Rumble——
Rolling thunder coursed through the thick dark clouds, illuminating the white stone square in front of Taihua Hall with an intermittent glow, making it alternately bright and dim.
In the Thousand-Step Corridor on the side of the white stone square, countless palace lanterns swayed in the wind. In the vast imperial palace, not a single figure could be seen.
Tap, tap...
In the long corridor, the old eunuch, dressed in a red robe, wore a black gauze hat, slightly hunched his back, and carried a whisk over his arm. He walked slowly along the path he had walked for sixty years.
Although his attire and demeanor were still meticulous, and his steps were calm, the several knife wounds on his chest and back made Eunuch Cao, who had rarely lost his dignity in his life, appear a bit disheveled.
Although his meridians had been unblocked, his cultivation had been completely drained, and relying on strong medicine couldn't restore much of his foundation. Imprisoned in the dungeon for ten years, his body had aged and was no longer as indestructible as it used to be.
Facing Qiu Tianhe, who had been well-rested for a long time, Eunuch Cao still showed signs of being overwhelmed. Although he still won the fight, his injuries were much more severe than Qiu Tianhe's.
However, Eunuch Cao didn't care about these things. He was born in the imperial city, had been loyal to the Great Yan Dynasty, and had done everything he could for the Great Wei Dynasty.
All he desired now was to die in the imperial city. The sooner he died, the sooner this wish could be fulfilled.
Following the old route of the nighttime patrol, Eunuch Cao walked out of the corridor, stuck close to the white stone foundation of Taihua Hall, and headed towards the other side of the square.
Halfway there, a bolt of lightning flashed.
Thunderclap——
Then, a figure appeared in front of Taihua Hall.
The figure was dressed in a gorgeous red dress and held a red oil-paper umbrella. Her almost dazzling beauty and temperament seemed out of place in front of the majestic and solemn Taihua Hall.
Hua la la——
The rain curtain fell from the sky, hitting the red oil-paper umbrella and then sliding down along the umbrella ribs, making a crackling sound.
Eunuch Cao stopped in front of the hall, held the whisk in his hand, and bowed:
"Your Highness the Princess Chang's martial arts skills have improved again."
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty walked slowly along the imperial path, with a straight back, exuding the calmness and dignity exclusive to an emperor. She didn't like this address in her heart but didn't argue about it:
"Go back. I kept you alive so that you could see how I rule as an emperor. Since I ascended the throne, I have vigorously promoted the imperial examinations, rectified corruption, ceased wars and promoted trade, and regulated the martial world. In ten years, I have built on the foundation left by the late emperor to create the current situation. Give me another ten years, and my reign title will mark an unprecedented prosperous age in history books.
"You want to safeguard the country and the people of the Great Wei. At least you should live until you see that day. When you meet the founding emperor and the late emperor in the underworld, they won't blame you at all. Instead, they will be proud to have a descendant like me."
Eunuch Cao bowed slightly and said in a gentle tone:
"This old servant is just a servant of the family. What happens to the country and the people has nothing to do with this old servant. I will serve a wise emperor with my life, and I will do the same for a foolish emperor. However, I cannot be loyal to an emperor who usurps the throne in violation of the patriarchal law."
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty held the red oil-paper umbrella, walked down the imperial path slowly, and stood on the white stone square with a calm look in her eyes:
"The patriarchal law, the ritual law, and the national law are all established by the emperor. I am the emperor, and currently, no one can shake my position. In the future, if I say that women can hold official positions and become imperial heirs, there will be laws allowing women to hold power in this world. What you uphold is not the patriarchal law but your own rules."
Eunuch Cao stood with his head bowed and replied:
"The vassal princes have not been pacified yet. Your Highness dare not rashly get married and establish an heir. You must first take back the military power of the vassal princes before considering the inheritance of the imperial throne. But Your Highness has taken a taboo path, and even you yourself don't know how long you can live. Once you die, the Second Princess will find it difficult to take charge of the overall situation, and the imperial lineage of the Dongfang family may fall into the hands of the imperial relatives. This old servant has received the favor of the founding emperor and the respect of the late emperor. I must abide by the laws of our ancestors, safeguard the family property of the Dongfang family, and persuade Your Highness to turn back from the wrong path."
Hua la la...
The heavy rain poured down, and there was a silence in front of Taihua Hall.
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty was silent for a moment and then asked:
"Is there really no cure for touching the taboo?"
Eunuch Cao said calmly: "Your Highness made a mistake in comprehending one of the Minglong Diagrams. If you find that diagram, with the effect of the Minglong Diagram to go against the will of heaven and reshape the body, the diseased parts of your body will gradually recover.
"But Your Highness is too eager for quick success and instant benefits. In order to subdue this old servant, you have cultivated both internally and externally and practiced six diagrams at the same time. Except for the Jade Bones Diagram, there must be differences in the others. It's already beyond this old servant's expectation that Your Highness has lived until today."
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty thought for a while: "You experienced the founding war in the palace. Do you know the whereabouts of the other five diagrams?"
Eunuch Cao said: "The Golden Scales Diagram flowed into Beiliang and was later stolen. It may currently be in the hands of Jiang Zahu.
