"What is the situation with the Shenye?"
"The master of the Maguang family has been staying in his main residence without showing himself," reported the man with the sword, seated before Zhu Yuanzheng.
This was the guest room of the Yuhuang City, which had been transformed into an office under Zhu Yuanzheng's orders.
"I heard he is seriously injured. Do you think he will accept the medicine I send?" This was a thought spoken aloud.
Zhu Yuanzheng tapped her fingers on the table, lost in contemplation.
She paid no mind to the kneeling warrior, a loyal aide who had served her since childhood, as her thoughts wandered.
She was of royal blood.
Although one could say that the Shenye of the Maguang family was of lowly origin, that was not the case anymore.
"There are rumors that he received the teachings of the lord," she recalled.
The circumstances had changed.
The difference between a few basic techniques and the transmission of profound martial arts was immense.
The value of the Shenye grew day by day.
Recently, there were tales of great achievements in the martial world, particularly in the destruction of the Blood Flame Sect's main base.
Such accomplishments were hard to dismiss, especially considering his age.
"If we are to fully embrace the Maguang family, we cannot cast aside the Shenye. No matter how I think about it, I cannot find a way. Even after days of pondering... Do you feel the same?"
"Yes, my lord," the loyal aide replied.
He was a swordsman whose skills were honed like steel.
His prowess was on par with many skilled practitioners, and he had navigated numerous political struggles alongside Zhu Yuanzheng.
Zhu Yuanzheng swept her fingers across the table and closed her eyes slightly.
"Is the Shenye truly worthy of such consideration?" The royal lineage of the Ming Taizu was said to be unprecedented in the history of the Central Plains.
Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang had over twenty-six sons.
Except for those designated as crown prince and heir apparent, all had concubines.
The royal family had grown endlessly.
At present, the Zhu family, descended from Taizu, numbered in the thousands.
Those who held titles such as prince, princess, or duke were rare.
This meant it was difficult to rule as a local overlord.
There were simply too many royals.
Most lived in various estates near Beijing.
Zhu Yuanzheng's father was among them, holding only a nominal title.
Zhu Yuanzheng was noble yet insignificant.
She could not become a princess or a ruler since she was neither the daughter of a prince nor a duke.
Thus, she had come to Yuhuang City, marrying into the Maguang family, which was considered a lowly branch.
Thanks to her son's excellent qualities, she had been able to gain the favor of the previous leader of the Divine Sword Sect.
This was due to the incapacity of her direct descendant, the Maguang family.
She had also served the Shenye with utmost dedication.
"I told the Shenye that I can no longer hide my origins from other factions. With the succession rights in turmoil, it is better this way. Wasn't it to reveal this crisis and overcome it?"
"Indeed."
"However, this is a temporary measure. The Shenye possesses both legitimacy and martial prowess. He will torment us until the end of his days. Even if it is unintentional, that will be the case."
Sometimes, speaking out loud helps to organize one's thoughts.
This was not a place to seek the aide's opinion.
She could not become a warlord without a title.
Realizing her situation in childhood, she had longed for only one thing: proof of her identity and worth.
She sought a way to be reborn as a true royal.
She wanted to grasp one of the imperial swords aimed at the martial world.
The armory was Yuhuang City, and the imperial sword was the Maguang family.
She said, "I heard that the head of the Nangong family has proposed a life-and-death duel. I was told it would be in the form of a martial arts competition. Do you think the Shenye can break through the competition of his own nature and receive a mission?"
"It is hard to gauge his martial prowess. He seems capable of sharing twenty exchanges, but I heard that his previous momentum was not at its peak."
"I feel the same. Even injured, he is still formidable. Truly difficult to assess."
"Using assassins is..."
"You will soon realize how absurd your opinion is. To secretly assassinate the direct disciple of the lord... That is something only the narrow-minded warriors of the martial world would think of. Rather than leaving the Divine Sword of the Ming Dynasty as a future threat, it would be better for me to remain content in my own way."
She chuckled lightly.
"I can neither kill him nor cast him aside. There is no other way."
"..."
"Consider the Shenye's worth. How much effort should I invest?"
It was decided.
She would rather become a guardian.
It would be better to embrace him and control his actions.
Making him an enemy would be the method of a fool.
The lord of Yuhuang City had taken an interest in the Shenye.
It would suffice to provide support to the point of losing consciousness.
The task was clear.
"Let us measure his worth."
How much wealth and manpower would it take to place him in her grasp?
She issued a command to her aide and lay down on her bed.
