Chapter 498: Fighting the Imperial Palace Alone

On the square.

A chaotic battle.

Cao Qingyi, Cao Zhangqing, fought against several top-tier experts, fully displaying the elegance of a Confucian Sage.

A Land Immortal is supposed to be a so-called high and mighty Heavenly Human in this world, yet Cao Qingyi's Confucian Sage, having stepped into this realm for not long, was already shockingly close to the peak of the Land Immortal realm; it was likely only a layer and a half of cultivation away from when Lv Zu passed through the Heavenly Gate and turned back.

The woman beside Cao Qingyi, called Jiang Si, was also extremely extraordinary. Although still young, she controlled her sword like a flying immortal, possessing quite a bit of the demeanor of the Old Sword God, Li Chungang.

Of course, anyone with a discerning eye could see that it was absolutely impossible for Cao Qingyi to assassinate the Emperor of the Zhao Family.

In the Baiyu Square, there were not only inner-palace experts like Liu Haoshi, but also battlefield tigers like Chen Zhibao and Gu Jiantang. Furthermore, they had invited martial arts experts like the ancestors of the Wu Family. Additionally, well-equipped Imperial Guards were arriving in an endless stream.

Even if Wang Laoguai himself arrived, he would not be able to succeed.

Cao Zhangqing naturally knew this as well.

He came precisely to prove that the remnants of Western Chu were not yet extinct, and also to build momentum for the restoration of Western Chu.

Western Chu still had Cao Zhangqing, and still had the Princess, Jiang Si.

Incidentally, he could also make things unpleasant for the Emperor of the Zhao Family; how could he, Cao Zhangqing, not do such a thing that served multiple purposes at once?

And just as everyone's gaze was fixed on Cao Qingyi and Jiang Si, the Forget-Worry Person, Gao Shulu, broke through eighteen gates in succession and arrived before the Baiyu Square.

Immediately following, everyone heard one familiar name and one unfamiliar name.

Murong Tonghuang, Gao Shulu.

When the four characters "Murong Tonghuang" rang out, the originally chaotic and noisy square fell silent in an instant, and many inner-palace guards revealed expressions of vigilance and terror.

A'cao Qingyi was already so difficult to deal with, let alone the well-deserved Murong Wudi.

Soon after, some experts revealed expressions of sudden realization and suspicion. They widened their eyes, staring hard at the man with the scarlet mark on his forehead like a third eye.

Gao Shulu?

The Forget-Worry Person from four hundred years ago, Gao Shulu!?

Had this person truly lived for four hundred years without dying?

But why would he appear here today, taking the initiative to challenge Murong Tonghuang? After a brief silence, noisy discussions erupted.

"A Forget-Worry Person? Presumptuous! How can you trespass in the Imperial Palace at will!?"

A burly old man of unknown identity let out a sharp shout, his gaze like lightning as he stared directly at Gao Shulu.

Previously, it was this person who, along with the Green-Phrased Minister Zhao Danping, guarded the west side of the Imperial City; he was one of the top experts secretly patronized by the royal family.

And the reason he targeted Gao Shulu first was not without cause.

Four hundred years ago, Gao Shulu slaughtered wantonly in the martial arts world, killing until no one in the world dared to call themselves an expert. The ancestors of this old man were among the experts who died at Gao Shulu's hands, and it was precisely because of this that they lost the most crucial scroll of inheritance, which led to his current inability to ascend to the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, remaining trapped in the Finger Profound Realm.

In addition, among the Imperial Guards previously blasted away by Gao Shulu was his most beloved grandson.

That Gao Shulu had slaughtered wantonly in the martial arts world back then without any scruples, and now he was the same, not holding back at all; a group of Imperial Guards were either dead or injured.

With new grudges and old hatreds, how could this burly old man have any good feelings toward Gao Shulu?

Of course, there was one more important point.

His Finger Profound Secret Technique was special and could perceive the mysterious Qi within the human body.

