Starting with being handed over to the Imperial Concubine, building a family with a thousand-year hi

She stood in the doorway, her gaze fixed on the limp corpse on the floor, and asked in confusion, "Who is this person?"

"The leader of the Divine Judgment Organization, Su Qingshan," Su Mu replied, withdrawing his acquired essence fire.

"What?!" Xiao Anran was utterly astonished. She never expected Su Qingshan to break into the palace, let alone that Su Mu would personally kill him. However, Xiao Anran was not at all surprised that Su Mu could kill a grandmaster like Su Qingshan—Su Mu's strength had long exceeded the comprehension of ordinary people.

"He came to me to plot a rebellion. His plan is to first destroy the Xiao imperial family, then seek peace with the barbarians and Japanese outside the city, exchanging the territory of the Great Qian for the Su family's imperial throne." Su Mu took out a few Spirit Essence Pills and beckoned to Jinzi on the bed. Jinzi immediately flapped its wings and flew up, landing on Su Mu's shoulder and pecking at the Spirit Essence Pills.

"I see!" Xiao Anran instantly understood the cause and effect. Without asking any further questions, she knew that Su Mu must have rejected Su Qingshan's proposal.

However, she had to admit that Su Qingshan's plan was actually very feasible. If Su Mu really agreed to cooperate, the Xiao royal family would be powerless to resist. According to common sense, Su Mu would likely agree—after all, the two were father and son, and Su Mu could gain greater benefits by following Su Qingshan.

Previously, powerful members of the Xiao royal family, including Emperor Xiao Anxun, had worried that Su Mu, while outwardly supporting the royal family, was secretly colluding with the Divine Judgment Organization, merely waiting for the right opportunity to strike. Now that Su Mu has personally killed Su Qingshan, the leader of the Divine Judgment Organization, it would be utterly foolish for the Xiao royal family to still harbor doubts about him.

Su Mu then shattered Su Qingshan's remaining primordial spirit and pierced through his inner world with the longsword before starting to collect his belongings. Su Qingshan didn't possess any particularly high-level treasures, but a silver spear caught the attention of both Su Mu and Xiao Anran.

This silver spear was a high-grade Xuan-level magical weapon, not particularly rare, but it looked strangely familiar to the two of them.

"This looks like Situ Jing's spear!" Xiao Anran exclaimed in surprise. "How did it end up on Su Qingshan?"

"On the day of the sacrificial festival, after Situ Jing was wounded and escaped from the capital, he must have been ambushed by Su Qingshan," Su Mu speculated. "Back when the Xiao royal family destroyed the Xichuan royal family, Situ Jing had helped them. Su Qingshan must have regarded him as a thorn in his side. This time, ambushing him can be considered as settling a grudge."

"It's good that he's dead!" Xiao Anran nodded, relieved. This night brought two pieces of good news: Situ Jing was dead, and the Xiao royal family lost a powerful enemy at the Grandmaster level; Su Qingshan was killed, and the Divine Judgment Organization would be leaderless for a short time, greatly reducing its threat.

However, with hundreds of thousands of enemy troops still lurking outside the city, Xiao Anran couldn't truly relax. She didn't linger and quickly left the library, intending to immediately report these two pieces of good news to her emperor brother. Before leaving, with Su Mu's permission, she also took Su Qingshan's body with her to prove the truth of the matter to Xiao Anxun.

Inside the Qianming Hall, when Xiao Anxun saw Su Qingshan's corpse, he felt a mixture of shock, joy, and doubt.

"Is this really Su Qingshan?"

"Absolutely true!" Xiao Anran said with certainty. "Eunuch Su has no reason to lie. Moreover, I personally saw this person's primordial spirit and primordial essence, which is enough to prove that he is a Grandmaster. I also saw Situ Jing's silver spear on him, so it seems that Situ Jing has already been killed by him."

