Chapter 16 True or False

The moment the jade pendant was activated, a powerful and terrifying burst of light erupted from its center, spreading in all directions.

In that instant, Ye Chuxiao seemed to see the clouds rolling above a sea of clouds. The surging air currents churned within, illuminating the night sky with a brilliant glow.

All the turbidity between heaven and earth seemed to clear instantly.

The wronged souls of the Xie family's seven members vanished like frost under the scorching sun.

Moreover, even the enemy hidden in the shadows, whose identity and location were unknown, was forced to reveal himself in the powerful surge of qi.

"Such powerful Qi Gong!" Both Ye Chuxiao and Yan Po, Lu Baimei, and Erlong exclaimed from the bottom of their hearts.

Shi Huang, the top constable of the Six Doors, was most skilled in Qi cultivation, primarily focusing on the path of a Qi cultivator.

This method, which seemed the easiest to access and cultivate for ordinary civilian cultivators, was merely easy at first but difficult later.

A powerful Qi cultivator could alter heaven and earth with their breath.

With a single breath, they could manifest the myriad phenomena of the world.

The ultimate goal of a Qi cultivator was to generate all methods from a single breath, to shatter the universe with a single breath. Qi cultivators were considered the ancestors of all cultivation paths. Many embarked on this path, but few truly mastered it and advanced to the level of Shi Huang.

With the Xie family's seven wronged souls dispersed, Lu Baimei, Yan Po, and Erlong all turned to encircle the person who had revealed himself.

With no more concerns in their hearts, they acted without hesitation.

Even if others perceived Yan Po and Lu Baimei's persistence as hypocritical.

They did not care about the opinions of others; they only sought to be clear in their conscience.

Yan Po was the first to strike, his saber leading the charge.

He was incredibly fast. With a flash, he and his saber became one.

When the saber struck, it was like the moonlight from the ninth heaven, falling with a cold and solitary brilliance.

Clang!

The crisp sound of metal clashing reverberated in the air.

The sharp saber light swept out, and both figures retreated a dozen steps in mid-air.

The air beneath Yan Po's feet left long streaks.

And the unknown enemy, though stepping on the air, left behind a series of sunken footprints.

"Excellent saber technique! Saber Hero Yan Po, your reputation is well-deserved," the person shrouded in a black cloak said.

Yan Po steadied himself and flicked his long saber. "You use a short sword… That's not common."

For cultivators, those seeking ranged attacks used flying swords or magical treasures. Those seeking close combat honed their physical bodies and saber skills.

Using a short sword as a weapon was suitable for both close and ranged combat, but because it lacked specialization, it seemed somewhat impractical.

Only a very few individuals with special identities would consider a short sword as a primary weapon.

"Hero Yan! How about you leave this person to me?" Lu Baimei, holding a cyan talisman sword, walked step by step from below into the air.

Beneath his feet, cyan lotus flowers bloomed.

Each petal of the lotus was engraved with talisman and Dharma patterns, emitting cyan flames.

The talisman sword hummed in his hand, indicating that Lu Baimei's heart was not calm.

Yan Po nodded, gripping his saber with both hands, but did not move far from the battlefield, remaining vigilant in case the person shrouded in the black robe tried to escape.

Erlong did the same, positioning themselves in different locations.

Although they did not directly participate in the battle, they posed a threat, creating significant psychological pressure on the person in the black cloak.

The talisman sword hummed.

More cyan lotus flowers bloomed, transforming half the sky into a serene lotus pond. A breeze swept through, causing the lotus flowers to sway, creating a shimmering dance of light and shadow.

Illuminated by the starlight and moonlight, it was exceptionally beautiful.

Lu Baimei seemed to make no extra movements, but in reality, he had already infused the surrounding air, plants, lake water, and even the starlight and moonlight with the power of his talisman sword.

They condensed into the shape of lotus flowers, secretly interconnected, transforming the entire Lu residence into a closed-off domain.

Lu Baimei, though his face remained expressionless, was actually furious.

This unknown enemy had exploited his guilt over the Xie family's seven members, tearing open the wounds in his heart.

He had to retaliate.

On the other side, the person wielding the short sword, shrouded in the black cloak, was also gathering immense power.

He was inhaling the vast and abundant energy between heaven and earth, a commotion that even attracted the attention of many experts in the Divine Capital.

Clearly, he wanted to muddy the waters and then take the opportunity to escape.

