Chapter 226: Are You Ready?

"Lord Shen, are you certain?"

"Of course, I am very certain!" Nodding, Shen Yu quietly gripped his sword, his eyes fixed directly on Lin Zhao. He seemed to want to see even the slightest ripple on his face.

Unfortunately, Shen Yu was destined to be disappointed. At this moment, Lin Zhao was very calm, even terrifyingly so.

"In years of famine, there are wandering beggars everywhere. White bones are exposed in the fields, and for a thousand miles, no rooster crows; the air is filled with the aura of death everywhere, along with the life force that dissipates in an instant when people die!"

"These auras of death, grievances, and even the life force that dissipates at any moment as people fall by the roadside, are exactly what the Musheng Flower uses to allow them to thrive!"

"Only in such an environment can the Musheng Flower, which withers easily after leaving its original habitat, grow successfully and eventually bloom!"

"Famine? Famine!" Looking at the silent Lin Zhao, Mo Yu did not know how to speak for a moment, only clenching his fists tightly.

With things having reached this point, everything seemed to be out in the open. If there had only been an eighty percent certainty that it was Lin Zhao before, now there was perhaps ninety percent.

"Lin Zhao, tell me, was it really you?"

Looking at Lin Zhao opposite him, although Mo Yu tried his best to remain calm, his tightly clenched fists were enough to explain everything.

He did not understand why Lin Zhao would do such a thing. With his current power and status, what more could he possibly crave?

"General Mo, actually there is one thing I haven't mentioned yet!" After a pause, Shen Yu finally spoke; some things were better said aloud.

"Actually, this Musheng Flower grows in the extremely cold lands of the far north, amidst barren mountains and treacherous waters, and is extremely rare. In other words, it shouldn't exist within our dynasty's borders!"

"So, ordinary people don't recognize this flower at all; even places that specialize in medicine and poison like Medicine King Valley or Poison King Ridge might not have heard of this Musheng Flower!"

"Not of our dynasty?" The wine cup in his hand was crushed to powder; Mo Yu raised his head, a hint of killing intent already appearing on him.

"Lin Zhao, what exactly are you intending?"

"Not of our dynasty? Hahaha, so that's it, no wonder no one recognized this flower!" At this moment, Lin Zhao seemed to have fallen into madness, his face full of mockery.

"Ridiculous, truly ridiculous to the extreme! Hahaha!" Unable to stop himself from laughing out loud again, one could not tell if the smile on Lin Zhao's face was mocking others or mocking himself.

After a long while, Lin Zhao suddenly restrained his smile and said calmly, "That's right, the grain was indeed taken by me, the granary was also tampered with by me; everything was done by me!"

"Lin Zhao, it really was you!" With a bitter smile, once he learned the truth, Mo Yu gave up his last shred of hope. With Lin Zhao's crimes, he likely wouldn't survive!

"You have finally admitted it!" Staring at the other man, Shen Yu's hand gripped the sword hilt tightly. "General Lin, do you know this is a capital offense?"

Invisible killing intent and terrifying Sword Intent could no longer be contained and dissipated outward; the cold murderous aura covered the surroundings in a layer of frost.

He had originally thought there would be some twists and turns, but even Shen Yu himself did not expect the other party to admit it so readily. The process was so smooth that he found it somewhat incredible.

"Yes, it is a capital offense! Even I feel that I cannot escape the blame!"

Smiling and shaking his head, Lin Zhao looked up at the two people before him, a trace of mockery in his eyes.

"But I am right here. Lord Shen, do you dare to kill me? Mo Yu, do you dare to kill me? In this vast imperial court, how many people dare to lay a hand on me? Who dares to kill me!"

"I dare to kill you!" Looking coldly at Lin Zhao, who had fallen into madness again, Shen Yu drew his sword, his killing intent undisguised.

