Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chapter 332 Coming to Collect Zhu Changxun's Corpse

"Commander Xu and Garrison Commander Shen, please come in. His Majesty has some instructions."

Chen Zhan took the initiative to speak.

The two men outside pushed the door open and entered. Seeing the emperor lying on the bed, they hurriedly stepped forward: "Your Majesty, what's wrong with Your Majesty?"

Zhu Yijun was in tears, but dared not tell the truth, and could only force himself to explain:

"It's nothing, it's nothing. I was just too moved and excited by the Grand Preceptor's advice."

Xu Long and Shen Tong exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with disbelief, but they dared not refute it, and replied in unison, "What are Your Majesty's orders?"

Zhu Yijun's gaze swept over the two men, then fell on Chen Zhan, who stood with his eyes closed.

Seeing that the other party remained unmoved, he could only grit his teeth and say, "You two, cooperate fully with the Grand Preceptor and make sure that the compensation for the fallen soldiers is raised. There must be no slackening!"

"National Division?"

Xu Long and Shen Tong were both taken aback, turning to look at Chen Zhan with expressions of surprise and doubt.

When did this Taoist priest become the Imperial Preceptor? What made their hearts sink even more was that Chen Zhan was holding a golden waist token in his hand.

That was the emperor's personal token; seeing the token was like seeing the emperor in person.

They exchanged a glance, both seeing suspicion in each other's eyes.

This Taoist priest must have used some means, whether poison or coercion, to make His Majesty act so abnormally, not only appointing him as the Imperial Preceptor but also granting him such great power.

But this little Taoist priest dares to lay a hand on the emperor inside the imperial palace?
Such audacity is truly terrifying.

Chen Zhan completely ignored their surprise and doubt, and said nothing more, only leaving a faint sentence: "I will wait for you two at the gate of the Embroidered Uniform Guard after court tomorrow."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and strode out, his figure in the green robe quickly disappearing outside the hall.

The moment the palace doors closed, Xu Long quickly scanned his surroundings to make sure there were no outsiders inside. He then strode forward and asked urgently:

"Your Majesty? What...did that Taoist priest do to you?"

At this moment, Zhu Yijun was still covered in sweat, and his heart was pounding wildly.

In a short period of time, he went from being frail and old to being radiant and vigorous, and then suddenly fell back to such a weak state. It was like climbing to the top of the clouds and then falling into the abyss. The ups and downs were too drastic for a man in his fifties to bear.

He remained silent for a moment, suppressing the surging fear and humiliation in his heart, then suddenly raised his eyes and said sharply:

"Insolence! Daojun is the Imperial Preceptor personally appointed by me. How dare you address 'that Daoist' directly? Such disrespectful language is utterly unbecoming!"

Xu Long's heart skipped a beat, knowing that His Majesty was truly angry. He immediately bowed and knelt down, prostrating himself in apology.
"I have spoken out of turn and deserve to die! I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"

Shen Tong quickly followed suit, bowing respectfully and daring not to say another word.

"Get out of here. I need some peace and quiet. We'll talk about it at court tomorrow."

The two left.

Silence returned to the hall, with only Zhu Yijun's heavy breathing and the deep fear that he could not hide in his eyes.

Chen Zhan stepped out of the palace; the midday sun was at its brightest.

The cries of vendors hawking their wares rose and fell along the street, a cacophony of peddlers' calls and diners' chatter, creating a vibrant and bustling atmosphere.

He found a roadside stall and casually ordered two small dishes and a bowl of brown rice.

Nowadays, he has little need for food; this behavior is merely to satisfy his appetite.

Having two relics in hand is equivalent to carrying the essence and blood of several high-ranking Buddhist monks at the Tongxuan realm with you, which you can draw upon and replenish at any time, so there is no need to worry about running out of energy.

After finishing his meal in a few bites, Chen Zhan paid the bill and got up to walk along the street towards the Yuanlai Inn.

After turning three corners, you soon see the street where Yuanlai Inn is located.

As soon as he stepped into the street corner, his brows furrowed suddenly.

A faint smell of blood drifted into my nostrils on the wind.

Chen Zhan's senses far surpassed those of ordinary people, and he instantly discerned that the stench of blood was emanating from the Yuanlai Inn in the middle of the street.

