366: An old emperor possessed by a demon?

Lu Xuan listened to the Old Emperor's "praise" with a respectful exterior, but deep inside, he was experiencing a storm of shock.

In the original owner's memories, this Old Emperor, "Lu Kaijing," was an iron-blooded monarch known by the title "Emperor Zhenwu."

In his youth, his Martial Dao Realm reached the pinnacle of the mortal world; he once single-handedly fought through the allied forces of the fifteen northern tribes, seizing the throne through pure military merit and prestige.

Everyone in the imperial court knew that the late Emperor had originally intended for the Third Prince to succeed him.

It was this man, who was too fierce and domineering, who carved out a bloody path through sheer martial might.

Facing this Fourth Prince, Lu Kaijing, whose achievements overshadowed his master and whose pressure dominated the court, even the late Emperor had to bow to reality.

When rumors first spread that the late Emperor intended for the Third Prince to succeed to the throne, the imperial court was thrown into turmoil.

Twelve veteran ministers from three reigns, led by the Duke of Wei, knelt at the palace gates overnight, while the Minister of War and the Commander of the Imperial City's troops directly deployed the Imperial Guard to seal the nine gates.

Judging by the situation, the late Emperor's edict for designating an heir probably wouldn't even have made it out of the Qianyuan Palace before being intercepted by the court officials.

This was because the Fourth Prince Lu Kaijing's prestige had long since surpassed the bounds of imperial power.

He was not only a prince of the Wenjing Dynasty but also the living War God of this Empire.

The major tribes of the northern border trembled at the mention of his name, and the three kingdoms of the Western Regions submitted at the sight of his banner.

When he returned triumphantly from the border, the common people knelt along the road for three hundred miles to welcome him; the scene was more spectacular than any imperial sacrifice to Heaven in history.

In the end, the late Emperor could only tremble as he wrote the edict naming the Fourth Prince, Lu Kaijing, as the Crown Prince.

It is said that on that night, the lights in the Third Prince's mansion burned until dawn.

Meanwhile, in the military camp belonging only to the Fourth Prince Lu Kaijing, the soldiers drank until the east turned white.

The fact that a prince's prestige could force a monarch to change his heir was unheard of throughout the dynasties.

But now, this once formidable Emperor Zhenwu was babbling about the Legacy like an ordinary old man; how could Lu Xuan not be suspicious?

'Strange...' Lu Xuan pondered to himself.

According to the original owner's memories, this Emperor Zhenwu had indeed suffered many hidden injuries while campaigning across the land in his youth.

But with the Martial Dao Realm he possessed back then, living to be over two hundred would have been no problem at all.

Now that he was barely over fifty, how could he have declined to this extent?

Even more suspicious was this!

How could an iron-blooded monarch who had once faced mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and who was so attached to power, suddenly become so... amiable, just like an ordinary old man from the marketplace?

Emperor Zhenwu was still there, rambling on about "Crown Prince," "Legacy," and "imperial throne."

Lu Xuan didn't believe a single word of it.

He knew too well what kind of hegemon who had carved his way out of a sea of blood was like!

—These people would never easily give up the power they held in their hands.

If they were truly at the end of their rope, their first reaction would definitely be to exhaust all their strength.

They would seek those ethereal Spirit Pills, Immortals, and Immortal arts... to ensure their own longevity.

Instead of acting like this... asking him to inherit the position of the Supreme ruler!

"This son will respectfully follow Father Emperor's teachings." Lu Xuan remained composed, merely responding with respectful words.

"Sigh."

Emperor Zhenwu let out a long sigh, the sigh seemingly filled with endless exhaustion and vicissitudes.

His withered fingers flicked lightly in the air, and his tone shifted abruptly:

"My son."

This call carried a strange sense of intimacy, yet it made a chill run down Lu Xuan's back.

He saw the Old Emperor slowly lift his turbid eyes, his gaze sweeping over him as if it had substance.

"The Dragon Saliva Incense bestowed upon you a few days ago was tainted by those filthy things, so it must have lost its effect."

Just as Lu Xuan was about to speak, Emperor Zhenwu waved his hand lightly.

"Someone, come here."

Emperor Zhenwu's voice suddenly raised a notch: "Bestow the Crown Prince with Dragon Saliva Incense to protect his body and ward off evil!"

As soon as the words fell, an old eunuch dressed in a scarlet python robe trotted forward.

He was hunched over, his hands holding a gilded brocade box high.

The box was only the size of a palm, yet it was carved with complex Dragon patterns, flashing with blinding golden light in the sun.

"This son thanks Father Emperor for his grace!"

Lu Xuan responded loudly without hesitation, respectfully receiving the gilded brocade box with both hands.

Emperor Zhenwu nodded with satisfaction, a strange smile appearing on his withered face: "My son, as the Crown Prince of the Wenjing Dynasty, my... good Crown Prince..."

When he said the words "good Crown Prince," his tone suddenly became exceptionally gentle, yet it made Lu Xuan feel a chill to the bone.

Those turbid eyes stared fixedly at Lu Xuan, with dark currents seemingly surging in the depths of his pupils.

