Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 636 Royal Curse
Emperor Zhao Youzhao and Liang Jin had met before.

During that time when he used the "fire eye" to spy on the new residence, Liang Jin caught a glimpse of the emperor's sickly appearance from afar.

Although Zhao Youzhao was already showing signs of being seriously ill and unable to recover at that time, at least he still maintained the basic outline of a "person".

However at this moment...

When Liang Jin's gaze fell upon the body curled up on the cold gold bricks, writhing in pain, a torrent of shock, absurdity, and bone-chilling cold instantly overwhelmed him!
Without a doubt, the person lying on the ground is indeed the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty—Zhao Youzhao!

He's too thin!

The skin and flesh clung tightly to the jagged bones, almost devoid of the flesh and blood that filled the space between them, resembling a skeleton covered with pale white skin.

In the candlelight, his pale, cracked lips were bloodless, like a riverbed parched by a long drought; his sparse, withered beard, like withered grass in autumn, clung haphazardly to his sunken cheeks.

The intense, suffocating bitterness of the herbs was mixed with a sweet, fishy smell, like rotten wood mixed with decaying internal organs, and a thick, heavy aura of death, like invisible tentacles, tightly wrapped around this broken body.

The last time Liang Jin saw him, he looked like a seriously ill person.

But now, when I see him, he is already on the verge of death.

No wonder the system said he would die in a few days.

Looking at him now, Liang Jin even doubted whether he could make it through the night!

But this chilling near-death experience is not the most terrifying shock!

The real horror...

It lies in Zhao Youzhao's inhuman distortion!
His skin, exposed outside his bright yellow silk nightgown—whether on his neck, arms, or wrists—was densely covered with a layer of fine, shimmering scales!
The scales were not decorative; they were deeply embedded in the flesh, their edges blending into the skin, creating a nauseating, lifelike texture, like cold snakeskin!
The scales had a sickly grayish-green hue, and in the flickering candlelight, they gleamed with a slippery, sticky sheen.

But the most bizarre and irrational thing is his lower body!

The two legs, which should have been separated, were now completely stuck together and fused together from the waist down, like melted wax!
Skin, muscles, and tendons were twisted and intertwined, no longer distinguishable from one another.

The surface of these fused limbs is covered with denser and coarser bluish-black scales, layer upon layer, like a natural, ferocious armor.

Even more chilling is that the fused "limb" was abnormally elongated, and the shape of its endoskeleton was obviously horrifyingly deformed.

The unusually large number of protrusions on the joints gives this "leg" a soft and twisted appearance that is extremely uncomfortable and contrary to human anatomy.

It is no longer a human leg.

Instead, it was a... a huge, living snake tail covered in scales!
At this moment, Emperor Zhao Youzhao of the Great Qian Dynasty, though his upper body was withered and skeletal, could still be barely discerned as human.

The lower body, on the other hand, has been completely reduced to a terrifying organ belonging to a cold-blooded reptile!
A half-human, half-snake monster, of unparalleled beauty, writhes and gasps helplessly in the center of this palace, which symbolizes the highest power in the human world!
"How...how could this be?!"

Liang Jin gasped.

Seeing this scene, Liang Jin couldn't help but recall the remains of the prisoners locked in the Nine Abyss Rock Prison on Burial Dragon Ridge.

At that time, Liang Jin discovered that the skeletons of the wanted criminals were severely deformed, as if they were deformed into a shape resembling a human head and a snake's body.

At the time, Liang Jin thought that the Daqian royal family was using these prisoners to conduct some kind of experiment in the Burial Dragon Ridge, which caused the prisoners to have skeletal deformities.

But now...

This terrifying anomaly actually befell the emperor himself!
It has befallen the nominal supreme ruler of this empire!
Liang Jin remembers it clearly!

Not long ago, when he peered through his Fiery Eyes, Zhao Youzhao, though terminally ill and on the verge of death, still had a completely human body structure!
He's just sickly!

How long has it been since?

In such a short time, a living person has transformed into such a terrifying monster in their new home!
Looking at the half-human, half-snake creature writhing futilely and groaning in pain on the ground, Liang Jin felt a chill, like a cold, venomous snake, rapidly creeping up his spine!
The secrets within this deep palace are far darker than the rocky prison of Burial Dragon Ridge!
"Someone come... someone come quickly..."

