After transmigrating into the body of the protagonist's childhood friend, he was targeted by a

Three days later, Lin Zhixu arrived at the palace gate again.

This time he didn't need to climb over the wall anymore; he could simply take out his token and enter through the main gate openly and legitimately.

Upon seeing the token, the guards at the gate immediately clasped their hands in salute, indicating that they had been given prior notice and were just waiting for his arrival.

A guard stepped aside to lead the way, taking Lin Zhixu into the palace.

However, instead of going directly into the inner palace, they first went to a side hall on the east side.

The palace door was half-closed, and several young cultivators were already sitting inside, dressed in the robes of disciples from different sects. They were clearly people sent by other sects to guard the area.

As soon as Lin Zhixu stepped through the door, he heard a familiar voice ring out in surprise.

"Fellow Daoist Lin!"

Jiang Chen sprang up from his seat, strode over to him, and beamed, "Brother Lin! Long time no see! Things have been so chaotic lately, I've been wanting to visit you for ages, but I just couldn't find the time. I never expected to run into you here, we're really destined to meet!"

Lin Zhixu smiled and returned the greeting: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, how have you been?"

His gaze fell to the side, and then he paused slightly.

Sitting diagonally behind Jiang Chen was a young woman in a plain blue dress, with a beautiful face and a cool expression; it was Liu Shuyan.

Lin Zhixu was somewhat surprised: "Fellow Daoist Liu."

Liu Shuyan never expected to meet him here.

She paused for a moment, then quickly regained her usual composure and nodded to him: "Fellow Daoist Lin, how have you been? It seems I was mistaken before."

Lin Zhixu smiled faintly: "Fellow Daoist Liu is too kind. I haven't yet thanked you for your help back then."

Liu Shuyan seemed to remember something and said somewhat embarrassedly, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Fellow Daoist Lin."

Lin Zhixu didn't say anything more, only shook her head at her.

The two of them tacitly avoided mentioning the past.

Jiang Chen wisely refrained from interrupting.

Disciples from other sects also looked at Lin Zhixu with curiosity.

Seeing that he was young but had an impressive demeanor, and that he knew Jiang Chen and Liu Shuyan, they couldn't help but think more highly of him.

As they were exchanging pleasantries, a eunuch trotted over, stopped at the door, and respectfully bowed: "Esteemed immortals, His Majesty invites you to enter the hall for an audience."

Everyone stood up.

The group followed the eunuch toward the main hall.

Lin Zhixu walked at the back, his gaze sweeping over the palace walls and corridors along the way without making a sound.

The atmosphere in the palace was much better than during the last night visit.

It seems that the new emperor has renovated the palace after ascending the throne.

After passing through two palace gates, a bright and open space suddenly appeared before us.

Before the Golden Hall, the steps are majestic and the hall doors are wide open.

The eunuch announced loudly from outside the hall: "The esteemed immortals have arrived—"

The group entered the main hall.

There weren't many people in the hall; several high-ranking officials stood on either side, their robes indicating their high rank.

Sitting on the dragon throne was a gentle-looking young man with a refined and scholarly demeanor, who appeared quite kind.

The group bowed slightly as a gesture of greeting.

After all, they came from various immortal sects, and when facing a mortal emperor, they only needed to maintain basic courtesy.

The new emperor didn't mind these formalities, raised his hand in a gesture of support, and said in a gentle tone, "Esteemed immortals, you have come from afar and must be tired from your journey. No need for such formalities, please take a seat."

The palace attendants immediately brought over several chairs, and everyone sat down in turn.

"I have just ascended the throne, and my foundation is still weak. Moreover, there have been successive incidents in the palace, so I am really overwhelmed," the new emperor said frankly. "Inviting the immortals from various sects to the palace this time is also a last resort. With the dragon vein unstable, I am always afraid that something else will go wrong. Your presence puts my mind at ease."

