At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

Inside Kyoto City.

The Zhenbei Duke's Mansion is located in the suburbs of the imperial city, and its courtyards are magnificent.

Su Mu and Xiao Jingyu sat facing each other. The solemnity of the court had faded, but their expressions remained serious and deep as they waited for news from the front.

Just as the two sat quietly waiting, their thoughts churning, a clear and lively girl's footsteps came from the corridor.

At only twelve years old, Su Qingxue, dressed in simple yet elegant attire, moved gracefully with clear eyes and brows, skipping and hopping into the courtyard, her little face radiating youthful energy.

She walked quickly to the pavilion, looked up at Su Mu with her innocent yet lively face, and smiled sweetly:

"Grandpa! All the rooms in the mansion have been cleaned and tidied up!"

"Tonight, we can finally rest and sleep peacefully at home."

Looking at his granddaughter's obedient and sensible appearance, Su Mu, who was decisive and cold-faced in the court, instantly had a gentle and doting smile in his eyes, and all the fierce aura around him melted away.

"Our Qingxue is the best-behaved, sensible and considerate."

Su Mu praised her softly, and was about to give her a few more words of advice, telling her to rest and recuperate properly.

Su Qingxue, however, was lively and active, unable to stay still. Before Su Mu could say anything, she spoke up, her eyes shining with eagerness: "Grandpa, I'm not tired! I'm going to practice my sword in the yard!"

Having said that, without waiting for Su Mu's reply, he quickly retreated to the open space in the courtyard, already impatient.

Seeing this, Su Mu chuckled helplessly and whispered a word of advice:

"My child, you've been traveling across the sea and on the road for the past few days, working tirelessly day and night. You're exhausted from the journey. Why rush things?"

"Rest well today, it's not too late to practice hard tomorrow."

"I'm really not tired!"

Su Qingxue turned around and smiled sweetly, her eyes full of youthful energy and tenacity.

"Qingxue is full of energy and never gets tired! I feel uneasy if I don't practice my sword for a day!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she said no more. With a flick of her jade-like hand, the long sword at her waist was drawn with a clang!

Clang!

A clear, resonant sword sound echoed throughout the courtyard, crisp, melodious, and awe-inspiring!

The next moment, the girl rose into the air, her steps displaying the exquisite footwork of Wudang's Cloud Ladder Leap. Her figure was elusive and agile, as light as the wind, like a swallow soaring through the sky or clouds drifting by.

The longsword in his hand flew and twirled, its swordplay sharp, unpredictable, and as fast as lightning!

It was the peerless sword technique personally taught by Su Mu, the Dugu Nine Swords!

Sword-Breaking Style, Knife-Breaking Style, Palm-Breaking Style...

Each exquisite sword move is seamlessly connected, flowing smoothly without the slightest awkwardness or hesitation!

Sword light swept across the sky, crisscrossing and crisscrossing, the sword energy sharp and cutting through the air. Although it came from the hands of a twelve-year-old girl, it already possessed a formidable power, rigorous technique, and consummate skill!

Inside the pavilion, the Third Prince, Xiao Jingyu, watched quietly, his eyes brimming with amazement and admiration, and he repeatedly exclaimed in admiration:

"Heroes have always emerged from among the young!"

"Elder Su, your granddaughter is truly a once-in-a-millennium talent in swordsmanship!"

"In just half a year, he has mastered the Dugu Nine Swords to such a high level of proficiency, with the moves seamlessly integrated and executed with ease. Combined with the Wudang Cloud Ladder Leap technique, his body and sword become one, elegant and sharp, perfect in both offense and defense!"

"At such a young age, his swordsmanship foundation, combat comprehension, and basic movement skills far surpass those of ordinary martial arts masters!"

"Given time and dedicated practice, honing one's mental fortitude, one will surely grow into a peerless martial arts master who dominates the world and commands respect!"

Su Mu looked at his granddaughter practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard, her figure graceful and elegant. His eyes were full of satisfaction. He nodded slowly, his expression somewhat profound.

"Qingxue is exceptionally talented, with swordsmanship comprehension surpassing her peers by several times. Coupled with her diligence and tireless work day and night, she has achieved what she has today."

At this point, the satisfaction in Su Mu's eyes gradually turned into a look of solemnity and contemplation.

Having experienced the great battle in the East China Sea, the chaos in the imperial court, the usurpation of the throne by a false emperor, and the rebellion of treacherous officials, he had long since gained a thorough understanding of the situation.

In a chaotic world of martial arts, strength reigns supreme!

The imperial court is treacherous and unpredictable, people's hearts are wicked, treacherous officials abound, and foreign enemies lurk all around. Who knows how many enemies, traitors, and mysterious forces are lurking in the shadows.

