You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

Meanwhile, in Yingtianfu City, near the abandoned brick kiln in the south of the city.

The night was torn apart by the sounds of fierce fighting.

Dozens of Tantric lamas, dressed in Han Chinese clothing yet exuding a fierce aura, formed a strange circular formation against an abandoned brick kiln, fiercely fighting with the Beggar Clan disciples on the outer perimeter.

These lamas used fierce and unpredictable martial arts techniques. Some used palm strikes that whistled through the air and carried a bloody smell, while others used their fingers and claws like hooks to target vital points. Several of them even wielded strange short pestles, which created a powerful and fierce wind when they were swung. They were clearly all experts in Tantric Buddhism.

Although the Beggars' Sect has a large number of disciples, their individual combat strength is far inferior to that of these Tantric martial artists who specialize in killing.

They could only rely on the dog-beating formation and mutual cooperation to barely manage to hold their own, and several people had already been injured.

Shouts, the clash of weapons, and the clashing of fists and palms filled the air.

Hong Qigong was at the heart of the battle, his face solemn. His palm wind was like a dragon, and the fierce palm force of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms was forced to retreat repeatedly by the two lama masters who were attacking him.

However, he was still recovering from serious injuries, and after a long battle, his breathing was not as deep as usual.

Just then, a burly figure rushed from the alleyway in the distance like a gust of wind—it was Lu Mang!

His face was filled with panic. Before he even arrived, his voice preceded his arrival, urgent: "Chief! Chief! Something terrible has happened!"

Upon hearing the commotion, Hong Qigong forced the lama in front of him aside with a palm strike, then retreated several steps to meet up with Lu Mang. He urgently asked, "Elder Lu, what happened?"

He gasped for breath, his face showing anxiety and disbelief: "Boss!"

"The palace gates..."

"The palace gates have been completely sealed off by Qin Hui's men!"

"Even with His Majesty's golden token, I can't get in!"

"They only said there were Jin spies, and the palace was heavily guarded!"

"Seeing the situation was turning against me, I had no choice but to retreat!"

He quickly glanced at the Tantric lamas engaged in fierce combat, lowered his voice, and said in a heavy tone, "Chief, judging from this situation, tonight in the palace..."

Upon hearing this, Hong Qigong's pupils suddenly contracted, and his white beard moved without any wind.

Although he was confident in Lu Zuo's martial arts skills, he worried that if Lu Zuo were to launch a surprise attack, it would be disastrous...

The consequences could be disastrous!

But as the leader of the Beggars' Sect who had weathered many storms, he knew that he couldn't afford to panic at this moment.

His gaze was like lightning as he swept over the stubbornly resisting Tantric lamas before him, his eyes blazing with murderous intent.

First, we should eliminate these henchmen, then try to gather information about the palace; perhaps we can coordinate an attack from within!

Thoughts can change in the blink of an eye.

Hong Qigong said in a deep voice, "There's no use in rushing matters in the palace."

"Let's deal with the immediate problem first, eliminate these wicked monks, and then we can plot against them!"

Knowing there was no other way, Lu Mang nodded heavily, "Yes, Chief!"

Having said that, he roared and, like a wounded tiger, swung his iron palm and charged straight at a lama master who was fighting with a Beggar Clan disciple.

He attacked in anger, his Dragon Subduing Palm technique becoming even more ferocious. Caught off guard, the lama was struck on the shoulder by a palm, the sound of bones shattering clearly audible, and he screamed as he flew backward.

Seeing this, Hong Qigong's spirits lifted, and with a long roar, he charged back into the battle.

Although he was not fully recovered, his power was even greater than before in his anger. Wherever his palm struck, sand and stones flew, forcing several lamas to retreat one after another, and a gap appeared in the Tantric circle formation.

However, these Tantric lamas were clearly well-trained.

Seeing Hong Qigong's ferocity, several people immediately abandoned their opponents and joined forces to attack him.

Various bizarre palm techniques, finger strength, and even eerie howls from his mouth attempted to trap him.

The battle once again reached a stalemate.

