Prologue, Phoenix Pavilion

Even those guards who had resigned themselves to death turned pale upon seeing this person! In order to capture Her Majesty the Empress, the Xiahou clan actually dispatched a Grand Master of the Heavenly Stage! Such individuals are among the few unparalleled experts in the world; how could they possibly be stopped?

Lu Xin looked at this scene with a blank expression, his face illuminated and shadowed by the firelight, while the hands hidden in his sleeves could not help but tremble slightly

Du Mao was devastated and stumbled down the mountain, only to learn of an even greater calamity—Xiahou Bubai had indeed kept his word and executed the entire Du family!

"Mom," the delicate voice of the little girl interrupted the couple's conversation, "I need to go to the bathroom..."

"Please, save the Crown Prince..." The Queen's incessant pleas lingered in his ears

"Your Majesty..." Lu Xin exclaimed, his body trembling as he asked, "What has happened?!"

The person she was speaking to was a young man in a blue robe, possessing a reserved demeanor and an air of composure. He was engrossed in a book, reading with great interest on the bumpy mountain path. Upon hearing her words, he sighed and said, "In fact, there is not such a strong wind down the mountain, yet you insist on going up to burn incense."

Lu Xin rushed over upon hearing the commotion and was greatly surprised to see an uninvited guest. Just as he was about to take action to protect the child, he saw the other party, tears streaming down their face, bowing to him and saying: "Du Mao Dai, the late emperor and empress, express their profound gratitude to Mr. Lu for your great kindness and virtue"

After being demoted by the emperor's decree, he felt disheartened for a time, until he suddenly realized that the emperor understood his heartfelt struggles; it was merely that he was unwilling to bow to the aristocracy any longer

Oh..." Xiahou Bubai nodded, his face showing a surge of anger as he said: "The performance of your direct line this time has been too poor, even worse than that of your collateral line.

Lu Xin looked over in confusion and saw a white figure appear on the mountain path in the distance. The white figure moved extremely quickly, even surpassing a galloping steed, as if it had shrunk the distance to mere inches, suddenly arriving close by

In this chamber, the armored cavalry conducted a search of the carriage as ordered, but did not find the items they were looking for

However, before his departure, the valve master had a private conversation with him, informing him that it was, in fact, a form of protection from the Emperor towards him

The man walked along the way, sighing deeply and lamenting, troubled not only by the fate of the emperor and the nation but also saddened by his own current weakness and powerlessness

Despite the biting cold, a small group of individuals appeared on this mountain path. Among them were guards, servants, and a maid, all wearing expressions of distress, as they clustered around a modest-sized cart, moving slowly forward

Damn it! The knight made a decisive decision and shouted, "Engage the enemy!"

Du Mao crawled out from the pile of his fallen comrades, evading the enemy's search. He took refuge in a cave to recuperate from his injuries and, mustering his strength, prepared to search for the Empress and the Crown Prince

After turning the fire scene upside down, Xiahou did not find what he was looking for. He gloomily looked at Lu Xin, who had already straightened up, and asked: "Did you obtain anything from the Empress?"

Xiahou did not panic but instead calmed down, leisurely watching the fire scene and said: "Mount Luofeng, the Empress should be buried here." After speaking, he glanced at Lu Xin and asked: "Are you scared?"

The man himself is a scion of one of the seven great noble families, and he is naturally well aware that when these families join forces, their power far surpasses that of the royal family. Moreover, there is also the seemingly loyal yet actually ambitious Prince Ping... For this reason, he had submitted petitions several times, vehemently opposing the Emperor's reforms, only to be met with a harsh reprimand from the Emperor's edict, receiving severe censure and being exiled from the capital!

I am Lu Xin. When Your Majesty was still at the Mei family, I once attended Your Majesty's poetry gathering with my elder brother. The man named Lu Xin suppressed the tumultuous waves of his heart and instructed the maid to assist the Empress out of the carriage

The Xuanjia cavalry immediately advanced, surrounding the Taoist temple tightly. A subordinate went to investigate the truth, and Xiahou Bubai glanced at Lu Xin and said: "Are you from the Lu family?"

Because that boy is clearly the Crown Prince who grew up under his watch! The Crown Prince who was supposed to be burned to death at the Phoenix Pavilion!