The office was also her bedroom.
As the future mistress of the Maguang family, she already had many responsibilities both internally and externally.
"I must visit personally when the day breaks."
However, she could not sleep.
She heard a strange sound.
The ambitious branch of the royal family was calling her name for the first time in her life.
"Yuanzheng─!"
It was a tremendous sound, both in size and meaning.
Zhu Yuanzheng hesitated for a moment.
Was there another Yuanzheng nearby?
"Yuanzheng! Yuanzheng─!" The cry did not ring out just once or twice.
It spread widely as if to awaken the entire night of the main residence.
Despite the frivolous voice, it seemed to possess a very deep inner strength.
"What kind of madman is this..."
A vulgar word slipped from her refined lips.
She donned a single cloak and stepped outside.
Although there was talk of royal authority, she was already a true powerhouse of the martial world.
Her martial arts were the same as those of the royal family.
She had trained diligently since childhood.
She had even heard from her father-in-law that she was quite formidable.
"Who is this fool?"
"How can there be such a reckless person in the main residence...!"
"Maguang Yi? Is it really Maguang Yi?"
As she stepped outside, the scene was already chaotic.
There was a commotion as dozens of low-ranking warriors tangled together, trying to capture a white-clad figure.
Yet they were still unable to subdue him.
"Such audacity..."
"Isn't it time to step in?"
"Wait. There are eyes watching."
"That is true. Even if the elders help the lady, it is still inappropriate. Mixing with the young ones and tarnishing the family name? Especially not in the main residence. Do not act rashly."
The elders, divided into factions, did not move.
Neither did the guardians of the Maguang family and Zhu Yuanzheng.
The scuffle continued.
It was not that the warriors of the Maguang family were incompetent.
The swift movements of the man flaunting the hero's mark on his forehead were the issue.
His agility had already surpassed that of the white-clad figure.
It was as if he had mastered the techniques of the assassins, moving silently and fluidly.
"Shenye?" Zhu Yuanzheng murmured.
A boy, fallen to one side, caught her eye.
The man and woman standing with him were familiar.
The blue-clad swordsman Qingming and the white-clad swordswoman Baimeili.
They were the vanguard of Maguang Yi.
They were renowned masters, counted among the main forces of the Divine Sword Sect.
Zhu Yuanzheng's delicate brows furrowed.
"Where is Yuanzheng?"
The loud cry drew people in.
Yuhuang City was a cluster of various halls.
This meant there were many people present.
The commotion at night was bound to attract attention.
"Are they trying to make this public?" Zhu Yuanzheng sensed a hint of their intentions.
It seemed they were determined to escalate the situation.
The Shenye and the Maguang family.
If one were to dig deeper into the matter, the latter would face resentment.
It would be difficult to cleverly mislead with falsehoods.
The reason was that the noble families capable of discerning the truth were scattered throughout the main residence.
The situation was clear.
"We must subdue this."
She called for herself.
The justification was also clear.
Thud! Zhu Yuanzheng stomped her foot on the ground.
The energy gathered at the Yongquan point of her foot exploded forth.
The footwork of the royal family's Golden Immortal Eight Methods closed the distance significantly.
With a thunderous sound, dust rose in a long line.
In an instant, she arrived at the battlefield.
The white-clad youth, who had been executing smooth techniques, smiled.
Being tall, he was quite a sight to behold.
Zhu Yuanzheng did not take her eyes off him and whispered, "Come out."
The warriors of the Maguang family moved in perfect unison, their movements precise.
It was the discipline that shone in group battles.
Zhu Yuanzheng immediately gathered her energy into her right arm.
It was the long technique of the Golden Immortal Eight Methods.
The blood vessels of the Yangming Large Intestine, which ran directly from her shoulder to her index finger, ignited with energy.
In an instant, she was filled with power.
Boom! A storm-like energy gathered in her outstretched palm.
It was a martial art that utilized the entire body's meridians.
Despite the immense vitality it generated, it was also extremely refined.
The white-clad figure who had insulted the royal family was about to be struck down with a single blow.
At that moment, a flash! Her vision was filled with a blue garment.
Her eyes widened.
A calm-eyed youth had blocked her path.
"Shenye?"
She had missed the approach.
It was no one's fault.
The technique resembling that of a noble family was incredibly subtle.
The distance was too close.
If she struck the Shenye here, it would ruin everything.
She desperately tried to retract her energy.
In an instant, she withdrew a considerable amount of power.
If the rumors were true, the Shenye would be able to withstand it.