He is already a hundred years old. Although he is a peerless warrior and has unparalleled prestige, time waits for no one. He cannot protect his family at all times, nor can he shelter the younger generation from all dangers and clear away all crises for the rest of his life.

Throughout the government and the public, countless people harbored resentment and fear towards him, secretly plotting revenge and scheming against him.

As his granddaughter, Su Qingxue would inevitably be seen as a thorn in the side by countless enemies, and would be in the midst of a crisis.

Only by possessing sufficient strength, sharp swordsmanship, and profound martial arts skills can one protect oneself and safely weather dangers, without causing him constant worry or anxiety.

Seeing his granddaughter's increasingly formidable swordsmanship, his concerns finally eased somewhat.

Looking at the sky filled with sword light, Xiao Jingyu sighed:

"Not only Qingxue, but also Zhixia, Zhiqiu and Yunchuan, who have studied the Dugu Nine Swords under Elder Su, have made rapid progress and have a solid foundation, far surpassing their peers among the clan's children."

"With Elder Su's meticulous guidance, the martial arts of our Great Qian generation have a worthy successor."

Mentioning martial arts masters, Su Mu's heart suddenly stirred. He collected his thoughts, turned to look at Xiao Jingyu, and solemnly asked the question that had been bothering him:

"Your Highness, there is something I cannot understand and would like to ask you about."

"Today in the Golden Palace, I fought against the false emperor Yun Jizi and the fake eunuch Li Fuquan. Both of them possessed profound internal strength, domineering moves, and unpredictable methods."

"I have fought countless battles, including against fierce generals of the Northern Barbarians and great generals of the Eastern Barbarians. I have seen all kinds of martial arts in the world, but I have never seen martial arts of this style."

"In the entire martial arts world of the Central Plains of our Great Qian Dynasty, from ancient times to the present, has there ever been a supreme master with such style and such profound knowledge?"

This question precisely addressed Xiao Jingyu's point of doubt.

Xiao Jingyu's brows furrowed suddenly, his eyes filled with deep confusion, and he slowly shook his head:

"When I was watching the battle today, I already noticed something unusual, and I have had doubts in my heart for a long time."

"The martial arts of Yun Jizi and his companion are sharp, sinister, domineering, and unorthodox. Their internal energy is refined and mysterious, and their moves are expansive yet conceal poison. They are completely different from the orthodox martial arts of the Central Plains of our Great Qian Dynasty and the martial arts of various schools of the Jianghu. They are incompatible with them!"

"This is absolutely not a lineage from any sect or school in the Central Plains! Yet, after much contemplation, I still cannot figure out which martial art or which faction it belongs to!"

Two exceptional sages and key military officials were both caught in doubt and deep thought.

There are no such masters in the Central Plains martial arts world. So where did this group of traitors who plotted in the deep palace, usurped the throne, and possessed strange martial arts come from?

Just as the two were deep in thought and puzzled, a tall figure strode into the courtyard of the Duke's mansion, his steps steady and his expression solemn.

It was Liu Yuzhou, the head of the Listening Wind Pavilion!

The Listening Wind Pavilion's intelligence network spans the entire world, with a detection speed far exceeding that of the imperial guards and government spies. It specializes in collecting secrets from the court and the countryside, as well as news from the martial arts world and unusual events in various places.

Upon seeing this, Su Mu and Xiao Jingyu's eyes lit up with hope, and they both looked up at the newcomer.

At this moment, both of them were perfectly clear that the information from Lingfeng Pavilion was the most accurate and reliable in order to find out the background of Daoist Ziyun and the pseudo-emperor Yunjizi!

Liu Yuzhou strode into the pavilion, bowed respectfully to the two important figures, and performed the proper courtesies.

"Your subordinate Liu Yuzhou greets General Su and the Third Prince!"

"No need for formalities." Su Mu raised his hand to indicate, getting straight to the point with a serious expression. "Yu Zhou, regarding my order to investigate the background of Daoist Ziyun and the pseudo-emperor, have you found any results? Have you discovered their origins?"

Faced with the questioning, Liu Yuzhou's expression grew increasingly solemn, and he reported to his superior in a deep voice:

"Reporting to Elder Su and Your Highness!"

"Your subordinates have already mobilized the entire intelligence network of the Listening Wind Pavilion, and have been investigating thoroughly overnight, tracing the backgrounds of these two individuals, and have already uncovered the root cause!"

"The abbot of Ziyun Temple, Daoist Ziyun, is not from the Central Plains of our Great Qian Dynasty! He entered the country alone in his early years, settled in Ziyun Temple, and lived in seclusion to cultivate. His true origin is from the State of Yan!"

The words were like a thunderclap!

Yan region? Yan state?

Xiao Jingyu's body suddenly trembled, his pupils contracted sharply, and all his composure vanished from his face, replaced by extreme shock and solemnity!

