387: The furious emperor asked the East Factory to deal with the prince!

Chapter 381: The Enraged Emperor. Let the East Depot Handle the Crown Prince!

Xiao Fenghe was about to continue explaining when Lu Xuan suddenly waved his hand.

"Get out."

Those two cold words, like falling cold iron, allowed no doubt.

Xiao Fenghe trembled all over, and the words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back.

He took one last deep look at the bluestone he had guarded for generations, his eyes filled with regret and unwillingness.

As he exited the Forbidden Ground, the Qingfeng Sect’s Sect Master clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails digging deep into his palms.

He wished he could slap himself twice—if he hadn't coveted the Jianghu hegemony promised by the Crown Prince, how would he have exposed the School's centuries-old secrets to the East Depot?

The mountain wind whimpered, as if mocking his foolishness.

Xiao Fenghe hunched his back, looking as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

He knew that from this day forward, the Qingfeng Sect’s greatest secret no longer belonged to the Qingfeng Sect.

Lu Xuan, without turning his head, flicked his sleeve towards the cave entrance, and in an instant, a bone-chilling cold swept through the entire Rear Mountain Forbidden Ground.

Crack, crackle… A series of teeth-grinding freezing sounds echoed.

The bluestone ground frosted inch by inch, and the rock walls were instantly covered with crystal-clear ice patterns.

Most terrifying was the cave entrance, where thick layers of ice spread rapidly at a visible speed, instantly forming an ice wall several zhang thick.

The crystal-clear ice surface refracted a faint blue cold light, completely separating the inside and outside into two worlds.

When the sky full of ice crystals stopped growing, the entire cave had transformed into an ice cavern.

Xiao Fenghe stood frozen, only able to vaguely see through the ice wall the figure in the python robe standing with his hands behind his back before the bluestone, his robes fluttering without wind.

Until the very last moment, the snow-colored Gale Force rapidly spread over the surface of the ice, completely enveloping the transparent ice layer.

In an instant, the entire cave entrance transformed into a naturally formed ice mirror, revealing nothing inside.

Xiao Fenghe stumbled back two steps, a sweet, metallic taste rising in his throat.

His distorted face was reflected on the ice, and the snow-colored Gale Force still flowed deep within the ice layer.

From now on, this blessed land, which had been passed down for hundreds of years, was no longer a forbidden domain that the Qingfeng Sect could touch.

Lu Xuan stepped over the ice and stopped three chi in front of the bluestone.

The Dao patterns flowing on the stone body suddenly trembled violently, as if sensing some terrifying existence.

"This is an unexpected pleasant surprise."

His pale, jade-like right hand slowly pressed onto the stone surface, and the moment his fingertips touched, the entire bluestone suddenly emitted a humming sound.

The System light screen unfolded in the Void Realm, and the pale golden data stream intertwined with the bluestone's Dao charm.

Host: Red Dust Immortal Lu Xuan (Fourth Incarnation)

Realm: Great Grandmaster (Perfection)

Cultivation Technique: Extreme Cold Palm 12/9

Points: 21100

Heaven and Earth Power detected. Host, please confirm whether to extract.

The icy glow in Lu Xuan’s eyes suddenly intensified, and a half-smile played on his lips.

"Extract."

With these two words, the Dao patterns on the bluestone suddenly spun wildly, and the entire cave began to tremble violently.

The spiritual essence of heaven and earth, which had flowed for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, was now surging towards Lu Xuan’s pale palm like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

After an incense stick's time.

The moment Lu Xuan withdrew his hand, the ancient bluestone suddenly let out a mournful cry of unbearable strain.

The Dao patterns that had flowed on the stone for a thousand years cracked inch by inch, and the originally crystal-clear stone body visibly withered.

Crack… A crisp shattering sound echoed through the cave.

The entire bluestone suddenly transformed into thousands of light particles, scattering like dust in the bone-chilling wind.

Lu Xuan stood with his hands behind his back, his attention entirely focused on the System panel.

