Martial Arts: After ten years of sword-drawing, the Sword God must bow his head when he sees me

Chapter 208 The drunkard doesn’t care about drinking

As an accident occurred at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the commotion outside also alerted those inside the Imperial Study.

A moment later, a eunuch came out of the imperial study and said to the guards standing guard outside, "His Majesty has decreed that you all go to the Hall of Supreme Harmony to assist General Wang in suppressing the riots."

As soon as he finished speaking, the imperial guards who had been standing guard outside the Imperial Study immediately bowed in response and quickly set off for the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Seeing that everyone around the Imperial Study had been transferred away, Shen Ping'an turned his face slightly to the side on the roof of a house in the distance.

When he looked up at the brightly lit imperial study, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Then, as if he had thought of something, Shen Ping'an glanced at the rockery not far from the Imperial Study and a meaningful smile appeared on his lips.

"It turns out that his real intention was not what he thought."

A hundred breaths later, as the imperial guards left the Imperial Study, more than forty figures rushed toward the Imperial Study from different directions.

Even the one with the lowest cultivation level had already reached the first level of the Heavenly Gang Realm in terms of internal energy fluctuations.

Even within top-tier forces like the Yihua Palace and the Divine Sword Manor, there are only a dozen or so experts at the Heavenly Gang Realm.

But now, more than forty masked experts in black have appeared all at once, all at once.

Such a feat even made Zhang San Niang, Yao Yue, and Lian Xing gasp in astonishment.

Shen Ping'an, however, remained calm.

When people hear about the Azure Dragon Society, they assume that it has declined since the battle thirty years ago.

However, Shen Ping'an knew that under Gongzi Yu's management over the years, the Qinglong Society was now stronger and more influential than it had been thirty years ago.

Not to mention the involvement of special forces like Baixiaoge, which has a history of hundreds of years, as far as Shen Ping'an knows, the rising forces in recent years such as the Money Gang and Bat Island are all backed by the Azure Dragon Society.

It is not difficult to recruit or even cultivate a number of martial artists at the Heavenly Gang Realm over several decades.

"Bold."

However, just as these forty-odd martial artists at the Heavenly Gang Realm were rapidly approaching, and were less than ten feet away from the Imperial Study, a low roar suddenly exploded in the air above the Imperial Study.

The next second, eight figures—six men and two women—appeared like wild geese soaring through the sky, arriving in the blink of an eye and standing on the courtyard walls of the Imperial Study, facing the wind.

The other four people blocked the entrance to the courtyard where the Imperial Study was located.

The fluctuations of true energy emanating from his body clearly belonged to the Celestial Realm.

The leader looked to be over sixty years old, with graying temples, wearing a dark gold python robe, his hair tied up with a golden crown, and his tiger-like eyes exuding an imposing aura.

The fluctuations of true energy emanating from his body were clearly those of a martial artist who had reached the ninth level of the Celestial Realm.

Upon seeing these eight Celestial Realm warriors who suddenly appeared, the forty-odd masked, black-clad Celestial Realm warriors around them paused and stopped in their tracks.

"As expected of the imperial court, there are actually eight martial artists at the Celestial Realm level in this palace? One of them has even reached the ninth level of the Celestial Realm."

Taking in the situation in the distance, Yaoyue's voice became more solemn.

Zhang San Niang said in a deep voice, "After all, with the strength of a nation gathered, it is naturally easier for them to cultivate experts at the Celestial Realm than other Jianghu forces."

At this moment, the man wearing the blood-patterned mask spoke up: "The one standing in front of the Imperial Study is named Zhu Jinqian, and he is also a member of the Ming Dynasty royal family."

"A hundred years ago, I also joined the army as a general to kill enemies. I even created a mid-grade Heaven-rank martial art on the battlefield, the Killing Fist. Even among those of the same level, there are very few who can compare with it."

The man in the blood-patterned mask didn't speak loudly, but judging from the volume and their distance from the Imperial Study, even a martial artist at the Returning Origin Realm could probably sense their presence by circulating their true energy.

Not to mention that the Imperial Study was currently surrounded by experts at the Heavenly Gang Realm and Heavenly Human Realm.

Therefore, the moment the man with the blood-patterned mask spoke, Zhang San Niang and Yao Yue all looked up at the group in the Imperial Study.

To Zhang San Niang and her companions' surprise, not only did the other Heavenly Gang Realm warriors not even glance at them, but even the few Heavenly Human Realm experts who had come from the palace did not look in their direction.

