[Fantasy] A Eunuch Breaks into the Inner Palace (Complete) - 13

In Chapter Two of Episode Four,

Li Xiaomin rode straight to the hall and saw Han Xin'er directing several maids to sweep the courtyard. Upon seeing him, her face lit up with joy, and she knelt down, saying sweetly, "Master, you're back!"
The maids, seeing their master return, hurriedly knelt to pay their respects, secretly glancing at him. Seeing their new master so handsome and young, they couldn't help but feel secretly delighted.
Li Xiaomin paid no attention to the maids, smiling as he greeted Han Xin'er, telling them to rise. He dismounted, tossed the reins to Han Xin'er, and strode into the hall.
Entering the inner hall, he saw Consort Xiao arranging flowers. Her delicate and timid appearance was endearing, and her beautiful face seemed even more radiant than the flowers in her hands.
At this moment, with her back to the door, she didn't hear Li Xiaomin's soft footsteps, continuing to carefully arrange the flowers, her natural and graceful movements appearing extremely elegant.
Standing behind her, Li Xiaomin looked at her slender waist and smelled her faint fragrance. He couldn't help but feel a surge of impulse and quietly stepped forward, stretching out his arms to slowly embrace her sexy body from behind.
Consort Xiao was suddenly embraced, startled and gasping. Just as she was about to struggle, she heard Xiao Minzi's innocent and adorable voice beside her: "Your Highness, what are you doing?"
Consort Xiao's body went limp. Turning around, she saw Xiao Minzi's smug smile and blushed deeply.
Her voice trembled as she said, "This servant is arranging flowers..." Li Xiaomin chuckled and sniffed her neck, laughing, "So fragrant! I wonder if it's the scent of the flowers, or Your Highness's own fragrance?"
Consort Xiao blushed, unable to answer. She felt Xiao Minzi's arms tighten around her from behind, and felt something hard pressing against her buttocks. Startled, she quickly realized what was happening and felt both ashamed and delighted. She knew Xiao Minzi wasn't a real eunuch and couldn't help but feel happy for him.
Li Xiaomin chuckled softly, lowered his head, and gently kissed the beautiful woman's fragrant lips. He found them incredibly sweet and delicious, and couldn't help but kiss her repeatedly, savoring every drop of her sweet saliva.
Consort Xiao, lost in the passion of his kiss, unknowingly ingested a considerable amount of his saliva. It took her a while to realize what was happening, and she pushed against his chest in embarrassment, her voice trembling, "Don't do this! What if Qingling sees us..."
Li Xiaomin was also startled, remembering the last time he kissed Consort Xiao, only to be caught by her daughter, making everyone feel awkward. Still shaken, he hurriedly released her, took two steps back, and looked around, fearing Qingling might suddenly appear and expose his affair with her mother.
With his release, Consort Xiao, already weak from his kiss, lost her footing and stumbled towards the ground, about to fall heavily.
Fortunately, Li Xiaomin, having practiced immortal arts for a long time, possessed extraordinary agility. Seeing her fall, without thinking, he darted forward, performing a swift movement to catch her around the waist, preventing her from falling.
Even as Consort Xiao fell to the ground, about to cry out in alarm, she suddenly felt a strong force surge towards her, lifting her up and silencing her with a pair of soft, warm lips. Looking around in alarm, she saw that Li Xiaomin had lifted her up and was now lying horizontally in the arms of this boy who was even shorter than herself. Overwhelmed with shame, she raised her sleeve to cover her face, remaining silent.
Li Xiaomin, carrying this mature and sexy beauty, didn't find it difficult, even though she was taller than him. He looked around, and seeing that Qingling hadn't entered, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. He reached out and stroked her soft, fragrant buttocks, then whispered in Consort Xiao's ear, "Where did Sister Qingling go? Why can't I see her?"
Consort Xiao blushed deeply and whispered, "That child caught a cold a few days ago and is resting in her room now. She hasn't come out."
Li Xiaomin was stunned. He was sick, and she was sick too. Could it be that they were truly in sync, sick together with him?
He was about to check on Qingling's condition when he suddenly remembered: since she was sick and unable to get out of bed, how could she have come in and caught him being intimate with Consort Xiao?
Thinking this, Li Xiaomin was both amused and annoyed. He carried Consort Xiao's beautiful body to a chair and sat her on his lap. He lowered his head and kissed her lips forcefully, his hands groping her, leaving her hair disheveled, her clothes loose, and her breath coming in gasps.
Normally, Li Xiaomin would have been very respectful to her and wouldn't have dared to act so recklessly. However, today, by chance, he had embraced Consort Xiao, and seeing that she didn't resist, he naturally became bolder. Remembering that she was now practically his, he decided not to be polite and to take advantage of her first.
Fearing Qingling would hear, Consort Xiao dared not resist his advances. Having always been close to him, she couldn't bear to refuse, her heart pounding with desire. She had no choice but to plead softly, finally coaxing him to release her. She jumped off his lap and stood aside, combing her hair to avoid being noticed by her daughters and maids.
Li Xiaomin sat to the side, watching the beauty dress with a smile. Once she finished, he stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said, "Your Majesty...my lady, may I go see Sister Qingling?"
Consort Xiao blushed deeply at his address. Looking in the mirror, seeing that she was perfectly dressed, she led him into Qingling's bedroom.
Qingling was lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought. Seeing Li Xiaomin enter, a look of surprise appeared on her pale face. She propped herself up slightly and smiled, "Xiaomin, what brings you here?" She then struggled to get out of bed.
Li Xiaomin walked to the bedside, pressed her fragrant shoulders, and said anxiously, "Sister, lie down quickly, don't catch a cold!" Seeing her beautiful body under the covers, he couldn't help but swallow hard.
Qingling then realized that she wasn't wearing an outer garment, and her pretty face flushed red as she obediently lay back down. Li Xiaomin carefully tucked the blanket around her to prevent any cold draft from getting in.