Yuanlai Inn is owned by the Second Prince. With the prince's backing, ordinary ruffians, scoundrels, and even local bullies and officials dare not cause trouble here.

The air is now thick with the smell of blood, which clearly indicates that something significant has happened.

Chen Zhan didn't stop walking and headed straight for the inn.

Dozens of steps away from the inn, several Imperial Guards dressed in flying fish robes and wearing embroidered spring knives stood solemnly on both sides of the entrance, dispersing the onlookers.

The person leading the team was a stern-faced centurion, none other than Shen Lian.

As several bodies were carried out, Chen Zhan noticed that one of them was an innkeeper's employee.

As Chen Zhan released his divine will, the auras of Ding Baiying, Han Tiange, and the others were no longer in the inn.

He stepped forward and walked to Shen Lian's side. "Commander Shen, what happened?"

Shen Lian turned around and saw a young Taoist priest.
do not know.

He naturally dared not speak of the Second Prince's property to others, so he said, "Does the Daoist know me? It's best not to inquire further."

Chen Zhan: "."

He forgot to change his appearance, and now changing it again in public would seem a bit abrupt, but then he sensed a trace of his presence.

"excuse me."

Chen Zhan turned and left without lingering. Shen Lian looked at Chen Zhan's back and felt a sense of familiarity, but couldn't quite place it.

"Hurry up, take the survivor to the Zhenfu Division to have his portrait taken."

Turning the corner of the alley, Chen Zhan spotted a familiar scent.

He moved with the speed of the wind, his figure darting through the crisscrossing streets of the capital like a green shadow.

Although he wasn't very familiar with the roads in the capital, he kept up with his keen senses and soon entered a dead-end alley.

The alley was deserted, with some old and broken items piled up in the corners, and not a single person in sight.

Chen Zhan quickly scanned his surroundings, and with a thought, without hesitation, he turned around abruptly and raised his hand. Almost at the same moment, a surge of innate internal energy rushed towards him from behind.

The palm strike carried a sense of decay and death, precisely the style of the Heart-Shattering Palm, aimed directly at Chen Zhan's vital chest.

Chen Zhan neither dodged nor avoided, but raised his hand to meet the palm of the newcomer.

The two palms collided, and a shockwave suddenly exploded outwards, surging and spreading in all directions.

Unable to withstand the force of the impact, the newcomer staggered back several steps, his feet scraping against the bluestone slab with a screeching sound, before finally managing to regain his balance.

Han Tiange's gaze sharpened, and he was secretly alarmed.

The Taoist priest in the green robe before him possessed an internal force that, while not particularly powerful, was astonishingly pure, far surpassing that of ordinary cultivators at the Innate Realm. He dared not linger, and with a quick shift of his feet, he prepared to use the Shadow Shifting Technique to escape.

"it's me."

Chen Zhan spoke, his voice unchanged, still the familiar voice of Han Tiange.

Upon hearing these words, Han Tiange froze, his steps halting abruptly. His face was filled with astonishment as he slowly turned around, staring intently at the Taoist priest in green robes before him.

"Senior Chen?"

"Yes, it's me. What happened?"

He spoke again, his voice even clearer, and Han Tiange believed him.

He rubbed his numb wrist. The force of Chen Zhan's physical strength had almost broken his arm in that palm strike. Such strength could not possibly belong to an ordinary Taoist.

"An hour ago, the Second Prince Zhu Changxun sent men to surround the Yuanlai Inn."

Through Han Tiange's narration, Chen Zhan also understood the whole story.

Ding Baiying had previously severed ties with the Second Prince because of the Qi Family Army incident, which angered Zhu Changxun, who then considered arresting her.

However, Zhu Changxun was unaware of the existence of Han Tiange and Yan Tieshi, and underestimated their combat strength.

The two sides engaged in a fierce fight inside the inn, resulting in heavy casualties.

Han Tiange and Yan Tieshi were both innate masters, so they took the opportunity to break through and escape. Ding Baiying and the others were unable to escape and were captured on the spot.

When Chen Zhan arrived, some time had already passed, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard had already sent people over.

