Chapter 120 The Conspiracy (part 4)

Han Wenyue sensed the fluctuation of Spiritual Qi, so he glanced outside the window. Feeling irritated, he asked, “What’s wrong? Where did that fluctuation come from? How can there be practitioners fighting in the Imperial Palace?”

historical

To the two Lieutenants of Regal Guards, fighting in the Imperial Palace during the middle of the night was an act of lawlessness. Anyone who dared to do so was asking for death!

Han Wenyue frowned before he could even finish his own sentence. He could sense the drastic expansion of the fluctuation since it appeared. Based on his judgment, there were at least a few mid-level Qi-refining masters fighting with their full strength. They shouldn’t be too far from here.

Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue both could see the shock in each other’s eyes. Just as they came out of the Sleeping Palace, a practitioner flew down and greeted them in a rush. Terrified, he reported to them, “I’ve discovered a huge group of cultivators and guards charging toward the Sleeping Palace!”

“There’re people charging toward the Sleeping Palace? Who have lost their mind and came to cause trouble in the Imperial Palace? Could they be planning on assassinating His Majesty?” Liu Xingshen couldn’t believe what he just heard, and his hands were trembling in anger.

“Do you know who our enemies are?” asked Han Wenyue in a deep voice.

“Not at the moment. All we know is that they started the assault from Xuanwu Gate. We weren’t aware of their movements until they entered the Imperial Palace and harmed our guards...” answered the messenger quickly.

“Outlaws! They’ll be dead in no time!” Liu Xingshen could no longer suppress his anger and was just about to make his move.

At the same time, another cultivator rushed into the yard and reported, “Sir! The situation has worsened! Thousands of cultivators and guards have fought into the Imperial City through Changle Gate! They are currently charging toward the Imperial Palace!”

Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue became speechless for a moment since such situation was unfamiliar to both of them. Maybe someone was indeed planning to overthrow the emperor? It seemed that the person was well-prepared, with attacks carried out in both the North and the South, and now they were already inside the Imperial Palace! How speedy!

Technically speaking, it would be impossible to break in without making a sound. After all, they must get through the Regal Guards in the first place.

The only way to make it work would be to have someone in Regal Guards cooperating with them!

With that thought, Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue both realized it was an operation meticulously planned beforehand!

“Someone’s planning a conspiracy against the throne!”

“Make sure the emperor’s guards are prepared!”

...

The five hundred people led by Li Maozhen only took control of Xuanwu Gate, and opened it for Li Ye. However, there were still Regal Guards and cultivators inside the Imperial Palace. Since it was a long way to the Sleeping Palace, Li Ye and his followers were engaged in an intense fight once they left Xuanwu Gate.

The guards from Prince An’s Manor followed Li Ye. Once they took over a location, some would be left in charge of it to ensure smooth communication between different locations while the main group charged forward. Leading the main group were the cultivators from Black Office, who were the main assault team of the night.

The guards fought against numerous masters incessantly, some were on the ground, while the others were flying in between walls and rooftops. Meanwhile, Li Ye proceeded in the midst of the crowd without starting any fight.

He hadn’t got a chance to fight. As the main figure of the conspiracy tonight, he wouldn’t fight so easily, either.

Raising his head, Li Ye squinted at the eaves of the Sleeping Palace as two immortal-looking people flew toward him with their hands behind the back. Below them were a massive group of cultivators running toward him as well.

Those two were none other than Liu Xingshen and Han Wenyue. Behind them were a dozen masters jumping in between rooftops toward Li Ye and his followers. The two of them kept their hands behind the back and overlooked everything happening beneath them all this time.

Despite not being able to see clearly their expressions, it wasn’t hard for Li Ye to imagine the arrogance on their faces.

Liu Xingshen spoke slowly in a voice as loud as thunder, “Li Ye! How dare you start such a rebellious operation and charge into the Imperial Palace! It seems that you don’t want to die alone, but in the company of all your followers! You had many options, yet if you are so determined to choose the path that will lead you to death and suffering, I shall fulfill your final wish!”

Han Wenyue snorted as he glanced at Li Ye, then flew toward the south. He was probably leaving to stop Li Yan.

Li Ye jumped onto the rooftop and stared at Liu Xingshen, said, “Liu Xingshen, you are addressed as a minister of the nation, yet you have always been a traitor, harming our nation and its people. Today shall be the day for me to behead you and make you pay for your sins!”

“Young lad! You are nothing but a defenseless ant to me, don’t think so highly of yourself! Do you really think that you could threaten me once you charged into the Imperial Palace with those people? I think you’ve been living in your own world for too long! Since I’m in a good mood today, I may as well put up a fight and kill you right here!”

Liu Xingshen pointed toward Li Ye with two fingers, and a streak of Sword Qi dashed toward Li Ye instantly!

He was using his fingers as his sword!

That was exactly the method Liu Xingshen had been cultivating.

The speed of his Sword Qi was so high that it left no trace in the air at all. When Li Ye had his sight on the Sword Qi, it was already pointing directly at his mid-brows. Facing such an aggressive attack, even a master at Level 8 of Qi-refining would take some time to react, let alone someone at Level 6!

When it came to Qi-refining, Liu Xingshen had reached the Great Completion of all nine levels. He only needed one more step to enter the Spiritual Master Realm. He could kill any ordinary cultivator at Level 8 by merely moving his fingers. With such unmatched strength, it was no surprise that he was confident, and even arrogant in front of the masters all over the world.