This Gao Shulu was clearly a candle in the wind, and behind him stood top-tier experts like Gu Jiantang and Liu Haoshi, so how could he fear him?

"You want to die?" Gao Shulu's gaze shifted, looking toward that person, and he took a step forward, appearing before the burly old man in an instant: "Then I will grant your wish."

The burly old man was shocked; slung diagonally across his back was a great sword nearly twice the length of an ordinary ancient sword.

With a clang, in mid-air, lightning flashed, and the sword light, like a long rainbow startling the heavens, suddenly flew out from behind him. As the cold sword light swept out, the long sword had already fallen into the burly old man's hand.

His wrist moved, and the sword light transformed into a raging wave, sweeping toward Gao Shulu.

This was his family's sword technique, which had once made a great name for itself in the martial arts world. Even in the Imperial Palace, where experts were as numerous as clouds, not many could receive this sword strike.

However, this sword light had only just been unleashed when it suddenly collapsed.

That tall body also seemed as if it had been punched in the face, suddenly falling backward onto the ground.

He did not even have time to let out a scream before his breathing stopped.

Because his throat had been crushed.

Crushed by two fingers.

"I killed several people who used this set of sword techniques four hundred years ago. That such an obvious flaw could still be passed down for four hundred years is truly strange."

Gao Shulu withdrew his two slender, jade-like fingers, his tone still carrying confusion.

Gu Jiantang, Chen Zhibao, and other experts all had grave expressions.

Gao Shulu killed the Zhao Family's patronized expert with such understatement, as simply as eating or drinking, without using a shred of extra effort.

Although they could also defeat that old man, they definitely could not end the battle within thirty moves, and wanting to kill the opponent was even more difficult.

Perhaps this Gao Shulu was indeed a candle in the wind, but just based on this discernment and grasp of the timing, it was not something they could compare to.

"Because the number of people in the world who can see the flaw in that sword strike can be counted on one's fingers. To outsiders, it is a flawless sword strike, but it just happened to encounter you." An ethereal heavenly sound suddenly rang out.

"Murong Tonghuang!" A flash of fanatical fighting spirit crossed Gao Shulu's world-weary eyes; he spun his body and immediately caught sight of a graceful figure with a rosy and moon-like charm.

"Well come!"

As the words boiling with fighting spirit fell, Gao Shulu tapped lightly on the ground with his toes.

Boom!

Boom, boom, boom!

It was as if a hundred elephants were trampling on the ground.

The hard white jade floor could not withstand the immense crushing force; large patches of spiderweb cracks spread out, shattering one after another, and were then carried by a violent gust of wind, transforming into a white dragon assembled from white jade slabs, hissing and roaring as it lunged toward Yu Liancheng with claws and fangs bared.

Yu Liancheng stood still, his expression not changing in the slightest.

Whoosh!

Just as the white jade dragon was about to grab Yu Liancheng, Yu Liancheng had already appeared before the white jade dragon, tapping lightly on the dragon's forehead with his fingertip.

The power of "Broken," containing the ultimate destructive force, was sent out.

Consequently, the stone dragon let out a mournful cry as if it had a soul; amidst crackling sounds, it exploded with a boom, and stone fragments shot out in all directions like a violent storm.

The power of these stones, imbued with "Broken," was quite considerable; had Gu Jiantang not seen the signs and joined forces with several top experts to block a wave, I fear two-thirds of the high-ranking officials and dignitaries of the Liyang Imperial Court would have been wiped out.

Then, a crystal-clear, fair palm silently pierced through the void and pressed toward Yu Liancheng's chest.

Yu Liancheng likewise raised a palm, as if capable of holding up the blue sky and resisting all impacts from heaven and earth, slowly meeting it.

Boom!

The two palms collided.

The force of the energy exploded like continuous thunder.

Layers of gales were whipped up, sand and stones flew, the sky grew dim, and the sun and moon lost their light.

Yet the two did not fall into the most dangerous and purest contest of Internal Force; they separated upon contact.

