After escaping the Wang family study unscathed, Xiao Wuchen did not immediately return to the Rootless Sect. He had already investigated the Left Commander's lifeline thoroughly through the secret ledger, which was an underground stronghold of the Black-Clad Guards in the western suburbs of the capital. The stronghold was not only a workshop for forging "Demon Sect letters," but also an illegal hideout where the Left Commander secretly traded with evil cultivators and kept assassins.
"Left Commander, you taught me strategy. I'll repay you with a 'drawing the firewood from under the cauldron' move."
Xiao Wuchen sped through the dark, rainy night alleys. He pushed his Flying Swallow Without a Trace lightness skill to its limit, touching the damp tiles with his toes without splashing a drop. The system panel flashed continuously, marking the terrain of the secret stronghold, the distribution of guards, and the aura of the "evil cultivator master" lurking within.
The western stronghold was disguised as an ordinary stone processing plant. In the dead of night, the heavy sound of stone cutting masked the secrets beneath.
Xiao Wuchen lay in wait on the quarry's beams, blending into the darkness with his Shadow Concealment Technique. He watched as dozens of elite Xuanyi Guards moved boxes of weapons and letters bearing the "Demon Sect" insignia into hidden compartments. These items, which were supposed to be discovered during a search the following day at noon, had "coincidentally" appeared at Xiao Wuchen's villa.
[System Analysis:] > * Key Evidence Found: The "Demon Sect Secret Letter" being copied mimics the original handwriting, but the ink is mixed with the Wang family's unique "Heavenly Fragrance Ink."
Tactical Recommendation: The host has mastered the entire forgery process. It is recommended that we abandon simple defense and instead utilize reverse tracking to turn this place into the Left Governor's political graveyard.
Xiao Wuchen lightly caressed the hilt of his sword. According to the Evil-Repelling Steward's orders, he could not use force against key figures prematurely. However, eliminating the "movers" and "evidence" was not prohibited.
Xiao Wuchen gave the order, and the elite Dark Guards of the Rootless Sect lurking around the perimeter quietly tightened their encirclement.
Like a hawk swooping down from the sky, he himself instantly descended into the cellar. There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a soft "plop" sound, like harvesting wheat.
Xiao Wuchen's figure weaved through the crowd; each flash was accompanied by the precise snap of a forger's throat from his internal force. Instead of using the powerful "Flower Blooms to Reveal the Buddha" technique, he compressed his killing intent to the extreme.
This scene was a perfect combination of strategy and force. As he took lives, he carefully collected the forged letters, using them as "ironclad evidence" to turn the tables on his accomplices.
Xiao Wuchen had just finished cleaning the last level of the cellar when he found a black iron box engraved with a skull emblem hidden under a messy desk.
After dismantling the mechanism, Xiao Wuchen examined the box's contents. Even though he had been calm throughout, they sent a chill down his spine.
It was a list of names from the "Hidden Dragon Plan."
It turned out that the Left Governor wanted to eliminate Xiao Wuchen and was secretly controlling the powerful families in the court who opposed him by providing them with drugs. The Wang family's Shan Hai Zhi was just the tip of the iceberg. Several high-ranking cabinet ministers were on the list!
"So that's how it is. Left Governor, you don't want to be Chief Minister; you want to be Regent—or even higher."
[System Warning: The host has touched upon the highest core secrets of this dynasty. If the Left Governor learns of the loss of this item, he will launch a full-scale attack ahead of schedule, regardless of the cost. The host has less than six hours left.
Xiao Wuchen laughed coldly and stuffed the list into his robes. He looked toward the imperial city, where the Chief Evil Exorcist was probably watching the night sky.
"Prove your innocence? Too slow." "I will personally send the Left Commander to the execution grounds during tomorrow morning's court assembly."
By the time they withdrew from the western stronghold, the bell tower in the capital had already tolled past midnight. Xiao Wuchen carried the Left Commander-in-Chief's lifeline, as well as a bombshell capable of destroying the entire Great Yu Dynasty.