The little boy beside also followed up saying: "I want to urinate too..."

Lu Xin also recognized the renowned twin-sword master Du Mao, and only then did he sheathe his weapon and approach the bed. He embraced the terrified boy, gently patting his back, and once the boy was lulled to sleep, he softly said: "This child was in the carriage at the time, witnessing his mother being burned to death..."

Your Majesty, the Empress wept bitterly, her hair disheveled and flying in the cold wind, lamenting in a sorrowful and helpless tone: "It has already happened..."

The shadow was none other than Xiahou Bubai. As he saw the blade light sweeping towards him like a ribbon, he calmly extended his long fingers and with a mere flick, struck the back of Du Mao's blade. Du Mao's formidable strike, which was unmatched, was unexpectedly interrupted by this effortless gesture.

... ...

Du Mao suddenly coughed up blood and fell into a coma. Fortunately, he was taken in by a kind-hearted farmer and lay there for a month before he could return to the fields. At this point, he calmed down and realized that he could not seek revenge against the powerful Xiahou clan on his own, so he directed his anger towards Lu Xin, who had betrayed the queen

"That thing... is too important." Xiahou Bubai hesitated slightly, but then issued an unequivocal order: "Search carefully, and do not overlook any place!"

The woman couldn't help but chuckle, gently scratching the little boy's nose and saying, "You must learn everything from your sister."

"Then the boy who was burned to death at Phoenix View..." Although Du Mao had already guessed the truth, he still couldn't help but ask: "Who is it?!"

In the view, the not-so-large Sanqing Hall was engulfed in a raging fire. The wind fueled the flames, and in the blink of an eye, the wooden hall was reduced to a sea of fire. Even with the unparalleled divine skills of Xiahou Bubai, he did not dare to rush in and could only sternly order his subordinates to extinguish the fire

Glancing at the numerous corpses of the Imperial Guards scattered on the ground, Xiahou Dun, with a gloomy expression, remarked: "It has dragged on for too long"

Xiahou Bubai glanced around the scene and immediately realized that his strike had not killed Du Mao

Quick, save him! The man hurriedly brought his servants and ran to the overturned carriage, wanting to open the door. However, he was astonished to find that the door was incredibly heavy, made of expensive iron pear wood! Such a large carriage, entirely made of iron pear wood, would be extravagant even for the seven major families!

The soldiers were all too aware of what it meant to turn around and face the enemy at this moment. However, in order to buy some time for the people in the carriage, they all unhesitatingly pulled on the reins and turned around

I have heard that the Phoenix Temple on Mount Luofeng is very effective in terms of incense offerings. The woman, feeling a bit shy, shot a glance at the man and said: "It is still for you; I am asking the Taoist ancestor for blessings, so that you may be transferred back to the capital soon"

The horses they rode were all magnificent steeds, but after running non-stop throughout the night, the warhorses were foaming at the mouth and utterly exhausted

"The monk can run, but the temple cannot. " Xiahou Bubai, while instructing someone to search carefully, sneered and said: "Since I have declared that I will kill his entire family, I must follow through on my word!"

Lu Xin was at a loss for words, with tears of blood streaming down his cheeks.

Lu Xin, I remember now! The Emperor often speaks of you." The Empress stepped out of the carriage, kneeling before Lu Xin with the boy in her arms, pleading in a sorrowful voice: "Please save the Crown Prince! He is the Emperor's only bloodline!"

On the return journey of the Xuanjia cavalry, they could only take the time to cut off the heads of those guards to report their achievements, but to their astonishment, Du Mao was nowhere to be found

Just as he was about to take action, Lu Xin's son was awakened by a nightmare, crying out in heart-wrenching anguish

Ah! Lu Xindeng was frozen in place at that moment. Although he had anticipated that something significant would happen, he did not expect it to come so quickly

In such harsh weather, the common people, regardless of wealth or poverty, are huddled at home for the winter. The mountain roads are eerily silent and deserted, with only the howling of the northwesterly wind sweeping over the rocks, sounding like wails of anger, evoking a sense of despair

Amidst the queen's curses, the roar of the flames, and the cries of the armored cavalry fighting the fire, there is distinctly the sound of a child's wailing

I was trapped in the Phoenix Temple by the subordinates of the official, waiting for the noble family to make a decision! Lu Xin pointed ahead, and his more than ten followers, all armed, vigilantly guarded the small temple.