Hong Qigong was anxious, but he couldn't break through for the time being.

Just now.

"Hmph, a mere foreign monk dares to run wild in the Central Plains?"

A clear, cold snort, like the gentle tapping of a jade chime, suddenly rang out from the night sky.

Before the words had even faded, a green shadow had already drifted into the arena like a ghost, its speed so fast that it was impossible to keep up with the eye!

It is none other than Huang Yaoshi, the Eastern Heretic!

He had clearly noticed the unusual activity in the city and had come to investigate.

His figure moved swiftly, like a butterfly flitting among flowers, and he plunged straight into the most intense part of the battle.

Facing a lama swinging a pestle at him, Huang Yaoshi neither dodged nor avoided, but instead brought his right index and middle fingers together and pointed forward with lightning speed!

laugh!

A faint yet sharp sound of something cutting through the air!

The Finger Flicking Divine Skill!

The short pestle made of refined iron in the lama's hand was actually shaken by this force and flew out of his hand, splitting his tiger's mouth!

He screamed, and before he could react, Huang Yaoshi's left palm struck his chest like a gentle breeze.

"puff!"

The lama was struck as if by lightning; blood gushed out, and he collapsed to the ground.

Having succeeded in his first move, Huang Yaoshi moved without hesitation, his footwork unpredictable and mysterious, already cutting to the other side.

The two lamas roared and attacked from both sides, their palms whistling through the air.

Huang Yaoshi used his hands to circle and guide, displaying the exquisite technique of "Orchid Flicking Acupoint Hand", which used a soft and skillful force to cause the two people's fierce palm forces to collide!

boom!

The two men groaned and staggered backward, their blood churning.

Huang Yaoshi's arrival was like adding a heavy weight to the stalemate on the scales!

His martial arts skills were already extraordinary, and now, filled with rage, he attacked without holding back.

His finger-flicking technique is particularly effective against hard martial arts, and his acupoint striking technique is exquisite. Combined with his ghostly movements, he charges left and right through the Tantric Lama formations, invincible!

"Old Master Huang! You've come at the perfect time!"

Hong Qigong was overjoyed and his spirits soared. He unleashed the full power of his Dragon Subduing Palm, creating a wonderful synergy with Huang Yaoshi, who combined strength and gentleness.

One possesses powerful palm strikes, overwhelming the opponent head-on; the other employs unpredictable footwork, specializing in exploiting weaknesses.

Seeing that their leader had gained such strong reinforcements, the Beggars' Sect disciples were greatly encouraged and shouted to intensify their offensive.

The Tantric lamas were barely holding on with their circular formation and unorthodox martial arts. Now, with Huang Yaoshi, a top expert, tearing open a gap in their formation, and being attacked from both inside and outside by Hong Qigong and the Beggar Clan disciples, their formation was thrown into chaos!

Snap! Ah!

puff!

Uh!

Screams of agony rang out one after another. In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, most of the dozens of Tantric lamas had fallen, some dead and some wounded.

The few remaining people were also divided and surrounded, fighting like cornered beasts, and their defeat was only a matter of time.

Huang Yaoshi casually knocked down the last lama who was trying to escape, and his figure gracefully landed beside Hong Qigong. His blue robe was spotless, which was in stark contrast to the bloody mess around him.

He frowned slightly and looked at Hong Qigong: "Old beggar, I just heard Elder Lu mention something about the palace..."

Hong Qigong waved his hand, signaling the Beggars' Sect disciples to clear the battlefield and bind the prisoners. His expression turned extremely solemn again. He pulled Huang Yaoshi and Lu Mang a little further away and said in a deep voice, "Brother Yaoshi, you've arrived just in time."

"This is a long story, but the most pressing issue right now is that a major upheaval may be brewing in the palace!"

He quickly recounted how his reckless exploration of the palace gates had led to their blockade by Qin Hui's confidant Shen Gang with a large force, the invalidation of the imperial edict, and the suspected mutiny.

Upon hearing this, Huang Yaoshi's gaunt face instantly turned frosty, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "How dare you!"

