Li Miao finally confessed his true thoughts to Zhu Zai.
But Zhu Zai merely snorted coldly, “After all that talk, you still want to become a monk.”
This time, it was Li Miao’s turn to be speechless and choked up.
“No, I usually tell you to read more books, not throw them out to hit people halfway through.”
“That ‘golden house’ isn’t meant for you to use as a hidden weapon. What I mean is—”
“Alright, alright,” Zhu Zai waved his hand impatiently. “I understand.”
“You think we’re all mundane, and you want to transcend the ordinary and become an immortal, right?”
Li Miao spread his hands.
“To follow one’s heart without overstepping boundaries, that’s not wrong when you put it that way.”
Zhu Zai nodded.
“Alright, I understand.”
“Then how much longer until you can become an immortal? Twenty years, perhaps?”
Li Miao said, “Today, I went to Shaolin Temple and chatted with Master Xing Chi. I have some ideas, but I haven’t figured out exactly what to do yet.”
“Maybe five or ten years. I’m still a bit short of reaching the Three Paths Perfection, so I still need some time.”
“Still serving in the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards)?”
“Yes, I’m quite comfortable in the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards).”
“Then don’t return to Shuntian Prefecture. Just roam outside,” Zhu Zai concluded.
“The news has already spread throughout the martial arts world; it’s impossible to hide it now.”
“From now on, stop being so secretive. Make as big a fuss as possible, and be as conspicuous as possible.”
“Here’s your token.”
Zhu Zai raised his hand and tossed over a waist token.
Li Miao took it and saw that it was the waist token of a Jinyiwei Zhenfushi.
“Starting today, you are the Bei Zhenfu Si Zhenfushi. By my command, the elite Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) will patrol the martial arts world and investigate all lawlessness under heaven.”
“Anyway, His Majesty already has the intention of kicking us Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) out. A few days ago, he even mentioned establishing something called an ‘Eastern Depot,’ clearly intending to disband us. I was just worrying about how to mediate, but with you stirring things up outside, I now have some leverage.”
“Just cause trouble according to your nature. The bigger the fuss you make, the stronger my position here.”
Li Miao chuckled, “Does this count as causing trouble under imperial decree?”
“Oh, right. You’re giving me the Bei Zhenfu Si Zhenfushi’s waist token, what about Lao Bu?”
Zhu Zai sneered.
“Hmph, what about him? The man is dead, so the official position is naturally vacant.”
“By my calculations, he should be here by now.”
Zhu Zai raised his hand and struck out with a palm, severing the air. It was precisely the “One Slash” from the “Iron Shackles War Summons.”
Chiii—
Boom!
The entire tent was directly sliced in half, collapsing to both sides with a roar, kicking up a sky full of dust.
“Cough cough cough…”
Not far away, a person coughed a few times softly, their eyes fixed on Li Miao, and slowly spoke.
“Lord Bu was right, Lord Zhu hides a big secret.”
The person supporting him nodded and bowed, saying, “Yes, the men I planted received the news and immediately reported it to you.”
“Indeed, we caught him red-handed!”
Li Miao looked closely and smiled.
The people who arrived were precisely the Celestial Human Realm expert who had fallen into the “Celestial Human Five Declines” earlier in the day, and Bu Lei, who was supporting him.
Li Miao turned to Zhu Zai and smiled, “Commander, was this all part of your plan?”
“I was wondering why there was no one in the surrounding tents. So, those two lanterns weren’t for me to see, they were for Lao Bu, huh.”
Zhu Zai snorted coldly.
“When it comes to reckless bravery, I’m not as good as you. But when it comes to strategizing, you’re far behind!”
Li Miao chuckled.
“You old man, you’re misusing words again. Just because I’m recklessly brave, you’re a master strategist?”
“Alright, fine. Given that I got promoted today, I won’t argue with you.”
“Now, what’s the plan?”
As he spoke, Li Miao pulled out the pair of dark black gloves from his Pregnant and put them on his hands.
Then he tightened his cuffs and shook his wrists.
“Kill them all,” Zhu Zai slowly drew his embroidered spring blade.
“Won’t there be trouble?”
Li Miao asked.
Zhu Zai took off the strap from his sleeve and wrapped it around the hilt of his blade, circle after circle.
“If we kill them during the day, it’s you and I who killed them, and there will be trouble.”
“If we kill them at night, it’s Ji Tianrui who killed them, and there will be no trouble.”
“These dying experts hidden by the imperial court all had their ‘Celestial Human Five Declines’ delayed by secret methods. They are usually muddled, only clear-headed for a moment when they need to act. They have no relatives or friends, so there’s no need to fear anyone seeking revenge.”
“As for official matters, I have ways to handle them.”
Li Miao smiled upon hearing Zhu Zai say this.
In a version with no mistakes!
“Alright, I’ll listen to you.”
“Then, I’ll fight the old one, and you fight the young one?”
“Nonsense,” Zhu Zai said, “I have to be able to beat the old one first.”
After saying that, he hesitated for a moment, as if he didn’t want to lose face in front of Li Miao.
After a while, he quietly added.
“If you kill quickly, come over and lend a hand sooner.”
“Bu Lei’s martial arts are good; I’m not entirely confident either.”
Li Miao couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “Alright, alright, I’ll listen to you.”
“I’ll finish up quickly.”
The two exchanged words, like they were joking around, completely disregarding the increasingly grim expressions of the other two.
Finally, Bu Lei couldn’t hold back and roared, “Enough!”
“Commander, I, out of respect for you being my superior for many years, even spoke good words to Lord Wan, saying only that Li Miao’s origins were unclear and he clearly harbored disloyal intentions. You were merely deceived for a time.”
“But I didn’t expect you to be so stubborn, are you truly going to go down this dark path!?”
Zhu Zai sneered.
“Do I need good words from a traitor like you?”
“By the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) family law, the unrighteous shall die, and the disloyal shall be flayed!”
“Die!”
With a loud shout, he directly charged towards Bu Lei.
“Good timing!”
Bu Lei roared fiercely, as if to confront him head-on, rushing forward.
However, halfway there, the two of them tacitly took a turn, moving further and further away, until they disappeared from sight.
Clearly, these two seemed like they were going to fight to the death on the spot, but they were both afraid of being caught in the Celestial Human Realm struggle between Li Miao and that person. They ran while fighting, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Li Miao shook his head and smiled.
“This old man is really interesting. He talks so big, but he runs fast.”
Immediately, he looked up at the imperial court’s Celestial Human Realm expert.
“May I ask your name?”
The man raised his hand and shook off the cloak he was wearing.
Then, a wisp of white smoke emanated from his skin, enveloping him.
Li Miao smiled, “Why do you people like to cover yourselves when you transform? What’s the point then?”
He thought of how Yun Zelin also emitted white smoke all over his body when he “transformed” on Mount Tai.
“Let me see.”
Li Miao raised his hand and struck with a palm, his true qi erupting, dispersing the white mist around the man.
Looking at the man again, he had already changed his appearance.
His hair was as black as ink, his face broad and square, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, a straight nose and prominent cheekbones.
Looking at his physique, he stood over eight feet tall, with a slender waist, broad shoulders, and a fan-shaped build. His arms were as thick as roof beams, with prominent muscles. His outstretched hands were like ten steel hooks.
He was truly a magnificent, burly man!
The man’s voice also changed, becoming rough and bold as he said, “Tiancan Old Man, Wan Tianzong, at your service.”