At the same time, the doors of the Sutra Depository were wide open. A large number of imperial guards and experts swarmed in, but they found nothing, failing to discover any trace of the assassin.
"Search the entire imperial palace! Ensure the culprit is apprehended!" Zhao Xuanxiao's cold and majestic voice boomed from the hall.
Simultaneously, a shadowy figure swooped down from the Sutra Depository building, silently vanishing into the vast night.
Not long after Chu Chen left the imperial city, he felt a pair of venomous and resentful eyes staring at him from behind!
"Hmph, I didn't expect you to find this place. It seems you are indeed extraordinary!"
Chu Chen stopped and slowly turned around. He saw a middle-aged man wearing a loose black robe leaping down from a distant rooftop.
"Who are you!" Chu Chen asked coldly. This person's aura was very hidden, and his cultivation was not weak.
"Heh heh, my name is Qin Tianlong. I heard you killed the Qin family's old ancestor?" The man in black grinned, revealing his snow-white teeth.
"Oh, I know who you are. So you're a Qin family remnant."
Chu Chen smiled indifferently. The Qin family was the one that established a massive caravan in the imperial city. In the past, the Qin family was actually a royal family, but it had now degenerated into a commercial clan, possessing wealth comparable to a nation.
"Kid, stop the nonsense. Hand over the item, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
Qin Tianlong shouted coldly, gripping a cold saber in his hand, which emitted a chilling gleam.
"Qin family, I remember you. Next life, when you reincarnate, remember not to be a slave, otherwise, I will personally kill you!"
Chu Chen's gaze sharpened, and a chilling killing intent surged from the depths of his eyes.
"Killing an ant like you doesn't require waiting for the next life! Die!"
Qin Tianlong laughed heartily. Having fought and killed for many years, he believed he was a seasoned killer who didn't take ordinary ants seriously. He didn't even consider a low-level martial artist like Chu Chen as an opponent.
"Clang!"
A sharp cold light flashed, instantly pressing towards Chu Chen's throat.
"Bang!"
However, in the next second, to Qin Tianlong's surprise, his attack was blocked. Chu Chen's figure remained unharmed, while the long saber in his hand shattered!
Qin Tianlong was horrified. His long saber was forged from a rare fine iron, capable of slicing through metal and incredibly hard. Ordinary weapons couldn't even budge it!
"How could you possibly block my saber strike?" Qin Tianlong exclaimed in disbelief.
"Why can't I block it?" Chu Chen shook his head, his eyes filled with intense mockery. "With your meager skills, you dare call yourself an assassin? You're a disgrace!"
"What did you say? I'm a disgrace?"
Qin Tianlong was furious. Although his strength wasn't top-tier among the black-robed organization, it was definitely among the best in the outside world!
"Kill!" Qin Tianlong roared, circulating his true qi. It surged powerfully, like burning flames.
"Pfft!"
Qin Tianlong leaped forward, his long saber slashing down, carrying a streak of sword light!
"Buzz buzz buzz!"
The saber light swept past. Chu Chen stood still, but the sharp saber light suddenly collapsed and exploded, turning into a brilliant shower of light that dissipated into the air.
"Crack!"
Qin Tianlong's body trembled violently. He felt an immense force spread from his arm throughout his entire body, his bones emitting crisp cracking sounds. His arm was dislocated!
"Damn it! How is this possible?"
Qin Tianlong gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, and rapidly retreated, attempting to escape.
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, Chu Chen flicked his finger. A beam of finger energy shot out, instantly piercing the void and pinning Qin Tianlong to the ground.
"Spare me, spare me! I don't want to die!" Qin Tianlong panicked completely. His body had not yet recovered, and facing a powerful expert like Chu Chen, he had no chance of winning.
"Heh heh, I didn't intend to kill you, but you were the one who tried to take my life. So, I'll send you on your way." Chu Chen shook his head.
"No, don't! Please don't kill me!" Qin Tianlong wailed in panic. His body struggled continuously, trying to break free from the restraints.
Unfortunately, all his efforts were in vain. Chu Chen inserted a silver needle into his forehead.
"You can't kill me! If you kill me, the Qin family will never let you go, and the Emperor won't let you go either!" Qin Tianlong roared miserably, his voice hoarse.
"Noisy!"
Chu Chen snorted coldly. He applied a little more force with his finger. Qin Tianlong's eyes widened, his neck snapped, and he died.
"I didn't want to shed blood, but someone forced me to kill. What could I do?" Chu Chen said coldly. "Besides, he was unrighteous, so why should I be benevolent?"
With that, he threw the corpse into the darkness and turned to walk back into the imperial palace.
Chu Chen had not hidden his whereabouts this time when he came to the capital. Instead, he had entered openly, which had drawn the attention of many.
In the imperial palace.
In the Imperial Garden.
"Your Majesty, what are you doing?" the eunuch asked, holding a bowl of medicine.
"Alas, I've fallen ill again. After taking some medicine and sleeping, I should feel better. After all, I'm old and always feel sleepy."
Emperor Qian Yuan rubbed his eyes, picked up a pill with his withered, aged fingers, put it in his mouth, and then lay down on the couch to sleep.
After a while, a hunched old man emerged from behind the screen. He looked at the sleeping Emperor Qian Yuan on the couch, and worry appeared on his old face.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..." he called out softly. Seeing that Emperor Qian Yuan didn't respond, he sighed, shook his head, and turned to go outside.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, a young man requests an audience."
"I won't see anyone! No one is allowed to disturb me!"
Emperor Qian Yuan closed his eyes, his voice hoarse. "I am very sleepy now. Even if the Grand Tutor himself pleads, it won't work!"
"This old servant obeys your command!"
The eunuch bowed and accepted the order, then left the hall. He immediately instructed the guards to stop the young man.
"I am here by imperial command. Announce me quickly!"
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty is resting and will not see any visitors." The guard directly refused.
"Hmm? Even a eunuch dares to stop me?" Chu Chen frowned. The attitude of these guards was too poor!
"Your Majesty has ordered that unauthorized personnel are not allowed to approach."
The guards, with stern faces, coldly scanned Chu Chen.
"Presumptuous!" Chu Chen became enraged. "Since you are so ignorant, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Boom!
As his words fell, Chu Chen struck the chest of the gatekeeper guard with his palm. Violent true qi surged, sending the guard flying several meters away. He fell down the steps, spitting blood and losing consciousness.
"How dare you! You dare to injure a high official of our dynasty?" The other guards were furious and drew their swords to attack.
"Scram!"
Chu Chen swung his fist in a sweeping motion. A fierce gust of wind blew, knocking over the charging guards.