Chapter 1088: The Battle of the Forbidden City

"Hmph! Whose disciple or servant is this? Truly lacking in manners!"

The high-level players recognized Dugu Jian's player status and didn't take it to heart.

Players, aren't they just like this silly husky?

But among the high-level NPCs, an old man with a large fleshy tumor on his forehead, smoking a dry pipe, could no longer hold back.

"Who the hell is that old geezer cursing?"

Dugu Jian was in the middle of a staring contest when he was suddenly insulted for no reason, so he immediately retorted.

The old man with the tumor on his forehead couldn't keep his composure and looked at Aaron: "Where did this youngster come from? With such a servant, he himself must also be... hehe!"

The Imperial Palace, before the Wu Men.

If one were to look down from the sky, they would discover that under the Night Curtain, black shadows were gathering from all directions of Jingcheng, truly giving the feeling that a storm was about to break.

The monk, however, did not stop his pace, as if stepping on lotus flowers, walking faster and faster, until finally, he even flew up!

A player cursed and swore, used light-body technique, and vaulted over the wall to leave.

Dugu Jian also successfully infiltrated a circle of high-level players and became a familiar face.

Dingyin Shitai stood up abruptly, her expression moved: "Someone actually dares to assault the Imperial Palace? A Black List Grandmaster is truly as arrogant as ever!"

"What do you mean?"

The Night Curtain was deep.

He swept his gaze around casually: "This time, Dachen, you claim to be righteous and will surely come. Besides that, Shui Mu Yin Hou has always liked to stand up for women, so she will surely come too. Come out, all of you!"

Aaron smiled slightly, performing the Talisman Water Sword Technique move by move, continuous and dense, as if spilled water that could not be gathered, yet also like a master wielding a brush to splash ink. Truly, every sword strike was exquisite to the extreme, and while incredibly complex, it carried a contradictory sense of simplicity.

The disciples and grand-disciples who had been cheering for Old Master Shan just a moment ago now had their jaws almost drop to the floor.

He was the Chief of the Six Gates—Zhuge Wudi!

By Zhuge Wudi's side followed a group of Divine Catchers; not a single Famous Catcher level was among them, and as for ordinary Catchers and Detectives, they were nowhere to be seen.

"Such swordsmanship, such sword technique..."

"What? The Nine Dragons Shadow Wall has already been handed over?"

Dugu Jian jumped up: "Damn, the officials... no, the government is not acting like humans!"

After all, it was a decisive battle against a Breaker; it was not appropriate for players to get involved.

"Is the Xia Wang afraid of the world's number one thief? To actually concede defeat before even fighting?"

In a peak battle, Detectives and Catchers didn't even count as small fry.

Experts who could remain stable on the Dragon Tiger List were naturally more valuable than those like Duan Hong who briefly made the list and then fell off!

An Imperial Guard expert exclaimed: "You are the Black List Grandmaster—Dachen? Have you gone mad?"

Aaron slurped, finished the dragon-beard noodles in his bowl, wiped his mouth with a silk napkin nearby, and then used Internal Energy to transmit his voice: "The battle at the Imperial Palace is certainly worth admiring... but would the Xia Wang Mansion and the Emperor really hide the treasure inside the Imperial Palace?"

A total of six Divine Catchers lined up behind Zhuge Wudi in order: Iron Head, Iron Sword, Iron Arm, Iron Fist, Iron Body, and Iron Leg!

Zhuge Wudi stood with his hands behind his back: "Let's not discuss right or wrong for this matter; you Breakers have violated order and must be eliminated first!"

"Big brother, let's go too!"

Aaron frowned slightly and asked.

A mansion retainer came over, scanned the circle, and said coldly: "What happened?"

He glanced at Aaron, his expression carrying a warning.

"What of the Imperial Palace?"

This kind of covering fire, no matter what supreme martial arts expert encountered it, would mean death!

Swish! Swish!

After all... that represented the game officials!

However, everyone present knew that the next time the Dragon Tiger List was updated, the name of 'Sword of Talisman Water' Lang Fantian would surely be on it!

Aaron looked completely innocent: "I cast a divination for Old Master Shan, but I didn't expect it to be a bloody disaster... Alas, the old master has met his fate, truly tragic, lamentable, pitiful, and sorrowful!"

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The so-called "the older one gets in the pugilistic world, the smaller one's courage becomes," is sometimes a wise move for self-preservation!

"Stop! This is the Imperial City, offenders... will be executed without mercy!"

"Amitabha, congratulations to the benefactor for passing on to the heavenly paradise!"

Dugu Jian was grabbing a lobster thicker than his arm and was busy devouring it when a commotion suddenly came from outside.

A palm force of immense thickness instantly struck him, tearing him limb from limb.

Dugu Jian said excitedly: "This is a grand scene rarely seen in a hundred years!"

The gazes of the group immediately fell upon Aaron.

This scene made all the old pugilists present feel a sense of shared sorrow.

In the living room, the crowd was instantly in an uproar.

"Grandmaster!"

