Starting with the titmouse, seventy-two transformations

Chapter 289 Yingtian Palace, What Year Is It Tonight? (July Summary)
The Imperial City of Dayu, Cining Palace.

The candlelight blurred the night, illuminating the several figures writhing on the bed in minute detail.

Suddenly, the blush-inducing sounds of pleasure came to an abrupt halt.

A moment later, a hoarse female voice rang out, carrying a strong sense of lust:
"Grand Commandant... do you find me too old and unattractive? Why not invite that lady from Kunning Palace to join you and keep you entertained?"

"I am terrified."

The male voice that answered her was clear, pleasant, and magnetic, unhurried and gentle, as if possessing a magical power that calmed her mind and soothed her anger.

It was none other than the Grand Commandant of the current dynasty, Duke of Ying, Song Yingtian!

Inside the bed curtains, he got off the bed, spread his arms, and let the palace maids dress him and drape his robes over him, whispering:

"I sensed just now that there were traitors plotting to disrupt the Great Yu Kingdom, so I had no choice but to make some arrangements. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

He spoke gently, like a spring breeze, with a smile on his face.

In the candlelight, his face was like a full moon, with a high forehead, sharp eyebrows and bright eyes. He was refined and easygoing, making people feel good at first glance.

The palace maids who served him were ashen-faced, devoid of any color, with empty and lifeless eyes.

Looks like a dead person!
"The Grand Commandant truly deserves to be called a pillar of the court and a role model for all officials. He is always thinking about the well-being of our Great Yu Dynasty."

"I am terrified."

"What are you so afraid of? Are you afraid of your father being the emperor? Hahaha..."

On the bed, the Empress Dowager, wrapped in a brocade quilt, suddenly burst into laughter.

The screen reflected her exquisite curves, alluring yet frenzied.

"Your Majesty, please rest well. I will come again in a few days to share some intimate moments with you."

"Get out! Song Yingtian, you treacherous villain who has no father or ruler, and who defies his superiors! The late emperor trusted you so much, you... you will die a horrible death and be punished by heaven!"

"God's punishment?"

Song Yingtian lowered his eyes and chuckled softly, then turned to look at the palace maids and eunuchs around him, his eyes flashing with dark energy.

"Serve the Empress Dowager well."

"Yes!"

The eunuchs and palace maids responded in unison, their eyes swirling with dark energy and their smiles eerie.

When he left the bedchamber, the Cining Palace behind him was shrouded in gray mist, blurry and indistinct.

"General."

Below the jade steps, a group of people dressed as eunuchs were already waiting. When they saw him come out, they quickly went to greet him.

"Go to Yingtian Palace."

Before long, the group circled around a desolate palace and entered a passageway leading underground.

This grand hall, named after him, is located right beneath the imperial palace!

The underground palace is spacious, dug hundreds of feet down, built with obsidian, and hollowed out on all four sides, divided into 108 areas.

In the center of each area is a bronze coffin, engraved with patterns and portraits, each one fierce and monstrous.

Some were shrouded in black mist, seemingly alive and ready to move, while others were as still as graves, utterly silent.

In front of each coffin was a lamp, some bright and beautiful, some dim and almost nonexistent, and some were already extinguished, leaving only darkness.

They are arranged in a staggered and orderly manner, like stars scattered across the sky.

One hundred and eight coffins, all connected by iron chains, were gathered in the center of the underground palace, above a stone tower standing on a pool of blood.

The stone tower is nearly a hundred feet tall, and beneath it lies the remains of dozens of people, all dressed in imperial robes and wearing imperial crowns, hanging upside down by iron chains, immersed in a steaming pool of blood.

Blood mist filled the air, and the room was filled with fragrance.

Song Yingtian arrived beside the stone pagoda, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke:
"how is the progress?"

"Reporting to the Grand Commandant, the General of the Excavation Division sent a message yesterday saying that the mausoleum there is a fake tomb, and it will take several months to determine the location of the true mausoleum of Emperor Taizu."

"I will give him another three months and send another battalion of unloading warriors to serve him. They must find the true tomb of Emperor Taizu."

