Great Li Martial God

"The Divine Constable even personally stood watch on the night of the full moon, and he too was affected, waking unconscious the following day."

"The Qingxuan Temple could make nothing of it, and eventually had that section of the dark pool sealed off, with word of the matter forbidden from spreading."

The Hidden Intelligence Bureau agent outside the window continued his account unhurriedly, and glanced at the room before him. Finding it silent again, his eyes shifted faintly, and he pressed on, "Though the Qingxuan Temple has suppressed the news, word of it has still quietly circulated among the common people of Taixuan City. This subordinate, in the course of collecting intelligence in Great Xuan, has also gone to investigate."

"And it was upon investigation that this subordinate discovered the dark pool in the Qingxuan Temple holds yet another secret."

At that point, Li Musheng's voice came through the room, carrying a note of impatience, "Less talk. Get to the point."

At those words, the agent collected himself and replied at once, "This subordinate slipped into the Qingxuan Temple and found that the true qi of heaven and earth near that dark pool is far denser than the surrounding area, beyond comparison. And within the pool's water there is a faint but deeply alarming presence."

"This subordinate had only to approach the edge of the pool before the true qi in his meridians began flowing in reverse, nearly destroying his cultivation entirely."

"Although this subordinate did not dare get any closer and retreated immediately, based on what I observed, I believe the bottom of that pool very likely conceals an extraordinary martial divine treasure. Nothing less could produce such an effect."

Inside the room, Li Musheng fell into quiet contemplation.

But on the windowsill, the large black cat's eyes lit up immediately. The words "martial divine treasure" from the agent's mouth had clearly caught its interest.

"Enough. I have taken note of this. If you have nothing else to say, you may leave."

Li Musheng glanced toward the window, having no further interest in dealing with the Hidden Intelligence Bureau agent outside.

Though what the agent had described about the Qingxuan Temple was genuinely somewhat interesting, whether it was true or false had yet to be confirmed. He would consider going to investigate only when he happened to have time and nothing better to do.

And hearing Li Musheng's dismissal, the Hidden Intelligence Bureau agent's expression shifted rapidly, but he did not leave immediately. He hesitated, then said, "Your Highness, there is actually another matter this subordinate came to report tonight."

He then told Li Musheng about the Director of the Hidden Intelligence Bureau going missing inside the palace, and earnestly begged Li Musheng to lend his assistance.

"If you want me to act, the price is not cheap. One half-credible piece of information is nowhere near enough."

Li Musheng's voice drifted through, unhurried. Daoist Qingye, after all, had paid with one key to the Tianqi Secret Treasury and the Longevity Scripture to have Li Musheng personally rescue Daoist Qingyu.

By any reasonable measure, the Director of the Hidden Intelligence Bureau was no lesser figure than Daoist Qingyu. Expecting Li Musheng to act for less than an equivalent price was simply wishful thinking on the part of this Hidden Intelligence Bureau agent.

At those words, a look of disappointment crossed the agent's eyes.

But he naturally had no way to compel Li Musheng to act, and dared not make any appeal to duty. He could only let out a sigh, look at the room before him for a moment, and with a bow of farewell withdraw reluctantly.

Back inside the room, the large black cat's eyes flickered with obvious interest. The agent's words about the martial divine treasure had its paws tingling.

Li Musheng caught this from the corner of his eye and said, "The snake that swallows an elephant is never satisfied. You are a cat. Do not be so endlessly greedy and want everything. It will be the end of you one day."

At those words, the large black cat's round green eyes rolled in every direction, but it let out a meow and in the end did not act rashly, returning to sprawling on the windowsill in the posture of dedicated sleep.

...

The failure to move Li Musheng to act did not come as much of a surprise to the agents.

But with no other options available, all they could do was continue relying on the Hidden Intelligence Bureau's own organization within Taixuan City, working from their own strength to search for the Director.

As for whether they would ultimately succeed, there was nothing left to do but do their part and leave the rest to fate.

One night passed, and the locked-down Taixuan City remained as deceptively peaceful as ever, as though nothing significant was underway.

But less than a day later, the look of the city changed suddenly and completely.

Armored and armed soldiers of the Great Xuan court began flooding into the streets and alleys in wave after wave. In no time at all, fighting broke out across the city in every direction, with the sound of boots and hooves and ringing steel unceasing.

The common people of the imperial capital cowered behind closed doors. Every shop front on the streets was shut and barred, and no one dared venture out. The inns and eateries saw virtually no customers.

"The Great Xuan imperial family is tearing itself apart. According to what our people inside the court have passed back, today, while the various princes were keeping the vigil for the late Emperor, the Crown Prince who has not yet been formally enthroned launched a sudden attack."

"Of the fifteen princes, twelve were poisoned or stabbed to death. Only three survived, barely, with the protection of powerful experts at their side."

"Once word spread, the Great Xuan court was thrown into turmoil. Various court ministers, generals, and the forces behind the surviving princes rose in furious retaliation, directing and manipulating the troops garrisoned around the imperial capital to rebel and push into Taixuan City, intending to besiege the Great Xuan imperial palace and depose the Crown Prince."

Inside the inn, the proprietor and a number of Hidden Intelligence Bureau agents had gathered together, all of them wearing unusual expressions.

The upheaval in the Great Xuan court that day had clearly caught them off guard as well. Zhao Kuang's move had been entirely beyond everyone's expectations.

By any logic, the Great Xuan throne was already as good as his. While the other princes were some degree of obstacle, they posed no truly serious threat to him.

There was no reason for Zhao Kuang to harbor such murderous intent, to the point of wanting to wipe out every single prince entirely.

And the haste of it, unable even to wait a few days after the late Emperor's death before striking.

"Even so, the upheaval in the Great Xuan imperial family is, from our perspective, actually good news. They will be occupied with internal affairs for some time and unlikely to give much thought to moving against Great Li."

The inn proprietor spoke slowly. The day's events in the Great Xuan imperial capital had naturally been passed back to the Hidden Intelligence Bureau in Great Li at the first available moment.

The matter of the Director of the Hidden Intelligence Bureau's disappearance had also been included, with a request for support from the court.

But with the time a message would take to travel there and back, they genuinely did not know whether any help the court sent would arrive in time.

Just as the inn proprietor and the others were quietly discussing all of this, the inn's tightly shut front door was suddenly pushed open by someone rushing in.

Great Xuan's Seventh Princess Zhao Muning, disguised as a servant, stepped quickly into the inn supporting a young man with a broad-brimmed hat, then immediately turned and pulled the door shut behind her.

The inn's main hall had no customers at the time. A startled attendant came rushing out from the back at the sound, only to find Zhao Muning scanning the surroundings with a sharp, alert gaze before speaking in a low, firm voice, "Two upper-floor rooms. Quickly."

The young man behind her was pale-faced and disheveled, clearly extremely weakened, and was only managing to stay upright because Zhao Muning had a hand supporting him.

"Elder Sister, I feel like I am not going to make it. Don't stay on my account. I will only drag you down with me."

The young man spoke in a barely audible voice, and in the next instant closed his eyes and looked ready to pass out and collapse.