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

Chapter 638 The imperial edict arrives

Outside the new house.

The night was as dark as ink, so thick it seemed impossible to dissolve, and it heavily enveloped the wide square outside the new house.

The torches flickered and burned, their orange flames dancing uneasily in the night wind, casting flickering light on the cold gleam of the imperial guards' armor and their solemn faces.

The First Commander of the Southern Imperial Guards, like a silent iron tower, sat atop a tall, magnificent horse.

His deep eyes were half-closed as he quietly watched Deputy Commander Hong Wei swiftly select soldiers from the elite Imperial Guards who would be sent to the new residence to guard the Emperor.

The instructions of Wang Jin, the eunuch, have been delivered, although there are many complaints within the Imperial Guards about this powerful eunuch.

However, Shouzheng ultimately decided to act in accordance with the factory director's orders.

not far away.

Zhao Bao paced back and forth anxiously.

His scarlet python robe was particularly dazzling in the firelight, but his handsome face was now clouded with gloom.

He hoped that the Imperial Guards wouldn't dawdle and would select the right people and move into the new residence as soon as possible.

He always had a bad feeling in his heart.

I have a feeling that Wang Jin, the eunuch, probably harbors ill intentions towards Liang Jin.

He didn't know why he had this feeling.

However, when he heard that the eunuch was actually personally recruiting Liang Jin, he felt a strong sense of unease.

The feeling was too abrupt, too deliberate, like a meticulously woven net silently enveloping Liang Jin.

Zhao Bao didn't know what Wang Jin was plotting, but his intuition told him that Liang Jin was in an extremely dangerous situation inside the new residence!
"Brother Liang...please don't let anything happen to you..."

Zhao Bao clenched his fist in his sleeve, his nails almost digging into his palm.

He forced himself to calm down, his gaze sweeping over the selected Imperial Guard soldiers, his heart filled with anxiety.

In this atmosphere, as tense as a fully drawn bowstring—

"Ok?"

"what sound?"

Almost at the same moment!

The first guard suddenly opened his half-closed eyes, his eyes flashing with a sharp light!
Zhao Bao suddenly stopped and listened intently!

Hong Wei and several other Imperial Guard officers and agents from the Investigation Bureau with high martial arts skills also pricked up their ears, their faces showing surprise and uncertainty.

A faint yet remarkably clear vibration, mixed with a dull rumble, like muffled thunder from the depths of the earth, emanated from the heart of the new house, indistinct yet unmistakably real!
The square fell into a deathly silence, with only the crackling of the burning torches and the howling of the night wind.

Everyone's gaze, unconsciously and with their own complex thoughts, was cast into the deep darkness of the new house.

Curiosity, worry, calculation, fear... all sorts of emotions flowed silently across every face.

Hong Wei's face darkened first, turning as dark as the bottom of a pot.

He took a sudden step forward, his voice booming like thunder, shattering the eerie silence:
"What's with the fighting sounds coming from inside the new house?!"

His voice, filled with disbelief and rage, was like a thunderclap from a clear sky:

"Could it be... that an assassin has disturbed His Majesty's presence?!"

He whirled around, surveying the elite Imperial Guards selected behind him, his eyes burning with a resolute determination to protect the Emperor:
"As members of the Imperial Guard, it is our sacred duty to protect His Majesty! We have no choice but to fulfill this responsibility!"

"All soldiers, follow me inside to protect the Emperor!!"

Before he finished speaking, Hong Wei had already shot off like an arrow, his burly body striding towards the gate of the new house!

The dozens of elite imperial guards behind him responded in unison without the slightest hesitation:
"As ordered!"

The clanging of armor, radiating a murderous aura, followed closely behind!

The First Guardian frowned deeply, his deep, knife-carved wrinkles deepening even further.

He did not speak up to stop it.

