Half an hour earlier, Su You and Shen Jingshi leaped down one after another from the high floors of Yipin Residence, landing lightly like willow catkins in the wind, disappearing into a narrow alley with their robes rustling.

Shen Jingshi quickly ducked into a connecting small path, pointing his chin toward Su You: “Don’t take the main road – it’s definitely surrounded by human experts. We’ll go this way – closer, faster, and fewer people know about it.”

Su You glanced at him, sidestepping past while asking in a low voice: “Not hiding anything at all – you’ve already prepared to become Human Emperor?”

“I can do anything.” Shen Jingshi shrugged indifferently, instead carefully observing him, then smiled: “Never mind me – what about you, Young Master of the Sui family? Haven’t you also prepared to enter the demon capital to pave the way for Yedu’s Highness?”

Su You paused, didn’t say anything refuting, only gazed at the imperial capital close at hand and asked: “Are you familiar with the terrain inside the imperial palace?”

“Very familiar – held maps and studied them from childhood till I grew up, later got sick just looking at them.”

With no demon capital family members or Sacred Land successors present, Shen Jingshi and Su You, two people who knew each other’s backgrounds and had both been on judgment platforms, spoke much more directly.

While flying toward the imperial palace, Shen Jingshi said: “When the two Human Emperor bloodlines were established, our lineage’s ancestors were among the most powerful in ancient times, so they were unwilling to abolish their cultivation to become Human Emperor. The Qiu family seized the opportunity to ascend to the imperial throne.”

“Things should have ended there, but later the Fusang Tree manifested an avatar and personally visited our ancestors’ home. What was said isn’t clear, but from then on, our family remained connected to the Human Emperor lineage. Though we didn’t need to learn court balance techniques like the Human Emperor or review memorials, things like palace maps and nation-protecting formations that imperial descendants knew would also be sent to us.”

“Therefore, those families that have served the Qiu family for ten thousand years still address us as Young Master when they see us – everyone remains fairly courteous.”

“This has never changed from ancient times to now.”

“But since Qiu Tong’s enthronement, he’s been breaking and challenging this unwritten rule both openly and secretly. First, the documents sent annually disappeared without a trace. Seeing this behavior wasn’t stopped by Sacred Lands or the Fusang Tree, he became more brazen.”

“Our lineage has only me as direct heir. Usually lazy and idle with nothing to do, I haven’t shown any outstanding abilities or talents. Instead, I’m better at playing with cats and dogs, annoying people. So life wasn’t difficult at first, but – you know Song Heng, right? Given Yedu Highness’s and your perceptive abilities, you should already know his identity. Since I won’t hide it, he’s from another branch, separated from our lineage. Opposite to me, he’s had a gentlemanly bearing since childhood, praised as an elegant young master. How could Qiu Tong tolerate him?”

“He was put on the judgment platform for assassinating a court prince, but the real reason was that prince, despite his advanced age, took a fancy to his mother’s beauty.”

“Song Heng’s father died early – his mother raised him single-handedly. Facing such circumstances, his mother couldn’t bear the humiliation and took her own life to preserve her chastity. After such an incident, even the calmest person would go mad.”

“It was just so coincidental – the guards protecting Prince Jun at the time were only a dozen or so worthless ones, while the guards hidden in shadows all rushed out just after Song Heng killed Prince Jun.” Shen Jingshi sighed deeply: “Not daring to cross the final line, Qiu Tong didn’t dare kill him directly but handed him to Sacred Lands for disposal. Whether he could survive or not, his cultivation would be abolished and his reputation ruined – he’d never pose any threat again.”

“Qiu Tong is truly terrifying. If this scheming ability could be used for people’s welfare, he’d become a wise ruler.”

Since learning about Song Heng, various matters always involved him somehow, intentionally or not, like a lingering ghost.

Su You looked at Shen Jingshi: “What about you? Why were you put on the judgment platform?”

“Also framed.” Shen Jingshi could still laugh: “Compared to Song Heng, my childhood wasn’t good-unloved by father and mother, with no lofty aspirations or pursuits. To use an old saying, I was just going through the motions, living incredibly boring days.”