Upon discovering this, Yaoyue asked in surprise, "The Bewitching Iris Smoke is also effective against martial artists in the Celestial Realm?"

It's no wonder Yaoyue asked this question. Once a martial artist enters the Celestial Realm and can mobilize the power of heaven and earth, ordinary poisons lose their effect. They can easily expel the poison by using their true qi in conjunction with the power of heaven and earth.

Therefore, after learning about the effects of the Bewitching Iris Smoke from Shen Ping'an, the group assumed that the Bewitching Iris Smoke was prepared for the people in the Taihe Palace.

Shen Ping'an nodded and said, "This Bewitching Iris Smoke is quite difficult for ordinary doctors or pharmacists to prepare, and the materials are also a bit troublesome. If it weren't for preparing it for martial artists in the Celestial Realm, why would they use this Bewitching Iris Smoke?"

After Shen Ping'an explained things to Yaoyue and the others, the man in the blood-patterned mask, at Shen Ping'an's prompting, continued, "The two people behind him are also members of the Ming Dynasty's royal family. One is named Zhu Zhiling, and the other old woman is named Zhu Yaoqin."

With the introduction from the man in the blood-patterned mask, Shen Ping'an and his companions learned the identities of these Celestial Realm retainers from the imperial court.

Apart from the three royal family members who were at the Celestial Realm level, the other four Celestial Realm experts were taken in and trained by the imperial court from a young age.

Another person, like Cao Zhengchun, was a eunuch in the palace, and had also been in the imperial palace since childhood.

Shen Qingshan muttered, "They're either members of the royal family or they've been trained since childhood. The requirements for becoming a court official are so strict."

In response, Shen Ping'an said calmly, "If we cannot ensure their loyalty to the royal family, how can we dare to keep these experts at the Celestial Realm by our side? It is only right to have strict requirements."

At the same time, in front of the imperial study.

The black-clad, masked warriors of the Heavenly Gang Realm in front of them all stopped.

Zhu Jinqian's eyes were sharp as he swept over the martial artists at the Heavenly Gang Realm before his deep voice rang out again.

"I will give you a chance. Tell me honestly who sent you here, and I may spare your lives."

While seemingly addressing these Heavenly Realm martial artists, Zhu Jinqian's gaze remained fixed on a rockery less than seven zhang away from the Imperial Study.

However, none of the black-clad, masked martial artists at the Heavenly Gang Realm responded to Zhu Jinqian's words; their inner energy simply continued to circulate slowly.

Just then, a voice quietly rang out from the side.

"As expected of the once-famous King of Zhen, after thirty years, I never thought he would have already reached the ninth level of the Celestial Realm."

As soon as he finished speaking, five figures slowly emerged from behind the artificial hill.

All five people wore masks, making it impossible to see their true faces.

However, Zhang San Niang and her companions immediately recognized Gongzi Yu and Dugu Qiubai, whom they had met before, among the eight people.

Compared to Zhang San Niang and the others, Shen Ping An's gaze swept over the other three in turn.

They seemed to be guessing the identities of the other three people.

Zhu Jinqian's gaze swept lightly over the group.

But when his gaze fell upon the bronze mask on Gongzi Yu's face, Gongzi Yu's expression changed drastically.

"Bai Yujing?"

But as soon as he uttered the words "Bai Yujing," Zhu Jinqian seemed to have discovered something and spoke again.

"No, your figure is wrong, and your demeanor is wrong too. You're not Bai Yujing. Who are you?"

In response to Zhu Jinqian's question, Gongzi Yu's somewhat indifferent voice slowly rang out from behind his mask.

"Very good, it seems you haven't forgotten what happened thirty years ago."

Finally, Gongzi Yu slowly walked up to the Heavenly Gang Realm warriors, his gaze falling on Zhu Jinqian.

"Let me introduce myself. I am the current Grand Dragon Leader of the Azure Dragon Society. I have come today to settle a grudge from thirty years ago."

Hearing what Gongzi Yu said, Zhu Jinqian raised his chin slightly and narrowed his tiger eyes.

"Ha! The Green Dragon Society, they really are like rats in a ditch, they've lived a long life."

After a slight pause, Zhu Jinqian spoke again: "Thirty years ago, when your Azure Dragon Society was at its zenith, even with a group of experts at the Celestial Realm like Bai Yujing, you were still driven to flee by us. Thirty years later, do you think you chickens and dogs can still stir up any trouble?"

(End of this chapter)