Chen Zhan listened quietly, and after Han Tiange finished speaking, he nodded slowly, his tone calm and even: "Where were they taken?"

"Yan Tieshi is keeping an eye on the arrest team from behind, while I'll stay here and wait for you, senior."

Han Tiange explained, "We will leave marks along the way, and you can find it by following the marks."

Chen Zhan nodded: "Lead the way."

Han Tiange said no more. Knowing Chen Zhan's style of doing things, he immediately turned around and led the way.

The two quickly walked out of the dead end and onto the main road. Soon they found the charcoal ash mark left by Yan Tieshi next to a charcoal brazier at the street corner.

Following these subtle signs eastward, they soon arrived at the outskirts of the imperial city, near the Dong'an Gate.

This is where members of the imperial family and clan gather.

Although princes of the Ming Dynasty would go to their vassal territories to assume their fiefdoms after reaching adulthood, they would always keep a residence in the capital for when they returned to Beijing.

The residence of the Second Prince Zhu Changxun is located in this area.

As soon as the two arrived nearby, Yan Tieshi spotted them from the shadows. Although he didn't recognize Chen Zhan, who was dressed as a Taoist priest, he did recognize Han Tiange.

Yan Tieshi stepped out from the shadows and greeted the two men.

Han Tiange explained that this was Chen Zhan.

Yan Tieshi quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Senior Chen."

Chen Zhan raised his hand to indicate that it was alright.

Yan Tieshi got straight to the point, "The Second Prince is really arrogant; he took the person directly to his residence."

The three walked and talked, and soon arrived at the Second Prince's residence.

Upon reaching the entrance, Chen Zhan spotted another familiar face: Jin Yichuan.

He was with a dozen or so Imperial Guards, and they were talking with the steward of the Prince's mansion.

Jin Yichuan's voice grew louder, and the argument escalated, becoming increasingly tense and unfriendly. "Second Prince committed murder within the city and then directly arrested the person and brought them to the manor. This is against the rules, and you'd better give an explanation," Jin Yichuan said angrily.

"Does His Highness need to report to you on his actions? What are you, a mere centurion of the Embroidered Uniform Guard? It would be more appropriate if Xu Long were here."

The steward at the gate spoke, and as he did, seven or eight martial arts practitioners carrying weapons rushed out from inside the mansion, each with a deep and imposing aura.

The worst among them were also acquired masters, while the three leaders were actually innate masters.

His internal energy flowed throughout his body, exuding an imposing aura.

Jin Yichuan was furious, but he could only suppress his anger. However, with only his men, it was impossible for him to rush in and rescue Ding Baiying.

They tried to exert pressure by using the name of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but the other party completely ignored them.

He also knew the reason.

The second prince has always been favored, and relying on the emperor's affection, he acts recklessly in the capital.

Otherwise, how could he have recruited so many disciples at the innate level, some of whom were even evil masters?

These unorthodox masters were originally wanted criminals by the Embroidered Uniform Guard for years. Once they hid in the Prince's mansion, they could safely roam the martial world by changing their names.

Neither the Embroidered Uniform Guard nor the Eastern Depot wanted to get involved in this trouble. Even if they arrested someone, Zhu Changxun personally came to demand the person back, and in the end, they still had to obediently hand them over.

Jin Yichuan was at a loss. Seeing this, the captain beside him quickly stepped forward to advise, "Commander, this matter needs to be considered carefully. Why don't we report it to Commander Shen first and then make a decision?"

Jin Yichuan frowned, hesitating, but his gaze suddenly sharpened.

The long street was deserted due to the standoff between the Imperial Guards and the retainers of the Second Prince's mansion; no one dared to approach.

Just then, a Taoist priest in a green robe, followed by a man and a woman, slowly walked towards them, his steps steady and his expression calm.

Chen Zhan quickly walked up to Jin Yichuan and then to the entrance of the Prince's Mansion.

He glanced at Jin Yichuan, then at the group of arrogant retainers at the entrance of the Prince's Mansion.

Chen Zhan said to Jin Yichuan, "May I borrow your knife?"

Jin Yichuan would never lend his sword to a young Taoist priest he didn't know.

