Chapter 70: Residual Heat

"Arrogant!"

The old nurse’s hoarse voice was cold and sinister, while Imperial Consort Ji stared at Li Muxian in the candlelight, suddenly narrowing her eyes and saying:

"Are you Jing Fei’s son? How did you enter this inner palace?"

"Your Majesty, no matter who he is, sneaking into your chambers in the dead of night is a capital offense—let this servant first apprehend him."

The old nurse’s true qi slowly flowed from her eyes, forming a dark mist; her entire aura turned chilling and terrifying, causing all the candles in the hall to flicker violently.

Hearing this, Imperial Consort Ji’s gaze flickered as she sized up Li Muxian, about to speak.

But at that moment, a bronze candlestick on the pillar vanished, piercing the old nurse’s chest at an unfathomable speed; the terrifying force hurled her backward and pinned her against the massive screen behind her.

Instantly, the You light in her eyes extinguished, the mist around her body dissipated entirely, and her wrinkled face twisted into an expression of utter disbelief.

Li Muxian said nothing, flicked his finger, and a Life-Death Mark sank into her body.

Immediately, the old nurse’s blood surged violently, her body trembling like a sieve, unbearable pain ravaging every inch of her flesh, forcing out agonized whimpers.

Seeing this, Imperial Consort Ji turned pale with shock and shouted sharply at the eunuchs and nurses in the hall:

"What are you waiting for? Kill him!"

Yet the dozen or so people around her remained utterly motionless.

The entire hall fell into a terrifying silence, broken only by the old nurse’s low moans and the occasional wind blowing in from outside.

"You..."

Imperial Consort Ji pointed at them, her delicate, fair face contorted with shock and fury.

But soon, she realized something was wrong.

Because the eunuchs and nurses in the hall still held the exact postures they had when they entered—unchanged—and in their eyes lay nothing but terror.

"Did you do this?"

Imperial Consort Ji finally understood, staggering backward until she collapsed onto the soft couch behind her.

But in the next instant, as she lowered her gaze, her eyes shifted—suddenly blazing with murderous crimson light.

In an instant, Imperial Consort Ji erupted with a torrent of blood qi, spinning around and striking Li Muxian with a palm strike from afar, utterly without warning.

Countless sharp blood shadows burst from her body; as they passed the bronze incense burner before the couch, the swirling crimson light crushed it into dust.

In the blink of an eye, those blood shadows reached Li Muxian’s front, as if ready to tear him apart.

Yet all the blood shadows vanished an inch before reaching him. Li Muxian shook his head and said:

"You cannot kill me."

Seeing this, Imperial Consort Ji’s heart froze. Without a word, she vanished in a flash, wrapping herself in swirling true qi as a blood shadow racing toward the hall’s rear exit.

The blood shadow moved at incredible speed, reaching the back door of the hall within seconds—she was about to escape.

But at that moment, Li Muxian’s voice sounded beside her ear:

"You cannot escape either."

The next instant, Imperial Consort Ji felt an invisible hand slam into her; her body spun violently through the air and flew backward.

With a loud “thud,” she crashed onto the hall’s polished floor, shattering bricks and sending dust and lime flying.

Her bones were shattered; her once flawless face smashed directly into the tiles, her nose collapsed, her flesh a bloody ruin.

Li Muxian walked slowly forward and stopped a few inches from her head, saying:

"Does it feel powerless? Helpless?"

Imperial Consort Ji lay groaning on the ground, struggling to push herself up with her hands—but the invisible force had crushed her dantian and meridians completely.

She now lacked even the physical strength to stand; her teeth were shattered, and she could not speak.

Seeing this, Li Muxian raised an eyebrow slightly and said:

"If so, then this feeling is correct. You’re a wicked person—I won’t let you die easily."

With that, he flicked his finger again, and another Life-Death Mark sank into Imperial Consort Ji’s body:

"Don’t rush—the real pain has only just begun."

An hour later, Li Muxian stepped out of Yixin Palace, glanced back, and shook his head.

They were all deserving of death; their only use before dying was helping him refine most of his Life-Death Mark martial art—barely enough to burn out a little residual heat.

Thinking of this, Li Muxian did not linger; his form vanished instantly from the spot, disappearing into the imperial palace’s inner quarters.

The entire Great Li Imperial Palace remained as tranquil as ever.

Whether Li Muxian had come or gone, not a ripple stirred—this night, as if nothing had happened.

The next morning.

Yesterday’s heavy rain had washed away all dust from Shangyang City; today’s air felt exceptionally fresh.

The rising sun glowed from the east, casting golden rays across the entire capital and the solemn Great Li Imperial Palace.

Fengyi Palace.

The Empress of Great Li wore an elegant purple robe and a dazzling jade crown, seated regally on a gilded, jeweled armchair.

She surveyed the concubines standing before her with dignified authority, then slightly furrowed her brow.

Seeing this, one concubine dressed in crimson brocade with a light crimson gauze veil over it lifted her hand to adjust the golden dangling hairpin on her head and spoke loudly:

"Imperial Consort Ji has truly become formidable—she doesn’t even come to pay respects to the Empress. In another few days, she’ll turn the entire harem upside down!"

Hearing this, the other concubines whispered among themselves.

"Imperial Consort Ji hasn’t shown up since morning. Even if she’s ill, she should have sent someone to inform us."

"Don’t talk about it—she now looks down her nose at everyone. I wonder what miraculous pill she’s taken to reverse aging—her skin is better than my young maids’."

"Exactly. She’s never been more glorious among us aging concubines—she stands out like a crane among chickens. No wonder she’s so arrogant, not even respecting the Empress."

"Enough!"

The Empress snapped, frowning at the old eunuch beside her, her expression calm and unreadable:

"Go to Yixin Palace and find out what’s happened."

"If Sister Ji is ill and has lost her wits, send the imperial physicians at once—don’t let anything happen to her."

The old eunuch bowed and hurried off.

Half a stick of incense later, a chilling wind suddenly swept into the hall, revealing the returning old eunuch.

The Empress looked up, glancing at him with displeasure:

"You’ve been in the palace for decades—why are you so unrefined and disheveled?"

But the old eunuch’s face was ashen. He quickly bowed and said:

"Your Majesty—something terrible has happened in Yixin Palace!"

At this, the Empress frowned slightly, yet remained unconcerned.

She lifted the teacup beside her table, took a small sip, and said:

"Take your time. This palace has always been peaceful—what could possibly be so terrible?"

(End of Chapter)