231: Chapter 14: Meeting the Holy Empress, Meeting All Beings 231: Chapter 14: Meeting the Holy Empress, Meeting All Beings “Do you think the ‘omen of doom’ comes from Qing Sun?”
In the study, candlelight flickered.
Chen Jingxuan stood up, hands clasped behind his back, as the wreckage of Fate’s golden ocean—the ship known as “The Breaker”—slowly sank, descending before the face of the Little National Master.
Xie Xuanyi earnestly said, “I don’t know how many in the Imperial City want me dead, but he is certainly one of them.”
“…You’re not wrong, Qing Sun will indeed seize an opportunity to kill you, but not just yet.”
Chen Jingxuan said, “After the assassination attempt by Sword Palace failed, he was taken away.
This whole affair managed to circumvent the study… It’s quite clear that the person in the palace did not want me to know his whereabouts.”
In the days before, Prince Jiangning’s manor lost a hefty sum of wealth.
The impact of this assassination attempt was particularly severe.
This sum of money was meant as “compensation” to Lotus Peak… Once written off, the truth behind the Sword Palace assassination was thus buried, and within the entire Dachu Dynasty, only a very few were privy to the truth.
It goes without saying that Chen Jingxuan was among those very few.
“The man who took Qing Sun away was Yuan Jimo.”
Chen Jingxuan slowly said, “If you want to know Qing Sun’s location, I can send Sang Zheng to attempt to follow Yuan Jimo.
If he can bring back some clues or items, perhaps by using ‘Fate Divination,’ we might also be able to find out where Qing Sun is.”
“Such a trivial matter doesn’t require the use of the Sky Observation Technique,”
Xie Xuanyi shook his head, “I am not worried about Qing Sun… I just want to find out the reason that’s causing my Heart Lake to feel ‘uneasy.'”
Qing Sun was already crippled.
Xie Xuanyi saw very clearly the seemingly casual pinch from Zhao Chunyang.
This strand of Sword Qi, introduced into the body.
This guy’s “Fire Saint Body” couldn’t possibly withstand such a level of power; even if he lived, it would be a fate worse than death.
After two months, Qing Sun would at best cling to a breathlessly lingering shell.
A Half-step Yin God, or a pseudo-Yin God…
In Xie Xuanyi’s eyes, they were not fatal threats.
“Does your Heart Lake feel uneasy?”
Chen Jingxuan said, “In a few days, the Xie Family should also arrive at the Imperial City.
The upcoming Northern Hunt boasts considerable momentum, and Prince Jiangning’s manor will certainly be involved…”
“It’s not the Xie Family either.”
Xie Xuanyi continued shaking his head, “Neither Xie Sheng nor Qing Sun are to be feared.”
He paused for a moment.
Xie Xuanyi seriously added, “…nor is that Martial Sect man.”
After saying this,
he looked earnestly at Chen Jingxuan, waiting for the latter’s response.
The study fell into a brief silence.
Chen Jingxuan sighed with frustration, “Mr.
Xie, you are putting me in a difficult position.
Even though a Sky Observer can divine the future, they are not omniscient nor omnipotent.”
Xie Xuanyi’s visit tonight was in search of peace of mind.
But, unfortunately…
Not every question can be answered to one’s satisfaction.
“The Lin Family.
The Qin Family.
The Fangyuan Block.”
The Little National Master extended his sleeve, lightly swirling it, and several golden threads fell and intertwined, forming a picture before Xie Xuanyi like a chessboard of alliances.
These were the forces that had appeared openly today.
After that,
“Head of the Imperial City Yuan Jimo, Jiangning Xie Family.”
These were the dangers lurking beneath the waves but not yet come to the forefront.
These strands of gold, interwoven and enveloping, were all on the periphery of the fog.
Yet, at the center of it all, the fog condensed under the illumination of the golden threads.
“The Holy Empress.”
Xie Xuanyi watched the golden thread tableau calmly and uttered two words.
“…”
The Little National Master silently gazed at the shrouded, still-gloomy picture.
“The true source of my unease comes from the Holy Empress.”
