At the same time.
The night was as dark as ink, deeply enveloping the imposing Xihua Hall, the residence of the Second Prince Li Xuanyu, located on the eastern side of the Imperial City.
The hall was not dark; several wall lamps inlaid with deep-sea pearls emitted a bright, natural light, easily illuminating the figure in front of the main desk.
Li Xuanyu sat behind his desk, holding an urgent secret report about the northern border's military supplies in one hand. His brows were slightly furrowed, and his knuckles unconsciously tapped on the smooth rosewood desk, making soft sounds.
He appeared to be browsing military reports, but his mind was already wandering outside the Imperial Palace: "..."
This is unbelievable.
Old Mo left the Imperial Palace before dark, and now at least five hours have passed, and it's almost dawn, yet there's still not a single message back!
Anyone who didn't know better would think that he and Ye Li hit it off immediately, and that the two of them were drinking and chatting like brothers in the hall!
Li Xuanyu grew increasingly agitated, his initial anticipation turning into torment. He couldn't help but ask the people below:
"Is there still no news from Old Mo?"
"Your Highness, not yet..." The attendant had barely finished speaking when he turned around.
A series of extremely faint yet unusually rapid footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall!
Li Xuanyu's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly; he had finally received news from his trusted confidant.
He waved his hand to dismiss those around him.
Immediately afterwards, a trusted subordinate dressed in Black- fitting outfit stumbled into the hall.
His face was deathly pale, his forehead was covered in a fine layer of cold sweat, and his eyes were filled with disbelief, horror, and fear.
"Your... Your Highness!" The confidant's voice was extremely dry and hoarse, as if he had just experienced something terrible. He knelt down on one knee with a thud and buried his head deep in his chest.
Seeing his expression, Li Xuanyu's brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again. Not knowing the specifics of the situation, he could only urge him in a deep voice:
"Speak."
"Old Mo, Old Mo..." The confidant's throat tightened, the words almost forced out. "His Life Jade exploded right inside the manor!!"
Buzz!!
A deep, muffled ringing suddenly rang in Li Xuanyu's ears, and a few words exploded in his mind like thunder!
The Life Jade shattered.
Its significance boils down to only one thing:
The person involved has died!
Are you kidding me?!
That's Mo Qian! The most trusted retainer under my command, a true Martial Path Venerable!!
His cultivation had already reached the Cosmic Birth Realm Fifth Level, making him quite famous among the many Venerables in the Capital City. In particular, his Death Qi Divine Ability and Concealment Technique were excellent means of assassinating and hiding!
The reason he sent Mo Qian to test Ye Li, the lieutenant general from Longtan, was to find out if he was as troublesome as rumored and if he was the real culprit who killed the Vajra Buddhist Disciple.
If it's true, then we can do another favor for the masters of the Great Brahma Palace.
If his reputation is overrated, it's good that he can get a few more days of peaceful sleep.
Moreover, given the old man's skills and cultivation, even if he were no match for a stranger whose abilities he didn't know, it wouldn't be difficult for him to escape unscathed.
At most, they'll suffer minor injuries, but they'll be able to bring back enough valuable intelligence.
However, the current situation is undoubtedly a resounding slap in the face to Li Xuanyu!
Dead?!
How is that possible?!
An unprecedented sense of horror instantly enveloped Li Xuanyu.
Explain yourself!
He almost instinctively stood up, his carefully maintained composure completely gone, his voice filled with deep horror:
"When did the Life Jade shatter? Where is Old Mo's last trace of life remaining?!"
Even now, the Second Prince still held onto a sliver of hope, bordering on wishful thinking.
The trusted aide dared not raise his head, staring intently at the floor before him, and rapidly recounted the intelligence he had gathered. "Your Highness! A quarter of an hour ago, Old Mo's Life Jade first dimmed, and then suddenly shattered a few breaths later!"
"Your subordinate dares not delay even for the slightest!"
"We immediately used a secret technique to track down the last place where Old Mo's aura was seen... The location we pinpointed was in the Southern Region of the Capital City, near Princess Ling'an's imperial residence, [Zhenyuan Mansion]!"
It really is Zhenyuan Mansion!!