Zhao Youzhao struggled to raise his head. His eyes, which once looked down upon the world, were now empty and blank, staring blankly into the void.

The disease not only eroded his body, but also deprived him of his basic senses as a human being—he had become completely blind.

He stretched out his withered, scaly hand, grasping at the cold air in vain, his voice hoarse and filled with childlike helplessness and fear:

"You saved me...I...I will reward you handsomely! Ten thousand taels of gold...I will bestow upon you a title of nobility...I will appoint you as a nobility and prime minister!"

"Help! Someone, save me!"

He tried to use the strength of his hands to drag the heavy snake tail forward, to escape the boundless darkness and the cold ground.

However, the fused snake tail, covered with hard scales, was unusually heavy, like an anchor that had taken root, and was far beyond what his broken body could drag.

He had barely moved half a foot before he exhausted all his strength. His chest heaved violently, and he coughed up a series of heart-wrenching sounds, as if he were coughing up his internal organs.

He collapsed to the ground, only able to breathe weakly.

Liang Jin's heart tightened, and he subconsciously reached out to help the cursed, pitiful person up from the cold ground.

Regardless, he was ultimately the emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch Zhao Youzhao's cold, scaly arm—

A sudden change occurred!

Liang Jin's hair stood on end instantly!

An unprecedented, deadly sense of crisis, like being targeted by a venomous snake, washed over my entire body like ice water!
A wisp of energy!
A powerful, cold, and obscure aura, like that of an abyss, appeared in the palace without warning!
They were so close to him, almost ten feet behind him!

And he didn't even realize it until the other person was so close!

To be able to do this so well, to silently break through his third-grade martial artist's perception and sneak into such close range... the person's strength is definitely at the second-grade level!
even……

It is far more powerful and terrifying than the second-rank Joy and Sorrow!
A high-pitched, effeminate voice, tinged with deliberate feigned anxiety, echoed like a ghost in the deathly silent palace:

"Oh dear! Your Majesty! Your Majesty! You...you fell off the dragon bed?!"

"How can this be allowed! This servant deserves to die ten thousand times! This servant deserves to die ten thousand times!"

Liang Jin turned around abruptly, his movements as fast as lightning.

His sharp, hawk-like gaze locked onto the source of the sound.

A slender figure dressed in a dark purple python robe appeared, silently standing in the flickering candlelight.

It was none other than the powerful and influential Prince Yuanshou—Wang Jin!
At this moment, Wang Jin's face was filled with exaggerated, almost fawning, worry.

He bent low, took small, quick steps, and ran toward Zhao Youzhao on the ground at an almost comical pace.

His posture was exactly like that of an old servant who had been terrified out of his wits by his master's wrestling.

"This old servant has arrived late to protect Your Majesty! I have caused Your Majesty great suffering! I deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

Wang Jin's voice was choked with sobs, filled with self-blame.

On the ground, Zhao Youzhao, who had been in despair, heard Wang Jin's voice and grasped at the last straw.

A morbid excitement and ecstasy instantly erupted on his withered face:

"Wang Jin! It's Wang Jin! You...you've finally come!"

He screamed with all his might, his voice like a broken gong:

"Kill! Kill all the palace maids and eunuchs on duty tonight! Leave no one alive!"

"They...they dared to defy the imperial decree! They mocked me! They all deserve to die! They all deserve to die!"

Excessive excitement and shouting exhausted his remaining strength. Before he could finish speaking, he was hit with another heart-wrenching cough that seemed to rip out his very soul.

His body was curled up in a ball, trembling violently.

Wang Jin rushed to Zhao Youzhao's side, her movements seemingly flustered, but in reality, she avoided the parts covered with scales with exceptional precision.

He stretched out his thin yet unusually strong arms and carefully lifted the emperor's withered and heavy body from the cold ground, his movements as gentle as if he were holding a rare treasure.

He placed Zhao Youzhao back on the large dragon bed, carefully pulling the thick brocade quilt over his deformed lower body.

"Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!"

Wang Jin's voice was extremely low, full of soothing intent, as if she were comforting a frightened child:

"Your health is of utmost importance; please do not get angry and harm your health."

"Those blind lackeys, this old servant will obey the order and leave not a single one alive!"

"You should rest well and get some sleep. Everything will be alright when you wake up..."