Host: Red Dust Immortal Lu Xuan (Fourth Incarnation)

Realm: Great Grandmaster (Perfection)

Cultivation Technique: Extreme Cold Palm 12/9 (Can be deduced)

Points: 91100

The System points increased by 70000!

Please confirm whether to consume 75000 System points to deduce Extreme Cold Palm.

"Deduce!"

Meanwhile, the Twelve Taibao of East Depot, along with the remnants of the East Depot, scrambled up the mountain gate in disarray.

These once awe-inspiring Depot Guards were now ragged and covered in injuries.

Some had arms twisted at grotesque angles, some dragged broken legs with difficulty, and others continuously bled profusely from their noses and mouths.

They looked like a group of devils crawled back from Hell; they no longer resembled the elite of the East Depot.

But it was no wonder; being swept down the cliff by that world-destroying Gale Force, it was a miracle to have survived.

A rough count showed that at least a hundred East Depot operatives were permanently left in the rubble at the foot of the mountain, not even a complete corpse could be recovered.

Cao Er wiped the blood from his face fiercely, his gaze fixed on the churning sea of clouds in the distance, his pupils contracting uncontrollably.

"Damn it!"

The second-in-command of the East Depot cursed under his breath, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

If he hadn't reached the Grandmaster Realm and been able to activate his Protective Aura at the critical moment, gripping the cliff's rock crevices with his iron-hook-like fingers, he would have likely been smashed into a pulp by now, drinking tea with King Yama in the Underworld.

Thinking of the world-destroying Gale Force from earlier, Cao Er still felt lingering fear.

He had practically snatched his life back from the gates of Hell.

Cao Er endured the intense pain throughout his body and looked up at the opposite side—hundreds of Qingfeng Sect Disciples had already formed a sword array.

And Xiao Fenghe stood at the front of the array, his bloodshot eyes swirling with monstrous Killing Intent.

"Cough, cough, cough…"

Cao Er spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, his peripheral vision scanning his surroundings.

The Twelve Taibao were all injured, and the remaining operatives could barely stand.

Most critically—where was his godfather?

"Second Brother…" Cao Qi's voice trembled beside him: "Godfather couldn't have…"

"Shut up!"

Cao Er hissed, fine beads of sweat already appearing on his forehead.

Just at this tense, life-or-death moment: "If you esteemed sirs don't mind, please wait here for a moment."

Xiao Fenghe's voice suddenly came from behind the sword array, his tone unnervingly gentle.

The Sect Master, who had just been filled with Killing Intent, suddenly smiled, and his Killing Intent vanished without a trace.

With a flick of his sleeve, dozens of Qingfeng Sect Disciples emerged, carrying medicine chests, seemingly ready to treat the East Depot members.

The East Depot members exchanged glances, and Cao Er's tense shoulders relaxed imperceptibly.

This sudden change, on the contrary, made them believe—their godfather was surely unharmed, and might even be observing everything from somewhere.

Otherwise, with Xiao Fenghe's temperament, he would have long since torn them to shreds.

The mountain wind swept across the training ground, picking up a few blood-stained bamboo leaves.

The two sides appeared harmonious, but in reality, their True Qi surged beneath the surface.

Beneath this momentary calm, undercurrents were silently gathering.

"Sect Master Xiao is too kind." Cao Er cupped his hands in return, but still secretly circulated his Cultivation Technique as a precaution.

Before he finished speaking, the entire Qingfeng suddenly trembled violently.

Everyone turned back in horror, only to see a snow-colored light pillar shooting up from the direction of the Rear Mountain Forbidden Ground, tearing a huge vortex in the rolling sea of clouds.

Within the light pillar, a python robe could be vaguely seen fluttering, and the figure they were all too familiar with stood in mid-air.

He was surrounded by an icy aura ten times more terrifying than before.

The towering snow-colored light pillar suddenly contracted, as if pulled back to the heavens by an invisible hand.

Before everyone could recover from their shock, a figure in a python robe appeared on the mountain path in the distance.

He seemed to be strolling leisurely, but in reality, he was shrinking the ground into inches.