"The True Record of Emperor Xuanmin"

The woman had blood flowing from her forehead, but the little boy in her arms was unscathed. She looked at the other person with a hint of bewilderment. "You are ... ... "

What surprised him even more was yet to come. When he opened the car door and saw the mother and child inside, he couldn't help but exclaim: "Your Majesty the Queen!"

Du Maoyi swung his sword, cleaving an enemy soldier and his horse in two! Amidst the splatter of blood and entrails, he suddenly felt a sense of foreboding, catching a glimpse of a dark shadow lunging towards him from the air, and without a moment's hesitation, he swung his sword to strike.

At this moment, the leader returned to report: "Commander, it is indeed the mother and her child inside."

Breathing in the cold air, the man's mind became clear, yet his mood remained heavy. His wife always believed that he hurriedly left the capital due to being ostracized by the direct line of the family. However, the truth was different; there was another reason.

... ...

As Xiahou Dun returned, still immersed in the experience of the peak confrontation after driving away Sun Yuanlang, he sighed regretfully upon learning that nothing had been found, saying, "It seems the treasure has truly been burned..." He then ordered for Lu Xin and his group to be released.

Without Du Mao as the stabilizing force, the remaining Imperial Guards completely lost their spirit in the face of Xiahou Bubai's terrifying strength... They did not resist for long before being surrounded and slaughtered by the Xuanjia cavalry

It seemed that Sun Yuanlang had not exerted himself to the fullest; amidst his defense, he still had the leisure to glance around. In the blink of an eye, the situation at the Phoenix Pavilion became clear to him. He understood that there was nothing more to be done, so he decided to fight while retreating, gradually disappearing from the sight of the crowd along with Xiahou Bubai

After Du Maoyang had healed from his injuries, he arrived at Qiantang County. He secretly observed for several days and had already grasped the situation of the Lu family. That night, amidst the heavy wind and rain, Du Mao quietly sneaked into the back courtyard of the county office and opened the door to the east wing.

Then he went mad, disregarding the risk of exposure, he lit the candle and clearly saw the boy's face. The knife in Du Mao's hand clattered to the ground

Your Majesty, I can no longer serve with full loyalty... The man let out a long sigh, preparing to collect his thoughts and quicken his pace. Suddenly, he heard the sound of a carriage rushing from behind and turned to look. He saw a plain-looking two-horse carriage galloping down the mountain path. The driver seemed to be dissatisfied with the speed and was desperately whipping the horses.

... ...

"It is indeed this official, and the Duke of Anguo is my uncle," Lu Xin replied

... ...

Luofeng Mountain has a gentle and continuous terrain, resembling a phoenix with its head facing west and its tail pointing north, which is how it got its name. The mountain path here is not particularly difficult to traverse, and it saves a considerable distance compared to the official roads. On ordinary days, passing merchants and travelers, as long as they are not carrying heavy loads, often take this shortcut.

In the sea of flames, the Empress appeared like a vengeful spirit, her hair disheveled as she pointed at Xiahou Bubai and the approaching Lu Xin, cursing fiercely: "The Xiahou clan has committed regicide and brought disaster to the nation; today, I am your tomorrow! Lu Xin, who sells his master for personal gain, shall meet a terrible end..."

In the blink of an eye, the pursuing soldiers had already arrived at the forefront, yet they were firmly held back by the troops at the valley entrance, unable to advance an inch

The knight at the forefront also wore an extremely grave expression, as he worried that he would not be able to hold off the opponent for long, and that the princess and the crown prince would still be unable to escape danger

The Xiahou clan never relies on others for assistance. Xiahou Bubai coldly snorted and said: "If you cannot catch up to them, then you might as well take your own lives to atone for your failure"

Du Mao drew his twin swords from behind and roared, "Imperial Guards, fight to the death and do not retreat!" He then took the lead to confront the enemy!

"Who are you!" a cavalryman asked coldly. Such low-ranking officials were hardly regarded at all.

