The Heavenly Palace was empty and desolate.
Yet, the bustling markets of the Imperial Capital were extraordinarily lively.
Min Youguo sat by the window in a completely ordinary teahouse, looking down at the teeming crowds in the busy streets.
Seated across from him was an old man dressed in white, with a sliding weight embroidered on his chest and his white brows locked in a deep frown.
Chen Qingtian, the leader of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion branch who had once known the Li family in the Azure Cloud Region, stood respectfully by the door.
"Lord Imperial Preceptor, you have gone too far.
If you wished to return to the court, there were plenty of ways.
Why go to such trouble to block all the experts in the Imperial Capital and even order the Emberwing Guard to besiege the entire Heaven-Suppressing Department?
I, Guan Tong, am merely a commoner; why did the Lord Imperial Preceptor need to come in person?"
The old man gave a bitter smile.
"One Palace, one Pavilion, two Departments, and four Guards—all within the Imperial Capital have been suppressed by the Lord Imperial Preceptor.
I fear everyone under heaven will think this world now belongs to you, Imperial Preceptor."
Min Youguo toyed with his teacup, his gaze still fixed out the window.
Looking into the distance, he could already see Li Yaozu flying toward the Heavenly Palace, sword in hand and arms behind his back.
He smiled faintly.
"Then you overestimate me, Min Youguo. How could I suppress the entire Imperial Capital alone?
Besides, I am loyal and devoted; talk of suppression is sheer nonsense.
Even if it were suppression, it would be what you old fogeys secretly desire."
Hearing this, the old man from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion continued to smile bitterly.
Min Youguo let out a light snort.
"Years ago, when Crown Prince Sheng took control of the court, it was the support of you old fogeys that gave him the gall to kick me out.
Talk about everyone pushing a falling wall, hmm?"
"It doesn't matter. I went along with you.
I wanted to see what you were capable of.
I wanted to see what kind of mess you would turn this Imperial Dynasty into without me."
"It is a pity. Everyone under heaven can list my crimes as if counting their own family treasures.
But without me, the war against the Wu Clan failed, and Prince Yu raised his weapons once more.
And look at this Crown Prince you all support—tsk, tsk.
Even when he commits errors, where do you find the courage to bring order out of chaos?"
"You couldn't swallow your pride to beg me, hoping all along that I would act on my own.
But I refused, and this wait has lasted for decades.
I want you to learn a long, hard lesson: within the Golden Throne Hall of the Heavenly Palace, when the morning court bell rings, only by seeing me, Min Youguo, can your hearts be at ease—and only then can this Azure Dynasty be at ease."
Guan Tong was stung by the truth, his expression freezing.
Yet, Min Youguo, whose words had been so domineering just moments before, suddenly let out a sigh.
"A pity. I am just like you all. No matter how fatuous and incompetent the Crown Prince may be, I do not have the gall to make a move against His Highness."
Following Min Youguo's line of sight, they saw that dashing figure already floating before the Heavenly Palace, standing with sword in hand.
Guan Tong no longer spoke of past grievances, a flicker of shock passing through his eyes.
"How old is this Li Yaozu?"
"Six hundred and forty-five."
"What?!!" Guan Tong turned pale with shock.
"At this age, how many people in the world cannot even touch the threshold of the Divinity Transformation realm? This son of the Li family... this son..."
"Some days ago, this child went to the Sacred Sword Pavilion.
The old fogeys in the Sword Pavilion said that in the future, this child will surely stand alone at the pinnacle of the Way of the Sword."
Min Youguo remained expressionless, but Guan Tong knew deep down that this old fox was certainly harboring some dark designs.
It was just like how, after being driven from the court by Crown Prince Sheng, Lin Wan'er had suddenly appeared by the Crown Prince's side.
And just like today, with the experts of the Imperial Capital remaining hidden, leaving the Crown Prince to flee in a wretched state through the Heavenly Palace.
"In this age of great chaos, it is precisely the time to employ talent.
For a peerless Sword Immortal like this, even His Majesty would not bear to kill him.
And only he would dare to wreak havoc in this Imperial Capital, killing people within the Heavenly Palace—perhaps even killing His Highness, the Crown Prince."
Guan Tong spoke with profound meaning, "The Lord Imperial Preceptor's wisdom is peerless under heaven. This old man is thoroughly convinced."
After Min Youguo departed.
Guan Tong's face was as dark as sinking water.
He waved a hand at Chen Qingtian, who hadn't dared to utter a single word.
"Go. If Li Yaozu of the Li family truly dares to kill the Crown Prince, have someone stop him."
And at this moment.
Min Youguo had already floated into the air, gazing expressionlessly at Li Yaozu, who had landed within the Heavenly Palace, and murmured, "Six hundred and forty-five years old."
This figure of Li Yaozu seemed as if it were from yesterday, from the time he went to Eternal Sun Prefecture.
At that time.
This Li Yaozu was nothing more than an ant who only dared to ride his sword on the periphery of the battlefield during the siege against Tian Xing!
When the Li family said they wanted to kill the Crown Princess, even Min Youguo assumed the Li family intended to stake everything on one throw and come to the Imperial Capital, kill her, and then hide away in a wretched state like rats, just as they did in the past.
But everything that happened today completely exceeded his expectations.
The Li family had only sent...
One person!
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