Li Xuanyu felt a sudden darkness before his eyes, and he almost collapsed into his chair. Now, all the clues pointed to that cruel reality!
Mo Qian has really been killed!!
Was the news leaked in advance? Or does Ye Li truly possess the martial prowess to kill a mid-level Venerable?!
Why was there no prior record of him entering the Capital City with such formidable military strength?!
Li Xuanyu felt dizzy and disoriented, countless questions welling up in his mind, but none of them had a definite answer.
He seriously suspected that he had been set up by someone.
Before even seeing the True Body, losing an arm would cause anyone heartache!
We cannot stand idly by, or we will lose the hearts of the people!
That damned lieutenant of Longtan! He must have already considered me his imaginary enemy, and this time he's probably fully prepared for a fight to the death!
"Okay! Okay!"
Li Xuanyu clenched his fists tightly, and drops of bright red blood oozed out. In a fit of anger and laughter, a violent surge of magical Magic Power erupted from within his body, threatening to burst forth at any moment!
His emotions were on the verge of exploding, seemingly just one step away from bursting.
However, a moment later...
This astonishing aura gradually subsided.
"We can't take revenge now, at least not right now."
"The court assembly is in two days. If we start a major conflict now because of Mo Qian, no matter the outcome, my image in the Father Emperor's eyes will be greatly damaged. It will also give my flawless elder sister and others who covet the throne an opportunity to take advantage of the situation!"
This is a case of losing sight of the bigger picture for the sake of a small gain!
Thinking of this, Li Xuanyu closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently, finally forcibly suppressing the anger that was almost tearing his reason apart.
"Very good, Your Highness."
Just then, an aged yet steady voice suddenly rang out from the corner of the hall, carrying a hint of satisfaction:
"It seems you've made some progress in controlling your emotions."
They looked in the direction of the sound.
Suddenly, a gaunt-faced old man in a gray robe appeared, silently arriving at the spot and staring intently at the figure above.
His identity is even more astonishing.
He was one of Li Xuanyu's most trusted strategists!
His name is Xu Zhe.
He waved away the trusted confidant who had come to report, then looked back at Li Xuanyu breathing was slightly rapid.
"Your Highness."
His calm voice wasn't loud, but it carried a strange sense of reassurance. "Apart from that trusted confidant, no one else knows about this."
"In my humble opinion, the most urgent task now is to cover up the news and prevent this matter from becoming public knowledge."
"We'll figure out how to deal with the impact of this matter after the court session."
"Mr. Xu is quite right." Li Xuanyu gave him a deep look and immediately gave the order:
"Then I'll trouble you to convey my order to the outside world that Mo Qian is in seclusion, breaking through a bottleneck, and will not receive any visitors!"
"All those who know the truth are strictly forbidden to speak out! Before the court assembly, everything within the Xihua Hall shall proceed as usual, and no unusual activity is permitted!"
"Yes, sir!" Xu Zhe immediately bowed and accepted the order.
"Besides, Mr. Xu..." Li Xuanyu's voice regained its usual deep tone, but with an added chilling resolve as he coldly said:
"Use all available resources to investigate! Find out everything about this Ye Li!"
"Everything about him! His Cultivation Method, his background, his weaknesses! And... what exactly is his relationship with Li Yingluo! What benefits did Li Yingluo promise him!"
"Yes, sir!" Xu Zhe's tone became increasingly solemn.
The hall fell silent once more.
Li Xuanyu gazed at the direction in the center of the Imperial City that symbolized supreme power. Deep in his eyes was a suppressed rage and a sudden heightened vigilance towards his third sister, Li Yingluo!
And, for that fierce lieutenant named Ye Li, there was a deep-seated Killing Intent and a trace of... apprehension and fear that even he himself was unwilling to admit.
But now that we're at this poker table...
Logically and emotionally, it's impossible for him to escape unscathed or distance himself from the situation!
With the court assembly imminent, the storm brewing in the Capital City... has only just begun.
Li Xuanyu remained calm. He possessed a well-cultivated hand built up over many years, a truly formidable advantage. Even a direct confrontation would be enough to crush this belatedly arriving lieutenant!