On the departing carriage, the curtain was lifted, revealing a pale and beautiful face. She wore a golden and emerald hairpin and a red robe, tightly holding a five or six-year-old boy. The boy's face was filled with fear, and his young heart could not comprehend why his life had plummeted from heaven to hell overnight

In the northern country during the winter month, the north wind is like a knife, the grass and trees wither, and the cold frost covers the mountains, creating a scene of desolation between heaven and earth

The exclamations of his subordinates brought him back to his senses. Lu Xin looked around in confusion and then realized that the entire Mount Luofeng was surrounded, with shadows flickering everywhere at the foot of the mountain

It was the other party who spoke first, their tone even more chilling than the cold wind: "Du Mao, the emperor has already died at the Baoyun Temple. If you do not wish to implicate your entire clan, it is better to dismount and surrender!"

The Taoist named Sun Yuanlang, dressed in a white robe with black edges, had a strikingly handsome face and flowing long beard, exuding an air of celestial grace. Upon hearing this, he burst into hearty laughter: "Xiahou, young one, I shall accompany you for a couple of exchanges!"

Xiahou Bubai completely ignored him and coldly said: "I have a slight understanding of the principles of medicine, just right to check the pulse for the esteemed lady." After saying this, he strode towards the carriage.

Du Maodeng was struck as if by lightning, spitting blood and flying several zhang away, his body crashing violently against the rocks, scattering countless grains of sand and gravel

They piled firewood in the hall and sprinkled it with lamp oil... The leader replied with some difficulty: "I find it hard to make a decision at this moment..." Before the words had left his mouth, thick smoke began to rise in the temple.

Lu Xin's expression turned extremely unpleasant, and he suddenly ran to the side to vomit. He vomited violently, his shoulders shaking like a sieve, tears and snot streaming down his face, which caused the armored cavalry to burst into loud laughter. Although Lu Xin had helped them block the Empress, they showed no restraint in their contempt for this sycophant.

There seems to be something unsightly on Lu Xin's carriage, as he closely follows behind Xiahou Bubai, his face displaying a resolute expression

The man instructed his guard to shout for the other party to stop, but the other party remained indifferent! The carriage showed no signs of slowing down and continued to charge forward! The man's carriage tried desperately to evade, but the road was still insufficient for the other party to pass. One side of the wheel went off the road and crashed heavily into a protruding rock, causing the carriage to overturn immediately! The driver was thrown out and collided headfirst with the rock, leaving little hope for survival

Lu Xin's face was extremely pale as he slowly shook his head and said, "I have not seen anything, and naturally, I have not obtained anything."

The man got out of the car, stamped his two sore feet, and placed the night pot inside the vehicle. As he approached the Phoenix Temple, he walked leisurely, taking his time.

Seeing that Xiahou was unscathed, Lu Xin gritted his teeth and grasped the sharp blade hidden in his sleeve. Although he knew he could not possibly harm a Grandmaster of the Heavenly Stage, in this desperate situation, he could only resort to striking a rock with an egg.

"Xiahou is invincible!" The knight at the forefront, whose name was Du Mao, glared with a cold expression and said with hatred: "You, the Xiahou clan, have greatly benefited from the Emperor's grace, yet you have committed regicide and brought disaster to the country, deserving of a thousand deaths! Today, I shall avenge the Emperor!"

At this time, the army surrounding Mount Luofeng had already withdrawn, and Xiahou Bubai had long since returned to the capital with the Xuanjia cavalry, going unnoticed along the way. When he arrived at Phoenix Temple, he learned from the Taoist priest cleaning the ruins that the Empress and the Crown Prince had already committed self-immolation in the Sanqing Hall

"What are you still dawdling for?" Xiahou Bubai shot him a cold glance

Not far behind, dust was rising, and a group of armored cavalry could be clearly seen, relentlessly pursuing them, seemingly on the verge of catching up!

"Overestimating oneself!" With a cold snort, Xiahou Dun, clad in a golden crown and black cloak, waved his arm, and the armored cavalry surged forward with a thunderous roar towards Du Mao and the others

At the forefront was a knight with striking eyebrows and bright eyes, exceptionally handsome, who, while controlling his horse, turned back with a face full of anxiety.

The guards who were struck all had their chests caved in, spitting out fresh blood, surely facing certain death!

