Heaven Dou Imperial City, Tianhun Imperial Palace.
The grand hall of council was long and narrow, its vaulted ceiling supported by two rows of massive pillars. A red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to the throne.
Dozens of nobles and court officials stood on either side, clad in splendid cloaks embroidered with their family crests.
Marquises, Earls, and Viscounts stood in ranks on the left and right.
Heaven Dou Emperor sat upright upon the throne.
His aged face was deeply furrowed, and his cloudy eyes swept over the people in the hall.
Just then.
"Your Majesty. I have a matter to report."
A middle-aged man in a plain robe stepped forward and bowed. His name was Wang Hai.
He was one of the few officials in the hall without a noble title—
Born a commoner, he had risen through the ranks one step at a time on the strength of his military service.
A little over a month ago, the Fierce Tiger Mercenary Group in Heaven Dou Imperial City had been slaughtered to the last man, and even their headquarters had been burned down.
Such a terrible crime in the imperial city demanded serious attention.
The head of city defense had promised to solve the case in three days, but Yan Lingji and the others had come and gone without leaving a trace, leaving no leads to follow.
Rumors had spread throughout the city, and Heaven Dou Emperor had appointed Wang Hai to investigate the matter in this time of crisis.
Born a commoner, Wang Hai had worked day and night to investigate the case. At last, he had uncovered evidence.
Heaven Dou Emperor gave a slight nod and tapped his fingers against the armrest.
"Speak."
"Regarding the Fierce Tiger Mercenary Group case in Heaven Dou City, I have been investigating for over a month.
"On the surface, the Fierce Tiger Mercenary Group was a mercenary outfit, but in truth, they had long been trafficking in people.
"They secretly colluded with evil Soul Masters across the continent, abducting commoners from border villages and towns.
"They sent them to unknown strongholds, where they were refined into wicked medicines.
"The number of victims—elderly people, women, and children—exceeded ten thousand."
He paused, then took a thick bundle of written records from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.
"The evidence is here. I implore Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly."
For a moment, the entire hall fell silent.
More than ten thousand.
The Fierce Tiger Mercenary Group had gone too far.
Even if commoners were worth little, this was excessive.
Which noble present didn't think of commoners as mere raw materials?
But no matter what, they were still materials from their own lands.
If that man had taken so many, who knew whether he'd plundered them from their own domains?
At once, the hall erupted in murmurs.
Who didn't know about the Fierce Tiger Mercenary Group?
The scandal had long set the whole city abuzz, but no one dared touch it.
Everyone knew the Fierce Tiger Mercenary Group had the Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce backing them, and the hidden master of the Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce was Duke Xue Lingshan.
But that was only what they "knew."
Heaven Dou Emperor did not take the written records.
He glanced at the attendant beside him. The attendant stepped forward, took the bundle, and set it down by the emperor's hand. He didn't open it.
"You have investigated for a month. Have you uncovered who was behind it?"
Wang Hai gritted his teeth.
"The Fierce Tiger Mercenary Group had close ties with the Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce. Every commoner they abducted was transported through the Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce.
"And the one behind the Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce—is Duke Xue Lingshan."
The moment his words fell, the hall erupted.
"Absurd!"
A marquis in a dark blue cloak was the first to step forward, pointing at Wang Hai's nose.
"Duke Xue Lingshan is a member of the imperial family, His Majesty's cousin!
"You have no evidence at all, yet you dare slander the imperial family with a few scraps of paper?"
"Exactly," another Earl chimed in. "The Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce is a legitimate business. Which shop in Heaven Dou City doesn't buy its goods from them?
"You call them 'suspicious' and want to shut them down?
"Have you even checked the guild's accounts?
"Do you know how much tax the guild pays the empire every year?"
"Clearly, someone envies the duke's business and wants to kill him with a borrowed knife!"
"A military man born a commoner dares to go after a duke? The nerve!"
Seven or eight nobles crowded around Wang Hai, surrounding him as they spat and shouted.
Wang Hai's face turned ashen, but he couldn't say a word. He was alone.
On the throne, Heaven Dou Emperor watched it all, his fingers still tapping the armrest at an unhurried pace.
No rush. He was waiting.