"The Dragon Elephant Diagram was stolen after the rebel army entered the city and may be hidden by a vassal prince.
"The Evergreen Diagram was taken to Nanxiao Mountain by the empress of Emperor Gong of Yan. It may be in the hands of the leader of the Pingtian Sect.
"The Fire-Bathing Diagram was obtained by Kuangyazi, but Kuangyazi died from old injuries. It may have been taken away by other thieves in the martial world, and its whereabouts are unknown.
"The Ming Shen Diagram has not appeared in the Great Wei Dynasty since the previous dynasty and may be in the hands of Beiliang.
"If Your Highness wants to find all five diagrams, you have to fight against the martial world, the vassal princes, and Beiliang. There is simply not enough time."
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty frowned and thought for a moment:
"I've found a good candidate, who is loyal and has talent that rivals Fengguan City. If I send him to look for them, there might be a chance."
Eunuch Cao shook his head: "How can an emperor pin his life and death on the hands of others? For the five Minglong Diagrams, what can Your Highness offer to the person who you expect to find them and hand them over to you? Eternal life or immortality?"
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty knew this was a very practical problem.
The internal imperial guards of all dynasties were so loyal that they were selfless. In the previous dynasty, they didn't dare to give the treasured Fire-Bathing Diagram to an eunuch to practice because "when one possesses a powerful weapon, the desire to kill arises naturally".
When a person has strength that no one can restrain and has the opportunity to obtain supreme power, even the most loyal person's mentality will change subtly.
Even if Yejingtang values chivalry and is not interested in fame and fortune but only has a weakness for beauty, she can't produce a peerless beauty worth five Minglong Diagrams.
Even if she marries Liren off, Yejingtang will only be sincere towards Liren and won't open up his heart to her, the elder sister-in-law. She can't possibly offer herself as a reward to make Yejingtang serve her wholeheartedly...
After waiting quietly for a while, Eunuch Cao asked again:
"Does Your Highness have any other questions that this old servant can answer?"
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty held the oil-paper umbrella and took a gentle breath:
"You are determined to fulfill your loyalty and righteousness. I won't allow you to die. I want you to be completely convinced of me as the emperor before you die."
"Then this old servant has no choice but to offend Your Highness."
Eunuch Cao cupped his hands in a salute. Then, his red robe swayed slightly in the wind and rain, and his momentum rose steadily. In an instant, he transformed from a humble old servant into a towering giant tree in the imperial city.
Hoo~ Hoo~
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty didn't change at all. Ten years ago, she needed the assistance of her master to defeat Eunuch Cao. Now, facing the aging Eunuch Cao, all she had to do was to have this old servant of the Dongfang family carried out gracefully to continue his retirement.
Hoo~
A gentle breeze swept across the square in front of the hall, blowing the red dress of the Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty.
Eunuch Cao took a step forward and was about to sacrifice his life heroically. Unexpectedly, a thunderclap suddenly sounded from the side of the white stone square:
"Hoo——!"
The voice was clear and resounding like a huge bell, spreading throughout the Taiji Hall.
Both the Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty and Eunuch Cao were startled. They turned their heads and saw that on the side hall of the white stone square, a black figure soared into the air from above the majestic hall.
Peng——
The surging momentum broke through the rain curtain in the sky, like a powerful dragon emerging from the sea, creating a white trail in mid-air.
The black figure held a long spear in his hand. The height he leaped was almost level with the Taihua Hall above. Then he fiercely crashed down towards the white stone square!
This scene made both the Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty and Eunuch Cao turn their eyes. After all, this lightness skill and instantaneous explosive power were really a bit too exaggerated. It was obvious that the figure was unleashing his anger out of extreme anxiety.
This was like when a person was in a desperate situation, he could exert several times his normal strength. The crisis had broken through the body's self-protection defense line, and it was impossible to make such an extreme reaction with the body through willpower in normal times.
The calm eyes of the Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty widened slightly, which was rare, and there was obvious surprise in her eyes - she wanted to talk to Eunuch Cao about topics that couldn't be spread outside, so she specially removed the palace people around the Taiji Hall. How did Yejingtang come here?
Well, if he came, did he really have to be so excited as if he had a grudge for the death or theft of his wife?
If he said he was loyal to protect the master, he didn't even know her identity...
Rumble——
In just a thought, the figure crashed onto the white stone square and then instantly leaped up again, leaving a semi-circular pit on the flat square. He actually jumped from above the side hall to the center of the huge square in two leaps.
The powerful air wave, carrying the wind and rain, pressed against the robes of the two people. A long black spear followed closely behind, stabbing towards Eunuch Cao's chest and abdomen with a terrifying momentum.
Eunuch Cao had never seen Yejingtang before. Seeing that this young man was only about twenty years old but his martial arts skills were incredibly high, a flash of surprise appeared in his eyes.
Peng——
An explosive sound.
Yejingtang held the Black Lin Spear and stabbed with all his might out of anger at this eunuch who dared to intimidate the palace maid in the middle of the night.
