I was a mineral prospector in Chengdu, who transmigrated into the body of a mortal sword immortal.

When Li Bai returned to his room at the inn where he was staying, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

He gently closed the door, leaned against it, and exhaled a long breath. A sharp pain shot through the torn parts of his night clothes; the weakness from the depletion of his true energy was beginning to show. He walked to the table, lit the oil lamp, and its dim light illuminated the simple room.

The broken sword lay on the table, its bronze blade gleaming dimly under the lamplight.

Li Bai stared at the sword, his mind replaying every detail of last night's battle. The black-clad swordsman's swordsmanship, movements, gaze... and that final moment of hesitation. Why didn't the opponent pursue him when he could have?

Is it fear of the Azure Lotus Sword Intent?

Or... is there another hidden story?

The first rooster crowed in the morning in Chang'an City outside the window.

A new day begins.

But Li Bai knew that some things had changed.

He removed his tattered night clothes; the wound on his right shoulder had scabbed over, a shallow mark left by the sword's energy. The numbness in his left arm hadn't completely subsided, a lingering effect of the icy sword energy eroding his meridians. Li Bai sat cross-legged on the bed, circulating the basic techniques of the Azure Lotus Sword Manual. The illusory azure lotus in his dantian slowly rotated, wisps of spiritual energy gathering from all directions to replenish his depleted true essence.

An hour later, it was broad daylight.

Li Bai opened his eyes, his fatigue had subsided considerably, but his doubts had deepened.

He got up and walked to the window, pushing open the wooden pane. Morning light streamed into the room, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares, wheels rolling over cobblestones, and hurried footsteps filled the air. The morning in Chang'an was bustling and vibrant, as if the life-or-death struggle of the previous night had never happened.

But Li Bai knew that it was not an illusion.

He looked down at his left hand, the lingering vibrations from the clash with the slender sword still present in his palm. That swordsmanship—unusual, cunning, with arcing trajectories unique to this foreign land. It wasn't the style of Central Plains swordsmanship, nor any of the techniques passed down in the Shu Mountain Sword Sect.

It's more like...

Li Bai frowned slightly.

In his previous life, as a geological engineer, he had conducted geological surveys in Xinjiang and Gansu, where he came into contact with some of the martial arts traditions of local ethnic minorities. One of these techniques, a curved sword style from the Western Regions, involved a sword that followed an arc, specifically targeting vital points such as the ribs and throat, and bore a striking resemblance to the swordsman's style in black from last night.

But that's swordsmanship.

Furthermore, according to historical records, An Lushan's Hu warriors were indeed skilled in this arc-shaped attack technique, but that was during the Tianbao era. Now it's still the end of the Kaiyuan era, and An Lushan was merely a newly emerging border general. How could his Hu warriors be in Chang'an, and even lurking in Yang Guifei's residence?

The timing doesn't match.

unless……

Li Bai's eyes narrowed.

Unless the historical records are incorrect, or An Lushan had already begun his plans much earlier.

Or perhaps, the black-clad swordsman wasn't one of An Lushan's men at all.

"Knock knock".

The knocking interrupted Li Bai's thoughts.

He quickly sheathed the broken sword in his sleeve, walked to the door, and whispered, "Who is it?"

"It's me." Duan Qiniang's voice came from outside the door, tinged with urgency.

Li Bai opened the door, and Duan Qiniang slipped in, closing the door behind her. Today, she was dressed in a plain-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her hair simply styled, and her face unadorned, looking like an ordinary woman going out to buy groceries in the morning. But her eyes were sharp; after entering, she quickly scanned the room, only looking at Li Bai after confirming it was safe.

"Are you injured?" Duan Qiniang's gaze fell on the torn clothing on Li Bai's right shoulder.

"Just a superficial wound." Li Bai shook his head. "Why are you here?"

"Something happened at the residence," Duan Qiniang said in a low voice. "Before dawn, the news spread throughout the city. They said that a thief broke into the Yichun Courtyard last night, disturbing Consort Yang who was about to enter the palace. The Imperial Guards have already gone to investigate, but they haven't caught the culprit."

Li Bai's heart tightened: "How is Yang Yuhuan?"

