Chapter 684: The Peak of the Forbidden City

Chapter 684 Atop the Forbidden City

When facing Tang Wanzhuang, people’s mindsets were often off.

Back then, she was clearly ranked above Maitreya, yet Maitreya always imagined he could capture her—even after four or five battles, each time losing, he still dared to try again.

Wang Daoning also thought he could defeat her in an instant, but ended up being held off for so long that he lost his footing.

Because she looked so frail, as if she might cough herself to death without a fight.

Though her complexion had improved these days and she no longer coughed, likely cured, the old impression lingered stubbornly. The rankings hadn’t changed either; she was still on the Earth List.

Yet she was a Secret Depths Triple, Heaven List–level powerhouse, and a veteran of that realm for years… Now Tang Wanzhuang was at full strength, in her prime! Facing such an opponent, even gods and demons had to be cautious, but Lu Jianzhang still thought to split forces to tie her down, planning to have the rest follow Yeletu to seize the palace, considerately thinking Yeletu’s light cavalry lacked manpower…

Then they discovered… forget splitting forces—all of them together couldn’t beat Tang Wanzhuang.

A spring-water gleam flashed amid the snowflakes, gentler than falling snow, clearer than moonlight.

As the beautiful ripples passed, Lu Shouyi, who had just thought “tying her down should be no problem,” suddenly bore a sword scar on his chest and retreated in disgrace. Had he not instinctively flinched when the blade touched his skin, he might have died without even reacting…

“Clang!” Lu Jianzhang, with his white hair and beard, had to intervene personally to parry for his nephew, saying hurriedly, “Chief Tang, this is a misunderstanding!”

Tang Wanzhuang paid him no heed. Her Spring Water Sword turned lightly, grazing the throats of several retainers closing in from behind, then forced Pei Yushi back. The sword light swelled, enveloping both Lu Jianzhang and Lu Shouyi in her assault.

The elite of the Demon Suppression Bureau blocked both ends of the alley, just as Xia Chichi had said—they couldn’t even get out of their own lane.

Lu Jianzhang’s heart turned cold: “Chief Tang, we’ve had ties for over a decade…”

Tang Wanzhuang almost laughed: “When you led the barbarians through the pass, why didn’t you think of the millennia you’ve shared with the people of this land?”

Lu Jianzhang dodged a strike and quickly said, “The Lu family is also a noble house! Chief Tang, how can you…”

“A noble house like this… is better off gone.” Tang Wanzhuang suddenly turned her sword, and Lu Shouyi, who had been trying to sneak attack during their exchange, clutched his throat and fell to the ground.

“Shouyi!”

Tang Wanzhuang ignored him further. Her sword light layered endlessly, like boundless water ripples, and wherever it passed, blood rain scattered.

Black Clothes Lane became a sea of snow and blood.

Many officials trembled in fear, sneaking back into their houses, trying to escape from the other side. If given another chance, they would never again mistake Tang Wanzhuang for a sickly woman—she was clearly the pinnacle martial artist of this world, her sword light chilling enough to stabilize the divine land!

In all these years of Xia Longyuan’s neglect, who had truly been suppressing the world’s demons, keeping Maitreya and Vermilion Bird from daring to act recklessly?

“The Spring Water Sword Art is still beautiful to watch…” Deep in the palace, Vermilion Bird stood atop a high eaves corner, withdrawing her gaze and shaking her head with a sigh: “High God, you’ve seen enough of the show—why not show yourself?”

She didn’t think she was a demon suppressed by that fool. Pfft.

That wanton woman—before others, she puts on an icy, noble air, killing so beautifully, only beautiful.

The most beautiful woman under heaven? After the new year, she’ll be thirty… Oh, me too, so never mind.

A surge of energy behind her—Vermilion Bird turned calmly and saw a dried corpse standing there.

“Huh…” Vermilion Bird chuckled dryly: “By comparison, Tang Wanzhuang is indeed nicer to look at. No matter how annoying, she’s still easier on the eyes than you old mummies.”

The dried corpse said nothing, but one could see him frowning, clearly troubled by the current situation.

