Chapter 32: The Empress's Methods! The Lady Smells So Good... (2-in-1 Chapter)

"...No sooner said than done, Qin Wuxiang shook his body and revealed his true form—a terrifying demon of the world, five hundred zhang tall, with eight heads and sixteen arms!"

"Each head was as big as a house! With one stomp, the four city gates trembled! With one breath, the entire county government office was overturned!"

Yuhu Pavilion.

The teahouse was packed, with people even crowding the entrance.

Some peddlers didn't even care about their stalls; they stood on tiptoe, aprons tied around their waists, peering inside.

On the platform in the center of the hall, a storyteller with a handlebar mustache spoke with great eloquence:

"Looking back at Platoon Leader Chen, his heart did not panic, his hands did not shake. With a cold laugh, he said: 'Heaven did not give birth to me, Chen Jinyan; the path of the blade is like a long night for eternity! Blade, come!'"

"That blade strike was stunning for all eternity, enough to shame the celestials!"

"That blade strike spanned the horizon, and all things bowed their heads..."

Slap!

The gavel struck.

The storyteller picked up his teacup and moistened his throat.

"To know what happens next, please listen to the next installment."

The audience below was deeply engrossed, and being cut off right at the climax was excruciatingly uncomfortable.

"Can't you just finish it?"

"You old man, you're doing this on purpose to keep us hanging, aren't you?"

"Simply disgraceful!"

"Cliffhanger-loving scoundrel, may your whole family suffer!"

Facing the cursing and swearing around him, the storyteller remained calm, stroking his beard with his eyes half-closed, turning a deaf ear.

If one didn't even have this much psychological fortitude, how could one tell stories?

In their line of work, the tea fees were just a small part; the main income came from tips.

Tell a segment for free to hook the audience's interest, then stop abruptly just when everyone was getting into it...

Want to keep listening?

That depended on whether the tips were generous enough.

Although being cursed was a common occurrence, making money was nothing to be ashamed of!

Thud!

At this moment, a silver light fell from the second floor, hit the platform, and rolled to the storyteller's feet.

The storyteller looked down, and his eyes lit up instantly.

Whoa, fifty taels of Longheng treasure silver!

Being so generous, this must be a wealthy patron; today is my lucky day!

The storyteller bent down to pick up the silver, tucked it into his sleeve, and said with a smile: "Since you wish to hear more, sir, I shall continue. Picking up from where we left off..."

"No need. Just answer two questions for me."

A slightly hoarse voice came from upstairs: "Are you certain Qin Wuxiang is dead?"

The storyteller nodded: "Naturally. This matter has spread everywhere; who in the streets doesn't know? Just yesterday at noon, the Heavenly Demon Ranking was updated, and the tenth Heavenly Demon, Qin Wuxiang, was officially removed!"

The Heavenly Demon Ranking was always public, and anyone could check the relevant information.

Whether it was a wandering martial artist or a sect disciple, as long as they arrested or executed a demon on the list and handed them over to the capital's government office, they could receive a generous reward after verification!

Since he was removed, it meant the imperial court had verified his identity and confirmed it was correct.

The person upstairs was silent for a moment, then asked again: "Second question, who is that Platoon Leader Chen?"

The storyteller was stunned for a moment, then realized: "You must be from out of town, right? There aren't many families surnamed Chen in Heavenly Capital City."

"The one who slew Qin Wuxiang is the son of the Censor, Platoon Leader Chen Mo of the Heavenly Qilin Guard, courtesy name Jinyan."

"I hear he is a Sixth-Rank Mortal-Shedding martial artist with strength comparable to the Ten Heroes, though the Azure Cloud Ranking hasn't been updated yet, so no one can say for sure..."

"Is there anything else you would like to know? I can give you a few extra questions."

The storyteller was very enthusiastic.

He thought that if he pleased this wealthy patron, a casual tip of a few dozen taels would allow him to rest well for a few years!

After waiting for a long while, there was no response.

Just as he was feeling puzzled, he suddenly heard dissatisfied cursing from below:

"Old man, who are you talking to yourself about? Are you going to keep telling the story or not?"

"Talking to myself?"

The storyteller suddenly woke up and hurriedly reached into his sleeve.

The treasure silver that had felt heavy just a moment ago now had no weight at all; it crumpled at a touch—it was actually a paper ingot used for sacrifices!

"You dog!"

"To actually swindle me with dead man's money, I'll..."