The strange noises coming from deep within the new house were anything but ordinary. The dull collisions and faint energy fluctuations clearly indicated that top-tier martial artists with profound internal strength were engaged in a fierce battle!
This situation has seriously threatened the emperor's safety, and the Imperial Guards must take action!

however!
A crimson figure moved like a ghost, instantly blocking Hong Wei's path of attack!

It's Zhao Bao!
His face was solemn, but his eyes were unusually firm. He spread his arms and blocked the way:
"By order of the factory manager! One hour is a full hour! No one is allowed to enter the new residence before the appointed time!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling, penetrating power, clearly reaching everyone's ears, with an undeniable forcefulness.

His worry for Liang Jin was so intense it almost burst his chest; he wished he could send the Imperial Guards in immediately!

But he was even more aware of his identity and responsibilities—he was the third-in-command of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, and Wang Jin's subordinate.

At this moment, he had to carry out the factory manager's orders!
This is the foundation upon which he stands in this vortex of power!

"Get out of here! You neutered dog!"

Hong Wei's anger was instantly ignited!
He had never liked these eunuchs who were using their power to bully others, and now that he was being stopped, he was even more furious!

Seeing Zhao Bao blocking his way, he roared and, without uttering a word, raised his right palm as if it were a red-hot iron.

His palm, carrying an incomparably violent force, slammed into Zhao Bao's chest!
"Roar--!"

The palm strike pierced the air, faintly emitting the roar of a fierce tiger!

A powerful and domineering force, seemingly capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, suddenly arrived!

The air was compressed, producing a piercing pop!

Hong Wei, as the deputy commander of the Southern Imperial Guard, has reached a state of perfection in both physical martial arts and masculine internal strength.

This palm strike, "Tiger Roar Splits Mountains," is unleashed with fury and its power is enough to shatter monuments and break rocks!
Zhao Bao's eyes suddenly turned cold, and a dark light flashed deep in his pupils!
Faced with this overwhelming palm strike, he not only did not retreat, but also slightly turned his body and raised his palm as well.

His movements were completely different from Hong Wei's fierceness; they were as gentle as willow branches brushing the surface of water, his arm drawing a graceful and eerie arc, moving so fast that it created a blurry afterimage.

A soft, viscous energy, seemingly capable of absorbing everything, instantly spread out with his movements.

The dust flying in the square was drawn by this invisible, yin-like force, as if attracted by a vortex, and quickly gathered in Zhao Bao's palm!
Just as Hong Wei's fierce and unparalleled palm strike was about to reach his body...

Zhao Bao's hand, which seemed to be wrapped in a gray vortex, then pushed forward gently, seemingly slowly but actually swiftly!
"laugh--!"

There was no earth-shattering roar, only a tooth-grinding sound, like boiling oil being poured onto snow!
Two forces of completely opposite nature collided violently!
Hong Wei's powerful palm strike, capable of shattering gold and breaking jade, crashed into the soft, yin-like energy vortex in front of Zhao Bao's palm, only to vanish like a mud ox entering the sea!

That viscous, yin-like power seemed to possess a life of its own; it was not simply a matter of deflecting or resisting, but rather carried a strange power of dissolving and devouring!
Hong Wei felt as if his immense strength had crashed into a bottomless pool of icy mud, and his power was rapidly dispersed, disintegrated, and swallowed up!
What's even more terrifying is that after that soft, feminine force neutralized his palm strike, it clung to him like a leech and launched a counterattack!

The chilling, bone-chilling aura contained in the palm strike made Hong Wei's hair stand on end!

"Oh no! There's something fishy about that palm strike!"

Warning signs were screaming in Hong Wei's mind!

He could clearly sense the terrifying corrosiveness contained in the counterattack of the soft palm force, as if it could melt even steel!
In the critical moment, he roared and stomped his feet hard on the ground, instantly cracking the hard floor tiles!

Using the force of the recoil, his burly body was forced back several steps, narrowly avoiding the direct attack of the yin-like palm force.

"Humph!"

Hong Wei steadied himself, a hint of shame and anger flashing across his face. He, the dignified deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, had actually been forced back by a mere eunuch!

