CHAPTER 577: CHAPTER 222 YU YOUHAN: DUAL CULTIVATION CAN MAKE YOU STRONGER? CHEN MO’S BEST USE!_2

Having said that, he turned and left.

Yan Linghu was stunned.

In his life, this was the first time he heard words of praise from his father.

He weighed the money bag, shook his head, and murmured softly, "I didn’t expect Chen Mo to have such guts. It’s not enough that he hit the heir last time; now he’s developed a murderous intent... Well, you can’t blame me for this; if the heavens wish someone dead, they first make them mad..."

...

...

Imperial Palace, Qianji Palace.

All the windows and doors of the entire sleeping quarters were sealed shut, with only a copper candleholder on the tea table. By the dim candlelight, one could barely make out the surroundings.

A gaunt figure sat upright in the chair, wearing a Twelve-Beaded Pearl Crown, draped in a bright yellow Dragon Robe embroidered with a Five-clawed Golden Dragon. Like a withered tree, his skeletal hands stretched out from the wide sleeves to rest on the chair armrest, with joints protruding and veins snaking visibly under the skin.

The entire person seemed lifeless, akin to a skeleton wrapped in gold threads.

Chak——

A soft sound emerged in the air.

In the corner, a substance seemed to writhe, gradually revealing a tall, slender figure.

That person stepped slowly to the emperor, with a substantial shadow trailing behind, swallowing any candlelight it touched.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

The Shadow Man bowed in salute, his voice hoarse and dry, "It’s rare to see Your Majesty sitting up; seems like you’re in a good mood today?"

"One must move around, otherwise the body will rust." The emperor looked down at the Dragon Robe and said lightly, "Lying in bed too long makes one forget they’re the ruler of a nation."

The Shadow Man shook his head and said, "Your Highness is the Venerable Emperor, the supreme ruler; this fact will never change."

"Heh."

The emperor chuckled lightly, his tone bearing mockery and self-deprecation, "Venerable Emperor? How many in the court still remember me as the Venerable Emperor? They probably think I’m no different from a dead man."

The Shadow Man bowed his head and remained silent.

The emperor gently tapped his fingers on the armrest and inquired, "What about the investigation I asked you to conduct? Who took that Geng Metal Dragon Qi?"

The Shadow Man replied, "In response to Your Majesty, the exact details are still unclear. However, on the day of Dragon Qi’s disappearance, Zhong Lihe suddenly brought people into the palace, followed shortly by the Imperial Hospital Envoy Li Wanjun."

"Zhong Lihe?"

Upon hearing this name, the emperor paused in motion and mused, "Back then, Chu Yanli was close with this Zhong fellow, and he has stayed at the Heavenly Martial Arena all these years, hardly leaving unless absolutely necessary. It seems like he’s guarding something..."

"Who did he bring?"

"Sky Scale Guard Deputy Thousand Households, Chen Mo."

"So it’s him..."

The emperor seemed well-acquainted with Chen Mo, and said calmly, "That explains it. It seems this boy’s fortune is even stronger than I thought, no wonder he is favored by the Empress and Imperial Consort... Perhaps he’s the one Chu Yanli is waiting for?"

"What about Prince Yu Mansion?"

"Shouldn’t they also be unable to keep quiet?"

After a brief silence, the Shadow Man said, "This is the second matter I must report... Just tonight, Chen Mo clashed with Heir of Prince Yu, Chu Heng, injuring him severely in front of the Imperial Music Bureau."

"Chu Heng’s physical body was nearly destroyed, and his Divine Soul seemed severely damaged. Now his life or death is unknown."

?

The emperor was stunned upon hearing this.

Soon, the broad Dragon Robe trembled, and suppressed laughter came from beneath the pearl curtain.

"Haha, interesting, truly interesting..."

"I’ve said before that this son of Yan Chang has a narrow mind and limited vision. Though ambitious, he lacks depth, will never accomplish great things, and might drag down the entire Chu Family. Turns out I was right... cough cough cough..."

As he spoke, he began to cough violently.

Pa——

A blot of black, foul blood coughed out and splattered on the floor tiles.

The Shadow Man said solemnly, "I hope Your Majesty takes care of your body."

"I’m not dying."

The emperor indifferently raised his sleeve to wipe his lips, took a breath, and said, "But causing such a big mess, Chen Mo sure has guts. Where is he now?"

"Yangxin Palace," the Shadow Man replied.

The emperor raised his eyebrows slightly, contemplating, "The Empress seems determined to protect him? In that case, I shall give a little push..."

His lips moved silently, saying something.

"As you command."

The Shadow Man bowed in response, and the dense darkness roiled before slowly dissipating.

The emperor leaned back in the chair. Having spoken so much, he felt a little tired.

Looking at the slowly writhing bloodstain on the floor, the sunken eye sockets seemed to ignite with two eerie fires, brewing something unknown.

"The so-called mandate of heaven, cycle of sixty years; this dragon throne is both authority and shackle... If one is weak like reed, even with ministers bowing, and citizens kneeling, it’s no more than a candle in the wind, extinguished in an instant."

"The essence of Imperial Power is also the Manifestation of ’force.’"

"Only those who gather great force into themselves are fit to be... the ultimate solitary ruler!"

"Unfortunately, I understood this truth rather late, but fortunately, there’s still a chance..."

Step, step, step——

Light footsteps approached as a young eunuch stepped lightly over.

"Your Majesty, it’s time for medicine."

The young eunuch opened the wooden box, took out two red pills, and bowed to present them to the emperor.

The emperor took them, glancing at him from beneath the beaded curtain.

"You look unfamiliar, newly arrived?"

The young eunuch looked a bit nervous, bowed his head, and said, "I was transferred from the Internal Affairs Office yesterday to serve Your Majesty’s daily needs. If there’s any impropriety, I beg Your Majesty for understanding."

The emperor took the pills in mouth and said softly, "No matter, everyone’s a bit awkward at first, you’ll get used to it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your forgiveness."

The young eunuch sighed in relief, thinking to himself: