Chapter 567: Night Infiltration of the Inner Palace

Infiltrating and assassinating within the royal palace is extremely difficult.

First, the architecture: high walls and vast courtyards with open sightlines; if one reached the imperial palace in the capital, the outer corridors would be nearly a labyrinth.

During the great flourishing of the former dynasty, there was even a joke about an assassin getting lost outside the palace.

Though the Shu Prince's palace pales beside the imperial palace, its layout is identical—courtyards spacious and unobstructed; no matter where one runs, they will be seen.

Beneath the floor tiles of several grand halls, copper vats are buried to amplify sound.

At key locations, hidden alarm bells are concealed.

The Shu Prince's personal guards are all experts; the patrolling soldiers follow the "token rotation system," exchanging dozens of waist tokens with each watch shift.

Now that firearms exist, it's even more troublesome: if discovered, the gong sounds, and within ten breaths, they'll be surrounded by muskets.

Additionally, palace maids must undergo "food-pairing supervision," and there are even specialized "tile eunuchs" listening for anomalies on the rooftops.

In short, it appears majestic and empty, but every step is perilous.

And the defenses against Xuanmen cultivators are equally numerous.

With the support of the Eight Outer Altar Generals, Li Yan pushed his concealment technique to its absolute limit, completely erasing his presence and even using Dragon-Snake Talismans to mask his qi.

Under these conditions, not even the patrolling guards, let alone higher-level Xuanmen cultivators, could detect him with spiritual senses.

But just as he neared the inner palace, Li Yan's back tightened—he stopped, slowly turned, and gazed toward Duanli Gate.

He felt it: a stream of power was watching him—solemn, dignified, thick with incense smoke, vast as mountains and rivers, boundless as stars and sun-moon, devoid of emotion yet encompassing all…

It was the Shu Prince's ancestral folk deities!

If he remembered correctly, the two grand courtyards ahead of Duanli Gate: left held the Altar of Mountains and Rivers and the Altar of Soil and Grain; right held the Ancestral Temple.

These were state sacrifices.

From sun, moon, and stars, to mountains, rivers, soil, and grain, to the ancestors of the Great Xuan Dynasty and the meritorious ministers enshrined in the Hall of Heroes.

The ritual artifacts enshrined within, if offered sufficient incense and worship, would become state sacrificial divine instruments.

Of course, that was true only in the capital.

The mountain, river, soil, and grain altars across Shenzhou functioned like array nodes, centered on the capital's altar, incapable of forming state sacrificial divine instruments.

The only explanation for this situation was one.

The Shu Prince had ceased ancestral worship.

The temple altars of the prince's palace had severed ties with the capital.

This was a grave matter—many wars recorded in history were directly or indirectly tied to it.

During the Shang Dynasty, the ruler of Ge State neglected ancestral rites, showing disrespect to his forebears; Tang of Shang launched a campaign and gained universal support…

The Ba-Chu War also had this as one of its causes…

Is the Shu Prince preparing to openly rebel?

Li Yan harbored doubt, but felt no alarm.

Whether sects, monasteries, temples, or places like the Shu Prince's palace, the folk deities worshipped were vital defenses.

For others, this was a major problem.

But for Li Yan, it was no issue at all.

He pulled out his Gou Die from his robe, extended his left middle finger, pinched the transverse crease of the middle finger with thumb and index finger, and curled the ring and little fingers into his palm.

This was the Heaven Official Seal, symbolizing the majesty of the Heaven Official Great Emperor.

The Heaven Official judges good and evil; all earthly deities must retreat.

In an instant, those several streams of awareness swiftly withdrew.

Ting~

A faint chime sounded from the bronze bells along the eaves of the Shu Prince's ancestral temple.

Inside the hall, a Daoist sat in meditation, guarding the temple; he lifted his head slightly at the sound.

"Brother, what's wrong?"

The Daoist filling oil behind him turned to ask.

"Nothing. Probably just a strong wind."

The meditating Daoist gazed outside and sighed.

The oil-filling Daoist walked over, looked outside as well, then sat down with a troubled expression. "Brother, won't the Prince come this year?"

The meditating Daoist shook his head slightly. "The Prince's health is poor; we handle the rites, but the silver allocated has increased."

"It's not about the silver."

The oil-filling Daoist grew anxious. "If this continues, something will happen. Shouldn't we send word to the capital?"

Before he finished, the meditating Daoist shot him a fierce glare.

"Don't meddle—your life matters most!"

"At a time like this, sticking your head up means death. We're low in cultivation; when the sky falls, the taller ones hold it up…"

Leaving aside the two Daoists' thoughts, Li Yan, after repelling the folk deities, arrived beyond the inner palace wall. He exerted a light force, leaping upward like a wildcat climbing a tree—two pushes, and he was atop the wall.

He crouched low, scanning left and right.

