Starting with The Eagle Shooting Heroes: I gain a year's worth of skill every day.

The moment that will descended, the innate true energy within Shen Mo's body suddenly surged violently.

No activation is required.

Two hundred years of true energy surged wildly through his meridians, emitting a silent roar!

But it didn't work.

This is not a suppression on the level of power.

This is an overwhelming dominance in the dimension of life!

Shen Mo's consciousness was completely locked onto by that vast presence.

His eighteen years in the world of The Condor Heroes—every time he practiced his skills, every time he swung his sword, every time he killed—were forcibly turned like pages in a book.

Frame by frame.

Scene after scene.

There is nowhere to hide.

Shen Mo gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead.

This feeling of being seen through from the inside out made his blood run cold.

The innate true energy rampaged through his body, leaving him no room to resist.

He felt as if he were nailed to the void, forced to watch helplessly as that will peruses everything about him.

however--

When the tentacles of that will tentatively reached into the deepest part of his soul, to touch that ancient bronze mirror.

Unexpected changes occurred!

hum!

On the mirror's surface, the dust that had remained motionless for ages was stirred slightly.

An even more ancient and profound aura suddenly erupted!

That indifferent will that scrutinizes all things is like ice and snow touching boiling oil, emitting a silent shriek!

Retract!

Crazy retreat!

[Unknown high-dimensional interference detected...]

The interference source cannot be analyzed...

[Classified as: Untouchable Threat!]

A series of mechanical voices echoed in Shen Mo's mind, but this time, there was a hint of... fear in the voices?

[Correcting world coordinates...]

[Classify these coordinates as the highest level restricted area!]

[Enforcing the compensation agreement...]

[Retain space permissions...]

The sound hadn't faded.

Suddenly, a string of incredibly complex coordinate information appeared in Shen Mo's mind.

That is—the entrance to the Main God Space!

[Permissions granted successfully...]

[The host can open the Main God Space portal at any time...]

Shen Mo's pupils contracted sharply.

The coordinates in my mind were imprinted with crystal clarity.

He could even sense that with just a thought, he could step into the legendary God's Space.

The immense will that had enveloped the entire city of Chang'an and silenced all things finally vanished completely, like the receding tide.

The whole process took only a few breaths.

Shen Mo stood there silently, his back completely soaked with cold sweat.

The blue robe clung tightly to his body.

Shortness of breath.

That brief standoff was a thousand times more dangerous than facing a massive army charge.

If it weren't for this mysterious mirror in my mind...

Shen Mo had a clear premonition—his fate at this moment would be no better than that of the woman who disappeared in the light.

The mirror saved me.

This thought flashed through Shen Mo's mind.

What is the origin of the mirror in one's mind?

It's astonishing that even the so-called supreme god is so afraid of it.

But now is not the time to think about that.

Shen Mo shook his head, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart.

Although the access to the Main God Space is valuable, there are more important things to do right now.

Shen Mo's gaze returned to the girl huddled in the corner.

The overwhelming killing intent that had been boiling over from the fight vanished the moment he saw her.

Yang Yuhuan was still immersed in immense fear.

The bizarre sight of the blonde woman disintegrating and vanishing into light before Shen Mo's eyes completely shattered her understanding of the world.

Until a pair of soap boots stopped in front of her.

She slowly raised her head.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

The person before me was dressed in a blue robe, with a handsome face.

The cold, murderous aura between his brows had not completely dissipated, but the eyes that were looking at her were deep and serene.

It's the person in the mirror.

He really... came out of the mirror.

"Taoist Master..."

Yang Yuhuan's voice was filled with heavy sobs.

At this moment, she is like a child who has been adrift in the storm for a long time and has finally found a harbor.

All the grievances and fears surged forth at this moment.

Shen Mo looked at her.

This girl used to chatter away with him in the mirror, always filled with curiosity and longing.

At this moment, she was curled up in the ruins.

Her hair was disheveled.

His clothes were covered in dust.

There was still that glaring red mark on her cheek.

Shen Mo's throat tightened slightly.

He had witnessed too much death and killed too many evil people.

But seeing the girl's terrified and helpless appearance, I felt a surge of emotions I had never experienced before.

She should have been living a peaceful life in her boudoir.

Instead of experiencing such a calamity.

Shen Mo remained silent.

He silently took off his outer Taoist robe, bent down, and gently draped it over her slender shoulders.

She even carefully gathered her clothes together.

His body heat lingered on the Taoist robe.

And a faint, crisp scent, a blend of mountain pine and old books.

Yang Yuhuan gripped her Taoist robe tightly.

Tears streamed down her face.

Shen Mo squatted down in front of her, his gaze level with hers.

He raised his hand, slowly and gently.

His fingertips gently brushed across her cheek.

"Does it still hurt?"

His voice was very soft.

Yang Yuhuan was stunned.

Tears blurred my vision.

She shook her head instinctively, then nodded, her voice choked with emotion: "No...it doesn't hurt anymore..."

"Master, how...how did you get here?"