"Excellent! Excellent!" Xiao Anxun clapped his hands excitedly. "Our Xiao royal family was right about Eunuch Su! His ability to personally kill Su Qingshan is enough to prove his loyalty to our Xiao family!"

"Yes, it's fortunate that we chose to believe Eunuch Su and stood on his side." Xiao Anran was also very grateful. "Judging from Eunuch Su's calm appearance, I guess he doesn't take the enemy troops outside the city seriously at all."

"We must not be too optimistic!" Xiao Anxun waved his hand, his expression regaining its composure. "The enemy's morale is high, and they have many strong warriors. Although Eunuch Su is indeed powerful, he has not yet reached the Grandmaster realm and is not absolutely invincible. We cannot underestimate these two formidable enemy forces just because we have Eunuch Su's support."

"Yes, I understand." Xiao Anran nodded, suppressing the joy in her heart.

Nothing unexpected happened for the rest of the night. Just as dawn broke, a loud bugle call sounded outside the city, followed by the tolling of bells within—the enemy army had finally begun their attack!

Su Mu walked out of the library, carrying Jinzi, who had just been woken up and was still dazed, on his shoulder. He leaped into the air and gazed into the distance. Xiao Anran and Xiao Anxun also flew over the palace, their eyes fixed on the enemy's movements outside the city.

The brother and sister were the core of the Xiao royal family and could not afford any mishaps, so they could not go to the city walls to participate in the battle. Other royal family members who were capable of fighting, led by Xiao Changshan, climbed the city walls, ready to fight bravely. Li Lianqing also led the experts from the Martial Arts Bureau, leaving the palace early to guard the city walls.

Su Mu pondered for a moment, then flew to Xiao Anxun's side and said, "Your Majesty, please go to the northern city wall."

"Eunuch Su, it's not that I'm afraid of death, but if something happens to me, the entire Xiao royal family..." Xiao Anxun looked troubled, hesitating to speak.

"Your Majesty need not worry." Su Mu took out the top-grade Xuan-level silver puppet and dressed it in the clothes of an ordinary eunuch. "With this puppet by Your Majesty's side, Your Majesty's safety will be guaranteed."

"Should I change my clothes to conceal my identity?" Xiao Anxun asked.

"No need," Su Mu shook his head. "Changing it would be inappropriate."

"I understand!" Xiao Anxun instantly grasped Su Mu's intention, and without further hesitation, he leaped towards the north city wall, with the silver puppet following closely behind, never leaving his side.

Xiao Anxun knew perfectly well that Su Mu intended to use him, the emperor, as bait. Since he was bait, he couldn't hide his identity; he had to make sure the enemy could clearly see and recognize him in order to lure them out.

Xiao Anxun quickly flew to the north wall of the imperial city. At this time, the enemy troops outside the city were already fully equipped and lined up, with legions slowly advancing on foot towards the city wall. The siege had begun, but no enemy troops had yet reached the city walls.

Between heaven and earth, killing intent permeated the air, and the solemn and heavy atmosphere was suffocating. Even martial arts experts who had achieved success in their cultivation could not help but feel oppressed and their expressions were solemn.

"Why has Your Majesty come in person?" Xiao Changshan rushed over to Xiao Anxun upon seeing him, his expression anxious. "Your Majesty is of noble birth; you should return to the palace immediately. It's too dangerous here!"

"It's alright." Xiao Anxun waved his hand, his tone firm. "I am, after all, a mid-stage Grandmaster. My personal involvement will increase the soldiers' chances of victory."

"But if His Majesty stays here, we will have to fight bravely against the enemy and also be distracted by protecting His Majesty's safety. We simply cannot give it our all!" Xiao Changshan said urgently.

"The situation is perilous. As the Emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty, I must naturally live and die with you all and fight side by side!" Xiao Anxun first said a few words in a loud voice, then secretly transmitted his voice to Xiao Changshan, "Don't worry, it was Eunuch Su who sent me."