When Li Xiaomin's hand touched her body, Qingling blushed even more. Her beautiful eyes fixed on Li Xiaomin's face, she whispered, "Xiaomin, how have you been these past few days? Has our affair implicated you?"
Li Xiaomin smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, sister. That matter has been handled perfectly. The two eunuchs who wanted to harm you have both died suddenly from illness, and no one will suspect anything anymore. I haven't come these past few days because I've also fallen ill, which is why I haven't been able to leave the palace to see you."
Qingling was startled and asked anxiously, "You're sick too? Is it serious?"
Li Xiaomin smiled and said, "I'm better now. How come you've fallen ill too, sister? Is it really because we're 'of one mind'?"
Qingling blushed at his words and turned her face away, but she was secretly amazed by Li Xiaomin's words, "of one mind."
Consort Xiao was also secretly surprised. She walked over and said softly, "Xiao, Xiaomin, were you sick too? No wonder you didn't look well. Are you alright now?"
Li Xiaomin smiled and said, "I'm fine now. Look at me, I'm still full of energy, and my strength is no less than before, right?"
Consort Xiao blushed at his implied words, but fearing her daughter would notice, she turned her face away, not daring to look at him any longer.
Li Xiaomin looked at Qingling's slightly haggard face and felt pity. He smiled and said, "Sister, are you thirsty? Should I get you something to eat?"
Qingling declined slightly, but Li Xiaomin went to the kitchen, whispered to Han Xin'er for a while, and brought back a bowl of lotus seed soup. He moved a chair and sat down by Qingling's bedside, taking a spoon and feeding Qingling spoonful by spoonful. Qingling
blushed as she drank the lotus seed soup from his hand. Looking at her mother's shy smile beside her, she felt a bittersweet feeling in her heart, a complex mix of emotions that she couldn't quite describe.
After a long silence, Qingling suddenly remembered something, parted her cherry lips slightly, and asked, "Xiaomin, who wrote the poem you just mentioned?"
Li Xiaomin was taken aback, then answered truthfully, "It was written by Li Shangyin."
Qingling asked in surprise, "Li Shangyin? When did our dynasty produce such a great poet? Where was he from?"
Knowing he couldn't tell the truth any longer, Li Xiaomin could only force a smile and say, "I wouldn't dare. My name is Li... Xiaomin, courtesy name Shangyin."
Qingling was shocked. She struggled to sit up, her bright eyes wide with surprise as she looked at Li Xiaomin, murmuring, "You wrote this poem? What's the whole poem?"
Li Xiaomin nodded dejectedly, thinking to himself, "Since it's already like this, I might as well plagiarize to the end. Anyway, I can't plagiarize more blatantly than university professors of later generations."
With that thought, he simply recited aloud:
"Last night the stars, last night the wind,
west of the painted pavilion, east of the cassia hall. Though
I lack the wings of a phoenix to fly with you,
our hearts are connected by a single thread of understanding .
Across the table, we exchanged warm wine and
played riddles by candlelight. Alas,
I must heed the drum's call and go to my official duties, like a tumbleweed blown by the wind
."
He recited the poem word by word to Qingling, offering a haphazard explanation: the poem expressed his relentless pursuit of love, but the woman's high status, far surpassing his own, caused his melancholy and helplessness. The last two lines further expressed his frustration at being confined to the palace, performing lowly duties.
As for why he could compose poetry, Li Xiaomin offered some excuses, saying he had learned a little in his hometown and, after Qingling's long tutelage, had begun to write a few poems.
This particular poem was written on the day of Empress Zhou's birthday banquet, inspired by the women's games of riddles and laughter. But before the banquet ended, a sudden change occurred, highlighting the unpredictable nature of life.
Qingling listened intently, marveling at Xiaominzi's talent for learning to compose poetry in such a short time. She pondered the poem's meaning, her cheeks flushed, secretly wondering if the woman in his poem referred to herself.
Thinking this, her heart pounded, and she dared not look too long at the handsome young man before her bed, feigning exhaustion and needing to rest.
Li Xiaomin, understanding the situation, left the room. Seeing it was lunchtime, he sat down at the table with Xiao Shufei for a meal.
This time, it was just the two of them eating together. Li Xiaomin's boldness grew rapidly. Leaning against Xiao Shufei's right, he ate while secretly touching her long, beautiful legs under the table, his mind wandering, blissfully unable to contain himself.
Xiao Shufei blushed deeply, trying to avoid him, but to no avail. Afraid the maids serving nearby would notice something amiss, she could only quietly slip away, her beautiful eyes filled with reproach as she looked at Li Xiaomin.
Her alluring appearance, to Li Xiaomin, was like a seductive allure, a tempting sight to be taken at will, arousing his lust. His left hand, hidden under the table, became even more brazen, its reach extending upwards, caressing the soft inner thigh, unwilling to let go. Consort
Xiao, flustered and shy, was about to quickly finish her food to escape his clutches when suddenly the sound of galloping hooves erupted outside, a deafening roar as if dozens of horses were charging wildly from the gate.
Li Xiaomin was startled, looking up towards the hall, only to hear the thunderous hoofbeats like a storm. He immediately stood up, drew his sword, and silently braced himself.
In his hand, he held his usual crystalline blade. It had been lost in the Qinhuai River during the last battle, but fortunately, the little devil Lin Li had searched for it multiple times before finding it and returning it to him.
When Lin Li retrieved the sword, he first took it to the ruined hall. The two women, Feng Shuang and Li Xiaomin, saw it and said the sword hadn't been consecrated and couldn't unleash its full power. So, using their newly acquired powerful spiritual energy, they forcibly consecrated the crystal blade and carefully honed it. Now, its sharpness surpassed its former glory.
Li Xiaomin, holding the sword, walked to the door, only to see dozens of warhorses galloping towards him from outside the painted hall. The riders were all dressed in black and masked, wielding steel swords and longbows, exuding a fierce and savage aura.
