Chapter 900

The Imperial Guard around him had just gone through a swing from sorrow to joy in a short span; their collective sense of honor needed an external crisis to be aroused, and cohesion required an outside force to catalyze it. Hu Xiaotian knew this well—his two moves not only restored Zuo Tang's lost dignity but also dealt a sharp slap that humiliated the Tianji Bureau's master, leaving him with nowhere to hide.

Liang Bao roared, ready to rush forward heedless of danger, but Liu Huchan shouted him down; Liu Huchan strode out of the meditation room, his eyes fixed on Hu Xiaotian, and tonight he finally came to truly know Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said, "I already told you all to come together."

Liu Huchan clenched his fists, yet felt some hesitation inside; the strength Hu Xiaotian had just displayed was truly shocking, and even he had no confidence he could defeat Hu Xiaotian.

From inside the meditation room came Long Xuan'en's low voice: "It's so late—are you still not letting me rest?"

Liu Huchan's tightly clenched hands relaxed again.

Hu Xiaotian smiled and said: "If I were to entrust the Emperor's safety to these few people of the Tianji Bureau, I myself could not rest easy. Come here! Recall the guards responsible for watching each entrance; from the hundred Imperial Guards, draft fifty men to form five squads. Zuo Tang, you are responsible for coordinating the deployment—twenty will stay inside Puxian Hall to ensure the Emperor's safety, the remaining thirty will patrol outside Puxian Hall, and another fifty will accompany me to search for the intruder's whereabouts."

Liu Huchan snapped, "What do you want?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I have no other design—protecting the Emperor's safety is our duty as Imperial Guards. You constantly claim to protect the Emperor, yet tonight such a grave lapse has occurred. If this were in the palace, you would already have been charged with dereliction of duty, a crime punishable by death." His tone suddenly turned stern, a cold light flashing in his eyes. Liu Huchan's heart also involuntarily shuddered.

The meditation room door opened, and Hu Xiaotian's voice rang out loud again; Long Xuan'en heard his words clearly and snapped, "Hu Xiaotian, what are you doing?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I am here. Your safety is absolutely guaranteed. Come, first search the inside and outside of Puxian Hall for me."

Liu Huchan snapped angrily, "Hu Xiaotian, you are recklessly bold—daring to disturb the Emperor!"

Hu Xiaotian chuckled and said: "If one wants to find fault, excuses are never lacking—it's not me who disturbed the Emperor, but you. If it weren't for your lot in the Tianji Bureau being incompetent, how could the Emperor have suffered such a fright? You lack the ability to protect the Emperor's safety, yet when something happens, the blame falls on us, brothers. Search!"

These Imperial Guards had been holding back their anger; hearing Hu Xiaotian's order, they were about to spring into action. However, while they dared to search inside Puxian Hall, no one dared to enter the meditation room where the Emperor resided.

Just because others dare not does not mean Hu Xiaotian does not dare. He had already concluded that the old Emperor was surely an impostor, and re-entered the meditation room where the Emperor resided. This time he didn't even need to knock—Liang Bao had been punched away by him and was still lying on the ground.

Seeing him swagger in, Long Xuan'en could not help but snap, "Hu Xiaotian, what are you doing?"

Hu Xiaotian said respectfully, "Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. Everything I have done is solely for Your Majesty's safety; I do not hide from You that I have no faith whatsoever in the abilities of those so-called experts of the Tianji Bureau, so I must personally handle matters."

Long Xuan'en coldly said, "You assembled the guards in the dead of night, disturbing my rest and stirring internal strife—do not think I will not punish your crime!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Even if Your Majesty were to behead me, I would still loyally protect the ruler and could never allow Your Majesty to suffer the slightest harm."

Long Xuan'en snapped, "I see that you are the one with ulterior motives!"

Hu Xiaotian said, "Your Majesty misunderstands me, and I dare not argue, but before I came to Tianlong Temple this time, Yongyang Wang repeatedly urged me to guarantee Your Majesty's safety."

Long Xuan'en pointed at Liang Bao on the ground and said, "Is this how you guarantee my safety?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "How could Your Majesty believe that a clumsy oaf like him could protect your safety?"

Long Xuan'en said ominously, "Hu Xiaotian, do you even know what you're doing?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "I know full well that if I have offended Your Majesty, it is only for Your Majesty's safety; upon returning to the capital, I will willingly accept any punishment, as long as Your Majesty remains safe—I would not hesitate to sacrifice my life."

Long Xuan'en's heart sank—his own imperial authority could not make Hu Xiaotian yield. Could this boy have sensed something? He actually dared to stage this scene of forcing the palace; I never expected that I would still have underestimated him. Hu Xiaotian's martial arts are truly formidable—he easily defeated two Tianji Bureau experts, and now these over a hundred Imperial Guards are clearly under his firm control. The situation before us has suddenly become grave. Thinking this, Long Xuan'en let out a sigh and said: "You, too, act out of earnest concern; I understand, you are all doing this for my safety."

Hu Xiaotian knew the false emperor had begun to yield, he smiled and said: "If Your Majesty can understand my sincere intentions, that's good; I also ask Your Majesty to issue an edict—I must eliminate all hidden dangers and be sure to guarantee Your Majesty's safety. Tonight I will lead the guards in a night-long search of the entire western precinct, making sure that assassin has nowhere to hide." Strike while the iron is hot—since you have yielded, I cannot give you a chance to catch your breath.