The storyteller couldn't catch his breath, his face turned blue and purple, and his neck tilted as he collapsed onto the platform.

"Ah!"

"Someone's dead!"

A series of screams erupted, and the teahouse was thrown into chaos...

Outside the door, a figure wrapped in a black robe walked slowly away.

There seemed to be a thin mist on their face, making it impossible to see clearly.

"Chen Mo..."

Chen Fu.

In the training room, Chen Mo sat cross-legged, his attribute panel displayed before him:

Name: Chen Mo

Title: Ghost Buster

Realm: Sixth-Rank Mortal-Shedding · Origin-Returning Realm

Technique: Hunyuan Body-Forging Art · Great Success

Martial Arts:

Blazing Flame Eight Slashes · Great Success

Green Dragon in the Sleeve · Entry (55/200)

Wind-Thunder Dash · Minor Success (0/100)

Divine Ability:

Soul Capture · Beginner (0/1)

True Spirit: 151

The trip to Tongling County had been very fruitful.

In addition to the True Spirit, title, and divine ability, the battle with the Wuxiang Demon had also given him a deeper understanding of the blade path.

"Restrain the aura, hide the blade within the body."

"At the moment of the strike, pouring one's life essence into it actually produced some kind of mutation..."

Recalling the soul-shaking roar and the lifelike Green Dragon blade intent, Chen Mo vaguely felt he had touched upon something, but when he tried to grasp it, it vanished like a reflection in a mirror.

"Is this Dao Rhyme?"

"Pity, it seems it was still lacking a little..."

"My current realm is not high enough, so there is no need to trouble myself."

Chen Mo did not get stuck in a rut.

Enlightenment required opportunity.

Moreover, for him, even if he couldn't comprehend it, as long as his True Spirit was maxed out, he could still reach the realm of Great Success.

"Even just touching a trace of Dao Rhyme is of great benefit to me."

"The progress of Green Dragon in the Sleeve has increased by nearly 50 points; I don't know how much hard cultivation that would be worth."

As long as Chen Mo was willing, he could immediately upgrade Green Dragon in the Sleeve to "Proficient."

But there was no need.

"The higher the level of a martial art, the harder it is to improve. Investing True Spirit early on is too wasteful; it'll go up if I just hack at people more."

"Besides, I have to keep some True Spirit on hand for emergencies."

That night when tracking the Rat Bride, if the remaining True Spirit hadn't been just enough to upgrade Wind-Thunder Dash, he might not have caught that monster.

If the Rat Bride had chosen another target and successfully transformed into a fierce evil, the outcome would have been unpredictable.

"Besides that, there is also the divine ability bestowed upon me by the Lady..."

Divine abilities could also be upgraded, but only by using Dao Rhyme Crystals.

"Soul Capture" was currently a beginner divine ability and only required one Dao Rhyme Crystal to upgrade.

"This thing is much harder to get than True Spirit."

"Right, I forgot to open the favorability reward."

Chen Mo's heart stirred, and prompt text appeared before his eyes:

【"Li Yuan" favorability has reached the threshold, first-stage reward unlocked.】

[Obtained special item: Crystal of Dao Essence.]

"That feels good."

Chen Mo’s lips curled upward.

Although the process was a bit absurd, the result was quite good... Boys who like to spank bottoms never have bad luck!

Knock, knock, knock.

At this moment, the room door was knocked, and the voice of the steward, Ah Fu, came from outside:

"Young Master, someone has come from the palace."

"Oh?"

Chen Mo raised an eyebrow, "Could it be that Chief Inspector Xu has come to find me?"

Walking out of the room and into the courtyard, he saw the members of Chen Fu gathered there. Standing before them was not Xu Qingyi, but an old eunuch with graying temples.

He wore a blue satin robe embroidered with sea waves and mountain peaks, with golden python patterns stitched onto the sleeves and chest.

Seeing Chen Mo approach, the old eunuch looked him over and exclaimed, "I have long heard that Platoon Leader Chen is a man of distinguished appearance, a dragon among men. Seeing you today, you are truly fresh, handsome, and refined—a perfect, polished jade of a young man."

The barrage of flattery caught Chen Mo off guard.

You’re so good at using idioms, are you planning to take a graduate entrance exam?

Chen Zhuo glanced at him and spoke up: "This is Eunuch Jin Wu, the Grand Internal Superintendent, who also serves as the Imperial Bodyguard Commander."

Chen Mo understood instantly.

So, he was one of the Empress's people.

"Jin Wu? Might as well just call him Eunuch Sun."