Xie Xuanyi chuckled softly and said, “Upon reflection, it should indeed be so… The Lin Family are old followers from the northern borders, the Qin Family are nobles of the Dachu with a different surname, and Fangyuan Block wouldn’t be stirring winds and calling rains in the Great Chu Imperial City without the backing of the Imperial Family.
The only person capable of silently manipulating all this is the Holy Empress.”
How coincidental.
And yet, how unfortunate.
These golden threads, covering the sky above the study, had just uncovered a tiny corner of the river of fate.
And then there was a knock on the door.
“Thud.
Thud.
Thud.”
Three consecutive, blunt yet crisp knocks echoed out into the night.
Chen Jingxuan furrowed his brows and with a wave of his sleeve, dispersed the golden threads.
He spoke coldly, “The night is deep, what does Sir Yuan want?”
Outside the study,
stood a dark figure in light armor.
After knocking, Yuan Jimo waited politely in front of the study’s door, calmly saying, “On the Holy Empress’ orders, I have come to the study to fetch someone.”
“Who?”
Chen Jingxuan’s expression turned somewhat somber.
“Naturally, it’s Xie Zhen, young Master Xie.”
Yuan Jimo’s tone was as placid as ever.
“…”
Xie Xuanyi chuckled and stood up.
In the end, the two exchanged glances.
The Little National Master extended a hand, trying to grasp the young man’s black sleeve, signaling him not to go.
But Xie Xuanyi just shook his head.
He pushed open the wooden door of the study and said with a light laugh, “To receive an invitation from the Holy Empress, I am truly honored… However, I did not expect that even a simple visit to the study for a cup of tea could not escape Sir Yuan’s vigilant eyes.”
“Under the heavens, all land belongs to the king.”
Yuan Jimo stated indifferently, “Master Xie, I am but one ‘fly’s eye’ among the many in this Imperial City.”
“Please lead the way.”
Xie Xuanyi said no more.
…
…
There was no carriage.
Yuan Jimo had come on horseback, clad in black armor that emitted a faint scorching aura.
This aura… Xie Xuanyi was very familiar with it.
Not long before, there had been an assassination attempt in Sword Palace; he had just crossed swords with Qing Sun.
When the “Fire Devouring” of the Innate Separation Fire Saint Body occurred, it was a grand disturbance—the Primordial Fire Energy would erupt.
“Did Mr.
Yuan just come back from outside the city?”
Xie Xuanyi sat atop his horse, a smile cracking upon his lips.
Several years ago.
Yuan Jimo was just a “nameless pawn” lurking in the darkness of the Imperial City Si; if nothing out of the ordinary happened, at most he would become one of the four special envoys.
This person had encountered some strange fortune over the years, advancing at an astonishingly fast pace, even surpassing Jiang Qihu.
It must be noted that behind him, there was not the immense power of the Jiang Family and the library to support him to reach such a position.
The so-called strange fortune was due to only one person—the Holy Empress.
“I just went to visit an old friend.”
Yuan Jimo sighed and said, “My old friend has had bad luck and accidentally suffered a serious injury…
Now he’s bedridden and cannot take care of himself.”
“That sounds quite tragic.”
Xie Xuanyi sincerely inquired, “He can’t even take care of himself, such a severe injury, that’s quite careless.
I guess the friend of Mr.
Yuan, is it possible that he gathered his courage to amputate his own arm to save his life, only to find that the injury hasn’t improved but has become more severe?”
“…”
Yuan Jimo’s expression darkened by three shades.
“Sometimes, you can’t be too kind to yourself…
what needs to be cut must be cut, and what should not be cut must also be cut.”
Xie Xuanyi sighed, “If I were Mr.
Yuan, I would grant his friend a quick end.
Sometimes, struggling to live in such a state doesn’t really mean much.”
“Master Xie, you’re not quite what I had envisioned.”
Yuan Jimo said somberly, “Just now my old friend…
he said he would fight with everything he has to stay alive.”
“Mr.
Yuan, truly a ruthless character in the Imperial City whose name alone can stop children from crying at night.”