Consumed by rage, he pressed his palms down sharply, unleashing a torrent of internal energy from his dantian:

"Give me the town!!!"

A terrifying force, heavier and more vast than before, descended from the sky like an invisible, towering mountain!

The target was not Zhao Bao, but the sinister palm force that continued to spread towards him like a venomous snake!

Press this palm force into the ground!

"boom--!!!"

The earth trembled violently!
Centered on the point where Zhao Bao's palm strike landed, the ground within a three-foot radius was forced to collapse more than a foot downwards by this overwhelming force!
At the edge of the collapsed pit, the hard granite tiles were now emitting a chilling hissing sound.

The surface of the floor tiles quickly turned black and softened, as if corroded by strong acid or like ice melted by high temperature. They actually began to melt and flow!
A plume of white smoke, carrying the smell of sulfur and decay, rose up!

Hong Wei stared at the melting and collapsing ground, his back instantly soaked with cold sweat!
If he hadn't reacted quickly enough and retreated in time, allowing the palm strike to touch him... the consequences would have been unimaginable!
Even bones would probably be dissolved by that strange, subtle, corrosive power!

Zhao Bao, however, merely delivered a single, seemingly casual palm strike!
Hong Wei was forced to make two moves in quick succession, first retreating and then calming down, before he barely managed to resolve the situation!
Sit down!

Zhao Bao slowly withdrew his palm, and the lingering feminine aura instantly vanished without a trace.

He stared coldly at Hong Wei, whose face was ashen, his voice as sharp as ice:

"Vice Commander Hong, shall we try again?"

Hong Wei was so angry that he trembled all over, and his face turned as red as a pig's liver:

"you!!!"

In front of his superior, the First Righteous Man, and in front of so many elite Imperial Guards and agents from the Imperial Investigation Bureau, he actually suffered such a great loss at the hands of a young eunuch!

This is simply a shame!
His raging anger nearly consumed his reason.

He clenched his fists, his bones cracking, and his violent inner force surged through his body once more. He was about to pounce on the enemy again, disregarding everything!

"That's enough! Stop!"

A steady voice, like a pillar stabilizing the sea, rang out.

First Shouzheng finally spoke.

He remained seated on his horse, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over Hong Wei with an undeniable air of authority.

Hong Wei's anger was as if it had been doused with ice water.

Although he was extremely unwilling, he could only suppress it, staring at Zhao Bao with bloodshot eyes, panting heavily.

The First Guardian turned his gaze to Zhao Bao, his eyes so sharp they seemed to pierce through one's heart:
"It is said that Zhao Bao, the newly appointed third-in-command of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, has unfathomable martial arts skills, especially his yin-style palm strike, which is unpredictable and domineering."

"When I saw him today, he certainly lived up to his reputation."

His voice was deep and resonant, each word carrying immense power:

"With Eunuch Wang's strict orders in mind, and Zhao the headman diligently performing his duties, this commander... understands."

His tone suddenly shifted, and a majestic, imposing aura slowly rose within him:

"However, as the Emperor's personal guards, protecting His Majesty is our life's duty. Even if we are torn to pieces, we dare not slacken our efforts in the slightest!"

"If our delay causes even the slightest mishap to His Majesty..."

The voice of the first righteous leader suddenly rose in pitch, like a thunderclap:

Even a thousand deaths could not atone for his sins!

His gaze was piercing, fixed firmly on Zhao Bao, and the invisible pressure pressed down on him as if it were a tangible force.

"Please, Chief Zhao...understand our predicament and make way for us!"

The last sentence was resolute:

"Otherwise... Commander Zhao, you won't be able to stop this commander!"

boom--! ! !
The moment the words fell, the dormant aura surrounding the First Guardian erupted like a volcano that had been suppressed for thousands of years!
"Neigh-neigh—!" All the warhorses in the square let out a terrified neigh at the same time!

If the knights hadn't held the reins tightly, these well-trained warhorses would probably have already scattered and fled in terror!
A visible, pale golden, violent wave of energy surged outwards like a tsunami, centered on the First Guardian!