"Originally a spectator off-stage, yet in the blink of an eye, I've come on stage to perform. But since I am performing, it must be done brilliantly."

Yu Liancheng landed on a palace, a trace of fighting spirit emerging in his eyes.

With a tap of his toes, his whole body erupted with the immense power to split mountains and break cliffs; the magnificent palace rapidly disintegrated and collapsed under his great strength, bricks and stones pouring down like a torrent. He himself transformed into a black lightning bolt, killing toward the Forget-Worry Person from eight hundred years ago.

"Come, fellow performer. Let me see just how many tricks a top martial artist from four hundred years ago has."

In fact, Yu Liancheng had previously inquired of Imperial Prince Zhao Wu precisely because he wanted to learn the whereabouts of the Forget-Worry Person.

Unfortunately, the existence of Gao Shulu was too secretive, and Zhao Wu was unaware.

Yet he did not expect that he would only come out to watch a show, and the other party would take the initiative to find him.

"Just as I wish, this play must be sung with gusto." The Forget-Worry Person let out a long roar to the sky, shook his arms, and stirred up boundless killing intent. Stomping his foot fiercely, his figure turned into electricity, charging head-on toward Yu Liancheng.

The battle resumed.

Bang bang bang bang bang bang!

The figures of the two were incomparably fast, with afterimages filling the sky and earth.

Among the civil and military officials and the Imperial Palace experts present, only a few, such as Gu Jiantang and Cao Qingyi, could truly capture the figures of the two.

One was the Forget-Worry Person from four hundred years ago, the other was the current Murong Wudi, who occupied both top spots. Such a battle could almost be compared to the initial battle at the East Sea.

Of course, that is only to say it could be compared.

But it was by no means as soul-stirring or grand in scale as the battle at the East Sea.

The reason is simple: this Forget-Worry Person, at his peak, was at most an expert on the same level as Wang Xianzhi. And having slept for four hundred years, neither breathing nor eating, he had not absorbed the power of heaven and earth; even though he had become a small world unto himself, as time passed, his vitality faded and his shell decayed.

Although this process was extremely slow, four hundred years had passed after all. The current Forget-Worry Person could be considered a spent force, a candle in the wind.

Conversely, Yu Liancheng's strength was constantly improving, and he had previously advanced to the Heavenly Phenomenon Realm, making further progress on top of his already high attainments.

With one waning and the other waxing, Yu Liancheng could actually crush this Forget-Worry Person through pure realm superiority; it was guaranteed that in no more than twenty or thirty moves, he could scatter his soul.

The reason Gao Shulu had not yet been defeated was that the two were currently engaged more in a contest of technique and experience.

Each move might not be full of power, but it was certainly complex and profound—all of them mysterious moves that ordinary experts could hardly reach in a lifetime. Learning just three or four such moves, combined with a certain foundation of Internal Force, would be enough to create a great reputation in the Edo, just like Wen Busheng.

Therefore, Cao Guanzi took the initiative to leave Gu Jiantang and the others behind, standing on the palace ridge with Jiang Si to watch the battle, occasionally explaining it to the Western Chu princess, whose realm was quite high but whose eye for detail and experience were still insufficient.

Gu Jiantang and the other Liyang experts were naturally happy to do so, hiding on the side to watch the excitement.

Such a battle between peerless experts was rare, and it was of great benefit to them as well.

Only the Zhao Family Emperor, the Empress, and the Fourth Imperial Prince Zhao Zhuan, who was about to be named Crown Prince, had slightly ugly expressions.

A few days ago, the First Imperial Prince Zhao Wu had died at the hands of Murong Tonghuang.

Now, the enemy who killed his son and brother was right in front of them, but these three people, who held the great power of the world, seemed to be able to do nothing to the other party.

The Zhao Family Emperor's face was gloomy; after pondering for a moment, he casually summoned Liu Haoshi and whispered a few words to this gatekeeper, who nodded respectfully.

