Chapter 93 Assassination, Trouble

The night was serene and tranquil.

In a small courtyard within Weiyang Palace, it was quiet and secluded.

Inside a room, Wang Ying sat on a Master’s Chair, comfortably soaking his feet. A young eunuch crouched in front of him, reaching into the wooden basin and kneading his pale feet, which bore marks typical of a corpse.

Behind him, a Palace Maid gently massaged his shoulders.

With two-pronged action, Wang Ying’s entire body relaxed, pores opening, as his eyes half-closed. His feet, soaking in the hot water, suddenly straightened, and he hummed comfortably from his nostrils.

One of the windows was open, and the cool evening breeze dried the sweat on Wang Ying’s face due to the foot soak.

He beckoned, and the Palace Maid massaging his shoulders stopped immediately, plucking a grape from a fruit basket nearby. She skinned it, placed it between her lips, and fed it into Wang Ying’s mouth.

"It’s the third watch of the night..."

A eunuch outside called out the time, and Wang Ying waved his hand.

The Palace Maid moved to close the window.

The eunuch also stopped massaging his feet, fetched a towel, and diligently dried Wang Ying’s feet. Finally, he flicked the towel onto the wooden basin, bent over, carried the basin, and left the room with the Palace Maid, closing the door behind them.

The series of motions was performed with practiced skill.

Wang Ying put on his shoes yet did not immediately go to bed. Instead, he pulled out from under the bed a wooden box about half a meter long, thirty centimeters wide, and roughly twenty centimeters high.

The wooden box was locked. Wang Ying fumbled in his bosom for a key, unlocked it, and opened the box.

Once opened, the box was filled with jewels, silver notes, and gold leaves.

Wang Ying bent down, sniffing along the edge of the box, taking a deep breath. He felt elated, as if having smoked opium, then took out a fifty-tael silver note from his bosom, and put it inside.

Only then did he go to close the box. Just as he was about to lock it.

The door was suddenly knocked upon.

Wang Ying’s expression changed. He hurriedly hid the wooden box under the bed, covered it with some miscellaneous items, and then, in a high-pitched voice, said, "Who is it?"

There was no response, yet the knocking became even louder.

"Is it Xiaoqinzi or Bing’Er?" Without much thought, Wang Ying went to the door and opened it.

But outside, it was pitch black; no one was there.

Wang Ying looked around and was about to close the door when, sensing something, turned sharply back to find a Black Shadow suddenly appear in the room.

"You..." Before he could say anything, Wang Ying saw the Black Shadow’s eyes emit a golden light, piercing through his chest.

His pupils dilated instantly, and before he could even scream, a brilliant golden flame suddenly engulfed him. The blood spraying from his chest evaporated in the flame.

With a wave of the Black Shadow’s hand, the opened door suddenly slammed shut.

Moments later, Wang Ying’s figure had disappeared.

In the room, only a mark on the floor remained, charred by the flames.

Gazing at the mark on the floor, Chen Mo frowned and murmured, "Why doesn’t it align with the simulation?"

Fortunately, there were no ashes or the like.

With a simple cleanup, it likely wouldn’t be discovered that Wang Ying just burned to death.

Chen Mo rubbed his eyes, the Power of Origin he had emitted causing fatigue.

After a glance around to confirm no traces were left behind, Chen Mo pulled out a wooden box from under the bed, embraced it, and swiftly slipped out through the window.

He had previously been lying on the roof watching, and saw Wang Ying retrieve the wooden box from under the bed.

Originally, Chen Mo intended to carry the box back to the room, but considering Wang Ying’s case, someone would surely come to investigate.

During a search, he certainly couldn’t explain the money in the box.

In the cover of night, Chen Mo arrived at a spot within Weiyang Palace where flowers and plants were grown.

There was a rockery here, and Chen Mo placed the wooden box within its crevice, making sure it couldn’t be discovered, then purposely took a circuitous route, intending to return to the Maid’s Room.

It was at this moment.

"Who?"

A sound and a whistling sword swished towards Chen Mo.

Instantly, Chen Mo felt a chill shoot from his back to the crown of his head.

The heightened senses and acuteness brought by the Fighting Saint Body allowed Chen Mo to instantly dodge.

"Sizzle!"

The sword light struck the red wall, leaving a mark.

"There’s an assassin, catch the assassin!"

Xiao Qing’Er saw her attack easily dodged, and the shadowy figure appeared to be up to no good. To be sure, she shouted out loud.

At the same time, her wrist turned, the descending Longsword instantly slashing horizontally towards the "assassin."

Chen Mo was momentarily stunned, finding her reflexes astonishingly quick. He pressed his fingers together like a sword, True Qi surging as the Longsword approached.

He flicked the sword with his finger.

"Clang!"

A crisp sound rang out, and moments later, the Longsword cracked with a snap, breaking in two.

Xiao Qing’Er held the broken sword, suddenly astonished, but before she could react, the assailant’s fist came smashing towards her face.

She crossed her hands in defense.

"Boom!"

Xiao Qing’Er felt a mighty force crashing down, numbing her palms. Just as she turned pale.

The opponent stomped the ground, soared into the air, and delivered a swift, fierce whip kick.

With a "bang," Xiao Qing’Er was slammed to the ground. As she hit the ground and tried to recover, she saw a golden light shoot from the opponent’s eyes.

Xiao Qing’Er’s complexion changed suddenly, and with one hand slapping the ground, her body rose half a meter, the golden light blasting a small pit where she had been.

Chen Mo’s expression also changed, amazed at her skill, dodging even that.

However, there was no time to continue battling Xiao Qing’Er, as he heard a rush of footsteps approaching rapidly.

"Over there!" a shout interrupted.

Chen Mo leapt over the red wall, swiftly vanishing.

Soon, a squadron of Imperial Guards arrived, pursuing in the direction Chen Mo fled.

Xiao Qing’Er wanted to give chase after getting up.

But suddenly her energy surged uncontrollably, and with a muffled sound, a mouthful of bright red blood spewed from her mouth.

Xiao Qing’Er sank to her knees.

"That bastard, so strong..."

...

"Damn, it’s over. How did she end up in Weiyang Palace with such skill, ruining everything."

Feeling the Imperial Guards fast on his heels, Chen Mo’s expression was grim.

If he didn’t find a way to escape soon, given more time, the true experts from the Empress’s cadre would be alerted.

Then, he truly would not escape.

Suddenly, he realized his escape route led to Donghua Avenue?

Chen Mo gritted his teeth, hesitated only briefly, then headed towards Jingru Palace.