Li Xiaomin was shocked and furious. Who were these men in black, and why were they so persistent in pursuing him? Could it be that their target wasn't the two princesses, but him?
The men in black spurred their horses at full gallop. Seeing a handsome young man standing proudly inside the gate, sword in hand, eyebrows raised, they were all delighted. One shouted, "That's him! Kill him and you'll be richly rewarded!"
Before the words were even finished, the sound of bowstrings twanged like a storm, and dozens of arrows rained down towards the hall entrance, intending to turn Li Xiaomin, who stood at the door, into a pincushion!
Li Xiaomin coldly snorted, his gleaming blade flashing out in anger. A burst of white light erupted from his hand, and after a flurry of arrows, all the incoming arrows were deflected, broken arrows scattering across the ground and steps.
In a flash, the warhorses had already galloped to the hall. The first man in black, standing at the front, leaped from his horse, his body soaring into the air like a roc spreading its wings, pouncing directly at Li Xiaomin. His steel blade gleamed coldly as he slashed down, aiming for Li Xiaomin's head, intending to cleave him in two!
Li Xiaomin's eyes flashed with rage. His gleaming blade met the attack head-on, slicing through the steel broadsword in two with a sharp, effortless motion, as if slicing through rotten wood. The momentum continued, striking the black-clad man's chest and piercing his internal organs. Blood gushed forth, and the black-clad man screamed as he was sent flying, rolling twice on the ground before falling still.
The black-clad men who had caught up were shocked. They hadn't expected the young man's sword to be so sharp, capable of slicing through a steel blade in one move and killing one of their comrades with a single strike.
Though terrified, the die was cast. The black-clad men roared, leaping from their horses and using the momentum of their charge to leap towards the young man in the hall. Their steel blades slashed down, intending to use their numbers to kill him on the spot!
Li Xiaomin's face was ashen. His crystalline blade flashed like a storm, slashing wildly. With a series of hissing sounds, more than ten broken blades quickly appeared on the ground. Several men in black, unable to dodge in time, were wounded by the crystalline blades, clutching their wounds and retreating to the side, glaring at Li Xiaomin with a mixture of shock and anger.
Seeing the sharpness of his sword, the other men in black dared not engage it directly, instead unleashing their own swift blades, slashing from all sides. Seeing the crystalline blade raised, they quickly dodged, avoiding it from another direction, hoping to use their combined speed to wound the young man and complete their mission.
Li Xiaomin stood guard at the entrance of the painting hall, facing the onslaught of powerful enemies without fear. His exquisite swordsmanship with the crystalline blade grew ever faster, and men in black screamed as they fell down the steps, their severed heads and limbs scattered everywhere.
Inside the hall, Consort Xiao, her face pale with fright, stood there, stunned and bewildered. Although she was worried about Li Xiaomin's safety, she knew she couldn't help him at all if she went forward. She could only stand behind him and pray silently that he wouldn't get hurt.
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the side. The wall was smashed open by a huge log, and several fierce-looking masked men in black, brandishing knives, rushed into the hall and headed straight for Consort Xiao.
Li Xiaomin was focused on fighting, seeing that the enemy in front of him was gradually losing ground and more and more were wounded. Just as he was about to make a final charge, he suddenly heard Xiao Shufei's scream from behind. Startled, he hurriedly swung his sword to repel several enemies who were wielding knives. Turning around, he saw several men in black rushing to Xiao Shufei's side, grabbing her hair, pointing their knives at Li Xiaomin, and shouting wildly, "You brat, get down your weapon, or we'll kill your woman!"
Although Xiao Shufei already had a daughter who was older than Li Xiaomin, she still looked very young and beautiful, like she was in her early twenties. The assassins assumed that she lived with Li Xiaomin and was probably his woman. Even if they were wrong, it didn't matter. As long as Li Xiaomin didn't surrender, they would kill her with one blow. They would wait until Li Xiaomin was in a state of confusion before attacking him, hoping to succeed and kill this troublesome young man in one fell swoop.
Li Xiaomin's expression changed drastically, and he shouted in a panic, "Don't do anything rash!" At the same time, he held his sword to his chest, took a few steps back, and stood against the wall to prevent the enemy from attacking from behind.
The pressure on the black-clad assassins besieging Li Xiaomin in front of the painting hall suddenly vanished, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. Some helped up their wounded comrades and treated them, while more black-clad men rushed into the painting hall with knives in hand, surrounding Li Xiaomin with murderous intent in their eyes, wishing they could kill him with a single blow to avenge their fallen comrades!
However, everyone had witnessed Li Xiaomin's prowess just now, so no one dared to step forward for the moment. They merely brandished their knives in intimidation, waving the blades around Consort Xiao's head, threatening to kill his woman if Li Xiaomin did not lay down his weapon.
Li Xiaomin was in a state of panic and could only try to stall for time. Holding his sword, he said with a bitter smile, "Heroes, I have no grudge against you, why force me like this?"
A masked man with slightly graying hair sneered, "It can't be helped. We take your money and do your bidding. Who told you to offend someone you shouldn't have?"
Li Xiaomin racked his brains but couldn't figure out who wanted to kill him. Just as he was about to ask again, the leader of the assassins refused to say more and shouted, "Put down your weapons! Otherwise, we'll make her bleed on the spot!"
Consort Xiao cried out in alarm, "No! Xiaomin, don't agree to them!" She was then grabbed by the hair by the masked man beside her and thrown to the ground, whimpering in pain.
Li Xiaomin gave her a deep look, his heart aching. He turned to the man in black and said with a bitter smile, "If you don't lay down your weapons, she will die; if you do, I will die, and she and all the women here will be violated and silenced. Everyone understands this! Why don't you name your price? I'll pay whatever it takes, as long as you release my woman!"
A cold glint flashed in the masked assassin's eyes. He turned and shouted, "Cut off that woman's arm, and see if she surrenders!"
