Chapter 184: Interrupting the Upgrade (Requesting Monthly Votes

In the palace of the Lyu Yang Empire, within the hall where the Emperor normally reviewed memorials.

"Has Yang Taisui already lured Xu Xiao away?"

After listening to Han Sheng's report, the old Emperor Zhao Li nodded, then asked: "How is the second prince prepared?"

"Everything is arranged. The second princess has sent the letter; we only need to wait for Wu Su to enter the palace before we act."

"…"

Zhao Li fell silent for a moment, his gaze shifting to Han Sheng, the kneeling cat-like eunuch, and after a long pause said: "I understand. You may also go prepare… Also, if possible, try to leave Wu Su's body intact."

"Your servant obeys."

Han Sheng was slightly surprised upon hearing this, but then remembered how the Emperor had always valued and admired Xu Xiao, and his expression turned to understanding.

Soon after Han Sheng departed, Zhao Li dismissed all attendants, leaving the palace empty except for himself.

Yet at that moment, Zhao Li suddenly spoke.

"Will you act this time?"

The faint voice echoed through the vast hall, as if speaking to himself—but the next second, a young, soft voice replied.

"I care only for the continuation of the Zhao dynasty. All else is none of my concern."

Not receiving the answer he wanted, Zhao Li fell silent for a long while, then leaned back against his chair and exhaled deeply.

"Xu Xiao, do not blame me. This is all for the future of Lyu Yang and the Zhao family—I must do this."

…

Meanwhile, on a street in Tai'an City, inside a mutton hotpot restaurant called "Jiujiu Guan."

This restaurant was extremely famous in Tai'an City.

It was said that the name "Jiujiu Guan" came from the chef's ability to thinly slice palm-sized mutton into exactly eighty-one pieces, a knife skill so exquisite it left observers awestruck.

In addition, the mutton and other ingredients used were all of the finest quality, delivering an exceptional flavor, so much so that many high officials and nobles of Tai'an frequently visited.

One could say Jiujiu Guan was like a real-life internet-famous restaurant—anyone who came to Tai'an and didn't eat here had, in a sense, come for nothing.

Because of this, Wu Xian had visited this restaurant on his very first day in Tai'an, and with an astonishing appetite, forced the restaurant to close early due to exhausted supplies.

There was no help for it—the ingredients were all gone.

Since then, Wu Xian came to Jiujiu Guan every two or three days to eat a mutton hotpot, each time devouring every newly purchased ingredient.

People couldn't help but suspect he was a demon in the form of a pixiu or taotie; otherwise, how could he consume so much?

Today, Wu Xian came as usual to Jiujiu Guan, now bent over eating meat slices, the table piled high with empty plates, nearly obscuring his entire figure.

Suddenly, his chopsticks paused mid-dip into the tripe, and he turned his head toward the direction of the Lyu Yang Imperial Palace, frowning as he muttered to himself.

"Has it already begun? I thought I'd have to wait a few more days…"

No sooner had the words left his lips than his figure vanished from the chair, leaving the diners stunned, while the restaurant owner, who had witnessed it, furrowed her brows.

Deep down, she felt something major was about to happen.

…

Fifteen minutes earlier.

"Zhao Zhi, is what you said truly true?"

Deep within the imperial city, in the second prince's residence, a white-robed figure arrived riding a sword, landing directly in the courtyard.

The arrival was none other than Wu Su, who was six months pregnant.

She had been waiting at the Grand General's mansion for Xu Xiao's return, when shortly after she received a letter from the second princess, Zhao Zhi.

The letter claimed the Emperor had suddenly summoned Xu Xiao back to the capital out of fear that his achievements overshadowed the throne, intending to kill him—like discarding the bow once the birds were gone—and the details were too complex to write, urging her to come to the second prince's residence for a meeting.

It was clearly a "lure into the trap," yet Wu Su still believed it.

Not only because Zhao Zhi was her sworn sister, but more importantly, she knew Zhao Zhi harbored hidden feelings for Xu Xiao.

Putting herself in Zhao Zhi's place, Wu Su believed Zhao Zhi genuinely wished to help Xu Xiao escape danger; combined with her own confidence in her martial prowess, she left Zhao Yutai behind and came alone with her sword to the imperial palace.

Undoubtedly, Wu Su was wrong.

Zhao Zhi did indeed have feelings for Xu Xiao, but that unspoken affection meant nothing compared to the power of becoming the future Empress.

Moreover, Zhao Zhi's purpose was not to harm Xu Xiao, but to betray her former sworn sister.

Back to the matter at hand!

Upon arriving at the second prince's residence, Wu Su scanned the surroundings but saw no trace of Zhao Zhi—instead, she sensed several deep, hidden qi signatures lurking in ambush, and let out a cold smile.

"Excellent, Zhao Zhi."

Qiang————!!

In a heart-stopping hum, the famed Daliang Longque sword was drawn.

The next instant, purple sword qi surged skyward.

More than half the prince's residence shattered, and from the ruins flew a crimson figure.

"Audacious Wu Su! How dare you intrude into the imperial city? You deserve death!"

Simultaneously, countless crimson threads bloomed in midair, like blood-red maple leaves, slowly drifting down over a hundred-zhang radius.

Han Sheng, the Cat-Eunuch, the Empire's top publicly acknowledged martial expert, specialized in using Zhi Xuan to kill Tian Xiang. In this era, before Deng Taia had risen, he was hailed as the greatest in Zhi Xuan, unmatched beneath the rank of Land Immortal.

"Han Sheng, others fear you like venomous snakes and scorpions, but to me, you are merely one sword strike."

Wu Su gripped the sword tip tightly, then flicked it sharply—a burst of purple sword qi shattered the endless threads, striking directly atop the eunuch clad in crimson python robe.

Boom—

A thunderclap rang out as a figure approached from beyond the imperial palace, crossing eighteen palace gates in a single breath.

Each palace gate here was spaced over a li apart; crossing eighteen in one breath revealed the depth of this man's cultivation.

Seeing this, Wu Su felt caution rise and instinctively flew backward, creating distance from the newcomer.

The man was an imposing elderly figure in blue robes. Seeing Wu Su retreat, he made no move to pursue, but instead sharply flicked his sleeve, launching a purple thunderbolt to intercept the sword qi about to sever Han Sheng's head.

Boom! The lightning and sword qi exploded simultaneously. As Wu Su prepared for a two-on-one assault, another immense qi signature surged from beyond the palace walls—a fist descended from the heavens toward Wu Su.

Wu Su swiftly sheathed and drew her sword again, unleashing another grand purple sword qi that sliced through the heavy fist aura, leaving the attacker's hand a bloody mess.

Han Sheng closed in again, the crimson threads writhing like serpents, poised to strike Wu Su's front.

At the same moment, the blue-robed elder who had saved Han Sheng released a string of heavenly thunderbolts from his sleeves, forming an array that crashed down.

Lastly, the fist expert, wounded by the sword qi, raised his other arm and unleashed even more violent fist auras.

One Zhi Xuan expert who kills Tian Xiang, two Tian Xiang cultivators equal in power—heavily outnumbering her, three together could kill ninety-nine percent of all top-tier experts, let alone a pregnant Wu family sword crown.

Wu Su closed her eyes, as if giving up, yet her qi surged at an impossible speed, as if about to break through her limit into a new realm.

At that moment, a powerful hand pressed upon her shoulder.

————

Beginning of the month—requesting monthly votes!

(End of chapter)