"Ahhhh—"

After the piercing howl came the explosive sound, and the flash of lightning streaking across the sky.

When the news of Qu Zhen's death reached Zhengtian Taoist's ears, he was thoroughly enraged. He immediately erupted with True Qi, rushing madly toward the place of Qu Zhen's death.

"A loss of dignity in one's final years, what is the point?"

With a soft sigh, Lin Zixiao cast away the last bit of affection in his heart and said coldly, "Is everything ready?"

"Those willing to follow the Dao Master are fully prepared, and those unwilling have been knocked unconscious."

A silhouette approached from behind to report to Lin Zixiao.

After all, they were from the same sect. Killing them might displease the others. Lin Zixiao could harden his heart to kill, but others might not be able to.

Thus, they had to be knocked unconscious.

"The people of the Shadow Pavilion are hiding very secretly. We must leave immediately," Lin Zixiao said.

Even among those who wanted to follow this Shenxiao Dao Master, there might be spies. Or it's better to say, it would be surprising if there wasn't someone among them passing information.

The best Lin Zixiao could do was to have trusted subordinates use Divine Sense to keep a close watch on them and leave without delay.

The person nodded and quietly withdrew to arrange the departure.

As for Lin Zixiao, he remained standing in place, unmoving, as if waiting for something, or perhaps merely enjoying the scenery.

After a long while, he finally spoke, "Ji Chengtian, are you not coming out?"

Unexpectedly, Lin Zixiao called for Ji Chengtian to come forth. And after this sentence landed, an emperor wearing the Five-Clawed Golden Dragon Robe appeared on the eaves above the terrace.

"How did you discover me?" Ji Chengtian asked with some surprise.

Before becoming emperor, he was a king in the shadows. When he first took control of the Shadow Pavilion, he carried out many assassinations and stealth missions.

Judging by stealth methods and strength, Ji Chengtian shouldn't have been discovered by Lin Zixiao.

"This poor Taoist didn't discover you; someone merely made this guess."

Lin Zixiao turned around, looking at that lofty figure. The sunlight shone on the Golden Dragon Imperial Robe, reflecting brilliant light, while that figure exuding emperor-like majesty was like a deity descended from heaven, hard to gaze upon.

"With your abilities, how could you not notice any clues? Now, only Zhengtian has taken action, it's too quiet," Lin Zixiao said indifferently.

Indeed, it was too quiet, not even a ripple was stirred.

After all, Qu Zhen was a disciple taken in by Imperial Princess Shengde, Ji Chengtian. He died, so why is there no reaction from the Imperial Palace?

Lin Zixiao didn't believe that the Shadow Pavilion's information was so closed off. The reason was simply because someone had already taken action.

"Brother Lin, you and I have cooperated for forty years, haven't we? Shenxiao Dao and the Shadow Pavilion have always had a close relationship, supporting each other. Why has it come to this?"

Ji Chengtian's expression couldn't hide the regret, "If Shenxiao Dao joined my dynasty, I would give you a status just under mine, reigning over ten thousand. If you are willing, the position of State Preceptor is yours. Why do you wish to leave?"

"You should know why I'm leaving. Otherwise, why would you erode Shenxiao Dao through Qu Zhen and Zhengtian?" Lin Zixiao retorted.

Precisely because he knew Lin Zixiao wouldn't submit, he tried to go a roundabout way. First, let all of Shenxiao Dao be loyal, then force Lin Zixiao to submit.

"But you still can't escape from the palm of my hand, and neither can Shenxiao Dao."

A world-shaking aura erupted completely. Ji Chengtian's tall figure seemed to rise infinitely, clearly an ordinary stance, yet emanating the aura of a towering giant.

This was Ji Chengtian's strength. Though he had not been the strongest for long, in terms of the Three Elements—Essence, Qi, and Spirit—he could rival some old predecessors.

"Shenxiao Dao can still leave."

Without any sound or hint of Qi Mechanism leaking, no one noticed his arrival until he spoke. When Ji Chengtian turned to look, he saw a snow-white figure standing in the air not far to the right.

His three thousand white hairs were tied up in a lotus crown, and the hem of his Daoist robe with white base and purple patterns fluttered in the wind, as if he might ride the wind at any moment.

"Empress Shengde, long time no see!" Qing Yu smiled slightly as he said this.

Indeed, it had been a long time. Although they had met in the Heavenly Vault and talked through the Thousand-Mile Mirror Light Array, meeting in person like today had been a few years.

"Qing Yu..." Ji Chengtian coldly looked at the uninvited white-haired Taoist, "It truly is you!"

The reason he had not acted was that he sensed a hand quietly pushing from behind, suspecting the person was probably Qing Yu.

Now, his suspicions confirmed, it was indeed Qing Yu.

"It is indeed this poor Taoist."

Qing Yu still smiled, "The disciples of Shenxiao Dao have already left through the underground passage. As for Daoist Lin, with me here, he can also leave. Empress Shengde, Shenxiao Dao can leave; you cannot stop them."

As the victor of this hidden contest, he could afford to smile. Even though Empress Shengde had foreseen Lin Zixiao's plan, it couldn't withstand Qing Yu stepping in directly.

Empress Shengde had focused too much on Lin Zixiao, or rather, she only valued Lin Zixiao.

But Lin Zixiao valued Shenxiao Dao even more. So he used himself as bait to attract Empress Shengde's attention.

As long as he was present, Empress Shengde did not care much about the movements of the others.

When Empress Shengde thought she understood Lin Zixiao's plan and came to block him, she discovered that Qing Yu had already quietly arrived at an unknown time.

Terrifying, terrifying, this former investment, too terrifying. The area was filled with Empress Shengde's True Qi, without missing a thing, yet Qing Yu silently approached in this situation, completely ignoring the detection of True Qi.

It was as if he was naturally one with the True Qi.

Though Empress Shengde's shock was subtle, it was still noticed by Qing Yu. To this, Qing Yu could only say that detecting his arrival was harder than defeating him.

With Qing Yu's mastery of Primordial Energy and True Qi, combined with absorbing the three strands of Mystic Energy left by the avatar in the Zhenwu Jade, as long as he didn't make a move, even if within a yard, Empress Shengde wouldn't notice.

"Unable to see the wood for the trees. I indeed placed too much importance on Lin Zixiao, or I should say, I feared you too much, making such a mistake."

The two locked eyes, confronting for a moment, as Empress Shengde self-deprecated in resignation.

When she suspected Qing Yu, intense fear rose within her heart.

Qing Yu was indeed too strange. When he first interacted with the Shadow Pavilion, he was merely Innate, yet to the Shadow King then, he was nothing more than an ant that could be crushed easily.

But now, Qing Yu was the True Martial Dao Jun of the Taoist sect, ranked sixth on the Heavenly List, and allied with Northern Zhou and the Demon Sect.

Combining such power and influence, it exceeded that of once lofty Ji Chengtian. With someone like this, Ji Chengtian's dread was anything but excessive.

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