I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 233 Passing the Order
The High Priest raised his hand. "Yuan Tu, explain in detail what we are required to do for this mission?"

Yuan Tu cupped his hands and said, "The mission given by the Path of Destruction is very clear: we are responsible for storming the Crown Prince's residence and beheading the Crown Prince."

Liu Zhiwei frowned. "What kind of mission is this? To storm the capital of a country and take the head of its crown prince? This is impossible to complete; it's a suicide mission."

The High Priest nodded. "What the Lord said is true, but the other party must have considered things carefully before issuing such a mission."

Yuan Tu said, "What the Lord and the High Priest said is true."

Our plan to travel to the capital has already been arranged by the other party, and there will be no danger.

The evacuation plan was also quite appropriate.

The only risk lies in the assassination attempt within the Crown Prince's residence.

After all, he was the crown prince for many years, and the military strength in the crown prince's palace was extremely strong. In addition, there were death warriors and Confucian scholars who were stubborn and principled.

Once a fight breaks out, the risks are considerable.

But the employer has gone all out in this operation, enlisting the help of several parties simultaneously; by all accounts, their chances of success are quite high.

The High Priest nodded and said, "In that case, it can be done."

Liu Zhiwei remained silent. Although she was a member of the Spirit Race, she still identified with the identity of a human.

Ultimately, this mission was to kill humans, and since she had no grudge against them, she felt a vague sense of resistance.

However, it cannot be revealed outwardly.

Yuan Tu added, "There is one more thing to be careful about. The employer specifically pointed out that Xue Xiang, the esteemed disciple of the Master of Mingde Dongxuan, is in the Crown Prince's residence."

The employer told us to remember that we should not take this person's life unless absolutely necessary.

As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Zhiwei felt as if a mountain wind had pressed down on her heart, and a chill seemed to creep out from the depths of her blood. Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, clenched until they turned white.

The Grand Master said, "I have heard of the reputation of the Lamenter of Autumn, even though I live in Cangqiu. This man is very clever and his poems are all masterpieces. He seems to be a literary star descended from heaven."

In my spare time, I also recite his works.

Such a person, I would not have wanted to kill in the first place.

Yuan Tu said, "The main reason is that Xue Xiang's master, the Master of Mingde Dongxuan, is a Confucian sage in disguise. It is very unwise for him to be an enemy of such an old monster whose poetry can kill people."

The employer clearly had this in mind, which is good.

The High Priest nodded and said, "In that case, let Jiuyin lead the team, Yuantu bring up the rear, and the Lord also go along. Let's go and see the killing in the human world."

"promise."

Liu Zhiwei agreed.

She wanted to refuse, but since he was in a dangerous place, she had no reason to refuse.

Yuan Tu bowed and agreed, and the two elders also bowed.

Just then, the palace door was pushed open, and a person strode in.

The man's robes were adorned with flowing gold patterns, like blazing flames pressing down on the cold mountain.

The man's tall figure loomed over the main hall like a sharp blade. He walked into the center of the hall and bowed respectfully before the High Priest, saying, "Ancestor, I have come to see you."

Yuan Tu, Yuan Kui, and Yuan Lan immediately bowed slightly, their voices in unison, "Greetings, Young Master."

As soon as the word fell, the atmosphere in the hall paused for a moment.

The High Priest said coldly, "After the Lord ascended the throne, Cangqiu has no young master."

"Chi Jiuyin, do you understand?"

"promise."

The man in the golden robe froze, as if he had been pressed down by a heavy mountain.

The High Priest ignored him and looked only at Xiang Yuantu and the other two. “Remember this and tell the whole of Cangqiu that Chi Jiuyin is just an ordinary elder of Cangqiu. How far he goes depends not on whether he is my great-grandson, but on his military achievements. If he wants to establish himself, he should earn it himself. Cangqiu does not support useless people.”

Chi Jiuyin knelt on one knee, his fist pressed against his chest. "The Grand Priest's teachings are excellent. Jiuyin is enlightened."

