My cultivation disguise has been exposed by Xiao Sizi.

Inside the Taiji Hall.

Dead silence.

Absolute silence, deathly silence.

The air seemed to have been completely sucked out in that instant.

The entire court of civil and military officials, the Emperor of the Great Tang Dynasty.

Everyone was completely stunned by Si Zi's adorable yet fierce declaration of "collecting protection money".

The envoys from all nations on the white marble square buried their heads in their trousers, not daring to even breathe loudly.

In this suffocating silence.

Only the pink cat paw token that Sizi held high reflected an eerie light that sent chills down one's spine under the candlelight.

that night.

The painful memory of the entire court officials collectively wearing pink tokens and shouting "Meow meow meow meow" when facing the Western Buddhist delegation.

Like a terrifying nightmare from which there is no escape, it once again gripped everyone's throat.

"Gulp."

On the dragon throne, Li Shimin swallowed hard.

He looked at his most beloved daughter.

In his heart, however, he was screaming wildly, "Ancestor! Little ancestor! This is in front of everyone, with envoys from all over the world watching! Please, please don't utter that shameful religious incantation!"

Li Shimin was so anxious that he was covered in sweat.

He frantically and desperately tried to wink at Cheng Yaojin, the leader of the generals below.

Cheng Yaojin was also drenched in sweat at this moment.

His face, as black as charcoal, was deathly pale, as if it were covered in a layer of flour.

Upon receiving the emperor's distress signal, Cheng Yaojin was jolted awake, as if struck by a sudden enlightenment.

"Give it! You must give it!"

Cheng Yaojin suddenly let out a deafening roar.

He scrambled and stumbled to the mountain of spoils.

Like a mad dog guarding its food, it shoved aside Yuchi Gong, who was still in a petrified state.

"Our Holy Flame Meow Meow Cult, protecting our homeland and safeguarding our country, our contributions will last for generations!"

"The Holy Beast has made great contributions by touring the world!"

As Cheng Yaojin loudly recited his hastily made-up flattery, he stretched out his large, fan-like hands and frantically rummaged through the pile of spoils.

Boxes full of top-grade spirit stones!

A thousand-year-old immortal herb exuding a rich medicinal fragrance!

A top-grade magic weapon that shimmers with dazzling light!

Cheng Yaojin didn't hesitate at all, and pulled out the largest, best, and brightest batch of treasures without any pain.

They accounted for more than 10% of the total loot!

"My Lord!"

Cheng Yaojin put on a fawning smile.

He bent down, pointed at the huge pile of treasures, and smiled like a blooming black chrysanthemum.

"Look at this, is it enough for the development funds of our Meow Meow Cult?"

"If that's not enough, I, Old Cheng, will contribute my share! I only beg the Sect Leader to quickly put away this supreme token and please stop reciting those sacred incantations!"

Looking at Cheng Yaojin's spineless, sycophantic manner.

The civil officials standing next to him, such as Wei Zheng and Fang Xuanling, did not look down on him.

Instead, they all silently gave him a thumbs up in their hearts.

Well done, Lao Hei!

Losing money is a way to avoid disaster and preserve one's reputation in old age; this is definitely a worthwhile investment!

Si Zi looked at the pile of glittering gems and spiritual herbs in front of him.

Her big eyes instantly curved into two crescent moons.

"Yes, yes! Uncle Cheng is so thoughtful!"

The little girl nodded in satisfaction.

She put the pink cat paw token back into her small pocket.

Then it stretched out its chubby little hand and scratched the chin of the fat cat "Fatty Four" on its head twice.

"Fourth brother, we have money to buy dried fish!"

"Meow~"

Fatty Four let out a satisfied shout.

Under the relieved gazes of the entire court.

Si Zi directed several eunuchs to load the priceless treasures onto a small cart and trotted happily toward the inner palace.

"call--"

Until Sizi's pink figure completely disappeared from sight.

Inside the Taiji Hall, a long, uniform exhale, as if one had survived a catastrophe, rang out.

Li Shimin slumped on the dragon throne, feeling that the back of his dragon robe was soaked with cold sweat.

"Reward those who have rendered meritorious service! Continue to reward those who have rendered meritorious service!"

Li Shimin waved his hand and quickly changed the subject to cover up the embarrassment he had just experienced.

……

The night was dark.

The bustling and vibrant city of Chang'an finally fell into slumber under the starry sky.

The backyard of the Prince of Qin's residence.

A gentle breeze swept through the courtyard, carrying a few fallen leaves that rustled softly on the bluestone slabs.

Li Chen was wearing a loose bathrobe.

I lay comfortably on my beloved rosewood armchair.

On the small stove beside it, a pot of fairy tea with a faint fragrance was being warmed.

Returning home after the war, this is the life of a god.

however.

Just as Li Chen closed his eyes, preparing to drift off to sleep...

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Three extremely faint, almost imperceptible, sounds of air being cut.

The sound came without warning from outside the high walls of the Qin Prince's mansion.

Followed by.

Three tall, imposing figures, as black as iron towers.

Like a thief, they stealthily climbed over the courtyard wall and landed lightly in the shadows of the yard.

Li Chen didn't even open his eyes.

With a slight ripple of the spatial laws within his body, he had already locked onto the aura of the newcomer.

"In the middle of the night, instead of using the main gate, they insist on climbing over the wall."

Li Chen picked up the teacup beside him and slowly took a sip.

"What's wrong?"

"My three dukes, did you not rob enough in the Northern Frontier and now plan to work part-time as thieves at my residence?"

in the dark.

The three dark figures froze abruptly.

Then, a few dry coughs followed.

Cheng Yaojin, Yuchi Gong, and Qin Qiong awkwardly emerged from behind the shadows of the trees.

These three were usually imposing figures in the imperial court, whose mere stomp could shake the entire city of Chang'an.

At this moment, they all looked flustered.

They rubbed their rough hands together, and like three schoolchildren who had made a mistake, they walked awkwardly to Li Chen.

"Hehehe..."

Cheng Yaojin was the first to reveal his signature simple-minded yet shameless smile.

"Your Highness, you're still awake?"

"We only came in by taking a shortcut so as not to disturb the servants of the Prince's mansion."

Li Chen rolled his eyes.

He put the teacup back on the small table and sat up straight.

"Enough with the nonsense, you don't come here unless you need something."

"Speak up, what do you want by waiting for me in the middle of the night?"

Hearing Li Chen's blunt words...

The three veterans exchanged glances.

Sudden.

Their eyes changed.

The awkwardness and embarrassment vanished instantly.

Instead, there was a chilling, fanatical gleam, like a hungry wolf eyeing fresh meat!

"Your Highness!"

Cheng Yaojin suddenly stepped forward, his bull-like eyes fixed on Li Chen's storage ring.

"We're not going to beat around the bush!"

"The 'Berserk Pill' you gave His Highness the Crown Prince on the battlefield in the Northern Frontier today..."

Cheng Yaojin swallowed hard, his voice filled with endless longing.

"You must still have some stock on hand, right?"

Yuchi Gong also eagerly approached, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Your Highness, you have no idea!"

"We were on the command ship, watching His Highness the Crown Prince transform into a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and with his bare hands, he pinned that physical cultivator from Sirius Valley to the ground and rubbed him mercilessly."

"That visceral, bone-crunching feeling of the blows!"

"That kind of violent aesthetic that unleashes the most primal, wild side of men!"

"This is totally to our liking!"

Yuchi Gong slapped his thigh excitedly, "Floating around in the sky with magical weapons, what kind of fighting is that? It's just effeminate showmanship!"