Starting with The Eagle Shooting Heroes: I gain a year's worth of skill every day.

The candlelight flickered.

Two shadows were cast on the wall, one sitting and one standing, twisted and elongated.

Li Linfu stared at Shen Mo for three breaths.

Ignore the blood-stained clothes, ignore that excessively young face, and focus only on the eyes.

Those eyes were as calm as still water.

There was no anger, no greed, no post-killing euphoria.

Only indifference.

Looking into his eyes is like looking at an object.

Li Linfu's heart sank.

He held power in the Tang Dynasty for more than a decade and had seen countless assassins, death squads, and fugitives.

Those people all have desires in their eyes.

But the person in front of me didn't.

"What brings you, Taoist priest, to break into my residence at night and kill all my guards?"

Li Linfu spoke slowly, his voice surprisingly calm.

He even poured Shen Mo a cup of tea and pushed it towards him.

"If it's about the Yang family, that's a misunderstanding. I was merely following His Majesty's orders to investigate the truth; I had no malicious intent."

He tried to bring the matter back to the rules of the court.

As long as he stays within the rules, he has countless ways to maneuver.

Shen Mo didn't touch the cup of tea.

"Were those two people you sent to Xinghua Ward also involved in a misunderstanding?"

Li Linfu paused for a moment while holding the teacup.

He didn't expect the other party to be so direct.

"It was an oversight on the part of the true nature of things."

Li Linfu readily admitted it, his face showing just the right amount of apology.

"I only wished to invite you, Daoist, for a chat. My men acted rashly and disturbed your meditation. I will give you an explanation for this."

He abruptly changed the subject and threw out a bargaining chip.

"With such cultivation, why should you live in the mountains? If you are willing, I can petition His Majesty to grant you the title of 'Guardian of the Nation' and allow you to reside in the Purple Palace and enjoy the worship of all people."

He paused, his voice becoming even more sincere.

"Money, beauty, and power are all within easy reach. The Taoist priest has achieved so much at such a young age. If he receives the support of the imperial court, he can expect to ascend to immortality one day."

These words were spoken with great sincerity.

In his view, no one in the world could resist such a temptation.

Isn't the purpose of cultivating Taoism to transcend the mundane world and enjoy reverence?

What he is offering now is the pinnacle of worldly success.

Shen Mo smiled.

That smile carried a hint of pity.

"The True Man Who Protects the Nation?"

He repeated it softly, then shook his head.

"Li Linfu, you'll never understand until you die."

Li Linfu's pupils suddenly contracted.

"I'm not here to negotiate."

Shen Mo's voice was eerily calm.

"I'm here to kill you."

Why?

Li Linfu blurted it out.

Just because of two spies testing the waters? That doesn't make sense!

"Because you deserve to die."

Shen Mo extended a finger and pointed it at Li Linfu's heart.

"You served as prime minister for over a decade, framing loyal officials and forming cliques for personal gain. No fewer than a hundred loyal ministers and their families were exiled or executed because of your slander."

"Zhang Jiuling was falsely accused of embezzlement by you for speaking frankly and remonstrating with the emperor. He was exiled to Lingnan and died of malaria."

"Wei Jian was meritorious for digging the canal, but you falsely accused him of treason, and his entire family of over a hundred people was executed."

"Yan Tingzhi was upright and incorruptible, but you framed him and he died suddenly during his exile. His remains have not been returned."

With each word Shen Mo spoke, Li Linfu's face paled a little more.

"You have embezzled public funds and exploited the people. The land under your rule is littered with corpses of the starving. The pillar in your mansion alone is enough to sustain an ordinary family for ten years."

"You colluded with border generals to embezzle military pay, resulting in over a thousand soldiers in Longyou freezing and starving to death during last year's autumn defense."

"You secretly raised assassins to eliminate dissidents. In the past ten years, no fewer than three hundred court officials and martial arts figures have died at your hands."

Li Linfu's face was completely bloodless.

He did indeed do those things.

But all of these were done within the rules of the imperial court, using bloodless methods.

How could this Taoist priest know so much?

"Who exactly are you?"

Li Linfu's voice finally trembled.

He felt that he was not facing a person, but the will of Heaven, a mirror that could reflect all evil.

Who I am is not important.

Shen Mo withdrew his finger.

"The important thing is that you will die today."

Damn!

Knowing he was doomed to die today, Li Linfu gritted his teeth, a final madness flashing in his eyes.

He grabbed a jade seal from the table and slammed it hard against a hidden protrusion on the corner of the table!

This is his last trump card.