"Now... it is time for you to share some of the burden for this Empire..."

These words were filled with deep meaning, each syllable sounding like the result of careful deliberation.

Lu Xuan lowered his eyes, alarm bells ringing in his heart.

On the surface, this was delegating heavy responsibilities, but in reality, it hid a deeper scheme.

What exactly did the Old Emperor want him to "share"?

Was it the power of the imperial court... or... something else even more terrifying?

When Lu Xuan looked up again, he saw his Father Emperor watching him with that hair-raising gaze.

"Qianfu Town in Jinming Prefecture of the Southern Territory!"

Emperor Zhenwu suddenly raised his voice, his turbid eyes flashing with an strange light.

"Yesterday, the Governor of Jinming Prefecture sent an emergency report via eight-hundred-mile express!"

"Half a month ago, Qianfu Town was massacred by a mysterious force."

"All three thousand seven hundred and twenty-five people in the town have gone missing, with not a single corpse left..."

This hoarse voice made Emperor Zhenwu's face look exceptionally hideous.

He slowly raised his palm, which was covered in bulging veins, and opened and clenched his five fingers.

"Even the birds and beasts were not spared... The entire town... is empty."

"I... feel it is very suspicious." Emperor Zhenwu's Aura suddenly became cold and biting.

"Therefore, I must find the mastermind behind this and... grind their bones to dust! To comfort the thousands of souls in Qianfu Town!"

When he said the last few words, the bright yellow Dragon robe on Emperor Zhenwu moved without wind.

"But such a major matter..."

Emperor Zhenwu suddenly lowered his voice in a strange manner, "I... cannot trust anyone else."

As he spoke, he pressed his withered, claw-like hand heavily onto Lu Xuan's shoulder.

"Only my Crown Prince... my own flesh and blood..."

Emperor Zhenwu's breathing suddenly became rapid, and the breath he exhaled carried a faint smell of decay, "can make me... rest assured..."

"This Dragon Saliva Incense is for you to protect yourself, my son!"

Emperor Zhenwu stared fixedly at Lu Xuan, his withered fingers tightening suddenly, the force shockingly strong.

Lu Xuan was about to ask for details about Qianfu Town, but he saw a strange light flash in the Old Emperor's eyes.

"My son, human lives are at stake; investigating the truth of Qianfu Town allows for no delay."

Emperor Zhenwu's voice suddenly became cold and biting, "You shall depart for Jinming Prefecture in the Southern Territory immediately."

As soon as he finished speaking, he clapped his hands three times, giving Lu Xuan absolutely no room to refuse.

"Someone, come!"

Emperor Zhenwu's voice was clearly as light as a mosquito's hum, yet it stirred up strange echoes across the vast square.

"Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—!!!"

Three black shadows appeared like ghosts from hundreds of meters away, instantly kneeling before Emperor Zhenwu.

They were dressed in black scale armor made of dark iron and covered their faces with special dark iron masks, revealing only pairs of cold, inhuman eyes.

The Imperial Guard of the Wenjing Dynasty...

Memories of the original owner instantly surfaced in Lu Xuan's mind, and he frowned slightly.

These death soldiers, raised in secret from childhood, were said to be monsters transformed by special drugs and secret techniques.

They had no human emotions and were born only to protect the Emperor; they were true killing machines.

Even more terrifying was that every Imperial Guard possessed strength comparable to a Martial Dao Grandmaster, and they feared no pain, fighting to the death.

It was said that the power of all the Imperial Guards of the Wenjing Dynasty gathered together could easily kill any Martial Dao Grandmaster.

"Lu Yi, Lu Er, Lu San."

Emperor Zhenwu's hoarse voice carried a hair-raising intimacy, "From today on, you will guard the Crown Prince."

The three Imperial Guards kowtowed simultaneously, their iron armor clashing with a crisp "clanking" sound.

When they looked up, three cold gazes locked onto Lu Xuan in unison.

That look was not like they were looking at a living person, but rather like they were inspecting an... object that needed protection.

A cold light flashed in Lu Xuan's eyes, and alarm bells rang in his heart.

He was not the naive Crown Prince of the original owner; this series of arrangements was filled with hair-raising calculations at every turn.

Bestowing incense, sending the Imperial Guard, urgent investigations...

Every step was like a meticulously woven spider web, just waiting for him, the moth, to fly into the trap.

However, the cruelest part was yet to come—

"Pass the edict."

Emperor Zhenwu issued the order without warning: "Summon Minister Peng to the palace immediately for an audience!"

Lu Xuan's mouth twitched slightly.

This move of removing the firewood from under the cauldron was practically writing his conspiracy on his face!

Who in the entire Wenjing Dynasty didn't know that Peng Lie was the Crown Prince's greatest backing?

When fighting for the position of Crown Prince years ago, it was this father-in-law, whose martial arts were divine, who fully supported the original owner, preventing other forces from acting rashly.

"Heh..." Lu Xuan sneered in his heart.

Emperor Zhenwu's move could be described as extremely vicious—on the surface, he sent the Imperial Guard to "protect" him, but in secret, he was calling away his greatest reliance.