"You're safe and sound." Duan Qiniang looked at him. "But it's said there was indeed fighting last night. When the guards discovered it, they only saw broken windows and sword marks in the courtyard. Taibai, you..."

"It was me," Li Bai said without hiding anything. "I went to the inn last night and saw Yang Yuhuan."

Duan Qiniang gasped, "Are you crazy? That's a concubine personally chosen by His Majesty! What if she's discovered..."

"We've been discovered." Li Bai smiled wryly. "Not only were we discovered, but we almost died there."

He walked to the table and sat down, gesturing for Duan Qiniang to sit as well. Then, he recounted the events of the previous night in detail—from infiltrating the inn, to his conversation with Yang Yuhuan, to the sudden attack by the black-clad swordsman, the life-or-death struggle between the two in the room and courtyard, and finally, his escape using the nascent form of the Azure Lotus Sword Intent.

Duan Qiniang turned pale upon hearing this.

"A Foundation Establishment stage swordsman? Infiltrating Yang Yuhuan's residence?" she murmured. "How is that possible... The guards in the residence are all ordinary guards sent by the palace, at most with Qi Refining level three or four, how could there be a Foundation Establishment stage expert?"

"I'd like to know too," Li Bai said in a deep voice. "That man's swordsmanship is very unique, with an exotic style. I suspect it's the style of a Hu (non-Han) warrior, but the timing doesn't match up."

"Hu people?" Duan Qiniang frowned. "There are quite a few Hu people in Chang'an, but a swordsman who can cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage is definitely not an unknown person. And why would they infiltrate Yang Yuhuan's residence? To monitor? To protect? Or..."

She suddenly stopped, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Li Bai asked.

Duan Qiniang took a deep breath: "Taibai, you just said that the swordsman's swordsmanship follows an arc, specifically targeting the ribs and throat?"

"Yes."

"The sword is slender, gleaming with a ghostly blue light, and exudes a chilling aura?"

"That's right."

Duan Qiniang's face turned very pale: "I...I think I've heard of this sword technique before."

Li Bai leaned forward: "Where?"

"Three years ago," Duan Qiniang lowered her voice even further, "I received a guest in Pingkangfang, a merchant from Longyou. After drinking, he boasted that he had witnessed a duel in Liangzhou. One of the swordsmen used this kind of swordsmanship—a thin sword, an arc, and the sword strike carried an icy aura. He said it was the royal swordsmanship of a small country in the Western Regions, called 'Cold Moon Arc Light Sword'."

"A small country in the Western Regions?" Li Bai pressed. "Which country?"

"I can't remember." Duan Qiniang shook her head. "The merchant was vague. He only said that the country had been destroyed for decades and the royal bloodline had been scattered. People who know this kind of swordsmanship are either royal orphans or descendants of the royal guards from back then."

Li Bai fell into deep thought.

The fall of a kingdom in the Western Regions, the orphan of a royal family, the inheritance of sword techniques... these clues connect to point to one possibility: the black-clad swordsman was not from the Central Plains, but an exile from the Western Regions.

But why would someone like that appear in Chang'an?

Why would they lurk in Yang Yuhuan's residence?

"There's one more thing," Duan Qiniang continued. "The merchant said that when that small kingdom in the Western Regions was destroyed, a batch of royal treasures was secretly taken away, and their whereabouts are still unknown. Someone who knows the 'Frosty Moon Arc Sword' might know the whereabouts of the treasures."

"Treasure?" Li Bai was taken aback.

"Yes," Duan Qiniang nodded, "but that's not the point. The point is, if that black-clad swordsman is truly a descendant of the Western Regions royal family, then his presence in Chang'an must have a special purpose. And Yang Yuhuan... she's just a young girl about to enter the palace, why would she be involved with a descendant of the Western Regions?"

The atmosphere in the room became heavy.

The oil lamp flame flickered gently, casting the shadows of two people deep in thought on the wall. The hustle and bustle of the street outside the window only accentuated the oppressive silence in the room.

After a long silence, Li Bai slowly spoke: "Seventh Sister, who do you think sent that swordsman?"

Duan Qiniang pondered for a moment: "There are a few possibilities. First, they were sent by the families of other concubines in the palace, intending to harm Yang Yuhuan. But using a Western Region orphan as an assassin is too risky and could easily leave evidence against them."

"And the second one?"

