Chapter 37

With the Black Dragon Altar in action, its efficiency was astounding.

Within 15 minutes, they found the Gandharva within the imperial city.

Zhen Guardian Commander Zhu Jian hurried over into the imperial study with his head lowered.

“What’s the situation like?”

The Emperor of Zhou’s stern voice came down from above.

It was like a hanging sharp sword that could come down at any moment.

“Your Majesty, the Gandharva…is dead.” Zhu Jian’s voice was strained.

“She’s found dead in the side palace located East of Huayang Gate. Her head was blown apart, making her almost unidentifiable.”

A deathly silence befell the imperial study for a long time.

After an unknown amount of time passed, Zhu Jian could feel his back drenched in sweat and his entire body felt cold.

Logically speaking, he was also an expert of the fifth Mortal Stage.

He should have long been impervious to heat and cold.

However, the emperor’s presence and the Imperial Dragon Qi made him feel short of breath.

In that deathly silence, the emperor finally asked, “Are there any clues left behind?”

Zhu Jian took out a preserved note from his pocket and handed it over with both hands as he replied, “There are eight characters on it: I reign supreme over heaven and earth.

“Eunuch Chen and Marquis Zhao Kai had already looked over it. They said the note was imprinted with the martial will of at least three grandmasters.

“The Gandharva might have suffered from an immensely powerful mental attack that led to her head exploding, losing her life on the spot.”

The emperor held tightly to a scroll of memorandum as his chest heaved heavily.

There was a look in his eyes that resembled fear and anger.

He slammed his palm on the desk and bellowed, “Just a note with eight characters managed to kill an expert of the sixth Mortal Stage of the Qi Refinement Stage?!”

As a minister of the Zhou Kingdom and being suppressed by the Imperial Dragon Qi, Zhu Jianfell to his knees as he replied with a trembling voice, “Not just that. According to Marquis Zhao Kai, there were spirit traces of a fourth grandmaster at the scene. It is very likely to belong to the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor, Phags-pa.

“Deducing from that, the Gandharv felt confident to challenge Master Yuanhui because of her extraordinary spiritual sense allowing her to be imprinted with an innate thought to protect her.

“However, because of the same spiritual thought, it activated the martial will on the note and caused her to…accelerate her death.

“I’m afraid the Gandharva could not even react before her head was blown apart due to the entanglement of the four spiritual wills.”

Upon discovering the deceased Gandharva within the side palace, the Black Dragon Altar and Chen Chaoen from the Ceremonial Directorate arrived together at the scene, followed by Marquis Zhao Kai.

After some investigation and deliberations, Zhu Jian came to that conclusion.

It was a pity for the seductively beautiful Gandharva to have suffered such a horrible death.

The person who committed the act was truly ruthless and showed no mercy.

The emperor calmed himself and tried to subdue the anxiety in his mind before asking, “What about Moro?”

Zhu Jian lowered his head and answered, “This person is a little luckier. He merely glimpsed it and avoided direct exposure, saving his life.

“However, unless there’s a grandmaster to help him remove the unseen imprint of those eight characters, he would be mentally broken and live the rest of his life as an idiot.”

The emperor let out a long breath and did not wish to continue his questions.

The more he knew, the worst he felt.

Killing with words.

That was too terrifying.

It was almost like that of demons and gods.

So what if he had the protection of the Imperial Dragon Qi. It might not help him defend against such a bizarre approach.

“Take your leave! The Black Dragon Altar’s performance this time is very disappointing. You should reflect on your actions!”

Zhu Jian prostrated himself to indicate his fear.

After that, he slowly backed out of the imperial study.

The Black Dragon Altar relied on the emperor’s trust to gain the authority to supervise the ministers of the imperial court and to suppress the various sects.

If they lost that backing, the consequences would be dire!

“Chaoen, do you think he’s alone, or…”

Once Zhu Jian took his leave, the emperor looked to the old eunuch standing beside him.

“I would rather wish it was a concerted effort by three grandmasters.”

Chen Chaoen’s voice was filled with a deep sense of fear and respect.

“If it was done by a single person, that would be too terrifying!

“It would mean that grandmaster has three divine arts that reached completion and manifested the martial will for each of them.

“The implication that carries is too horrifying.”

Three divine arts. Even the Six Sacred Grounds did not have such a heritage!

Furthermore, humans have a limit while martial arts have none.

To cultivate three divine arts at the same time and still managed to manifest the spirit.

Just what kind of amazing and unimaginable talent would that be?

“Be it one or three. Why would such a powerful figure do this to the Gandharva?”

The emperor could not understand no matter how hard he thought about it.

