The Emperor Reigns Them All

Chapter 260 Single-handed

It was very usual for the emperor to summon eunuchs, and what was more, Yang Fuguang was the Privy Councilor and one of the four high-ranking eunuchs. When he entered the Imperial Palace, he felt nothing wrong. It was not until the little eunuch, who led the way, brought him to the place of the Lieutenant of the Regal Guards that he realized something was wrong. It was impossible for Li Yan to be interested in supervising Tian Lingzi’s work.

Following behind the little eunuch quietly, Yang Fuguang soon thought of a possibility. “Did Tian Lingzi pass the fake decree of His Majesty?”

As soon as this thought came up in his mind, Yang Fuguang’s expression changed. How dare Tian Lingzi pass the fake imperial decree in the Imperial Palace to summon him, the important minister, in Chang’an! How dare he! Wasn’t he afraid that Li Yan would punish him after knowing it?

Yang Fuguang soon thought that Tian Lingzi wasn’t a reckless and impulsive person, so he must have something to rely on for doing so.

Then the answer was obvious. Either Tian Lingzi didn’t fear Li Yan’s blame, or he thought that the news wouldn’t leak out. If it was the former, then Li Yan was likely to have been controlled by Tian Lingzi; if it was the latter, then Yang Fuguang would die today.

As he thought about it, Yang Fuguang’s heart suddenly beat faster. He knew that what had to happen had happened.

“As soon as Prince An left, the situation in Chang’an changed. Those people, who feared Prince An’s power before, have no scruples now. All sorts of evil-doers appear.”

Yang Fuguang sighed secretly and felt a little sad. Obviously, the officials and the vassal states feared Prince An more than Li Yan... No, they didn’t fear Li Yan at all. At least, they didn’t fear him from the bottom of their hearts.

Even though Li Yan was the emperor, and he had the nominal power to decide their life or death, honor or disgrace.

Yang Fuguang didn’t flee, and he didn’t intend to flee at all. Since he had already entered the Imperial Palace, Yang Fuguang had no chance to flee. If he rashly carried out his cultivation and went on a rampage on the Imperial Palace, whether he could escape or not, Tian Lingzi would surely accuse him of assassination, then Tian Lingzi could kill him with the right titles and proper words.

Entering a palace, Yang Fuguang saw Tian Lingzi. Tian Lingzi was receiving guests, and he was led straight into the hall. When seeing Tian Lingzi’s two guests in the hall, Yang Fuguang’s eyelids twitched. He knew the two people. They were two of Li Keyong’s “eight adopted sons”.

Yang Fuguang remembered the one who was composed. His name was Li Siyuan.

“Why would Li Keyong’s men appear in the Imperial Court?” Yang Fuguang had a heavy heart.

“Privy Councilor, it’s not easy for me to meet you.” Tian Lingzi didn’t stand up but looked at Yang Fuguang playfully, like looking at the ants crawling in his hands.

After bowing, Yang Fuguang shook his head and sighed. “Lieutenant, you can see whoever you want to see. I’m not worth your attention.”

Tian Lingzi said lightly, “I think you know why I’m meeting you today.”

What he said meant that he admitted that he passed the fake imperial decree. But he seemed to be sure to win. Apparently, he didn’t care to admit it and didn’t think it improper.

There would be no problem to say anything to a dying man.

Yang Fuguang still shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Tian Lingzi sneered. “Originally, I thought that you were a wise man since you made so many achievements, but I didn’t expect that you would play dumb at present. I don’t want to accuse you of jobbery or corruption or something like that. I just want to ask whether you want to stay alive as the Privy Councilor or become a sinner of the imperial court after death.”

Yang Fuguang stared at Tian Lingzi. “Lieutenant, why don’t you make yourself clear?”

Tian Lingzi’s gaze became colder. “Okay, let me get this straight. If you are willing to give up Prince An and follow me from now on, I will let you leave alive, or you will die now!”

He had no scruple at all to make it so clear because he had confidence.

Yang Fuguang slowly stood up straight. He looked directly at Tian Lingzi, and his gaze gradually became sharp. Finally, he said firmly, “I, Yang Fuguang, was born to be the minister of the Tang Empire, and I will be the ghost of the Tang Empire after death. What do you think you are? You don’t deserve my following!”

Tian Lingzi didn’t expect that Yang Fuguang would dare to say such words, so he couldn’t help but get angry and pound on the wooden armrest. “Yang Fuguang, you court death!”

Yang Fuguang was also furious. He stared at Tian Lingzi and rebuked him angrily, “Tian Lingzi! You’re the minister of the Tang Empire, but you violated the laws, passed the fake imperial decree, and wanted to murder the minister of the imperial court. Do you still know what the imperial laws are? Do you know death?!”

After Tian Lingzi was rebuked by Yang Fuguang, he was slightly stunned. He probably didn’t expect that Yang Fuguang would be so “crazy”.

“Good! You really have guts. After you follow Prince An, you become very bold! Do you think I don’t dare to kill you after you follow Prince An?!” Tian Lingzi stood up angrily. His cultivation power burst out immediately. His clothes were fluttering, and his hair was flying up. He seemed to be very angry. At present, he had Level 9 Qi-refining cultivation, so Yang Fuguang was unable to rival him.

Tian Lingzi slowly raised his hand. The Spiritual Qi accumulated crazily in the center of his palm, and it soon turned into reality, forming a ball of Qi visible to the naked eye. His eyes turned red, and he stared at Yang Fuguang who stood in the hall uprightly. “Chang’an is under the Regal Guards’ control and my control! I have to kill you today. We’ll see who else can save you!”