As he spoke, his withered, wiry hand, with its exceptionally neatly trimmed nails, stealthily reached out like a ghost and precisely pressed on the acupoint behind Zhao Youzhao's neck.

Zhao Youzhao's mumbled curses and gasps stopped abruptly, his head lolled to the side, and he instantly fell into a deep sleep.

But his furrowed brow and pained, contorted face showed that even in his sleep, he could not escape this boundless suffering.

Wang Jin carefully tucked in the blanket, making sure there wasn't a single gap to reveal the horrifying snake tail.

Then, he stretched out his pale fingers and carefully pulled and smoothed the layers of draped gauze curtains one by one.

Their movements were meticulous, as if filled with boundless respect for their master.

After doing all this, Wang Jin slowly straightened up.

The moment he turned around and faced Liang Jin—

All the humility, fear, and worry were wiped away in an instant as if by an invisible hand!
The fawning smile vanished from his wrinkled face, replaced by a deep-seated arrogance and coldness.

His back was ramrod straight, like a sword drawn from its sheath.

His cloudy eyes narrowed slightly, and he glanced at Liang Jin with a condescending indifference, as if he were examining an ant.

With just a turn of his head, the trembling old servant disappeared.

Standing before Liang Jin at this moment was the Ninth Prince, who held the power of life and death and whose authority was absolute!
He is the true mastermind behind the night in this deep palace!
"Liang Jin, Liang Qizong."

Wang Jin's voice regained its unique, chillingly soft quality, and a faint, playful smile curved her lips:

"Do you see clearly?"

He asked slowly and deliberately, each word like a cold needle piercing Liang Jin's tense nerves.

Liang Jin's face was ashen, and his chest was churning with turbulent emotions.

He suppressed his turbulent emotions, his voice low and restrained:
"Your Majesty... what on earth is going on?!"

He stared directly into Wang Jin's unfathomable eyes, trying to find a clue or a flaw in them.

Upon hearing this, Wang Jin's playful smile suddenly widened, becoming eerie and fanatical, as if he were reciting a sacred prophecy:

"What's going on? Heh..."

He chuckled softly, his gaze falling on the drowsy silhouette behind the layers of gauze curtains, his voice carrying a strange, almost lamenting tone:

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, a true dragon chosen by Heaven!"

"He's... shedding his mortal form and transforming into a dragon!"

"It won't be long before I ride the clouds and ascend to heaven!"

A true dragon? A dragon incarnate? Ascending to heaven on clouds?

Liang Jin sneered in his heart.

In the past, he would have definitely scoffed at it.

Having seen the giant serpent at the Dragon Gate and witnessed the bizarre and wondrous power of this world, he no longer completely denied the existence of "dragons".

However, the disgusting, painful, and twisted deformity of the emperor before us is utterly devoid of any holiness!

This is definitely not an auspicious sign!

It is the most filthy and evil blasphemy!
This change in the emperor reminded Liang Jin not only of the Nine Abyss Rock Prison, but also of... the Youhuan Clan!

"What exactly is your purpose in showing me all this?!"

Liang Jin questioned in a deep voice, his tone as sharp as a blade chilled by ice.

He no longer concealed his vigilance and hostility.

Wang Jin chuckled softly.

He stopped looking at Liang Jin, and instead walked slowly with his hands behind his back towards the open space in the front hall.

The hem of the python robe trailed across the polished gold-brick floor, making a soft rustling sound that was particularly clear in the deathly silent palace.

"intention?"

He spoke as he walked, his voice reverting to its usual soft and rigid tone, as if stating a trivial fact:

"I originally thought that there was only one living person left in the whole world who had the blood of the Youhuan Clan flowing through their veins."

He paused slightly, turned his head, and the corner of his eye swept over Liang Jin like a cold blade:
"I didn't expect this... A while ago, your close friend Zhao Bao appeared before us with fresh and hot Youhuan bloodline."

He took another step, his voice carrying a hint of inquiry and amusement:

"And today... you, Liang Jin, are here too."

"It carries a richer and purer bloodline aura than that of Zhao Bao."

Liang Jin listened quietly.

His face remained expressionless; he simply asked in return:
"Is the factory manager really that certain?"

"Based on just one meeting, you've determined that I possess that so-called 'Netherworld Bloodline'?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Jin stopped in his tracks once again.

He slowly turned around to face Liang Jin, a half-smile playing on his wrinkled face:

"Are you sure? Ha..."