Yuan Tu stepped forward at this moment, "Jiuyin, you've come at the right time. The Grand Priest has just decided that you will lead the team to attack the Crown Prince's residence."

Chi Jiuyin was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "Jiuyin obeys."

The High Priest hunched over and tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the stone table. He looked up at Chi Jiuyin and asked, "What brings you here?"

Chi Jiuyin immediately took out a stack of newspapers. "I saw that my lord likes to read newspapers, especially the 'Cloud News', so I specially found the most recent issues and brought them to my lord."

Liu Zhiwei's eyelids trembled slightly, and she subconsciously looked up at the stack of newspapers.

There was indeed the name of her dearest person inside. Her fingertips, hidden in her sleeve, twitched slightly, but she did not reach out to take it.

The High Priest's expression softened as he looked at Chi Jiuyin. "You've put thought into sharing the Lord's burdens. Do your job well. The Spirit Clan's hopes rest entirely on the Lord. You must not be arrogant or complacent."

Chi Jiuyin bowed and took half a step back, saying, "Jiuyin will remember this."

He kept his head down, but his peripheral vision kept falling on Liu Zhiwei's face, a fleeting look of desire in his eyes.

The High Priest looked out of the hall with his hands behind his back. "It's settled then. We'll set off immediately. Jiuyin will lead the team, Yuantu will bring up the rear, and the Lord will accompany us."

The crowd agreed.

…………

The Crown Prince's residence, the underground alchemy room.

The lamps were not lit, but the walls emitted a faint glow.

Xue Xiang sat cross-legged in the secret room, his aura as deep and profound as a dragon lurking in the abyss.

This is his fifth day in the secret chamber, although he has spent most of his time in the Wenxu Blessed Land.

Yesterday evening, he had already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment.

With ample demon cores and no shortage of Wenxu Pearls within the Wenxu Platform, breaking through to the next realm will be an easy task.

The most wonderful thing is that his travels around the world over the past year have allowed him to experience the vicissitudes of life and even improve his mental state.

At this moment, he sat cross-legged in the secret room, regulating his breathing and refining his energy to make it more harmonious.

His thoughts sank into his dantian, and the spiritual energy that was originally like a stream has now transformed into a spiritual lake.

The lake was almost silent, but in the depths of its heart, points of light floated like fallen stars.

He mobilized the spiritual energy in the spiritual lake, causing it to ripple. A ray of spiritual light rose from the center of the lake, like a thin thread drawing light from the entire body of water, and surged toward his limbs and bones.

The next moment, his muscles and bones trembled slightly.

It felt as if an invisible hand was gently stroking the muscles and bones inside the body, and a very slight vibration emanated from deep within the joints.

He raised his hand, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged, with a faint light flowing under his skin, as if spiritual energy was coursing through his veins.

Now, his bones are denser, his tendons are stronger, and his blood and energy are more vigorous.

The whole person is like an iron blank that has been repeatedly hammered in a furnace, removing impurities, leaving every inch more solid and sharp.

Xue Xiang slowly raised his arm, his fingers gently clenching, his palm like a knife yet to be drawn.

He simply closed his fingers slightly, and the air was compressed in his palm, creating a visible ripple.

Xue Xiang was very satisfied with the changes in his physical body brought about by his advancement in cultivation.

Now, he no longer expects much breakthrough in spiritual power, but is more concerned with strengthening his physical body and physical strength.

Now, his physical body, refined by the morning and evening dew, is incredibly powerful.

Conventional methods are no longer sufficient to strengthen the body.

The only way to continue refining the physical body is through advancement in one's cultivation level.

Clearly, reaching the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment further refined his physical body.

After circulating his qi for several cycles, Xue Xiang finished regulating his breathing and left the secret room, arriving at the Crown Prince's residence.

An attendant greeted him early and led him to a private room to rest.

Xue Xiang waved his hand and stood under the eaves.

He had been cooped up in the secret room for too long and was unwilling to move to the elegant room. The spacious corridor and the distant mountains and waters were refreshing to him.