"Truly a terrifying martial artist. In the last few decades, I have only fought with that scholar named Cao Changqing, and I thought he was already a peerless talent. I did not expect there to be you, Wang Xianzhi, and an even more magnificent Murong Tonghuang." The young eunuch's large sleeves fluttered, a smile on his lips.

Wang Xianzhi, beside the young eunuch, glanced at the former indifferently: "How long have you been in the Imperial Palace?"

"Since the beginning of the Liyang founding, I have been serving in Sui An Cheng; at that time, this city had not yet been renamed Taian City. For these two hundred-plus years, I have seen many lives and deaths; those who sat on the dragon throne and those who wanted to sit on it, those who studied, and those who carried swords and wore armor, all died, and even their grandsons' grandsons died, yet I am still alive."

The young eunuch smiled: "I absorb Dragon Qi to nourish my Qi and Blood essence so as to live long without decay. I have no thoughts of ascension; life and death are only in this world. The emperors of past dynasties knew of my existence, but we almost never met. After all, it is somewhat embarrassing for a thief to run into the master of the house."

Wang Xianzhi's tone carried a faint mockery: "If living is just living, then it is better to die. Although your cultivation is high, you will never be a match for me and Murong Tonghuang. If you were to fight one-on-one with the current Cao Changqing, you might not be able to win either. Take care of yourself."

Having said that, he drifted away.

The young eunuch looked at Wang Xianzhi's back, his gaze distant: "Witnessing the changing of the world and overlooking the changes in the human realm, isn't that also a very meaningful thing? Hehehe."

Boom, boom, boom!

Thunder shook violently above the Imperial Palace.

The two figures separated upon contact; Gao Shulu flew backward like a cannonball, crashing into the white jade floor and plowing a long trench.

His clothes were torn, his chest stained with blood, and his chest heaved violently, yet his calm and composed expression carried a trace of fatigue.

The previous lightning-fast exchange was mostly about technique and experience, but the consumption of physical strength and energy was extraordinary, and now he could no longer bear it.

Yu Liancheng descended from the sky, looking calmly at this Forget-Worry Person.

Gao Shulu slowly stood up and looked slightly up at Murong Tonghuang: "I call myself the Forget-Worry Person, yet I have never truly forgotten worry like a Heavenly Human. If I had, I would not have slaughtered the Edo for ten years. Have you ever forgotten worry?"

"Living in this world, there is always something to carry. If one truly forgets worry, then one is no different from grass or trees." Yu Liancheng smiled faintly.

Gao Shulu said: "That is not wrong, but it is a pity that only fighting and killing can make me forget worry. When I slaughtered the Edo back then, some called me a Demon, but since I carried a sword into the Edo, I had to be prepared to have my head chopped off by someone else's sword. Haha, a fine head is but one sword stroke away."

"It's just that pure slaughter is sometimes boring. Now, at last, there is someone who can let me enjoy the pleasure of fighting. It's a pity..."

"You're not fighting anymore?" Yu Liancheng felt Gao Shulu's fighting spirit gradually extinguishing and raised an eyebrow.

"Not fighting anymore. If I continue, my last bit of divine intent will be worn away, and then there will truly be no Forget-Worry Person, Gao Shulu. I have an agreement with someone that I haven't finished yet; if I die just like this, I'm afraid I'll be spat upon." Gao Shulu waved his hand.

"An agreement? An agreement with whom?" Yu Liancheng asked in confusion.

"He has come."

The World's Second, that ruffian, drifted over, looked at Gao Shulu, and said indifferently: "Let's go."

"Very well."

Thereupon, the two left together.

However, before leaving, the two each left a sentence for Yu Liancheng.

"Murong Tonghuang, rest assured, the battle between you and me today is not yet over."

"During the Qingming Festival, I will come to find you."

The first sentence was from Gao Shulu.

The second sentence was from Wang Xianzhi.

And just as Yu Liancheng was pondering these two sentences, footsteps thundered across Baiyu Square.

From the east, west, and south sides, the Imperial Guards charged in in a mighty force, surrounding Yu Liancheng.