Of course, before that, he had to withstand the pressure exerted by Lu Baimei.

The boundless energy transformed into immeasurable sword qi in the hands of the person in the black robe.

The sword qi condensed, actually transforming into a cyan lake beneath the expanse of lotus flowers. The lake reflected the starlight, reflected the color of the lotuses, as if directly lifting a beautiful painting onto the sky.

Without warning… or rather, constantly engaged in a fierce game of give-and-take.

The scene of the lotus pond and starry moon reflected in the air exploded.

The sword qi clashed and interacted violently with the infused light, air, and plants.

Rumble!

Waves of immense energy rippled back and forth in the air.

These immense waves gradually transformed into a river flowing eastward. Scattered flowers and fallen leaves were crushed into the flowing water, turning into endless sword qi and energy, impacting the Lu residence's rising formation and defenses.

Yan Po casually swung his saber, shattering all the rampant energy.

Erlong guarded the formation. Although they were not familiar with the Lu residence's defensive formation, they were both experts in formations themselves. They only needed to pinpoint the key nodes and help suppress the chaotic energy.

Seeing that his strategy of seizing the advantage was failing, the person in the black cloak actually pulled out a scroll of bright yellow from his bosom.

As the scroll unfurled, the image of the Son of Heaven wearing a dragon robe appeared from within.

The Son of Heaven's image wielded the Juntian Sword, striking with a single blow, as if shaking down countless stars.

In such a fierce exchange, Ye Chuxiao, as a mere Mystical Realm cultivator, could only dodge around, trying to avoid being hit by the scattered aftermath of the battle.

Abundant death qi surrounded him.

If not for the passive effect of the Longevity Saber, Ye Chuxiao would probably have been forced to 'die and be reborn' several times already from being caught in the aftermath of the battle.

"Is this the clash of Intent Realm experts?"

"It's truly terrifying!"

"They're all like mobile natural disasters."

Of course, this was not the first time Ye Chuxiao had seen Intent Realm cultivators in action.

But in the past, he had either seen Intent Realm experts fighting in special environments, or the disparity in their realms was too great, or one side had too much of a home-field advantage, completely dominating the entire fight.

A truly evenly matched Intent Realm battle was something he was witnessing for the first time.

Although being in the core vicinity of the battlefield was indeed dangerous.

The benefits were also very obvious.

In just a few minutes, Ye Chuxiao had acquired more than a dozen Dao Rhythm auras.

"A Sacred Scroll! Are you from the palace?" Lu Baimei looked at the person shrouded in the black cloak, guessing at his background.

Unbeknownst to him, the cyan lotus flowers that were attacking were no longer pressing as aggressively.

He was restrained by his concerns, and could not fight freely.

The image of the Son of Heaven wielded the Juntian Sword, hacking at the Lu residence's defensive array.

The tearing sword light drew bright sparks across the swaying array barrier.

The Lu residence's servants and guards were caught in the crossfire, suffering heavy losses.

Lu Baimei snapped back to his senses, released the talisman sword in his hand, and pushed it out with a single hand.

The talisman sword immediately transformed into boundless rays of light, wrapping around the image of the Son of Heaven.

The image of the Son of Heaven tore at the rays, scattering fragments of rainbow colors like thousands of shooting stars throughout the Lu residence, imbuing the place with a dreamlike hue.

But beneath this dreamlike facade lay infinite danger and killing intent.

Lu Baimei was distracted, and with a wave of his sleeves, he swept up three thousand streams of clear qi, turning them into qi walls to protect the people in the residence who were teetering on the brink of life and death.

As a result, he gradually fell into a disadvantage in his own home territory.

The intense clash of energy triggered Lu Baimei's old injuries. The pain in his internal organs caused him to cough up a few mouthfuls of stagnant blood.

"Brother Lu! Forgive me!" Seeing that Lu Baimei was unlikely to subdue the person in the cloak alone, Yan Po no longer hesitated and struck again directly.

Thwack!

It was still that seemingly simple and unadorned saber swing.

Compared to Lu Baimei's methods, Yan Po's saber technique was simple and plain, like that of a child just learning to wield a saber, without the slightest bit of flashiness.

But its power was truly astonishing.

This strike cut through layers of energy defenses and shattered the illusion erected by the image of the Son of Heaven.

A fierce strike, direct and unavoidable, landed squarely on the enemy.

