Waves of assassins were killed, and Shangguan Hao in the palace was extremely anxious, unable to rest day or night. He neglected state affairs for days on end, indulging in pleasure with his concubines.
The concubines, while enjoying carnal pleasures, never considered the insidiousness and ruthlessness of this man.
Only Ximen Xinyue knew clearly that this man's luck was probably running out. And a treacherous man like him, even in death, would likely not spare them.
Ximen Xinyue thought of Lianyan's death and the child lost in her womb. From then on, she was no longer a woman.
All of this was thanks to that man, and also the result of her own vanity. Regret gnawed at her bones, making sleep impossible and hatred a constant companion. Living was merely lingering on, a form of torture.
The Emperor did not attend court. Loyal ministers submitted memorials, only to be dragged out and beheaded. The entire court and its surroundings were filled with resentment and fear, and no one dared to speak further.
The skies over Lin'an City were shrouded in a bloody storm, precarious and on the verge of collapse. The ministers had no idea what had happened. Why was the Emperor, a generation's greatest emperor, a capable person who had unified the land, behaving so absurdly?
It seemed that ever since he imprisoned the Empress, everything had deviated from its original course, becoming different from before.
But who dared to say anything? It would only lead to death. On the streets and alleys of Lin'an City, everyone was vigilant, and no one dared to speak. The once bustling and prosperous capital was permeated with a suffocating aura of death, devoid of any joy.
Outside Lin'an City, thirty li down an ancient road, a line of expressionless assassins stood densely packed.
These were the last batch of assassins they encountered on their journey. After eliminating them, they could enter the capital. The next step would be to deal with that scoundrel Shangguan Hao.
The afterglow of the setting sun slanted down, and with a lift of a thin, smoky curtain, a slender figure emerged. Tall and cold, exuding a domineering, bloodthirsty aura.
His sharp eyebrows were furrowed like the frost of winter, his eyes as deep as a bottomless abyss, and an overwhelming killing intent permeated the mountain path.
The people opposite had already received news. How many defense lines had these people broken through? This was the last line of defense. Seeing them calm and composed, as if they did not take them seriously at all, it was the assassins who felt fear.
A glint of horror flashed in the assassins' eyes as they stepped back in unison, exchanging glances.
Murong Liuzun's voice, as cold as ice, rang out: "Come at me together. Don't waste time."
The arrow was nocked and could not be unshot. They had no retreat. They had taken the money, and if they failed, there was only one outcome: death. Thus, they could only brace themselves and attack.
More than a dozen men in black, led by a man, waved his hand: "Go."
The dozen men instantly sprang forward. This time, Murong Liuzun wanted a swift victory, as he had important matters to attend to.
He had been receiving continuous news that Lin'an City was about to be thrown into chaos by that man, so he had to eliminate him as soon as possible. He had no time to dally with these martial world assassins.
His wide robe swept past, and the object in his hand was skillfully thrown out. Overwhelming internal energy condensed into a large net, trapping the attackers, like cornered beasts. With a thunderous roar, more than ten people were instantly killed.
The remaining few were stunned, forgetting to move. Meanwhile, the Prince of Nan'an, leading Geng Han and others, leaped forward. With a flash of their swords, two or three were cut down from their horses, their heads rolling, and blood gushing.
The last trace of the setting sun disappeared, and the twilight hues enveloped the entire capital...
Everyone mounted their horses, galloping wildly, kicking up dust into the sky, heading straight for Lin'an City. In the imperial palace, Shangguan Hao finally received the last piece of news.
All eighteen of his defense lines had been destroyed. He had lost this battle. He had lost! Laughing wildly, he overturned the glazed golden goblet in the Liuli Palace and pushed over the dragon throne.
He seemed to have gone mad, his eyes scarlet. Murong Liuzun, oh Murong Liuzun, even in death, I will not let you rest easy...
Murong Liuzun and his entourage entered Lin'an City. The sky had already turned dark. The dazzling shops on the street had hung bright red lanterns, swaying gently in the evening breeze.
But the streets were quiet, completely unlike the previous liveliness. Everyone knew what had happened in Lin'an City, so everyone felt a bit heavy-hearted.
Having traveled for more than ten days without proper rest, and having exerted all their strength to fight enemies along the way, everyone was very tired. Qingyao scanned the surroundings, then looked up at an inn not far ahead and spoke slowly.
"Liuzun, let's eat first, then everyone can rest and we can think about what to do next."
"Good."
Murong Liuzun readily agreed to Qingyao's suggestion. Everyone was very tired along the way. Those martial world assassins were not named for nothing.
Although they had Xiao Yu'er's hand grenades, they themselves had killed many more people, so everyone's bodies were under extreme strain.
If they didn't rest soon, some might collapse. It was already late, and everyone's stomachs were hungry. It would be better to eat and rest, allowing everyone to adjust their breathing. It was better to have something than nothing.
There was an inn not far ahead. It was dinner time, and although the inn was not as lively as usual, there were still people coming and going.
However, everyone's faces were somber, and they appeared cautious. Those entering and exiting spoke as little as possible.
Liuzun and Qingyao led the group inside. In the lobby, the raised candelabra cast dim, oblique light.
Although it was night, everyone was drawn to the distinguished appearance of these individuals and couldn't help but look a few more times.
However, when Murong Liuzun looked up, his powerful aura scared them into not daring to look again. At this time, it was better to cause less trouble.
The Prince of Nan'an, Murong Liuzhao, moved around the capital frequently and was relatively familiar. However, he had been lingering in the shadows, so no one had paid attention to him.
The innkeeper cautiously asked from behind the counter, "Do you want to eat or stay, honored guest?"
"Let's eat?"
Qingyao nodded. Seeing that her companions had already caused inconvenience to others, she quickly signaled the innkeeper, "Can you get us a private room?"
"Alright," the innkeeper nodded quickly and beckoned the waiter, who had been shrinking in a corner, over. "Take them to a private room on the second floor and serve them carefully."
"Yes," the usually lively waiter was exceptionally timid at this moment. It seemed that the events in Lin'an City had cast a shadow over everyone's hearts.
The group followed the waiter upstairs. As they turned a corner, they heard discussions from downstairs.
"Who are these people?"
"Could they be spies for the Emperor? Speak carefully. The current Emperor is a tyrant. I heard he doesn't attend court and lingers in the imperial harem. Ministers who offer advice are beheaded. It seems two ministers have already been killed."