13: The Peerless Emperor (Part 7)

The killing intent was almost tangible, threatening to overwhelm his reason. The temperature in the study plummeted, and a layer of thin frost formed on the teacup on the desk.

Madam Murong, sitting opposite him, was struck by this invisible Evil Qi. Her already frail body swayed, and she nearly collapsed.

It was this very sway that snapped Wu Yun back to his senses.

He forcibly suppressed the tumultuous murderous thoughts.

No.

Losing control now would be useless.

This woman before him, whose spirit was on the verge of collapse, was the only key to uncovering that dark veil.

Wu Yun took a deep breath, the crimson in his eyes slowly fading, replaced by a deep-pool-like calm. With a flick of his finger, a strand of extremely pure spiritual energy silently flowed into Madam Murong's body.

This spiritual energy not only stabilized her tottering body but also acted like a clear spring, skillfully soothing her chaotic mind.

Madam Murong's heavily heaving chest gradually stilled, and her unfocused eyes regained their clarity.

She looked at Wu Yun somewhat blankly, not understanding why she had suddenly felt a surge of heart palpitations.

"Madam."

Wu Yun's voice was gentle, carrying a persuasive power.

"Think carefully again. Back then, where did you hear about this plan? Any detail will do."

Under the soothing influence of Wu Yun's spiritual energy, Madam Murong's chaotic memories seemed much clearer. She struggled to remember, her clouded eyes revealing pain.

"It was... at a royal night banquet..."

"I couldn't handle my wine, so I thought of taking a walk in the gardens... I ended up getting lost and accidentally entered a very remote garden area. It seemed to be... a Forbidden Ground."

"I was very scared and was about to leave when I heard people speaking inside."

The woman's body trembled slightly.

"One of the voices, I recognized—it was Marshal Xiang Tong. The other voice... was very unfamiliar, but it sounded very young, and also... cold."

"I hid behind a rockery, not daring to make a sound. I only heard them mention Luoyun Slope, mention Li Yun, mention..."

Wu Yun's heart tightened again, but he remained outwardly calm, continuing to guide her.

"Did you see the face of that mysterious person?"

Madam Murong shook her head vigorously, her face full of fear.

"No. It was too dark, and he always had his back to me. I couldn't see anything clearly."

"But..."

She seemed to remember something and suddenly grabbed Wu Yun's sleeve.

"I will never forget it! He was wearing a ring on his finger!"

"A black jade ring with a dragon pattern carved on it!"

"Also, he had a habit when speaking! After every sentence, his pinky... his pinky would unconsciously tap lightly on the stone table!"

A black jade dragon-patterned ring.

The tapping of a pinky finger.

Wu Yun's pupils suddenly constricted.

Having lived three lives, from the depths of his vast memories, a blurry figure instantly overlapped with these two characteristics.

So it was him.

First Prince Wu Ao... A chill rose from Wu Yun's spine. He now understood that in his past life, he hadn't died from a simple frame-up but had been caught in the highest level of the Empire's imperial power struggles.

Xiang Tong was the Empress's biological brother and the Marshal of the Third Legion. The more illustrious his achievements, the higher his status, and the greater the power in his hands, the more he could assist the First Prince in the struggle for the throne.

And he himself, the so-called "Li Yun who shed tears and blood for the Empire on the battlefield" in his past life, was merely a stepping stone on their path to the Peak of power.

To be used at will, and discarded at will.

After bidding farewell to Madam Murong and returning to the Prince Yun Manor, Wu Yun sat alone in his cold study, his mind rapidly sketching a massive network of power.

The Empress's faction: the Empress, the First Prince, and State Uncle Xiang Tong. Deeply rooted and immensely powerful.

The Noble Consorts' faction: two Great Noble Consorts and the families behind them, as well as the Second Prince and Third Prince. They were locked in a life-and-death struggle with the Empress's faction.

Imperial power and the military: his father Emperor Shenwu, and princes like Uncle Prince Taiping who held heavy military power. Their attitudes were ambiguous, maintaining a fragile balance in the court.

His current position was very clear.

His enemies were not just Xiang Tong, but the entire First Prince's faction.

Emperor Shenwu had betrothed Princess Taiping to him, firmly binding him to the military forces, precisely to use him to counter the growing power of the Empress's faction.

Ever since he exposed his talent and gained Emperor Shenwu's attention, he had already been standing on the opposite side of the First Prince.

The blueprint for revenge gradually became clear in Wu Yun's heart.

Charge directly into the Xiang Manor? Risk his life against Xiang Tong?

That would be no different from suicide.

A powerhouse of the Spirit King Realm could crush his current self as easily as crushing an ant.

Revenge should be like peeling an onion.

Layer by layer, peel away his power, cut off his claws, destroy his spiritual pillars, make him fall from the clouds, and finally die in despair.

The night deepened.

"Knock, knock, knock."

The study door was knocked.

"Come in."

The door was pushed open, and Princess Taiping walked in carrying a bowl of lotus seed soup.

"Brother Wu Yun, why aren't you resting yet at this late hour?"

The girl's voice carried a hint of worry.

Wu Yun looked up, seeing her concerned face, and the coldness in his heart melted slightly.

"Just thinking about some things. I'll sleep soon."

Princess Taiping placed the lotus seed soup on the table and mentioned as if casually.

"By the way, I heard some news from the palace today. Marshal Xiang Tong's precious son, Xiang Tian, is holding his eighteenth birthday banquet the day after tomorrow. He's invited all the geniuses and young talents of the Empire, saying they'll discuss national affairs."

She curled her lip.

"Of course, he definitely didn't invite you. Everyone knows you don't get along with the Fifth Prince and Seventh Prince; they were all born of the Empress."

Wu Yun picked up the spoon and stirred the lotus seed soup in the bowl without speaking.

Princess Taiping sat opposite him, resting her chin on her hands, and continued as if chatting.

"That Xiang Tian, relying on his father's power, has his head in the clouds. He's most fond of grandiosity and can't stand the slightest provocation. He's always thinking of proving himself in military matters to surpass his father, and he's willing to take risks for it."

"Recently, the Northern Border has become unstable again. I heard the enemy Langxu Kingdom is stirring once more, and frictions are getting more intense. Ever since the incident with the King of Zhenbei, the Empire's national strength is not what it used to be."

The girl's unintentional words made the spoon in Wu Yun's hand stop.

After seeing off the princess, Wu Yun was once again alone in the study.

He walked to the desk, spread out a sheet of white paper, and picked up a cinnabar brush.

The tip of the brush paused on the paper for a moment before writing two words.

Xiang Tian.

Then, with the cinnabar brush, he drew a heavy, blood-red circle over that name.

Xiang Tong had fathered a son late in life, and he was his most precious only son.

The first pawn in the game of revenge.

Destroying him would be the most painful blow to Xiang Tong's spirit.

The corners of Wu Yun's mouth curled into a cold smile that carried no warmth.