"General Lin Zhao, you dared to tamper with the granary in the Beishan Region; do you know how many people you have harmed, how many have been displaced, and how many have starved to death by the roadside because of this!"

"Have you ever gone out to see the commoners crouching in corners on the streets, thin as skin and bone? The starving people who, in order to survive, tearfully ate their own children!"

"Those innocent commoners, one by one, sent their children to be beasts of burden, or even into brothels. Just because they could survive there, even if it was a wretched existence!"

"All of this is because of you!" Drawing his sword, the murderous aura on Shen Yu was biting and no longer hidden. The sharp killing intent and terrifying Sword Intent seemed to want to pierce the clouds.

"Lin Zhao, you attacked the granary, causing a lack of grain in a year of famine, leading to countless deaths by starvation; the evidence for this is conclusive, and you have admitted it yourself!"

"If you surrender now and confess where you hid the grain and who conspired with you, you might live for two more days. But if you resist, you will be killed without mercy!"

"Good, a very good Lord Shen, I want to see if you truly dare to lay a hand on me! Your Imperial Envoy sword can only kill those below the Third-Rank, but it cannot kill me!"

"Nonsense! Even if I cannot kill you, I must try; today, even if I have to discard this official robe, I will execute you here!"

"A person like you, if not killed, will not appease the people's anger, and if not killed, will not settle the people's hearts!"

"Is that so?" Lin Zhao's body shook, and violent power spread from him as the center, as if a hurricane had suddenly been whipped up.

"Then let this general see exactly how much weight you have, you junior!"

This seemingly decadent middle-aged man had now transformed into a cold-blooded killing general from the battlefield. The dense killing intent had long been tempered through a hundred battles, as tough as refined steel.

Judging solely by his aura, Lin Zhao's aura was even above his own. This veteran of a hundred battles finally revealed his fangs at this moment, and the scent of blood rushed toward him.

"Hmph!" A precious bead quietly appeared in Shen Yu's hand, its light flashing and vanishing. Once the power of the Soul Falling Bead appeared, it immediately took effect.

Lin Zhao was indeed very strong, having fought on the battlefield for many years with a will as tough as iron. Unfortunately, under the power of the Soul Falling Bead, no matter how firm his will was, he could not avoid being dazed.

And it was at this moment that Shen Yu suddenly struck with his sword. This strike was fast and urgent; in an instant, the Sword Qi surged toward the clouds, as if to tear everything apart.

This strike was brilliant and magnificent, carrying endless power, just like a meteor flashing across the sky and vanishing. By the time it appeared the next moment, it was already beside Lin Zhao.

That terrifying Sword Qi was almost about to pierce through the opponent instantly, as if the next moment one could see the scene of Lin Zhao being shredded by the sword.

But just at this moment, Lin Zhao dodged violently to the side. This dodge looked exactly like a spatial shift, allowing him to narrowly avoid it, the Sword Qi brushing past him.

But the aftermath of the Sword Qi still swept across his body. It sent him flying, knocking over doors and windows, and he fell heavily into the courtyard.

"Pfft!" A mouthful of blood sprayed out from his mouth, and Lin Zhao raised his head, looking at Shen Yu opposite him with some shock and suspicion.

One strike, just a single strike, and he had actually been defeated. Yet, he was somewhat confused as to how he had lost this strike. But defeat was defeat; the young people of today were truly formidable!

He had originally thought that this Imperial Envoy's reputation for being peerless in both zither and sword was just an empty name, and even if he were truly strong, he would only be on par with himself.

Who would have thought that upon clashing, he would almost be killed in one strike; this Lord Shen was truly terrifying.

If not for the instincts formed by being tempered on the battlefield, and the secret technique that had almost become a reflex, he would likely have died just now.

To be able to dodge this strike while under his Sword Intent lock—Marquis of Pingdu, Lin Zhao, was indeed worthy of being the famous young general; he was truly powerful!

"Marquis of Pingdu, Lin Zhao, are you ready for my next strike?"