Great Li Martial God

The several hall masters from the demonic sects closed in and surrounded the woman in black on the street, locking onto her aura completely.

In a Taixuan City under curfew with patrols of Great Xuan court soldiers moving through the streets at all times, no ordinary city resident would be out wandering around this late for no reason.

"What are you doing out here?"

One of the demonic sect hall masters fixed his eyes on the woman in black with a cold, killing-intent-laden gaze and spoke.

"I am here to help you, naturally."

The woman in black spoke with a flat, expressionless face.

Had Cao Gaoshan or the others been present, they would have recognized her at once. She was the Inviting Moon Palace's First Palace Mistress Wenyue, whom they had encountered just days before.

"Help us?"

At those words, one of the three demonic sects' hall masters let out a cold laugh and narrowed his eyes, "Do you know who we are?"

The Inviting Moon Palace's First Palace Mistress made no reply, only swept the group with a glance and said, "I have heard that you are looking for a Demonic Core."

As she spoke, Wenyue slowly raised a hand and opened her palm, displaying what she was holding to the hall masters before her.

In the next instant, every pair of eyes in the group widened sharply. Even their breathing quickened, and they all cried out involuntarily, "A Demonic Core."

Without a moment's hesitation, every one of them immediately struck out to seize the Demonic Core from Wenyue's hand.

But the several demonic sect hall masters had barely raised their hands when their expressions all changed at once, their bodies went limp, and they crumpled to the ground in a heap.

"You are..."

They stared up at the Inviting Moon Palace's First Palace Mistress with looks of horror spreading across their faces.

Not only had every bit of strength left their bodies, but the demonic true qi within them had dissipated almost instantly. They were completely helpless.

Wenyue only swept a dispassionate glance over the people on the ground, "You guessed correctly. I am the First Palace Mistress of the Inviting Moon Palace."

But she appeared to have no intention of taking any of their lives. She closed her hand over the Demonic Core and said, "I want to make a deal with your three demonic sects. If you want to live, then lead the way."

At those words, the collapsed hall masters all showed expressions of startled uncertainty, but in their current state they naturally had no power to refuse.

Refusing would simply be asking for death.

"As long as the Great Palace Mistress spares our lives, we will agree to anything."

The hall masters all called out weakly without delay, and with great difficulty began trying to push themselves off the ground.

But they had barely gotten halfway up before pitching back down face-first.

Having lost every bit of their cultivation and with their bodies drained of strength, they could not even manage to stand.

Seeing this, Wenyue gave a casual wave of her hand, and a faint breeze drifted across the faces of the fallen hall masters.

The next moment, a surge of returning energy went through each of them. Feeling as though some strength had been restored, they finally managed with effort to drag themselves to their feet.

The hall masters exchanged a look, their expressions unreadable, then turned and began walking off into the night street, saying as they went, "Please follow us, Great Palace Mistress."

Wenyue said nothing further and simply followed at an unhurried pace behind the hall masters as they led her deeper into the dark streets and alleys.

About half an hour later, led by the hall masters, Wenyue arrived at the three great demonic sects' base of operations.

At this point, the Sun and Moon Demonic Empress was in seclusion recovering from her wounds, the Blood River Patriarch was performing his blood arts, and only the Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master remained to oversee things.

The Inviting Moon Palace's First Palace Mistress had made no attempt to hide her presence. The moment she followed the three hall masters into the demonic lair, word reached the Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master without delay.

Before long, a crowd of demonic experts who had heard the news gathered in the underground space, surrounding the Inviting Moon Palace's First Palace Mistress in the center, every one of them radiating killing intent.

"The First Palace Mistress of the Inviting Moon Palace. Interesting."

The Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master, seated on his stone seat, regarded Wenyue from above with eyes hidden beneath his hood, and asked slowly, "I hear you wish to make a deal with our demonic world?"

At those words, Wenyue gave a slight nod, her expression composed, "I was told your three sects have collected eight Demonic Cores, and now need only one more to complete the nine."

"And as it happens, I have the last Demonic Core you need."

The Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master said nothing. The cold eyes beneath the hood watched Wenyue with an unreadable expression, "You came to our demonic world's stronghold alone. Who gave you that courage?"

"Or have you forgotten that there is no need for me to make a deal with you? Taking the Demonic Core from your body by force would produce the same result."

Wenyue, surrounded by a crowd of demonic experts in the center, remained entirely composed. She shook her head gently, "The three demonic sects' access to information is not lacking. Have you perhaps forgotten what the Inviting Moon Palace is best known for?"