Like a wisp of intangible mist, the figure in the black cloak shattered and exploded under Yan Po's saber.

When the mist reassembled, everyone present could clearly see his face and clothing.

It was a middle-aged man wearing the cyan robes of a palace eunuch, with a pale complexion, no beard, triangular eyes, and a hooked nose. His features alone made him seem like a villain, unpleasant and disliked.

Lu Baimei looked at the cyan-robed eunuch with an expression of bewilderment.

In the Great Heng Palace, eunuchs were also ranked.

The lowest were the gray-robed menial eunuchs. These eunuchs had no qualifications to cultivate and were not valued. To the royal family, menial eunuchs might not even be considered human, merely disposable items that could be replaced at any time.

Above them were the cyan-robed eunuchs, who were qualified to cultivate.

These eunuchs were often minor stewards in the palace. Those who were favored by nobles could also gain some small amount of power.

Above them were the red-robed eunuchs. These were the grand eunuchs, often those who had achieved success in cultivation or were particularly favored by the Emperor, Empress, or Empress Dowager.

The highest were conferred purple robes and dragon robes. They had already transcended the ranks of 'servants'. Even the Emperor had to treat them with respect, not arbitrarily dispatching or deploying them.

This was because eunuchs in purple dragon robes were all great cultivators who had, one in ten thousand, achieved the Intent Realm.

And the person before them, judging by his features and previous methods, did indeed fit the identity of a 'eunuch'.

But he should be wearing purple dragon robes, not the ordinary cyan robes.

Of course, clothing could be changed at will and was not a reliable proof.

"Who are you? I don't recall seeing anyone like you among the Grand Eunuchs of the Imperial Stables, Directorate of Palace Attendants, or Directorate of Imperial Scribes," Lu Baimei said.

The cyan-robed eunuch sneered but did not answer.

"Whoever he is, let's capture him first and then ask," Yan Po said, swinging his saber again.

The cyan-robed eunuch, however, acted before Yan Po, transforming into a blur.

The short sword in his hand, like a poisonous sting, pierced towards Yan Po's chest.

Although Yan Po's saber technique was expansive and unrestrained, it was not without subtlety and finesse.

His saber blade flicked, swinging upwards in what seemed like a clumsy flower embroidery, but was actually accurate and flawless.

Clang!

The short sword and long saber collided in the next instant, and sharp gusts of wind swept out.

Yan Po shifted his stance, moving his right foot forward and his left foot back. With a rapid braking-like rotational force, he slashed his long saber towards the cyan-robed eunuch's throat.

This strike was not a killing move, but to force him to reveal an opening.

Attack to force self-preservation.

Bang!

Just as Yan Po's long saber swung out, the saber light in his hand transformed into a nebula, wrapping around the cyan-robed eunuch.

This was the first time Ye Chuxiao had seen Yan Po's saber blade emit such a brilliant radiance.

Though it was only for an instant, the splendor of that instant surpassed the spectacles Lu Baimei had created earlier by far.

It seemed like a long time had passed, but in reality, the exchange had lasted less than five minutes.

By this time, Shi Huang had naturally arrived long ago.

But he had not acted, instead joining forces with Yuan Shen to secretly seal off the entire Lu residence, ensuring that not even a fly could get in, and that no one inside could easily get out.

Only after the preparations were complete did they enter the Lu residence together.

Looking at the cyan-robed eunuch who was entangled with Yan Po, they exchanged a glance and attacked directly without any declaration of war.

Yuan Shen waved his hand, and a large number of small paper figures were scattered. These paper figures grew in size against the wind, and in the blink of an eye, they all transformed into gold-armored warriors shimmering with golden light. They fearlessly charged, attracting a great deal of the cyan-robed eunuch's attention and depleting his spirit.

Shi Huang, on the other hand, took a deep breath, and two qi snakes shot out from his nostrils.

"Humph!"

With a resounding sound, the qi snakes shot towards the cyan-robed eunuch.

The cyan-robed eunuch's skills were not weak, but when the qi snakes approached, he could not dodge, let alone resist. He was bitten on the forehead by the qi snakes, then fell backward.

Clang!

The short sword in his hand fell to the ground. The sharp short sword pierced a large hole in the ground, which had long since turned into a steel plate.

"Minister Yuan! Eunuch Shi!" Lu Baimei greeted them.

"You've gone to a lot of trouble. I'm ashamed..." Lu Baimei said with a sigh.