The first thing to be affected was the two heavy vermilion doors of the new house!
"Bang! Clang—!"

The door was as if struck by an invisible giant hammer, and it swung open violently inward, the sound of the bolt breaking clearly audible!

The agents from the nearby police station, like fallen leaves swept by a whirlwind, cried out in alarm as they were thrown about by this terrifying force, ending up in a sorry state!

Zhao Bao, who was at the center of the storm, felt as if he were in a raging sea!

An extremely powerful and domineering pressure violently impacted his mind and body!
He groaned, feeling his blood surging and his chest feeling as if it were being crushed by a boulder.

His handsome face instantly lost all color, turning deathly pale. He involuntarily took half a step back before barely managing to steady himself!
"So strong!"

A storm raged in Zhao Bao's heart:
"Is this the true power of the Imperial Guard Commander?"

His martial arts skills have improved by leaps and bounds recently, and his career has been soaring. It's no wonder that he's developed a bit of arrogance.

Facing the overwhelming pressure of the First Guardian's pure Yang power, which was like a blazing sun, he truly understood what it meant to be outmatched and to be in a world beyond our own!
That arrogance was instantly crushed.

Instead, there was a strong sense of dread and... a slight feeling of being crushed and humiliated!

"Pfft!"

The magnificent warhorse under the First Guardian's hooves finally succumbed to the terrifying pressure unconsciously emanating from its master, its hooves buckling and collapsing to the ground with a mournful cry.

The first guard remained motionless, landing steadily like a rock.

He lifted his foot and took a slow, heavy step toward Zhao Bao!
"Boom!"

It sounded like a giant drumbeat!

The violent aura that filled the heavens and earth seemed to find an outlet in an instant, transforming into an invisible, immense hammer, all of which condensed and crashed down on Zhao Bao alone!
"Den!"

Zhao Bao felt a sudden weight on his shoulders, as if he were carrying a mountain. His body trembled violently, and he involuntarily staggered back a step!
The floor tiles underfoot shattered instantly!
The first guard's half-closed eyes suddenly snapped open, radiating a sharp light, like two shrunken suns!

His aura suddenly surged once more, seemingly without end!
The second step is to step out immediately!

This step was like shattering the void!
The pressure, when concentrated to its extreme, is no longer a heavy hammer.

Instead, it transformed into a surging, overwhelming wave, powerful enough to destroy everything, crashing down on Zhao Bao with even greater ferocity!

"Thum! Thug! Thumb!"

Zhao Bao could no longer maintain his balance and stumbled back three steps!

Every step left a deep footprint on the hard ground!

The last step even shattered the entire floor tile, sending pebbles flying!
He swayed and almost couldn't stand.

His handsome face was contorted with extreme humiliation and turmoil, his fists were clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, drawing out bright red blood!
"hateful!"

Zhao Bao was roaring inside!
He's not without cards to play!
The strange power residing within him was stirring restlessly!

However, he knew that if he used that forbidden power at this moment, not only would he expose his biggest secret, but he would also completely enrage the First Guardian, attracting a relentless pursuit!

This feeling of being suppressed by absolute power, making it difficult even to breathe, gnawed at his heart like a venomous snake.

It instantly pulled him back to the dark memories of being bullied and trampled on like an ant in the deep palace!
That unforgettable sense of humiliation almost consumed him!
at this time!

An old, greedy voice, like that of a night owl, resounded deep within his mind:

"Tsk tsk tsk... Zhao Bao, look at him! Look at his incredibly strong pure yang energy! How vigorous! How alluring!"

On Zhao Bao's left shoulder, the head of an old man protruded eerily, its deep-set eye sockets like two black holes, flickering with ghostly green flames, staring intently at the First Guardian.

"He's a real man! A man of integrity! His extremely strong and masculine inner strength is the natural nemesis of your effeminate inner strength!"