At those words, the demonic experts who had been surrounding her all went momentarily blank, then changed expression sharply and immediately backed away in haste.

They had not thought carefully enough at first, and had assumed that with the three demonic sects' combined numbers, subduing one woman was the simplest thing imaginable.

But they had clearly overlooked the fact that the Inviting Moon Palace's specialty was poison and intoxicants, and in particular the Thousand Fragrance Sinew-Softening Powder, a name that commanded dread throughout the entire martial world.

Even so, Wenyue showed no sign of actually reaching for any weapon. She simply looked at the Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master with calm steadiness, "Furthermore, the Demonic Core is still in my possession. I could destroy it at any time. I trust that the three demonic sects do not wish to end up with nothing to show for all of this."

At those words, the Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master fell silent, appearing to consider what Wenyue had said.

The surrounding demonic experts showed unsettled expressions, and several of the more bloodthirsty elders among them were practically on the verge of attacking Wenyue outright.

"Everyone stand down."

At last, the Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master gave a slow wave of his hand, his voice carrying no discernible emotion, "By any reasoning, the seven major sects are bound together in common cause and have always done everything in their power to prevent us from opening the Demonic Patriarch's legacy."

"And yet here you are, the First Palace Mistress of the Inviting Moon Palace, apparently willing to betray the righteous path and deal with us. Are you not afraid word of this will reach the other orthodox sects?"

Not a trace of anything crossed Wenyue's face. She shook her head with cool composure, "Having decided to come here, I naturally do not care about such things. Threatening me on those grounds will not work."

"If you have time for that, it would be better spent discussing the terms of our deal."

At those words, the Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master let out a sound like a wailing ghost in laughter, "Ha ha... most interesting. Truly most interesting."

In an instant, a cold wind howled through the underground space, and the Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master's voice seemed to come from every direction at once, "Tell me. What do you want in exchange for the Demonic Core in your hand?"

Wenyue's eyes stayed on the black-robed figure wreathed in yin energy on the stone seat, and she spoke without hurrying, "The terms are simple. I will hand over the Demonic Core and join your three sects in opening the Demonic Patriarch's legacy."

"But I have one condition. I want every demonic art the Demonic Patriarch left within the Demonic Cores."

At those words, a ripple of unusual expressions passed through the assembled demonic experts from the three sects.

"A sect master of the righteous seven major sects, asking for demonic arts?"

"Is she planning to enter the demonic path? Or is this treachery, and once she has the Demonic Patriarch's techniques, she intends to study ways to counter them and use them against the three demonic sects?"

On his stone seat, the Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master paid the murmuring around him no attention.

In the next moment, the ghost-wailing laughter in the surrounding air cut off abruptly, "Your terms are not excessive. But I find myself curious about something: why are you doing this?"

At those words, Wenyue shook her head slowly, "That is no concern of yours."

But even as the words left her mouth, her eyes shifted and she narrowed them slightly, "Of course, if you are truly that curious, when the Demonic Cores are opened, you may find out why then."

The Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master on his stone seat said nothing. The icy, malevolent gaze under the darkness of his hood fixed on Wenyue, and the temperature throughout the entire underground space dropped sharply.

Wenyue simply continued to stand exactly where she was, entirely unmoved.

After a moment, the Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master seemed to consider the danger of the Thousand Fragrance Sinew-Softening Powder, or perhaps the risk that Wenyue might truly destroy the Demonic Core, and finally gave a slow nod, "I accept your terms."

At those words, Wenyue, dressed in her fitted black attire, showed no sign of surprise, "Now that my Demonic Core is added to the count, all nine are complete. When do the three demonic sects plan to open the Demonic Patriarch's legacy?"

The Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master looked at Wenyue, and shook his head, "There is no hurry. The Sun and Moon Demonic Empress and the Blood River Patriarch are both still in seclusion, and opening all nine Demonic Cores also requires an appropriate demonic formation to be set up."

"The moment of opening will produce extraordinary phenomena, so a secure location must be found. But none of that needs to concern you. Our three sects have long since made preparations."

He then gave Wenyue a time frame: approximately three days from now would be the day the Demonic Cores were opened.

In the meantime, Wenyue would be required to remain in the lair under the observation of the three sects' experts.

"That is fine. But I suggest you not have any other ideas. Driving things to a point of mutual destruction would not be a result the three demonic sects could accept."