Song Yingtian glanced at the imperial corpse suppressed beneath the tower and gave a deep order.

Someone responded from behind and quickly left.

He looked around at the four walls, his brows furrowing slightly, and his voice trailed off:
"...The soul lamp of Tian Anxing has actually gone out, and even a wisp of my divine sense has completely dissipated. It seems that things have changed in Jinzhou."

Fortunately, I took precautions during these three years, and I underestimated the Prince of Jin's abilities. Let me now perform a divination to see how much of a dragon's potential you, this hidden dragon, possess.”

He chuckled softly, his eyes swirling with dark energy, and gave the order:

"Go to the Imperial Observatory and invite Director Wu here. I have important matters to discuss with you."

"Here!"
-
The world spins, and everything is dazzling!
It felt like I'd been tossed and turned in a drum for three days and three nights, leaving me dizzy and disoriented.

Thankfully, my feet finally found solid ground, the soft, smooth texture...

It's the water!
With a slight movement of his waist and hips, Liu Sheng circulated his internal energy, and his body became completely stable.

"kill!"

"Surround them, don't let that person get away!"

"Do not fire arrows! Capture this man alive and he will be promoted three ranks and rewarded with a thousand gold pieces!"

……

The next moment, a deafening battle cry rang in his ears from afar.

The sounds of people shouting and beasts roaring, the sound of corpses breaking, the sound of blood splattering, the sound of footsteps, and the sound of weapons clashing were all mixed together, and the murderous aura of the army formation rolled in.

"what happened?"

Liu Sheng felt a chill run down his spine, looked up, and was immediately stunned.

Behind them, the mountain cave shimmered with rosy light, gradually disappearing into the void. Beneath their feet, the vast blue water stretched as far as the eye could see, marking the entrance to Qingyuan Cave.

Surprisingly, two military camps were erected around the entrance to the ruins!

All of them were based on boats connected by iron chains, with smooth wooden planks laid on top for setting up camps, resembling floating islands.

A king's flag with the character "晋" (Jin) stands upright, while a general's flag with the character "五方斩妖张" (Wufang Zhan Yao Zhang) stands upright, facing each other from afar.

Like a pair of pliers, it surrounds the entrance to the ruins in the center.

On the distant shore, there are military camps built against the mountain, with beacon towers and defensive lines surrounding the entire Yuding Lake!
On the lake, countless warships, small boats, and fast boats were used for transportation and communication with the military camps in the lake.

At first glance, it seems as if a great city has sprung up amidst these towering mountains, bustling with activity.

"How can this be?"

Liu Sheng's expression changed drastically, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Before entering the ruins, there were only a few simple camps on the shore of Yuding Lake. How did they turn into two huge military towns as soon as we came out?
The sheer size and number of personnel of this military town alone would not be something that could be built in a short period of time.

The two looked at each other in horror, a bad feeling rising in their hearts.

and so……

How long did they stay in these ruins?

"Hahaha, Zhang Bofeng, it's been many years. Your martial arts skills are still so mediocre. Go take a break!"

"Wu Erlang, you're still alive? General Xie and the others..."

"Of course, I'll kill you and tear you to pieces, hahaha!"

"Don't leave, stay here!"

Just then, Wu Song's hearty laughter rang out from the distant shore.

He seemed to know the general sent by the imperial court to oversee the situation, exchanged a few sarcastic remarks, and then a fight broke out.

In an instant, the earth shook, the water surged, the light scattered, and the fist's intent swept across the sky, causing the heavens and earth to change color.

"Master is acting so conspicuously to draw our attention away and make it easier for us to escape..."

Liu Sheng suddenly realized what was happening and, without hesitation, pulled Du Bingyan away.

Unfortunately, it was too late; they were discovered.

"There are two more over here!"

"Light the smoke, surround them!"

"Capture them, and the King will reward you handsomely!"

The next moment, several warships patrolling the nearby waters spotted Liu Sheng and his companion, and immediately broke through the water and rushed over.

On the deck, smoke billowed, shooting straight into the sky.

(End of this chapter)