"Secondly, Li Linfu," Duan Qiniang said. "Prime Minister Li wields immense power in the court and has gathered many extraordinary individuals under his command. If he wants to control Yang Yuhuan, or control His Majesty through Yang Yuhuan, it would be perfectly reasonable for him to send a skilled person to secretly monitor her."

Li Bai nodded: "That's what I think too. But there's a third possibility."

"What?"

"His Majesty himself," Li Bai said slowly. "Yang Yuhuan was a concubine personally chosen by His Majesty. His Majesty pays special attention to her, so it makes sense that he would send a skilled person to protect her secretly."

Duan Qiniang shook her head: "If it was His Majesty who sent them, then the swordsman should have stopped you from getting close to Yang Yuhuan last night, instead of waiting until you finished speaking with her before making his move. Besides, if His Majesty wanted to protect someone, he could have openly increased the number of guards; why resort to such sneaky methods?"

Li Bai fell silent.

Duan Qiniang is right. If he really is from the Xuanzong faction, then the swordsman's behavior doesn't make sense.

unless……

"Unless that swordsman's mission wasn't protection," Li Bai suddenly said, "but surveillance. Surveilling Yang Yuhuan's every move, monitoring everyone who gets close to her. And my intrusion last night triggered his killing order—any outsider who approaches Yang Yuhuan, kill without mercy."

Duan Qiniang trembled: "You mean... Yang Yuhuan is under house arrest? On the surface, she's supposed to be a concubine entering the palace, but in reality, she's a prisoner under surveillance?"

"Possibly." Li Bai's eyes were icy. "If that's the case, then the person behind all this must have enormous ambitions. There must be some secret about Yang Yuhuan."

Silence fell in the room once again.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting bright dappled patterns on the floor. The street vendors' cries grew louder—some sold flatbread, others fermented vegetable soup, and still others fresh fruits and vegetables. The morning in Chang'an was vibrant, but in this humble inn room, an atmosphere of intrigue permeated the air.

Duan Qiniang suddenly remembered something.

She leaned closer to Li Bai, her voice so low it was almost inaudible: "Taibai, I've heard... that besides the imperial guards and eunuchs in the open, His Majesty seems to have an extremely secretive 'Inner Guard'."

Li Bai's pupils contracted slightly: "The Imperial Guard?"

"That's right." Duan Qiniang nodded. "This inner guard doesn't belong to any government office; it reports directly to His Majesty. There aren't many of them, but they are all highly skilled, specializing in handling shady matters—assassination, surveillance, espionage, and silencing. No more than ten people in the court know about the inner guard's existence. I only learned about it by chance from a drunken member of the imperial family."

"What did the members of the imperial family say?"

"He said that three years ago, an imperial censor impeached Li Linfu for forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices. The day after the memorial was submitted, the censor suddenly died at home. The Chang'an County government investigated for a long time and concluded that it was a sudden heart attack. But that member of the imperial clan said that he personally saw several dark figures leave the censor's residence on the night the censor died, and their movements were incredibly fast."

Duan Qiniang paused, then lowered her voice even further: "He said those dark figures were the Imperial Guards."

Li Bai's fingers tapped the table unconsciously.

Internal guard.

A secret organization that reports directly to Emperor Xuanzong and is dedicated to assassination and surveillance.

If the black-clad swordsman was a member of the Imperial Guard, then everything makes sense—he was infiltrating Yang Guifei's residence to carry out Emperor Xuanzong's secret orders. And last night, Li Bai's intrusion triggered his murderous intent.

But why is it Western Region swordsmanship?

Why would Emperor Xuanzong's inner guards use sword techniques inherited from the Western Regions royal family?

unless……

Li Bai suddenly thought of a terrible possibility.

Unless the black-clad swordsman wasn't trained by Emperor Xuanzong, but rather "recruited" by him. Recruiting a royal descendant from the Western Regions and making him serve the Tang Dynasty, in exchange for perhaps a promise to help him restore his kingdom, perhaps a promise of treasure, or perhaps... simply controlling him through some means.

Such people are best suited for doing shady things.

Because they are rootless and without foundation, because they carry secrets, because they have no choice but to be loyal.