Although he was obscure, as an Imperial Guard expert, he practiced secret manuals from the Imperial Martial Library and considered himself peerless; if he entered the pugilistic world, he would surely make the list!

"Audacious!"

Not only that, but the monk's feet seemed to bloom with lotus flowers at every step, and with each leap, he actually vaulted onto the already sealed Wu Men city wall!

"Innate Qi!"

Unfortunately, by the time he realized this, it was already too late.

He could still think of ways to deal with the Xia Wang Mansion, but the Imperial Palace was truly a dragon's den and tiger's lair.

As soon as the words fell, fine wounds split open on Old Master Shan's body, and clusters of blood mist emerged.

Aaron did not mind, returning to his seat to drink tea.

He was speechless; his whole body seemed to have had its bones removed, and he no longer had a shred of spirit.

"Isn't that just playing us for fools?"

Immediately, a martial arts expert used Internal Energy to transmit his voice: "Quickly go to the Imperial Palace... a Black List Grandmaster is storming the Imperial Palace! And many reckless hotheads are fighting with the Imperial Guard!"

A head steward of the mansion hurried over, bowing very humbly as he said: "Everyone... the Prince has already entered the palace to present the 'Nine Dragons Shadow Wall' to His Majesty. We are truly sorry to trouble you all, and he has specifically ordered me to invite you to enjoy the banquet, with travel expenses provided as well..."

At this moment, the words were like knives, intended to deliberately provoke the other party into striking first.

"Good! Good! Good!"

However, Aaron naturally did not care, only looking at Dan Qingtian thoughtfully: "Old fellow... I see your forehead is black; I fear you will have a bloody disaster in the near future!"

In an instant, figures flew about within the Xia Wang Mansion; they were all martial arts masters, all heading toward the direction of the Imperial Palace.

He was too lazy to ask if Dugu Jian was a Disciple, directly treating him as a servant-class person.

"Step back; you are no match for him."

After Dugu Jian finished cursing, he put the matter aside and focused wholeheartedly on dealing with the delicacies at the banquet.

Old Master Dan was also an old hand in the martial arts world; seeing that although one strike of his tobacco pipe could smash his opponent's brains out, he himself could not avoid the disaster of being disemboweled, he immediately changed his move, his figure retreating as soon as it made contact.

Old Master Dan glared with wide eyes and said loudly: "Fellow practitioners, bear witness! It is not that I, this old man, do not give face to the Xia Wang Mansion, but this fellow is truly too bullying!"

Pfft!

The vast and mighty Innate Qi was like a wall, making this Imperial Palace expert feel a terrifying pressure coming from all directions.

Dachen pressed his palms together.

Subsequently, his entire body slowly collapsed.

Old Master Dan was so angry his face turned red, and the Disciples and followers behind him were even more filled with righteous indignation, wishing they could risk their lives for their Master and Grandmaster.

"After all that, it was just a joke?"

A farce, which soon calmed down.

"Fire arrows!"

Seeing this, the Imperial Guard did not hesitate and directly fired ten thousand arrows at once!

"Come, Big Brother... such a large abalone is truly rare, eat more!"

"Master!"

'There really are talents in the Xia Wang Mansion!'

Aaron nodded and said to Xiao Lei and Dugu Jian: "Since we're already here, why not eat before we leave?"

The soldiers guarding the gate had discovered the monk early on, and an arrow landed at the monk's feet.

"It can only be like this, sigh... the world is unjust!"

While speaking, his figure moved like an ape, covering a distance of three zhang in one leap, his dry tobacco pipe pointing out, using the technique of a Point Acupuncture pen.

Could that person surnamed Yuan be some kind of princess? No, even princesses don't have this kind of pomp; it must be a fairy!

"Amitabha, the benefactor has already fallen into the Avici Hell; let this monk grant you salvation!"

"Who is this person?"

"Forget it, since Old Master Dan died here, the Xia Wang Mansion must show some gesture and bury him properly..."

It was just that the master of the mansion—the Xia Wang—still had not appeared, making the various martial arts fellows feel quite impatient.

"Amitabha, as long as the Emperor is willing to hand over the Nine Dragons Shadow Wall, this monk will turn and leave!"

All kinds of delicacies were brought out like a flowing stream in the Xia Wang Mansion, and there were many beauties singing and dancing; it was clear they had racked their brains to entertain the guests.

The fight here naturally attracted people from the mansion.

But the players all treated her words as farting.

The one speaking was a monk in tattered robes with a belly large enough to hold anything, nine incense scars on his head, smiling as he patted his stomach: "This monk enters whenever he wants to enter..."

Time passed bit by bit.

A player originally wanted to talk about the battle between the Black Guest and the White Guest, but forcibly held back, threw away a deer leg in his hand, and used light-body techniques to head toward the Imperial Palace.

Xiao Lei's voice was filled with excitement.

Soon it was afternoon.

After the fully immersive game came out, the first things to become popular were various gourmet mini-games.

A woman's faint voice sounded, and a beautiful figure wearing a black palace dress appeared; it was the Black List Grandmaster—Shui Mu Yin Hou!