Emperor Qianming abolished the Nine Ranks of Officials system, issued the Equal Land Distribution decree, and sought to re-register the national household census, all of which undermined the foundations of the aristocratic families. How could those individuals not oppose him? The Emperor had only been on the throne for two years, and his foundation was still too unstable; such haste was a path to chaos

Halt! The Xuanjia cavalry, upon hearing the sound, reined in their horses, and a leader sternly asked: "Where are the people?"

The mother of the two children is a woman in her twenties, whose appearance can be described as dignified and beautiful, and her temperament is gentle and peaceful, clearly coming from a prominent family. However, upon seeing her children suffer, she could not help but quietly complain, "Those people are being too unreasonable. Isn't it just a minor county magistrate? Can't they delay it a bit and let you take office when the weather gets warmer?"

Moreover, Lu Xin betrayed the Empress but received no reward from the Xiahou clan, becoming a laughingstock in the world. Countless people have wished to kill him to vent their anger, and they would not expose their identities by taking action against him

The elite guards also roared in anger: "Fight to the death!" This cry seemed to possess a magical quality, allowing them to cast aside all distractions, leaving only one thought in their minds—kill the enemy

Waste! Xiahou Bubai finally changed his expression, angrily scolding, and leaped into the Phoenix Pavilion!

After a while, only Lu Xin's carriage remained unsearched. Seeing that Xiahou Bubai was staring at the carriage, Lu Xin suddenly spoke up: "General, there is my wife in the carriage, and she is very ill"

"It is!" All the Xuanjia cavalry tightened their expressions, desperately urging their warhorses to continue the full-speed pursuit

Du Mao's right hand was gushing blood from the tiger's mouth, and the long knife slipped from his grasp! Half of his body was paralyzed, and before he could even raise the other long knife, he was struck in the chest by a palm from Xiahou Bubai

Suddenly, the sound of urgent hoofbeats broke the silence of the mountain path, as a group of bloodied knights surrounded a two-horse carriage, galloping swiftly from the north

Over there, Xiahou did not show any intention of stopping; he even personally entered the arena to search, but his target was no longer a person, rather he was looking for some item.

Xiahou, undefeated, took advantage of this momentum to gracefully return to his horse. Glancing at Du Mao, who had fallen to the ground like a tattered sack, he let out a sigh of disappointment: "Shuangdao Du Mao, is this all there is to it"

... ...

Lu Xin's body went weak, nearly causing him to fall to the ground. It was only then that he realized his back was already soaked. If it had not been for the sudden arrival of Sun Yuanlang, he certainly would not have been able to pass this hurdle

The armored cavalry immediately expressed their guilt, saying: "We are willing to accept punishment!"

The minister could sense that a significant change was about to occur in the capital. If he remained in the capital and the emperor won, it would be fine; however, if the emperor lost, given his character, he would likely end up accompanying the emperor to the grave. Now, by exiling him from the capital, if the emperor wins, he can be recalled. If the emperor loses, with this exile as protection, those people would not trouble him; instead, they would likely promote him.

Lu Xin did not object either. He cast a deep glance at the small corpse and silently walked out of the Daoist temple. He saw that the armored cavalry was already searching his attendants and luggage. The attendants showed expressions of indignation, but were all silenced by Lu Xin's gaze.

In the room, Lu Xin's children were sound asleep. Looking at the two small figures on the bed, Du Mao showed no hesitation and raised the slaughter knife! He wanted Lu Xin to experience the pain of having his entire family exterminated.

The leader, for the time being, calmed his anger. The deputy cautiously advised, "Your Highness, the army has already surrounded Mount Luofeng; they cannot escape!"

As the Xuanjia cavalry extinguished the fire, the Sanqing Hall had long since become a ruin, and naturally, no one survived inside. The Xuanjia cavalry immediately entered to search for corpses and count the number of people. The three who had escaped were all accounted for. Although the corpses were already unrecognizable, they could still be distinguished by their clothing and physique as undoubtedly belonging to the Empress, the Crown Prince, and the eunuch who drove the carriage.

Inside the carriage sat a family of four. A pair of children, around six or seven years old, were bundled up in thick fur coats, huddling close to their mother. Although a charcoal brazier was lit, the north wind seeped in through the cracks of the carriage, making it still quite cold inside.