He shook his head slightly:
"We are human beings, and human beings can make mistakes in judgment."

"You can't tell what's going on in someone's heart, and blood ties are hidden deep. Judging from our eyes alone, we really can't be sure."

His tone suddenly shifted, his voice becoming cold and resolute:
"but……"

He slowly raised his right hand, and the wide sleeve of his python robe slipped down, revealing his withered and pale palm.

In his palm, he held something steadily!
The object was a deep, understated turquoise color, its material neither jade nor stone, as if it contained the essence of the darkest lake water.

Its shape is simple and square, just like the imperial seal!

However, this is no ordinary jade seal!
Liang Jin's pupils suddenly contracted!
If you look closely, you will find that inside this green seal, there seems to be a mass of black ink imprisoned!
Or rather, it's something like ink in water!
It is not static, but slowly wriggles, rolls, and changes shape inside the seal, as if it has its own life!
What shocked Liang Jin even more was that the jade seal itself was trembling slightly and continuously!

That was definitely not the trembling of Wang Jin's hand.

Rather, it originates from within the seal itself—an autonomous, yearning tremor!

It's as if the writhing black ink in the seal is eagerly trying to break free from some kind of constraint and resonate with the outside world!
"It—it won't mistake you!"

Wang Jin's voice seemed to come from the deepest hell, carrying a cold and smug sense of control over everything, and his gaze was like that of a venomous snake, locking onto Liang Jin's suddenly changed expression.

"This is……"

Liang Jin's heart pounded wildly, and a throbbing sensation originating from the depths of his bloodline spread throughout his body like an electric current! The fused black blood within him seemed to be fatally attracted, suddenly becoming scalding hot and throbbing wildly in his heart!

A name, like a thunderclap, exploded in his mind, and he couldn't help but blurt it out:

"The Yin Seal?!"

A genuine surprise flashed in Wang Jin's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by deeper interest and understanding:

"Oh?"

He drew out his words, scrutinizing Liang Jin as if to reassess this lowly Imperial Guard commander:
"You're quite knowledgeable... You even recognize the 'Yin Seal'?"

As he spoke, he held up the trembling Yin Seal, as if displaying a rare treasure, or as if wielding a deadly weapon, and slowly moved it closer to Liang Jin!

As the distance between the Yin Seal and Liang Jin shortened, the tremors inside the seal suddenly intensified!

The thick black ink, like a drop of boiling oil, boiled, expanded, and pounded against the seal wall!

Wang Jin watched with satisfaction as Yin Xi reacted with unprecedented intensity, as if admiring the most perfect experimental result.

His gaze shifted from the restless Yin Xi to Liang Jin's face, his voice filled with inquiry:
"We're quite curious..."

“That kid Zhao Bao, after all, went to the Burial Dragon Ridge. He got some ‘divine blood’ from the Youhuan Clan, even if it was a bit diluted, it’s… understandable.”

He took a step closer, and the buzzing sound of the Yin Seal seemed to ring right next to Liang Jin's ear:

"And you, Liang Jin..."

Wang Jin's gaze was sharp as a knife, as if he wanted to completely dissect Liang Jin:

“We have investigated your background thoroughly! It’s as clean as a blank sheet of paper! Your ancestors for three generations were all military households, and you yourself have never stepped outside the capital!”

"Dragon Burial Ridge? You haven't even touched the edge of it!"

His voice suddenly rose, carrying an aggressive, questioning tone:
"How exactly did you obtain this Netherworld bloodline, which is even purer and more powerful than Zhao Bao's?!"

He stared intently into Liang Jin's eyes, trying to detect a trace of panic:
"Could it be... that Zhao Bao brought back the 'divine blood' from Burial Dragon Ridge with great difficulty, and instead of using it himself, he 'generously' gave it to you?"

Wang Jin scoffed, his laughter filled with sarcasm:
"But the blood in his veins is like a stream compared to an ocean in front of you!"

"Liang Jin, tell me, in this world... are there really such selfless and devoted friends?"

"Even if there is, would it be that kid Zhao Bao? Hmm?"

Liang Jin's mind raced.

Wang Jin's words, like scattered beads, were instantly strung together by him!
The reason Shen Cangming initially mistook him for a member of the Youhuan clan was because he had fused with that mysterious drop of black blood!