With each step Lu Xuan took, the bluestone within three zhang of his feet was covered with crystal-clear frost patterns.

By the seventh step, he stood silently before the East Depot members, the afterimages behind him not yet fully dissipated.

"Go."

The single word pierced everyone's eardrums like an ice pick, and the Twelve Taibao of East Depot trembled violently.

Host: Red Dust Immortal Lu Xuan (Fourth Incarnation)

Realm: Land Immortal (Initial Entry)

Cultivation Technique: Extreme Cold Palm 13/9

Points: 16100

The mountain wind suddenly intensified, and the moment Lu Xuan turned around, the clouds and mist of the entire Qingfeng suddenly solidified, as if affected by some power.

Xiao Fenghe led the Qingfeng Sect members to kneel on the ground, and only when the python robe disappeared at the end of the three thousand stone steps did he realize that his back was already soaked with cold sweat.

This time, the reputation of his Righteous Path School was completely ruined.

The Imperial Capital!

Inside the study of the Minister Qing's residence, agarwood incense curled upwards from the bronze censer.

Minister Qing's withered fingers caressed the celadon tea cup, the Longjing tea inside long since cold.

He looked at the Crown Prince, who was dressed in casual clothes, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes: "Your Highness, this old minister has served three dynasties and seen too many impatient Imperial Sons and Phoenixes…"

Outside the window, the swaying bamboo shadows fragmented the Crown Prince's moody face.

This Crown Prince, who was over thirty, suddenly clenched his fists, his knuckles making a soft "click" sound: "Teacher! You don't know, I've waited too long."

"Father Emperor, why hasn't he…"

"Watch your words!"

Minister Qing's tea cup slammed heavily onto the table, stirring up a wisp of incense ash.

"Your Highness, our manipulation of those Jianghu Schools behind the scenes has already alerted them."

"If His Majesty were to know that you faked his imperial decree…" Minister Qing suddenly lowered his voice.

"Ten years ago, how was Second Imperial Son deposed, has Your Highness forgotten?"

A draft of wind swept through, rustling the books on the desk, which happened to stop on a certain page.

The Crown Prince stared at the five characters "Haste makes waste" on the page, the anger in his eyes gradually turning into coldness.

"Teacher, there's no need to persuade me further on this matter."

"I will absolutely not let those damned East Depot bastards go."

The Crown Prince suddenly flicked his sleeve and stood up, his coiled dragon jade pendant hitting the corner of the zitan table, emitting a harsh cracking sound.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his originally handsome face was now as distorted as a devil's: "If it weren't for those dog-like East Depot bastards, Lin Qinghan wouldn't have left me."

Minister Qing's pupils constricted: "Your Highness! The East Depot is a blade in His Majesty's hand."

Saying this, he tremblingly knelt on the ground, "Are you really going to fight your Father Emperor for a woman?"

After Minister Qing spoke, the Crown Prince suddenly laughed maniacally, his laughter shaking the dust from the beams.

"Fight? No…" He leaned down and picked up the paperweight from the table: "I just want to take back what belongs to me."

Whenever night fell, the Crown Prince's eyes would always conjure that nightmarish scene.

Inside the Gilded Hall, dragon's saliva incense wafted, and Lin Qinghan, in a simple gauze palace dress, knelt before the Emperor.

The thin fabric could hardly conceal anything, and when Father Emperor's withered, tree-like hand slid down her exposed shoulder, her eyelashes trembled pitifully.

"Your Imperial Son… takes his leave."

At that time, his fingernails dug deep into his palm, blood dripping from his court robe sleeve onto the golden bricks.

But Father Emperor didn't even lift an eyelid, only preoccupied with playing with the silk sash around the waist of the jade beauty in his arms.

The moment he exited the palace gate, he heard the crisp sound of a jade hairpin falling behind the pearl curtain.

"By… what… right…"

"Crack!"

The tea cup on the table was crushed to pieces, and he didn't even notice the porcelain shards digging into his palm.

