Chapter 528 Imperial Edict
Hearing this, Situ Dengfeng's tense shoulders slowly relaxed, and he let out a long sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. His gaze towards Shen Mo held not only the original appreciation, but also a deep and sincere respect.
Shen Mo is not only exceptionally intelligent and powerful, but also possesses a rare compassion for the common people.
Guiguzi's eyes gleamed. "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Killing two birds with one stone! It dispels the court's doubts and demonstrates the loyalty and courage of the martial arts alliance. This plan is feasible!"
In the end, the two pillars of the martial arts world solemnly nodded in agreement to this young "Sword God".
Outside the window, the night was still deep, but the candlelight in the study seemed much brighter than before, illuminating a thorny yet incredibly clear path to the future.
......
Two days later, a snow-feathered carrier pigeon pierced the sky, its wingtips covered with unmelted frost, and fell like a silver thread into the Falling Sword Valley of Tianjian Ridge.
It swept over the towering cliffs, circled three times outside the Moon Demon Pavilion, and then flew into the window of the Moon Demon Pavilion, gently landing on the jade table.
A painting lay open on the table, the ink still wet; in the incense burner beside the table, the agarwood incense was rising gently, the smoke as thin as silk, but it suddenly froze the moment it touched the letter—as if even the breath of heaven and earth held its breath.
The Moon Demon Lord stretched out his finger and picked up the thin, plain paper.
She unfolded the letter; on the dark paper, the ink flowed like dragons and snakes, penetrating the paper with force, each word seemingly carrying immense weight and unquestionable authority.
When she read the words "northern desert" and "troop deployment to exert pressure," a glint of turbulent light suddenly flashed deep within her usually cold and aloof eyes.
Her fingertips felt slightly cool, but her heart was already churning with turmoil.
The lord, far away in the Central Plains, actually planned to turn the barbarian tribes of the northern desert into pawns. His scheming and far-reaching plans have long transcended the realm of the martial world and directly pointed to the core of court intrigue!
"Please invite Venerable Juechenzi over here!" The Moon Demon Lord's voice was not loud, but it was like ice shattering jade, echoing in the seemingly empty room.
A moment later, Juechenzi appeared. He bowed to the Moon Demon Lord, his posture respectful but not humble, his gaze calm as an ancient well.
"The Heavenly Demon God has given an order." The Moon Demon Lord handed over the letter, his voice carrying a complex mix of awe and resolve, "Set off immediately for the Northern Desert. By any means necessary, find two tribes and have them garrison troops on the border of the Central Plains to exert pressure. Remember, it is 'pressure,' not war."
Juechenzi took the letter with both hands, glanced at it, and immediately understood its meaning.
"I will obey the command of the Heavenly Demon God!" Juechenzi carefully put away the letter and turned to leave.
His figure quickly disappeared into the Heavenly Sword Ridge, like a drop of water merging into the ocean, silent and unnoticed, yet about to unleash a monstrous wave in the distant northern desert that could influence the course of history.
......
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Nanjing, the headquarters of the Martial Arts Alliance received an uninvited guest.
A group of eunuchs dressed in bright yellow brocade robes and carrying whisks, swaggered into this sacred land of martial arts, surrounded by dozens of imperial guards.
The leading eunuch was pale and beardless, with sinister eyes. He held a bright yellow imperial edict in his hands. The glaring color clashed with the elegant blue bricks and gray tiles of the martial arts alliance, like a sudden flame burning the dignity of all the heroes and heroines of the martial arts world.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Summon 'Sword God' Shen Mo to the capital immediately for an audience with the Emperor! So be it!"
The eunuch's shrill voice echoed through the council hall, carrying an air of condescending arrogance.
His gaze swept over the elders of the nine sects present, finally settling on Shen Mo, a barely perceptible sneer curling at the corner of his lips.
In his view, this so-called "Sword God" was nothing more than a rough and uncouth man with slightly better martial arts skills. Upon seeing the emperor's edict, wouldn't he immediately kneel down to receive it?
However, Shen Mo simply stepped forward, his expression calm as still water. He clasped his hands together and bowed deeply to the bright yellow imperial edict.
This is the rule of the martial arts world—martial artists do not kneel before the imperial court, but only show respect to heaven, earth, and their teachers. This gesture already gives the emperor immense face.
"How dare you!" The eunuch indeed flew into a rage, his face trembling with fury. "Having seen the imperial edict, why do you not kneel? Do you, a mere commoner, dare to defy the majesty of Heaven?"
The atmosphere inside the hall froze instantly. The elders of the various sects all had grim expressions, and their hands were already on the weapons at their waists.
Shen Mo remained calm, not even lifting his eyelids. He sneered inwardly; this eunuch was nothing more than a bully using imperial power.
Just as tensions were about to escalate, Situ Dengfeng, as the leader of the alliance, had no choice but to step in to de-escalate the situation.
He was about to speak when he saw Shen Mo slowly straighten up, his gaze calmly fixed on the eunuch. His voice was not loud, but each word was clear: "The martial world has its own rules. I, Shen Mo, respect the Emperor, not a piece of yellow paper. If you, Your Excellency, feel this is inappropriate, you may report to His Majesty that I, Shen Mo, am disobeying the imperial decree."
These words shocked the entire hall.
This isn't defying an imperial decree; it's clearly kicking the ball back to the court!
If the imperial court were to punish Shen Mo for "disobeying the imperial decree," it would completely tear down the thin veil between the court and the martial arts world, inevitably triggering a massive upheaval.
The eunuch was choked so badly that his face turned ashen, and he was speechless for a moment.
Although he was arrogant, he was aware of the prestige of the "Sword God" before him, and he knew that his mission was to bring the man back to the capital, not to incite a popular uprising here.
He suppressed his anger and forced out a few words through gritted teeth: "Fine, fine! Master Shen is indeed... principled! In that case, Master Shen, please set off immediately and accompany me back to the capital to meet the Emperor! His Majesty... cannot wait much longer!"
Shen Mo smiled slightly, a smile devoid of warmth, only displaying an all-knowing composure.
He knew that the struggle between the martial arts alliance and the imperial court had only just begun.
......
Several days later, at the Forbidden City.
In the Imperial Garden, exotic flowers and rare plants vie for attention, while artificial hills and flowing water complement each other beautifully.
However, the vibrant spring colors of the garden could not conceal the invisible, suffocating atmosphere of desolation in the air.
The new emperor, Zhao Yan, dressed in casual clothes, was playing chess with an old man with white hair and beard and a withered face in a pavilion.
The old man's eyes were slightly closed, his fingers twirling a black chess piece, which he hesitated to place. Yet, he exuded a terrifying aura of profound stillness and imposing grandeur, like a silent volcano that could erupt at any moment.
"Master, what do you think of this situation? How should I break it?" Zhao Yan's voice was soft, carrying a hint of youthful sharpness, yet also the profoundness unique to an emperor.
The old man did not open his eyes, but slowly said, "Your Majesty, the game of chess is like the world. Sometimes, what seems like a dead end is actually the starting point of a new life. The key lies in... the courage of the one who makes the move."
Just then, a young eunuch hurried in and whispered, "Your Majesty, 'Sword God' Shen Mo has arrived."