“In this generation, the Qiu family lacks heirs. Qiu Tong’s poor health made him fear losing the throne. Not satisfied with just eliminating Song Heng, he soon turned his attention to me, though not as seriously. I was traveling in Lingnan at the time, where people were building a dam with great effort. Curious, I went to look. Guess what happened?”

Shen Jingshi gestured as if telling a joke: “Boom – mountains collapsed, earth split, dust filled the sky. That perfectly good dam collapsed right in front of me, immediately crushing many people to death. This massive project that cost money and manpower was destroyed because of me. Anyway, I was quickly arrested.”

“The local magistrate tortured me considerably. Those three or four days, I lived miserably, grimacing in pain, thinking my father would sort things out and at least get me out to have a chance to speak. Then he came.”

“Separated by prison bars, he stood outside while I knelt inside. He didn’t ask me a single question, just looked at me with eyes full of extreme hatred and rage. Finally, he flicked his sleeves and said to consider this life as having no such rebellious son, then left.”

“I thought at the time – how truly meaningless.”

By now, they had squeezed into a narrow tunnel. Shen Jingshi had barely taken a step forward when Su You grabbed and yanked him back, retreating three or four steps together.

The latter restrained his aura, probing in all directions, saying coldly: “There are people on the east, south, and west sides.”

“That leaves north.” Shen Jingshi quickly reacted: “Go north – no one’s there.”

“North has a formation.” Su You’s expression was grave, his voice tense: “The imperial palace’s nation-protecting great formation.”

This massive formation had existed for ten thousand years, each generation more solid than the last, with frightening power. With it guarding the Human Emperor’s sleeping quarters to the north, even without guards, it was impregnable – not even a mosquito could fly in.

Shen Jingshi now understood, too. He looked at Su You meaningfully with admiring eyes, clicking his tongue in amazement: “Knowing this, you still planned to storm the imperial palace alone. For one word from Yedu’s Highness, you’re willing to risk everything?”

“But thinking about it, you’ve always been able to endure.” Shen Jingshi looked at him with wonder, gesturing: “Charging in like this – if the Human Emperor’s plan is real and you arrive in time to stop it, everyone’s happy. If the Human Emperor’s plan is false, at least you get hurt.”

“But don’t worry, today’s different. Since I came with you, we’ll pass through the imperial palace formation smoothly without anyone noticing.” Shen Jingshi chuckled, rubbing his hands eagerly: “Consider it revenge for the Human Emperor’s schemes back then.”

“The nation-protecting great formations of imperial palaces, Sacred Lands, and even the demon capital were originally designed by the Fusang Tree itself. Once activated, they only recognize their purest bloodlines. Later reinforcements and modifications were all built upon this basic foundation. I don’t know about Sacred Lands, but the imperial palace’s nation-protecting formation doesn’t only recognize the Qiu family as masters.”

After speaking, Shen Jingshi used his finger as a blade, cutting his other wrist. Blood meandered in a line, dripping down his pale skin. When they touched the nation-protecting formation’s fierce assault, it transformed into a silent wave of energy ripples.

The two passed through unobstructed.

While covering his wound, Shen Jingshi said, “Qiu Tong is naturally suspicious. He wouldn’t entrust his most important sleeping quarters to human experts’ protection – he’d rather trust a dead object. To him, this is eternally reliable support that will never betray.”

“To the main hall.” He led the way forward.

But Su You paused, looking toward the side hall, speaking calmly and certainly: “Life-substitution techniques focus on both sides. The main hall has Qiu Tong lying there – even if no one guards outside now, there’s someone inside. Relatively speaking, the other person in the side hall has fewer people around, easier to act against.”

The two exchanged glances, quickly changed appearances, wiping their faces to become hurried palace maids coming and going, successfully infiltrating.

A bloody smell hit them head-on.

The sight-blocking screen stood properly, isolating all investigating gazes. Outside was silent as death, but inside came the broken, semi-conscious, confused moans of a half-grown child.

When they entered, a stern-faced female official happened to come in, saying quietly to the old nurse guarding by the bed: “This is the last bowl. Have the physician continue drawing.”

The old nurse waved her sleeve. The physician nodded, his movements steady and precise.

The entire scene was heartless and cruel. Shen Jingshi’s eyes widened in shock. Before he could speak, he saw Su You produce a self-igniting incense stick from his sleeve. The extremely rich floral fragrance spread instantly. Soon, the female official and nurses who sensed something amiss were about to look back when Shen Jingshi knocked them down with a whip.

All cries stuck in their throats.

Su You quickly circled the screen, and the scene on the bed appeared before his eyes without obstruction.

He saw a disheveled half-grown boy of about ten or so in plain clothes lying on the bed. His extended wrist was still continuously having blood drawn by medicinal催促, his face livid, lips pale, entire body trembling finely. Moments ago, he could still make dying struggle sounds, but now couldn’t even lift his hands, clearly breathing more in than out.

Su You leaned against the bed, his face showing no expression, his eyes revealing indifferent coldness.

At this moment, the technique drawing Qiu Ren’s blood still hadn’t stopped, as if someone on the other side was simultaneously manipulating it, doing their utmost to pressure and extract vitality and life force from this young body.

Shen Jingshi, who had silently knocked out everyone in the hall, ran over to look. His gaze fixed on the thin layer of golden light flowing over Qiu Ren’s wrist, pursing his lips heavily, eyes flashing: “Truly conscienceless – Qiu Tong really used this method to extend his own life.”

“Looks like you guessed right.” He swept his eyes around the environment, pointing at that water-like barrier to explain: “This is the Imperial Seal’s mark – can’t be used except for major events. Previous Qiu family emperors probably never had to use it, so by Qiu Tong’s time, enough spiritual power had accumulated for one activation. With this protection, few can act to destroy this process.”

“I can’t do anything either – the Imperial Seal has been used by the Qiu family for tens of thousands of years, already their private property.”

“What do we do? Contact outside people to force the palace?” Shen Jingshi said, taking out a spirit talisman.

“Too late.” Su You said, extending his hand under Shen Jingshi’s shocked gaze to grasp half of Qiu Ren’s wrist extending over the bed edge, throwing it heavily onto the brocade quilt as if roughly severing some connected rope across space. After a crisp “crack,” Qiu Ren’s arm finally stopped bleeding.

“Hey, hey, your hand, your hand!” Shen Jingshi cried out, his gaze almost freezing on Su You’s left hand.

The originally cold-white skin was rotting from outside to inside, an invisible force angrily entangling it, like writhing ghost shadows feeding recklessly.

Golden light and demonic power fought in a stalemate. During this process, three of the sword cultivator’s clean, slender fingers exposed stark white bone, hanging prominently and conspicuously.

“It’s nothing.” Su You was brief, blood color rapidly draining from his face. Yet he casually glanced at that bowl of bright red blood plasma, using his intact index finger to pluck at a broken string in mid-air, sneering: “The ritual is unilaterally severed, but just in case, let’s add something for Qiu Tong.”

“Being your enemy is truly somewhat terrifying.” Shen Jingshi clicked his teeth: “Do you feel nothing? Aren’t you afraid of pain?”

After speaking, Shen Jingshi dropped a blood-败坏 pill into the bowl.

Then they walked to the main hall disguised as nurses, delivering that bowl of bright red blood. Before long, a “poof” sound came from inside, followed by rustling figures and chaos.

Amid a chorus of exclamations, Su You and Shen Jingshi slowly withdrew from the hall.

“Let’s go.” After stepping out of the main hall, Su You’s robes swayed: “Can’t stay here long – within a quarter hour, human experts will gather here.”

The two retraced their path through the nation-protecting formation.

The life-extension ritual failed. Qiu Tong continuously vomited filth and dirty blood until there was nothing left to vomit, then began flowing clear liquid and bitter bile from his mouth corners as nurses wiped with handkerchiefs again and again.

At this moment, the man lying crooked on pillows with eyes tightly closed, face ashen, so thin as to be inhuman, no longer showed half the imperial dignity of commanding the realm from court.

