A fake met the real deal

The Marquis of Pingyang was not a small area of a few hundred square meters, typical of a wealthy family's residence. Although the Marquis of Pingyang Chang'an City was not as extravagant as that in Yangxin County, where one needed a carriage to get around, it was still surprisingly large.

The new emperor rushed ahead, while Zhang Xuezhou and the others chased after him desperately.

After running a long lap, Zhang Xuezhou and Li Shaojun couldn't help but feel a chill run down their spines.

The new emperor's running route was so precise it couldn't be more accurate, but he couldn't withstand the opponent's attack on foot.

Running around the Marquis of Pingyang repeatedly was no match for the swift and direct approach of Fei Zong.

Zhang Xuezhou's shouts startled Gongsun Gui, but Gongsun Gui's voice gradually drew closer, clearly indicating that the risk had been eliminated.

"Where is the government office?"

Even Li Shaojun had to urge and ask a question while frantically fleeing.

"We must run to Xianghou Palace!"

The new emperor replied breathlessly.

Outside the Marquis of Pingyang, people traveled by horse-drawn carriages, while inside, they used sheep-drawn carts. These smaller carts allowed for leisurely travel around the residence.

But when fleeing for their lives, they could only rely on their own two legs, and there was no time to relax; the vastness of the Marquis's mansion became a burden.

Not to mention Li Shaojun was running out of breath, the new emperor, as a martial artist, was also having a very difficult time running. Gongsun Gui, who was chasing them from behind, stopped trying to intimidate them and instead let out a cold snort from time to time, clearly indicating that the chase was not easy for him either.

Zhang Xuezhou, on the other hand, remained calm and composed.

Zhang Xuezhou has been running for his life for many years. He has gotten used to it and adapted to it. Although he is not very strong, he is the most efficient at running errands. Occasionally, a gust of wind or a wave will make him feel incredibly light.

"No matter how much you boast about the Xianghou Palace, it's useless!"

Having been intimidated by Zhang Xuezhou's boastful Three Talents Formation, Gongsun Gui, who was chasing after him, was also extremely annoyed.

There is indeed a Three Powers Formation in the formation, and the notch or convex position formed by Heaven, Earth, and Man can deliver a direct and painful blow to those who enter the house.

Those skilled at tracking and killing rely on their agility and inconspicuousness to make their attacks appear extraordinary. They rely on surprise, intimidation, and shock to weaken their opponents.

What these cultivators fear most is not encountering powerful enemies, but being trapped in a place from which they cannot escape. Formations, traps, and other unexpected factors are all things they need to avoid.

Zhang Xuezhou's shout indeed struck at Gongsun Gui point, causing him to lose some time in the pursuit.

Prepare to die!

Gongsun Gui muttered to himself.

The body moved forward in the dark shadows like flowing water.

Occasionally, a shadow of surging water would appear, only to quickly disappear again.

But the Xianghou Palace mentioned by the new emperor was indeed visited.

After running for about fifteen minutes, the group entered a side hall.

A series of clicking sounds came as doors and windows were locked shut with metal objects.

"Light up!"

Whispers rang out from the side hall, and the palace was bathed in bright light.

This is a bright environment that ordinary stealth enthusiasts would dislike, but Gongsun Gui felt that these people had misunderstood one thing: he was not an ordinary stealth enthusiast.

Unless it's midday and the sun is shining brightly, he's unlikely to be hindered by the light when casting spells.

Any shadow would provide him with a place to hide.

Most importantly, his cultivation level surpassed that of these people. If Li Guang and others hadn't restrained him, it wouldn't have been too difficult for him to kill cultivators of lower cultivation levels with his high cultivation level. He wouldn't have needed to hide his killing moves.

"Hey-hey!"

"Gongsun Gui, what are you trying to do, committing such treason? Aren't you afraid of having your entire family wiped out?"

As Gongsun Gui uttered the low murmur, a loud shout came from inside the hall.