Zhao Bao underwent a blood molting ritual at the Tuipi Ravine in the Burial Dragon Ridge, obtaining what is known as "divine blood," a secondary Netherworld bloodline power.

The "bloodline" that Wang Jin is talking about at this moment is obviously closely related to the essence of "blood"!

Whether it's the blood of the Youhuan Clan, the "divine blood" Zhao Bao obtained, or the drop of black blood within his own body, they all belong to the same source of power!
However, what I obtained was the strongest essence blood among them!

The reason why this Yin Seal resonated so strongly with him and attracted him was because it sensed the drop of the purest black blood of the same origin within his body!

Liang Jin shifted his gaze from the restless Yin Xi to Wang Jin's ambiguous smile, his voice deep and resolute:

"Could it be that His Majesty's current state is entirely due to your doing?"

"Did the Ninth Prince use evil magic to harm His Majesty?"

He threw out the most pointed accusations directly, trying to provoke the other party and find a weakness.

"Ah!"

Wang Jin let out a short, contemptuous sneer. With a flick of his wrist, the restless Yin Seal instantly disappeared into the wide sleeve of his python robe, and the suffocating buzzing and suction in the palace also vanished.

He glanced at Liang Jin sideways, his eyes looking at him like they were those of a naive child:
"Kid, stop with your pathetic attempts to provoke us. Trying to get information out of us?"

He slowly shook his head, the sarcasm at the corner of his mouth undisguised:
"You're still too green!"

Liang Jin was not angered by the other party's contempt.

He took a deep breath, strode forward, and walked steadily towards Wang Jin in the center of the front hall.

Each step on the gold bricks produced a clear echo, like war drums beating in the dead silence.

"What exactly does the eunuch intend to do?"

Liang Jin's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a power that penetrated people's hearts:

"First, you failed to recruit me, and then you revealed this royal secret, enough to exterminate nine generations of your family, to me. Does this mean that after I've seen all this and learned what I shouldn't know, I'll be... silenced by you, Eunuch?"

He stopped, standing only three steps away from Wang Jin, his gaze both frank and sharp:
"If that is truly the case, before I die, could you please have mercy and let me... die knowing the truth?"

The initial doubts have finally been resolved.

The root of Wang Jin's sudden recruitment lies in this so-called "Youhuan Bloodline"!
Zhao Bao's meteoric rise in the police force was undoubtedly related to this!
He himself became a "material" with special value in Wang Jin's eyes!
Wang Jin calmly watched Liang Jin approach, the mockery on her face gradually fading, replaced by a deep, somewhat eerie, and compassionate expression.

Instead of answering Liang Jin's question directly, he posed a counter-question:
"Liang Jin, oh Liang Jin..."

He sighed softly, his voice lowering, and his gaze drifted to the coiled, majestic dragon carvings on the dragon pillars of the imperial bedchamber:

Do you know... why the Emperor has become like this today?

Liang Jin paused slightly, adopting a posture of listening attentively.

Wang Jin's gaze seemed to pierce through the ornate carvings, looking towards a more distant and darker past:
"It's a curse."

His voice carried a heavy sense of history, as if he were unveiling a long-forgotten, blood-stained page of history:
“A curse that has clung to the dragon throne like a malignant tumor since the founding of the dynasty by the founding emperor!”

"For every descendant of the Zhao family of the Great Qian Dynasty, no matter who they are, once they inherit the Mandate of Heaven and sit on that dragon throne, this curse will follow them like a shadow, etched into their very bones!"

"When one's lifespan is about to end, and one's time is about to come..."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the gauze curtains of the dragon bed, his voice turning sinister:

"That is the moment when the 'dragon's molt' will manifest! Shedding human form, revealing... the 'true dragon's countenance'!"

He emphasized the last two words heavily, his tone full of sarcasm.

curse?

A curse etched upon the throne?

Who will ascend the throne, and who will fall victim to the disease?
Liang Jin quickly calculated in his mind.

He naturally did not believe in this mysterious and absurd "curse of destiny".

A more reasonable explanation is that only by ascending the throne and becoming the nominal ruler of the empire can one be qualified to access a specific, secret... thing!
It was precisely through contact with that thing that this terrifying inhuman mutation was triggered as life drew to a close!

As for that thing...

Liang Jin's gaze, as if it were tangible, shot towards Wang Jin's wide sleeve, which concealed the Yin Seal:
"Does the Grand Eunuch mean... that whoever comes into contact with the 'Yin Seal' is in contact with the curse?"