Xie Xuanyi smiled and said, “Cruel to enemies, even more cruel to friends.
Giving him a glimmer of hope to struggle for life…
In the end, what’s the difference?
He will still die in agony.”
Yuan Jimo fell silent.
They continued without words until they reached the entrance of the palace.
Ten years ago, Xie Xuanyi often visited the palace as a guest; he and Emperor Chu had a “friendship transcending age.” After taking the title of Sword Dao Leader, Emperor Chu personally gave him many lavish gifts and instructed the Imperial City Si not to stop Xie Xuanyi from entering the palace…
Each visit required only a report.
In those days, when the palace entered the night, it would be decorated with hanging lanterns, vibrant and bustling.
Now, there was a faint accumulation of snowflakes on the courtyard walls.
After night fell, only the mottled starlight fell, with the city in silence and the palace deathly still.
The biting wind blew, bringing with it a hint of coldness.
“For the road ahead, I will leave you here,” said Yuan Jimo, speaking indifferently.
“Master Xie, take care…
I will wait for you here.”
The road ahead was very dark.
But with maids on either side, Xie Xuanyi dismounted and silently walked upon this familiar old path.
Years ago, he was thusly invited to the palace to enjoy the floral scenery of the Moon Hidden Realm.
Shattered memories.
At this moment, they started to resurface sporadically.
He traversed the long night of the Great Chu Imperial Palace; in a daze, it felt as if the dim lights that surrounded him were relit, those fragmented and grey memories also ignited alongside…
This moment, just like that moment.
With a thud.
Xie Xuanyi entered the main hall, the flickering lantern light extending his shadow long.
Looking back.
Unknowingly, he had walked a great distance.
A distance of ten years.
“Xie Zhen…”
A faint voice echoed in his ear.
Xie Xuanyi came back to his senses, stopped in his tracks, and stood in the center of the dimly lit main hall, the light of flickering lamps on all sides as if being tugged by an invisible force.
The vaulted ceiling of the hall, akin to an abyss, swallowed all sources of light, even the small amount reflected by the candles were engulfed.
Xie Xuanyi stood amidst the faint light, straining to discern the figure behind the jade screen.
After the battle of Jiazi, Dachu narrowly triumphed.
The Holy Empress supported the young Emperor Chu to the throne.
Ever since then.
Few had the opportunity to meet this ‘supreme being’ of the Dachu Dynasty.
Some say the Holy Empress had grown old and unrecognizable, with withered hair, and half her body almost ready to enter the grave, that she was too aged to show her true face to others.
Others say the Holy Empress had mastered staying youthful, looking like a maiden in her twenties, and that such an appearance was not befitting of her majesty, so she chose to stay behind the jade screen.
Opinions were varied.
But those who had truly seen the Holy Empress, kept silent about her appearance.
Even Zhao Chunyang was no exception.
Xie Xuanyi took a deep breath and said, “Xie Zhen…
has seen the Holy Empress.”
He slowly performed a courtesy.
Then he lifted his head.
The main hall began to tremble lightly, and the figure sitting behind the jade screen slowly stood up.
In an instant, an invisible oppressive force enshrouded everything.
All the light swallowed by the candles now converged upon the swaying figure.
The vaulted ceiling trembled.
The gathered darkness, as profound as a deep pool, underwent a drastic transformation.
The shadow was like a mountain, like a sea, like a dragon, like a snake.
In the end, this shadow overpowered Xie Zhen and the entire main hall.
Xie Xuanyi’s vision plunged into darkness.
It was hard to believe that merely standing up, the Holy Empress caused all the lights in the entire main hall to plummet into darkness.
Now.
Xie Xuanyi finally understood why the palace was so dark.
It was all because of the Holy Empress.
All the “light” from the entire palace had been drawn into one person.
Across the jade screen, a tall woman enveloped in countless rays of light stepped forward.
In the moment of their gaze meeting, Xie Xuanyi was somewhat spellbound.
He saw countless faces flitting before his eyes, flickering out one by one.
He saw innumerable people.
This was the Holy Empress.
And also all living beings.