The man in black, who was grabbing Xiao Shufei's hair, shouted in agreement, raised his steel blade high, and brought it down fiercely, intending to cruelly sever the hand of this gentle and beautiful woman!
The steel blade fell with a clang to the ground. Blood splattered all over her silk robe. A hand was severed and lay on the ground, twitching incessantly. The severed hand was still tightly gripping the hilt of the sword, twitching slightly, a truly gruesome sight.
The group of men in black were horrified. They stared in disbelief at their companion clutching his severed arm and screaming in agony. They couldn't comprehend how he had managed to cut off their own hand while trying to kill someone.
Suddenly, a figure slowly materialized in the air. The assassins screamed again, their voices filled with disbelief and terror. They simply couldn't believe their eyes!
The figure in the air was a gigantic man wielding a large sword. His face was ferocious and terrifying, his fangs long and sharp. His armor was tattered and riddled with cuts and wounds. The blade of his sword was faintly crimson, but there was little blood left on it. It was this very sword that had just severed the black-clad man's hand.
General Zeng looked contemptuously at the terrified mortals and bowed to Li Xiaomin, saying, "Master, I am late and have disturbed the Mistress. Please forgive me!"
With that, he swung his sword wildly, and with a series of sharp cracks, he decapitated several black-clad men beside Consort Xiao, their heads rolling on the ground.
A red figure appeared in the air, grabbing the terrified Consort Xiao and dragging her aside. It was Yue Niang, who had rushed over.
Immediately afterward, countless ghostly figures rushed in from outside, wielding spirit blades and hacking wildly. Screams erupted from all sides as the black-clad men, their limbs severed, lay on the ground writhing in agony, unable to die. Their cries and screams were unbearable to hear.
Li Xiaomin secretly wiped away a cold sweat. He had just used telepathy to send Lin Li back to the palace for help. Fortunately, they arrived in time; otherwise, with his own strength, he feared he wouldn't have been able to protect the beautiful woman from them.
Seeing that countless vengeful spirits had brought the situation under control, and that some black-clad men who had fled in terror had their legs severed by spirit blades emerging from the ground, collapsing to the ground wailing and crying, Li Xiaomin felt relieved. He hurriedly ran to Yueniang's side, took Xiao Shufei's delicate body from her arms, looked down at her pale face, and felt a pang
of sorrow. He carried her into the inner hall. Qingling, in her bedroom, heard the commotion outside and panicked. She struggled to get out of bed, put on her outer clothes, and was about to come out when she saw Li Xiaomin carrying her blood-covered mother into the inner hall. She was shocked and cried out, "Xiaomin! How is my mother?"
Li Xiaomin's face was grave. He shook his head and said, "Don't worry, she's just fainted!"
He shouted loudly, telling Han Xin'er and the maids hiding in the shadows to quickly bring some water to wash the blood off Xiao Shufei. Although Han Xin'er was also terrified and pale, she still forced herself to tell the weeping maids to bring a large bathtub, which she filled with warm water, preparing to bathe Consort Xiao.
Li Xiaomin, however, was already anxious. He wanted to check Consort Xiao's body for any injuries, and without anyone else doing anything, he quickly removed her blood-stained robe.
Looking at her beautiful body, Li Xiaomin was slightly taken aback, but he didn't have time to admire her beautiful and gentle body any longer. He picked up Consort Xiao's naked body, carefully examined her from head to toe, and then placed her in the large bathtub.
His hands frantically caressed and washed the smooth body of the unconscious beauty, washing away the bloodstains and checking every part of her body. Only after finding no wounds did he breathe a sigh of relief.
He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and looked up, only to see Qingling and Han Xin'er standing to the side, staring blankly at him. He then remembered what he had just done, his face flushing red. He bowed deeply to Qingling and forced a dry laugh , saying, "It was an emergency, please don't be angry, sister!"
Qingling's face was pale, staring blankly at him, seemingly lost in thought.
Li Xiaomin, feeling guilty, didn't dare say much. He chuckled twice and said, "There are still some bad guys outside who haven't been dealt with. Sister and Xin'er, please stay here and take care of the lady… Your Majesty. I'll go check outside!"
He hurriedly ran out the door, closing it behind him, and used telepathy to command the ghost guards not to go to the inner hall, lest the beautiful woman's body be seen by those ancient ghosts.
Qingling stood by the bathtub in the room, carefully wiping her mother's young and beautiful body, thinking sadly, "So, he loved Mother! That poem, he wrote it for Mother too, didn't he?"
Thinking this, the exceptionally talented and beautiful young woman lowered her head and let out a barely audible sigh.

Chapter 3 of Episode 4: The Frenzy of Immortal Arts

. The courtyard, fresh from a bloody battle, had been transformed into a sinister and terrifying place. All the assassins, whether wounded or unharmed, were hung upside down from the large trees in the courtyard, surrounded by countless ghost guards, watching intently, waiting for their master's command to devour their souls to aid their spiritual cultivation.
Two of the maids in the courtyard had already perished when the assassins charged in, struck by warhorses. The rest were ordered by Li Xiaomin to hide in the back hall, forbidden to come out. Otherwise, witnessing such a horrific scene would likely scare several to death on the spot.
Li Xiaomin stood in the courtyard, his face ashen. He walked up to the white-haired man in black, tore off his mask, and found him a complete stranger.
Looking down at him, Li Xiaomin sneered, "Speak! Who are you? Who ordered you to assassinate me?"
The man in black remained silent, his eyes closed, appearing resigned to his fate, though a slight tremor betrayed his hidden fear.
Li Xiaomin sneered, "You think you can just keep quiet? Fine, men, get to it! Make them tell you everything they know!"
Hundreds of ghost guards roared in agreement, wielding their spirit knives, and began skinning and dismembering the men in black, extracting details.
In an instant, piercing screams echoed throughout the courtyard. If not for the protective barriers, the maids would likely have been terrified.