“Perhaps the members of the Great Boundless Palace were too arrogant. They were making provocations claiming the people of Zhou Kingdom to be weaklings and also made issued the challenge to step on the Heavenly Dragon Temple.”

Chen Chaoen’s eyes looked around as he made his speculations, “When a tree outgrows the rest of the forest, the wind destroys. It’s not surprising for them to attract trouble due to how showy they were.”

The things an Innate Grandmaster sought after differed from regular people.

Worldly wealth and authority could hardly move them.

Meanwhile, the mysterious-sounding and incomprehensible ‘fated encounter’ would often stir the grandmasters into action.

The emperor thought about it long and hard, finally realizing that he could find no other explanation for the matter.

“What should we do on the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa’s front?” he asked once more.

“In my humble opinion, it would be better to just send Moro back to the Great Boundless Palace,” Chen Chaoen suggested after considering for some time.

“If Phags-pa sees the remnants of the spiritual imprint on his own subordinate, he will naturally understand what happened.

“No matter how strong he is, he could not possibly challenge three Innate Grandmasters at the same time.”

The emperor said in a resigned tone, “We can only hope so.”

With such a huge commotion happening within the imperial city of Tianjing City, the Grand Commander Guardian made no appearance and did not even pass on any message.

Thinking of that, the emperor could not help but feel suspicious and resentment.

Back then, the Grand Commander swore to the Great Ancestor to protect the Zhou Kingdom.

However, faced with the provocations of the Great Boundless Palace, the Grand Commander would only lock himself away like a coward.

“Heh, things change with time and so do people. That is nature.”

The emperor grimaced as his original intention of punishing the Black Dragon Altar faded.

Zhu Jian and company would always scheme to obtain more power and authority.

However, they were at least loyal to him and functioned as an excellent sword.

Meanwhile, the Grand Commander might not be concerned for himself or the Zhou Kingdom.

…

Longevity Hall.

Zhao Mu leaned against the chair as a big chubby cat slowly hopped in through the doorway and climbed onto the desk.

As it moved, it caused its meaty body to wriggle appeared ridiculous.

“Meow!”

Big Kitty crouched, then raised its front paws to perform a greeting gesture at Zhao Mu.

Within those brown-colored pupils were a flash of intelligence.

“Here’s your reward.”

Zhao Mu placed a plate of dried fish before the cat.

“Meow meow!”

Big Kitty seemed to understand human speech and made the greeting gesture once more as though thanking him.

It then laid on the desk and picked up the dried fishes to enjoy.

“After refining the spirit, the power of the soul can be manifested, almost similar with the immortal techniques recorded in those fantasy novels.”

Zhao Mu lamented.

Several days ago, Big Kitty showed no signs of intelligence.

However, at that moment, it could already understand human speech and could even learn etiquette.

All that was because Zhao Mu refined his spiritual thoughts using the Tibetan Secret Scriptures and imprinted them carefully on Big Kitty’s mind.

That kickstarted its intelligence and made it more human-like.

“No wonder I could find stories of enlightened monks guiding plant demons and subduing strange beasts written in books.”

Zhao Mu went into deep thought.

Animals had a pure mind.

However, it was difficult for them to gain intelligence and cultivate.

Being unable to develop wisdom, it would be impossible for them to break free from their primitive ignorance.

“I wonder if Big Kitty will be affected by actions and cultivate into a martial arts expert.”

Zhao Mu’s lips curled slightly upward with that thought.

The Gandharva was dead and the martial will left on the note was sufficient to intimidate others. His brother Zhao Yuan should no longer be taken in as a legacy disciple of the Living Buddha.

He was not surprised for things to turn out that way.

Thirty-Six Heaven Defying Miracles, Divine Sun and Moon Scriptures, and Tibetan Secret Scriptures.

The essence contained within the three divine arts was forcefully imprinted by him onto the paper with those writings.

Even if the Gandharva had a shred of spiritual thought from Imperial Preceptor Phags-pa in her mind, it could do nothing against Sovereign Li Chenzhou, Martial Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, and the Demon Meng Chixing. The three exceptional figures were at least of the Innate Grandmaster Stage.

“What a pity. Big Kitty was the one that delivered the note. I didn’t get to witness how strong the martial will of the Yuanmeng Imperial Preceptor was.”

Zhao Mu petted the groaning cat.

The cat was eating a lot better recently and had started to develop a smoother fur, making it quite comfortable to touch.

“Meow meow!”

Big Kitty seemed to be enjoying it as it meowed twice and rolled over.

Its paws faced upward and belly exposed, the cat showed an expression of bliss.