As a result, the eunuch didn't move at all. The tip of the spear stabbed into his chest, and the Black Lin Spear, which should have pierced through his body, stopped abruptly after entering half an inch of the flesh.
The tip of the spear carried surging momentum and penetrated into the body, shattering the white stone floor tiles under the eunuch's feet and knocking the old eunuch backward. In an instant, he retreated to the white stone foundation of the hall.
Rumble——
A semi-circular depression was created on the side of the white stone foundation.
The old eunuch in front of the tip of the spear maintained the posture of holding the whisk in his arm from beginning to end and just looked at Yejingtang in surprise.
!!
A flash of shock appeared in Yejingtang's eyes. Just now, when he saw Qiu Tianhe being beaten half to death, he thought Qiu Tianhe was a weakling.
Now, after stabbing with all his might, he realized how incredible it was that Qiu Tianhe could leave seven or eight knife wounds on this old monster.
Yejingtang held the spear with both hands and pressed Eunuch Cao against the white stone. When his strength was almost exhausted, he bent his legs slightly, leaned forward, and pressed with all his might, trying to push the Black Lin Spear into the old monster's chest.
Rumble——
Eunuch Cao retreated half a step further, and the white stone foundation against which his back was pressed made a cracking sound under the unbearable pressure.
But the tip of the spear stabbed into the rib. No matter whether he used obvious force or hidden force, he couldn't push it forward any further. He could only pin the old eunuch against the wall in this way.
Eunuch Cao frowned slightly, looked carefully at Yejingtang's face, and also felt every bit of momentum transmitted by the tip of the spear. After a moment, he took a step forward.
Ka ka——
The floor tiles that Yejingtang's feet stepped on immediately cracked and slid backward, just like a mountain moving forward. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't resist this absolute brute force that was like Mount Tai pressing down.
"Hoo——!"
Yejingtang let out a fierce shout, and his whole body's momentum surged. In an instant, he tore apart his black official robe. His shoulders, back, waist, abdomen, and legs tensed up, and his face turned red. With all his might, he actually pushed the old eunuch, who had just taken a step forward, back again.
But Eunuch Cao had practiced the Jade Bones and Dragon Elephant Diagrams for sixty years. When it came to martial arts attainments and endurance, he might have an advantage. But when it came to brute force, it was like showing off one's skills in front of an expert.
After being pushed back, Eunuch Cao obviously increased his strength and took another step forward, slowly pushing the spear backward.
"Open for me!"
Yejingtang let out a fierce shout, and his eyes instantly turned red. His face was almost ferocious, and one could hear his almost bursting heartbeat even from a few steps away.
Dong dong dong——
He exerted all his strength again, and the momentum was so great that it even snapped the hairpin that tied his black hair. Holding the spear with both hands, he forcibly resisted Eunuch Cao and crashed into the foundation again.
Rumble——
Eunuch Cao was pressed against the stone foundation. Looking at Yejingtang's face, a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty stood behind with an umbrella in her hand. Seeing this scene, she was also surprised.
Being able to push back the eunuch with unparalleled brute force twice, even someone who had practiced the Dragon Elephant Diagram couldn't do it because no one in the world had practiced it longer than Eunuch Cao. When the two sides were in a tug-of-war, the weapon would only be broken.
The instantaneous explosive power could shake the mountains and rocks, but the tip of the spear remained straight, indicating that Yejingtang was controlling the long spear and pressing the opponent with internal strength instead of brute force.
Although it was just a simple forward stab, it was obvious that all the bones, muscles, and meridians of his body were coordinated perfectly.
It gave people the feeling that it wasn't a person stabbing forward but a precision mechanical device pushing the spear. All the components were polished to perfection, and the surging internal strength flowed through the whole body in an instant, without being hindered by any joints or meridians, thus demonstrating this inhuman instantaneous explosive power.
This was not at all the physique that a person was born with, and it couldn't even be achieved through careful cultivation later. It was more like a weapon forged with the power of the whole country...
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty thought Yejingtang's body was very special and wanted to take a closer look at the details. But she soon found that Yejingtang was really risking his life.
Yejingtang used all his strength to hold down Eunuch Cao, who had the strength of the Dragon Elephant. His whole body's blood and qi had reached the limit. His eyes were red, his veins were bulging, and his heartbeat was like rolling thunder. If he forced himself to push the spear again, he would damage his own meridians and internal organs.
Seeing this, the Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty silently came behind Yejingtang and reached out to hold the end of the spear.
Boom——
Eunuch Cao, who was still exerting force, was instantly pressed against the foundation.
Yejingtang only felt that the pressure in his hands suddenly decreased, and the pouring rain was blocked by the red umbrella above his head. A look of astonishment flashed in his eyes, and he looked at the beautiful woman in red beside him.
The Empress of the Great Wei Dynasty stood beside him, holding the Black Lin Spear with one hand. Her eyes were very domineering:
"This is not how you use a spear."
As soon as the words fell, her shoulders moved slightly. Without any external leakage of momentum, even the red sleeves didn't flutter, but the Black Lin Spear was pushed forward another two inches.
Rumble——
The white stone steps instantly exploded, and Eunuch Cao