Below the steps lay palace maids who had been knocked unconscious. The Empress gave Chen Heng a long, searching look. Rather than cry out, she reached down to check their breathing, and only when she found them still alive did she breathe a sigh of relief.
"Who are you, sir, and why have you come to make trouble in my bedchamber at this late hour?"
Even if Chen Heng claimed he had wandered in by mistake, it would sound like covering his ears while stealing a bell. He felt awkward, but with the bamboo-and-wood mask concealing his expression, he appeared utterly unmoved.
"With such immortal powers, sir, you must be a Qi Refining cultivator hired by the Pillar of the State Great General... Is Tong Gaolu truly so consumed by lust that he cares nothing for propriety or morality?"
Just then.
The Empress abruptly raised her lovely face, her voice anguished, every word a cry of blood. "The Rong Kingdom has not fallen yet, and already he wants you to abduct me, its Empress, to his residence? Is someone so debauched and lawless fit to rule a kingdom?!"
"Who told you I take orders from Tong Gaolu?" Chen Heng frowned.
The Empress froze.
"I came here today only to join forces with you and eliminate this Pillar of the State Great General."
"Sir... Why would you?"
"Because ever since childhood, I have cherished the ambition to serve my sovereign and repay my country, never forgetting it by day or night."
Chen Heng had no desire to waste words with her. Shaking his head, he said, "Summon your Qi Refining cultivator. Have him come see me."
The Empress hesitated for a moment, then clasped her arms around her shoulders, composed herself, and bowed before retreating into the warm room.
Before long.
She emerged fully dressed, her elegant robes radiant and her hair piled high. She was indeed a striking beauty.
She invited Chen Heng to sit in a hall and poured him wine herself. The Empress wanted to see the face beneath his mask, but Chen Heng did not lift his wine cup, frustrating her wish.
"You seem to have something to ask, Your Majesty. Please speak."
"Sir... Are you from the Rong Kingdom?" Studying Chen Heng's eyes, she cautiously asked:
"Tong Gaolu is a cultivator at the seventh layer of Qi Refining, and he has recruited several rogue cultivators at the Qi Refining stage as retainers. Sir, are you confident you can defeat him?"
"No."
"Then..." The Empress grew anxious.
"But you will be contributing as well, won't you? With the Imperial House's Qi Refining cultivators helping, victory could go either way." A faint, ambiguous smile appeared on Chen Heng's face as he said:
"This Rong Kingdom is not my realm. Surely you don't expect me to fight to the death for it?"
The Empress was momentarily at a loss for words.
Before she could speak, however, a fierce wind suddenly rose outside the hall. Chen Heng glanced over and saw two gleaming streams of qi become rainbows streaking through the sky, descending from above and plunging into the hall.
As the streams of qi dispersed, the two old men slowly drew in their Embryonic Breathing, gathering their qi back into their bodies.
One stood a full twelve feet tall, with a bristling beard and white hair. His hands nearly reached his knees when they hung at his sides. He looked extraordinarily powerful, like an aged hunter; with his strength and physique alone, he could easily tear tigers and leopards apart alive and batter bears to pulp.
At that moment, he was looking Chen Heng up and down, his eyes brimming with contempt. Clearly, he had taken him for a wandering swindler looking to cadge a handout.
The other had refined features and a long beard reaching his belly. His face was full and well nourished, giving him the appearance of a wealthy mortal.
One look at Chen Heng was enough to bring surprise and uncertainty to his face.
"Greetings, fellow Daoists."
Seeing the arrivals land their flight lights inside the hall, Chen Heng offered a Daoist salute.
"Why don't you take off that mask, you sneaking-"
The burly old man snorted and was about to mock him, but his companion grabbed him, forcing him to shut his mouth.
"I am Rong Tuo, and this is my youngest brother, Rong Xuantao. He was born to be a military officer. Later, he was fortunate enough to enter the path of cultivation, but he never changed his coarse ways. Please forgive him, fellow Daoist."
The old man who called himself Rong Tuo smiled apologetically, then offered Chen Heng another Daoist salute and spoke earnestly:
"Might I ask which great sect you belong to, fellow Daoist? Having come down the mountain to roam the mortal world, why trouble yourself to toy with us?"
At these words.
Everyone in the hall was astonished.
After the ninth layer of Qi Refining, one could cultivate true qi and attain the first stage of Foundation Establishment.
Although everyone studied different Qi-Refining Methods, the amount of Embryonic Breathing each required differed as greatly as heaven and earth.
Broadly speaking, however, every advance in Qi Refining cultivation and every addition of Embryonic Breathing was a process of communion with heaven and earth, uniting qi and embodying the true.
Rong Tuo was at the eighth layer of Qi Refining, only a few steps away from cultivating true qi and attaining Foundation Establishment. His spiritual perception was therefore exceptionally keen, and a single glance told him that Chen Heng was extraordinary.
The qi surrounding him was as light as rosy clouds, yet seemed as heavy as mountains. Even standing motionless, he appeared to ripple in concert with the world around him, ready at any moment to sink into the void and become one with all creation.
The last time someone in the Qi Refining realm had given Rong Tuo such a feeling was fifteen years earlier, when he and a group of rogue cultivators had encountered disciples of the Vermilion Luminescence Sect at Water-Heaven Cloudfall.