There was no wind on the corridor, but a faint floral fragrance lingered in the air, gently spreading along the shadows of the corridor.

Xue Xiang was leaning over the railing, admiring the distant mountains and nearby waters, when he heard hurried footsteps coming from the side courtyard.

He turned his head and saw Ning Shu walking quickly towards him.

This time, she changed out of her palace attire and wore a simple lake-green dress, making her look like a deer in the mountains at dawn.

It would be even better if the deer's face showed some joy.

Unfortunately, no, it was replaced by an atmosphere of profound solemnity.

"Brother Xue's eyes are shining brightly, which means you have made great progress in your cultivation. Congratulations!"

Ning Shu cupped her hands in greeting.

Xue Xiang waved his hand, "Cultivation is a minor matter; what's the situation now?"

Ning Shu gently shook her head, "The situation is very bad; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's as precarious as a pile of eggs."

Grandfather is still in a coma, and there has been no update on the decree concerning the Crown Prince's residence; Father remains under house arrest.

On the other side, Prince Duan and Prince Zhao tightened their control over the troops in the capital region and the inner guard forces.

My father just reads books every day, and all I can do is strengthen the defenses of the Crown Prince's residence.

Brother Xue, let me tell you the truth: the current situation in the Crown Prince's residence is beyond the control of any single individual.

I appreciate your kindness, but I still advise you to get out of this mess as soon as possible and avoid getting involved in this trouble.

She didn't have many friends, and Xue Xiang was one of the few.

She genuinely didn't want Xue Xiang to get involved in trouble.

Xue Xiang smiled slightly, "I have grown up amidst right and wrong all along my journey, and have encountered countless troubles."

Moreover, I consider the princess a friend. If the princess is in trouble, how can I run away alone?
If any unfavorable situation arises, the princess should report it herself.

Ning Shu sighed softly, "Since that's the case, I won't hide it from Brother Xue anymore."

The attack on the Crown Prince's residence... has already been posted as a mission on the Path of Ruin.

Xue Xiang paused for a moment, "The Path of Annihilation?"

Ning Shu nodded.

Xue Xiang was shocked; of course he had heard of the Dao of Annihilation.

It is a clandestine channel used by secret realms, sects, demon races, and ancient races in various countries, making it a terrifying transnational organization.

Only a handful of organizations would accept a mission of this magnitude: attacking the Crown Prince's residence.

The Spirit Race, the Witch God Cult, and the Demon Alliance.

Xue Xiang could guess these companies even with his toes, along with the old guard and the veteran. If that's the case, the situation is far too dangerous.

Of course, this so-called danger is from the perspective of the Crown Prince's residence and from the perspective of his forceful reversal of the situation.

After all, he had the blessed land of Wenxu, so even if things went chaotically in the heavens, he would still have a way out.

But then, we wouldn't be able to climb Thang Long Terrace.

Xue Xiang frowned, concentrating on the situation. "To dare to list attacking the Crown Prince's residence as a mission and issue it on the Path of Destruction, that's quite a bold move."

Only those of the rank of Prince Duan and Prince Zhao could afford to pay such a price.

However, I don't understand why these people, in order to storm the Crown Prince's residence, should at least first storm Chang'an City.

But Chang'an was not so easy to conquer.

After all, no matter how brave and powerful an individual is, it's difficult to defeat a well-organized military force.

Ning Shu said, "Brother Xue, have you forgotten who is in charge of the defense of the capital region now?"

If he deliberately leaves an opening, what difficulty would it have for those people to march straight into the Crown Prince's residence?

Xue Xiang nodded, "That's true, but the two kings would never dare to be so ungrateful."

The military forces in the capital region are under the control of Prince Duan.

The internal guard forces were under the control of King Zhao.

If the enemy were to actually reach the Crown Prince's residence, they would not be able to overcome the pressure of public opinion.

Ning Shu said, "Perhaps they are blinded by greed and have become reckless."