Jiang Chen, quick to speak, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, now that we are here, we will do our utmost to protect the palace and Your Majesty."

The new emperor looked at him and smiled: "With these words from the immortal, I am relieved."

The arrangements were quickly finalized.

Liu Shuyan and another female cultivator were assigned to the inner palace, living in a side hall not far from the Empress's bedroom, so that they could take care of the palace women.

Jiang Chen and Lin Zhixu remained in the former dynasty, residing in a separate palace west of the emperor's sleeping quarters, and were told to the outside world that they were guest ministers invited by His Majesty.

The other two were assigned to the outer palace to patrol the area around the palace gates.

……

Jiang Chen and Lin Zhixu arrived at the side hall.

Lin Zhixu first walked through the entire courtyard, then used his divine sense to scan it several times to make sure there were no hidden sentries or leftover restrictions before returning to the main house and sitting down.

Seeing his cautious demeanor, Jiang Chen leaned closer and whispered, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with this place?"

Lin Zhixu: "It's nothing, better to be safe than sorry. Do you know how the last emperor died?"

Jiang Chen: "I heard he died suddenly."

Lin Zhixu: "The old emperor trusted the evil cultivator and was obsessed with the art of immortality. In the end, the evil cultivator died, and he died with him. At that time, the evil cultivator controlled the entire palace, and I'm afraid there might be some hidden dangers left behind."

Jiang Chen was startled. "I see. I understand now. I'll be more careful from now on."

The palace remained calm for the next few days.

Jiang Chen and Lin Zhixu took turns protecting the emperor closely. After several days, they didn't find anything unusual, but they did see how difficult it was to be an emperor.

They get up earlier than the rooster and go to bed later than the dog, reviewing memorials late into the night, while being advised by one minister and nagged by another censor.

Even choosing whose card to play at night is not up to you.

"It's too miserable." Jiang Chen sighed to Lin Zhixu in private. "Being an emperor is much harder than being a cultivator. I'd rather fight three hundred rounds with evil cultivators outside the city than live like this."

Lin Zhixu found it funny.

Being a cultivator is definitely not as enjoyable as being an emperor.

After all, although the emperor faced more restrictions and was more tired, he also enjoyed things that ordinary people could not compare to.

……

That night, the emperor went to the inner palace to rest.

Liu Shuyan, having managed to find some time, came to their side hall.

Jiang Chen was somewhat surprised to see her: "What are you doing here?"

Liu Shuyan waved his hand, his expression calm: "Don't worry, Fellow Daoist Xiao is keeping an eye on things in the harem, nothing will happen. The emperor is favoring his concubines tonight, and I have no interest in listening to live sex scenes, so I came out for some fresh air."

Jiang Chen and Lin Zhixu immediately cast pitying glances at her.

Lin Zhixu pushed the tea towards them and got down to business: "Has anything unusual happened in the harem lately?"

Liu Shuyan sighed, took the tea and sipped it: "I haven't found anything strange in the harem. But those concubines and palace women are always framing each other or tripping each other up."

"There are all sorts of indirect attacks and veiled insults, a lot of negative emotions, it's a chaotic mess. With such a heavy bloodlust in the harem, it's no wonder it attracts evil cultivators."

The three were helpless; they couldn't control this kind of thing.

Even the emperor himself might not be able to manage the affairs of the harem, let alone outsiders like them.

Jiang Chen sighed: "You know, this palace looks magnificent on the outside, but how come it's full of all these complicated and troublesome things inside?"

Lin Zhixu said calmly, "It's the same everywhere. Wherever there are people, there is struggle. Especially in the place where power is most concentrated in the world, everyone is fighting, so naturally everyone has something to hide."

The same applies to the imperial court. On the surface, everything appears harmonious, but underneath, undercurrents are surging.

Especially those high-ranking officials, which one of them hasn't stained their hands with blood?

If we're talking about sheer malevolence, the imperial court has just as much, if not more, menacing atmosphere than the imperial harem.