Chapter 342 262: Entering the Capital 2

"Have you been able to confirm Yuan Tianhao's specific condition?"

After a long moment, Seiichiro Shintani lowered his binoculars and asked the person behind him.

"His specific condition still can't be confirmed. But for someone at Yuan Tianhao's level, a miracle isn't out of the question. His refusal to show himself is a deliberate act of misdirection. It could be that he's unwell, or it could be a ploy to lure us into an attack so he can wipe out our experts in one fell swoop," the head of intelligence behind him said in a low voice.

"Don't bother me with these useless speculations. I need solid, irrefutable intelligence. I'm giving you three days. After three days, regardless of whether you've figured out Yuan Tianhao's exact condition, I will order the attack on Shangjing. However, at that time, I expect you to commit seppuku to apologize to the Emperor," Seiichiro Shintani said flatly.

"Yes, Commander!" the head of intelligence said with a solemn expression.

...

...

「Jinmen, Martial Arts Association Headquarters.」

"Word has come from the National Salvation Association. Their Three Generals have already set out with their elite forces, preparing to head to Shangjing in response to Yuan Tianhao's call to face the national crisis together," Zhao Xuanqi said, addressing the core members of the Martial Arts Association.

"The top schools of the World Hall have also replied. Their Harmony masters will likewise head to Shangjing."

"After all, that is the thousand-year capital of our Divine Land. How can we let it fall? Now that Lin Quelan and the other Warlords have withdrawn their armies back to their own territories, the awakened Yuan Tianhao is qualified to command the heroes of the realm. What are your plans?" the Heavenly Elder asked Zhao Xuanqi.

"I'm going to Shangjing," Zhao Xuanqi stated. "It's said that Yuan Tianhao has broken through the Divine General realm. If I get the chance, I want to meet him."

However, before he could depart, a Secret Envoy from the Beidou Army found him, carrying a personal letter from Yuan Tianhao stamped with the Grand Marshal's seal.

In the letter, Yuan Tianhao expressed his hope that Zhao Xuanqi would depart immediately and come to the Capital City in secret to meet with him.

"What is Marshal Yuan's current condition?" Zhao Xuanqi asked the Beidou Army's Secret Envoy, who was disguised as an old farmer.

"The Marshal's condition is completely sealed off from the outside world. Even we do not know the details," the Secret Envoy said, shaking his head.

Hearing the Secret Envoy's reply and looking at the letter in his hand, Zhao Xuanqi's eyes narrowed slightly. A few suspicions had already formed in his mind.

'It seems Yuan Tianhao's condition is probably not as good as one might imagine.'

'Otherwise, with the kind of spirit he's shown, he would never have used such a method to secretly invite me to the capital.'

Still, he greatly admired the man's Martial Dao and will. He had also heard that during the siege by experts, Yuan Tianhao had faintly touched upon *that* realm. With the Divine Land on the verge of collapse, this was an opportunity to ride the tide of events, and he had no intention of missing it.

"I will depart at once," Zhao Xuanqi replied.

After receiving his answer, the Secret Envoy gave Zhao Xuanqi a token and told him the secret contact point for the Beidou Army in Shangjing. He was to go there upon arrival, and someone would then lead him into the Yuan Mansion.

The Secret Envoy left. After explaining the situation to the Three Elders, Zhao Xuanqi secretly departed from Jinmen and headed for Shangjing.

The distance between Jinmen and Shangjing was not great. Zhao Xuanqi arrived in Shangjing that very night.

"Resist the Neon army! We swear to live or die with Shangjing!!"

In Shangjing, students were marching in the streets, holding banners and shouting slogans of resistance against Neon. It was unclear whether it was a spontaneous demonstration or an organized one.

But as he walked the streets of Shangjing, Zhao Xuanqi keenly sensed an atmosphere of desolation and tension pervading the Divine Land's thousand-year-old capital.

The streets, which should have been bustling with traffic and people, now seemed somewhat empty. Pedestrians were scarce, and many of the shops lining the roads were closed.

With the Neon army bearing down, anyone in Shangjing with the means to do so had already fled with their families. Zhao Xuanqi had recently noticed a significant increase in travelers in Jinmen, most of whom were evacuees from Shangjing.

