Xianyang Palace, inner hall!
The First Emperor of Qin, who should have been laboring through memorials day and night, suddenly opened his eyes, filled with shock and suspicion.
Ever since he had obtained the Chat Group, he had learned from Ye Fan, Yue Buqun, and the others what fate awaited Qin.
It would fall in its second generation!
When he learned this, all he felt was anger.
He would never allow his Great Qin to meet such an end.
Hu Hai would murder his elder brothers?
He would have him confined to the Imperial Clan Court for life!
Director of the Central Chariot Bureau Zhao Gao would call a deer a horse?
Then he would be killed!
Li Si would forge the imperial edict?
Killed!
Even though none of these things had happened yet, he had still acted.
He would not allow anyone to endanger Great Qin.
But after doing all this, he felt a trace of helplessness.
Great Qin had no worthy successor!
He had once placed great hopes on Fusu, but when he learned that Fusu had been driven to take his own life by a single edict, he was bitterly disappointed.
What would become of Great Qin after his death?
"Heavenly Emperor... Perhaps he really can make me immortal!"
Ying Zheng's heart burned with hope. Though he had long since learned to conceal his emotions, his mind still trembled.
"If I can live forever, then Great Qin will prosper for all eternity!"
Unable to suppress his impulse any longer, Ying Zheng let the Heavenly Emperor Visualization Diagram appear in his mind. He offered no resistance, and began cultivating, guided by an unseen prompting.
Ying Zheng wasn't the only one in Xianyang City unable to sleep that night. The entire Imperial City was roiling with undercurrents, and danger lurked everywhere!
A prince had been imprisoned, while Director of the Central Chariot Bureau Zhao Gao and Great Qin's Prime Minister Li Si had been killed.
Either event alone was enough to shake the entire court.
Had Ying Zheng not been the one to give the orders, all of Great Qin might have erupted into turmoil.
Even so, a crisis was quietly brewing.
In a deserted, dilapidated house south of Xianyang City, several people had gathered.
"Ying Zheng taxes the people mercilessly and rules with cruelty. He even had Li Si and the others executed. Heaven itself must be seeking the ruin of tyrannical Qin!"
"Exactly! Even a tiger won't eat its cubs. For such deeds, we must avenge the destruction of our states!"
"Xianyang is in turmoil. Everyone is on edge. This is the perfect time for an assassination. I assume you all have the same idea!"
The surviving nobles of the Six States had gathered here to plot something earthshaking.
"I've made contact with the Net of Luo. With their help, this time we'll make sure Ying Zheng is dead!"
The man who appeared to be their leader shared another piece of good news.
At this, everyone grew even more excited.
Ever since Qin destroyed their homelands, they had lived like stray dogs, hiding wherever they could and never knowing a day's peace.
They had considered assassinating Ying Zheng before.
But every time they sent an assassin, the Imperial Guard in Xianyang Palace discovered them. Their attempts failed before they could even lay eyes on Ying Zheng.
But this time, with the Net of Luo's help, things would be different.
The Net of Luo had originally been the organization Zhao Gao used to gather intelligence. With its help, avoiding the Imperial Guard's patrol routes would be child's play.
Without the Imperial Guard in their way, Ying Zheng would surely die.
"Hahaha! Looks like we should thank Ying Zheng for this grand gift!"
"If so, none of you should hold back. Send every last man to assassinate Ying Zheng. Once he's dead, we can hope to restore our states!"
Their words drew applause and agreement from everyone.
Moonlight streamed through the shattered roof, illuminating an old face.
"When the midnight hour arrives, Ying Zheng will die!"
Grand Tutor's Mansion!
Moon Goddess made her way through the mansion with practiced ease.
"Lord Donghuang, the remnants of the Six States are plotting to assassinate His Majesty. What should we do?"
She held out a secret letter and bowed respectfully, her graceful figure accentuated by the movement.
"Lord Donghuang?"
When no answer came for a long while, Moon Goddess asked again, puzzled.
Just as she lifted her head, the figure in the black robe suddenly began to tremble. He staggered backward several steps, coughing up blood again and again. The sight was terrifying.
"This is bad!"
Moon Goddess's expression changed drastically, and she hurried forward to catch Donghuang Taiyi.
"No need!"
Donghuang Taiyi weakly waved her away, then stared blankly at the star chart overhead.
"Ziwei Star just blazed with dazzling light, shining like the midday sun. Tanlang, Pojun, Qisha, and the other stars have all dimmed. Great Qin's National Fortune has changed—this is a sign that the realm will flourish!"
"Moon Goddess, go to the palace at once and see His Majesty. I need to know what caused this change in the stars!"
Donghuang Taiyi had always been a mysterious man who planned everything in advance. This was the first time Moon Goddess had ever sensed confusion—and even a trace of fear—in him.
After all, Donghuang Taiyi was the head of the Yin-Yang School, and few in the world could harm him. He could even be called invincible.
What had just happened to make him afraid?
"I'll go to the palace at once!"
Moon Goddess didn't dare delay. She forgot all about the assassination and hurried toward Xianyang Palace.
Xianyang Palace!
In the main hall, Ying Zheng had fallen into deep cultivation. Immortal Qi swirled around him as his Origin Source grew stronger, as if he were undergoing an earthshaking transformation.
As time passed, Ying Zheng's appearance changed dramatically.
His formerly graying hair turned black, his skin grew firm, and vitality filled his entire body.
While he was still transforming, a group of black-clad assassins approached the palace, weapons in hand.
Fighting had already broken out throughout Xianyang Palace. Shouts and the clash of weapons rang everywhere.
The remnants of the Six States had committed all their forces to holding the Imperial Guard at bay, then sent skilled assassins to the palace to kill Ying Zheng.
The Net of Luo had played a crucial role as well, keeping the Imperial Guard occupied so that they couldn't break away for quite some time.
"I thought it would be dangerous, but it turned out to be easy to get inside!"
Once they entered the palace, one of them spoke dismissively.
"Don't let your guard down. Ying Zheng is cunning. There's a reason no one has managed to assassinate him yet!"
"Look! That's Ying Zheng!"
Someone's eyes lit up as he excitedly pointed to the man seated cross-legged above them in the palace.
"Why isn't he moving? What's that white mist around him? Could it be some kind of trap?"
At this final step, the others hesitated instead.
"Cowards, get out of my way! I'll avenge the destruction of my state and family today!"
A burly man two meters tall strode forward, holding a war drum mallet. He looked at the white mist swirling around Ying Zheng and snorted.
"Quit your theatrics. Die!"
He raised the several-hundred-pound mallet and swung it at Ying Zheng's head.
Boom!
Golden light blazed around Ying Zheng. A majestic, domineering Dragon's Roar sounded from within him, shaking the heavens and the earth!
Then a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon burst through the palace, illuminating all of Xianyang as bright as day. The Imperial Guard and the people in the city alike instinctively looked up at the sky.
A hundred-zhang golden dragon soared above Xianyang Palace, roaring at the heavens!
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