Chapter 256 - 60: Shocking Upheaval in the Imperial City! Is the Old Emperor Coming Out of Seclusion? (2)

But when he thought about it,

The whole previous conversation had been completely under their lord’s control, that Shu Daiman didn’t even get the chance to ask a single question.

At this moment,

Si Nan’s gaze towards their lord was completely different now.

"As expected of My Lord!"

This was a sincere sigh.

There are very few people in this world who can mislead a Grandmaster like that.

"Oh, right!"

Just then, Jiang Jing remembered something he’d heard while traveling in Xihe Dynasty.

"When I was in Xihe before, I heard tales of a mysterious National Preceptor. She always wore a black robe when she appeared, her face was never seen, only that she’s a woman."

"She’s also the only Grandmaster on the surface in Xihe, couldn’t be anyone but her, right!"

Whether she’s really Xihe’s National Preceptor, Ye Liuyun wasn’t sure either.

But one thing’s certain: That Shu Daiman is definitely at the Grandmaster Realm.

"Doesn’t matter!"

He waved his hand; Ye Liuyun’s expression was pretty casual.

If Shu Daiman really wanted to make a move, she wouldn’t have just come over for a chat today.

"Just pay a little more attention from now on. Since we know she’s a Grandmaster, we’ll steer clear next time!"

The reason he brought up Shu Daiman’s cultivation was,

he thought, if Si Nan and the others didn’t know, and accidentally offended her, they might not even get the chance to beg for mercy.

If a Grandmaster wants to kill someone, isn’t it just a wave of the hand?

Besides, there probably aren’t many people bold enough to reproach a Grandmaster.

"Got it!"

"Understood!"

Grasping Ye Liuyun’s meaning, Si Nan and Jiang Jing nodded tacitly.

At the same time, they felt a lingering fear in their hearts.

If they ever run into her again, they’ll just avoid her—that’s fine. After all, this is Xihe, not their own turf.

"Ah! If only we could return sooner!"

"That Shi Sheng is too damn slow!"

Actually,

they could have gone back as soon as Yan Huilan was delivered to the Xihe palace.

It’s mainly because of Shi Sheng’s business that they got delayed.

"Alright, let’s drink a bit more, then head back!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Si Nan nodded agreeably.

After all they’d just been through, Si Nan no longer had the heart to keep enjoying the pleasure quarters in Xihe.

...

By the time they got back to the tavern,

the sky was already growing dark.

They had planned to go straight back to their rooms and rest, but as soon as they arrived at the tavern, all the Embroidered Uniform Guard had gathered in the courtyard—including Shi Sheng, who they’d thought would be out having fun with Chai Hong.

Right now, everyone was standing here with a grim expression.

When Ye Liuyun returned, all eyes turned to him at once.

"My Lord!"

"Hm?"

With so many eyes on him, Ye Liuyun raised an eyebrow—it looked like something big had happened.

He waved his hand to tell everyone there was no need for formality.

Then he walked deeper into the courtyard.

Soon, Ye Liuyun saw the figure standing in the center of the yard.

"What are you doing here?"

The newcomer was Yan Shuzhu’s guard, Lv Lan.

Ye Liuyun was a bit surprised—wasn’t Lv Lan supposed to be guarding Yan Shuzhu in the Imperial City? Why was she here now?

"Something happened in the Imperial City?"

Seems like this was no trivial matter. Otherwise, Yan Shuzhu wouldn’t have let Lv Lan come find him directly.

"Yes."

Lv Lan nodded.

The stern expression on her face visibly relaxed after seeing Ye Liuyun.

Lv Lan had been riding hard the whole way, her nerves strung taut the entire journey, but the moment she saw Ye Liuyun, it was as if some special magic power had washed away her anxiety and worry in an instant.

"Tell me about it."

Ye Liuyun didn’t overthink it.

He was simply curious—what kind of thing could make Lv Lan ride so hard to find him?

"Something happened to the City Defense Army!"

Lv Lan didn’t hesitate and went straight to the point.

"Over half a month ago, just after you left the Imperial City, someone attacked the City Defense Army stationed around it. The City Defense Army was wiped out overnight!"

"Wiped out?"

The City Defense Army guarded the area around the Imperial City; every soldier was handpicked.

Though not huge in number, the City Defense Army still had some twenty thousand men.

To be wiped out meant all twenty thousand were gone.

"A Grandmaster?"

To wipe out twenty thousand City Defense Army troops overnight—

An Innate Martial Artist could also manage it, but not quietly.

If it had been an Innate Martial Artist, those in the Imperial City would have noticed and come to help the City Defense Army.

Only someone at the Grandmaster Realm could, without alerting anyone in the Imperial City, silently annihilate twenty thousand City Defense Army soldiers in one night.

"It should be!"

Lv Lan couldn’t be sure, but it was almost certainly a Grandmaster.

No wonder Lv Lan had rushed so frantically to find him.

As she spoke, Lv Lan remembered something, and leaned in close to Ye Liuyun’s ear to whisper,

"Purgatory’s been breached."

"???"

Purgatory’s been breached? That Purgatory, which since the founding of Great Qian had never suffered an accident, was actually broken open?

No wonder Lv Lan was whispering now.

Purgatory being breached was a huge blow to Great Qian’s reputation—there was no way they could let this get out.

"Someone deliberately released a group of prisoners from Purgatory. Among them, there’s a Grandmaster Realm prisoner!"

The prisoners in Purgatory had suffered years of torture; their hearts nursed deep-seated hatred toward Great Qian.

Once these people were released, their first thought would probably be to get revenge on Great Qian.