At the time, a great Zhu Yan demon had emerged and ravaged the Southern Territory, destroying many minor sects. A True Person of the Vermilion Luminescence Sect had therefore brought several disciples aboard the Six Geng Nine-Cloud Chariot to subdue it.
Rong Tuo naturally had no standing to approach the Vermilion Luminescence Sect's True Person. He had merely stood at the foot of the mountain, craning his neck for a distant glimpse, and happened to see a young girl aboard the Six Geng Nine-Cloud Chariot playing with a white fox-cat in her arms.
The qi surrounding that girl had been vast and profound, like a bottomless abyss of water. Though different from Chen Heng's qi, it had been equally unfathomable.
After that single encounter, Rong Tuo's heart had turned to dead ash. He had truly understood the unbridgeable gulf between himself and the disciples of great sects, and lost all desire to risk his life outside as a rogue cultivator. Dejected, he had returned to the Rong Kingdom and never ventured out again.
Fifteen years later, he had never expected to encounter once more a presence that, even in the Qi Refining realm, felt utterly irresistible to him. His heart was all the more shaken.
After Rong Tuo spoke.
Not only did the atmosphere grow heavy and everyone in the hall look astonished, even Chen Heng was bewildered, unable to understand how he had suddenly become a disciple of a great sect.
But on second thought, he understood, telling himself, He must have sensed my Embryonic Breathing. This old man has keen spiritual perception indeed. If I have the chance later, I should learn a Dao Art for concealing my qi.
Though his thoughts churned, Chen Heng maintained a cold, distant expression and offered no confirmation.
After all, he had never seen how disciples of great sects conducted themselves. The more he said, the more mistakes he could make; saying less meant fewer mistakes.
Originally, he had worn the bamboo-and-wood mask only because he feared the Rong Kingdom's Imperial House might shrink back and refuse to join forces. Concealing his true face would spare him some trouble.
But since Rong Tuo had mistaken him for a disciple of a great sect, Chen Heng decided to let the mistake stand. Now, he had even more reason not to remove the mask...
Before Yan Zhen had tricked his former self into entering Little Sweet Mountain, his voice and beauty had already made him famous across the kingdoms. Even a portrait of him was worth a thousand gold pieces, fought over by countless noblewomen in their secluded chambers.
If he removed this bamboo-and-wood mask, his identity would surely be exposed.
As for being a disciple of a great sect, that would be revealed as pure nonsense...
Yet Chen Heng's aloof manner only strengthened Rong Tuo's conviction. Those great immortal sects held themselves high above others, and many of their disciples likewise looked down on the world with effortless pride.
Then he recalled that, despite being merely a humble rogue cultivator, Chen Heng had addressed him as a fellow Daoist. Rong Tuo actually felt a secret thrill of pleasure, and his manner became even more respectful.
"Having come here on your travels, fellow Daoist, is there anything this old man can help you with?"
Rong Tuo bowed slightly, then hastily tugged at Rong Xuantao, afraid he might speak disrespectfully again.
"I came expressly to rid you of a traitor to the kingdom."
Chen Heng tossed the Heaven and Earth Bag into the air, revealing several Talisman Artifacts whose brilliant radiance flickered ceaselessly, dazzling the eyes.
"Is that the Mount Yang Daoist's Thunderfire Thunderclap Bead? And the Green Bamboo Thorn and One Qi Essence Jade... Those are that little beast Tong Yi's Talisman Artifacts!"
A single look made Rong Xuantao's face change dramatically.
"Well? Are these Talisman Artifacts enough to earn your trust, fellow Daoist? If you still doubt me, I also severed one of Tong Yi's arms. He is currently imprisoned in a residence in Yuanjing."
Chen Heng swept his sleeve, putting away the Talisman Artifacts in the air, and chuckled softly.
"..."
Rong Tuo hesitated for a long time before asking in a trembling voice, "If you truly intend to help me, fellow Daoist, is it because you have a grudge against that traitor Tong Gaolu, or because you seek something to gain?"
"Both, naturally."
Rong Tuo grew even more hesitant and gave no answer for a long while. Chen Heng glanced at his expression, sneered inwardly, and turned to leave.
Seeing Chen Heng rise from his seat, both Rong Xuantao and the Empress paled, while Rong Tuo remained with his brows tightly knitted, unable to make up his mind.
When Chen Heng reached the hall's doorway, just as he had expected, Rong Tuo finally spoke in haste, urgently calling him back.
"Please don't take offense, fellow Daoist, please don't take offense! With a matter of life and death like this, this old man truly must give it some thought, some thought!"
Rong Tuo apologized repeatedly, blocking Chen Heng's path.
"So it seems you do need my help?"
"Of course, of course! With you taking action, fellow Daoist, Tong Gaolu is no more than a clay chicken or a pottery dog, not worth mentioning-"
"My help comes at a considerable price."
Before Rong Tuo could finish his flattery, Chen Heng calmly spoke those words.
The eyes beneath that bamboo-and-wood mask showed not the slightest ripple.
Under that gaze, Rong Tuo's heart gave a violent lurch.
Before you continue