Chen Mo muttered to himself, then cupped his hands and said, "So it is Eunuch Jin, I have long admired you."

Eunuch Jin smiled and said, "Platoon Leader Chen recently cracked the Barbarian Slave case and slew the Tenth Heavenly Demon, saving the people of Tongling County from fire and water. Your merits are truly illustrious, and your achievements are as great as the hills!"

Chen Mo said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Eunuch Jin, you overstate. This matter was not the work of this subordinate alone; Platoon Leader Li was also indispensable, as were the ten bailiff brothers. The detailed list has already been reported to the Department Office."

"Acting without claiming credit, achieving success without taking the glory."

"Good, very good indeed."

Eunuch Jin’s expression grew increasingly appreciative.

Since he had come here, he had naturally conducted a thorough investigation.

Whether it was Li Yuan, the accompanying bailiffs, or the officials of Tongling County, their accounts were completely consistent—

The demon was slain, and Chen Mo was the one who performed the feat! He should be the first among them!

Chen Zhuo looked at Chen Mo, his eyes somewhat complex.

The previous Ministry of Revenue corruption case had been long premeditated by the Ministry of Justice, catching the Imperial Consort’s faction off guard. By the time they reacted, it had already been turned into an ironclad case.

They had thought there was no room for a comeback and could only grit their teeth and swallow the secret loss.

Yet, the situation was reversed by Chen Mo, and he even dragged the Yan family into the water!

Now, he had even slain the Tenth Heavenly Demon; it was unprecedented!

"This brat... he really has given me too many surprises."

After some pleasantries, Chen Mo asked, "I wonder why you have come here, Eunuch..."

"Look at my brain; I was so busy chatting that I almost forgot the main business."

"Ahem, Platoon Leader Chen Mo of the Heavenly Unicorn Guard, receive the decree."

Eunuch Jin held his hands out as if supporting something, and a bright golden scroll appeared out of thin air.

As the scroll slowly unfurled, the light flared like the scorching sun, and the majestic pressure made one dare not look directly at it!

"By the order of the Eastern Palace: Hereby, a loyal and upright official, possessing both virtue and talent, has repeatedly rendered meritorious service and is a pillar of the nation."

"Specially promoted to Battalion Commander of the Heavenly Unicorn Guard, granted five pieces of spirit marrow, ten Golden Cores, ten bolts of Thousand-Weave Cloud Brocade, five hundred taels of gold, jewelry..."

As Eunuch Jin finished speaking, several imperial guards wearing armor and yellow silk ribbons around their collars walked in from outside, carrying boxes radiating with the luster of jewels and bolts of brocade into the courtyard.

"Battalion Commander?"

Chen Mo frowned slightly.

Even if he had merit for slaying the demon, this reward was far too generous.

"Eunuch Jin, given this subordinate's age and seniority, I fear I am not qualified for the position of Battalion Commander. Furthermore, Battalion Commander Shen..."

Eunuch Jin smiled and said, "I know what Platoon Leader Chen is thinking. Currently, there is no vacancy for a Battalion Commander in the Heavenly Unicorn Guard. Platoon Leader Chen is merely a candidate for the position, enjoying the salary of a Battalion Commander until a position opens up for a formal promotion."

"Besides this, Her Highness has one more item to bestow upon the Platoon Leader, though it is not written on this edict."

As he spoke, Eunuch Jin took a token from his bosom.

It was entirely golden, with a relief carving of a phoenix singing to the sun, every detail distinct and lifelike.

Chen Mo was stunned, "This is..."

Eunuch Jin said, "This is the Flying Phoenix Token. With this token, you may enter and leave the palace freely. In the future, if the Platoon Leader has urgent matters, you may go directly to Zhaohua Palace to report to Her Highness in person."

Once these words were spoken, the air turned deathly silent!

Chen Zhuo remained expressionless, but his hands inside his sleeves were clenched tight!

A mere Battalion Commander, and a candidate at that... going to Zhaohua Palace to report to the Empress in person?

What a joke!

The Empress likely had ulterior motives for this!

"Platoon Leader Chen?"

Seeing Chen Mo did not react, Eunuch Jin raised an eyebrow slightly.

"This subordinate thanks Her Highness for her grace."

Chen Mo was silent for a moment, then reached out to take the token and the edict.

Eunuch Jin nodded in satisfaction, then seemed to remember something and asked, "By the way, I have heard that Platoon Leader Chen is most skilled with the blade and has a high attainment in the Dao of the blade?"