The inner palace was vast, occupying half the Shu Prince's estate; at its center stood two palace halls, with six eastern and six western palaces on either side.

The far west held a row of buildings and courtyards—likely where the palace eunuchs and maids lived and worked.

To the northeast lay a large garden with a small lake.

It was already evening; night blanketed the sky, the moon bright, stars sparse. Compared to the bustling Chengyun Hall ahead, this place felt desolate.

Indeed, there was not a trace of festival atmosphere.

The two central palace halls were pitch-black, not even red lanterns hung; the eastern and western palaces on either side showed mixed light and shadow.

Li Yan frowned slightly, puzzled.

He had merely repelled the folk deities, delaying only a moment—how had that demon Si Tu Qian vanished without a trace?

And not even a lingering scent remained.

As Li Yan pondered, he suddenly glanced up and spotted a familiar figure: the Grand Prince, escorted by guards, carrying lanterns, moving through the eastern palace buildings.

Shua!

Without hesitation, Li Yan leapt down.

His form moved swiftly—he executed a swallow skimming water midair, touched the ground twice, then leapt upward again, landing atop the eastern palace wall.

Huāla huāla!

Below, torches blazed as a patrol of soldiers marched past.

They led dogs the size of calves, their stances rigid, clearly well-trained; among them, some had slightly swollen temples and carried divine fire guns on their backs.

They must be the Black Collar Guard under the Shu Prince.

Li Yan pressed himself against the palace wall, suppressing all his Qi. Once the soldiers passed, he flipped down, toes brushing the ground, sprinting soundlessly along the shadows of the wall.

He was now at the peak of Hua Jing; his control over all forms of force was exquisitely refined.

This entire sequence left no trace of disturbance.

Soon, he caught up with the Grand Prince.

The eunuch in charge and the guards led him to the outer wall of a palace, then bowed respectfully. "Your Highness, the Princess Consort awaits within."

At this moment, the Grand Prince was on guard.

Raised in the Shu Prince's palace since childhood, he had noticed every oddity along the way—his suspicions had long formed, and he now felt regret.

But it was too late to turn back; he could only press forward.

Gazing at the lantern light glowing from within the palace, the Grand Prince swallowed hard, stepped forward, and bowed respectfully through the door. "Mother, your son has come to see you."

"Come in."

A weak, aged woman's voice came from within.

Hearing it, the Grand Prince felt slightly relieved. He carefully pushed open the door and looked up.

Inside, a copper brazier burned, filling the air with warmth.

Eight gilded palace lanterns blazed with large tallow candles, illuminating the vermilion lacquered beams, faint sandalwood incense drifting gently.

On a purple sandalwood arhat couch lay a woman, wearing a jade-inlaid phoenix crown, dressed in a crimson cloud-patterned jacket, her face pale with white hair, gentle and kind.

It was the Shu Princess Consort; beside her, a maid served.

"Mother!"

The Grand Prince, having not seen his mother in a long time, was suddenly overcome with grief. He knelt, weeping bitterly. "Your son is unfilial—I have not been by your side. I beg your forgiveness."

"Yun, what are you doing?" the Shu Princess Consort said softly, shaking her head. "You are now head of your household—why weep like this? Others will laugh. Where is my grandson?"

At this, the Grand Prince's face contorted with grievance. He stood and bowed. "Mother, I never wished to stay away—every time I try to enter, I'm driven back. Father… how is his condition?"

The Shu Princess Consort shook her head. "He's old—always feeling unwell. We've summoned the finest physicians…"

Listening to her ramble, the Grand Prince grew confused. Could Xiao Jinghong have been lying, just to mock him?

Meanwhile, Li Yan had leapt onto the palace roof and peered through a crack. His eyes narrowed instantly.

The Grand Prince thought he was chatting with his mother—but to Li Yan, the scene was different:

On the bed sat a paper effigy, its features and clothing lifelike, its mouth opening and closing.

Behind the effigy, a white-clad maid pulled red threads with her fingers, her own mouth opening and closing, emitting the aged woman's voice.

The paper effigy was soul-stealing!

Seeing this, Li Yan felt no surprise.

The Shu Prince had long walked the dark path; a demon like Si Tu Qian could stroll openly before high officials.

Nothing here is as it seems!

In this Wang Fu, anything strange happening is no surprise.

What made him wary was the woman.

Among all the Daoist lineages, paper-man techniques abound, and he was skilled in this art—he could tell the woman's method was powerful.

With just one paper figure, she had created such an elaborate illusion, trapping someone so deeply in delusion they didn't realize it—she could likely extract any secret.

Moreover, though this Grand Commandery Prince was an ordinary man, he had trained in martial arts and carried a blood jade talisman to repel evil.

Even an ordinary cultivator might fall for it.

The Grand Commandery Prince grew more and more aggrieved, even blaming his mother for not securing him the position of heir.

The maid controlling the paper figure grew impatient; after replying briefly, blood tears suddenly streamed from her eyes, and her mouth opened and closed.