"Is it the Yin Seal... that caused this anomaly in the user as they were dying?"

He directly targeted the sinister seal.

Wang Jin chuckled, his wrinkles spreading out like the gnarled branches of an old tree, his smile enigmatic and unfathomable.

He neither admitted nor denied it, but spoke slowly in a profound and enigmatic tone:
"Liang Jin, do you even know..."

He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze fixed intently on Liang Jin, as if he were examining a rare treasure:
"The power of the Youhuan Clan's bloodline is precisely the only cure to remove the 'curse' from His Majesty's body?!"

"Emperor Taizu was far-sighted. He had left a member of the Youhuan clan in the Six Doors as a backup plan."

Wang Jin's voice carried a hint of mockery:
"What a pity, that bloodline is so thin and useless!"

His gaze swept over Liang Jin, as if assessing the value of goods:
"On the contrary, it's you and Zhao Bao... the two of you possess such a rich and vibrant Netherworld bloodline..."

"It's simply a divine gift, a supreme elixir to help His Majesty escape from this sea of ​​suffering!"

He took a step forward, and an invisible pressure, like a mountain, pressed down on Liang Jin:

“Zhao Bao is a wise man and has already joined our ranks to serve His Majesty. It is his good fortune.”

Wang Jin's voice suddenly turned cold, like an icicle in the dead of winter, carrying an undisguised threat and naked killing intent:
"And you... Liang Jin! We personally recruited you, yet you refused to listen to our offer and chose to suffer the consequences!"

"Tell me, now that His Majesty is in dire need of treatment, if we don't use your ready-made 'medicine,' then...who should we use?!"

The last sentence reveals his murderous intent!
The temperature inside the palace seemed to drop to freezing point instantly. The candlelight flickered wildly, casting shadows on Wang Jin's sinister face, making him look like a hideous ghost!

Liang Jin clearly felt the tangible, chilling killing intent, like countless ice needles piercing his skin!

However, this murderous intent actually eased the tension in his heart.

It's only logical that Wang Jin wanted to kill him!

If Wang Jin doesn't want to kill him, then he should suspect that the other party may be hiding an even more insidious and deadly scheme!
Faced with this overwhelming killing intent, Liang Jin not only did not back down, but instead slowly curled up a nearly provocative smile.

He met Wang Jin's predatory gaze, his voice clear and steady, even carrying a strange sense of ease:

"Master, why go to such lengths?"

He tilted his head slightly, as if offering a perfectly reasonable suggestion:
"In my humble opinion, there is a solution that satisfies both sides. I wonder if the Grand Eunuch... would be willing to listen?"

Wang Jin raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting Liang Jin to dare to offer such a "strategy" even on the verge of death; a cold glint of interest flashed in his eyes.

"Oh? Tell me?"

"I'd like to see if you, a dying man, can still spout flowery words."

Liang Jin met Wang Jin's gaze calmly, speaking at a measured pace, yet his words resonated like thunder within the palace:
"Now His Majesty is afflicted by a 'curse,' and his body... well, or rather, his 'sacred body' is in such a state that medicine is ineffective, and fate is unavoidable. His days... are probably numbered."

"You, Lord Factory Director, are in charge of the Investigation Bureau, wielding immense power and bearing the heavy responsibility for the safety of the nation."

Liang Jin's voice carried a strange, seductive power:
"Instead of wasting energy searching for that elusive 'uncurse' method, why not..."

"Go with the flow, establish a new ruler, and bring peace to the land?"

He paused, then clearly uttered the name:

"Prince Zhao Yu of Huaiyang is a virtuous prince of the imperial clan. He is both virtuous and talented and has a long-standing reputation for goodness, which is praised by the court and the public. His maternal family is a prominent family in Jiangnan with deep roots."

"If he were to inherit the throne, he would surely be able to stabilize the court, appease the people, and become a wise and benevolent ruler who would restore the dynasty! This would be a virtuous act that is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people, and would benefit the country and its people!"

"Why doesn't the eunuch... become a renowned official who helped establish the dynasty... for all time?"

He spoke those last four words with a profound meaning.

Upon hearing Liang Jin's words, Wang Jin's expression froze instantly!

He looked him over carefully, from head to toe, as if he were seeing this young Imperial Guard commander for the first time.

