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

Following the updates has never been so enjoyable.

The 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, only three days left until Lunar New Year's Eve.

The sky over Nanjing was like a worn-out rag, gray and gloomy, with low-hanging leaden clouds pressing down on the city wall crenellations, making it hard to breathe.

The cold wind did not weaken; instead, it became even more biting and damp, carrying a faint, unsettling smell of decay as it swept through the streets and alleys.

Rumors about demons and monsters reached their peak, with all sorts of horrifying versions emerging, causing widespread panic.

The government increased street patrols, and the soldiers of the Five Cities Garrison were issued extra spears and hunting forks, their expressions tense as they scanned every dark corner.

Many shops closed early, and people stockpiled food and water, staying at home and praying that this damned year-end would pass quickly.

The palace, amidst an increasingly tense atmosphere, outwardly maintained an abnormal, almost deathly calm.

The decorations for the New Year were still hung up as usual, and the Imperial Household Department was preparing for the New Year's Eve banquet as usual. However, the palace servants who came and went walked in a hurry, their eyes wandering, and there was no joy or relaxation before the New Year in previous years.

An invisible, heavy pressure loomed over every palace and over the hearts of every person.

The Imperial Study, a quiet room.

Lu Zuo slowly finished his practice, and the white mist rising from his body dissipated like tangible clouds, revealing his calm and serene face.

His almost sleepless days of arduous cultivation, supplemented by his treasured elixirs, allowed his cultivation to advance once again under immense pressure.

The "Huangji Zhenshi Gong" technique has been completely stabilized at the mid-stage of the Innate Realm. Its true energy is powerful and refined, and when it is circulated, there is a faint force of wind and thunder.

The progress of the "Spiritual Rhinoceros Forging Divine Method" is particularly remarkable. The divine light spot in the ancestral aperture between the eyebrows has transformed from a "dot" into a "star". The light is restrained but more pure and resilient. The range of the spiritual power released is stable at about five zhang. The clarity of perception and the ability to capture details have been greatly improved.

He could even vaguely "see" the faint traces of scent or emotion left on the surrounding objects.

The increase in strength brought him greater control, but it also made him more aware and more specific of the enormous threat lurking in the shadows.

At this moment, in his enhanced spiritual senses, he could vaguely "perceive" a "pulse" like a heartbeat, slow yet powerful, filled with filthy evil energy, coming from the direction of the abandoned garden in the southeast of the palace.

That pulsation was completely out of step with the normal flow of spiritual energy between heaven and earth; it carried a strong corrosive and greedy desire, like a dark, thirsty heart that was slowly awakening.

Further away in the direction of the old town, there was an even deeper and more chaotic aura of evil, like a volcano about to erupt, constantly emitting chilling fluctuations.

"It'll be soon...it'll be soon..." Lu Zuo murmured to himself, his eyes showing no fear, only a cold, sharp edge.

He got up, changed into his imperial robes, put on the familiar "tyrant" mask that looked somewhat tired and nonchalant, and walked out of the quiet room.

Eunuch Liu was already waiting outside. When he saw him come out, he quickly stepped forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, Commander Yan has sent a secret letter. It was brought in by the old farmer who delivers vegetables outside the city, whom I arranged. It's absolutely safe." As he spoke, he handed over a small bamboo tube that was sealed tightly with wax.

Lu Zuo took it, crushed the wax seal, pulled out the rolled-up paper inside, and quickly glanced at it.

Yan Qingfeng's handwriting is slightly messy, but clear and organized:

"Young Master Junjian: The target courtyard in the old neighborhood has been increasingly mysterious in terms of people coming and going lately."

Starting three days ago, every night masked men have been driving several covered carts with a strong, fishy smell into the area, where they stay for about half an hour before leaving empty.

The subordinates ventured closer to sense that there was a faint sign of life inside the cart, but it was accompanied by a strong sense of blood and fear.

It is suspected that the shipment was for transporting "offerings" or "materials for setting up an array".

Additionally, at midnight last night, the ground in the courtyard briefly glowed with a dark red light, accompanied by a slight tremor, before disappearing.