The Crown Prince's eyes were filled with a crazed, bloody hue. By what right did Father Emperor snatch the woman who belonged to me?

"Your Highness! Your hand…" Minister Qing exclaimed in alarm.

He hated his Father Emperor, and even more so regarded the East Depot and the Brocade Guard as thorns in his side.

If it weren't for those eunuch dogs from the East Depot digging three feet deep to find Lin Qinghan, whom he had meticulously hidden, how would she have been escorted into the palace and become a plaything in Father Emperor's palm?

What was even more hateful were those Brocade Guard.

They boasted of being able to protect everything, yet they couldn't even keep an eye on one person!

There must have been an internal mole within the Brocade Guard, secretly colluding with the East Depot.

"Issue the order—whoever kills Lu Xuan, I swear by the rivers and mountains."

"I will grant them land and titles, to be inherited for generations!"

Inside the deep palace hall, golden censers emitted curling wisps of smoke.

Commander Shen Wanbao knelt on one knee on the cold golden bricks, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

This Brocade Guard Commander, who usually hid in the Garrison Command, now didn't even have the courage to look directly at the Emperor's face.

"My good Crown Prince… my good Imperial Son, his wings have hardened."

Emperor Gandong Ji caressed the secret memorial in his hand, his voice chilling: "For a woman, he dares to commit such treason!"

"Hee hee hee!" Gandong Ji's sudden burst of sinister laughter echoed through the hall.

With a flick of his sleeve, the memorials piled on the table scattered like snowflakes.

These were all pieces of evidence of the Crown Prince's crimes secretly collected by the Brocade Guard, including even secret reports written by Commander Shen Wanbao himself, detailing his own involvement.

"He colluded with the Brocade Guard and contacted Jianghu forces to deal with the East Depot; I can still turn a blind eye and forgive him!"

Gandong Ji's chilling voice echoed in the hall, his arm tightening around Lin Qinghan in his embrace.

His rough fingers clamped the beauty's smooth chin, forcing her to lift her pale face.

"But I never expected—"

Gandong Ji suddenly exploded in rage, the force in his hand increasing, leaving a striking red mark on Lin Qinghan's jaw.

"He actually dared to send assassins into the palace to assassinate me for you, my beloved consort!"

"What I give him is his; what I don't give him, he cannot snatch!"

Commander Shen Wanbao knelt on the ground, seeing the detailed records of the Crown Prince dispatching assassins among the scattered memorials.

There was no way, His Highness the Crown Prince had gone too far.

Retaliating against the East Depot was still reasonable, but he actually dared to send assassins to assassinate the reigning Emperor, and even wanted to exterminate the entire East Depot.

Such an act of treason had already touched Commander Shen Wanbao's bottom line.

After much deliberation, Commander Shen Wanbao, the Commander of the Brocade Guard, finally hardened his heart.

He not only revealed everything about the Crown Prince's rebellion, but also wrote down all his previous dealings in assisting the Crown Prince against the East Depot into a secret memorial and submitted it to the Emperor.

The hall was brightly lit, and the dazzling light reflected on Commander Shen Wanbao's resolute face.

He knew that once this memorial was submitted, there would be no turning back.

"On this matter, the Brocade Guard need not intervene."

Gandong Ji's voice, though very soft, made Commander Shen Wanbao tremble all over.

His large hand moved back and forth over Lin Qinghan's ample figure, seeking.

"The Crown Prince will be handed over to the East Depot for disposal."

Commander Shen Wanbao suddenly looked up; he knew all too well what this order meant.

His Majesty was going to abandon the Crown Prince!

However, what shocked him even more were the words that followed: "After this matter is settled…"

Gandong Ji wearily waved his hand: "I am already tired, and I don't want to see anyone from the East Depot again. You send them to where they belong."

Commander Shen Wanbao's pupils constricted, and he even forgot to maintain basic etiquette.

His Majesty… was going to eliminate the East Depot organization!

Not wanting to see anyone from the East Depot, and sending them to where they belong, didn't that mean there was only one place?

That was Hell!