Xue Xiang moved into the bamboo shadows and said, "The situation you described may not necessarily happen."

Never mind, let's just prepare for the worst-case scenario.

"Is Your Highness prepared?"

Xue Xiang had always been curious about how His Highness the Crown Prince, who could produce such precise political essays, would strategize and plan amidst such chaos.

Ning Shu sighed, “My father has been reading all day long, reciting scriptures, writing apologies, and copying the Classic of Filial Piety. Apart from that, he has not made any other statements or arrangements.”

As she spoke, she gently raised her hand to tidy her temples, "It was I... who took matters into my own hands."

Several layers of protective arrays were added around the Crown Prince's residence, and some distress signals were sent out, but it was unclear whether they would be of any use.

The situation in the city is as it is; there's nothing more I can do. If the Crown Prince's residence cannot be saved, I will perish with it.

“Princess, there’s no need to be so pessimistic. At worst, I will take you away.”

Xue Xiang smiled slightly.

Ning Shu stared at him, her eyes welling up with tears, and quickly turned her head away.

Ning Shu was deeply moved when she suddenly heard Xue Xiang ask, "Princess, do you have any money?"

"money?"

Ning Shu nearly stumbled; the turn of events was too abrupt. She stared blankly at Xue Xiang, not understanding why he suddenly asked this.

"I know a highly accomplished person,"

Xue Xiang said to himself, "Our abilities are extraordinary. Prince Duan and Prince Zhao can ask for outside help, and so can we."

Ning Shu was slightly shocked. "A master?"

He suddenly remembered that Xue Xiang had a world-renowned teacher whose circle of friends was quite impressive.

She heard that when the Lord of Mingde Dongxuan destroyed Huang Zunyi, the Hall Master of Qintian Palace of the Great Xia Kingdom, he did not even take action himself, but sent his second disciple and a group of mysterious people to resolve the matter.

Suddenly, hope rose in her heart.

Xue Xiang said, "If my friend is willing to take action, I dare not say anything else, but at least he can put the situation under control."

Ning Shu's chest sank slightly, but she forced herself to steady herself. "Brother Xue, are you sure... he's willing to accept?"

Xue Xiang smiled faintly, as if he was very confident in that "expert," saying, "As long as there are enough spirit stones, that person will definitely show up."

"How much does he want?"

"Twenty thousand."

"I'll withdraw the money for Brother Xue right away."

Soon, a red-robed eunuch arrived quickly and presented a storage ring.

Ning Shu handed the storage ring to Xue Xiang, who took it and invaded it with his mind.

Within the ring, spiritual stones were piled up like a mountain, with layers of spiritual light pressing down, like a dozen waves crashing on the same shore.

He lowered his eyes, his fingertips lightly stroking the ring, his heart truly shaken.

This is not 20,000.

It's not 30,000.

Instead, it was 100,000 spirit stones.

"What does the princess mean by this?"

Xue asked.

Ning Shu's expression was as calm as still water. "Money is not a problem, as long as people are willing to come."

"I only hope that Brother Xue can invite more top-tier experts to help my Crown Prince's residence overcome this crisis."

Xue Xiang carefully put away the storage ring, saying, "I will do my best. Farewell."

"Brother Xue, wait a moment. The city is under strict control. I still need to think of a way to help you."

Ning Shu quickly called out to Xue Xiang.

"What can we do? The token the princess gave us last time is still here."

Xue Xiang took out a golden token and waved it in his hand.

Ning Shu smiled bitterly, "It was useful then, but it's definitely useless now. The city's defenses are now under strict control by Prince Duan. They'll even inspect a fly if it flies out of the Crown Prince's residence."

"It doesn't matter, I have my own way."

Xue Xiang raised his hand and drew a magic rune in the void. The array power was activated by him, and the Crown Prince's Mansion's protective array stirred up a faint light wave in the sky.

His body swayed slightly, spiritual energy surged beneath his feet, and he shot straight into the sky like an arrow released from a bow.