"With your crippled body... heh heh, in front of him, it's like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun! What do you have to fight him with?"

The old man's voice was full of seduction and mockery.

Almost simultaneously, another resentful, shrill old woman's voice rang out from the right:
"The jade cong! Our jade cong! It's in the hands of that old eunuch Wang Jin! It's our clan's sacred object! It was taken away by that dog emperor!"

The old woman's head also popped out, her eyes filled with deep-seated hatred:

"Zhao Bao! Think of a way! Get the jade cong back! With it, not only can you reattach severed limbs and mend your physical defects, but you can also crush this eyesore of an old man like an ant!"

"Quickly! Accept us! Completely accept our power! Kill! Kill them all! Kill these corrupt officials! Kill that damned emperor!"

Two eerie voices, like demonic chants, were frantically inciting, tempting, and stimulating Zhao Bao's nerves!
Faced with the immense pressure from the First Guardian, a violent killing intent surged wildly within him!
But he gritted his teeth and stubbornly held onto the last shred of clarity in his mind!
Meanwhile, the opposing team's first defender had clearly lost his last bit of patience!

Zhao Bao's gritted teeth and unyielding stance was, in his eyes, a contempt for imperial power and a desecration of the duties of the Imperial Guards!
"Since Eunuch Zhao is determined to obstruct..."

First Shouzheng's voice was as cold as an Arctic wind, carrying a chilling killing intent:
"Then don't blame this commander for showing no mercy!"

Om-!
An even more terrifying and condensed internal force fluctuation, seemingly capable of crushing the void, gathered wildly in the palm of First Guardian's right hand!
The air along the entire street seemed to freeze, emitting a low, strained hum!
The pebbles and dust on the ground began to move on their own, slowly swirling around him even without wind!
That concentrated power seemed poised to transform into a destructive light that would tear everything apart at any moment!

Just as the First Guardian was about to make a decisive move and sweep away the obstacles with lightning speed!

At the critical moment!
A clear, steady voice suddenly came from inside the wide-open gate of the new house:

"Imperial edict has arrived!"

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a thunderbolt from the heavens, instantly shattering the solidified killing intent in the square!
Everyone, whether it was the First Guardian who was poised to strike, the humiliated and unwilling Zhao Bao, the furious Hong Wei, or the still-shaken Imperial Guards and the barbarians, all trembled violently!

All the movements, all the killing intent, all the noise, came to an abrupt halt at that moment!

Countless gazes, filled with extreme shock and disbelief, turned in unison towards the source of the sound!

From within the deep, dark gate of the new residence, a young figure dressed in the uniform of an ordinary Imperial Guard officer, holding a bright yellow scroll, walked out step by step with steady strides.

The moonlight and torchlight intertwined and fell upon him, illuminating his calm and expressionless face.

It’s Liang Jin!

What he held in his hand was none other than an imperial edict, a symbol of supreme imperial power!
Liang Jin's gaze swept across the entire hall, finally settling on the First Guardian at the very front, and he proclaimed in a loud voice:
"Commander of the Southern Imperial Guard, First Commander Shouzheng, receive the imperial decree!"

The first guard's pupils suddenly contracted!

The violent aura emanating from his entire body, like a volcano about to erupt, vanished without a trace the moment the imperial edict appeared, as if ice and snow had melted away!

Without any hesitation, he immediately knelt on one knee, his movements swift and decisive, displaying the fortitude of a soldier.
"Your subject, upholding righteousness above all, respectfully awaits Your Majesty's decree!"

As he knelt down, there was a clattering sound of armor scraping against each other!

Hong Wei and all the Imperial Guards knelt down in unison!
Zhao Bao quickly composed himself and led the agents of the Criminal Investigation Bureau to kneel respectfully.

On the square, a sea of ​​people knelt down.

Only Liang Jin remained standing alone in front of the new house, holding the imperial edict, like a arbiter in control of the situation.

Liang Jin unfolded the imperial edict and read it aloud in a clear and steady voice:

"It's destiny, the emperor decreed!"