Long Xuan'en's eyes flickered with suppressed anger, but he finally restrained his inner fury, nodded and said: "Good, convey my oral order—you lead the Imperial Guards to search the western precinct of Tianlong Temple, and be sure to uncover how the intruder gained entry."

"Please trouble Your Majesty to draft an imperial edict, so that I, your humble servant, may have a legitimate cause to mobilize troops."

"You…" Long Xuan'en was exasperated by this fellow's incessant demands, yet in the end he still nodded.

"Your Majesty is sagacious!" Hu Xiaotian then withdrew.

The Imperial Guards all felt elated and proud, feeling that following this deputy commander was the path to a bright future; everyone saw clearly what had just transpired—this newly arrived commander-in-chief not only soundly beat the Tianji Bureau's experts, but also argued his case before the Emperor with reason and without fear, and the Emperor seemed to have no recourse against him.

Hu Xiaotian called Zuo Tang to the side and handed him a bottle of Golden Trauma Medicine; now was the perfect time to take on followers—Zuo Tang at this point admired Hu Xiaotian completely, he would be happy to serve as a lackey, even as a dog, and he said respectfully: "Commander-in-chief Sir, please let me lead twenty brothers to protect the Emperor's safety; what if His Majesty is not pleased?"

Hu Xiaotian put an arm around his shoulder and whispered in his ear: "Remember, without my order you must not let that old thing step out of Puxian Hall even a single step—the eight Tianji Bureau warriors are the same."

Upon hearing Hu Xiaotian refer to the Emperor as "that old thing," Zuo Tang was instantly frightened out of his wits; this fellow is simply audacious—could he be plotting rebellion?

Hu Xiaotian produced the five-colored coiled-dragon gold medal from his waist and said quietly to Zuo Tang: "Let me be frank—this five-colored coiled-dragon gold medal was a gift from Yongyang Wang; possessing it, I can strike first and report later, and Yongyang Wang will back me in any matter."

Zuo Tang thought, "No matter how great Yongyang Wang is, he cannot surpass the Emperor; with this show of force tonight, you seem to be putting the Emperor under house arrest."

Hu Xiaotian said, "This old Emperor is a fake!"

Zuo Tang stared, mouth agape: "What?"

Hu Xiaotian made a silencing gesture toward him and said quietly: "This matter is known only to you and me; it must not be revealed to a third party. You need only follow my instructions—if we successfully complete the incense-offering mission at Tianlong Temple, we will surely each be rewarded upon our return. Zuo Tang, do you trust me?"

Zuo Tang said, "Zuo Tang certainly trusts you, Sir."

Hu Xiaotian patted his shoulder and said: "In the future, when I achieve success, the position of commander of the Imperial Guards will be yours." This guy is also shameless—he himself is only a deputy commander, yet he promises someone else the commander's position.

But Zuo Tang firmly believed, without doubt; after witnessing Hu Xiaotian's methods just now, he practically revered Hu Xiaotian as a deity. Hu Xiaotian's arrogance naturally has its reasons; besides, with Qi's interior unknown whereabouts, he had lost his backbone, and the best course now was to follow Hu Xiaotian.

Hu Xiaotian had the guards search Puxian Hall thoroughly, then personally led fifty guards to begin searching the perimeter of Puxian Hall.

Such a commotion in Puxian Hall could not go unnoticed by Tianlong Temple; when Hu Xiaotian led the guards to search and reached the gate of the Sutra Library, they saw about thirty night‑watch monk‑staves approaching briskly, blocking them outside the Sutra Library's main gate. The leader was the warrior monk Mingyuan, who stood arrogantly before the monks and bellowed, "Who goes there? Why do you break into the Sutra Library at night?"

Hu Xiaotian raised the imperial edict in his hand and said: "Look carefully—this is not a random night intrusion, but a search carried out under imperial order!"

Mingyuan snapped angrily, "Do you think Tianlong Temple is some place you can just barge into and search?"

Hu Xiaotian said: "I don't know what place Tianlong Temple is, but I know Tianlong Temple is built on the land of Dakang, and the Emperor of Dakang is none other than our Majesty! You are all His Majesty's subjects—so step aside at once; if you delay our urgent business, I will have you all arrested and interrogated!" This fellow isn't afraid of offending people—after all, he's carrying out an imperial order; the true culprit is the false emperor.

Mingyuan shouted loudly, "Form the staff array! No one may enter the Sutra Library without permission!"

The monks quickly dispersed, raising their waist‑high staffs with both hands, ready in formation.

Hu Xiaotian's guards were not to be outdone either; they also brandished wooden staves. Since upon entering Tianlong Temple they had not been permitted to carry weapons, they improvised by copying the monks and making makeshift staves. Although Hu Xiaotian's side had more men, their spirit was considerably weaker compared to the monk stave‑wielders.

Hu Xiaotian shouted loudly, "You had better disperse at once—we are apprehending an assassin; by blocking us like this, are you trying to shelter the assassin and let him escape at leisure?"

From within the Sutra Library came a calm Buddhist chant: "Amitabha! Benefactor, why must you be so pushy?"

Third update delivered, this distance is getting closer and closer; please vote for monthly tickets! There will be another update tonight! (To be continued~^~)