My subordinates believe that the underground evil formation is probably nearing completion.

As instructed by the young master, I have contacted two former colleagues. Both are indignant about the current situation because they are dissatisfied with Pan Ren's actions or because their relatives and friends have been harmed by demons. They are capable of being used.

The talisman for warding off evil has been received; it is of excellent quality, and I am deeply grateful.

Everything is ready; we're just waiting for the signal.

Qingfeng bowed deeply.

The offerings, the faint red glow, the tremor... the evil formation is nearing completion! Lu Zuo's eyes narrowed.

The Blood Rakshasa moved even faster than he had expected!

It seems that the other side also plans to activate the "Myriad Spirits Blood Array" on New Year's Eve, when the city's energy is at its peak and people's hearts are at their most chaotic!

"Your Majesty, there is one more thing." After Lu Zuo finished reading, Eunuch Liu continued in a low voice, "The people I arranged to investigate suspicious places in the palace discovered a shallow pit that had been recently covered with fresh soil under an abandoned stage on the west side of the Cold Palace. There were some ashes from burnt paper in the pit, and some..."

"The broken, twisted runes, which look like they were drawn with blood mixed with cinnabar, have a similar aura to the traces found beside the dry well in the abandoned garden."

In addition, a very faint similar scent was also found on the edge of a well in an abandoned palace courtyard near Xihua Gate.

"Having followed His Majesty's orders, we dared not act rashly, but merely sent men to secretly seal off those two locations."

As expected! There was more than one abandoned garden within the palace! The tentacles of the Blood Rakshasa had already silently infiltrated, laying down more than one point! Lu Zuo felt an even greater chill in his heart.

This enchantress's understanding and infiltration of the palace probably far exceeds our imagination.

The vengeful spirit of Consort Duanjing is probably just one of the pawns she uses.

"knew.

Send more people to keep a close watch on those areas, and report any unusual activity immediately.

"Especially around midnight." Lu Zuo instructed in a deep voice, then asked, "What about Liu Wenchang and Yongtong Bank?"

"Liu Wenchang has been quieter these past few days. It is said that he was summoned by Prime Minister Liu and reprimanded, and has been staying at home ever since."

However, it is quite suspicious that Yongtong Bank has several large sums of money flowing to several leather goods stores and coffin shops in the west and north of the city.

The old servant sent people to investigate. Those shops were all long-established businesses, and business was usually slow, but recently they had suddenly been "restocking" frequently, but no one had seen the "goods" they were restocking.

Moreover, the backyard of the shop is guarded day and night by strong men, and no unauthorized people are allowed to approach. "Eunuch Liu replied.

A fur shop? A coffin shop? Lu Zuo's mind raced.

These places either have large warehouses or are inherently yin in nature, and are secluded, making them ideal locations to hide "demon blood" and "sacrificial offerings," or to set up evil formations! Liu Daoling and Yuwen Qing's "New Year's Eve plan" will probably begin in these places!

"very good.

Keep a close watch, but don't alert them.

"Also, how's the collection of the exorcising items I asked you to prepare?"

"Your Majesty, through several trusted old imperial merchants and connections in other provinces, this old servant has acquired a batch of top-quality Lieyang Stone, lightning-struck jujube wood, black dog blood, and rooster comb blood at high prices. In addition, I have purchased thirty-six 'Celestial Master Exorcising Talismans' from Qingwei Temple in Longhu Mountain at a high price, as well as twelve fine steel short swords tempered using ancient methods and containing a trace of pure yang energy."

All of them have been secretly transported into the palace and stored in an absolutely reliable place.

"Commander Yan has also sent a copy through the channels," Eunuch Liu reported. He added that he had almost emptied his own savings and the secret funds allocated by Lu Zuo for these things, but it was all worth it.

Lu Zuo nodded.

With these preparations, we finally had the strength to fight against demons and evil spirits, and were no longer completely passive.