"I'll come pick you up."

Shen Mo spoke simply, but his tone was firm.

His palm gently covered the top of her head.

"Don't be afraid."

"I'm here."

Yang Yuhuan looked at the Taoist priest who had walked out of the mirror.

Tears streamed down my face again, but this time they were no longer from fear.

Rather, it's the peace of mind that comes from surviving a disaster.

Shen Mo stood up and glanced around.

Several breaths ago, his senses had already detected the urgent and intense atmosphere outside the courtyard.

Hundreds of men, fully armored and exuding a murderous aura, came forward.

The Golden Guard of Chang'an?

Shen Mo remained calm, showing no surprise whatsoever.

Given the commotion just now, it was to be expected that it would alarm the garrison in Chang'an.

This scene involving Shen Mo and Yang Yuhua happened to be seen by a disheveled figure behind a rockery not far away.

Yang Xuangui, covered in dust, tumbled and crawled out from behind the artificial hill.

The earth-shattering battle just now—the fire-breathing demoness, the steel monster—had already terrified him out of his wits.

He could only clutch his head tightly, cowering behind the artificial hill, not daring to make a sound.

He only dared to peek out when it was completely quiet outside.

But what did he see?!

His own niece, the niece who was about to marry into the royal family and bring unparalleled glory to the Yang family, was now crying her eyes out in front of a strange Taoist priest!

She was still wearing that man's clothes!

That man even dared to reach out and touch her face and stroke her head!

Corpses littered the ground.

The villa that was razed to the ground.

Add to that this incredibly glaring scene before my eyes...

Yang Xuangui's mind was buzzing.

His reason was struggling frantically.

On the one hand, he witnessed those supernatural monsters firsthand.

That fire-breathing enchantress.

That steel monster.

That earth-shattering power...

The fact that this Taoist priest could defeat those monsters shows that he was no ordinary person.

If we rashly offend them...

But on the other hand—

The glory of the Yang family!

The Yang family finally managed to climb up to Prince Shou!

If outsiders knew that Miss Yang had a secret rendezvous with a Taoist priest of unknown origin on the eve of her wedding...

Even if this Taoist priest is a savior, rumors and gossip are enough to destroy everything the Yang family has!

A struggle flashed in Yang Xuangui's eyes.

A flicker of fear crossed my mind.

Anger flashed across his face.

He recalled the smile on Prince Shou's face when he bestowed the marriage upon him that day.

I recalled the expectant looks in the eyes of the elders in my clan.

He recalled all the effort he had put into currying favor with the royal family over the years.

It must not be destroyed!

We absolutely cannot let it be destroyed here!

As long as this Taoist priest is labeled a "demon," all the blame can be placed on him...

The Yang family can preserve their innocence!

Yang Xuangui's eyes turned fierce.

He didn't even consider where the Taoist priest came from or how he dealt with the monsters.

In his eyes, this Taoist priest was the culprit who destroyed everything!

Just then—

From the distant night sky, a long and urgent sound of a copper whistle could be heard first.

That was a warning signal from the Golden Guard.

Immediately afterwards, the entire street seemed to be set on fire.

Countless torches converged from all directions, turning the night sky a fiery red.

Footsteps.

The sound of heavy, dense footsteps.

It was like a thousand troops marching through the long street.

The clanging of armor clashing, the scraping of swords drawn from their sheaths, and the thud of bowstrings being pulled taut intertwined to create a scene of grim desolation.

"Quickly! Surround this area!"

"The left wing is blocking the street from the east side!"

"The right wing has blocked their retreat from the west alleyway!"

"Archers, take your positions! Aim inside the courtyard, don't let any figure escape!"

"Swordsmen and shieldmen in the front, spearmen in the backup!"

Commands echoed one after another, revealing the chilling atmosphere of seasoned veterans and highly trained personnel.

The Golden Guard, responsible for the security of the capital region, reacted extremely quickly.

Those loud bangs, like thunderclaps, had already alarmed half of Chang'an.

The three patrol teams closest to the location received orders almost simultaneously to quickly encircle the area from three directions.

Leading the group was Chen Guangyuan, the General of the Golden Guard.

The man was in his early forties, with a burly build. A scar running diagonally from his eyebrow to his jawline on his square face made him look fierce and experienced.

He was dressed in bright armor, with a long sword at his waist, and riding a sturdy blue horse. At this moment, he was leading his soldiers like a tide towards the Yang family's villa.

Chen Guangyuan has served in the Jinwu Guard for more than 20 years.

He rose through the ranks from a lowly centurion, fighting his way up with swords and spears, witnessing countless murders and chaotic situations.

The assassination attempt in front of the Daming Palace.

The brawl in the East Market.

The burning of the camps at Wangchun Tower.

Even when An Lushan's rebel army attacked Chang'an, he risked his life to protect the people and help them evacuate.

It can be said that the ups and downs of Chang'an over the past twenty years are etched into the scar on his face.

That's why his intuition is exceptionally sharp.