This immediately stirred up many of his old grudges.

The revelation of his identity caused Gongsun Gui to frown, unable to recall how he had revealed it.

He remained hidden within the operation for a long time, only appearing for a few seconds to check when the carriage overturned.

If his identity were exposed in those few seconds, Gongsun Gui would find it hard to believe.

"Did King of Liang instigate you to assassinate Chao Cuo, pinning the case on my father and making him bear the stigma of murdering his teacher, thus alienating him from many ministers?"

"Are you seeking out Sima Xiangru to find out why the five sons of King of Liang were targeted one after another?"

Perhaps it was the mechanisms of the Xianghou Palace that gave him confidence, while the light dispelled the darkness in his heart. Inside the Xianghou Palace, the new emperor shouted repeatedly, no longer fleeing in panic, but exuding the majesty of an emperor.

Your lack of response proves that you are thinking, and it even acknowledges your own identity and actions!

Gongsun Gui's threatening tone paused only briefly before the new emperor seized upon his mindset.

Of course, Gongsun Gui must say that those in high positions are very adept at doing this kind of thing; they have done far too many things like framing and convicting, and no one is more familiar with this routine than the emperor.

He gave a cold laugh. If he were to ask questions, he wouldn't use this method of talking across the hall; instead, he would make the new emperor beg for mercy and reveal everything under his torture.

He did not respond to the new emperor's words, and began to look for an opportunity to enter the Xianghou Palace.

Those skilled in shadow manipulation move like a gentle breeze or flowing water, able to slip into any opening or crevice they encounter.

It's impossible for a large hall to be completely sealed without any gaps, and the fact that light is visible proves that there are gaps.

Gongsun Gui slowly walked around the main hall. He made a spell with his hand, and a piece of white silk was put on a palm-sized wooden figure, which instantly transformed into a half-person-tall figure that swayed and floated around in the light of the hall.

Gongsun Gui casually set up a trap to attract the attention of the new emperor and his entourage. He shrank back into the shadows, rolling like water into the dark crevices.

The palace even had a window that wasn't closed very tightly; perhaps it was jammed, or for some other reason, leaving a gap about the thickness of a finger.

As the light shone from the main hall, Gongsun Gui, who had been hiding in the shadows, looked up and saw that the three people in the hall were indeed looking at the small trap he had set, all staring at the wooden figure floating outside the window.

His body 'flowed' in through the crack in the window.

Before Gongsun Hong could let out a sinister laugh to intimidate the three, Gongsun Gui saw the new emperor, who was looking at the shadows floating by the window, raise his hand, and a heavy wind rushed over his head.

At the same time, the old man holding a lamp beside the new emperor suddenly turned around, and the light immediately illuminated the dark area.

"It was here after all!"

A thick log fell from the Xianghou Palace, and the sudden reversal of the light revealed a gray figure in the shadows.

"Snort!"

A dull, painful sound rang out.

The heavy log and the figure collided almost instantly.

The new emperor waved his hand, and the fake Red Empyrean Sword flew out with a streak of cold light.

When the sword fell, there was already a pool of blood on the ground.

"The counterfeit product collided with the genuine product; you deserve to be beaten!"

Li Shaojun exclaimed with delight, feeling that Zhang Xuezhou's judgment was too accurate. He held a lantern in his left hand and a handful of soul-guiding powder in his right hand, and threw it at the figure that was pressed under the heavy wood.

This soul-guiding powder wasn't very effective against Gongsun Gui, but if it got into the opponent's eyes or wounds, it could exert the power of lime powder.

Zhang Xuezhou was used to running away, and Li Shaojun's fighting methods were also unsportsmanlike.

However, it must be said that the two often manage to deal with their enemies in the simplest way.

The previous dull pain quickly turned into an angry roar, and the gray figure crashed into the window, leaving behind a gray robe as it disappeared out.