But before he could refuse, Chen Zhan brought his sword and fingers together, pointed, and an invisible force suddenly struck.
Jin Yichuan felt a sudden loosening at his waist, and the Embroidered Spring Blade he wore close to his body broke free of its sheath on its own, turning into a streak of cold light as it flew out and landed steadily in Chen Zhan's hand.

"I'm short of money," Chen Zhan said in a low voice, gripping the hilt of his knife, a statement that left Jin Yichuan completely bewildered.

Jin Yichuan was both shocked and furious. Just as he was about to reprimand the Taoist for his rudeness, Chen Zhan gripped his longsword and swung it out.

The moment the blade moved, no force could be felt in the surrounding area.
But in the next instant, a strong wind suddenly rose at the entrance of the Prince's Mansion, the air currents swirled wildly, and powerful internal energy surged out like a tsunami.

A condensed, almost tangible blade aura, like a silver beam descending from the heavens, instantly filled the entire gate of the royal palace.

It is absolutely impossible for an ordinary master of innate strength to release all the internal energy in their dantian meridians with a single strike.

Forcibly activating all internal energy will only cause your meridians to burst instantly, resulting in either death or serious injury.

However, Chen Zhan's physical body and meridians had already been tempered to the point of being comparable to those of a demon beast. For him, the total amount of internal energy at the initial stage of the Innate Realm would not be affected in the slightest even if he poured it all out.

A dazzling blade of energy swept out, catching everyone off guard.

Before the steward of the Prince's mansion could even react, he was cut in half at the waist by the blade, and blood splattered everywhere.

The innate master and two acquired disciples behind him were also not spared; they were instantly shredded by the violent blade energy, leaving no trace of their bodies.

Although the remaining retainers did not die, they were also shaken by the aftershocks of the sword energy, causing their blood and qi to surge. They all suffered minor injuries, staggered backward, and their faces were full of fear.

That heavy vermilion gate of the Prince's Mansion,
Under this single blow, it was as fragile as paper, shattering into countless wood chips that scattered in all directions.

Chen Zhan's sudden and brilliant strike completely shattered all the surrounding noise.

The whispers of the Imperial Guards and the angry murmurs of the Prince's guards and retainers vanished in an instant.

On the long street and in front of the Prince's Mansion, only a deathly silence remained.

Fear was written all over everyone's face, except for Han Tiange and Yan Tieshi, whose eyes held a strange excitement.

In their eyes, Chen Zhan now truly resembles the Holy Lord of the Demonic Sect.

No more nonsense. Anyone who touches my people, kill them.

Chen Zhan didn't linger for a moment. Holding the embroidered spring knife, he turned around and calmly instructed Jin Yichuan behind him, "Go and inform Shen Tong and Xu Long to come and collect Zhu Changxun's body."

These words were as plain as water, as if they were recounting a trivial matter.

Upon hearing the name "Zhu Changxun," Jin Yichuan was jolted, his heart filled with turmoil.
That's the Second Prince, the Prince of Fu, who is currently the Emperor's most favored son!
Jin Yichuan was shocked and furious. Just as he was about to speak, Chen Zhan turned his blade and swept it across.

A strong gust of wind swept away all the scattered wooden debris in front of the door, clearing a path.

He took a step and strode straight into the courtyard of the Prince's Mansion.

The guards and retainers who had managed to escape into the Prince's mansion earlier had gathered dozens of men and rushed out with weapons in hand.

When the group of men saw Chen Zhan following closely behind with Han Tiange and Yan Tieshi, they immediately shouted angrily.

"It's you!"

One of them pointed at Han Tiange and shouted a warning to his companions: "Everyone be careful! That woman has extremely high lightness skills and is good at teleporting. We absolutely cannot let her get away this time..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Zhan had already moved slightly, and his long sword slashed out.

A crimson blade light suddenly erupted, but unlike the previous dazzling blade aura, this blood-red blade light was more concealed.
It appears to have no power, but its speed is extremely fast.

The words stopped abruptly.

The retainer who had spoken out in warning was suddenly split in two, his blood and internal organs gushing out and splashing onto the bluestone ground.

The man had just fallen when another streak of blood-red light hurtled towards him, exploding in a flash and severing another person in half at the waist.

Chen Zhanren stood still, neither saying a word nor stopping.