Hong Qigong said anxiously, "Brother Yao, we must find a way to enter the palace immediately!"

Huang Yaoshi pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the captured Tantric lamas, then looking towards the palace, and said coldly, "The palace gates are heavily guarded. Forcing our way in will only increase casualties and easily alert the enemy."

"Old beggar, you should first have the Beggars' Sect pry open these Tibetan monks' mouths."

"I'll take a detour to explore the palace walls and see if there's any other way to sneak in."

......

The Imperial Palace.

Relying on his superb lightness skill, Huang Yaoshi silently glided past the palaces and finally landed on the eaves of a side hall that overlooked part of the palace area, his figure perfectly blending into the shadows.

His gaze was sharp as he swept across the seemingly calm yet strangely chilling imperial palace below.

The palace gates were tightly shut, armored soldiers stood in rows, and the atmosphere was heavy...

The old beggar was right; a major incident had indeed occurred in the palace.

I wonder how His Majesty is doing right now?

Who exactly started this chaos?

Just as he was observing intently, a series of shouts and hurried footsteps came from afar, attracting his attention.

He glanced to the side and saw a troop of imperial guards, their armor gleaming and their expressions stern, escorting dozens of officers who had been stripped of their armor and bound with ropes, toward a secluded palace.

The officers being escorted were all dejected and ashen-faced, and some of them were dressed in the uniforms of high-ranking generals.

Ok?

These officers being escorted... judging from their uniforms, they were of high rank and were all powerful figures in the Imperial Guard.

Were they the ones being purged?

Are they the instigators of the rebellion?

Or... the side that was suppressed for being loyal to His Majesty?

Huang Yaoshi frowned slightly, quickly calculating in his mind.

With the situation unclear, he dared not make any rash judgments.

The imperial guards drove the officers into the hall, slammed the doors shut, and left more than ten elite soldiers to guard the outside, their swords half-drawn, keeping watch in all directions.

Just then, another series of steady footsteps approached from afar. Huang Yaoshi looked closely and saw a general striding towards them, surrounded by a group of personal guards.

The person who arrived was none other than Liu Qi!

Although he looked exhausted, and his armor was even stained with some dried blood, his steps were firm, his eyes were sharp, and he exuded a murderous aura after just experiencing a bloody battle.

Liu Qi walked to the front of the palace, and the guarding officer quickly stepped forward to salute.

"What's the situation inside?"

"Reporting to the General, all thirty-seven members of the rebel group have been brought into the palace and are under strict guard. No one has made any unusual moves."

Liu Qi nodded and said coldly, "Pass down the order: without my written authorization, no one is to approach this hall!"

"Food will be delivered by designated personnel. Anyone attempting to pass messages or forcibly break out will be killed without exception!"

"Yes, General!"

Upon seeing this, a glint flashed in Huang Yaoshi's eyes, and most of the doubts in his heart instantly dissipated!

Liu Qi!

He was able to act freely, and even wield military power, ordering the imprisonment of these officers.

This man is commendable for his loyalty and courage; he is a trustworthy person.

So it seems...

Those who are imprisoned must be rebels!

And the fact that Liu Qi was able to issue orders and control the situation from here means that... the palace coup has been quelled.

Is His Majesty safe and sound?

Even... a resounding victory?

This deduction gave Huang Yaoshi a sense of certainty, but it also brought even greater doubts.

only……

The palace coup started suddenly, and its suppression was even more bizarre.

Although Your Majesty possesses astonishing martial arts skills, how did you manage to turn the tide when you were surrounded?

Well then, since His Majesty has taken control of the situation and Liu Qi is cleaning up the mess, there's no point in me showing up now.

It would be better to go back and meet up with the old beggar, and tell him about the situation here.

Once he made up his mind, Huang Yaoshi didn't linger. His figure slid down from the eaves like a ghost, and with a few leaps, he disappeared silently into the shadows of the palace walls.

……

Meanwhile, deep within the palace, in a dark, damp, and perpetually dark secret room.

The air was filled with the smell of mildew and a faint, almost imperceptible odor of blood.