Earlier, he had tried to ambush the underground sky to seize the Celestial Book, but was grazed by an arrow from Zhao Changhe that seemed prescient—that damned arrow could wound the soul, so he had been healing ever since, never leaving his recovery spot. His only contact with outsiders was when a barbarian spy in the capital found him and arranged tonight’s uprising, a coordinated attack from within and without.

He had been cooperating with the Eternal Heaven God for over a decade. Xia Longyuan dared not leave the capital lightly because he sensed someone lurking within, but the man’s concealment was so superb that even Xia Longyuan couldn’t find him.

Though he was exposed during the underground ambush, Zhao Changhe and the others lacked the strength to hunt him then. He didn’t know how Vermilion Bird seemed to have pinpointed his location, standing exactly on the axis between his position and the battle between Xia Chichi and the barbarians.

If not coincidence, it could only mean that when the barbarian spy found him, he was already being watched.

This proved that the barbarian spies in the capital had always been under the Demon Suppression Bureau’s control; they hadn’t closed the net, only waiting for an opportunity. The vast work Tang Wanzhuang had done behind the scenes for over a decade was utterly unknown to wastes like Lu Jianzhang, and now it was all laid bare.

The headache was: knowing he was exposed, should he just leave?

If he left, this opportunity would collapse entirely, watching all anti-dynasty forces die out—would there ever be such a good chance again?

If he didn’t leave… as long as he could break Vermilion Bird, no matter how bad the rest of the situation, his divine might could still turn the tide. Should he try? The main issue was that his soul wound hadn’t healed, and his condition wasn’t great.

In the end, he chose to fight.

Even in poor condition, he was still stronger than Vermilion Bird, wasn’t he? She hadn’t even broken through to the Imperial Realm—how could everyone keep challenging above their level?

Hearing Vermilion Bird’s taunt, he finally spoke flatly: “Mortal fools, so obsessed with appearances… For that alone, Vermilion Bird Venerable’s path to the Imperial Realm is dim.”

Vermilion Bird laughed heartily: “Beauty and ugliness are innate, unchangeable, not to be scorned. Yet aesthetics have their way; longing for and appreciating beauty arises from heavenly principle and human nature. Advocating the abandonment of appearance is to go against the Dao. From this, your Imperial Realm is nothing special—no wonder you skulk in shadows, lacking the courage to face Xia Longyuan directly or the resolve to support your allies decisively. This is your aesthetic, and your Dao. Changhe spoke well: the ancient gods and demons are nothing more. Today, I understand!”

The man’s eyes grew darker: “I hope the Vermilion Bird Venerable’s hands are as sharp as her tongue.”

With those words, he vanished.

Vermilion Bird suddenly felt the surrounding night become a hostile realm—every inch of darkness bore intense corrosion and pressure, subtly damaging cells and flesh.

She instantly understood that his Imperial power was either over shadows or darkness. In itself, such a property was nothing—the night also held tranquility and beauty, and the Four Symbols Sect had related teachings and practices. But his leaned toward the darkness of destruction and decay, a property that only wished the world more chaotic. He didn’t oppose the Human Emperor; he desired chaos, for in a lawless world, he could gain greater power and further breakthroughs.

No wonder even Xia Longyuan, with all his ability, couldn’t find the lurker in the capital—this cultivation trait was indeed hard to track. Compared to other known gods and demons, this one had the highest potential; the more esoteric the Imperial power, the harder to master and counter, and the higher the ceiling—this was common knowledge.

This one might be the greatest threat to come…

Thoughts flashed, but Vermilion Bird felt no fear. A faint flame radiated from around her, melting all corrosion like ice and snow, leaving no evil hidden.

By some unseen fate, before the battle was arranged, no one had imagined that Vermilion Bird’s cultivation was precisely the counter to this man—no wonder he had hesitated to fight.

“Swoosh!” A flaming claw pierced the darkness. Though nothing seemed there, a violent clash of palms erupted, shattering roof tiles and scattering them into the snow, which suddenly burst into flames, even the surrounding snowflakes burning, forming a sky full of dancing blue fire.

Amid her own battle, Tang Wanzhuang glanced back and pursed her lips almost imperceptibly: “That fierce woman is still pretty good-looking.”