Blood flowed everywhere, staining the courtyard soil crimson. Bones and muscles were peeled off piece by piece and thrown onto the ground. The men in black screamed and begged for their lives.
Before long, the ghost guards came one after another to report that they had confessed. It turned out to be an assassin group that had been ordered by their employer to assassinate Li Xiaomin. As for who the employer was, they did not know.
Li Xiaomin was puzzled. He walked up to the assassin leader and saw that most of the body hanging upside down had been removed by General Zeng himself. The remaining mass of flesh and blood was still struggling and writhing. If it weren't for the fact that the jaw had been dislocated, the shrill screams would probably have shattered people's eardrums.
Li Xiaomin waved his hand, and General Zeng chuckled maliciously, straightening the white-haired assassin's chin before delivering a heavy punch. He shouted, "Don't yell! Answer your master's questions honestly!"
The assassin was nearly dead, panting for a while. Seeing Li Xiaomin standing before him with a smile, he was filled with remorse and could only choke out, "I deserve to die! I have offended your might, young master! Please forgive me! I know my crime is grave, I dare not hope for life, I only beg for a swift death!"
Li Xiaomin smiled and said, "Speak, who sent you to kill me? Tell me, and I'll give you a quick death!"
At this point, the white-haired assassin no longer cared about the unwritten rules of keeping his employer's secrets, and slurred, "It was Zhou Chang'an, the son of the Prefect of Wangling. He paid a high price to hire us to kill him!"
Li Xiaomin was stunned, never expecting it to be him. He had no grudge against him, so why would he hire assassins to kill him?
He pressed for details and learned that Zhou Chang'an had discovered from intelligence provided by his palace spies that Princess Zhenping had a secret lover. Filled with jealousy and hatred, he desperately wanted to eliminate this obstacle preventing him from becoming the princess's husband.
However, he had never known the identity of Princess Zhenping's lover until today, when he learned of his lover's residence from the spies sent to follow her. Overcome with jealousy, he immediately hired a group of assassins he had dealings with, ordering them to follow his spies to the residence and kill everyone inside to vent his hatred.
Just then, Lin Li suddenly dragged a man in from outside the mansion, threw him in front of Li Xiaomin, and laughed, "Master, I've seen this guy acting suspiciously... he's been hiding in the shadows outside the gate, so I caught him. Please, young master, decide what to do with him!"
The white-haired assassin, seeing him, sighed and said hatefully, "You dog! Of all people to follow, you had to follow such a killer! You've ruined us all!"
Li Xiaomin turned to look at the man, who was an extremely ordinary-looking fellow, now terrified and begging for mercy, unable to even speak clearly.
Li Xiaomin patiently questioned him and learned that he was originally a servant in Zhou Chang'an's household. Because of his cleverness, Zhou Chang'an had sent him to follow Princess Zhenping. Today, seeing her meeting with Li Xiaomin in secret, he switched his focus and followed Li Xiaomin all the way to his mansion. Then he returned to report to Zhou Chang'an, who brought a group of assassins to the mansion to kill everyone inside.
Li Xiaomin was puzzled. If Zhou Chang'an wanted to kill him, that might be possible, but why would he kill both princesses on the Qinhuai River? What benefit would that bring him?
To resolve his doubts, he ordered his men to severely interrogate the prisoners, but the results disappointed him: they hadn't orchestrated the assassination attempt on the Qinhuai River. As for who actually plotted to assassinate the princesses, they knew no more than Li Xiaomin.
Li Xiaomin shook his head and sighed. Looking at the pitiful, wailing men in black, and thinking that these mortals dared to plot against him, he sneered inwardly and turned to General Zeng, saying, "These people are all yours. Do with them as you see fit!"
A group of evil spirits cheered and rushed forward, vying to absorb souls to enhance their spiritual power.
Li Xiaomin didn't like their behavior and had strictly instructed them not to harm the innocent to avoid divine retribution. However, these people were inherently evil, and now they deserved to die; having their souls absorbed was nothing to complain about.
He turned and went into the hall, listening to the screams outside gradually fading. He sighed inwardly, thinking, "Zhou Chang'an is always a hidden danger; it's best to get rid of him as soon as possible!"
Zhou Chang'an stood in front of the small courtyard gate of his residence, eagerly hoping to hear the good news that his rival was dead.
He was currently in the Zhou family's old residence, where several generations had lived. His father had gone to Wangling to take up his post three years ago and would be returning home in a few days. Now, only he, some female relatives, and an old friend of his father who was passing through and staying there were in the mansion.
He waited for a long time, but no one came to report, not even the servant he had sent to guide him. Zhou Chang'an was secretly panicked, wondering if something had happened.
He waited until dark, but still no one came to report. Zhou Chang'an had no choice but to eat a hasty dinner, go back to his room to rest, and send several servants to the assassin group to gather information, hoping to find out what had happened.
Night fell, enveloping the entire Zhou residence.
Suddenly, a clear voice rang out in the darkness:
"What kind of ghost dares to haunt this place!"
Zhou Chang'an abruptly jumped out of bed. He recognized the voice as that of his father's old friend, a wandering Taoist priest known as Qingtan Daoren. It was said that although the priest did not belong to any famous Taoist sect, and his lineage was nearly extinct, he himself possessed extraordinary magical abilities and always traveled the world like a free spirit. He had recently come to Jinling, intending to visit Zhou Chang'an's father, but the priest had already gone to Wangling to take up his post and was staying here temporarily, waiting for his father's return in a few days.
Zhou Chang'an knew the priest's Taoist magic was profound; if he said there were ghosts, then there truly were. Terrified, his hands and feet turned ice-cold, but relying on his faith in the old priest, he hurriedly ran outside to see what was happening.
After running a few steps, he saw the Taoist priest standing in the courtyard, clad in a Taoist robe, holding a sword, his face solemn. He said in a deep voice, "You seem to be a living person, so why are you befriending ghosts and breaking into an official's house at night?"