This was no longer a hint; it was a blatant declaration: I am going to act against you!

Urgent footsteps came from afar; the eunuch delivering the edict must have already rushed off.

Lu Xuan didn't need to think to know that there must be more Imperial Guards lying in ambush outside the palace gates, just waiting for Peng Lie to step into this carefully laid trap.

Emperor Zhenwu hunched his body, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

Before long, Emperor Zhenwu hunched his body and, supported by a group of red-clad eunuchs, left "tremblingly."

Before leaving, he didn't forget to "concernedly" instruct: "Travel safely, my son..."

That hypocritical and pretentious manner made Lu Xuan's brow tighten.

He seriously suspected that this Old Emperor had either gone insane or was possessed by a demon.

The area outside the square fell into a deathly silence, leaving only the three Imperial Guards standing like statues.

The pupils beneath their dark iron masks emitted a faint green light in the shadows, like lurking vipers.

"Your Highness, please depart immediately."

The Imperial Guard in the middle spoke suddenly; it seemed respectful, but in reality, there was no reverence at all.

The positions of the three seemed casual, but in reality, they sealed off all escape routes.

Lu Yi blocked the hall door, Lu Er blocked the side corridor, and Lu San clung to Lu Xuan's back like a ghost.

An incense stick of time later!

"Clop, clop, clop—"

The sound of rhythmic horse hooves came from outside the palace gate.

Eight snow-white, blood-sweating horses neighed with their heads held high, pulling the gilded carriage that appeared once again.

Only this time, three hundred black-armored cavalrymen followed behind the carriage.

These cavalrymen all wore iron masks, and what hung at their waists were not ordinary sabers, but a type of curved horse-chopping saber specially made in the palace.

—The back of the blade even had barbs, flashing with a terrifying cold light in the sun.

"Rumble!!!"

Wherever the convoy passed, the passing common people in the imperial city retreated three steps!

The fierce, murderous Aura emitted by those black-armored cavalrymen actually condensed into a tangible blood mist in the air.

Lu Xuan sat in the carriage with an expressionless face.

And behind the carriage, those three Imperial Guards formed a triangle formation, surrounding the carriage Lu Xuan sat in.

Those three pairs of ruthless eyes remained fixed on the carriage, like jailers guarding a prisoner...

Qianfu Town, Southern Territory, Qingming Prefecture.

The noon sun was scorching the official road outside the city walls like a raging fire.

On the hot stone road, distorted heat waves steamed upward.

Wei Yuanlang, the Governor of Jinming Prefecture, had been waiting for a long time in front of the reception pavilion outside the city gate, leading dozens of prefecture officials.

These officials, who were usually pampered, had their official robes already soaked with sweat, sticking to their backs.

Their faces were sunburned red, and beads of sweat as large as beans rolled down their foreheads, but no one dared to wipe them, let alone complain.

After all, the person they were waiting for was an imperial envoy sent by His Majesty himself.

"Lord Wei..."

The voice of the sixty-year-old Prefecture Judge, Lord Liu, trembled, and his legs had already started to shake.

"The imperial envoy's carrier pigeon arrived several hours ago; logically, he should have..."

Wei Yuanlang's brows were tightly locked, his eyes narrowed as he looked toward the end of the official road.

As a governor, he knew the seriousness of this incident better than anyone.

With over three thousand lives in Qianfu Town, if not handled properly, his career as governor would be over.

"Silence!"

Wei Yuanlang scolded in a low voice, "Is the itinerary of the imperial envoy something we can speculate about?"

Just then, a cloud of dust suddenly rose in the distance.

The guard on the watchtower shouted loudly: "It's here! The imperial envoy's carriage has arrived!"

All the officials were shocked and hurriedly tidied their clothes.

Wei Yuanlang immediately took a deep breath, suppressing the unease in his heart.

However, how could they know?

What was driving toward them at this moment was the ceremonial procession of the Crown Prince himself.

"Hmm?"

Wei Yuanlang suddenly shivered, his vision as a Martial Dao Grandmaster allowing him to see the carriage five hundred meters away first.

Those eight snow-white, blood-sweating horses, the five-clawed Dragon pattern embroidered on the dark purple carriage curtains!!!

This was clearly...

"This, this is!!!"

The legs of Wei Yuanlang, a dignified Martial Dao Grandmaster, suddenly went weak uncontrollably.

He only felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet to his crown, his back instantly soaked with cold sweat.

His lips trembled, and it was only with all his strength that he managed to shout: "It... it is His Highness the Crown Prince!"

This shout was like a thunderclap, leaving all the officials present dumbfounded.

Wei Yuanlang had already knelt heavily on the ground with a "thump," his forehead pressed tightly against the hot stone slab: "All of you, kneel for this official! Quickly!"

The officials who hadn't reacted yet finally came to their senses and immediately knelt in a large group.

Wei Yuanlang's temples were throbbing.

The tragedy in Qianfu Town had actually alarmed His Highness the Crown Prince... This thought made him almost suffocate.