Xue Lingshan wasn't here, but his dogs were barking loud enough.
As he tapped the armrest, he weighed his options.
His cousin had been too brazen lately. The Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce's business kept growing until even Spirit Hall had taken notice.
And if Spirit Hall had taken notice, it was undoubtedly because of the evil Soul Masters.
He also knew exactly what sort of man his cousin was. What Wang Hai said was quite possibly the truth.
He had wanted to give him a warning for a long time, but he hadn't found the right opportunity.
Today, though, someone had handed him a knife.
But he couldn't strike with his own hand.
Of all the emperor's arts of statecraft, killing with a borrowed knife was the finest.
He would let these dogs bark for a while and see which way the wind blew.
The argument in the hall went on for the better part of a quarter of an hour. At last, Heaven Dou Emperor spoke.
"Enough."
His voice was not loud, but the pressure of an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo crashed down, and the hall fell utterly silent.
Wang Hai was still standing, his forehead slick with sweat.
Heaven Dou Emperor looked at him, fell silent for a moment, then said slowly, "The evidence in the Fierce Tiger Mercenary Group case is still insufficient. We'll discuss it later."
Wang Hai's face paled.
Discuss it later.
He had heard those four words too many times.
The last time, it had been "discuss it later." The time before that, it had also been "discuss it later."
Every time it was put off, the matter eventually came to nothing.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.
Heaven Dou Emperor glanced at the nobles and said coolly,
"However, the Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce's accounts should be checked as well.
"Send word: have the Palace Treasury dispatch men to audit the Black Cloud Chamber of Commerce's accounts and see if anything is amiss."
The nobles exchanged glances. An audit? This was a warning to Duke Xue Lingshan. But it was only an audit, not a shutdown. Those who understood, understood.
"Your Majesty is wise," Wang Hai said hurriedly, kneeling to kowtow.
Heaven Dou Emperor no longer looked at him, and let his gaze sweep over the other officials.
"Anything else?"
Silence filled the hall.
Just then—
Boom!
The entire hall shook violently. Dust sifted from the vaulted ceiling, candelabras swayed, and several nobles nearly fell over.
"What's going on?!"
"An earthquake?"
"Damn it! This is the imperial palace. How could there be an earthquake—"
Rumble!
Another deafening crash rang out, and even the ground trembled.
Hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall. A blood-soaked palace guard rushed in and collapsed before the throne.
"Y-Your Majesty! This is bad! Someone has stormed the imperial palace!"
The hall erupted in an uproar.
Heaven Dou Emperor sprang to his feet, the might of an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo bursting forth.
"Who?!"
"I-I don't know..." The guard's voice trembled. "Someone has broken in from outside... The palace gate has been cleaved open!"
Heaven Dou Emperor's face turned livid.
The nobles in the hall fell into chaos.
"How is that possible?! Where are the palace guards?!"
"Where are the palace attendants? The imperial army?!"
"Go inform the palace enforcers! Quickly!"
Before the words had even left their mouths—
A cool female voice rang out from beyond the hall doors, carrying through the entire building.
"Don't bother looking. We're already here."
Boom!
The great doors shattered into pieces. Fragments flew everywhere, striking several nobles standing nearby and leaving them bloodied and screaming.
Through the clouds of dust, several figures glided into the hall.
At their head was a woman in a black-and-red gown, her long hair tied back, her peach-blossom eyes slightly raised, and a bloodthirsty curve playing at the corner of her lips.
Behind her followed two identical figures—with the same faces, the same dresses, and the same Venom swords.
At the very back stood a figure in ink-wash robes, silver hair flowing like a waterfall. The Qiuli Sword remained sheathed, yet its sword intent had already locked onto the entire hall.
Everyone inside stared, stunned.
Yan Lingji lifted her eyes to the frail old Heaven Dou Emperor on the throne, the corners of her lips curling upward.
"You old bastard. You're too old."
"It's time someone else took your place."
The hall fell deathly silent.
Everyone stared at Yan Lingji and the other women in disbelief.
Someone had stormed the imperial city, intending to overthrow the dynasty.
And they were all women.
The very idea was utterly absurd.
Then a furious roar exploded through the hall—
"Outrageous!"
Before you continue