At the same time, experts such as Gu Jiantang, Chen Zhibao, the ancestor of the Wu Family, and the Green-Phrased Prime Minister Zhao Danping drifted over, simultaneously sealing off all sides of Yu Liancheng. Only Liu Haoshi remained to guard the Emperor, in case of any unforeseen events.

Yu Liancheng raised his head, looked around, waved his sleeves, and said, "My play is finished; you all need not worry about me. Cao Qingyi is standing right there, go and beat him up."

Cao Guanzi, however, chuckled and said, "Mr. Murong is the one performing the play now; allow me to be a spectator for a while."

Yu Liancheng changed the subject and said, "I wonder if Cao Qingyi has heard the saying that an enemy's enemy is a friend. Why don't we join forces and wipe out the Zhao Family in one fell swoop today? The throne rotates; today it is my turn. That little girl beside you has the bearing of a Female Emperor, and I support her to be the one in charge."

Cao Qingyi smiled and said nothing.

The Western Chu princess beside him secretly made a face at Yu Liancheng.

"Murong Tonghuang, take this blade!"

Worried that Yu Liancheng might say something even more treasonous, Gu Jiantang drew the saber at his waist.

This blade was named "Nanhua," a treasure from the Dongyue Imperial Palace. It was no lie to call it a Symbol Sword, as it had been blessed by layers of Talismans from generations of Dongyue Daoist Canon National Masters. It was world-renowned and, together with the Wudang Symbol Sword Shentu, was known as the "Twin Symbols."

Wind and thunder rose as the blade was drawn.

The Square-Inch Thunder, which originally only bloomed when the blade was sheathed, erupted with purple light the moment it was drawn, sweeping toward Murong Tonghuang.

Chen Zhibao, wearing a red python robe, spun his spear; the Plum Wine turned purple, and then the spear thrust out like a dragon, with the momentum of the surging and overturning waters of the Guangling River.

White horse, silver spear, Plum Wine; who in the world can be his match?

Although this white-clad Military Immortal had not inherited the Luck of the Longshu monk to become a Three Teachings Saint as in the original path, his cultivation was likewise not to be underestimated.

The Wu Family ancestor waved his sleeve, and eight hundred Wu Family Flying Swords surged forth like a dark cloud, shrouding Yu Liancheng, piercing the sky, and whistling as they shot out.

The immortal-looking Zhao Danping flipped his palm, revealing a small sword. He bit the tip of his tongue and spat blood onto the small sword; the small sword turned red and shot toward Yu Liancheng as a streak of red light.

"One wave has not settled, and another rises." Yu Liancheng smiled slightly, his palm drifting and guiding like a butterfly amidst the blade light and spear shadows. Chen Zhibao and Gu Jiantang suddenly felt that their good companions of over ten years had lost their aim, and each veered to the side.

Clang!

The Symbol Sword Nanhua and the silver spear Plum Wine collided.

The Square-Inch Thunder exploded, and a sheet of lightning flashed.

Chen Zhibao retreated repeatedly, his robes scorched black by the lightning, blood spilling from his mouth, hair smoking, looking disheveled; he no longer possessed the grace of the white-clad Military Immortal.

Gu Jiantang fared slightly better, but he was also nearly pierced through the chest by Plum Wine, and he still felt a lingering fear.

Following this, Yu Liancheng threw another punch, causing the space in front of him to tremble; the eight hundred Flying Swords shattered into pieces, and the Wu Family ancestor had blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, his face deathly pale.

Finally, Murong Tonghuang flicked his finger, hitting the blood-stained small sword that was but three inches from his chest. The small sword flew back, piercing through Zhao Danping's chest, leaving his life or death unknown.

"I originally only intended to watch the play, but one must be courteous and reciprocate. You do the first, and I will do the fifteenth. Therefore..."

Yu Liancheng opened his palm, and a bead the size of a grain of rice appeared in it.

"I also want to give you Zhao Family a gift."

PS: Ahem, I slacked off yesterday, but I finished eight thousand today.