Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 34 The Emperor? How many heads does the Emperor have?

Yang Zhao has completely lost his mind.

He began to become hysterical, suspicious of everyone around him. He felt that every official in the court was like Lin Hong, and that they all wanted to betray the country.

The day before yesterday, one of his most favored concubines was beaten to death in front of the palace for making a casual joke during a chat, which he took as a slap on the wrist.

The piercing screams sent chills down everyone's spines.

Now, inside the palace, the maids and eunuchs walk on tiptoe, not daring to breathe too loudly, for fear of accidentally angering this capricious monarch.

Inside the Yangxin Hall.

Yang Zhao's eyes were bloodshot, his face was withered, and he was looking at a Taoist priest with an almost obsessive gaze.

"Immortal Master, can the elixir you speak of truly grant me... immortality?" His voice was hoarse, filled with longing.

The Taoist priest, with white hair and a youthful face, holding a whisk, smiled slightly upon hearing this and stroked the three long strands of his beard.

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, bearing the Mandate of Heaven. Last night, I observed the stars and saw that the Purple Star of the Emperor was dim, a sign that the nation's fortunes were in danger. However, I also received guidance from an immortal in my dream, who bestowed upon me a supreme elixir formula. This formula is precisely prepared for Your Majesty, a man of destiny. Once it is refined, not only will it not be difficult to defeat the barbarians, but even to achieve immortality."

This Taoist priest was named Xuanjizi. He was introduced to Yang Zhao a few days ago by several noble families in the capital, who said he possessed great power.

So Yang Zhao summoned this man, and Xuanjizi demonstrated a few immortal techniques in front of him, instantly winning the trust of Yang Zhao, who was desperate and had nowhere else to turn, and making him his immortal master.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Yang Zhao stood up excitedly from the dragon throne, "I wonder what ingredients are needed for this elixir? I will immediately order people to prepare them."

Xuanjizi smiled slightly, took out a piece of yellow silk from his sleeve, and slowly unfolded it.

"To refine this elixir, one must use gold and silver as utensils, lead and mercury as the base, and supplement it with 365 kinds of rare and exotic herbs, but most importantly, one medicinal guide is also needed."

"What kind of medicinal guide?" Yang Zhao asked eagerly.

A mysterious smile appeared on Xuanjizi's face. "The blood of a thousand virgins who have reached the age of marriage and whose primordial yin has not been depleted, combined with a wisp of their primordial red heart, can be used to refine this... supreme elixir!"

Yang Zhao was taken aback at first, then a terrifying light flashed in his eyes.

He had long been driven mad by the fear of power and death, and no longer cared about human ethics or morality.

As long as one can live forever, as long as one can avoid the impending calamity, what does it matter if there are a thousand girls, or even ten thousand or a hundred thousand?
In his view, these were just some necessary sacrifices.

"Preach my will!"

"Order the military patrols, the arresting officers, and the Six Doors to immediately search the city for a thousand women who match the Immortal Master's description. They must be gathered within three days!"

"Anyone who disobeys or hides will have their entire family executed, and their nine generations of relatives exterminated!"

As soon as the imperial decree was issued, the entire capital city instantly transformed into a living hell.

The soldiers of the military patrol, the constables of the arresting officers, and the constables of the Six Doors—these government lackeys who used to maintain some semblance of dignity—have now completely shed their disguises and transformed into a pack of true wolves.

Armed with shackles and carrying steel knives, they kicked down doors and broke into houses one after another.

Without asking why or listening to explanations, as long as they see a girl of suitable age in a house, they pounce on her as if they have found a treasure, lock her up, and leave.

For a time, the city was filled with heart-wrenching cries.

But these voices seemed so insignificant in the face of the cold imperial power.

Of course, this disaster ultimately belongs to the poor.

The constables naturally dared not set foot in the homes of the powerful and wealthy. And the rich families with some wealth had already come up with a plan.

Spending money to avoid trouble.

For a time, the human trafficking market in the capital city experienced unprecedented prosperity. The price of a young girl was driven to the sky, yet even so, countless people still waved their silver notes, just to buy a scapegoat for their daughters.

The ugliest side of human nature was fully exposed in this catastrophe.

Those truly desperate people at the bottom of society could only watch helplessly as their daughters were snatched from their arms.

The atmosphere in the courtyard was equally oppressive. Fang Tao, his face grim, said to Chen Ye, "Something's happened."

"what happened?"

"The Cai Zi Men gang was raided by the police. None of the girls escaped; they were all arrested."

"That young lady, Xiao Rui... is also inside."

Fang Tao still remembers the scene when Wu Xiaorui came to the tenement to find Chen Ye. Many people in the tenement saw it. The two went out together and did not return until very late, so their relationship was self-evident.

In his view, the bond between the two was far from ordinary. Now that the beauty was in distress, her fate unknown, any hot-blooded young man would probably be anxious and disoriented.

Therefore, he had prepared many words of comfort, but to his surprise, Chen Ye remained very calm.

"understood."

He gave a curt reply and then fell silent.

This reaction left Fang Tao with a bellyful of comforting words stuck in his throat, unable to come out or go, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.

He frowned, feeling that the young man he had personally mentored was shrouded in an inescapable mist, making it impossible to see him clearly.

"You..." Fang Tao opened his mouth, but in the end it turned into a sigh, "Ah, never mind, let's not talk about it."

Fang Tao left, and Chen Ye returned to his room, his expression somewhat cold.

He discovered that some people, having held high positions for so long, could no longer be considered human.

They lost their empathy, focusing only on their own power and status, failing to see the countless bones beneath the throne.

emperor!

Ha ha!

How many heads does the emperor have?
Chen Ye gripped the knife tightly, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes.

Late that night, Chen Ye quietly left the tenement and headed straight for the imperial city.

Actually, Chen Ye had always wanted to visit the imperial city, but he never managed to do so.

Because he sensed an indescribable danger.

It was as if some terrifying being was lurking inside.

Fortunately, after advancing to the Thousand-Faced Thief Saint, this feeling has become much weaker.

Chen Ye moved like a ghost, easily avoiding the patrolling imperial guards on the outer perimeter, scaling the high palace walls, and landing inside the imperial city.

Chen Ye then hid in the shadows of a corner and waited quietly.

A moment later, a young eunuch on night patrol, carrying a lantern, yawned and sauntered over.

That's him.

Chen Ye suddenly struck, slapping the little eunuch unconscious, and then dragged him into the shadows.

A moment later, a young eunuch emerged from within and headed straight for the depths of the imperial city.

The further in you go, the quieter it becomes. The palace maids and eunuchs who pass by all keep their heads down, walk on tiptoe, and don't even dare to breathe loudly.

Chen Ye blended in seamlessly, inconspicuously approaching the core area of ​​the imperial city step by step.

He was about to pass through a garden and arrive at the heart of the palace—near the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

But just then, a sinister and shrill voice suddenly came from behind.

"What?"

(End of this chapter)