The walls were covered with all sorts of strangely shaped torture instruments that gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen, some of which were stained with dark red rust.

Qin Hui was stripped of his official robes and left wearing only a white undergarment, and was bound to a cold iron chair.

His acupoints remained sealed, rendering him unable to speak or move. Only his eyes, wide open with extreme fear, reflected the flickering, dim candlelight.

An old eunuch with a hunched back and a withered face was slowly taking down instruments of torture from the wall.

He moved slowly, with a chillingly focused intensity.

The old eunuch picked up a thin, long iron skewer with a barb at the tip, held it up to the candlelight, and spoke in a hoarse, broken voice, as if to himself, yet also as if addressing Qin Hui:

"This thing is called a 'heart-searching divination stick'... It's slowly inserted into the nail bed, twisted and turned... It can go all the way to the bone."

"The ten fingers are connected to the heart, Prime Minister Qin... that feeling, tsk tsk..."

He then picked up a leather case containing silver needles of varying lengths: "These are 'plum blossom needles'... specifically for pricking acupoints."

"If the technique is good, it can make a person feel sore, numb, and itchy all over, like thousands of ants crawling inside their bones, but they can't move or make a sound..."

"I just want to scratch myself to pieces..."

Next was a small charcoal stove with several branding irons burning on it: "Branding irons are quite ordinary, but when they're used to heat tender meat, they sizzle and release a wonderful aroma..."

"It's just that he's a bit unattractive, unbecoming of a prime minister..."

The old eunuch introduced each item one by one, his tone flat and emotionless, as if he were introducing kitchen utensils.

With each recounting, Qin Hui's body trembled violently, his undergarments soaked with cold sweat, his face deathly pale, and a gurgling sound emanating from his throat, a spasm born of extreme fear.

After wiping down the last instrument of torture, the old eunuch turned around to face Qin Hui, a stiff smile tugging at the corners of his mouth:

"Your Excellency, you are a person of high status, and your health is precious."

"We... will take very good care of you."

"Whenever you want to say something, just... blink."

As he spoke, he picked up the "heart-searching divination stick" and slowly moved it towards Qin Hui's trembling fingers, which were forcibly fixed to the armrest...

……

More than an hour later, when the night was deepest, the imperial study was brightly lit by candlelight.

"His Majesty."

A eunuch tiptoed in, bowed, and whispered, "Eunuch Wei from the Ministry of Justice is outside requesting an audience. He says... there's been a result from the Prime Minister's side."

Lu Zuo: "Announce."

A moment later, the old eunuch, with his hunched back and withered face, walked in, holding a scroll of still-freshly inked paper.

"This old servant greets Your Majesty."

Eunuch Wei held the scroll of paper high above his head with both hands.

Li Qingzhao quickly took it and presented it to the emperor's desk.

Lu Zuo unrolled the paper and quickly scanned it.

The document was densely covered with names, official titles, brief records of correspondence, evidence of embezzlement, and even clues of secret dealings with the Jurchens.

The list was so long and involved such a wide range of people, from high-ranking officials of the second or third rank in the imperial court to regional governors, from generals of the imperial guards to officials in various departments, that it covered almost the entire court and the countryside.

This confession fully exposes the network Qin Hui had cultivated over many years, which involved forming cliques, selling official positions, and even colluding with the enemy and betraying the country.

"The news is that Liu Qi has been appointed."

"yes!"

Moments later, Liu Qi, fully armed and still in his armor, strode into the imperial study: "This humble general, Liu Qi, greets Your Majesty!"

"Rise."

Lu Zuo handed over the list: "Immediately dispatch reliable Imperial Guards to carry out separate operations."

"Everyone on the list, regardless of rank, is to be immediately arrested, imprisoned in the imperial prison, and placed under strict guard!"

"His residence was sealed off, and all documents and account books were confiscated!"

.......

Soon, the once quiet palace was broken again.

Squads of elite imperial guards, clad in full armor and with swords drawn, carrying arrest warrants stamped with the imperial seal and the seal of the Palace Guard, surged out of the palace gates swiftly and orderly, like an iron torrent emerging from the night.

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