Opposite him, Li Xiaomin, wearing a ghost mask, led a group of ghost guards, confronting him. The old Taoist priest had a tall Taoist hat, snow-white hair, and a flowing white beard,
giving him an air of otherworldly elegance. Li Xiaomin could also sense the powerful immortal energy emanating from him, and he couldn't help but feel secretly frightened. He had come here late at night intending to kill Zhou Chang'an unnoticed, to prevent him from harming him or the woman beside him. Unexpectedly, he encountered a formidable opponent here, and he was troubled. He tightened his throat and said in a deep voice, "Excuse me! We are here today because of a personal grudge, to eliminate a villain who hired assassins and attacked people from the shadows. Please, Taoist priest, step aside for the time being and do not interfere in this matter, okay?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Chang'an trembled with fear. Although he couldn't see the ghostly guards behind Li Xiaomin, he was paralyzed by the chilling ghostly aura emanating from them. Looking at the man wearing the ghost mask, he guessed that this was the helper hired by Princess Zhenping's secret lover, and that he was the one to be killed. The assassin group he had hired at great expense was incredibly powerful, yet they had vanished without a trace, and he feared they were in grave danger. The opponent's strength far exceeded his imagination; if they wanted to kill him, how could he possibly resist?
At this moment, his only lifeline was the Taoist priest in front of him. Zhou Chang'an collapsed to the ground in terror, bowing deeply and pleading, "Immortal Master, save me! They're slandering me! I didn't do anything like that! Please, Immortal Master, for my father's sake, save my life!" The Taoist
priest Qingtan sighed inwardly upon hearing this. Seeing that he had confessed without being asked, admitting that the man wanted to kill him, he knew that Zhou Chang'an might indeed have hired assassins. But he had been on good terms with Zhou Chang'an's father for many years; how could he just stand by and watch him be killed?
Thinking of this, the Taoist brandished his sword and roared, "You wicked creature! Using ghosts to commit evil will surely incur divine punishment! Get out of my way!"
As he spoke, he swung his sword, chanted incantations, and circled Zhou Chang'an, setting up an array to protect him.
Li Xiaomin was furious at the insult of "wicked creature." He saw that the enemy who had almost harmed Consort Xiao was right in front of him, yet this old Taoist was blocking his way, refusing to let him pass and even setting up a restriction to prevent his ghost guards from getting around to kill him.
He knew the formation the old Taoist had set up was not good at blocking people, but it was very suitable for blocking ghosts and spirits. Now that he and a hundred ghosts had arrived, as long as the old Taoist blocked him, his ghost guards would not be able to harm Zhou Chang'an.
Li Xiaomin raised his crystal blade and shouted angrily, "Taoist Master, if you refuse to step aside and let me kill this treacherous villain, I have no choice but to offend you!"
Qingtan Taoist coldly snorted, pointed his sword to the sky, and said coldly, "With me here, I will not allow you to harm the innocent!"
Li Xiaomin was shocked and angry, knowing that this old Taoist was deliberately trying to block him and prevent him from eliminating Zhou Chang'an. He didn't say anything more, snorted coldly, and was about to rush forward to fight Qingtan Taoist.
Before he could move, he suddenly saw the sky change drastically, and a huge bolt of lightning fell from the sky, crashing down towards Li Xiaomin's head.
Li Xiaomin was shocked and lunged forward, but he was too slow. The lightning struck him heavily on the ground behind him. With a deafening roar, the lightning swept past his side, instantly numbing half of his body and rendering him unable to move.
The lightning struck the ground hard, sending dirt flying. One of the ghost guards, unable to dodge in time, was struck by the lightning. He screamed and collapsed to the ground, convulsing and rolling, his body crackling with electricity, his spirit gradually fading, as if he was about to be completely destroyed.
General Sha, following behind Li Xiaomin, was furious to see his loyal subordinate suffer such a heavy blow. However, he didn't have time to go forward to seek revenge on the Qingtan Daoist. He simply roared and struck the ghost guard's back with his palm, his face solemn. He used his own spiritual power to counteract the lightning crackling on the ghost guard's body, barely protecting his spirit and preventing him from being immediately destroyed.
Li Xiaomin hadn't expected the Qingtan Daoist to be so ruthless. Without a word, the Daoist struck first, using the Heavenly Thunder Strike Technique to try and kill him. Just as he was filled with shock and anger, he saw Qingtan Daoist pointing his sword to the sky again, chanting incantations, his eyes sharp, as if summoning another bolt of lightning to shatter him into pieces.
Li Xiaomin barely managed to move, but his body was still numb. Just as he was getting anxious, he suddenly felt two jade hands reach out from behind and press against his back, continuously channeling spiritual energy into his body. This spiritual energy collided with the electric current flowing through his body, and in the midst of the clashes, it smoothed out the current, restoring Li Xiaomin's ability to move.
Li Xiaomin didn't need to look to know that it was the two women, Fengshuang and Fenghuang, whom he had brought with him, using their spiritual energy to help him through the crisis. He was filled with gratitude, but before he could say anything, as soon as he regained his mobility, he leaped away, simultaneously sending a message to the two women in his mind, telling them to quickly dodge and not be struck by lightning.
The heavenly lightning struck again, sending dirt flying in all directions, but it didn't hit any ghosts or spirits. Li Xiaomin roared and charged at Qingtan Daoist with his sword, intending to pierce his throat to prevent him from chanting any more spells and plotting against him.
Qingtan Daoist's expression was solemn as he raised his sword to block. The two swords clashed with a loud clang, and a tremendous force sent both men flying backward. Looking down at their own swords, they saw no damage and realized that their opponent also wielded a divine weapon, causing them to feel a chill.
A fierce wind howled, and a chill swept in. Two stunningly beautiful women in white robes, their faces grim, swung their swords with the wind, the tips of their blades gleaming coldly, aiming directly at Qingtan Daoist's face.