Chen Mo shook his head and said, "It is merely superficial, nothing worth mentioning. Eunuch, you flatter me."

"The Platoon Leader need not be modest. To be able to slay the Tenth Heavenly Demon at the Sixth Rank, I imagine your blade technique has reached perfection."

"I happen to have a little trinket that is very suitable for Platoon Leader Chen..."

Eunuch Jin extended his right hand, as if gripping something in the air.

As his palm moved slowly, a metallic ringing sound erupted, and a blade appeared out of thin air, inch by inch!

The blade was straight, narrow, and long, cast entirely from emerald-green jade. There were shattered ice patterns on the back of the blade, and even from a distance, one could feel a bone-chilling cold!

A fine blade!

Chen Mo’s eyes were filled with amazement; he could tell at a glance that this item was extraordinary!

"This blade is named Jade Shatterer. I have no use for it, so I shall gift it to Platoon Leader Chen."

Eunuch Jin handed the long blade to Chen Mo.

Hearing the name, Chen Mo’s pupils suddenly constricted!

"This is too valuable; this subordinate cannot accept it..."

Eunuch Jin smiled, implying something as he said, "A precious blade chooses its master, and a good bird chooses the tree to nest in. In my view, this blade is a perfect match for Platoon Leader Chen, so do not decline."

"I still have some trivial matters in the palace and cannot stay long."

"Please, everyone, stay where you are."

Having said that, he did not wait for Chen Mo to refuse, set down the long blade, and left directly.

The courtyard returned to silence.

"Even if slaying the Heavenly Demon is a true merit, it shouldn't warrant such a grand scene, with the Grand Internal Superintendent coming to deliver the edict in person?"

"It seems like a generous reward, but in reality, it is inconsequential. This Empress is truly a master of painting cakes."

Chen Mo’s eyes were cold.

The position of Battalion Commander was just an empty title with no real power.

The Flying Phoenix Token only allowed entry to the palace; it meant nothing to him.

As for that Jade Shatterer blade...

The name said it all!

"The Empress is using this as an excuse to sow discord."

"If this matter reaches the ears of the Imperial Consort, it will inevitably create a rift. The seeds of suspicion have been sown, and one day they will take root and sprout, perhaps even affecting the entire Chen family..."

"Yet, I cannot refuse; this is an open, daylight scheme."

Chen Zhuo’s expression was gloomy.

Chen Mo’s foundation was still shallow, and he had not yet gained the Imperial Consort’s trust; I fear the road ahead will not be easy.

At this moment, he saw Chen Mo stand up and walk toward the door.

Chen Zhuo asked, "Where are you going?"

Chen Mo did not look back as he said, "Enter the palace, see the Imperial Consort!"

You want to drive a wedge between me and the Imperial Consort?

In your dreams!

Qianqing Gate.

Xu Qingyi looked at Chen Mo and frowned, "Aren't you visiting a bit too frequently?"

The frequency with which this person enters the palace is simply absurd; never before has anyone been able to meet with Her Ladyship so frequently.

Is he treating the inner palace as his own home?

"Something has happened..."

Chen Mo sighed.

Seeing his dejected appearance, Xu Qingyi could not help but ask, "What happened?"

Chen Mo spread his hands and said helplessly, "I've been targeted by the Empress; now I'm like a thong, forced to survive in the cracks."

"..."

Xu Qingyi asked in confusion, "What is a thong?"

Chen Mo glanced at her, "I'll give you one if there's a chance in the future."

Looking at Xu Qingyi's cold and aloof features, he couldn't help but imagine what it would be like if, beneath that meticulous white robe, she were wearing a thong...

Ahem, mind in the gutter.

"I don't care for it at all."

Xu Qingyi snorted coldly.

She always felt this guy was up to no good.

Arriving before the gates of Hanxiao Palace, Chen Mo took two steps back and, under Xu Qingyi's bewildered and shocked gaze, slid on his knees into the main hall.

"Your Ladyship!"

"This subordinate has an urgent matter to repor—"

A fair, jade-like foot stepped onto his face, blocking the rest of his words.

Yu Youhan sat on the phoenix throne with her legs crossed, pressing out a lush curve, and rubbed her brow with slender fingers as she said, "Noisy. Can't you let this palace have a few days of peace?"

"Mmph mmph!"

Chen Mo blinked his eyes.

"What did you say..."

Suddenly, Yu Youhan's expression changed, "Stop, you are not allowed to lick!"