Li Ye had only reached Level 6 of Qi-refining, yet as the Sword Qi was right in front of his face, he suddenly unleashed overwhelming energy that could only be possessed by a cultivator at Level 8. Spiritual Wind roared around his body and his robe swayed in the wind, making him appear charismatic and elegant all of a sudden!

When Li Ye saw Liu Xingshen, he ate all three Golden Spiritual Pills that he got from Wei Baoheng’s treasury. They were just sufficient for his cultivation to improve by two realms, therefore enabling him to reach Level 8 of Qi-refining!

Meanwhile, Luke Sword was already in Li Ye’s hand. He pointed it forward with immense strength, clashing with the Sword Qi and creating a blast as deafening as thunder. Unleashed with the blast was the Spiritual Qi that immediately covered an area with a radius of more than 30 meters.

Sword Qi was shattered upon the impact, and Li Ye didn’t step back at all.

Liu Xingshen was taken aback at such an outcome. He knew very well the strength of his attack, and he obviously felt the level of cultivation within Li Ye’s attack. He snorted and said, “Level 8 of Qi-refining? It seems that you’ve taken the Golden Spiritual Pill.”

With the snort, he pointed again and release another streak of Sword Qi much more aggressive than the previous one toward Li Ye.

Song Jiao, Liu Dazheng, Mo Dongli, Zhao Polu and other masters from Prince An’s Manor were not idle either. They all jumped off the ground with other cultivators from Black Office and dashed toward Liu Xingshen.

Without looking at them, Liu Xingshen extended his fingers at Li Ye again. At the same time, about twenty masters from Regal Guards made their moves towards Song Jiao and the rest.

When the second streak of Sword Qi came at Li Ye, he felt immense danger approaching. It was way more superior to the first one in both speed and power, Li Ye wasn’t even confident that his Luke Sword could hit it accurately!

Li Ye clenched his jaw and placed Luke Sword in front of him. With a blast loud enough to shake the earth, his body flew backward and hit the attic behind him, causing it to collapse.

The third Sword Qi followed tightly afterward and penetrated the attic. Its terrifying power caused the entire attic to be shattered into debris.

Liu Xingshen started smiling scornfully, and said, “How can an ant win over the strength of the Sun and Moon? If you continue to fight with me, I bet you won’t even know how you would die!”

He frowned just as he finished his sentence. A feeling that chilled him to his bones started spreading all over him as if he was a prey to a viper. He turned in a rush and saw one green lotus blooming in front of his eyes.

With the blooming lotus, a streak of Sword Qi arrived in front of Liu Xingshen’s eyes. It had the power to penetrate one’s soul!

“How’s that possible?” Liu Xingshen’s expression changed and took a few steps back in a hurry. However, the Sword Qi kept getting closer to his mid-brows, as if his own shadow that will never leave him.

Now that he had a clearer look, he realized that in front of him was Li Ye himself holding onto his Luke Sword!

“How did you evade my third Sword Qi?” Liu Xingshen asked in surprise.

Li Ye didn’t plan to answer him.

He already sensed the third Sword Qi the moment he blocked the second one, so he used the momentum from the second Sword Qi to retreat to the attic and draw himself away from the third Sword Qi. Before the third Sword Qi could hit him, he then disappeared from the collapsing attic by maximizing the power of his Cloud-walking Boots.

Dust and darkness became the best camouflage for Li Ye. With his Sword Method of Sword Qi Born Lotus, his attack undoubtedly became even more unexpected, assaulting Liu Xingshen when he put his guard down.

However, Liu Xingshen didn’t fall for his move. He swung his sleeve and unleashed the Spiritual Wind that was both swift and fierce, forcing Luke Sword to divert away from his planned course slightly. It seemed Li Ye wouldn’t hit him this time.

Li Ye came up with his next move immediately. He kept Luke Sword before the impact of his attack could disperse fully, then used both the power of Cloud-walking Boots and the momentum of Liu Xingshen’s counter-attack to retreat before it was too late.

“Running away? It’s not that easy! You’re going to die here right now!” Liu Xingshen bellowed as he reached out his right hand that formed the shape of a claw. Shortly after, a giant claw formed with Spiritual Qi charged toward Li Ye with a sudden momentum.

With the power of Cloud-walking Boots, Li Ye managed to pull himself away from Liu Xingshen. However, when his claw emerged, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to run away from it no matter how far he could retreat.

Instead of rushing backward, Li Ye stepping onto the blue tile on the rooftop. His face turned even more solemn as he held Luke Sword in between his eyebrows. His eyes then unleashed a flash of blinding light as he shouted in a deep, loud voice, “Mountain of Green Lotus!”

Above the giant claw appeared impenetrable clouds and deafening thunder. With the emergence of boundless darkness, a mountain full of sword neither black nor green appeared in the sky, the Mountain of Green Lotus then fell straight down all of a sudden!

Liu Xingshen’s eyes looked even more serious now. When Li Ye applied the Sword Method of Sword Qi Born Lotus, he already felt an unprecedented amount of pressure upon him. Although he managed to break his technique, he could still feel the sharpness of the Sword Qi.

However, his previous attack was nothing compared to what he was witnessing right now. Liu Xingshen realized in disbelief that he shouldn’t underestimate the power of this attack even with his level of cultivation!

“How can that kid know such a powerful technique?” thought Liu Xingshen solemnly. He suddenly raised his other hand.

Since the beginning of their fight, it took such a short time for Liu Xingshen to change from attacking with his fingers to using his hands, from using one hand to using both hands, even he himself was surprised.

He never even thought that he would need both hands to fight him!