Several respected human predecessors also wiped cold sweat from their heads. The leader, after giving Qiu Tong medicine and using acupuncture stimulation, threw a handkerchief soaked in ice water into a copper basin. Looking dejected, his lips trembled as he spoke: “With Prince Zhao’s blood as support and timely control of the blood-败坏 pill’s effects, His Majesty’s body can hold on for two more hours.”

“Next, I’ll apply needles to wake His Majesty.”

Though unstated, his meaning was obvious.

The cavalry general who had rushed over in full armor gripped his sword: “I’ll marshal troops to capture those who deliberately harmed His Majesty—”

Bai Su interrupted: “General Xue! I’ve already had the human predecessors investigate those people. Whether they investigate or not, the outcome is set. What’s most urgent now is His Majesty.”

Hearing this, several generals in the hall bit their teeth unwillingly, waiting in the dim inner hall for the emperor’s awakening.

When Qiu Tong awoke, it was already evening. Lamps were lit in the hall. His eyeballs moved several times, and everywhere his gaze passed showed decay and withering.

Everyone hung their heads, not daring to meet his eyes. Their figures were rigid and mournful, everything about them spelling out an absurd result that needed no asking.

Failed.

His throat choked with difficulty and hoarseness.

“How much longer?” He managed to ask a complete question. No one in the hall answered.

No one dared answer.

“Bai Su.” Qiu Tong turned his head toward the bedside, quietly watching that hunched figure, taking a deep breath: “How much longer do we have?”

“Your Majesty.” Bai Su fell to his knees with a thud, forced by that sharp, cutting gaze to speak with difficulty: “Still-still two hours.”

Qiu Tong suddenly threw back his head, then closed his eyes.

In the end, fighting heaven and fate, being cautious, calculating everything – he still reached the point of having no recourse.

“Your Majesty, Sacred Lands made the move. This servant has ordered an investigation…”

Qiu Tong coldly interrupted: “We know. This was originally a gamble. We lost.”

“The outcome is set. Now isn’t the time to worry about these things.”

In death’s shadow, he became completely calm instead. A pair of steady eyes swept across the faces of dozens of people before him, not even leaving himself time for anger, fury, hysterical venting, or facing death’s terror.

“Bai Su, bring the box where we store secret letters.” In his final moments, even his speaking tone grew heavier.

Bai Su responded twice, retrieving a small ebony box from a wall cabinet’s hidden compartment, kneeling to present it before Qiu Tong.

Qiu Tong clicked open the small lock with a snap, took out three secret letters, tore open the seals, shook out the papers, and scanned line by line. His lips, stained dark purple like some fruit juice, moved as he spoke word by word: “We ascended at twenty-two, twenty-three years have passed since. In these twenty-three years, we devoted our life’s energy to strengthening the human race, never daring forget the ancient Human Emperors’ glory of unifying the realm, commanding the world with one word, making humans the leaders of all things.”

“Unfortunately, heaven gave Us too little time.”

Too little.

Even a healthy body was grudgingly granted.

Qiu Tong held the first secret letter, phoenix eyes lowered, looking at the flowing characters on paper, his tone carrying a trace of cold indifference: “Originally, if the life-substitution technique succeeded, We could have used decades, even a century more to develop people’s livelihoods, store grain, widely establish human academies and sects, commanding Sacred Lands and demon capital to live in seclusion. After a thousand years, humans could attack both territories, making all submit.”

“Then humans wouldn’t need to rely on any lofty ancient immortals, much less fear demons who commit endless evil.”

But this was destined to remain a beautiful dream.

He had barely taken one step before sinking forever into reality’s mire, unable to move.

“This path – We reached its end, but humanity hasn’t.” Qiu Tong beckoned to the cavalry general, then solemnly handed him the letter, coughing as he spoke: “In these twenty-plus years, We planned humanity’s future.”

“Three provinces and five cities far from the imperial capital are rife with demons. Even when a new emperor ascends, they can’t be investigated immediately. We spent over ten years using national resources to build enormous tunnels, simultaneously dividing Dragon’s Breath into eight parts, entrusting them to these eight cities’ mayors. They are utterly loyal, firm in their beliefs, willing to sacrifice for Us and the people. After we die, within a year or two, they’ll use Dragon’s Breath and ancient spiritual weapons from the national treasury to successively summon nearly eighty percent of the world’s demons.”