But in the Grand Commandery Prince's eyes, his mother merely shook her head, "Today is the Kitchen God Festival—let's talk about this later. My son, are you hungry? There are some sugar melons on the table; eat them, and it's as if you've celebrated the festival with your mother."

The Grand Commandery Prince turned his head and saw not only dried fruits and nuts on the table, but also a plate of freshly steamed sugar melons.

He had never liked sweets and hadn't eaten anything in the Chengyun Hall.

Yet strangely, he could smell the sweet fragrance of malt sugar mixed with sesame, seeping into his nostrils, making his saliva flow uncontrollably.

Unable to resist, he picked up one and bit into it gently.

Instantly, the amber-colored sugar shell shattered between his teeth.

But within the sweetness was a metallic, rust-like stench.

Crack!

Suddenly, the blood jade on his waist shattered.

The Grand Commandery Prince felt a chill rush through his mind; when he looked down at the sugar melon in his hand, thick, crimson fluid was dripping between his fingers.

The candle flame flickered, illuminating the sugar melon.

Inside the broken surface writhed dark red filaments,

unmistakably human hair soaked in blood!

"Ah!"

The Grand Commandery Prince jumped back, dropping the sugar melon.

When he looked ahead, there was no "mother"—only a paper figure, lifelike yet far more sinister.

Cold dread rose from his heart; he felt icy all over, limbs weak, and fled in panic.

"Ah~"

The white-robed maid sighed, "My lord, just listen obediently—life is but a dream, and waking may bring no good."

Her tone was melodic, laced with the cadence of opera.

It was the "Ghost Opera Troupe" again!

Li Yan narrowed his eyes, a killing intent stirring in his heart.

The woman shook her sleeves, and a dozen red cords shot out, strong and swift, wrapping tightly around the Grand Commandery Prince's neck and limbs.

The Grand Commandery Prince froze instantly.

His eyes filled with terror, yet no sound escaped him; like a puppet on strings, his body stiffened as he grabbed the remaining sugar melons, crunching them loudly, blood coating his mouth.

His eyes gradually grew vacant.

Yet the Grand Commandery Prince's cry had reached the outer hall.

The Chief Eunuch frowned slightly and approached the door, bowing respectfully: "Your Highness, do you have a command?"

The woman showed no alarm; she lifted her head and opened her mouth, speaking in the Grand Commandery Prince's voice: "It's nothing—I just accidentally dropped and broke my jade pendant."

"I'll send someone to clean it up at once."

"Get out! Don't disturb me and my mother!"

"Yes."

The Chief Eunuch showed no anger and withdrew swiftly.

Li Yan watched, deep in thought.

It seemed that though the Shu Wang Fu was full of oddities, these eunuchs and guards remained unaware.

Soon, the Grand Commandery Prince finished eating all the sugar melons.

The woman took a white silk cloth and gently wiped the blood from his lips, whispering: "If anyone asks, everything here is normal—nothing unusual found."

"Mm, nothing unusual found."

The Grand Commandery Prince spoke, his eyes suddenly clear—but he ignored all the strange surroundings, turned, and walked out, closing the door behind him, saying: "I've seen my mother. Returning to Chengyun Hall."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The Chief Eunuch bowed low and led the guards away with him.

Li Yan, deep in thought, suppressed his killing intent.

Now was not the right time to act.

Just as he prepared to leave, he suddenly stopped.

From the shadow beside the side door of the hall, a figure emerged slowly—it was Situ Qian, dressed as Zhong Kui.

His face was expressionless as he strode toward the hall.

Behind him, the "Five Ghosts" leapt and tumbled into the darkness, taking up key positions.

One of the ghosts even ran toward Li Yan.

As it drew near, Li Yan saw more clearly.

This "little ghost" was clearly a child in disguise, painted green and blue, with bright red hair and a pair of ox horns on his head.

The horns seemed recently sewn onto his scalp.

The surrounding skin had already turned pus-filled.

Before it even reached him, the chill of yin-evil energy struck his face.

Definitely a heretical path!

Li Yan could tell these were spirits controlled by dark arts, possessing children to create these monstrous forms.

At the same time, voices came from below.

"What went wrong?"

"Hehe, after all, he's nobility—he must have some protective treasures. Poor me, alone and helpless…"

"No more chatter. Proceed with caution."

"Hehe, caution won't help—the Shu Wang saw us once, then vanished completely. Have you uncovered anything?"

"Can't tell. Even the old eunuch disappeared at the same time. The Shu Wang must have already left the palace."

"You think… he reversed his aging? Did he truly find the elixir of immortality?"

"Unclear. This Shu Wang… has serious problems…"

The Shu Wang isn't in the palace?!

Li Yan was startled upon hearing this.

But before he could think further, his heart tightened.

The Gou Die in his bosom had begun to grow hot…

(End of Chapter)