The veiled girl twisted her body sharply, using the tip of her left foot for support and drawing her sword with her right hand. A flash of dazzling white light appeared in the alley, brighter than the sun.
The tall old man came down with overwhelming force, his punch slamming directly onto the sword's edge. The back of his hand was only slightly grazed by the sharp blade, leaving a thin bloodstain. As the old man's feet hit the ground, he continued his charge, pushing the sword-wielding girl backward. He then casually extended his palm, appearing slow and deliberate, but striking like lightning at the girl's forehead. Just as he was about to apply more force, intending to shatter her skull hidden beneath the veil, he shifted his position by a foot. With a soft "plop," the old man glanced down to see a sharp weapon piercing through his right chest from the back.
His expression remained unchanged as he pinched the sword's tip between his fingers and pushed it backward.
He forcibly pushed the sword that had come with the girl's intent right out of his chest.
Because of the interference of the flying sword, the old man was unable to crush the girl's head. Instead, her body was sent flying, landing in the alley. She quickly took advantage of the brief respite, got up, and with cat-like agility, disappeared down a side alley.
The young man's face darkened with fury, his fists clenched tightly. His imposing aura surged, and his face was filled with anger as he shouted, "Wu Yue, Chief Eunuch and Imperial Envoy! Why won't you listen to my suggestion? Why must you act so biased? Do you really think that you the most invincible force in this town? It's clear that we were wrong first. She didn't push us further after that and has already chosen to let it go. Why do you have to act so ruthlessly? This is going too far!"
The elderly eunuch withdrew his gaze from the direction in which the girl had fled the alley, turned around, and walked back, his posture straightening, making him appear even more imposing. Step by step, he walked slowly, as though each step was a heavy burden on his chest.
The young man felt the suffocating pressure and, being oppressed by a mere servant, his anger flared even more. His eyes widened, gritting his teeth, he growled, "Imperial Envoy Wu, you have committed a capital offense!"
The elderly eunuch calmly responded, "Your Highness, life and death are for His Majesty to decide. From my perspective, Your Highness's safety is as important as a mountain, it must be the top priority. As for that girl, she has become a matter of urgency. To truly ensure everything goes smoothly, the only solution is to eliminate her. Only once she is dead can I feel at ease."
Seeing the intense fury in the young man's eyes, the old man sighed softly and spoke in a quieter tone, "Having served in the imperial palace for over sixty years, I've witnessed too much scheming, both bloody and clean, countless times. When it comes to human nature, I have no faith at all. Just on the journey to protect His Majesty, I've personally resolved more than thirty assassination attempts. Your Highness, the deceit and cunning of those assassins are beyond imagination, especially the fanatical zealots who are completely unreasonable. Just look at the masked assassin and the veiled girl from earlier…"
The young man in silk extended a finger, pointing at the cold-faced eunuch, angrily rebuking, "Shut up! You old eunuch! I don't want to hear your nonsense! I know you've ruined my carefully laid plans! Even a blind man can see that the girl who controls the flying sword is incredibly gifted, a prodigy beyond compare! Even among those who train on the mountain, she would be one of the very best! Such a person, not just in the Great Sui or Great Li, but across the entire Eastern Baoping continent, is an exceptionally rare gem! If I had just ten years, or at most twenty, I could turn her into the most powerful assassin, shadowing me! No matter if you're an Earthly Immortals or a martial arts grandmaster, what do you matter?! And what happens? I, Gao Zhen, the future heir to the Great Sui! I am your master, you old eunuch!"
Strangely, despite being called an "old eunuch" repeatedly, the weathered old man did not seem angered in the least. In fact, his gaze grew more approving. When the young man finally stopped cursing, panting heavily, the old man smiled and said, "Your Highness, although you may not yet understand the treachery of the world or the wickedness of human nature because you haven't experienced it yourself, there is one thing you've done very well. You have the same spirit as His Majesty in his youth."
The atmosphere grew awkward.
After a moment of silence, Gao Zhen seemed to realize the gravity of his mistake. Before officially being named the Crown Prince, he had been disrespectful to a Chief Eunuch and Imperial Envoy, who also held the position as one of the three gatekeepers of the Great Sui Palace—an individual who was highly trusted by both the Emperor and Empress. Gao Zhen opened his mouth to speak but stopped when he saw the eunuch, whom he had just insulted, smile and say, "Your Highness, remember one thing: never apologize to those beneath you, it serves no purpose and only degrades your status. Even if you feel guilty, it should remain buried in your heart. After all, the emperor, hailed as the True Dragon of the World, is the Son of Heaven, the supreme ruler."
Gao Zhen responded, "Grandpa Wu, at my current status, it's too early to speak of such things."
Suddenly, the eunuch tensed, his body on alert as if facing a great threat. He swiftly pulled the young man behind him, his gaze fixed on the body of the masked assassin.
At the end of the alley, a tall, middle-aged scholar appeared, walking slowly toward the assassin's body. He crouched down, removed his face mask, revealing a strange face—no eyebrows, a carved nose, and strange markings etched into his skin.