The long-buried memories of war from fifteen years ago, the fierce battles on the border, and the tragic scenes of the conflict between the two countries instantly flooded my mind!

His expression changed drastically, and he said in a deep voice:

"It's actually an enemy from Yan!"

"The Yan state has long since retreated, lying low for many years, recuperating and living peacefully. Why would they secretly plot against the inner palace of my Great Qian?"

"They secretly cultivated experts, disguised themselves, replaced the emperor, hijacked the imperial carriage, and stirred up internal strife in our Great Qian Dynasty. They spared no effort over several years to lay out this earth-shattering scheme. What exactly is their intention?"

"Could it be... that they intend to take advantage of the peace and stability of our Great Qian Dynasty and the rest of its military preparations to instigate war, seize the opportunity to invade, and once again plot to seize our vast empire?"

Fifteen years ago, the Yan people launched a massive invasion southward, their iron cavalry trampling through several border cities, burning, killing, looting, and wreaking havoc on the land. The two countries fought a bloody war for years, with corpses strewn across the fields and rivers of blood flowing!

In the end, the soldiers of Daqian fought a bloody battle and resisted to the death, paying a heavy price, before finally repelling the Yan cavalry and driving the Yan forces back to the northern Yan territory, thus establishing a border and temporarily ending the war!

Everyone thought that after this battle, the Yan state was severely weakened and its vitality was greatly damaged, and it would be unable to invade the south and start wars again for decades!

No one could have imagined that these enemies of Yan, who had been biding their time for fifteen years without engaging in direct warfare or provoking each other on the border, were actually carrying out this insidious and treacherous plan in secret!

Using Taoism as a cover, they trained assassins to infiltrate the capital, overthrow the court, and kidnap the emperor!

Their intentions are despicable, and their schemes are extremely treacherous!

Upon hearing this, Su Mu's brows furrowed tightly, his eyes flashed with a chilling light and a murderous intent surged, and his aura instantly turned cold and murderous.

Enemies of Yan!

Fifteen years ago, after being defeated and forced to retreat, he endured hardship and lay low, seemingly behaving himself, but in reality, his treacherous heart remained and his ambitions were not extinguished!

Unable to defeat the Great Qian cavalry on the front lines, they resorted to underhanded and insidious schemes, attempting to dismantle the Great Qian from within, overthrow the court, and seize the throne!

This was by no means accidental, nor was it driven by any one person's selfish desires!

This is a shocking conspiracy that the Yan Kingdom has been plotting for fifteen years, meticulously planning and scheming with the entire nation involved!

"This is by no means unfounded!"

Su Mu spoke in a deep voice, his tone resolute and stern.

"The humiliation of defeat and lost territory fifteen years ago remains a deep-seated resentment for the Yan state, one that it has never been willing to accept!"

"Their national strength has not yet recovered, and their military strength is insufficient. They dare not confront our Great Qian Dynasty head-on, so they secretly plot, infiltrate the palace, and disrupt the court!"

"As long as they control the emperor of my Great Qian Dynasty, overturn the order of my court, and cause endless internal strife, leaderlessness, and turmoil in the country, they can take advantage of the situation, march south with their iron cavalry, and swallow up my Great Qian Dynasty in one fell swoop!"

Every word is piercing, every sentence exposes the enemy's sinister intentions!

The truth is now completely clear!

The chaos of usurping power in the inner palace is never a simple case of treacherous officials plotting rebellion or the martial arts world causing trouble; rather, it is a top-level covert war involving the rivalry between two countries and the invasion of foreign enemies!

Xiao Jingyu's expression grew increasingly solemn, a chill ran through him, and he was filled with lingering fear.

If this conspiracy succeeds completely, the false emperor will secure his throne, and the Yan Kingdom will secretly control the government of the Great Qian Dynasty. Within a few years, the Great Qian Dynasty will surely collapse without a fight, and the country will change hands!

After a moment of silence, Su Mu's gaze sharpened, and he immediately gave Liu Yuzhou a stern order:

"Yu Zhou! Immediately issue orders to all agents and intelligence operatives throughout the Listening Wind Pavilion territory!"

"A comprehensive and thorough investigation!"

"Thoroughly investigate Master Ziyun's early identity, background, lineage, and secret plans in the Yan region!"

"Investigate thoroughly the entire purpose, hidden conspiracies, ambushes, and follow-up plans of the Yan Kingdom's current scheme! Find out every single clue related to Yan territory, Ziyun Dao, and Yunjizi, and report back immediately! Do not overlook anything!"

"Yes, sir!"

Liu Yuzhou, with a solemn expression, bowed deeply to accept the order. Not daring to delay for even a moment, he turned and quickly left, immediately mobilizing all the forces of the Listening Wind Pavilion to thoroughly investigate this cross-border conspiracy spanning fifteen years!