Wenyue seemed entirely unbothered by the requirement to stay in the demonic lair, and in fact seemed thoroughly confident.

She appeared to understand perfectly that the three demonic sects had invested enormous resources over countless years in their pursuit of the Demonic Cores, and had been waiting for this moment for longer than could easily be imagined. If the Demonic Cores were destroyed, everything the three sects had done would come to nothing.

The three demonic sects would therefore most likely not dare act against her and take an unnecessary risk of something going wrong.

"Be at ease. If the First Palace Mistress of the Inviting Moon Palace is truly willing to enter the demonic path, she would be a tremendous asset to us. We could not be more pleased."

The Ten Thousand Malice Demonic Sect Master gave a cold laugh. He had no fear of Wenyue playing tricks or coming here as an inside agent for the seven major sects.

The Sun and Moon Demonic Cult's base here was no ordinary place, and with the combined experts of three demonic sects gathered within it. If the seven major sects' people dared come, the three demonic sects could very well catch them all in one net, trapped like turtles in a jar.

...

The Great Xuan imperial palace.

White lanterns hung throughout every courtyard, mourning cloth draped across every surface. Whether consorts or palace maids and eunuchs, everyone had changed into mourning attire, and the entire palace was solemn and deathly still.

In a brightly lit palace hall, Zhao Kuang sat in plain mourning white on the dragon throne, diligently working through the pile of memorials the court had accumulated over the past few days, the same as he always had.

At that moment, the purple-robed Daoist and an elderly eunuch came to kneel outside the hall.

Zhao Kuang noticed their arrival and set down his brush at once, gesturing for them to approach.

"Any sign of my father?"

Zhao Kuang asked in a measured voice. His first question was still about whether the Great Xuan emperor was alive or dead.

Until his father was truly gone, there was no way he could have peace of mind.

At those words, the purple-robed Daoist shook his head, "Your Majesty, every part of the palace inside and out has been searched in the past few days, and all of the elderly eunuchs have been questioned. Nothing out of the ordinary has been found."

As he said this, the purple-robed Daoist hesitated, but continued to counsel, "Perhaps the matter of the late Emperor is truly something Your Majesty has been worrying about unnecessarily."

"Moreover, this poor Daoist believes that as long as Your Majesty secures the throne of Great Xuan, even if the late Emperor is truly still alive, it would be very difficult for him to shake Your Majesty's position."

At those words, Zhao Kuang frowned and said nothing.

His father was far more formidable than he was, both as the emperor of Great Xuan and as the cult master of a demonic sect, and with a body of powerful demonic arts behind him. There was no way he could be his father's match.

With that thought, he shifted his eyes to the other elderly eunuch and asked, "Has there been any reply from the Old Ancestor?"

The elderly eunuch gave a slight bow, "Your Majesty asked this servant to present the evidence to the Old Ancestor. The Old Ancestor has reviewed it. However, the Old Ancestor offered no judgment on the late Emperor, and only asked this servant to relay a message to Your Majesty: unless the very survival of the Great Xuan imperial palace is at stake, Your Majesty is not to disturb him."

At those words, Zhao Kuang's brow pressed deeper.

He had already taken the evidence of his father's collaboration with the demonic cult and reported it to the Old Ancestor, hoping the man would extend his support and protection, making Zhao Kuang the true power behind Great Xuan. That way, even if his father was still alive, the Old Ancestor's protection would render him unable to act.

But the Old Ancestor had been completely unmoved by his father's ties to the demonic world. That path was now clearly closed.

With this thought, Zhao Kuang's expression darkened. He immediately looked toward the purple-robed Daoist and asked, "Has the Daoist located the whereabouts of that Eighth Prince?"

These past days, Zhao Kuang had gone through every piece of intelligence on Li Musheng he could find.

To be honest, having read through the man's exploits, what he felt beyond shock was a deep and unsettling awareness of how vast the gulf between people could be.

If he himself had martial cultivation as terrifying as Li Musheng's, the Great Xuan throne would have been his long ago and his father would never have entered the picture.

What would the Demonic Patriarch's legacy matter? What would it matter being the cult master of a demonic sect? He would dismiss all of it without a second thought.

With the Longevity Scripture cultivated and two hundred years of life ahead of him, combined with martial cultivation of that kind, he would personally lead his armies into the field, sweep through the other four kingdoms, unify all under heaven, and go on to subdue the northern tribes and the lands beyond the sea. The Tianqi Emperor, celebrated as the greatest ruler in all of history, would end up ranked below him.