Chapter 49: Demon Sect

Seeing this, the senior eunuch Sun Changyu waved his hand and said:

“Young Master Li need not worry. Your current situation is unusual—this is merely a ruse I employed to prevent accidents, a standard procedure within the Heavenly Brocade Guard.”

Upon hearing this, Li Muxian said nothing, raising his head to glance through the window at the sky.

The once clear blue heavens had somehow turned gloomy.

The air was heavy, the horizon darkened.

Distant clouds rolled in, pressing lower and lower, as if ready to crush the entire imperial capital.

Li Muxian rubbed his chin and murmured:

“Given the weather, it looks like rain is coming.”

As if to confirm his words, a muffled thunderclap erupted from the thick clouds, rumbling endlessly.

…

Ji Guang Pavilion.

Outside a hall serving as a temporary outpost of the Heavenly Brocade Guard, several armored soldiers dragged forward a young nobleman clad in a purple robe.

“How dare you! My uncle is Vice Minister of Revenue—you dare arrest me?”

Zhang He struggled violently to break free from the soldiers’ grip, but earned only a brutal slash across the back from one of them.

“Ow!”

The searing pain from the blow made Zhang He grit his teeth and gasp sharply.

He glared furiously at the soldier who had struck him, opening his mouth to curse.

But at that moment, the soldiers had already dragged him into the hall, where one bowed and reported:

“My lord, while searching the vicinity of Ji Guang Pavilion as Senior Eunuch Sun ordered, we found this man acting suspiciously—likely one of the demonic sect.”

At these words, Zhang He screamed:

“Explain yourself clearly—who is this ‘demonic sect’? My uncle is Vice Minister of Revenue, a high-ranking official of the court—you’re a lowly soldier who doesn’t even deserve to hold my boots!”

Seeing this, Song Shanyue, the Deputy Guard Commander seated behind the desk, glanced at Zhang He, then waved his hand:

“Just another spoiled brat. Take him away and interrogate him first.”

Hearing this, the soldier was unsurprised and immediately replied, preparing to drag Zhang He off.

But then, Song Shanyue suddenly spoke again:

“Wait. This matter concerns the demonic sect—too serious to ignore. Keep him here. I’ll interrogate him myself.”

The soldiers paused briefly, but said nothing. They pinned Zhang He to the ground, then bowed and withdrew.

With a creaking sound, the hall’s heavy doors slowly closed.

Silence settled over the hall. After a moment, Song Shanyue’s voice broke it:

“Who are you in the Six Desires Demon Sect?”

At this, Zhang He, who had been lying on the ground, suppressed the blood-red glow in his eyes, sat up, and gestured:

“Please, my lord, untie these ropes—I’ll be able to speak more clearly.”

Song Shanyue snorted. His martial qi, amplified by his voice technique, instantly shattered Zhang He’s bindings into dust.

Zhang He rubbed his wrists, rose from the floor. His earlier arrogance and rage were gone; instead, a faint, sinister smile lingered on his lips:

“The Holy Maiden sends her greetings to Deputy Commander Song. You remain as healthy as ever.”

Upon hearing this, Song Shanyue’s half-gray hair stirred without wind, veins bulged on his neck, and murderous intent surged in his eyes—his fury nearly uncontrollable.

Yet he forced himself to suppress his emotions, his words barely scraping from between clenched teeth:

“What does she want you to do here?”

Zhang He seemed not to notice Song Shanyue’s murderous expression, scratching his head and grinning:

“The Holy Maiden has no orders for you yet—it’s actually me who wants your help. I need you to kill someone.”

Hearing this, Song Shanyue laughed coldly:

“How dare you command me!”

As he spoke, a terrifying invisible sonic wave erupted, hurling Zhang He across the hall. He crashed into a pillar, rolled across the floor, and only stopped after tumbling several times.

Immediately, violent coughing echoed through the silent hall—Zhang He spat blood, clutching his chest.

“Deputy Commander, you’ve quite the temper. If you strike again, I’ll trigger the demonic heart seed inside you…”

He spoke hastily, struggling to rise from the ground.

Then he wiped the blood from his lips, looked at Song Shanyue’s stunned expression, and smirked:

“Don’t doubt me, Deputy Commander. Before you kill me, I can activate the demonic heart and turn you into a demon all of society will hunt down.”

As he spoke, Zhang He flared his nostrils, muttering rapidly under his breath.

The next instant, he drew a deep, forceful breath.

Instantly, the scattered drops of blood and shattered organs on the floor vaporized into crimson mist, sucked into his body in an instant.

At the same time, Zhang He chuckled:

“Besides, whether you can even kill me is still uncertain.”

Song Shanyue’s eyes narrowed sharply—he could now clearly see Zhang He’s wounds had vanished, as if never injured by his sonic technique.

For a long moment, Song Shanyue’s expression shifted wildly. He stared at Zhang He, then slowly closed his eyes:

“That woman said that if I completed three tasks for the Six Desires Demon Sect, she would remove the demonic heart seed from me and return Yun’er.”

“Only two tasks remain. Does your request count as one of them?”

Hearing this, Zhang He nodded, smiling meaningfully:

“Rest assured, Deputy Commander—every task you perform for the Holy Sect counts. Besides, my bond with the Holy Maiden is unshakable. My word is trustworthy.”

Song Shanyue glanced at him, fell silent for a long while, then spoke, voice colder than ice:

“Speak. Who do you want me to kill?”

Zhang He bowed slightly, his tone dripping with malice:

“I ask you, Deputy Commander, to kill the true Seventh Imperial Prince.”

“Your Great Li court has slaughtered thousands of our sect’s disciples, turned countless elders into mourners burying their own children. I want the Emperor Yuanwu to taste the agony of losing a son.”

Song Shanyue narrowed his eyes, sneering:

“You overestimate. The imperial family knows no sentiment. You think the Emperor will suffer from losing a son? Nearly impossible.”

Zhang He thought for a moment, then chuckled softly:

“Fine. Whether that dog emperor suffers doesn’t matter—killing his son to make him rage helplessly will do.”

“Besides, this is a rare opportunity. All other princes and princesses are guarded by elite protectors, visible or hidden. This one’s identity remains unconfirmed—he’s an exception. Killing him will be far easier than the others.”

Yet Song Shanyue slowly shook his head:

“The man you wish to kill is likely no ordinary target.”

(End of Chapter)