Jinmen was likely safer than Shangjing. After all, Jinmen had the Six Countries Concession. Even with an army at the gates, those with means could retreat into the concession to seek asylum. The Neon army would not dare to completely break face with the other Five Nations by sending troops into the concession.

On one's own soil, a foreign concession was the safest place to be. It sounded absurd, but it was reality.

Zhao Xuanqi didn't linger. He had already used his body-altering abilities to change his appearance, disguising himself as an ordinary scholar. He quickly followed the Secret Envoy's information to a secret contact point established by the Beidou Army.

After presenting the token and revealing his identity, the person in charge of the contact point acted immediately. First, they found a Beidou Army uniform for Zhao Xuanqi to change into. Then, they had him enter the Yuan Mansion along with other personnel.

The rear courtyard of the Yuan Mansion was now heavily guarded. There even seemed to be some kind of Array set up in the courtyard, preventing even someone with Zhao Xuanqi's Spirit from perceiving the situation within.

After a Guard led him to the rear courtyard, he was received by a familiar face.

The Azure Dragon Star, Meng Dongtai.

However, the Meng Dongtai of this moment had long lost the imposing aura and arrogance he possessed when they first met. Now, one of his arms was missing, his face was pale, and his body seemed to have thinned. An expression of utter exhaustion showed in his eyes.

CRACK! CRACKLE!

After dismissing the Guards, a series of popping sounds echoed from Zhao Xuanqi's body. With a ripple of flesh and blood, he returned to his normal appearance.

A very complicated look flashed in Meng Dongtai's eyes as he looked at Zhao Xuanqi's familiar face.

'Back then, I could still consider him a rival,' he thought. 'But from now on, I'm afraid I'll never have the chance to catch up to him.'

Seeing the look on Meng Dongtai's face, Zhao Xuanqi understood what he was thinking but said nothing. Some trials and tribulations must be endured alone.

"Come with me. Adoptive Father is waiting for you," Meng Dongtai said to Zhao Xuanqi, then turned to lead the way.

"What is Yuan Tianhao's condition now?" Zhao Xuanqi asked.

"You'll know when you see him."

Meng Dongtai sighed faintly but didn't elaborate.

Soon, the two arrived before a pavilion.

"Adoptive Father, Mr. Zhao is here," Meng Dongtai knocked lightly on the door and spoke to the person inside.

"Come in."

A voice rang out from within the room. It was Yuan Tianhao's.

Zhao Xuanqi couldn't detect anything unusual in the voice.

CREAK!

Meng Dongtai then reached out, pushed the door open, and made an "after you" gesture to Zhao Xuanqi.

Zhao Xuanqi strode to the doorway and looked inside.

He saw Yuan Tianhao's tall figure sitting cross-legged on a cattail cushion in the center of the room. Multiple IV tubes were inserted into his skin, connected to several Western-style infusion devices surrounding him. The devices were not filled with ordinary saline, but with large bottles of Golden Willow Jade Liquid, which was being administered at an extremely high rate.

Yuan Tianhao's body had an unnatural flush. Around him, a total of seven large, crimson candles were burning. The flames were as vibrant as blood, flickering constantly and casting a strange, eerie light upon his body.

Zhao Xuanqi had already reached the Ghost God Realm, and he could tell at a glance that it wasn't the vast amount of Golden Willow Jade Liquid being pumped into his body that was keeping Yuan Tianhao alive, but those seven burning candles.

As the candles burned, they released a unique magnetic field. This field continuously stimulated the cells throughout Yuan Tianhao's body, acting like a powerful stimulant, forcing them to remain active and maintain his bodily functions.

"The Seven-Star Candles. Each one is refined from the Life Blood of my Seven-Star Life Palace, mixed with various precious Secret Medicines. This is a life-preserving Secret Transmission of my Beidou Sect. As long as the brain is not dead, it can sustain one's life—and even restore some strength—with a sufficient supply of nutrients, even if half the body is gone."

"However, when the Seven-Star Candles burn out, that will be the moment of my death."

"I... do not have long to live," Yuan Tianhao said to Zhao Xuanqi with a smile, his eyes holding not fear, but a single regret.