Mainland Martial Arts

Chapter 400: Almost 3 months ago

Eunuch Hong bowed again and slowly exited the Imperial Study. As he left, he glanced back at the Emperor. He saw the Emperor return to his throne and pick up a memorial, but his eyes were somewhat empty, as if his mind wasn't fully focused on the document. Eunuch Hong sighed inwardly, knowing full well that the Emperor faced a difficult decision, and that the fate of the empire hung in the balance.

The Emperor sat alone in his study, his heart churning with anxiety. He knew the terrifying power of the Star Blade. If Lin Feng truly harbored rebellious intentions, he could unleash a bloody storm on the jianghu, causing untold damage to the empire. Yet, he also deeply valued Lin Feng's talent; his abilities and wisdom were indispensable to the empire's development. He tormented himself between trust and suspicion, his brow furrowed, his eyes revealing a deep sense of unease.

Finally, the Emperor, seemingly overwhelmed, slowly put down the memorial in his hand. His eyes were hazy, and his thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the thrilling competition three months ago.

At that time, the palace was still buzzing with discussion about the shocking duel between Lin Feng and Huang Tian. As night fell, every corner of the palace was shrouded in darkness, exuding a mysterious atmosphere. Like a flash of black lightning, clad in a tight nightgown, Jiujiu Si infiltrated the palace with nimble movements. His nightgown was made of a special material that seemed to absorb light, allowing him to navigate the darkness with ease. The mask he wore added a touch of mystery and terror, especially the striking "four" on his forehead, like a symbol from hell, gleaming coldly in the dim moonlight.

Jiujiu Si sneaked along and soon arrived at the Emperor's palace. He entered the hall and without hesitation, knelt on his knees, his entire body crawling forward, his head lowered, almost touching the ground. His hands were pressed tightly to his sides, and his body trembled slightly, as if he was trying hard to suppress his inner fear and anxiety, or as if he was awaiting the Emperor's judgment.

The Emperor had his back to Jiujiusi, his figure looking particularly heavy in the dim light. Upon hearing Jiujiusi's movements, he slowly turned around, his face gloomy and terrifying, like the sky before a storm, thick with dark clouds, giving people a chill.

Jiujiusi's voice trembled slightly, breaking the suffocating silence in the hall: "Your Majesty, on my way back from Jinyan City, I encountered a shocking incident. The people of the Demon Cult suddenly attacked Xihai City. Now Xihai City has fallen into their hands and has been renamed the Taiping Empire." His words were like cold stones, hitting the emperor's heart one by one.

A trace of anger and shock flashed in the emperor's eyes. He stared at Jiujiusi closely, his eyes as sharp as torches, as if he wanted to see through the truth of his words from his eyes: "What is going on? Why didn't I get any news in advance?" His voice was low and majestic, but it could hardly conceal the anxiety and uneasiness in it.

Jiujiusi lowered his body even lower and said in panic, "Your Majesty, the Demon Cult acts extremely secretly. They launched a surprise attack under the cover of night. Although the defenders in the city fought hard, they were ultimately outnumbered. When I got the news and rushed there, it was too late. After they occupied Xihai City, they also built a large number of statues in the city. It looked like an old man. In the center of Xihai City, they built an extremely huge statue. The statue was towering into the clouds, like a small hill. Its scale was breathtaking. There were four or five smaller statues surrounding it. Each statue was exquisitely carved, but it exuded a creepy evil breath." As he spoke, he gestured with his hands to indicate the size and shape of the statue, and the horror on his face became more and more obvious, as if the evil statue was right in front of him, emitting endless pressure.

The emperor frowned, an ominous premonition rising in his heart: "What about the people in the city? Has the cult harmed the people?" He clenched his fist unconsciously, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged, showing his inner anger and worry.

Jiujiusi raised his head slightly, glanced at the Emperor, then quickly lowered his head, with a hint of pain in his voice: "Your Majesty, the Demon Cult has bewitched many people. They held a grand worship ceremony, and under the instigation of the Demon Cult, the people went to the statue to worship and pray for the so-called peace. The streets and alleys in the city were filled with a weird atmosphere, and the people's eyes were full of confusion and fear, but they dared not resist." His eyes revealed sympathy and helplessness for the people, as if he could see those poor people trembling under the shadow of the Demon Cult, at the mercy of others.

Upon hearing this, the emperor felt even more annoyed. He began to pace back and forth in the hall, each step heavy, as if he wanted to vent all the anger and helplessness in his heart on the ground: "What about Shi Huang whom I sent? Where is he now?" There was a hint of anxiety and anger in his voice. Shi Huang was the one he carefully selected to guard Xihai City, but now his whereabouts were unknown. How could he not be angry?

Jiujiusi showed a trace of pain on his face, and said slowly: "Your Majesty, Lord Shi Huang was unfortunately captured by the Demon Cult. When I arrived, the battle was over. I only saw Lord Shi Huang being escorted by the Demon Cult. His face was full of defiance and anger, but he was powerless." The scene of Shi Huang being captured emerged in his mind, and his heart was filled with guilt and self-blame, feeling that he had failed to complete the mission of protecting Shi Huang.

The Emperor stopped and slammed his fist down on the table beside him. The teacup on the table jumped, and the tea splashed onto the tabletop, creating a chaotic scene. "Damn the Demon Cult!" he roared, his eyes burning with anger. He knew the power of the Demon Cult. Their cultivation techniques could absorb the cultivation of others. If he rashly sent a large army to encircle and suppress them, he would be like a sheep walking into the tiger's mouth, and would only make the Demon Cult even stronger. This put him in a dilemma. On the one hand, he couldn't bear to watch West Sea City fall into the hands of the Demon Cult, but on the other hand, he didn't dare to send troops rashly, fearing they would fall into the Demon Cult's trap.

Upon seeing this, Jiujiusi quickly knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. I think we should not act rashly at this time. The Demon Cult has just revived and is becoming more powerful. We need to take a long-term view." His eyes were full of worry. He looked up at the emperor, waiting for his response, hoping that his suggestion would be adopted by the emperor.

The Emperor took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then spoke slowly, "I understand. Send orders. Send troops to monitor West Sea City and closely monitor the Demon Cult's every move. But we must not allow them any opportunity to expand." His voice, though calmer, still shone with determination. In this difficult situation, he had to remain calm and find the best strategy.