The peak showdown was on the verge of breaking out!

And just as these experts were fighting, Situ Zhaixin, dressed in night-traveling clothes, stepped on a trail of black gauze and, as if walking on air, had already sneaked into the Forbidden City...

But when countless arrows landed within three feet of the monk, they were like striking an extremely tough wall, snapping one after another and falling to the ground.

"As expected of Zhuge!"

Dachen pressed his palms together.

Aaron slowly sheathed the Sword of Talisman Water and sighed: "I already said... Old Master Dan would have a bloody disaster, why didn't he listen to my advice?"

Aaron casually drew his sword, the Sword of Talisman Water leaving its scabbard, drawing a small circle and pointing straight at Old Master Dan's lower abdomen, actually striking first despite moving later.

But only now did they realize with horror that the top Grandmasters of the Black List and ordinary list-climbers were completely two different concepts!

This retainer looked at Old Master Dan's Disciples: "You are also under our protection while in the mansion..."

Before one knew it, an extra figure had appeared.

"Amitabha... the Xia Wang is chivalrous and righteous; there must be an inside story to this." Dingyin Shitai said a fair word.

"I want to go back... I want to go... and curse them to death!"

Dachen showed a look of compassion and struck out with a palm.

Clearly, a high-level NPC cannot defy the game company's decision; this is the truth!

Charging into the Imperial Guard at this moment was truly like a tiger entering a flock of sheep; he instantly cut through a crowd of people and arrived before the plaza of a palace.

He smiled while walking toward Wu Men.

"To hell with the banquet, hurry and go watch the excitement... A top-tier Black List expert is fighting Six Gates! A clash between black and white!"

Once these words were spoken, players and high-level NPCs alike all exploded into chaos.

In his view, killing this high-level NPC was simply sending the other party back to the real world, no longer troubled by the sea of suffering that is the game; it was truly passing on to paradise and becoming a celestial being—there was nothing wrong with that!

Dachen is a top-tier Breaker, his Internal Energy is incomparably thick, and he has even developed a cheat for a peerless divine art—Innate Qi!

Within three feet of his body, there is Qi protecting him at every moment, making him impervious to blades and spears, and he can even project it to injure others!

"This person is a famous master from Jiangnan—Old Master Dan Qingtian, the head of the Dan family, who is ranked on the Dragon Tiger List; his martial arts are unfathomable."

In his view, this was the game company favoring high-level management, directly stashing a key item inside the Imperial Palace!

It was one thing to have turned the pugilistic world upside down before, but to stop the fighting, the Emperor specifically ordered the Xia Wang Mansion to send the treasure into the palace.

Some people, even if they only hold a long sword forged by a village blacksmith, can still become a god among swordsmen!

Pfft!

Suddenly, the sky-filling Sword Light, which had been like a fierce wind and torrential rain, retracted.

Its momentum as it tore through the air was extraordinary; one look and it was clearly much more powerful than Duan Hong.

No one expected that their own old master, who had roamed the pugilistic world for many years and was ranked on the Dragon Tiger List, would actually fall while dealing with a greenhorn!

This fall cost him not only his past reputation but also his own life!

All the martial arts experts were speechless.

This Imperial Palace expert was a high-level NPC and was practically speechless: "Just who on earth is that Yuan Yuexin?"

It is a gospel for players who are troubled by obesity and cannot control their mouths—they can experience all the delicacies from Blue Star's past and present at the cheapest price, and no matter how much they eat, they will absolutely not gain weight in reality!

Dugu Jian sighed.

In a flash, it was time for dinner.

In the living room, several more experts arrived one after another and introduced themselves to one another.

Unexpectedly... there really were people who didn't fear death coming over!

He felt exceptionally speechless in his heart.

Inside the main hall, an official in his fifties with frost-white temples walked out.

The head steward waved his hand, signaling the guards who had already raised their crossbows not to attack, and continued to look at the honored guests with a smile: "Please forgive our poor hospitality..."

Xiao Lei was dazzled and mesmerized, muttering to himself as he looked at the Liuqin Sword in his hand, suddenly understanding the meaning behind Dugu Jian's previous words.

Dugu Jian was stunned.

Xia Wang Mansion.

At this moment, he finally realized his own ignorance and insignificance.

They had witnessed with their own eyes how Aaron dealt with Old Master Dan sword by sword, and they couldn't help but think: 'This person is so shameless, I must never become his enemy.'

The servants of the Xia Wang Mansion were very diligent and quick-handed... they swiftly cleaned up the traces at the scene.

"What?"

With its level of tight security, let alone one Situ Zhaixin, even if ten came, it would be in vain!

The players' reactions were even more intense.

As for the Famous Catchers, they were quite active, but they were rejected by Zhuge Wudi.

"The meaning is very simple: I suspect the Nine Dragons Shadow Wall is still inside the Xia Wang Mansion!"

A smile appeared on Aaron's face: "This battle at the Forbidden City is nothing more than a trap set to wipe out the Black List experts in one fell swoop! Everyone has been played by the officials!"

(End of chapter)