"Seventh Sister," Li Bai looked up, "Can you find out any specific information about that small kingdom in the Western Regions? The name of the kingdom, the time of its destruction, the royal family's surname, any clue will do."

Duan Qiniang smiled wryly: "I'll give it a try. But that was something I overheard three years ago while drunk, and it involves secrets from the Western Regions, so it might not be easy."

"Just do your best," Li Bai said. "Also, keep a close eye on the inn. The Imperial Guards may not be able to find anything, but the people behind them will definitely make a move. Yang Yuhuan's situation... may be more dangerous than we imagine."

"I understand." Duan Qiniang stood up. "You must be careful too. Although you escaped last night, you may have revealed some of your strength. If that swordsman was indeed an imperial guard, he will definitely report it to his superiors. You may also be targeted next."

Li Bai nodded: "I know."

Duan Qiniang walked to the door, then turned back to look at him again: "Taibai, there's something I don't know if I should say."

"you say."

"Yang Yuhuan...she's destined for the palace." Duan Qiniang's voice was soft. "This is His Majesty's decree, a fact known to all. Even if you possess extraordinary abilities, you cannot change this fact. It was already a miracle you returned alive last night. If you were to take any more risks..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but her meaning was clear.

Li Bai was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Seventh Sister, do you know why I absolutely must save her?"

"Because...you like her?"

"More than that." Li Bai looked out the window, sunlight illuminating his profile and outlining his resolute features. "I owe her a life. What I owed in a past life, I must repay in this one. Moreover, I know her fate after entering the palace—at Mawei Slope, three feet of white silk hanged. That was not the destiny she deserved."

Duan Qiniang was stunned: "Mawei Slope? What kind of place is that? How do you know...?"

"I know a lot of things." Li Bai withdrew his gaze and looked at Duan Qiniang. "There are some things I can't say right now, but please believe me. Yang Yuhuan cannot enter the palace, at least not in this way."

Duan Qiniang looked at him for a long time, and finally sighed: "Alright, I believe you. Just tell me what you need me to do."

"Thank you," Li Bai said sincerely.

Duan Qiniang shook her head, pushed open the door, and left.

Li Bai was left alone in the room again.

He walked to the window and looked down at the bustling crowd on the street. A vendor selling flatbreads was calling out his wares, several children were chasing a ball, and in the distance, a carriage was slowly approaching. A corner of the curtain was lifted, revealing the face of a noblewoman.

Everything seemed so ordinary.

But Li Bai knew that beneath this seemingly ordinary surface, turbulent undercurrents were brewing.

Black-clad swordsmen, imperial guards, orphans from the Western Regions, Emperor Xuanzong, Li Linfu, Yang Guifei… These people and events intertwine to form a vast web. And he has already stepped into the center of this web.

What should we do next?

Should we continue investigating the identity of the swordsman in black?

Or should we try to contact Yang Yuhuan again?

Or... how about starting from another direction?

Li Bai was lost in thought, his fingers unconsciously stroking the broken sword hidden in his sleeve. The cool touch of the bronze blade gradually cleared his chaotic thoughts.

Regardless of who the black-clad swordsman was, regardless of whether the inner guards existed, and regardless of how many conspiracies lay behind it—he had only one goal: to save Yang Yuhuan.

Therefore, he needs more information, stronger capabilities, and a more comprehensive plan.

The first step is to find out the background of the black-clad swordsman.

Li Bai turned and walked to the table, spread out a sheet of paper, and dipped his brush in ink. He wrote down several keywords on the paper: Western Regions, Cold Moon Arc Sword, royal orphan, imperial guards, Emperor Xuanzong.

Then, a circle was drawn around the two characters "内卫" (internal defense).

If Duan Qiniang's intelligence is accurate, then this secretive imperial guard is the key to unraveling all the mysteries. Since they handle matters that Xuanzong cannot reveal, monitoring Yang Yuhuan and assassinating intruders are entirely within their duties.

But the question returns to its origin: Why did Emperor Xuanzong keep such close surveillance of a concubine who was about to enter the palace?

What secrets did Yang Yuhuan hold?

Li Bai put down his pen and looked out the window.

The sun shone brightly, bathing Chang'an in golden light. This most prosperous capital city in the world, however, now appeared to him like a vast labyrinth, full of traps and deadly dangers.

He must find a way out of this maze.