As he moved, dozens of masters at high-level Qi-refining rushed out in the courtyard, blocking all the positions where Yang Fuguang could escape.

“Go to hell! Remember not to be Li Ye’s running dog next life!” Tian Lingzi punched out. His face was full of joy because of getting rid of his threat and eyesore. The round ball of Spiritual Qi, which was as big as a wax gourd, suddenly shot toward Yang Fuguang with the speed of thunder.

All the tables and chairs in the hall were shattered and scattered. Even the beam was creaking and trembling, as if it would collapse in the next second. Only Li Siyuan and the other master sent by Li Keyong could still stand in the place and didn’t move.

If Yang Fuguang, who was at Level 8 of Qi-refining, was hit by this full-strength strike of Level 9 Qi-refining, he would either die or be seriously injured. But at this moment, Yang Fuguang could no longer be able to dodge and had no way to go.

As the round ball of Spiritual Qi arrived before Yang Fuguang, and his clothes and hair were blown backward by the wild wind of Spiritual Qi, a breeze suddenly blew from behind Yang Fuguang. The round ball of Spiritual Qi had so great momentum that it was enough to make the person at Level 8 of Qi-refining to lose his combat power. But now, it was broken and disappeared quietly after the breeze brushed, like a bubble.

Just now, the wind was raging, the tables and chairs were flying everywhere, and the beam was creaking and trembling in the hall. Instantly, it restored calm, as if nothing had happened. Just in a blink of an eye, it turned from extremely noisy into extremely quiet.

Tian Lingzi was greatly frightened because he knew how powerful his strike was. A cultivator at Level 9 Qi-refining couldn’t solve his strike. Even if he could, it wouldn’t be so easy. His shoulder trembled at the thought of a possibility.

Before Tian Lingzi could think more, a person appeared in front of him. To be exact, that person appeared beside Yang Fuguang. That was a white-robed cultivator who was carrying a sword on his back. His gaze was as sharp as a knife, and his temperament was fierce, as if he could split the mountain in front of him with his sword. He had no hidden cultivation fluctuation, so his cultivation was in the Spiritual Master Realm.

“Nan... Nangong Diyi?!”

When seeing the other side, Tian Lingzi couldn’t help but step back two steps. He felt so shocked and surprised that his eyeballs seemed to fall. “You... Didn’t you go to Pinglu with Li Ye? Haven’t you already arrived at Qing Prefecture? What are you doing here?!”

Not only did Tian Lingzi feel very shocked, but Li Siyuan and the others who were at Level 9 of Qi-refining were also afraid, and all of them were on the alert. They heard of Nangong Diyi’s legend a long time ago. Before he could reach the Spiritual Master Realm, he could deal with 800 cavalrymen with three swords, so no one didn’t fear him. Moreover, he now had already reached the Spiritual Master Realm.

Nangong Diyi snorted and proudly raised his chin. “Li Ye has expected what you are going to do. Do you really think that Chang’an is under the Regal Guards’ control after the Pinglu Army has returned to Qing Prefecture? Tian Lingzi, did you wake up? You’re a fool. I have traveled a day and a night to come here from Pinglu. Except for letting me get tired, you’re useless.”

Gnashing his teeth, Tian Lingzi stared at Nangong Diyi, with strong hatred in his eyes. “Nangong Diyi, do you really think you can kill me? Since I dare to plan this conspiracy, I have preparation! Even though you are in the Spiritual Master Realm and you come back in time, you can do nothing to me!”

“You probably forgot that when Liu Xingshen was killed, there were cultivators, who were in the Spiritual Master Realm, in the Regal Guards. Now, do you really think you can turn things around single-handed? You’re the one who is dreaming, not me! Nangong Diyi, you are so naive!”

As soon as Tian Lingzi finished speaking, Nangong Diyi felt a powerful breath suddenly fell into the courtyard. That was a black-robed old man, with mountain-like momentum and great pressure. He was the cultivator in the Spiritual Master Realm of the Regal Guards, who was defeated by Li Xian that day.

“Well, Nangong Diyi, you now know Li Ye dispatching you to the Imperial Palace was sending you to death?” Tian Lingzi felt relieved and stood up straight again, restoring his superior and confident attitude, as he saw the old man in the courtyard.

Nangong Diyi didn’t speak but looked at Tian Lingzi like looking at a fool.

When Tian Lingzi saw Nangong Diyi’s eyes, he was furious. But before he lost his temper, he suddenly had a bad feeling.

At this moment, with a loud crash, the whole palace shook. In the courtyard, dust rose up into the sky, and countless dirt and gravel flew up. Originally, the masters of the Regal Guards were standing in the courtyard, but now, some of them were forced to retreat, and some were directly shaken away.

Tian Lingzi was stunned.

When the dust dissipated, he could no longer saw the master of the Regal Guards who was in the Spiritual Master Realm.

Of course, he was out of sight because a big hole with 10 meters in diameter and an unknown depth appeared in the courtyard. A man in pure cyan robes with long gray hair was standing beside the hole with his hands clasped behind his back.

He didn’t move or speak, but everyone felt a sense of desolation, as if the leaves were gradually falling off all the trees.

The man in the center of the sense of autumn was like a yellow leaf floating in the air, as if he did not exist. But no one could ignore him because, in everyone’s perception, that was a deep whirlpool, but the perception couldn’t touch it at all.