind the eunuch.

Chen Lin hunched his back and cupped his hands, trembling. His cloudy old eyes were filled with the terror of someone who had "just escaped death."

His voice shook with just the right amount of fear. "I must thank you for arriving in time, my lord. Otherwise... this old life of mine would have been done for. The Imperial Dynasty's Scripture Repository might have fallen victim to this as well, and then I truly would have become a sinner for all time!"

"This old man nearly brought disaster upon us!"

He trembled as he fished a few Gold Notes out of his sleeve, his fingertips giving an "unintentional" little shake.

A trace of surprise flashed through Ximen Qing's eyes, but he continued to smile. With a delicate pinch of his orchid fingers, the Gold Notes drifted into his sleeve like feathers.

Gold and silver weren't as widely used as spirit stones, but they still had their uses in mundane trade and certain situations.

"Elder Lin's devotion to the Imperial Dynasty and concern for the common people is a blessing to Great Yan Territory," Ximen Qing said. His voice was quiet, yet carried the power of someone who could see into people's hearts.

"I only hope you'll keep that spirit in your heart and put this 'concern' to use in your daily life, always helping the Imperial Dynasty shoulder its burdens and bringing blessings to the people. That would be better still."

His tone seemed warm and reflective, but every word hid a cutting edge, like a cold blade reminding Chen Lin that his life and safety were firmly tied to the Imperial Dynasty's ship. Matters of state always came first.

As soon as he finished speaking,

the crimson python robes shimmered like blood in the moonlight. Ximen Qing's slender fingers suddenly tightened, and the Crimson Soul Lock coiled around the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord's throat like a venomous snake. With a sharp jerk, he dragged him away, carving a winding, glaring streak of blood across the ground.

"If everyone in the world were as loyal as Elder Lin..." His soft, feminine voice seemed laced with poison, every word icy. "Then those treacherous rebels wouldn't have to suffer the punishment of 'a thousand cuts.'"

Chen Lin immediately understood. He hunched his back, and terror rose in his cloudy eyes at just the right moment.

He trembled and took half a step back, as though the bloody scene was more than he could bear.

"This humble servant must go report to His Majesty." Ximen Qing suddenly chuckled. The gold-embroidered toe of his boot casually ground down on the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord's fingers. The crisp snap of breaking bones rang out all the more harshly in the silent night.

"I've disturbed you, Elder Lin." As Ximen Qing spoke, he dragged the Thousand-Faced Illusion Lord, who was barely recognizable as a person, backward into the deepening shadows.

Only the teeth-grating sound of something being dragged and the dull thuds of impacts remained on the stone steps, echoing through the silent night.

Yet just as his figure was about to disappear completely into the darkness, his pupils suddenly contracted, as sharp as a hunting leopard making one last check before pouncing. Without drawing attention, he glanced inside the room.

Little Anzi was watching through the window, his face full of terror.

Ximen Qing's lips curved in an almost imperceptible smile. It vanished in an instant, so quickly it might have been an illusion.

Good. He was still there.

Almost as soon as the last sound of Ximen Qing's voice had faded away, Chen Lin's legs "at just the right moment" gave way, and he slumped into the rocking chair. The expression of lingering terror on his face froze instantly, as if someone had pressed pause. Fear, shock, and relief were all there.