Speaking thus, he handed the second secret letter to a white-haired elder who had appeared at some point, continuing without changing tone: “Previously, we activated the court’s foundation to make a wish to the sacred object belonging solely to humans.”

“We wish that someday, when the time is right, it will slaughter all demons in the world.”

At this moment, everyone in the hall held their breath, listening to this daring ruler speak of his final wishes.

As Qiu Tong spoke, his breathing grew rapid. He gripped the elder’s hand tightly, speaking word by word: “Listen carefully – this matter brooks no delay. After we die, Sacred Lands will certainly take the lead, joining with the demon capital to establish a new ruler. The candidate will be either Song Heng or Shen Jingshi – both have deep connections with Sacred Lands. If so, immediately fan the flames, releasing statements firmly opposing this.”

“When the candidate selection is most deadlocked, announce that Prince Zhao’s consort is pregnant. If they refuse this proposal, claiming the child isn’t born yet and will be too young to rule in the future, you can retreat one step – propose selecting a regent from the other branch once designated by the Fusang Tree to assist the young emperor. This follows popular will – they can’t interfere too much in court affairs and will ultimately agree.”

“When this child grows up, as long as he has some intelligence, he’ll naturally know how to continue down this path.”

Speaking to the end, this imperious emperor lowered his proud head for the first time in his life, his tone involuntarily revealing trembling, choked emotion: “This child is the Qiu family’s last bloodline and final hope. We entrust him to all you ministers.”

Hearing these words, the great hall silently filled with kneeling figures.

Qiu Tong felt his rapidly fading mental vitality, unable to support himself as he lay on raised soft pillows, wearily closing his eyes. After a long while, he waved at his ministers: “All ministers withdraw.”

The hall revealed an indescribable deathly silence, plus dense medicinal vapors.

Qiu Tong lowered his head, speaking in weak, unclear tones to Bai Su, who bent close to his ear to listen: “…Twenty-three years ago, when we first ascended, we could have used Yedu’s demons and ghosts to eliminate half the court ministers. Xue Yu intervened and stopped it. Twenty-one years ago, Suzhou’s Worldly Lamp brought out ghost infants – originally, there was hope to awaken a trace of consciousness in Dragon’s Breath, but that also failed.”

He carefully recalled: “The following three years, we clipped our wings, not daring to act rashly. Twenty years ago, regarding Luozhou’s Feitian Diagram matter, Xuanji’s last-minute betrayal shattered Dragon’s Breath, completely crushing our dream of immortal cultivation.”

“…Ten years ago, hoping to use Jiu Feng’s life essence to restore Dragon’s Breath, she saw through it and turned the tables on Us. Our imperial throne nearly fell.”

“Ten days ago.” His chest heaved heavily, breathing rapid: “Ten days ago, We spread news of critical illness, wanting to lure her here – first to let her witness Our death so she wouldn’t suspect Qiu Ren’s body afterward, second to use Xue Rong’s name to release false information, making her turn against Xue Rong’s old faction, causing Yedu internal strife with no time to worry about throne succession. The result was severing our lifeline, seeking our death.”

Bai Su’s throat seemed stuffed with cotton, unable to make a sound.

Having arranged everything, Qiu Tong’s obsession with longevity ultimately left only faint regret. Before facts, even unwillingness seemed small and powerless.

Speaking of Xue Yu, he sighed and drew out his tone: “This world has countless gentle, understanding women, but those as ice-smart and coldly decisive as Xue Yu are rare.”

“Being repeatedly defeated by her was a coincidence and fate’s design, but she truly was a worthy opponent.”

Qiu Tong’s head gradually grew too heavy to control, finally sliding unbearably onto Bai Su’s shoulder, his voice low and slow: “We give her one final message.”

“Hasn’t she always wanted to know what deal we made with Xue Rong?”

“Tell her – We gave two-tenths of the national treasury’s wealth to help Xue Rong maintain private troops. Xue Rong gave us demons and ghosts from the execution platform, three Jade Azure Pills, and—”

“A Yedu ruler’s great seal bearing Xue Lu’s name.”