"Your Majesty," Eunuch Liu hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "This old servant has also heard that... Marshal Yuwen's mansion has been mobilizing troops unusually frequently these past few days. Some of his most elite 'Black Armor Cavalry' and 'Breaking Camp' have quietly left the main camp in the outskirts of the capital under the pretext of 'rotation' and 'drills,' and their whereabouts are unknown."

Meanwhile, the Liu family residence has been bustling with activity these past few days, with many officials coming and going late at night, their expressions hurried.

Lu Zuo sneered.

Dark clouds loomed over the city, and all sides were making final troop deployments.

Yuwen Qing was preparing the force to "clear the way," while Liu Daoling was connecting with his cronies and unifying their narratives.

In their eyes, the emperor himself was probably just a fish on a chopping board, waiting for the right moment to be devoured.

"Let them move."

"If you don't move, how will I know how far their claws have stretched?" Lu Zuo's tone was calm, but with a hint of murderous intent. "Liu Banban, convey my decree: tonight at midnight, in front of the 'Zangzhen Pavilion,' I want to see those two old eunuchs guarding the pavilion."

Go and invite them in person, and be very respectful.

Eunuch Liu was taken aback.

His Majesty wishes to see those two living dead who are practically one with the "Hidden Truth Pavilion"? What is the purpose? But he dared not ask further and quickly replied, "Yes, this old servant will go immediately."

……

That night, at midnight.

There was utter silence in front of the "Zangzhen Pavilion".

The cold wind howled, swirling the snow on the stone steps in front of the palace.

The two gray-robed old eunuchs remained seated as if they were clay or wooden sculptures, seemingly unaware of the arrival of Lu Zuo and Eunuch Liu.

Lu Zuo stepped forward alone, stopping three zhang away from the two. He took out the "Dragon Soul Token" and simultaneously activated the "Imperial Ultimate World-Suppressing Technique," injecting a wisp of true energy mixed with the aura of the true dragon's bloodline into the token.

"Buzz—" The Dragon Soul Token vibrated slightly, and the embossed golden dragon flashed with light once more.

The two old eunuchs simultaneously opened their pale eyes, looked at Lu Zuo, and asked in unison, dry voices, "Your Majesty, what brings you here so late at night?"

Lu Zuo put away the token, calmly meeting the two pairs of eerie gray-white pupils with his gaze, and slowly spoke, his voice clear and steady in the cold wind: "I wish to open the 'Type A No. 3' secret vault."

The two old eunuchs' grayish-white pupils contracted almost imperceptibly.

The No. 3 Secret Vault of Class A is the place in the "Hidden Truth Pavilion" where the most dangerous, forbidden, and often most powerful artifacts are stored. It is never opened by emperors of all dynasties except when the country is on the verge of collapse and life and death are at stake.

The items sealed inside are mostly demonic weapons confiscated from previous dynasties, indestructible evil treasures, or certain forbidden weapons that are too lethal and violate the laws of nature.

"Number 3 of the Jia-character name contains extremely ominous and inauspicious items. Moving them would disrupt the harmony of heaven and earth and could easily lead to a backlash."

"Does Your Majesty know?" the old eunuch on the left asked hoarsely.

"I know." Lu Zuo nodded, his tone resolute. "However, now the demonic atmosphere is obscuring the sun, evil spirits are wreaking havoc in the capital, and there are even powerful figures lurking, plotting to carry out a blood sacrifice to destroy the city."

The nation is facing a critical moment of survival; in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken.

The nation is facing a critical moment of survival; in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken.

The slight risk of backlash is insignificant compared to the devastation of the city and the change of dynasties.

"I am willing to shoulder this responsibility."

The resolute and somber tone in his words, along with his clear understanding of the situation, silenced the two old eunuchs, who seemed to have long since lost all human emotion, for a moment.

The old eunuch on the right slowly said, "His Majesty's bloodline is pure, and the Dragon Soul Decree is genuine."

However, the seal of No. 3, Class A, is no small matter.

Your Majesty must drip your blood from your fingertips onto the Dragon Soul Token's eye, and then unleash your strongest attack to blast the sealed door of the secret vault.