"System, calculate the time it will take the Left Commander-in-Chief to discover the stronghold's destruction." Xiao Wuchen moved swiftly through the rain, his voice as cold as ice.
[Beep—Logical deduction in progress:]
Deduction result: Based on the patrol frequency of the Black-Clad Guards, the Left Commander-in-Chief will receive news of the stronghold's loss of contact in two-thirds of an hour.
Enemy reaction: The enemy will most likely realize that the "Hidden Dragon Plan" has been leaked. They will abandon political framing and resort to a direct armed coup or targeted assassination.
Xiao Wuchen's body froze suddenly; he felt an unprecedented pressure. The Chief Evil-Slaying Steward demanded that he "prove his innocence," but what he now possessed transcended innocence—it was a truth powerful enough to overthrow the imperial power.
He stood in the Rootless Sect's secret command post, watching his trusted men gather with grim faces. They had risked their lives for him, but none of them knew that, after tonight, they might all be branded "traitors."
"If I lose tomorrow," said Xiao Wuchen, stroking the longsword in his hand and sweeping his gaze over the crowd, "you will be ground to dust by the Black-Clad Guards. You won't even be allowed to enter the Rootless Sect's ancestral tablets. Are you afraid?"
The guards knelt in unison. The clatter of their armor was heavy in the silent night. "We swear to follow our Lord!"
Xiao Wuchen turned away, a barely perceptible loneliness flashing in his eyes. In the center of this vortex of power, no one could truly understand his loneliness. The system was cold. The Evil-Repelling Sword was poisonous. The Emperor was suspicious. His only reliance was the blade in his hand, which was about to dull.
In preparation for the imminent arrival of a Vajra Realm expert, Xiao Wuchen forcibly activated the system's high-load simulation mode.
"System, initiate a practical simulation of 'Life and Death Sword Intent.' Objective: Simulate Vajra Realm defense."
[Warning: The host's current physical strength (early stage of Meridian Building) is insufficient to withstand the high-frequency bursts of 'Life and Death Sword Intent.' Forcibly simulating this will damage the meridians, causing 'backlash' pain."
"Enough talk. Begin!"
In the consciousness space, Xiao Wuchen repeatedly swung his sword. The "vitality" of Flowers Bloom to Reveal the Buddha and the "gentle strength" of Purple Qi Comes from the East clashed, repelled, and merged wildly within his body. The pain was like ten thousand ants gnawing at his bones or raging fire burning his scriptures.
[Simulation progress: 10%, 45%, 80%...] [Key breakthrough achieved: discovered that after extreme compression, the "Life and Death Sword Intent" produces a microscopic "solidification" effect of internal force. This is the key to restraining the Vajra Realm's "Indestructible Body"!
When Xiao Wuchen opened his eyes, a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. Though his meridians throbbed with pain, his eyes shone with an astonishing light. He had found the glimmer of hope that would allow him to kill a Vajra Realm expert in the early stages of Meridian Establishment.
Just then, a soaking-wet eunuch, avoiding all eyes, stumbled into the command post. He clutched a secret token reserved only for the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial—the personal keepsake of Chief Eunuch Bixie.
"Eunuch Xiao, the Chief Eunuch sent me with a message." The eunuch trembled with fear.
Xiao Wuchen took the token, his eyes narrowing. "Speak."
"The chief eunuch said, 'His Majesty has not slept tonight and is setting up a game of chess in the imperial garden. If you can bring the 'Dragon Head' to see him, you will be the one to finish this game.'"
The Dragon Head!
This was not only a test from Bixie but also the Emperor's tacit approval. The emperor had already learned of the left commander's ambitions through some channel, but he wanted to see if Xiao Wuchen could take the left commander's head himself.
"So, this is the true meaning of 'proving one's innocence.'"
Xiao Wuchen abruptly drew his sword, and the clang pierced the night. "Send the order! The entire Wugen Sect is mobilized! The target is the Xuanyi Guard's secret stronghold and the Left Governor's residence. Begin the raid!"