Chapter 138: Drive the Tiger to Devour the Wolf, Gain Mother Qi Again

Lu Yu gently pointed his finger, and the invisible shackles binding Wei Yue vanished instantly; she regained her freedom.

Wei Yue stood frozen.

Her eyes still held confusion, unable to recover from the sudden liberation.

Having been motionless for too long, her body was numb, her blood and qi stagnant, her sinews and bones aching, unable to support her upright.

Lu Yu sent a gentle ripple of spiritual energy toward her.

Wei Yue felt a warm current enter her body; her limbs tingled, her blood and qi no longer blocked, slowly flowing freely.

You noticed that Lu Yu's control over spiritual energy had grown increasingly refined.

His spiritual energy could now leave his body—no one knew what realm he had reached.

Yet you yourself had not yet attained the Grand Master realm.

You gazed at Wei Yue and said softly, "Sorry I came late."

Hearing this, Wei Yue's emotions churned inside her, and she did not know how to respond.

Her gaze swept across the courtyard and saw Lu Yu standing still, his aura contained, smiling gently at her.

Beside him stood a middle-aged man.

It was her world-famous cousin, now with hands clasped in his sleeves, expression gentle, a faint smile on his lips.

The Lu family's Young Protector—the cousin whose stories she had grown up hearing—seemed different from her imagination.

He was calm and mild in bearing.

Nothing like the "overbearing giant" from the storytelling tales.

Under their gazes, Wei Yue's fear quietly faded, replaced by an indescribable warmth.

It was as if she had seen her dependable father once more.

No wonder her father often said: "Your two cousins—if they were in the capital, no one in the world would dare bully you."

Wei Yue's eyes welled up again with tears.

Two others remained in the courtyard: "Nine Thousand Years" Chen Sanzhong and the Imperial Seal Eunuch Ma Bao.

Chen Sanzhong, this Grand Master of Martial Arts, now personal eunuch and Director of the Western Depot to the Grand Empress Dowager, appeared extraordinarily aged and worn.

His aura had weakened to near nothing, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be snuffed out at any moment.

His gaze fixed on Lu Yu and Wei Yue, revealing a pleading sorrow; his voice, hoarse and trembling, said:

"Young Protector, could you please show mercy and spare the Grand Empress Dowager one last time?"

"She is old, her body failing."

You paid no heed.

Chen Sanzhong helplessly lowered his head; their plan had utterly failed, defeated without resistance.

The ambush on Lu Chen had been planned as a certain death trap, yet this unexpected turn had shattered it.

His voice carried deep regret—the palace guards outside had already surrounded the Western Depot.

The capital showed no reaction to such a massive upheaval!

Something must have gone wrong within the palace.

"Master, danger is imminent."

Chen Sanzhong recalled all that had transpired and sighed, "This emperor's method of holding Zhongnan Mountain accountable is truly brilliant."

Luring the Young Protector into the capital—the strategy of driving the tiger to devour the wolf!

Within the Western Depot!

The eunuchs, once orderly, now scrambled in chaos, fleeing in panic, but the elite Jinwu Guards surged in like a tidal wave.

They killed anyone they saw, without mercy, blood pooling everywhere.

Screams and wails filled the courtyard instantly—pure chaos and bloodshed.

The master-level cultivators secretly trained by the Western Depot fled in all directions.

When disaster strikes, everyone flees for themselves.

Yet three thousand troops had surrounded the area—no master could escape; none would survive.

Ma Bao stood still, slowly closing his eyes, sighing inwardly.

The Western Depot, once an institution of overwhelming power, had met such an end.

Wei Yue, terrified by the sudden turn of events, turned pale; she hurried to stand beside Lu Yu and you, feeling somewhat reassured.

Listening to the cries of battle outside, her eyes grew lost.

Yet you and Lu Yu remained unmoved, merely watching the chaos before you with calm detachment.

You stepped before Chen Sanzhong and said calmly, "Director Chen, it has come to this—your head must be borrowed."

Chen Sanzhong knew death was inevitable; he did not plead for himself, but still tried to plead for the Grand Empress Dowager.

All was settled.

You merely smiled.

Lu Yu stepped forward and without hesitation severed Chen Sanzhong's large head, splattering blood across the ground.

The words on Chen Sanzhong's lips died abruptly.

Those once commanding eyes now bulged wide, unblinking, refusing to close.

Seeing this, Ma Bao's lips trembled, barely able to speak.

He stared blankly at Chen Sanzhong's headless corpse and the white-haired head in Lu Yu's hand, his strength drained, collapsing helplessly to the ground.

Memories of Zhongnan Mountain flooded Ma Bao's mind—the gruesome death of the late emperor, those eyes filled with terror and despair.

Those images haunted him like a nightmare!

"Ha ha, they're all dead, all dead…" Ma Bao suddenly burst into mad laughter, the sound thick with despair and insanity.

Lying on the ground, he clawed at his hair, trembling violently, muttering those words over and over.

His eyes turned bloodshot, filled with madness—he had lost all reason.

You looked at Ma Bao before you, your spirit in turmoil; you understood he was utterly insane.

In the courtyard of the Western Depot.

Jinwu Guards clad in red-corded Mingguang armor surged in like a tide, disciplined and orderly.

Upon entering, they did not immediately attack, but maintained distance, surrounding the four of you completely.

Prompt: Congratulations, you have acquired two strands of Woxuanmuqi. Collect after the ten-year simulation ends.

At this moment!

The light screen above the cauldron paused, revealing the enticing prompt.

Yu Ke stared, stunned, then his face broke into delight.

Damn!

This was an unexpected gain—strange, yet oddly fitting.

He recalled past simulations: when the emperor died, he had once obtained two precious strands of Woxuanmuqi, seemingly tied to the rise and fall of the court.

Now, gaining mother qi again, he felt doubt and speculation stir within him.

Could killing a Grand Master yield such a rich reward?

In this simulation, the two Grand Master pieces in the temple had become two strands of mother qi, plus these two before him.

Four strands of Woxuanmuqi in total!

The simulation had barely begun, yet he had already gained such a bounty—a perfect opening.

When this ends, he would surely complete a great Zhou Tian cycle and reach perfection.

Perhaps even other gains would come, directly propelling him to Foundation Establishment.

Excellent, excellent!

Simulation continues.

【Not long after】

【The leader of the Jinwu Guards stepped forward from the crowd, his sharp gaze sweeping over the three of you, lingering for a moment on the head of Chen Sanzhong clutched in Lu Yu's hand.】

【A hint of delight appeared on his face!】

【On the ground lay Ma Bao, now insane, swiftly dragged away by two Jinwu Guards.】

【The commanding officer's eyes burned as he scrutinized the three of you, then ordered:】

【"Seize these three intruders. If they resist, kill them on the spot."】

【No sooner had the words left his lips!】

【A line of heavily armored soldiers, armed with shields and spears, advanced in disciplined formation—the tension spiked to its peak.】

PS: More tonight, dear readers—no cliffhanger here, word count just right.

(End of Chapter)