At a distance of two or three zhang, each slash unleashed a burst of blood and qi, slaughtering indiscriminately.

The speed of the killing was so fast that it was dazzling and overwhelming. The guests of the Prince's mansion didn't even have time to look up before they saw figures falling one by one around them, their bodies separated from their heads.

“Ah!!~”

"Run! This person...is not human!"

More than a dozen people died, and the remaining dozen or so finally collapsed.

Chen Zhan let his opponent run away, continuing to swing his blade relentlessly, the bloody light chasing after him. No matter where the opponent ran, a single strike would kill them. If the opponent tried to block, the weapon would shatter, and the person would be severed along with it.

There is no way to resist it.

The innate internal energy shield was as if it were nothing, shattering at the slightest touch.

"stop!"

A powerful roar suddenly rang out, causing the branches and leaves in the courtyard to tremble slightly: "Who dares to run wild in this royal residence?"

Following the sound, Prince Fu, Zhu Changxun, was leading a dozen guards, striding towards them from the depths of the courtyard.

He was in his thirties, in the prime of his life, with long hair flowing down his shoulders and a long beard reaching his chest. He was tall and strong, unlike a pampered prince, but rather a general who had fought on the battlefield for many years.

The guards following behind him were dressed completely differently from the previous martial arts practitioners. They wore standard military uniforms and bright armor, clearly the elite personal guards of Prince Fu.

Zhu Changxun's eyes widened in anger, and before his roar had even finished, he had already strode closer.

Chen Zhan completely ignored the angry shout, his blade still flashing like a shadow. In an instant, four more disciples had no way to avoid it, their blood splattering on the spot, their bodies falling to the ground.

"you!!!"

Zhu Changxun was furious. He pointed at Chen Zhan and shouted, "That Taoist priest, are you looking for death? Are you committing treason? Don't you want your Taoist lineage anymore?"

As a prince, he had never been so disregarded before, and his words carried an extreme threat.

Coincidentally, as soon as he finished speaking, Chen Zhan finally stopped wielding his long sword.

He slowly turned around and looked at Zhu Changxun and his group.

Seeing Chen Zhan stop, Zhu Changxun felt a little relieved and glanced at Han Tiange and Yan Tieshi behind Chen Zhan.

He instantly understood and said in a deep voice, "Are you in cahoots with those remnants of the Qi Family Army? What lineage do you come from, that you possess such high martial arts skills?"

Chen Zhan remained silent, his grip on the embroidered spring knife never loosening.

He strode forward, passing through the fleeing retainers, and stopped not far from Zhu Changxun, who was surrounded by his personal guards.

"Why don't you answer my question?"

Zhu Changxun's face grew increasingly grim. Just as he was about to reprimand him again, he suddenly realized...

Chen Zhan's gaze didn't fall on him at all; instead, it shifted away and looked in the direction behind him.

Zhu Changxun also turned around and saw Zhou Miaoyun, the maid he had bought in Yangzhou years ago and trained for several years before she was ready to go, peeking at him from beside the beams and pillars.

"A Taoist priest is also lustful? Why don't you become my retainer, Taoist priest? I'll give you this skinny horse."

Zhu Changxun laughed heartily.

Chen Zhan remained silent, but Zhu Changxun seemed to understand, "Come here, Miaoyun."

Zhou Miaoyun trembled, but she still dared not resist and slowly walked over.

He walked up to Zhu Changxun, not far from Chen Zhan.

"Did you betray them?" Chen Zhan said calmly.

Zhou Miaoyun understood instantly; Chen Zhan's voice was unforgettable, and she couldn't possibly not recognize it.

He shook his head frantically, saying, "It wasn't me! I didn't betray Sister Ding! I had no choice, it's the Prince's Mansion!"

Chen Zhan raised his hand to interrupt: "No need to say anything more, you can leave now, leave the capital."

He didn't actually need Zhou Miaoyun to speak; by asking that question, his divine senses would be able to tell whether she was lying.

"Hehe, Daoist priest, you really don't take me seriously, do you?"

Chen Zhan turned his head and saw Zhou Miaoyun running towards the backyard, looking distraught.

"Yes, I'll start with you."

(End of this chapter)