Ning Shu was stunned. She thought the layers of restrictions she had set up were impregnable, but she never expected that Xue Xiang would break through them so easily, just like he had broken through the protective array of Duan Wang's villa that day.

"Brother Xue, be careful of the Imperial Guards."

Ning Shu exclaimed in surprise.

"This...this person must be a fraud."

The speaker was none other than Li Fang, the chief eunuch of the Crown Prince's residence, who had come to deliver the storage ring.

Ning Shu glared at him, but Li Fangyi remained unfazed and cupped his hands, saying, "In this old servant's opinion, this Mr. Xue didn't leave earlier or later, and after taking a large amount of wealth, he still wanted to leave even though he knew he couldn't get out."

I think he's a scoundrel, either a follower of Prince Duan or Prince Zhao.

Ning Shu stood under the eaves, the wind brushing past her temples and lifting a few strands of hair. "If he is a villain, then there are no more upright gentlemen in the world."

Li Fang pursed his lips. "Does Your Highness trust him that much?"

"Of course, Brother Xue never lies."

Ning Shu's eyes gleamed as she stared intently in the direction Xue Xiang had left.

Before long, Xue Xiang returned, accompanied by more than a hundred heavily armored knights who surrounded him in mid-air.

The knights drew an arc in mid-air, instantly forming an encirclement, their halberd tips all aimed at Xue Xiang, a dark, oppressive killing intent descending like an iron curtain.

The leading cavalry general raised his hand to stop Xue Xiang's momentum, his gaze fixed on him with an icy expression. "Chang'an City has long been sealed off. You still dare to ride recklessly through the air. Your crime is unforgivable. If you dare to resist, you will be killed on the spot."

Ning Shu's expression changed drastically. She was about to take off when Li Fang grabbed her tightly. "Princess, we can't afford to cause any more trouble."

His Majesty is suspicious of the Crown Prince; any disturbance here will implicate His Highness the Crown Prince.

Ning Shu was stunned.

Li Fang continued, "Brainless, truly brainless. This scoundrel dares to call himself a talented man, he's utterly cowardly and ignorant."

"What are you doing? Rebelling?"

Xue Xiang shouted loudly.

Li Fang was stunned. What kind of operation was this?

Ning Shu was also startled, and the next moment, she saw an even more surprising scene.

Xue Xiang, holding the token she had given him and explicitly told her was useless, brandished it before the cavalry general and shouted, "By order of His Majesty!"

The shout was like a thunderclap that pierced the ears of the Sky Knights, causing all of them to lower their halberds.

The knights all paled, and even the leading knight was stunned.

Xue Xiang said loudly, "His Majesty has sent me out of the capital on official business, and no one is allowed to stop me. Since you have run into me, you shall protect me as I leave the capital."

The knights seemed to be frozen in place, stunned on the spot.

Xue Xiang's expression changed. "What? Seeing that His Majesty is critically ill, you want to commit treason? You want to defy the imperial decree?"

"Your subject, Li Si, receives the imperial decree."

The general quickly dismounted and bowed to the void, and the other knights also quickly dismounted and bowed.

Li Sixin was in a state of utter confusion. He simply couldn't believe that this inexplicable person in front of him would have the Emperor's decree.

But another thought was equally ingrained in his mind—no one in the world dared to forge an imperial edict.

"Let's go then, don't waste any time."

Xue Xiang said calmly.

Li Si stood up, glaring at Xue Xiang, his mind filled with a thousand doubts, but he dared not voice them.

It's his business if he's courting death by falsely conveying an imperial edict. If he obeys the edict, he'll be neither guilty nor guilty. If something goes wrong, this scoundrel will be torn to pieces.

If he disobeyed the imperial decree, even if it was later discovered that this scoundrel was forging the imperial decree, his crime would still be considerable.

"We're all just putting in the effort to get what we want, why bother?"

Having figured this out, Li Si stopped struggling.

"Guardian Angels Depart from the Capital!"

Li Si shouted loudly.

(End of this chapter)