Once the door is opened, whatever is taken out will be connected to His Majesty's fortune, and one will bear the consequences of any misfortune or good fortune.

Your Majesty, do you still insist?

"I insist." Lu Zuo said without hesitation.

He had long anticipated that unlocking the ultimate secrets of the royal family would not be easy.

He bit the tip of his right index finger, and a drop of bright red blood tinged with pale gold seeped out, dripping onto the slightly closed eyes of the golden dragon on the Dragon Soul Token relief.

"laugh--"

The blood was instantly absorbed, and the dragon's eyes suddenly opened! Two dazzling golden beams shot out from the dragon's eyes, directly hitting the tightly closed doors of the "Hidden Truth Pavilion"! The intricate runes on the doors lit up one after another, emitting a low hum, and the entire palace seemed to tremble slightly.

Immediately afterwards, in the center of the palace gate, a strange stone slab, about three feet square, neither gold nor jade, silently slid open, revealing behind it an incredibly thick, pitch-black metal door, devoid of any patterns, yet exuding a chilling and deathly aura.

This is the sealed door of the No. 3 Class A secret vault!

Lu Zuo took a deep breath, and the "Huangji Zhenshi Gong" in his body was activated to its limit. The powerful innate true energy surged like a river flowing backward, rushing wildly towards his right fist.

Golden light flickered on the fist, with a faint dragon-shaped phantom swirling around it, and a majestic and vast, yet destructive, aura emanated from it.

He activated the "Spiritual Rhinoceros Forging Divine Technique," concentrating his mental energy to lock onto the pitch-black door.

"Imperial Supreme Ruler - Break!"

With a low shout, Lu Zuo moved like lightning, his right fist carrying all his strength and resolute will, transforming into a golden meteor that slammed into the very center of that dark door!

"Thump—!!!"

A deafening roar, so deep it seemed to strike the very soul, erupted! Centered on the point of contact between the fist and the portal, a visible ring of twisted ripples, a mixture of gold and black, suddenly spread out, instantly clearing away and vaporizing the surrounding snow! The entire "Hidden Truth Pavilion" trembled violently, and dust fell from the eaves.

The terrifying shockwave and sound made Liu Gonggong turn pale, and he retreated repeatedly.

The two eunuchs guarding the gate remained motionless, their grayish-white pupils fixed on the dark door.

"Click...click click..."

A teeth-grinding cracking sound rang out.

At the very center of that pitch-black door, which seemed capable of swallowing all light, where Lu Zuo's fist had struck, a network of fine, spiderweb-like cracks appeared.

The cracks spread rapidly and soon covered the entire door.

"Boom!"

Finally, after a groan of unbearable strain, the entire pitch-black door, along with the even deeper, darker space behind it, was completely exposed to Lu Zuo.

A chilling aura, a mixture of rust, blood, decay, and countless negative emotions, surged forth like a cold wave that had been building up for millions of years, causing Lu Zuo to shiver involuntarily.

Behind the door was a narrow passageway extending downwards, its walls inlaid with fluorite that emitted a pale, faint glow, illuminating a small stone chamber below.

The stone chamber was sparsely furnished, with only three items placed alone in the center.

On the left is an ancient pottery urn, about half a person's height, dark red in color, as if cast from congealed blood. The mouth of the urn is tightly sealed by a dark gold animal hide engraved with countless suppressing runes, but wisps of nauseating bloody evil energy still seep out from it.

The body of the urn is engraved with two small ancient seal characters: Wan Hui.

In the center was a rectangular black iron box. The box was undecorated, with only dark red chains deeply embedded in the iron, swirling around it and exuding an aura of confinement and destruction.

Beside the box stood a jade plaque inscribed with: Demon-Slaying Shuttle (Fragment). One strike will annihilate both body and soul. Use with caution!

On the right is a scroll woven from unknown silver threads, suspended in mid-air. The scroll slowly unrolls a corner, revealing smooth, mercury-like characters flowing within. The characters are not modern writing, but they exude a vast, ancient aura, as if containing the ultimate truths of the universe.