Qingtan Daoist focused his mind and roared, "Demon, cease your arrogance! Behold the power of my Five Thunder Orthodox Method!"
Where his sword tip pointed, the sky shifted, and thunder roared. A massive bolt of lightning struck down from the dark clouds, heading straight for the two women who were rushing towards him.
The two women's expressions changed, their spirit forms drifting away swiftly to avoid the lightning strike. Their delicate bodies, clad in white robes, traced a long arc in the air, flying towards Qingtan Daoist from another direction.
Two roars rang out simultaneously before Qingtan Daoist. Two fierce warriors, wielding broadswords and heavy hammers, charged towards Qingtan Daoist with furious roars, their heavy weapons slamming down, striking Qingtan Daoist's sword with devastating force, sparks flying.
Two sharp swords silently thrust forward, and Qingtan Daoist quickly turned and parried with his own sword. The four ghosts engaged in a fierce battle in the spacious courtyard of the Zhou residence. Amidst the surging sword energy, spiritual power shot out in all directions, sending mud and sand flying everywhere. Where the spiritual power surged, craters appeared all over the ground.
Ghost guards surrounded him from all sides, shouting encouragement. Though they couldn't squeeze through, archers who had been killed in his previous life drew their bows and fired spiritual arrows at Qingtan Daoist, disrupting his movements.
Li Xiaomin stood outside the circle, watching his four subordinates fight Qingtan Daoist to a standstill. He was horrified, knowing that Qingtan Daoist's Taoist magic was profound, capable of fighting four against one, and even against his subordinates who had gained powerful spiritual energy. However, his subordinates hadn't fully digested the immense spiritual energy they had gained before being dragged out to kill the enemy. If they had fully digested the powerful spiritual energy, or if You'er hadn't been recuperating in the ruined hall due to excessive spiritual energy depletion last time, Qingtan Daoist would probably have already collapsed and fled.
His gaze shifted, and he saw Zhou Chang'an trembling within the formation. A murderous intent surged within him. He raised his crystalline blade, coldly smiling as he approached Zhou Chang'an step by step.
Seeing him raise his sword, Zhou Chang'an trembled violently, crying out for Qing Tan Daoist to save his life.
Reaching the outer edge of the formation, Li Xiaomin was about to step inside when suddenly his toes went numb, as if he'd been electrocuted, nearly causing him to stumble and fall. Startled
, he hastily retreated, circulating his immortal energy in his toes to dispel the discomfort. Looking at the faintly glowing formation wall before him, he was slightly astonished that Qing Tan Daoist was so powerful, and that this formation could actually block a living person.
Outside, Qing Tan Daoist was fiercely battling four ghosts. Seeing Li Xiaomin wielding his sword to kill Zhou Chang'an, he was anxious. Seeing that Li Xiaomin couldn't break through his formation, he felt slightly relieved. He then engaged the four ghosts in fierce combat, hoping to subdue them quickly and then kill the ghost-controlling youth, ridding the world of this scourge!
Carefully recalling the knowledge about the Spirit-Repelling Array recorded in the Heavenly Book, Li Xiaomin suddenly chuckled. He casually stuck the crystalline blade into the ground, shook his body to dissipate the spiritual energy surrounding him, leaving him without any immortal power to defend himself, and stepped into the array.
This time, he tentatively stretched his foot into the Spirit-Repelling Array, and as expected, there was no resistance whatsoever. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly: Although this Spirit-Repelling Array is simple to set up, it can only block spirits, not living people without spiritual power. He looked just like an ordinary person now, so the Spirit-Repelling Array couldn't detect his spiritual power and therefore couldn't block him.
Zhou Chang'an was both shocked and furious as he watched him approach slowly. Seeing that the man was unarmed, a wicked thought suddenly arose in his mind. He drew a long sword from his waist and roared, "You villain! I have no grudge against you, yet you dare to break into my home intending to harm me! Don't you know that the gods are watching and can see through your evil deeds?"
He feared Li Xiaomin would reveal his actions, so he didn't give him a chance to speak, leaping forward with his sword flashing, aiming straight for Li Xiaomin's head.
Li Xiaomin was both amused and annoyed. Seeing the sword coming, he didn't take it seriously, slightly shifting his feet to dodge the attack. With swift footwork, he disappeared into the flashing sword, throwing a punch that landed squarely on Zhou Chang'an's abdomen.
Zhou Chang'an felt a tremendous force strike his stomach, screaming in agony as if his stomach was being ripped open. He collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach and writhing in pain, his sword long since thrown aside.
Li Xiaomin grabbed Zhou Chang'an and began to beat him mercilessly. Remembering how Xiao Shufei had almost been killed by the assassins he had hired, he was even more enraged and showed no mercy. In no time, Zhou Chang'an was beaten until his head resembled a pig's head, and several bones were broken.
Just as he was getting into the swing of things, Aunt Feng suddenly cried out in alarm, "Young Master, be careful!"
Li Xiaomin knew something was wrong. He grabbed Zhou Chang'an, threw him high into the air, and leaped away, rolling on the ground and landing more than ten paces away like the wind. A
deafening roar echoed overhead. A bolt of lightning, as large as a cartwheel, struck down from the sky, hitting Zhou Chang'an's body in mid-air and instantly shattering him into pieces, sending fragments flying everywhere.
Caught in the blast's force, Li Xiaomin fell to the ground, covered in dust and grime, his heart filled with rage: This old Taoist was so ruthless! To eliminate him, he disregarded even Zhou Chang'an's life, taking advantage of his weakened state to unleash heavenly lightning, intending to kill them both!
Qingtan Daoist was also in a difficult position. He was surrounded and relentlessly attacked by four ghosts, with hundreds of fierce spirits around him, none of them weaklings. If he couldn't kill Li Xiaomin in one fell swoop and shake the spirits, he feared he too would find it difficult to escape.