The two qi snakes transformed into ropes, binding the cyan-robed eunuch.

Shi Huang turned his head and said to Lu Baimei, "We are all colleagues and brothers, why be so polite?"

"However, this matter is full of doubts. For the sake of stability, I would like to ask Brother Lu to return to the Six Doors with me to sort out the details."

Lu Baimei nodded and said, "It should be!"

Yuan Shen then grabbed the cyan-robed eunuch and seemed to be flipping through a document.

After a moment, he shook his head at Shi Huang.

"No record!"

"So he's a fake eunuch?" Shi Huang wasn't shy and reached out to grab the cyan-robed eunuch's lower body.

"He's a real eunuch. The perineum point is sealed, the kidneys have been modified, the kidney qi is circulating back. He's also practicing the unique methods of the eunuchs, using kidney qi as a guide, cultivating as a virgin. The early progress is extremely fast, but after the achievement is complete, no matter how much they want to regrow their limbs, it's just for show, and nothing can be done in reality," Shi Huang continued.

"This is actually a real eunuch?"

"Who could command such a eunuch with Intent Realm cultivation, and have him hide his name?"

"Could it be… remnants of the rebellious princes from previous years?" Yuan Shen said.

Shi Huang frowned and said, "Even if they are remnants of the rebellious princes, they shouldn't be targeting Brother Lu..."

"Unless there is a bigger plan behind this."

"But Brother Lu has not been involved in court affairs for many years. What use would there be in killing Brother Lu?"

These words did not sound pleasant.

Even if Lu Baimei had a broad mind, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed at these words. He turned away, pretending not to hear, so as to avoid embarrassment for everyone.

"Eunuch Shi is joking!"

"Even if Chief Constable Lu is ill, he is still an Intent Realm pillar of the court. It is possible that someone with ulterior motives wants to pick the softest persimmon first and choose him," Yuan Shen added.

Ye Chuxiao circled over from the side, and understood what they were saying.

Yuan Shen and Shi Huang, these two old foxes, were deliberately using words to prod Lu Baimei.

Now was the time when they needed manpower. With Chief Constable Jin Buyi imprisoned, the Six Doors was also in desperate need of high-end combat power.

Lu Baimei's passive self-confinement in his residence was a great waste to Yuan Shen and Shi Huang.

"We'll find out his origin after we take him back and interrogate him!" Lu Baimei also heard the meaning behind their words and could only say with a dry smile.

Then he added, "Lu has been troubled for many years. Originally, I wanted to rely on my own ability to heal my injuries and take another step forward. Now it seems that this eventful time does not allow for any rest."

"Please, both of you, help me so that I can heal my internal injuries quickly, so that I can contribute to the court."

Yuan and Shi exchanged a glance and both smiled.

"Since Brother Lu has said so, how can we not help?" Yuan Shen said with a smile.

The Lu residence's confinement was lifted. Shi Huang personally escorted the cyan-robed eunuch into the Ministry of Justice's dungeon, and directly imprisoned him in the fifth level underground.

As for the forces in the Divine Capital who had come to inquire, they were left to Yuan Shen to deal with.

The person had been caught!

But the question had not been answered.

On the contrary, there were more questions.

Ye Chuxiao knew that Jin Buyi's shadow was behind this.

But he had no evidence and could not directly tell Yuan Shen and Shi Huang.

After all, the little brother was very considerate, and it wouldn't be good to betray him.

"How did Jin Buyi and the unknown cyan-robed eunuch… get mixed up together?"

"And what ability does Jin Buyi have to drive a hidden Intent Realm eunuch to be his pawns?"

"Could it be that Jin Buyi really has another identity?" Ye Chuxiao thought.

"You said Jin Buyi has another identity?"

"What identity does he have? Tell me in detail!" Ying Shu, who had been following Ye Chuxiao's observation the entire time, was now almost overwhelmed by all the sudden questions.

She had more questions and doubts in her heart than Ye Chuxiao.

Moreover, compared to Ye Chuxiao, she was more concerned about Jin Buyi's 'concealment'.

The smugness she originally felt at grasping Jin Buyi had now vanished because of this series of doubts.

"Want to know?"

"If you want to know, exchange something for it!"

"You didn't think you could get a free ride, did you?" Ye Chuxiao replied.

At the same time, he thought that perhaps he could use Ying Shu as a breakthrough point to obtain more information.