The jade plaque next to the scroll reads: "Fragment of the Void Seal Technique (A forbidden spatial technique that requires extremely high spiritual awareness and true qi to activate. It is incomplete, and the consequences of forcibly using it are unpredictable)."

The Blood Jar of Ten Thousand Filth? The Demon-Slaying Shuttle of Fallen Gods? The Fragment of the Void Seal Technique?

Lu Zuo's gaze swept over these three forbidden objects, which were unsettling just to look at or sense, and he was shocked.

Is this the last and most dangerous treasure of the royal family? Each piece clearly contains terrifying power, but it also comes with enormous risks and costs of use.

He didn't hesitate for long.

Time was of the essence, and the enemy was far more powerful than he had imagined. He needed power sufficient to turn the tide of battle, or at least to perish together with the formidable foe.

He first walked toward the "Vat of Blood and Filth".

This object exudes malevolent energy, but since it is kept here, there must be a way to control or utilize it.

He noticed that in the center of the animal skin rune on the jar's mouth, there was a depression whose shape perfectly matched the cloud pattern on the edge of the "Dragon Soul Token".

He tried pressing the edge of the Dragon Soul Token into the indentation.

"Buzz—"

The runes on the animal hide suddenly lit up, transforming into golden chains that wrapped around the blood urn layer by layer.

At the same time, a stream of information flowed into Lu Zuo's mind along with the Dragon Soul Token.

It turns out that this "Myriad Filth Blood Jar" contains the essence of ten thousand kinds of filth, plagues, curses, and resentments collected and refined by a demonic master from the previous dynasty. Once released, it would be enough to turn a ten-mile radius into a dead zone, wiping out all living beings.

However, if the sealing power within the Dragon Soul Token is activated using the bloodline of a true dragon, its direction and range of release can be briefly controlled, making it a powerful weapon for mutual destruction or clearing out the enemy.

The price is that the releaser will suffer a severe backlash from the foul energy, shortening their lifespan, and may even have their mind corrupted by the resentment within.

Lu Zuo remained expressionless, memorizing the blood urn along with its sealing information.

This is a last resort.

Then, he looked at the "Demon-Slaying Shuttle".

This object felt the most dangerous to him; its aura of destroying the soul caused even the divine sense in his ancestral aperture between his eyebrows to feel a stinging pain.

He tried to probe the black iron box with his spiritual sense, but was immediately pierced back by an incomparably sharp and destructive intent, causing him to groan and his soul to tremble.

This shuttle appears to be a forbidden magical artifact for one-time use, possessing unparalleled power, but its use is extremely demanding, requiring a very high level of spiritual awareness from the user. If one is not careful, one will injure oneself before harming the enemy.

He hasn't made any moves yet.

Finally, his gaze fell on the scroll of the Void Seal Technique.

Forbidden spatial techniques? In this martial arts world, that's practically a legendary skill!

He focused his mind and carefully "read" the silver lettering that had been partially unfolded.

The handwriting was profound and obscure, but thanks to the powerful comprehension and spiritual strength brought by the "Spiritual Rhinoceros Forging Divine Method," he was able to barely understand some of the basics.

This fragment does not record a complete technique for spatial travel or creation, but rather an extremely brutal method of "spatial cutting" and "temporary confinement" that demands an incredibly high level of skill from the practitioner.

Using their powerful divine sense to communicate and distort the local spatial structure, they can create extremely sharp spatial cracks or construct a temporary spatial cage that isolates the inside from the outside.

However, the method is incomplete, and many key operational, protective, and backlash countermeasures have been lost. Forcibly performing it may cause the spatial power to go out of control, tearing the caster apart or banishing him.

However, this incomplete and extremely dangerous method caused an astonishing light to burst forth in Lu Zuo's eyes!

The power of space!

This is a power that transcends the realm of ordinary martial arts! If one could grasp even a sliver of its essence, no matter the cost, it might play a decisive role at crucial moments!

Especially useful for dealing with unpredictable demons like the Blood Rakshasa, or destroying the carefully laid out evil array's core!

"This is it!"

"Return to the palace."