The study's floor, walls, and ceiling were all inlaid with fine iron springs brought from the Western Regions.

Once triggered, a barrage of arrows will be unleashed!

Even a grandmaster would be riddled with arrows!

however--

His hand froze in mid-air.

A hand had somehow covered the back of his hand.

That hand was warm and smooth like jade, yet it carried an irresistible force, making it impossible for him to press down even slightly.

"I said that."

A silent voice rang in his ears.

"Too slow."

Li Linfu looked up in shock.

Shen Mo had instantly teleported from three steps away to in front of him.

"Demon...demon magic..."

These were the last two words he left behind.

With his other hand, Shen Mo gently touched the center of his forehead with his index and middle fingers together.

A gentle yet incomparable surge of innate true energy pierced through his finger, instantly destroying Li Linfu's brain and all his life force.

The fear, resentment, and bitterness in Li Linfu's eyes froze instantly.

He remained seated, and his body temperature was maintained.

But the breath of life has completely vanished.

A powerful minister met his end.

[Slay the monstrous villain: Li Linfu]

[Gained Good/Evil Points: 150000]

Current Good/Evil Points: 204600

Shen Mo looked at the numbers that appeared in his mind, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

150,000 points.

This trip was worthwhile.

He released his grip, and Li Linfu's body remained in a dignified sitting position.

Shen Mo turned around, his gaze falling on the jade seal held in Li Linfu's hand.

"Seal of the Right Chancellor".

He picked up the imperial seal and casually slipped it into his sleeve.

Then I walked to the bookshelf and started browsing.

A man like Li Linfu must have a backup plan.

really.

He found a hidden compartment in a copy of "Han Feizi".

Inside was a black ledger, recording all of Li Linfu's crimes over the years.

Embezzled silver, corrupt officials, hired assassins, and loyal ministers framed...

Every single incident is shocking.

Shen Mo put the account book into his pocket.

This thing will be very useful in the future.

He walked to the wall, pointed his finger like a sword, and used his innate true energy to carve a line of large characters on the wall:

"If Heaven's justice is not upheld, I will take its place."

"The killer is silent."

After doing all this, he vanished from the spot in a flash.

All that remained were the corpses of the entire mansion, the still-warm body of a powerful minister, and the shocking, murderous characters on the wall.

……

Half an hour later.

Daming Palace, Zichen Hall.

"What did you say?!"

Emperor Li Longji of Tang suddenly stood up from the dragon throne, his face drained of all color.

He stared intently at the trembling Imperial Guard commander kneeling below.

"Back...back to Your Majesty..."

The commander of the Imperial Guards' voice was choked with sobs.

"The Right Chancellor's residence...the entire family was slaughtered...Right Chancellor Li Linfu...is dead!"

The hall was deathly silent.

Everyone held their breath.

Right Chancellor Li Linfu held immense power in the court for over a decade and was His Majesty's most trusted minister.

He... died?

"Where is the body?"

Gao Lishi, standing to the side, also changed his tone.

"The body...the body is still sitting in the study, with no wounds on its body."

The commander trembled as he pulled a piece of paper with a rubbing from his pocket.

"Only this remains on the wall at the scene..."

Gao Lishi quickly took it, unfolded it, and gasped in shock.

He presented the paper to Li Longji.

Li Longji's gaze fell on the two lines of text on the paper.

"If Heaven's justice is not upheld, I will take its place."

"The killer is silent."

boom!

Li Longji felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

My whole body was ice cold.

This is not an assassination.

This is a trial!

That Taoist priest not only killed the prime minister, but also left his own name behind!

What utter arrogance!

How utterly lawless!

"Silence..."

Li Longji gripped the paper tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.

His chest heaved violently.

He sat back on the dragon throne, the shock in his eyes slowly fading.

Instead, there was endless chill and fury.

But he quickly calmed down.

He was able to kill Li Linfu silently and escape unscathed from the siege of the entire mansion's guards...

This silent man's martial arts skills have exceeded his expectations.

"Issue my decree."

Li Longji's voice was deep.

"Seal off the four gates of Chang'an, and order the Dragon Martial Army, Shence Army, and Imperial Guards to impose martial law throughout the city."

"Tell Chen Xuanli to dig three feet into the ground and find this sorcerer named Shen Mo for me."

He paused, then added.

"Furthermore, issue an imperial edict to the Imperial Palace Attendants, instructing them to make preparations."

"besides……"

A cold glint flashed in Li Longji's eyes.

"Go and invite the leader of the Bad Guys."

"I want to see just how capable this Shen Mo really is!"