With this lightning strike, the immortal power in his sword weakened instantly. Shuangyi saw the opening and thrust her sword out, piercing through his sword circle. The spiritual sword struck his body, piercing through his clothes with a muffled groan, leaving a deep wound on his left shoulder.
Qingtan Daoist, enduring the pain, parried with his sword, his momentum slightly disrupted. General Sha seized the opportunity to strike angrily with his hammer, deflecting the sword aside. Then, a large blade descended, and although Qingtan Daoist leaped back, the blade grazed his body, blood instantly streaming down his thigh, droplets falling to the ground.
Qingtan Daoist cried out in agony. Seeing him injured, the four ghosts were emboldened, their swords and hammers striking with lightning speed, surrounding Qingtan Daoist and relentlessly beating him until his swordplay faltered, his body covered in blood, yet he still fought on fiercely.
Suddenly, a clear, sharp shout rang out: "Get out of the way! Let me kill him with one sword!" Hearing this
, the four ghosts scattered swiftly, like leaves falling in the wind, their movements incredibly fast. Suddenly finding himself without an opponent, Daoist Qingtan was somewhat bewildered. He looked around, brandishing his sword, when suddenly a sharp blade shot towards him like a whirlwind. A cold-faced youth, flying through the wind, lunged at Daoist Qingtan, his crystalline blade piercing like an arrow . With a "thud," it pierced Daoist Qingtan's throat, blood spurting out.
Daoist Qingtan glared angrily at the sky, his sword slipping from his grasp and crashing to the ground with a loud clatter.
His body, however, refused to fall. Suddenly, a small figure emerged from the top of his forehead, soaring into the sky.
Li Xiaomin's eyes widened in surprise. The small figure, glowing with red light, looked exactly like Daoist Qingtan. It seemed to be Daoist Qingtan's Nascent Soul, cultivated through years of arduous training.
With his sword piercing the youth's throat, this physical body was no longer usable for Daoist Qingtan. Therefore, he had no choice but to abandon his original physical body and escape with his primordial spirit, hoping that he could still cultivate to a high level and avenge himself.
His nascent soul was rapidly ascending when suddenly, a giant hammer crashed down from the sky, striking the nascent soul's head with a bang, scattering red light in all directions. The nascent soul, struck by this powerful blow, shattered into pieces, scattering in all directions.
General Zeng, who had been waiting below, saw the fragments of the spirit flying towards him. Without a word, he grabbed the shattered primordial spirit, ignoring the struggling and screaming half of the body, and forcefully stuffed it into the mouth of the ferocious ghost, chewing it a few times before swallowing it whole.
In the sky, General Sha, having sheathed his hammer, laughed loudly, not wanting to be outdone. His massive body shot down like an arrow, grabbing fragments of the nascent soul in mid-air and stuffing them into his mouth, using the cultivation of Qing Tan Daoist accumulated over many years to increase his own spiritual power.
The hundreds of ghost guards on the ground cheered thunderously. They surged into the sky, searching everywhere for fragments of Nascent Soul, devouring them greedily. The ghosts, their faces flushed with excitement, grinned wildly, laughing loudly. For a moment, the sounds of ghostly wails and howls echoed in all directions.
The ghosts danced in the air, as if celebrating a festival. Even the ghost guard, struck by heavenly lightning and severely injured, had a fragment of Nascent Soul stuffed into his mouth by his leader. He immediately stood up, roaring to the sky with boundless energy, his excitement undisguised.
Only the two women, Feng and Shuang, found it disgusting, frowning and standing aside, refusing to join the fray.
Li Xiaomin felt a bit nauseous at the sight. He walked to the two women, bowed deeply, and thanked them, saying, "Thanks to Aunt Feng and Aunt Shuang's help, otherwise I would have been seriously injured!"
The two women returned the bow, saying calmly, "Young master, you are too kind. We are your subordinates, and protecting you is our duty."
Li Xiaomin glanced at the two women, noticing their beautiful appearance and their icy demeanor in plain clothes, which only fueled his desire to conquer them. Just as he was about to strike up a conversation with these two beauties to build a closer relationship, he suddenly heard a wail coming from the inner courtyard. It seemed that a patrol team was running towards them in the distance. Li Xiaomin's mind cleared, and he looked up at the sky, coldly shouting, "Stop making a scene! Finish what you've done, and let's leave quickly!"
The commotion just now must have been clearly heard everywhere nearby. Fortunately, he was wearing a ghost mask, so he wasn't afraid of being seen in person, but staying any longer wouldn't do him any good.
At that moment, under Li Xiaomin's command, the ghosts used the "Hundred Ghosts Moving Technique" to loot the Zhou mansion of all its treasures, then triumphantly returned to their camp.
When the patrolling soldiers mustered their courage and entered the Zhou mansion, they found only devastation, with craters everywhere from lightning strikes. On the ground lay two corpses: one was a white-haired Taoist priest, a sword piercing his throat, his eyes wide open, lying on the ground, his skull ripped open, revealing the flesh beneath; the other was completely charred black, almost unrecognizable as human.
Such a bizarre scene left the soldiers looking at each other in disbelief and utter terror.
Meanwhile, after Li Xiaomin returned the loot to his residence, fearing some might have escaped, he took the two generals, Sha and Zeng, who were now in a frenzy after consuming Nascent Souls, along with hundreds of ghost guards, and raided the headquarters of the assassin group hired by Zhou Chang'an. The assassins remaining inside, along with their leader, were all killed on the spot, their souls devoured by the ghost guards.
Although all those in the know were wiped out, Li Xiaomin was still uneasy. He ordered Chen Dexiu to buy two more large residences, separating Consort Yun and Consort Xiao into their respective homes. Ghost guards were stationed at the entrances of both residences, and the purchased maids were instructed to keep vicious dogs to protect the women from attacks.
The original residence, however, was only used as a secret hiding place for Li Xiaomin's treasure and remained uninhabited. Although the courtyard had been cleaned, the lingering stench of blood still permeated the air.

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