"Order the Southern Imperial Guards to immediately enter the new residence and set up defenses to protect the Emperor."

"However, I am unwell and need to rest and recuperate. I am most susceptible to the disturbances of a violent atmosphere. All Imperial Guards are forbidden from approaching the inner palace! Anyone who disobeys will be executed!"

"The rest of you shall return to your posts and perform your duties, and shall not move without orders."

"Appreciate this!"

After the imperial edict was read aloud, Liang Jin handed the rolled-up edict to the kneeling First Guardian:

"Commander, please accept the decree."

First, Shouzheng respectfully raised both hands above his head:
"Your Majesty, I will obey your command!"

He received the imperial edict, immediately stood up, his movements swift yet dignified.

He quickly unfolded the imperial edict, his sharp eyes scanning the handwriting, the imperial seal, and the unique royal patterns on it.

The imperial edict itself was flawless.

But the heart that was meant to uphold righteousness sank.

Wang Jin wielded immense power, controlling the inner court and holding both the power to draft and approve imperial edicts. The emperor neglected state affairs for a long time, while Wang Jin's men filled every department of the court.

Was this imperial edict written by the emperor himself, or by Wang Jin?

He suddenly reached out and grabbed Liang Jin's arm with such force that he slightly deformed Liang Jin's shoulder armor!
At the same time, employing the superior skill of transmitting sound secretly, the sound pierced directly into Liang's ear like a steel needle:

"Have you ever seen the Emperor with your own eyes?!"

Liang Jin's expression remained unchanged, and he nodded slightly.

The first guard's gaze was sharp as lightning, relentlessly pursuing the target:
"How is His Majesty's health?!"

Liang Jin's lips moved slightly, uttering only two words:
"Not good".

The First Guardian gripped the imperial edict tightly!
The knuckles turn white from exertion!
He stared intently into Liang Jin's eyes one last time, and asked telepathically, his voice trembling slightly:

"This imperial edict...is it truly from His Majesty?!"

Liang Jin met his gaze, his eyes calm and unwavering, and nodded firmly once again.

The first person to uphold justice remained silent.

A tremendous sense of powerlessness and heavy worry, like an icy tide, instantly overwhelmed him.

He raised his head, his gaze passing over Liang Jin and landing on the deep, abyss-like depths of the new house, filled with unknowns and dangers.

He desperately wanted to rush in immediately and confirm the emperor's safety with his own eyes!

But... an imperial edict is as heavy as a mountain!
Moreover, the unfathomable "Nine Thousand Years Old" Wang Jin is also in charge of the new residence!
Without Wang Jin's permission, even as the commander of the Imperial Guards, he could not even dream of setting foot in the inner quarters!

Time passed in a heavy silence.

Everyone kneeling in the square held their breath, their eyes fixed on the first Shouzheng, awaiting his decision.

at last.

The first monk slowly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, all that remained in his eyes was a cold resolve and a deep weariness.

He gave the order in a deep, resounding voice that echoed across the square:

"The Imperial Guards just selected shall immediately be deployed to the new residence for defense!"

His gaze, sharp as a knife, swept over the soldiers:
"By imperial decree, you shall guard the outer quarters and not approach the inner quarters even a step! Those who disobey shall be punished according to military law!"

The selected Imperial Guards responded in unison, quickly rose, formed neat ranks, and, led by their officers, silently and cautiously filed into the gates of the new residence.

This time, none of the agents from the Criminal Investigation Bureau dared to stop them.

The first Morimasa gazed deeply, as if trying to see through the new house, at the deep doorway.

Then, he abruptly waved his hand, his voice carrying an undeniable authority:
"The rest of you, follow me back to the palace!"

First Shouzheng said no more, and leaped onto the other warhorse that Hongwei had brought.

The sound of horses' hooves thundered.

Like a black torrent, the Imperial Guards, led by the First Commander, swiftly and silently withdrew from the new residence, which was filled with unease and secrets.

(End of this chapter)