In the winter of the second year of Qianming, on the twenty-sixth day of the eleventh month, the day of Jimao. On the anniversary of Empress Dowager Xiaowen's death, the Emperor led the officials to Baoyin Temple for a memorial service, where he was attacked, resulting in a collapse of the mountain tomb.

Xiahou Bubai, with a wave of his hand, swiftly eliminated Du Mao, and his body inexplicably turned in mid-air. His legs appeared to kick out in a leisurely manner, yet each kick struck precisely at the chest of a royal guard! No matter how desperately those guards tried to dodge or block, it was all in vain

The man also smiled, affectionately ruffling his son's hair, set down the book, and got up to head down the path: "Father will get you the chamber pot."

Du Mao is indeed not dead. Given his abilities, he should have certainly perished under that strike. However, the imperial armor he wore protected him from the fatal blow of Xiahou, leaving him severely injured but unconscious. Moreover, at that time, the Xiahou clan was in a hurry to pursue the Empress and did not thoroughly inspect the corpse, which provided Du Mao with the opportunity to escape death.

At the forefront stands a general, adorned with a golden crown and draped in a black cloak, his wolf-like brows and eagle-like eyes exuding a commanding presence that captivates the heart and soul. He rides a massive black steed, resembling a dark deity from the depths, gazing down imperiously at the group of guards blocking his path

Little did he know, Xiahou not defeated suddenly stopped his actions, furrowing his brows and turning back. Lu Xin thought he had detected his intentions, causing his blood to run cold with shock. Unexpectedly, the other party's gaze passed over him and was directed towards the distance

Lu Xin nodded in confusion

Xiahou Bubai pondered for a moment, then looked at him again and said: "You are the secretary who was exiled from the capital, right? What is your relationship with Duke Anguo?"

The Xiahou clan's armored cavalry, upon witnessing this, were filled with fervent admiration, shouting in unison: "Strike the oars in midstream, invincible under heaven!" They then began to crazily slaughter the remaining Imperial Guards!

"You, Sun Yuanlang, think you can lay your hands on the treasure!" Xiahou Bubai's eyes ignited with fierce battle intent, no longer caring to check Lady Lu's pulse. He dropped a command, "Search the carriage thoroughly!" and leaped forward to confront the enemy.

In a moment of tea brewing, Xiahou Bu Bai observed that even the Xuanjia cavalry could not overcome the enemy, causing him to furrow his brows; there was no time to waste

The Xuanjia cavalry arrived at the front of the Phoenix Temple and saw a man dressed in a green official robe waiting by the mountain path

I, the newly appointed magistrate of Qiantang, Lu Xin, am here to respectfully await the arrival of the Xiahou clan's army. Lu Xin was not annoyed and politely asked, "Are you all here in pursuit of the Empress and the Crown Prince?"

The cavalry, clad in black iron armor, wore helmets resembling fierce tigers. The characters "Xiahou" were inscribed in seal script on their left armors, signifying their identity as the vassal generals of the Xiahou clan, renowned as the elite black-armored cavalry of the realm

In the blink of an eye, the two grandmasters on the heavenly steps have exchanged over a hundred moves. At this moment, dust and smoke rise from the mountainside, and sand and stones are sent flying. Onlookers can only see two indistinct figures, unable to discern their techniques at all

"Returning to General Xiahou, indeed." Lu Xin replied respectfully

The disparity in combat power is indeed so great, this is the unparalleled Heavenly Stage Grandmaster who dominates the world!

The man could not help but furrow his brows; this mountain path was extremely narrow, barely allowing two vehicles to pass side by side. However, the opposing party was charging forward like wolves and tigers, and it was a double-horse carriage. How could they possibly get through?

Hearing that cry, Du Mao forcefully halted his knife, standing there in a daze

In an instant, the two sides collided, engaging in a life-and-death struggle! Although the Xuanjia cavalry was numerous, they could not leverage their advantage due to the terrain constraints. Moreover, the Imperial Guards were all highly skilled warriors, especially Du Mao, who was an Earth-level master with boundless strength. His pair of iron long knives, infused with true energy, danced like snow, severing countless weapons and inflicting innumerable casualties on the enemy! He truly embodied the might of one man holding the pass against ten thousand!