The moment he heard those loud bangs, he knew that this was no ordinary fire or collapse.

That kind of tremor.

He had seen catapults smashing city walls on the battlefield, but it was nothing compared to the horror of what he had just witnessed.

Moreover, the location of the epicenter—

The Yang family's villa.

That's where the young lady from the Yang family, who is about to marry into the Prince of Shou's mansion, is staying!

If anything goes wrong, the entire Imperial Guard cannot bear the consequences!

Chen Guangyuan's face turned ashen, and he spurred his horse to gallop wildly.

Behind him, more than three hundred Jinwu Guard soldiers followed closely.

The torchlight illuminated the entire long street.

The armor reflected a cold light.

Swords and spears stood in a forest.

The chilling atmosphere almost solidified into a tangible form.

Turning the corner, the walls of the Yang family's villa came into view.

however--

When Chen Guangyuan saw the view of the courtyard wall, he suddenly pulled on the reins.

The green horse neighed, its front hooves raised high.

Chen Guangyuan's pupils contracted violently.

That's not the courtyard wall.

Those are ruins!

The two-zhang-high blue brick courtyard wall is now reduced to half a ruin.

Broken bricks and tiles were scattered all over the ground.

Some areas were even completely leveled, revealing the interior of the courtyard.

Under the firelight, the courtyard was a scene of devastation.

Half of the embroidered pavilion collapsed.

The artificial hill was shattered into scattered rocks.

The ground was covered with large pits of varying depths.

The most shocking sight was the huge pit, several feet deep, in the center of the yard.

At the bottom of the pit was a pile of twisted metal debris.

In the torchlight, the remains gleamed with an eerie, bluish light.

Chen Guangyuan had seen many weapons on the battlefield.

Tang sword, spear, crossbow, iron armor.

But he had never seen this material before.

This is not iron.

It's not copper either.

That intricate construction, that eerie luster…

It's as if they shouldn't exist in this world.

"What...what is this?"

Behind Chen Guangyuan, a young captain's voice trembled.

He gripped the long knife tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Chen Guangyuan did not answer.

His gaze had already fallen on the two figures in the courtyard.

A Taoist priest in a blue robe.

He had a handsome face.

His brows held a serene air that seemed detached from worldly affairs.

Behind him, a girl wearing a Taoist robe was huddled up.

Her hair was disheveled.

Her face was streaked with tears.

That face...

Chen Guangyuan's heart skipped a beat.

That's Miss Yang from the Yang family, who is about to marry into the Prince of Shou's mansion!

He had seen her before.

Two months ago, on the day His Highness Prince Shou bestowed the marriage upon him, he was ordered to stand guard outside the Yang residence.

I caught a glimpse of that stunning face from afar.

And at this moment—

This incredibly noble Miss Yang was dressed in the robes of a strange Taoist priest, hiding behind him.

The distance between the two was so close...so close that it was against etiquette.

Chen Guangyuan's face instantly turned extremely ugly.

He served as an official in Chang'an for more than 20 years.

What kind of power struggles haven't I seen?

What kind of filth and depravity haven't I experienced?

The scene before me was strangely unsettling.

Corpses littered the ground.

The villa that was razed to the ground.

That strange pile of metal debris.

Add to that the ambiguous relationship between that strange Taoist priest and Miss Yang…

Chen Guangyuan's temples throbbed.

He had a strong premonition—

This matter tonight is anything but simple.

This could very well turn into a storm that sweeps through the imperial court!

"Everyone, listen up!"

Chen Guangyuan took a deep breath, his voice booming like thunder.

"Surround but do not attack! No one is allowed to act without authorization!"

"Archers, take your positions, aim inside the courtyard!"

"Sword and shield bearers, front line, on alert!"

"Messenger, immediately report this matter to the Imperial Guard headquarters!"

"Send another fast horse to the Daming Palace to seek the Emperor's decision!"

One order after another was issued.

The Jinwu guards moved quickly.

The torches illuminated the entire courtyard.

Hundreds of crossbows, their dark arrowheads pointed directly at the figure in the green robe in the courtyard.

Chen Guangyuan dismounted.

He didn't rush to the hospital.

Instead, he stood at the gap in the courtyard wall, his gaze fixed on the courtyard like that of a hawk.

After scanning the corpses of the guards throughout the courtyard, he quickly identified two... and one particularly unusual corpse.

A hole was pierced through the forehead, leaving the front and back exposed.

One of them is the metal debris in that deep pit...

This is not damage that could be caused by human power.

He swore an oath to the Tang Emperor!

Absolutely not!

Chen Guangyuan's hand unconsciously rested on the hilt of the knife at his waist.

He had fought on the battlefield for many years and considered himself to be knowledgeable and experienced.

But at this moment, facing the seemingly young Taoist priest in the courtyard, he felt an instinctive sense of vigilance.

The Taoist priest simply stood there quietly.

They didn't even glance at them.

But it is precisely this composure that is evident.

This made Chen Guangyuan's heart beat faster and faster.

Strange!

That's so weird!