Everything Li Miao experienced after leaving the capital, every single thing, had its root in one person.
Ji Tianrui.
It was he who killed Yang Lixuan and seized the Ming Cult. It was also he who colluded with the Miao King and sent people to Shuntian Prefecture. The Gu Soldiers were his doing, and the Miao region was his scheme.
Yang Lixuan was his birth father, and Lan Lechuan was his disciple. The first generation Miao King was his birth mother, and the second generation Miao King was his wife.
Ji Tianrui was his daughter.
Could such a figure have died so carelessly in the Miao region back then? After the imperial court learned of his collusion with the Miao people, did Old Zhu simply bring a few Celestials to block and kill him there, dying so carelessly?
It wasn't Li Miao's conspiracy theory, he just instinctively felt that this person shouldn't have died so simply.
But after actually asking Wang Zhi this question, even Li Miao couldn't help but find it somewhat unbelievable.
That was the Emperor, the Son of Heaven.
His wrath could fell a million households and cause blood to flow for a thousand miles. With the Mandate of Heaven in his mouth, a single word of his became law for the world. He ruled over the four seas, wielding power as he pleased.
If Ji Tianrui had revived within the Emperor—this Great Shuo, this world, would all be led by him in a completely unknown direction.
No one would be spared.
Li Miao looked at Wang Zhi.
Wang Zhi did not answer.
He hung his head, silent.
After a long while, he spoke hoarsely.
“I—I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“His Majesty has always been His Majesty, the grandson of Emperor Xianzong, and a true bloodline of the Zhu family—”
“Eunuch Wang, you haven’t answered my question, at least not directly.”
Li Miao interrupted Wang Zhi.
“You are evading.”
“I know your life story. You have served the Emperor since he was the Crown Prince of Xing, for over thirty years now. In terms of understanding and loyalty to the Emperor, even those sanctimonious ministers are far inferior to you.”
“You didn’t refuse to answer, nor did you directly deny it. Instead, you spoke evasively because you also have doubts, don't you?”
Li Miao said softly, like an evil demon tempting Wang Zhi to fall into an abyss.
“Fifteen years ago, did the Emperor show any abnormalities?”
Fifteen years ago, the Emperor suddenly fell gravely ill, bedridden for over a month. The imperial physicians were at their wits' end, almost preparing for the Emperor's demise, but overnight, the Emperor suddenly recovered, and even his old ailments mysteriously vanished.
“Does the Emperor still care about what he cared about, and hate what he hated, back then?”
At the beginning of his reign, the Emperor worked diligently to govern, bringing peace to the world. Although he gradually became lax later, overall, he was still considered an enlightened ruler—but ever since he recovered from his illness, he has not attended court again, entrusting all state affairs to his ministers.
The concubines he previously favored were all discarded like old shoes. He never looked at them again.
“Does the Emperor speak and act as he used to?”
No, the Emperor back then would not have built the Dew-Collecting Platform, nor would he have allowed people to beat him to death—
“Has the Emperor changed?”
He has changed.
Wang Zhi found the answer in his heart.
From fifteen years ago until now, the Emperor has gradually changed.
He has changed as if—he is another person.
Wang Zhi couldn't speak, couldn't utter a word. His body trembled violently, and extreme tension made him suddenly retch.
“Ugh—cough, cough, cough—”
“Thank you.”
Li Miao patted his shoulder.
Wang Zhi didn't need to speak; Li Miao already knew his answer.
!
Li Miao struck Wang Zhi on the back of his head with his palm.
Wang Zhi's body suddenly tensed, then relaxed, and he fell to the ground with a thud, losing consciousness.
Li Miao stood up, looked around, walked to the wall, and took down an ever-burning lamp.
He poured the lamp oil everywhere.
Then, he threw down the lit wick.
Whoosh!
Flames suddenly erupted, scorching everything inside the pupa chamber. The Gu insects ignited, suddenly flying up, circling for a while before falling powerlessly, as if a rain of fire was falling within the pupa chamber.
Li Miao didn't look back, walking straight outside.
Once outside, Li Miao raised his hand and struck down with his palm, raising dust and covering the entire cave.
“Heh.”
Li Miao let out a laugh, both mocking and helpless.
“Originally, I only came to exterminate the Five Mountains Sword Sect, but then came Witchcraft; after severing the Witchcraft inheritance, then came Ji Tianrui of the Ming Cult; before the Ming Cult’s mess was even cleaned up, even the Emperor got involved.”
“Damn it—what a busy life.”
His emotions were released and then reined in. Li Miao turned his head to look in the direction of Xiaoling Mausoleum.
Loud noises were coming from there.
“Alright, you brought me here to trouble the Celestials of the imperial court for you, and you went off to do your own thing, didn’t you?”
“You throw this mess at me and still think you can get away scot-free?”
Before his words finished, Li Miao had already disappeared from his original spot.
Ji Tianrui suddenly turned around and exchanged a palm strike with the middle-aged man.
“Cough.”
She coughed, swallowing the blood that spilled from her mouth. Using the force of the palm, she flew backward, rushing straight into the depths of the tomb.
The middle-aged man's expression grew increasingly grim. He flashed forward and chased after her, his fists transforming into countless afterimages in mid-air,
Striking at Ji Tianrui.
Ji Tianrui was no match for him.
She wasn't strong, only comparable to Tan Zelin on Mount Tai. If not for the endless Gu insects on her, she would have been killed by the middle-aged man's palm long ago.
But even with the Gu insects protecting her, she had already sustained serious injuries. Her left arm hung limply, broken into several sections; her shoulder was a bloody mess, a large piece of flesh torn away; blood spilled from her mouth and nose, staining her collar.
But she was still smiling.
Because, the end of this path was already in sight.
Only thirty feet remained to the stone door, which was paved with enamel below and flanked by terracotta warrior generals.
As long as she crossed these thirty feet.
The middle-aged man appeared behind her again, his hand forming a claw, suddenly gripping Ji Tianrui's shoulder.
Pfft!
Ji Tianrui actually dispersed the protective true qi on her right shoulder, suddenly exerted force, tore her own shoulder, broke free from the middle-aged man's grasp, and lunged forward again.
Twenty feet!
The middle-aged man struck out with a palm in mid-air, his true qi handprint covering the entire tomb passage, striking towards Ji Tianrui's back.
Bang!
Ji Tianrui did not dodge or evade, taking the full force of the palm. She spewed a mist of blood from her mouth, and surprisingly, relying on the force of that palm, her speed suddenly increased by a notch.
Ten feet!
The middle-aged man appeared in front of Ji Tianrui, completely blocking her path.
“Die!”
He roared, raised an arm, and joined his fingers to form a palm, with sharp true qi gathered at the edge of his palm.
He struck out with One Slash!
Iron Shackles War Summons, “One Slash”!
Ji Tianrui chuckled softly.
She dispersed her True Qi.
The sharp true qi passed through her body, cutting her body diagonally into two halves, and blood rained down.
The middle-aged man's face suddenly turned pale.
Because Ji Tianrui's upper body flew over his head and landed in front of the stone door.
!
Ji Tianrui channeled her last bit of true qi and struck the stone door violently. The stone door burst open with a roar!
Ji Tianrui's upper body landed on the ground. She propped herself up with her remaining arm, and looked up at the coffin in front of her.
“This commoner, Ji Tianrui.”
“Greetings, Emperor Jianwen!”
Ji Tianrui's voice echoed in the tomb.
Then, from within the coffin, a faint breathing sound could be heard.