His gaze was as if he were looking at a monster that had sprung out of a rock!

Several breaths passed before Wang Jin suddenly let out a hoarse, absurd laugh:
"Ha ha ha ha!"

Laughter echoed through the empty palace, carrying a chilling undercurrent.

"I...I really didn't expect this! I never expected this!"

"A mere Imperial Guard banner commander, a nobody, dares to utter such treasonous and uttering words deserving of the extermination of his entire clan in front of us!"

His laughter stopped abruptly, and his face instantly turned so dark it seemed to drip water.

There was no longer a trace of mockery in his murky eyes, only pure, icy killing intent!
The killing intent was so strong it almost materialized, causing the candlelight in the palace to dim!

"Based on your arrogant and outrageous remarks!"

Wang Jin's voice was like a chilling wind from the depths of hell, each word carrying a coldness that froze the soul:
"Our family should kill you on the spot! Cut you into a thousand pieces! Exterminate your entire clan! As a warning to others!"

He suddenly raised his withered hand, his five fingers forming claws, and his fingertips were surrounded by a chilling internal force that was visible to the naked eye and resembled black ice mist!
Before the claws even arrived, a bone-chilling coldness swept over from afar, locking onto Liang Jin's throat!
"not to mention!"

Wang Jin's eyes flashed with a fierce light, his killing intent reaching its peak:
"Your bloodline is the key to saving His Majesty!"

"Now is the perfect time to use your life, you traitor, to... remove the curse from His Majesty!"

Before he finished speaking, his claw, wreathed in black ice mist, slashed fiercely at Liang Jin in mid-air!
"laugh--!"

The air seemed to be torn apart in an instant!
A solid, pitch-black claw shadow, radiating a chilling aura, materialized out of thin air!

The claws were sharp, like the deadly claws of a demon from hell, and with lightning speed, they viciously grabbed at Liang Jin's neck!

It moved so fast that it left only a blurry afterimage in the air!

This claw strike contained Wang Jin's determination to kill!

It's enough to easily tear apart the protective aura of an ordinary third-rank martial artist!

however.

Faced with this terrifying claw strike that could be fatal, Liang Jin stood still, neither dodging nor avoiding it!

Just as the dark claw was about to touch his throat, and the icy chill already stung his skin—

A sharp glint flashed in Liang Jin's eyes!

The dormant power within him erupted like a long-suppressed volcano!

He raised his right palm with lightning speed.

There were no fancy moves, just a simple yet overwhelming force, a palm thrust out towards the center of the incoming claw shadow!

"Bang!!!"

A deep, thunderous roar suddenly exploded within the palace!

Liang Jin's seemingly ordinary palm strike struck the very core of the dark claw shadow, the point where power flowed, with unparalleled precision, as if it were a devastating blow!

The claw shadow, as solid as steel, shattered instantly!

Like black glass struck by a heavy hammer, it instantly shattered into countless tiny black ice crystals and violent, chilling energy, scattering in all directions!
"boom--!"

A violent shockwave suddenly exploded outwards from the two of them!

It was like a hurricane rising from the ground!
Inside the palace, most of the candles were extinguished, and countless candle tears were shaken and splashed; the heavy curtains were torn apart as if by an invisible hand, and fluttered wildly; the dust accumulated on the gold bricks on the ground was instantly raised and spread into a gray mist!
The entire palace trembled slightly under the impact of this force!

The murderous intent on Wang Jin's face was instantly replaced by an undisguised look of astonishment!

His pupils suddenly contracted as he stared intently at Liang Jin's hand, which was slowly retracting and completely unharmed, as well as the powerful aura on the other's body that suddenly burst forth and then quickly disappeared, far exceeding the sixth-grade realm!

"you……"

For the first time, Wang Jin's voice carried a genuine tremor. He stared intently at Liang Jin, each word uttered slowly and deliberately, as if squeezed out from between his teeth:
"You brat... you're not a sixth-rank martial artist! You're... a third-rank!"

A sharp glint flashed in his cloudy eyes as he instantly realized something, his astonishment transforming into a cold understanding and a deeper sense of dread:

"You've even mastered the Six Doors' 'Hidden Dragon in the Abyss' technique! It seems..."

Wang Jin's voice suddenly rose, filled with anger at being fooled:
"You were acting under the orders of the God of Catching! Good! Very good!"

(End of this chapter)