"It is done."
She could not completely withdraw her strength.
A small amount of energy remained.
To raise her intent while completely retracting her energy? That would be a level capable of contending with the black-clad figures of Yuhuang City.
Her control of energy had not yet reached the level of the Three Flowers Gathering at the Apex.
Boom! Thus, the sound was loud.
Her palm struck the Shenye's solar plexus.
The cool sensation of the blue-clad warrior from Yuhuang City pierced her heart.
In that moment, Zhu Yuanzheng's eyes widened even more.
The royal family's Golden Immortal Eight Methods were said to refine the entire body's meridians.
They specialized in longevity and ambush prevention.
In the moment of impact, it provided a sharp sense that allowed one to fully perceive the opponent's energy and blood.
The precise techniques stemmed from heightened senses.
That was why she felt it.
The Shenye Zheng Yanshin's energy surged from his solar plexus.
It was in the lower dantian.
The energy he operated within pressed gently against the edge of the lung's Feng'an point, allowing blood to flow without damaging the organs.
It was incredibly fast yet remarkably delicate.
A genius like no other.
He had completely mastered the vessel of nothingness.
However, Zhu Yuanzheng could not admire him.
The moment she withdrew her hand, she felt the blood rising through the Shenye's energy.
This meant he was about to spit blood.
Cough.
With Zheng Yanshin's cough, blood sprayed everywhere.
He soon staggered and fell.
Anyone could see that it was Zhu Yuanzheng who had overexerted herself.
Her brows furrowed.
"This reckless one..."
"Please withdraw your hand."
The white-clad swordswoman Baimeili stepped forward.
She was enveloped in a dark, oppressive aura.
Her presence was chilling.
It was difficult for anyone to gauge the origins of her energy.
The manifestation of energy was a rare study.
Immediately, all eyes were drawn to her.
"Magical energy?"
"No. The energy is pure."
"Do you not know the One Line Sword Sect?"
They were onlookers.
Before long, they had gathered in front of the halls of the Maguang family.
All were martial artists of Yuhuang City.
Those who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion numbered in the dozens.
There were even masters who drew more attention than Baimeili.
Before the black energy could fully spread, the blue-clad Qingming drew his sword.
A one-eyed nobleman in a hood wielded his sword, and a murky wind surged.
Without even unleashing a sword strike, an energy wave arose.
It was a fierce sword wind.
He parted his lips.
"Step back."
He was a swordsman who could be spoken of in the same breath as those who would discuss the world.
He had fully intertwined the clan's abilities with the royal family's martial arts.
As a master of the Maguang family, his reputation was said to be second only to that of Maguang Yi.
"You two, are you in your right minds? Think of the consequences. That 'Zhu Yuanzheng of the Maguang family' will not remain silent."
The nearby Hen Yuanchang admonished the two seniors.
His words and expression were different.
The unique aura of a practitioner of the killing sword shimmered.
The energy he emitted was like that of a malevolent spirit, truly not resembling a human.
Anyone would see him as a warrior seeking revenge for his comrade.
"The morals of the martial world have fallen to the ground!"
Hen Yuanchang, who had subtly nudged the seniors aside, stepped forward.
His voice was loud.
It was as if he had channeled his energy into his vocal cords rather than his sword.
His voice, like a lion's roar, clawed at the air.
"To treat the Shenye of the Maguang family, who has made a name for himself through his mission, in such a manner? These reckless people know no shame! Are you not ashamed before your parents in heaven? Yuhuang family! If anyone dares to discuss righteousness alongside the great Yuhuang family, step forward!"
When he mentioned his parents, the energy he wielded was astonishing.
He exuded a powerful aura throughout his body.
Zhu Yuanzheng glanced down and took a step back.
"The Shenye? Maguang Yi?"
"I heard he has already been injured."
The onlookers gradually approached, shaking their heads.
The sight of the Shenye, hunched over with his head bowed, was not a pretty one.
The bravery of the boy master, who had taken a hit for his comrade, was commendable.
"Parents in heaven?" Zhu Yuanzheng coldly retorted.
"Are not royals those who look down upon the common people from the celestial palace?"
Hen Yuanchang, responding with a sly retort, quickly knelt beside Zheng Yanshin.
For a few breaths, he seemed to examine the wound on his solar plexus, then he began to support his upper body and lament loudly.
"Oh dear, oh dear!"
It was a shocking sight.
Zhu Yuanzheng lowered her hand.
It felt as if she were watching a grand Beijing opera.
This was something she had not anticipated.